Geographical Expeditions - Summer 2019

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V E L A R T

T T H A

BEYOND VEGAS

INTO THE WILD HEART OF NEVADA

FEATURING

• ARCTIC EXPEDITION • CORAL EXPEDITIONS • HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

E S T A K

Y O U

R T H E R U F

ALSO INSIDE

HI-TECH HOLIDAYS THE BENEFIT OF SLOWING THINGS DOWN

• INTREPID TRAVEL • MCXPEDITIONS • ONE OCEAN EXPEDITIONS

S T N E T N CO

EXPEDITION

SUMME

R 2019

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Welcome

EDITORIAL PUBLISHER Graeme Gourlay 020 8332 8401 graeme@syonpublishing.com

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here are very few of us who won’t have, at some point on a journey to some farflung region, pulled out a smartphone and checked our position on Google Maps or an equivalent. But the leaps and bounds seen in mobile technology over the past few years have near-revolutionised the way we see travel. It’s almost impossible to get lost when your iPhone X, Pixel 3 et al can pinpoint your location to within an inch (more or less). In this issue of Expeditions we look at the ways a company such as Google is ensuring that no matter how far off the beaten track we roam, we can always remain connected to our homes, friends, families and even water heaters at the touch of a virtual button.

4 News

EDITOR Paul Presley 020 8332 8420 paul@geographical.co.uk DESIGN Gordon Beckett 07836 710970 gordon@mauvestudios.com REPORTER Katie Burton 020 8332 8420 katie@geographical.co.uk

The latest happenings in the world of adventure travel

8 Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Antarctica – Where the world holds its breath

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14 Hi-tech Travel

Does Google make for the perfect travelling companion?

ADVERTISING SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR Chloe Smith 020 8332 8416 geographical@syonmedia.com

20 Coral Expeditions

Explore Tasmania and discover the edge of the world

24 Intrepid Travel

Going big in the icy waters of Antarctica

28 Nevada 28

Finding thrills and spills away from the neon lights of Vegas

34 MCXpeditions

MAIN OFFICE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Simon Simmons 020 3900 0145 simon@syonmedia.com FINANCE MANAGER Ramesh Parshotam 020 8332 8420 accounts@syonpublishing.com

Understanding the true value of ‘slow travel’

42 Just Deserts

The breathtaking sights of North America’s sandscapes

46 Arctic Expedition

Become one with the ‘nothing’ of the north!

42

48 One Ocean Expeditions

Geographical Expeditions ©2019 Published by Syon Geographical Ltd. Registered office: Suite 3.16, QWest, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 0GP. Registration number 07457559.

All rights reserved. Syon Geographical Ltd cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material or photographs.

Legends of the Canadian Arctic

EXPEDITIONS • 3

NEWSS

Survey reveals Iceland worries n A comprehensive new survey of hundreds of visitors to Iceland reveals their thoughts on the carbon footprint that holidays make, who’s responsible and how visiting Iceland has shaped attitudes.

Over 250 visitors who toured in Iceland with Arctic Adventures completed the survey. Participants overwhelmingly expressed worry about the environment, with glacier-shrinking cited as the most pressing concern.

Arctic Adventures’ CEO, Jon Thor Gunnarsson, said: ‘Like everybody else, we are gravely concerned

4 • EXPEDITIONS

about the effects of climate change. Inaction is not an option. As a company, we invest in local climate initiatives, strive to educate about the effects of global warming and maintain as low a carbon footprint as possible on all of our tours.’

Of those surveyed, 81 per cent said they’d be unlikely to visit an attraction of they knew that visit had a negative impact on the environment, while 69 per cent said they would pay more for a holiday if they knew it was environmentally friendly.

Gunnarsson sees the results as a cause for cautious optimism. ‘Not only are the public concerned about the environment, but this concern grows after they see Iceland first-hand. This is a perfect example of travel’s ability to change people for the better. Also, the survey showed that many tourists are willing to take positive steps such as skipping fragile sites they’d like to visit.’

The full results of the survey can be found by visiting the Arctic Adventures blog. • adventures.is

Emotional sustainability n German river cruise specialist, A-ROSA has given passengers a first look at its brand new E-Motion ship, a vessel that is touted as combining the ‘benefits of a designer hotel with those of a cruise’.

The ship features an extended width of 17.7 metres and adds a fourth deck to the existing layouts.

These measures have been designed to increase the amount of available space to passengers, rather than as an attempt to simply cram in more guest accommodations. All cabins are now described as being ‘generously sized’ and feature balconies for enjoying the scenery. ‘The interior design of our new ship for 2021 is unique,’ claims A-ROSA managing director Jörg Eichler. ‘We’re bringing the amenities and the modern look of a designer hotel to the water.’

Aside from the more passenger-facing features, the new vessel also features ground-breaking environmental technology, including a batterypowered drive that kicks in on approaches to and departures from cities ensuring it doesn’t produce air-polluting emissions. There’s also an optimised hull design and ‘air-bubble technology’, both designed to reduce fuel consumption and increase operating efficiency. These technologies will continue to be further refined and included on all of A-ROSA’s future ship rollouts. • www.arosa-cruises.com

Istanbul set to welcome two million tourists n Istanbul’s major port renovation project, Galataport, is to see an expected two million cruise tourists arrive in the city per year once finally opened in March 2020. That’s according to Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy who recently completed an examination of the construction work that’s been underway since the project began in February 2015.

Ersoy is projecting that the port will be able to cater for three large cruise ships at any one time, each with an average of 4,000 passengers, with a capacity for 500 during the course of one year and he is hoping that visitors see the area as much more than just a port. ‘Galataport is actually a complete tourism complex, which Istanbul also needs. Our goal is to increase the overnight per capita income of tourists and prioritise and support projects that increase the non-accommodation expenses of tourists,’ Ersoy said.

To that end, the Galataport project on the Karaköy coastline will see not just the port, but also culture and art centres being built, luxury hotels, cafés, and restaurants, and an increase in office areas. The port will also feature a ‘movable wall system’ designed to make the area more open to the public when large ships are not docked. The project is expecting to be open just for cruise ships from March 2020 but be fully operational by the end of that year.

EXPEDITIONS • 5

NEWSS

Personalised e-service n Guests staying at Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts can now experience a new personalised Jumeirah E-Butler service, direct from their smartphone. The service enables guests to communicate with the hotel’s teams via instant messaging applications, to request room service, book spa treatments, request housekeeping services, make dinner reservations, order drinks and snacks to the beach or even book a future stay.

José Silva, CEO of the Jumeirah Group, said: ‘We continuously look for innovative hospitality solutions to assist guests seamlessly and intuitively. Jumeirah E-Butler brings a more personal approach to service and is in line with our commitment to offer service beyond expectations.’

6 • EXPEDITIONS

‘With Jumeirah E-Butler, we can offer a personalised service and more meaningful engagement,’ said Pedro Deakin, Jumeirah’s president of operations. ‘Through improved dialogue, we get a better insight into guests’ personal preferences and can tailor our service individually. Guests can connect with us in their own time, wherever they are.’

The Jumeirah E-Butler service will be rolled out across the entire Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts portfolio by June 2019, using WhatsApp in all hotels with the exception of those in China where Jumeirah E-Butler will be available through WeChat. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah guests can utilise both WhatsApp and WeChat to access the service. • www.jumeirah.com

ETHE LIST Essential media to explore ahead of any trip. This issue...

NEVADA

BOOK n Mountain City (2001)

by Gregory Martin For many, the quintessential ‘Nevada’ book would of course be Hunter S Thompson’s ground-breaking Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. But while the adventures of Dr Gonzo et al are fine for depicting the sort of hedonistic fame that Vegas of previous decades was known for, a much more sober appreciation of everyday life in the less glitzy aspects of the ‘Silver State’ can be had from Martin’s reflective memoir.

Only 33 people lived in the small, unincorporated community of Mountain City in the north of the state and the town’s abandoned mines speak to a cycle of promise, exploitation, abandonment, and attrition. Yet the comings and goings at Tremewan’s, the general store Martin’s family has run for more than forty years, reveal a remarkably vibrant community that includes salty widows, Native Americans, and Martin’s own deeply idiosyncratic Basque-descended relatives.

