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Photography holiday to Nepal

I recently attended a talk on an escorted photography holiday to Nepal, which was interesting, fascinating, thought provoking and inspirational. Just what you would expect from a country which hosts two of the world’s most important religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, the world’s highest mountains, and where the terrain dictates that time pretty much stands still.

Your Photography Why

After an introduction to the team leading the expedition, each member of the team spoke about what they got out of the trip, and what those who went on it could expect.

This was not a discussion on the best camera bodies and lenses, of apertures and f-stops. The question that has to be answered is not what or how, but why. Why are we taking photographs? Why would we travel some 4,500 miles, to some quite difficult terrain at high altitude to take photographs.

Once you nail the answer to that question, then you have a chance to turn your snap into a photograph, something that will have meaning for everyone, and not just yourself.

The answer to that question from all those on the team, although perhaps expressed slightly differently, was the same. The camera acts as a connector to the subject, be it a person, an animal, a landscape, a momentary sharing of something, and from that connection we try to tell a story. One example was given of a portrait of a small boy, with the horrors of the 2015 earthquake etched onto his young face, the ruins of his village behind him. It is striking, but the next photograph, when the photographer had said something funny to him, shows a beaming smile, a momentary connection between photographer and subject that they and only they shared, and that is why he takes photographs.

The why, perhaps the key to all great art. Music, or paintings, or literature, all connects us. A representation of something is just a picture, a replica of an original. It might be pretty, but we do not feel connected to it. The photographer Susan Sontag said “All photographs are memento mori. To take a photograph is to participate in another person’s (or thing’s) mortality, vulnerability, mutability. Precisely by slicing out this moment, and freezing it, all photographs testify to time’s relentless melt.”

Do you need to be a good photographer to take a photography holiday to Nepal, or indeed to anywhere else? No, absolutely not. Indeed a holiday with expert instructors is aimed precisely at those who are not so good. One of the presenters at this talk did not even own a camera before he went on a previous trip, and his starting level, according to the tutors and himself, was abysmal. You would never have guessed from the photos he was taking by the end of the trip.

One of the reasons for taking a photography holiday of two weeks (or thereabouts) is to completely immerse yourself in the art with a view to improvement. Day courses or short courses are fine, fun, interesting, but most of us are busy. We learn a little, get inspired a little, and then get back into the usual routine of life, and do not spend long enough practising what we have learned. We do not have the time to learn from our failures and mistakes or to feel that quiet moment of pride and satisfaction when you take a photograph that works, that hits your why. With so much to photograph, even 9 or 10 days will seem too short, one of the reasons why many people keep returning to Nepal. Should you photograph Everest in the early morning, late evening, or even at night, lit only by the stars? Yes, to all three.

You are working with a small group of others under the tutelage of an expert, someone who knows Nepal and its hidden secrets and how and when to capture them. Yes, it is competitive, you will want to take a photograph that is as good as….. well, better really, than your companions. But it is a friendly rivalry, one where everyone learns from everyone else. You are, after all, creating connections.

Why Nepal

There are so many good photo tours about, so why would you take a photography holiday to Nepal?

On the photography side, the answer lies in the quality of the light, the colours, the textures, all of which combine to give perfect conditions for taking photographs.

There is no shortage of persons, places, animals, things to photograph. You can see life etched into the faces of those sitting for portraits. The bustling and chaotic streets of Kathmandu, the temple at Janakpur and the holy men of Pashupatimah Temple give way to the silent splendour of the Himalayas. The wildlife of the Chitwan National Park, with 68 species of Mammals, 554 species of birds and 556 of reptiles and amphibians will tempt you with the possibility of seeing and photographing rhino, elephants and tigers. Where else can you go trekking with Gurkhas and Sherpas, igniting dreams of Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing, of Mallory and Messner.

But perhaps the most important thing is how it will change and transform you. The people have nothing and yet are happy. By contrast, it seems that back in the West, the more we have, the more we want, a never ending pursuit of want, rather than appreciation and gratitude of what we have. You will learn to appreciate simple things like being able to flick a switch and have electricity at your fingertips or water by turning on a tap. You will understand the human connection we have with each other, and with our environment.

And you will come away with friends for life, your companions on the tour.

I am planning on running a 10 day photography holiday to Nepal next year with the help of some expert photographer tutors, the best local guides and translators and connections from some high level contacts in Nepal. If you would like some more information about the trip, please message me and I will add you to a mailing list.

