Getting There

Transcription

Getting There

August/September 2012
Travel Light, Travel Far
Alaska
Grizzlies and caribou
in USA’s wildest state
Peru
The Inca kingdom
10 ary
n s!
i
l
Cu rip
T
y,
ke ance
r
Tu , Fr re...
dia o
In nd m
a
Sudan
Buried treasures
Poland
Europe’s last wilderness
French Polynesia
A WWOOFing experience: farming black pearls
+ Feast in Havana | Vanuatu in Photos | Zanzibar Cultural Trail
August/September 2012
Travel Light, Travel Far
Exciting times ahead at WildJunket
Alaska
Grizzlies and caribou
in USA’s wildest state
Peru
The Inca kingdom
10 ary
lin !
Cu rips
T
,
ey e
rk nc
Tu , Fra re...
dia o
In nd m
a
Sudan
Buried treasures
Poland
Europe’s last wilderness
French Polynesia
A WWOOFing experience: farming black pearls
+ Feast in Havana | Vanuatu in Photos | Zanzibar Cultural Trail
On the Cover Denali in autumn
(eyeCatchLight - Fotolia)
WildJunket Magazine is a
bi-monthly digital travel magazine
with a focus on outdoor adventures
and sustainable travel. Our mission
is to inspire readers to travel light
and travel far.
Creative Director Alberto Molero
Editor-in-Chief Nellie Huang
Contributing Editor CandaceRardon
Editorial Assistant Erin Ridley
Gear Editor Lenore Greiner
GET IN TOUCH
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and stand to win 1 out of 3 print issues (of your choice)! Deadline for completing the survey is
Wednesday 1 August 2012.
In this issue, we’ve gathered a very diverse mix of stories and adventures:
from tracking grizzlies in Alaska’s wilderness (p18) to uncovering the secret
underworld of Sudan (p70) and WWOOFing in the French Polynesia
(p44). Feast on underwater photos of Vanuatu (p60), the colorful culinary
scene of Cuba (p54), and the various faces of Peru (p78).
We’re constantly on the look out for great stories and photos – if you’d like
to contribute, share them with us on our Facebook page or email me at
[email protected].
Nellie Huang
Editor-in-Chief & Publisher
Contributors
Interested in contributing? Refer to our website for details.
WildJunket Ltd, 2012. ISSN: 2251-3477
Published by WildJunket Ltd, 163 Jalan
Loyang Besar, Singapore 503413. All rights
are reserved. Reproduction in any matter is
strictly prohibited without the approval of the
publishers. The views expressed in articles are
those of the writers, and not necessarily of the
publishers.
Cherina Hadley
Esme Fox
Sandip Hor
Lia Barrett
Melissa Shales
Candace Rose Rardon
Australia-based travel writer and
photographer Cherina Hadley has
walked across Spain twice, trekked
in the Andes and Patagonia and
photographed polar bears in the
Arctic. She blogs at Quiet Wanderings.
Read about her Alaska trip on p18.
For all your Madagascar travel arrangements. A small hands-on company based in Madagascar; 20+
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www.remoterivers.com
Mexico
Finland
Galicia
Palestine
Australia
Cambodia
South Africa
10 Expedition
Cruises
On sale 17 Sept 2012
Lia Barrett is a Korean born, American
underwater photographer. From
working in a submarine off Roatan to
the endless hunt for macro critters in
Asia, Lia has embraced the underwater
world as her sanctuary. See her photo
essay of Vanuatu on p60.
Esme Fox is a travel writer who writes
for Food&Travel, Real Travel and Time
Out guide to Argentina. Esme has lived
in six countries including Uganda, the
Philippines, and Spain. In our Travel
Guide section, she writes about Peru
(p78).
Brought up in Zimbabwe, Melissa
Shales now lives just outside London,
England, and freelances as a travel
writer and editor. She visited Sudan
(p70) on a Winston Churchill
Travelling Fellowship, to research for a
book on railway in Africa.
Born in India, Sandip has traveled to
40 countries in 5 continents and has
published over 180 articles. Literature,
music, people and travel are things that
he really loves. In this issue, he takes
us on a cultural tour of Stone Town on
Zanzibar Island (p28).
Contributing editor Candace Rardon
recently completed a Master’s in Travel
Writing. In this issue, she shares her
experience on a pearl farm in the
French Polynesia on p44., It was the
inspiration for her first travel memoir,
Girl with a Pearl Ring.
From the Road
Regulars
Insider
28 | Just Back: Zanzibar
06 | Snapshots Feast on photo contributions from our
68 | Calendar A look at festivals and events happening
A walk back in time to uncover the mixed cultural heritage of
Stone Town.
36 | Dispatches: Poland
Track down moose, boars and bisons in Europe’s last
primeval forest.
54 | Feast: Cuba
Cuba’s culinary scene is set to evolve – we head into Havana’s
paladares to see why.
70 | Under the Radar: Sudan
The alien nation of Sudan remains one of the least visited countries
in Africa, we plunge in and find a world of surprises.
readers around the world.
16 | Trip Ideas Ten culinary trips for food-lovers– from
making pizzas in Italy to brewing stews in Morocco.
92 | Travel Rant How to explore? Columnist Mike Sowden
thinks the best way is to get lost.
93 | Travel Thoughts Our contributing editor Candace
Rardon ponders over the concept of home.
96 | Sketches The Valley of Roses in Morocco, fresh from
the canvas.
around the world this Aug/Sept.
90 | Stay Finding Shangri-la in a boutique hotel hidden
within the mountains of Paro, Bhutan.
94 | Gear To help you pack for your RTW trip, we
recommend a list of gear ideal for extended travel.
18 Alaska
70 Sudan
Destination Features
18 | Alaska
Cuba p54
Get up close and personal with grizzly
bears and North America’s highest peak.
44 | French Polynesia
Poland p36
Vanuatu
Zanzibar p28
We head to South Pacific for the most
exotic working holiday: pearl farming.
60 | Vanuatu
A photo essay on village life in the
archipelago of Vanuatu.
44 Polynesia
78 | Travel Guide: Peru
From the Andes to the Amazon, we
expose every single detail on Peru in our
10-page travel guide.
Peru
78
60
“
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
It was 4 a.m. when we boarded our
bus in Siem Reap to one of the most
magnificent temples in the world, Angkor
Wat. It was dark and we were barely
awake, but in order to see the sunrise
over this UNESCO World Heritage Site,
we were told the earlier we got there
the better. And it didn’t disappoint. Watching the colors of
the sun dance and dazzle above this stunning architectural
marvel was one of the most amazing experiences for
me. I left Angkor Wat feeling like a different person.
- Shelley Rattray
Send us your photos and the stories behind them to [email protected]
6 | WildJunket August/September 2012
www.wildjunket.com | 7
Lake Titicaca, Peru
“
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the
world, and the largest fully freshwater lake in
South America. During my trip there, I was amazed
by the vastness of the lake – it was so extensive you
could barely see the horizon. Hidden in the vastness
are floating reed islands created by local tribes. They
use the reeds to make many things, including boats,
houses, furniture, and hats. I was simply awed by the way such a
temporal quality of life is embraced on Titicaca. - Cristy Fletcher
“
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Learning to ski at Jackson Hole, Wyoming was
a special experience on its own, but witnessing
the beauty there made it all the more unique. On this
particular trip, I found myself out of my usual tropics
and jungle element and in the frozen countryside
of Wyoming. When I saw the natural beauty of
this old barn perched as stoically as the mountains
behind it, I knew this was an image I wanted to keep forever. I often look
back at this moment and marvel at how something as simple as
a barn can add character and charm to a magnificent landscape. - Walter Pickel
Perito Moreno, Argentina
“
We watched it from all the viewpoints and
we even sailed to the base of it, but no matter
from what corner we saw the Perito Moreno
glacier, it felt distant and aloof. We just had to
see it up close. Strapping on our crampons, we
decided to hike the glacier: hours of climbing,
exploring ice caves, small waterfalls and nothing
but blue and white around us. When we walked back to the boat, we
thought we had seen Perito Moreno in every way possible. But then the
sun broke through the clouds and the strange Patagonian light
worked its magic. The glacier never looked more impressive.
- Karlijn Meulman
“
Chitwan, Nepal
I have many amazing memories of Nepal, but
few are as vivid as coming face-to-face with
an Indian rhinoceros at Chitwan National Park.
After six hours of sitting in a jeep in the rain and
not seeing a single animal, we were about to give
up on our safari, when the driver suddenly stopped
and told us to get out. A rhino emerged from the
damp grass and paused in the middle of the path, looking right at us. I
managed to get a few shots before he snorted, sending me fleeing
back behind the jeep. Needless to say, my 400mm lens was overkill!
- Tanya Procyshyn
10 Culinary Trips
1
4
Pintxo Paradise,
Spain
When autumn arrives, Italians from the
Emilia Romagna region head for the hills to
harvest different local produce. Join them in
the hunt for grapes, olives and white truffles,
on a Gourmet Fall & Winter Tour in Emilia
Romagna from Bluone. This visit promises to
give you the chance to interact with locals and
immerse deeply in their gastronomic traditions.
It also includes a stop at a Parmigiano Reggiano
cheese factory as well as a balsamic vinegar
producer. Finish your week with dinner at a
Michelin-star-rated restaurant.
Tour operator: Bluone
Departures: year-round
Duration: 6 days
Cost: US$2,870
3
8
Chopping Chilli in Chiang Mai,
Thailand
There is no better way to get to know Chile
than through its cuisine and wine. The Central Chile Discovery tour, offered by Latin
American Escapes, promises just that, plus
scenic drives through the mountains, prairies, and exploration of Santiago, Valparaiso
and various pueblos in between. Accompanying the sights, you’ll tour the country’s
most famous wineries, witness the entire
wine-making process and eat your way from
stop to stop.
Tour operator: Latin American Escapes
Duration: 6 days
Cost: US$1,550
Guided by a food specialist, guests of
Exotissimo’s North Thailand’s Culinary Journey
first head north to Chiang Mai to learn the
ins and outs of Thai cooking. After a two-day
course, the food tour hits the road to explore
more of Thailand, with visits to a pineapple
plantation, a seaweed farm, and the Waroros
Market – just to name a few. The expedition
finishes with a boat ride along the Mekong
near Laos, and a stop at a Burmese border
town.
Tour operator: Exotissimo
Duration: 6 days
Cost: US$990
7
6
Explore the culinary countryside of Drôme
in the Rhône-Alpes region of France.
During the Provencal Cooking in Style tour
from Gourmet Safari, you’ll be based at
Les Tuillières bed and breakfast. By day, you
will visit local markets and learn about local
fruit, cheese, vegetables, olive oil and wines.
Along the way, you’ll dig deep into the world
of French gastronomy. Then put what you
learnt to good use during hands-on cooking
courses at Les Tuillières with a French chef.
Tour operator: Gourmet Safari
Departures: May to September
Duration: 7 days
Cost: US$1,875
Tagines, Spices and Souks,
Morocco
From Street Food to Royal Cuisine,
India
Get a true taste of India by traveling the
country from north to south, and sampling
its rich cuisine along the way. As a guest on
Responsible Travel’s India Culture & Food
Tour, you’ll experience India’s many flavors,
with visits ranging from roadside eateries to
royal kitchens, and even a cooking school
where you can whip up your own delicacies. More than just food, the trip will also
include cultural visits to monuments, secret
backstreets, hindu temples, and beaches.
Tour operator: Responsible Travel
Departures:September to December
Duration: 15 days
Cost: from US$1,870
Expect Access Trips’ Moroccan Cooking tour
to be as varied in cuisine as it is in landscape.
From the beaches of Essaouira to the Berber
villages in the High Atlas Mountains, and the
bustling center of Marrakech, Morocco has so
much to offer, be it for the foodie or the adventure traveler. Rest assured you will see and eat
your way through the country. Learn how to
bargain at the souk (food market), identify different spices and herbs, cook local cuisine, and,
all while taking in the best of each region.
Tour operator: Access Trips
Departures: May to August
Duration: 9 days
Cost: from US$2,890
10
Gourmet Getaway in Provence,
France
Sample Latin Flavors,
Chile
Photo credits: Nellie Huang; Erin Ridley; Alberto Molero; Flickr | bongo vongo.
Few places in the world garner the same
culinary fame as San Sebastián, so consider
this the perfect excuse to head seaside for the
ultimate foodie excursion. Active Gourmet
Holidays’ San Sebastián Gourmand tour takes
travelers from pintxos sampling one day to
actually making them the next. On the third
day, you can choose between dining at one of
the region’s many Michelin-star-rated restaurants, or taking a day trip to another culinary
hotspot, Bilbao.
Tour operator: Active Gourmet Holidays
Departures: March to December
Duration: 3 days
Cost: US$850
Wine and Dine in Capetown,
South Africa
South Africa surges as a culinary and
wine destination worth working up an
appetite for, so let Gunyah’s Unique
Cape Winelands Experience with the
Locals show you around town. Stops
include visits to eco-friendly South
African-owned wineries, as well as
tastings with the chance to bottle your
very own wine. Beyond the vineyards,
travel through spectacular landscapes,
and enjoy a home-stay, which allows
you an insider look at local life and
cuisine.
Tour operator: Gunyah
Duration: 3 days
Cost: US$603
words By Erin Ridley
2
5
Harvest in Emilia Romagna,
Italy
Trip Ideas
9
Tasty and Tranquil Bali,
Indonesia
Cooking on the Coast,
Turkey
Travelers with The International Kitchen’s
A Turkish Delight tour will stir up culinary
inspiration while staying on the southwestern
coastline of the Bodrum peninsula. There, you
can discover the region’s gastronomy through
wine tastings, cooking classes with a Turkish
chef, and excursions to a local market and
ecological farm. Then, spend free time working
up an appetite while lying on the beach or
checking out local sights along Turkey’s
beautiful Mediterranean coast.
Tour operator: The International Kitchen
Departures: March to November
Duration: 7 days
Cost: US$2,625 per person based on double
occupancy
On this tour, you’ll get to cook at a resort
nestled in coconut groves by the foot
of Mount Agung, and learn about the
traditional lifestyle in this region – from
cultivating rice, to fishing, and salt making.
Put your skills to the test when preparing
meals with locals on the beach or even
alongside a hotel chef. With visits to
markets, organic gardens, and yoga class,
the journey will ultimately nourish both
your stomach and spirit.
