1569 by TNT Magazine

September 23-29 2013 Issue 1569 tntmagazine.com

InNth!s W x mo

si free gym membership

scream city Braving the world’s biggest bungee in Macau

s r e v a s r e sup

Travel Show T N T ’s k e e bs at this w a r g r fo p u s t discoun Huge holiday ISSUE 1569 / £1.95

+ prague minibreak gay footballers house-sitting tips mad for mazes

9 772051 605008

Become a myTNT VIP for access to fantastic freebies, huge discounts and heaps of benefits. For just £50, joining our new members club will give you the chance to do more in London and beyond for less. For full details see tntmagazine.com/myTNT-VIP

New deals!

NEW! FREE membership to the exclusive Travel Club – worth £49 FREE VIP experience at TNT’s amazing Travel Shows – worth £30 NEW! FREE MedSailor voucher for September travel – worth £200 SaVE 20% on all Hop-On Hop-Off passes with Busabout FREE! VIP experience at the TNT Travel Show – worth £30 Save £49

Save

£15.95

New! the travel Club Sign up to become a VIP and you’ll bag free entry to The Travel Club – worth £49. As well as offers and deals on fantastic trips, you’ll get a £100 travel voucher, airport lounge passes and 10% off trips booked with G Adventures.

free albellI photo book Get a professional, topquality photo book and remember your travels with a free, 24-page medium landscape album. All members will be able to design and create their bespoke album for free when they join myTNT VIP.

Save £24

free Case of boNdI beer Make sure your summer BBQ kicks off in style with a case of Bondi Beer. The first 50 VIPs will receive a case of 24 cans of premium lager. Because we all know summertime parties are thirsty work. You are very welcome.

Save £29.99

Save £140

Save £50

free aNNual CuIsINe Card Take advantage of huge deals on London’s top restaurants with this discount card which boasts the likes of the Rainforest Cafe, Shaka Zulu and Tiger Tiger. The first 100 VIPs will bag an annual membership with Cuisine Card.

free 8th day adveNture This sport, adventure and social club which hosts hundreds of events every year is offering the first 30 myTNT VIPs free annual membership worth £140. After that, VIPs will benefit from 2-4-1 savings on all membership prices.

£50 latedeals vouCher Sign up to become a myTNT VIP and you’ll receive an exclusive £50 discount off your next holiday with latedeals.co.uk. Looking for a last-minute break, head to this site which boasts fivestart experiences without the price tag.

More at my.tNtMaGaZINe.CoM/MytNt-vIp

ANDREW WESTBROOK ACTING EDITOR andrew.westbrook@tntmultimedia.com

EDITOR’S LETTER If you spot a typo or two in this issue (and we’ve a nagging feeling you will), then apologies. We’ve been just a little bit busy this week at TNT Towers, you see, thanks to this weekend’s return of the annual drinking and deals extravaganza that is the TNT Travel Show. There will be plenty of cheap trips available on the day, plus expert travel gurus on hand to answer all your questions, so don’t miss out! Find out more on P53.

THIS WEEK

London Diary 6-7 DRINK & EATS

12+17

DRINK & EATS

@TNT 18 LONDON SOUND 20 chatroom

durban dosh

Sun, surf and a stress-free job culture is what awaits in South Africa’s third city

Lifestyle 24-27

match of the gay

CAREERS 24

Will the rainbow laces campaign make any difference to stone age football?

LIVING 26

get lost

NEWS 30-31

If you love getting lost, you’re go mad for this list of the world’s five best mazes

TRAVEL 37 NEWS 39 LATE DEALS 40 travel tips 41 TOP FIVE 42 SHORTBREAK 44 big trip 48 travel show

czech-ered pasts

money 29 sport 32-35

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, TNT, Czech Tourism

Features

A new initiative sees Prague’s former homeless leading unique city tours

the high life

Braving the world’s highest bungee and hitting the high-flyers tables in Macau

travel show guide

The lowdown on what to expect and some of the massive discounts available

48 tntMagazine.com

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YOU ARE HERE

Wish you weren’t? At Kathmandu you’ll find all the gear you need for travel and adventure. We’ve also teamed up with Intrepid Travel so you could win the free trip of a lifetime. To Vietnam, Peru or Nepal. Just go to kathmandu.co.uk/win and enter the free prize draw. Do it now and get £10 off when you spend £50 or more online. Want out? Log on. Competition ends October 31. Terms & Conditions apply.

For people who want out

kathmandu.co.uk gear for travel and adventure

Editorial Group editor Carol Driver Editor Laura Chubb Content editors: Sub/ Sport Michael Gadd Travel Helen Elfer Entertainment Alasdair Morton Web Oliver Jones Social media Dan Thorne Contributors Andrew Westbrook | Caroline Garnar| Bill Slater

LONDONDIARY

@tntmagazine

One from the vaults

Design and production Head of design and production Lisa Ferron Design / picture editor Patricia Montenegro

Sales Commercial director David Alstin Sales manager Jaqui Ward Sales administrator Abby Nightingale marketing & events Jaqui Ward ACCOUNTS Margaret Roberts | Suzanne Welsh Publisher Startrack Limited Distribution Emblem Direct Ltd Printed by Wyndeham Peterborough Limited News AAP Pictures Getty Images, TNT Images, Thinkstock TNT Magazine , 111 Cannon Street, London EC4N 5AR tntmagazine.com General enquiries Phone 020 3011 1066 Email enquiries@tntmagazine.com sales enquiries

Shhh... SECRET LONDON afl and nrl grand finals screenings

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Fulham

Where to get TNT

Don’t worry, being on the other side of the world in a different hemispere doesn’t mean you need miss a kick of either of the upcoming AFL or NRL grand finals. So where might you be able to get out and watch these matches, given the snag of the time difference? TNT has teamed up with Fuham’s Elk Bar to make sure that you can catch every kick, debate and indicent of both of the matches and do it with all your mates and a bevvie in hand. On top of that, the best footy dressed wins a £50 bar tab as well.

cover price: £1.95 where sold See tntmagazine.com/findtnt for pick-up points or tntmagazine.com/emag to read TNT online Subscriptions and Distribution Caroline Penn 01603 559004

£10

All thieves of TNT bins will be prosecuted.

