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Are you ready for the
ultimate weekend away?
The enterprising tour operator Regent Holidays (0117-921 1711) this week launched the first-ever short break to the former Soviet republic of Georgia. A long weekend in the capital, Tbilisi, costs pounds 723 including flights from Heathrow via Istanbul, accommodation and Georgian visa. So far there have been no takers.
The current Foreign Office advice for Georgia says:
"Visits by road to most parts of Georgia can be made in relative safety, although travel at night outside Tbilisi should be avoided if possible. There have been recent outbreaks of diphtheria in Georgia. Seek medical advice about precautionary measures before travelling."
True or false
The British Tourist Authority wants Tyneside to become a training ground for foreign lager louts.
True, at least according to the BTA's youth-oriented magazine, UK The Guide. As well as the usual warnings, eg not to bring illegal drugs into Britain, the Guide makes recommendations that could lead to some truly immoderate behaviour.
The magazine suggests an evening in Newcastle-upon-Tyne: "Saying that Geordies like a drink is like saying the Pope likes to say the occasional prayer." On an evening out with friends, the Guide advises, you could say "Whey ye bugger man! I'm ganning doon toon to get mortal drunk and find some tottie." A Geordie phrase book is included, with handy lines such as "Hoy up - To be sick" and "Top tottie - Very desirable young lady".
In the pub, you are warned to avoid dominoes ("the world's most boring game") and to steer clear of Vimto, which "Sounds like toilet cleaner and doesn't taste much better".
Should the "tottie" idea go according to plan, a photograph of a condom machine is captioned with: "Fancy a quick one? There's more in the pub to try than beer and food, although some things may not be much use after 10 pints of beer."
Perhaps this is why Kevin Keegan decided to leave.
A likely story
"the year 2000 will begin right here - at the leading edge of the sixth Greenwich time signal beep" - The Independent, last Saturday.
Mike Perry of Middlesex responds: "I was surprised to read this in Simon Calder's article on Greenwich. I would have expected him to have noticed by now that half the world's time zones are ahead of GMT, so at the time of the aforementioned beep it will be lunchtime on 1 January, 2000, in, for example, New Zealand.
"What makes it even more surprising is that last year you printed an article about holiday companies that were offering tours to various remote Pacific islands just west of the International Date Line, where the year 2000 really will begin, and when it will still only be midday on 31 December, 1999, in Greenwich."
Simon Calder replies:
Mr Perry is right - but, I suggest, we both are. Space-time is defined from an arbitrary origin at the Royal Observatory. So I reckon Greenwich can cheerfully claim that an arbitrary date marking an event approximately 2,000 years - and miles - away should start on the Greenwich Meridian, the arbitrary line through London SE10.
Mr Perry correctly points out that we carried a story last year on the Chatham Islands, one challenger for the place where 2000 will begin. But I bet that a pint of Spitfire, if available, will cost a lot more in the Chathams than the present pounds 1.60 at Hardy's Tavern on the Greenwich Meridian.
Bargain of the week
The new Aer Lingus companion fare on flights from Stansted to Dublin is pounds 109 for two, including tax -pounds 54.50 per person. Better still, for only an extra pounds 25 each, you can travel onwards to Cork, Galway, Kerry, Shannon or Sligo - and return from the same airport, or a different one. So you could fly out to Kerry and back from Galway, for example, for under pounds 80 each.
You must stay away at least two nights (or just one if it is a Saturday night). All travel must be completed by 26 March, just before Easter. Passengers qualify for a special fare on the Stansted SkyTrain, of pounds 7 return from London. Call 0645 737747 for bookings or more information.
If you want to travel from Stansted to Dublin alone, then Ryanair (0541 569 569) has a fare of pounds 64 return including tax.
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