Martin chronicles the inhabitants lives with a concise, unsentimental touch and the book provide a genuine, heartfelt reflection of the realities of life in so much of small-town America.

PHOTOGRAPHY n Compass of the Ephemeral: Aerial Photography of Black Rock City (2019)

by Will Roger Burning Man is one of Nevada’s most recognisable cultural events and festival founder Will Roger has been chronicling through aerial and drone photography the ever-changing cityscape and transformation of Black Rock City, Burning Man’s annual home. A new monograph traces this history from a few thousand people to the growing metropolis required to support over 70,000 citizens today. Compass of the Ephemeral also includes a series of interpretive essays by central figures in the Burning Man community exploring the physical, cultural and artistic context and impact of this infamous event.

FILM n Vanishing Point (1971) Directed by Richard Sarafian As with books, there is no shortage of films set in the neon haze that is Las Vegas, the majority being heist capers such as Ocean’s 11 (the 1960 Rat Pack version being the definitive, of course). But equally, the desolate plains of the Nevada desertscape have popped up from time to time to provide metaphorical starkness when

films require a sense of American spiritual otherworldliness to counter the realities of modern life. Nowhere does this feature better than in the 1971 road movie Vanishing Point, Nevada providing the main ethereal backdrop to Barry Newman’s barely explained, somewhat allegorical flight from the hotly pursuing lawmen.

EXPEDITIONS • 7

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

A N TA R C T I C A WHERE THE WORLD H O L D S I T S B R E AT H The Antarctic is our planet’s great unknown – and an even greater adventure

Adelie penguins diving into the waters of Antarctica 8 • EXPEDITIONS

EXPEDITIONS • 9

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

The HANSEATIC inspiration has been designed to operate effortlessly in the Antarctic sea ice

B

oard the new Hapag-Lloyd Cruises expedition class for fascinating expeditions into the endless Antarctic ice. Where imposing glaciers feed the oceans and icebergs seem to block the way to the diverse animal kingdom, the expedition ship and its manoeuvrable Zodiacs will find safe passage to the secret world of the sixth continent. It’s time for a surprising voyage of discovery on board the HANSEATIC inspiration!

Pack ice cracks against the bow, the air grows colder, the light more vivid: the Antarctic approaches. Feared, admired and loved in equal measure by the first research explorers, this last wilderness remains as radiant and fascinating as ever. Many people dream their whole lives of pressing on to the endless ice in the footsteps of great pioneers like Shackleton and Amundsen.

Countless secrets from millions of years of the earth’s history are hidden in the glaciers, tabular icebergs and snow-covered expanses. This magical world impresses with its raw beauty and strength, yet remains incredibly fragile.

What lies behind and beneath these masses of ice?

Search for answers on your expedition between the

10 • EXPEDITIONS

Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic mainland. Listen to the crack of the ice as the Zodiacs manoeuvre past the ice floes and help you to experience unspoilt nature in a fascinating labyrinth of bizarrely shaped icebergs.

THE HANSEATIC INSPIRATION’S FAVOURITE SPOT Where other ships have to turn about, the adventure is just beginning on the HANSEATIC inspiration.

The new expedition class seeks out your dream destinations through narrow channels and spectacular sculptures in the ice. The ship’s hull pushes aside the ice floes with ease, clearing the way for extraordinary views on deck. Soak in the natural panoramas in the spacious outdoor areas, on the glass balconies or in the Observation Lounge – and head deep into the untamed wilderness of the Antarctic.

Zodiacs take guests closer to the breathtaking scenery than ever before Stunning wildlife abounds in the region

With a shallow draught and the highest ice class for passenger ships, it can follow the most challenging nautical routes and travel to hardly accessible destinations. Cruise along the coast flexibly and safely between tabular icebergs, glacier formations and steep cliffs. Experience the impressive Antarctic wilderness from thrilling perspectives with a small group of like-minded people.

ACTIVE ON THE ICE You need not go far from your expedition ship to encounter the unknown: together with your experienced expedition crew, you will set out on short and long hikes, enjoy fantastic views of remote valleys from mountains and glaciers, and watch penguin colonies from a short – but respectful – distance.

Where imposing glaciers calve, king penguins and seabirds gather in their thousands and seals relax

on ice floes, the next sight could be your most beautiful yet. The Zodiacs will take you up close for particularly intense experiences of the southernmost continent’s glittering world. Already know your way around with a kayak? Then grab your paddle and explore the icebergs and picturesque bays from the water. Depending on the weather and ice conditions, we will take you to the heart of Antarctica’s wonders with its uniquely diverse wildlife.

Walk in the footsteps of great pioneers and scientists every single day. If the station managers allow, you can visit Antarctic research stations and see the new secrets revealed by the ice at first hand.

In earlier decades, Antarctic research involved far more deprivation. Historic sites tell of the first pioneers to set foot on the southernmost continent and bring history to life.

EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD Learn new things, make discoveries, deepen your knowledge – the HANSEATIC inspiration will fulfil your heart’s desire. With this extensive expert-centred concept, the new expedition class is in a league of its own when it comes to learning and expertise.

Experienced experts from various disciplines, including historians, glaciologists, geologists and biologists, accompany every expedition to the Antarctic. They all share a passion for their subject and for the wonders of the sixth continent – and a desire to share this with you. Soak up their expertise during live presentations on board and feel free to ask questions at any time. The experts will also prepare for and follow up on excursions and shore activities in precaps and recaps. Is there a specific field you would like to explore in more depth? Chat EXPEDITIONS • 11

HAPAG-LLOYD CRUISES

ANIMAL CALENDAR NOVEMBER n Return of the whales n Mating season, nest-building and egg laying of the Adelie, rockhopper, macaroni, king and chinstrap penguins n Pupping season of the Weddell seal, leopard seal and South American fur seal n Upbringing season of the gentoo penguin

DECEMBER n Egg-laying and breeding season of the wandering albatross n Pupping season of the Antarctic fur seal n Breeding and rearing season of the Adelie, chinstrap, macaroni and gentoo penguins

Onboard experts will enhance your experience with the inhabitants of this stunning environment

JANUARY

to the experts whenever you like and engage in conversation with a top marine biologist or a glaciologist.

Outside in nature, the experts will remain at your side with their inexhaustible wealth of knowledge, taking part in hikes, explaining what you see and guaranteeing reliable answers to your questions, even in the Zodiacs. How old is the glacier ice beneath your feet? How do king penguins survive Antarctic winter storms? And as you stand before his grave, how did Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton become one of the outstanding figures in Antarctic research?

Where historians dig stories from the ice, glaciologists explain how fields of snow develop and biologists clarify the difference between fur seals and leopard seals, delve a little deeper into the countless wonders of the Antarctic every day.

have adapted perfectly to the Antarctic – thanks to an immense supply of krill in this region. Your expeditions with the HANSEATIC inspiration will bring you close – but with a respectful distance – to these fascinating creatures.

FASCINATINGLY DIVERSE WILDLIFE Over the course of their evolution, millions of sea birds, thousands of penguins and countless whales and seals

• Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH • Ballindamm 25, 20095 Hamburg, Germany • service@hl-cruises.com • Free phone: 08000 513829 • www.hl-cruises.com

12 • EXPEDITIONS

• For more information on Antarctica cruises or the new expedition class, visit www.hl-cruises.com • To receive our latest offers, sign up for our newsletter at www.hl-cruises.com/newsletter

n Rearing season of the Antarctic fur seal n Breeding season of the wandering albatross and king penguin n Breeding and rearing season of the Adelie, chinstrap, macaroni and gentoo penguins

FEBRUARY n Breeding season of the wandering albatross and cape petrel n Breeding and rearing season of the king, Adelie, chinstrap and macaroni penguins n Rearing season of the Antarctic fur seal These monthly lists are based on past experience and may vary from year to year.

AMAZING AN INEXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF DIVERSITY Majestic mountains reflected in calm fjords, waterfalls plunging into emeraldgreen mountain lakes – the contrasting landscapes of the South American Pacific coast are best explored on the HANSEATIC inspiration, our new small and manoevrable expedition ship which will launch in October 2019. Look forward to the interplay between volcanoes, glittering glaciers and relics of ancient civilisations, and get ready for wonderful and moving moments.

