28 November 2024

Have you seen the movie?? Well, it’s nothing like that… It’s pretty different from the rest of Africa too, it split off from the mainland around 160m years ago, and never looked back! I travelled in August, part of a small group tour with G Adventures – a leading light of the adventure touring market, with a real focus on responsible tourism and making a positive impact on local communities. There were only eight of us, age range from 30 to 70, a mix of couples and single travellers, all with a love of exploring new places. Antananarivo is the capital – mad busy, noisy, colourful, colonial architecture and endless street stalls sitting comfortably side-by side. A welcome dinner, some get-to-know-you beers, and the next day we flew south… Ifaty couldn’t be more different – on the south west coast, it has a Caribbean feel, with palm-fringed beaches, stunning sunsets, and cool beach bars. There’s also loads to do – snorkelling on a distant reef, dugout canoe trips, and of course the unique Spiny Forest Reserve, with its ubiquitous Baobab trees. Now began the long slow journey north east back to Tana, via the vast interior savannah. Not long ago it was all forest, now 85% cleared, it’s seen a lot of change. Fortunately the remaining 15% is protected, and there are efforts being made to reverse this catastrophic deforestation. It’s worth mentioning the roads – they’re not great! Potholes galore, our expert driver weaved his way around as best he could, but progress was inevitably slow. So expect some long days, but the effort is worth it. Eventually we were into the mountains, which run along the central spine of the island. We had a full day hiking, one of the best I’ve ever done. The scenery was ruggedly spectacular, but there were also waterfalls and deliciously cool natural pools to cool off in. Here we spotted our first lemurs, the largest wild animal in Madagascar. They come in all sizes and colours, we spotted the classic ring-tailed variety amongst the cliffs and canyons. Heading ever north, we mixed national parks with local community visits, really getting to know the country and the people properly. Always welcoming, it’s a poor country but hard-working and positive, it was a pleasure to spend time with them. A bit of French didn’t go amiss either! Eventually we hit the rainforest, created by the prevailing weather coming in from the Indian Ocean. Wildlife galore – lots of lemurs (obviously), chameleon, reptiles, and of course the Indri (as you know, a black and white diurnal that feeds on leaves and fruit). Everywhere we went there were opportunities to explore, including village visits and night walks. Finally it was back to Tana, tired but fulfilled. Two weeks was enough to really get under the skin of the country, and to experience so many different landscapes, with incredibly diverse flora and fauna . If you get the chance, go!

02 July 2023

There’s more than one way to make a pizza, as an Italian chef once said (*probably). Likewise, there’s more than one way to discover a country… Many of you (as am I) will be big fans of the city break – a long weekend cramming in a few highlights, but heading home disappointingly soon. But suppose you want more – a longer trip giving you time to get under the skin of a country, more destinations, some countryside even! Things get complicated – co-ordinating the travel between cities, making sure everything runs smoothly, finding the right hotels in the best locations multiple times. Fear not, there’s a simple solution – have someone organise everything for you! Travelsphere have been arranging escorted tours to Italy for 60 years, so they bring an awful lot of expertise and local knowledge to the table. Their itineraries are designed to maximise your experience, learn something new in the company of like-minded fellow travellers, and create life-long memories (and friends). Take their Grand Tour of Italy – a two-week extravaganza of all things Italian, from the fabulous floating city of Venice in the north to the beautiful island of Sicily in the south, this really is the country in a nutshell. Highlights include: • Venice – St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge • Beautiful Tuscan countryside, then the leaning tower of Pisa • Iconic Rome landmarks like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain • Pompeii, the city buried in ash, and the stunning Amalfi Coast • Taormina, the beautiful coastal town on Sicily, with views of Mount Etna and the Bay of Naxos So, what is escorted touring really like? Is it for you? There are lots of positives! You’ll be travelling with like-minded people, with the chance to make life-long friends. Your knowledgeable Holiday Director will ensure you’re having authentic experiences with their expert local knowledge (think wine tasting in Verrazzano Castle, or finding the best street food in Palermo). Local cuisine is hugely important – whether it’s an organised dinner for everyone, or recommendations for the best spots in town. And of course knowing that everything will run smoothly – flights, transfers, accommodation, day trips all meticulously planned – means you can relax and immerse yourself in the wonders of this beautiful and fascinating country. Of course you may feel Italy top-to-bottom in two weeks is a little fast-paced for you. No problem, just pick a trip that focusses on just one (or maybe two) areas: • Puglia and Basilicata – the heel of Italy, a fascinating and less-visited area. Visit a fortified farm and gorge on cheese, olive oil and locally baked bread, discover Baroque architecture and Sassi houses (incredible cave dwelling carved into the hillside), and take an excursion to the pretty town of Ostuni with its maze of narrow streets. • Pompeii, Paestum and Herculaneum – base yourself in one beautiful hotel, and explore seven exceptional archaeological sites, with the stunning backdrop of Mount Vesuvius. • Treasures of Tuscany and Florence – another single centre option, based in the peaceful spa town of Montecatini Terme, while you explore the local highlights. Perfect for lovers of Chianti and Leonardo da Vinci. Travelsphere also have you covered on the less exciting but vitally important stuff too. Guaranteed departures, financial protection, you can even treat yourself to a home pick-up to get your dream trip off to the perfect start. So let’s start planning, your dream trip awaits…

