Destinations // Spirit and Health by Destinations Publishing

FOR PEOPLE GOING PLACES

APR-JUN, 2015 NZ. $9.90 AUS. $9.95

T H E QU E S T FOR

ENLIGHTENMENT

Destinations represents a new breed of travel magazine. In print and digital form, we connect divergent people, places, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives through intelligent, thought-provoking written and visual storytelling. Our mission is to inspire, challenge, and inform, providing a compelling medium for global engagement. We create goals to aspire to, and entice those who have an innate curiosity for the diverse world in which we live.

Spirit & Health will explore destinations that help relieve the pressures of daily living and regenerate the body, mind and soul. We will cover journeys which aim towards a sense of perspective, motivation, refreshment, or even enlightenment. In a world where the hectic rush of each day finds us more and more disconnected, this might involve a reconnection with nature, or otherwise stepping â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;off the beaten trackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and experiencing the culture and essence of a place, resulting in a more incisive and intimate understanding of both ourselves and the society that we are a part of. Spiritual journeys are important journeys of self-discovery, and physical excursions that help test the limits of our physical and mental abilities can be just as affirming.

APR-JUN 2015

WHAT’S INSIDE? 128.

SPIRIT AND HEALTH SPECIAL FEATURE

26. The History of Pilgrimage Religion, historical connections, music and football – inspirations for pilgrimage take many forms.

104. Climbing Fox Glacier Rowena Bahl embraces her inner child to help scale New Zealand’s Fox Glacier.

32. Divine Destinations Destinations that inspire spiritual journeys, from Angkor Wat to Stonehenge, Mecca to Newgrange.

112. Going Walkabout Dominique van de Klundert goes walkabout in the Blue Mountains with an Aboriginal guide.

48. Travel State of Mind Escaping the daily grind on the shores of New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula.

116. Muay Thai Learning the art of Thai kickboxing involves coming to terms with concepts of mindfulness.

50. Spirit Kit Spirit and health-inspired travel gear.

136. Spa Culture A look at the bathing rituals used around the world and their origins.

54. Vanuatu Nature’s orchestra plays on for cyclone-shocked Vanuatu. 64. Sons of the Wind A photo essay on the Amazon’s Desana tribe, a people with particular views on civilization and sustainability. 72. Desert Aesthetic A visit to California’s Joshua Tree, and a spiritual retreat developed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Noah Purifoy. 80. Day of the Dead A photo essay covering Mexico’s Day of the Dead, a festival that pays homage to the souls of the departed. 88. Istanbul Brian Furbush discovers that there is much more to Istanbul than the Golden Horn and Grand Bazaar. 98. On Sport and Spirituality Destinations explores the link between physical activity and mindfulness. 100. William Trubridge World free-diving champion William Trubridge explains his motivations and his passion for sustainability.

140. Recuperation Retreats Destinations visits some of the world’s most exceptional and luxurious spas. 148. Sodashi Megan Larson’s range of Sodashi natural skincare products is taking the cosmetic world by storm. 150. Destination Unknown Isolation tanks are now making a comeback as a new path towards meditation and self-analysis. 154. Surgery for the Soul Cosmetic surgery is breaking down international barriers and merging tourism with health. 158. Ceremonies of Substance A look at the plants used to supplement spiritual ceremonies and healing. 168. Alex Grey Visionary artist Alex Grey prepares to open his “Entheon”. He shares his view on our place in the Universe.

26.

194.

COLUMNS

EPICUREAN TRAVELLER

16. Talk Travel The Destinations Feature writers share their thoughts on the mental and physical benefits of travel.

174. The Vices and Virtues of Superfoods Coconut water is the latest superfood rage – but is it really to our benefit or just another fad?

20. For People Going Places Former L.A. software engineer, Damian Chaparro, tells us about the inspiration for his wellness retreat, Aro Ha.

178. Raw Vegan Inspiration Aleksandra Winters is inspired by the natural foods of Morocco and Jamaica.

198. Bazaar News, events and promotions from the international travel industry.

182. Dark Dining Los Angeles’ Dark Dining offers a truly unique culinary experience — dining in total darkness.

ISLANDS ON OUR MIND

CRUISE JOURNALS

120. Spirit of the Islands A journey through the wild green wilderness of Kaua’i and Moloka’i , islands in the archipaelgo of Hawai’i.

186. The Lake of Life The five star, 20 suite, Aqua Mekong offers a unique perspective of the Mekong River.

128. Island of the Fire Gods Nick Walton explores the active volcanoes and ancient temples of Java by motorbike.

190. Weight and Sea Michael Hooper explains the benefits of exercise in countering the gastronomic excesses of his cruise. 194. Celebrity Solstice The Celebrity Solstice plies the seas of the South Pacific from Sydney to Noumea and the Isle des Pins.

YOU’LL TO RELAX IN SAMOA. Enjoy long walks on uncrowded beaches...

swim in pristine mountain pools, dive in the sparkling ocean or snorkel in the tranquil lagoon... it’s so relaxing you may never want to leave... HOLIDAY THE SAMOAN WAY. www.samoa.travel

Publisher Stephen Brown Editor Rowena Bahl Associate Editor Dominique van de Klundert Editor-at-large Glenn A. Baker Cruise Editor Michael Hooper Art Direction One Design Graphic Designer Tristan Lewis Production Executive Anita Sanghera Contributors Brian Furbush, Nick Walton, Timothy Wakely, Nicole Gray, Ana Barbono, Aleksandra Winters, Lauren Owens, Jemma Smith, Tasha Black, Scarlett Cook, Zara Bowens, Christina Huntington, Andrew Allen, Joel Santos, Matt Crawford, David Lazaar, Misael Flores Abad, Thai Neave, Rafael Anguiano, Bill Hornstein Editorial Interns Hannah Joy Smith-Frank, Kelly Wakefield Account Executives Shannon Lawton, Alex Newenham Printed by Image Centre

12 / Details

Distribution Print: Netlink Online: PressReader, Zinio Subscriptions subs@destinationsmagazine.com Editorial Enquiries editorial@destinationsmagazine.com Destinations Publishing Ltd Destinations is a registered trademark of Destinations Publishing Ltd. Destinations publishes seven editions each year. Quarterly: Destinations Annually: Wine Destinations The contents of all are copyright and cannot be reproduced without the consent of the editor. Destinations Publishing Ltdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acceptance of all contributed material, words, images and illustrations, is on the basis that these will be used internationally in all forms of the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distribution and marketing, be that print, digital or social networking.All articles, images and illustrations submitted will remain open for reading, reference and retrieval without time limit through all forms of distribution. All material is received on this basis only. Contact Physical: Level 4, 156 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland 1151 Postal: PO Box 137-067, Parnell, Auckland 1151 Email: mail@destinationsmagazine.com Phone: +64 9 377 1234 Social: facebook.com/destinationpublishing | twitter.com/destytravelmag Instagram/destinations_mag

On the cover: Burning Man - Photo by Bill Hornstein

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14 / Our Wordd

EDITOR’S WORD

I believe. It really is that simple, is it not? After all, it is our beliefs that shape the world in which we live. Our mental and physical realities are a concoction of carefully integrated belief systems, projected outwards. In turn, our physical environments inform these beliefs, moulding our internal realities – and on the feedback loop goes. I believe that travel helps us expand our thinking. There is nothing quite like being a part of someone else’s world: seeing first-hand the similarities and differences. Studying other people’s fundamental values and world views can give us insight into our own. We may find these answers in our own backyard or on the other side of the globe; from people who share our views or from those of a completely different social, religious or political background. Whichever journey or destination we choose, travel helps us understand others’ ways of life and thus expands our minds beyond what familiar cultural surroundings condition us to believe about ourselves and our world. In this edition, we explore the world through ‘spirit and health’ — terms that take on a myriad of meanings via a broad spectrum of journeys and destinations that explore the interrelationships between human beliefs and our physical environments. This intriguing journey takes us from the mountainous settings of New Zealand’s Fox Glacier to the mystical mosques of Turkey and the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico, and traverses subjects that range from cosmetic surgery to mindfulness and our changing definitions of healthy eating. Join us in exploring and learning from this diverse world and its interconnections with our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Rowena Bahl — Editor The Idealist

ABOVE Rowena visits the island of Vanuatu post-cyclone, and discovers a warm and resilient people. Read story on page 54

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PUBLISHER’S WORD BELOW. 1. The Celebrity Solstice. In this edition Stephen writes about his experience aboard the blue-water cruiser, and extols its many restaurants, bars and other attractions. Read story on page 194 2. Stephen Brown discusses Vertical Blue with Wiliam Trubridge and the future of our oceans. Read story on page 100

However, as part of the on-going reassessment of Destinations, we have realised that there is a need for the quarterly titles to become more inclusive and for most of the material traditionally covered by the annuals to be addressed in the quarterly issues. As a result, this magazine will be the first to incorporate three new sections – Cruise Journals, Islands On Our Mind and The Epicurean Traveller. These will concentrate on the increasingly important world of sea, river and canal cruising; the globe’s coastal and island environments, together with the resorts that occupy them; and the delights of food and wine — integral components of nearly all travel experiences. To support these changes, we have also decided to increase the size of each issue and to further enhance the quality of the magazine’s photographic content and related images. We have also fine-tuned the magazine’s presentation, to bring it to the forefront of ‘coffee table’ publications. These alterations are being accompanied by developments online as new products are developed for destinationsmagazine.com. Our intention is to make the website a major worldwide hub for information about destinations across the globe and we will support this with sections which – as with our magazine content – set out to inform, entice, challenge and inspire all those interested in travel. We hope that readers enjoy these significant changes to Destinations, regardless of the presentation format. Stephen Brown — Publisher The Sophist

15 / Our Word

This issue of Destinations marks a point of significant change for the magazine. Throughout most of its 18 year history, Destinations’ quarterly magazines have focused on broad themes and areas of interest, while a succession of annuals have explored areas of more particular and specialised interest: Wedding Destinations, Wine Destinations and Golf Destinations — to name a few.

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16 / Talk Travel

TALK TRAVEL

Dominuque van de Klundert The Philosopher

Timothy Wakely The Culturist

Nicole Gray The Coach

Ana Barbono The Sure Thing

How has travel influenced your mental or physical state?

Ambiguously. Overindulgence can mean I end up in less than peak physical condition. But that’s more than made up for by the chance to reconnect with people by sharing something unique, and the feeling of confidence that comes from executing a great trip.

It helps me to come up with positive strategies to tackle problems of everyday life and ponder about the kind of person I want to be. Travelling has inspired me to be less self-centred, more open to change and to appreciate my surroundings.

I usually avoid the trite, but travel has indelibly — and at times, indescribably — caused a shift in me. The experiences I’ve had exist on a spectrum from affirming to awful, with so much in between. Travel is one of the greatest ways to feel truly alive.

Travel lifts me from a mental and physical fog. I come home and my mind is so clear.

What do you think defines a sacred destination?

A place that wakes us up: physically, emotionally, spiritually. We don’t need to travel to the far reaches of the globe: I travel a few kilometres down the road and walk up the steep goat tracks etched on Te Mata Peak. It allows me to put things in perspective and be physically challenged.

People have a deeply personal attachment to certain destinations. However they define the ‘sacred’, it is personally meaningful.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? Anywhere an individual or group is strongly drawn to, for reasons that hold meaning to them. As our society becomes more individualistic, places of personal significance are held sacred in addition to religious or historical sites. Or, ‘sacred’ can be something inexplicable, a certain energy we feel around a site. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? Among certain segments of the world’s population there seems to be a need to escape from a day-to-day existence that doesn’t effectively integrate those needs. Broadening definitions of spirituality and increasing awareness of global health practices also play into the creation of new markets.

Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? Rising pressures in our everyday environments mean that many of us are struggling to find a space, let alone the time, to reconnect with our selves. People are turning to health retreats to reconnect with themselves on a physical, spiritual and emotional plane.

Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? These days, people are more than just sun-seekers. They are seeking experiences that offer more than the (surely undisputed) health benefits of a beach ‘n’ cocktails holiday — they want to arrive home feeling spiritually nourished, rather than just spirit-soaked.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? A sacred destination excites us with possibility but also has the capacity to gently renew us. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? Modern life is increasingly demanding. Our minds are filled with noise and it is hard to switch off. People seek to escape from obligations and to rediscover balance, focus, and strength; everything that is missing from our day-to-day.

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18 / Talk Travel

TALK TRAVEL

Aleksandra Winters The Artist

Thai Neave The Thought-Provoker

Brian Furbush The Observer

Nick Walton The Luxe Guru

How has travel influenced your mental or physical state?

Travelling opens my eyes to new possibilities and allows me to see the world from fresh, new perspectives. Everyday life can be boring. But when we travel we can really try new things, explore new cultures, try new foods and make new friends.

For me travel often simmers down to a few moments of pure bliss, a deep knowledge that despite being a long way from home, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. This sudden detonation of gratitude is cleansing and energising. It’s the ultimate mental state: presence and play.

Travel is a release, both mentally from the day to day grind that we all have, and physically, escaping to a new adventure and discovering new cultures.

It makes me more willing to try new experiences, talk to strangers, and helps me be more aware of my surroundings.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? A sacred destination is a place that will inspire and make my heart glow. Anything to do with natural beauty for me is sacred. Looking at beautiful sunsets, animals, exotic fruits and flowers makes my soul very happy. Sacred spaces can truly change our energy and make us feel connected to a higher power, be that God or Mother Earth. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? A busy life will cause stress, unhappiness, and will even make us sick. Travelling to spiritual places or health retreats reminds us of the importance of slowing down, being in the moment and appreciating every moment.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? Wherever you feel like we’ve ‘arrived’. It’s where we let go of the struggles to get there, and forget about the journey ahead. This bliss can be found anywhere, but is often more rewarding if we’ve had to step beyond our comfort zone to get there. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? Let’s face it, too many people are over-stressed, overworked, and overweight. Deep down they realise it’s not a good way to live. Any kind of spiritual or health-related getaway offers a glimpse of how they should be living. Essentially, it’s getting back to the basics.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? A sense of awe and respect, both by locals treasuring the destination as their own, and by others visiting and experiencing a destination held in such high regard. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? People are always trying to find a way to get away from their daily rituals and seek a respite from the wear and tear of their daily lives. Seeking out alternative ways to improve health and spirituality seems to follow suit, and it allows people to experience something outside their comfort zone.

What do you think defines a sacred destination? Any place that plays a role in our spiritual consciousness could be considered sacred. All it has to do is mean something special to someone. Why do you think there has been a rise in spiritual and health-related travel? We are becoming more aware of the toils of modern life and as travellers are naturally looking to broaden our horizons, so why not do so in a direction that’s positive and healthy?

APR-JUN 2015

FOR PEOPLE GOING PLACES Interview by Rowena Bahl Words by Tim Wakely In today’s world, working to the point of exhaustion is fast becoming a societal norm. To break the habit, more and more people are turning to wellness retreats such as Aro Ha in Glenorchy to reconnect with nature and recharge the mind, body and spirit. Destinations sat down with Aro Ha co-founder Damian Chaparro to discuss the retreat and how to lead a more optimal and mindful life. “I wasn’t excited about what I was doing.”

20 / For People Going Places

Damian Chaparro had a successful career as a software engineer. His job was challenging and no two days were the same — but he was not happy. During that period he spent his free time researching alternative wellness practices and using yoga to maintain his physical and emotional wellbeing. Then one day a friend offered him an opportunity to put his research into action by becoming a yogi at The Ashram, an exclusive Los Angeles retreat. “I dropped the job, dropped the house and became a yoga instructor,” recalls Chaparro. “Eventually you get frustrated enough where you’re like, ‘Screw it, you only get one life’.”

TO BE MINDFUL IS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO STEP OUT OF YOURSELF AND OBSERVE THE CONVERSATION

During his time at The Ashram, Chaparro spent seven years developing his ‘chrysalis model’ to assist people in achieving optimum health. This evolved via an all-inclusive study examining how people and the structures that they build relate to the environment, and how humans produce their energy within these relationships. The model eventually became the blueprint for the retreat, Aro Ha, that Chaparro opened last year with business partner Chris Madison. The duo spent two years on the design and a year on the construction of the Zen-inspired luxury facility. Apart from idyllic sub-alpine landscapes and magnificent views over Lake Wakitipu, the pair also decided to build Aro Ha on the 21 acre Glenorchy site due to the region’s international appeal. Its village-like, state-of-the-art premises are only a 40 minute drive away from New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown.

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Comprising 11 different buildings, the all-inclusive facility is based on a permaculture design, as it creates its own power, manages its own sewage and has its own hydropower generator. There are no modern-day distractions such as TVs or telephones in the rooms, and with staff accommodation on-site, everyone is engaging in the same experience. The site was designed to inspire people to connect with themselves and the environment. Madison and Chaparro made a conscious decision to spread the buildings apart as a way to provide people with more opportunities to connect with nature and become more mindful.

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22 / For People Going Places

FOR PEOPLE GOING PLACES

As Chaparro says, “To be mindful is to have the ability to step out of yourself and observe the conversation as a third person as opposed to associating yourself with that conversation... It is one of the most powerful practices any of us can take up.” He credits this to meditative practices such as yoga, and also Western scientific study that examines how meditative practices benefit the brain, health and overall emotional wellbeing. For him, meditative practice is “a sense of wanting to quieten the mind and allowing the thoughts to step to the side a little bit... It can be expressed in the form of the simplest pleasure of wonder that comes from watching a sunset or taking a hike and discovering a new species of plant you’ve never seen before... You won’t know the name of it although you’ll think it’s amazing.” Chaparro explains that each of the five or seven day programmes are based on a framework called ‘Breath’, which brings together work on ‘being’, relating to others, examining what we eat, eliminating toxins, and healing, for a holistic approach to wellness. However, within this framework visitors can pick what they want to concentrate on, as each of the programmes focuses on recharging, healing and awakening the inner self. “All of the featured educators who run each of the retreats dovetail into what we’re doing [as a whole].” Programmes are tailor-made for each guest, with a view to optimising that individual’s physical and emotional states.

Although there are no set menus, Chaparro recommends people spend at least seven days at Aro Ha to experience the full effects. “With a longer programme we are able to explore different wellness techniques to help overcome the obstacles or challenges which brought them to Aro Ha in the first place.” Chaparro tells us people come to Aro Ha for all sorts of reasons. The retreat attracts people who wish to lose a few pounds or have been through a divorce, as well as people who wish to overcome anxiety or depression. “Even for someone who is perfectly happy and healthy,” he says, “to come and spend five days dedicated to their health is highly beneficial.” Chaparro recalls his own personal experience, noting, “The first week I spent doing this program I was 29 years old. Although I was happy and healthy, my mind was still blown away. I remember lying in bed thinking, ‘Wow, this is a different life. I felt like a different person than who I was a few days ago’.” During their time at Aro Ha people often experience a much deeper connection with their higher self than they are expecting — “It’s a really powerful experience. It often brings about tears of gratitude,” says Chaparro. From the experience, people often take home two or three practices which shift the way in which they perceive the world. As a result, “the changes they make will stick and be lasting.”

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IN THIS EDITION PAGE 20. Watch the video for the beautiful Aro Ha Retreat in Glenorchy, South Island PAGE 59. Access additional photography and interviews for cyclone Pam in Vanuatu PAGE 94. An extended photo eassay on Istanbul with Brian Furbush PAGE 103. Explore the deep blue with William Trubridge - footage from Breathe PAGE 157. View behind the scenes photography for Destinationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Surgery for the Soul photoshoot

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THE HISTORY OF

PILGRIMAGE Once reserved for those committed to religion, pilgrimages are becoming a popular way to push boundaries and rediscover our direction in life. Lauren Owens discovers how pilgrimages have changed through history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and what they give to those willing to walk the path

WORDS BY LAUREN OWENS

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Once reserved for those committed to religion, pilgrimages are becoming a popular way to push boundaries, reorient and rediscover what’s important in life. Lauren Owens uncovers how pilgrimages have changed through history — and what they offer to those willing to walk the path.

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When Anna McNuff jogs down the path to the iconic Cape Reinga Lighthouse this June, she will be taking in more than a beautiful view. These will be her final glorious steps in a five-month pilgrimage from one end of New Zealand to the other. The 30-year-old from London has always wanted to see this country, but for her it’s about more than the destination; she’s looking to find her purpose through pilgrimage. Pilgrimages are an age-old tradition stretching back through the history of nearly every major religion. Muslims journey to Mecca and Jews to Jerusalem. Buddhists travel to Tibet, and Hindus to Benares. For many pilgrims, it was a journey made for religious or civil penance. For others, it has been the opportunity to get close to divinity. Reaching the sacred destination is said to invoke healing, spiritual awakening or lead the visitor to their innermost desires. In India, it is believed by Hindus that bathing in the Ganges River can heal not just physical ailments, but also absolve the sins of the bather — from this life and those before. The upper reaches of the river, where it runs swiftly, is considered especially purifying. The bather has to grasp an anchored chain in order to avoid being carried away by the current. Despite being ranked as one of the most polluted rivers in the world, each year millions of people bathe in it, and bottle the water from it to give to the sick, the dying and those getting married. In Japan, pilgrims have been enjoying the spectacular views on The Kumano Ancient Trail since the 10th century. The path winds its way to sacred shrines, and tea houses and hot springs wait for tired travellers at the end of the day. In Tibet, it is said that the Mount Kailash pilgrimage can erase the sins of a lifetime. The 52 kilometre walk around the mountain has been popular with Tibetans for 15,000 years and many complete the 15-hour walk in one day. Others crawl the entire distance and take about four weeks to complete it. Buddhist teachings say that if a pilgrim can make it around 108 times, they will reach Nirvana. Pilgrimages have also been an important tool for social movements. In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi protested against the British salt tax by walking 400 kilometres across India to the sea at Dandi. By the end of the 24-day march, his 78 followers had turned into thousands. By the time Gandhi bent down and scooped up a handful of salt from the sea bed, he had spoken to thousands of people across the country in the villages he stayed in and spread his ideas about standing up for India’s independence. It is remembered as one of the most significant organised challenges to British authority. In the United States, Martin Luther King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech was the culmination of the March on Washington in 1963. Over 250,000 people travelled from across the nation for the rally, one of the largest in the country’s history. On the morning of

the march, over 100 buses an hour were streaming through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel towards Washington. It was the mass volume of these pilgrimages — where people joined together for a common purpose — that caught the world’s attention. In both cases, the memories of these famous pilgrimages now inform the attraction of these sites for today’s visitors, allowing their ideologies to live on. However, contemporary pilgrimages aren’t reserved only for the religious or politically-inclined; a broad range of destinations have meaning and are revered across the globe. For Elvis aficionados, Graceland is a must-see, while Abbey Road draws countless Beatles fans each year. Those who want to walk in the footsteps of famous movie stars head to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, while those who worship soccer stars head to Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Some of these examples may seem superficial, yet for many they represent a highly emotional, inspirational, and evocative journey; a celebration of places, individuals, meanings and identity. Increasingly, we are seeing a new type of pilgrimage — one that is independent, creative, and personal. Anna McNuff believes the reason people go on a journey like this is because they are looking for something, “only they’re not sure what they are going to find.” As the daughter of two Olympians, Anna always had the goal of representing Britain in rowing at the Olympics, but the intense training was a strain, both physically and emotionally. At the age of 23, after years of training and dutiful commitment, Anna realised that she had other dreams. Rather than looking for external recognition, she says, “I just want to be proud of myself. I want to look in the mirror and say, I’m proud of you.” Anna sensed there were other ways of achieving this, but she was unsure as to exactly what hers would be. “We are all in search of our purpose,” she notes. “That’s why I started this journey.” Anna is now on her second pilgrimage, after completing a 17,700 kilometre cycle trip through every state of the U.S. in 2013. “I love it because when I’m running, most of the time I’m not thinking about running,” she said. “You get into a state where you completely transcend the situation. You get space and clarity… it gives me a chance to step back and pick and choose what parts of my life I like, what parts I want to work on.” Couple that with the excitement of travel, foreign cultures and meeting new people, and there is potential for an unforgettable experience. Through this process, Anna has discovered that she loves getting young people excited about sports and adventures. She was offered so many opportunities as a child, she says, and now it’s her chance to pass that passion along to kids who may not be able to afford what her family could. This mission continues: on her journey through New Zealand, she is speaking at schools along the way and raising money for Outward Bound. Another contemporary pilgrim, Phil Brotherton, has constructed a journey to honour his great-grandparents’ generation, those who fought in World War I. In commemoration of this year’s 100th centenary of Gallipoli, the 38-year-old will be undertaking a 5600 kilometre solo expedition from Asiatic Turkey to England. The pilgrimage will see him walking, cycling and mountaineering from Istanbul over three sets of mountains, including the

BELOW. Anna McNuff on her pilgrimage through New Zealand’s South Island

PREVIOUS PAGE. Inside of a sculpture called ‘Embrace’ at the Burning Man Festival

Photo by Lauren Owens

Photo by Bill Hornstein

29 / Spirit & Health Special Feature

Dolomites. Along the way, he will be laying down 2015 poppies as an original tribute to those who lost their lives. Further, as an accident 11 years ago left Phil with a head injury from which he developed epilepsy, this pilgrimage is a way to push his physical boundaries as well as to honour the fallen. For Leo Murray, a year-long pilgrimage was a major stepping stone to discovering what he wanted to do with his life. The 27-year-old from Tauranga, New Zealand, has always enjoyed a good time at festivals, parties and raves. He spent nearly six years working as a DJ, where he would make up to NZ$300 an hour. He eventually came to realise that his role was helping people to ‘escape’ their everyday lives through drugs and alcohol — and not in a good way. “A lot of people in the world are looking to achieve happiness. I wasn’t really sold on the contentment equation we are told to believe in,” he said. Leo came to realise that he wanted to combine his love of music and parties but not at the cost of the other people and the world around him. He and his wife spent a year travelling to their destination — the Burning Man Festival in Nevada, United States.

Their path took them to the top of the Himalayas, temples in India, Peru and Cambodia, and a permaculture design course within a Mexican eco-resort. In taking a spiritual path and learning about permaculture on the way, for Leo the trip wasn’t just about reaching the party — it was a journey to a sustainable lifestyle. These days, Leo has managed to combine both: he devotes his energies to festivals which incorporate workshops that inspire positive change, and runs his own business, Why Waste, which reduces the amount of rubbish put in landfills. He credits his pilgrimage for the inspiration to change his life. As for Anna McNuff, she predicts that when she takes those final steps at Cape Reinga, she “will feel an amazing amount of relief”. Finishing her pilgrimage is something for her to be proud of. “People used to find themselves through religion,” she said. “This has a similar theme.” Choosing the right final destination for a pilgrimage is important, but, most agree, the greatest fulfilment comes from the journey itself. And while it may feel like a penance when the backpack straps are cutting into our shoulders, and even our blisters have blisters, this is when the moments of clarity arrive.

RIGHT This photo has been shot at the Ganden university monastery (Gelupka order of Buddhism) located 40 kilometres north east of Lhasa on top of Wangbur Mountain at around 4000 metres altitude. It is one of the earliest and largest Buddhist temples in Tibet.

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Photo by ÂŠLaurent Zylberman / GraphixImages / courtesy Mondo Galeria + Sous les Etoiles Gallery

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DIVINE DESTINATIONS Our history is woven with the clash and concord of religions which originated and are celebrated in various sacred locations across the globe. The many rituals and beliefs tied to these revered destinations compel us to challenge past perceptions of our identity and explore new avenues of cultural development. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rediscovering lost faith, exploring a new religion, or paying homage to esteemed deities, these sacred sites provide stimulating and soulful experiences that pave the way for spiritual enlightenment.

WORDS BY JEMMA SMITH

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ABOVE. The Sun Catcher A boy named Mangala enjoys his morning jump into the Ganges River, Varanasi, India Photo by Thanwan Singh Pannu Baldev Singh

STONEHENGE Stonehenge is a prehistoric puzzle still shrouded in mystery. This Neolithic monument is believed to have been a Druid temple and a sun and astronomy tracker. More recently, archaeologists have started to realise its importance as a burial ground and gateway to the afterlife. Even the most complex theories cannot detract from the alluring energy emanating from these mystical stones standing amid the low rolling planes of Wiltshire. Photo by Henrik Knudsen

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MECCA Mecca remains the epicentre of the Islamic world, long after the first words of the Holy Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an were communicated to the Prophet Muhammad. The foundation of Islam is rooted in the heart of the ancient Haram Mosque, where the holy Kaaba, House of Allah, is protected within its consecrated walls.

