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TravelLocal is Breaking Away from Mainstream Travel Industry

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Travel Local

They bring onto one website the best local tour companies from across the world (an Indian company in India, a Peruvian company in Peru), facilitate communication with customers and bond all payments through ABTA.

They aim to bring the ‘buy local’ and ‘fairtrade’ movements into the travel industry: harnessing positive change and ensuring an authentic experience for their customers.

Each destination they offer has multiple sample itineraries and local tour operators can be contacted through their online platform to tailor-make each trip.

Whether its treetops or temples you’re seeking: TravelLocal can craft the holiday of a lifetime. The concept promotes a more sustainable way of traveling while not sacrificing on security, price or support (they have a 24 hour phone line in the UK so are always on hand to help).

Splendid Isolation on Liguria’s historic Old Salt Road

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Liguria Salt Road

Aaron Miller embarks on a solo hike along Liguria’s historic Old Salt Road

Sometimes the wrong path is the best path. I was stumbling down the
side of a steep mountain slope, pushing through thorny bushes, scratched, thirsty and utterly confused. But I was smiling. While walking the Old Salt Road – an ancient trade route across the Ligurian hills in northwest Italy – I had become hopelessly lost.

But as I was cursing my lack of navigational instinct something magical happened. I rounded a corner into a mountain meadow filled with dozens of wild horses – muscled stallions with jet black manes, gold skinned mares and tiny foals still suckling on their mother’s milk. Startled at first, they soon found themselves more curious than afraid and gradually came to graze by my side. It took me half a day to find my way back again, but it was worth every cut and bruise. The best adventures always happen when you least expect it.

But walking the Salt Road isn’t just an adventure; it’s a part of history. For more than a thousand years, mule herders carrying precious salt from the ports of Liguria would traverse this network of trails over the Apennine mountains to trade with the fertile plains of Lombardy, returning laden with wheat, wine, salami and cheese. Their footsteps have now all but vanished, but that may be set to change. A new trip is enabling people to walk the Salt Road again and, in doing so, it’s opening up a part of Italy that few tourists have explored.

By following the route for 129 km (80 miles), from Oltrepò Pavese, just north of Genoa, to the small port of Camogli in Liguria, I hoped to help re-establish that ancient legacy and discover, along the way, an authentic glimpse of rural Italy: fiercely traditional, defiantly unglitzy and full of genuine welcome and honest heart.

The route begins in rolling fields of Pinot Noir and Bonarda grapes. Oltrepò Pavese is the largest wine-growing area in Lombardy and every available space
is filled with parallel rows of black root vines and the gentle bustle of worked land. I walked for two days through tiny terracotta hamlets and small peach farm holdings to reach Varzi, a snug valley
town that was once an important
stopping point on the Salt Road. In the narrow alleyways of the old section,
nestled between the faded facades of medieval monasteries and dry-stone witches’ towers, it’s still possible to see
the cavernous holds under houses where traders would have set up their market stalls.

From there I climbed steeply into the Apennines, following a high panoramic ridge line south for three days, the mountains empty and silent but for the disappearing canter of deer hooves and the woody clatter of cowbells unseen in clouded valleys below. At the summit of Monte Carmo I shared the dawn with a dairy farmer and his herd – the only other person I saw walking the trail. From the top of Monte Antola – where Einstein famously camped out as a teenager while hiking part of the Salt Road – I could just make out the snow on the Alps in the north and the sun on the Mediterranean to the south. The Apennines may just be Italy’s best-kept secret.

the Real Italy

Deeper into the mountains, the hospitality became even more delicious, too. At the sleepy mountain lodge Capanne di Cosola – once the centrepiece of partisan resistance during the Second World War – I ate hand-picked wild mushrooms and four individual plates of pasta before my main course even arrived. At the eco-farm Villa Tiffany we laughed through an entire three-course dinner of stuffed calamari and gnocchi pesto using only Google Translate. “The secret of great cooking,” owner Francesca typed into the screen, “is the water. Here, we have mountain springs so everything tastes good.”

On my last day, belly full and legs tired, I climbed down to the lower Ligurian hills of the Uscio Valley. Small wooden fishing boats sailed into the vastness of the Mediterranean as a sea mist drifted up from the coast beneath me. I had reached the end of the Old Salt Road.

That night in the cute, multi-coloured port of Camogli, they would celebrate the annual Sagra del Pesce, an eccentric local fish festival that involved religious processions, burning effigies and free fish risotto. But I couldn’t stop thinking about those mule herders. When I was lost on the mountain I had a glimpse of what their arduous journey must have been like. And now, having arrived at the end of the road, they would have had to restock on salt, turn around and do it all over again.

Thankfully, I had it much easier. I wandered Camogli’s medieval streets, ate ice cream on the harbour wall and let the real, traditional Italy wash over me. Sometimes the best path is the path you’ve just finished walking.

Now You Can Have an Italian

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Ahabu Phillip
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An Italian – style road trip in South England that is.

Last week I sunk my teeth into a homemade calzone, savoured the rich texture of a real gelato and washed it all down with a delicate espresso. I finished the day with my toes in the ocean and a vest-top suntan.

There is no place like home…when it’s sunny and you know the right places to go. You’re about to find out about how I went about an Italian-themed road trip – from London to Dover.

Let’s do it.

Al Forno Pizzeria & Ristorante

It may have cost over £25 to get my hands on the tastiest calzone I’ve had outside of Italy…but I was starving! It was well worth spending some pocket money.

Al Forno is here:

1-3 Townend Parade High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1LY

The restaurant sits right facing the Thames and is just due minuti from the Old Market Square in Kingston upon Thames.

