Just Back From

HAWAII By Sophie Poole ‘Despite being more of a lakes lover, I was soon won over by Hawaii’s tropical good looks. I hopped between Maui, Oahu, the Big Island and, my personal favorite, Kauai. Here, I sailed and snorkeled along the Nā Pali Coast, whose sheer emerald cliffs formed a backdrop for both Jurassic Park and the more recent Jurassic World. The kayaking, zip-lining and forest hike experiences left me vowing to return.’

ICELAND By Amanda Resendes ‘The highlight of my trip to Iceland was the country’s landscapes. I spent a whole day exploring Þórsmörk (Valley of Thor), a deep gorge carved by glaciers and framed by snow-draped mountain peaks. My guide, Einar, drove us across rivers in his super jeep (a 4x4 with oversized wheels) and we hiked to volcanic craters, black desert plains and waterfalls feeding crystalclear streams. Our reward? An alfresco lunch freshly prepared by Einar.’

EGYPT By Albert Goody ‘Built by Ramses the Great on the edge of his empire, the 13th-century BC temples at Abu Simbel are probably the best-known of those that were rescued from Lake Nasser in the 1960s. UNESCO reassembled them above and behind the original site, after it was threatened with being flooded by rising waters with the construction of the Aswan High Dam. My visit, on a cloudless day, was the highlight of my most recent trip to Egypt.’

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MEXICO By Alison Wallinger ‘I loved just casually ambling around the colonial town of San Miguel de Allende – that’s really the best way to explore it. You can eat well here: lining its cobbled streets and squares are ice cream and coffee shops, rooftop bars and high-end restaurants. It’s got an artistic streak, too – the town is a hub for fine art galleries, including painting and sculpture, and local handicrafts, such as woodcarving and textiles.’