AFL Sep 28, 4.30am; NRL Oct 6, 7.30am Elk Bar, SW6 5UA Fulham Broadway

soho literary festival

astronomoy photography

girls’ night out comedy show

This event opens with The Betrayal of Oscar Wilde, with Wilde’s grandson Merlin Holland and Hollywood actor Rupert Everrett in an open discussion, with other speakers in the four-day programme including author Lionel Shriver, comedian Ruby Wax and Ian Hislop and the Private Eye team.

The finalists from this year’s fifth annual Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 competiton go on display in four categories – Earth and Space, Our Solar System, Deep Space, and Young Astronomy Photographer of the Year – with entries coming from and featuring all over the world.

Kerry Godliman, Zoe Lyons, Francesca Martinez, and 2013 Ed Fringe winner Bridget Christie will be joined by Aussie Hannah Gadsby and more on this all-female line up. It’s in support of charity Stonewall’s Education for All programme which tackles homophobic bullying in schools.

Sep 25-29, times vary Soho Theatre, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road soholitfest.com

Until Feb 23, 2014, 10am-5pm Royal Observatory, SE10 8XJ Greenwich rmg.co.uk

Sep 30, 7.30pm The Bloomsbury, WC1H 0AH Euston Square thebloomsbury.com

£9+

TNT Magazine is printed on paper from sustainable forests. There is no business connection between the proprietors of this magazine and TNT Ltd, the worldwide transportation group. Copyright here and abroad of all original materials is held by TNT Magazine. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden, except with permission of the publishers. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office.

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Not for profit: Cole’s social sharing network helps without asking for a cent

futurefest Shoreditch

What does the future hold in store for us? This two day event considers exactly that. There will be talks from SF authors, architects, futurologists and more, including Lily Cole (above) whose launched a social giving network, as well as cutting edge tech shows and interactive performance events. It looks not just at how technology will change, but how our values and attitudes towards the earth and each other will, too. £36

Sept 28 & 29, 9.30am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-4.30pm Shoreditch Town Hall, EC1V 9LT Old Street futurefest.org

complex city

raindance film fest

London-based artist Christopher Farrell takes centre stage with his first exhibition in seven years. This time he casts his eye over London itself producing works that capture the changing face of the city’s skyline, which features everything from the walkie scorchie to St Paul’s cathedral.

Europe’s largest independent film festival has over 300 films this year, including Britain’s first web fest. There will be everything from rom-coms to art doccos, with Julian Assange amongst those on the jury panel. Watching movies would certainly pass the time stuck in the Ecuadorian embassy!

Sep 25-29, 11am-6pm Oxo Gallery, SE1 9PH Waterloo East coinstreet.org

Sep 25-Oct 6, times vary Vue Piccadilly, SW1Y 4LR Piccadilly Circus raindancefestival.org

Photos: Getty, TNT Images

FREE

£8+

What will you do with your two weeks? Volunteer in our clinical trials and help beat colds and flu! Play games, read, watch TV, study or surf the internet and we’ll compensate you for your time – up to £3750.

FluCamp.com

Join the club: hands up who’s a myTNT VIP

Do more for less So much to do, so little money. Fret not – we’ve created a myTNT VIP members club to nab you huge savings. Here’s how Words LAURA CHUBB London life can be bloody expensive – the average cost of a few bevvies down the pub is ample testament to that. So how to get the most out of life in the Big Smoke and all those awesome travel opportunities on your doorstep without going bankrupt? TNT feels your pain – why live in this kick-ass city if you can’t afford to leave your flat and enjoy it? Which is why, to celebrate our 30th birthday this year, we’re launching a myTNT VIP members club, giving you the chance to do more in London and beyond for less. This includes everything from money off meals to exclusive savings on travel. Becoming a member gets you access to travel discounts that are offered only to you (that’s what it means to be a VIP, see?), plus the VIP package for our Travel Show this weekend (think more deals and queue jumping) and free access to TNT events. We’ll also keep adding discount deals that are available 8

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only to you throughout the year. The bottom line: as a TNT VIP, you can’t fail to save loads of wonga. There’s also the chance to get your mitts on a case of Bondi Beer, which is nothing to be sniffed at – CEO Ross Bennie is a Sydneysider born and bred and he brewed it, so he tells us, because he felt what was widely on offer in London “didn’t represent the best of Aussie beer” (not naming any names). Bondi even has its roots in Australian history: the Saaz hop in the recipe was the first hop to be brought over to Australia (from Germany) to make the very first Aussie beers. It’s taken off quickly, starting in a microbrewery in Sydney to land on these shores just three years later. Sounds like a dream come true. Has it been? “A guy from Sydney with his very own beer brand called Bondi?” Bennie laughs. “It’s every boy’s dream!” And while there are plans to create a

new brew already, Bennie reckons he’s already come up with the ideal bevvie. “It’s been designed with the irreverence of Oz in mind – it’s a fun beer, a party beer, a barbecue beer.” Just our type. The Cuisine Card will help you soak up all that grog on the cheap, bagging you up to half off your bill at loads of London’s premier restaurants, including Planet Hollywood, Tiger Tiger, La Tasca and Shaka Zulu. Owner Justin Hodnett tells us it’ll even nab you money off two restaurants in Paris: “We’ve got a foothold in Europe now so watch this space.” So you might end up saving on meals on your travels, too. Bonus. MORE VIP DISCOUNTS & DEALS ››

Sign up at tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip You can also win a case of Bondi Beer with our blog comp. bondibeer.com More on Cuisine Card at cuisinecard.co.uk

ENJOY SIGHTSEEING WITH US!

WEEKEND BREAKS ISLE OF WIGHT OVERNIGHT ONLY £109 Saturday 28th Sep - Sunday 29th Sep. Tour Includes: Entrance to Osborne House, 1 Night Hotel Accommodation with breakfast, Visit to view the famous Needles, return luxury coach travel, return ferry crossings, services of an Anderson Tours Tour Manager.