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Photo by Amna A. Al-Thani

VATICAN CITY The Vatican City is the holy centre of the Roman Catholic world, steeped in religious tradition and the repository of countless artistic treasures that testify to centuries of Biblical narratives and papal history. Be humbled by the presence of the Pope preaching to his Catholic adherents from the famous papal balcony overlooking St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square and admire the Christian traditions delicately preserved within St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basilica, the Apostolic Palace and the Sistine Chapel. Photo by Marcus Sam

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JERUSALEM Conquered, destroyed, recaptured and rebuilt: the layers of Jerusalemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history represent a plateau of monotheistic religions. Despite centuries of division and dispute between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, these religions are united by shared Abrahamic origins and by their mutual preoccupation with this holy city. This photo depicts prayers at the Western Wall

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Photo by Mariusz Prusaczyk

GANGES Each drop of the Ganges River carries thousands of years of prayers and symbolises the intricacies of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and way of life. Hindus from all sects still flood to the banks of the Mother Ganges, bathing in her holy waters to liberate themselves from sin and purify the souls of the deceased. Photo by Gurpreet Singh

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NEWGRANGE The 5000 year old tomb, Newgrange, is believed to have been built by a Stone Age farming community for great tribal leaders and kings. Legend dedicates the circular mound to the Celtic sun god, Dagha, while the alignment of its entry passage and chamber with the rising sun of the winter solstice strongly suggests an astronomical focus to this communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faith.

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Photo by Stephen Emerson

ANGKOR WAT Wondrously preserved architectural mastery fused with Hindu faith, Angkor Wat is unrivalled in its religious majesty and the finely wrought detailing of its architecture. This 12th Century temple city was built to immortalise Suryavarman II, the then king of the Khmer empire, through devotion to the Hindu god Vishnu in tandem with Meru, the mythical centre of the universe. Photo by Scott Stulberg

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TRAVEL STATE OF MIND WORDS BY JESSIE BROAD PHOTO BY KURT MCMANUS

Digging my toes into the mixture of shining white and glittering black sand, all that echoed through my mind was a resounding “Aaaaah...” No emails to check, no bosses to answer to, no place to be. Why does a simple change of scenery have such a profound effect in relaxing and rejuvenating the mind, body and spirit?

My chosen ‘retreat’ was the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula on the northeastern coast of New Zealand. It is an oasis of secluded beaches (some only accessible by boat or walking tracks), native bush and clear waters. The slogan on the region’s website and pamphlets exclaims proudly that the Coromandel is “good for your soul”, and it’s not a challenge to accept this as fact. So why do we resist taking these mental health breaks more often? Mental and emotional health is defined as overall psychological wellbeing. How we feel about ourselves, the quality of our relationships and how we manage our feelings and reactions all sit under this umbrella of wellbeing. The intricate web of mind and body weave together to create a happy soul, and keeping the balance is crucial. Our physical and social wellbeing is directly affected by our mental and emotional health, and travel is one of the best remedies for imbalance in any of these areas.

Challenges in our lives can be seen in new light once they are no longer so physically and emotionally close — drawing us nearer to important revelations and giving us the enthusiasm to tackle issues. There’s also the likelihood of meeting new and intriguing people who introduce us to new beliefs, opinions and ideas, or who simply inspire us. Even the stresses of travel (say, a missed flight or lack of home comforts) have positive spin-off effects in the form of pushing us out of our comfort zone and encouraging enhanced brain activity and problem solving ability. In these ways, travel provides a multiplicity of mental and emotional benefits that flow on to other areas of life. Barnes will sometimes recommend a change of scenery as part of her clients’ treatment plans, as the advantages are so numerous. “Travel or a change of scenery can give us a reprieve from our busy schedules and the stress of modern life. Simply not having links to the busy modern world can create time

for contemplation, reconnection and appreciation of life. A break from the laptop, mobile phone, school and work commitments brings the space we need for reflection that we often don’t have time for.” Barnes recommends tuning into our new surroundings through the use of a technique called mindfulness, a state of living in the moment and appreciating the present, rather than letting life pass us by while we worry about the past or the future. Mindfulness is a method that is becoming more and more widely practiced in today’s society — there are a myriad of benefits to be had by paying attention and observing ‘now’, rather than focusing on past or future events we cannot control. The technique directly develops mental and emotional health by increasing self-awareness and acceptance, which can help fight depression and anxiety. The Coromandel was the perfect place to practice this — as I was focusing on the sands’ swirling patterns on the beach at Flaxmill Bay and revelling in the taxing walk that got me there, I thought, we really do need to learn to switch off and just ‘be’. Let it be, and let it go. From now on, when I plan a trip away, more thought is going to go into how it’s going to help me mentally. Many times I have sacrificed a relaxing break to haphazardly continue the fast pace by blitzing through the countryside to get to the next destination and explore it with camera in hand, ready to upload to social media. Although many places have been seen and captured by my lens, my mind was never captured by those places. It wasn’t given a chance. By choosing destinations that forcibly slow me down by lack of connectivity and bustle, I will be able to bury myself heart and head into cultures and nature, and possibly practice just a little mindfulness.

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Our mailboxes, news feeds and bookshelves are all constantly brimming with the promise of improved physical health, better work performance and general success. This myriad of information can overwhelm and distract us from something more important — our mental and emotional state. The freedom to enjoy the moment and get to grips with our fast paced and ultra-connected world is a luxury that can be granted to us by travelling.

Travel also has a residual effect — the benefits of taking a break continue far beyond the end of the vacation. When we leave our comfortable home life and job behind for a while, our perspective on life and all its complex elements is given the opportunity to refresh and recharge too. Lucy Barnes, a Health Psychologist from Auckland Psychology, believes travel has strong merit in helping our psychological wellbeing. She states “Not only is it time out, but travel can also provide intellectual stimulation, reconnection with family and friends and space to think. Seeing new parts of the world can bring a new appreciation for your own life and country. It can also give you a new perspective on yourself, your own needs and values. Travel can provide a new energy and focus, and can highlight the need for change in your present life.”

APR-JUN 2015

SPIRIT KIT Your spiritual journey starts with the right equipment. Words by Anna Harding

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2/ Roll Recovery R8

Without the bulk of a screen, the new Jawbone UP3 can be worn as a bracelet or alongside a watch — fitting in as easily at boot camp as it would a fine dining restaurant. However, beneath the sleek aesthetics of Jawbone’s latest offering is an equally impressive fitness monitor. The UP3 can analyse heart rate, stress and sleep patterns, as well as track diet, personal goals and hydration. To ensure we don’t slack off, it also has an Idle Alert to ensure maximum motivation and activity. It is compatible with various health apps, allowing users to gain a comprehensive picture of their individual wellbeing. The UP3 is designed to be worn 24/7 and wearers are connected via Bluetooth (even when swimming) for effortless data download. Away from home, the UP3 can last a week on a single charge.

Don’t worry, Jeremy Nelson hasn’t been stealing wheels from unsuspecting rollerbladers. Instead, unsatisfied with traditional self-massage products, the runner, cyclist and mechanical engineer has designed his own — and the result is a winner. The Roll Recovery R8 uses a series of spring-loaded wheels to flush out sore legs, break up muscle adhesions and reduce inflammation. Four gripping points allow for the accurate targeting of muscle groups, delivering a deep tissue massage without the cost or inconvenience of a personal masseuse. The R8 is small and light enough to travel anywhere. So whether the next big event is an international marathon or local inline hockey tournament, the R8 is every athlete’s ultimate recovery companion.

3/ Tentsile

4/ Compressed Towel Tablets & Rag Soak

It’s not often we hear of someone taking their treehouse on holiday, but that’s exactly what Tentsile have made possible. Tentsile tents can be secured anywhere there are trees and are the ultimate place to reconnect with nature. Better yet, an erection time of only 10 minutes means more time for relaxing. Tentsile tents yield up to 15 square metres of floor space and the innovative design allows for multiple levels, resulting in spectacular forest cities. Plus, hanging out above ground has its advantages. Campers can journey into remote locations and no longer have to put up with trekked-in sand or pine needles, uneven sleeping surfaces, creepy-crawlies, or floor dampness. Even better, sleeping in a Tentsile is like lying back in a hammock, eliminating the need for bed rolls. This means less equipment to carry and a healthier, more ergonomic rest. Also, with every tent purchased Tentsile plants three trees — the perfect match for adventurous tree huggers everywhere.

Inspired by old-school smelling salts, Prospector & Co.’s Pugilist Rag Soak is the ideal pick-me-up during long journeys. The conscious company’s products are handmade using naturallyderived ingredients. Combining hemp oil, rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender, the Soak exudes a powerful scent that clears the mind and helps relaxation. And it’s even better when combined with Prospector & Co.’s Compressed Towel Tablets. A stylish glass bottle holds six almost weightless tablets, ending the need to transport full size hand or face towels. The cotton fibre pills decompress with water and magically expand into a face cloth. Only a small amount of the oil needs to be used on each rag for a relaxing steam treatment, on the go or mid-flight. Alternatively the pills alone can be popped in a pocket or wallet for use when away from the conveniences of home or hotel. Pugilist Rag Soak and Compressed Towels are a perfect marriage for weary, space-conscious travellers.

5/ Pax 2 Vaporiser

6/ SmartMat

We all know smoking is bad for us. That’s why Pax Labs Inc. are helping change the health consequences and negative perception of lighting up. Their second generation loose leaf vaporiser, the PAX 2, looks more like a music device, keeping its true purpose discreet. It boasts some cool features including motion and lip detection and self-optimising temperature, as well as a 10 year warranty. PAX 2 works by heating loose-leaf botanicals — of any variety — at a temperature that won’t burn the material, instead releasing active ingredients and natural oils into a subtle vapour. This means the ‘baddies’ of smoking are largely eliminated. Chemicals directly associated with burning plant and paper don’t exist, so lungs aren’t affected, and there’s no need for an ashtray. Without any second hand smoke, the scent associated with smoking is greatly reduced, meaning we are free to indulge anywhere. The PAX 2 is a stylish and healthier alternative for smokers. What’s the harm in that?

SmartMat, the world’s first responsive yoga mat, intelligently combines mindfulness and portable technology. Calibrated to an individual’s body shape, size and personal limitations, the SmartMat gives feedback on alignment, balance and weight distribution. Linked to a smartphone or tablet, it has three settings to help improve posture and poses. In-home Private is a fully guided audio workout, In-class Assist provides silent on-screen feedback, and Zen Mode allows for unassisted practice. As skills evolve, so does the mat, adjusting goals according to ability and continually updating information that can be referred to postworkout. The SmartMat also works in temperatures of up to 43°C and is sweat resistant — perfect for Bikram classes or tropical retreats. Whether the SmartMat is being transported from home to class, or from country to country, it can be conveniently rolled up like a regular mat. Now that really is smart.

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1/ Jawbone UP3

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N AT U R E ’ S O R C H E S T R A P L AY S ON FOR CYCLONE-SHOCKED

VANUATU WORDS BY ROWENA BAHL PHOTOGRAPHY BY THAI NEAVE & MATT CRAWFORD

PREVIOUS. Night view from the jetty at Vila Chaumieres

Photo by Matt Crawford

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BELOW. A family stand on their cyclone-flattened home

IT WAS NATURE’S TUNES THAT TRUMPETED THE SOUNDS OF CHAOS ACROSS THE ISLANDS OF VANUATU A MERE THREE WEEKS BEFORE OUR ARRIVAL, WHEN CYCLONE PAM — A NOT-SO-GENTLE, CATEGORY 5 GIANT — STOMPED HER WAY OVER A SMILING PEOPLE

Location: VANUATU

I am hit by a wall of tropical heat and moisture that acts like a calming balm: there is something pleasant and reassuring about this first flush of tropical air, as if Pam has at least left something intact. Even so, collecting our bags, my ears decipher many conversations and all seem to be framed around one topic: Pam and her wrath. “How bad was it?” “Tanna was flattened.” “They are taking out as much water as they can.” Richard Purdy, president of the Rotary Club of Port Vila, and his wife Ursula collect us and take us back to their resort, Vila Chaumieres. As we drive through Port Vila, nothing seems as bad as what I have seen in the newspapers. In fact, Richard has to point out the destruction for me to even see it. I float between cyclone chatter and memories of my last time in Vanuatu, just over two years ago.

While Cyclone Pam may have sucked the lifeblood from the archipelago of Vanuatu, the sounds of the sea and land play a reassuring and healing symphony for islanders having to literally rebuild their lives from the ground up, telling us that while the tempest was terrible and took many lives, for these resilient people it wasn’t a terminal blow.

Indeed, it was nature’s tunes that trumpeted the sounds of chaos across the islands of Vanuatu a mere three weeks before our arrival, when Cyclone Pam — a not-so-gentle Category 5 giant — stomped her way over a smiling people, once described by the New Economics Foundation as the happiest on Earth. Pam, a name we might more readily associate with a friendly neighbour or reliable workmate, had neither of these fine attributes. In the course of her two-day rampage, she bit into concrete buildings, sucked flimsy village shelters into the air and swallowed fields of crops whole. Her destruction was catastrophic, with 90 percent of the housing in the nation’s capital — Port Vila, on the main island of Efate — either completely destroyed or badly damaged. However, Vanuatu’s outer islands suffered the worst: Tanna, hit by winds of up to 316 kilometres per hour, lost most of its vegetative cover, with individual trees and palms shorn of every leaf and frond. Arriving in Port Vila after this grim harvest, the sombre reality of the situation is underscored by the presence of a United States Air Force C-17 transporter — certainly not the typical welcome to one of the South Pacific’s more remote tropical islands. Like a warning of what lies ahead, this grey sentinel makes me feel a little nervous. However, as I begin walking down the aircraft steps,

I can only now start to imagine what it must have been like for local villagers, their flimsy timber and palm thatch huts little match for the power of the cyclone. The juxtaposition between our destruction-centred conversation and our resort setting — sipping lemonades on a peaceful lagoon, blanketed in island warmth — is peculiar. Now all seems at peace, but this only reinforces what the locals here know all too well: just as our moods change, so do those of nature. Sometimes warnings are given, and other times we are not so fortunate. The next day, I reflect on the nature of freedom as a group of Port Vila kindergarten children sing songs about Jesus loving them. It is a sun-drenched morning and the skies are singing along with them. As their little voices chirp, a mix of emotions well up within me. Their high spirits lift mine, but it is a complicated, intense feeling. Happiness is freedom, and these children are feeling it. Education is freedom, and its seeds are being planted once more in the fertile ground of Vanuatu, less than three weeks after the tragedy and dangers of Pam. I realise that happiness can be found in the strangest places: it occurs regardless of physical context and represents a form of freedom that can surpass any challenge. Ruth and her husband, a policeman in Vanuatu, have been the driving force behind this little pikinini (kids) school. At the far end of the school’s field sit two classrooms; at the centre, an old chicken pen and at the entry point – where the children play under a tarpaulin — sits a massive black amplifier belting out

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I am at an opera in the wild: lying down on a jetty under the stars, listening to an orchestra of flying fish, barking dogs, whispering bush voices and acoustic tunes from a nearby resort. My ears absorb each sound in succession, one wave at a time becoming dominant against the background, then fading to allow another to take centre stage. I am the conductor of this orchestra. I can choose the ‘star’ and everyone is happy to take turns. There is no competition on this jetty and nature’s tunes mingle with humankind’s in concord.

Vila Chaumieres gives me my first encounter of cyclone damage up close. Immediately, I notice the gardens have been ripped to shreds. Sitting in the resort’s restaurant, overlooking the lagoon with glasses of lemonade at hand, Richard tells me about their 16-hour nightmare, when on March 13th, they locked themselves into their villa and rode out the storm. As the cyclone gradually built up toward speeds of 275 kilometres per hour, he and Ursula huddled together, the overwhelming sounds giving ample hints as to what was going on outside. “Like a freight train was over us, or a jumbo jet — incredible noise it was, and the air was charged with roaring energy. We were afraid for our lives,” recalls Richard. “If it was to happen again, I think I would be on the first flight back to New Zealand.”

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LEFT. Siblings wait for treatment at a make-shift medical station

LOWER LEFT. Children from the school we visited in Port Vila

NEXT PAGE. All smiles at one of the villages we deliver water to in southwest Efate

Photo by Thai Neave

music. The clash of simple living and technology is interesting indeed. Vanuatu is one of the world’s poorest nations. While tourism is its fastestgrowing and most promising industry, agriculture remains a key component of the economy — from subsistence farming to small farm holdings producing a range of cash crops, with copra still an important earner. The economy also relies heavily on aid: Australia is its biggest funder, helping to finance much-needed infrastructure so that this small nation can finally shed the yoke of French and British colonialism and progress towards becoming a truly independent nation. However, Cyclone Pam will surely impact on this plan, as the need for aid is now higher than ever.

It was immediately apparent that food, water and shelter were urgent needs for most of the local population. Two days later Michael was joined in his efforts by Peter Robinson and his partner Jenny. Together, they distributed food and water as quickly as possible — a move that initially got them in trouble with the government and its official rescue bureaucracy. However, Michael reports that “we have since been accepted and now they are actually asking me for information and suggestions on how to do it all.” I later learn that Michael was also threatened with being kicked out of the country for his ‘renegade’ behaviour. I can only put this down to petty politics: the very politics that we soon discover has left thousands dislocated from their homes and villages, without access to

Hearing about the true situation, our team — which now comprises our photographer Matt, myself and a second photographer, Thai — is eager to join some of the paramedics who are heading to one of the villages that need medical care. We are introduced to Shelley Olson, a trained paramedic; Shona, an Australian volunteer who has ‘come for the ride’ much like ourselves; and Mary, a local volunteer. Mary and Shona tell many stories along the way, in-between dodging potholes. The roads in Vanuatu have always been notorious and this means that navigating them turns driving into a sort of game. We are told about a community that had no shelter for three weeks and needed tarpaulins urgently. The government had tarps, but refused to distribute them because it was Good Friday. As a result, the community ended up having to wait for shelter for another three days, until after Easter. Mary reflects, “People are suffering out there while we are worrying about religious hours.” Arriving at the village, it soon becomes apparent that suffering remains widespread. Shelley sets up an aid station in a large shed – part of a working farm — and villagers soon arrive in droves from nearby villages. They number 30 or so, mostly mothers and children suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting. This has been a problem for some of the children for the last three weeks, indicating it is most likely cyclone-related. The reality of their situation hits home as I realise that most villagers lack access to even the most basic of medical aids and treatments, from paracetamol and sterile bandages to penicillin. Government-controlled aid has been urgently needed for three weeks, but it is slow, if it arrives at all. The population here is young, with approximately 40 per cent under 15 years old. This only adds to the sense of urgency and need – for strategic direction as well

as the most basic of shelter and medicinal aids. However, even though most of these children are poverty-stricken and ‘under the weather’, they are the happiest I have ever met. Smiles and laughter abound, and while the medics work, I play with them and share with them the photos from my life back home. Like children everywhere, they are most amused by the animal pictures. When we wake the next morning, we are ready to take on the task of water delivery to some of Efate’s outer villages with Gary Richards, a Rotary volunteer. We fill as many containers as we can, load them into the back of the truck, and wend our slow way towards the southwestern side of Efate — where the cyclone hit hardest. Along the way, I spy a field of palm trees: some still stand at attention, while others have fallen. Nature’s battleground. We stop at several spots on our water mission. Children and adults alike come with their empty buckets and water bottles. They are happy to see us as we swap full containers for empties, and fill their buckets. I imagine my tap at home, its bottomless pit. We soon run out of water and at that this mission ends. Our short stay in Vanuatu is drawing to a close, so we decide to head to the famed Blue Lagoon, a swimming hole located about an hour out of Port Vila, for a muchneeded swim and recharge. It is definitely worth the drive to see local children jumping off rope swings like it’s their second nature, shattering the lagoon’s crystal waters. We join in the fun. Although it will be all any of us could wish for to see this place brought fully back to life, I appreciate this microcosm of Vanuatu for what it is in this moment. The calm after the storm, notes of splashes and laughter spread out: a subdued symphony of the land, its water and its people.

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Later that day, we have the opportunity to meet with independent paramedic service ProMedical, an organisation that has been helping the people of Vanuatu since 2000. Michael Benjamin, the Operations Manager, tells me about ‘Renegade Aid’, a water and food distribution initiative whose birth was forced, post-Pam. Like Richard and Ursu la, Michael describes the arrival of Cyclone Pam as one of the scariest nights of his life. He recalls that when he walked outside in the morning, “the devastation was pretty amazing.” The first priority for ProMedical was clearing the roads to the airport in order to open the runway for relief planes.

food, clean water and shelter. If it wasn’t for organisations such as ProMedical and Rotary, along with individuals like Peter and Jenny, the situation in Vanuatu could be even worse than it is. These individuals and their tiny agencies thrive on action — something that is sorely needed in a disaster situation. When people are dying, there is little room for politics.

LAST PAGE. The Blue Lagoon provides an oasis for locals and tourists alike

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Photo by Matt Crawford

Travel Tracker

Things we love about Vanuatu The high spirits, peaceful lagoons, and warm welcome.

Language English, French and Bislama.

Getting here Fly direct to Port Vila from New Zealand, Australia, and selected Pacific islands with Air Vanuatu.

Currency Vanuatu Vatu.

Transport Mini-buses are the best means of transport in Vanuatu, taxis are available too, and hopping from island to island couldn’t be easier with Air Vanuatu’s domestic flights.

Climate Vanuatu enjoys endless sunshine and clear blue skies for most of the year, bar the wet/cyclone season from December to April.

Publishers Note Destinations Magazine had originally intended to send a team to Vanuatu

The islands have been much more seriously affected by Pam than western

to write a story on the resorts, people and natural wonders of Vanuatu. The

media have implied, and remain in serious need of assistance. For our part,

flight was booked for two days before Cyclone Pam hit Vanuatu.

Destinations has now delivered a consignment of books, sports equipment, and toys for younger children to local schools in the Port Vila area, and we

When the enormity of the damage delivered by Pam became apparent,

hope that other organisations will open their hearts and resources to the

the decision was made to refocus the story on the damage wrought by

wonderful people of Vanuatu. Most of all, we know that tourism fuels a large

the cyclone. A planned trip to Tanna was abandoned due to the physical

portion of Vanuatu’s economy - so the best way that individuals can help

difficulties of moving around Vanuatu now, so this article is much more

our island neighbours is to start visiting Efate, Tanna and the other islands

restricted in its scope than was originally intended.

of the archipelago again.

I S L A N D S

Air Vanuatu - The ONLY airline providing business class seats between Auckland and Port Vila. The ONLY airline offering convenient middle day arrivals and departures at Auckland every Wednesday and Saturday ensuring connections to and from all NZ domestic airports. The ONLY airline offering fantastic childrens fares! So much to see and do with a great choice of restaurants, amazing activities and of course renowned Dive sites...We know our place better than anyone!

Free Meals... Free Drinks... Free Headsets... 23kg Baggage allowance... ...Every Passenger, Every Flight.

airvanuatu.com

airvanuatu@airvanuatu.co.nz www.vanuatu.travel

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SONS OF THE

WIND 3000 miles from Brazil’s capital, Rio de Janeiro, lives a remote tribe whose connection with nature far surpasses that of the ‘developed’ world. The Desana tribe has a unique connection with its environment and its people call themselves wira pora: sons of the wind. Through their observation of nature, the Desana understand that they must uphold the balance between the environment and its people. They believe that population control is a significant factor in the sustainability of the Earth. Strict management of both their subsistence agriculture and shared community ideologies ensures the management of energy and resources – both of which are ultimately returned to the natural environment.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LAZAR

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LEFT. Portrait of a woman from the Desana tribe wearing traditional ornaments and face paint made from berries.

BELOW. The chief of a village situated near the Amazon River. He wears traditional face paint, a full feather head dress, and his smile shows the warmth and happiness of the peaceful Desana tribe.

PREVIOUS PAGE. A girl from the Desana tribe in the Amazon.

NEXT PAGE. Two Brazilian Amazonian children who live by a river in a traditional tribal community play music together. The feathers in the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; headdresses are made from a macaw bird, and these are worn to mark the identities of tribal groups

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LEFT. Macaws preening each other in the afternoon sunlight.

LOWER LEFT. Men from the indigenous Desana tribe, located by a river near the city of Manaus.

BELOW. Two girls from the Amazonian Brazilian Desana tribe adjust the necklace and ornaments worn as part of their traditional dress

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DESERT AESTHETIC Dominique van de Klundert finds a creative oasis in Joshua Tree, California

WORDS BY DOMINIQUE VAN DE KLUNDERT

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Location: CALIFORNIA

existence – the result of decades of planning, millions of dollars, and, in the transportation of the boulder through the city to the site, cooperation of the likes which local bureaucrats had never seen — represents the power we wield to mould the world and create markers that will speak to future generations.

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According to Chrissie Iles, Curator at the Whitney Museum in New York, such an environment also acts to increase our awareness of space – our relationship to it, and movement through it. I gaze up at the boulder, tracing its outline against the sky, before strolling beneath, noting the way its form shifts with every move we make. Coming up and out the other side of the trench, I look up again, observing the mass from yet another perspective. Others walk at ground level alongside the trench, reaching out to touch the rock in a somewhat reverential way. It’s been suggested that certain objects, be they from space or deep within the earth, draw us to them with their energy, and this boulder appears to be one of them.

The tone of our journey is set before we even leave LA. Pulling up outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), we venture past the high metal railings enclosing Michael Heizer’s epic outdoor sculpture, Levitated Mass. For the middle of the city, the compound is relatively quiet, and the titular mass looms large across the open space outside the museum. I hear the crunch of our shoes on sand, not for the last time this trip. The work consists of a massive 900 million-year-old, 340-tonne boulder, suspended above a trench that dips below ground level. It’s deceptively simple – my travel buddy, Cory, certainly doesn’t see the point. However, this artist’s influence on conceptions of landscape, as well as definitions of ‘art’, is significant, and Levitated Mass is the most ambitious public project he has pulled off to date. Heizer pioneered the idea of ‘negative sculpture’: removing matter to create negative space rather than building up a form. Combining this idea with landscape art, which engages with the materials of the earth, his work often involves cutting into the morphology of a site. The artist is also interested in the juxtaposition of forms and materials, considering how they relate to one another spatially, and often temporally as well. LACMA Director Michael Govan suggests that Levitated Mass, both modern and ancient, fuses a monumental absence with a monumental presence. This creates a complex sense of perspective: on the one hand, all this monumentality speaks to our insignificance in space and time, while on the other, its very

One final glance and we jump back into the car and onto the highway. No doubt influenced by Levitated Mass, I find myself noticing the way concrete overpasses position and reposition themselves against the blue Californian sky as we drive past. Once out of the city, we try, and fail, to capture on phone cameras our pivoting view of a field of windmills spinning as they gather the forces of the strong wind that buffets our vehicle. Exiting towards Joshua Tree, the road takes a turn, orienting us perpendicular to the hills and offering a strikingly panoramic view of our desert surroundings. We wind up through the hills and begin passing through the towns that border the park: while Morongo Valley has the vibe of a small highway settlement, Yucca Valley is surprisingly developed, with strip malls, big box stores, and fast food joints lining the highway. A few kilometres out of Yucca Valley, we reach the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. This 420-acre site was founded in 1941 by Edwin J. Dingle, who had recently returned from a spiritual awakening in Tibet. Having made his fortune mapping China in the early 1900s, Dingle wished to build a retreat to share his philosophy of ‘mentalphysics’ – a combination of meditation, breath work, and affirmations designed to lead to a state of balance among body, mind, and spirit. Dingle’s legend has him discovering the site while driving along a desert road, before being overwhelmed with the compulsion to pull over and stop. He reported a burst of light from the heavens, illuminating the landscape, and a voice predicting that “The desert will bloom like a rose… someday there shall be cities built around the land. Great highways shall lead here as a place of respite.” As we pull off the main road, transitioning from the business environs of Yucca Valley to the calm of Dingle’s retreat, it seems that his vision did indeed came to fruition. This is later confirmed when we learn of the numbers of people who undertake pilgrimages from around the world to attend retreats facilitated here by leaders in their fields.

PREVIOUS PAGE. Joshua Trees aren’t the only bizarre things to be found in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. Pictured here is a tortured Juniper Tree and an uncannily balanced rock.