Travel May 8, 2019

Royal Brunei Flights : A good value for money service

I recently had occasion to try out Royal Brunei flights. It is now fairly well established that when you come to book a flight, the further away the departure that you book, the better price you will get. Obviously it can be difficult to plan ahead by as much as 11 months, usually the maximum time away.

On my recent trip to the Philippines, I left it late, 3 weeks before departure, for booking, and was unpleasantly surprised at the difference in price from about 6 weeks. The difference was £850 with Cathay Pacific as against £350, Scanning around, I found a deal with Royal Brunei Flights at just over £500. There was a slight drawback, a four hour stopover in Brunei on the way out and 5 hours on the way back. I did have a look at the possibility of stopping over in Brunei for a couple of nights on the 5 hour trip, but it did not really fit in with my schedule. I thought however, that I could use the stop over time to get some work done. At a saving of £350, I thought that it was something with which I could put up.

Two things happened after booking. Firstly, I then looked at some trip advisor reviews of Royal Brunei Flights. The most recent reports did not make encouraging reading with delayed flights, poor customer service and lack of information. Secondly, the Sultan of Brunei announced that the Kingdom would reintroduce the penalty of stoning to death those convicted of homosexuality, and George Clooney and some of his celebrity chums led calls to boycott the airline and hotels owned by Brunei.

I do not think that quite so much publicity was given to the requirement that in order to earn the penalty of being stoned to death, the act to be condemned had to be witnessed by four people. While I am not in favour of the death penalty for any crime (apart possibly for littering), it does seem to me that this sort of evidential requirement does make it unlikely that the sanction will ever actually be put into practice. Indeed, although Brunei provides the death penalty for a number of offences, no one has been put to death since 1957. At more or less the same time, Saudi Arabia crucified 27 prisoners, and Dubai threatened to imprison a UK citizen for calling a love rival a horse on Facebook. Silence from Mr Clooney. I suppose he was busy.

My flight from London left absolutely on time. The staff were polite and helpful. The seat on the Dreamliner was comfortable. Possibly Mr Clooney’s urged boycott was having some effect because the plane was by no means full, which gave an added aura of comfort. I rarely watch films on flights, even long distance flights, so I could not really comment on the quality of film choice, although from the quick perusal I had, there was nothing to excite me.

The flight to Bandar Seri Begawan arrived on time and we were quickly disembarked and led through transit. If there is a drawback to flights on Royal Brunei, it is that the terminal at Bandar Seri Begawan is limited. There is plenty of space, and a number of fashion and accessory concessions, but only one restaurant, and that closes at 9 pm. Worse, there is a minimum spend of $10, which might strike you as expensive if you only want a cup of coffee. There is a shop selling biscuits, chocolate and drinks (non alcoholic of course) where you can use a credit/debit card with no minimum spend.

There is free WiFi, but limited to an hour. Given that most flights stopping over had substantial waiting times, this does seem a little restrictive. I had a book and some work, so managed to work quite well on my lap, but would have liked to have had a coffee to go with it.

The return flight was slightly late, perhaps about half an hour, but with a 5 hour stopover it was hardly a problem. The flight from Brunei to Heathrow was pretty much fully but again the flight was entirely without incident

Another feature of Royal Brunei is that the baggage allowance in Economy is 40 Kg, a definite disadvantage for those whose partners feel that they have to pack up to the full allowance, but are not expecting to carry the bag.

So, without wishing to express support or condemnation of any of the policies of the Kingdom of Brunei, I would certainly recommend at least checking prices with Royal Brunei and flying with them if the price and flight times fit in with your budget and schedule. I will have no hesitation with flying with Royal Brunei Flights in future. It seems a good route for Bali and Manila, perhaps less so for Thailand, Malaysia and China as this means going back on yourself, but worth considering if the price is right.

Travel March 12, 2019

The First Space Tourists?

On July 20 1969 at 20.17 UTC, Neil Armstrong landed Apollo 11 on the surface of the moon. The summer of 2019 could be the year of the first space tourists. Both Virgin and Blue Origin (Amazon/Jeff Bezos) are thought to be close to being able to offer a journey into space to view the curvature of the earth and to experience weightlessness.
A third contender, Elon Musk is still a few years away, but the proposal there is to send a passenger to orbit around the moon.
Virgin have already had a second successful test launch, reaching 56 miles up, and it is thought that they will run up to another 4 tests before it is made available to the public.
A new facility is currently being built to accommodate space tourists before they depart. It will be a lot more high tech than most airports, but presumably will not need to feature passport control or duty free shops.