Food fight: tangle at La Tomatina with a discount

BELGIUM BEER FESTIVAL from £129

Departure dates - 12th or 19th Oct. Weekend Tour Includes: Return luxury coach travel and ferry crossings, One night B&B hotel in Ostend, Free Time in Ostend Saturday afternoon. Entrance to the Diksmuide Beer Festival Day trip to Brugge & Services of a Tour Manager

DISCOUNT! Limited time only! Go to website www.andersontours.co.uk and enter promo code TNT5 for £5 discount off day trips and TNT10 for £10 discount off weekend breaks. DAY TRIPS WINDSOR, STONEHENGE & SALISBURY only £65 Runs daily. Tour Includes: Visit to Windsor & Entrance into Windsor Castle and Stonehenge, Visit to Salisbury & Entrance into Salisbury Cathedral, Custom Central London Pick up, Luxury coach travel throughout, Services of an Anderson Tours Tour Manager

BRUGGE ONLY £52 Rise and stein: bag a bargain Oktoberfest break

Saturday 28th September. Tour includes: Return luxury coach travel Return cross channel ferry, Plenty of free time to explore this fairytale city, its museums, history and beauty, Services of an Anderson Tours Tour Manager

Stonehenge and Bath tour runs daily from £39. Oxford Strafford & Cotswolds Tour runs daily from £55

BRIGHTON ONLY £39 Sunday 29th September.

Tour includes: Return luxury coach travel, Guided tour of Brighton, Plenty of free time to explore the beach and pier, Services of an Anderson Tours Tour Manager.

Book now and research tours at

www.andersontours.co.uk 0207 436 9304

info@andersontours.co.uk Follow us @andersontours

Get the party started: free entry to TNT events tntMagazine.com

brit movie tours 50 per cent off

TRAVEL TALK TOURS 5 PER CENT OFF

Brit Movie Tours specialises in visits to film and TV locations in the capital and throughout Britain – think Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and more. Become a VIP myTNTer and you’ll get a 2-4-1 discount when booking your tour (applies to public scheduled walking tours and half-day bus tours). Must be booked in advance by phone.

Whether you’re looking to explore Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan or Russia, or bake in the sunshine on the high seas while sailing Greece and/ or Croatia, VIP myTNTers will get an extra 5 per cent off tour operator Travel Talk’s advertised prices. The exclusive offer also applies to festival tours including world’s biggest food fight La Tomatina, Oktoberfest, Anzac and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Go get festive.

50%

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

LAS VEGAS TO GRAND CANYON MINI TOUR 15 PER CENT OFF Tick these mammoth travel must-dos off your hit list with an exclusive 15 per cent discount for myTNT VIP members, courtesy of Trek America. Winners of ‘Best Tour Operator to the USA’ at the British Travel Awards in 2012, these small group specialists will whisk you off for a wild time in Sin City before you go exploring the Grand Canyon, a mile-deep monster considered to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Lucky you. 15%

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

ITALY TOURS 20 PER CENT OFF Florence-based tour company Italy On A Budget will give myTNT VIPs 20 per cent off their trips, letting you see loads of travel essentials for cheap (Tuscany, Pisa and Cinque Terre to name just a few). Tours can also include cooking courses, horse riding and pub crawls. Sweet. 20%

There’s nothing quite like shooting your mates with bright paint and making sure they’re bruised to buggery, eh? Make yourself a member of the myTNT VIP club and you can do this for half the normal price with Delta Force Paintball, which has paintball centres in southeast London and at various locations around the M25. These guys will make sure you have an absolute blast, offering up state-of-the-art machine guns and awesome themed game zones (a few examples include Zombies’ Crypt, Tomb Raider, The Black Pearl and Black Hawk Down). 50%

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

tntMagazine.com

SPA BREAKS £10 off all treats

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

MY LIVING LONDON MEMBERSHIP FREE Everyone who signs up to be a myTNT VIP within the first six months of our launch will receive free annual membership (worth £60) to My Living London, which gets you discounts on theatre tickets, bars, clubs, hair and beauty salons and more. FREE

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

This spa getaway specialist sends you off on short breaks and spa days around the country, with most packages including a few treatments, accommodation and some meals. Perfect for big groups looking to get away from it all and be pampered, and at an affordable price. Become a myTNT VIP and you can slash the budget even further – Spa Breaks will give you £10 off all treats just because you’re with us. Helps to have friends in high places, don’t it? -£10

burgers at elk bar 2-4-1 You VIPs need to eat too. Fulham watering hole Elk Bar will supply 2-4-1 burgers to all myTNT VIPs before 6pm – sure to impress any visitors over from Down Under, who will assume this special treatment means you have somehow bagged the key to the city. Well done, you. 2-4-1

tntmagazine.com/mytnt-vip

Photos: Getty; Thinkstock; TNT

delta force paintball 50 per cent off

ANGLO PACIFIC SHIPPING & TAX 30th Anniversary OVER 500,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS HAVE ALREADY TRUSTED THEIR POSSESSIONS TO ANGLO PACIFIC, LONDON’S LEADING SHIPPERS EXCESS BAGGAGE > Free supply of tea cartons and bubble > Free delivery/collection within M25 > By sea/air/road worldwide > Money Back Guarantee HOUSEHOLD REMOVALS > Free home survey, no obligation > Packed by skilled professionals > Shared or exclusive containers > Motor car/bike specialist shippers TAX REBATES > Average refund £963 secured last year > Online Tax Pack, only 10% commission MONEY TRANSFERS > Competitive exchange rates FINANCIAL PROTECTION > Bonded by the British Association of Removers > Bonded by the Association of Tax Agents > FIDI Accredited International Mover

www.anglopacific.co.uk SO BEFORE YOU CHECK OUT OF EUROPE CHECK OUT ANGLO PACIFIC

FREEPHONE 0800 151 3511 Anglo Pacific International Plc, 5/9 Willen Field Road, Park Royal, London, NW10 7BQ Email: baggage@anglopacific.co.uk Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am - 6.00pm Sat 9am-1pm

LONDONDRINKS LONDONdrinks

THE craft EARL OF ESSEX The beer co.

