Newsletter Issue 11 - 17th May 2002

Hello and welcome to another newsletter from Karibuni!

Summer is nearly upon us and we are starting to enjoy the season when the British weather is at its best for getting outdoors and being active - using the long and balmy evenings to the full. We have already been very lucky with the Spring Adventure Weekends and have enjoyed several warm and sunny trips.

You will find the usual mix of news items and travel features in this newsletter, and if you have any comments, feedback or amusing stories or travel articles to share, then please send them through to info@karibuni.co.uk

Coming up in this exciting issue: -
Karibuni News
- Have you ever?
- Skiing 2003- Early Booking Discounts
- Last chance to win a FREE Adventure Weekend
Travel News
- An airport to avoid
- Don't be late at Mytravel
- An evening with Ranulph Fiennes
Travel Feature
- The "Other" Mallorca…more than beaches, beer and Brits
Global Quickies
- Humorous news from around the world

Karibuni News

Have you ever?
Come on now, be honest - we all make promises to get out and do more, or be more active or try some new things…but how many get lost along the way and end up being forgotten. We can always find an excuse to avoid it or miss out - too much hassle, not enough time…

Well - no more!
Enough is enough!

At Karibuni our range of Adventure Weekend are designed to make it so easy for you to get out and about and doing some amazing activities…with our ultimate convenience there really is no excuse!

How many times have we heard "I can't believe I just did that!" or "I have always wanted to try that" after activities such as gorge scrambling, biking, windsurfing, walking - the smiles and laughs tell a story!

Ask yourself if you've done any of the following recently:
- Seen the stars without street light pollution
- Felt fresh mountain water on your face
- Tried a new sport or activity
- Seen a mountain or stopped to admire a great view
- Ridden a horse in the hills
- Felt as though you've enjoyed a real break from work at the weekend

If not… we know what you need…and it's called an Adventure Weekend! Find out which one suits you best at www.karibuni.co.uk/weekends.htm or call us on 01788 522850 to see how we can help!

Custom Trips
If you already have a group interested in some adventure weekends or activities, then don't forget that we can tailor a trip to exactly meet your requirements.
So whether it's for a group birthday, stag or hen weekend or a corporate group from work - please contact us to see what we can do for you.

Trip Availability
There are just a couple of spaces left for the Golden Jubilee Bank Holiday trip to Devon and Exmoor on the 1st -4th June. Don't miss the chance to enjoy 4 days away without using any work holidays.

Our trip to Ladies Day at Ascot is fully sold out, and there has been a lot of interest in this great day out. If anyone was disappointed in not being able to go to Ascot, we have a similar day trip to beautiful Henley on Thames for the Royal Regatta and some great rowing.
Our day trip starts from London and includes breakfast and bubbly, full lunch with wine and entry to the Regatta Enclosure.

So why not get a group of work colleagues or friends together and enjoy a great day out next to the river. Full details of the Henley trip is at www.karibuni.co.uk/henleyday.htm

Snow Capped Adventures
The early booking discount is still available on the skiing and snowboarding holidays for winter 2003, and you can book now to guarantee your place in our cosy and relaxed chalet in the French Alps.
We have some great deals for the school holidays in Feb - so any teachers out there - MOVE FAST for a week of kid-free skiing or snowboarding.
Visit www.karibuni.co.uk/snowhome.htm for full details of the exciting trips.

Win a FREE Adventure Weekend - still time to enter!
There are a few more days left for you to enter our competition to win a place on any one of our regular Adventure Weekends throughout the summer…

All you have to do is visit our website at www.karibuni.co.uk and register your entry by answering a few simple questions- that's it! And remember the competition is open to anyone, so pass this onto your friends and colleagues and get them to enter as well!

Travel News

An airport to avoid…
Anyone planning to head to Swaziland would be best advised to take a bus or train - as some worrying news about the airport is revealed.

Apparently a lightning storm destroyed the airport's radio 18 months ago and it has not been fixed yet. There is no working control tower or radar system and lighting for night landings is so poor that pilots are forced to fly by memory, the government has been told.
The list continues with the machine that screens baggage not working and instruments to record wind velocity and direction inoperable. Swaziland's Transport Ministry has said it is aware of the problems, and intends to address them, but has given no timeframe. (Reuters)

Charter Airline gets tough with late comers
Most of us have probably all been on a plane delayed because of late-comers, and sat there wishing we could just go without them. Well that is now starting to happen in a move bound to be welcomed by most travellers.