The cost is estimated to be about $250,000 per person. Sadly, I do not expect to be arranging too many of these in the immediate future….. what a referral that would be! But it did get me thinking about the sort of (non-literal) “out of this world” experience I would like to do. Round the world cruise? Safari? Realistically, and perhaps only slightly out of reach at the moment, an Antarctic cruise might be top of my wish list. I probably could not decide whether to go for the more basic, expedition style cruise, or whether to go for a more luxurious trip. I would possible veer to the expedition style, to include meeting the lighthouse keeper at Cape Horn, the most Southernly point.

Travel October 8, 2018

Wanderlust Magazine and Tour Guides

Wanderlust Magazine

I recently had the pleasure of being invited to the Wanderlust Magazine Tour Guide Awards 2018. This was a particularly special award ceremony for Wanderlust Magazine as it was their 25^thAnniversary.

Dreamt up 25 years ago by husband and wife team Paul Harrison and Lyn Hughes on a trip to Ecuador, the magazine has gone from humble beginnings to one of the most important travel magazines on the shelf today. Lyn recounted how she and Paul were travelling to Ecuador and, fed up with the lack of travel magazines, started sketching ideas out for a magazine on the back of sick bags and using a biro borrowed from an air hostess. The name was established almost immediately with Paul commenting “Once you’ve got wanderlust in your blood, you’ve got it for life.” Despite being told by WH Smith that there was no market for a travel magazine, they persisted and released the magazine with a print run of 5000. 5 months later in April 1994, the magazine is sold out and can now be found on the shelves of WHY Smith, and it is onwards and upwards. It is also available online https://www.wanderlust.co.uk

Sadly Paul contracted cancer in 2001, and battled this dreadful disease until 2004 with not a grumble or complaint when he passed away. Gifted photographer and writer, he was a natural traveller, with boundless enthusiasm and curiosity, and a passion for communicating his enjoyment of travel to others. He was always quick to credit the importance of travel guides for showing the real spirit of a place. It was therefore a fitting tribute to him for Wanderlust Magazine to commence an annual award to commemorate the best tour guides from around the world.

Bill Bryson and travel writing

The award ceremony was held at the Royal Geographical Society and hosted by photographer and guide Paul Goldstein. Another highlight of the evening was a discussion between the founder, Lyn Hughes and the well known travel writer Bill Bryson. I have to confess that, although I have been well and truly bitten by the Wanderlust Bug, I find most travel writers fairly dull, and rarely do I feel encouraged to visit anywhere these writers recommend. . I do make an exception of Bill Bryson. I find his almost Britishly dry sense of humour very similar to mine, and he writes engagingly well on most places.

The Nominees

We then moved onto an interview with the 10 guides shortlisted. They were all very different, from a wildlife expert in the Galapagos to a leader of African Safaris, from Devon to the far East, but the one common denominator was their passion for their craft, for ensuring that all of their visitors experienced the unique characteristics of the place that they were visiting. Equally as important as thee visitors are the indigenous people. They must also benefit from the tourism coming to their region. When one looks at the sometimes damaging effects that tourism can have, from over-occupancy in Barcelona and Venice to the environmental damage to places like the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand and Boracay in the Philippines, it is so refreshing to see that the local impact is treated with such respect. One of the slogans of one the award winning companies is that “we love changing lives”, and the lives being changed are both tourist and local.

One of the presenters commented that, in this day of online reviews, it is so common for a bad review to be written but so rare for credit to be given where it is due for an exceptional experience. Each of those nominated had been so because of the exceptional service that they had given, even to the most difficult and bloody minded of guests. It was so wonderful to see people driven by passion, dedication and a unique sense of their duty to their clients.

The Winner

The winner was announced as Julie Gabbott, who has led trips all over the world. The judges commented on her humour, empathy with her all of her clients and her organisational skills. She leaves behind her a trail of happiness wherever she goes.

I have yet to go one a holiday with a tour guide, but after this evening, it has certainly rocketed to the top of my wish list, probably to India. This is without a doubt the best way to fully experience the local way of life, to really connect with another place and people.

Bravo the tour guides and Bravo to Wanderlust Magazine for creating such a special award.