@tntmagazine @tntmagazine

Beer-u-tiful: welcoming and with amazing brews

PUB BAR

THE SCENE Amid the quiet Georgian millionaire homes of Angel THE SCENE From outside, The Craft Beer Co. looks like a pub from

sits the glazed-tile film set it’s the facade of this brew pub. The first thing you’ll notice stepping ina isn’t the–stonewash very model of how a pub should look. But it’s in fact one in an independent chain blue walls or the extensive beer board, it’s the clientele who are all peculiarly whose devotion to good beer has won a staunch following. Launched in 2011, attractive, successful looking, and in that comfortably professional 27-34 bracket. If they have four sites now and the latest in Angel may be its most fetching. Oddly, you’re anything like me, this makes spotting your friends very easy, as they huddle the most noticeable feature on entry is the thick, red, luxuriant carpet. Stripped together in a dark corner, looking like a pile of old coats and withering plastic wooden floors have become ubiquitous with cool pubs in the past decade, but here bags. A neat rear beer garden is made to feel pleasantly rustic with over-sized it’s a glorious throwback – coupled with the deep, racing green walls, it makes this angular stone furniture. The pub’s devotion to beer is in evidence too, as a mash drinking hole more welcoming than any I’ve encountered in London. The span of tun, fermenter and hopper loom in chrome behind the bar. generations among patrons is also uncommon. It isn’t infested with students, nor is THE GRUB A solid menu of pub favourites with handy beer match recommendations. it an ‘old mans’ pub’ – it seems good beer brings people together. The bar may be The 6oz cheese burger is delish, as are the BBQ ribs and mountainous meat platter. small but it’s always well-staffed, and a cosy garden provides a retreat for smokers. The grub Crisps and nuts. If you want food, go to a restaurant. BEHIND THE BAR The latest incarnation of The Earl of Essex has jumped headlong onto the craft beer bandwagon. And the Earl does a fine selection, all viewable on Behind the bar Despite all of its perks, comfortably the best thing about The Craft two mammoth beer boards. There’s even Harbour, a rye beer with a Kiwi hop. Beer Co. is the variety and quality of its beer menu, an incredible array of globally BILL PLEASE Most of the ales come in around a respectable £4 mark. They do wine sourced craft brews and ales. Seriously awesome. too for you non-beer drinking lameoids. Mains £7.50; sides £3; desserts £3.50. Bill please Pints and spirits from £3.20, wine from £4 per glass. VERDICT All new pubs purport to do ‘craft beer’. The Earl actually does and does it verdict I’ll say it without reservation or exception: this, in my opinion, is the best better than most; coupled with a pitch perfect atmosphere, you’ve got a winner. pub in London. Oli jones 25 Danbury Street, N1 8LE earlofessex.net Angel/Old Street 55 White Lion St, N1 9PP thecraftbeerco.com Angel

TINSELTOWN BAR PEPITO

AMERICAN WINE BARSDINERS

tinseltown.co.uk barpepito.co.uk

SOHO DINER THE DINER GORDON’S GRAPESHOTS The burgers at this diner on There down are sixArtillery branches of WINE BAR Tucked Old Compton Streetthis might Established in 1890, be confusing (aasingle cave-like den of bar iscomes withoftwo patties, a double one London’s most with three), but they’re characterful, and a great pretty good, plus spot fordamn a date. Get in there theretoare cocktails on tap early nab a seat, though. for just Dangerous. Also has £6. an outdoor area. sohodiner.com gordonswinebar.com

this bad boyLiverpool across London, Passage near Street packing a kick-ass selection station, dark wood panneling of boozy shakes and the odd wine (spiked barrel give with everything fromcosy rum this bar a wonderfully to cognac), masses of burger feel, perfect for hunkering and dog ana alldown and options sluggingand back day breakfast range of vinos. menu. goodlifediner.com davy.co.uk/grapeshots

LONDON’S BIGGEST FREE TRAVEL SHOW

Saturday 28 September tnttravelshow.com 12

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Photos: Twitter

3 of OF the THE best BEST

Islington AThis small sherry basement bar hidden den is open midday til 5am, in a courtyard near King’s and it’ll probably take Cross station, Pepito is ayou cute all ofspot thatthat timealso to decide little serves which drink epicits Spanish tapason totheir go with list of milkshakes to order. impressive list of fortified Black Forest Oreo? wines. You can also Cherry try a few Bakewell? It goesflights. on ... styles with sherry

You brewdy: this Angel pub is a real beer-lovers’ haven

CHEERS! THE ASCOT BEER FESTIVAL 4TH & 5TH OCTOBER ENJOY A DIVERSE AND UNIQUE TASTE OF LIVE MUSIC, SUPERB RACING, AND YOUR PICK OF MORE THAN 200 REAL ALES, CIDERS AND PERRIES, INCLUDING THE BLACK COUNTRY REGIONAL BAR. TICKETS FROM £13PP.

0844 346 3000 ascot.co.uk

Become a myTNT V for access to fantastic fre huge discounts and heaps o For just £50, joining our new club will give you the chan more in London and beyon For the full list of details a see tntmagazine.com/myT NEW! FREE membership to the exclusive Travel Club – worth £49 NEW! FREE MedSailor voucher for September travel – worth £200 FREE 8th Day Adventure membership for 30 VIPs – worth £140 FREE My Living London discount card for all VIPs – worth £60 FREE Cuisine Card membership for first 100 VIPs – worth £29.99 £50 LATEDEALS VOUCHER

Save £50

Sign up to become a myTNT VIP and you’ll receive an exclusive £50 discount off your next holiday with latedeals.co.uk. Looking for a last-minute break, head to this site which boasts fivestart experiences without the price tag.

FREE ALBELLI PHOTO BOOK

Save

£15.95

Get a professional, topquality photo book and remember your travels with a free, 24-page medium landscape album. All members will be able to design and create their bespoke album for free when they join myTNT VIP.

Save £200

NEW! £200 WITH MEDSAILORS The first 35 VIPs will get their hands on a FREE £200 voucher to spend with MedSailors for travel in September. Take in the breathtaking sights of Croatia, Greece or Turkey on the perfect holiday onboard your very own yacht

14 10

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Save £29.99

Save £140

Save 15%

FREE ANNUAL CUISINE CARD

Take advantage of huge deals on London’s top restaurants with this discount card which boasts the likes of the Rainforest Cafe, Shaka Zulu and Tiger Tiger. The first 100 VIPs will bag an annual membership with Cuisine Card.

