World Traveller Sep'13

September 2013

Issue Sixty Five

INDIA The spice of life enjoyed for the very first time

Plus

Produced in International Media Production Zone

AMERICAN BEAUTY On the road in the friendliest corner of the USA

LANGK AWI Why paradise isn’t just for honeymooners

Moscow Kids’ Clubs Frankfurt Paris Great Britain

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Editor’s Note

Issue Sixty Five, September 2013

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There’s something about fashion week: maybe it’s the flashing cameras, the big-budget shows or all those beautiful people, but somehow it always manages to energise four already pulsating cities.

Which is why the World Traveller team always get excited when it rolls around.

Not only are the shows rarely less than spectacular and the fashion always covetous, but we also get to remember just why we love New York, London, Milan and Paris so much.

September sees the return of the biggest names in the business to these four fashion capitals for the Spring 2014 collections. We took the excuse to check out the most stylish places to stay and dine in each of them, just in case you fancied making the trip across. You’ll find them in all their colourful glory on page 12.

Also this month, if you’re stumped about where to take your children on holiday then fear not, our team has tracked down the best hotels for kids.

We discover whether it’s possible to enjoy the paradisiacal island of Langkawi if you’re not in love, experience India’s best bits through the fresh eyes of a first-timer and rejuvenate on the New Zealand coastline. Enjoy the issue.

Leah Oatway leah@hotmediapublishing.com

Managing Director

Victoria Thatcher Editorial Director

John Thatcher

Advertisement Director

Chris Capstick Editor

Leah Oatway Contributing Editor

Hazel Plush

Senior Designer

Adam Sneade

Designer & Illustrator

Andy Knappett

Production Manager

Chalitha Fernando Senior Advertisement Manager

Stefanie Morgner

To contact any of the above people, email firstname@hotmediapublishing.com

Jan-Jun 2013 | 22,920 | BPA Consumer Audit Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. All prices mentioned are correct at time of press but may change. HOT Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in World Traveller.

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494 Cover: Indian elephant at the entrance of Amber Fort, Jaipur, India.

Getty Images.

life has a new playground

Explore a glamorous destination full of unforgettable experiences. Relish a world of flavours at 12 dining venues and lounges.

Relax in 2 rooftop pools or at a luxurious spa. Pump up the adrenaline at exciting island attractions including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld. Immerse your soul in true exhilaration, with 5-star service at the iconic Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi.

For reservations call +97 1 2 656 0700, email yas.reservations@viceroyhotelsandresorts.com or visit our website www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/abudhabi facebook.com/yasviceroy

twitter.com/yasviceroy

instagram.com/yasviceroy

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Contents

6

9-31

33-64

65-80

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Destinations

Concierge

Meet the female chef set to cause a stir on London’s famed dining scene, get the inside track on Paris’ best dining options, and find out why Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh is this season’s go-to city. As always, there’s also a raft of exclusive offers from dnata so you can see the world for less.

Nuala Harvey enjoys an enlightening firsttime trip to colourful India, while Laura Goulden heads to Langkawi to discover if its sun-kissed sands are strictly for honeymooners. Meanwhile in America’s deep south, Jill Starley-Grainger has a surprising encounter with Hell’s Angels...

Frankfurt is best known for its high-rise towers, but if you’re in the know it’s a city that also boasts some beautiful green spaces – we point you to the pick of them. Then there’s Moscow’s must-see buildings, the world’s best kids’ clubs, and a few choice facts about Tinseltown.

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The Essentials

Dinner lady When one of Britain’s most exciting young female chefs is put in charge of a restaurant at one of London’s leading boutique hotels, it’s only natural that people will talk. And the word on the street is that Belgraves’ Pont St. restaurant is one to watch. Scheduled to open this month, its contemporary seafood menu is packed with delicious treats inspired by 31-year-old Sophie Michell’s time in California and Australia. We can’t wait.

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> If, as happens, your country’s crest is rubbing off your passport, it’s time to house it inside a stylish wallet, something like one of these python-skin pattern metallic leather cases, in fact. Guaranteed to get you noticed in the queue for check in. Buy them from Marie France Van Damme.

Capital Ideas The St Regis Abu Dhabi is now open for business on the city’s glistening waterfront. Perfectly located in the heart of the city, on its corniche, the 283-room property, which overlooks the Arabian Gulf, is also a record breaker.

In typical UAE style, its exquisite Abu Dhabi suite boasts the title of the world’s highest suspended hotel suite – sitting pretty some 200 metres from the ground, between the hotel’s two towers.

Unsurprisingly, its lofty position guarantees guests incredible sea views.

A few thousand kilometres away, in central London’s Fitzrovia, the long-awaited opening of The London EDITION takes place on September 12. This super-stylish abode is expected to marry the best of its setting – the original features of the historic grade II listed property have been retained – with the simple, sophisticated

ESSENTIAL R ARITIES When The Doors used Los Angeles’ Morrison Hotel as the setting for its now iconic album cover of the same name, it immortalised the property.

Initially, the hotel owners are said to have refused the band’s request to photograph the building (located at 1246 South Hope Street), but when no one was looking they sneaked inside and took the shot anyway.

The album, their fifth, was met with critical acclaim and the cover went on to spawn a fine art music photography gallery by the same name, run by a former record company executive, Peter Blachley, a music retail industry professional, Richard Horowitz, and the renowned music photographer Henry Diltz.

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Next month, the famous image is one of more than 300 unique photos and items up for auction in Manhattan at what Morrison Hotel Gallery describes as “one of the most complete photography auctions ever presented to the international community”.

The gallery has teamed up with top auction house Antiquorum for the sale, which will feature rare, signed images of some of the biggest names in music (past and present) taken by the best music photographers in the world.

If ever there was an excuse for a music enthusiast to plan a trip to the Big Apple, this is it…

October 8th, 595 Madison Avenue, New York. antiquorum.com

and modern design that comes as standard with an EDITION property.

For a very different city experience, there’s the capital of Sri Lanka, where the Sheraton Columbo opens a shiny new property on October 1 in the heart of its business district. You’ll be close to the best shopping destinations and all of the city’s main tourist attractions, but enjoy sweeping views of the Ocean.

ENDLESS WONDER

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DEDICATED FOLLOWERS of fashion…

September is all about fashion week.

Whether you’re in London, New York, Milan or Paris, the best of the design world will soon be descending. With that in mind, here’s our guide to the most stylish places to eat and sleep in the four big cities…

LONDON September 13-17

Where to stay Grand Piano Suite by Diane von Furstenberg at Claridge’s Marble fireplaces, furniture curated by the legendary fashion designer and more than a touch of the glamour that is befitting a fashion week stay.

NEW YORK September 5-12

Where to stay Dior Suite at St Regis NYC

Grey has never looked as good as it does at this beautifully plush abode.

Channelling Parisian chic, this Manhattan gem boasts custom-made furniture, chandeliers and Diorinspired artwork.

Trump SoHo Hotel

For jaw-dropping views of the famous city skyline, fashion-forward interiors courtesy of Fendi Casa and unrivalled technological features in-room, this is a must stay.

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Eloise Suite, The Plaza NYC

Betsey Johnson is famous for her fun and feminine style and this charming two-room suite doesn’t disappoint: candy-striped walls and ornate furnishings.

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This East Village hot spot is as famous for it’s A-list clientele as for its delicious menu. Booking is advised if you plan to eat after dark, but it’s worth it – Beyonce and Sarah Jessica Parker have both dined there.

One for those in the know, you’ll find this rustic and discreet American restaurant on an unused alley off Rivington St.

The brainchild of French master chef Pierre Gagnaire, the design of this cutting-edge restaurant is as ground-breaking and delicious as the food. The Gallery, its brasserie, was conceived by Turner Prize winning artist Martin Creed.

Nobu Berkeley Street, Mayfair

Where to eat Butter, NoHo, Manhattan

Freemans , Lower East Side, Manhattan

Where to eat Sketch, Marylebone

Still one of the city’s most fashionable restaurants, the Michelin-starred dining hub was designed by David Collins and the food never falls short of excellent.

The Cinema Suite at 51 Buckingham Gate, Taj Suites and Residences

Inspired by the history of film, this rich and vibrant two-bedroom suite is the creation of acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

Blake’s London, South Kensington

A firm favourite of the A-listers, this exclusive abode is owned by interior designer Anouska Hempel and every room hosts a unique treasure.

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PARIS

September 24-October 2

Where to stay InterContinental Le Grand, 9th arrondissement

A big favourite of the fashion set, not only have fashion week shows taken place within the luxurious walls of the hotel, but its location opposite the Palais Garner, is very special.

La Maison ChampsElysees, 8th arrondissement

The vision of Martin Margiela, a former creative director at Hermes, this Design Hotel uses white to dramatic effect.

MILAN

September 18-23

Hotel Le Meurice, 1st arrondissement

Once the venue of Coco Chanel’s receptions, it underwent a stunning revamp courtesy of Philippe Starcke. Need we say more?

Where to stay Bvlgari Hotel Milan

This renovated 18th century palazzo is fashionably simple and a haven of stylish tranquility in the centre of the city – perfect for postshow relaxation.

Where to eat Chacha Club France, 1st arrondissement

Maison Moschino Milan

An abode at the other end of the fashion spectrum, you’ll find yourself sleeping in a ballgown, laying among fabric desserts or sinking within a quilt of ribbons.

Armani Hotel Milano

Elegant, comfortable, sophisticated – all attributes attributed to this attractive hotel in the heart of Milan.

Its Armani/SPA is the ideal relaxation destination after a busy day zipping between the shows.

Where to eat Maison Moschino

Looks good, tastes even better, thanks to the Italian sushi of chef Moreno Cedroni. Think kooky: shoebox-like containers of sweet treats and novelty lunch aperitifs.

Just Cavalli Hollywood

A perennial favourite of the jet-set and fashion-forwards, this high-end restaurantcum-club is, naturally, ultraexclusive to get in to during Fashion Week. Best start asking around for the name to drop at the door.

When it comes to fashionable eateries, they don’t get better than this.

Popular with rock stars and Hollywood A-listers alike, think moody lighting, leather and candalabras.

L’Avenue, 8th arrondissement

When fashion week hits, this is where you’re likely to spot the big names enjoying a bite to eat. It’s a stone’s throw from the city’s top designer boutiques.

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To book one of these offers call dnata on +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com.

On the same site you can also sign up to dnata’s newsletter and receive more offers direct to your inbox.

World Traveller Reader Offers With Eid-al-Adha on the horizon, our exclusive offers grant you opportunities to enjoy blissful breaks in Europe, the UAE, Asia and the best of the Indian Ocean islands...

Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa

Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa

Cyprus

Elysium, Limassol Offer: 3 nights from AED2,090 per person, or from AED3,585 per person including airfare.

Includes: A three-night stay in a Deluxe Room Inland View with breakfast and dinner daily plus return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 10-31, 2013.

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InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Offer: 3 nights fromAED2,260 per person, or from AED3,745 per person including airfare.

Includes: A three-night stay in a Deluxe Golf and Sea View Room with breakfast and dinner daily plus return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 10-31, 2013.

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket

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Maldives

Viceroy Maldives Offer: 4 nights from AED6,950 per person, or from AED9,145 per person including airfare.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Beach Villa with pool, with breakfast and dinner daily plus airport transfers and a 60 minute spa treatment for one guest.

Valid for stays from: October 10-31, 2013.

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Mauritius

Hilton Mauritius Resort & Spa Offer: 4 nights from AED2,470 per person, or from AED7,255 per person including airfare.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast and dinner daily plus return airport transfers, one massage and a ‘Dine Around’ option.

Valid for stays from: October 10–31, 2013.

InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort

Seychelles

Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa Offer: 4 nights from AED 3,410 per person, or from AED7,415 per person including airfare.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Garden Villa with breakfast daily plus return airport and speedboat transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 10-31, 2013.

Thailand

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Offer: 3 nights from AED890 per person, or from AED4,145 per person including airfare.

Includes: A three-night stay in a Deluxe Sea View Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 1-31, 2013.

The KEE Resort and Spa, Phuket Offer: 3 nights from AED760 per person, or from AED4,015 per person including airfare.