Holiday suggestions Travel September 14, 2018

Siargao, the perfect holiday in the Philippines

Siargao Island

Just when you thought that the Philippines had no surprises, you discover the island paradise of Siargao, otherwise known as the surfing capital of the Philippines. A water lover and thrill seeker’s paradise it is also perfect for yoga and meditation retreats. The Island, or group of islands, can be reached by plane from Manila and Cebu.

https://www.anthonystravels.com/its-more-fun/

You should be aware that the ATM machines on Siargao Island do not accept most foreign cards, so it is important to bring enough cash with you. Alternatively, or perhaps additionally, you could download the World Remit App, and then transfer cash to yourself for collection from the mL Huiller. This remittance/cash collection is pretty much instantaneous.

Surfing

The island caters for surfing at all levels, from the GI break and Jacking Horse for beginners up to the famous Cloud 9 break, which has a reputation for thick, hollow tubes. (I don’t know what that means, but I am told by surfing friends that thick hollow tubes are a good thing). The Red Hot Chillies song, Surf to live to Surf was inspired by a visit here. Many of the small villages and cafes exude that surfing vibe.

Island Hopping

A popular excursion here is a day trip to three small islands, Guyam, Naked Island and the little fishing island of Dako Island. This is where your Instagram feed is going to go through the roof: clear seas, white sand…..

There are a host of other activities to undertake. The beaches here are spectacular but perhaps slightly less geared towards swimming than in the rest of the Philippines. There are a number of reefs not far out from the beach with jagged and sharp edges. However, if you are looking for beaches with thick vegetation and palm or coconut trees up to the edge, this is the place for you. The beaches are less well known than other beaches in the Philippines so are much less frequented. Don’t be surprised if you are pretty much alone, except for the hermit crabs. Popular (using the term loosely) include Alegria Beach, with its white sand and crystal clear water. ‘Crystal Clear” is a much abused term when it comes to describing exotic seas, but really is an understatement when it comes to the Philippines. Pacificio beach is another quiet, small surfing town and beach.

Adventure Seeking

Those in search of adventure and exploration will probably not want to leave Siargao with its caves, and cliffs, its lagoons and pools.

Tayangban Cave Pool is a must visit attraction. Swim or float in darkness for about 15 minutes in the company of bats flying overhead until you reach an open space, where you can then jump from about 17 foot into the pool below

Sugba Lagoon is a spectacular lagoon surrounded by mountains. You can rent a raft or dive board here, and swim through the peaceful water in an environment almost forgotten by time.

The Magpupungko Rock Pools offer clear water, caves. Coves, and cliff jumping, while the Sohoton Caves are a unique natural reserve, where among other things you can swim with non-stinging jelly fish. You can also visit the Hagukan Cave where the water glows an electric blue when you splash it. In the North can be found the only waterfall in the Island, with yet more cliff jumping, tree jumping and exploration.

Accommodation

The accommodation in Siargao is very much about getting back to nature, being eco- conscious, and experiencing a particular type of Filipino way of life, but without being uncomfortable.

The Soul Tribe describes itself as being a luxury beachside retreat, with ocean fronted cabanas and glamping style bell tents. Their website says that their take on health is about making conscious decisions that feel right to you and your body with yoga and massage, surfing and kite surfing, and horseback riding.

“We promise you will wake up every day feeling as far away from the daily grind as possible”

Is this what a holiday is all about?

The perhaps unfortunately named Kermit resort tells you to get ready for an island experience you will never forget with its local vibe, amazing cuisine and range of air conditioned cottages and bungalows. This is a good choice if you want all your activities organised under one roof. It has its own surf school, yoga area, and arranges island hopping and other excursions.

For more information about Holidays in the Philippines, why not check out my site dedicated to this wonderful country

http://www.holidayinthephilippines.co.uk

Travel February 16, 2018

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome to Berlin

It was my first visit to Berlin and I had really no idea what to expect. Would it be the Berlin of Sally Bowles of Cabaret fame, a seedy, vicious pre War Berlin spiralling slowly downhill into the hands of the Nazis? Or perhaps Cold War Berlin, the Wall, George Smiley, a really black and white Berlin? Or maybe a young, colourful Berlin, with street art, graffiti, blaring techno music?

Arriving at Shoenefeld Airport, and the sign welcoming me to the Capital of Spies, it looked like it would be the Berlin of spies and suspicion.