FREE 8TH DAY ADVENTURE This sport, adventure and social club which hosts hundreds of events every year is offering the first 30 myTNT VIPs free annual membership worth £140. After that, VIPs will benefit from 2-4-1 savings on all membership prices.

WANDERING DUCK TRIPS Lucky VIPs can take advantage of a fantastic 15% discount on all of Wandering Duck’s Canal Boat Experiences. Get ready for a completely unique experience on 2000 miles of man-made canals. See online for more info.

More at tntmagazine.com/myTNT-VIP

NT VIP tic ic freebies, aps of benefits. new members chance to do eyond for less. ils and offers /myTNT-VIP

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New deals!

FREE entry to TNT social events in the next year – worth £75 FREE VIP experience at the TNT Travel Shows – worth £30 FREE home delivery of TNT for first 200 VIPs – worth £50 FREE case of Bondi Beer for first 50 VIPS – worth £24 FREE 24-page Albelli photo album for all VIPs – worth £15.95 Save 20%

Save £49

Save £24

BUSABOUT HOPSave ON HOP-OFF Book a hop-on hop-off tour with Busabout, and you’ll be able to tailor your trip around Europe to take in all the must-see sights at your own pace. What’s more, all myTNT VIPs will benefit from an extra 20% off when booking. Sorted!

NEW! THE TRAVEL CLUB Sign up to become a VIP and you’ll bag free entry to The Travel Club – worth £49. As well as offers and deals on fantastic trips, you’ll get a £100 travel voucher, airport lounge passes and 10% off trips booked with G Adventures.

FREE CASE OF BONDI BEER Make sure your summer BBQ kicks off in style with a case of Bondi Beer. The first 50 VIPs will receive a case of 24 cans of premium lager. Because we all know summertime parties are thirsty work. You are very welcome.

Save £75

Save 50%

More at tntmagazine.com/myTNT-VIP

5% OFF WITH TRAVEL TALK Whether you’re looking to explore Egypt, Morocco, Turkey and Jordan or Russia, or want to sail around Greece or Croatia, VIP myTNTers can get an extra 5 per cent off advertised prices with an exclusive discount code.

TNT SOCIAL EVENTS TNT knows how to throw a good party. And now you’re invited – for free! Whether it’s a BBQ on Australia Day, or a fancy dress party at Halloween, we’ve got your social calendar sorted. All VIPs get entry to TNT events.

2-4-1 BURGERS AT THE ELK BAR We all know how expensive food can be in London, so we’ve got your backs covered. Chow down on a succulent burger at the Elk Bar in Fulham before 6pm each day, and all myTNT VIPs will be able to bag a top 2-4-1 deal. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Scanbalt Experience

The expert on budget travel in Scandinavia, The Baltics and Russia

WintEr experiences 2013-14 Lapland Christmas Tour 9 days €680

Stockholm-Kiruna-Inari-Rovaniemi-Helsinki This is our unique Christmas experience North of the Arctic Circle. Have a white Christmas, do amazing activities and look for the Northern Lights.

Lapland New Year’s Tour 9 days €680

Stockholm-Kiruna-Inari-Rovaniemi-Helsinki Celebrate New Year’s North of the Arctic Circle. The fireworks might be replaced with some Northern Lights! This is a trip of a lifetime with experiences like The Ice Hotel, dogsledding, visit to Santa, sauna with arctic swim and much more!

Magic Lapland Adventure 7 days €425

Stockholm-Kiruna-Abisko-Jokkmokk-Stockholm. Depart: Dec 17, Jan 5, Feb 23, Mar 20 and a special tour for the unique Sami event Jokkmokk Market in Feb. Explore Swedish Lapland, check the Ice Hotel, visit the Sami, look for Northern Lights and go dogsledding in stunning nature.

Russian New Year’s Tour 7 days €550

Helsinki-Moscow-St Petersburg-Tallinn Experience four great cities including Moscow on New Year’s!

Baltic New Year’s Tour 6 days €310

Helsinki-Tallinn-Riga Celebrate New Year’s in Riga and before that check out funky Helsinki, stay in medieval Tallinn and a night on the Estonian Countryside! Possible combinations: Combine The Lapland Christmas Tour with New Years to Russia or The Baltic States to get the maximum holiday.

T Travel Show Meet us at TN discounts and for great sit pay only £15 depoe day th when booking on

www.scanbaltexperience.com info@scanbaltexperience.com Scanbalt _1569.indd 1

18/09/13 10:39 PM

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BITE SIZE

Small but perfectly formed: Tozi serves cicchetti, or Venetian small plates, such as this soft shell crab with parsley sauce

HIGH CHAI Take in an afternoon tea with a difference at Cinnamon Soho, where the traditional cucumber sandwiches and Victoria sponge have been swapped for Bangla scotch eggs and spiced scones with apple and fennel chutney. The India-infused ‘High Chai’ is available Mon-Sat, 3pm-5.30pm and Sundays, 3pm-4pm and offers a selection of Indian twists on Brit fare at £20 for two people. Plus you can wash it all down with an Indian masala chai or a cinnamon bellini. With winter well on its way, doesn’t it make sense to add a little more spice to your afternoon indulgence? cinnamon-kitchen.com/soho-home

MOJITO MONDAYS Cheer yourself up on the everdarkening post-work evenings with Drake & Morgan’s new drink deals, Mojito Mondays and Champagne Wednesdays. Pop along to any Drake & Morgan pub on a Monday to enjoy 2-4-1 mojitos all day, or push the boat out on Wednesdays and bag £10 off bottles of champagne. Venues in the City and Canary Wharf. More information online. drakeandmorgan.co.uk

Welcome to Mojito Mondays

MALAYSIA FEST Date for the diary: October 4 sees the fourth annual Malaysia Night take over Trafalgar Square, where more than 20 of the UK’s best Malaysian restaurants will be cooking up incredible dishes, both well-known and more unusual, from the country. There’ll also be stalls selling Malaysian sauces, spices and pastes so you can get your own cook on.