Everything is home cooked – the ham, ricotta and mozzarella calzone (with an extra topping of anchovies) made up the perfect lunch for a hungry road tripper like me, who had yet to have any breakfast!

This hearty Italian meal marked the beginning of our trek to Dover and there was method in our munching – we didn’t plan on eating later on because we wanted to stay on the beach until sundown.

Caffé Vergnano

I didn’t realise this café was even a chain until today, when I Googled the address – which is here if you’re interested:

62 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0BU

The venue is so, I don’t know, real.

We dropped in on our way through London-London (we thought we’d be a bit touristy for my Scottish friend Rachael) and I was amazed at how authentic the place felt. That’s probably because it is actually authentic.

Yes, I know, we hadn’t planned on eating any more but we all instantly regretted not having a dessert back in Al Forno and so gelato was definitely on the cards. Needless to say, it was pretty sweet.

And they use the most spectacular old-school machines to make the coffee.

I have an uncle who travels to Modena in Italy every year. He is super fussy about his espresso but I think even he would have a smile on his face in Caffé Vergnano.

It’s about half an hour from Al Forno to Central London. If you’re pushed for time, you’re probably best having dessert at Al Forno and heading straight to Dover via the M25/26.

Advice time

If you’re coming in for a holiday from out of town (or even overseas), I’d always suggest looking into car rentals at Holiday Autos first.

Rachael flew in from Aberdeen and the car she booked was waiting for her at Heathrow. We ran it to Dover and back with far too many beach accessories in the boot – and it was smooth all the way.

There always seems to be a deals on for UK bookings and when the weather is as nice as it has been, it works out much cheaper than flying out to Rodi Garganico.

Shakespeare Beach

Now, I say Rodi Garganico because the beach we aimed for and reached in Dover reminds me so much of a stretch of sand in Puglia that I fell in love with a long time ago, when travelling with the folks.

I’ve done some scouring online and found a couple of images for you to get what I’m talking about…

The way the track runs right alongside the sand in Dover is lovely and I’d have liked to ride in on the train (but wow – we really felt the benefit of the car on the journey back).

When civilization lines up parallel against some blue waves like that, it feels more European than British to me (if that makes sense). There is nothing better than hot sand under your feet and the cool spray of the sea against your skin.

It was cool to see Shakespeare Cliff while we were there but it didn’t quite fit with our Italian-theme to focus on Britain’s favourite son. Plus, we had only travelled here for two very basic things – to swim and sunbathe.

It felt amazing to hop into the sea from a British shoreline without shivering to the bone. The only downside was that we had arrived so late and the sun was dropping fast.

So, I can’t recommend Dover’s beaches enough but my best advice would be to head out as early as possible. We didn’t leave Caffé Vergnano until about 14:30-15:00!

If you’re not so much of a road tripper and want to chug in by train, I’d compare tickets on National Rail and pick the cheapest – easy.

But like I say, you really appreciate the legroom of a car when you’re travelling back to London and so the Holiday Autos car hire from Heathrow Airport (with a discount code if possible) is definitely the comfiest option.

For me, it’s amazing to know we can actually enjoy a slice of the continent here in the UK.

Yeah, it’s never going to beat the real thing. But when the sun is burning down on you like you’re in the Mediterranean why not live like an Italian for the day?

What kind of road trips have you enjoyed at home?

I think this country is more amazing than we all give it credit for. How about you? Put your thoughts down in the comments and I’ll get back to you.

How to Prepare for Glastonbury Festival

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Ahabu Phillip
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Glastonbury Festival

Glastonbury Festival, one of the most exciting and awesome festivals in the UK has come up knocking at your door. It is one of the biggest and the most prestigious outdoor music festivals of Europe and has its fans all over the world.

There is live music, there is finger licking food, and there is fun.

Who doesn’t like that?

It is a whole new experience and those who have never attended should defo consider it.

But not everything is easy and peachy.

Glastonbury may change into a nightmare for you if you go there under prepared.

So let’s make sure it’s one of the best experiences and follow a few suggestions from us.

We will tell you what to take to the great fest and what to avoid.

Must haves for the Glastonbury Festival

1. Raincoats & Wellies

UK festivals are amazing but the fickle weather can make it an unwelcoming experience. It may will rain and there will be mud everywhere. If you have your willies or hiking boots on, then there’s nothing to worry about.

2. Two layer tent

You do not want to wake up in a puddle of rain. Invest in a two layer tent that will keep you dry. Have a read of this tent buying guide from Mountain Warehouse and you’ll understand the pros and cons of each type of tent available on the market.

3. Shee wees

Sounds weird? Kinda is. But instead of peeing around every corner and every tree, you would appreciate this little invention. As even though there are public loos around, they are jam-packed and there is always a huge line of people waiting for their turn.

And in that case, a shee wee can act as a savior.

4. A torch 

A torch is recommended wherever you go and when you are at Glastonbury, you never know when you may need it. If you wake up in the middle of the night and need a wee, then there you go. It paid for itself.

5. Mobile power banks 

These are absolute life savers. A portable mobile charger will ensure that you never run out of your cell phone’s battery when you want to take a Selfie that would make your friends jealous. And if you attended any type of event in the past 12 months you probs already have loads at home. Charge two or three and take them with.

6. Sunglasses

Though the weather is mostly cloudy during the festival, the sunglasses will keep your newly formed “panda eyes” hidden from the crowd. Plus, they’re cool.

7. Paracetamol

And any other type of headache reliefs that you can get – like ibuprofen.

