Innehållsförteckning för November 2016 från Wanderlust

One of the joys of this job is when my travel assumptions get overturned. Ask me about going to see mountain gorillas (p40) and I would have told you that you can only ever spend an hour with them. Ask me for the best day walk in New Zealand (p84) and I would say that it’s the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. And when my college-leaver nephew asked for advice on visiting Japan, I advised that he couldn’t afford it. Fortunately, my nephew ignored me and proved his travel ‘expert’ aunt wrong, so we thought we’d better investigate Japan’s affordable side (p54), as well as some other twists on travel classics, such as riding the Trans-Siberian Railway the ‘wrong way’, from east to west (p24). Of course, this year’s crop of award-winning…

Landscapes don’t get much bigger than the Himalaya. Robert Twigger’s new tome, White Mountain (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, £20), sees him tackle not only the Abode of the Gods but the prickly history and myths that continue to draw visitors to these impenetrable peaks. Wales’ pinnacles might not match up to Nepal’s in size, but they can punch their weight in legends and literature. Jim Perrin’s The Hills of Wales (Gomer, £15) compiles three decades of his ruminations into a passionate endorsement of Welsh walking, folklore and writing. You’ll be Cymru-bound in no time. There’s more epic scenery and history in Forty Shades of White (Explore Books, £12). Here, ‘grandmum-next-door’ Ginni Bazlinton blends the minutia of her voyage around the White Continent – wildlife, islands, fellow passengers – with a generous…

Discover more with a guide By Toby Galtress When you first land in Tokyo, having a guide to help you navigate the city is invaluable. There is also no better way to catch a glimpse of the secretive world of the geisha than a guided walking tour of Gion in Kyoto. Your guide will make sure that you are in the right place at the right time to see the geisha as they make their way to the tea houses. Stay in a traditional ryokan By Rebecca Charlotte Miller Ryokans are quaint and traditional, bursting with character and history. Your stay will include a sumptuous kaiseki dinner, involving several courses of local cuisine, while the hosts will make you feel more like family than just another visitor. If you have…

Why did you decide to try wild swimming? My family and I were travelling through Tennessee on a road trip and fancied a change from hotel swimming pools. After speaking to locals, they told us of many great places in the Tennessee river for a dip in the water – so we set off to explore. Did you have any concerns? My main concerns were safety-related, such as hidden rocks and strong currents that even a good swimmer like myself would struggle with, as well as what wildlife we might come across. In the areas in which we swam, there were warning signs about snakes everywhere, so I had that in the back of my mind. I also explained to my children that wild swimming must be done with an…

‘You may not consider yourself to be a drug trafficker, but if you are carrying diazepam, to keep you calm on a flight, there is a chance you could be detained’ MAKING A PLAN It always pays to find out what the climate will be like in your chosen destination, what the maximum and minimum temperatures will be, and also the altitude range, as this will often inform what you pack. Nights can get surprisingly cold, even in the tropics and especially at high altitude. Try to also get an idea of how bug-infested your destination will be (guidebooks are a good place to start looking), and whether you’ll need to cover up for climatic, entomological or cultural reasons. And ask yourself: does the city you are flying to have…

The walk Start of walk: North Egmont Visitor Centre End of walk: Mangorei Road Logistics Many operators, including Top Guides (topguides.co.nz), offer a handy on-demand shuttle service that links the start and end of the track with New Plymouth. Nearest town New Plymouth is just a 30-minute drive from North Egmont and 15 minutes from Mangorei Road. This perky little city has a great museum, Puke Ariki (pukeariki.com), some of New Zealand’s finest modern art at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery (incorporating the Len Lye Centre; govettbrewster.com), a tempting coastal walkway and some truly excellent eateries – Social Kitchen (social-kitchen.co.nz) in particular is a terrific bistro that uses the finest Kiwi ingredients. Accommodation New Plymouth has a range of options from hostels to luxury hotels. King & Queen Hotel Suites…