Includes: A three-night stay in a Deluxe City View Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 1-31, 2013.

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Offer: 4 nights from AED940 per person, or from AED3,235 per person including airfare.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Luxury Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Valid for stays from: October 1-31, 2013.

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Elysium Limassol

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Istanbul EDITION

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Sofitel The Palm. Dubai

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Turkey

Istanbul EDITION Offer: 4 nights from AED2,440 per person, or from AED3,945 per person including airfare.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Deluxe Room, with breakfast daily and return airport transfers plus a 50USD voucher per room for a treatment at the world renowned ESPA. Valid for stays from: October 10-31, 2013.

UAE

Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi - Yas Island

Anantara The Palm Resort & Spa, Dubai Offer: 4 nights from AED2,262 per person.

Includes: A four-night stay in a Premier Lagoon View Room with breakfast daily.

Valid for stays from: Now till October 15. From October 16-31, the rate is AED3,453 per person.

Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island Offer: 2 nights from AED787 per person.

Includes: A two-night stay in a Superior Room with breakfast daily plus one Ferrari World or Yas Water World ticket per person.

Valid for stays from: October: 1-30, 2013.

Sofitel The Palm, Dubai Offer: 1 night from AED1,255 per person.

Includes: A one-night stay in a One Bedroom Sea View Apartment with breakfast daily.

Valid for stays from: October 1-18, 2013.

Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi Offer: 3 nights from AED643 per person.

Includes: A three-night stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast daily.

Valid for stays from: October 1-30, 2013.

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YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME. With more than 240 ergonomically designed rooms, and more than 130 serviced apartment, exceptional facilities to cater for your special event and wide array of dinning options including the Award Winning Brazilian Churrascaria, you’ll experience the energy, style and multi-cultural environment that is unmistakably Crowne Plaza Doha - The Business Park.

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Girl Guide

WT discovers the best of Paris’ dining scene with Parisienne gastronomic guru Trish Deseine… t was on family trips to France that Trish Deseine, then a teenager, first fell in love with cooking.

Today, the successful BBC cooking host, who has sold more than a million cookbooks worldwide, lives among the many gastronomic charms of its always shining capital.

“I arrived in Paris in the mid eighties, after graduating from Edinburgh University, and moved in with my Parisian boyfriend (then husband, now ex-husband),” she told WT. “He and his family are keen food lovers, even by Parisian standards.

“I learned to cook whole meals, not just puddings, for our friends and his family – frankly nerve-wracking at first – and eating in starry restaurants became something we would save up for. The restaurants of Michel Bras, Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Ducasse, Joel Robuchon and Guy Savoy were all joyous revelations during those years and I remember how terribly young, wide-eyed and enthusiastic we were amongst all the serious suits.”

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Make it a complete holiday in the heart of Dubai.

Welcome to Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana.

Nestled in the historical heart of the city, in Dubai’s bustling Deira district, Al Ghurair Rayhaan and Al Ghurair Arjaan by Rotana are adjacent to one of Dubai’s famous malls – Al Ghurair Centre.

Their unique positioning makes them an attractive property for business and leisure travellers.

Make your stay an experience to cherish with a choice of our fine dining outlets. For an authentic taste of Persia, step into Shayan Restaurant and choose from an extensive menu over a sit-down dinner. Or choose to spend time with family and friends at Liwan, our all day dining restaurant and its various theme nights.

What’s more, should you choose to, spend a day at the beach or shop, with our free shuttle bus to Mamzar Beach and Dubai Mall through the day.

Complete the experience and indulge yourself in our first Zen the spa at Rotana in Dubai.

The very tranquil and luxurious spa offers signature treatments designed to relax your mind, revive your soul and rejuvenate your body. Guests can benefit from 25% discount.

For your booking and reservations, please call +971 4 293 3000 or visit rotana.com

P.O.Box 185051, Dubai U.A.E, T:+971 (0)4 293 3000, F:+971 (0)4 293 3555, alghurair.rayhaan@rotana.com

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Today, having spent many evenings during those heady early years in the city dining at the cheap local bistros along the Rue St Charles and the Latin Quarter, Deseine is considered something of an expert when it comes to Paris and food.

Eating out remains the fuel and soul of la vie mondaine

“The range and styles of places to eat in have grown and changed immeasurably [since I arrived 12 years ago] yet the importance Parisians place on the ‘use’ of their restaurants remains fiercely intact,” she said. “Lunch hours have shortened and more flexible eating occasions have been created with sandwich bars, caves à manger, and cocktail places serving small plates, burgers and sandwiches for afterwork visitors.”

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The Parisians’ love of eating out, as in all great cities, though, remains “the fuel and the soul of la vie mondaine (society life)”.

“At the turn of the century, the Fooding movement (a hugely successful restaurant guide founded in 2000 by two gastronomic journalists, Alexandre Cammas and Emmanuel Rubin, born of their frustration with conservative French food culture) upset the apple cart and challenged the bourgeois, Michelinruled status quo, creating a new guide with more sensual, creative criteria and allowing chefs to leave the confines of their kitchens to cook in venues as diverse as an abandoned (and empty) swimming pool, outdoor food markets or the entrails of historic palace hotel, le Lutetia. The traditional brasseries and bistrots are having to up their game to compete with food trucks and international restaurants as Parisians become more and more gastro-curious. It’s healthy, dynamic, exciting and reassuring all at once.”

You only need to check out Deseine’s new book, The Paris Gourmet, to understand where she is coming from.

Her own unique guide to French cuisine, it not only shares rules of dining in one of the world’s most food-conscious destinations, but it also lets readers in on the best places to eat in the city.

“So much is written about Paris in a slightly negative, defensive tone – especially by British or American expatriates – and it saddens me as I think those visiting for the first time then seek out, or at least are more sensitive to, the infamous Parisian rudeness, which is always felt more keenly in restaurants.

“I steered deliberately away from most of the hot places popular with the foodistas and where it is well nigh impossible to get a reservation. Trophy eating is definitely not my thing.”

With that in mind, Deseine guides us through some of her favourite Paris haunts For the setting… Georges at the Centre

Pompidou 19, rue Beaubourg, Paris 4eme; beaumarly.com/en/georges/home Make sure you do not need to discuss anything too important when booking

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a table here. It’s impossible not to be distracted by the floor-to-ceiling glass panels and the 180-degree vista over Paris’ rooftops. Particularly splendid is the terrasse on a summer night.

For romance… Le Restaurant de l’Hotel 13, rue des Beaux Arts, Paris 6eme ; l-hotel.com Probably the most discreet and romantic dining room in Paris.

For people watching… Brasserie Thoumieux and Restaurant Jean-François Piège 79, rue Saint-Dominique, Paris 7e; thoumieux.fr Superstar, baby-faced chef Jean-François Piège rules over both the dark, noisy yet irresistible brasserie downstairs and the dazzling gastronomic restaurant upstairs, which was beautifully designed by India Mahdavi.

For families… Mama Shelter 109, rue de

Bagnolet, Paris 20eme; mamashelter.com Having had the experience of a family whose children spent most of dinner with their (bare) feet on the table (tut tut tut), I can tell you with confidence that this place is one of Paris’ child-friendliest – Philippe Starck’s playful mind has seen to that.

For coffee… Coutume Café 47, rue de

For unusual treats… Sadaharu Aoki

La. Page 22: Le Bistrot Paul Bert. This page, clockwise from top left: Coutume Cafe; Meert.

Opening page, clockwise from top: Ble Sucree; Les Deux Abeilles; Ble Sucree. Page 21: Philou; Sadaharu Aoki; Chez Julien; Shangri-

Babylone, Paris 7eme; coutumecafe.com Part of a welcome new group of cafés for serious coffee drinkers. Here the beans have been lovingly selected and you’ll definitely taste the difference.

56, Boulevard de Port Royal, Paris 5eme; sadaharuaoki.com Sadaharu Aoki is Paris’s undisputed champion when it comes to marrying French pastry traditions with Japanese ingredients. His ‘Bamboo’ is perhaps his most famous creation, a long cake slice, alternating nine layers of Joconde biscuit, chocolate ganache and matcha-infused cream and syrup underneath a stunning bamboo ‘drawing’.

Book: The Paris Gourmet, by Trish Desine, published

by Flammarion.

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Historic Hotel #3

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THE PREMIERE INN

We discover the fascinating history of one of London’s most fashionable and iconic hotels…

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World Traveller

The story of Brown’s Hotel begins rather unremarkably 175 years ago when, in 1837, James Brown, the butler of English poet Lord Byron and his wife Sarah, Byron’s maid, leased 23 Dover Street.

Their aim was to create a modest, ‘genteel inn’. However, within a year demand for their services grew and they expanded into numbers 21, 22 and 24.

London’s first hotel was established.

There was no doubt from the start that the hotel’s target guests were the well-heeled gentry of the capital. But as

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rumour of its elegant and discreet luxury spread, the property was soon creating a stir among the upper echelons of society that stretched far beyond England.

When forced into exile following the Franco-Prussian War and the creation of the Third Republic in France, Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie made the hotel their second home. And Queen Victoria III would visit and take tea at the hotel in the late 19th century.

In 1859, with the hotel an established landmark in the city, it was bought by

James John Ford – a Wiltshire-born businessman with a successful livery and stable business on Oxford Street.

So began the Ford family link with the hotel: a link that would bear witness to astounding historical events and some incredible guests, including scientist and inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who told the government that he had invented the telephone from the hotel. He made the first successful call from Brown’s to James Ford’s son, Henry, using Ford’s private telegraph line.

In 1882 James’ son took over reign of the hotel. His aim was to create a homely, comfortable environment for his guests – no mean feat when catering to royalty.

Within a few years the first hotel restaurant was established there, as was a gentlemen-only smoking room. And, in 1884, in a bid to ensure the hotel offered state-of-the-art comfort, power was installed using an oil-driven generator in the basement.

News of these efforts spread far and wide. In the late 19th century, Theodore Roosevelt travelled to London to stay at Brown’s ahead of his marriage (which took place in the city) to second wife, and childhood sweetheart, Edith Kermit Carow. Today, the hotel has renamed the room that he stayed in, on the first floor, the Roosevelt Room and a copy of the couple’s marriage certificate hangs proudly on the wall.

In 1889 Henry Ford bought St George’s Hotel on Albemarle Street and merged the two properties, adding a fifth floor.

It was at the new-look hotel that Rudyard Kipling wrote The Jungle Book, having been a regular guest there between 1892 and 1936, when he was said to have been found in his room facedown on his desk, having suffered a perforated ulcer. He died shortly after undergoing surgery at Middlesex Hospital.

By 1905 the hotel had expanded into yet another three townhouses, becoming a refuge for royals and nobility during both the First and Second World Wars.

With the swinging Sixties came change – to society and to the hotel, which was bought by Trust House Limited (later becoming Forte plc).

In 1997, Brown’s was sold to Raffles before being bought by Forte’s son, Sir Rocco Forte, in July 2003, who incorporated it into the impressive Rocco Forte Collection.

In April 2004, the hotel closed its doors for a £24 million renovation, reopening the following year to the delight of Britain’s art and fashion elite, who continue to flock there in their droves (Tracey Emin’s work lights up the hotel’s fine restaurant).

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A SIGN of the TIMES

A new method of teaching Chinese promises fun and fast results When ShaoLan decided to teach her British-born children how to read and write in Chinese she quickly realised how challenging learning the language was for beginners.

Desperate to find a solution, the Taiwan-born, London-based mother set about devising a way to convert traditional Chinese characters into visual representations of their meaning: the idea being that people would recognise the characters through simple illustrations.

She instructs students to treat the characters as building blocks and use the most basic blocks to build compounds (characters made of two or more building blocks). For example, the building block for fire (火) represents a

central flame with two smaller sparks on either side. It also resembles a campfire. By adding a second building block for fire (炎) you create “inflammation”, or “burning hot”.

“I spent many years looking for a fun and easy way to teach [my children] how to read Chinese,” she said. “I realised that none of the methods out there were engaging or efficient enough. So I did what any entrepreneur would do – I created my own.”

The method is now available online, free of charge, at chineasy.org and ShaoLan insists that by learning the master sets of building blocks she has devised people will quickly progress, learning hundreds of characters and phrases.