01 April 2019

Andermatt is a relatively unknown Swiss resort, just a ninety-minute scenic drive from Zurich. Recently it’s received a fair bit of investment, in the accommodation as well as the ski infrastructure, and it’s turning into a fabulous destination for a long weekend, or even a relaxed week of skiing, chilling out, eating and pampering. So, that’s the big attraction? Firstly, ease of access. Regular daily direct flights to Zurich from all London airports, Birmingham and Manchester, operated by EasyJet, BA and Swiss. From there, hop on the extremely efficient Swiss rail service to whisk you up into the mountains (with one easy change), take a private transfer, or simply drive. When you arrive, the town is small, so getting around is easy, and there’s a decent choice of hotels. I was lucky enough to stay at the utterly fabulous Chedi (sister property of the original one in Muscat). If you arrive by train, it’s about 100 yards to the hotel entrance, if you’ve driven then simply give your keys to the nice chap who greets you at the grand front entrance. Like everything else at this hotel, details like parking your car are effortlessly taken care of. Reception is spectacular – soaring ceilings, a calm, quiet atmosphere, welcoming staff, for whom nothing is too much trouble. The rooms are luxurious – the bathroom suite (consisting of dressing area, his & hers vanity units, a free-standing bath, throne room, and massive walk-in rainfall shower) is bigger than most complete hotel rooms I’ve stayed in, and fully kitted out with posh amenities, fluffy towels and snuggly bath robes. You could get lost in the bed, the living area is comfortable and spacious, and the views up the mountain from the balcony are to die for. Not bad really… As you’d expect, the facilities match the room standards. The chaps in the ski shop were incredibly friendly and helpful. The spa centre, featuring countless pools of varying temperatures (personally, I’d avoid the cold plunge pool, but each to their own), steam rooms, saunas, and a well kitted out gym. And the actual spa had a huge range of treatments to pamper yourself, or ease aching bodies after a hard day on the slopes. Breakfast was extensive (even in the mornings it was hard to stay out of the chilled cheese room), and the dinner menu was all you’d expect from such an upmarket hotel. The chap behind the bar mixes a mean White Russian, amongst other things. The town itself has a small selection of bars and restaurants, and a nightclub if you have the energy. But this isn’t a resort for partying, and dancing on the tables in your ski boots – it’s a place to come and relax, enjoy the scenery, and indulge in a spot of my favourite sport… So, the skiing. The lift system is quick and efficient. You can ski on either side of the valley, with a fine selection of wide open, well-groomed and virtually empty red and blue runs. On the Gemsstock side, a gondola whisks you up to nearly 3000m, with a choice of route back down. If you head up to Gutsch, you can work your way further up the valley away from Andermatt, in a series of connected lifts, until you reach the village of Sedrun for a spot of lunch. Can’t be bothered to ski back? Simply get the train along the bottom of the valley – and towards the end of the day they have a specially designed après-ski train, complete with a bar. Happy days… For the powder hounds, there are loads of off-piste opportunities worth exploring, a guide is recommended. You’ll find local experts available at the extremely friendly and professional Alpine Sports, located in the centre of town. So, who’s it for? A luxurious weekend away, perfect. Or maybe you’re relatively new to skiing, not too fussed about the larger French resorts, and want a great mix of fabulous hotel, spectacular scenery, excellent skiing, and a spot of luxury? This just might be the little gem you’re looking for…