Malawi’s Liwonde National Park sits on the Shire River Plain, east of the river. It was hot when we arrived, so I took the chance to sit with my companion, Mary, in its open-air restaurant, listening to the hippos chuckle. It was then that one of the creatures walked through the dining area. We quickly stood up – along with the rest of the diners – and made to follow the beast, watching as it grazed the well-tended lawns. The crowd soon scattered, though, when it glanced up, and by the time we’d covered enough distance to turn around, it was back to grazing. Just a bit of sport at the expense of our dignity. I soon got used to that. That night, we had to practise a lesson we’d…

Enough yet? In regards to any possible restrictions on future sales of alcohol at UK airports, I have a suggestion. Recently I sat near a lady who consumed four smallish bottles of wine prior to flying. She was possibly a nervous flyer, but she wasn’t going to cause any trouble. It must be difficult to identify problem passengers, so instead of denying boarding to anyone who has been drinking, would it be more practical to see if there are any routes that are more likely to suffer problems, and to focus on those rather than trying to implement any blanket restrictions? Emma Halford STAR LETTER Wheely good fun After your feature on the ‘Best Cycling Spots for Softies [October 2016, issue 170], I thought I’d share my own experiences. The…

Namibia Wanderlust forum user Levente Toth reports back after a fortnight in the African nation The highlight: The sunrise in Namib-Naukluft National Park, as seen from the top of Dune 45. Must see: Deadvlei – the sight of 900-year-old trees growing out of white clay, surrounded by red sand dunes. Top tip: Camp if you can, so you have a close connection with the land and wildlife. Etosha NP has secure campsites. Cautionary tale: A sad moment was finding an old elephant bull, chased out of the herd by the young males, wandering alone and enduring the last stages of starvation. A very sad and almost surreal sight to see. I wish I’d known... The coastal areas near Swakopmund can be very British in their weather during winter! Grey, windy…

Mat Howell Dive travel consultant, Dive Worldwide, (diveworldwide.com) Mat shares his passion for scuba diving How long have you worked for Dive Worldwide? Two years. What did you do before and what attracted you to the job? I’ve been a keen scuba diver for 15 years and always worked in sales in some form or another. This job seemed like the perfect way to match my passion for diving with my workplace skills. What do you like about your role? I love to talk to our clients and create the perfect itineraries for them – whether a straightforward liveaboard in the Indian Ocean or a more adventurous journey to a remote island in the South Pacific. Getting the opportunity to travel to some incredible places is a nice perk, too.…

The desire to leave it all behind is a feeling with which most travellers can empathise. But these days, what we escape to is becoming as important as where. With rental sites like Airbnb opening up a world of unusual stays, spending the night in a cave or yurt has never been easier. But nothing says ‘off-the-grid’ (or possibly ‘teen horror movie’) quite like a cabin in the woods. The cabin craze is captured rather elegantly in tech entrepreneur Zach Klein’s Cabin Porn (Penguin; £11, out now). The book not only charts the author’s attempts to build his own isolated retreat and ‘offline’ community in Upper Delaware, USA, but celebrates cabins around the world, from a converted 200-year-old stacked-stone home in the forests of Switzerland (bottom, middle) to a built-from-scratch…

1 An Easter church service in Siberia can last over 12 hours – without breaks or sitting down; p24 2 Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable NP is home to about half the world’s mountain gorillas; p40 3 Tokyo is home to more Michelin- starred restaurants that any other city on Earth – over 200; p54 4 According to Maori legend, volcanoes have sexes – New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki is male; p84 5 The Statue of Liberty was originally designed to be built on›the banks of the Suez Canal; p73…

MAYFLY FLURRY Rába River, Hungary Photographer: Imre Potyó/ Wildlife Photographer of the Year You’ve got to be quick to experience this rare wildlife wonder – and patient too. This mating swarm of mayflies only emerges from below ground in late Hungarian summer in a mad dash to mate and lay their eggs on the water’s surface. This spectacle is only shortlived, though, as the mayflies die only a few hours after their efforts, exhausted. In order to capture this brief orgy – selected for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition – Imre Potyó spent 12 days staking out the Rába River. We reckon it was worth it. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London; the exhibition opens on 21 October 2016.…