BELOW. Michael Heizer Levitated Mass, 2012 Los Angeles County Museum of Art © Michael Heizer Photo by Tom Vinetz

Photo by Floris van Breugel

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ABOVE LEFT. Sanctuary, interior, Joshua Tree Retreat Centre

ABOVE. Sanctuary, exterior, Joshua Retreat Tree Centre

Photo by Sarah Prikryl

We explore the grounds the next morning. Boots crunching on sand once more, we march quietly, out of respect for those undertaking silent meditation in the nearby buildings. Approaching the Sanctuary — the retreat’s largest meeting space and an original Wright design — its integration with the landscape is clear. Its angles seem to rise straight out of the ground, ascending to a peak and spire. Inside, it becomes apparent that the vaulted ceiling consists of 10 triangular panels. This structure means that the Sanctuary’s acoustics are incredible. Ken Davis, the relaxation musician, keeps a crystal piano here permanently, on which he performs a concert once a year: we peek under the cover and speculate as to what the instrument might sound like, but don’t dare play a note. Thinking back to the wind farm, I consider the transfer of energy within this space — the elusive natural energy of the site from the vortex directly beneath, channelled through this architecture into soundwaves circulating around the room and connecting with the human actors inside it. The centre’s buildings all prominently feature rock sourced from a quarry on the

property, which allows maintenance to preserve the original intent and materiality of the architecture. It’s also used to create new features, such as the Chalice Well Pond. This pond is situated on one of the energy vortices within the property, and its design references the form of the vesica piscis, or intersecting circles, seen in the famed Chalice Well of Glastonbury — where the Holy Grail is reportedly buried. As the water of the pond pours down each level of the fountain, it spirals down and around a network of circular vessels, imitating the whirling energy of the vortex beneath — a tangible rendering of the flow of soundwaves that I had envisaged within the Sanctuary. Here, the purpose is to energise the water’s spiritual, healing properties, ignited within the pond by drops brought from the renowned healing sites of Lourdes and Medjugorje. This is further supported by crystals and gemstones laid beneath the foundation, each inflecting their own spiritual properties into the pond. This area of the centre is used as a calm site for relaxation, prayer, or meditation, and also for physical anointing. We dip our hands in and find the water surprisingly cold. The next phase of our journey of aesthetic discovery is tucked away down a small, unobtrusive dirt road, well off the highway. An artist and educator, Noah Purifoy was influential in his dedication to the practice of found object assemblage sculpture, and in his vision of art as a tool for social change. Initially working within the urban environment of Watts, the artist relocated to Joshua Tree in 1989. Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum is the culmination of his final 15 years of work, resulting in a surreal 10 acres of large-scale sculpture, built entirely from junk materials. The constructions merge his assemblage sculpture with land art, relocating and re-contextualising his earlier practice. The site is a complex network of interrelationships. Each piece of debris has an individual history, and a new role in collocation with the other pieces it is now placed alongside; both aspects contributing to the nature of the larger cumulative ‘whole’ they create. Similarly, each work stands on its own, and in relation to other sculptures within the

surrounding environment. Crunch, crunch, crunch: we split up, wandering in different directions to explore individually. Though his work has a strong political dimension, what strikes me most are Purifoy’s strategies of framing and enclosure: ‘windows’ and archways repeatedly bring into focus other works or aspects of the environment, while detailed spaces are contained within boundaries constructed of rusted tin, wire mesh, or a simple rope. Like Heizer’s work, these techniques encourage a heightened awareness of our own existence in relationship to spaces and our movement through them. I experience Purifoy’s environments from the outside, the inside, this angle and that, experimenting with my own placement in relation to them and finding a new perspective, a previously unregistered detail, every time. The nature of these details — vestiges of life that would otherwise be considered worthless — has its own impact. Old clothing, furniture, books, electronic parts, all are left to weather away out here in the desert. In this way, the site is both a time capsule and a constantly evolving — or devolving — organism, and each interpretation serves as a reminder of our own temporary status on this planet, raising the question of what traces, material or otherwise, we will leave behind. Still feeling the effects of Purifoy’s extraordinary undertaking — some of which, serendipitously enough, will feature in the upcoming Junk Dada exhibition back at LACMA from June 7th this year — we move on to the Joshua Tree National Park itself. As we approach the park’s west entrance — one of three points of entry — more and more of its iconic trees and rock formations emerge from within the desert landscape, the latter looking from this distance like miniature mountains of piled-up pebbles. We discuss their origins, pushed up out of the earth by massive geological forces. It’s said that the park is vortex-heavy too. Certainly, in looking at this landscape, it seems obvious that there is something potent simmering beneath the surface surrounding us — with no architectural or land art remodelling required.

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The centre is built on 18 vortices — places of intensified energy patterns within the earth that serve to amplify physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states. It’s this characteristic that some consider to be behind the power of any sacred site. In building a retreat in such an environment, the intention is to encourage practices that allow the power of the vortex to be directed in such a way that it promotes insight, healing, and creativity. This energy was further harnessed architecturally by Dingle in collaboration with famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and his son Lloyd Wright. The buildings represent a synergy between Dingle’s proponence of Vastu building philosophy — which centres around orientation and alignment in relation to the movement of the sun through the day, ideal proportions, the use of sustainable materials, and the influence of the natural environment — and Wright’s ‘organic architecture’, which integrates structures into their sites, creating a harmonious composition.

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LEFT. Noah Purifoy No Contest (bicycles), 1991 Assemblage Sculpture 427 x 640 x 61 centimetres. Noah Purifory Foundation © Noah Purifoy Foundation

LOWER LEFT. Noah Purifoy From the Point of View of the Little People, 1994 Mixed Media Construction 305 x 244 x 46 centimetres. Noah Purifoy Foundation © Noah Purifoy Foundation

Photo © Fredrick Nilsen Photo © Fredrick Nilsen

Not far into the park, we reach Hidden Valley. The campgrounds and picnic facilities throughout the park are basic but tidy and well-maintained, and this is no exception. Heading straight for the trail, we make our way through a small passage between two large boulders to find a concealed clearing of sorts, with smaller boulders and trees surrounded by much bigger, imposing rock structures. We stick to the trail for the most part, which has an organic feeling to it, consisting of cleared sand bordered by small rocks, occasional stone steps, and subtle, but clear, arrows and information points along the way. I realise that all our recent engagement with art and architecture has ultra-attuned me to my mediated interaction with this natural environment.

As we crunch our way along the path, we see tiny figures clinging to the sheer faces like Spider-Man, and silhouettes of others perched on the tops of these mighty forms. Vowing to emulate them tomorrow, we take an easier road to an elevated perspective with a drive up to the Keys View Lookout, which provides a remarkable vista across Palm Springs, Coachella, the San Andreas Fault and the Salton Sea. In the background, the mountains progressively fade into a haze due to the Los Angeles smog, creating a clear delineation of distance that is quite beautiful if one ignores its environmental implications. It’s a satisfying end to an exhausting, but enriching, day. The following morning we leap out of bed bright and early, keen to get back to the park and make the most of it. Old hands at this by now, we drive assuredly towards the entrance, waving our permit for the ranger as we go through. This time, we travel a little deeper into the park, stopping at the famed Jumbo Rocks. Like Hidden Valley, this area features a campground and trail, but its main appeal is the eponymous rocks. We go off-trail this time, scampering over boulders like billy-goats. Today it is less about following a set path to a predetermined destination and more about forging our own. We take turns choosing the direction and collaborate to problem solve our way out

of the sticky situations we undoubtedly find ourselves in when the boulders got too steep or the chasms too wide. It’s challenging and invigorating. Next up is the Cholla Cactus Garden, a field of cacti as far as the eye can see. As we walk among them, we notice many are charred in places, the result of frequent fires. However, plenty are surviving and new growth is clearly apparent; after several days of keeping my eyes open for meaning in our surroundings it’s tempting to draw a metaphorical lesson from the garden’s persistence against adversity. But we have more rocks to climb. We make a final stop at White Tank, a less renowned campsite surrounded by slightly smaller rocks than Jumbo, making for more achievable clambering over and among them. We’re confident now, leaping without having to stop and strategise — our feet know where they’re going. As we approach the trail’s distinctive Arch Rock, an information sign tells us its curved structure is the result of weathering, which will only continue until eventually Arch Rock is no more. Like Purifoy’s weathered detritus, it’s a reminder that despite the immutability we might ascribe to this monumental landscape, it’s as much in a state of flux as we are — albeit on a much grander time scale.

Travel Tracker

Things we love about Joshua Tree Its wide open spaces, fascinating terrain, and creative culture.

Language English.

Getting here Fly to LA and drive out to the desert.

Currency US Dollar.

Transport A car is definitely required to navigate around the park, and a caravan or RV would be even better.

Climate This is a land of extremes and as such it can get too hot in summer, so other seasons are the best times to go. Similarly, daytimes are warmer while nights get surprisingly cool.

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On entry, we stop and purchase our car pass — US$15 for seven days’ access — and begin winding our way into the park. The pass slides back and forth across the dashboard as we navigate the turns while wondering at the views all around us. Every so often, the road indicates an ‘Exhibit Ahead’, as if we were in a massive outdoor museum, even more expansive in time and space than Purifoy’s. However, everywhere we look could be considered a good place to stop and explore: this landscape is an embarrassment of scenic riches and my eyes want to soak up every last one of them.

DAY OF THE

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DEAD Dia de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a festival that dates back 3,000 years. It has Indigenous Aztec roots and pays homage to the passage of the soul to a new life. The Mexicans believe that the dead should not be shamed with grief or sorrow â&#x20AC;&#x201D; instead we should rejoice and honour our dead with the food, dance and festivities that they enjoyed in life. Day of the Dead in Mexico is an explosion of experiences which vary according to each regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage. The southern state of Oaxaca is rich in tradition and culture, and the festival has a strong presence there. The celebrations begin on October 31st, when families go to markets to buy fruit and bread to bring to the altar of deceased relatives. The streets are filled with ornaments involving death, including La Calavera Catrina, a skeletal figure dressed in traditional clothing of the region. That evening, families go to the cemeteries to visit deceased relatives. One of the most famous cemeteries, General Pantheon, is located in the state capital, Oaxaca. Here the main attraction is to visit the tombs found in the walls surrounding the cemetery, and one will also find people dressed in costume walking among the graves, often representing Santa Muerte, the figure of Death. Another interesting site is the Pantheon in Xoxocotlan, a neighbouring town where the tradition is to watch all night for deceased relatives, accompanied by mariachi music, good food and beverages such as mezcal. On November 1st and 2nd, towns hold traditional parades where men and women disguised as catrinas, devils and ghosts walk to the beat of the music. One of the most famous is the parade of the population of Candiani, a neighborhood in the city of Oaxaca.

WORDS BY MISAEL ABAD FLORES

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BELOW. Characterisation of Santa Muerte (Death) in a parade, Comparsa de Candiani, Oaxaca, Mexico

RIGHT. A figure of La Calavera Catrina exhibited at the regional museum in Patzcuaro, Michoacรกn, Mexico

Photo by Misael Abad Flores

Photo by Rafael Anguiano

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LEFT. Small lighted candles as a tribute to the dead, in a cave in Xcaret Park, Quintana Roo, Mexico Photo by Rafael Anguiano

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LEFT. Person dressed as Santa Muerte (Death) using traditional poncho and regional hat; tombs are in the wall. Photo by Misael Abad Flores

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ISTANBUL Finding serenity and relaxation amid the chaos

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN FURBUSH

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LEFT. The magnificent Yeni Cami, or New Mosque, during a typical prayer service

PREVIOUS PAGE. A flurry of activity in Sultanahmet, as a flock of pigeons alight from the main square en masse

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BELOW. The intricate tiles lining the ceiling of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, or Blue Mosque, built over seven years in the 1600s

FROM THE MAJESTIC DOMED CEILINGS OF THE BLUE MOSQUE TO THE INTRICATELY TILED AND BRILLIANTLY COLOURED DOMES OF THE HAREM AT TOPKAPI PALACE, THE CHARACTER AND DETAIL WAS INCREDIBLE.

Location: TURKEY

wares (primarily to the aforementioned tourists) and the ordinary commotion of a busy, thriving city. Istanbul has long been a hotbed of conflict: as a central juncture between continents and an endpoint to the Silk Road, it has been besieged by the Greeks, Persians, Romans, and Ottomans. The city is no stranger to chaos, and on first impression it seemed this still reigned, albeit in a different form. I took one last, longing look at the Blue Mosque, and walked down the hill to my hotel, unsure in the midst of the commotion what to expect of the rest of my visit.

As my taxi approached the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, I felt a distinct pull in my chest — was this still the same city that had served for centuries as a magical meeting place of East and West, a cultural mecca of Byzantine and Ottoman influence, and a confluence of culture, art, and architecture? Gazing at the Hagia Sophia and the magnificent Sultan Ahmed, or Blue Mosque, I recalled the words of the great Ottoman architect Sinan: “I saw the monuments, the great ancient remains. From every ruin I learned, from every building I absorbed something.” I was quickly disillusioned with my internal notion that Istanbul was an idyllic, peaceful oasis of history and culture sitting on the edge of the Bosphorus strait, physically and metaphorically dividing Europe and Asia. Upon stepping out of the taxi, I was assailed by a barrage of sounds — tourists excitedly yelling to each other whilst snapping pictures, hawkers selling their various

I arrived in my well-appointed room, complete with a mezze platter and a scattering of oranges and apples. After taking some time to collect my thoughts, I left my room to get the lay of the land. I marvelled at the intricately designed Ottoman tapestries and tile work that adorned the walls throughout, before relaxing with Turkish tea inside the hotel’s glass pavilion in the middle of its courtyard garden. Turkish tea, long considered a symbol of hospitality, is ubiquitous throughout the country, and is offered to guests upon arrival at many destinations. The ambience was one of elegant simplicity, with a respect for the traditional Ottoman culture. That night, I had an amazing meal at the hotel’s restaurant, ‘Seasons’. Upon arrival, I was presented with a delectable mezze platter of shrimp and two dips of yogurt and red pepper, followed by my main course — Köfte, or Turkish meatballs. The meal was delightful, but little did I know, the best was saved for last. I ordered the pistachio crème brulee, a fusion dessert with a cream filling and baklava crust pounded thin, with a touch of pistachio

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The Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet, the site of a prison from 1918-1919, now serves as a serene enclave nestled against Istanbul’s historic city centre, adjacent to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As I walked through the large arched doorway to the interior of the hotel, I was greeted by intricate woodwork, beautiful Ottoman rugs, tiles designed by respected Turkish artist Hafiz Mehmed Emin, and an open-air courtyard framed by a lush garden.

RIGHT. A typical Turkish tea set graces a table at Sumahan on the Water, on the Asian side of the Bosphorus

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ice cream. Followed by a strong, thick Turkish coffee made from freshly roasted beans, it was the perfect ending to my initial day of adjustment to Istanbul. After a restful night’s sleep, I spent the day exploring the neighbouring UNESCO Heritage Sites, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. At each turn, I was presented with relics of Ottoman and Byzantine architecture and culture. From the majestic domed ceilings of the Blue Mosque to the intricately tiled and brilliantly coloured domes of the Harem at Topkapi Palace, the character and detail was incredible. Scenic, yes; serene, hardly: jammed against fellow tourists, I felt corralled at each site. This theme would be repeated over and over at the city’s major attractions — from the elaborate and beautifully lit Süleymaniye Mosque, to the colourful Spice Market (reminiscent of those I had explored in India), to the underground Basilica Cistern. The tourists — almost uniformly armed with ‘selfie sticks’ – were pervasive, and though just as much of an outsider, I felt the desire to stand apart from their throng. A rare moment of serenity was found inside the magnificent Yeni Cami (New Mosque), where I was allowed to observe a full prayer service. It was the first moment of the trip outside of my initial hotel sanctuary where I felt fully at peace, merely an observer to another culture’s holy traditions. I set out the following day to my next destination, which appeared to be a relative oasis amongst the chaotic hustle and bustle of the city. Sumahan on the Water, originally built to distil raki, a potent local liquor, now exists as an 11-room, 13-suite boutique hotel on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus strait. The tranquil retreat offers rooms with water-facing views, sumptuous food, and unparalleled relaxation. I arrived via ferry and was shown to my room, ‘Kuleli’, where I was greeted with a local Turkish red wine and a calming view of Istanbul from afar.

I ventured to the hotel’s restaurant, ‘Tapasuma’, where I had a splendid meal including seafood-stuffed zucchini blossoms, grilled calamari, monkfish casserole, and a sea bass stew. Knackered and satisfied, I fell asleep to the sound of the waves from passing ships crashing against the shore below. I spent the following day lounging around the Sumahan grounds, relishing their space and calm. Another local wine — white this time — and an incredible sunset over the Bosphorus Bridge served as an added bonus to this much-needed respite from central Istanbul’s tourist-filled sites. I took the opportunity to experience the hotel’s hamam, or Turkish bath, which was rejuvenating, invigorating, and, at times, a tad painful. A traditional Turkish bath consists of an initial stint in a relaxing, steam-filled room, followed by a deep body scrub and a massage. To say that the amount of skin exfoliated from my body by the intense scrub was shocking would be a complete understatement; unsurprisingly, I felt like a new person by the time I left the spa. The following morning, I took the hotel ferry to my new apartment in Karaköy, a bohemian port neighbourhood northeast of the main city centre. Located in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul, Karaköy has plenty to offer – charming cafes, restaurants, and bars; museums; local art and, best of all, relatively few tourists. Over the following few days, I explored the neighbourhood and surrounding areas, filled with bustling tea shops, eclectic antique purveyors, and an assortment of incredible food. While only a short distance from the city centre — separated by the Galata Bridge — the neighbourhood felt worlds away from the cosmopolitan chaos around the major mosques and palaces. In particular, a visit to nearby Balat, in the Fatih district, cemented this feeling. The traditional Jewish quarter, Balat is full of character, lined by rows of colourful houses, quaint shops, and intimate restaurants. I spent

hours wandering these cobblestoned streets and tiny alleys, content to simply explore and discover the neighbourhoods’ nooks and crannies. No visit to Istanbul would be complete without visiting the famed Grand Bazaar, a dizzying array of sights, smells, and shops as far as the eye can see. From shops offering traditional Turkish tea and the famous Turkish Delight, to lamps, spices, clothing, pottery, and jewellery, the market offers every good a traveller could possibly desire. After exploring the bazaar, I took a tip from a local travel writer and found my way to an unmarked door at the end of a series of alleyways. Upon paying a small bribe, I was shown to the roof of a han, or local storefront, with a panoramic view of the hectic Grand Bazaar below. On departing the chaos of the Bazaar, I decided to treat myself to one last hamam at the superb Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamami, renovated in 2011. While the hamam itself was set in the hectic Sultanahmet district, the inside was a peaceful reserve with massive marble domes and remarkable interior architecture. After my initial scrub, I relaxed with a cold glass of blackberry juice, admiring the architecture and enjoying the atmosphere. I was summoned for an aromatherapy massage, which was the perfect send-off from a city that had exceeded my initial expectations by leaps and bounds. There truly was serenity, relaxation, and a deep sense of culture to be found in Istanbul — all it took was a willingness to embark on a journey to find it.

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Travel Tracker

Things we love about Istanbul UNESCO Heritage Sites including the Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), Topkapi Palace, and Galata Bridge; culture and history in the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar. Getting here Fly into Ataturk International Airport, 23 kilometres west of the city centre. Transport Public transport via metro/tram is readily available; taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced, day and night. Language Turkish; English is spoken in most locations.

Currency Turkish Lira; ATMs are readily available. Climate Temperate year-round; peak temperatures from June to August (20-25 degrees Celsius).

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ON SPORT & SPIRITUALITY

Destinations explores the connection between physical activity and mindfulness — the ways in which a demanding physical task forces us to be fully present in the moment, and, vice versa, how consciously practicing mindfulness can assist us in achieving physical goals. As notorious skeptic Christopher Hitchens so concisely reflected in his final memoir on mortality, “I don’t have a body, I am a body.” Whether it is pushing ourselves to our physical limits in the deepest of water, mastering the art of Muay Thai, climbing a glacier or going walkabout, boundaries blur between mind and body, and it becomes clear that the two are inextricable.

WILLIAM

TRUBRIDGE Breath of Life

INTERVIEW BY STEPHEN BROWN

William Trubridge is only too conscious each time he completes his pre-dive routine that this could be his last breath. After all, what other sport so overtly challenges the very existence of its competitors each and every time with biochemical changes which contract the body’s circulation to its core, release oxygen-filled blood from the spleen, starve the brain’s oxygen supply and pressurise the ear drums and lungs to the extreme? Now 34 years old and domiciled next to Dean’s Blue Hole on remote Long Island in the Bahamas, the New Zealander set an amazing 15 free diving world records between 2007 and 2011, charting a course towards global recognition. The vagaries of financial support for what many still regard as a ‘fringe sport’ are at least partly offset by his organisation and facilitation of each year’s Suunto Vertical Blue competition – described by the New York Times as the “Wimbledon of free diving”. The sport is becoming more popular each year and the numbers wanting to challenge the 220 metre plus depths of Dean’s Blue Hole also rise annually.

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Consequently, Trubridge’s place as the superstar of men’s free diving seems assured for some time to come. However, he feels that he is yet to reach his full potential, and his inspiration and goals go well beyond the sport of free diving alone. Destinations approached William Trubridge to discuss motivation and future challenges, in free diving and other pursuits. Do you ever feel as if you are the interface between two quite different worlds? Free diving is the one sport in which humans are in totally different elements from what they are accustomed to: even swimming still relies on breathing from the sea’s surface. Biochemical and physiological changes that occur while diving contribute to me feeling like I’m putting on another guise and transferring from one environment to another: it’s very much a case of leaving one environment or world and entering another. Luc Besson’s film The Big Blue (1988) is about two childhood friends on a Greek island who ultimately become free diving competitors and champions. At the conclusion of the film, Jacques — its main character — ends up diving to around 100 metres before being approached by a dolphin and then drifting off, in a rather dream-like sequence, into the sea’s dark depths. In a related vein, your site quotes you as saying “I have a relationship with the depths, they beckon me beyond my means: cold dark vacant pressure, forever night, endless dreams.” Are you ever tempted by this ‘other world’; just to let go of the world as most of us know it and float free? This never happens when I’m competing: everything is preprogrammed in great detail, so everything is very planned and focused. However, when I’m training and go down a couple of hundred metres to stay at depths for several minutes, your body can be affected by the pressure, gases and narcosis. There are often feelings of being relaxed, at peace, and of ‘complete integration’ with the marine environment all around me. But, ultimately there is always that part of me which wants to survive and manage risk. There is no danger of me staying down there. However, there is also a very pure connection with the ocean and marine environment, far more than you can ever have when scuba diving or swimming or in any other aquatic sport, simply because you are so free of equipment and reliance on breathing. There is also a very strong awareness of one’s self – of the changes that the depths make to your body and of your own

physiology, with super awareness of sounds, feel and touch, and of your own being — perhaps feelings that are comparable with the ‘oneness’ attained by advanced disciples of yoga. It is an intensely personal experience. In the video Breathe, your wife Brittany remarks that she didn’t start getting concerned until she saw you going “deeper and deeper and deeper” and started wondering when you would stop. Do you know your own limits or are you simply getting better at beating new thresholds of pain? There is very little pain in free diving: strange things happen with the gases as you dive deeper and a sense of pleasantness pervades the body as you reach real depths – not pain. Other factors limit what you can achieve, such as the need to equalise and hold your breath. On the other hand, there is no question that the ability to deal with the physical challenges posed by free diving has advanced very considerably over recent decades: where once it was considered challenging to use a sled to get down to 50 metres, that is now surpassed by free divers who can regularly reach 50 to 60 metres or more without assistance. What seemed impossible only a few years ago is now the new reality: the future becomes the present, then the past; but new challenges are always before us. The Breathe promo also shows you struggling to answer the question “Why?” Have you found an answer? Actually, the producers didn’t like the first answer that I gave them, which included me saying that free diving doesn’t actually have much in the way of risk. They wanted an answer that would excite and amaze people, so they decided to show me stuck for an answer. In fact, even though there have been thousands of competitive dives over recent years, there has only been one fatality and it’s actually a very safe sport. However, returning to the question of ‘why’: there’s obviously the fulfilment of taking on a challenge and beating it, there’s the complexity of a sport that involves intense mental as well as physical challenges, there’s even the joy of escaping the trappings and limitations of being on the surface and seeing the beauty of the marine environment with its dolphins, sharks, reef fish. There were lots of new records from 2007 to 2011, culminating in the Free Immersion Record of 121m. However, the cupboard has been more bare since then. Yet your website suggests that free divers reach their peak later than most other athletes, and you cite the example of the women’s record-holder — Natalia Molchanova at the age of 53. So, when do you think you’ll actually peak? It’s hard to say. Both of my 2011 free diving world records – for free immersion and no fins – still stand and I spent a lot of 2012 attempting to become better at monofin diving, the third of the major diving disciplines. I got as far as completing all but one of the surface protocols required to set a new monofin record, but on coming to the surface I failed to take my nose clip and goggles off in the right order after resurfacing. However, I’ve refocused again recently on my two main disciplines, culminating in my record attempt last December. That was unsuccessful, but all the parameters of my performance have been improving. Consequently, even though I may not be setting records at the rate that I did after first taking up the sport and don’t know when I will peak, I wouldn’t be surprised if I keep improving through my mid to late 30s. You have made the ocean your ‘alternative home’: you have also raised very real concern about the fate of the Hector’s and Maui dolphins, about the massive ‘gyres’ of plastic that now lie

Nothing has gone wrong as such; it’s more that we’ve still got the same attitudes to the oceans that we’ve always had. Whereas in the past we didn’t have the technology to, for instance, affect tuna stocks or other fish species, we now do. If we are going to address the problems becoming apparent in our oceans then now is the time to do it: we have to act quickly. In fact, this isn’t just an issue for marine environments, it reflects the way we are managing the terrestrial environment, including civilisation’s effects on lakes, rivers and forest. Is fish farming the answer to management of the oceans’ resources? It could be, although I’m certainly aware of problems associated with over-feeding of fish in farm environments, while the longerterm effects of using feed produced from chickens and pigs are unclear at present. On the other hand, the world’s growing population needs protein and food, and I’m aware of at least one Spanish fish farm that supposedly puts more nutrients back into the aquatic environment than it takes from it, and has more positive than negative effects overall. You have mentioned the longevity of free divers, but is there the prospect that William Trubridge the free diver might well morph into William Trubridge, ambassador and advocate for the oceans? [A wry grin then laughter] …. yes, I see this as a possible way in which I can add value and contribute something back to the

oceans, helping to care for them and keep them as they are or hopefully improve them. If I can use my fame to help shine a light on the fate of the Maui dolphin or other issues, then I will. When in the future I start to slow down and compete less, I can see myself becoming more and more involved with such matters. Where does New Zealand sit in relation to these issues from your perspective? The issue of the Maui and Hector’s dolphins is emblematic for New Zealand, and should be relatively easy to resolve. It just involves a cessation of gill netting in their territory, and is much less complex than dealing with kiwis or other endangered bird and animal species. If New Zealand is to really live up to its environmental ‘clean and green’ labelling then now is the time to do it. The dolphins must survive; it is a relatively small precursor to having to deal with such major issues as the loss of tuna stock and plastic in the oceans, and New Zealand has no excuses for not acting.

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at the nexus of ocean currents, and you even mention on your website that you won’t buy fish from the supermarket because of the by-catch effects associated with commercial fishing. What has gone wrong with our relation with the sea?

CLIMBING

FOX GLACIER Embracing the inner child to reach new heights

WORDS BY ROWENA BAHL

PREVIOUS PAGE. The climb up Fox Glacier Photo by Alexander Riek

RIGHT. Looking up the rock gully that gives access to a broad ridge and snow shelf

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Photo by Jason Round

I consider myself to be young at heart and hope to remain so for the rest of my life. Admittedly, during my teenage years there was the usual juvenile desire to be ‘grown up’, but that was a short-lived phase. Upon hitting my mid-20s, I began to appreciate and value my child-like tendencies, slowly embracing them and realising that they are a key part of who I am. However, one significant difference between my younger self and the person that I am today is my relationship with fear. It has slowly insinuated its way into my life, and awareness of this has triggered a mission to cure myself of this affliction. Consequently, the last year has seen my life erupt into a period of enjoying new experiences and saying ‘yes’ at every opportunity - regardless of whether I actually want to try something or not. Although I have been trying to practice this new mentality for some time, I consider myself far from ‘cured’. I do, however, feel closer than ever to the young girl who ran wild without looking over her shoulder. Even so, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I said ‘yes’ to a trip climbing Fox Glacier. During a journey through New Zealand’s South Island last November, I met Marius, the glacier’sFox’s guiding manager. We were meant to go up the glacier then, however, due to weather conditions our trip was cancelled. As consolation, Marius invited me to go ice climbing the next time I was in the South Island. With thoughts running through my mind of myself as a modern-day Edmund Hillary, I agreed. Crampons? Check. Yes, crampons. I have never actually seen or held crampons before. Until now, they were just

something that explorers and climbers on television wore: metal traction devices with spikes on the bottom that strap onto boots to make it possible to climb and cross ice. As a pair is handed to me at Fox Glacier Guiding headquarters, I feel like a budding mountaineer. After a safety briefing, we are ready to take on our ice challenge. The helicopter ride to Chancellor Dome Hut – the starting point for the climb – is magnificent, and as we fly further up the Fox River valley I am filled with excitement, knowing that we will be climbing this very glacier the next day. Stepping out of the helicopter, a gust of crisp mountain air slices through me. The ‘clean’ feeling that it carries with it is absolutely sensational. We drop our overnight gear into the hut and assemble our day packs for the first part of our tour to Alf Glacier. We take a route that ascends through snowgrass basins, with views to the upper ice fields and falls. The walk is gentle at first and I wonder if this is as challenging as it will get. I want more: I was expecting a real ‘alpine’ experience and won’t settle for less. We stop to prepare safety ropes for an ascent of a steep rock gully. Perhaps I spoke too soon. One look up and I realise the gully’s faces are close to vertical. Could we not just walk a little longer? One step at a time: without looking down, I begin my ascent, though not so like Sir Edmund after all. In fact, I’m starting to feel a little frightened, but Marius and Richard, our expert guides, are reassuring. They continually encourage me to keep climbing inexorably upwards, and my focus narrows to each following step. I begin to enjoy the feeling that comes from this total concentration and sense of connection with the rock face in front

of me. It reveals layers of antediluvian sediment, some of which is frittered and loose. Eons of heating and freezing continually loosen the outer layers of rock and perpetuate the battle between the forces of mountain building and erosion – processes still clearly at play on the margins of the Southern Alps. We have to be extremely careful that we don’t kick loose rocks onto the person below us. After what seems like an eternity, we finally make it to the top. Raw relief washes over me. The gully gives us access to a broad ridge and a snow shelf, 1800 metres below the summit of Chancellor Dome. Here, we put on our crampons and start walking on ice for the first time. We are told to give our steps ‘height’ in order to avoid tripping and falling on our faces. I perhaps take this advice too far, stomping as high and hard as I can. The rest of the team laughs at me but I do not mind - better to be safe than sorry. I stomp all the way to our lunch spot, thoroughly enjoying my newfound hobby. Waves of hard crusted white and pale blue ice flank our path and narrow fissures provide a constant reminder of the dangers posed by the glacier’s grinding passage down the mountain side surrounding us. As we sit for lunch, the clouds clear, allowing us unobstructed views of the Southern Alps’ highest peaks and the broad spread of snowfields that feed Fox Glacier. We can see the mountains of Cook, Tasman, Lendenfeld and Haast even the surf of the Tasman Sea breaking on Gillespies Beach. We feel omniscient, a well-deserved reward after such a climb. Hard work should always be followed by some playtime, so we decide to climb a steep ice slope and practice self-arresting.