Tour operator: On the Menu
Duration: 7 days
Cost: from US$1,940
The Wild Things
From exploring North America’s highest mountain to getting
up close and personal with grizzly bears, Denali National Park
in central Alaska takes adventure, literally, to a whole new level.
words & Photographs By Cherina Hadley
DESTINATION ALASKA
DESTINATION ALASKA
B
efore I can fully take in
a view of the pristine
mountain range outside
my window, our plane
lurches forward. For
the third time in ten minutes, I pull
out the paper bag from the seat
pocket in front of me and hurl like a
disgruntled baby.
As we continue our bumpy ascent,
my head swirls a dizzying 360
degrees – this certainly wasn’t how I
had planned to spend my first day in
this subarctic wilderness. But when
I awoke to brilliant blue skies earlier
that day, the thought of soaring over
Mount McKinley and the 600-mile
long Alaska Range was too tempting.
You may hear it referred to as
Mount McKinley – after thenU.S. President William McKinley
– or by its indigenous Athabascan
name Denali, the ‘High One.’ But
to Alaskans, the highest peak in
“Alaska is the size of
France, Spain and
Germany combined;
if cut in half it would
still remain the largest
state in the US. ”
North America is simply called
‘The Mountain’. And at a colossal
20,300 feet (6,187 meters), there is
no confusion as to exactly which
mountain one is referring to.
Thankfully I’m easily distracted and
am soon transfixed by the undulating
landscape below me, thoughts of
motion sickness quickly fading away.
We rise even higher above the
clouds, seemingly close enough to
reach out and touch the stark white
peaks of the mountains. The textures
and colors of the landscape are so
defined from the air and the sweeping
paths of the glacier-carved valley
seem to move and curve along with
the wind. I have no idea where to
look first.
For one blissful hour, we linger
over the snow-capped peaks of the
Alaska Range and finally approach
and circle Mount McKinley, the
palpitating heart of Denali National
Park. Six million acres of unspoiled
wilderness sprawl across the Alaskan
plains, into the edgeless horizon.
Alaska is the size of France, Spain and
Germany combined; if cut in half it
would still remain the largest state in
the US. What we see before us is just
a tiny fraction of the entire state – and
it’s already tipping my scale out of
proportion.
© gordon__shumway
Dramatic Landscapes: The 600-mile long Alaska Range
Bottom: A grizzly bear amidst the shrubs.
DESTINATION ALASKA
Left to right: Autumn colors of Denali; the scenic Alaska
Railroad; the stunning Alaska Range as seen from above
Bottom: A moose grazing amidst red shrubs
“I feel as though I’ve been plunged straight into a wildlife
documentary. A quiet voice-over by David Attenborough
would come as no surprise.”
Face Off
On my second day in Denali, our
green shuttle bus trundles along the
only paved road into and out of the
park. After just an hour of weaving
through the red carpet tundra, our
driver Kelsey stops the bus and kills
its engine.
“See the giant female grizzly at ten
o’clock?” Kelsey eagerly points out our
first bear. The opening and closing of
camera shutters fracture the silence
as passengers attempt to capture the
essence of this wild and extraordinary
creature. I, however, stand frozen,
sweaty palms motionless by my side.
I realize I am holding my breath and
move only to wipe the condensation
on the window that appears once I
finally exhale.
The walls of the bus fall away
and I feel as though I’ve been being
plunged straight into a wildlife
documentary. A quiet voice-over by
David Attenborough would come as
no surprise.
“This one is a female as you can see
from the shape of the face. Her eyes
are closer together and her nose is
shorter than that of a male,” explains
Kelsey.
“She’s probably around 1.9m and
150kg.” Denali National Park has a
healthy population of over 200 to
300 grizzlies, all of which feed on a
variety of berries, roots, fish and small
mammals.
The bear seems oblivious to our
presence, and continues nonchalantly
scratching at the ground and
munching on berries, her brown
fur glistening in the summer sun. A
grizzly bear’s sense of smell is around
100,000 times stronger than that of a
human. As we make good use of our
dominant sense by watching her, she
is absolutely using hers also: I have
no doubt she knows where, when and
probably even how many of us there
are.
And she cannot care less.
“Does anyone know what to do
when you ever see a bear while
walking in the wild?” Kelsey
challenges our group. One of my
group mates shout, “Run for your
life!”
We chuckle, amused by the
animated voiceover. Kelsey retorts
with a serious look, “People have been
killed by bears in this area before.
So you have to be careful with this.
The first rule is to NEVER run! Make
as much noise as possible to scare it
away.”
I shudder at the thought, my fears
creeping in once again as I imagine
staring down the beast, eyeball to
eyeball.
We journey farther into the
park, navigating the red and yellow
autumn vegetation, breaking out into
a snapping frenzy at each wildlife
sighting. In just four hours, we spot
four out of the ‘Big Five’: a giant
grizzly swaggering through the
colorful shrubs chewing on berries, a
herd of caribou grazing by the river,
an antler-toting moose sniffing us out
just fifty meters away, and a Dall sheep
with curly brown horns staring us in
the eye before being swallowed by the
vastness of the park.
Only the gray wolves elude us there are currently approximately 18
packs of wolves (around 100 wolves in
total) in Denali, and they are generally
wary of humans. Even a wolf ’s howl is
hard to come by. On the contrary, Dall
sheep sightings are plentiful but often
consist of small, indistinguishable
white dots scurrying up jagged cliffs
in the distance. Occasionally these
skittish big-horned sheep overcome
their shyness and edge a little closer
to Park Road and an assertive holler
from fellow passengers brings the bus
to a screeching halt.
By the end of our third day in
Denali, we have seen more grizzlies
than ever in one location, watched
a group of over 100 moose wade
through the shallow waters of a
running stream, caught a very rare
glimpse of a coyote, and marveled
at dozens of caribou galloping along
the tundra terrain. These wildlife
encounters have a hypnotic power
over us – the yawn of a bear, the
sniffing sounds of a hoary marmot or
the whistle of a red fox – can have us
dizzy with delirium.
Singing our Way Down
Cathedral Mountain
With my initial fear melting away
after the impressive wildlife sightings,
I awake with new-found confidence
on my last day and barely flinch when
I learn that we are off to explore
Cathedral Mountain – on foot. At
only 4,551 feet (1,387 meters), it
is dwarfed significantly by Mount
McKinley but makes for a more
realistic alternative and the perfect
day hike.
Indeed, Denali is essentially a trailfree wilderness with unlimited hiking
opportunities – and the low-lying
tundra means you can begin a hike
anywhere along Park Road, with the
convenience of being able to get off
and on the green buses any time you
like.
Meandering my way through
flat plains, I am invigorated by the
fresh air and freedom in the wilds of
Denali; and yet, as we trudge through
the valley and up into the mountains,
the possibility of a close encounter
with wild animals is still gently
niggling in the back of my mind.
Sure enough, this time there is no
bus between myself and yet another
grizzly bear – all of its black, furry
back, thick limbs, and deep green eyes
a mere 200 yards of brilliantly colored
tundra away from me. And strangely
enough, I completely forget that I
should be afraid.
Because in all her massive,
enormous bulk, this grizzly is running
away from us! Just as fast as those
chunky legs will carry her. I stand in
bewilderment, almost about to burst
into laughter had it not been slightly
nerve-wrecking.
Our grizzly disappears over the
ridge, presumably into the valley
below, exactly where we are headed.
After some debate about safety we
I am reluctant to leave Denali,
was from the air – and now here I
decide to push on – singing, clapping
especially as I’ve only just begun to get am, leaving with the muddy earth of
and shouting to be sure this grizzly
to know her.
Denali still clinging to my boots. I
knows we’re coming. Thankfully, we
My first encounter with the park
wouldn’t have it any other way. 1
never see her again.
As we begin our steep descent from
the top of Cathedral Mountain, Denali
dazzles with an explosion of colors
and a spectacular display of Mother
River Rafting
Earth’s artwork. Vibrant russets and
White water rafting on the Nenana River is an experience to be remembered.
reds, golden tinges of yellow and
All levels of rafting are available. Your guide does the paddling for you, or for
orange stretch for miles across the
the more experienced, you can paddle yourself.
tundra, more blindingly colorful
Dogsled Tour
than anywhere else I have ever been.
There are free dogsled demonstrations each day at National Park kennels.
Although it’s August, I soon learn fall
Dog-lovers will enjoy watching the quintessential Alaskan art of dog mushing
comes early here – and with it, vivid
on these kennel tours.
hues over Denali.
Backcountry
I reach the end of our hike ahead
If backcountry hiking, camping, climbing or fishing is your thing, then Denali
of the others. The sun disappears and
is the place to be. Take a break from the buses and have a local guide fly you
I feel the first few drops of rain begin
into the backcountry near Denali for a real Alaskan wilderness adventure.
to fall. In these last quiet moments,
standing at the base of the mountain,
Left to right: A Dall sheep
grazing; aerial view of
Denali National Park.
!
Getting There
Traveling by the Alaska Railroad
from Anchorage will take you right to
the outskirts of the park. The train ride
is 8 hours and costs around US$145. It
is the most scenic option as the railroad
branches away from the usual traffic
route. On a clear day, you will have a
phenomenal view of Mount McKinley
and the Alaska Range for the last couple
hours of your journey.
You can also reach Denali by bus on
the Park Connection from Anchorage,
Seward or Talkeetna, or by hiring a car
in the cities of Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Remember you will not be able to take
your car into the park past Mile 15.
+ Getting Around
Some hotels offer a shuttle
service to the park entrance. If you are
hoping to explore areas outside the park
on your own, you will need your own
vehicle.
You must use the park bus system
to venture past Mile 15 into Denali
National Park. These buses can be
booked ahead by phone, online or in
person at the Wilderness Access Centre
or Riley Creek Mercantile.
Buses usually fill up a day ahead so
booking in advance is advisable to
ensure a place on your chosen bus.
Take enough food and water for the day
and don’t forget to charge your camera
batteries!
ú When to Go
The buses into Denali National
Park only run in summer and offer
full services from early-June to midSeptember. Some bus options are
available just outside of those times.
Fall comes early in Alaska so if you
want to see the colors in all their glory,
mid-August to mid-September is the
best time to visit. For experienced
mountaineers wanting to climb
Mount McKinley, plan your trip well
in advance and bear in mind that the
climbing season only runs from late
April to early July.
Ö
Cost of Travel
The entrance fee into the park
is US$10 per person and is valid for
7 days. It can be paid when you book
your bus tickets. An annual pass for
Denali is $40. The green shuttle buses
vary in price depending on how far into
the park you plan to go. An adult fare to
Tolkat at Mile 53 (6 hours return trip)
is $24.50, Eilson Visitors Centre at Mile
66 (8 hours) is $31.50 and Wonder Lake
at Mile 85 (11 hours) is $43.25. You can
save money by purchasing a special
3-day fare. There are several bus tours
on offer that range in price from $64 (5
hours) to $159 (12 hours). Scenic flights
with Kantishna Air Taxi start from
$235.
V Packing
In Alaska, it is best to be
prepared for all kinds of weather, even
in summer. Bring warm layers, fleece,
gloves, hat, rain gear and hiking boots
(or sturdy walking shoes). You are sure
to have endless photo opportunities
so a camera, extra batteries and extra
memory cards are essential. A good
pair of binoculars is recommended for
wildlife viewing. There is no access to
food and drinks inside the park so when
traveling by bus bring a small backpack
with enough food for the day.
W Accommodation
There is plenty of
accommodation in and around the
nearby towns of Healy and Cantwell as
well as several options in surrounding
areas.
The Mountain Morning Hostel is
located in a picturesque area 13 miles
south of the park entrance and offers
private cabins, camping and dormitory
style accommodation. The hostel has
free shuttle buses running to and from
the park entrance (two daily shuttles
each way, approx 20 minutes). The
Creekside Café opposite the hostel
offers casual dining and a packed lunch
option. Prices start at $32 in a shared
dorm.
For something a little more glamorous,
the Denali Crow’s Nest has lovely log
cabins with stunning panoramic views
over the Alaska Range and is located
just a mile from the park entrance. All
rooms have a private bathroom and
access to the resort’s hot tub. Enjoy the
view and some delicious food on the
deck at the Overlook Bar and Grill.
Rooms start at $189/night.
There are six campgrounds in the park.
Entrance fees for a single site range
from $9-$28 and bookings are made
through the Wilderness Access Centre
or Riley Creek Mercantile. Advance
bookings are advisable, especially in
peak season when the campgrounds fill
up quickly.
M Websites
Here are some helpful links:
Travel Alaska
National Park Service: Denali
National Park
Lonely Planet Alaska
Photo by EyeCatchLight
Leaving No
Stone Unturned
At the crossroads of ancient Arabic,
African and Indian trading routes,
Zanzibar’s Stone Town pulls you in
with its fusion of cultures.
Words Sandip Hor | Photographs dennis jones
JUST BACK ZANZIBAR
W
arm, salty air
from the Indian
Ocean washes
over me the
moment I set
foot on Unguja Island, also known as
Zanzibar. Just off its sandy coast, local
fishermen steer their dhows, the boats’
distinctive triangular sails flapping
in the breeze. As the ferry docks, I
set out from the port and make my
way to the fabled historical quarter of
Zanzibar’s Stone Town.
When the sun starts to set, I find
myself wandering through the
Forodhani Gardens. It is here that
each evening baba lishas – the name
for street food vendors, which literally
means “feeding man” – set up trestle
tables, charcoal stoves and gas lamps
to deliver culinary delights from
grilled seafood to spicy curries. While
enjoying my first platter of cooked
shrimp, crab and lobster, I meet Nora,
a Dutch woman who landed here
almost two decades ago and never left.
“The stirring life under the stones
holds you like a magnet,” she tells
me, making me wonder if I will
come to feel the same way about this
JUST BACK ZANZIBAR
mysterious city. The stones that form
its streets, walls and homes are many,
but I’m determined to uncover every
single one of them.
Spices, Slaves and Sultans
Stone Town, or “Old Town” as its
name reads in local Swahili language,
lies in the heart of Unguja Island,
Zanzibar Archipelago’s biggest
island and the entry point for
most visitors either by sea or air.
Located 25 miles (40 km) away from
mainland Tanzania in East Africa, the
archipelago has had a way of luring
outsiders to its shores over the years.