I took the Airport Express, the easiest way to travel from the Airport to my hotel in Alexanderplatz, and then my perception of Berlin began to change. Where is everybody? Alexanderplatz is a big, empty square, bordered by a few shops familiar to the UK, C & A and Primark, but hardly any people. I walked up the wide, almost empty road to my hotel. Where is the traffic? Admittedly it was the middle of a weekday, but in London there would be hustle and bustle, hooting and shouting, cars knocking down cyclists and cyclists harassing pedestrians.

The following day, I was due to meet with the Berlin School of Photography for a workshop, looking at five iconic tourist sites through the creative eye of a camera lens. We were to meet at the site of the old traffic light in Potsdamer Platz, where I had my next surprise. There are three slabs of the Berlin Wall still in situ, with a line in the pavement showing the run of the Wall. They were much smaller and thinner than I had been expecting. And again, Potsdamer Platz was almost empty.

The Berlin School of Photography was founded by Bettina von Kameke. She has spent many years living and working in London, and her English and knowledge of England was impeccable. The workshops she holds are conducted either in German or English, depending on those participating. After meeting, we went to a Café in the fairly newly constructed Sony Centre, an impressive structure of glass and shiny steel hiding behind modern buildings. After filling us with ideas, Bettina let us loose on the Sony Centre, looking for reflections and lines, patterns and people. From there we had a short walk to the Memorial to the Murdered Jewish People.

The memorial consists of a series of equally sized, dark grey and coffin shaped blocks of concrete. It creates an impressive series of shadows and shapes, ideal for the photographer, but still it still felt a little odd to be photographing in a memorial to mass murder. Not disrespectful, but certainly odd. I have seen some criticism of this memorial that it is not specific enough about the identity of the murderers, that the German people need to be reminded of what their forebears have done. I disagree. I do not think that Germany of today has to apologise for anything. To my mind, the power of the memorial is not that it is rooted in its past, it is a monument to the present and to the future, a reminder that, in spite of the horror of the holocaust, we still have had the death camps of Stalin, the killing fields of Cambodia, Srebrenica, the Yazidis, the Rohyingas. Ethnic cleansing is carried out by ordinary people and we are all just ordinary people.

From the memorial it was on to the Brandenburg Gate, and then to the Reichstag, and the extraordinary glass tower designed by Sir Norman Foster, lunch at the Bundestag and a discussion of our day. For anyone wanting to improve their photography skills while also seeing some of Berlin, Bettina’s course is a perfect day out.

I only had three full days in Berlin, one taken up the workshop, and one with seeing friends, so I was going to be limited to what I could see. I decided to concentrate on what was left of the Berlin Wall, and then, by way of a change, trendy Kreuzberg.

It is very difficult to look at what is left of the Wall and get any sense of the history behind it, and in particular the violence behind its ideology. If I visit a medieval castle in England, it is not difficult to imagine life in the castle, maybe defending the castle against attackers, but one does not get any sense of the Wall dividing a city both geographically or ideologically. The Museum at Checkpoint Charlie does have exhibits dealing with the historical context of the Wall, and interestingly goes on to show some of history’s more recent developments, such as the 9/11 attacks. I do not really see the connection, but it does serve to remind us that today’s present is tomorrow’s history.

The Wall alongside the Speer is now covered with Street Art and graffiti, some of it well known, even famous, others more transient. A thing of ugliness transformed into something of beauty, an ugly past becoming a colourful present and future.

The Museum at Bernardstrasse tries hard to give a sense of what the Wall stood for. There was some local discussion as to whether or not there should even be a memorial to the Wall. But, again, I think the answer is straightforward: these memorials are as important for the present and future as they are for the past. A Wall in Berlin seems inconceivable now, and yet we have a wall in Palestine and the ordinary people of the US seem to be in favour of one on their border.

The museum tells some of the stories of the people who died trying to escape across the Wall or by swimming the river Speer, of the tunnels, and also of those who were caught trying to escape. Outside stands another wall of photographs of those who died, as well as a small fragment of the Wall and boundary. There is a modern Art installation featuring a small plot of land sown with Rye, a symbol of reconciliation. Reconciliation, that is what Berlin has achieved. Its wide open streets and spaces give a sense of calm and of peace, a city at ease with itself, a city in which to live, love, to bring up a family. I saw so little of Berlin on my short trip, but what I have seen has left me hungry for more, and to explore more of Germany, the land of Beethoven and Wagner, fairy castles and grand rivers, fabulous wines and Christmas markets.