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BELOW Fox Glacierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fissured terminus Photo by Jacob Grozotis

FOLLOWING PAGE. Chancellor Hut at sunset

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Photo by Marius Bron

The men find it easy to take on this challenge; it’s not so easy for me. They slide down the slope on their backs and then turn over, hacking into the ice with their axes to stop a fall or slide. I am almost ready to give up on this task but a few of the men keep goading me on, and my feminist desire to be treated as a true equal overrides my fear. I must prove I can do this as well as any of them — if not better. I slide down the slope, picking up speed. Oh dear. I really want to stop now. I quickly

turn to my left, and slam my axe down into the ice. I pull up almost immediately and suddenly realise that I have full control of the situation. Riding a wave of relief and a newly realised sense of freedom, I slide and stop, slide and stop, all the way down the slope. As we make our way back towards Chancellor Hut, I reflect on the gully we came up earlier that day. What goes up, must come down. However, upon arrival

at the gully, I am not sure if I have enough in me to complete the return journey. I am tired, my legs and shoulders hurt, and it is a long way down. It is also raining; the rocks are slippery and the entire proposition seems much more dangerous. I am losing confidence quickly and have real doubts about my ability to complete the descent. I become aware that I have used the words ‘I can’t’ far too many times during this hike – thinking if not speaking them – and realise that old habits are

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hard to cure. Fear is still my bedfellow. However, Richard chimes in and says, “You can.” Somehow, my body listens and does as it’s told. Marius and Richard get the ropes ready for our abseil down. Jin, another member of our team, and I are attached to the same rope, and Richard lowers us down slowly. He tells us to talk to each other, while his experienced hands navigate our descent. I realise very soon why constant communication between ourselves, as well as with Richard, is so important: when Jin moves to the left, I am swung to the left; when he moves to the right, I am swung to the right. We do not communicate effectively at first and as this creates a pendulum which results in me being repeatedly bashed into the rock wall. I decide to get a lot more vocal. I ask Jin to let me know where he is going next. He tries to tell me, but our movements are still out of sync. In the meantime, Richard eases up on the rope’s slack: we’re not going anywhere in a hurry. Jin gently informs me that he will move to our right — just a little — in order to work around a large gap in the rock. Am I ready? Of course not. Still, Jin eases me through the transition: “Just breathe.” In this way, we make our way – ever so slowly, but more in control – down the rock gut. Looking down, I am unable to judge how much longer our ordeal has to run, as thick fog surrounds us. However, we do eventually reach stable ground in one piece.

We arrive back at Chancellor Hut, a pack of drenched and hungry rats. It’s a wonderful feeling to get changed into warm, dry clothes and then be handed a cup of delicious miso soup, to be enjoyed with an assortment of cheese and crackers, ready and waiting on the table. I reminisce about high school days completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award, tramping for a full day and then retreating to a hut in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges. Those are some of my fondest memories, and I feel like I have just replayed my teen years in a setting far more challenging. After some meaningful banter over a Thai stir-fry prepared by Marius and Richard, my body is limp and exhausted. Delightfully content, I climb into my bunk bed and burrow into my sleeping bag, ready for Fox Glacier the following day. With the morning sun a downhill battle looms, through an entirely different type of ecosystem. Hugging the margins of the glacial valley, today’s alpine vegetation zone comprises thick brush, mud, ditches, streams and waterfalls. It certainly provides contrast to the previous day’s rock and ice. I find that I prefer this type of hike, feeling more ‘at home’ in this setting. I enjoy being more cossetted by nature and its various elements: we do not even know where the path is, instead working our way through the dense green vegetation. It’s also wet and immensely muddy, but I do not mind at all. I feel rejuvenated and am again ready to take on the challenges that nature has in store for us.

Thanks to the help and reassurance of Richard and Marius, my confidence has been enhanced immeasurably over the course of this trip. Richard notices this as well, and we put it down to the fact that deep down I am still ‘Mowgli’: a wild Indian jungle child – I am just not quite at home yet on a bare mountain side. I have also learnt a little trick along the way, one that I use throughout my descent. When in doubt, I sit on my bottom and slide, slide, slide. I slide over slippery rocks, foliage and mud. Anyone searching for me knows where to look: down, because 80 percent of the time I am trekking on my rear. I slide my way, all the way down to the face of Fox Glacier. It stands majestically in front of us. We pop our crampons back on, pull out our ice axes, and clamber over the side of the glacier’s fissured terminus. Its striations and crevices – cast in whites, blacks, blues and greys – make the glacier look like an uncut, rough diamond. Sadly, it has retreated more than 300 metres over the last year due to its sensitivity to precipitation and human-induced temperature rises. Suddenly, I realise that my fears have shifted outwards, from those related to self-belief and personal harm to concerns about the environment on which I tread. While the world of our inner selves is opening up before us, the very landscapes that afford so much of our inspiration and a sanctuary from the pressures of everyday life are retreating and rapidly eroding. The circle of life is a balancing act.

we ARE climbing

Bivouac staff members Dave Laffan & Silvia Horniakova Mount Adams Photo: Jeremy Herbert

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GOING

walkabout In Sydneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Mountains, Dominique van de Klundert looks backward to move forward

WORDS BY DOMINIQUE VAN DE KLUNDERT

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The term ‘walkabout’ is synonymous with Australia in many travellers’ imaginations. It’s not surprising, then, to find a proliferation of activities identifying themselves as such, from bushwalking to city street outings, bus excursions and zoo tours. Such experiences seem to have taken on the connotations of physical exploration involved with the traditional walkabout — perhaps with a vague association with native flora and fauna, or Aboriginal rock art — while disregarding its crucial function of facilitating self-exploration, spiritual transformation and cultural initiation through a deeper connection with the natural-cultural environment. It’s also disheartening to see that even those operators who tout the importance of Aboriginal knowledge in their promotional materials tend not to have taken the steps to build and maintain the community connections that would actually allow for indigenous guides to share that knowledge. In these ways, the Australian tourism industry as a whole tends to obfuscate the significance of the walkabout, distorting this cultural form to its own ends. Fortunately, Sydney’s Blue Mountains possess a treasure in Evan Yanna Muru, the owner-operator of Aboriginal Blue Mountains Walkabout. On first impression, it seems the 53-year-old must have found the fountain of youth in these mountains, but through the day we will learn that his secrets to spiritual and physical well-being are grounded in his strong practice of Aboriginal culture. This one-day tour is just a taste of the walkabout experience, but will provide us with the basic tools to continue practicing the culture, and reaping the benefits, if we so desire. Failing that, it will at the very least provide a different point of view on the iconic Blue Mountains — usually experienced as a hazy mass from the distance, or via clearly demarcated tracks leading to lookouts and other sites chosen for scenic, rather than spiritual or cultural significance. On meeting at the Faulconbridge train station, we stroll down the street and take a seat on a log for introductions.

We each share our name, where we’re from, and what we are hoping to get out of the experience. Originally from New Zealand, I’m now based in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, and I have come to the walkabout with very few preconceptions: really, I just want to see what the indigenous form of walkabout tourism looks like, and what these traditions might be able to teach us about spirituality and health. The other four participants hail from the US, Japan and the Netherlands, and motivations range from personal development to academic research, to one woman who just loves hiking. For his part, Evan, an Aboriginal born from Darug land (the local language group), wishes to share how the old ways can be integrated into modern life, in order to relieve some of the problems we all face as a result of our current mode of living. We start down a steeper section of the path, shuffling along practicing our ‘penguin walk’. We soon pause by a bush, and are instructed to pick the tiny leaves, crush them in our hands, and smell. The herbal, lemony scent is refreshing, and we learn this plant is a natural antiseptic. Right next door, we pluck leaves from another tree, rolling these up and inserting them in our nostrils to clear our airways. Returning to walking technique, Evan suggests that we walk as gently as possible, and try to feel the ground through the soles of our shoes: in addition to making us mindful of this experience, this practice is respectful to the environment, will mean we don’t frighten off so much wildlife with our heavy steps, and is even better for our cartilage. I’m sold. Breathing fresh, minty air, on we go, heading off the main trail and following the lead of the person in front of us, each warning the person behind them of obstacles, or pointing out interesting sights. Our education about bush medicine and tucker continues: over the course of the day we try starchy strands of grass, sour purple berries, and my favourite, ‘bush chewing gum’, a licoricey leaf. Coming out of the bush, we cross a stream and take a rest on some rocks in dappled sunlight. Here, following a discussion of the importance in Aboriginal culture of

establishing a circadian rhythm around the movements of the sun, Evan tells us about the Dreaming, which he describes as “the natural, cyclic, dynamic and creative spirit that is shared by everything in existence, including the past, present, and future.” This encompasses a very individual responsibility to care for certain aspects of our Mother Earth, or Nungeena, as well as an unbreakable interconnectedness with everything and everyone else, represented by the overarching nature of Baiamee, Father Sky. Evan emphasises the importance of physical feeling and imagination in connecting with the Dreaming, and gives us some ‘rituals’ to practice that remind me very much of other philosophies around sensation and mindfulness, such as Vipassana meditation. Although each culture has its own ways of coming to it, there does seem to be a consistent theme that emerges, of both connecting with the outside world and evolving internally by the way we mentally interact with physical sensations. Next, Evan shows us some rock carvings in the stream bed, telling us their story before inviting us to look closely. Such carvings mark a sacred site that form part of a songline, a Dreaming story that is sung and danced from site to site during the traditional walkabout. We learn about the ancestral beings who brought the lore of observing, connecting and sharing with all of nature to the Aboriginal people, and the positive effects this had on society. The conversation turns to physical as well as spiritual nourishment, and over lunch we discuss the ill-effects of our modern diet compared to the natural habits of the ancestors, and the difficulties in knowing what the ‘right thing’ is in regard to this — each spontaneously sharing our respective struggles with coffee, bread, dairy and the like. After lunch, we practice some painting, with Evan modelling designs in the sand for us to paint on bark. With a small stick I carefully construct a squiggly ochre snake. Then it is time to continue our walkabout. Heading down the valley, we criss-cross the stream, making good use of our ‘penguin walk’ on the occasional slimy

PREVIOUS PAGE. Dawn breaks over the Blue Mountains

BELOW. A Waratah flower

BELOW RIGHT. A Lyrebird

Photo by Anna Calvert

Photo by Ian Woodforth

Photo by Chaiwat Leelakajonkij

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rock, and trying to remember our mindful stepping strategy the rest of the time. We come across further sacred sites along the way – a cave of pink and ochre swirls, the structure of the rock above recalling more of a coral formation than a mountain landscape; a large rock with two round eyes seemingly peeking out at us — and we learn their stories and one of their dances. We’re also treated to some wildlife — an owl flies out of the cave and perches nearby, and we’re transfixed by the neon orange and blue reflects of a yabby just below the surface of the stream. The sound of rushing water that has accompanied us all the way down increases in volume as we approach Clarinda Falls, back on the trail now. Although the spot is scenic

enough on its own, Evan’s recounting of an appropriate Dreaming story, which results in the creation of the lyrebird by Mother Earth, provides striking context. We explore the falls — I let the cold water drip in great drops on my head, and squash the softened ochre that drips from the walls of the caves between my fingers, before rinsing them in the falls. Standing on the rocks, Evan and I return to the idea of the old versus the new. I have been surprised to find such a strong link in this culture between the environmental, the spiritual, and the physical – each informs the others. And that is the key: practicing these old ways represents not just a win-win situation,

but a “win-win-win-win-win,” as Evan puts it. Many of his people have lost these ways in the modern world, he says – and to look back and rediscover them is the way forward. But why stop there? This culture has advantages for everyone who struggles in our contemporary society. This is not to say we reject the modern world completely, but that we look to more grounded models of the past to manage it, and to be at our best within it. As we climb the steep trek to our final destination — one last physical challenge for the day — I spot a lyrebird with its peacock-like plumage waving its way through the bush, and feel a flash of affinity that could only come from the Dreaming.

M UAY

thai Nicole Gray learns Muay Thai and a few life lessons on Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Koh Yao Noi Island

WORDS BY NICOLE GRAY

Armed with little more than the vaguest notion of what was involved (does sporadic attendance at BodyCombat count?), my partner and I pitched up at Kyn Muay Thai Gym on Koh Yao Noi, an island in Southern Thailand’s Phang Nga Bay. As a paragon of paradise, Koh Yao Noi doesn’t disappoint: it’s the smaller of two sister islands, with Yao Yai the larger and less populated of the two. Slap-bang in the middle of Phang Nga Bay and a 30 minute long-tail boat ride from either Phuket or Krabi — the nearest mainland towns — Yao Noi has just the right combination of civilisation and isolation, two factors that are increasingly hard to find in present-day Thailand. It’s the kind of place where scooter-riding locals offer lifts to tourists and every sunset is worthy of a photograph. Koh Yao Noi also boasts its own hospital, a reassuring thought for newbie Muay Thai trainees.

Kyn Muay Thai Gym is an intimate, family-run training and accommodation complex situated right on the beach. The gym itself, fully equipped with free weights and all necessary kickboxing paraphernalia, is a traditional Thai stilted structure that allows for the ebb and flow of the tide. Morning and afternoon training sessions are accompanied by the soft slapping of waves, or the roar of a sudden tropical downpour — nature beats the Rocky soundtrack any day. Muay Thai, which translates as ‘Thai boxing’, is often referred to as ‘the art of eight limbs’. The strikes combine fists, elbows, knees and shins, resulting in eight possible points of contact, along with various grappling techniques. Having grown in popularity in the Western world, and forming part of the Mixed Martial Arts hybrid, Muay Thai is considered to be one of the most effective forms of closecombat self-defence. As with most martial arts, there is a spiritual, meditative aspect to the discipline. With Thailand being a largely Buddhist country, Muay Thai fights begin with the wai khru ram muay, a traditional warm-up dance where boxers invite a divine force to protect them, while bolstering their power and strength. The

wai khru ram muay also allows the fighter to demonstrate respect for their trainer and hint at their prowess in the ring. But all of this can only be achieved if the fighter maintains deep concentration, relinquishing the physical body, and ‘dancing’ as if in a meditative state. All students of Muay Thai are encouraged to work towards this state of being and develop it through their daily training and sparring. Short of living under the proverbial rock, it would be impossible not to have noticed the world’s growing obsession with ‘mindfulness’, which has its origins in Buddhism. Mindfulness is a form of meditation that encourages focus on the present moment, rather than the regrets of the past or the anxieties of the future. Since the 1997 publication of The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle’s best-selling book presenting the practice in an accessible way, mindfulness has been on the tongue of everyone from Oprah to Deepak Chopra, and has been shown to be successful in the treatment of everything from anxiety and addiction to insomnia and chronic pain. This seems remarkable for what is essentially a passive process, but it highlights the mind-body connection in the management of illness and promotion of wellbeing. So what if

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When I told friends and family that I was spending a month in Thailand learning Muay Thai kickboxing, their reactions varied from mild confusion “You’re doing what?” to downright alarm "I know marathon runners that have collapsed and vomited while doing that training.” Gulp.

RIGHT Koh Yao Noi in Thailand

mindfulness, with its meditative Buddhist origins, could play a role in my attempt at mastering ‘the art of eight limbs’?

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Until I began Muay Thai training, my understanding of mindfulness largely consisted of the repetition of my own exercise mantra. Whether I’ve been five minutes too long in Downward-Facing Dog, five front swings into a kettlebell workout, or 500 metres from finishing a 5 kilometre run, my mind has rattled off its own ticker-tape of breaking news: this will not kill you, you will not die from this. Whilst I am no quitter, this may be due to sheer doggedness, rather than the efficacy of my mantra. Brimming with nervous anticipation as my mind kept returning to images of retching marathon runners, I began my first Muay Thai training session. Predictably, it did not go well. Although my fitness and strength was sound, my ability to listenwatch-execute the moves resembled that of an ice-skating octopus – unconvincing at best, laughable at worst. My partner remembers tears and remonstrations; all I remember is the ache of exhausted muscles and the sting of sweat in my eyes. The head trainer, Hlukhin (Thai for ‘stone’ — a nickname associated with both his stalwart shin bones and blunt verbal delivery of advice) ordered me off the punch bag: “You warm down. I don’t want you die.” Indeed. When learning something new, my modus operandi has always been to reduce it to its constituent parts, repeating each step until I get it right: ‘practice makes perfect’, if you will. However, the Thai boxer simply does not have time for such a cerebral approach. Sam, a fellow trainee, explains: “As your opponent acts, you must instantly react; not from a place of thought, as this is too slow, but from the present moment where time has no meaning.” With the high probability of being hit from any angle at any time, I very quickly learned that I could not afford to be distracted by my thoughts. If I was, a black eye or a fat lip would be imminent.

Of course my mind wandered during each two-hour, twice-daily training session — fleeting moments of stillness and concentration giving way to thoughts vacillating between exhaustion and euphoria. Mindfulness teaches us to accept our thoughts in a non-judgemental way, disengaging from the voice in our heads in order to experience peace, clarity and alertness. But how could I learn to ignore the negative chatterbox within, in order to succeed in this discipline? Therein lies the key. Muay Thai involves rigorous, relentless training. It is not something one can learn overnight. Every time a boxer is in the ring, they must have the discipline to focus on the present moment or they will be jolted back regardless, their opponent raining down a succession of blows and bone-cracking kicks just as they lose concentration. A source of much amusement at first, my trainers’ advice to “re-laax” and move “quick, but no hurry”, eventually became clear: one cannot fight with tension and rash haste, but must conserve the mental and physical energy required for explosive power and precision. Continuous, circular thought is pointless when each competitive fight (for females) consists of five two-minute high-intensity rounds. Ronnie, another trainee, feels that when it’s right, “it’s like finally my mind and physical body are unified… you don’t think before you act, you do both at the same time.” For me, the more comfortable I became with the physical execution of the punches and kicks, the more I was able to react with subconscious awareness and (almost) effortless anticipation of what was required to destabilise my sparring partner. Although I didn’t, and probably never will fight competitively, the principle remains the same for all training and sparring. It is also worth considering the connection between mindfulness and belief. Despite the deep Buddhist connection in Muay Thai and the spiritual significance of the wai khru ram muay, there is something here for even the fiercest atheist or agnostic to believe in: the self. Nothing new can be learned without having

confidence in one’s own ability. My confidence flourished during my monthlong training, and it’s no surprise that the improvement in my technical ability coincided with my growing self-belief. For fellow trainee Bryan, self-belief is at the crux of his Muay Thai odyssey: “I wasn’t raised religious, but now as an adult I think of it [spirituality] as believing in yourself. Training is my spirituality.” Any Thai boxer, and in fact, any athlete will confirm that that belief — in whatever form — is crucial to their performance. In recent years, the proliferation of psychologists working with sports teams and athletes certainly indicates the importance of mental training, as well as physical, to improve performance. Clinical psychologists Frank Gardner and Zella Moore, drawing on their extensive work with professional sports teams, developed the Mindfulness-AcceptanceCommitment (MAC) approach as a way to enhance athletic performance. Their 2004 model incorporates the core mindfulness principle of present-moment awareness, but focuses on techniques to encourage athletes to accept — rather than control — their thoughts and emotions, all the while paying acute attention to the behaviours needed to achieve performance goals. Theoretically, this all seems straightforward for professionals with round-the-clock coaching, but how does it translate for the average gym goer, weekend jogger, or Tuesday night netballer? Anyone can apply the MAC approach, along with a dose of self-belief. In essence it is about the following: concentrate on what we’re doing right now, not what happened in the first half, or needs to happen in the second. Acknowledge that in the time since we last set foot in the gym a whole new exercise phenomenon has taken over, but forgive ourselves for the hiatus. Remind ourselves that when out running, one foot in front of the other is the best, and indeed the only way to get home. It’s also useful to remind ourselves that what we’re doing isn’t going to kill us — although our opponent might. Mindfulness: as in life, so in martial arts.

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YAO NOI HAS JUST THE RIGHT COMBINATION OF CIVILISATION AND ISOLATION, TWO FACTORS THAT ARE INCREASINGLY HARD TO FIND IN PRESENT-DAY THAILAND.

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SPIRIT OF THE ISLANDS Andrew Allen makes unexpected connections on the islands of Hawaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;i

WORDS BY ANDREW ALLEN

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Location: HAWAI'I

PREVIOUS PAGE. “Water always wins”, Waimea Canyon, Island of Kaua’i

RIGHT. Waimea canyon, Kaua’i — still stunning on a rainy day

Photo by Shanti Shipsky

I pull over every so often and walk short distances to lookout points. However, I have been advised by several people that it’s worth driving all the way to the end of the road, where there’s one final lookout facing the coast. When I reach it, I am spellbound: nothing had prepared me for my first sight of the Kalaulau Valley. The green ribs of the Na Pali cliffs rise from the ocean with a reptilian magnificence. It’s easy to see why this dramatic stretch of coastline was chosen to represent Isla Nublar in the movie Jurassic Park. It is a stark contrast when just a few hours later I arrive at Polihale. Kaua’i’s main road forms an almost complete loop around the island, interrupted only by the impassable Na Pali cliffs. Polihale is the near-deserted beach at the southern tip of the ring road. It’s a pothole-ridden thoroughfare that I later learn is not covered under my rental car insurance policy. But it’s worth it — for 11 kilometres of golden sand and an imposing rock face on the northern end that foreshadows the even greater cliffs beyond. Not many tourists make it to Polihale, but those who do stay for the whole day. Unlike the majority of Hawai’ian beaches I’ve visited, there’s nowhere to buy food or supplies, which is exactly the kind of desertion that I was hoping for on this trip.

The islands of Hawai’i have always been a magnet for those seeking to ‘decompress’. Beyond the bustling shores of Waikiki, there’s something about Hawai’i’s warmth and its geographical isolation from the American continent that attracts those searching for balance; a remedy for the frenzy of daily life. As one of the most stressful years of my life draws to a close, the opportunity to release, reorient, and reconnect in front of a tropical sunset is all too welcome. Consequently, I soon find myself on a calm voyage of reflection in Kaua’i and Moloka’i, two of the lesser-visited islands of Hawai’i. The cottages in the small town of Waimea provide an ideal base for my first few days in Kaua’i. My accommodation bills itself as “a nostalgic glimpse into the simple life found at a sugar plantation”. This proves irresistibly appealing to my Generation Y traveller’s spirit: valuing connection and authenticity above all. As I lie back in my claw foot bathtub, I can still smell the fragrant plumeria outside the bathroom window and I know that I’ve come to just the right place. The next morning, strong winds cancel my sailing trip to the Na Pali coast. Instead, I venture out to Hawai’i’s own version of the Grand Canyon — Waimea Canyon — to gain some perspective. I feel like an insignificant speck as I gaze out over the seemingly endless chasm sculpted by millions of years of erosion. This natural marvel is 16 kilometres long and nearly a kilometre deep. Geologically fascinating, it was formed not just by erosion from Waimea River, but also by the disastrous collapse of the volcano that created Kaua’i.

The following morning, my sailing trip goes ahead. From the water, the cliffs lining the coast resemble moss clinging to a corrugated roof. The Pacific Ocean, uninterrupted from Taiwan nearly 8000 kilometres to the east, is battering the coast with forceful swells. Every few minutes, my peaceful resting place on a trampoline-like piece of fabric stretched out over the water is interrupted by a particularly determined wave sweeping over the boat and drenching me. I can tell that lunch is nearly ready, as the aroma of hearty Kaua’i beef on the grill begins to overpower me. Despite the tumultuous water, I couldn’t be calmer. When I drive to the northern side of the island the following day, I’m surprised by the number of wild chickens roaming the otherwise ordinary streets. I later learn that there are thousands of them in Kaua’i. En route, I stop briefly in the friendly seaside town of Kapaa for a burrito from an unassuming roadside stall. The fish is perfect and tastes like it was caught that morning. Having learned about Kaua’i’s penchant for sustainably farmed local meat and products, I can imagine it probably was. If the wild chickens and roadside stalls of Kaua’i are a glimpse of Hawai’i’s past, the even smaller island of Moloka’i is full immersion. Tourism just isn’t part of the Moloka’i vocabulary, and that’s the way the locals want to keep it. So the island attracts a different kind of visitor — one who doesn’t mind that the population is barely double their high school, that there’s only one option of accommodation, or that the occasional gecko may find its way indoors. I realise that Moloka’i isn’t set up to cater for typical holidaymakers when I discover that the number one activity for visitors is a mule ride to a leper colony. Not exactly something one would see in Oahu. But that’s what I love about Moloka’i: there is no attempt

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LEFT. The majestic cliffs of the Na Pali coast Photo by Örs Cseresnyés

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to manufacture a brand for tourism. The people of Moloka’i live exactly how they want to live — in fundamentally the same way as they did 50 years ago. Visitors are welcome to observe, and are even invited to participate, but they are expected to learn about the history of the land, not just to sun themselves on its gorgeous beaches. One lifelong resident who fiercely protects the legacy of Moloka’i, calls himself Anakala, which means ‘Uncle’ and is a sign of respect for Hawai’ian kupuna (elders). Over the top of his T-shirt and flip flops, Anakala wears a red patterned Hawai’ian robe, traditional beaded jewellery, a bone carving, and leaves draped around his neck. Anakala explains why the people of Moloka’i don’t believe in development: “We believe the land has to breathe.” He pauses, trying to find the right words. “If it doesn’t, it will die.” In his right hand, he holds a large conch shell, the kind used to trumpet warning. With his left hand, he gestures vividly as he speaks about the old life in Moloka’i. After the Hawai’ian Kingdom was overthrown in the 1890s, it became illegal to speak the language or practice the traditional culture. Hawai’i remained a territory of the US for 60 years, until it finally became the 50th state in the shadow of World War Two. Anakala gestures around at the glade we’re standing in. He explains that this sacred

valley used to have a school, and when he was a student the teachers would sometimes defy the rules and teach the Hawai’ian culture. In 1946, when Anakala was just a young boy, disaster hit Moloka’i. He begins to choke up as he tells the small crowd that has gathered to hear his story, but he fights the swelling emotion with a determination to finish. The tiny fishing village and taro farms of the Halawa Valley were devastated by a large tsunami. From his place on high ground, Anakala watched his home and way of life destroyed by rampant waters. The school was never rebuilt. Anakala is the only remaining survivor of the tsunami in Halawa Valley. His burden to share the history is evident as he implores me to honour the story of this sacred place, then returns to his home, leaving his son-in-law to guide the small group to Ma’oula Falls in the heart of the Valley. Sean, our guide, leads us into a green wilderness where he appears to know every tree, rock and animal intimately. The trail is scattered with purple java plums and scarlet surinam, shaped like bulging Chinese lanterns. Sean points out a tiny brown snake that looks like an earthworm. I would have walked past it. Likewise, dozens of tropical fruit trees I’d never have noticed. With a hunter’s knife he slices breadfruit, mountain apple, and

lilikoi – which is like a yellow passionfruit — growing wild along the narrow dirt path. After an hour and a half walking under a canopy of trees, we reach the majestic Ma’oula Falls. I walk to the water’s edge, and balance on a large rock, just gazing at the tumbling water, and pondering. It occurs to me that I came here to release, reorient and reconnect. And I have. But I thought it would happen in front of a tropical sunset, and I missed the point. By continuing the Hawai’ian tradition of oral history, Anakala and the people of Moloka’i have not only taught me about their home, they’ve reminded me why I became a travel writer in the first place: stories. Stories have an incredibly important role to play in keeping cultures alive. They bring history to life and create a contextual framework that helps the next generation to understand their place in the world. In my busy Western life, too often I rush from one thing to the next, rarely taking a moment to rest and reflect. It’s no wonder I lose my sense of context. On the smaller islands of Hawai’i, by keeping close to the land and its stories, the locals retain a sense of place and perspective. And I think that’s what makes the spirit of the islands so magnetic for those of us who need to rediscover our own.