TOZI ITALIAN

This buzzy Italian restaurant moments from Victoria station specialises in cicchetti, or Venetian small plates. The style is more modern urbanite than traditional taverna, the decor all light woods and beiges, with the obligatory open kitchen adding to the lively clatter; still, it’s unmistakably Italian. Black-and-white photos of old-school Italian life and a cute little Fiat 500 circa the Fifties in the front window make it tough to miss the point. As do the brilliantly enthusiastic and gesticulating staff, who make it all the more authentic. The grub We’re always a little suspicious of the small plates concept here at TNT, as it does sound an awful lot like less food for more money. But my date and I are certainly not left hungry at the end of a succession of incredible dishes. We start off in the bar with a couple of Italian cocktails – the homemade aged Sir Negroni is served straight from a miniature oak barrel at our table, while I try the signature Tozi spritz, the fresh watermelon, prosecco and soda taking the edge off the bitterness of the Aperol. Onto the food and we’re so overwhelmed by the wealth of dishes that we’re happy to take our server’s animated recommendations. The burrata, heritage tomatoes and basil is astounding: the cheese, flown in regularly from Italy, is like a dollop of uber-luxurious cream, and the tomatoes are zingily fresh on the tongue. Buffalo ricotta ravioli and black truffle arrives drenched in a pool of melted butter and is as sinfully satisfying as it sounds. Ox cheeks with wild mushroom and mash add a little rustic heft to an otherwise dairy-tastic meal. We should be defeated, but fail to resist the Tozi affogato, the top-quality espresso a jolt to the tastebuds that combines expertly with the less confrontational ice cream. THE SCENE

Draught prosecco from £4 per glass; wine from £4.75/ £18 per glass/ bottle; signature, Italian and classic cocktails from £5. Bill please Small plates cost from £3.50 to £13.50. Desserts from £4.50. verdict Great atmosphere, food and drink – a great evening. LAURA CHUBB Behind the bar

malaysiakitchen.co.uk 8 Gillingham Street, SW1V 1HJ

tozirestaurant.co.uk

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arty farty

I’m not generally into art but after being here for six years it doesn’t take much to make me homesick. I’ll definitely be taking myself off to the Royal Academy in Piccadilly this week for the Australia exhibition that’s been brought over from The National Gallery back home. It’s reckoned to be the biggest showcase of Oz paintings in 50 years – it had better be because it’s 15 quid to get in unless I can convince them I’m under 18, in which case I’ll get away with £6. Dan Spade, via email

wheel deal?

For us pedal pushers all the Tour of Britain talk this week is about Cavendish and Wiggins but I hear the hot Brit biking brothers Adam & Simon Yates are reckoned to have signed for Orica-Greenedge, the Aus version of Team Sky. Anyone know if it’s true? Nick, via TNT Sportsdesk

poor ned

I’m reading that Abbott wants to reform Australia’s overseas aid and scrap AusAID’s independence. It’s being said that aid rose too quickly during Labour’s six years, wasn’t properly supervised and wasn’t in the national interest. There may be some truth in it but with our economy flying lately can’t we be a bit truer to Ned Kelly and rob the rich to benefit the poor? Robin (not Hood), via email

break dance

A BBC report said a load of Scots going to Ibiza started dancing in the aisle and forced their Ryanair flight to be diverted to France. Well, it’s not much further away that Ryanair usually lands from its destination is it? And aren’t they removing seats anyway? Fran Chambers, via email footballers coming out? /34 late deals /40

Letter of the Week Re: The gender agenda. The row about using the image of a woman on British banknotes reminded me of the attitudes society has towards gender. By embracing what they are, women can achieve greatness and become role models. However, if we call a halt to the debate – believing discrimination laws have fixed the problem – the result will be an even thicker glass ceiling. It’s up to each successful woman to pave the way and encourage the debate. We need to tell our story. Michelle Gillam, via email

Your TWEETS

Tweet us @tntmagazine @JonMWelch You can’t be too careful. India. Man in court over ‘suspicious tea drinking’ @cathjanes Why these school uniforms called Miss Sexy may as well have regulation navy crotchless knickers too: thekrakenwakes.org @smartteachers We’ll be there, will you? TNT Travel Show. Here we go. http:// september2013.tnttravelshow. com/home

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Doo-lots! Alt-rock legends the Pixies are back, putting more effort into shows than naming their new work, EP1

festival

watch

pitchfork music festival

pixies Electric Brixton, SW2 1RJ fri, september 27 | Doors at 7pm | £25

Music website Pitchfork launches its own festival next month. Rather than taking your chances with the weather though, it takes place over three nights in the French capital, Paris, with the likes of No Age, Mount Kimbie, Savages (below), Deerhunter, Jagwar Ma, Hot Chip, Empress Of and Panda Bear all getting in on the action, and all manner of clubs for your post-show dalliances. Or you could get even more cultural and check out the Louvre! Grande Halle de la Villette, 75019 Paris. Oct 31-Nov 2. £110

Frank Black and his Pixies are one of the most influential bands of all time, and have been touring the world on the comeback trail for a number of years now. With new material released this year, though, there’s no better time to catch the trailblazing pioneers of the modern alternative rock scene. With albums such as Surfer Rosa and Doolittle back in the late Eighties, their quiet-loud-quiet dynamic shaped a generation of bands to come. They called it quits four LPs into their career in 1993, with a legacy that could not be touched. Without them there would have been no Kurt Cobain, no Radiohead, pretty much none of the greatest bands on the alt-rock scene of the past 20 years. After putting their differences behind them in 2004 for their world conquering reunion tour, Pixies have been playing sporadically ever since. It was only earlier this year, however, that any new material emerged, with first single Bagboy in June and then this month’s unimaginatively titled EP1, the first of several new EPs the band plan to release this year and next. If it sounded like they had mellowed and Pixies circa 2013 were chilled out friends, then think again. Ahead of their European tour, founding member and bassist Kim Deal decided to leave the band, with Black, drummer David Lovering and guitarist Joey Santiago recruiting Kim Shattuck of The Muffs as her replacement. They have more dates booked in for November at Hammersmith Apollo, but this is a rare chance to catch them at a small and intimate show at the 1500-capacity south London venue.