Travel December 29, 2017

Cooking a Tagine in Marrakech

I want to write about my experience at a cooking school in Marrakech, but there are two things that are holding me back. Firstly, the most notable aspect of the class was the fantastic smells and aromas that I was producing from my pots and pans, or rather my expert chef was helping me to produce. I find it incredibly difficult to identify smells, alone describe them. If I am at a wine tasting class, everyone else will be saying, “Yes, I can smell lemons and jasmine, cherries and whatever…..” I sit there, thinking quietly to myself “I can only smell wine.” And how do you describe a smell? How would you describe what a lemon smells like?

The second concern holding me back is how to write about this in an interesting way, and not sound like a recipe book? Let me make a terrible confession for someone who wants to be a good travel writer and blogger. I find most travel writing quite tedious to read. Writing about one’s travels is by its very nature a personal experience, and why would anyone else be interested in the way that I react to a particular place?

Hopefully you are still reading this piece, so I will dive straight in by saying that I chose to take my course at the Clock Café near the bottom end of the Kasbah. There was no real reason for choosing the Clock Café other than it was near the Riad in which I was staying, and was therefore easy to get to without getting lost. It was a good choice though.

The Clock Café in Fez was opened by an Englishman, specialising in camel burgers among other things. It aims to be a fusion of East and West, not just in cooking, but in culture as well, with live performances, story telling and dancing. A second café was opened in Marrakech and a third is about to be opened in the blue city of Chefchaouen.

I was a little disappointed that I was the only person at the class that day. The other two people who had booked did not turn up. It did mean that I had the sole attention of the chef, Simo. We went through the Clock menu and chose an Aubergine puree starter, lamb tagine and Moroccan macaroons to follow.

The first task was to go out and buy some of the ingredients from local shops. Beautiful meat hanging from hooks, small aubergines, spices and herbs. It was when the fresh coriander was put into the basket that I first realised that this was going to be olfactory attack on the senses. I’ve always loved the smell of coriander, but this was up a notch or two from anything I had smelt before, stronger without being overpowering, just more vibrant than what I had smelt before.

Up in the kitchen I was soon put to work, chopping and slicing. The aubergines were placed on a gas grill to cook, charring the skins. The tagine ingredients were assembled and we started to cook them slowly. It is such a shame that cameras can only capture sight, and not smells. I knew from my wine tasting experiences that smelling the wine prepares the brain for the wine that you are about to taste, and so enhances the flavour. Even after 30 minutes or so of cooking, the smell in the kitchen was incredible. I could taste some of the depths of flavour in the juices that were developing, and the tasting and smelling were sending my brain crazy.

And then it was done. A silky aubergine zaleek with a lentil soup, lamb tagine, and then some crumbly macaroons. They looked amazing, smelt amazing and tasted amazing!

But would I be able to recreate these dishes at home and without my chef tutor to help me? That’s the subject for another blog post!

Travel November 28, 2017

All Riads lead to Marrakech

Marrakech is one of those places I’ve wanted to visit for almost as long as I can remember, and yet I’ve waited until my 5th decade to do so. It was the Graham Nash song, Marrakech Express, that first ignited my interest. True it has one of those irritating jangly rhythms that get under your skin. True, the song was described by Iggy Pop in the early 1970s as one of the worst songs ever written. But in spite of all of that, I have always wanted to go, attracted by the hippy vibe, and as the song goes, to blow the cobwebs from my mind. More recently I was reading an article about the Jardin Majorelles, the house formerly owned by the designer, Yves St Laurent, and I thought,”Right, that’s it, let’s go.” Two weeks later, I was on an Easy Jet flight.

Accommodation

Choosing accommodation was relatively easy. I knew that I wanted to stay in a traditional Riad in order to fully savour the Moroccan experience, and eventually landed on the Riad Calista, at the bottom end of the Kasbah. Basic, clean, friendly, it had all that I needed and was reasonably cheap. The Manageress was incredibly helpful and went out of her way to ensure that I was comfortable and enjoying myself in Marrakech.

The Market

On my first day I had decided to walk to the Jardin Majorelles, which was perhaps a mistake for two reasons, firstly because it was hot, and secondly because my route took me through the souks and Medina. I managed to avoid eye contact with sellers and traders only for a few minutes, and then fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. “Hi, English? Can you help me translate something?” And at that, I was in his shop, his very impressive shop packed full of things that I did not want to buy. I admired his fabulous carpets, but in the end managed to end up buying a pair of Ali Baba pointed slippers, and an elaborate handbag, before escaping into the perfume market. I emerged from there stinking of amber, and jasmine, and God only knows what else, but fortunately with wallet still intact, and into the hands of the silk dyers. I had no chance here, as they showed me the colour of the dyes, and their fabulous scarves or pashminas. I thought that they would make good presents to take home, so I bought four.