“Even though there are tens of thousands of Chinese characters, only a few hundred are actually necessary to comprehend basic Chinese literature and begin to delve into Chinese culture and art,” she said.

Great adaptations Are the books better than the films? You be the judge. Read these gems before they hit cinemas…

Gone Girl

The Fault in Our Stars

If you haven’t already read this emotional rollercoaster of a thriller, then we suggest you do so. What happened to Amy Dunne? You’ll find yourself suspicious of everyone until a crazy plot twist leaves you doubting yourself.

Narrated by 16-year-old cancer patient Hazel, this bestseller begins when her parents force her to attend a support group, where she meets and falls in love. This emotional tale has been adapted for screen and is being filmed now.

Gillian Flynn

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John Green

The Monuments Men

Robert M. Edsel

When a novel inspires a film set to star Matt Damon and George Clooney (director and star), you know it‘s special. This is the story of American and British museum workers who risked their lives during WWII to protect centuries of culture as Hitler sought to hoard Europe’s finest art.

Serena

Ron Rash

Newlyweds George (played by Bradley Cooper) and Serena Pemberton (Jennifer Lawrence) have one desire: to create a timber empire. Set in 1929, they are ruthlessly ambitious bosses but tragic news sees them turn on each other.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Jordan Belfort

High-flying stockbroker Jordan Belfort – set to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio in an upcoming film directed

by Martin Scorsese – made thousands of dollars a minute. By night, he spent it as fast as he could… until it all came crashing down.

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Capture the Spirit of the Maldives this Summer

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This summer discover the spirit of an authentic Maldivian holiday escape only available at the boutique resort: Baros Maldives. Recently acclaimed as the Best Hotel in the Maldives, the five star resort’s ‘Spirit of Summer’ package offers GCC residents an exceptional tropical experience - a holiday where guests enjoy the best in Maldivian exploration and relaxation in one luxurious and award-winning destination.

Set in a translucent lagoon surrounded by a sun-drenched, white sand beach, ringed with a colourful coral reef, Baros Maldives is the ideal destination for a summer escape for discerning guests from the GCC. It is one of the most easily accessible Maldives destinations - only 20 minutes by speed boat from Male International Airport - enabling guests to travel to this serene, private island resort with ease .

The ‘Spirit of Summer’ package gives recreation and relaxation equal emphasis.

Guests can hone their dive skills and enjoy the mesmerising colourful marine life with a Scuba Diving Experience under the guidance of a Baros Dive Instructor, as well as explore stunning nearby sites during a snorkelling safari tour with a knowledgeable Marine Biologist. The Baros House Reef encircles the island and is one of the best house reefs in the Maldives, found just a few swimming strokes away from the Beach Villas. It can be explored at any time with a complimentary snorkel mask from Divers Baros, the first resort EcoDive Centre in the Maldives.

Promotion

Baros exemplifies authentic Maldivian hospitality. With the ‘Spirit of Summer’ offer, guests can immerse themselves in island lifestyle. They can learn the traditional method of fishing using a hand line and especially hand-tied lures on Hand Line trolling excursions at dawn. When it’s time to simply unwind and let the senses be pampered the package also includes a blissful private spa treatment for two, and a private beach dinner for two under the stars.

As the world’s fifth Most Romantic Hotel, a tile awarded by Trip Advisor in 2013, Baros is the epitome of romantic ambience and personalised attention.

This summer let the award-winning Baros Maldives take you on a journey to discover the real spirit of the Maldives.

The Spirit of Summer package is available for stays throughout September 2013 as a special four-night or seven-night programme exclusively for residents of the GCC. Rates for the four-night package start at $875 per villa per night, and for the seven-night package at $765 per villa per night, based on double occupancy.

For further information on Baros Maldives, please visit www.baros.com under this special offer.

World Traveller Promotion

Baros Maldives offers a rejuvenating summer escape package for GCC residents

World Traveller

Feast your eyes on these beautiful hotel and fashion designer collaborations…

Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa, Brazil Wilbert Das, formerly Diesel creative director, has transformed a Brazilian fishing village into an ecological thing of beauty...

Hotel Missoni, Kuwait The famous Missoni stripes, geometrics and florals add an inviting and playful element to this colourful Middle Eastern gem.

Designer Suite by Vivienne Tam, Hotel ICON, Hong Kong This chic suite is filled with unique pieces curated by the Hong Kong’s darling and boasts pretty harbour views.

Check In

A. You can’t go wrong with a look that’s tailored, chic, conservative even, but with a fashionable edge that keeps city dwellers riding high in the style stakes.

Parisians, for example, love neutral colours and tend to adhere to a rule of no more than three colours European weather in September can be somewhat unpredictable so you’ll need to bear that in mind when packing. Be sure to have a jacket on hand for the cooler days, and layering is essential. A stylish light sweater, long sleeve tops and T-shirts are great to team with long skirts and tailored pants.

Black is a fail-safe, so try to produce a wardrobe in this key shade, which you can add colour and personality to with your scarf, belts or handbags.

When it comes to the perfect bag, I would suggest a cross-body number that you can use for daytime, with a removable chain that transforms your bag into a classic and elegant clutch by night. My personal favourite this season, and the ideal choice for travelling around a city, is Proenza Schouler’s PS1 leather satchel. Try it in blue for a look that transitions day to evening effortlessly, or you can get it in black, of course.

For an eye-catching scarf, few design houses beat Alexander

with a pair of feline-esque frames, such as the Havana cat-eye sunglasses by Tom Ford. And while most good hotels and apartments will supply guests with umbrellas, if in doubt then it’s better to go prepared. Pep it up with something bright.

Jewellery is always a very personal option; try to pick pieces that you’d feel comfortable on holiday in (nothing too expensive or flashy) and something that reflects your own individuality and style.

Finally, if you find yourself planning a trip to western Europe later this year then remember that winter can

Style Solutions

WAR DROBE MISTRESS Q. I’m heading for a week-long break to Europe with my sister and a friend. I’m useless with accessories. What should I pack?

McQueen. Check out the stained glass catacomb skull scarf and the eyecatching leopard skull silk scarf – both are guaranteed to add zing to your bling.

And, in my opinion, there is only one belt to be seen sporting this season: Balenciaga’s Arena studded leather belt, available online at matchesfashion.com.

Wear with a good pair of dark jeans, which can be tucked into comfortable ankle boots or, on warmer days, a leg-flattering pair of wedge sandals.

It’s likely that you will require a good pair of sunglasses – the perfect day accessory, come rain or shine. Keep it on-trend

be cold and wet: ideal boot weather. If you want added warmth, or for a cosy edge, opt for leather numbers that have a warm inner lining, such as wool.

And accessories can not only add to your outfit, but also to your comfort levels, so opt for long cashmere scarves in the colours of your choice as well as a stylish hat and a pair of chic black leather gloves.

Our regular style expert Francesca Salih is the founder of Wardrobe Mistress, which provides style solutions and wardrobe management to the rich, royal and famous. wardrobemistress.co.uk

Handbag: Proenza Schouler PS1 medium satchel, net-a-porter.com

STYLISH STAYS

September // 2013

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Vintage voyages Travel in style with this ultra-British handcrafted case, created by GlobeTrotter in collaboration with London’s iconic hotel, The Goring. The case blends the best of tradition with modern trappings (think handle and wheels for easy transport), features Goring brand colours (burgundy and navy) for the leather trim and each is lined with damask silk that replicated the silk wall of The Goring’s Royal Suite drawing room. globetrotter1897.com

DRESSING ON THE SIDE

Magical things happen when gastronomic and fashion brilliance combine…

It’s rare that the look of a restaurant run by a Michelin-starred chef can compete with the food it produces, but Odyssey, at Monte-Carlo’s worldleading Hotel Metropole is far from an ordinary restaurant.

Not only is its Mediterranean cuisine the genius of famed Michelin-starred chef Joel Robuchon, but its design is the brainchild of fashion maestro extraordinaire Karl Lagerfeld.

The restaurant’s pool-side tables are framed by an astonishing, oneof-a-kind mural inspired by Greek mythology and designed specifically for the hotel by Lagerfeld.

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Check In

“I chose the theme of Greek mythology for Hotel Metropole MonteCarlo as everything happens in the Mediterranean – it seems logical to focus on the location we are in,” he said. “To convey what I have created in more literary terms, I would quote the heroin from Iphigenia in Tauris by Goethe who says ‘And days together stand I on the shore, seeking, in my soul, the land of Greece…’”

Continuing with the Grecian ambience, Robuchon has developed a concept that combines the best of French, Spanish, Greek, Italian and even Lebanese gastronomy to create something truly spectacular.

“The new concept of Odyssey offers a fresh menu with light and modern dishes inspired by the relaxed atmosphere of the hotel,” said Robuchon. “The new restaurant offers an alfresco dining experience around the pool, evoking a relaxed barbecue style spirit with a Mediterranean touch to be enjoyed day and night.”

DRESSING APP-ROPRIATELY Packing for a holiday can be tricky. Let these handy apps help…

Weather Travel Fashion (WTF) Three-day forecasts, go-to outfits and humidity, wind and UV levels for skin care.

Stylebook Take pictures of your wardrobe items and let it choose your outfits.

Lustr In the Big Apple and want to know of sales or shoe shops nearby?

This is the app for you.

World Traveller

September // 2013

> From next month Etihad Airways will be offering a daily service to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).

With that in mind, World Traveller checks out the best of what the city has to offer…

SECRET SAIGON

If you’re heading to Ho Chi Minh City, then be sure to check out these lesser known gems…

HIGH TEA Go native and take high tea with the Vietnamese at Strata on the 50th floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower, in the city centre.

TASTY TOUR Take a food-related tour of the city, such as Saigon Street Eats, and explore its distinctly less touristy gastronomic delights.

SONGBIRD For a mesmerising start to your morning head to Tao Dan Park at around 7am, when songbird owners bring their winged pets out for a morning singsong.

OPER A The 115-year-old Saigon Opera House, which looms large over hectic Lam Son Square, is an often-overlooked historical landmark where guests can escape the city bustle and enjoy incredible music.

An Lam Saigon River Private Residence Privacy and exclusivity can be found at its seven riverside villas, nestled within tropical gardens and overlooking Saigon River.

Where TO stay?

Looking for somewhere chic to lay your head in Ho Chi Minh City? Take a look at these new and luxurious abodes…

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Catina Saigon Hotel This boutique hotel is located in the heart of the city centre, offering visitors a cosy place to return to after a busy day, with the promise of a delicious meal.

InterContinental Asiana Okay, so it’s not new, but this five-star hotel boasts an unbeatable central location that’s perfect for sight-seeing. And the spa is unforgettable.

LET US MAKE YOUR EVENT ONE TO REMEMBER Fraser Suites Dubai’s conference and banquet centre is the perfect venue for your next corporate event, function, wedding or training seminar.

Choose from a private boardroom for 20 with dedicated break-out area or our three state-of-the-art stylish meeting spaces each featuring natural light and views extending to Palm Jumeirah, with flexible layouts that will comfortably accommodate up to 200 guests.

Our extensive range of gourmet catering options combined with our personalized attentive service will make your event one to remember.

Be inspired. Book your next event at Fraser Suites Dubai.

FRASER SUITES DUBAI - Sheikh Zayed Road, Media City, Dubai, UAE Reservations: +971 4 440 1400 Email: reservations.dubai@frasershospitality.com dubai.frasershospitality.com

World Traveller

August // 2013

Hot, heady India is an assault on the senses, discovers Nuala Harvey on a mind-boggling first-time tour

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World Traveller

Bees. That’s the problem with the Taj Mahal,” says my guide, Sudhir.

“Bees.” “Bees?” I ask. “Yes. They nest in the building. But they don’t like the heat and they get very cross.”

I know how they feel. It’s my second day in India and already the heat, the dust, the noise and the sheer, relentless intensity of the place is taking its toll.

It’s my first visit and I’ve opted for a 12-day tour that takes in the Golden Triangle, a tiger reserve and a spa in the Himalayas. The spa seems a long way away, and not for the first time I wonder if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew...

I’d arrived at Delhi at midnight. A sign outside the airport announced: ‘Work in Progress. Inconvenience Regretted.’

