Category Archives: Sidebar

Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

Answers to: So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

  1. Bahrain — Manama
  2. Japan — Tokyo
  3. Saudi Arabia — Riyadh
  4. Somalia — Mogadishu
  5. Burundi — Bujumbura

0 out of 5 – you need to get out more!

1-3 – not bad

4 – very good! You are a Globetrotter!

5 – are you sure you didn’t sneak a look?

Fave Websites

If you are interested in forest conservation, then take a look at this: http://forests.org/

This website provides news from around the world on issues in countries about the protection of forests to volunteer positions.

Also, spotted by Padmassana: Christopher Rogers

He does some fabulous pictures of London, showing all the buildings, they come with a “Key” so you can pick places, buildings etc out.

Eurostar to Close Waterloo

You got used to catching the Eurostar from London Waterloo to Paris or Brussels? Well, in 2007, all cross channel trains will no longer use Waterloo station, which was opened in 1993 at a cost of £130 million. (Note, Waterloo was the scene of one of France’s greatest military defeats in 1825!) Instead the Eurostar will start from St. Pancras station in north London and a depot near Stratford, east London, that has yet to be built. The decision was made because Eurostar believes the cost of running two London bases would be too much.

Travel Jokes

On landing, the Stewardess said, “Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.”.

There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane”.

”Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”.

So You Think You’re Well Travelled?

Here’s a little Beetle quiz based on capital cities. See how many you get right! Go on, have a guess!

What is the capital city of the following countries:

  1. Bahrain
  2. Japan
  3. Saudi Arabia
  4. Somalia
  5. Burundi

For the answers, see at the end of the e-newsletter.

Travel Quiz: Western Canada

The winner of last month's Moon Guide on the ArcadiaNational Park is Traechsel, congratulations! And the winner of our Peru quiz was Jane Thomas, again, well done!

This month, win a Moon guidebook on Western Canada. See http://www.moon.com/ for info on this excellent series.

Some people have said the quiz is difficult, we say do some research: try google.com or Ask Jeeves, if you need help with the answers.

Quiz


Being Careful: Philippines

As the Beetle was planning a little diving trip to the Philippines, she thought she’d check out the FCO’s travel advice for the area.

The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to central, southern and Western Mindanao, to Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Sulu archipelago, where military and police operations against terrorist and rebel groups are continuing and where kidnappings and bombings have taken place.

There is a high threat from terrorism and kidnapping throughout the Philippines. There continues to be threats against Western interests and there is a danger of collateral damage from terrorist attacks targeted at others.

You should also be alert to the risk of street crime.

Penalties for illegal drug importation and use are severe and can include the death penalty.

We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.

Naked Man at LAX

A 31 year old Canadian man recently tried to buy a one-way ticket on a Qantas flight from LAX to Sydney, but was turned down because he could not supply a valid credit card. Later, he managed to climb over an airport fence, topped by three strands of barbed wire, without injury and was spotted by an airport worker “running, naked, full-speed” toward the plane. He climbed into the wheel well of a moving Qantas 747. Pilots of the Qantas Airways flight stopped the plane. The man was coaxed out of the wheel well and arrested for trespass. An airport spokesperson said: “

”.his was an extremely dangerous thing for him to do. If he had continued to cling in there with the aircraft taking off at over 200 miles (320 kph) per hour, he might have fallen out and could have been sucked up by an engine.”

”.f he had survived that and was in the wheel well when the landing gear was retracted, he could have been crushed by the mechanism. And if not he very likely would have frozen to death during the 15 1/2 hour flight at 30,000 feet (9,150 metres) while wearing no clothes.”.

A Cautionary Warning – Europcar Malaga

Just a sober warning for anyone considering using Europcar at Malaga airport.

Earlier in the year we hired a car, left credit card details as is normal, checked car for damage prior to leaving airport (around midnight) and got on our way. Didn't notice until at the outskirts of the airport that the fuel tank was only half full. Took car back with three quarters of a tank (more than when we picked it up) and explained to the check in girl what had happened. She accepted that I didn't need to rip them off for a few litres of fuel and said all would be OK.

Got home and about a week later received a bill for 25 litres of fuel and a 12 euro charge for “Special Equipment Replacement”. Total bill 39.15 euros, not a fortune but a rip off none the less.

Tried to contact Europcar with very little success, they eventually agreed that they had only put 17 litres of fuel in the car and will refund the difference, I wouldn't mind betting that they left it as it was and ripped off the next unsuspecting customer. The user prior to us must have had the same problem and they certainly didn't fill it up then !!

Still no explanation of the “Special Equipment Replacement” so be warned. EUROPCAR IN MALAGA AIRPORT MAY WELL ROB YOU!!!