Mytravel Airways (formerly Airtours International) are leaving without passengers if they fail to get to the gate within 20 minutes of the scheduled departure time.
The charter airline offering flights to the Mediterranean, has already left four passengers at the departure gate since it introduced its get-tough policy at the beginning of the month. The passengers were forced to pay for another ticket to get on a later flight.

The policy is part of their plan to improve punctuality (last summer it was bottom of the list!) and reduce suffering on everyone's behalf. There are at least two tannoy announcements 25 minutes before the gate closes, printed warnings on tickets and a verbal warning when they check in - so there are no excuses really!

A new system means that they can now get the bags off within 20 minutes and so allow the flight to take off in its allocated slot…good news for all of us, but don't forget to keep an eye on the time whilst you are shopping in duty free!

An evening of adventure with Sir Ranulph Fiennes
For the last 30 years Sir Ranulph Fiennes has been at the forefront of numerous exploratory expeditions. Described by the Guinness Book of Records in 1984 as 'The World's Greatest Living Explorer' his expeditions have included the first circumnavigation of the world on its polar axis in 1979 and more recently he has become an international adventure racer of note competing three times in the Eco Challenge and last year in New Zealand's legendary Southern Traverse.

In one of his rare public lectures, Sir Ranulph will be recounting this lifetime of adventure with an illustrated talk to be followed by a book signing.

The entire proceeds of the tickets sales will be donated to the Carolyn Jones Trust, which was set up to help pay for the long term care and rehabilitation of the British athlete who was severely injured in the World Adventure Racing Championships in 2001.

Venue - Reynolds Building, Imperial School of Medicine, St Dunstan's Road, London
Date - Wednesday June 26th 2002 - 7pm for 7.30
Tickets £10 from Carolyn Jones Trust, c/o Runner's World, 7-10 Chandos Street,
London, W1G 9AD.
Info Call 0207 291 6061 or email steven.seaton@rodale.co.uk

The "Other" Mallorca -more than just beaches, beer and Brits?

The name Mallorca paints a picture…more than likely one of crowded beaches, English pubs and sunburnt Brits enjoying a cheap and cheerful Med holiday?

Sure; there is plenty of all that, but did you know that the island has an impressive range of limestone peaks and some excellent trekking and walking opportunities?

Mallorca (the largest of the Balearics) is 75km by 100km and the majority of the 7 million annual visitors do not go far from Palma, Magalluf and the southern coastal strip - leaving vast areas of impressive scenery for some fine walking and exploring. Whilst England and Wales can muster just a handful of peaks over 1,000 metres the northern Serra de Tramuntana region boasts over 40.

Such natural wilderness and beauty is often difficult to get to or can only be enjoyed at a price - but with Mallorca and its hordes of foreign visitors the island is easy, quick and cheap to visit. You don't have to play the same game as the package tourists, but everyone can benefit from the cheap flights and plentiful accommodation at reasonable rates. What makes it even better is that walking and trekking in Mallorca is best from March to May when prices are even cheaper and the best deals are to be found…making this an ideal location for some early sunshine and a relaxing break.

The same is true during September and early October when the crowds have gone, but before the rains arrive. Temperatures and sunshine are still warm (about 22 degree C) and the autumn colours only add to the mountain experience. Even out of season the sunshine continues with temperatures falling to a relatively chilly 14 degree C in January - but then again, that is probably still 14 degrees warmer than the UK!
Beware though as out of season most of the hotels and services close down in the rural areas, and so it is essential to book in advance and do your research.

In most of the island, there are good rights of way, but ensure you have a good guide or map as there have been some instances of farmers trying to restrict access and block paths. And as one guidebook puts it "respect local landowners with guns and big dogs". Wise words indeed!

You will undoubtedly arrive in Palma de Mallorca, the capital, and home to around half of the island's population. It's a vibrant city that exhibits all the excesses of mass tourism but it is still worth a look, and has some smart new areas to the city - including the impressive marina. The imposing cathedral (complete with Gaudi sculpture) is found in the quaint Gothic quarter where narrow lanes give a more relaxed feel to this traditional Spanish townscape.

A train connects Palma to the town of Soller, passing through the spectacular mountains, and there is a good network of buses radiating out from Palma, which provide sufficient public transport for most of the best walking areas - meaning that a hire car is not essential.