Expedition Chilean Fjords from Callao to Ushuaia 28 Nov – 16 Dec 2019 (18 days), cruise INS1904 Starting from

GBP 9,100

per person

L: SPECIA de r ga Free up nch e to a Fr y Balcon Cabin*

in a Guaranteed Outside Cabin (Cat. 0), double occ., cruise only, incl. charter flight Ushuaia – Buenos Aires * Please note that this offer (no. 5909) cannot be combined with any other discounts, vouchers or on-board credit. It is non-transferable and cannot be paid in cash. This offer is valid once and may be used only for new bookings from 15 April 2019. The allotment for this offer is limited and is based on availability. The upgrade can only be applied once per household and per booking. Accommodation will be in a French Balcony Cabin in Cat. 3 or Cat. 5, depending on availability. If this cruise is combined with another cruise in a Guaranteed Outside Cabin, no combination discount will be given and it will be necessary to change cabins after each individual cruise. Continuous occupancy of the same cabin throughout the cruises is not possible. You will receive your exact cabin number at the time of embarkation on board. No partial services, partial routes or other routes may be booked.

Sign up for our newsletter at www.hl-cruise.com/newsletter

Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten GmbH Ballindamm 25, 20095 Hamburg, Germany service@hl-cruises.com Free phone 08000 513829 www.hl-cruises.com

GOOGLE

GOOGLE – THE IDEAL TRAVEL COMPANION? Katie Burton tries out Google’s latest products to find out if they can really enhance a holiday, or if technology is best left at home Photos by Pernilla Danielsson, shot on Pixel 3

14 • EXPEDITIONS

The Pixel 3 features an extra-wide selfie camera to fit more faces in

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ot being someone who usually joins in with the flurry of excitement that surrounds the launch of a new phone, I entered into the task of trying out the Google Pixel 3 and its compatible Nest home automation products with interest, if not wild cries of delight. More appealing was a trip to the island of Mallorca, a place previously only known to me as home to that bastion of British bad behaviour – Magaluf. Suffice it to say that both the phone and the island surpassed expectations.

Rated as one of the best smartphone cameras available, the Google Pixel can capture stunning shots in low light

SNAP HAPPY Google launched the Google Pixel 3 (in standard and XL variants) last October and has received a raft of largely positive reviews from techy journalists since then. More recently, it has announced the more moderately priced Pixel 3a for those whose pockets don’t run quite as deep. Above all else, it’s the camera that has attracted the really rave responses and so this journalist with an interest in amateur photography EXPEDITIONS • 15

GOOGLE

took note. According to a YouGov survey, a quarter of British holidaymakers admit to taking terrible photos on holiday with main complaints being that respondents couldn’t zoom in close enough on their phone, that it was often too dark to take a good quality picture in the evening, or that it was hard to fit everything into the frame of their shot. People also noted that a lack of storage held them back. Google has attempted to respond to these problems with a number of new features.

The Pixel 3 features a 12.2-megapixel sensor, with an f/1.8 aperture. There are also two cameras on the front, both 8-megapixel sensors, with one acting as a wide-angle camera. This translates to extremely detailed photos and pretty stunning colours – enough to make anyone feel one step closer to a pro.

uses machine learning to recommend the best one, avoiding those where people have their eyes closed or aren’t smiling. And, if selfies are your bag then the Pixel 3 features an extra-wide selfie camera that both retains detail and lets you fit more faces in – excellent if you’re very popular, or good at making friends on holiday. Once you’ve taken a photo, Google Photos allows you to change the blurriness of the background, choose a new point of focus or create funky effects such as black and white backgrounds behind a colourful subject.

Also new with the Pixel 3 is Google’s Night Sight, a feature that allows you to take photos in next to no light at all. The app takes multiple shots while you hold the phone steady for a few seconds and the results are impressive, enabling photos that would

Palma’s picturesque shops and upmarket art galleries just beg to be shared

Google Pixel uses AI to recommend your best shot

In fact, such is the quality that magazine publisher Conde Nast used the Pixel 3 to shoot seven of its November 2018 front covers (including GQ, Wired and Glamour). So, as general quality goes, the camera is certainly something to write home about and, given that the Google Photos app backs up and stores all your shots in the cloud and offers unlimited fullresolution uploads, you could do exactly that and save on the price of a postcard.

A range of camera extras are on hand to help with certain shots. Portrait mode neatly blurs the background while keeping the subject in sharp focus, making pretty much any photo look more artistic, while also giving the impression that you have some understanding of aperture. A feature called Top Shot captures a few alternative frames for every photo and 16 • EXPEDITIONS

be utterly pointless without it – recommended for candle-lit restaurants and dingy-but-atmospheric bars. In short, if the camera is your main priority when buying a smart-phone and if you’re looking to capture memories in a light-weight way on holiday, experts and amateurs alike appear to agree that the Google Pixel 3 is one of the best options available.

GETTING ABOUT Camera aside, the phone includes the sort of travelfriendly features that you’d expect, including Google Maps and Google Translate. A particularly handy feature for anyone with poor language skills but a stubborn nature when it comes to requesting the English menu, is Google Lens – an intelligent visual search tool that can instantly translate any text you

With seas as blue as these it would be a shame not to capture them properly EXPEDITIONS • 17

GOOGLE

hover the camera over. It can also be used to find out more about certain objects and locations. The ability to download searchable, offline versions of Google Maps is also useful if data is of concern, or if, like me, you know that getting lost down charming little alleyways sounds more romantic than the reality.

Like many tech companies these days, Google now provides helpful apps that claim to help you stop using so many helpful apps. Google’s version of this is called Digital Wellbeing and lets you monitor your phone usage. If you can bear the horror of knowing how many times you unlock your phone in a day or how many notifications you receive, then that information is within your grasp – though presumably overly enthusiastic monitoring will only add fuel to the fire. If the results are disturbing, there are tools to help you curb phone use. You can block out certain apps during selected periods, halt notifications when you’re sleeping, or set up timelimits for certain apps.

If you’re planning on listening to music by the pool it’s worth noting that there’s no standard headphone jack with the Pixel 3, a USB-C port is the only connection option. Google does include USB-C headphones in the box, but there’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack adaptor and Bluetooth 5 support too.

HOME FRONT Away from the phone, Google’s offering extends to the full suite of Nest home automation products (Google bought Nest Labs, founded by iPod inventor Tony Fadell, in 2014). Whatever you might think about bugging your home with artificial intelligence, there is some logic to Nest products if worries about what’s going on back home are liable to ruin your holiday.

In particular, the Nest Cam, a small security camera with both indoor and outdoor versions, can be set up to alert your phone when it detects someone in or around the house. If it spots an intruder you have the chance to shout at them through the camera’s speaker and, if you have Nest Aware (available as a monthly subscription service), the camera will record everything it sees and store footage in the cloud as opposed to just live-streaming it. With Nest Aware the camera can also use facial recognition to identify if a person is a family member or not, and alert you accordingly. Incidentally, once you’re back home, the camera is also very useful for checking the back of your own head – just stand with your back to the camera while watching the live stream on your phone.

The Nest Protect smart smoke alarm also allows you to monitor smoke, fire and carbon monoxide levels from your phone. Aside from the obvious safety benefits, if you’ve ever spent time wafting a 18 • EXPEDITIONS

Portrait mode blurs the background for a professional look

Orange trees sprout from a square in sunny Palma

If selfies are your bag then the Pixel 3 features an extra-wide selfie camera that retains detail and lets you fit more faces in

The Google Pixel 3 is ideal for capturing vibrant colour and contrasting shadows

tea-towel at a deafening siren, there’s something very appealing about the option to turn the alarm off with a single click. The company claims that Nest Protect checks its batteries and sensors over 400 times a day and that it quietly tests its speaker and siren once a month. Both the camera and the smoke alarm are pretty easy to set up. For the camera, it’s just a case of plugging it into the mains and attaching it to the wall or ceiling if desired, while the smoke alarm can be screwed in place of your old one.