Within minutes I was whisked off to my hotel in traffic so hectic it made Sheikh Zayed Road in rush hour look like a country lane in the heart of rural England.

Delhi, it turns out, is in a permanent state of rush hour. And there’s no time to acclimatise. I’m thrust straight in at the deep end. My first day is a blur, a kaleidoscope of colours and images, and strange aromas assailing my nostrils.

The city is a heaving sprawl of grand boulevards, traffic-smoked streets and people – 14 million of them, going about their daily business (and, happily, not averse to poking their nose into yours).

I’ve admired the gracious elegance of Colonial New Delhi, watched locals picnicking after work with their families at India Gate (symbol of independence),

September // 2013

Opening page: Taj Mahal. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Girl walking in Jantar Mantar; Dancers of the Festival of Dance in Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho; Elephant rides for visitors at Amber Fort. This page, from top: Resident monkey at Amber Fort; Chicken curry.

Delhi is a heaving sprawl of grand boulevards, trafficsmoked streets and people chuckled at the monkeys chattering on the gates at the Presidential residence (aha, real democracy), and dived into the swarming hive of Old Delhi, with its pungent markets and pushy sales techniques (“Bellydancing hat, madam?” – I was tempted...).

I’ve been dazzled by the bloodshot sandstone walls of the Red Fort, and enjoyed a pitstop in the gardens at Humayun’s Tomb, an arched, portico’d masterpiece of Mughal architecture and blueprint for the Taj Mahal. It’s been inspiring, informative, culturally significant – and full-on. I retreat to my comfortable, air-conditioned room at my hotel and collapse in a sweaty heap.

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World Traveller

The sitar has been used in India for centuries but it was Ravi Shankar who propelled it to international fame in the 1950s and ‘60s. Shankar taught Beatle George Harrison how to play the instrument: he went on to use it in several songs. And The Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones famously used the sitar on Paint It Black.

September // 2013

Back at the Taj, all is serene, calm and ordered. Despite the crowds, you can still find quiet spots for contemplation. Built

by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz, who died giving birth to their 14th child, it took 20,000 workers 22 years to create. And it doesn’t disappoint. It’s luminous, whiter than white, glistening in the sun, the perfect symmetry of its curvaceous domes and minarets creating a sense of harmony and peace. Small wonder it’s become the symbol of eternal love.

And everyone wants to capture it and take it home. Lady Di’s bench (made famous by Princess Diana on her visit in 1992) is busy. There’s a mini queue.

Professional snappers jostle, offering to take “Diana pictures”.

“Give me your camera,” says Sudhir.

“We need to record the moment.” I sit, doing my best coy impression of Diana. Sudhir - aka David Bailey

with an arch Bollywood twist - snaps away. “Marvellous,” he encourages me.

“Wonderful.” Who needs a professional photographer? I have one of my own.

Bhavishya Darshan is doing a roaring trade. There’s a queue for services in this little outlet opposite the Palace of the Winds, on one of Jaipur’s main drags. I’m glad I have an appointment. Astrology is big in India, and I’ve asked Vasha, my guide, to book me a reading. I’m a bit disappointed, to be honest. I was hoping for something, well, colourful – entrails of a cockerel, perhaps, or skin of a snake...

Vasha frowns. “Oh no, this is modern India,” she says. “It’s all done on computer now.” I hand over my 800 rupees (Dhs48) and sit in what looks like a dentist’s waiting room. I’ve given my date, place and time of birth, and that appears to be it. No personal consultation, just pay and wait for someone to operate the printer.

Opposite page: Man in front of a palace, Hawa Mahal, Jaipur. This page, clockwise from top left: President Guard; Woman at Amber Fort; Pradesh’s Man Singh Palace.

I’m glad of the rest, though. It’s day five already and Jaipur is the third and final stop on the Golden Triangle circuit. Vasha and I have already ‘done’ the city - pink because the then Maharaja decorated it in preparation for a visit (in 1876) from the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. We’ve already climbed (on elephant-back) to the Amber Fort; toured the City Palace; and shopped in the locals’ market. The highlight for me, though, was the Jantar Mantar open-air observatory. Its massive stone-and-marble geometric ‘instruments’ were designed to measure time and track the location of suns and stars. Whatever their astronomical, scientific or historical value, to me they’re a work of art, like a sculpture park or a giant’s playground, toys left randomly scattered... I’m roused from my reverie and presented with a bound 44-page document in English, telling me who I am, what I am, with

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details of my physique, personality and appearance (Indians often get their children’s horoscope prepared at birth – so they know what they’ve let themselves in for, presumably), plus sections on property, education, disease (do I want to know?), enemies (no, really?), servants (yes, please), relations, spouse and business partner, along with annual predictions for the next 10 years.

It’s a bargain alright, but difficult to decipher. The Indian horoscope is very different from the western one, and this is mindboggling in its detail, and contradictory. I dip in: She will be a hardworking, self-made woman and will make many foreign tours. She will not have a happy married life. She will have a happy married life with a devoted husband and obedient sons. She will be known for her courageous nature. She can be a good reporter of media. Hang on. Hang on. Maybe there’s something in this, after all... But, in the end, the sheer volume of information defeats me. I need help.

The most terrifying sound I’ve ever heard – the roar of a tiger. The jungle falls silent

“What you need,” says Vasha, “is a holy man to interpret it for you.” Whatever, I’m all fort’ed, palace’d and sightsee’d out.

Time for something completely different...

I’m jittery. Well, scared if you want to know the truth. It’s the middle of the night and I can hear something moving about above me. I’m not talking mice or rats. See, I’m in a tented lodge, practically in a tiger reserve, and I’m on my own with my imagination going haywire. I’m genning up on tigers in preparation for my first safari tomorrow morning. There are 45 of them at the Ranthambore reserve, 132km southeast of Jaipur. They are secretive and difficult to spot, I read (what is that on the roof?); the Royal Bengal male can weigh up to 260kg (too heavy for the roof, yes?); they are not man-eating (are they sure?).

It’s 6.30am the next morning, day seven of my trip, and I’m feeling optimistic. I’m in an open-topped Jeep with a family from Oz, and Eileen and Linda, from England, who’ve had two sightings of tigers already.

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World Traveller

September // 2013

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WHERE TO STAY Hyatt Regency Delhi is a no-brainer, for business or leisure. Super luxe and in the city’s commercial hub. At the beautiful The Oberoi Amervilas

in Agra, you’ ll wake to breathtaking views of the Taj Mahal. In Jaipur, get the royal treatment at the heart of the city courtesy of ITC Rajputana Sheraton, A Luxury Collection Hotel .

Book at dnatatravel.com

The manager at my hotel has also told me that for a whole week now every guest has spotted one. As we head off, I can’t help but notice that our guides don’t seem to have any guns, or indeed anything to protect us. I daren’t ask.

It starts sedately, with oohs and aahs over the wildlife: cheeky langur monkeys with their little black faces, wild boar, and birds galore, including “tiger” birds - named for their amber and black-andwhite stripes, they clean the teeth of tigers for bits of leftover meat (sooner them than me), and sambar deer, the tiger’s favourite (well, they would be – they’ve bad eyesight and aren’t very fast).

dangerous terrain to cover at speed - one slip and we could tumble down the rocky slopes on either side. I’m not the only one to look nervously behind to see if we are being pursued. If it’s a tiger – an annoyed tiger – we stand no chance... Finally, we screech to a halt at the entrance to the reserve. It turns out our crew has kept us out too long and had to make the mad dash back (they can lose their licences if they return too late).

It’s all been rather dramatic. Part of me is relieved to get out in one piece. But part of me is filled with regret. My bigcat encounter will have to wait another day. I carry the regret with me like a sob within for the remainder of the trip.

It’s day nine and I’m in Haridwar, 220km from Delhi. My driver is taking me on the last leg of my trip to the Himalayas. I stepped off the train 10 minutes ago and found myself in another country, another India, far from the noise and excesses of the cities.

And I’m still recovering from my first sight of the River Ganges. It took me by surprise, hitting me like a kick in the stomach, tears from nowhere unexpectedly streaming down my face. I have no idea what’s triggered this – all I know is I’m snivelling in the back of the car, desperately trying to hide it from my chauffeur.

And now, here I am on the banks of Mother Ganga. My driver had practically pushed me out of the car: “Go see. Go see. And take camera.” It’s low season and apart from a couple of women chatting on the grass, there’s no-one about.

Some hours later that day, in an elegantly furnished room in a former Maharaja’s palace, set in the foothills of the Himalayas (the Ananda hotel), I find

My first sight of the River Ganges took me by surprise... tears streaming down my face

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It’s been a bumpy ride. There are five zones in the reserve, with different environments; ours is the high up and rocky one, others are low down with watering holes (good for croc-spotting).

We’ve seen fresh tiger prints, but so far the big cat itself has eluded us.

And then we hear it. The most terrifying sound I’ve ever heard – a long-drawn-outdon’t-mess-with-me yawn – the roar of a tiger. The jungle falls silent. Nothing in its right mind is going to risk attracting the attention of this beast.

Without warning, our Jeep takes off, crashing through the undergrowth. This is India

myself drinking tea from dainty cups with a holy man. He lives in the mountains and he’s come specially to see me. Yes, he’s come to interpret my astrological chart.

It’s not easy – he speaks no English and we have only the hotel receptionist to interpret my future, my life, and his spiritual insights. But to give him his due, he’s not afraid to be specific: “On October 27,” he says, “you will get married.”

(Blimey! Six months to arrange the reception and find the fella).

In the end, we struggled to understand each other’s cultural references (but he looked cool in his trendy hat, and I wish

World Traveller

September // 2013

Text by: Nuala Harvey Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Shutterstock

Previous page: an Indian tiger. This page, clockwise from top: Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur; Local visitors at the Taj Mahal at sunrise; Chicken balti; Har-ki-Pauri ghat, Uttarakhand.

I’d told him so), and perhaps it’s all to the good. I’m left none the wiser about my future (but I put a star in my diary against Oct 27, just in case...).

And now, finally, on the last days of my trip, I can truly relax.

The air up here is refreshingly pure, the temperature pleasant. I’ve visited Rishikesh, made famous by the Beatles in the ‘60s, and still “the yoga capital of the world”; brushed against cows walking the streets; and yes, bathed my feet in the cooling waters of Mother Ganga.

It’s my last afternoon before the long trek home and I’m treating myself to a Tibetan massage. As the hot oil dribbles onto my forehead, the masseuse gently rubs in sweet-smelling oils, and before long I enter into a state of deep relaxation.

A carousel of memories and impressions of India crowd my mind: the blistering heat, the endless noise, the confusion, the crush of people, the potpourri of the sensual and the earthy, the spirituality, the physicality and the sheer brutality of the country. The people I’ve met and the things I’ve seen swim before me: the little girl trying to sell me a balloon at traffic lights in Delhi at midnight; the baby addicted to chewing tobacco before she could stand; the snake charmer whose cobra came too close for comfort; monkeys clambering on the overhead electric wires in Old Delhi; and a smile exchanged with a gap-toothed old lady who stroked my hair (long, blond, alien).

And that, I realise, as the train bonerattles its way back to the capital, is what India is all about. In the end, it’s not about what you see, the pictures you take, the facts and the figures. It’s not about the history, the architecture, the culture. It’s not even about the poverty, or the vast divide between rich and poor. It’s about what happens to you. Because in India, things do happen to you.

India’s not a holiday. It’s a life experience. And yes, a Work in Progress. I search for the words to sum it up. I find two. Heartbreaking. And, yes, inconvenient. But, in my case, Inconvenience not Regretted.

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United States of America

September // 2013

he sheriff tucks his thumbs into his belt loops, a grave look on his face. I was nervous when I walked into the police station in Asheville, North Carolina, to report that my hire car was missing. But now, given the sheriff ’s stern expression, I’m positively terrified.

“I’m real sorry to inform you, ma’am,” he sounds genuinely heartbroken, “but it seems you parked facing the wrong way.” Huh? Is that a crime here?

“And in a police bay.” As I berate myself about my stupidity, he tries to console me: “Parking the wrong way meant the ‘reserved for police’ sign was behind the car, so you couldn’t see it.” It’s small comfort, and I await the inevitable – being thrown into the lock-up, or at least getting a four-figure fine.