Travel Tracker

Things we love about Hawai’i The culture, climate, and friendliness you expect from the islands, with the ease of travel you expect from the US. And who can forget those beaches? Getting here Hawai’ian Airlines operate regular flights to Moloka’i and Kaua’i from the other Hawai’ian islands. International flights will typically transit through Honolulu. Transport Outside Oahu, public transport options are few and far between so the best plan is to hire a car — which also helps in accessing the less-visited spots.

Language English primarily, with a touch of Hawai’ian. Currency US Dollars. Climate Warm and tropical year-round.

ISLAND OF THE FIRE GODS Nick Walton takes to two wheels to explore the volcanic peaks of central Java, Indonesia.

WORDS BY NICK WALTON

TITLE PAGE. Borobudur Temple at dawn Photo by Indra Bayu Permana

BELOW. The main dome of the Borobodur Temple. Lights reflecting off the heavy fog after midnight gives the temple a very mystical look

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Photo by Thanwan Singh Pannu Baldev Singh

Location: JAVA and 8th centuries, only eight remain, although those have been beautifully preserved. After a lunch of fried chicken and freshly ground sambal at a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant, we explored the temple ruins, running our fingers across the ancient faces that still stared out from the stone reliefs. It became clear when we visited nearby Kawah Sikidang — a boiling mud and water lake constantly enveloped in pluming clouds — that it was low season. The site around this eye into the fiery centre of the earth is moon-like in its desolation and the air is thick with sulphur. Daylight was in retreat, so we mounted up again, passing through thick forests before reaching the steep road down the mountainside, bound for the lowlands and the temple complex of Borobudur. And then we lost our guide – or more correctly, our guide lost us. Sugiat, on his zippy little white motorbike, wasn’t exactly the most attentive guide in the world, and after our group was slowly split apart by trucks and buses on the narrow road down from the plateau, we turned off the highway onto quieter roads for a chance to regroup. Sugiat, despite our calls and horn tooting, charged off into the sunset, oblivious that he’d lost his charges.

The climb was immensely refreshing after the traffic-laden highways that connect Java’s chaotic cities far below. The air up in the highlands is fresh and clear, the view across their fertile tea plantations mesmerising in a patchwork of greens and earthy browns, and the hills undulating like a rippling quilt. This tea shack is perched on the edge of paradise.

What do five foreigners in a strange land, without direction, do in such a situation? We decided to navigate our own way to Borobudur, which Sugiat had hinted was close by — although his estimates of distance and time from place to place were known to fluctuate wildly, becoming a standing joke. With a little help from some sympathetic locals and a refreshed sense of adventure in the air, we set off in the direction of Borobudur and our hotel at its base. However, night comes quickly in the mountains of central Java and with it, disorientation. The roads are bumpy at the best of times and the traffic copious, and under the veil of night it became even harder to stay the course. As a result, we were forced to pull over, make some calls and finally direct Sugiat to us. It was a valuable early lesson that we needed to keep an eye on both one another and our guide.

Our little group of five had met in the university town of Yogyakarta two days earlier, after arriving from both sides of the Pacific. For my friends Marco Cortesi, Ben Smith, Will Theirbach, and my father, Rob Walton, it had been a while since their last outing on a motorcycle, but the idea of exploring Java on two wheels was seductive enough to draw them across the oceans for an autumnal tour of Indonesia. There was excitement and trepidation in the air as we mounted up on our fleet of 200cc bikes and followed our ever-smiling, ever-smoking guide, Sugiat (together with another guide, Andy, in our support vehicle) out of Yogyakarta towards our first stop, the Dieng Plateau. After an hour, the heavy city traffic gave way to narrow, winding mountain roads as we climbed toward the heavens through rice terraces and valley villages abundant with fruit crops. The Dieng Plateau is the floor of a volcanic crater that sits some 2000 metres above sea level. In fact, its name comes from Di Hyang, which means ‘abode of the gods’, which seemed fitting as the road steepened and we climbed ever higher towards the clouds. At a viewpoint near the top of the peak, we paused to gauge our progress, gazing down to terraced tobacco fields and a layering of tea plantations that tumbled down the mountainside into Sumbing Valley. Above, the summit was still lost in cloud cover. It is easy to see why this volcanic plateau, with its wreathing cloud-covered peaks and bubbling sulphur-infused lakes, was once considered a religiously auspicious locale. Of the more than 400 Hindu temples that thrived here between the 7th

It was early next morning, a little after 4am, when we rose to explore Borobudur by first light. We carried torches and cameras up the dark, tree-lined path from the little Borobudur Hotel at the UNESCO World Heritage site’s base, and climbed the steep steps towards the summit. The 9th century Mahayana Buddhist temple, Borobudur, was an important place of pilgrimage during the Sailendra Dynasty, before being mysteriously abandoned and buried with volcanic ash, only to be unearthed again in the early 1800s. The complex consists of six square platforms topped with three circular ones, and remains home to a total of 2672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The story goes that those who read the reliefs in order, from the base to the top of the temple, will reach Nirvana. We, however, did things in reverse, starting at the top while the low sun cast a backdrop of dark indigo across the entire sky, then infused it with rose and finally ripe tangerine hues. More than 50 travellers joined us watching the dawn, and the arrival of the sun was truly mesmerising. Once the day had begun, we wound our way down the temple complex, fascinated by the ancient faces that peer out from the stone work, while overhead the sun sprinted higher into the sky and the temperature started to soar with it.

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It’s one thing to drink organic single origin tea from some faroff land. But it’s another to drink the brew of freshly plucked leaves, only feet from the plantation in which they grew. This is just one of the little perks of exploring the volcanic peaks of central Java on a truly unique motorbike adventure. We have stopped for a ‘cuppa’ on the long road up the steep flanks of Mt Lawu, one of three volcanic peaks included in our seven day, five night itinerary.

LEFT. Mt Bromo at Sunset Photo by Dickson Teo

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RIGHT. Tea plantations near Solo

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Back on our motorbikes, we headed back towards Yogyakarta, this time to visit the Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, the expansive palace of the Sultan of Yogyakarta, and then on to the ancient Prambanan Temple, where we dressed up in traditional sarongs to tour the 9th century Hindu stone temple complex dedicated to the trimurti (trinity) of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva – in dazzling afternoon heat. The largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, this is another UNESCO-listed complex, best known for its towering 47 metre central building, which attracts travellers from across the globe. After a night in a rather run-down hotel in the equally rather rundown city of Solo, we were on the road again, leaving the dusty highways of the city behind and climbing up through the local tea plantations in time for a fresh brew. Our young brew-master cannot stop staring and giggling – they don’t get that many tourists up here, let alone five dusty and sunburnt motorcyclists. Still, she makes the strong tea for us in stout glass cups, the brew steaming in the shade of a simple bamboo shack. Below we spy the conical hats of the tea pickers as they harvest leaves in a neighbouring plantation, and across the road the dark silhouette of Lawu rises out of the morning haze. It’s a long steep climb up to the Ceto Temple, a 15th century Javanese Hindu shrine hidden away high on the flanks of Mt Lawu. With bikes straining in first gear, we climb the pot-holed road into the tiny village which wreaths this ancient temple, before ascending the stairs to its gates. The view down across Java is spectacular and well worth our ponderous journey up the mountainside. We slowly make our way down the mountain again, stopping in at a local restaurant for chicken roasted with wild bumblebee honey gathered by local farmers before arriving at the impressive 81 metre high Tawangmangu Falls, where we pretend not to be intimidated by the wild monkeys that reign supreme at their base. By dusk we’ve crossed the plains and made good time up modern, quiet highways into another mountain range, at the border between Central and East Java. At a trucker’s coffee shack we take a break and sip thick, black Javanese coffee, watching as

clouds roll down the mountainside and a troop of crab-eating macaques call to each other across the valley, a weathered Chinese gateway the only sign we’re passing from one province to another. Within an hour we’re checked in at the beautifullymaintained, Thunderbirds-esque Sarangan Lake Hotel sipping chilled Bintang beer on a terrace overlooking the lake’s water, waited on by two old gents in impeccable traditional Javanese suits and peaked caps. After a day’s ride across a plateau dusted with fresh volcanic ash from Mt Kelud’s latest tantrum, we reach Mt Bromo, climbing to the rim of the Tengger massif before crossing the Sea of Sand, a vast, protected sea of volcanic ash that curls around the base of the active volcano. My bike’s clutch gives in after days of hard riding, but fortunately a friendly local in an ancient bright red Land Cruiser offers a hand, and I meet up with the rest of the group on the other side, at one of the small hotels that cater to Bromo-bound travellers. At 2329 metres high, Mt Bromo is not Java’s tallest active volcano, but it’s certainly its best known and most visited, and the tiny hotels perched on its crater rim fill up weeks in advance. It is pitch dark and remarkably cool at 3.30am the next morning when we ‘mount up’ once again, temporarily exchanging bikes for seats in a long convoy of boxy short-wheelbase Land Cruisers that wind their way through the darkness, around the crater’s edge and on to a viewing point on the higher Mt Penanjakan — just in time for sunrise. The sun kisses the volcano’s slope with golden light, casting its rocky ravines in shadow, a steady plume of smoke at its summit a warning that the peak remains active, having last erupted in 2012. Behind it another active peak, Mt Semeru, also broods quietly. Sunrise, then the drive back across the Sea of Sand — past the weathered remains of a Hindu Temple and herds of stout ponies carrying tourists up to the crater’s edge — is a brilliant climax to our journey. We return to the hotel for breakfast and to pack, exhausted and elated in equal measure. For five sometimeriders, this has been a challenge that we faced head-on; a test of resilience, rewarded with sacred sites, superb landscapes and welcoming people.

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Travel Tracker

Things we love about Java Its diversity, its smiling people and its rich and ancient culture.

Currency Indonesian Rupiah, but tour companies charge in US dollars.

Getting here Air New Zealand (airnz.co.nz) has direct flights between Auckland and Bali, from where Garuda Indonesia connects to both Yogyakarta and Surabaya. garuda-indonesia.com

Climate Java is on the equator so expect 30 degree Celius days in the low lands, but bring a jacket for mountain ascents as it gets chilly. Best time to travel is April - October.

Transport Lintang Buana Tourism Services offer a host of guided motorbike itineraries through Java. lintangbuanatours.com Language Bahasa Indonesia, although English speaking guides accompany riders.

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S PA C U LT U R E From the public baths of Ancient Rome to modern spa complexes, across the world humans have embraced bathing rituals

WORDS BY TASHA BLACK

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PREVIOUS PAGE. Japanese Macaque relaxes in an onsen (hot spring)

BELOW. Aerial shot of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

Photo by Yukihiro Fukuda.

Photo by Henn Photography Ltd.

There are a myriad of reasons behind bathing rituals, beyond simply keeping clean. Bathing is closely connected to purification in many religions, with the Hindu tradition maintaining that bathing in sacred rivers clears one of sins, while in Judaism the mikveh is a ritual bath used for purification — a case of metaphorical values supplanting more pragmatic and literal functionality. However, for the most part the spiritual benefits of these practices have been more oblique, centring on socialisation and personal time out. In Ancient Rome, for example, bathing was a part of everyday life. Large complexes with baths of varying temperatures, as well as swimming pools and gymnasiums, were available to the public at low cost. The complexes were a place to socialise, exercise and relax.

Over time, the popularity of spas and bathing has waxed and waned. In the 16th century, acceptance of public bathing took a hit in many countries. Public baths were thought to spread diseases, such as the plague or leprosy, and public bathing was increasingly discouraged by church authorities on moral grounds. Spa culture bounced back in the 1800s with dedicated hotels and guesthouses popping up in Europe and North America. The importance of hygiene and bathing had become better understood, and bathing in, as well as drinking, mineral waters was promoted for health. For travellers today, spa culture is often associated with luxury, indulgence and pampering. Spa resorts are a place to rest, relax, and unwind fully. Spas around the world take many different forms. Visitors to Iceland can smear silica mud onto their faces at the highly photogenic geothermal spa complex, Blue Lagoon. Water is sourced 2000 metres below ground, picking up silica and other minerals before reaching the surface at 38 degrees Celsius. The unique light blue colour of the pools comes from the reflection of sunlight on the silica. In the Czech Republic, those with a love of beer can take their appreciation to the next level by taking a dip in a foamy beer bath, sinking their body into a tub of beer mixed with mineral water. Drinking and bathing in beer has been used in folk medicine for centuries and some spas even offer a beer tap conveniently at

If that doesn’t appeal, there’s the option of a seaweed bath in Ireland. More popular at the beginning of the 20th century in Ireland’s seaside villages, there remains a handful of places to indulge in this ritual, which as the name suggests, involves a bath filled with hot salt water and seaweed. Advocates of seaweed baths believe the salt water eases muscle aches, arthritic and rheumatic pain. Another iconic form of bathing can be found in Japan where tourists and locals frequent natural hot springs known as onsen. Usually found in the countryside, onsen can have indoor and outdoor baths and are often run by hotels. Perhaps the most photographed visitors to the hot springs are the Japanese macaques, or ‘snow monkeys’ who bathe in onsen during the winter months. Experiencing an onsen is about more than just relaxing in water: it is also an opportunity to socialise, or as the Japanese term it, “naked communion”. In planning a visit to a spa or bath house, it pays to read up on local bathing etiquette to avoid a cultural faux pas. Take it from Jenny, an English teacher in South Korea. Jenny was keen to partake in local activities, and visited a jjimjilbang – a Korean bath house. Jjimjilbang are open 24 hours a day, and offer hot pools, massage facilities and showers. After taking her bath, Jenny stepped out, stark naked and dripping wet. Unsure of the protocol, she watched as an older Korean woman came motoring towards her. Feeling self-conscious, Jenny tried her best to move out of the way and in her rush, her wet feet slipped on the tiles and she tumbled, bare bottom bouncing down a set of steps. Nursing a bruised ego and bottom, Jenny realised the Korean woman, carrying a towel, simply wanted to ensure Jenny dried her feet — so she wouldn’t slip. Knowing what to expect from a spa or bath house helps to ensure a smooth visit. Whether it’s a bath filled with seaweed in Ireland, a tub of beer in the Czech Republic, or a slippery Korean bathhouse, bathing rituals and habits come in all varieties, as do the reasons for taking to the waters. Over the centuries bathing has always been about more than just hygiene and washing the grime off. In addition to being associated with purification rituals, in many countries public bathing is simply an opportunity to come together, socialise and catch up with friends, or even conduct business meetings. On the other hand, for the weary workaholic it can be a chance to shut off from the hectic world and be alone in a serene and quiet environment. Regardless of our motivation, spa and bathing culture has firmly established itself over the centuries and across the globe.

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Spa rituals also offer physical healing. Although the origin of the word ‘spa’ remains uncertain, one theory is that it came from the Belgian town of the same name, home to thermal springs discovered in the 14th century. Located in southern Belgium and surrounded by forest, the town attracted visitors who believed the water possessed healing properties. Spa became a popular health resort destination for the nobility, representing the beginning of spa tourism.

arm’s length, for imbibing while in the bath.

R E C U P E R AT ION

RETREATS Most of us live in a world where the monotony of the working week drums its repetitive tune into our constantly moving limbs by day, while the same pressures weigh us down in our sleep at night. It is no surprise then that the mind and body often get a little ragged around the edges. The outward appearance is often the first aspect of ourselves that we pay attention to when things start to slide. Here we look at some exceptional wellness retreats from around the world, highlighting their distinguishing features of design and philosophy, as well as their characteristic health and spa treatments.

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APR-JUN 2015

SWITZERLAND Backstage Hotel Vernissage

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Backstage Hotel Vernissage rests in the idyllic Zermatt a car-free village surrounded by some of Switzerland’s highest and most famous peaks. Renowned for its climbing and skiing, the visitors have long come to Zermatt to really get away from the chaos of city traffic while still having plenty of options to socialise. Owner, Heinz Julen, has stamped his own distinctive mark on The Backstage Hotel, with its architecture and every piece of furniture designed personally by him. Its unique cube lofts that make art a part of living, while deluxe double rooms combine a free standing bathtub with spectacular mountain views, and all guest rooms are designed to maximise relaxation. The hotel’s exclusive creation-story package offers the ultimate physical and mental replenishment. This seven-day wellness extravaganza involves seven days of treatments inspired by the different stages of creation described in the Bible. It incorporates bathing, saunas, music, visuals and the sounds of nature to represent the different stages of the Earth’s and humankind’s creation – promising a uniquely symbolic and rejuvenating experience, regardless of one’s beliefs. Although relaxation is at the centre of any stay here, the hotel caters to all aspects of enjoyment and relaxation, with its own library, a variety of wellness areas, an art gallery and design shop, a cinema and a sports shop. There is also a bar where one can enjoy homemade tea and cakes, or go for a cocktail and wine before a night of not quite so relaxing, clubbing.

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MONTREAL Bota Bota, Spa-Sur-L’eu Bota Bota, a floating spa, is anchored in the Old Port of Montreal on the Saint Lawrence River. Its simple outside appearance is deceiving. On stepping aboard the historic converted ferry boat, there is a world of relaxation waiting. The spa boasts five decks, river-view saunas, a eucalyptus steam bath, outdoor whirlpool baths, relaxation areas, terraces, a garden and a Michelin-starred restaurant. Pilates and yoga classes are also available.

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Along with this range of facilities, Bota Bota offers many luxurious treatments, including facial and body treatments, manicures and pedicures. Their signature massages are inspired by Californian, Swedish and Thai yoga techniques, as well as having Japanese, Chinese and Polynesian influences. Along with the hypnotic movement of the water below, music is an important element of the Bota Bota massage experience. A composition of 37 musical works accompany the therapist’s movements perfectly. For a concert-like atmosphere, clients are also able to choose a live harp option, making this an even more transcendental experience.

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CHINA The Brilliant Resort & Spa Chongqing

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This spaÂ is set in the picturesque ruins of hot spring temples built during the Qing and Ming dynasties, making it a historical resting place as well as a relaxing one. It is not short on luxury, and its treatments incorporate first-class contemporary techniques drawn from around the world. The spa offers 31 spa suites and villas with private plunge pools, hot spring gardens and secluded terraces. There is also a tranquil tea house, a river-view bar with cocktails aplenty, a spa boutique, a gym and a 24 hour butler service. The Chinese and Japanese restaurants on-site create healthy dishes using the finest ingredients, complemented by the vintage wines they have on offer. For those who want to try their hand at creating their own dishes, there is a cooking school.Â Relaxation practices available range from Swedish massage to Chinese Tui Na, a type of massage therapy that has been used in China for 2000 years. One distinctive treatment on offer is Rebirthing, a form of psychotherapy in which one relives the experience of being born. This is meant to enable people to confront and defeat past traumas and anxieties. Other treatments include Dead Sea therapy and ayurveda. It seems every indulgence and relaxation technique has been thought of, making The Brilliant Resort and Spa Chongquing a great starting place for those in need of a physical and spiritual awakening.

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CALIFORNIA California Health and Longevity Institute The array of health and well-being services at the California Health and Longevity Institute is impressive. The grand, American-style health retreat is well equipped to provide health and well-being evaluations, advice and management in areas of medicine, nutrition, fitness and life balance, alongside luxury spa treatments. The institute’s overall goal is “to improve your quality of life and longevity.” To achieve this, they believe that it is necessary to focus on the union between mind and body, making realistic steps to healthy living.

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The institute has a remarkable range of medical staff on hand, working in a variety of areas from dentistry and dermatology to radiology, cardiology and sleep medicine. In addition, they offer a range of alternative medicine treatments. The adjacent Four Seasons Spa has partnered with the institute to provide theraputic treatments with facilities that include spacious relaxation lounges, whirlpools, eucalyptus steam rooms and an outdoor serenity pool. The spa also offers a notable assortment of massage options, including Maternity, Thai, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Reiki, Syncrossage and Tranquility massage. Few places offer such a comprehensive array of health and wellbeing treatments under one roof, let alone amid such a lavish comfort.

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HIMALAYAS Ananda Spa

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Ananda Spaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main ambition is to help visitors find a harmonious connection between the physical and mental aspects of themselves. The site definitely has an impact on the senses, as the elegant design of the spa complements its stunning natural setting and backdrop of the lower Himalayas not far from Nanda Devi National Park. In addition to spacious rooms and panoramic views, Ananda Spa has exceptional facilities that include an outdoor lap pool, a high-tech 16-station life-cycle gymnasium, a restaurant serving only fresh and natural foods, and a tea room. Centred on the traditional Indian practices of ayurveda and yoga, Ananda Spa merges ancient treatments and innovative spa technology with European holistic health practices. Qualified nutritionists, physicians, and spa therapists come together to offer a rich variety of treatments at the spa. Therapies are carefully considered to match the health requirements of individuals, many of who focus on de-stressing, detoxification, cleansing, deep relaxation, anti-ageing and weight loss. Massages available include ayurdevic, Swedish, Earth Stone, Tibetan, Aromatherapy, Deep Tissue and Thai massage. The spa also offers fitness activities and guidance, yoga, meditation and healing sessions, beauty therapy, manicures, pedicures and Hopi ear candle procedures. With its healing natural environment and first-class comfort, Ananda Spa is the ideal place to rejuvenate the body and spirit.

TOP RIGHT Sodashi founder Megan Larsen

SODASHI

From the kitchen bench to a world-class skincare line

WORDS BY TIM WAKELY

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Sodashi founder Megan Larsen isn’t one to blow her own trumpet, but she can’t deny the fact that her natural skincare range is fast becoming one of the most sought-after lines in the world. Destinations caught up with Larsen to discuss the secret to the skincare’s success, the importance of humility, and how to create a positive dynamic in the work place. Produced in the company’s laboratory in Fremantle, Western Australia, Sodashi is currently being used in more than 70 luxury day spas and is adorning the shelves of health and beauty shops in 25 countries. The range, which boasts over 100 natural skincare products for both men and women, was founded in Larsen’s kitchen in 1999. An owner of a natural health store, she was dissatisfied with the natural skincare products on the market at the time, finding them ineffective, so she decided to experiment with essential oils after finishing her aromatherapy studies in the south of France. During her time abroad, Larsen had become fascinated with the healing effects of essential oils and their potential to repair and regenerate skin cells and slow down the aging process. She recalls, “I became really excited about this idea, so when I got back to Australia I decided to have a play in my little kitchen.” Larsen’s aim was to “bring about a product that was not only natural and felt nice on the skin, but was high performance and anti-ageing.” It didn’t take long for word to get out about Sodashi, named from the Sanskrit word meaning wholeness, purity and radiance. Larsen remembers people consistently approaching her to ask what she was wearing, and “I had to say it was my own product.” By the time Larsen sold her health and beauty shop, she was selling up to 200 jars of her homemade face moisturiser per week, with customers

travelling as far as 30 kilometres to get their hands on the product. Larsen explains that people turn to natural ingredients for two main reasons: “allergies, or the passion and love for natural skincare products.” Larsen says the secret to the range is in the natural synergy of the ingredients. Each Sodashi product contains up to eight active ingredients, which have been blended to form something more effective than a single essential oil. Larsen warns that carelessly blended oils can actually cause the skin to have a negative reaction: “the secret is to blend them into a really powerful synergy, which means they are really gentle on the skin.” To ensure the synergy and the quality of each product in the Sodashi range, Larsen exclusively sources ingredients from two suppliers in Europe. One supplier is a coop which sources flowers and essential oils from all over the continent, while the other is a dear friend who she met during her time in Provence, France. Apart from the technology used to determine the quality of the ingredients, “You can just smell it... I have a really good nose, so if it’s not right I’ll be able to smell it from a mile away,” states Larsen. In this way, “We don’t use the lab to recreate anything… we just use the pure source.” Larsen suggests one of the key components to Sodashi’s success is the positive, caring and nurturing environment the skincare products are produced in. Larsen likens the manufacturing process of the brand to cooking a meal: “Whatever energy you put into it is what people are going to feel... in and out of consciousness.” To this end, everyone involved in manufacturing practices Transcendental Meditation. Developed by Indian yogi Maharishi Mahesh, the technique works by promoting positive energies to detach oneself from a negative state.

Larsen believes that encouraging her staff to practice the technique once a day ensures a more positive and healthy working environment. “It has been clinically proven to be a great anti-ageing technique and has the ability to lower stress levels,” proclaims Larsen, who has been practising Transcendental Meditation for 20 years and wrote a column last year for The Huffington Post on the benefits of using the technique at work. In addition to contributing to the positive dynamics within the company, she believes the practice has also helped her develop richer connections with business partners and clients. The Kiwi expat gives a lot of credit to her amazing team: “It’s just my face that gets to talk about it. There are a lot of people who are hugely responsible for the great success we’ve had.” When it comes to achieving business success, it is important to know when to be humble and when to promote yourself as “humility goes a long way.” Larsen observes that “There are a lot of incredibly successful Kiwi entrepreneurs. I grew up appreciating the importance of humility… but you need to be able to promote who you are and what you actually do. However, do it in a way that motivates and inspires people.” Apart from looking to expand into new markets and continuing to strengthen Sodashi’s foothold in the United States and Japan, Larsen’s main goal from here is to nourish and grow the relationships which have been supporting her for the last 16 years, as well as to encourage others to follow their dreams: “It is rewarding to know your story may inspire someone else to embark on a journey they have always wanted to undertake.”

Sodashi treatments are avaliable at Spa at the Pullman, Auckland, New Zealand pullmanauckland.co.nz

DESTINATION UNKNOWN

The return of sensory deprivation, from dark past to blissful future

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WORDS BY ROWENA BAHL

Deprivation of the senses does not seem like something I would previously have referred to as ‘my cup of tea’, but then again, who needs all the senses, all the time? In fact, they are the cause of many stresses we face in life. So it makes sense to partake in something that aims to relieve us of some of our sensory pressures. Before I begin this experiment, I have few preconceptions about how the whole experience may pan out. I imagine relaxing naked, floating inside a pitch black tank that looks from the outside like an egg-shaped science fiction transportation device. Once shut, however, who knows where I may end up. Ironically, the early uses of sensory deprivation were anything but relaxing. Experiments carried out by Donald Hebb of the department of Psychology at McGill University, Canada, looked to test the theory that without sensory stimuli, the brain ceased to function. Funded by Canada’s Department of National Defence, Dr Hebb began research into these theories with careful monitoring by the CIA. According to science magazine Nautilus, patients lay in bed wearing translucent plastic visors which diffused light. Cotton gloves were worn on hands and cardboard cuffs were strapped to arms from elbow to fingertips in order to eliminate physical sensations. A rubber pillow was also secured to the head to reduce auditory stimuli, with an air conditioning unit transmitting white noise throughout the session.

From one perspective, the research backfired, as it produced negative effects in patients such as extreme anxiety, depression and antisocial behaviour. Most patients only lasted three days, with some saying that “being in the apparatus was a form of torture.” However, interestingly, patients were asked a series of questions related to their belief in ghosts, and paranormal activity. Prior to the sensory deprivation tests, patients had little belief in such things. During the tests, patients were played recordings that tried to persuade them of such beliefs. Post-deprivation, many patients came out convinced. This ignited much interest within organisations such as the CIA, who wanted to further investigate the use of the torturous technique for interrogation purposes. Before his death in 1985, Hebb released a statement, confirming that “It was clear when we gave our report to the Defence Board that we were describing formidable interrogation techniques.” Hebb’s theory sparked the interest of researcher John Lilly, who had a fascination with the relationship between reality and consciousness. Lilly wanted to test Hebb’s hypothesis, and this led to the birth and development of the isolation tank, a chamber filled with water to allow users to float comfortably. In Lilly’s early tanks, users were required to wear bodysuits and uncomfortable breathing masks attached to air tubes, and they were fully submerged with this uncomfortable and heavy gear. Despite the awkwardness, users came out feeling incredible, like they had tapped into their inner being.

The findings of Hebbs and Lilly proved that without sensory stimulation, our brains do not end up in a comatose state at all; they continue to function, though at a different level of consciousness. These initial results encouraged Lilly to continue his exploration of the positive effects of the flotation tank, and in 1973 he partnered with manufacturers Glenn and Lee Perry. Together they designed the Samadhi Tank, a lightproof enclosure with added table salt in the water to increase buoyancy. This was the first time flotation had been taken from the spheres of academia and made commercially available. Fast-forward through time and we land now in an age where flotation tanks are experiencing a further revival and come in all shapes and sizes. Users can go in completely naked, and simply float. The beauty of floating in a tank lies in the combination of freedom from gravity and reduction of sensory stimuli. This triggers a state of relaxation which can lead users to the Theta brainwave state: the deepest state of relaxation most of us can attain. The Theta state is reached at the very brink of sleep, just before we nod off or before we awaken; floating between the realms of consciousness and subconsciousness. If we want to know what the monks are up to high in the mountains, this could be a shortcut to get there. A study by Akira Kazamatsu and Tomio Hirai analysed EEG tests on the brains of Zen monks going into deep meditative states.

BELOW RIGHT Anton Kuznetsov and Vasily Zaglyada, owners of Float Culture in Auckland, New Zealand.

