Geographical articles from April 2004

Geographical archives from April 2004

"Seldom comes glory ...".(From the Editor)
April 1, 2004... This month, we celebrate the life and work of two Royal Geographical Society gold medallists. On the one hand, we have Henry Morton Stanley (page 34), whose place in the history books is well established, on the other, Charles Wilkes (page 64),...

Issues of expansion.(Prize Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... I enjoyed reading your recent dossier about the proposed EU expansion (Europe 2004: the bigger, the better?, January 2004). I have been living and working in Bulgaria for the past six years, renovating historic town centres for the United...

Indigenous urban myths.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... There appear to be a lot of urban myths concerning access to, and management of, protected lands by indigenous peoples (Dossier, December 2003). My work takes me into remote desert country, where I come into contact with, and hire, indigenous...

How can I help?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... I read with great interest the article about reconciliation in post-genocide Rwanda (Peace building, January 2004). This reconciliation process at village level is just as important as the work of the reconciliation commission. I'm sure...

Romans not to blame?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... One needs to be very careful before attributing the deforestation of Europe to the Romans (Letters, February 2004). Past industrial practices were often more sustainable than in modern times. It's a fallacy that cutting trees down for fuel...

Young geographer the year 2004: this year's question: seventy per cent of the world's surface is covered with water. How should we best use the seas and the oceans?(Geographical)
April 1, 2004... The Geographical Young Geographer of the Year competition was launched in 1999 to promote the study of geography and to encourage students to carry out independent research alongside their usual studies. The aim is to provide students with an...

In January, British adventurer Fiona Thornewill (above) achieved the fastest time for walking to the South Pole unaided.(Antarctica)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: In January, British adventurer Fiona Thornewill (above) achieved the fastest time for walking to the South Pole unaided. Thornewill, 37, from Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire, took 42 days to walk 1,127km from...

US President George W Bush has vowed to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020.(USA)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... US President George W Bush has vowed to send astronauts back to the moon by 2020, part of a renewed commitment to space exploration that will see completion of the international Space Station and the development of a space shuttle replacement...

Artist John Kelly's depictions of the isolated beauty of Antarctica are on display at the Natural History Museum until August.(UK)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Artist John Kelly's depictions of the isolated beauty of Antarctica are on display at the Natural History Museum until August. The Due South: Art and the Antarctic exhibition is based on three months he spent on the South Orkney Islands as part...

Tiny nation ponders its uncertain future.(Worldwatch)(Niue)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NIUE Niue, the world's smallest self-governing country, may give up its independence after a devastating cyclone made one in ten of its citizens homeless in January. Cyclone Heta had reached category five, the highest rating, by the time it...

Ancient map gets genuine boost.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NORTH AMERICA A supposedly fake mediaeval map that shows North America some 60 years before Christopher Columbus 'discovered' it may be genuine after all. New analysis of the so cabled Vinland map suggests ink on the parchment is mediaeval,...

Orang-utans on brink of extinction.(Worldwatch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ASIA Orang-utans are set to become extinct within 20 years, according to WWF. The past 100 years have seen orang-utan populations in Borneo and Sumatra reduced by 91 per cent. Today, fewer than 30,000 individuals survive. "Orang-utans--the...

High-flying couple sample Brazil's water.(Worldwatch)
April 1, 2004... BRAZIL A unique survey of the water quality of Brazil's main rivers, lakes and reservoirs is under way by husband and wife team Gerard and Margi Moss. The Waters of Brazil expedition, which began last autumn, involves collecting water samples...

Success for BSES.(Worldwatch)(group of young travels take part in Footsteps of Shackleton Expedition as part of programme for British Antarctic Survey)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... SOUTH AMERICA A BSES expedition of young Britons to Chile, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia has been described as an "outstanding success" by its chief leader. The three-month Footsteps of Shackleton Expedition, which returned to the...

The first Savu pythons (Liasis macklotti savuensis) to be bred in a European zoo have hatched at Bristol Zoo Gardens.(UK)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The first Savu pythons (Liasis macklotti savuensis) to be bled in a European zoo have hatched at Bristol Zoo Gardens. Nine 30cm baby pythons have hatched out, the product of a conversation breeding programme. This rare snake is found on just...

