Category: archive
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Our Friends Ryanair
Ryanair has carried out its threat to scrap services between London and Brussels’ Charleroi airport, in an escalation of its battle with the European commission over illegal state aid from…
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Being Careful: Thailand
This is what the Foreign and Commonwealth office of the UK says about visits to Thailand. There is a general threat to British and other Western targets from terrorism in…
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Why Do Mosquitoes Bite?
Researchers have discovered that a key chemical found in sweat is what attracts the mosquito that spreads malaria in Africa to bite its human victims. With this knowledge, scientists believe…
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Where is the US’ 2nd Oldest Tourist Attraction?
If you had to guess: where and what do you think is the US’ second oldest tourist attraction after the Niagara Falls? Answer, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. It is not…
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Planet Reunited
When travelling, it’s hard enough to remember where you were yesterday, let alone the phone number of that fabulous girl you met in Hong Kong, or the postal address of…
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Talk at the RGS, London
The Effects of Logging on the ‘Pygmies’ in the Congo Basin Congo Basin, presentations and launch of a major new photographic exhibition on the Ba’Aka ‘Pygmies’ of the Republic of…
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Globetrotter Hem Visits Argentina, Chile and Argentina Again!
And gets propositioned on the way… read on! I got to Buenos Aires in pouring rain from sunny London without mishap. My hotel was ok, in the historic area of…
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PNG Part 2
The Beetle visited Papua New Guinea (PNG) last Christmas and here is an account of Port Moresby. Getting to PNG the first time was not straightforward, although I have since…
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Bilharziasis, Snail fever, Schistosomiasis
What is it:Schistosomiasis, also called bilharzia (bill-HAR-zi-a), is a disease caused by parasitic worms. They currently infect over 200m people each year, and the number of people infected increases. Where…
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Ghana Airways Overbooks
Be warned – if you are planning on flying with Ghana Airways, be warned. Ghana Airways allegedly has something of a reputation for overbooking and not refunding money for seats…
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Traveller’s Thrombosis
A recent New Zealand study of almost 900 passengers has shown that up to one in 100 long-haul fliers could develop blood clots, and wearing compression stockings, taking aspirin and…
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Outsouring Travel Jobs
A growing number of U.S. airlines and online travel companies are outsourcing customer service jobs overseas in a bid to reduce costs. United Airlines is about to source a customer…
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Serengeti Safari by Jennifer, NYC
I decided to go on a safari in Africa – not so unusual. However, all of the travel information I was able to dig up in preparation for this life…
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Boxing Day Sports Festival in Mikindani by Matt Maddocks
Having been nothing but impressed with the way the Mikindani Sports Club or ‘Klabu ya Uboreshaji’ (the club’s Swahili name which means improving oneself through sports) was been run, I…
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Virgin Atlantic P's People Off
Virgin Atlantic Airways scrapped plans to install bright-red urinals shaped like women's open lips at New York's John F Kennedy Airport, saying it had received complaints they were offensive. “Virgin…
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Sentosa Cable Car Competition
A marathon competition to see who could live for a week in a cable car that makes the 1.7-kilometre trip between Singapore and the resort island of Sentosa about 80…
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Possible tax on visits to the Costa Brava
More than a million British holidaymakers heading for the Costa Brava in north eastern Spain face an increase in prices due to a tourist tax. The new tourism director-general of…
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There's a Frog in My Salad
An airline passenger discovered the a frog perched on a slice of cucumber while on a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Wellington in February. “Naturally there was a bit of…
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An Ascent (Finally) of Stok Kangri by Jules Stewart
With a shuddering sob Helen collapsed on the ridge and burst into tears.“I cannot take another step,” she sobbed. “Oh, I know it’s all vanity and pride!” She was referring…
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Singapore Pilot Booted Out
A foreign pilot who infuriated Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew by leading a rare union revolt has been told by the government he can no longer live in Singapore…