IF WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE MONKS ARE UP TO HIGH IN THE

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MOUNTAINS, THIS COULD BE A SHORTCUT TO GET THERE The researchers found that as the monks went into meditation, they passed through the four states of brainwaves: Beta, wide awake and alert; Alpha, the beginning of relaxation, where brain activity slows; Theta, deep relaxation where brain activity slows almost to the point of sleep, but not quite; and Delta, predominantly associated with deep sleep and the slowest of all four brainwave states. Monks, with years of training in controlling the mind, found it easy to move through all four states, with prolonged periods in the Theta state. Only advanced practitioners found it possible to stay awake in the Delta state. The oneness or synchronisation of all four brainwave states is said to be where enlightenment can take place. I certainly want to know what enlightenment feels like as I arrive for my first float at Auckland’s only flotation centre, Float Culture. I ensure that my lovely float guide knows I am a virgin floater and add that I easily fall asleep, making me absolutely susceptible to drowning. The look on her face is one of concern, so I tell her I am only joking (though I am not). I am instructed on how to prepare myself for the float and use the controls on my ‘spaceship’: shower before entering to cleanse and prepare the body for the upcoming divine experience, cover any cuts in petroleum jelly, hop into the transportation device, close the trap-door, lie back, press the button for ‘take off’ — also known as the light switch — and then just let go. It all seems rather simple. However, upon ‘take off’, I decide that I would rather stay

on the ground. Like a child afraid of the dark, I find it a little scary to have the lights out and door closed, and settle for enjoying the ride with my eyes shut and the trapdoor open just a crack. As music fills the tank, I try rather hard to let go, but I am constantly thinking about my head going underwater. I keep holding my head up, making it difficult to relax. At the end of my first float, I have a migraine, backache and a neck that won’t move. Perhaps I should have pushed that take-off button after all. In actuality, it is impossible for one’s head to go underwater in a flotation tank, as buoyancy is achieved through the dilution of an incredible 500 kilograms of Epsom salt in water just 31 centimetres deep. For those after a Dead Sea taster, the journey can certainly begin here. However, within the tank, the water is set at body temperature, so users are unable to feel where their body starts and where it ends. For my second float, I decide to take a friend with me. He is rather interested in the concept and wants to try floating for himself. The newbie astronaut and I are guided to our ‘spaceships’ for our respective first and second expeditions. Music fills the tank once more and I try to let myself go, but my mind decides that it would like to host a tea party. I cannot seem to escape the internal chatter. After a while, the music turns off and there is complete silence. I am all alone with myself: there are no sounds aside from my breathing, no sight and limited smell. Time is easily lost in these chambers, and my mind cleanses itself of disruptive

party guests. Somewhere between space and time, I am momentarily suspended in a place of absolute freedom. Suddenly, the music comes back on, reminding me that it is time to journey home. I am a little disappointed as I do not want to leave while on the rim of entering another atmosphere. The oddest phenomenon embraces me as we leave Float Culture that evening; I feel a sense of peace that I have not felt before, a calmness that says ‘let it be’. My friend, on the other hand, looks excited and his face is glowing. He tells me he fell asleep in the tank and feels like the sensory deprivation helped him catch up on a week of sleep deprivation. I am also sure that he looks younger than pre-tank. He is quick to remind me of the scientific reasoning behind this — the way salt tightens the skin — so unfortunately it is a short-lived effect. Float three, watch out: expert floater on a mission. My pre-float rituals are quick and efficient and I am in the tank well before the take-off music comes on. For the first time, I close the trapdoor completely. There will be no escape. Despite my determination, this float turns out similar to my second, and once more I feel like I reach the edge of atmospheric bliss, only to have it slip from my grasp. I have not given up on floating, however. In fact, I have now booked in for a double session, because, let’s face it, some of us take a little longer than others to reach revelation. I personally like to sip my tea slowly.

SURGERY FOR THE SOUL Once a shimmering, chimerical facet of the '1 percent' lifestyle, plastic surgery-related tourism has opened the gates for the masses into a new world of physical transformation. WORDS BY MARIANNE KODAIRA MATTHEWS CREATIVE DIRECTION BY ROWENA BAHL PHOTO BY AARON DANIEL FRITZ JIN NG @ UNIQUE MODELS LOCATION WANAKA HAVEN, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

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Though plastic surgery continues to break its own frontiers, both in terms of the advancement of technology and the invention of new procedures to fix problems we never knew we had, its current synonymy with questionable self-customisation bears pale resemblance to its more functional antecedents. Cosmetic surgery as reconstruction after physical trauma is no recent marvel, with records of primitive rhinoplasty reaching as far back as 6th century India; while physiognomy, or ancient Chinese facereading, was an ideology constructed around the belief that certain prominent facial features are auspicious to the bearer: thus, changing one’s appearance would also change one’s fate. However, the phenomenon of global ‘surgical tourists’ – those who travel to exotic locations for procedures performed with radical technology at a fraction of the price tag in their home countries – is characteristically millennial. With OECD estimates now standing at over 50 million medical tourists each year, and the industry growing at a rate of 20 percent per annum, the bulk of this demographic — the literal faces of the future — hail from dominant economies, particularly the Chinese nouveau riche and Americans seeking to flee the biting costs of private health care. Half a million Americans travelled overseas for medical purposes in 2008; in 2014, the statistic was closer to 1.25 million. This collapse in geography has undeniably been supported by the increasing prominence of budget travel, as well as our casual connection to the Internet: stuffy waiting rooms have been replaced by Skype consultations. For those scouring the web for testimonials and worst-case scenarios, there is a plethora of online communities and YouTube users sharing their experiences, recovery tips and doctor recommendations. Insurers are responding to these changes, adapting to offer increasingly borderless, and flexible, medical coverage tailored to each unique client. As a result, the appeal of particular destinations for some travellers is now dependent on their identification with certain procedures, not just the presence of historical, cultural or environmental attractions. The Czech Republic reigns as Europe’s most highly regarded cosmetic surgery destination, its capital Prague

a convenient two hours or less from most cities within the continent. An internationally diverse clientele seek its specialised services in nose reshaping and silicone breast implants, as well as varicose vein removal, in-vitro fertilisation and infertility treatments, and laser eye surgery. Post-operative patients can enjoy luxurious service in hospitals located within the city’s beautiful and historic precincts, surrounded by ornate chateaux and picturesque villages that simulate a pseudo-royal experience. Across the Atlantic, Mexico — a mere 25 minutes from San Diego — is a popular destination for bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery, despite the country’s medical reputation suffering from an unfortunate association with the spectre of black market surgery. Further south, Brazil – where the perfect beach body is a cultural icon and national preoccupation – boasts a $30 billion plastic surgery industry, specialising in world-class tummy tucks and buttock augmentation. The latter is an increasingly popular procedure which, it’s been suggested, a certain voluptuous reality television starlet underwent in the nascent stages of her fame. Brazil, looking to expand the horizons of its surgery market, now also offers cosmetic surgery for pets. Perhaps no other region has witnessed such a meteoric rise as Asia as a cosmetic surgery epicentre and ‘empire’. Singapore’s $300 million health care and research centre, operating under the futuristic portmanteau Biopolis, is a world leader in advanced stem cell research which has translated this work into innovative applications in cosmetic surgery. The governments of Thailand and South Korea allocate funds for the promotion of surgical tourism – a move widely regarded as a direct economic response to the continent’s mid 2000s financial crisis, which generated a strong drive for diversification, particularly in the exploration of new ways to attract foreign cash. Thailand attracts worldwide visitors, lured by the country’s reputation for exceptional breast augmentation and dental work and, more recently, iris implants. Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok boasts a luxurious 4:1 patientto-nurse ratio (compared to the average of 8:1 in Australia, for example), reinforced by pharmaceutical service robots. Even so, procedures can be up to 75 percent

cheaper than in North America and the United Kingdom. However, the new plastic surgery mecca – to which many now make their pilgrimage in the pursuit of bodily perfection – is undoubtedly South Korea. The glamorous Gangnam district in Seoul is a veritable constellation of plastic surgery clinics, its brilliant signs and billboards a complete sensory overload to rival the raucousness of the Vegas strip. Equipped with pioneering technologies, Korean surgeons have refined and are now capitalising on the precise mathematics that comprise the proportions of idealised East Asian beauty. Double eyelid surgery is almost a rite of passage for young Asian women, whereas the infamous jaw surgery is reaching similar levels of ubiquity. This process, in which part of the skull bone is shaved and removed, results in the creation of a feminine V-line jaw. Some surgeons even display their collection of cut-off jawbones in their reception areas as a totem of their skill. Perhaps what is most striking and dangerously attractive about the surgical tourism amalgam is, as the name would suggest, that the experience is euphemised as an ‘enhancement holiday’. These hospitals are more evocative of glamorous day-spas than medical clinics: The Bumrungrad Hospital resembles a breezy five-star resort, offering patients a poolside recovery complete with (nonalcoholic) cocktails and surgical aftercare in the form of holistic beauty treatments. The hospital also offers an in-house Starbucks and McDonald’s, in case any patient were to miss the deep-fried, venti caramel taste of home. A procedure in South Africa can be coupled with a safari, which includes a wildlife drive and sightseeing, as well as vineyard tours and fine dining, while the Ritz-Carlton Seoul has gone to such lengths as to form partnerships with popular hospitals, offering an $88,000 conglomerate antiageing beauty package. Including flights and accommodation, overseas clinics offer extremely competitive pricing which could sway even the most stoic opposition. The burden of organising minute travel details can be shifted to specialised surgical tourism agencies, which offer meticulously prepared itineraries encompassing chauffeured transportation to and from the airport and hospital, as well as translators and visa arrangements if

As a result, prospective patients need a hard head when discerning fact from fiction in the planning stages of a surgical vacation. To the Western reader many surgical tourism agency websites leave a little to be desired when it comes to layout and design: sparkly gyrating Word Art is not the style of typography usually associated with professional prestige, at least in our corner of the world. Prospective patients should always try to obtain first-hand accounts of past experiences with a clinic, but it is crucial to ensure that any preferred surgeon is a registered member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons before making a commitment to a procedure. The practice should also explain all potential complications associated with a procedure, and indicate whether a surgeon will accept liability if revisionary procedures are required. Long-haul flights pose risks even for healthy individuals, let alone travellers in a compromised postsurgical state, and returning home and

needing correctional surgery is a palpable risk of surgical tourism. Local practitioners may be hesitant to perform surgery on existing disfigurement for fear of exacerbating the issue, and subsequently bearing responsibility for the entire complication. A certain stigma attached to plastic surgery in Western culture seems in part responsible for its outsourcing en masse to foreign climes, heralding the dawn of truly global citizenship. Cosmetic surgery in most Anglophone countries bears a shadow, perceived as a product of the absence of healthy self-esteem combined with compensatory vanity. A vacation certainly doubles as a convenient veil that can be drawn over an abrupt change in appearance or more subtle remodelling, as well as providing a degree of insularity against interrogation and criticism. However, this stigma is not experienced universally, and it is no coincidence that new cosmetic metropolises have risen – across Asia for example – in contrast to discriminatory attitudes in the west. Undergoing successful surgery in South Korea, for example, is a badge of dedication and perseverance: it speaks of status and eminence as would carrying a designer handbag or driving a luxury car.

Though we often utter the word ‘cosmetic’ with the tinge of acid that accompanies the label ‘narcissistic’, nothing quite compares to the giddy strut with which we leave a salon after a great blowout, let alone the potentially positive impact of a more permanent modification. If plastic surgery truly makes sense for someone, then surgical tourism may offer a solution which makes achieving their goal more financially feasible, and possibly — at some stages of the process at least — even enjoyable. However, the questions surrounding surgical tourism shouldn’t pertain to which hospital boasts proximity to the best beaches or will yield the greatest value for money. Ultimately, such a decision still needs to be the fruit of thorough research on standards of care and quality control, and should be treated as a matter of life and death, because – morbidly enough – that is precisely what it is.

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necessary. However, the attractive guise of a vacation minimises the fact that most of these procedures fall under the category of major surgery.

CEREMONIES OF SUBSTANCE Ceremonies of substance tell a vibrant story of humanity’s connection to spirituality utilising the resources of the natural world. From out of body hallucinations to a soul-cleansing purge, these rituals — practised throughout ancient times and continuing today — are said to bring us closer to the domain of the gods.

WORDS BY ANNALEE JONES ILLUSTRATIONS BY TRISTAN LEWIS

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CANNABIS Although cannabis has quite a different reputation in western cultures, it is a tool of spiritual enlightenment in Ethiopia and Jamaica. Both countries embrace cannabis in relation to the Rastafari Movement, where the plant is associated with rejecting materialism and oppression. In Rastafari communities, cannabis is equivalent to the Eucharist, and its ubiquity creates a tension between the religious movement and the laws against its consumption.

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KAVA Closer to home, Pacific Islanders have used the kava plant for thousands of years. Traditionally, the brew is prepared by the daughters of chiefs, and given only to those with status in the village. However, the specific purpose of kava now varies between island nations. In several, such as Tonga and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Uvea, kava is associated with building a brotherhood between young men. The drink is known for its relaxing effect, which encourages the men to open up about important issues and speak freely with one another.

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MAGIC MUSHROOMS The earliest records of magic mushrooms are found in North Algerian cave paintings, which date back to 5000 BC Cultures in Central and South America built temples to mushroom gods, and ate the fungi in ceremonies where they would collectively hallucinate and celebrate their connection to the gods. Although â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shrooms occupy a less religious space in western popular culture, some scholars have theorised that their role in ancient civilisations led to humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spiritual revolution.

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AYAHUASCA Discovered in Amazonian Peru, ayahuasca is a tool of spiritual healing. Indigenous Amazonian populations discovered the ayahuasca brew with the help of plant spirits, and the voices of the plants themselves. Drinking ayahuasca leads to a spiritual awakening, which can mean anything from psychedelic revelations to purging negative energy through vomiting. Shamans are an integral part of the ceremony, and one should not drink ayahuasca without a genuine spiritual guide.

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ALEX GREY The sacred connections of nature

INTERVIEW BY ROWENA BAHL

Alex Grey, Visionary artist and co-founder of the highly anticipated Hudson Valley retreat centre, Etheon, gives insight into the central role of travel and spirituality in his work. What does the word ‘divine’ mean to you and why do you think there is such a strong interest in the divine?

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‘Divine’ is another name for sacredness; the radiance, beauty, truth and goodness of God; the infinite love and cosmic intelligence of evolutionary creativity. We are drawn to the divine because it is our true nature, our own living centre of consciousness. Christ said, “The kingdom of Heaven is within.” The only place we will ever see God is in the divine imagination during the mystical experience, where the normal boundaries around our self-image begin to dissolve into a vast expanse of compassionate unity with all beings and things. Mohammad said, “To know oneself is to know Allah.” The oneself — the godself — is the transcendental witnessing presence alive in us, as us. The manifest world is a theophany, an appearance of God. Nature is sacred and everything is connected. We are each nodes of the infinite divine being of the cosmos. Some are strongly attracted to the godly because they have had a mystical experience characterised by an overwhelming feeling of unity, of transcendence of space and time. It was positive and ineffable, noetic and paradoxical, and they understand it to be profoundly meaningful. That experience is sometimes reported by meditators, those having had a near-death episode, and especially among those who have taken sacramental substances like psilocybin, LSD, cannabis and aayahuasca. Recent scientific studies at Johns Hopkins University have confirmed that 65 percent of those who ingest psilocybin with sacred intentions and a conducive mindset and setting will have a full-blown mystical experience. These studies on experimental mysticism are the closest science has come to confirming the existence of God. Alex, your artwork details the physical, mental and spiritual anatomy of the self. How does your work deal with the flow of influence between the internal world and the external world? To express the balance between the inner and outer worlds, I interweave symbols of the perspectival structure of space with a map of the anatomical body, integrating figure and ground through webs of psychic energy. Updating the integration of the light body into Western art, I [also] integrate Eastern models like acupuncture, Chi and Yoga — part of the universal cartography of the transpersonal self. This merging of anatomy with maps of subtle energy entered my paintings in 1978, at age 24. Consciousness has no form, so I’ve created symbols, like a flaming eye to describe ‘luminous awareness’. Many have felt and perceived healing energies zipping through the body. We are a microcosm of a holy macrocosm; we are anthropocosmic, a universe created in our own image. Identifing with the cosmic aspect of the self, we dislodge our ego — even momentarily — from fear and the husk of the temporary body, and experience life as an inextinguishable flame of love. In art, we look for a sacred mirror. We yearn to see the profound timelessness of our soul, a reflection of our godself in a ‘net of being’. A friend’s smile, the dawn, or a beautiful work of art can evoke this realisation. Your artwork merges art and science, subjects that have historically been considered somewhat antithetical. How do you see your paintings contributing to a reframing of these two regions of inquiry? Leonardo da Vinci was immersed in a fusion of science and art. He dissected the body and world as expression of God’s glory. Intense materialism in post-modernity blinds and retards

us to ‘spiritual awakening’ potentiated in nature. With this unconsciousness, humanity proceeds to destroy its only home. Visionary Art uses the material world tools of calculation and science to map dimensions of transcendental reality known to mystics. A new worldview is possible when a critical mass envisions the integration of all dimensions of reality. How much of your artwork has been inspired by your travels? Is there any destination in particular that changed your perception of the physical and spiritual realms and their connectedness? With an open mind, travel can be synonymous with new knowledge that influences your creative life. Pilgrimages to extraordinary places around the world, with my best friend, wife and partner of 40 years — the artist Allyson Grey — have been the treasure of my life. From the pyramids and Temples of Egypt and of Mexico, from Sao Paulo to the Holy Lands of Israel, from St. Basil’s onion domes in Moscow to Paracelsus’s alchemical laboratory in Basel Switzerland, to our eyes trained on a total solar eclipse in Australia for a private audience of only 10,000 people on Earth… these [experiences] are unforgettable. We seek out the holy gathering places, the greatest art, temples, and museums dedicated to individual artists like the Ernst Fuchs Museum in Vienna or H.R. Giger’s art-filled castle in Gruyere, Switzerland. Wherever we go we find sacred sites, like visiting the grave of Marie Leveaux, ‘Voodoo Queen’ in New Orleans or taking our sketchbooks to the Sistine Chapel and staying until they kicked us out. All of the holy places tenderise the soul, they open us to the divine. One of my most beautiful remembrances was circumambulating the largest Buddhist temple on earth, Borobudur in Java: ascending level by level, following the relief murals from lower worlds of crimes and passions, to the higher Buddha realms. Active temple grounds retain their spirit fire. Tell us a bit about your experiences in Brazil, in particular your exploration of the world of ayahuasca. Allyson and I have been to Brazil several times. On two occasions at the Tribe Festival outside of Sao Paulo, 25,000 people attended and could watch us for a marathon twenty hours as we painted a 32 foot mural together called Star Dancers. Brazilian festivals can be very huge and exciting. Brazil has always been famous for huge celebrations, like the Carnival, which I got to experience in Manaus. There is a lot of drinking and revelry, festival floats and exotic dress. The various ayahuasca churches of Brazil are one of the most important religious movements occurring on the planet today. Santo Daime in its various forms has been spreading to practically every continent, but by far I prefer the independent shamanic small retreat centres for self-exploration with ayahuasca. We have experienced ayahuasca at centres nestled in the Brazilian jungle. In Manaus, accommodations were very rustic. A Florianopolis retreat centre was intimate and homey, with delicious pescatarian food. Physical comforts become superfluous, whereas the inner journey can be life-defining and ultimate. How do these substances work to open particular ways of seeing that we cannot usually access, and how does this process influence your art? The truth is that no one understands how the sacraments work. You can say that dimethyltryptamine docks on a 5 HT receptor site in the brain, but how does that add up to seeing God 65 percent of the time you do psychedelics? Once you have ‘seen God’, then it becomes your secret gift. How will you share your gift, your light for the world? By definition, these experiences

PREVIOUS PAGE. Ocean of Love Bliss, 2009, acrylic on linen, 30 x 40 in. Artwork by Alex Grey

BELOW. Entheon, 2012 Design by Alex Grey, Secret Language by Allyson Grey, digital sculpture by Ryan Tottle

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are beyond words. Visionary Art is a primordial language of symbolism that transcends words and is directly influenced by the artists’ mystical experiences from sacramental substances. Allyson and I take sacraments with the intention to remember and “be a faithful witness of Heaven,” and apply that inspiration in our art. Seeking an image, it often 'calls on me' within an experience. Some works of art are delivered while in a very natural state. The World Soul sculpture, a 273 kilogramme bronze hermaphroditic self-copulating dwarf — with paws of a lion, the tail of a fish, and a 1.8 metre wing-span, perched on a globe emerging from a lotus — was an image that arrived full-blown while I was standing on a subway platform without the aid of any sacrament. Gaia, one of my most popular images, occurred to me in the hospital while holding our daughter on her first day of life.

our ‘social sculpture’ that we are creating in collaboration with our community. Allyson inspired and named the Sacred Mirrors series. She envisioned it and told me to create the series. We allow ourselves to be influenced and guided by each other, and to see through each other’s eyes for the good of the artwork.

We are very interested in Entheon. Tell us a bit about the project — the inspiration and the concept.

Entheon is under construction now at CoSM in upstate New York, and new technologies are making it possible. The ornamental sculptural building can miraculously be 3D printed, molds made and then cast in glass reinforced concrete. The dome of the Pantheon in Rome in 125 AD was cast in concrete, so there is a venerable tradition of this material in temples that have lasted over a thousand years. The most well-loved originals of Alex Grey,

Allyson and I, having shared a studio for over forty years, have three bodies of work: Allyson’s paintings and sculpture, influenced by messages received in the psychedelic state; my paintings and sculpture; and Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM),

Entheon will be CoSM’s Sanctuary of Visionary Art. The word ‘theo’ refers to God. The suffix ‘en’ points to ‘within’. Entheon means ‘a place to discover God within’. In 1985, on our first dose of MDMA (E, ecstasy, Molly...) we lay on our bed with blindfolds on and simultaneously had a vision of the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors. For over a decade, we spoke to many individuals and groups about the value a temple might have as a pilgrimage site and destination for the ‘Love Tribe’.

Allyson Grey and other highly accomplished Visionary artists will have a safe, acclimatised sacred context to preserve and share these precious and powerful originals with the global community. Is it particularly envisioned as a site of pilgrimage, and how might this type of pilgrimage be similar to or differ from conventional forms?

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The greatest sacred sites have influenced us to offer our sacred art to the public for inspiration. Chartres Cathedral, initiating the European cathedral movement and built around 800 years ago, was the work of a community. The Cathedral contains a reliquary for the garment worn by Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. CoSM is already a pilgrimage site, visited by tens of thousands when we were in New York City from 2004-2009 and since we arrived in the Hudson Valley, six years ago. With the temple is built, the Sacred Mirrors and the entire collection will be on view as it was at CoSM, our Visionary Art centre in NYC. With my mostrequested works of art available for contemplation joined by the most exquisite original examples of contemporary Visionary Art, the pilgrimage experience could be a catalyst for souls aligning with the divine, reclaiming a creative spark, and even uplifting a beleaguered world. Entheon will house many psychedelic relics including the ashes of Tim Leary and the glasses of Dr. Albert Hofmann, the doctor who discovered LSD. Does the site in the Hudson Valley itself have a particular significance? CoSM is a 40-acre retreat centre where guests can stay overnight in the ten bedroom ‘Visionary Victorian’ and enjoy celestial events: full moon ceremonies, equinoxes and solstices, plus ‘Art Church’, where we make art together as a spiritual path. The Hudson River School is the first art movement in America and is considered a nature-honouring spiritual art form. Spiritualism originated there in the 19th century. CoSM is located in a tranquil setting just 105 kilometre from New York City, a highly popular ‘pilgrimage’ spot. Offering easy access from Grand Central Station, this woodland setting offers a ‘Wisdom Trail’, a sense of enclosure in the woods that includes many natural features and sculptural enhancements. The attraction of celestial events has supported CoSM, which became a recognised interfaith church in 2008. To serve our community, CoSM offers weddings, baby blessings and memorials in addition to regular programmes of a cultural and artistic nature such as workshops, lectures and meditation.

How does the physical design of the structure and the operation of CoSM offer particular kinds of experiences? Creativity and spirituality is the foundation of CoSM offering. At Art Church, we make art together in meditation with music. Then we examine art and life from a perspective or higher consciousness and conscience. CoSM has offered an unbroken chain of Full Moon Ceremonies for over 13 years. The Full Moon Ceremony has been referred to as a “spiritual variety show,” 10-minute segments of music, poetry, wisdom, blessings, declarations and surprises. Ceremonies are held with fire in the fireplace, beautiful altars and candle light, calling in a homey, familial atmosphere. Electronic music and ecstatic dance has become part of worship at CoSM, and never more than at the Equinox and Solstice Celebrations, as well as our annual Deities & Demons Masquerade Ball around Halloween (late October). Visionary Art plays a powerful role in what CoSM offers the world. Dozens of some of finest visionary artists who portray the mystical experiences in their artwork offer this new kind of spiritual art to this radially welcoming, transdenominational interfaith church in-residence mural in The Cafe. The Kickstarter Campaign for Entheon raised US$210,127, making it the second most highly funded art project in Kickstarter history. Why do you think so many people supported this campaign? Humanity hungers for a righteous task. Building a temple as an expression of the spiritual life of a community is such a task. What type of traveller is the Entheon likely to attract and when will it be open to the public? CoSM welcomes and celebrates all paths to the divine. We are seeing cross-cultural and international guests embracing the message and art of CoSM. Artists of all disciplines and styles are coming together to proclaim creativity in service of love as their spiritual life, even their religion. The word religion comes from 'religio' or 'to tie back.' Through creative means, CoSMonauts are linking back to the Divine Source of all Creation. We would love to leave you with a ‘fun’ question. Best destination to take a ‘trip’? Yes, there is indeed a double meaning in this question. There’s no place like home. The kingdom of heaven experience is within. That is your ultimate destination. CoSM is our favorite home that we recommend it as a home away from home.

BELOW. Godself, 2012, oil on linen, 60 x 60 in. Artwork by Alex Grey

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THE VICES & VIRTUES OF

SUPERFOODS From wine and muffins in the early twentieth century to quinoa and coconut water today, superfoods are not so much about what people like to eat but, rather, a reflection of our current vices and virtues

WORDS BY ANA BARBONO

From wine and muffins in the early 20th century to quinoa and coconut water today, superfoods are not so much about what people like to eat, but rather a reflection of our current vices and virtues.

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Our first recorded superfoods are muffins and wine. There is a scrap of an article in a Jamaican newspaper, published on 24 June 1915, which pronounces: “He had changed the tenor of his mood, and wisely written wine as superfood.” Thirty-four years later, in 1949, a Canadian newspaper reported on a Mr LeBourdais, who was busy extolling “the muffin’s worth as superfood that contained all known vitamins and some that had not been discovered.” Now, muffins and wine are the antithesis of what we think superfoods are these days. Large pillowy balls of sugar and fat that come in different flavours and configurations? Innumerable types of grapes squeezed and bottled in specific ways producing hazy hangovers and bad decisions? These are modern indulgences, often eaten and drunk to excess, responsible for obesity, ill health, and addiction. The superfoods of today are for the virtuous, the ethical and the healthconscious. They are lauded for their unparalleled nutritional value. They are ancient grains or leafy greens or round, red fruit. Their names conjure up the exotic or the wild unknown; quinoa, chia, kale, acai, moringa. They provide perky, wholesome alternatives for jaded taste buds.