24 February 2018

In the summer of 2007, with thirteen years at Trailfinders under my belt, I decided it was time to move on and explore new opportunities. Rather than find another job immediately, I followed the slightly less sensible but vastly more appealing idea of going travelling. I hadn’t done the traditional ‘gap year’ thing, so while I’d had plenty of exotic holidays over the past 13 years, I hadn’t been away for an extended period. This was my chance. Part 1 covered an amazing two months through Africa, Part 2 covered a jaunt through India and Sri Lanka. Now I headed for the glittering lights (and horrendous traffic) of Bangkok. I was travelling on my own by now, but it’s not the sort of country when you’re on your own for long. There are so many other people doing similar things, whether it’s a couple of weeks holiday, a month of back-packing, or a full-on round-the-world extravaganza, you always find someone to share experiences with. Bangkok is an amazing city, a heady mix of temples and bars, culture both old and very modern, quiet havens and noisy night-life, whatever you want really! I spent a few fun-filled days around the Khao San Road, a feisty mix of cheap bars, snazzy restaurants, awesome street food and general carnage that is something of a rite of passage for back-packers, before burning out and heading south for the famous trio of islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Ko Tao was first, the smallest and least developed of the three (though this was 10 years ago, I’m sure by now it’s well and truly caught up). I was staying at a dive centre, to further my diving education with the Advanced Open Water course. It’s not everyone’s thing, but the diving in Thailand is some of the best in the world. There’s a huge variety, anything from simple beach dives, to more exciting and challenging deep and wreck dives. The sea-life is incredible, everything from tiny sea-horses and scary moray eels, to beautiful manta rays and the occasional shark. Talking of which, there was an elusive whale shark in the area, but wherever I went, it was elsewhere. Dive course completed, it was on to Ko Pha Ngan, home of the infamous all-night full moon parties. Not much to report, other than being slightly electrocuted by a drinks’ stand, and doing a lot of really bad dancing. We also went to an evening of Thai boxing which is hugely popular if you’re brave enough. Tey even allow tourists to take on the locals. I’m pretty sure your travel insurance won’t cover that, be warned! Finally, to the most famous of them all, Ko Samui, a haven of back-packer resorts, lush hotels, beautiful beaches, great food, and a very relaxed vibe. It’s a great choice for a beach holiday, there’s something for everyone, whatever your budget. Skipping forward a couple of months (there are only so many different ways of describing all of Thailand’s beautiful beaches!), I found myself heading east out of Bangkok to the Cambodian border at Poipet. Not one for the faint-hearted, the town is a striking advert for flying this leg of any journey. A typical border town, not much to see except. Avoid! Despite this less-than-ideal introduction to Cambodia, things quickly looked up. I arrived in Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat – the largest religious monument in the world. It’s spread out over 400 acres, and well worth two full days of exploring. Try to get away from the crowds – I found a path heading off into the jungle, went for a bit of an explore, and found a temple that clearly hadn’t been visited for weeks if not months. I needed a stick to clear the cobwebs as I wandered around, felt a bit like Indiana Jones! It was quiet, peaceful, beautiful, largely ruined, but to have it to oneself felt special. Camodia was ravaged by the Pol Pot regime in the late 70’s, when between two and three million civilians were murdered or starved/worked to death by the Khmer Rouge (roughly a quarter of the population). There are many memorials in and around the capital, Phnom Penh, the most (in)famous being the torture camp S-21, and the Killing Fields. Shocking places to visit, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. North to Laos. It’s a country I knew little about, still very much off the beaten track, and if time is short you should definitely fly in – my journey took several days, and multiple uncomfortable buses. I came via the Mekong and was lucky enough to see the virtually extinct Irrawaddy fresh-water dolphins. Beautiful animals, another victim of an ever-shrinking habitat. I ended up in Vang Vieng, another must-stop place on the back-packer experience. The main attraction was tubing down the Mekong, via an endless succession of bars serving cheap spirits. It’s an awesome day out, floating from bar to bar in the peaceful sunshine. Sadly, too many people over-did the booze (and the freely available drugs), and over the years there have been so many deaths that alcohol is now completely banned. Still a beautiful day out though! The whole country is incredibly laid-back, friendly, quiet, and stunningly beautiful. Hire a bike, explore the countryside, enjoy the old colonial architecture, and just chill out. Eventually, much later, I headed south to Indonesia. I was running out of time (and here, space), so I’ll be brief. I caught a boat from the southern Thai island of Penang, to Medan in northern Sumatra. I’d run out of empty pages in my passport, but $20 smoothed my way through immigration. Indonesia is a country full of schoolkids wanting to learn English – it seemed I couldn’t go anywhere without being accompanied by a gaggle of kids asking me questions and practicing their language skills. I also squeezed in the ascent of a couple of semi-dormant volcanoes, did a little surfing, and revelled in being properly off the beaten track. Believe it or not, that all took about six months! It’s been heavily edited. It’s a beautiful and diverse part of the world, perfect for beach holidays, active adventurers, families and back-packers alike. Some other time I’ll tell you about the delights of exotic Borneo, the bright lights of Singapore, and the incredible Philippines. But for now, that’ll have to do. Happy travels!