‘You would have to tie me to a tree to stop me travelling’ Has your journey through Japan had a lasting impact on you? Yes, huge. I’d been to Japan before and could recognise its shape on a map, but I knew nothing really about it. This trip was an eye-opener. How long were you on the road for? Six weeks. We broke it into two chunks. We wanted to do Hokkaido, the very north island, in ‘peak snow’ because it has the most magnificent powder snow and this immense winter season, when they have the Sapporo Snow Festival and all these ice buildings, plus rare red-crowned cranes dancing in the rivers. We then went south to catch the cherry blossoms in Kyoto. You did manage to see the cranes…

YES Sheila Johnston Wanderlust reader “Drunk passengers cause unease and can be a danger to both passengers and crew. Why is the level of tolerance regarding them so high? It seems to me that keeping alcohol out of terminals altogether is common sense. However, this particular drug and the companies that make huge profits from it are so entangled in society that a ban is very unlikely to happen.” NO Hilary Lamont Wanderlust reader “I agree that leaving the decision to a bartender as to what constitutes excess doesn’t work; large groups, such stag parties, are capable of intimidating someone into serving them. A more reasonable response than a ban would be to ration in-airport purchases, perhaps with ‘stamps’ printed on boarding cards, so you could only buy a set…

VITAL STATISTICS Capital: Kampala Population: 38 million Languages: English, Luganda and Swahili Time: GMT+3 (no daylight savings in 2016) International dialling code: +256 Visas: UK citizens can get a 30-day e-visa at https://visas.immigration.go.ug, currently US$50. The 90-day East Africa Tourist Visa (US$100) allows you to travel between Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda on the same multiple-entry visa. You must show a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival in Uganda. Money: Ugandan Shilling (UGX), currently around UGX4,414 to the UK£. There are ATMs in all cities and major towns. You’ll need cash for cheaper establishments, markets and tipping. When to go Dry season – Uganda is a year-round destination, with max temperatures hitting a constant 26ºC. Between Dec-Feb (hot and dry) and June-Sept (still dry but cooler) are best for gorilla…

WHAT TO SEE: Uganda is known for its wildlife, boasting over 300 mammal species and more than 1,000 types of birds. Queen Elizabeth National Park has one of the highest biodiversity ratings of any reserve globally, while the Kazinga Channel is home to the world’s largest concentration of hippos (about 30,000). Mabamba Bay Wetland System is also the perfect spot to see the threatened shoebill stork. BEST FOR PRIMATES: When hiking in Kibale Forest, expect to see grey-cheeked mangabey, red-tailed monkeys and, of course, chimpanzees. In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the time you spend with its endangered mountain gorillas will stay with you forever. MAGIC MOMENTS: Tracking mountain gorillas can take anything from one hour to over six hours, depending on where the family is located. The Bwindi trek can be…

ZIPS All zips leak. Coated zips help, in that they are water resistant, but to keep water out more thoroughly, look for stormflaps (strips of fabric) both behind and in front of the zips. FIT Waterproof trousers are usually overtrousers, designed to be worn on top of your usual/ hiking trousers, so don’t go for too small or close-fitting a size. FABRIC You need to opt for material that’s as waterproof as possible while remaining breathable (otherwise the condensation build-up will make your legs damp). Gore-Tex and eVent are common, though many brands make their own now. Some are more soft to touch (and less noisy) than others – it’s a case of personal choice. When it comes to breathability, 3-layer fabrics are best (compared to 2.5- or 2-layer), while…

There are many ways to procure a hunk of ham. Perhaps go to your local butchers or a farm shop, or even the ‘finest’ rack in a supermarket. But there is another way: you could climb a two-storey-high greased pole in a crowded town square, watched by tens of thousands, and should you fail, come crashing back down to the ground in a slick of oil while the next competitor limbers up for their ascent. Now doesn’t that sound a whole lot more fun? La Tomatina is Spain’s crazy annual tomato fight, which takes place in the tiny town of Bunol on the last Wednesday of August. It’s an hour-long battle fought amid streets running with pulp, but it is also preceded by an even crazier competition: the Palo Jabón,…