Earlier it was spices and slaves
that inspired Arabs, Indians and
Europeans to mark their footprints
here; nowadays visitors are drawn in
by the sun, sea and seafood. And yet
it is Stone Town’s centuries of history
that I am most determined to explore.
Arabs from present day Yemen and
Oman arrived in the 8th century AD
and got straight to work, growing
cloves, cinnamon and other exotic
spices. Soon the abundance of wild
elephants in the mainland forests and
black Africans in neighboring regions
baited them to add ivory and humans
to their export list. As business
flourished, they were joined by rich
merchants from India, most of whom
eventually made Zanzibar their home.
Then Portuguese explorer Vasco
da Gama arrived in 1499 and
consequently established a colony
here. This lasted for 200 years until
it was ousted by the Omani Sultans,
triggering the golden age of Zanzibar.
Trading of spices and slaves reached
its zenith, which encouraged the
sultans to move their capital to
present-day Stone Town.
With knowledge of Zanzibar’s
history as my only companion, I take
to the streets of Stone Town on my
first morning.
Despite years of neglect, the
town’s original Arabic layout is still
surprisingly intact: white-washed
stone houses line its narrow cobbled
alleys, peacock arches adorn the
houses’ facades, and intricate Arabic
scripts are carved into time-warped
edifices. I wander along its waterfront
promenade and trail through cobwebs
of winding lanes, packed to the rafters
Arab heritage: An arch
gate with elaborate basreliefs and carvings.
Left: A typical building
made of coral stones
“Earlier it was spices and slaves that inspired Arabs, Indians
and Europeans to mark their footprints here; nowadays
visitors are drawn in by the sun, sea and seafood.”
with clustered mosques, temples, and
bazaars where trading occurs almost
the same way as it did 200 years ago.
The streets bustle with Africans,
Arabs, Indians and even European
locals, as well as hordes of tourists
curiously snapping away at the
striking architecture. I encounter men
dressed in traditional long jellaba
and taqiyah cap; I stop to exchange
pleasantries with street-side vendors
selling souvenirs; and I dodge cyclists
in the narrow alleys. Life here appears
to move to its own rhythm.
“This mix of ethnic culture is a
charm for travelers who have just
come from mainland Tanzania,” says
Navin, an elderly Indian at his small
teashop, as he serves me hot samosas
and cinnamon tea.
Outside the shop, two middleaged men prove Navin’s point:
hunched over a board game, they
are surrounded by a crowd patiently
observing their moves. The players
and their ardent spectators soon pack
off, though, as the call to prayer blasts
from the speakers of Mnara Mosque.
Its distinctive conical minaret, built in
the 17th century, is one of only three of
its kind in all of East Africa.
It is this sort of interwoven cultural
background that fascinates me about
Stone Town and keeps me digging
deeper.
Doors into the Past
During the rest of my time in this
historic city, my search never lets
up – leading me from the House
of Wonders, the first building on
Zanzibar to have electricity and now
a museum, to the Anglican Cathedral
built on the site of the former slave
market.
Five bleak, sculpted figures of
shackled slaves in the cathedral’s
courtyard poignantly attest to the
horrors of the trade. Walking down
each building’s corridors takes me
back to the time of cloves and ivory,
slaves and their cries, sultans’ gold
and their harems.
Apart from these main sights, I find
the city’s houses to tell more of a story
Snorkeling off Mnemba Atoll
Not only is Mnemba Island a protected nesting site for the endangered green
turtle, but the coral reefs off its shores are excellent for snorkeling and diving,
where you can swim with many exotic fish, dolphins and even whale sharks.
Hiking in Jozani Forest
Venture out to Zanzibar’s only national park for your chance to see the rare
and endemic Red Colobus monkey, a 200-year old mahogany tree named
Mama Mtondoo and over 100 species of butterflies.
Spice plantation tour
Zanzibar isn’t known as Spice Island for nothing. Hire a local guide to take
you around many of the island’s famous farms and plantations, which grow
spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
JUST BACK ZANZIBAR
than anything else. There are about
1,700 historical houses in Stone Town,
most of them built from coral stone
and guarded by intricately carved
wooden doors. These giant archshaped gates are lavishly ornamented
with brass studs and elaborate basreliefs depicting verses from the
Koran or lotus flowers that symbolize
prosperity in Indian tradition. Even
the city’s doors are a testament to its
many early settlers.
One Last Sunset
On my final evening, I find a seat
on the deck of Mercury’s Bar and
Restaurant, a popular joint named
after legendary rock star Freddie
Mercury who was born here. But it’s
the waterfront my eyes are drawn
to, and the sea beyond it – the very
same ocean whose waves were plied
by ships from Persia, Portugal and
elsewhere so long ago.
Stone Town’s mood changes the
moment the sun begins sinking into
the west. The quaint harbor sizzles
with activity as local fishermen return
from their day’s voyage. Stretches of
white pearly sand pile up with locals
and tourists alike. Some play soccer
on the shore, others frolic in the
spearmint water and do somersaults,
while young couples look for a
hideout to have a quiet moment.
With a sundowner in hand, I think
back to Nora’s words. There’s no
doubt; I too have felt Stone Town’s
pull. I’ll leave tomorrow having
walked its stones many times – and
with a sense of the history and life
pulsing beneath them. 1
Arabia in Africa: from school children
dressed in hijabs (top left) to street vendors
selling Muslim taqiyah caps (bottom left).
! Getting There
To reach Zanzibar by air, the
best way is to fly Precision Air from
Dar Es Saalam for US$136.60 roundtrip.
Emirates, British Airways, Turkish
Airlines and Swiss offer round-trip
services for US$965 from Washington
D.C. to Dar Es Salaam and $1,150 from
Chicago and New York City. Turkish
Airlines and Emirates also depart from
London starting at $699.
Alternatively, consider traveling to
Zanzibar via ferry. Azam Marine
operates regular fast ferries from Dar
Es Saalam to Zanzibar, and vice versa,
for US$35 one-way. There are four daily
departures which take 40-70 minutes
and tickets can be booked online.
+
Getting Around
Stone Town itself is compact
enough to navigate on foot, especially
as it’s only a 10-minute walk from the
ferry terminal. To explore the rest of the
island, there are daladalas, or shared
taxis, which should cost less than 2,000
TZS (US$1.25) for the longest ride, as
well as minibus taxis (matutus) and
self-drive car rentals. Motorbikes and
scooters, known as pikipiki, are also
available to rent for about US$35 a day,
but these aren’t always the safest option.
W Accommodation
Stone Town’s many hotels suit
a variety of budgets. Warere Town
House, located in a restored Arab
mansion, offers double rooms with ensuite from US$27.50 per night, while
the beautifully decorated Emerson
Spice offers bed and breakfast for $200
a night. For a taste of luxury, check
out the waterfront Serena Inn, which
occupies the former cable and wireless
office and the adjacent Chinese doctor’s
residence for $335 per night per person.
ú When to Go
Zanzibar’s close proximity to
the equator makes it a pleasant tropical
destination, with temperatures ranging
from 75°-85°F (24-29°C) year-round.
The rainy season, also known as the
‘long rains,’ generally falls from March
to May, so the best time to visit is
during the dry season, between June
and October.
and
= Visas
vaccinations
A 12-month, multiple-entry tourist visa
costs US$100 and is available both in
advance and upon arrival. Even though
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of
Tanzania, be sure to carry your passport
when traveling from the mainland to
the archipelago. Also know that yellow
fever vaccination is mandatory for
entry to Tanzania and Zanzibar and
that you will be required to show your
vaccination certificate at all ports of
entry.
M Websites
Zanzibar Tourism Board
Lonely Planet Guide to the Zanzibar
Archipelago
UNESCO Listing for Stone Town
A Walk on
Poland’s
Wild Side
Look beyond Gdansk and Krakow to the highly
protected national parks in northeast Poland –
home to elusive wildlife, back-country adventures
and Europe’s last primeval forest.
woRds and photos by Sasha Heseltine
DISPATCH POLAND
F
resh snow, as sparkling
as salt crystals, coated
the ground like a sea of
white. In the midst of it,
patches of dark green firs
rose tall and straight like columns in a
cathedral.
Crossing icy streams and trudging
through thick snow, we followed trails
and spotted herds of red deer, harriers
and the occasional white-tailed eagle
above our heads; we even saw a large
male beaver swimming in the river
before disappearing into his dam –
but there was not a sign of what we
were looking for. No sign of black fur.
No giant hoof prints. Not a single hint
of the European bison.
“We’ll find the bison, no problem,”
our guide, European Bison Reserve’s
vet, Michał Krysiak, said in a hushed
voice. “The only time they are elusive
is during ‘love time’ – the mating
season in spring.”
My husband and I had planned our
visit to Poland’s Bialowieza National
Park for late winter, both the best time
and place to track the European bison.
Marooned in the north-east corner of
the country, Poland’s oldest national
human hand, the protected primeval
forest in Białowieza has survived
due to its remoteness. It is fiercely
protected as both a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
Left entirely to their own devices,
trees grow old and die, their rotten
remains serving as food for insects
and birds. For over 8,000 years, this
natural cycle is what keeps the forest
alive.
Marooned in the north-east corner of the
country, Poland’s oldest national park is
home to over 480 European bison – out of
the few thousands remaining in the wild.
park is home to over 480 European
bison – out of the few thousands
remaining in the wild.
Originally a part of Russia,
Bialowieza was a private hunting
ground for Tsar Nicholas II, who
eradicated the existing herds of bison
and laid waste to almost all wildlife in
the area. Incorporated as a national
park in 1921, it was created to
reintroduce European bison into the
area and to safeguard the remaining
wildlife.
Untouched and unmanaged by
Just as we were about to turn back,
a loud snort caught our attention. We
parted the tangled firs to find a group
of a dozen bison gathered less than
300 feet (80 meters) away from us.
The shaggy, motionless herd stood
quietly on a sandy plain, munching
on hay and silage as they basked in
weak sunshine and disregarded us
indulgently. We stared wide-eyed in
silence for what felt like an eternity,
observing the beasts – all of their
beefy bodies, hairy shoulders and
thick, black necks.
A blizzard arrived as we continued
to watch the gentle giants. But this
rare glimpse of the bison made it all
worthwhile: the freezing cold; the
long trek to Bialowieza; and even the
fierce snow now swirling down upon
us.
Boars, Deer and Moose
The next morning we journeyed 40
miles (64 km) to Biebrza National
Park, a 150,000-acre patchwork of
marshy flatlands, agricultural fields
and pine forests protected under the
Ramsar Convention. Created in 1993,
the park protects the indigenous
moose and wild boar as well as
thousands of migrating birds that fly
here each spring.
This park borders the Biebrza River
and harbors over 200 different bird
species, moose, red deer, wild boars,
hares, badgers, beavers, and even
a couple of wolf packs and solitary
lynxes.
We had arranged our wildlife trek
with Eco-Travel, an eco-conscious
operator that leads visitors through
the park and introduces them to the
conservation issues of the region. The
minute we arrived, our guide, minidynamo Kate Ramotowska, rushed
us into her 4WD. “Quick, the moose
Moose (middle left), wolves (middle right), and
Konik ponies (bottom left) roam the last patch
of wilderness left in northeastern Poland.
DISPATCH POLAND
DISPATCH POLAND
Left to right: a wild boar seen lounging around the
forest; a herd of 10 bisons graze on the plains; warming
up after the hot air balloon flight.
In calm, soothing silence, we floated gently above the undulating
Biebrza river valley and flat green marshes that border the pine
forest, still striated with ice from winter.
will be active now because they are
feeding at this time of the morning!”
Heading off through the flat, snowy
landscape along the Tsar’s Road, we
soon left the paved road behind and
began trekking on foot through thick
pine forests in search of the elusive
moose.
These lugubrious, long-faced
members of the deer family are about
the size of a large horse, the bulls
weighing up to 1,500lb (700kg). Their
heads are topped with large curly
antlers and aren’t much given to turns
of speed. They are not well known for
their massive intelligence either. As
Kate pointed out, “They seem to think
that hiding their heads behind spindly
pine trees means we cannot see them.”
Just five minutes into our trek
through the frosty undergrowth, we
caught one peeking shyly round a tree
at us. Then another. And another. In
less than two hours, we’d spotted eight
lone moose – some chewing on tree
barks, others grazing on dry grass,
and a few of them just staring at us
cluelessly.
“We have around 1,000 protected
moose in Biebrza National Park,” Kate
explained. “Each of them consumes
nearly 50 pounds (20kg) of pine leaves
daily, creating a resource issue for our
park.”
For several years there has been an
agreement between the park rangers,
who work ceaselessly to conserve the
number of moose within the region,
and the forestry commission, who
now want to cull the beasts to stop
the damage they cause to the forestry
stock. Young trees are stripped of their
bark, the tops are eaten off saplings
and mature trees lose their leaves.
To cull or not to cull, the battle
continues. I watched the moose, and
pondered sadly if they knew what
possibly awaits them.
Rising Above Biebrza
After an invigorating morning of
catching moose off guard, spotting
majestic red deer as they sprinted
away from us and following the
tracks of wild hares through the icy
shrubs, we lunched on smoczki (pork
meatballs) in the park’s wood-paneled
tavern, Dwór Dobarz.
Here we discovered the conditions
were right to take a hot-air balloon
ride over the sprawling park and
hopefully spot more wildlife. Kate
noticed I had gone green – from my
immense fear of heights. “Here, have
this. It’ll help,” she said, handing me
a shot of the local Żubrówka vodka
flavored with bison grass.
And perhaps it did, because
soon enough I found myself being
propelled backside first into a wicker
basket and swept along by a bright
red-and-yellow balloon, the only
splash of color in the gunmetal skies.
In calm, soothing silence, we
floated gently above the undulating
Biebrza river valley and flat green
marshes that border the pine forest,
still striated with ice from winter.
The chilly wind whipped our faces
like needles, but the beauty of the
landscape was too distracting. We
glided up and down, brushing against
the canopy of the pines at times,
startling grazing moose and wild boars
that roamed beneath our feet.
Even on a grey afternoon such as
this, there was no time to worry about
the height. Despite my severe vertigo,
I was absorbed by the raw, pristine
scenes before us; eagles and buzzards
circling in the air, red deer moving
across the half-frozen flatlands below
us and wolves howling in the far
distance. In this black-and-white icy
landscape, there was a stern majesty of
its own.