Beautiful South

“Oh no, ma’am. We couldn’t possibly charge you.

Anybody could see it was an honest mistake.” (Try that line with a traffic warden.) I’ve only been here for a few hours, but I’m already falling for that famous southern charm. I’d set off this morning from Atlanta, Georgia, to embark on a Great American Roadtrip.

There are more obvious location choices for such a journey, of course, but I’m not looking for epic expanses of empty tarmac. I’ve always been more interested in people, and if you want to really meet folk – not just nod at them through a windscreen – then nowhere is more renowned for the warmth of its hospitality and the old-fashioned honesty of its friendliness than the South, where ‘Come on in, y’all’ is practically the regional motto.

The drawling accents and flirtatious dialogue of Gone with the Wind captured my imagination as a child, and I’m desperate to find out if there are any real southern belles and gents left. I’m not expecting hoop skirts or seersucker suits these days (sigh), but – in my imagination, at least – those genteel manners and ways exist, and I’m determined to root them out.

I do still want a beautiful backdrop, though, and this 925km-long scenic route provides ample helpings of those Great American landscapes. The Blue Ridge Parkway, along with its unofficial extension, Skyline Drive (jointly called ‘The Parkway’), runs right up the middle of the Appalachians, the mountain chain that flanks America’s east coast. It’s a route as famous for its lush, sweeping scenery – the road skims towering pines, passing through forests thick with blossoms and beneath gushing waterfalls – as it is for its friendly inhabitants.

You can drive it in 15 hours straight, and sure, I’d catch the headlines: the mountain vistas and forested roads. But I’d miss the juicy details: the hillbillies and square dancing, the thundering waterfalls and historic homes, the bristling critters and blooming hikes. I decided to stretch it over a week.

My hopes of finding authentic Americana initially fade when I reach the start of the parkway, three hours north of Atlanta. The route begins in North Carolina, in the town of Cherokee, which is named

It’s the small-town charm that makes a roadtrip through the Appalachian Mountains special.

Jill Starley-Grainger sets her sat-nav for America’s friendliest corner

after the local Native American tribe. It is one of the most soul-destroying places I’ve ever seen. There’s a depressing casino, a choice of KFC or Burger King for lunch, bored locals dressed in feathered headdresses pimping their heritage for dollar-wielding, snaphappy tourists, and a virtual slaughterhouse of black bears kept in grim enclosures for the amusement of passers-by. Pass by is exactly what you should do.

Much to my relief, the scene transforms dramatically a mere 10 minutes beyond the town limits. No more billboards, burger chains or strip malls. Instead, fir and balsam trees envelop the road, giving way to carefully placed viewpoints. As I step out of the car, the fresh mountain air hits me – a blast of heady pinefresh oxygen. This area is known as the smoky mountains, but there’s no sign of the blue-grey haze it’s named after, just clear, bright sunshine and soft-coned peaks as far as the eye can see.

For the next two hours, I meet only a handful of other vehicles: a blue mini with racing stripes, an old yellow corvette with its roof down and an enormous RV that temporarily blocks my view before it kindly pulls over to let me pass.

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Most of the parkway runs through national parks, so it’s beautiful, of course, but unless you’re camping, you’ll need to sort out your accommodation in advance, as there isn’t much on the route itself.

The exception is Asheville, a mishmash of 19th-to mid-20th-century architecture – as quaint a town as you’ll find in America. It’s here I share digs with Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’hara, a pair of stocky, smiling English bulldogs. They live at a classic southern inn called the Reynolds Mansion – the owners, Michael and Billy, are as in love with Gone with the Wind as I am; there’s even a painting of Vivien Leigh dressed as Scarlett in the stairwell.

The next morning I follow signs to Biltmore, America’s largest privately owned home, built in the late 1800s. The Vanderbilts no longer live in this 250room mansion, but they still maintain it as a museum, allowing plebs like us to marvel at its Gatsby-esque splendour. The 30m tapestry gallery, two-floor library, oak-panelled billiard room and sprawling vineyard are undoubtedly impressive, but it lacks the heart of the Reynolds Mansion, which isn’t even one-tenth of its size. Southern hospitality isn’t about the buildings, it seems, but about the people who live in them.

I head back onto the parkway and drive 30km up through the Pisgah National Forest to Craggy Dome for a short walk in the woods. It’s difficult to see where I’m going, though, as I’ve ascended 1,800m into the clouds, which hover just out of reach atop the rhododendrons lining the trail. Half an hour later, the sun burns through the fog, the trail opens

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to a viewpoint and I’m staring down onto a scene straight out of a film – literally. The Hunger Games was filmed around here, and the arena - the clearing where Katniss and Peeta fight for their lives – is visible in the distance.

By dinnertime, I’m lost – and hungry. The sat-nav is guiding me into a mire of neighbourhoods with identikit two-storey houses and shiny pick-up trucks in their driveways. When it sends me into a giant gravel carpark by a fishing lake and an old barn, I begin to suspect that the jovial Asheville chap who recommended this place to eat was having me on.

Then I spot a sign carved into the end of a small log hanging from the barn porch: ‘Sims Country Bar-B-Que’. I hear a ruckus of banjos and fiddles before I even reach the door. I’m handed back a paper plate, then directed to the line shuffling along the all-you-can-eat buffet. I’m given one decision: sticky barbecued chicken or pit-cooked beef. Everything else – baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, potato chips and dill pickles – is slopped on the side, whether I want it or not.

Deeper within the barn, fluorescent lights shine on dozens of tables filled with young families, retired couples and gaggles of teenagers. In my darkblue skinny jeans and black shirt, I feel decidedly overdressed. Baggy T-shirts and stone-washed denims are the fashion here, it seems, with cowboy boots or ‘clogging’ shoes (they have taps on the bottom) the preferred footwear.

On stage are the Short Hill Ramblers, as fine a

Opening page: Aerial view of lone car driving on Skyline Drive in Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. This page: Drayton Hall.

Opposite page from top: Barn dance; A country road leads through autumn foliage in Ashe County.

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George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth may have been born in Baltimore, Maryland, but the now legendary basesball player hit his first home run, and earned his nickname, in the state of North Carolina. After signing his first contract with the Baltimore Orioles in 1914, he headed to Fayetteville for spring training with the team. It was his first time outside of Baltimore and the young and inexperienced athlete stayed close to team manager and owner Jack Dunn, leading a team mate to joke, “There goes Dunn’s new babe”. The name stuck. On March 7 that year, he played in his first game for the Orioles there. He hit a long home run, reportedly the longest the home crowd had ever seen.

bluegrass band as I’ve ever heard. As soon as people finish eating, they rush to the wood-floored clearing to follow the instructions of the square-dance caller, five-year-old kids stomping with their grandmas, 16-year-old girls dosey-doeing with their boyfriends.

Tossing my empty plate into a giant wheelie bin, I hit the dance floor. The caller makes it easy, while a Colonel Sanders lookalike thrums out the beat on a pair of spoons for anyone who is musically challenged.

The good dancers strut their stuff in the middle while the rest of us circle round in prescribed order –

sadness in his voice. As the band starts packing up, he thanks me for the dances and gallantly kisses my hand, a proper southern gentleman.

As I head north before dawn the next morning, the trees peter out and the mountains flatten into hills on the crossing into Virginia. Not long after sunrise, towering firs start enveloping the road – along with a whole heap of critters. Every few kilometres I see a groundhog, chipmunk or porcupine nosing about the grass on the roadside, even a pair of wild turkeys.

By midday, it’s at least 30°C, and I’m dithering

As soon as people finish eating, they rush to the wood-floored clearing to follow the instructions of the square-dance caller 45

“Walk to the left... Now turn to the right”. I miss one of the calls and nearly knock over an old-timer. His name’s Buck, and he doesn’t hold a grudge. In fact, as the crowds thin he asks me to dance.

For the next hour, he shouts up requests at the band, and they oblige. It seems he’s a regular. “The two-step is what I like,” he tells me, as he whirls and shuffles me round and round the floor. “My wife and I used to go to dances two or three times a week, but she passed a couple of years ago,” he says, a tinge of

about whether to abandon the five-kilometre Crabtree Falls hike. But I’m only here once, so I slap on some sunscreen, pull on my backpack and start walking.

Soon, I encounter a family of Mennonites, members of a strict Protestant group that shuns modern life.

Despite the heat, they’re clad top-to-toe in prairie gear. Seeing them there, in bonnets and felt hats, I feel as if I’ve stepped back into another century.

I continue up the trail, which follows the falls as they tumble over rocks – gently at first, becoming

September // 2013

more and more thunderous as I near the top, where I get views across a lush river valley.

On into the Shenandoah Valley, the scenery becomes more pastoral, the road rising and falling in long, slow waves over gentle hills. As the sun dips to the horizon, I detour off The Parkway to find my B&B, an old watermill with a cosy restaurant.

The next morning, I cruise over to the historic town of Lexington then on to explore Thomas Jefferson’s plantation, Monticello. The main house is an Antebellum stunner – very Gone with the Wind.

But appearances can be deceptive, and behind the doors are all kinds of unexpected quirks. When he wasn’t drafting the Declaration of Independence or performing his duties as America’s third president, Jefferson was a dabbler in architecture and engineering, with mixed results.

He designed a special cubicle for his bed but it came up short, forcing him to sleep half-upright on a pile of pillows to keep his feet from hitting the wall. Another invention was a seven-day clock that takes up most of a room – but his calculations were out, so he had to cut a hole in the floor to allow the weights to descend.

I get behind the wheel for one last, long stretch through the valley, with its swathes of corn and wheat fields dotted with red barns and tractors. As the road swoops back up a mountain, and the towering pines form a guard of honour, the scene lulls me into a trance.

Suddenly, though, the car starts juddering. I glance in my rear-view mirror to see if I’ve hit something,

United States of America

The Carolina Inn is on

the National Register of Historic Places and it’s 19th century beauty makes it easy to see why.

A more modern stay is offered at The Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, surrounded by

upscale shops and facing the boardwalk. And in Lexington there’s Hilton Garden Inn WinstonSalem-Hanes Mall.

Book at dnatatravel.com

This page, left to right: Bikers take a scenic drive through the Badlands; Bluegrass musicians; a rack of sticky beef ribs with lemon.

Text by: Jill Starley-Grainger Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

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and my heart jumps into my throat as I spot the army of Hell’s Angels right behind me. A few of them pull in front, forcing me to stop in the middle of the road.

A tattooed woman in full leathers and long grey plaits hops off a Harley and bangs on my window.

“Hey hon. We were gittin’ ready to pass you when I saw yer tyre was flat. You musta hit a rock or sumpin’ on the road back there. Do you need some help, sugar?” She sees the panicked look on my face – I have no idea how to change a tyre. If I call and wait for roadside assistance, I’ll miss my flight home.

Introducing herself as Millie, she grabs the spare wheel and jack before I even get out of the car.

Before long, Millie stands up and announces that the tyre’s all sorted. I thank her profusely and she gives me a big hug. Then she and her fellow bikers rev their engines and set off, waving as they go. It seems chivalry, charm and old-school gentility come in all shapes, sizes, and genders, in today’s Deep South.

WHERE TO STAY

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This rose-coloured spectacle is the 19th-century-built Castell Coch, near Cardiff, in South Wales. Built on the remains of a 13thcentury fortification, it was designed by ‘eccentric genius’ architect William Burges for industrial magnate John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, the third Marquess of Bute and was inspired by a fascination with the Middle Ages. Its interior is equally elaborate.

Iconic

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United Kingdom

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Welcome to Giant’s Causeway, on the northeast coast of Northern Island.

Made up of some 40,000 giant black asphalt rocks, it is the spellbinding result of an ancient volcanic eruption that happened around 50 to 60 million years ago.

Its enchanting appearance has inspired the legend of a giant named Finn MacCool who planted the rocks to form a path that would lead to Scotland and his enemy.

United Kingdom

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On a hill in the north England town of Newcastle, watching over Tyneside, the Angel of the North stands proud. The steel sculpture, finished in 1998, is the work of British artist Antony Gormley and it works to signify the fact that beneath it, for two centuries, coal miners worked. It represents the transition from the industrial to information age and is embraced as a northern England icon.

