See the world but not the UK!

MANY people dream of leaving it all behind and heading off on a tour of the world - and more and more people are actually doing it.

Americans Kristina and David are among those who have packed a rucksack to see the world, visiting 19 countries in nine months.

Now back home, they have logged their trip meticulously on the web, giving details of everything from what they packed (and what they bought and sent home along the way), to how much they spent in each place.

Interestingly, they say costs in the UK were a huge shock after arriving from Asia.

"Accommodation is outrageously expensive, even in the youth hostels," they write. "The entire UK was too expensive for us to stay and travel."

In fact the couple's website is so detailed you have to wonder how much time they spent seeing the countries instead of filling in notebooks with how much they spent on postcards and stamps!

Still, it gives some useful guidelines for anyone planning a grand tour of their own, and there are dozens of photographs taken along the way.

http://www.wired2theworld.com/

Government goes online

THE Government has announced a major shake-up of its online services. Cabinet Office Minister Jack Cunningham has pledged to make online government information more accessible and easier to use in the future. Trials will start by December on a "single gateway" via which information can be accessed.

By October 1 government departments and agencies will have established an e-mail inquiry point. Government websites will also contain more information than they do now.

At the moment 38 per cent of central government services are available electronically. A target has been set of 100 per cent of services being available in this way by 2008, where there is a demand for them. The moves are part of an action plan called Modernising Government.

Stay indoors and enjoy the eclipse

WITH all the recent publicity about the dangers of being blinded by looking at the solar eclipse next week, you're probably safer turning to the web to watch.

And it'll certainly be easier than battling through the traffic to the South West of England - the only place in Britain where a total eclipse will be visible.

Several sites are offering live webcasts of the event.

The following are among the best:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/eclipse/

http://www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/index.

html

There's plenty more eclipse-related material on the web, too.

Around 20,000 people will be descending on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall on Saturday for a five-day festival celebrating the event.

Acts confirmed to play include Kula Shaker, James and the Levellers and around 20,000 people are expected to attend.

There will be live webcasts from the festival site throughout the event, direct your browser to http://www.lizard.net

And if you do decide to join the crowds in Cornwall, make sure you keep an eye on the Highways Agency travel information site (www.highways.gov.uk/eclipse99/).

Population poser

ON October 12 this year the world's population is expected to reach six billion.

The US-based organisation Zero Population Growth is trying to slow population growth by giving people education and advice.

It has an interesting homepage complete with online radio station, Zero 24-7, and a site devoted specifically to the y6b problem.

http://www.zpg.org

http://www.y6b.org

ARE there really new lifeforms to be discovered? Are there creatures living in this world we don't know about?

These people think so. http://www.roswellrods.com/pre.html

A COUPLE of weeks ago I mentioned smellthecoffee.com, a site for coffee lovers.

This week I've found one for fans of tea - Read the Leaves.

http://www.alltea.com/leaves

YOU can now get weather reports for Lancashire, the UK, Europe and the world at Newsquest's website, This is Lancashire.

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk and click on "What's New?" for details.

SEEN something interesting on the web? Let me know. Send an e-mail to vcowan@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.