TRENDING ON COCONUT WATER Atoifi Hospital in the Solomon Islands is a green two-storey building, anchored by a field with a fenced-off satellite dish in the corner. In 1999, doctors admit a stroke patient. The man is dizzy and weak, choking on liquids and vomiting. He is put on an intravenous drip. Unfortunately, the hospital is running out of IV fluids to sustain him. Their next supply is two days away and there is no money to fly in more. Meanwhile, the man is rapidly dehydrating. A snap decision is made. Doctors inject coconut water into the man’s IV drip. Coconut water contains a cocktail of electrolytes (potassium, chloride, calcium) that supports hydration. It is the next best thing to IV fluids and on the islands, there are always coconuts. There are pictures

of the set-up. A needle is jabbed into a coconut and it hangs from the IV stand like a strange modern art installation. The man is kept alive on a coconut water IV drip for two days and is discharged 39 days later. Fast forward to a freezing December in New York and I am standing bewildered in an aisle of a Whole Foods on Union Square. I am inexplicably craving coconut water. Normal water will not do. Luckily, it is 2014 and in Manhattan, coconut water is totally a thing. I do not need to be in a tropical climate to find it. North American sales of coconut water went from zero in 2004 to nearly $400 million in 2013. I am elbowed aside by New York University students in skin-tight jeans and plaid shawl coats, hair artfully unbrushed or twisted in carefully constructed knots. The girls buy coconut water, I suspect, because they want a cure for their hangovers and, like the doctor at Atoifi Hospital, they have heard all about its magic powers of hydration. The NYU students make buying coconut water look nonchalant and cool, and I want in. I check each person’s coconut water of choice. I need all the help I can get. According to Dr Marion Nestle’s book What to Eat, there are around 320,000 food and beverage products in the United States, with the average supermarket stocking 30,000 to 40,000 of them. Standing out from competitors is, largely, all about marketing. The coconut water selection in Whole Foods stretches for half an aisle. The shelves are awash with bottles: big and small, squat and slender, curvy and boxy. The colour palette is all surprisingly similar in greens, blues, whites and greys. There are the trendy bottles, minimal and clean, heavy on the sans serif fonts. Then, there are the ones like Vita Coco, labels splashed with tropical palm trees and bright blue skies, really leaning hard on coconut water’s roots. In 2011, the company featured Rihanna in its ad campaign for its ‘tropical’ flavoured iteration. The pop star is freshly blonde and grinning in a crop top and shorts emblazoned with a perky pineapple print. A year later, Vita Coco pays a US$10 million settlement to consumers complaining about the overblown health claims (“15 times the electrolytes found in sports drinks”) made by the company. A number of nutritionists attest that if we really need to hydrate quickly, glasses of water and some bananas will do the trick, or alternatively, a less expensive sports drink. Today, Vita Coco remains undaunted, with US sales of around $240 million in 2013, close to a 60 percent share of the market. Madonna, Matthew

McConaughey and Demi Moore are all investors in the company. Meanwhile, Fair Trade USA reports that farmers from places like Indonesia and the Philippines receive $0.11-0.20 cents per coconut. On average, they will receive about a dollar a day throughout the year. I come out of Whole Foods with the Harmless Harvest “100% Raw Coconut Water”. I pay $4.99 for a 470 millilitre bottle. Honestly? Coconut water is delicious. The last time I drank it was seven years ago. My friend and I hired a taxi to take us from Phnom Penh, Cambodia to Siem Reap. Our driver flew us through a classic Southeast Asian landscape of palm trees and rice fields. At a gas station, we stretched our legs and across the street, behind a stack of coconuts at a roadside stall, a man beckoned at me with a grin. In his outstretched hands, he cupped a green baby coconut, the top hacked off. The nostalgia was overwhelming. I thought of my childhood in the Philippines, tipping a coconut into my mouth, the juice running down my forearms and into my mouth, brown husks littered at my feet. I crossed the road and with two straws, my friend and I drink from one coconut. The liquid is warm, earthy, and sweet. There is nothing like it.

TO THE MARKET FOR QUINOA In the early nineties, NASA scientists were on a mission to find plants that could be grown in space stations. The objective was to establish a ‘controlled ecological life support system’ that could solve the myriad challenges associated with supporting life on long-term space missions. In 1993, quinoa was compared with grains like barley, corn, rice and wheat and declared the fairest of them all. It was a strong contender for space because of its optimal balance of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and amino acids and the relative ease with which crops could be grown. Ten years later, the demand for quinoa has increased 18 times over and the cost to buy it in a market in La Paz, Bolivia — the world’s biggest supplier of quinoa — has increased by about 10 times more, from US$0.16 per kilo to US$1.15. On one hand, the appetite for quinoa presents Bolivian farmers with a golden opportunity to earn money, a tough thing to do in one of the poorest Latin American countries, where 82 percent of rural populations live below the poverty line. However, if demand continues to grow, so will the pressure to dedicate more land to growing quinoa, at the expense of crop diversity and food security.

PREVIOUS PAGE. Coconut husks Photo by Bong Dimayuga

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This presents its own risk. There is no denying that Western appetites can be fickle. The need for large swathes of quinoa crops could be wiped out with a simple turning of the food trend tides. Restaurants are already sourcing the rarer black or red quinoa, customer appetites seemingly sated with the original. A recent slew of articles on the internet ask, “What’s the Next Quinoa?” in the same way gossip magazines and blogs speculate about the next ‘It girl’. There are a couple of rival ‘It’ grains; one from Mexico called amaranth, and the other, teff, from Ethiopia. I decide that quinoa should meet my mother. She is 61 years old, welltravelled, and loves avant-garde fashion. Surprisingly, she has never eaten quinoa. She struggles to pronounce the name for a start, butchering the odd procession of consonants and vowels. I tell her about the South American farmers, struggling to keep up with demand from developed countries. I let her know about the local populations in Bolivia and Peru who once subsisted on this high-protein superfood but are now theoretically priced out of the market. Her eyes glaze over; I am fast losing her attention. So, I go for something

a little jauntier, “Did you know that astronauts grow quinoa in space stations?” My mother perks up, “Where can I try it?” she says. I know exactly the place. It is a trendy new restaurant, Loretta — all gleaming light, wooden floors, leather booths, exposed concrete floors, and stacked watermelons on enormous dishes arranged just so. Without checking, there it is — a black quinoa salad with pulled chicken, amaranth, cucumber and flat leaf parsley for NZ$17.50. In one fell swoop, I am able to deliver two of the hottest ‘It’ grains to my mother, in Wellington, New Zealand, approximately 10,000 kilometres from where these grains are grown. I wait until my mother finishes and ask what she thinks. She shakes her head, wipes her lips on a napkin. Her verdict? “You shouldn’t eat this if you have to go to a meeting. I need a toothpick. Maybe those South Americans don’t mind talking with specks in their teeth.” Her response surprises a laugh out of me. It is good to know that there are some who refuse to be seduced by trends and instead focus on the pragmatic.

EVERYTHING IS SUPER Eat wine and muffins all day and, chances are, we will be rolling to an early grave. Quinoa for lunch and coconut water after a gym session will keep a body strong and healthy, working to support us at a more efficient (though not necessarily cheaper) rate. We are what we eat. It used to be that simple. Now, eating quinoa and drinking coconut water is more than just the act of putting nutrients into our body to keep us going. As a consumer, we have the power not just to consume, but as food writer, Michael Pollan put it, to be a co-creator. Our preferences drive and shape market trends and forces. They can make us part of the enrichment of the lives of a South American farmer or a tiny cog in a country’s agricultural downfall. They determine what a pop star will endorse and whether a celebrity gets to cash in on the stocks they have invested. We are buying into superfoods, standing in front of aisles and aisles of choices and consequences.

RAW VEGAN INSPIRATION Aleksandra Winters shares healthy, balanced recipes inspired by her travels.

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Photos by Bill Winters

MOROCCO Travelling in Morocco, I visited markets and smelled amazing spices in the air. I created Moroccan Carrot Salad to remind me of this experience. The flavours in this cuisine are inspired by African roots, Arabic spices and Spanish and French flowers. Upon a visit to any souk in Morocco one notices the most brilliantly coloured bins of spices. Spices are the defining point to any authentic Moroccan meal and are also known to be used for their medicinal value. Although some are imported from the East, most are indigenous to Morocco. The spices most important to Moroccan cuisine are cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, aniseed, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin, and saffron â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the most expensive spice in the world. This recipe is inspired by these warm colours and flavours.

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MOROCCAN CARROT SALAD INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Salad 4 organic carrots

1. Shred carrots, then mix in a glass bowl with the rest of ingredients, except the oranges. Let the mixture sit and marinate for about 10 minutes.

2 organic oranges 2 organic dates (chopped) 1 teaspoon rose water 1 teaspoon orange blossom water

Cut the oranges in half, scoop out the insides, and squeeze the orange juice over the carrot salad. When ready to eat, serve salad in the scooped orange â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bowlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with orange slices on the side and raw orange chocolate on the top.

Pinch of cinnamon powder Pinch of cardamom powder Pinch of ginger powder 1 teaspoon raw honey, maple syrup, or raw coconut nectar Raw orange chocolate 1 cup organic cacao butter, tempered cacao paste, or coconut oil 1 1/2 cups organic cacao powder Pinch Himalayan pink salt 2 tablespoons organic agave nectar or coconut palm sugar 4-5 drops of orange essential oil

2. Cut organic cacao butter or tempered cacao paste into small pieces and melt on the stove in a glass pan at around 35 degrees Celsius. Add organic cacao powder, and keep mixing with a wooden spoon. When all mixed in and the texture is smooth turn off the stove. Add Himalayan pink salt, orange essential oil, and organic agave nectar or coconut palm sugar. Mix well. Pour mixture into heart shaped chocolate moulds. Put the chocolates in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to set, then store them in a glass container in refrigerator for up to 8 weeks. Visit olenkoskitchen.com where many more healthy and colourful recipes can be found.

RAW VEGAN INSPIRATION

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Aleksandra Winters shares healthy, balanced recipes inspired by her travels.

JAMAICA One of my favourite places to visit is Jamaica. The Jamaican people are so warm-hearted, and it doesn’t hurt that the food is so delicious there. I visited a fruit plantation, where I had a chance to see how jackfruit, mangos, breadfruit, and so many amazing tropical flowers are grown. I especially loved the chocolate and coffee. Rising 2256 metres above the sea, Blue Mountain Peak is the highest spot in Jamaica. This is where the world’s best single origin coffee grows. Elevation for growing coffee is critical, and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee must be cultivated at an elevation between 549 and 1676 metres. Many Jamaicans drink their cup of coffee with a little local rum. Another favourite drink is chocolate tea, the Jamaican version of what’s better known in other parts of the world as hot chocolate. This is usually enjoyed at breakfast time but I think it’s perfect for any time of day. I merged these two traditions, creating my own version of Coffee Mocha, made with noncaffeinated natural herbal coffee, Teeccino.

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JAMAICAN MOCHA TEECCINO INGREDIENTS 2 bags of Mocha or Hazelnut Teeccino 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder 2 frozen bananas Pinch of pink Himalayan salt

METHOD Steep 2 bags of Teeccino in one cup of water, and leave to cool. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend in a high speed blender. Add ice if you want for an extra-chilled smoothie. Top with shredded coconut and serve.

Pinch of Ceylon cinnamon 1/2 cup almond milk 1 tablespoon of raw coconut cream or meat from fresh coconut 1/2 teaspoon of reishi powder (optional) 1 tablespoon of lucuma powder (optional) Cayenne pepper to taste 3 dates Shredded coconut flakes

Visit olenkoskitchen.com where many more healthy and colourful recipes can be found.

GAINING NEW VISION

DARK DINING Christina Huntington sees things in a whole new light at Opaque, Los Angeles

WORDS BY CHRISTINA HUNTINGTON

Stepping into V Lounge in Santa Monica feels like entering any other Westside club. A large, dimly-lit bar looms, surrounded by modern banquettes awash in purple, violet and aqua light meant for cosying up in to enjoy the evening’s libations. We take a seat and cocktails instantly materialise from the friendly service staff. It would almost be any other night out as usual, until the hostess brings us menus and asks us to please make our selections now…while we can still see. Every Thursday through Saturday night, V Lounge transforms from a standard club into a completely revolutionary dining experience, hosting Opaque Dining in the Dark. A food trend that started in Europe in the likes of Berlin, Vienna and Paris, the concept is quite a simple one: what would it be like to eat in total darkness? The dark dining concept received a fresh perspective upon landing in the United States, where the Opaque team took the question one step further: what is dining like for those who have no eyesight? Hiring blind servers to guide patrons through the evening, Opaque attempts to give us a new understanding of visual impairment and those that it affects. As we peruse the menu, my thinking already begins shifting in response to this question. I analyse each gourmet dish for its potential hazards. How difficult will this be to eat blind? How challenging do I want to go? I decide to push myself and order the hot leek soup for my appetizer, knowing that the spoon-tobowl-to-mouth repetition could very well end up in disaster. The next choices are easy: short ribs for the main course and warm chocolate lava cake for dessert, since both are sure to be textural sensations once sight has been removed from the equation. At this point, we are introduced to our blind server, who will act as our host and guide for the rest of the evening once inside the pitch-black dining room. Our server is petite and cheery, with a wonderful sense of humour. She expertly guides our party into the dining room in a single-file line, each with our right hand on the right shoulder of the person in front of us. As we are guided to our chairs and take our seats, my mind tries to make sense of what is actually happening. We had been warned that it would be dark, but this was something else. Not one hint of light, not one reflection off a utensil. I hold my hand in front of my face and see nothing. This is, indeed, total and complete blackness. Opaque…the absence of light. Sitting at the table, our server educates us on how to find our utensils, glasses and breadbasket using the clock system: drinks at two o’clock, bread at ten. I land my fingers in the butter dish as I reach for a piece of bread. My first (minor) casualty behind me, I attempt to eat and drink for the first time and find it easier than I had imagined. I discover with relief that my body knows what to do and takes over for me. As the first dish comes out and the soup is placed in front of me, my hand leads the way perfectly on its own, relying on the sound of the bowl and the feeling of it in front of me to guide each bite. Without vision, I realise that I actually taste each bite fully — the liquid feeling as the soup hits my mouth, the many layered flavours on the tongue, and the warmth of each spoonful going down. There is no denying that the loss of vision ignites and enlivens all of the other senses, bringing them fully to the forefront, when they are often otherwise forgotten by our outward focus. It is suddenly

very clear to me why this has become a hot destination for a romantic rendezvous or a marriage proposal. As our server brings the courses through, she stops to chat with us for a bit, sharing her story with us. She explains that she lost her sight degeneratively during her twenties as a young single mother, and walks us through how she learned to adapt to the loss of vision. Listening to her, I cannot help but feel her remarkable strength of spirit and notice her appreciation for all of the blessings in her life, in spite of her setbacks. She tells us that Opaque hires and trains servers who were born blind or became blind over the course of their lives and that they contribute to research and support for the visually impaired. They have several restaurants across the United States and even do private events for hundreds of people, with blind staff trained for large banquet dining. This provides their servers with new skills and the opportunity for a fresh start in which they are valued for their unique expertise. Opaque delivers on their promise of giving us a new vision for what it is to live without sight from the moment we step into the darkened room — but what about the main course? I wonder to myself whether it will live up to the fine dining promise. With my first bite of short rib, the answer is a resounding “yes”. The chef creates complex complimentary flavours and textures, each ingredient picked purposefully. Crispy onions add the perfect crunch and burst of flavour on top of the richness of the short ribs and the creamy smoothness of the potatoes. Without my sight, I find myself experiencing a taste symphony — each note of flavour coming to the spotlight in its own perfect timing gives me a visceral experience of my meal that I have never had before and probably never will again. As we continue on to our last course, I become aware of how normal it seems to be sitting here in the dark. My dinner companions and I chat easily, as if this is the most natural thing in the world to be doing. I find that my mind fills in the blanks: as I listen to my friends across the table, my mind creates their faces for me as if they could actually be seen. It is not until I stop myself and check in with the black void in front of me that I again recognise the extraordinary circumstance we find ourselves in. After two hours in total darkness, it feels strange to come back into the visual world. Taking a few moments to readjust, I am struck with how this evening is a beautiful metaphor for life and its many changes. Our mind adapts and makes sense of each new situation, while our body takes over and leads the way, as long as we can learn to let go of that initial fear of the unknown and just trust in the void. Here at Opaque, I learn that it is much easier to do that surrounded by experts who can use their own unique experience to help lead the way. Opaque dinner reservations are available Thurs-Sat 5:30pm10pm. Each three-course meal is US$99 plus tax & gratuity per person, drinks excluded. OPAQUE Dining in the Dark at V Lounge 2020 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403 darkdining.com

CRUISE JOURNALS

THE LAKE OF LIFE

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WORDS BY NICK WALTON

As the last brushstrokes of day fade on the horizon, darkness falls quickly on Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap, as if a giant vacuum has sucked up all the light, leaving only inky darkness punctuated by the bumblebee sounds of fishermen’s long-tail boats as they head out on the night’s catch. It’s a breathtaking transition, enjoyed from a unique perspective – the beautifully styled Aqua Mekong river cruiser, which launched midway through October and is by far the most luxurious way to experience Tonlé Sap and the mighty Mekong River, two waterways that are vital to Indochina. Combining the chic decor and personalised service of an inner-city boutique hotel with the cultural immersion that comes with life on the waters of Cambodia, Aqua Mekong heralds a new era in high-end tourism for one of Indochina’s least-visited corners.

together into deeper water. During the dry season, when we visit, the lake shrinks to 2500 square kilometres, its villages return to the lake banks en masse and the waters of the Tonlé Sap reverse in a unique hydrodynamic phenomenon that can be seen from the ship.

batch and inventive beverages, to the plunge pool perched above the bow and the intimate day spa. A crew ratio of 1:1 and a menu created by Michelin-starred chef, David Thompson, who regularly joins the ship, ensure this is no simple river meander.

Aqua Mekong is the newest vessel of Aqua Expeditions, now a three-ship expeditionary-cruising company owned by the Italian-American, Francesco Galli Zugaro. His passion for expeditionary cruising was forged during his years working with a cruise line in the Galápagos Islands and his two South American ships ply the Peruvian Amazon. Many of my fellow guests, who number just 27, have cruised on the Aqua Aria or Aqua Amazon, and have eagerly awaited the new ship’s arrival on the Mekong.

It’s the first night of our four-night itinerary as we cruise from Siem Reap, home to the temples of Angkor, Cambodia’s main draw, across the ocean-like lake and down to the capital, Phnom Penh, whence the ship continues on the Mekong into Vietnam. This route and the many excursions along the way are explained by the ship’s team of Cambodian and Vietnamese guides during the first of the nightly briefings. In the comfort of the ship’s intimate lounge, with its wood floors, floor-toceiling windows and bespoke furniture, the guides map out our progress east and south across the vast expanse of Tonlé Sap as the captain raises the ship’s anchor beyond and we begin to cruise into the darkness.

It was worth the wait. Designed by Saigon-based architect David Hodkinson and built in shipyards in Singapore, the Aqua Mekong is the first five-star vessel on the Mekong, a river that’s increasingly sought after by intrepid travellers. Dressed in the natural tones of polished wood and locally sourced fabrics, the Aqua Mekong is spacious and modern without being flashy. The ship’s 20 suites – eight with private balconies – measure up at a surprising 30 square metres and are minimalist yet welcoming, with plush twin daybeds wreathing French door-styled windows, addictively good king-sized beds and walk-in rain showers. It’s also the little touches that go a long way, from the Nespresso coffee machine and built-in USB connectivity to the complimentary wi-fi service and a triple-fold turndown service that makes coming back from excursions a dream. For the ultimate indulgence, interconnecting suites may be booked together to create private living rooms and multiple bedrooms.

Early the next morning, we depart the ship on the modern skiffs that had brought us from the pier outside Siem Reap. These powerful vessels – the only ones of their kind on the lake – are a signature of the Aqua experience and offer guests a chance to explore deep within the unique aquatic landscape. Loaded with cameras and Aqua Thermos flasks – one of many green initiatives started by the company – we set off, bound for the flooded forests of the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary, a fundamental component of the UNESCO-recognised Tonlé Sap Biosphere Reserve, which encompasses Cambodia’s Great Lake.

The lake is perfect for expeditionary cruising. A vast, dumbbell-shaped body, it is a crucial ecosystem and home to more than a million people whose lives and livelihoods ebb and flow with the lake’s waters. During the wet season, when flood waters from the Himalayas expand Tonlé Sap to 12,000 square kilometres, making it one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes, its floating fishing communities move

Despite its expeditionary credentials, modern touches extend throughout the Aqua Mekong, from the bar on the top deck, with its collection of both small-

Regarded as the most important breeding ground in South East Asia for many threatened waterbird species, the sanctuary covers an impressive 312.8 square kilometres in the lake’s northwest corner and is the first excursion for Aqua Mekong’s newest guests. The company has entered into a partnership with the sanctuary’s research station that allows the ship to use its own skiffs rather than the station’s rather dubious options. The Mercury engines of the skiffs run almost silently, and we cruise through the flooded landscape with breaths caught as we spy flocks of great egrets and Indian shags. Atop trees slowly dying from their guano, Oriental darters parade before us, their outstretched wings drying in the sun, while squadrons of giant pelicans patrol above, their expansive wingspans allowing them to glide high above the flooded vista with ease. Under one large water-wreathed tree, we chat with three poachers-turnedrangers: the sanctuary is home to many endangered species, and hunters who once preyed on the migratory visitors

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now protect them at 36 ranger stations. Armed with rifles and radios, and perched in tree houses for days at a time, the rangers maintain passage through the sanctuary, guarding the many species passing through the submerged forests, especially during the dry season when the bird numbers are at their highest. We keep one eye on the trees and another at their base in search of elusive Siamese crocodiles. In the afternoon, as the heat of the day begins to ebb, we set out again, this time bound for one of the lake’s many floating villages. In the tiny kampong of Khleang, children and adults glide through mirror-like waters on traditional longboats, leaving lingering wakes that wash against homes perched on pontoons. Fish farming is a core business on the lake, and each simple home is attached to netted tanks of thrashing catfish.

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We head on, navigating by line of sight and GPS through the labyrinth of tree tops that reach over eight metres from the lake bed. Pure white herons burst from the foliage and into a vivid blue sky as the floating village of Moat Kla emerges from a sea of green trees and reflected clouds, excited children rushing to doorways and waving frantically as we, among the first foreigners they’ve seen, cruise by. Dusk begins to stretch across the sky as our pair of skiffs – with a makeshift convoy of local boats in our wake – make a beeline for the village’s tiny floating temple, where a wizened old monk and three novices greet us with a blessing chant that dances across the water. It’s nothing short of magical. These excursions, combined with the comforts of the most modern ship on Asia’s rivers, make Aqua Expeditions’ offering unique. During the four-day all-inclusive itinerary, we visit floating and stilted communities, some thriving towns, others intimate, isolated villages; we visit families that have crafted silver and silk for generations; and are welcomed into homes to experience life on the lake first-hand. In Chnok Tru, I watch as massive ice blocks are shredded at a floating ice factory, and as homes and stores are formed into convoys to be repositioned in deeper water. In tiny Kaoh Oknha Tey, we visit a local school and take turns to donate stationery supplies and sing with the children, and among the palm plantations of Kampong Chhnang, we watch Angkorian pottery respun and sip palm nectar in the shade. It’s cultural immersion with creature comforts. Of course, it’s no hardship returning each evening to the lounge and Thompson’s stunning cuisine in the ship’s intimate dining room. Famed for being awarded the first-ever Michelin star for a restaurant serving Southeast Asian cuisine (at Nahm in Bangkok), Thompson’s daily changing Aqua Mekong menu features a range of delectable dishes as sharing platters. These are laden with signature favourites, from river prawns with tamarind and palm sugar served on betel leaves to sticky ribs, green papaya salad and fiery coconut laksa. Locally sourced ingredients – Khmer Kampot black pepper, Mekong River catfish and prawns and fruit from the markets of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh – ensure brilliant flavour combinations and insightful cuisine throughout the cruise, even if a few passengers had their palates – and spice tolerances – tested. And then it’s back to the lounge, or one of two outdoor decks, to watch fishermen lure their catch with green fluro bar lights swaying in the evening breeze, and to listen as silence cascades across the Great Lake once more.

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WEIGHT AND SEA WORDS BY MICHAEL HOOPER

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The giant creature rolls to one side and slowly lifts its tail, pain in its eyes. It gasps for air and finally falls back onto the deck. The morning fitness class at sea is demanding. We have decided not to take part in the usual transfer of weight from pantry to passenger, heeding axiomatic warnings of the inevitable five kilogramme minimum gain on even a short cruise. So, early mornings, we religiously fall to our knees with a soupçon of other worthies on gym mats, raising our limbs, stretching, heaving and ‘planking’ — a term I had previously assumed only related to torture. In some ways, I was not wrong. Unlike its larger sister ship Silver Spirit, the more intimate Silver Wind lacks a large group exercise area, so we usually find ourselves on-stage in the show lounge, accompanied only by a sweat band. Here, the Hungarian fitness instructor, Tamas Nagy, coaxes us with good humour but a firm hand to defy gravity and ‘swell’, in order to minimise collateral damage from the previous day’s menus. It is only fair to acknowldege that those very same menus offered a vast range of healthy options, and as the cruise is through Asia, much of the food on offer actually promises healthful freshness — but there are other temptations as well. Aside from being sprung returning from a night out with the crew in one port, Tamas seems the model of healthy cruising. In fact, he had probably been drinking herbal tea at a nightclub. The earnest powerhouse works out late each night, and works us out (almost) every morning at 7.30am. “I know a few guests who look at the gym before they choose the ship,” says Tamas, “but that’s maybe just five percent.” Having spare time every day is a luxury that cruising imparts, so even fitness falls easily into place. Giving information about movement and the body motivates guests to continue working out when they get home, says Tamas — although the still-wrapped exercise mats at home beside the next cruise brochure would beg to differ. “How on earth will you manage without a butler when you return home?” asks the 80-page pre-cruise document. Our aide is named Mustofa. He is the endangered species of the long-tailed butler who ensures our fridge is always stocked with potions of choice – even anticipating the ullage which can autonomically drain a Champagne bottle overnight. His accomplice is a diminutive, ever-cheerful steward who, at the latch-click of a door, and with cat-like tread, emerges from the shadows, intent on tidying the slightest un-parallel pair of shoes in the sneak-in wardrobe. Much to our delight, neither of them torture towels into animals. Silversea cruises are all-inclusive, so the anomalous behaviour of sparkling fluid is not entirely unexpected by Mustofa. Tamas, however, has little sympathy for the repercussions of moral flacidity, steadily increasing the difficulty of our morning exercises. “I try to be gentle,” he smiles benignly. Even in the early morning when everyone else has fallen foul of full-fathom-fivemetre swells for three relentless days, he is unremitting. “Hands under your bot-term,” he croons, “now push.” Just reaching the bot-term is hard enough.

What drives a socially pleasant young man to pursue such antisocial aspirations? Part of it seems a genuine desire to help guests gain some control over their otherwise loose lives. “Just look in the mirror. Whom would you like to see? The person who is controlled by their environment, or the one who controls their environment?” I think he is referring to my previous night’s encounter with Mistress Soufflé. Personal lifestyle will not change in one cruise, laments Tamas. Small portions and balance are the keys to fitness, versus, in his words, “corpulence”. “When you go to the restaurant you are sometimes not even hungry but just eat because others are eating, or drink alcohol because they are. We motivate each other many times in the wrong way. I tell the guest to think about who they want to be.” Tamas gets the chance to observe all 296 passengers as they board, while handing out cool towels. At that point I am more concerned about the person who is waiting to remove my halfenjoyed glass of welcome bubbly, stationed about three steps away from the person who offers it. Either I drink too slowly, or walk too fast, or many of the passengers move like clockwork — the small, not the second hand. Few people seem stressed on boarding, observes Tamas, and they are mostly older. “What I see is really positive; they know how to handle emotions.” Between five and ten percent use the gym regularly, he estimates, and that changes with the voyage programme: more sea days means more attendance. “Many times, ladies and gentlemen, even in their 70s and 80s, surprise me a lot by exercising two hours a day. In my country I cannot imagine someone of this age making a plank position.” Perhaps, at sea, walking the plank is now done in the gym. Our acquaintance with Mustofa begins as soon as we are shown to our stateroom. With a swish of his tails he presents a tray of toiletries with prestidigitatious panache so that one can select a brand to suit their skin, or eschew scents for sustainability. Then comes the Heidsieck Dry Monopole for celebration, the beer for hot days, the gin for sunsets, and the fridge for everything. I can see a cataract clouding the horizon of my health epiphany. Mustofa’s offer to unpack our luggage is declined, being a little too Downton Abbey; the ships’ Singapore slings are cast off and the novelty of never paying at the bar begins to dawn on us as we ‘shout’ new-found friends. Small ship cruising is for those whose daily lives contain quite enough excitement. The verandah door closed, the calm sea wafts by almost silently — with just the barest whisper of surf, and the irridescent navy blue of the South China Sea with a gloss sheen, like a spilled can of acrylic paint. The sea is 29 degrees Celsius and just 50 metres deep. The 99 percent humidity is initially enough to keep me on the cool side of the glass, but watching the energetic voices of Silversea playing pool volleyball tempts many to brave the elements, which are switched to the ‘boil’ setting.