Back on land, in the freezing dusk of
a Polish winter’s day, we pulled out the
vodka, huddled around the balloon’s
burner for warmth and toasted to this
rare experience of flying above one
of the last remaining wildernesses in
Europe. Nobody knows how long this
wilderness will remain, but at least its
resident wildlife, including the elusive
bison, can proudly call it home for
now. 1
Bring WildJunket Magazine wherever you go
with our iOS and Android editions!
W Accommodation
!
Getting There
LOT Polish Airlines flies direct
to Warsaw from New York, Chicago
and Toronto; many other US and
international airlines also fly to Warsaw.
Prices start at around US$800 for a
round-trip. From the UK and Europe,
budget airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz
Air, Germanwings and Flybe also fly
to Warsaw from as low as $17 oneway. Biebrza is a 3.5-hour drive from
Warsaw; 90 minutes takes you to
Białystok, and from there, it’s another
90-minute drive to Białowieza.
+ Getting Around
There are daily bus and rail
services from Warsaw to Białystok and
from there, local services to Biebrza
and Białowieza, but the easiest way to
get around is by renting a car. Biebrza
National Park is a 150-mile (240-km)
drive from Warsaw. Take the E87
towards Białystok. Białowieza is a 160mile (260-km) drive from Warsaw.
Roads are not great; expect the journey
to take about 3.5 hours.
ú When to Go
Trips to Biebrza are best taken
in spring, when glorious flowers coat
the ground and thousands of migrating
birds, including white egrets and
kingfishers, descend on the national
park. Summer sees the forests at their
best, but be sure to take a hat, water
and plenty of mosquito repellent. Early
autumn is perfect in both national
parks; animals and birds are plentiful
and the days still long. There are also
hiking and cycling trails in both parks.
Stay in Biebrza National Park at
the budget campsites (10 złotys or US$3
per day) or at the forest lodge in Grzędy
for around 130 złotys (US$37).
If you’re traveling on to Białowieza,
sample four-star luxury at the Hotel
Branicki in Białystok. Prices start
from 370 złotys (US$104) for a double
room, although special deals are often
available.
In Białowieza, dinner and rooms at
the Restauracja and Apartmenty
Carskie are not cheap, with prices
between 300-550 złotys (US$80-155)
for accommodation, but the overall
comfort and style of the place more
than compensates.
M Websites
Podlaskie Tourist Board
Biebrza National Park
Białowieza National Park
Harvest Time
in Polynesia
We head to a remote corner of the South Pacific for the
most exotic working holiday around – three weeks on a
black pearl farm.
Words & Photographs By Candace Rose rardon & FOTOLIA
DESTINATION POLYNESIA
“On the flight over, I watched slivers of
motu, the coral islets that form the ring
of each atoll, wind through the water
like a serpentine string of oases. ”
Jewels in the sea: Shimmering
pearls extracted from oysters.
Opposite: Black pearl farm.
T
he knotted, grainy
planks of the narrow
wooden bridge swayed
beneath my sandaled
feet as I crossed the reef,
turquoise hues glittering in the water
beneath. Gentle waves danced in the
sunlight that had just broken over the
lagoon’s horizon, marking the start of
another harvest day.
After coffee and crackers, I joined
nine others on the weathered deck
of the black pearl farm, hauling in
barnacle-covered baskets of oysters
from the lagoon. As we set up our
workstations, I paused to marvel at
my surroundings: nothing but the
dark blue sea all around us and clear
aqua skies overhead. Chances are, I
would never have found my way to
this far-flung South Pacific island on
my own.
But with the help of WWOOF,
short for World Wide Opportunities
on Organic Farms, I did and I was
soaking up every bit of the Polynesian
life I’d dreamt of.
Down on the Farm
When a month opened up in my
travel plans, I took the empty slot in
my schedule as an opportunity to
get off the heavily beaten backpacker
trail in Oceania. I wanted to invest
my time in something more than a
traditional beach holiday. To fully
immerse myself and live in a local
community, I turned to WWOOF for
direction.
With national organizations in fifty
countries, WWOOF is a network
of host farms around the world
who offer travelers the chance to
help out with small tasks for a few
hours a day in exchange for food
and accommodation. As soon as I
bought my membership to WWOOF
Independents, I started browsing
through each country’s hosts until a
listing for a pearl farm on a remote
atoll in French Polynesia had me
saying: this is it.
French Polynesia is comprised of
five archipelagos, 118 islands and
atolls scattered like marbles across an
area of the Pacific nearly the size of
Western Europe. The largest island is
Tahiti, with the verdant, jagged folds
of its mountains visible even from the
streets of the nation’s capital, Papeete,
and the luxurious resorts of Moorea
and Bora Bora only a short ferry ride
away.
My pearl farm Kamoka was on Ahe,
an island in the archipelago of the
Tuamotus, northwest of Tahiti. On the
flight over, I watched slivers of motu,
the coral islets that form the ring of
each atoll, wind through the water like
a serpentine string of oases. I could
only imagine what adventures they
held.
Polynesian dream:
Sunset in the lagoon.
Bottom left to right:
Dusk at Ahe; workers hauling
the oysters into the sea.
The World is Your Oyster
every afternoon, diving down to the
lines and bringing the baskets up to
In my first two weeks on the farm,
the surface, two by two.
I felt like I’d been plunged straight
I stayed in the boat with Hei’arii
into the middle of a great movie– all
and helped him hoist the baskets up,
exposition, no conflict, and barely a
stacking them neatly until the boat
clue of how the story began or where
was full. Back at shore, the process
it would end. I slept enclosed in a
was reversed, with Hei’arii and I
mosquito net on a foam mat in my
lowering the baskets into the water for
own blue bungalow, the brilliance of
the other two to hang them on lines
its exterior strikingly similar to the
closer to the reef.
emerald water steps away.
In the intervals between lifting
Every morning, I walked along
baskets into the boat, Hei’arii taught
the motu, tiptoeing around scores of
me French and told me stories of his
hermit crabs, and crossed the bridge
childhood. With a Tahitian mother, he
to the farm, built on a reef further out
often came to French Polynesia to visit
in the lagoon.
family and spent much of his time
With the sun on my back and
befriending octopi in the water. “You
the wind in my face, I went out on
bond with them,”
the lagoon in an
he said as I stared
aluminum boat
“Each new trip out on at him in jealous
every day with
“They’re
the lagoon had left disbelief.
three others who
not like dogs; it only
worked on the
me full of child-like takes half an hour
farm.
questions. How does for an octopus to get
Laurent, the
attached to you.”
farm’s veteran
a pearl grow? When
Every day we took
manager, was born
a mid-morning
are
they
fully
grown?
in France but has
around the
I would soon have my break
lived in French
farm’s kitchen table,
Polynesia for the
answers.”
giving Laurent and
last twenty years.
Hei’arii a chance to
Spotting gold
smoke – something
hoop earrings, the modern-day hobo
they did often, skillfully rolling their
always kept the farm’s fridge stocked
own cigarettes from small packets
with cans of Hinano, Tahiti’s local
of loose tobacco. I kept to coffee,
beer. Hei’arii, who has worked on the
listening to them wax poetic in
farm for nine years, is an unswerving
French.
Parisian but equally proud of his
With their conversations carrying
Tahitian heritage, with several
on for hours, my mind was free to
Polynesian designs as tattoos to prove
wander. Each new trip out on the
it. And Aristide, a fun-loving Tahitian,
lagoon had left me full of child-like
was younger than the others but had
questions. How does a pearl grow?
hopes of becoming an expert pearl
When are they fully grown? How did
grafter. They wore nothing but long,
the oysters get in the basket?
colorfully printed board shorts, their
I would soon have my answers.
bare backs stained teak-black from
years in the sun.
Harvest Time
We were all here for the oysters –
The full picture was revealed when
and there they were, growing in long
the farm’s owner, Josh, arrived two
wire baskets, tied to a rope several
weeks later, just before the harvest.
meters underwater, like sheets on
Having been raised by a French father
a clothesline. Laurent and Aristide
and an American mother, Josh shares
donned snorkel masks and flippers
Hei’arii’s mixed heritage. Josh and
his father started the farm on Ahe in
1991, although Josh had since moved
to the island of Tahiti with his wife
and two children.
They would soon be moving to
Portland, Oregon, though, before his
daughter started high school. The
prospect of leaving their life in French
Polynesia behind was daunting. “I
once went five months on the farm
wearing nothing but shorts,” he told
me one afternoon. “A shirt felt so
foreign. Moving to Portland should
be interesting.”
We spent my last week on Ahe
working long hours to find out what
the oysters had been up to over the
last eighteen months. I could barely
contain my excitement. The men
prepped the oysters for harvest:
cutting the strings that held each
“I loved being a part of
the harvest, but what
made the experience
even more interesting
– more than getting to
see fully grown pearls
emerge – was to see
where they would
eventually end up.”
basket shut, scraping barnacles and
algae off the shells, and prying the
shells with plastic clothespins.
It was time for the pearls to make
their dramatic appearance. Timi, the
farm’s prized grafter with fourteen
years of experience, had arrived two
nights earlier, bearing a smile and
Diving for pearls isn’t the only adventure to be had on French Polynesia’s
turquoise waters. Check out these other watersports on the islands of Tahiti
and Moorea:
Shark diving
Companies such as Topdive Polynesia offer you a safe environment to swim
with a variety of animal species, including blacktip reef, grey reef, white tip
lagoon and lemon sharks.
Surfing
The Tahiti Surf School offers lessons for all skill levels on both Tahiti and
Moorea. One of their surf spots, Teahupoo, is where the Billabong Pro Tahiti
international surf competition was held in 2011.
Windsurfing
Although not the most prevalent adventure activity, the Tama He’e Surf
School offers surfing lessons, board rentals, as well as tournamnets.
Sailing
If you’d rather catch the wind than waves, set sail on a chartered catamaran
like those from the Tahiti Yacht Charter. Although there are trips that depart
from Tahiti, it’s best to catch a short flight to the main sailing hub on Raiatea.
Snorkeling
While you c easily pack your own snorkeling kit and hit the lagoons yourself,
there are also guided trips available, like Viator’s snorkeling safari on Moorea
that also includes a stop by Sting Ray Paradise.
boxes of Zumuva wine and ice cream
like Santa Claus in summer.
Josh and Timi extracted the pearls
from each oyster and grafted them
into new nuclei – small, white beads
made from tumbled pieces of broken
mother-of-pearl shell. Bent over their
workstations, they were like dentists,
poking and prodding inside each
oyster’s mouth with tools just long and
sharp enough to make you nervous.
I was given the job of drilling a
small hole near the hinge of each
oyster, through which I threaded a
clear plastic string and attached the
oyster to a rope. Two ropes of ten
oysters each were hung inside an
empty basket and then lowered down
into the water, starting the process all
over again.
I loved being a part of the harvest,
but what made the experience even
more interesting – more than getting
to see fully grown pearls emerge – was
to see where they would eventually
end up. I learned the answer after
meeting a prospective pearl buyer, a
26-year old Canadian woman named
Kristin.
Girl with A Pearl Earring
Kristen arrived on the farm wearing
high-heeled sandals and a summer
fedora, but it was soon clear she
meant business. She graduated from
the Gemological Institute of America
with a degree in pearls – something
I didn't even know possible. In the
last five years, she started her own
company, opened a luxury retail store
in downtown Calgary and traveled to
Bali every year to handpick pearls for
her designs. This was her first time
working with Tahitian pearls.
At the end of each afternoon, Josh
rinsed the day’s harvest and took a
jar full of fresh, glistening pearls to
Kristin. With her blond hair tied back,
she worked on a long counter under
windows that opened up to the reef
below the farm - spreading the pearls
out on a towel and sorting them by
size and sheen into potential sets of
Oyster World: grafting the pearl.
strands and earrings.
Their lustrous spectrum was
tremendous, from shades of green
and gold to faded hint of pink and
blue. These pearls are named after
the black-lipped oysters, Pinctada
margaritifera, but clearly the
description “black pearls” does them
no justice at all.
Watching Kristin from a discreet
distance, I imagined the journey
these pearls were embarking upon –
from the mouth of the oyster, to the
hand of the grafter, to the eye of the
designer, who then would carry them
5,000 miles to a store in Canada.
On my way back to my bungalow
that evening, I paused in the middle
of that rickety bridge and stared up at
a sky so full of stars, it seemed almost
alive – the four points of the Southern
Cross reminding me of just how far
I had come. Every star pulsed with a
vibrancy that rivaled the glow of all
those pearls I knew were just beginning
to form in the water far, far below. 1
Candace’s experiences on the pearl farm
were the inspiration for her travel memoir,
Girl with a Pearl Ring. She is currently
seeking representation for the book.
“Watching Kristin from a discreet
distance, I imagined the journey these
pearls were embarking upon– from the
mouth of the oyster, to the hand of the
grafter, to the eye of the designer.”
Other Islands Worth Visiting
While French Polynesia is comprised of five archipelagos, the Society Islands
are arguably the most well known, as they include popular islands such as
Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. Don’t forget to explore the others:
1
3
2
4
Austral Islands
Head to the island of Rurutu,
which means “gushing rock” in
Tahitian, where humpback whales
come to breed between July and
October.
Marquesas Islands
The 15 islands that make
up this archipelago are ideal for
adventure – think top diving spots,
rugged volcanic mountains and
unique archaeological sites.
Gambier Islands
To visit this remote archipelago,
fly into Rikitea on the main island of
Mangareva, where churches, convents
and other ruins remain from 19th
century Catholic missionaries.
Gambier Islands
To visit this remote
archipelago, fly into Rikitea on the
main island of Mangareva, where
churches, convents and other ruins
remain from 19th century Catholic
missionaries.
! Getting There
French Polynesia is surprisingly
accessible, if not affordable – the
nation’s capital of Papeete is only an
eight-hour flight from Los Angeles.
Major airlines such as Air France,
Trigana Air and Air Tahiti Nui all
offer direct flights from L.A. to Faa’a
International Airport on Tahiti starting
at US$1,165, whereas flights from other
destinations such as New York and
Atlanta are closer to US$1,500. To save
on money and time, consider adding
a stopover in Tahiti if you are already
planning a trip to Australia or New
Zealand.
+ Getting Around
Air Tahiti, the country’s
regional carrier, not to be confused
with the international Air Tahiti Nui,
now offers flights to nearly 50 domestic
destinations, making a visit to outlying
islands easier than ever. Direct flights
from Papeete to Ahe (and vice versa)
are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays
and take one hour and 15 minutes.