The other key Nest products include the video doorbell (you’ll probably need a professional installer for that one) and its very first product, the smart thermostat, which allows you to control the heating

from your phone so you can have it running before you get inside. Set up for this is a bit trickier and you need to check the compatibility of your boiler, but Google says that it can be done in under an hour by someone who’s good at DIY. None of these products are cheap – a Nest Cam is £300 (the cheapest version of Nest Aware is £4 a month), the Nest Thermostat E is £219 and the smoke alarm is £100. But, if you are looking to kit your home out with the latest AI gadgets and you’re the sort of person for whom snooping on your (hopefully) empty house while on holiday will provide comfort, rather than extra anxiety, they might be just the ticket for stress-free travel. n EXPEDITIONS • 19

Coral Discoverer - 72 guests

Sunset drinks at the Sundeck Bar

Calling Explorers!

The spirit of adventure that resides in us all is the fuel that Coral Expeditions has thrived on as an independent Australian cruise company for over thirty years. If you love nature, the sea, and the idea of exploring your world far away from the tourist trail, then come and join us.

THE SMALL SHIP EXPERIENCE At the heart of the Coral Expeditions experience are our purpose-built small expedition ships, Coral Expeditions I, Coral Expeditions II and Coral Discoverer. Our new flagship Coral Adventurer, carrying just 120 guests, takes the fleet to four vessels. Our small ships are ideal to navigate into shallow bays, disembark onto untouched beaches, and visit villages without overwhelming the community. All our expedition ships include unique Xplorer tenders, Zodiacs and kayaks that will allow us shore access to the most remote coastlines.

WARM AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY The crew live and breathe our destinations and the expedition experience. They are the seafaring sons and daughters of Australia and proud to share our coastal wonders with guests from across the globe. Their personalised service means that you always feel at home.

On board, enjoy warm Australian hospitality, visit with the Captain and crew in the bridge, join engine room tours, and share in cooking demonstrations with our chefs.

Meeting locals in the Spice Islands

OUR UNIQUE CRUISING STYLE > We offer a daily programme of informative and interactive lectures, briefings, and themed documentaries. > There are no formal nights or assigned seating - you can dine with new or old friends > Our onboard dining features high-quality small-batch cuisine using local seasonal ingredients accompanied by a boutique selection of Australian wines > Mingle with like-minded guests over sunset drinks on the deck > Our Captains will welcome you to the bridge to observe operations and have a chat > Our knowledgable Expedition Team enriches your experience

EXPLORE WITH THE LOCALS For over 30 years, we have gathered a wealth of knowledge and built valued relationships in the coastlines of Australasia. Whether you travel with us in the Kimberley, Tasmania, the Great Barrier Reef or further afield into Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the South Pacific or New Zealand, you will enjoy travel with the benefit of a local’s perspective. Our expert guides are passionate explorers who share their knowledge to deliver a rich understanding and appreciation of the places you will discover.

Easy access to shore with our Xplorer tenders

COMMUNITY, CULTURE, AND CONSERVATION On our voyages, we visit remote villages, participate in art and culture traditions, and attend workshops in local schools. Along the way, we initiate and contribute to local regional programmes to support conservation, provide training and employment and distribute relief supplies. It is an enriching and rewarding part of our expedition experience, and we are privileged to be able to give back to the environments and communities that welcome us.

Locally inspired and freshly prepared cuisine

AUTHENTIC TRAVEL We continuously bring new itineraries into our programme with the same passion and focus - to take small groups of like-minded explorers to remote corners of the world in our uniquely Australian style.

Learn more by visiting www.coralexpeditions.com To enquire, email: cruise@coralexpeditions.com or uksales@coralexpeditions.com.

Swimming with whale sharks, West Papua

A SELECTION OF OUR EXPEDITION DESTINATIONS

TASMANIA

Discover natural beauty, unique wildlife & pristine national parks. 7 night explorations from Hobart.

THE KIMBERLEY

Explore one of the world’s most awe-inspiring wilderness areas on a 10 night cruise between Darwin and Broome.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Share in immersive cultural experiences in one of the world’s last frontiers. Departs from Cairns or Darwin.

INDONESIA

Voyage to the paradise of Indonesia’s lessvisited islands. Departs Singapore or Darwin.

ESCAPE TO THE EDGE OF THE WORLD Experience the wilderness coast of Tasmania by expedition ship. Encounter fur seals and wombats, hike National Parks, savour Tasmanian wine and produce, and sail into isolated bays inaccessible by road. Come back on board after the day’s excursion and relax at Coral Discoverer’s panoramic Sundeck Bar. Pristine Tasmania > 7 Nights, departs and returns Hobart > Full board, Australian wines with meals, and extensive expedition programme included > Staterooms selling now for January to March 2020

For latest pricing and availability please contact our team www.coralexpeditions.com

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Call +61 4040 9999

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Email cruise@coralexpeditions.com

INTREPID TRAVEL

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

AS ADVENTURES GO, A VOYAGE AROUND ANTARCTICA IS ABOUT AS BIG AS IT GETS

IN ANTARCTICA

P

roviding a sense of remoteness like nowhere else on the planet, the Great White Continent whisks you far from the everyday and completely immerses you in another world. Whether its sublime scenery, astonishing wildlife, captivating history, exhilarating activities or phenomenal photo ops you travel for, this startling destination ticks all the boxes and more.

Intrepid traveller Bernard Neal joined us aboard the Ocean Endeavour last year. Here he shares his unforgettable experiences of kayaking through the icy waters of Antarctica:

24 • EXPEDITIONS

‘When a minke whale surfaces within fifteen metres of your kayak, you need to be ready for the gob-smacking awe of coming face-to-face with such overwhelming power and grace. I was lucky enough to have my camera close by as it rose to the surface and I’ve watched those 45 seconds of footage over and over again. Every time I replay it, my breath catches in disbelief at the freakish good luck of such a remarkably close encounter.

We first laid eyes on our minke whale during the fourth day of kayaking on our Intrepid Travel Antarctic expedition. Even before spotting it, kayaking here had already provided me with enough staggering visuals to surpass anything I’d witnessed on previous treks, hikes or holidays I’d taken.

Kayaking got us up close and personal with a variety of seals, penguins and sea birds. Many of the seals were playful and inquisitive in nature, and appeared to

Gentoo penguins

Kayakers near Pleneau Island A leopard seal gets up close

A shore excursion to Petermann Island

delight in sliding, rolling and diving around us.

There was an air of tranquillity, of unearthly silence, on those occasions when we stopped paddling miles away from the mothership and the motorised Zodiacs and simply listened to the quiet.

Only, of course, it wasn’t really silent at all.

The lapping of the sea water against an iceberg.

The squawks of gulls and terns. The gentle plop, plop, plop of a raft of penguins single-mindedly ‘porpoising’ their way back to shore; completely unconcerned with us all. And on several occasions, the muted thunder of an avalanche or a glacier calving and crashing into the sea.

At other times we felt the intrinsic pleasure that comes with absorbing oneself in any rhythmic physical activity. We paddled our way around rocky shores shared with penguins and seals. Beneath towering cliffs that jutted directly out of the ocean, EXPEDITIONS • 25

INTREPID TRAVEL

INTRODUCING THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR n Passenger-to-crew ratio of 8:1 n Wellness facilities on board n 10 different grades of cabin n 3600 views from the fly deck n Double carbon-offset voyages n Diverse optional activities n Educational lectures included n Daily Zodiac excursions n A maximum of 200 guests n Emphasis on sustainability

in front of glacier after glacier. Passed icebergs of the most unbelievable hues of turquoise, electric blue and emerald green.

There was a sense of camaraderie that enveloped our little sub-group, engaged in the same activity, away from the rest of the boat. We were the privileged few. We became a community within a community for the eleven days of our trip. It’s one of the lingering joys from the whole adventure – the connections I made.

We were amused by each other’s capacities and idiosyncrasies – like the unstoppable powerhouse paddler with more energy than the Duracell Bunny.

The semi-professional photographer who knew a good shot when he saw one. The older amateur photographer (which may or may not have been me) whose stop-start-wait-start-again antics meant he was always at the rear of the flotilla. The married couple who delighted in everything they saw and did. The Aussie bloke who ran a dry and unmissable commentary. And of course, the two guides who became our parents, teachers and security guards.