At Vfest, they had oxygen bars. But just in case you can’t find one, just take the paracetamol.

You go to a festival to have a good time and have a couple of drinks. Let’s make sure you can beat that hangover.

Avoid These to Enjoy the Fest whole-heartedly

  • Valuables– Never take valuable items with you at a festival. Sounds like a pretty basic thing, but you’d be surprised what people categorise as valuables these days. You don’t need the tablet or laptop. And you defo don’t need 30 pairs of earrings. You don’t have a safe place to keep them and you’ll end up losing them or have them stolen.
  • Excess Clothing– Light packing is a skill. You can read on tips and tricks There is no need to carry an extra set of clothes and increase your backpack’s size.
  • A restrictive mind– Glastonbury festival is one of those UK festivals which is not only famous for loud music but also for being a great experience for all those who have stiffened their backs in the office all year.

Check up the lineup on the site: http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/line-up/line-up-2016/

Enjoy every opportunity you get and love the atmosphere. Sing at the top of your voice, get drunk at the bar, get wet in the rain and get soiled in the mud. You never know when you will get this chance again.

Next festival is Vfest. Here’s another post on 5 essential things you need at a UK festival.

You’re welcome 🙂

Kahuzi-Biega National Park: An Island in the Middle of an Ocean of Poverty

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Kahuzi Biega Gorillas

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Kahuzi Biega National Park (KBNP) was created in order to protect the Eastern Lowland Gorillas (ELG), which is threatened by extinction. It has two sectors: the highland sector, which was originally created in 1970; and the lowland sector, where the park was extended in 1975. KBNP was the first national park to offer gorilla tourism in the early 1970s, but conflict and poverty in the region since then has led to encroachment of the park boundaries and a sharp decline in tourism.

The management of KBNP falls under the remit of ICCN (the Congolese Wildlife Service), which employs staff to protect the park, prevent poaching and support tourism. These staff work hard, but they are only a small force tasked with protecting an enormous area, making conservation work difficult. Communities around the area are heavily reliant on the KBNP for their livelihoods; collecting firewood, building materials, mineral extractions and bush meat from within the park. The men and women – both young and old – that engaged in these activities were often arrested and put in the park’s jail and forced to pay fines. This was in spite of the high levels of poverty among communities involved in these activities.

John Kahekwa Munihuzi born from the community in the highland sector of the KBNP was one of these rangers employed by ICCN as a teenager in the early 1980s to protect the park and learn more about the gorillas to habituate them for tourism. Tracking the gorillas each day, he was able to develop identification methods for 155 gorillas living in 6 groups, as well as the changing human pressures on the park; these pressures were at their most intense in the war years between 1996 and 2003. During this period, half the populations of gorillas in KBNP were killed for bush meat, trophies and selling live babies, as well as the entire elephant population in the park was killed. Before the war, and since its end, pressures reduced slightly, but many still remain, driven by the poverty of the surrounding communities and their resentment due to their sense of exclusion from the park.

John Kahekwa was shocked by these conflicts between the park and surrounding communities and wanted to better understand why they were happening. He interviewed more than 450 people from surrounding communities and kept hearing the same reply, “Empty stomachs have no ears, the KBNP is not for us, but rather belongs to the wardens, rangers and overseas organizations. We are poor and jobless and have no other way to live without entering the park, our former homeland”. John asked these people whether giving those jobs would fill their stomachs and open their ears to protecting the park; the answer was a universal “YES”.

John was determined to help these communities. In 1986, he used the tips he was given by tourists he had taken to visit gorillas, and bought t-shirt souvenirs to sell to tourists. This business worked well, and he was able to generate more revenue from a small part he acted in the film Gorillas in the Mist, BBC and ABC Sport documentaries and afterwards delivering lectures about KBNP’s gorillas. He managed to save USD $6,000, and – in partnership with fellow ranger colleagues and members of the local community – founded the Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) in 1992. The vision of the foundation was to use an inclusive model to work for conservation and sustainable development of KBNP and the surrounding communities.

POPOF was welcomed by communities and set about researching where the main human pressures were placed on the park. Almost a 90% of people are living in poverty and dependent on resources from within the park for their survival. Also a 75% rate of illiteracy, and that the park totally lacked buffer zones between communities’ farmland and the park boundaries. To address this, POPOF delivered environmental education programmes, economic development schemes and tree planting activities.

The foundation has continued to expand its reach since its inception more than two decades ago, and now delivers projects within six key themes:

1) The contribution to the habituation of new gorilla groups in the park and the gorilla members’ identification for the tourism.
2) Tree planting schemes, which have led to the planting of over 4 million trees in four groupings surrounding the park, engaged women in tree planting through its “women to face climate change” programme, and created a multiple use buffer zone between communities and the park. When trees often mature, they are sold for building materials and charcoal to provide income for families. Since the creation of this scheme, illegal deforestation has been reduced in areas POPOF acts.
3) Livestock programmes to reduce bush meat hunting. The foundation distributed pigs, goats and guinea pigs to families; families used these animals for meat and also sold livestock offspring to create an income. Bush meat poaching in the park declined as a result of these programmes.
4) POPOF has also worked with an often neglected group, the Twa pygmies. The foundation provided sewing machines and trained Twa women to make clothes and ranger uniforms. They were the first foundation to create a development project for Twa women although a fund was limited to maintain the project.
5) POPOF has also trained ex-poachers in wood-carving. Men and women involved in the scheme carve gorillas in different poses and some carvings are sold as souvenirs in the visitors centre at Tshivanga the KBNP’s headquarters.
6) POPOF has launched an education programme to inspire a young generation to better understand the importance and value of the park and work to protect it. They created the Anga-POPOF-Miti education programme, which is formed of three schools; a kindergarten, elementary and secondary school. Students in the school undertake the conventional DRC syllabus and in addition carry out tree-nursery training and seedling distribution. The school has graduated many students, some of whom – if their families have the means – have progressed to university.
7) After winning the 2013 Whitley Fund for Nature Award, POPOF is now expanding its programmes into Itebero the lowland sector of the park, responding to the needs of communities there for fish pools to provide livelihoods and reduce poaching.