We talk about the all-inclusive concept and the difference it makes sailing with a family-owned cruise company. “Some guests find our 540-guest sister ship, Silver Spirit, too big. Here you have the groceries on the corner instead of the big supermarket. We say guests, not passengers. When the owner comes on board he shakes hands with all the crew he meets, and knows most of us by name.” The owner, incidentally, is Manfredi Lefebvre D’Ovidio. His father Antonio started with Silver Cloud in 1994, and the family now has a fleet of eight ships. “Our values haven’t changed,” says Chairman Manfredi. “We wanted to combine the comfort and intimacy of a private yacht with the facilities of a cruise ship; gourmet dining, spacious suites, and impeccable service.” Unfortunately temptation creeps from its locker in many forms, often obscuring low calorie options on the Silver Wind’s ample menus — underlining foie gras, emboldening cocktails and fattening faces of all types. A half-hearted attempt to hide the Relais & Châteaux French restaurant, Le Champagne, in the bowels of the vessel, and the feeble disincentive of a $40 surcharge fail to deter me from putting temptation firmly on my plate. Caviar is followed by foie gras, there’s porcini and truffle, and a Turkish waiter named Tayfun, “pronounced like the

natural disaster”. The description is better applied to the soufflé unfortunately, but the formal evening is a memorable entrée to Thailand. The tide in Bangkok’s Chao Praya River has flushed the city’s stinking waste to sea, the breeze changes, and suddenly outdoor dining becomes tenable. We choose La Terrazze, with a table facing the weighty backside of the Uni-Angel cargo ship and a hazy view downriver. Opera plays, waiters subordinate their anticipation of one night in Bangkok to give great service, and homemade pasta, good wines and excellent cheeses contrast with the river’s weirdly industrial setting. The following day, on the national holiday of King Bhumibol’s birthday and Fathers’ Day, we have an early tour, which provides a good example of the benefit of organised tours in unfamiliar cultures. Prices are at the upper edge of reasonable, but personable local guides add candid insights and good value advice on avoiding tourist gouging. There is safe bottled water (some can be counterfeit), help for the infirm, and a guarantee that the ship will wait — which it might not if a private tuk-tuk encounters a flat tyre or is snared in a Bangkok traffic jam. On this celebration day, wearing yellow is encouraged, a colour meaning ‘the middle way’ and non-conflict in the Buddhist world. It seems that every clothing maker has a yellow range. Our tour takes us on a shallow longboat up the Chao Praya. To my amazement the turbid waters are teaming with koi carp, while temples are awash with mostly Asian tourists. The Temple of Dawn (Wat Arrun) offers a climbing challenge, rewarded with city views. On closer inspection, the 17th century Buddhist temple is decorated with flowers and patterns made from broken plates

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The PA introduces us to the droll humour of Captain Samuele Failla, the silver tongue at the helm of Silver Wind. During the next week, he negotiates us through barges, fisherfolk, tankers, Vietnamese customs officers, and even more fearsome, dining room dowagers. Later, we discuss pirates. “When we pass through the famous Gulf of Aden, of course we take extra security measures,” confides the captain. “Passenger ships are not the target of these pirates — because there are too many people, too high a speed, and too high a freeboard.”

and ceramics — an example of early Khmer recycling perhaps. The flower markets are busy with locals buying offerings for fathers, and across three or four generations, men and women are peeling petals on Lotus blossoms, creating arrangements wrapped in plastic, and preening yellow garlands. A free food stall offers rice and curry for the needy, and smiles abound. There are no beggars; a welcome and unexpected contrast with my home city of Auckland. Travelling further up-river, smelly spume from the longboat prow splashes us like dragon spit, while other boats speed across our path and water buses wallow with yellow-clad crowds carried from tenement to temple.

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Back onboard Silver Wind, the business of the port clanks on, with cranes, hoppers, buckets and barges banging and booming even louder than the 21-canon salute from the royal palace. I wonder if, like the boy Buddha, the royal family has conducted pilgrimages into the poverty, hunger and squalor outside the palace gates. We certainly see much evidence, but we also see few faces without smiles, even on people living in dereliction. Good morning, Vietnam. The film starring Robin Williams portrays the western view of the Vietnam War. Here, it is called the American War. The four hour cruise up the murky Saigon River brings home the industrial and polluted nature of Indochina today. We tie up less than a kilometre from the city at the main dock and as the evening merges with night a function centre with one very loud outdoor sound system hosts a wedding. Our dinner on the aft deck is a mixture of Italian opera and head-banging funk, while tropical downpours come and go, and LED-coated skyscrapers present a sparkling light show. Twinkling dinner cruises pass on the turbid river as we dine on delicious, but physically dislocated, Italian slow food. New Zealand sauvignon blanc completes the sensual assault. The next day we (rather unnecessarily) follow the advice of some lads who have stayed ashore in a hotel and take lunch at an excellent, upmarket Vietnamese restaurant. While our very tasty feast for two cost NZ$30, we could also have filled up near the markets with a large bowl of pho, or noodle soup for NZ$3. This is not my first visit to Ho Chi Minh City, but it remains impossible for me to hear and see the history of Vietnam without getting tearful. The people will never forget the war and oppression, yet they seem to have inherent forgiveness beyond my comprehension. The French occupation of a hundred years imposed ignorance and illiteracy as part of its severe regime, and the American War was a failed and horrid crime of misunderstanding and brutality — as is apparent from confessions by former White House and Pentagon chiefs. Seeing the three buildings where the CIA evacuated Americans by helicopter as Saigon finally slipped from their grasp brings back evocative images from the musical Miss Saigon. I also remember a visit back in 1990, when a young Vietnamese man took me to a local restaurant on the back of his Honda (every make of motorcycle from a Vespa to a Harley is called ‘Honda’ here). We had snake — python if I recall — which was beheaded at the table, and we drank its blood for good health, the heart still beating in the glass. My host insisted on paying for our serpent dinner with his paltry wages, my first awakening to Vietnamese generosity and hospitality. A family growing rice may make only three hundred US dollars for the year’s harvest — before costs — but even amid poverty, that warmth still shines. As we uncoil our way down the Saigon River, the city skyscape moves from port to starboard and back again — a chaotic panorama of towers that were totally absent some seven years previously. Force six winds and rough seas await as Silver Wind passes a huge hillside statue of Christ. The ship comes about to

follow the east coast up to Nha Trang and overnight the winds breach 70 kilometres per hour, while the waves toss and turn many trying to sleep. Little surprise that the morning abs class becomes a one-on-one session. Warming up on a treadmill, I gaze out at Nha Trang and CNN warns that an ex-tropical cyclone is on track directly for… Nha Trang. Cabin attendants have already placed makeup mirrors on cabin floors, and the pool is being drained as I check my Nausicalm tablet and gin supply. The ship’s hygiene programme suddenly becomes much more overt as antiseptic sprays replace polish, and that evening is rather dismal as the mounting seas spread sleep deficit among guests and crew alike. Even on the previous night, a stage-side Christmas tree had been swaying alarmingly, threatening to project its coloured baubles into the audience, and tonight the show is cancelled. Outdoor tables are huddled in a stack and ginger is being handed out as a calming palliative. On this dark and stormy night, many passengers turn a delicate shade of sea-green and stow themselves in their staterooms, but I go in search of something simple for dinner. The problem is that the night had been designated ‘formal’. Without a jacket and tie, I would be refused even a leaf in the main dining room. “I had 62 diners, now I have just 42,” rues Sergio, the maitre d’ from Madeira. The poolside grill, usually a refuge for those disinclined to dress, is closed due to the elements. Room service is not possible and my roommate is recumbent in the dark with mal de mer a little too close for comfort. So I stagger into my finery and face the bucking decks in order to be fed. It is surreal — the empty corridors, restaurants with more staff than guests, entertainment silenced — and yet there I am, striding along, with the odd involuntary leap and wall-crash, almost as unscathed as Bruce Willis in a Die Hard movie. “I’m sorry, we’re fully booked,” jokes the maitre d’ as I do a St Vitus dance to my heaving table. Dinner finished and washed down, I sway back to the stateroom and retire. It seems a silly solo charade just to have a feed. Hotel director Helmut Huber defends the dress-up. “You may call it old fashioned, but we call it tradition. Even so, life onboard is getting more casual; formal nights have been reduced and there needs to be a little bit of flexibility. In my opinion, the dress code should not be on a daily basis but according to the location. For example, we cannot expect that in 30 degrees Celsius and 100 percent humidity that a hot rock restaurant should be formal.” The reduction in formal nights is to the chagrin of some who cruise with a nostalgic wish to wind the clock back to “a more gracious age”. Such were Marion and Hugh, who have accumulated 1177 nights at sea since they first took a Silver Wind cruise from Cairns to Hong Kong in 1998. “There’ve been cutbacks over the years,” says Marion, lamenting the grand, Silverseahosted parties in star hotels. “When we started, 85 percent of the passengers were American,” adds Hugh. “But then there was the Gulf War, then the second Gulf War. After 9/11, Americans got frightened about being away and wouldn’t travel unless a cruise was departing from, and returning to, an American port. The Silver Shadow went out with just 40 passengers. It was the Australians and the Brits that saved Silversea.” These guests also believe that the lack of tipping, with crew on salaries, gives a more genuine cruising experience. Service is part and parcel of that experience, not something that has to be purchased each day. “This crew treat us wonderfully well, and they’re not competing for guests. From the very first cruise, they treated us like their favourite aunt and uncle. When we get on the ship, there are always members of the crew who recognise and

Next evening, as we set sail for Hong Kong, we look forward to dining under the stars and a poolside cabaret. However, the waves now spraying up to Deck 7 and the lack of stars put paid to plans. Somehow the chefs still manage to turn out excellent food for the reduced numbers dining. With seasick tablets being handed out like confetti, more people emerge to dine, but this is clearly not an enjoyable ending to the cruise for many. A sleepless night follows, with creaking panels and the bow crashing down from the top of the waves, creating an effect like someone lifting the end of the bed and dropping it to the ground every minute. The next morning, the Stretch and Surrender class is cancelled, and Mustofa is disappointed to see there was no need to replenish the Champagne supply in our suite. After the first day or so of bingeing at the all-inclusive bar, consumption naturally drops. For a teetotaller, the cruise price of a non-inclusive ship may be thriftier, but for wine lovers, my guess is that it comes out near even. There’s also the absence of expensive gratuities. Most passengers I meet prefer the inclusive cruises. Silversea is presently experimenting with including Wi-Fi and those budgetbreaking excursions. However, passengers who have done both types of cruise are clear on something more significant than cost: an all-inclusive ship is more socially lubricated. Inviting Mrs

Diamond and Mr Oilwell to share champagne, or dinner, with no bills amassing, nor the spectre of expensive reciprocity can liberate relationships. As Captain Failla comments, inviting others to dine carries no obligation. Hotel manager Helmut Huber adds that if beverages are available “for free”, there is no need to over-indulge. “The all-inclusive concept invites them to drink a little bit more, but our guests are very sophisticated and we never really have anybody consuming too much. I’ve worked or been a passenger on other ships that are not inclusive, and there has been more consumption than we have.” As I raise my gaze beyond the glass to the glacier-blue wake fading out to the horizon, the best part of a cruise becomes quite clear. It is the admission to a more graceful and predictable little world. In few other places can I be waited upon and meet people whose stories are straight from the upper deck of the Titanic. The food, and even the now-failed fitness fix, place me in a new kingdom where frogs mix with princes and a Dior has no more real status than a cheap strappy number. An all-inclusive cruise is the ultimate leveller. However, most of all, it is what that wake symbolises. Everything we have done is behind us. Guilt and regret go overboard, unrequited ambitions are in the hands of the barperson, the valet on vacation has class equal to the millionaire, and business dealings flicker into the vicissitudes of the marine internet. For just a few days, what lies ahead is beyond our construction. In the words of Buddha, all is impermanent. How thrilling. How liberating for the spirit. Here’s to cruise control.

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welcome us. On the big ships, crew tend to be paid a relatively small retainer, and the rest is made up from gratuities. When we were in Kabul, and they were sailing with only 60 or 80 people, if it was based on gratuities the crew would have no money. It seems that in paying them, Silversea get a lot of respect from their crew.”

CELEBRITY SOLSTICE

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WORDS BY STEPHEN BROWN

The glazed side and rear panels of the lift afforded quite a spectacular view of the Celebrity Solstice’s 15-storey atrium — complete with a suspended tree and the elegant splendour of the ship’s library. However, my reverie and relaxed frame of mind was almost instantly broken when the lift stopped at Level 10 to allow the septuagenarian owner of a mobility scooter to lurch into the cupboard-like space. As the scooter suddenly rushed forward and its owner seemed to slump over its controls, my mind immediately sped to the seeming fragility of my crystalline cocoon and my fear of heights. The scooter shot forward, I jumped in the air and both the vehicle and owner stopped mere millimetres from the lift’s glazing. I landed next to the scooter’s bumper, and the owner emitted a sound that might well have been mistaken for an apology. Then, with amazing sangfroid, she commented on how lovely the view was as we climbed ever higher. Ah yes, the relaxed, therapeutic world of cruising. In fact, I can truly say that this was the most exciting moment of my eight day journey from Sydney to French Polynesia and back, and that — apart from the pre-departure dash of 2500 passengers for the bars and buffet — it was virtually the only exception to a supremely relaxing and pampered break from my typically far more manic, day-to-day routine. Our departure from the lift, elevated some 16 storeys above the sea, afforded spectacular early evening views of Sydney’s shoreline, the Opera House, and the coruscated cliffs that line the harbour’s outer bays. However, once away from this jagged coast, the rhythm of each day became increasingly defined by the gentle tattoo of the sea on the Celebrity Solstice’s hull, the timing of meal sessions — enhanced by the certain knowledge that the ship’s stores were replete with some 40,000 bottles of fine wine — and our arrival dates for Lifou, the Île des Pins and Noumea. I was accompanied by three companions determined to explore the dazzling array of drinks on offer, from molecular concoctions to silky pinot noirs and crusty, old vine shiraz. However, I was equally intent on exploring the culinary delights of a truly staggering variety of restaurants specialising in everything from Asian cuisine ‘with a twist’, South Pacific seafood and European

fusion, to crepes and hamburgers. Of course, the ubiquitous buffet on Level 14 was also an option for breakfast and family groups, but the majestic Grand Epernay — architecturally symbolic of a champagne bottle — together with the more intimate Murano, Silk Harvest and Tuscan Grille soon competed as favourites at a completely different culinary level. Indeed, far from being just places to explore a diverse culinary palette and ingest a seemingly limitless range of beverages, each restaurant and bar set out to capture a particular flavour and aesthetic through the measured use of a complex tapestry of art works, furnishings, and culinary tools. Impeccable personalised service simply compounded the ‘specialness’ of each dining experience, while an altogether more relaxed — and relaxing — atmosphere pervaded my regular retreat, Level 15’s Sunset Bar, poised over the stern of the ship. Otherwise, evening entertainment usually involved a postprandial amble to the Celebrity Solstice’s magnificently attired theatre, catering for over a thousand guests, with yet another retelling of West Side Story still clearly a favourite for the largely 50s-plus audience, even late in the cruise. However, the ship’s own version of Cirque du Soleil and ‘ensemble’ acts on intervening nights — with Yulia’s fiery violin solos and a Neil Diamond impersonator being real stand-outs — were every bit as impressive. These provided real competition for the ship’s casino and the occasional art auction; not to mention its bars, from the amazing Martini Bar with its ‘hand-crafted’ concoctions to the super smooth Michael’s Club, replete with an evening jazz quartet and smoking jacket ambience. For those taking a slightly more leisurely approach to the post-dinner period, a gentle promenade around the top deck, and even a stroll across its elevated lawn, offered a somewhat more soporific precursor to bed. As a result, sleep was never going to be an issue; simply a prelude to more indulgences the next day. Fortunately, the ship’s suites afforded the perfect vehicle for a restful night, tastefully attired in conservative-but-modern furnishings combined to create an elegant and slightly nautical-themed ‘home away from home’. The suite’s private balcony also had considerable appeal, although its views of the passing ocean was more welcome than the spray that occasionally accompanied our blue water cruising.

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The Celebrity Solstice’s arrival at Lifou, amid far more placid, turquoise waters, captured much that is so symbolic of the South Pacific: the gently wafting scent of wood smoke from a nearby village, the white church on a rising promontory, and the bays attractively enclosed by a series of small headlands and massed vegetation. Setting Lifou apart was the flat, pancake, profile of the island, a past reef that has been slowly elevated out of the surrounding ocean. The Ile des Pins was to prove even more evocative of the South Pacific idyll, with its towering, ancient pines, the fittingly titled Araucaria columnaris — a relative of the Norfolk Island Pine — stippling the skyline to create a dramatic backdrop to a maze of inshore channels and their multi-hued waters. Contrasting with Lifou, the Île des Pins is underpinned by a series of ancient volcanoes, and I spent much of the afternoon battling waves of heat off loose scoria to reach the crest of successive tuff ridges and an old cone. This only magnified the allure of the island’s coastline, replete with palms, a fringe of dazzling white sand and coral islets. The presence of fellow ‘cruisers’ and tourists could almost be forgiven as I bathed in the heavenly waters of Kanumera Bay, with a casual stroll through lanes encased by arching coral trees and other tropical vegetation providing wonderful respite from the sun and its afternoon heat. While the local bays and inlets are frequently dotted with ‘kunies’ in their traditional pirogues, Celebrity Cruises laid on rather more modern craft to ply the Île des Pins’ southern bays in the search for green and leatherback turtles. After much racing hither and thither across the shallow waters of the Baie Degu, our highpowered search culminated in a sudden loud splash and the emergence of a flapping testudo gripped firmly in strong arms, while our guide flashed a triumphant smile. The tourists had won, while our poor green turtle seemed almost resigned to the cooking pot. Fortunately, his — or her — capture was restricted to the hard drives of numerous cameras and mobile phones. As we turned back for the Celebrity Solstice, my thoughts were increasingly of yet another tropical paradise and its creatures ‘tamed’ by humankind.

Noumea epitomises this transition: the outlook from my cabin and balcony cast a rather sombre eye over the port’s copper refinery and piles of raw ore awaiting smelting, while the jungleclad hills of central New Caledonia seem to have retreated — been beaten back — to form a distant, and in many respects, rather remote backdrop to the city centre. Closer at hand, Noumea’s citified bays retain the rustic charm of a slightly tired colonial outpost, although a penchant for 1960s to 1970s modernist architecture of the rather basic, brutal kind and the liberal use of concrete gives much of Noumea a somewhat utilitarian edge. An extended lunch in the centre of the Baie des Citrons also reminded us that even though France’s hold over its most remote colonial territories has often been tenuous over recent decades, Noumea retains a certain pride in avoiding the fate of nearby Australia and New Zealand in becoming British colonial ‘possessions’. As a result, much of lunch involved our waitress doing her very best to wrest the French language from my grip by speaking English, or trying to correct my rather rustic rearrangement of French vowels and syntax via repeated reconstruction of my every utterance. By comparison, the world of the Celebrity Solstice seemed altogether less stressful and reliant on diplomatic skills. Yet, as our small group settled down for a culinary ensemble of finely crafted Chinese dishes amid the rather more welcoming, modern Asian couture of the Silk Harvest restaurant, I could only marvel at the diversity of both the cultural and epicurean environments that travellers are now exposed to, even on relatively short voyages. Vive la difference. At the very least, I felt enticed to return to the Ile des Pins for a somewhat longer sojourn. Indeed, I decided that this is ultimately the real joy of cruising. While life aboard the Celebrity Solstice provides a brief flirtation with cosseted luxury and an almost tangible connection with the lives of the rich and famous, it also exposes the cruising public to snapshots of landscapes, people and places that offer their own invitation — destinations to return to and explore at even greater leisure in the near future. What more could one ask for?

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination Cruising is now more popular than ever, especially with Kiwis who are enjoying the benefits of a cruise holiday far & wide. With so many options available to suit any travel style or budget our cruising specialists can help find the perfect cruise just for you. Whether you’re looking for a fun-filled family getaway, a bit of adventure or just want to sit back and watch the world go by from your balcony, we’re sure you’ll love cruising just as much as we do! To help you discover what type of cruise would suit you, see our top picks below or call one of our Cruise Specialists today. OCEAN

FAMILY

Ocean cruising offers an experience of a floating resort with a journey full of many experiences. From entertainment and fun to pampering and a wide range of dining options, there’s options to suit every traveller!

From water parks to kids clubs, parades to on board cinemas, a cruise holiday is a playground for the whole family! Or while the kids enjoy the many amenities on board, adults have a chance to relax and unwind.

Our Pick: Princess Cruises.

Our Pick: Royal Caribbean.

RIVER

LUXURY

Intimate, exciting, beautiful… River cruising offers the opportunity to explore the world’s greatest waterways up close. Unpack once and relax while you discover cities and towns from your balcony.

Looking to treat yourself with a holiday that includes sophistication, elegance and exemplary service? Luxury cruises offer everything from contemporary cuisine to exceptional shore excursions like no other.

Our Pick: APT River Cruises.

Our Pick: Azamara Club Cruises.

SMALL SHIP

ADVENTURE

Enjoy the experience of small group excursions and leave the crowds behind. Small Ship cruises offer a relaxing environment as well as the opportunity to explore amazing places that larger ships can’t!

Get a taste of adventure, exploring destinations off-the-beaten-track, and then enjoy comfort and style on board your ship. See the world’s most remote destinations with an Adventure cruise.

Our Pick: Seabourn.

Our Pick: Silversea.

0800 22 11 09 cruiseabout.co.nz

APR-JUN 2015

BAZAAR FOUR SEASONS Having spent the previous night camping in the Mojave Desert before driving into LA, we are more than ready for some comfort, and the Four Seasons takes this to the next level in every possible way. Valet parking is available, but as we know we’re going to be in and out on a regular basis and prefer to be independent, we’re directed to the garage where we can come and go as we please. After a swift and friendly check-in, we head up to our Deluxe Executive Suite, where we’re greeted with a welcome note and a trio of cute (and delicious) cupcakes before stepping out onto a private balcony with a classic view of Downtown LA and the Hollywood sign.

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The suite’s spacious marble bathroom, with its rain shower option, full bath, and gorgeous skin and hair products is the ideal place to refresh after a long day. We are childishly excited by the in-mirror TV and overhead speaker system, and pad around in terry robes while we prepare for dinner. Although we have other commitments this evening, we regretfully eye the modern Italian menu for the hotel’s restaurant, Culina, before heading out. A few hours later, we cannot wait to return to the suite. Back in our robes, we relax with a couple of drinks and make full use of the living room facilities. Complimentary internet allows us to stream our music while I claim the armchair with cushy footrest and my guest stretches out on the sofa. Eventually we call it a night, and venture to bed. Now, I pride myself on the quality of my bed at home — it’s famous among close friends who’ve had the privilege of napping in it as the ‘cloud bed’ — but this is something else entirely. Even the pillows are amazing. We sink into a blissful sleep. As difficult as it is to get out of this bed, the next morning I have an appointment first thing at the hotel spa which is more than worth the sacrifice. I can hardly wait to try the new Diamond Youth Facial, which uses a small diamond-tip vacuum to simultaneously exfoliate and infuse a plumping, clarifying serum. My facialist Megan talks me through the process as we go, warning that it may feel rough, like a cat’s tongue – which it does, though it’s not unpleasant at all. Following a firming, toning mask and a final smoothing of serum, Megan tells me by the following morning I will see my best skin ever, and she is not wrong. Even more relaxed, I meet my friend for a late breakfast in the Cabana restaurant, next to the outdoor pool. The restaurant’s pergola provides welcome shade, and we settle amongst the foliage and enjoy our iced coffees. It’s no surprise that the service here is impeccable, and our eggs benedict with asparagus is fresh and delicious. Heading over to the pool area, we have just enough time for a cocktail — and then we really must go. Again, our server goes out of his way to ensure we have our organic watermelon margarita and blackberry-infused ‘Midnight Mojito’ in a timely fashion. And as we lounge, drinks in hand, next to a pool of azure water flanked by iconic palm trees, we decide we never want to leave. Visit fourseasons.com

APR-JUN 2015

BAZAAR

WANAKA HAVEN

LAN Airlines unveils strategic plan for growth in the Pacific region in 2015.

Wanaka Haven is an intimate luxury residence situated just five minutes from Wanaka’s town centre. However, one of the many wonderful things about this beautiful residence is, despite this proximity to civilisation, it feels completely hidden away. The five hectare property offers spectacular views of Mt Iron, along with a pool to relax beside with a cocktail. The lodge itself has that ‘old charm’ vibe that is beautifully contrasted by modern furnishings. Breakfast is included in the stay and there are many dining options to choose from: private dining and catering can be organised upon request. After exploring Wanaka, the Haven is an oasis to come back to, and hosts Steven and Anne-mie make one feel like they are right at home.

LAN Airlines, part of LATAM Airlines Group, has developed a strategy for growth in the Pacific region in 2015. This will be rolled out in three stages over the next 12 months. • The use of Boeing 787-8 aircraft on the existing route between Sydney/Auckland and Santiago, Chile, in April 2015. • Introduction of the new Boeing 787-9 model on Oceania/ South America routes by the fourth quarter of 2015, resulting in a 27 percent increase in capacity on this route – the first airline to employ next-generation aircraft on this route. • A boost in flight frequencies between Oceania and Chile by the end of 2015.

Early bird ski deal: 10 percent discount for all bookings made on the Wanaka Haven website for a minimum stay of three nights, booked before the end of May. Visit wanakahaven.co.nz

This strategy is designed to cement LAN Airlines position as a leading airline globally, enhancing access to and from South America, and its array of its leisure and business destinations. Currently, LAN Airlines operates seven flights per week between Sydney/Auckland and Santiago, the gateway to South America, using the group’s Airbus A340 fleet. By late 2015, the Boeing 787-9 aircraft will also service the Australia/New Zealand region, offering passengers cutting-edge technology and a chance to experience the next generation of aircraft and the future of flying. Furthermore, in response to passenger demand, LAN Airlines has already increased the number of flights it operates between the Sydney/Auckland and Santiago, boosting the total weekly flights from six to seven. Three non-stop codeshare flights are also now offered between Sydney and Santiago, with onward connections to more than 115 destinations in South America now available through LAN and TAM Airlines. Visit lan.com.

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LAN CHILE

APR-JUN 2015

BAZAAR trees. Setting up for the night is as easy as I need it to be after a long day of travel: I pull down the bed, let the curtains fall, rip open the package of linen and blankets provided by Jucy, and promptly fall into a cosy sleep. I wake the next morning to a desert sunrise, ready to take on the day knowing that with this Champ behind me I have the freedom to do anything.

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REGAL AIRPORT HOTEL HONG KONG JUCY

“Here is your new combination,” announced the concierge as he deftly sprung the security lock of my suitcase, which had somehow changed its own access code.

As my cab from LAX pulls into the Jucy parking lot in Lawndale, California, I gear myself up for a challenge. My poor driving skills are a running joke with my friends — it’s widely agreed that letting me loose on the freeways of this city in a campervan might not be the greatest idea. However, I am off on a desert adventure and have got to get there somehow.

Initiative, grace under pressure, convenience and calm are clearly among the reasons that the Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong has been awarded ‘Best Airport Hotel in the World’ by Skytrax every year from 2011 to 2015. In fact, Business Traveller’s Asia Pacific edition has judged it best in the region for an astounding 14 consecutive years.

On completion of some quick, easy paperwork, I’m shown around the vehicle, a modified 2012 Dodge Grand minivan known as the Jucy Champ USA. I’m introduced to the ‘master bedroom’ — a fold-down bed for two, curtains and storage facilities; then the kitchen, complete with gas cooking facilities, sink, cupboards, dishes, cutlery and refrigerator. Finally, we check out the ‘penthouse’ — an innovative pop-up space which allows a further two people to sleep, fully sheltered, on the roof.

This hotel is so good that I now choose and schedule a Hong Kong stopover at the Regal on all of my trans-world trips: two days will melt away much of the pain of an economy long-haul journey. Jets fly directly over the chef’s rooftop herb gardens, beneath which is situated a large spa complex and two full-sized swimming pools. Some rooms even have private spa facilities with a business desk and pools of directed mood-lighting. Some even have a private outdoor jacuzzi.

I set the GPS, which is to become my constant companion, for our destination — Joshua Tree National Park — and hit the road. Driving on the right hand side in such a substantial vehicle is a little disorienting at first: nothing like my Golf back home at all. But the Grand’s controls are very straightforward, and I soon settle in, browsing the unfamiliar radio stations as I navigate highways and exits.

For a stunning vista of Hong Kong by day or night, the ‘crystal cabin’ cable car leaves nearby Tung Chung and wafts high over Lantau Islands forests, its 5 centimetres thick glazing affording spectacular views on the climb up to the mountaintop reserve of Ngong Ping. From this spectacular high point, some 70 kilometres of trails give one a chance to stretch the calf muscles and breathe the cool, misty air. All this is easily accessible from the hotel door, and even Disneyland is only 15 minutes away for the child in us all.

I find the other cars on the road very accommodating — again rather different from home — and can’t help wondering if this is due to Los Angeles’ driving culture. After all, if so many people have to spend most of each day in their cars then perhaps it makes everyone a bit more sympathetic to one another’s plight. Alternatively, it may be that the distinctive Jucy colours and logo give them fair warning: tourist on the loose with no understanding of local road rules. In any case, to my surprise I have none of the trouble with lane changing that I am so used to in Sydney traffic. Though I hadn’t planned to make use of the van’s full facilities, on arrival at Joshua Tree, I find my accommodation has fallen through. As such, I couldn’t be more grateful for this vehicle as I pull into a sandy parking lot surrounded by the region’s famous

For those with more serious ambitions, Central — the city’s shopping and business hub — can be reached in just 25 minutes, via high-speed Airport Express Line, so staying at the Regal is also viable business option. Indeed, Tung Chung is also home to the air-conditioned, 40-store, fashion outlet, Citygate; the bargains are genuine labels, as ‘the real thing’ is now often made in China — and the prices are, well, reasonable. As boarding time comes around, there’s check-in at the hotel’s airline desk, and that clever concierge will wheel bags and bargains right down to the bridge for the airport concourse. As hotel GM John Girard says, “it’s a city hotel that just happens to be at the airport”.

Get exploring the USA: be it a Route 66 roadie, a festival excursion or a jaunt into the stunning national parks, the JUCY Champ is the perfect road trip vehicle.

Road trips aren’t marked by miles

FROM

$45 USD

but by moments - make yours with JUCY!

SLEEPS FOUR

SAN FRANCISCO • LOS ANGELES • LAS VEGAS

jucyworld.com

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