Travel: The Road Less Travelled

FEATURE STORY

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED TEXT I.Y. LT | TRANSLATION Linguists Asia

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Celebrated American novelist Ernest Hemingway famously said to “live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the romance of the unusual”. With the brand new year, what better way than to step out of your usual concrete surroundings and fill your 2017 with adventures amassed by the marvels of Mother Nature. From dusk till dawn, from the icy cold winter to the hot sun; from the fluorescent Northern Lights of Northern Hemisphere to the contrasting sandy dunes of the Southern Hemisphere, the hidden wonders of the world are within reach; all you have to do is to take the road less travelled.

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MARVELING THE AURORA BOREALIS 欣賞驚艷極光

在冰天雪地之中追蹤北極光的旅程，過去數年越來越受追捧。如果你還以 為看北極光只能夠住宿在玻璃冰屋中，那你就 out 了。現在你可以安坐在 設有暖氣並且用泡泡密封包裹的雪橇之中，親身感受北方野外大自然的純 美。英國旅行社 Off the Map Travel 提供自訂豪華 VIP 套餐，讓你體驗北 極光之美，同時徜徉於當地的文化、美食和活動之中。他們度身訂造的體 驗包括在芬蘭基爾皮斯耶爾維的「極光雪橇泡泡」。有了這個泡泡，你就 可以舒舒服服地躺在安裝在滑雪板上的流動帳幕酒店房中，由雪地車將你 拖到北極的郊野之中。到達北歐頂端的北極圈後，專家導遊將為遊客講解 極光背後的天體物理學，他們亦會分享一些有趣的當地民間傳說，比如說 在環繞的群山之中，應可看見國王和皇后沉睡的剪影等。「VIP 極光之旅」 的另一個焦點，是行程包括有機會駕駛狗拉雪橇、冰釣、刻製冰雕、乘坐 馴鹿雪橇、雪地健行、乘坐雪地車參觀野生動物園、私人薩米馴鹿體驗及 私人深入參觀世界著名的 ICEHOTEL，以及乘坐直升機暢遊當地等等。

Chasing the Northern Lights amidst the icy winter’s cold has

been a growing travel trend the past few years. If you think your

only housing option is to sleep in a glass igloo - you can immerse

yourself in the comforts of your own of your own heated, bubble-enclosed sled, while still being close to the beautiful

wilderness up North. UK-based travel agents Off the Map Travel offers customised luxury VIP packages for you to experience the Norther Lights while also immersing in the culture, food

and activities of the local regions. Their tailor-made experiences

include the “Aurora Sled Bubble” in Kilpisjarvi, Finland, where you lay back in the comforts of a tented mobile hotel room on

skis that’s towed by snowmobile out into the Arctic wilderness.

Upon reaching the Arctic Circle at the very top of Scandinavia, an expert guide will educate visitors about the astrophysics behind the lights and share some fun local folklore about the

kings and queens whose sleeping silhouettes can supposedly be seen in the surrounding hills. Another highlight is the “VIP Aurora Borealis Tour”, in which the itinerary includes the

chance to drive a dogsled, go ice fishing, ice carving, reindeer sledding, snowshoe trekking, on a snowmobile safari, a private Sami reindeer experience and private behind the scenes tours

at the world famous ICEHOTEL, as well as experiencing the region via helicopter flights.

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對於非洲大草原上自由奔跑的各種野生動物，我們大部分亞洲人最深的印象可能僅是來自英國廣播公司 David Attenborough 生動的描述，又或者就只看過迪士尼的《獅子王》。在東非有一動物界盛事素來享負盛名，甚至廣 被譽為「地球上最偉大的演出」－動物大遷徙，過百萬隻牛羚走過坦桑尼亞（Tanzania）的塞倫蓋蒂（Serengeti） 平原，來到肯尼亞馬賽馬拉（Masai Mara）連綿起伏的山丘，再渡過非洲宏偉的河流，才到達青青草地。現在訪