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United Kingdom

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Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

There are few (if any) better ways to see the glorious Scottish highlands and reimagine its dramatic history and romantic scenery than aboard the country’s very own luxury cruise train, The Royal Scotsman. The glistening maroon beast is made up of vintage cars, lovingly restored and cosied up to resemble a quaint and ultracomfortable Scottish hotel.

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Poetry in Ocean 54

New Zealand

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Songwriters and other artists have drawn inspiration from the beaches of the Tasman coast. Norman Miller finds out why... s a rule, beaches just don’t do it for me. Sea, sand, sunbathing... So what? As a rule, though, I haven’t just spent a week in Auckland with my wife’s family. I need an easy escape, and although you might not think of New Zealand as a beach destination, in this part of the world, easy escapes mean coast. It seems my choice is between the in-laws and the deep blue sea.

I’m in luck, though: it turns out the Tasman coast, 30km west of the city, has more pizzazz than plain old piers, paddling and parasols; fly-and-flop really isn’t its USP. Piha, Karekare and Bethells beaches are immense stretches of black, iron-rich sand that have lured Kiwi creatives for decades. Jane Campion beached that piano on Karekare’s dark, brooding backdrop; NZ pop heroes Crowded House cut their fourth album there and found inspiration at Piha; A-list artists have lined up to plant their easels on the epic sands of Bethells and neighbour Muriwai. I fire up the hire car.

I’m not expecting Karekare to look like it appears in The Piano. So I’m all the more impressed when it does. Untouched and wild, it’s hidden away between headlands. Crashing rollers amply bear out the beach’s Maori name - ‘breaking wave’ - and a forest stream weaves a glinting thread across the dark sand.

It’s beautiful. And empty. I motor a few minutes north to slightly-less-empty Piha for coffee. Rearing 100m up out of the sea is Lion Rock - the English thought it looked like a big cat, but their Maori predecessors were reminded of a wave - te piha - broken by a canoe’s prow. Over a coffee in the laid-back Piha Café, resident musician Age Pryor tells me Piha was the birthplace of NZ surfing - it’s even generated a Baywatch-style reality TV show called Piha Rescue.

The national symbol of New Zealand, kiwi birds (endemic to the country) are so engrained with the national image that ‘ kiwi’ is now used internationally as an alternative for New Zealander.

The chicken-sized bird, which does not fly, is the only bird to have nostrils at the far end of its long beak and, despite its small size, lays eggs the size of an ostrich’s.

Clockwise, from left: View of Piha Beach with Tasman Sea; Auckland Gannet rocks; A Bethells Beach ‘nipper’ on Bethells Beach; Sand dunes on Bethells Beach. Following page: Granite arch at Abel Tasman National Park.

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“Piha is full power,” he says. “It can be overwhelming, dark, intense - and it can be subtle, calming and beautiful.” I wander out to dig my toes into the dusky sands and make Man Friday marks, scanning the surfers through the saltspray haze.

It’s not all action. There’s also art here, as I find when I duck into Piha’s old Fire Station - once a rusty shack, now a gallery painted a zingy green that blends in with the enveloping bush. It’s run by a team of volunteers, and I find Tanya Milton on duty, full of the joys of Piha life. “I moved here from Sydney because you’re valued for who you are, not for how you appear or promote yourself,” she says. “Every person, tree and sand dune matters.” I matter, too, so although it’s time for a dip, I’m not risking a small-screen appearance on Piha Rescue. Instead I follow Tanya’s suggestion and tramp 45 minutes inland along the Glen Esk stream, passing slender, duster-like nikau palms and yellow-flowering kowhai trees. My reward is Kitekite Falls, a multi-tiered liquid tumble creating a series of natural pools (and not a TV camera in sight). I opt for the lowest, sliding into the foamy water.

The sun dries my skin on the walk back.

Piha doesn’t just attract musicians and artists: back at the beach I get

Text by: Norman Miller Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

There’s a beauty to the beach’s epic geometry... As art becomes reality, unexpected tears fill my eyes talking to local architect-surfer Lance Herbst, whose timber-and-glass house here has won awards. It peers down on the breaks from a stand of crimsonflowered pohutekawa trees. “Piha has wild beauty and a sense of the ancient,” he enthuses, “but Bethells is even more intense.” Good. That’s my next stop, a few kilometres north. I save the beach itself for the following morning and finish the day lounging first in a clawfoot hot tub, then a deck chair under my awning at Bethells’ Wainamu Luxury Tents.

WHERE TO STAY If you want to explore all that Auckland has to offer, basing yourself at The Langham, Auckland is a good start. It places you at the heart of the city and within easy reach of the sights. It’s also home to a great little spa. For another stylish stay, try the waterside Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour, close to Mount Eden.

Book at dnatatravel.com

Rejuvenated, I explore the shore properly in the morning. Amid the black dunes I find the Beach Caravan Café, where, to complement their city jobs, Jim Wheeler and Anna Saunders have been serving up fabulous burgers and fine coffee for 12 years. Jim’s a sixthgeneration descendant of original settler PA Bethell, but the couple aren’t exactly staking a claim.

“We just liked the idea of setting up a focus for the community out here,” says Anna, sharing tales of council meetings convened at the caravan’s picnic tables.

Swapping politics for pictures, we chat about the local art scene and one of my favourite paintings, ‘Erangi, Te Henga, Southward’, by Don Binney. He lived at Piha, Anna tells me, and painted Erangi right here - Te Henga is the Maori name for Bethells beach. Anna points me towards the right spot. I get there and square my hands to frame the view: there’s Ihumoana Island, pierced by caves, and a ribbon of surf connecting it to the southern headland. There’s a beauty to the beach’s epic geometry; in Binney’s version, naturalism meets the abstract. As art becomes reality, unexpected tears fill my eyes. Maybe I really do like to be beside the seaside after all...

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Honeymoons are all very well, but what if you’re single?

Laura Goulden and friend make waves on the dreamy island of Langkawi

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Langkawi

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Double in Paradise

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Opening spread: Jet skis. This page, clockwise from top left: Four Seasons Royal Villa; A canopy cable car tour; People enjoying a waterfall; Four Seasons Resort Langkawi’s Kelapa Grill. Next page: A boat on mangrove river. Final page: A view of the island from a cave; Sunset over cliffs; Beach dining.

oneymoons are all very well, but what if you’re single? Laura Goulden and friend make waves on the dreamy island of Langkawi ‘Welcome Miss Laura and George,’ reads the sign held aloft by the taxi driver meeting us in arrivals. He looks at me, then at my cousin. He looks confused. My cousin tails off, shaking her head. She’s too drained from the flight to bother correcting him.

Georgina is well accustomed to this kind of ‘Mr-and-Mrs’ misapprehension when the two of us “buddymoon” together, which we do every year. We share a passion for the sort of swoony, far-flung climes where sunsets are pink and sands soft. We love gazing at palms in perpetual sway. We adore candlelit dinners at tables for two. We just happen not to be romantically entwined – with anyone.

Through the windows of our car, Langkawi is paradise: sea carved from glass, slow-dancing coconut palms, and shimmering, visible heat, all perfectly in keeping with Georgie’s holiday brief: “Somewhere gorgeous, like the kind of place you’d go on honeymoon – but if I see so much as one heart-shaped chocolate, I’ll trample it. And strictly no petals on the pillows.” From what we’d read, Langkawi seemed to fit the bill.

An archipelago of 99 jungly islands just off western Malaysia, it’s the sort of place that’s consistently sold as a ‘romantic getaway’ or ‘couples retreat’ because it’s warm and, well, nice. There are plenty of hotels here catering to big-buck paying honeymooners, but while they’re heavily in evidence, they haven’t yet priced out other types of tourists. Which meant we could play castaway on an island that didn’t assume everyone came in two-by-two.

The airport welcome-sign suggested that this had perhaps been wishful thinking, though. We’d tried to avoid this sort of reception by ruling out hotels with private infinity pools, silky robes and orchids. Instead, we’d opted to stay five minutes from the airport at Temple Tree resort, a clutch of elegant Malay huts hidden in drooping greenery. Floorboards are scuffed, the blue shutters don’t match the oriental furniture and the water from the shower runs straight through the cracks in the floor. Yet despite all that it’s hopelessly, heart-meltingly romantic - in a purely storybook way.

There are no cheesy gestures – no ready-run baths, no candles in the bedroom (they’d burn the place down), and no petals. There is, however, a resident moggie in each villa. Ours punctures the fairy-tale mood splendidly by leaving half a cockroach in the room. As Georgie pointed out, “Better a half than a whole.”

Temple Tree isn’t on the beach, but there’s a nice pool, and Langkawi’s most famous swathe, Cenang Beach, is a five-minute drive away. From a distance, this pink, palm-tree stretch, running the length of the southernmost tip, looks like a dream. Get closer and it’s as if all life on Langkawi has flowed down to the island’s bottom. Hotels, bars, restaurants and shops line the sand.

The beach might be a bit busy, the sea a touch cloudy, but we’re just happy to have somewhere to hang out with normal (ie, non-honeymooning) people. At Yellow Cafe, where we’ve pitstopped, we share tables with eternal travellers, wrinkled nut-brown, in tie-dyed sarongs, sipping pineapple and mango juice as the sun starts to drop towards a metallic horizon.

Behind a dusty window on the main drag, we spoil ourselves with reflexology.

“Do you want to be together?” the receptionist asks. This just means sitting side-by-side, and we grab at each other’s arms as the process alternates between burning footbath, ticklish oil application and painfully vigorous massage.

Later, we hobble to the end of the beach to watch the last of the sunset in the poshest joint around. The Cliff juts into the water and, with its red neon sign, looks a tiny bit Vegas. The shrimp and coconut curry, however, is heavenly and the views of sugared-almond sky raise little goosebumps.

Dinner is undeniably romantic, so afterwards we join some very single teenage backpackers posing next to palms for Facebook photos. But despite our best efforts, the balmy night, the starry sky, and the sound of the sea leave us feeling uncharacteristically gushy – we count shooting stars as we head back together, sighing at the loveliness of it all.

Langkawi is paradise: a sea of glass, coconut palms and shimmering, visible heat Like most tropical isles, Langkawi doesn’t really have any must-see sights, which means we don’t feel guilty about hanging out by the pool, pressing an icy glass of juice onto our pounding foreheads and taking it in turns to choose soothing ballads on the iPod we’re sharing (an ear each). And because the island is small, anything you do fancy seeing is only minutes away.

The cable car, for instance. It won’t spoil your holiday if you don’t go: it starts in a strange theme park-style village and ends

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Langkawi’s ‘sky cab’ or cable car experience is located on the southwestern coast of the main island and starts at the foot hills of the Machincang mountain range.

It offers visitors a new vista of the island’s magnificent rainforests, the Telega Tujuh waterfalls and the ocean beyond. For the best views, though, take the few short steps from the Top Station to the top of Machincang mountain.

with a man selling colourful wax replicas of your own hand at the top. But the happily-ever-after scenes on the viewpoint suspension bridges are worth recovering from a late night for. Golden dragonflies flutter between a couple sharing an ice cream, a group of kids kicking shins for the next go of the telescope, and a newlywed hiding coyly behind her widebrimmed hat. All set against the same perfect fabric of blue: cotton sky, silk sea and the deep velvet of distant isles.

If even the naff cable car could melt our cold, stone hearts, it was clear that in Langkawi, love was all around. But as the days progress, like a married couple (I imagine), our tolerance for each other decreases, which means our capacity for

Protected forest stretches over the island like a leafy shower cap... adventure increases, until we’re ready for a trip through the mangroves. And some other people. We’re paired up in a boat with our guide, Jerome, and Tom. For a small place, Langkawi has a surprising collection of wildlife. Protected forest stretches over the island like a leafy shower cap, sheltering 238 species of birds, the rare flying lemur, an unnerving population of snakes and so many monkeys that spotting them becomes as normal as counting squirrels.

We learn a lot from Jerome as we slide between blasts of sunlight and shade on the waterways: “Don’t sit on a termite

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Langkawi

mound” (snakes sometimes live inside).

“Don’t open your mouth inside a bat cave” (let’s not go into why). And that we’d have two hours to live if bitten by a king cobra.