A day of harvesting fish from pools in Itebero-KBNP’s lowland sector in order to fight against poverty and bush meat consuming by POPOF.

POPOF has addressed many of the threats to the park, but other threats remain, and the foundation does not have the necessary funding required to implement all the projects that are required to address these threats. ICCN and International Conservation NGOs are working to address many of the threats facing the park and are running some very effective programmes in some areas; however, large human pressures continue to afflict the park each year. For example, the eco-corridor between the highland and lowland sections is particularly affected, with 95% of the area settled by rich farmers. A significant weakness of these projects is a lack of trust by local communities. ICCN has authority over the park, but lacks authority over surrounding communities. International Conservation NGOs bring large budgets to fund projects, but local communities do not trust them in the same way as they do local Conservation NGOs, and these international Conservation NGOs rarely work with local conservation organisations to implement their projects.

We all have a duty to protect the KBNP as a world heritage site and other protected areas of DRC, as well as the communities surrounding those. The only way we will achieve this is by increasing collaboration between organisations. We must form partnerships between ICCN, international Conservation NGOs, local Conservation NGOs and communities. Together, we can fight the poverty surrounding the park and in the process protect KBNP and other areas protecting the sub specie of the Grauer gorillas known as “the forgotten gorillas”, the flora and fauna within. This is the best, and indeed the only, way to protect the most wonderful World Heritage Sites of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

To know more about conflicts between Park managers/communities around and resolutions. Please email to:
popofgrauer@gmail.com
kahekwajohn@yahoo.fr
or call:
+243 9 98 89 95 98.
Website: www.polepolefoundation.org

5 Reasons I Keep Booking Holidays in Spain

By
Ahabu Phillip
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For some time people are nagging me why I keep booking holidays in Spain when there are so many more places I haven’t explored in the world. And they are right, but once a year something draws me towards Spain. Is it it’s charm, the language, the people, sun, food or just the Latin blood I have running through my veins? It might be one or all of them so I made a list with my top five reason I keep going back:

1. The Sun

Cliché or not I live in Manchester so have some sympathy. I grew up in Mangalia, a small town in Romania by the seaside where summers involved beach parties and 35C on a chilly day. Thus, since moving to Manchester, I am mentally and physically missing the sun’s healing powers. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t like to be here this weekend?

2. The fun

I love the fun days and nights in Spain. Madrid, Barcelona and Salamanca are my favourites so far but next week I am going on a sun and food marathon through Malaga-Seville-Granada to get my energy levels back up for the rest of the year. I have the Latin blood going through my veins so you can imagine I love the atmosphere in a Spanish pub, café or club enjoying some tapas, tequila and a bit of salsa. There’s nothing quite like it.

3. The food

Ohh the food. As stated before, I am tapas maniac and I will devour tapas anytime of the day. While in Spain next week I decided to do a sequel to my small and innocent beginning of a world of tapas post last year (which I never quite got round to doing properly). So I will endeavour to try the best and cheap – while obviously authentic, tapas restaurants in Malaga, Seville and Granada.

I took the monarch airways test for it as well and as it turns out I am an expert. How well do you know your tapas? You can check with this pretty cool test.

4. The fashion

I am a shoe maniac as some of you may know. I will buy a pair of shoes even if it means sacrificing food for a week. I know what many of you will say I am superficial, there are more important things in life than shoes, that’s a waste of money, blah blah blah. Fact of the matter is we all have our addictions: mine is shoes. Could be worse I guess. And I LOVE SHOES! They are my therapy and shoe shopping gives me a sense of calm. Fact.

Now, shoes and clothes in Spain are so much cheaper (and better) than in the UK. You have brands that you will not find in Britain, or you can only find them in London* so whenever I get a chance to be in Spain I tend to do a bit of shopping. I actually stated why Barcelona is a shopaholic’s heaven in a post. Don’t take my word for it, try it.

Ps.: not the same lines and style and much pricier.

5. The culture

Spain is different (why tanto!!) That’s what any Spaniard will tell you when you ask why they love Spain. They don’t compare it to anything they just know it’s different. I was curious to get answers from some natives so I popped the question to some of my Spanish friends (and they are many). The question was asked in Spanish so I translated their answers.

Here are some of the reasons Spanish love their country:

“The weather, the festivals, the beaches, the food…these are the main reasons” (Vera Wells)

“Above all the joy of the Spanish people” (Helena Fernandez)

“Most people come to Spain as tourists and only drink and party. There is so much more to Spain than just visiting La Sagrada Familia. There are unforgettable experiences to be had like El Camino de Santiago, the beaches, the Cerveserias (beer pubs) and the cheap but delicious and authentic tapas; Andalucia is the birthplace of Flamenco and anyone can become a traveller (not a tourist) if they go with the right mind set, focusing on exploring what Spain is all about.” (Jesus Diaz Jodar)

Now it’s your turn? Why do you love Spain and is it for the right reasons? Let me know in the comments

Experience the Desert dreams of Jordan

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Jordan Desert Dreams

Jordan’s real beauty lies in the hospitable people and the great outdoors. Matthew Teller uncovers some of the Kingdom’s most authentic experiences

My companion tugs on my elbow. “This doesn’t even happen in dreams,” she says. “Walking up to your knees in wildflowers? Go on – we’re in a Flake advert, right?”

