Escape Routes

ESCAPE ROUTES

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New year, new experiences

Now that the festive season is officially over, we’re thinking about where our wanderlust will take us next. Whether it’s an outbackfocused tour of Sydney, a behind-the-scenes look into a French boulangerie or taking a canoe trip in Rwanda that appeals – we have plenty of new experiences to enrich your travels in 2018.

Find out more about the latest experiences recommended by our specialists at www.audleytravel.com/us/2018-experiences or call 1-855-838-8300 to speak to a specialist directly about your travel plans.

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FLIGHT DECK

The latest flight news

Cathay Pacific has announced the launch of their longest non-stop flight, totaling a full 17 hours of flying time. The flight will connect Washington DC and Hong Kong on their A350 aircraft.

Volaris launched three brand new routes between California and the Mexican cities of Morelia and Zacatecas. The routes connect Morelia with both San Jose and Fresno and Zacatecas with San Jose.

On December 15th Avianca Brazil launched a direct flight between Sao Paulo and New York. The route departs daily.

Qantas has added to its domestic flights with Australia with a new route connecting Melbourne and Kingscote. The route which will be flown on Q400s is the first of its kind.

American Airlines has launched daily flights connecting Miami with Cartagena, Colombia. This short three hour flight makes it easier to find the warm Caribbean sun in the depths of winter.

Exploring Halong Bay and beyond

We’ve been looking at new ways to explore Halong Bay as cruise companies begin to reinvent their routes to include lesser-visited regions. Options include the Paradise Prestige, a new 15-cabin boat that travels through Halong Bay on a three-day, two-night cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay, not far from the border with China.

For a more luxurious stay, the opulent Orchid Cruise departs from nearby Haiphong. This five-star sailboat is the first to explore Lan Ha Bay, which lies south of Halong Bay, jutting out into the South China Sea. For more information, speak to the Vietnam team on 1-855-838-0140.

Tokyo in Numbers

21,000

Restaurants and food stalls where you can dine on ramen

9 million

People call the Japanese capital home

2,500

People can be seen simultaneously crossing the street at the famous Shibuya Crossing

234

Michelin Star restaurants to enjoy

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Subway lines traversing the city

Find a fresh view over South Africa

Our new cycling experience in Knysna, on the Garden Route, takes you on a journey of discovery around the historic logging town’s lagoon and scenic Thesen Island. A local guide will point out native plant life and take you to the best viewpoints for the renowned Knysna Heads while highlighting the historical importance of the region.

This is an easy and relaxed ride that ends at Thesen Island, which features a good variety of restaurants and bars for a thirst-quenching post-cycle drink. For more information, contact our South Africa specialists on 1-855-838-0550.

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CHECK IN

The most exciting new stays

Santani Wellness Resort & Spa, near Kandy, Sri Lanka Santani Wellness Resort & Spa (pictured) is Sri Lanka’s first dedicated wellness resort. It’s set within a wilderness overlooking the Knuckles Mountain Range, outside Kandy. The property’s 20 minimalistic villas, Ayurvedic spa and yoga classes provide the ideal retreat.

Titanic Hotel, Belfast, Ireland Situated in the city’s regenerated dockyards, this new hotel was built within a converted 19th century shipbuilding office of Harland & Wolff, responsible for the construction of the Titanic, among many others. The hotel offers contemporary comfort while paying homage to the building’s heritage.

The Oberoi, Marrakesh, Morocco A tranquil, luxury spa resort, The Oberoi, Marrakesh, is just 20 minutes from the city center. Located on its own private island, it lounges among citrus orchards and olive groves and has spectacular views of the Atlas Mountains.

Lakestone Lodge, Lake Pukaki, New Zealand On the shores of Lake Pukaki, Lakestone Lodge boasts six bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and breathtaking views of the Southern Alps and the lake itself. The lodge’s grounds lend themselves to nature escapes — ideal for a quintessential New Zealand experience.

Exploring Argentina on two wheels

The Quebrada de las Conchas is a suitably dramatic backdrop for our new cycling experience through northern Argentina. This largely untouched region is home to incredible desert scenery and imaginatively named natural rock formations.

Cycle past the ‘Amphitheatre’ and the ‘Tres Cruces’ (‘Three Crosses’) scenic viewpoint,

before stopping for a snack break. Then continue along the road to pass the formations of ‘El Sapo’ (The Toad), ‘El Fraile’ (The Monk) and ‘La Casa de los Loros’ (The Parrot House) until you reach an observation point called ‘La Yesera’ overlooking mineral-rich, strikingly multi-colored rock faces.

For more information, please contact our Argentina specialists on 1-855-838-8630.

Join the Audley family

We are excited to announce the launch of our brandnew careers website. You can learn about what it’s like to work at Audley, as well as view the latest news and job opportunities.