22 February 2018

In the summer of 2007, with thirteen years at Trailfinders under my belt, I decided it was time to move on and explore new opportunities. Rather than find another job immediately, I followed the slightly less sensible but vastly more appealing idea of going travelling. I hadn’t done the traditional ‘gap year’ thing, so while I’d had plenty of exotic holidays over the past 13 years, I hadn’t been away for an extended period. This was my chance. Part one covered an amazing two months in Africa. After a brief sojourn at home, I headed for Asia with a good friend called Paul. He was on his way to a new job in Melbourne but was apparently in no great rush to get there! India was our first port of call, but it’s a big country, and hard to choose where to go. After much discussion, we agreed on Delhi as a first port of call, a quick spin round the Golden Triangle, a tour of Rajasthan, then down the coast via Mumbai to Goa for some R&R, and on towards Sri Lanka (our next country). I’d been to SE Asia before, but not India. It’s literally breath-taking, from the moment you walk out of arrivals. The heat, the sound, the smell, the colours, and the utter craziness of it all takes a lot of getting used to! You have to accept that the average Indian is poor, certainly in comparison to you. So while they’re incredibly welcoming, helpful and friendly, they are also interested in your money. This is fine, but it does mean the truth can be occasionally elusive. We jumped into a taxi to take us to the only hotel we’d pre-booked for the entire trip. On the way, we were told it had burned down, then the roads were all closed, then it was a terrible hotel, and then that we had arrived. We had indeed arrived, at his cousin’s warehouse, for some rug shopping apparently! Eventually, we were delivered to our chosen hotel, rug-free, though he did get a generous tip. Our adventure had begun. We toured the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra and Jaipur) by bus, they’re as spectacular as you’d expect. Make sure you allow enough time to visit the Taj Mahal at both sunset and sunrise. Back in Delhi, we decided a bit of cricket was in order – almost a rite of passage in India. We jumped on a train up to Chandigarh, for a one-day international between Australia and India. The locals, assuming we were Aussies, were very surprised at our support for the home team. For the record, India won it in the final over, it was a boisterous night that followed. Back in Delhi, we set about organising a car and driver for the Rajasthan leg of our journey. It’s a great way to travel, much quicker and more comfortable than taking tourist buses, though it’s important to build a good relationship with your driver. We visited all the notable fort towns, such as Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer. They’re all beautiful, different, and very colourful. But a real highlight was a camel-trekking jaunt into the desert – imagine sleeping under the night sky, with unbroken horizons in every direction, zero light pollution, and billions of stars to gaze at. It was incredible, you could see the majestic sweep of the Milky Way, truly spectacular. Mumbai, with a population at the time of over 10 million people, of whom 40% lived in poverty, was shocking and fascinating in equal measures. Glitzy, air-conditioned shopping malls, while outside a family live in a cardboard box on a roundabout. It’s a challenging place. On to Goa, a former Portuguese colony, with lovely beaches, a great party scene and delicious seafood. Next, we headed inland into the hills and tea plantations around Ooty. This is where, in the days of the Raj, the Brits retired to, to escape the incessant heat. It's much cooler, absolutely beautiful, with lots of trekking opportunities. Or just relax and enjoy the views! We went south to Kerala for a houseboat trip on the famous inland waterways, and then a week in the tiny village of Varkala, perched on a cliff-top overlooking the Indian Ocean. Everywhere we went we played cricket with the locals, on the beach, in the towns, waiting for our driver, everyone wanted a game. A word about the food. I’m a huge fan of curry but was eating so much I actually had to go on a diet! I ate wherever looked busy with locals, and my staple meal was the Thali – served on a huge banana leaf (with no cutlery of course), you get served an unlimited amount of chapatis, veggie curries, chutneys, rice and so on. Unfailingly delicious, and I never got ill. If you avoid unpeeled fruit, salad, and unfiltered ice you should be ok. The time had come to say goodbye to India, and we flew over to Sri Lanka to meet up with 10 friends from home to watch England get thumped in a Test Match in Galle. It didn’t matter, we had fun in the sun, including some epic tuk-tuk races. We retired to the beach, at the wonderfully named resort of Unawatuna. We were visiting about nine months after the devastating Boxing Day Tsunami, which had wiped out whole communities along the coast. Driving down, we saw endless foundations of buildings, razed to the ground with a row of graves to one side. It was very sobering, yet the locals we met were as welcoming and friendly as ever, despite their obvious sadness and loss. So that was it for these two remarkable countries. Looking at the emails I sent home at the time, I found some of the travelling pretty tough going. The incessant noise, pollution and poverty was sometimes hard to deal with. But the incredible sights and the resilient, friendly people, made it a place I’d love to visit again. But probably on a slightly higher budget! The lads went home, Paul headed for his new job in Oz, and I was off to Bangkok for the next leg of my journey.