Not quite; we’re on holiday in the Middle East. Granted, it’s not a usual bit of it, but this sunny, green valley, watered by a clear brook, shaded by olive and fruit trees and carpeted in yellows and purples is northern Jordan to a tee.

So far, Jordan has successfully persuaded most visitors to head south. With Petra, Dana, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea on the menu, this is hardly a surprise. Yet the north is like another country. Instead of desert and mountains, expect fertile, rolling hills.

I’ve joined a small group walking the new Al-Ayoun Trail, the first community-owned, community-run tourism initiative in Jordan – and, probably, the entire Middle East. A one-day route of about 12km, it links three highland villages in the rural Al-Ayoun region. It’s been designed to focus on social engagement and developing the guest/host relationship that lies deep down in Arab culture. Though much of it passes through open country you are also routed quite deliberately into the villages.

The idea is to walk with a guide, learn about the area, to engage with individuals in each village (someone will prepare lunch in their home, someone else may invite you for tea, others may want to show you a particular site), to see and be seen, to stop and be stopped.

Jordan Map

The trail begins on the edge of the Ajloun Forest nature reserve. Past the Soap House, a community initiative employing local women to manufacture olive-oil soap by hand, the trail follows shepherd tracks through valleys lush with fig, pomegranate, carob and cherry trees, climbing past olive groves to end at the ruined Byzantine church of St Elijah, gazing out over the River Jordan. To walk it, contact specialist Jordanian operator Sarha (www.sarha.jo).

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

This is where Jordan really excels – the great outdoors. It’s a small country, so distances are manageable, but the terrain is amazingly diverse. Don’t miss the magnificent Dana Biosphere Reserve, in the south. A picturesque cluster of stone cottages huddled together on a cliffside outcrop, Dana village has rightly become celebrated as one of Jordan’s loveliest hideaways. Long settled as a farming community, it has become the focus for sustained projects of renovation and redevelopment.
Dana’s Guesthouse is a charming place to stay, perched overlooking the Dana valley – but even more alluring is the Feynan Ecolodge, hidden away at the lower end of the reserve. No roads come close: you either hike in or are driven across country by the local Bedouin. Out in the rocky desert, the lodge manages to evoke luxury chic without Dubai-style bling. Walk, laze or stargaze on the roof with a clear conscience; guides are drawn from Bedouin communities, food is sourced locally and the lodge runs on solar power. Find more information at www.feynan.com.

NEW PERSPECTIVE

Even the classic destinations are breaking the mould. For an entirely new approach to Petra, contact local firm Engaging Cultures (www.engagingcultures.com). As part of their grassroots approach to responsible tourism, they offer the chance to stay with the Ammarin Bedouin at their camp on the north side of Petra. Then you ride camels on a little-used back route across open country to approach the famed World Heritage Site from an unusual angle, emerging through the mountains at the monumental Monastery.

Further south, Jordan’s vast deserts have long entranced outsiders. Last November marked the 50th anniversary of David Lean’s classic Lawrence of Arabia, filmed amid the sweeping grandeur of Wadi Rum, where Lawrence based his operations during the Arab Revolt of 1917. A jagged mountain there is popularly known as the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, after Lawrence’s published account of his desert battles, and four-wheel-drive tours criss-cross the sands. For more romance, you could opt for genuine horsepower.

Wild Frontiers (020 7736 3968; wildfrontiers.co.uk) offers the chance to see Wadi Rum on horseback, working with local Bedouin owners and handlers to build an epic itinerary exploring the deep desert over five days in the saddle.

But if all the Lawrenciana has caught your imagination, you could pursue the man himself. Cox and Kings (0845 527 8294; coxandkings.co.uk) features a welter of Jordan itineraries, including a unique country-wide tour led by First World War historian Neil Faulkner which makes a point of visiting hard-to-reach desert sites associated with Lawrence – fortifications along the old Hejaz Railway, tented encampments and newly excavated buildings that were key to Lawrence’s desert campaigns.

LOCAL FLAVOURS

Jordan may dwell on its image of desert desolation, but in truth if you’re dreaming of golden dunes, moody bazaars and fading romance, you should go elsewhere. If, instead, you’d like a handle on how a young, cheerful Arab country is starting to tell some new stories about itself, Jordan merits a second look – particularly the lively capital, Amman, famed for its top-notch dining scene. Eating local is all very well, but how about learning how to cook local? At Beit Sitti, a tasteful 1920s townhouse in one of historic Amman’s most elegant residential neighbourhoods, you can book ahead for an evening (or an afternoon) learning about Arabic cuisine, then don an apron and prepare a full four-course meal of salads, appetisers, meat and vegetarian dishes and sweet desserts under expert local guidance. It’s a great way to get an unusual one-to-one take on Ammani culture – and, of course, you get to eat your handiwork as well (www.beitsittijo.com).

Continuing the gustatory theme, make contact with Omar Zumot, Jordan’s leading winemaker, who has single-handedly brought his country’s wine industry global recognition. Among a host of prizewinners in Zumot’s Saint George range, the 2009 Pinot Noir Winemaker’s Selection recently won gold at the prestigious Mundus Vini wine awards in Germany. Sample it and a wealth of others at Zumot’s gorgeous Winemaker premises in central Amman, where you can also arrange a tour of the vineyards (www.zumot-wines.com).