The Darwin Initiative plans to promote links between its members past and present with a Darwin Alumni Network.(UK)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Darwin Initiative plans to promote links between its members past and present with a Darwin Alumni Network. See www.darwin.gov.uk/ alumni.htm for details.

Countries with the most refugees (millions).(Worldwatch)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... TOP COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST 10 REFUGEES (MILLIONS) 1 Sudan 4.5 2 Afghanistan 4.2 3 Palestine 3.3 4 Colombia 2.6 5 Angola 2.5-4.0 6...

A state-of-the-art renewable-energy plant fuelled by wood chips from sustainable timber sources is planned for the South Wales town of Port Talbot. (UK).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A state-of-the-art renewable-energy plant fuelled by wood chips from sustainable timber sources is planned for the South Wales town of Port Talbot. Western Bio-Energy, which will build and run the plant, due to open by 2005, estimates that it...

A 3 million [pounds sterling] laboratory has been opened at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station.(Antarctica)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A 3 million [pounds sterling] laboratory has been opened at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station (below). The new Bonner Laboratory replaces the research facility destroyed by fire in September 2001. It's made from...

In yet another doomsday prophesy, scientists have predicted the extinction of up to 37 per cent of species in biodiversity hotspots by 2050.(Global)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... In yet another doomsday prophesy, scientists have predicted the extinction of up to 37 per cent of species in biodiversity hotspots by 2050. In a worst-case scenario, a million species could be eliminated, say the scientists, who studied...

Sir Lawrence Dudley Stamp: (1898-1966) The chief architect of a pioneering land-use survey of Britain, Dudley Stamp was also the author of several popular geography textbooks.(Late Great Geographers #42)
April 1, 2004... What was his background? Born in Catford, southeast London, Lawrence Dudley Stamp was admitted to King's College London at the age of 15 and gained a first in geology. He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and served in France...

20 years ago today ... geographical magazine, April 1984.
April 1, 2004... The April 1984 issue of Geographical contained two stories about divided cities. The first was a news piece about the S-Bahn--Berlin's urban rail system. First opened in 1891, the S-Bahn was the backbone of the city's public transport during...

The UN estimates that construction of Bam, where 85 per cent of buildings and infrastructure were destroyed by an earthquake on Boxing Day last year could cost up to 543 million The death toll from the earthquake which measured 6.5 on the Richter scale, may be as high as 30,000.(Iran)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The UN estimates that construction of Bam, where 85 per cent of buildings and infrastructure were destroyed by an earthquake on Boxing Day last year could cost up to 543 million The death toll from the earthquake which measured 6.5 on the...

The European Parliament has voted unanimously in favour of a resolution to tackle the trade in bushmeat.(Europe)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The European Parliament has voted unanimously in favour of a resolution to tackle the trade in bushmeat. The resolution, in response to a petition of 1.9 million names collected by the international zoo community, calls for the protection and...

Peter Raines founder and managing director of Coral Cay Conservation (CCC), received an MBE in the Queens's New Years Honours List for "services to preservation of biodiversity.(UK)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Peter Raines (above) founder and managing director of Coral Cay Conservation (CCC), received an MBE in the Queens's New Years Honours List for "services to preservation of biodiversity. "Since Raines established CCC in 1986 it has helped create...

Weatherwatch with Helen Willetts: April What's the difference between rain and showers? And what does it have to do with the Simpsons and cheesemaking? BBC meteorologist Helen Willetts reveals all in her monthly column.(Worldwatch)
April 1, 2004... If you've heard the saying "April showers bring May flowers", you might think that April is a wet month. but the showers actually refer to the type of rain, not the amount. In fact. April is one of the UK's driest months--in London. for...

Campaign to save the brown bear.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ROMANIA Romanian environmentalists have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) in the country's Carpathian Mountains, one of the Carnivore's last European strongholds Despite...

Global population watch.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The world population at the time of doing to press was according to: the United Nations 6,408,786,018 the CIA 6,355,851,480 the US Bureau of the Census 6,351,416,943.

According to Georaphical's Antarctica map, no rain or snow has fallen in the Dry Valleys near McMurdo Sound for two million years. Why not, and how can scientists be sure of this remarkable length of time?(Quizzical)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... According to Georaphical's Antarctica map, no rain or snow has fallen in the Dry Valleys near McMurdo Sound for two million years. Why not, and how can scientists be sure of this remarkable length of time? ANSWER: The ice that covers almost...