We also learn some history – pirates used to hide in the mangroves – and that these amphibious trees also saved Langkawi from the worst of the 2004 tsunami.

As he hooks a blue plastic bag from the green water, he tells us that before 1986, the island’s main income derived from fishing and farming. Then it was declared a duty free zone, and the tourists marched in with empty suitcases.

We reach a clearing in the mangroves where Tom unveils the biggest camera lens I have ever seen, and as he does, a rowdier boat pulls alongside and dumps something into the water. “Chicken skins,” Jerome sighs. Within seconds, magnificent white-bellied sea eagles swoop down to the rapid fire of Tom’s shutter, and claw at the meat. It’s a breathtaking show but, ecologically speaking, one that we would have preferred not to witness – Langkawi is clearly not completely unspoilt (but it’s still considerably less overrun than its neighbour, Thailand, just a 35-minute boat ride north).

On the way back to base, we see onearmed fiddler crabs, spotty mud skippers, a water monitor lizard and a thin thread of creeper that turns out to be a deadly black-and-white mangrove viper. As Georgie and I edge closer together, Jerome tactfully doesn’t tell us how many hours it is to the nearest hospital.

After that kind of excitement, all we really want to do is spend the evening curled up with books, but that would mean missing the night market in the capital, Kuah Town. And we have an extra incentive to make the journey – Tom has recommended a Chinese restaurant.

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WHERE TO STAY For a paradisiacal retreat, explore the wild beauty of the mangroves at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi . The Datai Langkawi’s charm lies in its location – surrounded on all sides by ancient rainforests. Or, for a unique island experience try Rebak Island Resort Langkawi – A Taj Hotel

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Text by: Laura Goulden Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Four Seasons

where you can explore the resort’s private island and its surrounds.

Book at dnatatravel.com

Langkawi

The minute we pull into town, past strip-lit caffs and shops selling suitcases, the sky sinks and opens, and quick as the lightning that’s started to flash, traders pack away their soggy stalls and disappear into blackness. Dim sum it is then.

We drive past Yong Leong twice because we’re bickering about where we should park to minimise the inevitable drenching. Rain-spattered plastic chairs are disorderly under a metal awning.

Inside, there’s just one room - half kitchen, half tables. There’s a hullabaloo coming from the kitchen, and the littlest member of the family is watching cartoons. It’s also bright - this isn’t the sort of place that does candlelight.

But with the rain falling in sheets just metres from our table, even this cheapbut-delicious feed of unidentifiable fish and garlic broccoli has an air of romance.

“I stink of garlic.” “That’s okay, I do, too,” Georgie smiles, and we drive back to the hotel through the end-of-the-world rain, singing along to Jennifer Rush like we mean it.

Clever Tom had also told us that the best beaches are in the north, but that this section of the coast is the territory of expensive hotels. We’re both still yearning for our honeymoon beach, so we decide to spend our last night at the Four Seasons.

We drive excitedly north, past makeshift restaurants and chickens, and through knotted jungle, before ditching our tin can with the valet.

The beach is a dead ringer for those Photoshopped-looking examples we’d seen on Google before we left, only this is real life. And the hotel itself is predictably perfect - an organised tangle of immaculate gardens, silent pools and polished wood.

We’re having a lovely time, but it turns out we needn’t have paid five-star prices for the privilege of these beaches. I leave Georgie unconscious next to the infinity pool, borrow a bike and head east, along a pine-flanked path. Monkeys eye me up and a family of ginger wild dogs sniff among the leaf litter.

At Tanjung Rhu hotel, a security barrier makes non-guests feel unwelcome, but the guards usher me through to a beach, just as wide and white and magical as the one at the Four Seasons.

Half the sand belongs to the resort, the rest is public - and empty apart from two friends sheltering under a sarong and a man touting mangrove tours. Behind the beach, a scruffy cafe with tables made from branches is serving coconut water and prawn fried rice. It’s blissful, but something’s missing - I want to share it with my other half. I pedal back to get her.

World Traveller

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Concierge Inside Information

Open house Ever wondered what it’s like inside some of London’s best-loved architectural feats? Well now’s your chance. This month, more than 700 incredible buildings are throwing open their doors to the general public, including Battersea Power Station. It’s the last chance you’ll get to visit the iconic former coalpowered station before it is redeveloped into private residences. See zero carbon, retrofit buildings and learn from the experts, with guided tours of East London and other sites. openhouselondon.org.uk

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SIX of the BEST…

kids’ clubs

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1. Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai Everything about Atlantis, The Palm is designed with families in mind: from the friendly maritime residents of Dolphin Bay to the thrills and spills of Aquaventure Waterpark. For those times when parents Concierge

need some time out, the resort not only boasts the best Kids’ Club in the GCC, but The Zone, where you’ll find all manner of arcade games, and Club Rush, an exclusive hang out for 13-18 year-olds that’s open

until midnight. And while these places allow your children some independence, they also afford you time to check out the resort’s many delights, including dinner at Nobu or the city’s best steak at Seafire.

Must-take holiday snap…

A meet-and-greet with Atlantis’ playful dolphin residents is a no-brainer.

World Traveller

3. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya Few children could leave a trip to this awe-inspiring place untouched by the remarkable beauty of its exotic residents.

For here, in the grounds of one of Nairobi’s most iconic historical buildings, eight endangered Rothschild’s giraffes interact with the guests on a daily basis. You’ll first meet them at breakfast, when the elegant animals navigate their graceful long necks through the window to partake in a little pre-roaming snack with you. Children will also enjoy guided walks through the sanctuary, learning more about these incredible animals at the AFEW Giraffe Centre and exploring the surrounding forest.

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2. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa This resort is something of a children’s paradise, and not’s not only due to the sublime setting. Here, kids as young as four will be royally entertained during their stay through all manner of activities offered

by Kuda Mas Club, which ranges from the routine (arts and crafts, beach games, sand castle building) to the not so routine (your young one can learn yoga or, if they’re a budding princess, spend the day at the resort’s superb spa which has a menu of treatments tailored towards kids). If the latter, you may wish to check the price of that mini manicure before a nail is painted - it’s not cheap for a little girl to look her best...

Must-have holiday snap…

Little beats the surreal sight of sharing breakfast with a beautiful giraffe.

Must-have holiday snap…

Some of the best sunsets on earth occur in the Maldives, so have your camera at the ready when the sun slips away.

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4. One&Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius

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Be they a wannabe pirate, a pint-sized gardener, a future golf star or a gastronomic genius in the making, there’s plenty to stir the interest of your little tykes at this heavenly family-friendly retreat.

The ship-wreck themed KidsOnly Club for three to 11-year-olds is fully supervised and boasts everything from a games, arts and crafts area through to video games, Apple iMacs and a movie room. In full gardening garb, they’ll tend to the blooms in the resort’s garden and those keen to explore their cooking skills will dress the part before learning simple tricks of the trade from in-house chefs. There’s even a One&Only Junior Spa for those keen to preen.

Must-have holiday snap…

Chamarel’s multi-hued sands make for a truly unique picture to take home from Mauritius.

Concierge

5. Villa San Michele, Florence, Italy In Italy, family time is centred around meal times, so where better to spend some quality togetherness than this stunning Florence villa?

Your children will enjoy being immersed in the culture: during the summer, a superb Young Chefs Academy for six to 14 year olds enables enthusiastic students to recognise fresh foods and

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6. Conrad Algarve At the heart of the Algarve’s ultra-exclusive Quinta da Lago district, framed by the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by the beautiful wildlife reserve of Ria Formosa Park, is the statuesque Conrad Algarve.

A world of adventure awaits children here: its Kids Club excels in the variety of games and activities it offers young guests, from treasure hunts through to video games.

There’s a daily schedule of activities that can be tailored to your child’s needs too, along with stunning swimming pools and trails that the whole family can enjoy.

Must-have holiday snap…

Close to the hotel, the historic town of Sagres has a beautiful harbour that’s ripe for atmospheric shots.

cook pasta, handmade gnocchi and Tiramisu; there’s also the chance to learn Italian; and get to grips with a paintbrush. Together, take a picnic basket stuffed full of homemade Tuscan snacks to the enchanted forest above the swimming pool, or take some well-earned time out while the kids enjoy supervised trips to the surrounding gardens.

Must-have holiday snap…

Any one of Florence’s stunning buildings, the villa included.

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The Oberoi, Dubai

Something for the Weekend

Why go?

WIN!

If all this talk of delicious food and pampering has whetted your appetite for The Oberoi, Dubai, then enter our competition to win a two-night stay for two in a deluxe room, including breakfast at Nine7One. The winning couple will enjoy a dinner at Umai (not including alcohol) and a complimentary 60-minute spa treatment each. All you need to do is email us at easywin@ hotmediapublishing. com before September 30 with the answer to this simple question: how many guest rooms does the hotel offer?

(Clue: you’ ll find the answer at oberoidubai.com).

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After much anticipation, the UAE finally has its first Oberoi hotel and those familiar with the standard of luxury and service this implies will not be disappointed. Whether you’re looking for a base for a weekend of serious shopping or a business hub then this is perfect: The Oberoi, Dubai is situated in the heart of Business Bay, just minutes from The Dubai Mall and the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Then there are the spectacular views of the world’s tallest building – Burj Khalifa (best marvelled at night), and watching the sunrise or sunset from the relaxing surrounds of the hotel’s infinity pool is an experience not to be missed.

What room should I book?

If you like the sound of waking to panoramic views of the city’s skyline, or taking a dip in your private plunge pool as the sun sparkles off the glass façade of the Burj Khalifa, then plump for one of the property’s two Presidential Suites. Inside, the calming and cooling effect of white marble, timber floors, enchanting crystal chandeliers and plush fabrics will soothe your mind, while a soak in the vast bathtub takes care of stress.

Where should I eat?

If you’re a fan of Indian cuisine then Ananta will leave you weak at the

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knees. The finest Indian ingredients are flown in from the continent every week to ensure the mouthwatering recipes of master chef Rais Ahmed and chef de cuisine Saneesh Varghese, which seek to capture the taste of more than 4,500 miles of Indian coastal dishes, remain as authentic as possible. There are also plenty of delicious Eastern dishes to be tried at Umai, where dim sum, soups and hand-tossed noodles join sushi, sashimi and teppanyaki on the menu.

And Nine7One’s eclectic blend of Arabic, Asian and Western options makes Friday brunch a must.

What should I do there?

If you’re a morning person and enjoy being active, then the hotel offers idyllic yoga sessions as the sun rises at 6am - the perfect start to a day.

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STRIKE a POSE If you’re feeling sluggish after an indulgent summer, get ready for a winter on the beach with Madinat Jumeirah. The resort is hosting the UAE’s first yoga and wellness retreat on home soil.

Between September 19 and 21, at its Talise Spa, you can spend two nights in one of its wonderful Dar Al Masyaf courtyard houses During your stay you’ll get to

attend daily yoga classes on the beach before enjoying a relaxing 60-minute massage at the spa.

You’ll also learn how to cook well – and healthily – through

nutritional seminars and cooking classes before trying out the recipes, which will be prepared by celebrated wellness chef Gabriela Kurz. jumeirah.com

LIFE IS SUITE

If you’re looking for a reason to escape the city chaos, the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi has a rather big one for you. At 2,100 square metres, its brand new Royal Suite is the largest hotel suite in the country, offering up two whole floors of the hotel’s west wing.

The interior design is heavily influenced by its enchanting coastal location – with shades of sea mist, teal and blue one of the many subtle nods to the sea. Among the extravagant features are a Steinway grand piano, a mini-cinema and an outdoor swimming pool. Then there’s the personal butler service and private spa treatment room. Need we go on?

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Graphically speaking

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2400 stars

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Music (428)

Film (1,131) Live (46)

The city’s iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, reopens this month after closing for a facelift in May. It is now the world’s largest Imax cinema.

Remaining unaltered, though, are the hand and footprints of Hollywood’s finest that have decorated the pavement outside of the theatre for decades

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September // 2013

September 2013

1-9

14-22

20-24

22

21-30

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The US Open will be underway as the month begins.

Can British number one and reigning US Open champion Andy Murray handle the pressure of defending his title? In-form Rafael Nadal will be one man hoping not.