Tip : When going to Marrakech, go with an empty suitcase: it won’t be empty on the return journey

Jardin Majorelles

I finally managed to get to the Gardens. There was a small queue outside, but I paid my 180 dirhams and entered. As you enter, you immediately encounter a small fountain in a courtyard, and one is hit by the stillness. Paths lined with exotic plants and bamboos quietly lead you to a house in the most striking and extraordinary shade of cobalt blue

I had read that blue is considered to be a calming colour in the psychology of colours, and I have to say that, in spite of the electric colour here striking you between the eyes, the overall effect of the house and gardens is one of great calm. One can easily see understand why Yves St Laurent found that this was a perfect place in which to find the inspiration for his designs.

Outside the house are lamp posts with pink banners and a quote from YSL,

“When I discovered Marrakech, it came as an enormous shock. Especially its colours. The city opened my eyes to colour”

And it is colour that really strikes you about this house and garden.

The House contains a museum dedicated to the Berber way of life. Having come from the market, it was noticeable how little had changed in Berber art and style over several hundred of years. What was in the Museum could equally well have been found in the souks. And why change what is already perfect?

This is the first of a small series of posts about my time in Marrakech.

Should you want details of the trips I can organise for you through my ABTA regulated travel agency

Anthony Kingsley@ Not Just Travel, please email me at anthony.kingsley@notjusttravel.com

Holiday suggestions Travel September 19, 2017

It’s more fun

It’s more fun in the Philippines…… the official tag line of the Department of Tourism for the Philippines. And they are right. There is just so much to see and do in this often neglected corner of South East Asia that it is impossible to cram even a fraction into most holidays. We will focus on some of the easier places to see, but are only too conscious that we are simply scratching the surface of this amazing and welcoming country.

Visitors will almost certainly arrive in Manila, the location for the Thriller in Manila, the second fight between Ali and Frazier. Even the official website describes Manila as “a dense stew of urban development and historic sentiment”. Hardly a ringing endorsement, but still work spending a few days here.

Manila has the reputation of the worst traffic in the world. It’s perhaps unfair, but to be expected in a city with one of the biggest populations and no underground train/metro/subway. But there are other means of transport, including the colourful, customised jeepneys and public transport will seem incredibly cheap to Westerners used to paying for their more civilised systems.

Quite apart from the hustle and bustle, there is still a UNESCO world heritage site here, the San Agustin Church in the Intramuros, one of the best preserved medieval forts outside Europe.

If staying in Manila, an excellent day trip outside the city is to the Taal Volcano a couple of hours bus ride away. Taal has an island within a lake, that is on an island within a lake, that is on an island. Confusing? Yes, but incredible to visit.

Of course, the Philippines is best known for its beaches and Islands. There are over 7000 islands, of which Boracay and Palawan are regularly voted the most beautiful in the world. For me, Palawan wins hands down because of its diversity, gorgeous beaches, stunning cliffs, an underwater cave and some of the best diving in the world.

Boracay is perhaps becoming a victim of its own success, as over development threatens the idyllic nature of the island, pushing up prices, but still remains a fabulous place to sit and do nothing.
Palawan is about an hour and a half away by plane from Manila, and has two airports, the principal one in Puerto Princessa and a second in El Nido. Palawan has an extraordinary underground river, another UNESCO site, as well as some of the best diving in the world. Crystal clear seas cover barracuda infested shipwrecks and a host of marine life.
Bohol: About an hour’s flight from Manila and home to the amazing Tarsier and chocolate hills of Bohol. The Tarsier is a small mammal with enormous eyes, and are mainly nocturnal. They are very nervous so would probably have joined the ranks of extinct animals had a sanctuary not been established to preserve them. The Chocolate Hills are bizarre hills, shaped and coloured like chocolate (although not like chocolate as I know chocolate!) and are best visited by hiring a go cart type vehicle. The beaches in Bohol are probably no better than fine, with the best in Panglao Island. I often hear criticism of the cuisine in the Philippines compared to other South East Asian countries, but I would have to say that the best squid I have ever eaten, by far, came from a restaurant near Alona Beach.
Cebu was the first Spanish Settlement in the Philippines and therefore is a mix of history, culture and modern living. This is another busy city, with its own vibe, but not far from the hotels, casinos, shopping malls etc, are still pristine beaches with an abundance of wildlife waiting to be discovered. Cebu is also the home of the Lechon, the famous whole roasted pig, with its crispy skin and delicious meat.