To which continent does the Indonesian province of Papua belong?(Quizzical)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... To which continent does the Indonesian province of Papua belong? R Wesley, London ANSWER: Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya) is in Asia, together with the rest of the Indonesian archipelago. But Papua is only half an island, the rest of...

Which is the world's longest undersea mountain range?(Quizzical)(Mid-Atlantic Ridge)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Which is the world's longest undersea mountain range? D Macdonald, Penrith ANSWER: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge isn't just the world's longest chain of undersea mountains, it's longer that any of those found on land. And it isn't alone--the...

Why do the inhabitants of the Indian town of Pondicherry use French words?(Quizzical)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Why do the inhabitants of the Indian town of Pondicherry use French words? R Price, Plymouth ANSWER: It wasn't just the British who tried to colonise India. The Dutch and French both established analogues of the East India Company and set...

Where is the true source of the Nile?(Quizzical)
April 1, 2004... Where is the true source of the Nile? C Furnish, Norwich ANSWER: Although only 15 per cent of the water that flows into Lake Nasser comes from the White Nile branch, it's the position of its source that qualifies the Nile for the title of...

Where does helium come from?(Quizzical)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Where does helium come from? H Talbo, Ryde ANSWER: Texas. Although most of the world's helium is found in the atmosphere, its concentration--about five parts per million--is too low to he of any use. Instead, it's distilled from natural gas...

Explore 2003.
April 1, 2004... Last November, the Expedition Advisory Centre's planning weekend for scientific fieldwork and expeditions (above) celebrated its 25th anniversary This year's event will take place on 21 and 22 November.

Environment and society forum.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The outcome of the latest Environment and Society Forum meeting is now available at www.rgs.org/ conference reports. The discussion, entitled A New Governance for Sustainability, looked at how devolution can contribute to the transition to...

Plenty more fish in the sea?(In society: a round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)
April 1, 2004... EDITORIAL What is the matter with cod? This was the question on which one of Britain's most distinguished biological oceanographers, Dr Martin Angel of the Southampton Oceanography Centre, shed some light at a recent Society lecture. Dr Angel...

Geography in the news.(In society: a round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Society's Geography in the News educational micro-site features innovative, topical, up-to-date and relevant online learning resources relating news stories with a geographical element to geography studies. Two of its many new learning...

A selection of society events taking place in April.(In society: a round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... For details, please contact the Events Office on 020 7591 3100 or see www.rgs.org/events 5 April, 6.30pm Looking to the future (RGS-IBG, LONDON) The Society director, Dr Rita Gardner CBE, will present a tour through the five year...

Join the society--get the magazine.(Royal Geographical Society)
April 1, 2004... The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is a world centre for geographics and geographical learning dedicated to the development and promotion of knowledge, together with its application to the challenges facing society and the environment....

Cartographical accuracy comes to Africa: detail of the North African region from the Carte Catalane, 1375.(Map of the Month)
April 1, 2004... The original of this map of the world was known to western Europeans in around 1375. Today, it is held in the Bibliotheque nationale de France in Paris. It has been attributed to either Cresques Abraham or other members of the same Catalan...

Wandering on the waves: Sebastian Hope travels to the waters off the Malay Peninsula in an effort to document the rapidly disappearing lifestyle of Indonesia's semi-nomadic sea gypsies.
April 1, 2004... A glance at a map of South Asia reveals more blue than green, more sea than land. Land-dwellers tend to look on the sea as divisive, as separating one place from another and making each different. The islands that curve in a double arc away...

Man with a mission: to many, Henry Morton Stanley represents the archetypal Victorian explorer, but the reality was quite different. On the 100th anniversary of Stanley's death, Christian Amodeo discovers the truth behind the legend.
April 1, 2004... As the lid came off the anonymous cardboard box we peered inside, and there it was--if one item could be said to symbolise Victorian exploration, it was this. In a dusty room at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), its walls lined with...

Urban air pollution.(Geographical dossier)
April 1, 2004... Over recent years, Britain's city dwellers have begun to experience an amazing improvement in the quality of the air they breathe. Gone are the all-engulfing smogs that left a trail of death and misery. Gone is the overpowering stench of raw...