 

5 Essential Things You Need at a UK Festival

By
Ahabu Phillip
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Are you planning to attend a festival in London. Here are some of the essential things to pack for a UK Festival;

1. Bum Bag aka Fanny Pack

Fanny packs, aka bum bags always remind me of that awkward man wearing socks and sandals on a holiday, proudly displaying an I love Manchester t-shirt tucked in their combat short.

Yeah, you know what I am talking about.

Major fashion faux pas.

Not at a festival though.

Festivals are like this alternative dimension where bum bags are cool and if you want to be Uber Cool there’s always the option to go for high street fashion branded fanny packs that are at least £50.

Yeah you heard me, I said high street fashion fanny packs. So what, I am still in festival mode.

Other than that they’re actually pretty useful. Got to put all my valuables in it and not lose anything. Not even £1.

If you’re more practical you can get one from Amazon for about 10 quid max.

Extra: Flower headbands

Not a major thing but it’s good fun. Combine that with item number 3 below and you got yourself a winner. Gregory Porter up next…reminds me of #Locus10 fest from last year. New year, New festival #selfv #vfestival

A photo posted by Rodica (@uktravelroom) on

Flower headbands seem to be an absolute must for UK festivals. Probably because we don’t really have a summer or any other situation where wearing one would be allowed in public.

2. Shewee

Have you tried to pee in the ladies toilets after the first half a day

It’s grim and extremely busy.

And if you don’t have a strong bladder you might end up peeing yourself or peeing around any corner available alongside other 300 girls wanting to do the same.

And men just have these stalls where in less than 1 min it’s all done.

But worry not ladies. I’ve discovered Shewee.

Basically a funnel that you can use at festivals to pee like a man. Talk about gender equality.

I just got mine from Amazon for this year’s Vfest.

3. Face painting

Because it’s cool. And no other reason whatsoever.

And because at a festival it’s probably the only place you’re allowed as an adult to have butterflies and flowers painted on your face without anyone taking the piss.

4. Selfie bombing is an art form

Whilst waiting for the next act to start you will be stuck in the crowd with not much to do but drink and photobomb people’s selfies.

You need to wait for the right time and have the right face ready for action.

Takes years of practice.

I suggest practicing your photobomb face in the mirror before releasing it in the world.

5. Get them wellies

Wellies are defo a must have at a festival in the UK. Because it’s probably going to rain for 80% of your time at the festival and rain leads to mud.

And you really don’t need a rain coat either.

There’s no rain coat ever made that can protect you from the piss wet through storm I went through last year at Vfest. At one point I was colder and wetter with the bloody thing on so gave up, threw it away and started praying for the rain to stop.

There are certain situations in life when you simply have to man up and CTFO (chill the fuck out).

Wellies on the other hand, are probably one of the most essential items you should invest in. After the pouring rain there was a mud bath everywhere. There’s no way you can walk and still wear the shoes afterwards or have normal feet.

Bonus tip: spend a bit more than 10£ in ASDA on your tent to avoid having a pool of rain water around you in the first night. It’s a UK festival after all.

Things to be avoided at a UK festival

Things to do if you want to be a total knob head (1- less effective to 3 – total dick award)

  1. Throw your leftover drink in the crowd
  2. Throw a bottle with leftover drink and no cap in the crowd
  3. Piss in a cup and throw it in the crowd

I honestly witnessed all of the above happen and I still don’t understand WHY would any intelligent human being do such a thing.

At one point, at the verge of a nervous breakdown I went to one of these people and asked: WHY?

They’re excuse was: it’s just beer mate.

Felt like pouring my beer over their heads, smiling and saying it’s just beer.

But then again beer was too expensive and really not worth wasting on those individuals.

Other than that, I loved going at a festival in the UK. So much so I am going again this year.

What are your five things to take at a UK festival?

Night train to Narvik

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Narvik Travel

Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries take one of Europe’s most remote and beautiful train journeys, from Stockholm to the snowy far north of Norway

Late every afternoon, a rake of carriages gets shunted backwards into Stockholm’s main station.

Shades of blue and black on some, beige and grey on others. The train nudges up beside commuter services bound for Uppsala and other spots in the hinterland of the capital. Across the way, the city chic make haste for home. But another kind of passenger makes for the overnight service to Narvik, in the northern reaches of Norway. People wearing fur hats and sheepskin coats, soldiers on their way to one of the bases in the far north, families with skis. The train to Lapland is one of Europe’s most engaging train journeys. Perhaps not for the faint-hearted, but few other night trains offer that same beguiling combination of comfort and a heady sense of adventure.

The adventure of course is to a good degree all in the imagination, for in truth the first 15 hours of the journey are mainly a matter of watching the birch trees get smaller and the snow get deeper. Or eating and sleeping. The restaurant car offers reindeer stew with creamy mashed potatoes, Swedish beer and decent wines with nicely retro table lamps and a feast of fake mahogany, all presided over by an ebullient attendant who has crossed the Arctic Circle more than a thousand times. Images of the Swedish royal family adorn the walls of the carriage, which, with its blue curtains and imitation gold antimacassars, provides a perfect spot to linger over a slow dinner.

Proper night never really comes. Just a dreamy bluish twilight. Time for some hours of fitful sleep with an occasional twitching of the curtain to glimpse the rocks and the trees, and see the birches sink ever deeper into the snow. A moose watches the train lumber by in the night, and the veteran of Arctic train travel who presides over the restaurant car locks the bar for the night.