: Chocolate Hills

: Tarsier

: Boracay

: Palawan

Our ideal itinerary in the Philippines would be a few days in Manila, and then to head off to one of the islands for some well deserved rest and relaxation, plus taking in some of the extraordinary sites. It is a great place to learn how to dive, as the seas are so clear, and there is so much to see under the water, almost as much as above.

The food is perhaps not as complex as Thai or Vietnamese but national dishes such as Adobo and Lechon are definitely worth trying. And no visit to the Philippines can miss some Lambanog, the Philippine spirit made from Coconut, and not for the faint hearted!

Apart from the beaches, there is plenty of activities to give the adrenalin junkies their fix with a huge range of water sports, motor sports, zip wires, and other near death experiences. The Philippines has a wide range of wildlife, from the incredible monkey eating eagles, through to the tiny Tarsier, and of course whale sharks and other marine life. When they say it’s more fun, they really mean it’s more fun. Come and enjoy it!

Holiday suggestions Travel July 11, 2017

Cruising for Beginners

I’ve always had reservations about cruising as a holiday destination, but those reservations have been founded on a basic ignorance of what is involved in a cruise. My preconceptions included that only old people cruised, that passengers were rushed from destination to destination, that I would be trapped with too many people I didn’t like on a small boat. How could I possible enjoy cruising?

Those preconceptions were more than blown out of the water by a visit to the Royal Caribbean ship, the Independence of the Seas, while it was docked at Southampton between two trips to the Norwegian fjords. I could see the ship from the Railway station and it looked huge. It looked absolutely massive when I was alongside and looking up at it.

The ship holds between 3,500 and 4,000 passengers, but it is so big that you certainly do not get the impression that passengers are squeezed on like sardines.

A little bit about the Royal Caribbean International. Their strap line is ‘Where extraordinary happens”, and the first site of the ship really does give that impression. And those feelings just increase as you go inside and start to see some of the extraordinary features it has. RCI has a fleet of 25 Cruise ships and travels pretty much all of the seas of the world, from Asia to Europe, Australia and New Zealand, the Mediterranean to the Baltic, North America and the Caribbean, as well as the South Pacific.

Just as the grandest houses have grand staircases, so too do grand sea liners. How about this for an entrance:

We started our tour in one of the café’s with a welcome cup of coffee with pastries and biscuits. We then headed to the Presidential suite, housing up to 14 guests, and is apparently ideal for stag or hen party groups as well as extended families. The suite has bedrooms, shower rooms, lounge, an extended balcony with dining table and private hot tub. Other private suites come with a private bar (with accompanying butler) or a self playing piano.

Suites for everyone else come at a comfortable size, in varying layouts, from double beds to two single beds, to bunk beds for children. The ship also boasts a number of suites for those less mobile, and include wet rooms, with everything laid out at a comfortable height.

ENTERTAINMENT

It is not just the family configured rooms which demonstrate that cruising is not just for older people. The entertainment is very family orientated, with the pool area, so called the H2O zone, complete with fountains and water cannons, as well as crazy golf, a climbing wall, the flowrider which is a surfing simulator. A running track flows along the perimeter of the deck, and there is a basketball court and sports court.

The Independence of the Seas improves the cruising experience with an Ice Rink , a Theatre with West End style shows (including Grease while I was visiting), a casino, a library and of course a spa.

FOOD AND DRINK

No holiday is complete without food and drink. The Independence of the Seas boasts a number of restaurants, including a Grill, a Tuscany themed restaurant, a pizzeria, a Johnny Rockets diner and of course the impressive Main Dining Room, where I had a lobster salad starter, a baked Halibut and followed with a Baileys Creme Brule.

Throw in some pubs, cafes and shops, and you will soon experience the Royal Caribbean style of cruising.

I’m sold on the idea now. The only problem is where to start, in the Med, or the Caribbean? Or what about a gentle river cruise, drifting through the vineyards of the Rhine or through the astonishing Mekon River. And there is still the Antarctic to be explored!

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