History's dirty secret: we know what causes urban air pollution, and we know how to clean up our cities, but unfortunately there just isn't the political will to make it happen.(Geographical dossier)
April 1, 2004... Urban air pollution is nothing new--it has existed, in one form or another, for as long as people have lived together in substantial communities. But it was during the 19th century, with the rise of coal-powered industrial steam and increased...

The killer inside: while the West tries to work out how to clean up the air in its cities, more and more people in the developing world are being killed by indoor air pollution.(Geographical dossier)
April 1, 2004... The level of pollution that hit London in the early 1950s was so great that it caused a change in the law and saw the beginning of a new wave of environmental awareness. But even at their peak, pollution levels during this brief episode weren't...

Blue-sky thinking: trans-boundary pollution problems can only be tackled at an international level, but thus far, attempts at achieving a consensus have met with failure.(Geographical dossier)
April 1, 2004... There can be no doubt about the local and national impact of urban air pollution. All the way from a small kitchen in Kenya to a city the size of London, the pollutants in our air are killing people. Very often the causes are easily identified...

... A particularly painful rite of passage: having supported numerous tribes of the Brazilian Amazon for almost 20 years, Sue Cunningham was given the rare chance to photograph the unique and painful initiation rite of the Xicrin people, where youths willingly suffer an ordeal-by-wasp to prove themselves fit to become warriors.(Deep in the Heart of the Amazon Rainforest, Geographical Discovers ...)
April 1, 2004... "Aiieee!" The wail fills the clearing in the centre of the village. It is a woman's wail and it comes from one of the huts. As I approach, I can see her inside, comforting her son. He has weals on his face and upper body where a hundred vicious...

South Africa: the long walk continues: as South Africa celebrates ten years of democracy, Andrew Brackenbury asks how close to Nelson Mandela's original vision is the nation today and ponders the challenges ahead.
April 1, 2004... "Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud." Nelson Mandela's typically eloquent words, spoken in 1994 as he accepted the South African presidency,...

America's greatest voyage of discovery: he was the American naval officer in charge of one of the most successful exploration expeditions of all time. He was revered by Darwin and seen as Cook's equal. But in spite of his achievements, Charles Wilkes has fallen into obscurity. Best-selling author Nathaniel Philbrick tells his tale.(United States Exploring Expedition)
April 1, 2004... By almost any measure, America's first ocean-going voyage of discovery, the US Exploring Expedition (widely known as the US Ex Ex) of 1838, was an extraordinary success. After four years at sea, and having covered 140,000 kilometres, this...

Living on the front line: former BBC war correspondent Martin Bell talks to Chloe Scott-Moncrieff about declining democracy, embedded journalism and why he believes the war in the Balkans led to the attacks on the World Trade Centre.(Brief Article)(Biography)
April 1, 2004... Sitting in a ramshackle three-bedroom house in Hampstead, with his tufty old cat Noushka on his lap, it's hard to imagine Martin Bell in an adrenaline-fuelled combat zone. Yet, to the portly 65-year-old, dodging shrapnel is old hat. During his...

Park life: this year marks the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Royal Horticultural Society. In honour of this remarkable milestone, Octavia Lamb tours formal gardens around the world through the archives of the Royal Geographical Society.(Geographical Archive)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... As Britons spread out into the far comers of the Empire, they took with them the traditions of the English formal garden, along with a preference for the familiar flowers and plants of home. And so hill stations such as Simla and Mussoorie in...

Alexandria: the Submerged Royal Quarters.(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Alexandria: The Submerged Royal Quarters by Franck Goddio et al. Periplus, hb, pp300, 120 [pounds sterling] When, in 1992, Franck Goddio and his team, in conjunction with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, revealed that they'd...

Sea of Glory.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick HarperCollins, hb, pp452, 20 [pounds sterling] As late as 1820, people were still willing to give credence to a theory suggesting that the Earth was hollow, with openings at the poles. Little wonder...

The Archaeology of the Welsh Uplands.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... The Archaeology of the Welsh Uplands edited by David Browne and Stephen Hughes Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, pb, pp148, 16.65 [pounds sterling] Of the 21,000 square kilometres that make up the country of...

At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig: Travels Through Paraguay.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... At the Tomb of the Inflatable Pig: Travels Through Paraguay by John Gimlette Arrow, pb, pp384, 7,99 [pounds sterling] Much admired on its initial release and now available in paperback, it's hard not to like At the Tomb of The...