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NEW BAND

haim GIG tue, oct 1. 7pm FREE

The Californian indie-rock trio topped the BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll, wowed at Glasto this summer, and have their debut Days Are Gone ready to land at the end of this month to make sure they go stratospheric. Playing this small east London show ahead of their two dates at Kentish Town Forum in December.

Photos: Getty

Rough Trade East Dray Walk, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL Aldgate East roughtrade.com

secretsundaze closing party

mixcloud record store social

CLUB

sun, sep 29. 2pm-10.30pm £19.50

sat, sep 28. 9pm-4am FREE

The summer season comes to a close with this final daytime session, which returns to Oval Space this weekend after hosting two other SS parties this year. Welcome the arrival of autumn with a line-up that includes Motor City Drum Ensemble, Mr G (live), plus residents Giles Smith and James Priestley.

Some of the UK’s biggest record stores, including Sounds of The Universe, Phonica Records, Juno and Boomkat, will be coming together to spin some vinyl this evening. They will also be joined by the legendary tunesmith Norman Jay MBE, who will be dropping by for a very special set as well.

Oval Space Bethnal Green, E2 9DY Cambridge Heath residentadvisor.net

Big Chill House 257-259 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross wearebigchill.com

madness

egg presents: dj spen and karizma

huey lewis and the news

GIG

CLUB

GIG

sat, sep 28. 6.30pm £42.35

sat, sep 28. 10pm-11am £13+

tue, oct 1. 7pm £40+

The north London band have been going for almost 40 years now, and have amassed in that time a truckload of classics. It Must Be Love, Baggy Trousers, House Of Fun – and they’ll probably play some stuff off their latest and 10th LP, the preposterously titled Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da from last year.

Baltimore’s Spen and Karizma will be heading up this north London party. The pair have been DJ-ing since their early teens, and can regularly be found playing the premier clubs around the world. Fast rising house hero Sam Divine is also playing, along with other special guests Jesse James and Delgado.

The Eighties band that made some of the most pop rock of the decade – and soundtracked Marty McFly’s skateboard cruising round Hill Valley in Back To The Future – stop off in west London to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their 1983 Sports album. They rip out all the smash hits and show everyone why they still rock.

Alexandra Palace Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY Alexandra Palace alexandrapalace.com

Egg 200 York Way, N7 9AX King’s Cross egglondon.net

Shepherd’s Bush Empire Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8TT She Bu o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk

miraculous mule The buzz so far This Michael J Sheehy (ex-Dream City Film Club) fronted trio play the sort of honest, grassroots blues music that you don’t find so much anymore. It’s moody, soulful and inspired by the classics of the American deep south. They’ve got their debut, Deep Fried, about to hit. The Critics say “[Satisfied] is a toe-tapping, hand-clapping, fingerclicking number” Live4Ever.uk.com the plug Dangerous Blues is out Sep 23, Deep Fried is out Oct 7, both through Muletone Recording and Bronzerat Records. Play Buffalo Bar, Oct 2. FREE 259 Upper St, Islington, N1 1RU Highbury & Islington miraculousmule.com

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Tim Cope

The Australian adventurer on his new book On The Trail Of Genghis Khan, about his 10,000km journey across the Eurasian Steppe INTERVIEW jennifer ennion

winter storms, to protecting my little herd from thieves and wolves. Overwhelmingly the people were hospitable, but to survive and learn required changing my mindset somewhat, as well as not taking things too personally. What are the difficulties of travelling in such remote areas? In conditions ranging from -50 to +50, discomfort is the norm, but the biggest challenge is finding grass and water and keeping the horses in good condition – one gets used to thinking 24/7 about grass.

Tim with trusty travel companion Tigon You’re frequently described as one of Australia’s most inspiring adventurers – what about your journeys inspires people so much? For me, adventures are a vehicle for travelling deep into the fabric of society, coming to know the environmental conditions that shape people’s lives, and viewing the present in the context of history. It’s about letting go of western-orientated preconceptions, and even awareness of one’s own difficulties, and viewing the world through the eyes of others. Ultimately, it’s a sense of camaraderie and friendship with local people that is core to my journeys. This philosophy of travel – combined with my animals, including my dog Tigon who usually steals the show – appeals to a wide audience.

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How tough is it travelling alone? It was testing. There were times, like when I was stuck in the gold mining town of Akbakai, Kazakhstan, where I fell in with some alcoholics who served up boiled pigeon for Christmas lunch, that I just wanted an exit. Was it tougher than you expected? Being alone on this trip challenged me more than I thought it would. I could rarely drop my guard, and had to be on the look out for everything from navigating through

What are the joys of travelling without amyone for company? Some of the most impressionable times for me were when I was out alone with my three horses and dog, riding through a clear expanse of treeless plains, feeling as if I was etching out a path through the canvas of my own dream. To think that no one ahead knew I was coming, no one was expecting me, and in fact, no one but I knew we existed in that moment was a liberating experience, as if I had managed to break free of the parameters of our normal world that is so defined by time and place. What is the main message of your motivational speeches? That there are many ways of looking at the world, and forging your life, and the evidence can be found in the many rich and diverse cultures of our planet. Do you have any words of wisdom for intrepid travellers? If you have to rush, rush slowly. Tim Cope’s On The Trail Of Genghis Khan, published by Bloomsbury RRP £22.75 (hardback). timcopejourneys.com

Photos: camcope.com

What inspired you to write your second book, On The Trail Of Genghis Khan? My dream was to ride a horse 10,000km from Mongolia to Hungary across the great Eurasian Steppe, to understand the nomadic cultures that have presided there for thousands of years. I’ve wanted to be an author since I was 14, and writing about my experiences has always been a part of digesting it and sharing it with others. I was compelled to tell the untold stories of the Steppe people of today, and their histories that we are so unaware of, and yet which helped shape contemporary society across the globe.

What were the most challenging aspects of travelling the Eurasian Steppe on horseback? The biggest challenge was taking care of three horses, and sometimes a camel, and my Tigon. On a journey by horseback, the animals’ needs – mostly grass and water – come first. One can never look past the daily challenge of finding grass and water, which are the keys to survival. Of course, there were other incidents that were difficult to overcome – learning to ride a horse to start with, having my horses stolen on the first week, riding through the summer nights to avoid 50 degree heat in the Kazakh Desert, battling bureaucracy on borders and eventually facing the death of my father in a car accident when I was in Ukraine.