Experiencing a hair-raising RIB boat trip in New Zealand. A day trip to the active volcano that is White Island was inspiring. HPerryP2 Celebrating a birthday milestone in style. Turning the big 4-0 next year and I fancy a magical trip to India with a group of solo travellers. #bucketlist @bache_sam Hunting locations. I tracked down some Game of Thrones spots in Croatia! mayaweber Putting preconceptions about Iran behind me. I have some lovely friends there and I’ll never let fear stop me from visiting any destination I choose. Haven Cahouet Stumbling across travel inspiration while cleaning. Having a house clear-out and found some old @wanderlustmag. Evening reading = sorted. @hayleysellick Experiencing the wonders (and environmental benefits) of eco treks in South-East Asia. We did one called Chi Phat in…

How did VentureCo start? Turn the clock back to 1998 and a chance conversation in a backstreet ceviche bar in downtown Quito. My fellow co-founder Dave Gordon had been running trips around South America in his OLA truck (Overland Latin America) and I had been running overlands around Africa in my Nomad truck, and it was the right time to join forces. Dave sold his Unimog and I sold my Nomad, which gave us enough capital to obtain our ATOL licence and set up a UK office. I remember the ATOL bond was £40k, which was a shocking amount of money in those days! Early challenges? We entered a market in 1999 that was stale and dominated by two big players. We had a fresh approach, which was resented by…

SAMER SAIED Egypt guide for G Adventures (www.gadventures.co.uk) Hugely passionate about his home country and its history, Egyptian Samer (known as ‘Sem Sem’ to his friends) even went as far as becoming a certified Egyptologist, to pass on his hard-won knowledge to clients. In short, there’s nothing Samer doesn’t know about Egypt and its hidden corners – but was that enough to see him win at the World Guide Awards (p108)? Mountain, desert, ocean or jungle… which are you? It has to be mountains! First great travel experience? My first memorable travel experience was when I went to Jordan – I have to say I loved the ancient city of Petra so much! Favourite journey? When I went to Canada. Top five places worldwide? Prague, Czech Republic; Costa Rica; Barcelona,…

‘We’re starting to see the beginnings of a transition to renewable jet fuels’ Blanketed in over 17,000 photovoltaic cells, an aircraft called the Solar Impulse 2 spent 23 days in the air (across a 16-month period) during its 17-leg journey. But this wasn’t any ordinary flight: by late-July 2016 this solar-powered plane had made history by completing the first fuel-free circumnavigation of the globe. For travellers like us Wanderlust-ers, lowering our carbon footprint has long been a concern. We seek out ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘green’ trips whenever we travel. So, now solar power is a viable option for long-distance flights when can we expect to be boarding the first fuel-free flight? Not immediately according to Chris Goodall, author of The Switch: How Solar, Storage and New Tech Means Cheap Power For…

Thanks to India’s embracing of Hinduism (four out of every five Indians are Hindu), vegetarianism has long been a mainstay of the country’s cuisine. Yet the dish that visitors are most likely to spy on the menu is a carnivore’s delight. In its simplest form, keema is minced meat (usually mutton or goat) flavoured with a rack’s worth of spices, but its execution, history and appeal crosses countless borders. The dish’s origins are thought to hail from Persia – the ancient Turkish word for minced meat is kiyma. Yet it achieved its fame on the sub-continent, spreading across India and neighbouring Pakistan. And while keema is commonly made with potatoes and peas, many regions have conjured up their own specialities. Try it in a biryani against the stately architecture of…

