The Chatter Box:

Select a discussion theme.
Register (or log in if you have not yet done so).

To start a new discussion topic:
Write the name of the topic in the 'Subject' box.
Type your message in the larger box to contribute.
Click 'Submit'.

To join a discussion topic:
Click on the discussion topic of your choice.
Type your message in the larger box to contribute.
Click 'Submit'.

Chatmarks:

Register (or log in if you have not yet done so).
Click on "Set chatmark" link on the Chatter Box homepage. This will set the time at which you have logged in.
Click on the "Go to chatmark" link to see all messages posted since you set your chatmark.

You can set your chatmark at any time and as often as you like.

Chat Room:

Register (or log in if you have not yet done so).

Choose a chat topic.

To talk with all users about that topic:
Type your message in the box at the bottom of the pop-up.
Click “Send”.

To talk to one specific user about that topic:
Click on any one of the names in the “User list” to the left of the pop-up.
Type your message in the box at the bottom of the pop-up.
Click “Send”.

To block another person in the chat room:
To stop another user from participating in your conversation, select their username from the dropdown in the chat window and click the "Block" button.
If you wish to unblock them at any point, click the "remove" link next to their username. This will allow them to participate in your conversation again.

Polls:

To vote:
Click on the poll topic.
Click on the circle beside the answer you wish to choose.
Click "Vote".

If you wish to comment on the poll:
Type your name/username in the "Name" box.
Type your message in the larger box below.
Click "Submit".

Advanced Search:

To use the advanced search, click on the link in the left-hand navigation bar. This search allows you to search across the entire site for either text or photography found in all of the series.

Use the advanced search facility to scour the site for any combination of the options listed in the resulting dropdowns. You can search through all the series, or through just one series by selecting the series name in the ‘Series’ dropdown. You can also search by selecting from just one dropdown for a greater number of results, or use multiple dropdowns for more specific results.

Once you have chosen an item from any single dropdown, the screen will refresh automatically with information directly relevant to your search, so please allow time for this to happen. Once you have selected your search values, click the 'Search' button.

Keyword Search:

To use the keyword search, click on the link in the left-hand navigation bar. This allows you to search across the entire site for a particular word or phrase by typing your chosen word(s) in the box on the resulting page. You can also search for a word or phrase in just one series by clicking on the series names at the top of the left-hand navigation bar, and then typing in the ‘Keyword Search’ box on the right of the series homepage.

If you are searching for more than one word, enter the most important word(s) first. Also, avoid using words such as "is" and "the" as they will generate countless search results.

Results will be listed in order of relevance and will be greater in number than search results achieved through 'Palin's Guides' (to be found above the keyword search on the series homepages). To search for a keyword or phrase in a specific series, click on the series name in the left-hand navigation and then type your chosen word(s) in the keyword box on the right of the page.

Photo Search:

To search the entire site for photographs, click on the link in the left-hand navigation bar. You can also search a specific series for a photo by clicking on the series name at the top of the left-hand navigation bar and then using the ‘Photo Search’ bar on the right of the series homepage.

To search the site for a particular photograph, type your chosen word(s) in the search box. Photographs are searched by place name and caption (e.g. - 'Buttsuji Temple'). Also, avoid using words such as "is" and "the" as they will generate countless search results.

Results will be listed in order of relevance. To search for a photograph in a specific series, search from the individual series' homepages.

Geographic Search:

To search the entire site by geographic criteria, use the ‘Geography’ link in the left-hand navigation bar. This will take you a region map detailing all of the regions, countries and places Michael visits throughout his travel series. For further instructions as to how to use the region map, see the section titled ‘Region Map’ below.

To search a specific series by geographic criteria, click on the name of your favourite series at the top of the left-hand navigation bar. You can then use ‘Palin’s Guides’, to be found to the right of each series homepage.

With the geographic Guides, you can search each series by the specific regions, countries and places Michael visited. Once you have chosen a region, you will be presented with a map.

From this map, you can read about each day Michael spends in a specific country or place in your chosen series by using the two dropdowns below the map.

Alternatively, you can click along the route in your chosen country to read from the series about the first day Michael spends in that country.

Palin’s Guides:

These Guides have been compiled to allow you search all of Michael’s series by relevant subjects and activities.

If you wish to search the entire site for these criteria, click on any of the titles grouped under ‘Search By’ in the left-hand navigation bar. This will take you to the homepage for the subject of your choice, from which you can use the dropdowns to search the entire site.

Alternatively, you can search a specific series for the same subjects. To do this, click on the title of your chosen series at the top of the left-hand navigation bar to take you to the series homepage.

This will take you to the homepage for the subject of your choice, from which you can use the dropdowns to search the entire series.

Region Map:

If you wish to search the series by geography, you can also use the region map, which can be found by clicking on ‘Geography’ in the left-hand navigation bar. This map of the world illustrates those areas through which Michael travelled over the course of his televised journeys. If you wish to see the specific countries and places travelled in during any or all of the series, click on any of the seven regions.

Once you have chosen a region, click on the coloured route in the country of your choice to go to Michael’s first day in that country.

You can also search by using the links found below the region map to go to each specific region. The dropdowns found at the bottom of the resulting page detail each country and place visited in that region. To read the part of the book which describes those places, select the country and place of your choice from the dropdowns.

Region Explanation:

To avoid confusion, these ‘regions’ have been chosen to best complement the routes Michael followed along each of his journeys. Many are actual continents, but the Americas have been partially separated and ‘Oceans and Seas’ added to make searching the site easier.

Equally, geographic boundaries correct at the time of Michael’s travels have been used, including the former Soviet Union and Hong Kong prior to its 1997 handover to China.

Route Map:

Use the route maps for each series by going to that series’ homepage and clicking on the link in the ‘Route Map’ section. Once you are looking at the route map, you can go to the next or previous map by clicking on the appropriate arrows at the edges of the map.

Click on the place name of your choice to start reading about Michael’s arrival in that place. If you do go through to the book, you can return to the route map at any time by clicking on the link to the right of the page.

If there is more than one route shown, use the colour key to follow the route for the series of your choice.