21 February 2018

In the summer of 2007, with thirteen years at Trailfinders under my belt, I decided it was time to move on and explore new opportunities. Rather than find another job immediately, I followed the slightly less sensible but vastly more appealing idea of going travelling. I hadn’t done the traditional ‘gap year’ thing, so while I’d had plenty of exotic holidays over the past 13 years, I hadn’t been away for an extended period. This was my chance. I knew I wanted to be away for more than a year, and (as I’m sure you all know) the maximum validity of an airline ticket is one year. One way around that is to buy a one-way ticket down under, and a return ticket when you’re ready to come home. But at the ripe old age of 38, the Aussies wouldn’t look too favourably on me entering their lovely country without an onward ticket or a visa. Option two involved a trip to Africa (and back), before the main round-the-world ticket began. I had a plan. There are many ways of seeing Africa, but for extended journeys, especially if on something of a budget, an overland trip is the way to go. There are lots of different levels – anything from a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle with a support team and decent lodges and homestays every night, to an unsupported camping trip, where you do everything for yourself. I went for the latter, partly for cost reasons, and partly to get as close to Africa as possible. Each to their own, but it worked for me. It was a hands-on trip where we did everything from shopping, cooking, and washing-up through to cleaning the truck and making sure the beers were kept cold! There’s no better way to meet locals than being dropped off in a small local market, with $50 from the kitty and instructions to buy 4 days’ worth of food for 22 people, with very limited cold storage facilities. We started in Cape Town, the jewel of South Africa. It’s a beautiful city, Table Mountain provides a stunning backdrop (if you’re not feeling energetic, the cable-car makes for a pretty easy route to the top), the V&A waterfront provides all the entertainment you need, and Cape Point Reserve is spectacular! From there we headed north (largely skipping the wine regions, don’t repeat my mistake) to the diverse country of Namibia. Fish River Canyon is the largest in Africa, and for visual impact rivals the more famous Grand Canyon. In the heart of the Namib desert is Sossusvlei, home to the highest sand dunes on earth. View them at sunrise, hike them, sand-board down them, or simply enjoy their grandeur. And from there to Swakopmund, on the coast, the party capital of Namibia. It’s the home to adventure sports and fun nights out, enough said. The further north you travel, the greener Namibia becomes. Passing through Damaraland (home of the rare desert elephant and black rhino), eventually we reached the wonderful Etosha National Park. Home to four of the big five (elephant, lion, leopard and rhino, no buffalo), it’s all about the game drives, the lush scenery making a pleasant change from the desert further south. Next was Botswana, home of a vast network of waterways, scrubland and animals galore. The Okavango Delta (as featured on Top Gear) is awesome, as is Chobe National Park. And so to Victoria Falls, another great spot for taking a break from travelling, and just enjoying everything on offer. The Falls themselves need no introduction (oh go on then – 108m high, 600m litres of water per minute, and known locally as Mosi oa-Tunya – the smoke that thunders), and again activities reign supreme here. White-water rafting on the Zambezi should not be missed – just avoid the hippos where possible. There are also more relaxed options - boat trips, nature tours, zip-lines, snake parks, cultural visits etc. The second half of this leg of the trip started in Zambia, worthy of a holiday all on its own, but time is short. Malawi is home to the friendliest people I met in Africa, despite being one of the poorest (and at the time I visited, with one of the highest HIV rates amongst adults, now vastly improved). I’ll never forget their smiles. Lake Malawi (as you probably know, the ninth biggest in the world, with the largest variety of fish) is suitably impressive. We also got off the beaten track, visiting villages where anyone under 10 had never seen a white face. More smiles! We whizzed across Tanzania, heading for the delights of Zanzibar. Known as the Spice Island, it’s home to luxurious resorts and beautiful beaches, and is an excellent value alternative to the other islands of the Indian Ocean. A spice tour is well worth it, as is exploring Stone Town, a World Heritage site. Back on mainland Africa, we drove via Lake Manyara to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. One of my favourite places in Africa, it was formed over 2 million years ago when a volcano collapsed in on itself. About 20 miles across, it’s a haven for an incredibly dense concentration of wildlife. The highlight was a pride of lionesses (not a male lion to be seen!) trapping a herd of zebra by a lake, then panicking them into stampeding past other lions waiting hidden in the bush. Truly epic game viewing! We hopped over into Kenya (another interminable border crossing, with toilets that had to be seen to be believed), and next was a quick tour through the vast open plains of the Serengeti followed by a visit to a Masai village. After showing us around the village, and having met his two wives, our Masai Warrior took us to the local school to meet the headmistress. While she chatted away, he leant his spear up against a computer, and logged in to Facebook. The world is changing! Finally, 8 weeks after we set off from Cape Town, we arrived in our final destination, Nairobi. I was thinner, browner, and with a far greater understanding of African life than when we set out. It’s an amazing continent, this wasn’t my first visit, and I’ve been back since. If you’ve yet to be tempted, I hope this helps. You won’t be disappointed.