Gardens of the world: Two Thousand Years of Garden Design.(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Gardens of the World: Two Thousand Years of Garden Design by Jean-Paul Pigeat Flammarion, hb, pp224, 40 [pounds sterling] Gardens as microcosms of the Earth, as suggestions of Paradise, as places of intimacy and solitude, and as grand...

Into Africa.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Into Africa Martin Dugard Bantam Press, pb, pp338, 7.99 [pounds sterling] Reissued in paperback to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Henry Morton Stanley's death, Martin Dugard's Into Africa is a lively retelling of Stanley's search...

Five Billion Years of Global Change: A History of the Land.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Five Billion Years of Global Change: A History of the Land by Dennis Wood Guilford Publications, pb, pp335, 10.89 [pounds sterling] Cramming the entire history of the universe into 327 pages was never going to be easy, particularly when...

Nile.(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Nile by Martha Holmes et al., BBC Worldwide, pp168, hb, 20 [pounds sterling] BBC Books' new series of titles exploring the history and natural history of the world's greatest rivers begins with the longest of them all, the Nile. Written by...

Travels into the Interior of Africa.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Travels into the interior of Africa by Mungo Park First published in 1799. Most recent edition published by Eland, pb, pp384, 12.99 [pounds sterling] It's trite to say of an 18th-century diary that we know how it ends, but somehow that...

Xingu: The Indians, Their Myths.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... Xingu: The Indians, Their Myths by Orlando and Claudio Villas Boas Souvenir Press, pb, pp270, 12.99 [pounds sterling] It's said that a civilisation is known through its stories. In this compendium of myths from the tribes of the Xingu River...

The Illustrated History of the Countryside.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
April 1, 2004... The Illustration History of the Countryside by Oliver Rackham, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, hb, pp256, 12.99 [pounds sterling] You'd think that serious books would be safe from the alarming trend towards being chopped up into bite-size,...

Geographical travel: this month we travel to the Galapagos Islands, profile the tiny principality of Andorra, speak to Louise Behr of the Safari Company and present special features on historical travel and walking.(Monument Valley, Utah)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... MONUMENT VALLEY, UTAH, USA As the sun slowly sets, ringers of prehistoric sandstone cast lengthening shadows across Monument Valley's rich-red sand. Stretching over northeastern Arizona and southwestern Utah, Monument Valley is a harsh...

Ivory souvenirs wanted.(travel news)(International Fund for Animal Welfare aims to raise awareness of elephant poaching)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is asking travellers across Britain to donate their unwanted ivory souvenirs for a memorial to the thousands of elephants that have been killed for their ivory. The ivory trade has been illegal...

Nepal's rebel allure.(travel news)(tourists continue to trek through Nepal despite country's political violence)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Nepal is enjoying a rise in tourism despite, or perhaps even because of, an upturn in violence between Maoist rebels and government forces. Rather than fearing encounters with armed insurgents, foreign trekkers are increasingly looking forward...

Marine-biology lab opens at Maldives.(travel news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Banyan Tree resort on the Maldives island of Vabbinfaru has opened a marine lab that will allow guests to learn more about the environment they're enjoying and efforts to protect it. The complex, which will be staffed by three full time...

TourismConcern another world is possible.(travel news)(organizations meet at World Social Forum to discuss ethics of travel industry)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Tourism Concern is part of a global network of organisations that challenge tourism developments that focus purely on profit and growth and ignore social responsibilities. Recently, that network met in Mumbai, India, for the World Social Forum,...

Thailand is the world's top travel destination.(Thailand)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Thailand is the world's top travel destination, according to an online survey held to mark Lonely Planet's 30th anniversary. The country beat Italy by just four votes. * Info: www.lonelyplanet.com

In January, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office revised its travel advice for Pakistan.(K2)(access to the Karakoram mountain range)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... In January, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office revised its travel advice for Pakistan. As a result, the Karakoram mountain range is accessible to trekking groups for the first time since 2001. Specialist company KE Holidays is preparing to...

Protecting nature's laboratory: the Galapagos Islands are one of those 'must-see, trip-of-a-lifetime' destinations. Dominic Hamilton travels to the archipelago to find out what effect the increasing numbers of visitors seeking that life-changing experience are having on the islands' delicate ecosystems.
April 1, 2004... Talk to anyone who's been to the Galapagos Islands and chances are that at some point they'll say, "You just have to go." This Noah's Ark of volcanic isles stranded in the Pacific is one of those destinations that inspires superlatives and sits...