London Design Festival 2013 organisers are promising this year’s event (it’s now its 11th edition) will be “bigger and better than ever”. You’ll see the best of global design spread across the city, inside and outside of venues.

Two Oceans Hermanus Whale Festival is the only enviro-arts festival in South Africa. It’s been running for 22 years at Hermanus, famous as the best land-based whalespotting destination in the world. Great food, great music and natural wonder keep visitors flocking back.

The Manchester United vs Manchester City derby is one of the most eagerly anticipated football games of the English Premier League. The first of two head-to-head meetings between the current and previous premiership champions, may prove significant.

Three months of fantastic horse racing across Victoria, in Melbourne, Australia, kicks off this month as the Spring Carnival Racing season begins. Visitors will enjoy worldclass thoroughbred racing, incredible fashion and great entertainment.

Those seeking an excuse to visit Peru could do worse than choose the week surrounding this date to do so. Trujillo’s annual Festival Internacional de la Primavera draws a vast crowd keen to join in the fun: think street parades, surfing, beauty contests and dancing Paso horses.

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A throbbing finance and business centre, Frankfurton-the-Main is known as ‘Bankfurt’ to some, ‘Mainhattan’ to others – owing to its skyscraperdecked skyline, the densest in Europe. But there is tranquility to be sought away from the city smog, amid the modern metropolis’s handsome hidden parks and pools.

You just need to know where to look…

All but one of Germany’s skyscrapers pierces the skyline of Frankfurt-on-theMain – a city that, unsurprisingly, sets up home on the banks of the river Main (or, to pronounce it like a Frankfurter, ‘Mine’).

But while its slick city wiles are undeniable – its sardine-packed towers form the Frankfurt Skyscraper Festival come May, it’s home to Germany’s biggest stock exchange and plays host to some of the most important trade shows on the planet – any urbanite will want to head for the hills from time to time.

It’s a contrast that Frankfurt has no trouble in offering. While on one hand

Leafy Frankfurt There’s more to this financial hub than skyscrapers – Laura Binder unearths its scenic side

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there’s the steely, all-glass facades of the city’s trademark towers (including Germany’s tallest, Commerzbank Tower), on the other, idyllic river banks punctuated by twee boats and old towns dotted with timber-framed buildings.

And then there are the parks. So many manicured parks, with the kind of green spaces that both the suited-and-booted and the tourists flock to. To the Big Apple’s Central Park, there’s Grüneburgpark.

Handsomely-coiffed, even its 18thcentury lawns are rooted in business – it was once part of the Rothschild estate, a famous banking family. Since 1935, though, it’s been cradled in the hands of the city, and a favoured stomping ground of the locals. Peace-seekers would do well to visit its Korean Garden, complete Concierge

Ask a...

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Stefan Ziemus, of the InterContinental Frankfurt suggests a cultural day out in his favourite city…

Soak in the sights

Start your day with a walk along the River Main, directly behind the hotel.

Follow the river to the Römerberg, the central square in the picturesque Old Town, where you will find Frankfurt’s City Hall. It is lined with historical buildings. Across Paulsplatz is the birthplace of writer Johann Wolfgang Goethe. Eat at the colourful Cafe Karin where local artists display their latest works.

A tasty trip...

The Kleinmarkthalle is a must. Frankfurt’s fabulous indoor market is vast and filled with fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, meat and more. Don’t be afraid to taste the wares.

The Alte Oper (old opera house) is nearby: enjoy a drink and cake on the terrace and enjoy great views of the city’s skyline.

As the sun goes down...

Tigerpalast offers a great night out. The variety theatre is run by Johnny Klinke, a local celebrity.

Begin your evening with a luxurious dinner in its Michelin-starred restaurant. Then watch artists and acrobats do their thing. It’s a very popular place but we’ll try to get you a reservation.

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September // 2013

Where to Stay Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof (steigenberger.com/en/ frankfurt) Heritage listed, this hotel has to be one of Frankfurt’s most sublime with its stellar setting – a few steps from the financial district – and the kind of high-end looks that seal its status with the city’s high flyers.

Villa Kennedy Frankfurt (villakennedy.com) Downtown, off the Main’s south bank, Sir Rocco Forte saw fit to add this five-star spot to his portfolio. From its sophisticated décor and soothing 1000-squaremetre spa to its revered gourmet eatery, Gusto, it’s easy to see why.

Roomers (roomers.eu) With its dark, minimalist décor and subtle nods to burlesque, this seductive design hotel is one for the style savvy seeking comfort and simplicity.

Getting around

1.

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye and hotels where stated

Text by: Laura Binder

1. Villa Kennedy Frankfurt lounge.

with picturesque pavilions and pools, or meander through the adjoining Botanical Garden, whose tropical fauna creates a jungle-like air.

As well as the parks, which span the mammoth to the miniscule, there is Frankfurt’s Green Belt, which encircles the city’s core and can be tackled via hiking or cycling tracks. But Frankfurt is far from flat: it’s also Germany’s most wooded urban area – cue the Frankfurt City Forest, where pines shoot skyward like the centre’s architecture, striking vistas of which you can see above the thickets. This particular ‘patch’, which totals some 5,000 hectacres, once formed the Imperial Forest.

Those with an affinity for water would

do well to seek out one of the city’s 50 lakes and ponds (a stat that not even some residents are wise to). We suggest Frankfurt’s largest open-air bath, Freibad Brentano (or Brentano Open-Air Bath), where you can decide between a daylight dip and sunbathing beneath ancient trees.

The banks of the river Main provide similar green-tinged relief from the city with their endless stretches of wellkempt walkways. Alternatively, let one of Frankfurt’s rather modest vessels do the leg work and hop aboard a river cruise which, like any good city cruise, allows you to drink-in the prime sights from afar.

Keep your ears pricked for ‘Museumsufer’ or ‘Museum River Bank’ – a section of the Main that sees over 20 museums straddle the river.

Of course, Frankfurt is sure to pull you back into its hold eventually – but at least you’ll know the greenest spots to escape to when it happens…

Frankfurt’s transport network, ‘RMV’, is made up of buses, trams, S-Bahn and U-Bahn lines – making it easy and effective. Road traffic, meanwhile, is one-way, which can be tricky for newcomers so park up and continue on foot where possible.

Language Standard German is spoken here, with a Hessian dialect being traditional for the region.

As a business and touristic hub, though, travellers will find it easy to get around using English.

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Where to Stay

Architectural Moscow A capital of stunning sights...

Hotel National (national.ru) Constructed by famed Russian architect Alexander Ivanov in 1903, the look and feel of this landmark hotel is refinement – from its rare antique décor to its first-rate Moscovksy Restaurant.

Royal Radisson Hotel (radisson.ru/en/ royalhotel-moscow) Where better to appreciate the city’s Soviet architecture first hand than within the five-star environs of this Seven Sister-set hotel?

By far one of the capital’s glitziest offerings.

Ritz-Carlton (ritzcarlton.com/en/ Properties/Moscow/ Default.htm) Marble baths, Russian Imperial-style furnishings and a setting that’s steps away from the Kremlin (seen from the all-white rooftop lounge) makes the Ritz-Carlton’s Moscow outpost a choice pick of the elite.

1. Ritz-Carlton Moscow.

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As cities go, Moscow packs a colossal punch: drenched in history, steeped in Soviet style, typecast as one of the least friendliest cities in the world – and home to most of its billionaires – such characteristics come etched on the very buildings that form it, so make sure to soak up the scenery…

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Those that perceive architecture as works of art will be in their element in Moscow. Its time-honoured constructions warrant an article all of its own: the blood-red bricks of the Kremlin’s towers; the strong yet simple sun-yellow arsenal commissioned in 1701 by Peter the Great; not forgetting the fantastical candy colours and bulbous domes of St Basil’s Cathedral. Ordered by Ivan the Terrible and completed in 1560, its style is so unique to Russia it puzzles architects even today.

No longer ruled under an iron fist, Moscow still likes to think and act big.

Which is perhaps why some historic buildings are now being used for the everyday. TSUM and GUM are a case in point: one grand 18th century dame sits

on the perimeter of the Red Square, the other poses besides the Bolshoi. Both buildings are now exclusive department stores, the playthings of shopaholics with a penchant for luxury goods.

But among the Gucci and the Prada, the Ferraris and the Bentleys, history has been preserved: in GUM, an exquisite glass roof, dating to 1893, is still in place. Under the Soviet Union, its top floor formed a secret clothing store (Section 100), accessible to only the highest echelons of the political party. Today, if you have a platinum card, it’s fair game, though you can still spy relics from a bygone era on the higher floors.

You can even derive pleasure from Stalin’s Seven Sisters. Stone symbols of victory, they were erected to mark a

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September // 2013

Ask a...

CONCIERGE

Getting around The Metro is by far the cheapest and quickest way to get about town – though make sure to avoid it during rush hour when the throngs (some 9million) are at full pace.

Traffic is a problem in Moscow, but if you do use taxis, look for the official chequerboard logo or green light.

Gleb Kryuchkov, of the InterContinental Moscow shares his favourite tastes of the city…

Language Though Russian is Moscow’s official language, English is more widely spoken here than in any other Russian city, due in part to its largely bi-lingual citizens and the choice tongue of its government offices.

Traditional tastes

Pushkin Cafe is one of Moscow’s most popular haunts. Set in a 19th century townhouse, you’ll enjoy classic Russian cuisine with a French accent. Try the Beef Stroganoff in a sour cream with potatoes ‘a la Pushkin’. Beef Stroganoff was invented by a chef working for Russian Lieutenant General, Count Pavel Stroganov, back in the 1890s.

A quick bite

For a casual Russian lunch with quick and friendly service, I would advise a dinner on the summer terrace of The Pavilion restaurant, which is set in another 19th century building. Ask the concierge to book a table on a waterside terrace or in the main hall next to the window and enjoy the view over the historical Patriarchy ponds.

Words: Laura Binder

Photography supplied by: Corbis / Arabian Eye

Northern exposure

Expedition is the first northern Russian restaurant and offers an unusual and unexpectedly exotic cultural experience.

The rare ingredients are delivered by plane from Russia’s high north. Try thinly sliced fish, either Nelma or Muksun. By night, enjoy live Russian folk music as you dine.

1.

new era of Soviet power and can still be seen gloating over the city centre. Now used as government offices, hotels, real estate and a university, architects of the time attempted to create monuments that would appeal to Gothic-appreciator Stalin – the result of which is, primarily, dominant statures with a strict central tower, each stamped with a solid stone star. Of them, The Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow (the former Ukraina hotel) is a fine place to spend your time (standout eateries, lounges, suites, lobby-set boutiques…), as is the Moscow State University – which, though you can’t enter, is worth pondering for its crowning star (thought to weigh 12 tonnes) and the fact it’s the product of four years of hard labour by convicts (1949-1953).

But perhaps the most surprising architectural star of all – by other cities standards, at least – is Moscow’s metro.

One of the USSR’s most elaborate projects under Stalin, he ordered artists and architects to create something that embodied ‘sveltloe budushchee’ (meaning a radiant future).

The results can still be seen: marble walls, high ceilings decked with chandeliers, gold-framed artworks on walls (Kievskaya station), mosaics and stained-glass windows and baroque ceilings (Komsomolskaya).

If you want to survey it all from afar, head to the hilltop Universitetskaya pl, in front of the Moscow State University – by far the best spot from which to cast an eye across the capital.

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Suite Dreams

Tai Po

Hong Kong

Kwun Tong

Lantau Island

What:

The Presidential Suite 80

Where:

InterContinental Hong Kong

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About:

It is difficult to decide which aspect of this spectacular suite to be more in awe of – the breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island or the sheer scale of the suite, which is the largest in the city and widely considered Asia’s most impressive.

The 7,000 square foot duplex is perfect for families looking for an ultraimpressive base from which to enjoy this enigmatic city.

Not only does it boast five bedrooms, a dining room, study and wellequipped gym, but after a busy day in the city you can rejuvenate your mind and

Hong Kong Island

body with a leisurely dip in the suite’s infinity pool or Jacuzzi – both of which offer comanding views of the harbour and the city’s impressive skyline.