As it turned out, we needed the multifaceted approach of these guides. During the last of our eight Antarctic kayaking sessions, our group was preyed on by a persistent and undeterred leopard seal.

We had seen many leopard seals over the previous sessions, mostly resting on icebergs, occasionally yawning and stretching. But this afternoon, as we circumnavigated Half Moon Island, we became more than a passing interest for this particular leopard seal. He came within a few feet of our kayaks several times, each time eye-balling us with teeth bared.

Our guides, Sharon and Keith, saw the potential danger early and had us come together to form a kind of loose raft. There wasn’t room for the leopard 26 • EXPEDITIONS

Kayaking gives you the chance to reach places otherwise inaccessible to travellers

seal to come between us, but enough for each kayaker to continue paddling firmly and purposefully to get ourselves to safety. Sharon and Keith became whatever the kayaking version of a sheep-dog is, rounding us up and keeping us moving inexorably to our only beaching for the trip.

It was an exciting way to round off a magnificent eight sessions of kayaking, and it definitely provided a talking point around the dinner table that evening.

But still, that minke whale…’ n • Intrepid Travel • 4th floor, Piano house 9 Brighton Terrace, Brixton, London, SW9 8DJ • ask@intrepidtravel.com • 0845 287 1022 • intrepidtravel.com/geographical-offer

Explore

Antarctica

Save up to 20% on Antarctic expeditions aboard the Ocean Endeavour. Book by 30 June 2019 to enjoy this exclusive discount on the trip of a lifetime. #BeIntrepid

Discover Antarctica 10 days | From £3,995pp

Journey to the Antarctic Circle 14 days | From £6,450pp

Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands Explorer 21 days | From £10,990pp

intrepidtravel.com/geographical-offer | 0845 287 1022

NEVADA

A DIFFERENT KIND OF THRILL Though best known for its gambling capital, Las Vegas, southern Nevada has so much more to offer, from canyons and lakes to desert and dunes. All available within just a few miles of the Strip it would be a shame to miss the natural wonders the state has to offer

Offroading in the Mojave desert: an exhilarating way to escape the city

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I

f there’s one thing you often hear said about the Las Vegas Strip, it’s that it’s worth seeing – once. For many, a day or two may well be enough. But even if your idea of hedonism features more mountains of rock than mountains of money, it might still be worth sticking around. You don’t have to travel far to experience a very different type of thrill from that offered by Sin City.

Around 26 miles southeast of Las Vegas lies Boulder City, a small town with a fascinating history which also serves as a convenient launch pad for some of southern Nevada’s more wholesome activities, including hiking, boating, off-roading and mountain biking against Nevada’s impressive desert-

Boat trip in the waters of Lake Mead against Nevada’s iconic red rocks

mountain backdrop. Not only is the town quieter, smaller and altogether more quaint than Las Vegas, it is its opposite in one crucial respect – gambling is illegal here, making Boulder City just one of two locations in Nevada where the only the chips you’ll find are of the potato variety (the other is the town of Panaca near the Utah border).

ROCK STAR Boulder City was originally built in 1931 for workers hoping to gain employment constructing the Hoover Dam (originally called the Boulder Dam) on the nearby Colorado River. (At this time Las Vegas was still a modest-sized town, though as the same year saw the legalisation of casino gambling in Nevada, this modesty wasn’t to last long.) As a result of this history, it’s the Hoover Dam that dominates the cultural offering of Boulder City with its most renowned accommodation, the Boulder Dam Hotel, originally built in 1933 to house visiting dignitaries and governmental officials.

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NEVADA

A tourist attraction in its own right, the woodpanelled lobby of this historic building features black and white photographs of its early days and a vintage music player to set the scene. It’s also home to the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum where the damn is both celebrated as a remarkable feat of engineering, designed to bring optimism back to a country ravaged by the Great Depression, but also as an endeavour that cost many lives. The official death-toll of the dam’s construction was 112, the last occurring in 1935, when an electrician’s helper, Patrick Tierney, fell from an intake tower. The town itself, which began as nothing more than a squatter’s camp on a barren slope, was eventually constructed to accommodate 5,000 workers.

Today, Boulder City is green and pleasant. Cafés, restaurants and pretty antique shops, housed in original Art Deco buildings, are its main draws. Of course, to really understand its history, a visit to the dam itself is essential. Tours across the top of the dam are held daily, but an alternative, which also takes in the natural splendour of Nevada’s volcanic scenery, is to take a trip along Black Canyon and gaze up rather than down at its imposing façade.

The canyon, encompassing a 12-mile stretch of the Colorado river, runs south from the dam and marks the border between Nevada and Arizona. Options for traversing this waterway include kayaks or motorassisted rafts and from this starting point, just below the dam, the sheer scale of its monstrous wall is best appreciated. It’s a sight that conjures mixed feelings.

All dams have implications for the waterways they plug, and the Hoover dam fundamentally changed the habitat of the Colorado River, with wide-ranging consequences for its wildlife. Yet it’s hard not to be impressed by this man-made feat which still provides electricity to 1.3 million people in the region.

HISTORIC LANDS Leaving the dam behind, the walls of Black Canyon, so-called due to deposits of iron and manganese that darken the surface of the looming rocks, rise nearly 2,000 feet on either side. Dotted with shrubs and squat barrel cactus, they are visibly scarred and stretched by millions of years of tectonic movement.

30 • EXPEDITIONS

Boulder City has a far more relaxed atmosphere than Las Vegas

A mural near the Hoover dam celebrates the tireless workers of the 1930s

Approaching the Grand Canyon from above as the sun rises

At some points along the journey sediment rock, even older than the volcanic rock above it, becomes visible in striated layers, while in others, hot spring water trickles down sulphur-stained fissures, hidden within caves and crevices. On the Nevadan side of Black Canyon these walls offer various hiking opportunities, though some trails are closed in the hotter months for safety reasons, making spring a good time to visit for those with serious hiking aspirations. Though the trails aren’t long, they are steep, and the dry, hot conditions are prone to catching people unawares.

Back on the water, small beaches emerge at several points along the route, providing the brave with opportunities to bathe – or perhaps just paddle.

Unlike the warmer, silty water on the north side of the dam, the water in Black Canyon is clear and cold, even when temperatures soar – in summer it can reach 45ºC. Early spring offers more palatable temperatures (though low to mid 30s are still common) and on April weekdays the water is quiet – the odd kayaker

or camper the only other company, along with several different species of bird. Redhead and ring-necked ducks, cormorants and grebes bob at the edge of the water and, if you’re lucky, you might see a great blue heron, a peregrine falcon or the scavengers of the canyon – turkey vultures – among many others. Even luckier visitors might spot the bighorn sheep – hardy canyon dwellers with horns that can weigh up to 14kg – though you’d be very blessed indeed to spot their elusive predator, the mountain lion.

Of course, if there’s one thing this region isn’t short of, it’s canyons. The maze of Red Rock Canyon and its towering sandstone peaks lies just a few miles west of Las Vegas, while to the east is Bootleg Canyon (named after the criminals who secretively produced liquor here during the Prohibition years). Both offer a range of hiking, biking and climbing, with Bootleg Canyon in particular home to some of southern Nevada’s best mountain biking trails. Though these red, rocky slopes may look inhospitable, the canyons offer another chance to spot Nevada’s wildlife.

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NEVADA

The Hoover Dam from the waters of Black Canyon

Keep an eye out for red-tailed hawks, bighorn sheep and chuckwallas – large lizards that once provided food for the Native American people of this region.

For a more thrilling approach, Bootleg Canyon offers adrenalin junkies a perfect option. The canyon is home to four zip lines that carry willing participants soaring above a mile and a half of craggy peaks. Alternatively, for those looking to put things into true bird’s-eye context, helicopter tours from Boulder City fly visitors in a loop, passing over the Hoover Dam and completing their circuit above the grand-daddy of all canyons – Grand Canyon West – whose vast walls plummet vertiginously below on an almost unbelievable scale.

From this vantage you’ll also look down at the waters of Lake Mead, a man-made lake on the Colorado River covering 247 square miles and butting into the Hoover Dam. Surrounded by the mountain plateaus and wide desert basins of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the lake is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity and as such there are plenty of activities available, both on and under its surface.