Find out more about our offices in Boston, Witney and London (UK) and gain an insight into our awardwinning team. For regular updates, you can sign up to our weekly careers newsletter. For more information, please visit careers.audleytravel.com/us/

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$95,000 raised for WE Charity

Back in 2016 Audley pledged to rebuild a community health clinic in rural Kalthana, for WE charity. A year on and we’ve completed a host of fundraising efforts, from bake sales, bike rides and language classes, to marathons in Boston and London. As our final fundraiser, we hosted a talk by awardwinning producer Dr. Chadden Hunter (left), who revealed the secrets of making BBC’s Planet Earth II.

We’re delighted to tell you that we’ve raised over $95,000. Over the past year, members of our fundraising team visited Kalthana to witness the project’s development, including the opening of the new health clinic.

WE staff have since been able to bring basic health services and initiatives to Kalthana, with a focus on early childhood education and maternal health. We’ve enabled health education classes and introduced a new style of stove that combats respiratory diseases.

Each year our staff nominate and vote for a new Charity of the Year. For 2018 we are pleased to announce ShelterBox as our new charity. By providing shelter and tools for families robbed of their homes by disaster, ShelterBox is transforming despair into hope.

What to READ?

What to WATCH?

What to SEE?

What to DOWNLOAD?

Looking for some spectacular travel inspiration? TASCHEN Books’ Around the World in 125 Years artfully collates a century of National Geographic’s horizon-broadening coverage and award-winning images into a neat collection of three heavyset volumes.

Thanks to her landmark study of chimps in Tanzania’s wilds, Dr Jane Goodall is one of the world’s most revered conservationists. Using rediscovered archive footage, Jane documents her studies and battles against the patriarchy. Showing in select theaters until the end of February.

The largest collection of King Tut artefacts to ever be displayed worldwide – 150 original objects including jewelery and sculptures – can be seen at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, starting March 24th and running until 2019. Book tickets at www.californiasciencecenter.org

If you like sharing images and updates directly from your travels, Wiffinity is an app that allows you to access WiFi locations around the world, so you no longer need to worry about roaming charges. You can also access maps in multiple travel destinations. Available on iOS and Android.

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RECIPE

Brinjal Pahi (Eggplant curry)

By Chloë Musson, Sri Lanka specialist

Of all the rich, flavorsome curries that make up Sri Lankan

cuisine, it’s the eggplant curry (brinjal pahi) that tends to be the firm favorite. However, some say it can be a challenge to recreate at home – and quite time consuming. Thankfully, the owners of Rosyth Estate in Kegalle, near Kandy, have kindly shared their family recipe, and it’s certainly worth the effort. Traditionally, this would be served with rice and coconut sambal, a spicy condiment made from desiccated coconut, fish flakes and chilli.

Ingredients ½ lb eggplant, julienne cut ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon salt Vegetable oil for deep frying 1 onion, finely sliced 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 1 cinnamon stick 3-4 cardamom pods¼ cup white wine or cider vinegar 2 tablespoons mango chutney 4 tablespoons tomato sauce 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon mustard 1 tablespoon chilli powder 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 sprig of curry leaves 1 tomato, finely chopped 1 cup coconut milk Salt to taste

Preparation 1. Add the salt and turmeric to the eggplant and mix well. 2. Deep fry the eggplants in small batches and set aside (a generous amount of oil in a standard frying pan will do). 3. Deep fry half the onion,

TOP TIP “Serve with jasmine or coconut rice for more flavor with a sweet twist.”

garlic and curry leaves. 4. Remove excess oil from the deep-fried ingredients. 5. Sauté the other half of the onion and the whole spices, adding the curry powder, chilli and mustard. 6. When the onionsare soft, add sugar, vinegar, mango chutney, tomato sauce and coconut milk. 7. Add eggplant to the sauce. 8. Garnish with the remaining deep-fried onion, garlic and curry leaves.

Rosyth Estate have recently compiled their own recipe book, which can be purchased after taking one of their cooking classes at the hotel. For every cookbook sold, they will donate RS 1,000 ($6.50) to a local primary school they sponsor, helping to buy items like shoes, toothbrushes and stationery for the children, as well as updating the classrooms and playground.

SOCIAL TALK

We love to see your updates – tag your social media posts with #TheAudleyWay and @AudleyTravel to share them.

We’ll be at Kicheche Camp

@OlPejeta to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary @audleytravel – @WhitLeaze Loved Vietnam. You are a fantastic travel company and haven’t failed us in our expectations! – Margaret Skelly

Uluru is just stunning.

Having a fantastic time in Australia @audleytravel #loveOz #amazingskies – @Ljperkins1969 Thanks to @audleytravel for helping arrange this surprise (right) – Kerry Whitelegg

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TRIP PLANNER

We’ve introduced a brand new tool on our website that provides you with your own space to store ideas for your next trip. As you browse destinations, suggested itineraries, hotels and experiences, click on the suitcase icon to drop them into your personal Trip Planner.

When you’re ready to start discussing your trip with us, all of your ideas and inspiration will be saved in one place. To get started, just visit www.audleytravel.com/us/trip-planner and look out for the suitcase icon.

www.audleytravel.com/us/trip-planner