Additional flights are available on
Sundays and Tuesdays. Round-trip cost
is a steep 41,477 CFP (US$435).
Island life: daily trips out to the
lagoon (top left); purplish blue
pearls (middle right); the pearl farm
on Ahe (bottom right).
If you have the time to spare, a cheaper
alternative is to reach other islands on
a supply ship. Two such ships that stop
at Ahe are Mareva Nui and Saint-Xavier
Maris-Stella III.
ú When to Go
Given its proximity to the
equator, there’s hardly a bad time to visit
the country. The dry season falls during
the austral winter, from May to October,
while temperatures (and humidity) rise
during the summer from November to
April. Two other things to bear in mind
are the Heiva Nui festival and school
holidays, which take place during July
and August and place pressure on
hotel space. If you’re planning to travel
during this period, book early.
W Accommodation
You don’t have to WWOOF
to enjoy life on a coral atoll in French
Polynesia. Home stays and guesthouses
are another great alternative, such
as those offered on Tahiti Pensions.
Before heading out to the outer islands,
you may need to spend a night in
Papeete depending on flight schedules.
Teamo Guesthouse is centrally located
and offers dorm beds for 2,200 CFP
(US$24) and private doubles from 5,000
CFP (US$55).
Ö Cost of Travel
The current exchange rate for
the French Polynesian franc is 95 CFP
to US$1. Tahiti is notoriously expensive,
but with a bit of determination –
picking up food at a supermarket and
catching the local bus – you can keep
costs down while enjoying the islands.
A one-way bus journey to/from the
airport starts at 150 CFP ($1.60), while
a ride to the other side of the island may
rise to 450 CFP ($4.70).
V
Packing
You won’t need much to
WWOOF in French Polynesia. Be sure
to pack a towel, light bed sheet, bathing
suit, flip-flops, and shirts and shorts you
won’t mind getting dirty while working.
Also carry staples like sunscreen,
insect repellant, a mosquito net, and
your own snorkeling kit if you’ve got
the space. Food on the farm is usually
limited to simple, non-perishable goods
brought in on the weekly supply ship, so
bringing a few treats like breakfast bars,
chocolate and candy will make you a
very popular WWOOFer.
to WWOOF in
R How
Tahiti
Your first step is purchasing an
annual membership to WWOOF
Independents, which costs £15
(US$24) and will give you access to
WWOOF’s internal contact system to
get in touch with the hosts. Kamoka’s
Host ID is FRE001 and they are listed
under French Polynesia. Once you’re in
contact with the farm, you can arrange
dates and further details for your visit.
To learn more about Kamoka (or even
buy a few pearls for yourself) visit their
website at www.kamokapearls.com.
M Websites
Lonely Planet Tahiti and French
Polynesia
WWOOF
Kamoka Pearl Farm
Cuban cooking may be best known for its beans
and rice, but it’s all set to evolve – thanks to the
paladares that’s taking Havana by storm.
Words Esme Fox | Photographs Esme Fox & Dan Convey
FEAST CUBA
FEAST CUBA
Colors of Cuba: the
famous Havana Club
I
t’s nearly nightfall in Old Havana and my stomach is
growling, but when I look at the address of La Mulata
del Sabor – “The Taste of La Mulata” in Spanish, this
surely can’t be right.
This isn’t a restaurant; it is someone’s home.
I knock quietly, hesitantly. The clatter of plates and faint
strains of music stream onto the street. When the rickety
door swings open, I instantly know that I’ve come to the
right place.
I’m greeted by La Mulata herself – a gregarious Cuban
woman with cocoa-colored skin, chestnut brown curls,
and thick lips painted bright red like rubies. She invites me
inside, where it looks as though the restaurant has been set
up in her front living room.
There are only three tables, each covered in bright
checkered tablecloths, and the walls plastered with photos
of La Mulata posing with her customers. It’s clear this
place isn’t a typical restaurant – this is where home-cooked
comfort food is served with the secret ingredient of warm
Cuban hospitality.
I’ve spent the entire day exploring the flavors of Havana
– from a colossal breakfast of exotic fruits (think mango,
guava, pineapple and sweet, pumpkin-like mamey) to
freshly made churros, hot and spongy inside but crunchy
on the outside. But through every finger-licking taste test,
I’ve been waiting for this – dining inside a paladar, one of
the country’s many private residential restaurants.
The Warmth of Home
Paladares began in opposition to the Cuban government,
when people set up secret restaurants inside their homes
during the post-Soviet economic crisis in the 1990s.
They were legalized soon after and are now all the rage
in Havana, bringing new light to its normally lackluster
dining scene.
Many have established themselves as gourmet
restaurants, some are sticking to tradition, dishing up good
ol’ Creole home cooking, while others are coming up with
new-age dishes like fried bananas stuffed with cheese and
pork medallions with mango glaze.
La Mulata, however, has something else in mind. “I
recommend el pollo al limon, la especialidad de la casa,”
she tells me, gesticulating with her hands to show how she
squeezes fresh lemon juice onto the oven-baked chicken.
“It’s my mother’s recipe, it’s what I grew up eating.” It
seems as though my dish has already been chosen for me.
When the food arrives, I am overwhelmed by the
monstrous portions. Like most typical meals in Cuba, my
chicken is accompanied by black beans and rice – better
known as Moros y Cristianos (translated to mean the
Moors and the Christians, which like many Cuba dishes,
traces its roots back to the Spanish colonial era). “You
must eat everything on the plate,” says La Mulata, smiling
and talking with a motherly tone. “I want to see the plates
clean. Limpio, limpio.”
Havana culinary scene: from a simple
omelette dish (top left) to the ubiquitous
beans and rice (middle left), and
tomatoes (bottom right).
FEAST CUBA
Streets of Havana: A vintage Chevrolet passing by
the colonial buildings of Old Havana.
Paladares began in opposition to the Cuba government, when
people set up secret restaurants inside their homes. They
were legalized soon after and are now all the rage in Havana.
Tracing its roots, Cuban cuisine is a beautiful concoction
of Spanish, African, and Caribbean flavors. Many of their
spices and techniques were adopted from the Spaniards
and Africans, with some Caribbean influence in between.
Modern day Cuban cuisine is a result of these eclectic
combinations.
One excellent dish to showcase Cuba’s diverse cultural
heritage is the Creole Ajiaco, a thick and explosive lava
stew of pork, sweet potato, yucca, plantains. Its biggest
component is the aji, a chili that gives the dish a feisty,
piquant flavor and a strong sense of Caribbean identity.
The African taste comes from the plantains and sweet
potatoes, while the Spaniards had introduced roasted pork
almost 600 years ago. As I savor the steamy masterpiece, I
try to pick out the individual elements but soon succumb
to the teases of the dish as a whole.
even buy groceries at the supermarket.”
Just as she finishes her sentence, the lights go off and the
entire house – and the city beyond – throbs in complete
darkness. Blackouts such as these are common in Havana,
but La Mulata and the other clients seem to be more than
accustomed to it. The minute the power comes back on,
upbeat Cuban salsa music crackles through the radio and
La Mulata sashays into the kitchen singing and swaying
her hips, ready to cook up a feast.
Tasting Cuba’s Heritage
As I savor the zingy chicken, fluffy white rice and garlicflavored beans, La Mulata tells me how her paladar came
about. She spent thousands of dollars from her savings
to transform her family house into a paladar. “It’s not
glamorous or anything, but I love it. Es mi casa, it’s my
home.”
Like other forward-thinking entrepreneurs in Cuba, La
Mulata created her own business despite the restrictive
communist regime. These days, she relies largely on a
client base of expats, tourists and the few Cubans who can
pay prices well beyond the pockets of most locals. “Life
is not easy in Havana. Most Cubans make an income of
around US$10 a month, many of us cannot even afford to
While discovering new eats around the city over the next
few days, one dish that catches my attention is ropa vieja,
or “old clothes” in Spanish. It turns out to be a colorful
dish of shredded pork resembling strips of rags swimming
in a red bowl of salsa criolla, made from a rich tomato
base, stewed peppers, onions and garlic. A single scoop of
it in my mouth and a world of flavors explodes: from the
sweetness of the tomatoes accentuated by the zing of the
pepper to the tangy flavor of the pork.
With centuries of history behind it, this dish originated
from the Canary Islands in Spain – the last port of call for
Spanish ships enroute to the Americas during the colonial
era. Today’s Cuba is still strongly influenced by the
Canarian culture, with locals speaking a dialect very close
to the Canarian dialect, and many of them taking pride in
their Spanish heritage.
something missing in Cuba’s culinary scene.
“There are over 80 paladares in Havana – but few are
doing something new or different.” Enrique hopes that that
as more paladares open and develop, they will help change
people’s impression of the island’s notoriously boring food.
“I believe we can play our part in revolutionizing Cuban
cuisine,” he says with a child-like sparkle in his eyes.
“Cuba is not just about rice and beans and roast pork.”
With bold and creative gourmands like Enrique,
Cuba’s culinary scene is set to evolve – but until then, I’m
savoring my last few tastes of Havana through its delicious
home cooking. 1
The Road to Fame
On my last evening, I criss-cross time-warped Art Deco
buildings, colonial-style mansions and neon-colored
Chevrolets in Old Havana, to find my way to the muchtalked-about La Guarida, Havana's best known paladar.
A curving stairway leads curious travelers up the white
cracked marble flooring, past cigar-smoking gentlemen
playing dominos along the hallway and up to a weathered
wooden door framed by vintage floral carvings and a rusty
brass handle. Like all the other paladares I’ve been, this
looks just like a normal residential apartment from the
outside.
Inside La Guarida, though, is a different world.
Knickknacks cover every inch of the walls, from movie
posters to images of Jesus and saints, resembling scenes
straight out of the hippie ´60s. Since serving as the set
for the 1994 Miramax film Strawberry and Chocolate, the
paladar has gained a spot of fame and now continues to
draw in a steady stream of foreigners, including Queen
Sofia of Spain and American actor Jack Nicholson.
Thankfully, La Guarida has excellent Cuban food to
match its fame. Owner 39-year-old Enrique Nunez del
Valle offers exquisite Nuevo Latino dishes, available
nowhere else in the city. On the menu, there’s a dizzying
array of contemporary platters: tuna steak grilled with
sugar cane, rabbit lasagna, and grouper fillet simmered in
orange sauce – all of which screams modern innovation,
to Try in Havana
Ropa Vieja
Literally meaning ‘old clothes,’ this dish may not
sound very tasty, but is made up of shredded pork in
a delicious Creole-style tomato sauce.
2
Creole Ajiaco
A thick stew made of pork, sweet potato, yucca
and plantains - almost every restaurant serves some
form of it.
Moros y Cristianos
Beans and rice are the staple of every Cuban
dish, and moros y cristianos is created by mixing the
two and frying them up. But if you just want plain
rice and a bowl of beans, ask for arroz con frijoles.
4
Lechon Asado
Pork is a big part of Cuban cuisine – shredded or
grilled, but most often roasted. On special occasions,
Cubans like to roast a whole pig on a large spit.
Mojito
Although not technically a food, this classic
drink made from Havana Club rum, lime juice, and
mint leaves are a must when you come to Cuba.
ay
A below-the-surface look at
village life in the archipelago
of Vanuatu.
s
s
to
Pho
E
Vanuatu:
Above and Beyond
Words & Photographs By Lia Barrett
S
taring down at the ship for the
first time, I feel miniscule, like an
insignificant dot in the vast Pacific
Ocean. The resting vessel beckons my
curiosity, and I am lured in to wander
through its ghostly past.
The SS President Coolidge was a military vessel
during World War II, but after striking a mine, it
sank peacefully to the seabed beneath Vanuatu.
Today, scuba divers venture from all over the world
to dive the famous wreck.
Exploring the Coolidge is only an introduction
to my Vanuatu adventure. I spend my first week on
Espiritu Santo, the largest of Vanuatu’s 83 islands.
With the nation’s location over one of the most
volatile fault lines in the world, it’s little surprise
that new islets are constantly created and added to
the Vanuatu family.
Sailing out to the islands of Ambae and Maewo,
I encounter various tribal cultures rich in colorful
history and tradition including cannibalism. At
each anchorage, my sailing mates and I are greeted
by small flotillas of canoes filled with inquisitive
youths. With shy yet warm demeanours, they invite
us into their villages for a visit and to trade clothing
for fresh fruit and vegetables. We join in their kava
drinking sessions, mingling with local folks and
making lifelong friends.
On Pentecost Island, we come across a nakamal
or communal hut, where women are weaving
baskets as part of a hundred-day long mourning
ritual for their recently deceased village chief.
Almost everything else is put on hold, mourning
the chief trumps all concepts of priority.
The vast majority of Vanuatu’s 230,000
inhabitants are Melanesians, whose descendants
first settled here centuries ago. Over 120
indigenous languages are spoken throughout
Vanuatu, the common language being Bislama,
which originates from the 1800s. Some tribes in
the outer islands still live a primitive existence
untouched by modern civilization.
Sailing away for the last time, the islands beckon
me to stay longer. I don’t feel like a tourist here; I feel
like a guest, a student, and most of all, a new friend. 1
DESTINATION VANUATU
DESTINATION VANUATU
Clockwise from top left:
Respect: Loltong’s chief in front of the village’s
nakamal on Pentecost Island.
Sunken Wonders: Diving the Coolidge wreck.
Island Splendor: A view of the bay at
Asanvari, Maewo.
Mourning Weaving: On Pentecost Island,
women weave baskets to carry food to funeral
festivities for their village chief.
Still Life of Artifacts: Remnants of life during
World War II - from rusty glassware to pottery.
DESTINATION VANUATU
DESTINATION VANUATU
Clockwise from top left: Dancers about to perform hunting rituals; children taking their dog for a paddle to greet
us; villagers preparing kava for funeral drinks; young boys
from Maewo out for an afternoon of fun.
DESTINATION VANUATU
DESTINATION VANUATU
Into the Blue
Free diving off Ambae.
Next page (clockwise from top left):
A small girl cradles a seashell; the cerulean
waters of the Blue Hole on Santo; children
playing near the SS President Coolidge.