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR London, 21 Oct 2016–10 Sep 2017 www.nhm.ac.uk Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD. From £10.50. Book online. In its 52nd edition, this annual treat never fails to amaze, with 100 startling images on display. NORTH KOREA EVENING London, 10 Nov www.regent-holidays.co.uk Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, SW7 2AR. 5.30pm. £10. Book on 020 7666 1258. Wanderlust and Regent Holidays present a night delving into North Korea, with talks from Bradt Guides’ co-founder Hilary Bradt, Wanderlust’s editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes and Regent guide Carl Meadows. You can also win a place on one of Regent’s North Korea tours or a Wanderlust subscription. Proceeds will go to the Love North Korean Children charity. KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL Kendal, Lake District, 17–20 Nov www.mountainfest.co.uk Various locations. Events priced separately.…

VITAL STATISTICS Capitals: Beijing (China); Ulan Bator (Mongolia) and Moscow (Russia) Languages: Mandarin Chinese (China), Mongolian (Mongolia) and Russian (Russia) – though Tatar is the official second language in Kazan Time: China and Mongolia GMT+8; you’ll cross several time zones in Russia, from GMT+8 (Ulan-Ude) to GMT+3 (Moscow) International dialling code: China +86; Mongolia +976; Russia +7 Money: Chinese yuan renminbi (CNY), currently CNY8.70 to the UK£1; Mongolian tugrik (MNT), currently MNT2,925 to the UK£1 – exchange in the State Department store in Ulan Bator; Russian rouble (RUB), currently RUB84 to the UK£. Credit cards are usually accepted in Russia and larger stores/ hotels in China. Take euros/US dollars to exchange in Mongolia and Russia. When to go Summer – main tourist season. The private train runs and there are…

1 “I’ll show him where the crayfish spends the winter” (Russian) Crayfish spend their winters in warmer, shallow waters, but that knowledge won’t help if anyone ever says this to you. It’s basically a more interesting way of threatening to throw a few punches. 2 “I will eat your liver” (Farsi) We hadn’t ever thought to put ‘liver’ and ‘love’ together before, but in Farsi this is an important term of endearment, and is used when speaking to close loved ones. Its meaning could be roughly translated into English as ‘you are my heart’, only much more urgent-sounding. 3 “To look at the radishes from underneath” (German) This German saying is an honest, earthy one: if you’re six feet under, then you are looking at the radishes (and countless other…

Don’t hate me, but I’m someone who looks forward to winter because of the longer nights. It’s a chance to capture the world in a different way to daytime photography. Cities, for example, are often more visually compelling at night, and the same can be said of landscapes. In the case of this shot of a floodlit lighthouse (right) that I encountered on a rocky coastline, the mix of cool blues and warm artificial lighting gave an atmosphere to the image that simply wasn’t there during daylight. To capture the best night shots, try to set up for dusk. This is the time you get what is known as ‘crossover light’: when there is still colour in the sky and – more importantly – it remains equally as bright as…

AMATEUR COMPETITION THE CATEGORIES There are four categories in the Amateur competition: (i) People (ii) Wildlife (iii) Landscape (iv) Travel Icons (classic travel images that sum up a destination). You may enter up to four photos IN TOTAL. This can be across all categories or within selected categories (eg, four shots in one category OR two shots in one, two in another OR one in each, etc). One submission per individual; multiple entries will be disqualified. ONLINE ENTRIES You can submit competition entries for free at www.travelphotooftheyear.co.uk POSTAL ENTRIES You can also submit prints, transparencies and digital images by post. Here’s how: Postal entries must be accompanied by the entry form. Photocopies are acceptable. A separate sheet must accompany each entry, with the entrant’s name and a brief…

VITAL STATISTICS Capital: Buenos Aires Population: 15,024,000 (metro) Language: Spanish Time: GMT-3 International dialling code: +54 Visas: Not required by UK nationals for stays of up to three months Money: Argentine pesos (AR$), currently around AR$20.6 to the UK£. Avoid ATMs, or expect to be charged 5% for the luxury; try to take cash instead When to go • Spring & autumn This is the best time to go, with Buenos Aires, particularly lovely in the spring (Sep-Nov), when the trees are in bloom • Winter Cold, dark and pretty wet • Summer Swelteringly hot and humid, with temperatures often over 30ºC in January and February. It’s also a bit quiet, as locals flee to the coast for cooler breezes Health & safety No special precautions are needed for the…