Water-skiing, sport fishing, swimming, scuba diving, boating, canoeing and kayaking all take place here.

SAND BLASTED For residents of the lower Colorado Basin, Lake Mead and the Colorado river in general represent an even more important asset, though one under increasing strain. The river provides water to 40 million people in the western US, but a 20-year drought has put it under pressure. Lake Mead hasn’t been full since 1983 and it fell to its lowest level ever in 2016 (this is 32 • EXPEDITIONS

clearly visible at the lake where a white line high out of the water marks the previous water-level). In April this year, President Trump signed a plan to cut back on the use of water from the Colorado River. Under the plan, Arizona, Nevada and in some circumstances California, have agreed not to extract water from Lake Mead when it falls to a certain level.

Though it certainly makes for a challenging environment, southern Nevada’s dryness also means desert scenery aplenty and, to round off a visit, Vegas is a convenient starting point for some full-on desert wanderings. Named after the Mojave Native Americans, the Mojave desert spans southern Nevada and southeastern California. One way to reach the Nevadan portion of the desert is to take a trip to the tiny ex-mining town of Goodsprings and its famous bar – the Pioneer Saloon – from which it’s possible to begin hiking or off-roading into the desert proper, (as the driest desert in North America, Mojave really is a proper desert). Driving down narrow trails in a bumpy dune-buggy, with dust rising all around, nothing could feel further from Las Vegas than this vast expanse of rock, dunes and iconic Joshua trees, pocked with tiny settlements and abandoned mining towns. Stopping on an outcrop of rock and looking out, the desert feels ancient and constant, a place The Las Vegas Strip and its neon take on Paris

The Container Park in downtown Las Vegas is a popular spot for locals

DOWNTOWN NEVADA n Las Vegas locals have one main recommendation for time spent in the city – head downtown. Located a few miles north of the strip, downtown Las Vegas (DTLV) was the original site of the city back in 1905. For a long time the area was abandoned, a definite no-go area for tourists, but while some areas still feel neglected, others have been completely rejuvenated. DTLV

offers a different experience from that of the strip. With plenty of art galleries, music and museums (including the excellent mob museum and the neon museum – where vintage Las Vegas signs go to rest) the cultural offering is richer.

Freemont Street is the heart of DTLV with the Fremont Street Experience hosting outdoor concerts and a regular light show.

where wild horses are free to roam, where bars look like movie sets, and where the local people perch on stools, drinking whiskey and wearing cowboy hats.

Returning from this wilderness to the neon glare of Las Vegas rams home what this city really is – a town sprung up from the desert, a surprisingly successful entertainment hub nestled within an inhospitable landscape. Thankfully, its proximity to such dramatic landscapes means it’s possible to enjoy the city but also to escape it. While the inside of one casino may look much like another, it’s the beauty of Nevada’s desert scenery that proves memorable. n

To the south is the Art District, home to a monthly arts festival celebrating the work of local artists, musicians and other creatives. To really get the feel of the place head to the downtown container park – an oasis of independent boutiques, tiny whiskey bars and vegan cafes.

An afternoon here feels more like being in chilled-out east London than flashy Las Vegas.

n TravelNevada: travelnevada.com n Black Canyon river adventures: www.blackcanyonadventures.com n Mountain biking Bootleg Canyon: bikeblastlasvegas.com n Flightlinez Bootleg Canyon: www.flightlinezbootleg.com n Vegas off-road tours: www.vegasoffroadtours.com n Papillon helicopter tours: www.papillon.com

EXPEDITIONS • 33

MCXPEDITIONS

34 • EXPEDITIONS

TA K I N G IT DOWN A NOTCH Too much travel today is all about getting from one place to another quickly, a sort of fast-food travel – get in, snap a selfie, get out. Instead, wouldn’t it be better to take your time and really get to know a place?

Exploring in the Eastern Desert, Egypt EXPEDITIONS • 35

MCXPEDITIONS

W H AT I S S L O W T R AV E L?

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S

low travel put simply is exactly as it sounds: the act of travelling slowly from place to place. We are delighted to tell you though that it is about so much more than that! Individuals that have experienced and embraced the huge benefits of slow travel will tell you that seeing less is actually more, and when you take your time, travelling can be infinitely more rewarding.

Traditional methods of slow travel would include walking, cycling, or even on horseback. The method is less important than the mindset. We can all walk anywhere in a hurry!

WHY CHOOSE SLOW TRAVEL? Slow travel is related to transformative travel, a form of travel which has the potential to be the catalyst to great change, not just in yourself, but in the world around you. Unless we visit new places that contrast with where we are all from, we all abstain from the opportunity to meet totally different people, understand what makes them tick, and learn from a new perspective.

One immensely positive by-product of worldly awareness is that people usually develop more concern for the welfare of the planet.

The plight of people thousands of miles away suddenly matters to us, because we’ve been there, we’ve met them. These benefits are potentially huge but not guaranteed. In order to unlock them the right mindset is crucial. If you travel to a place and view it through the lens of your next Instagram post, we would argue strongly that your ability to engage deeper than a very basic level will be limited. People making this mistake never open themselves fully to the experience or the moment.

At MCX we don’t pretend this is easy, far from it. Every hotel has a Wi-Fi key, most children have smart phones these days, and work email is impossible to escape with that all-singing, vibrating device never far away. Modern life batters us with a relentless barrage of bite-sized information which long-term can reduce someone’s potential to feel truly happy with the world around them.

WHY THE DESERT? The desert is a magical place and lends itself perfectly to transformative travel. Why? Because there’s nothing there!

There are no distractions, zero phone network coverage, no TV, screens, or any digital content. And importantly, no noise. If you have ever been lucky enough to find yourself in the middle of nowhere in the desert, just be still and listen. The silence is deafening. You hear your own breathing, the gentle shuffle of your feet, the sound of a rock clashing against another. It can drive you mad at first, as your mind continues to whirr at its normal rate. After a couple of days though our teams of desert slow travellers begin to relish three new-found luxuries: time, space, and quietness.

EXPEDITIONS • 37

MCXPEDITIONS

MCX

MCX is a company dedicated to bringing about positive change in its participants through mindful travel experiences. We experienced first-hand the powerful ability of nature to transform people and change mindsets in the great outdoors while on expedition in Namibia.

Co-founder Tim remembers the trip as a life-changing experience, one which felt real, visceral and on a larger scale than anything before. The combination of being surrounded by intense natural beauty while living simply helps one to connect directly with nature as you become aware of what is really important in life. This is why we travel to remote and wild locations: to strip away all distractions and help our clients live in the moment.

Mobile phones are not allowed!

EGYPT

NAMIBIA

Namibia provides a stunning natural experience across breathtaking landscapes from the Brandberg Mountain to the infamous Skeleton Coast, to the Dune Sea of the Namib Desert. Here we incorporate different elements of Namibia’s diverse natural settings, including lessons on bush craft and survival with bushmen on a private reserve. We track elephants on their migration routes taking in the roar of the sea along the skeleton coast. We explore ancient meteorite sites and rock art around the mountainous Brandberg region, and observe the impressive dune sea of the Namib.

38 • EXPEDITIONS

A desert expedition back in time. MCX’s itinerary explores the vast plains of the Eastern Desert, from the Red Sea to the lush and fertile banks of the Nile. On this exploration holiday we discover the land of the Pharaohs taking time to marvel at the millennia-old works of art carved in stone. Read with your own eyes amazing pharaonic inscriptions in situ where they were meant to be seen and read. We encourage our teams to step out of their normal routine and gently succumb to the rhythm of Bedouin life. Following the example of our Bedouin hosts and their camels, we progress along the same footsteps as their ancestors. Sleeping under the protection of a blanket of stars in the shadow of ancient Roman ruins adds further layers to the mindfulness inducing experience. We emerge from this desert trek like weary travellers and set sail on Egyptian feluccas. These broad and shallow vessels allow us to navigate the twists and turns of the Nile. As we drift along the banks of the world’s longest river, we’re able to feast our eyes upon the ancient marvels of Luxor.

OMAN

Oman represents a wonderful destination for people looking to experience something different.

We have purposefully chosen to leave behind the fast-developing tourist hubs on the edge of the desert and dive deep into the heart of the Bedouin homeland.

