Tag Archives: September 2002

London:

7th September 2002 London meeting Review by Padmassana

We had two excellent speakers who both captured the essence of the countries they talked about with some fantastic photographs.

Our first speaker was Marion Bull who showed us the N’Afjer plateau in the Algerian Sahara. This area is the site of the world’s oldest rock paintings, some dating back 12,000 years. Marion explained that although UNESCO protects the paintings, many have been damaged over the last few years by Arabic graffiti, and as there have been few tourists to this area, the government has not protected them. The slides of the rock paintings Marion showed us depicted prehistoric scenes of long extinct animals, pastoral scenes of grazing cattle, newer pictures of what appeared to be a boat and fishermen and paintings of chariots being pulled by animals.

This area of Algeria is also the site of The Forest of Stones, which look like streets and stretch for 35 miles. These “streets” of rock have spectacular pinnacles, which Marion said were difficult to photograph due to the shadows cast by neighbouring towers of rock. But Marion did these wonderful formations justice with her colourful slides. We were lucky that Marion was able to show us these wonderful images, as when she was leaving the area her plane had a little mishap, and she had to spend another night in her sleeping bag on the runway tarmac.

Our second speaker was Julian Webster who treated us to some glorious images of India. These included pictures of the Ganges high in the Himalayas, right down to India’s southern tip, showing us a lifeguard complete with a pointy “Go Faster” swim hat! We saw colourful images of religious India including temples in Kerala, Buddhists in the north, Christian nuns and Oracles who treat the local people with their magic. Julian moved onto India at work, from the washing Ghats in Bombay (Mumbai), where we saw clothes being beaten clean on stones, Fish markets, Railway station bookshops with English sounding names and even the office of “The World Famous Sex Therapist”! Julian finished with some of the classical images of India such as holy cows and the Taj Mahal.

On Saturday 5th October, Eamonn Gearon will give a talk called “Walking to Siwa – and then staying there!” This features solo camel trekking in the Libyan desert and life in the Egyptian oasis of Siwa, past present and future. This is an extract from just one of Eamonn's expeditions in North Africa – he is already planning his next to Sudan/Liberia.

After the break, Tahir Shah will give a talk entitled “In search of King Solomon’s Mines.” Tahir is the third generation of his family to become obsessed with King Solomon's mines. He travelled to Ethiopia to a remote cliff face monastery where visitors are pulled up by rope, the ruined castles of Gondar, to rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, an illegal gold mine, and the hardest leg to the accursed mountain of Tullu Wallel, where legend says the shafts to the entrance to King Solomon's mines. All class competition for Rider Haggard's classic adventure novel!

London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. There is no London meeting in August, but we will be back on Saturday 1st September. For more information, you can contact the Globetrotter Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk

Ontario:

On September 20, Bruce Weber & Hoang Nguyen will talk about: “Impressions of Vietnam” (with slides). Bruce, the first-time visitor and Hong returned after 15 years. We will also have some Visiting medical students talking about: “Secrets of Bavaria”

For information on Ontario meetings, please contact: Svatka Hermanek:

shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Bond, James Bond

For true 007 fans this exhibition at the Science Museum in London will display a vast collection of objects, costume designs, storyboards and images. See Oddjob's killer bowler hat and Rose Klebb's flick-knife shoe. Visitors will have a real behind the scenes look at the work of the creative and technical teams of these world famous films. Special themed areas will allow fans of Bond to gain a sense of what its like to be the special agent. Visitors must embark on a 'death-defying stunt' and negotiate 'the mirrored maze in the villains lair' before they are granted secret agent status! The exhibition runs from 16 October 2002 – March 2003. For more info, visit:

London Events: Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival

If you’ve never seen them, this is your chance: if you are in London 6th October, you will be able to see the Pearly Kings and Queens. They are traditional Cockney costermongers. The altar and the pulpit of St Martins in the Fields, Trafalgar Square are arrayed with the fruits of the earth, and a Pearly King or Queen reads one of the Lessons, while the congregation sings the hymns of the harvest season.

Date: 6 Oct 2002

Location: St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ Tel: (020) 7766 1100

Website: St Martins in the Fields

Cheap anti-malaria drug 'closer'

Doctors aiming to make a cheap and effective malaria drug available across Africa have been awarded a $1.5m grant by the Gates Malaria Partnership, based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which was established with $40m from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

Experts will look at the best way of using the anti-malarial drug Lapdap. Tom Kanyock, manager of product development for TDR, said: “It appears that Lapdap would offer a safe and effective low -cost alternative to the drugs currently available. Both drugs which make up Lapdap have been around for a long time, and used for other things”.

Texas:

14th September 2002 Texas branch meeting Review by Christina Smith

Two wonderful presentations were enjoyed by the 18 in attendance. Emily Naberhaus, a regular attendee, discussed and demonstrated packing techniques for a week or a month.

Sue Howell, a soon to be regular attendee, introduced the group to her new business Vacations Unlimited Travel, Inc. Everyone had time to share their travel stories and dreams, and do some networking before the meeting ended. Two door prizes were given.. More than half of the group continuedtravel conversation over a few beverages and a bunch of peanuts at the Hoity Toit.

On October 12th at 2 p.m, resident photographer Chris Schorre will present a slide show and provide travel facts about Croatia. As always, everyone is invited to the New Braunfels Public Library in New Braunfels, Texas to meet with fellow travelers.

Organizer of the Texas branch meetings Christina Smith says: “The monthly meetings are the exact support I need in dealing with the travel bug that bit me early in life. My desire and obsession for travel takes center stage. Fortunately the fellowship of other travelers on a monthly basis continues toenhance my addiction. I love this wonderful support group”. The Beetle says a big thank you to you, Christina for making the Texas branch what it is today – down to your enthusiasm and dedication!

The Texas branch members have decided to take a trip together! Plans are being developed for a group excursion to the Copper Canyon in Mexico for Spring 2003.

Future meetings: October 12and November 9th

A reminder that Texas meetings will start one hour earlier, at 2pm and not 3pm.

Meetings are held at 2pm at the New Braunfels Public Library, 700 E. Common Street in New Braunfels, Texas. The meeting ends at 5 p.m. If you would like to continue travel talk on a more informal basis, we plan to adjourn to the Hoity-Toit, a local New Braunfels establishment. If anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

Try Real Ale!

It’s Real Beer Week in British pubs this autumn. 33 family run breweries that have each been in the business from 100 to 300 years want to encourage more people to try real ale. The 33 brewers, are staging the first ever Real Beer Week in British pubs this autumn (September 30 – October 6). If you are not sure you would like the beer on offer, many pubs will provide a no-obligation free taste on request. For more info, visit: Family Brewers

Dead Sea Rescue Plan

The Dead Sea is falling by about one metre (3ft) a year due to declining rainfall, and an increase in the amount of irrigation water being taken from the River Jordan. Water flows in from the River Jordan and other sources, but there is no outflow – it simply evaporates, concentrating the salts in the water into brine. Environmentalists warn the salt lake could vanish by 2050 if nothing is done.

Israel and Jordan announced at the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg that they have agreed on a plan to build an $800 million pipeline to pipe water north from the Gulf of Aqaba in Red Sea to the Dead Sea.