My advice "book a passage to Zambia" (Star turn, THES, July 9) was in response to the question "if it's cloudy in Cornwall, when is the next chance to see a total solar eclipse?" and my answer referred to June 21 2001, when a total solar eclipse crosses Zambia. In Cornwall and Devon there is a 50:50 chance of sufficiently clear skies, and this does not increase greatly in France or in Germany. You have to go to Romania, Turkey or Iran for really good weather prospects.
Barrie Jones, Open University