The Wahiba sands are home to a wide variety of species including sand gazelle, desert fox, and exotic bird species. The crystal blue sea has whales, dolphins, all sorts of fish and large populations of turtles, which we will work with a local conservation centre to help in their protection and tagging. Our Bedouin hosts will tell us stories of their homeland and ancestors and teach us how to prepare traditional food dishes over the campfire. We will also cross over from the dry desert to the sea, and set sail along the shining shoreline.

Find out more at: mcxpeditions.com/expeditions

ANDALUCÍA

To see the arid wilderness of the Badlands is to see Andalucia with new eyes. MCX participants are invited to abandon all preconceptions and embark on an adventure holiday designed to help people disconnect and regenerate their soul. Let the allure of Granada’s prehistoric canyons and valleys transport you back in time. Imagine the sound of a Spanish guitar lilting across the hills of Al Andalus, in the heart of the ancient Moorish kingdom. Feel beneath your feet the earth which bore fruit to a rich blend of people, culture and religion from both East and West, for over 20 generations.

We build our own shelters, and take part in living off the land. We orientate ourselves by the stars exactly as the first inhabitants did tens of thousands of years ago. This is a unique desert travel adventure and one of the most fulfilling activity holidays abroad that we offer.

EXPEDITIONS • 39

MCXPEDITIONS

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF SLOW TRAVEL

TRAINING YOUR BRAIN Have you ever felt overwhelmed by a situation? Maybe your first job or changing roles at work? Maybe you’ve been thrown in at the deep end and had to speak in front of a large group of people. The stress can be too much sometimes and if we don’t learn to cope, we can quickly feel inadequate, like a failure, or worse just give up all together. People often rationalise these moments with thoughts like: ‘it was unfair’, ‘I wasn’t prepared properly’, or ‘it just wasn’t my thing’.

If we regularly challenge ourselves and try experiences outside our comfort zone, we can start to develop strategies for coping in new or uncomfortable situations. By familiarising ourselves with the sensations and emotional responses we feel when faced with potentially overwhelming situations, we learn to embrace these feelings, not be daunted by them, and eventually use them to our advantage. While you may not think that the desert can teach you anything useful about management or business (although you’d be surprised), by taking part in this kind of adventurous activity, which is hands-on and demands active participation from each team member (not a passive luxury holiday where everything is done for you), you develop the kind of skills needed for any business environment.

MINDFULNESS AND WELL-BEING Life is hard. Once we embrace that fact then maybe we can stop being so hard on ourselves. If it were easy then no-one would have anything to do. Most jobs are about making our lives easier. Faster, more connected, lighter, smaller, bigger, stronger. But how much time do we dedicate to our state of mind and psychological well-being. It is proven that more time spent outdoors makes us happier. We were made to roam. And while we may not be nomads anymore, we shouldn’t lose our connection with nature completely.

Reaching new levels of mindfulness can make us happier people. Being mindful includes being more present in the current moment, being more self-aware (about our feelings and actions, and the feelings and actions of others) and also 40 • EXPEDITIONS

helping us to feel more fulfilled because we are more present in the current moment, which means we aren’t thinking about the past (an amazing holiday or a lost relationship) nor the future (retirement, a job promotion or amazing holiday), nor are we thinking about other people, their possessions, their wife/husband, their lifestyle. We are simply thinking about what we have and what we’re doing right here and right now, which can help us to be more appreciative.

When we are more mindful, we can look at things more objectively, instead in ‘passive mode’ where we either let things happen to us, or react to things as they happen to us.

If we just let things happen to us, then the things we give importance to, are those things which other people tell us are important, our boss, wife/husband, friends, even advertising content. Being mindful can help us see the motives behind a person’s actions/opinions, or the motives behind an advert on a billboard. This will help us to make up our own minds about what we value as important. Does my salary really reflect my success? Are the clothes I’m wearing really important? When you’ve met and spoken with people with no clothes – and some days no food – you tend to realise a lot of these things are just not as important as you thought.

GENUINELY DISCONNECTING This is important to allow creativity to flourish and for our feeling of fulfilment. Being constantly connected in the modern digital age starves our brains of opportunities to rest. Important neuro functions happen during restful periods. Memory, creativity, and concentration are negatively impacted by being constantly connected. It is not entirely our fault. Technology and social media platforms have been designed in ways to purposefully create addictive patterns of behaviour. Look up Skinner’s pigeon. Our brain looks for ways to get a dopamine hit, and each like, notification or new email can do this. We then find ourselves looking for this dopamine hit even when we’re not at work, when we’re with friends, or simply waiting for a bus. How often do you check your phone, without even knowing what you checked it for?

WHO IS MCX? n MCX is an industry leader of adventure travel in arid climates. As experts in remote desert journeys, we invite you to slow down, step out of your everyday rhythm, and embark on the expedition of a lifetime in some of the world’s most beautiful places.

OUR USPs n Finding a place with no distractions is becoming increasingly more difficult.

Even if you can’t see or hear anyone, you’re probably still connected via your phone. Walk just a few hours in any direction and you are bound to come across somebody, or pick up some kind of signal. To get away from it all you have to travel longer and further. MCX thrives on the challenge of travelling to some of the world’s most remote locations, and walking for days on end without another soul in sight. n It is little wonder that stories of prophets and religious men all tend to include some episode in the desert. Even though we are learning increasingly more about the diverse natural wildlife of deserts, they remain places with vast open spaces, deafening silence, and peaceful calm. Such landscapes are impressive and unlike anything else you will have seen before. It is sure to leave a lasting impression on you, and soon you may find yourself, while packed on a busy train surrounded by the usual commuters, wishing for the wide-open spaces of the desert once more. n If you’re thinking adrenaline, think again. The short, sharp high of a base jump or high-speed chase may leave your endorphin levels soaring, but you probably don’t remember a lot of the details. And once the rush has subsided, you are back where you started, looking for answers once more. Lasting personal development comes from slow, dedicated thought and reflection.

The deserts of Oman provide the ultimate ‘get away from it all’ experience

• MCXpeditions • info@mcxpeditions.com • mcxpeditions.com EXPEDITIONS • 41

US DESERTSE

n DEATH VALLEY

by Jakub Gorajek Death Valley in eastern California is one of the hottest places in the world with temperatures reaching into the high 50ºCs.

JUST DESERTS The word desert may conjure up desolate, barren terrain devoid of feature, but you don’t have to venture far into the arid landscapes of North America to find astonishing beauty...

42 • EXPEDITIONS

n DELICATE ARCH

by Pedro Lastra Delicate Arch is 52-foot free-standing natural arch located in Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah. It’s formed of Entrada Sandstone and its upper reaches are the summer home of whitethroated swifts.

n ARIZONA HEAT

by Matt Howard Arizona is home to nine of the United States’ major highway routes.

EXPEDITIONS • 43 43

US DESERTSE

n BALANCED ROCK

by Jeff Finley One of the most famous sights in Arches National Park, Balanced Rock stands 39m tall and weighing as much as 27 blue whales.

n THE WAVE

by Stephen Leonardi These red sandstone formations sit at the border between Utah and Arizona in the Vermilion Cliffs national monument.

44 • EXPEDITIONS

n JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS

by Pam Riches These layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the region between five and 45 million years ago are in central Oregon within the John Day River basin. n MONUMENT VALLEY

by Ganapathy Kumar Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau containing a series of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching 1,000ft above the valley floor.

EXPEDITIONS • 45

ARCTIC EXPEDITION

CRUISE THE ARCTIC WITH ARCTIC EXPEDITION

The north has throughout history, always attracted explorers and people seeking expeditions. This has not changed, also in modern times, this is the place to travel if you want to experience the harsh nature, elements, and the ‘nothing’ all around you Springtime in Svalbard – Expedition Cruise

During the month of May, Svalbard is characterised by a wonderful purity and offers breathtaking sceneries. The fairytale winter landscape is dominated by sparkling ice formations, snow covered mountains, fjord ice and pastel coloured skies. It is spring in the Arctic and it is an indescribable experience to be there and witness the archipelago come to life.