11 January 2017

I’ve always kept an eye on Formula 1, without claiming to be a die-hard fan. A whole race? Maybe not. Highlights? Yes please. But I have a friend who lives in Abu Dhabi, home of the final F1 race of the season, which was developing into an epic battle between the Mercedes of Messrs Hamilton and Rosberg. So it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss – a bit of winter sun (the race is in November) and tick ‘Live F1 race’ off my bucket list. First problem – flights! Apparently, everyone else thought of this before me, and direct flights to Abu Dhabi were exceedingly busy, and therefore exceedingly expensive. And there are only 4 a day, which doesn’t help. Nearby Dubai provided the solution – with up to 17 scheduled flights a day, there was still plenty of choices, and the transfer by taxi takes about 90 minutes and costs around £75. A no-brainer for a party of 3, especially as we saved about £200pp on the flights. Weekends in Abu Dhabi start (on a Friday) in a very traditional way – brunch. This isn’t an English brunch of some weird hybrid combining breakfast and lunch. This is a chance for expats and visitors to let their hair down in some style. Hosted by the best hotels in town (we were at the St Regis), this is a full-on feast of exotic local and international cuisine, on an industrial scale. To put it into context, they don’t provide a cheese board – they have a cheese room. Everything is served buffet style, and unlimited, so help yourself to endless seafood, roast meats galore, a fine selection of pasta, sushi, and curries, a very well-stocked barbeque, more veggies than you can wave a stick at, and somewhere (I’m told) a salad bar to die for… Then there were the desserts, which looked like a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the afore-mentioned cheese room. And to wash it all down? Obviously, the booze is unlimited too – champagne, cocktails, fine wines from around the world – you name it they had it… Now, on to the Grand Prix! Located on Yas Island (home to Ferrari World, Waterworld, a golf course, beautiful beaches, and live shows) the Yas Marina Circuit is impressive, huge grandstands, great facilities, and (of course) glorious sunshine. We were in the cheap seats – a large grassy area right in the centre of the circuit. Qualifying on the Saturday afternoon was a chance to get familiar with the cars, and the noise! Apparently, they’re quieter than they used to be, but when you get close to them it’s still very impressive. And the speed, which doesn’t really come across on TV, is amazing – they really do seem glued to the tarmac. It wouldn’t be an F1 weekend without some live music thrown in. We were lucky (?) enough to get Lionel Richie on the Saturday night – not my scene, but an impressive live act all the same. Sunday night was Rhianna, but utterly shambolic crowd control meant the venue was completely inaccessible (a blessing in disguise?!) The big day started with a fly-over by an Etihad A380 escorted by the UAE Airforce. The Grand Prix itself was brilliant – it’s timed to start at sunset, so it’s a pretty amazing spectacle. Hamilton did all he could to force a result, Rosberg did just enough to pip him to the title. Whatever your vantage point, make sure you can see a big screen – without it, due to the vagaries of staggered pit stops and different tyre strategies, it’s very easy to lose track of who’s actually winning! Of course, Abu Dhabi is a year-round destination (ok, maybe avoid the height of summer, it really is unbearably hot), so there’s much more going on than just the Grand Prix. Other than Yas Island, there are desert safaris (with an optional overnight Bedouin desert camp experience), impressive mosques, world-class shopping, and (on the way home via Dubai) the small matter of the world’s tallest building, the 829.8m Burj Khalifa. Lots of golf if you fancy it, world-class hotels, fine cuisine and of course glorious weather, there’s something for everyone…