After hours of gently sliding through rocks and trees, the train slithers at six in the morning to a halt in Älvsbyn. The ebullient bartender is up and about and there is a smell of fresh coffee. Outside, winter snow has been bulldozed into neat piles. Men in fur coats chat on the platform, their breath making a hoary mist that hangs steady in the still air. A white van speeds up to the train and delivers the morning newspapers. Within a few minutes, every table in the restaurant car has a copy of Norrländska Socialdemokraten, one of those old-style dailies that speak to local values in this land of rocks and trees. There is news of the spring thaw, adverts for flights that hop over the Arctic Circle and obituaries for men and women who lived long lives and never left their northern homeland.

We take our places at the fake mahogany tables and settle down for breakfast. Settle down, too, to enjoy what is one of Europe’s most engaging rail journeys: the seven-hour run from Boden through Swedish Lapland to the port of Narvik in northern Norway.

We cross the Arctic Circle without great fanfare and almost at once see our first reindeer, standing around rather aimlessly in the snow. During a short stop at Gällivare, a Sami woman climbs on board. She has wrinkles that tell of three score winters spent in the far north, eyes that sympathetically survey the restaurant car, and clothes that tune to the climate. Dark brown leather trousers, and a long sheepskin coat in a delicate shade of bluish-grey, reaching almost to her ankles. Notwithstanding her age, this is a creature of exquisite grace and all eyes are on her as she carefully positions her coat on an empty chair and sweeps back her long dark hair. She sits down and orders coffee.

The railway route over the hills to Narvik was built just over a hundred years ago
to export iron ore. Valuable deposits of iron ore were found in the hill country of northern Sweden in the 17th century. Pioneer miners used to drag sledges laden with the valuable ore over the mountains to the ice-free waters of the Norwegian coast. In the late 1880s, the Norwegian railway engineer Ole Lund marked out possible routes for a railway, and English investors provided the capital — on the condition that the marine terminus of the railway on the Ofot Fjord should be named after the then English monarch: Victoriahavn. The company went bankrupt and English aspirations to create an Arctic monument to their queen were quickly eclipsed as Swedish and Norwegian engineers moved in to finish the task. Victoriahavn was renamed Narvik, and the entire route across the mountains to the Norwegian port was completed in 1902.

Exporting iron ore is still the railway’s main purpose. The few passenger services always give way to the powerful freight trains that thunder through the wilderness. The railway traverses some of Europe’s remotest terrain and for the modern traveller enclosed in the cosseted comfort of the train, it is difficult to imagine the hardships endured by the navvies who for a dozen years laboured to build the railway line. Much of the atmosphere of those early days on the railway is captured in recordings of the Rallerviser (ballads of the navvies).

There is a lyrical quality to these northern landscapes, ever more so as the railway skirts the shoulders of mountains and creeps up narrow valleys where the hillsides tilt sharper and sharper. For over 50km, the train runs along the south shore of Torneträsk, a magnificent glacial lake that is frozen for more than half the year.

In the lakeshore resort of Abisko, most of the passengers alight. Now it is just the old lady with the sheepskin coat and us who keep watch in the restaurant car. As the railway heads up into the hills at the western end of Torneträsk lake, there is a little cemetery beside the tracks with the remains of the navvies who died in the construction of the Ofoten railway. Simple white crosses recall those who died in accidents or perished from typhus. This stretch of line is the most northerly passenger railway in the European Union. There are lines in European Russia that are even closer to the North Pole.

At Riksgränsen, a station that balances on the border between Sweden and Norway and the highest point of the route, the Sami woman alights. The train tunnels through snow and then begins the long and winding descent to the Ofotfjord. Avalanches and landslides play havoc with the line and the route has been rebuilt many times. Away to the right there is a glimpse of the old Norddal bridge, which once carried the railway but now stands protected as a national monument. Then there are views of the great fjord in the distance, more tight curves and steep drops until bang on time, the sleek carriages of the night train from Stockholm to Narvik come gently to a halt at their final destination.

End of the line, but there are plenty of onward bus connections. Head west over a spectacular series of new bridges to the Lofoten Islands, or south along Norway’s fjord coast. More adventurous travellers might opt to continue ’round the top’ of Norway to the Russian border, a bus journey of two days. Narvik may ‘feel’ a long way north to those arriving by train from the south, but distances are deceptive; there’s still a lot of Norway beyond.

WAY TO GO

SJ

The overnight rail service from Stockholm to Narvik is operated by SJ (Sweden’s main national rail operator). Departure from Stockholm Central Station is at 5.50pm with arrival in Narvik at 2.58 pm the following day. One-way fares from 675 SEK (around £63.55) for a seat, 727 SEK (£68.45) for a couchette and 909 SEK (£85.60) for a berth in a sleeping car. Book online at www.sj.se or through Railbookers
Tel. 020 3327 0800 / www.railbookers.com

Sunvil Discovery

Sunvil Discovery Offers tailor-made holidays to Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Faroe Islands, year-round. Tel. 020 8758 4722 / www.sunvil.co.uk

Taber Holidays

Taber Holidays offers one-week holidays, including a night in Stockholm, overnight train to Luleå, Kiruna and a direct flight back to the UK. Tel. 01274 875199 / www.taberhols.co.uk

Czech Mate: Exploring Prague & Spa Towns

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Prague City Guide

Prague resident Jacy Meyer explores the unknown face of the capital of the Czech Republic and the spa towns beyond

We are entering a fairly shabby pasáž, or passageWay, just off one of the busiest streets in Prague’s new town quarter of Nové Mĕsto. Adam Gebrian, a self- described fan of architecture, is leading the charge through what feels like a company’s courtyard. then suddenly we are outside, in a square viewing the backsides of buildings. a sharp right turn and we are in – a garage. and then, out on the street again.