EXPERIENCE THE GREAT MIGRATION 體驗動物大遷徙

客在全年期間均可以豪華舒適的方式親睹由野生動物帶來的這個令人歎為觀止的壯舉。越來越多的豪華旅遊公司 推出個人化的體驗旅程，讓旅客可以不受騷擾地見證大自然的神奇奧妙，同時亦致力於永續及負責任的旅遊、環 境保育以及為社區增權賦能。 &Beyond 就是提供頂級奢華旅遊體驗的公司之一，並且提供豪華度假木屋和野營房。他們的行程包括在一月至三 月從 &Beyond 的恩戈羅火山口小屋（Ngorongoro Crater Lodge）和塞倫蓋蒂帳篷酒店（Serengeti Under Canvas） 驅車到附近的塞倫蓋蒂平原南部見證動物群聚集，在那裡留下自己的小牛；又或者在六月的時候，觀看動物群向 西北方出發，直走向 &Beyond 鄰近格魯美地（Grumeti）的塞倫蓋蒂帳篷營地（Serengeti Tented Camp）。其他 活動還包括叢林漫步、乘坐熱氣球飛越塞倫蓋蒂，甚至還有私人飛機探險之旅，旅程由廣受歡迎的 BBC 大貓日 記（紀錄片）獲獎主持 Jonathan Scott 帶領。 When it comes to experiencing Africa's vibrant wildlife, majority of us here in Asia only get to live vicariously through

British broadcaster David Attenborough’s narration or simply Disney’s Lion King. Widely referred as the ‘Greatest Show

on Earth’, East Africa is renowned for the Great Migration - Mother’s Nature’s most spectacular movement of wildlife, when millions of wildebeest move across the vast plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania and into the rolling hills of Kenya’s

Masai Mara, scrambling frantically through Africa’s mighty rivers to reach the promise of sweet, green grass. Visitors

can now see the impressive wildlife showcase in luxurious style throughout the year. More luxury travel companies are personalising experiential trips to witness’ mother nature’s marvels undisturbed; while at the same time committing to sustainable responsible travel, conservations and community empowerment.

&Beyond is one of such companies that operates great tours, while providing luxurious safari lodges and camps. Their

itineraries include taking a short drive from &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas to witness animals gather on the southern Serengeti plains, dropping their calves between January and March; or watch

herds move northwest, towards &Beyond Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp in June. Other activities include bush walking, hot air balloon rides over the Serengeti, or even a private jet expedition hosted by Jonathan Scott, the award-winning presenter of the popular BBC documentary Big Cat Diaries.

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OUT OF THE ORDINARY OUTBACKS 平凡內陸中見 不平凡

住宿之處一般是結束一天豐富精彩的觀光旅程後放鬆休息的地方。為此澳洲新南威爾士州提供一系列只此一家的獨特 住宿選擇，肯定會讓你賓至如歸，並且畢生難忘。例如，你可以住宿在建於藍山山脈之巔的大樹上，高高俯瞰鮑溫溪 （Bowen's Creek）峽谷的 Wollemi 野外樹屋（Wollemi Wilderness Treehouse）中，透過落地大玻璃窗感受天然原生樹 林的懷抱。又或者，訪客可選擇住宿在藍山山脈中的魔法洞穴（Enchanted Cave）或帽子洞穴（Hat Cave），以現代 豪華的方式體驗我們的祖先穴居人生活居住的地方。這些住宿地點都經歷過大自然的鬼斧神功，身處其中不但能欣賞 到溫帶熱帶雨林的壯麗景色，還可以享用內設的 spa 和木火爐，享受溫暖舒適的旅程。 而在新南威爾士州南部的海岸，你可以在蒙塔格島島頭燈塔守望者小屋（Montague Island Head Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage）體驗一回當個傳統燈塔守望者的生活。這些傳統小屋建於 1881 年，只能夠乘坐遊覽船到達，那裡亦是澳 洲和新西蘭海狗在澳洲最大片的棲息地。其他特色住宿包括位於沙漠中一個地下冷卻開採小丘的白崖地下汽車旅館 （White Cliffs Underground Motel）、沿墨累河（Murray River）而設的蒙古包、塔隆加西部平原（Taronga Western Plains）的豪華野營帳幕，以及位於 Turondale 的工匠公園（Artisans Park）1949 年的紅色倫敦雙層巴士等等。 While an accommodation is more often than not your main recuperation stop after a long day of sightseeing, the state of

New South Wales, Australia offers an array of quirky accommodations that will make your stay the highlight of your trip. For instance, you get to live in a canopy atop the Blue Mountains at the Wollemi Wilderness Treehouse - surrounded by wall-

to-wall windows, exposed native timber and perched on timber stilts that overlooks the Bowen's Creek Gorge. Alternatively

within Blue Mountains, visitors can experience our caveman ancestors’ living space, but with a luxurious twist, at the Enchanted Cave and Hat Cave. Offering a spectacular view of the temperate rainforest, with spa and woodfire, while surrounded by wall sculpted by nature.