Calendar
Taking place in the Valencian pueblo
of Buñol, Spain, the ultimate food fight
attracts over 20,000 tomato-slinging enthusiasts each year. With possible origins
in a 1945 town-square brawl, the week
of festivities kicks off with the scaling of
a greasy pole, dropping of a ham, and
spraying of water to signal the start. All
is fair game in tomato throwing, as long
as the tomatoes are crushed to avoid
injuries.
La Tomatina:
Raksha Bandhan:
India
Here’s a festival you can celebrate no matter where
you are. Raksha Bandhan – primarily observed
in India – celebrates the relationship between
brothers and sisters via the giving of a bracelet.
Typically, the sister gives her brother a bracelet (or
holy thread), and in return her brother gives her
gifts and promises to take care of her. Don’t have a
brother or sister? It’s OK. Anyone close will do!
ugust
During the Obon Festival, one of the
country’s most important traditions,
Japanese believe there their ancestors
return home to reunite with their
families. To welcome them back, the
Japanese clean their homes, leave food
offerings at their ancestral graves, dance
on the streets and light fires. In many
places, the three-day festival finishes
with floating lanterns on river, out to the
ocean.
Lollapalooza:
Chicago, USA 3-5Aug
If music is more your bag, then get on
board with the longstanding iconic
concert Lollapalooza. Started over 20
years ago by Jane’s Addiction front
man Perry Farrell, this show originally
featured alternative rock-stars like Pearl
Jam and Soundgarden. Nowadays, it
calls Chicago home, attracting 160,000
concertgoers, and blaring beats from
over 130 diverse acts that range from
Kanye West to Arcade Fire.
2A
Obon Festival:
Guitar Championships:
Japan
15-18Aug Air
Finland 22-24 Aug
Embrace your inner rock-and-roll spirit
at the World Air Guitar Championships.
Originally started as a joke in
conjunction with the Oulu August
Festival, the three-day contest has now
become a proper event in its own right.
Going beyond just air-guitar sessions,
the three-round competition also
includes other activities, like tour around
town by bike and nights out on the town.
Photo credits: Flickr | Vishal Dutta; Steve Floyd (axzm1); kyureodo; Marshall Astor; fabola; Graham McLellan; SteFou!; miss karen. Wikimedia | Godromil. Christchurch City Council.
Burning Man: 27Aug-3Sep Buñol, Spain
Black Rock, USA
29Aug
Taking place in the Black Rock Desert of
Northern Nevada, a diverse community
descends on the dry valley for a week
of wild times, music, dress up and
bonfires, before picking up (or burning)
every last remnant and heading home.
Indeed, this weeklong festival of fire,
art and self-expression is truly one you
must experience to even come close to
understanding.
Regata Storica:
Venice, Italy 2Sep
On the first Sunday of every September,
the canals of Venice fill with more than
just your standard gondolas, but also
boats ready for a good old-fashioned
race in the Regata Storica. 16thcentury-style Italian boats are guided
by uniformed oarsmen as they row
through the waterways. If you miss the
competition itself, catch the boats as
they parade down the Grand Canal both
before and after the event.
This 16-day beer fest held in Munich,
Germany, begins every year in late
September. Tracing its roots back
to 1810, the festivities take place in
Theresienwiese, just as they did over 200
years ago. These days, the meadow fills
with over 14 large tents, 20 small ones,
some 5 million people, and 7 million
liters of beer - giving it the title as the
world’s largest fair. Prost!
Ice Fest: 14Sep-14Oct
Christchurch,New Zealand
The inaugural celebration of the Ice
festival pays tribute to the 100-year link
between New Zealand and Antarctica.
As the first major event in Christchurch
since the earthquake, the government
is investing serious cash with plans of
it becoming a biennial festival. If you
dig polar bears, ice-skating and arctic
explorers, then you’ll want to chill at this
cool month-long celebration.
Oktoberfest: 22Sep-7Oct
Mid-Autumn Festival:
Munich, Germany
China
30Sep
Celebrated in China, Taiwan and
Vietnam, the Mid Autumn Festival is
one of the most sacred events on the
Chinese calendar. The 3,000-year-old
lunar harvest festival gets underway with
parades, fireworks, traditional dance
and music, and of course mooncakes –
pastries filled with red bean or lotus seed
past. In some regions, matchmaking
even takes places in the form of dances
for women to find their partners.
Alien Nation
As this month marks the one-year anniversary of
Sudan’s division into two countries, we head into
the little-known central Sudan to find a world of
surprises.
words & Photographs By Melissa Shales
UNDER THE RADAR SUDAN
Desert Troopers: Camels make their way to the market.
Bottom left to right: A Sudanese man sporting white turban and tunic
at Meroe; a little girl I befriended in Khartoum.
“W
hat do you
do?” the
guardian at the
Royal City in
Meroe greets me courteously and gravely.
It is the usual welcome. The
Sudanese are not used to tourists,
so they don’t bother asking where
you come from. Everyone is here
for research or academic purpose.
On my first couple of days, I said
I was a tourist and got a rabbit-inthe-headlights stare of panicked
bewilderment. Now, I answer gravely.
“I am a historian, I am writing a
book.”
“Ah,” he nods his head thoughtfully.
“Do you have a PhD?” Immediately
cut down to size, I realize that
most of the foreigners he meets
are archaeologists from august
institutions such as the British
Museum or the Smithsonian.
But I’m here for a less noble
purpose: to answer my own curiosities
about this little-known country of
Sudan in Northeastern Africa.
The New Inundation
Sudan, once the largest and one of
the most geographically diverse states
in Africa, split into two countries in
July 2011. Today, both Sudan and
South Sudan remain some of the least
visited countries in Africa – and their
turbulent past has all but deterred
travelers from making their way to
this part of the world. Although various ongoing conflicts
mean much of Sudan remains off
limits, travel is possible in the central
and northeast regions where ancient
pyramids and hieroglyphics provide a
mesmerizing history lesson.
Located directly south of Egypt, the
Sudanese Nile holds a vast treasury
of magnificent ancient monuments,
most of them largely unexcavated and
unknown to the world.
This was home to the ancient
civilization of Kush, a powerful
trading culture with strong links and
rivalries with the Egyptian pharaohs.
Countless pyramids remain as legacies
of these successive kingdoms – and
you can easily experience them
without another person in sight. Sadly, many of these pyramids are
under threat from the rising waters of
giant Chinese-backed hydroelectric
dams. One such dam, the Merowe
Dam near Dongola, was completed
just before I arrived. Many foreigners
have never heard of it and yet it
holds back the fifth largest lake in the
world. It is a perfect metaphor for this
extraordinary yet alien country, where
everything is arranged out of sight,
and behind closed doors.
Where the Rivers Meet
In the Sudanese capital of Khartoum,
I feel as if I had stepped out of the real
world into the setting of an Indiana
Jones movie – and very little of what
Left to right: The friendly guard at the Meroe pyramids; camel riders offering a ride to tourists.
"By sunset, I am on my own amidst the sand-battered
Meroe pyramids... with not a single visitor in sight.”
I see in the country contradicts the
notion.
Men roam in crisp white turbans
and cotton tunics, brandishing silver
swords from their hips; women linger
in their shadow-like flocks of pastel
butterflies with their floor-length veils
billowing in the wind. Sand blows
through the dusty streets of old-world
Khartoum, snaking their way around
khaki-colored buildings and labyrinth
souks.
The city itself is laid out in the shape
of a Union Jack, its mustard-yellow
colonial buildings now home to
President Bashir’s less than salubrious
government. Even the grand mosque,
Mesjid al-Kabir, with its sandybrown walls and rocketing minarets,
resembles the landmark of old Persia.
I start my day at Souq Al Arabi,
one of the largest open markets in
Africa. Spread over several blocks in
the center of Khartoum, the souq is
lined with rows upon dizzying rows
of stalls selling colorful abaya, shiny
kitchenware and heaps of blinding
spices and herbs. I look for souvenirs
but fail. The only possible options are
highly illegal – snakeskin slippers and
utterly revolting ashtrays made from
the heads of baby crocodiles.
Across the Nile River is the twin
city of Omdurman, known as the old
Arab quarter. This was the backdrop
of the great clash between Christianity
and Islam – the battle between British
colonizers and an Islamic nationalist
leader still revered as one of the great
pan-African heroes.
The nearby camel market is also
roaring with life today, bursting to the
brim with a vast dusty sea of livestock:
camels, cattle, donkeys and horses.
At the National Museum of Sudan,
I spend an afternoon pouring through
archaeological treasures dating back
to the ancient Kush kingdom and
the Nubia’s Christian period. Its green
gardens are the resting ground for
two Egyptian temples that had been
relocated from the Nile-side city of
Aswan.
But more so than the history
lesson is the museum’s location at
Al-Mogran – the point where the
Nile River’s two major tributaries,
the White Nile and the Blue Nile,
meet before continuing north toward
Egypt. Their convergence inspires
my own journey around the desert
kingdom.
The Land of Kush
Like the Nile itself, I head north,
following the river for some 200
miles past the 6th Cataract (the last
division of the river), traveling across
the desert to Naqa and Musawarat to
comb through their temples. My trip
culminates at Meroe, capital of the
ancient Meroitic dynasty, otherwise
known as the Land of Kush, which
flourished from about 1000–300 BC.
At the Royal City – a vast acreage
of ruins on the banks of the Nile – I
meet two German archaeologists
packing up shop at the end of the
digging season, as well as a group of
village children and a flock of goats.
Yet, there isn’t a single visitor or tour
bus in sight.
By sunset, I am on my own amidst
the sand-battered Meroe pyramids,
with only the guards, camel drivers
and souvenir sellers remaining. One
of them, concerned by my lack of
children, tries to sell me one of his.
“I have eight. Come back with your
husband and you choose one to take
home.” I protest, laughing, that it isn’t
possible.
“Madonna did it, you do it too,” he
replies with a broad smile. I still don’t
know if he was serious or not.
Egypt’s pyramids impress with their
stature but they have been engulfed by
city, smog and tourist tats. In Meroe,
the pyramids are tiny in comparison
– cottages, not palaces – but there are
over 600 of them dotting the sands,
their conical peaks and squared
entrances creating extraordinary
silhouettes against the curve of the
dunes. Best of all, Egypt’s crowds are
nowhere in sight.
As I turn to leave, the sun casts a
deep red-golden glow while a lizard
skitters across the hot sand. But then
the guard meanders into view, a
mobile phone pressed to his ear. In the
distance, a pylon mirrors the shape of
the pyramids. Even the mud shacks in
the desert have satellite dishes poking
above their roof. Perhaps this world
isn’t so alien after all. 1
Port Sudan
It may not have the glitz of other Red Sea beachfronts, but Port Sudan has sun, sea
and sand, and is a pleasant place to chill out, wander around the local fish market
and swim among the fabulous offshore coral reefs.
Jebel Barkal
Continuing up the Nile from Meroe, you will arrive in Jebel Barkal, a UNESCO
World Heritage site with 13 temples, three palaces, and the remains of Napata,
ancient capital of the land of Kush. The recently completed Merowe Dam, 30 miles
north, is the largest hydropower project in Africa.
Dongola
The center of Nubian culture in northern Sudan, some 300 miles north of
Khartoum, Dongola is chiefly famous as the site of Lord Kitchener’s bloody
victory over the Mahdi in 1896. Today it’s a sleepy town with interesting Islamic
monuments.
W Accommodation
ú When to go
Sudan is definitely a winter
destination (Nov-Mar). Even in midJanuary, the temperature in Khartoum
rises up to 80ºF (30ºC) at mid-day, and
drops to 60ºF (16ºC) at night. By April
it is well over the 100ºF (38ºC) mark.
There is hardly any rain, although high
winds can whistle up sand storms,
which are known as haboobs.
!
Sudan
Getting there
There are no direct flights
from the United States to Khartoum.
Alternative options include flying with
Egypt Air via Cairo, Turkish Airlines via
Istanbul, Qatar Airways via Doha, with
the KLM/Air France/Kenya Airways
trilogy via Amsterdam, Paris or Nairobi,
and United and Lufthansa via Germany.
Prices start at around US$1250 round
trip.
Khartoum airport is very close to
the city center. A new one is under
construction and supposedly due to
open sometime in 2012.
Colors of Sudan:
Spices at the Souq Al Arabi in Khartoum (top left);
Kush carvings at Meroe pyramids (middle right) and
life on the Nile (bottom).
It is advisable to travel with a tour
operator or use a local agent. Reliable
tour operators include The Italian
Tourism Co. Ltd, Explore, Voyages
Jules Verne, and local agent, Lendi
Travel. The Acropolis Hotel can also
organize a tour around Sudan.
V Paperwork
Tourism is still relatively new in
Sudan. Getting a tourist visa is a very
long-winded process – allow at least two
months. You need an invitation from
the tour operator. Once in the country,
all tourists have to register within three
days. You also need a separate photo
permit (which is limited to tourist
sights) and permit to travel if heading
out of Khartoum.
û Dress Code
Sudan is an Islamic country;
dress moderately. Men should wear long
trousers, women should wear sleeves
(ideally covering the elbow) and skirts
below the knee or loose-fitting trousers.
Consumption of alcohol is illegal, as
is homosexuality, which is officially
punishable by death.
+ Getting around
While it is relatively easy to
get around Khartoum on foot, by taxi
or tuk-tuk, take a tour or use a local
agent if traveling out of the city. There
are buses, but you’ll be stuck once you
get to your destination. You need a
4x4 to go sightseeing, as there is no
signposting, the roads are barely visible
in the desert and there are frequent
police roadblocks. Coping on your own
is extremely difficult.
As tourism is in its infancy,
accommodation is rather pricy and
selection is limited. Many hotels have
websites though and rooms can be
easily reserved online.
Khartoum’s oldest hotel, Acropole
Hotel, is run by a helpful trio of Greek
brothers. It is basic design-wise, but
spotless and everything works perfectly.
Room rates start from US$135 (single)
with all meals included.
Grand Holiday Villa Hotel has a
slightly faded old colonial atmosphere
but it’s worth popping in for a drink at
least to soak up the ambiance. Room
rates start from US$140.
Meroe Safari Camp is an extremely
comfortable luxury tented camp with
views across the Meroe pyramids, but
note that it opens only from October to
April.
R Further information
The best guide on the market is
the Bradt Travel Guide for Sudan (new
edition due Nov 2012).
M Websites
Sudan Tourism
sudan.net
Sudan Embassy
Surprising Peru
From the mystical peaks of the Andes to the verdant Amazon
rainforest, Peru defies all expectations with a mix of ancient ruins,
colonial cities and endless opportunities for adventure.