Moving in time: not only has transportation and its development furnished much of the content of history, it has also helped to determine how it is conceived, says Justin Wintle.(Historical Travel)
April 1, 2004... Around 70,000 years ago, our ancestors began migrating out of Africa. Overrunning the Middle East, then the Indian subcontinent, they were established in China by 60,000 BC. Ten to fifteen thousand years later, they penetrated western Europe;...

A unique cruising experience: for more than 50 years, Swan Hellenic has been perfecting the art of discovery cruising and has developed a unique range of cruises to some of the world's most colourful places.(Geographical Promotion)
April 1, 2004... If you are looking for a holiday that combines exotic adventure with comfort and ease of travelling, then let Swan Hellenic welcome you aboard their exquisite new ship Minerva II. A cruise company with a 50-year heritage, Swan Hellenic owes its...

Cultural extremes: prepare to be inspired--and surprised--as Rough Guide authors Samantha Cook and Greg Ward introduce some of the biggest, longest and, of course, oldest sites of historical interest from around the world.(Historical Travel)
April 1, 2004... World's largest and longest man-made structure The Great Wall of China In 214 BC, Qin Shihuangdi, the first Qin emperor, ordered the construction of a vast wall across the northern reaches of his realm. Designed to deter invasions by...

Time travel: don't just travel, time travel. Take your pick from Geographical's selection of companies offering tours of the world's most impressive historical sights.(Geographical Promotion)
April 1, 2004... TrekAmerica's Footlose Experience the majesty and mystery of the American southwest. Travelling in small groups of up to 13 people, TrekAmerica and Footloose offer a wide range of adventure-camping, lodging, walking and biking fours in...

Andorra.(21st-Century Countries)
April 1, 2004... A unique history and breathtaking mountain vistas give Andorra an ambience and character all of its own. It may be best known as a tax haven and skiers' paradise, but visitors to this romantic principality are discovering a land of year-round...

Talking the walk: Malcolm Tait, editor of the Walker's Companion, explains why the essence of walking is actually all in the mind, before introducing his pick of the literary extracts and snippets of advice he unearthed while compiling the companion.(Walking Special)
April 1, 2004... We might only have one word for snow, but when it comes to the most popular of pastimes, the British boast a lexicon. We stroll, amble and saunter; we wander, stride and meander. We hoof it, step out and put our best foot forward; we trudge,...

Step out in style: deck yourself out in the most stylish and technologically advanced kit and you'll be walking tall when you next head off the beaten track. In the second part of our walking special, outdoor-equipment expert Clive Tully presents his up-to-the-minute selection of the best products for hikers currently on the market.(Walking Special)
April 1, 2004... FOOTWARE Granger's NT Odour Eliminator It's a fair bet that by the end of a long day on the trail, the insides of your boots and socks will have begun to emit an odour that is less than pleasant. Granger's NT Odour Eliminator spray...

Best foot forward: there's no better way of travelling than walking if you want to gently get to know a landscape and gain a sense of personal achievement. Geographical introduces a range of inspired walking-holiday options.(Geographical Promotion)
April 1, 2004... Walks Worldwide A specialist walking company offering guided tours, supported inn dependent walks, backpacking treks, villa based trips, family adventures and mountaineering expeditions for individuals, couples and groups--all ages, all...

Louise Behr worked as a schoolteacher and safari guide in Kenya before setting up the Safari Company, which offers tailor-made luxury safaris. She speaks to James Herron about the safari experience, responsible tourism and frozen martinis.(Travel for a Living)
April 1, 2004... What first took you to Africa? I always wanted to travel; I even started a travel fund when I was eight years old My career choice also focussed on developing skills that would allow me to travel so I went into teaching I taught in England...

Antony Wynn is the author of Persia In The Great Game, a gripping biography of RGS gold medallist Sir Percy Sykes, one of the Game's most controversial players. He discusses his lifelong passion for horse-riding in Iran with Chloe Scott-Moncrieff.(In Conversation)
April 1, 2004... What first drew you to Iran? It was in my blood. My grandfather learnt Persian in India--it was the language of administration in the north, so he introduced me to the culture as a child. I studied Persian and Turkish at Balliol before...