Off the southern coast of New South Wales, you can relive the life of a traditional lighthouse keeper at the Montague Island

Head Lighthouse Keeper's Cottage. Built in 1881, the heritage cottages are only accessible by tour boat and is home to Australia's largest colony of Australian and New Zealand fur seals. Other unusual places to stay include a cooling underground

mining hillocks situated in the desert at White Cliffs Underground Motel, a Mongolian-inspired yurt along the Murray River, luxury safari tents at Taronga Western Plains and a 1949 red double decker London bus at Artisans Park at Turondale.

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「Glamping」，即 glamour-camping 豪華露營， 近年掀起一股熱潮。所謂 glamping，就是現代 版的露營，營地中各種設施與度假服務一應俱 全、應有盡有。逃離都市煩囂，深入寧謐的撒 哈拉沙漠，享受柏柏爾人（北非土著）豪華友 善的款待。坐落於摩洛哥最大的 Erg Chebi 沙

DESERT GLAMPING 沙漠 GLAMPING

丘之中，Merzouga Luxury Desert Camps 架起帳 幕，建設出沙漠中的綠洲。該營地中的帳幕叫做 「haimas」，是由駱駝皮製成的傳統帳幕。並且 該營地中不但設有浴室，牆壁上都掛上大毯子， 還有太陽能照明和手工製作的家具。體驗蔚為奇 觀的游牧文化和活動，包括瑜伽、騎乘駱駝、漫 步撒哈拉沙漠，以及吉普車旅遊等等。 要距離亞洲近一點的話，另一選擇在澳洲北領 地，那裡的世界遺產烏魯魯 - 加他茱達國家公 園（Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park）亦可給你 類似的超凡體驗。當地古老的沙漠地貌廣被稱 為「紅土中心」（Red Centre）。在這裡有世界

The term glamour-camping, also better known as “glamping”, has caught up in recent years the modern equivalent of camping where amenities and resort-style services are provided.

Escape the hectic urban lifestyle and venture into the deep tranquility of the Sahara Desert

with luxurious and friendly hospitality of the Berber people (indigenous ethnic group of North Africa). Set among the dunes of Erg Chebi, largest in Morocco, Merzouga Luxury Desert

Camps provide tented oasis. Made up of “haimas” - traditional tents made of camel skin - the campsite has ensuite bathrooms, wall-to-wall rugs, solar-powered lighting and handcrafted

furniture. Experience the spectacular nomadic culture and activities, including yoga, camel rides, trekking in the sahara desert, jeep tours and more.

Alternatively somewhere closer to Asia, the Northern Territory of Australia offers similar transcendent experience of the World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The

ancient desert landscape, widely known as the ‘Red Centre’, is the outback’s rugged beauty heightened by the living presence of one of the world’s largest monoliths, Uluru (Ayers Rock)

and the sacred red domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Surrounded by rich aboriginal culture, the

luxury base camp Longitude 131° commands spectacular views of the iconic outback, where guests stay in canopied pavilions that rest atop rust-red dunes, equipped with modern facilities including a stylish outdoor balconies furnished with daybeds and EcoSmart fireplaces.

現存最大的巨石之一烏魯魯（艾爾斯岩（Ayers Rock）） 和 加 他 茱 達（Kata Tjuta）（ 奧 爾 加 斯（The Olgas））的神聖紅色圓頂巨石，點綴 著內陸地區的粗礦原始美。豪華營地 Longitude 131°被豐富多姿的原住民文化環繞，位置可欣 賞到內陸標誌性的壯麗景色。賓客可以在銹紅 色的沙丘上帶頂的涼亭內休息，在設計時尚的 室外露台上享用躺椅和智能環保壁爐等現代化 的設施。

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