WORDS Esme Fox | PHOTOGRAPHS DAN CONVEY & Alberto Molero
DESTINATION PERU
D
iverse and allencompassing, Peru is
geographically complex
and physically vast,
packing in lofty Andean
highlands, sweaty jungle lowlands,
and cacti-clad desert. It is this multifaceted trait that draws many curious
travelers to its shores. Yet, apart from
the well-trodden trail to Cuzco and
Macchu Picchu, many parts of Peru
still remain off the tourist radar.
Peru once lay at the center of the
Inca Empire, which stretched from
modern day Colombia to northern
Chile and Argentina. Today, although
the Inca Empire has long been
dissolved, the past still plays an
important role in the country. Timewarped Inca cities are still inhabited;
and the remains of early civilizations
are constantly being discovered.
But beyond history, there is so
much more to Peru: from adventurous
sports for daredevils to cultural
walks in its colonial cities and
beach-bumming on its shimmering
DESTINATION PERU
coastline. Whatever you crave – be it
traditional culture, elegant colonial
cities or myriad adventures – Peru is
sure to satisfy. The most famous site in the country
is clearly the lost city of Machu
Picchu, the main reason most people
But beyond history, there
is so much more to Peru:
from adventurous sports
for daredevils to cultural
walks in its colonial cities.
visit the country. But as always, the
journey is more important than the
destination. Spend days walking
the Inca Trail, threading Peru’s
backcountry and visiting local tribes,
before arriving to see the sun rise over
Wayna Picchu peak. Then head down
to fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines
and decide for yourself how they came
to be.
To veer off the beaten path, head
north to the adobe city of the Chimu
culture, Chan Chan, the largest PreColombian city in South America;
then turn east into the Cloud Forest to
visit the unknown fortress of Kuélap.
Those with a penchant for colonial
grandeur will find themselves seduced
by the charm of Arequipa, the
‘White City’; sucked into the past by
South America’s oldest continuously
inhabited city, Cuzco; and the preColombian secrets of its capital, Lima.
If it’s adventures you’re after,
Peru has them in abundance. Learn
to surf the colossal sand dunes of
Huacachina, before traveling to timewarped Huaraz for a spot of rock
climbing. End your journey jungle
trekking and kayaking in Iquitos, the
largest city in the world not accessible
by road.
Regardless of what your expectations
are, prepare to be surprised as Peru will
exceed everything you’ve ever heard. 1
Old World Splendor: A parade takes
place at Plaza de Armas in Cuzco.
Left: Women dressed in traditional
handwoven clothes.
Colonial Capitals
Admire Spanish colonial styles and
savor traditional flavors in Arequipa,
Cuzco and Lima
T
o get a taste of what the
Spaniards left behind,
make a whirlwind trip
through Peru’s historical
triangle. Start south in the
‘White City’, Arequipa, with many of
its buildings made from sillar volcanic
stone. This is one of Peru’s most
picturesque cities, littered with elegant
architecture and cobblestoned streets,
and backdropped by hazy volcanoes.
The pulsating heart of Arequipa is
Plaza de Armas, which sits at the
center of the city, dominated by an
impressive sillar cathedral.
If you can drag yourself away, take
a side-trip to the vast Colca Canyon,
one of the world’s deepest at 10, 470
feet (3,191 meters). Chivay is the hub
of the valley; just a four-hour bus
ride away. In the valley, sign up for
a multi-day trek to remote villages,
and watch the rare Andean Condon
soaring in the sky and llamas roaming
amidst the shrubs.
Duration
Duration
2 weeks
2 weeks
From Arequipa, hop on an
overnight bus or train to Cuzco. This
is the gateway to Peru’s most famous
sight, Machu Picchu (see opposite
page). Once the capital of the Inca
Empire, Cuzco has a historical flair
and oozes bohemian vibes. The city
has an eclectic culinary scene, and it’s
the best place to try some Peruvian
delicacies like the cuy or barbecued
guinea pig, and ocal cocktail, Pisco
Sour.
Finish your journey with a visit to
the capital city, Lima. At first glance
Lima’s strange mix of plush urban
neighborhoods and chaotic rundown
districts may not seem to offer much
to the foreign visitor, but if you’re
eager to learn more about Peru’s
history, then you’ll be glad to know
that Lima is home to some of the
country’s best museums, housing an
array of Inca and Pre-Colombian art
and artifacts.
F
or over 2,000 years, Peru
was the vestige of famous
civilizations that once
inhabited this sacred land.
Begin in the south at one
of the world’s greatest mysteries, the
Nazca Lines. The giant geoglyphs and
animal designs marked into the desert
can only be seen in their entirety from
the air – take to the skies onboard
a light aircraft for approximately
US$45-$60.
Threading the Inca Trail
Travel thousands of years back in time
to the lost kingdom
From Nazca, head northwest into
the Andes to the famed city of the
Incas, Machu Picchu, one of the Seven
Wonders of the World. If you’re short
on time, catch a bus to the town of
Aguas Calientes, stay the night and
start your hike up the mountain at
around 4am to see the ancient city
at its full glory around sunrise. The
ancient city is big enough to warrant
an entire day’s exploration. You can
wander around by yourself, but to
truly understand Machu Picchu, it’s
best to book onto a tour.
For those with time to spare,
venture up the coast to Trujillo. Many
travelers usually skip this chaotic
city, but they’re missing a host of
fascinating sites, including Chan
Chan, the largest Pre-Colombian
city in South America; Huaca del
Sol and Huaca de la Luna, the temples
of the sun and the moon; and the
Chimú Rainbow Temple, home to
Peru’s bizarre native hairless dogs.
Finish your journey in the country’s
verdant interior in Chachapoyas,
capital of the Amazonas district.
Uncover one of Peru’s best-kept
secrets, the remains of the Kuélap
fortress of the Chachapoyas culture,
also known as the Cloud Forest
People. Set in a stunning mountainous
location, Kuélap even rivals Machu
Picchu in size and grandeur – and
yet, it attracts less than a quarter of its
visitors.
On the Wild Side
Adventure buffs alert! A world of
trekking, climbing and sand boarding
opportunities await
O
utdoor-loving
adventurers should start
their trip near the coast
in Ica, just three hours
away from Lima. The
nearby oasis of Huacachina is a world
of its own: a tiny village built in the
middle of a desert, flanked by sand
dunes that rise up to a few hundred
meters. Hop on a dune buggy, go sand
boarding, or simply catch sunset atop
a dune.
Pack your adventurous spirit and
head north to Huaraz, one of the
highest cities in Peru at 10,000 feet
(3,052 meters) above sea level. Besides
its traditional flair, Huaraz is a mecca
for climbers and mountaineers.
You’ll find plenty of tours to take you
climbing into the Andes, as well as
shops renting and selling equipment.
After you’ve had your fill of
climbing, pay homage to the town
of Yungay, site of one of the Andes’
Duration Lakes, Rivers and Seas
Duration
1-2 weeks
worst natural disasters, the Ancash
earthquake. This is the gateway
to the Cordillera Blanca, home to
Husacarán, Peru’s highest mountain at
22,200 feet (6,768m) above sea level.
Get a lift up the mountain or sign up
for a guided trek to see the limpid
blue pools and emerald lakes Lagunas
Llanganuco, a perfect place for hiking
1-2 weeks
and boating.
Finally, leave the highlands behind
and head back to Lima for your
flight to Iquitos, Peru’s most remote
city, deep within the dense Amazon
rainforest. Relive your Indiana Jones
fantasies with treks through the jungle
and kayaking down the Amazon
River.
A
fter a few weeks of
intensively travel, kick
back and indulge in the
beautiful town of Puno,
situated right on the
sparkling shores of Lake Titicaca. This
is a world where Andean peaks collide
with green valleys and shimmering
sun-drenched islands. Walk the streets
Plunge beneath the surface and float
amidst the water world
of Puno to see local women in layered
skirts and fancy bowler hats standing
against crumbling colonial façades,
then hop on a boat to visit the Uros
tribes who live on floating reed isles,
sail on a totora (reed boat) and hike to
the top of Isla Taquile for a view of the
extensive lake. Next, gear yourself up for some
jungle action in the northeastern
Amazonian city of Puerto Maldonado.
While not a tourist destination in
its own right, Puerto Maldonado is
one of the best places from which to
explore the Amazon Basin and the
mighty river itself. Board the Madre
de Dios Ferry to get a glimpse of life
on the water as you pass ramshackle
boats and peki-pekis (canoes powered
by small motorcycle engines). Once you’ve finished exploring the
country’s many lakes and rivers, head
to the coast to the small, friendly
town of Huanchaco, one of Peru’s
top surfing spots. Spend a few days
here taking lessons from local surf
masters and admire the views over
plates of Peru’s most famous seafood
dish, ceviche. If the surfing bug really
gets you, take a detour up the coast to
Chicama, home of the longest swell in
the world.
DESTINATION PERU
Iquitos
Jungle hikes and Amazon River
boat trips are commonplace in
Peru’s most remote city, also
the largest city in the world not
accessible by road. Machu Picchu
Explore the Sacred
Valley of the Incas and
be awed by the ancient
city of Machu Picchu, the
highlight of any South
American adventure.
Lake Titicaca
Cuzco
Step back in time
in South America’s
oldest continuously
inhabited city as you
wander its vibrant
streets and nibble on
local delicacies. The mysterious
Nazca Lines
Peru’s Diversity: From Lake Titicaca (top right)
to cobbled streets of Cuzco (middle right) to the
beautiful beach of Huanchaco (bottom right).
Fly over these 2000-yearold geoglyphs and decide
for yourself why they were
placed there.
Float into the water world
of the Uros tribes and
learn their way of life.
The “White City”, Arequipa
Be seduced by Peru’s most
picturesque city and watch
condors soar over the vast
Colca Canyon, one of the
deepest in the world.
in the upmarket Miraflores district of
Lima, is a mid-range choice, starting
from US$99 per night for a double
room. Housed in an elegant salmonpink mansion on a quiet leafy street, it
is both charming and characteristic. ú When to Go
The weather in Peru varies
greatly from region to region, although
generally there are two seasons – wet
and dry. The best time to go depends
on where you want to visit. The peak
season, which lasts from June to August,
corresponds with the cooler dry season
in the Andes, making it the best time
to trek the Inca Trail and visit Machu
Picchu.
If you’re heading for coastal Peru,
though, the best time to visit is between
late December and March, when the
weather is at its hottest and great for
hitting the beach. For the rest of the
year, the coast is shrouded in a thick
fog. It’s also best to avoid the rainy
season, from December to March if
traveling in the south or east of the
country, as flooding and landslides can
make getting around difficult.
! Getting There
There are five international
airports in Peru, the main one being
Jorge Chávez International, just outside
Lima. You can fly direct to Peru from
a number of US cities including New
York, Washington DC, Atlanta, Miami,
Fort Lauderdale, Houston and Los
Angeles for around US$650 – US$800
return. The flight time from Miami is
approximately 5.5 hours.
+ Getting Around
The only practical way to travel
around Peru is by bus, although the
distances are very long and journeys
often take up to 12 hours or more.
There are different standards of buses,
depending on how much you’re willing
to pay. While some seem pretty rickety,
most are very comfortable, have onboard toilets and TVs, and provide you
with meals, pillows and blankets. It’s
best to go to the local bus station to buy
your tickets a day or two in advance.
W Accommodation
There’s a large variety of
accommodation in Peru to suit all tastes
and budgets, ranging from backpacker
hostels to family-run guesthouses and
luxury hotels.
One of the most luxurious and
atmospheric hotels in Cuzco is the
Hotel Monasterio by Orient Express.
Set in the grounds of a colonial
monastery, the hotel is a historic
national monument dating back to
1592. The hotel even provides oxygen
enriched rooms to combat the effects of
altitude. Rates start from US$445 per
night. Hotel Antigua Miraflores, situated
An excellent budget option in Arequipa
is Hostal Santa Catalina , opposite
the Santa Catalina Convent. Rooms
are centered around a yellow Spanish
courtyard; the roof terrace provides
some of the best views in the city
overlooking the majestic El Misti
volcano. Rates start from US$23. Ö Cost of Travel
The currency in Peru is the
Nuevo Sol (PEN), with the current
exchange rate at US$1 to 2.67PEN.
Travel in Peru is very affordable and you
can go far for a reasonable price. For
comfortable overnight buses with meals
included, expect to pay between US$20US$30 per person. In major cities you’ll
pay about US$1.50 for a short taxi
ride and 25-50 centavos for a colectivo
or local minibus. For a set lunch at a
local café including starter, main and
dessert, you’ll pay only around US$5,
although expect to pay more at proper
restaurants frequented by tourists.
M
Websites
WE KNOW ALL THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN EVERY CITY. VIATOR’S TOURS AND ACTIVITIES ARE HANDPICKED BY LOCAL
EXPERTS, AND OUR MILLIONS OF CUSTOMERS PROVIDE REVIEWS AND RATINGS. SO WHETHER YOU’RE LOOKING TO SEE
THE GRAND CANYON BY HELICOPTER OR PARIS BY FOOT, WE’LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TRIP.
Lonely Planet Peru
Peru Tourism Bureau
Peru Travel Guide
viator.com
viator mobile
STAY BHUTAN
Shangri-la in the Himalayas
Paro, Bhutan
The mythical land of Shangri-la depicted in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon, by James Hilton, was
located somewhere in the Himalayas, but no one knows where. I found the closest place to Shangri-La
at the Uma Paro boutique hotel in Bhutan.
The Uma Paro, part of the COMO Hotels and Resorts chain, is one of the few luxury hotels in this
remote country. A peaceful kingdom half-hidden in the Himalayas, Bhutan is visited by only about
50,000 tourists per year. Most are attracted by the country’s unique Buddhist-Himalayan culture – and
preserving this age-old culture is one of the things that Uma Paro does best.
From the hotel’s regal main building to its Buddhist-style villas, you’ll find the architecture of
Uma Paro immaculately intertwined with the poetic landscape. Made up of pagodas dating back a
few hundred years, the Bhutanese complex blends in perfectly with the twisting valleys and terraced
mountains that surround it. This is a world where deep-rooted culture and stylish designs collide.