So you've managed to fight your way out of Palma and drag yourself away from the bars, clubs and fish and chips - now where do you head for?

The closest region is the North West and the steep limestone peaks rise from the blue sea, indented by hundreds of bays, towns and villages, linked by twisting mountain roads.
The spine of mountains rise 4,000 feet, straight from the sea and some of the climbing, walking and scrambles are similar to that found in the European Alps. This is a region where you can lose yourself in the natural beauty of "the other Mallorca"

There are a number of good places to be based around here. The towns of Soller and Valldemossa are nestled in the heart of the mountains with great walks from the door and are well served for hotels and transport links. Beautiful Valldemossa has attracted Chopin and writer George Sand in its time, and is a popular day trip destination - an added incentive to avoid the daily rush by heading for the hills.

The North East is perhaps even more remote and except for the 2 main towns of Alcudia and Pollenca there is very little around - due to its isolated "end of the island" feel. In the early morning mist the Alcudia peninsula has an eerie calm with its mist-shrouded mountains appearing to float above the sea.
The region is amazing for birdwatchers, and during the main migrations between February and June the passing wildlife can be impressive - with birds of prey such as kites, vultures and peregrine falcons relatively common. Botanists will also discover a wide variety of specially adapted plants - making spring a very colourful time.
The stylish resort of Puerto Pollença is perhaps the best location to explore this region and makes the most of its great location on the sea front, whilst having more appeal than Alcudia which does cater for the mass-tourist market somewhat.

Further details about Mallorca can be found at Lonely Planet and they have a useful guidebook "Walking in Spain" which covers some of the best routes.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/balearic_islands.htm

The town of Puerto Pollensa has a useful and comprehensive website
http://www.puertopollensa.com

For flights to Mallorca - try your local travel agent for the best charter deals.

And now they are giving beer away to entice visitors…
Balearic Islands hotels are dishing out beer vouchers to holidaymakers in a bid to soften the blow of an ecotourism tax introduced last Wednesday.

In an effort to prevent customers looking to cheaper rival destinations such as Croatia and Turkey the hotel managers are offering incentives for meals or drinks and even paying some customers' tax for them. The tax ranges up to 2 euros per night, depending on the class of hotel.

Hoteliers are fighting to have the tax repealed even though it is designed to aid the preservation and protection of land and heritage sites, ecotourism projects, and the revival of the flagging agricultural industry. Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera have a combined population of 800,000 and host 11 million tourists a year, which puts a great strain on local resources.
The ecotourism tax is supposed to restore the balance and coincides with efforts to shift the focus of tourism to the islands from the mass to the quality market.

Global Quickies

Sailors dodging flying fish
As well as coping with all that the winds and waves can throw at them, the sailors competing in the Volvo round-the-world race are facing a new threat and coming closer than they expected to Exocoetidae - or flying fish as they are more commonly known.

The fish (averaging 7 - 12 inches) have been leaping out the water and colliding with boats and crews during the fifth leg of the race to Miami. Several crew members have been hit by the fish and left with nasty bruises…

Flying fish have pectoral fins that compare in size with the wings of birds which they use to maintain their glides - sometimes as high as three meters in altitude. They can glide on their outstretched fins for distances of up to 0.4 km. Their velocity of up to 48 km per hour builds as they approach the water's surface until they launch themselves into the air, vibrating their specially adapted tail fins in order to taxi along the surface.

The usual explanation for flight in flying fish is to escape predation, particularly from fast-swimming dolphin and their eyes are adapted so they can see in both air and water - although their aim on take off seems to be poor, unless of course you think they are aiming for the sailors.

Natural Bulldozers!
Authorities in northeastern India are using elephants as bulldozers to demolish illegally built houses. Five elephants have been drafted into service to break up about 1,000, two-roomed, thatched houses in a protected forest area in the remote state of Assam.

First the elephants, guided by their "mahout" or trainer, remove the roofs with their trunks. Then they push over the bamboo walls and crush them with their feet- helping to clear 220 hectares (540 acres) following a court order to restore the hilly, lush land to its protected status.

Officials decided to use the elephants after attempts to chase away the squatters resulted in clashes that killed one person and injured dozens of police and forestry agents.

Well, that's all again for this time - and we hope you enjoyed it. The next edition will be out in early July with more snippets of news from around the world.

Many thanks, and happy travels

Paul