It has been a surreal shortcut from noisy, busy spálená to opatovická, a quieter street that winds around some of the best parts of the older section of nové Mĕsto, with its antiques shops, cafes and wine bars. it is seemingly hidden-but-visible places like this that get Adam excited about Prague.
“the most interesting and beautiful spaces are close to tourist spots but aren’t tourist spots,” says Adam, a trained architect who works independently on architecture-related projects. “you would think the better places used by locals were away from the centre, but that’s not true.”

Most people would not have independently taken the shortcut we just did, but pasáž like these are scattered across the city, mainly in the nové Mĕsto area. they were built at the beginning of the 20th century and are packed with beautiful architecture, but adam says most are only used as shortcuts by people who know about them. one of the best is located in the lucerna pasáž (www.lucerna.cz), off Vodičova street. there are three interlinked passages here, mainly art nouveau in style.

subtle and authentic

Look up when you are in the main hallway of the lucerna pasáž and dangling precariously overhead is a replica of the st. Wenceslas horse. a little altered by rebel Czech artist David Černý, this st. Wenceslas is astride an upside-down dead horse. head upstairs to the good but smoky café for a closer look.

By contrast, palác adria’s pasáž features a rondo-Cubism/italian renaissance motif with semicircular ornamentation and a portal with sculptures depicting the 12 signs of the zodiac.

“What’s great about Prague is that the area people visit is small, so it is easy to find some nice place right in the centre,” says adam. With many visitors to Prague leaving with a ‘been there, done that’ feel about the city, not many plan a return trip. strolling not that far off the rutted route of old town square-bridge-Castle, however, will show you a subtle, more authentic Prague.

In the Nové Mĕsto neighbourhood, adam recommends bohe(my) lounge & grill. it’s atop a fairly unattractive building on the corner of národní street. but it’s a secret oasis: completely outdoors, with wicker tables and chairs, and a tasty tapas menu. the problem is you have to negotiate a series of escalators through a department store to reach it.

“It’s an interesting building from the 1970s,” says adam. “after a reconstruction, it’s not so nice, but it has a fabulous rooftop terrace. people need to remember that the most beautiful attractions are the interiors, like st. nicholas Church in Malá strana. everyone knows it from the outside, but it’s more splendid inside – dynamic baroque – just incredible.”

Visitors looking to go where most tourists normally do not venture should head over to the holešovice area, a neighbourhood which adam says “feels like there is a lot of possibility.”

Jana tomášková is the artist coordinator for galerie Vernon (www.galerievernon. com), a private gallery in holešovice. the gallery’s team also coordinates tina b. (www.tina-b.eu), an annual contemporary arts festival, running this year from october 17-31. even if you can’t make it to prague for the festival, tina b. is arranging outdoor installations that will be on display throughout the winter. at the tV tower in žižkov (www.towerpark.cz), for example, there will be a golem installation by Czech-american artist shalom neuman and a pyramid made from plastic bottles.

“prague is quite diverse but the private galleries are in holešovice, the factory quarter,” says Jana. besides Vernon gallery, Vernon projekt is a 24-hour art installation in the window of a former shop (heemanova 12), while Dox (www.dox.cz) is one of the most exciting galleries in the city. housed in a former factory and sprawling across various buildings and levels, Dox has at least five different exhibits at any one time, featuring both local and international artists. nearby is the new creative complex osadní 35, which offers a number of private galleries, plus a café. for fine dining in the area, you won’t go far wrong with the asian sasaZu (www.sasazu.com), a Michelin bib gourmand restaurant. adam gebrian’s final piece of advice is simple and applies no matter where you go in the Czech republic. “the best cafes are on the first floor; the best pubs, underground,” he says.
seeking the cure for a different sort of exploration, head to the trio of spa towns northeast of prague: Karlovy Vary, Mariánské lázne and františkové lázne will give you a distinctive feel for the Czech republic.

“I have lived in Karlovy Vary all my life and in my view, the best thing is the location and size of the town. not too big, everything is near and all around is the countryside,” says Jarmila průšová.
Karlovy Vary is the Czech republic’s best known spa town, its thermal baths and drinking cures reputed to be beneficial in treating a host of ailments. the city’s golden years were in the 18th and 19th centuries, and most of the beautiful landmarks and colonnades date from this period. but while the destination is attractive, it is touristy and those looking to escape the masses may feel a little trapped. “the town is divided into two parts, one is the spa and the other the ‘civilian’,” says Jarmila. “i can recommend both. the spa part is mainly the colonnade with springs and hotels and restaurants, really just for tourists.” but sneak away from the colonnade section and you’ll find authenticity on the roads off t.g. Masaryka street. Jarmila recommends the Charleston restaurant (www.charleston-kv.cz), and sakura for sushi (www.sushisakura.cz). and do find time for a walk in the nearby woods.

“There are many trails in the forest,” says Jarmila, “and the best thing to see is a lookout tower called Diana (www.dianakv.cz); from here there is a beautiful view down to the town.” for a more relaxing visit to a spa town, check into a spa hotel in either Mariánské lázne or františkové lázne. in Mariánské lázne, a lovely park for strolling runs alongside the main street, with an impressive colonnade at the end. and in 2011, a new spa complex called Maria’s spa (www.marienbad.cz) opened, offering a unique experience using peat and Co2 gas in its treatments.

Meanwhile, františkové lázne is a bright yellow breath of fresh air, with its lovely spa houses and pavilions offering charm from the turn of the 19th century. nearby forests, parks and orchards make this a natural place to unwind, with three large parks surrounding the city centre.

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