As a leading hotel in the country, Uma Paro sets the standards high by fusing Bhutanese heritage
with clean-cut designs – using touches like the bukhari wood stove heating and traditional hot stone
bath treatments. From its old-world architecture to the contemporary interior design of the rooms,
Uma Paro finds the perfect balance between cultural heritage and modern comforts.
Immerse in authentic Bhutanese culture, drink in million-dollar mountain vistas, revive yourself
with spa treatments and soak up the much-vaunted commitment to happiness – all without leaving
your own personal Shangri-la.
Room rates from US$290; villa rates from US$690 for double occupancy. Uma Paro
Words By Mariellen Ward
Travel Rants
Travel Thoughts
by Mike Sowden
by Candace Rose Rardon
I
’m faced with a choice. On the left, a wide, sunlit street,
the kind where people cheerily wave good morning to
each other as they wash their cars or trim their privet
hedges. Down the narrowing right-hand lane, I see rubble,
the mark of a long-removed torched car, and someone
smoking a cigarette. If I squint, he looks faintly menacing. Yes,
this is probably the road for me - but what really clinches it is that
I know where I’d end up if I went left.
23 minutes left on the clock. No time to waste.
I’m in Glasgow, meeting my friend for a whisky or two,
and since I’ve never been to this city before, it’s proving really
easy to get lost. For those of you born after 1990, “lost” isn’t
just a meandering, creatively misguided TV series, it’s a word
meaning “not knowing where the hell you are.”
It used to be easy to get lost. Now it’s tough. I’ve had
to work really hard at it today. I avoided the city plan
information board when I hopped off the train at Glasgow
Central. I kept my smartphone in my pocket. I did my best to
ignore every piece of technology designed to help me, and I
threw my senses open as far as they would go - except when it
came to looking at street signs. (That’s cheating.)
Travel stories require a certain amount of chaos. As terrific
as press trips can be - and as much as a successful press trip
is about how participants approach it as well as what they’re
offered - they are often, for practical reasons, running on tight
schedules. At all times, you know where you should be...and
if you don’t, someone else certainly will. It’s therefore almost
impossible to get lost. And what about the technology-loving
traveler? Foursquare, Google Maps, Gogobot, Facebook,
anything that tethers you to a satellite or a WiFi-triangulated
dot on a map. Which is great, surely? Why wouldn’t you want
to know exactly where you are?
Before GPS came along, here is what being lost used to feel like.
1. Mild panic. Self-recrimination.
2. Sweating. A vague sense of doom. Mentally listing
items in my rucksack: food, matches, clothing. Mentally
beating myself up over what I’ve forgotten to bring.
3. I should probably ask for directions.
4. I should probably check my map.
5. I should probably stop freaking out. Get a grip, man.
6. Full-blown panic.
See, that’s the thing about being lost. It catapults you
physically into the present. When you have any idea of where
you are, it’s easy to daydream yourself into the past or the
future - to wonder what you’re having for dinner, or if you left
the iron on, or whether you could do a better job crafting the
finale of Lost than the writers did. It’s easy to disappear into
your own thoughts and auto-pilot your way from A to B. But when you’re truly lost, there is no way to B. All your
efforts are devoted to finding out exactly where B is, and what
it looks like. This focuses your attention on your surroundings
– the most useful skill a traveler and travel writer can develop.
Getting yourself lost is therefore a kind of boot camp for the
observational senses. When you’re geographically awry, you
see and hear everything - so isn’t “lost” just another word for
“exploring”?
There’s another winning side to it: it forces you to work
out where you are. As marvelous as mapping technology is,
it’s a passive experience. Push a button, wait for the signal to
lock onto a satellite, and within seconds, you’re told where
you are. Your input is minimal - and you only need to worry
about your destination. In contrast, working out where you
are is a very different experience, as anyone sweating over a
map and yelling at their compass will tell you. It forces you
(kicking and screaming) to fit everything you can see to a set
of shapes on a map. It taxes your brain.
In Glasgow, I give myself half an hour to get as lost as
possible. Then I switch on my phone, find out where I am,
Wikipedia the area, discover I’m approaching “one of the
most dangerous places in the UK”, and hurry out of there as
fast as I can. And for the rest of the day, I follow Google Maps’
instructions and, barring whisky-related accidents, I don’t put
a foot wrong.
That was last year, and the memory is fading – meaning
I’m due for a revisit. But freshest in my mind? When I had
no clue where I was going. When you’re truly lost, it’s an
unforgettable experience. 1
I
n the classic 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, a tornado
famously picks up Dorothy and her little pup Toto
and lands them far from their quiet life in Kansas – in
a world of talking scarecrows, flying monkeys, and
the seriously creepy Wicked Witch of the West. From
the moment Dorothy asks Glinda, “Which is the way back
to Kansas? I can’t go the way I came,” the movie becomes
her quest to return home.
I have to admit, I’ve always been jealous of Dorothy –
and not just for those sparkling ruby slippers she gets to
wear. I’ve envied her for where they carry her: Home.
At the end of the film, all it takes is three clicks of her
heels and a few rounds of, “There’s no place like home,”
and Dorothy suddenly finds herself back in Kansas,
surrounded by her family. If only it were that easy.
Sometimes, though, as a traveler who’s called cities
across the world home, I can’t help reading Dorothy’s
phrase a little differently – that there’s no one place that
feels totally like home.
While traveling through South Asia last year, I was
surprised to find myself on a similar quest to that of
Dorothy. I’d spent four months journeying through the
jungles of Nepal, across deserts and beaches in India, and
up the slopes of Sri Lanka’s hill country. As my trip neared
its end – and with Christmas rapidly approaching – I grew
more and more anxious for home. The only problem was, I
didn’t quite know where that was.
Was it my hometown in Virginia, where my family still
lived and was waiting for me to arrive before decorating
the tree? If so, then what about London, where I’d spent
the last year and a half and had formed many close
friendships? Even then, there were other friends I wanted
to see, too, who were scattered as far and wide as New
Zealand, Taiwan, and Spain.
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines home
as, “The place where one lives permanently, especially as a
member of a family or household.” Where this definition
becomes problematic for travelers is that little word
‘permanently.’ The very things that inspire us to be on the
move – all that wanderlust and itchy feet – make it hard to
stay in one place for long, let alone forever.
And as we begin to live elsewhere, especially in other
countries, our sense of home begins to change. Why?
Because we ourselves are changing. Maybe it’s as simple as
discovering new foods we love: street food in Korea, warm
dosas in southern India, Sunday roast in England – meals
not always available where we grew up. Or maybe we
adapt to new ways of living – commuting on a train rather
than by car, sharing a flat instead of a house – and finding
ourselves happier with these new routines. So much so
that to have the feeling of ‘going home,’ we can no longer
return to only one place.
It wasn’t long after Christmas last year – as I caught up
with family in Virginia while remembering memories
from Asia and looking forward to reunions in London –
that I had an epiphany: As our definition of home expands,
what if it can include many things? Maybe where you grew
up, where your family lives now, or even where you spent
three months, three weeks, or three days.
Any place where you felt like yourself – felt at home –
even if for just a few hours.
Indeed, what if we view home not so much as a physical
location, but something we carry inside of us? Like a
hermit crab lugging his shell around on his back, what if
home is just exactly where we are? In her poem 725, Emily
Dickinson puts it this way: “Where thou art – that – is
Home…I scare esteem Location’s Name.”
If that truly is the case, then it takes the pressure off
needing to return to one particular location. What a relief,
right? Even if we’re half a world away from those we love,
we can feel at home right where we are.
Better yet, we won’t need a pair of Dorothy’s ruby
slippers to get us there. 1
Travel Gear
Round-The-World Gear
By Lenore Greiner & Alberto Molero
Preparing for a trip around the world? We’ve gathered the best gear for extended travel
and tested them out on the road - here are our recommendations, from technology
gadgets to safety kits.
Osprey Meridian 75L Convertible Pack
This wheeled convertible pack truly reinvents backpacking, with its ability to transform from
a fully-equipped backpack to a wheeled trolley. I tested it out on a six-month RTW trip and
loved how versatile, convenient and sturdy it is.
»»
»»
»»
»»
Detachable 20L daypack perfect for electronic gadgets
Zippered panel for easy access to 55L main pack
Extra large and durable polyurethane wheels with sealed bearings
Stowable harness and hipbelt with mesh vented backpanel and padded lumbar make it
comfortable to carry around
»» Retractable ergonomic handle
»» External toiletries pocket for easy stowing
This is, hands down, the best travel bag I’ve ever owned, and with the Osprey’s lifetime
warranty, it may just be the last one I’ll have to use. It retails for $292.80 on Amazon.com.
Adventure
Medical Kits
World Travel
First-Aid Kit
This convenient kit
contains all the travel
essentials necessary for
the adventure traveler,
from blister supplies to
Delhi belly meds, enough for 1-4 people for 1-7 days.
This comprehensive kit also contains:
»» Diarrhea and pain medication
»» Oral re-hydration doses
»» A disposable thermometer, splinter or tick
forceps and safety pins
»» A book titled A Comprehensive Guide to
Wilderness and Travel Medicine
»» A handy visual communication card
»» An S-hook lets you hang your kit anywhere
Ideal for travelers on adventure tours or missionary
trips. It retails for $70 on AMK website.
The Hoboroll
Compression
Sack
Compact and
lightweight, this luggage
organizer provides
compression of items as
well as multiple storage
compartments. To save space
in my backpack, I used it to store and compress
sandals and bulky jackets. It also doubled as a pack for
a multi-day trip.
»» Reduce packed volume by 50%
»» Tough, lightweight nylon to maximize durability
without adding weight
»» Adjustable shoulder straps allow you to carry it
on a daytrip
»» Five interior compartments allow for item
separation
»» Easily compressed with draw strings and plastic
buckles
Comes in 6 colors. It sells for $28 on GobiGear.
SteriPEN Freedom
Water Purifier
SteriPEN harnesses the brilliant
power of ultraviolet light to
make water safe to drink. In 48
seconds, it destroys over 99.9% of
bacteria and viruses. Freedom is
SteriPEN’s smallest, lightest and
first rechargeable UV water purifier and it’s perfect
for long hiking trips and adventure travel.
»» All SteriPEN water purifiers are WQA approved
»» Highly portable (74g) and easy to use
»» Integrated battery recharges via a micro USB B
port (computer, AC outlet or compatible solar
charger)
»» Freedom provides 8000 0.5L water treatments
»» USB cable, adapter and neoprene case included
We used it while overlanding through Africa, and
found it convenient, portable and easy on the pocket
(save money on buying water). It is available on REI
for $119.95.
ExOfficio BugsAway
Ziwa Convertible
Pants
Your go-to pants for rough and
ready RTW adventures, whether
amphibious or tropical. I put these
cargo pants through its paces in
the rainforests of Central America
and did not find one mosquito bite
on my legs. Lightweight and easy
to pack, they’re built with these features:
»» Insect Shield that repels
malarial mosquitos, fleas, ticks
and ants
»» Covered zippers for converting
pants to shorts
»» UPF Sun Guard 30+
»» Security zip cargo pocket on the right leg
»» Drop-in gadget pocket on left leg
»» Hidden security zip pocket in right hip pocket
All in a quick drying, moisture wicking Nylon fabric
cut for a relaxed fit. Available in khaki for both men
and women. Available at ExOfficio for $99.
Apple
MacBook Pro
If you seriously want to carry a laptop around the
world, you’ll need a capable partner that can robustly
handle your photos, videos and documents during
your RTW trip. Apple’s MacBook Pro can handle the
job. The latest model offers:
»» Apple’s lightening fast quad-core processors
»» Thunderbolt technology to connect high-speed
peripherals and hi-res displays
»» A FaceTime HD camera for video calls
anywhere in the world
»» A long-lasting battery, up to 7 hours on a single
charge
»» Thin aluminum uni-body (0.71 inch thin)
replaces unnecessary laptop parts saving weight
and preventing repair headaches
»» Lightweight: 13-inch size weighs 4.5 lbs. and
the 15-inch weighs 5.6 lbs
I found this laptop a truly great travel companion
that’s easy to pack and carry around. Comes in 13” and
15”, starting at $1199 at Apple.
Canon
PowerShot S100
To travel light, I wanted a
high quality point-and-shoot
camera offering extensive
manual control. Plus I wanted
to shoot in JPEG or RAW formats and high
dynamic range imaging (HDR). Was that too much to
ask?
For travelers, the Canon S100 foots the bill and more.
Here’s why:
»» Shoots HD video with a 1920x1080 resolution
»» A 24-120mm equivalent 5x zoom
»» Seven modes available for different purposes
including macro, panning, video, and tripod work
»» Wide angle and telephoto coverage
»» A built-in GPS for tagging photos
»» A continuous shooting rate, up to 2.3 fps
»» A sharp, bright 3 in. display that is viewable in
direct sunlight
»» ISO 80-6400
Thanks to a built-in lens covering, you can quickly grab
your shot and pack it away again. Its tiny size means
that it is lightweight and easy to carry around. Comes in
titanium and black and retails for $377 at Amazon.
A Valley of Contrasts
B
Words and Drawings By Candace Rose Rardon
efore arriving in
Morocco, my vision
of what awaited me
mainly included
scenes from its
cities: The twisting side streets of
the Kasbahs and labyrinth-like
souks brimming with people and
bubbling with spices and exotic
smells.
But then I arrived in the Valley
of Roses, just six hours east of
Marrakech by bus, but seemingly
a world away. Gone were the
crowds and cramped spaces;
in their place, the landscape
opened up to reveal a beautiful,
expansive gorge and dusty
villages I couldn’t wait to explore.
Through the center of the
valley flowed the M’Goun River,
feeding wheat fields, groves of
olive and fig trees, and endless
hedges of rose bushes. And yet
the hills rising high above the
river seemed almost lunar, with
only a few shrubs growing here
and there among the striated stone.
On my last afternoon in the
village of Boutaghrar, I spread
out my sketchbook and paints
on a hotel rooftop and attempted
to capture the scene before
me. It was a valley of contrasts
– not only with its dry, ochre
mountains set against the verdant
riverbed, but also in comparison
to cities like Marrakech. It was a
valley I didn’t know to expect. 1
Australia
Exploring the outback
Palestine
Unchartered territories
Finland
Winter adventures
Galicia
Pilgrimage to the sea
Thailand
Loi Krathong festival
in pictures
Cambodia
Raiding ancient tombs and temples of the Khmer empire

Getting There

Transcription

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