10 January 2017

I’ve been lucky enough to visit a huge number of places during my 16 years working in travel, but New Zealand holds a special place in my heart. If it were closer (say, where France is?!), I’d live there… So what’s the attraction? Firstly, the people. So friendly, so welcoming, and such a relaxed, laid-back attitude to life. Away from the major cities, the pace of life is pretty chilled, people really do have time for you, and love to showcase their country. Of course, it helps if you love rugby – it is, after all, their religion. And the country itself? I spent 3 months driving around South Island in a clapped out old VW Campervan – it really didn’t like going uphill, I was overtaken by the odd bicycle, but I still managed to traverse the Southern Alps a couple of times. The scenery is spectacular, rugged snow-capped mountains, beautiful crystal-clear (and extremely cold) lakes, and endless beaches (complete with visiting whales, if you time it right). While most people visit during their summer, I was there late Autumn. Chilly at night, but largely clear days, and the walking trails I pretty much had to myself. There was still plenty going on in the towns, nightlife was lively at times, but (like the country) everything was generally pretty low-key. Christchurch is a lovely city, small enough to walk the highlights. However, New Zealand sits on the Ring of Fire that circles most of the Pacific, and the centre was devastated by an earthquake in 2011. Rebuilding work is on-going, but like any area devastated by natural disaster, they appreciate the tourists… Heading inland, the Southern Alps form the backbone of the island, rising from gentle foothills to spectacular jagged mountain peaks. The Kiwis love their outdoors fun, so there are well-marked trails everywhere. Driving past Mt Cook, I was heading for Queenstown. This is party central for the South Island. Set on beautiful Lake Wakatipu, there are lots to do. From high-adrenaline activities like the original bungee jump from Kawarau Gorge Bridge, extreme jet-boating or white water rafting on the Shotover River, to more sedate days out visiting beautiful Milford Sound, I guarantee you won’t be bored! However, Queenstown can be a bit full-on, so when you’ve had enough, head an hour up the road to stunning Wanaka. So much more peaceful, but set on an even more beautiful lake, I loved it here. The sun sets behind mountains across the lake, and it’s a lovely place to chill out and relax, probably with a cold beer, and contemplate life… But, we must (eventually) move on. Having crossed the Alps (slow going up, crazy coming down, the brakes weren’t great) I hit the coast and headed for Fox Glacier. There are lots of organised tours to do here, the most popular being a helicopter ride up onto the glacier, and a hike around some pretty cool caves in crampons. Lots of fun, but I was at the end of my budget, so had to satisfy myself with whatever was free! Plan your budget better than I did… Onwards and upwards to the north end of the South Island, and the rather gorgeous Abel Tasman National Park. Beautiful beaches, easy walking trails, sea-kayaking, beautiful places to stay, it has it all… And then it was over to the Marlborough wine region, which sounds like (and is) a very good excuse for some wine-tasting days out. Clearly, I can’t remember much, but the wine was phenomenal, and now I drink nothing else! Head south, and you’ll reach Kaikoura, home of whale watching and dolphin swimming. Not to be missed! The dolphins are as friendly as the locals… And then it was back to Christchurch, to reluctantly sell the camper-van. I got back half what I paid for it, and had a few maintenance issues along the way – in retrospect, hiring is the way to go. In conclusion? What a country! So much to see and do, but the distances are large, so try to give it at least 3 weeks. Winters are cold, but even in late autumn I had a brilliant time, and at times it felt like I had the place to myself! I managed 3 months, and it still wasn’t enough, and I didn’t even get as far as the North Island! The people really are fantastic, the scenery is second to none, and I haven’t even mentioned LOTR. Happy days...