Dates:

14–22 May 2019 21–29 May 2019 28 May–5 June 2019

Price: From $5,090 46 • EXPEDITIONS

Expedition Svalbard with MV Quest

Join a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in one of the world’s most remote wildernesses! With ten nights on board the small ship MV Quest we have plenty of time for grand nature experiences and wildlife encounters. In July the summer has arrived, the midnight sun reigns supreme and the purple saxifrage decorates the slopes. The whales are increasing in numbers and in August the ice is slowly starting to loosen its grip, which offers good opportunities to explore the seldom visited eastern parts of the archipelago.

A once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

Dates:

5–15 July 2019 15–25 July 2019 4–14 August 2019 14–24 August 2019

Price: From $7,490

Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway

Few places can coincide with the beautiful and undiscovered hidden winter fjords of Northern Norway. The rough and mighty Alps are raising from the sea level to the highest peak are powdered with snow and blue winter light. Even in the darkest period of the polar night the blue pastel colours of the sky are magnificent. In addition, the mysterious landscape is often illuminated by the legendary Northern Lights during clear nights.

Price: From NOK9,990

2019 8–11 October 11–15 October 15–18 October 18–22 October 22–25 October 25–28 October 5–8 November 8–12 November 12–15 November 15–19 November 19–22 November 26–29 November 3–6 December 6–10 December 10–13 December 13–17 December 17–20 December 20–27 December 27 December–2 January

Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Christmas Cruise New Year Cruise

2020

The MV Quest in the ice around Smeerenburgbreen in Svalbard

Svalbard’s wildlife can provide some fascinating encounters

3–7 January 7–10 January 29 January–4 February 4–7 February 7–11 February 11–14 February 14–18 February 13–17 March 17–20 March 20–24 March 24–27 March 31 March–3 April 3–7 April 7–10 April 10–14 April 14–17 April

Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Northern Lights and whales in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway Sail Northern Norway - Alta to Lofoten Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway - Lofoten to Tromsø Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Tromsø to Alta Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Alta to Tromsø Valentine Cruise Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Tromsø to Alta Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Alta to Tromsø Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Tromsø to Lofoten Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway - Lofoten to Tromsø Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Tromsø to Alta Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Alta to Tromsø Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway – Tromsø to Lofoten Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway - Lofoten to Tromsø Northern Lights in the Hidden Fjords of Northern Norway

• Arctic Expedition • Strandvegen 106 9006 Tromsø Norway • info@arcticexpedition.no • +47 91 800 000 • arcticexpedition.no EXPEDITIONS • 47

ONE OCEAN EXPEDITIONS

LEGENDS OF THE CANADIAN ARCTIC Operating thoughtful, educational and adventurous voyages to the Canadian Arctic, One Ocean Expeditions has been hosting an array of fascinating experience-focused itineraries to this unique region for over ten years

S

ailing in the Canadian Arctic is a life-changing experience. An epic and harsh landscape, the Arctic is home to rolling tundra, immense glaciers, striking cliffs and magnificent wildlife, which ensures that this part of the world remains awe-inspiring for even the most seasoned of travellers. But elevating this polar region into something truly special is the centuries of human stories that make up its history.

COMMUNITIES OF THE NORTH The revered High Arctic Explorer voyage journeys

48 • EXPEDITIONS

into the heart of the Canadian Arctic, sailing from the remote outpost of Resolute located above the Arctic Circle, stopping at bird sanctuaries, historical sites, Inuit communities and reaching the high latitudes of Ellesmere Island, just 500 nautical miles from the North Pole. Through the stories told by members of remote communities, such as Grise Fjord – the northernmost community in Canada, passengers will be educated on their extraordinary way of life and, in turn, will become ambassadors for their protection.

Piita Irniq, Inuit, prominent spokesperson and the second Commissioner of Nunavut, shares his story with visitors to Nunavut, a land he fought hard to make its own. ‘I was born in an igloo and lived in an igloo for the first eleven years of my life.

I was living on the land for the first eleven years of my life, hunting and fishing and surviving from the land.’ Learning about the Inuit way of life is a unique opportunity available to very few. Guests on board

Credit: David Sinclair Credit: Dave Sandford

Learn about daily life from the Inuit of Pond Inlet, Nunavut

The majestic polar bear makes his home on the Arctic sea ice

A remote beach on Beechey Island lays rest to members of Sir John Franklin’s lost expedition

One Ocean Expeditions’ vessels are humbled as they hear remarkable stories first-hand from Piita and other respected leaders.

Not only are the indigenous people of these regions pleased to share stories passed on by their elders, they truly welcome visitors into their way of life, sharing their traditions, offering handmade crafts and showcasing their talents. ‘We benefit from tourists coming into the community and buying local goods, such as carvings,’ says Piita Irniq. ‘Inuit at the community level are benefiting from the fact that we are promoting our own culture to the newcomer.

The more communities visited, the more people can learn about the Inuit.’ Since the establishment of One Ocean Expeditions in 2007, the company has contributed continuously to programs in Arctic communities, helping them to connect the far North with the south of Canada and the rest of the world.

EARLY ARCTIC EXPLORERS The history of the world’s greatest explorers is often high on the list of reasons to visit the remote Canadian Arctic. Throughout the 1800s, well-known experienced explorers struggled through the Northwest Passage, its ice-choked waterways and sheer cliffs proving a worthy rival in the search for a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The story of Sir John Franklin’s expedition during the mid-18th century, and the enduring mystery of its fate, has gripped the imagination and intrigue of historians for more than 150 years. A partner in the 2014 discovery of HMS Erebus, Franklin’s long-lost ship, One Ocean Expeditions’ capable ice-strengthened vessels confidently navigate these waters in safety, enabling guests to experience the magic of one of the most iconic routes in maritime history.

Departing from Resolute, the Pathways to Franklin expedition follows the route sailed by Sir EXPEDITIONS • 49

Credit: Dave Sandford

ONE OCEAN EXPEDITIONS

Credit: Dave Sandford

Inuksuk, traditionally constructed by the Inuit, can be found across the frozen lands of the Canadian Arctic

Credit: Roberto Serrini

Sea-kayakers from a One Ocean Expeditions voyage explore the Arctic sea ice

John Franklin, the famed explorer, visiting historic locations along the way including Beechey Island, where Franklin’s expedition spent its last comfortable winter between 1845-1846. A trip ashore to visit the grave markers on a remote windswept beach gives one pause to wonder on the bravery of these pioneering explorers, as they sought a way through the frozen landscape. Presentations on the Arctic’s fascinating history accompany hikes onshore and Zodiac cruises to the base of glacial walls and cliffs teeming with migratory birdlife.

This is small-ship expedition cruising at its best, on board the perfect platforms to discover the High Arctic: Akademik Ioffe and Akademik Sergey Vavilov host less than 100 passengers and RCGS Resolute, the newest addition to the fleet, holds under 146 guests.

The vessels maintain a minimum of 1A ice-strength classifications, internal stabilisers and expansive observation decks, as well as a 1:4 staff to passenger ratio offering a superb level of customer service.

Named after the Inuit town Resolute, RCGS Resolute is designed for comfort, but easily manoeuvres through the ice floes of the Arctic, travelling to remote bays that are otherwise inaccessible.

Today, One Ocean Expeditions is integrating a newly developed educational program curating onboard exhibits, sourcing educational tools and leading excursions into the Arctic to teach about the area’s intriguing human history. Dr Katie Murray, Education Program Developer, explains; ‘Developing this type of programming is important … it imparts the knowledge of the past, providing a connection to us here in the present, and allows us to grow as a company and share that with our guests.’ With onboard historians, naturalists and geologists joining every voyage, an expedition with One Ocean Expeditions is as much about learning as it is about the experience of travel. n

Walrus weigh up to 1.5 tons and can grow to 11.5 feet

From Ellesmere Island in Canada’s High Arctic to the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, One Ocean Expeditions provides extraordinary marine travel experiences in some of the most remote regions of the world.

Call 020 3126 4039 or visit www.oneoceanexpeditions.com

There is only One Ocean…

50 • EXPEDITIONS

Unravel The Mystery Of Early Exploration

CANADIAN ARCTIC Expedition Cruising Onboard RCGS Resolute

BUILD YOUR DREAM NOW

020 3126 4039 oneoceanexpeditions.com

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ONE O CEA N