What are the rewards? Paradise is sinking into sleep at night listening to the horses munching through thick pasture. Hell is going to bed at night to silence, knowing that the horses have gone hungry and have nothing to chew on.

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LIFESTYLEliving Home

Style 50

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£4.

House-sitting lets you try before you ‘buy’ into an area of London Deciding where to live in London can make or break your experience of the city. Weighing up rents, transport links, and the speed with which you need to make the decision can produce mixed results – some of you may get lucky and end up in your perfect ‘hood; others will languish on the outskirts of London and never really know its heart. The solution? Why not try house-sitting, which lets you get to know an area without signing on a dotted line first.

Living the dream Tom Hill and his partner Linda have been professional house-sitters for a decade, and have ‘lived’ all over the UK and abroad. They’ve recently founded handy website

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Watch this space Words Daisy carrington

Salt And Pepper Lovers Season for your love prezzybox.com

Period property: “For free? Yes please!” housem8.com to help similar-minded folks. “We’ve had some incredibly romantic stays,” says Hill, who along with Linda has looked after more than 80 homes. He says this has afforded them some amazing adventures. “One of the best times we had was when we got snowed into a complex in the Pyrenees for three months,” he remembers. “It was a bit like The Shining, except I didn’t spend the day writing ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ Really, though, it was quite romantic.” Hill and his partner have also looked after a winery in Bergerac, a Spanish villa that doubled as a deer sanctuary and several celebrity homes (nondisclosure agreements means he can’t tell us which ones).

New best friend: pet minding can often be part of the package

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Getting started Do your research As with any venture you undertake for the first time, research is the key. Peruse listings on websites such as mindmyhouse.com and trustedhousesitters.com, and read through various forums to get a sense of what to expect. For a step-by-step guide, Tom Hill sells a downloadable ebook on his site, housem8.com.

Mind a tipi: house-sits can come in all shapes The catch While house-sitting can allow you to get to know an area before settling on it and even see the world, it’s not without its drawbacks. “Make no mistake, house-sitting is a lot of responsibility,” Hill warns, “but the good definitely outweighs the bad.” It’s especially enjoyable for animal lovers, as 80 per cent of homes come with at least one pet. “It can be a lot of hard work, especially if the pets involved are problematic, and most often they are,” he says. “Think of it this way: most owners will put their dogs in a kennel when they leave town. It’s the troublesome dogs that don’t get put in kennels.” Hill notes that the properties involved are also often demanding, and if anything goes wrong – say a tree falls or the electricity stops working – it’s your responsibility as the house sitter to sort it out. “Some people think it’s desperately romantic but, in truth, you’re not doing nothing all day,” Hill explains. “You can’t just leave the place unattended for a night.”

not at fault. If you do charge a fee, getting liability insurance is an absolute must. “If, say, a house burns down in the middle of your stay, if you charged the homeowner, either they could sue you, or the insurance company could sue you for negligence,” Hill says. If and how much you charge also depends on the amount of animal care involved. Hill reckons that the more you’re required to do as a house-sitter, the more you should be compensated. He bases his own fees on what it would cost to kennel a dog. “If you have two dogs and a cat, it would cost £35 a day to put them in a kennel, so we’ll charge £40 a day and say, look, for an extra £5 you get security for your house.” Hill does warn that house-sitting isn’t a full-time solution, as assignments are too unpredictable and oddly spaced to provide any security. It can’t replace a full-time job, either: “Even if you get paid, you’re never going to make enough to pay the bills and feed yourself,” he says.

Paid or unpaid?

Is it for you?

There are several websites dedicated to matching homeowners with house-sitters that have varying opinions on whether to charge for the service or if it should be free. One advantage to not charging is that should anything happen to the house while you’re looking after it, you won’t be held financially responsible, as long as you’re

As a one-off, just about anybody can house-sit. But, Hill warns, not everyone’s cut out for it full-time. “Don’t think about it if you have kids, a regular job, or have a normal life with normal debts,” Hill says. “If you freelance, and can work from anywhere, it’s a lot easier to pull off.” housem8.com

Start small Don’t go for the big, unruly properties the first time you housesit. Rather, look for a listing with a manageable number of pets to look after (like, say, one). This is a good way to figure out if house-sitting is for you, while also building your professional references. Meet up Hill very much advocated meeting the homeowner beforehand, preferably in person or, at the very least, over Skype to ensure you’re a good fit. “You’re doing business together,” he notes. “It’s important to make sure you like each other and can get along.” Get it in writing You’ve landed the assignment? Now make sure everything – from your rates, to the dog’s feeding schedule, to instructions for the remote control – is in writing. Hill insists that no detail is too small to be written out and agreed to by both parties.

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City to surf: rugged beach flanks the CBD

Working in Durban Sun, surf and a stress-free job culture – South Africa’s third largest city could be your paradise for work-life balance Words Jade Bremner Once overshadowed by Johannesburg and Cape Town, Durban has finally caught the world’s attention. Three years after it received a spruce up ahead of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, the secrets about this often forgotten hub are well and truly out. Bottom line: this is a relaxed coastal city which offers amazing career and lifestyle prospects. While it’s no secret that some parts of Durban could be safer, this urban centre of east coast province KwaZuluNatal has the busiest port in Africa, and with that comes manufacturing and logistics opportunities galore. Combine this with a golden sandy mile, beautifully warm weather year-round (an average winter’s day is 20˚C) and its cheap rent and you may just have found paradise. 26

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Durban’s stretch of butterscotch beach, the buzzing harbour and pockets of grand colonial buildings attract thousands of visitors each month. Its half a million people, and three million in the eThekwini municipality which includes Durban, enjoy all of the comforts of a major city – shopping malls, funky bars and quality restaurants – without the crowds. Lara Jordan, 30, grew up in Durban, and is an analyst for technology company Energy and Combustion Services (enerserv.co.za). In her skilled field people can earn around ZAR25,000 (£1614) per month. With monthly rent as low as ZAR4000 (£258) for a one-bed apartment with a sea view in the CBD, residents have the potential to enjoy plenty of disposable income.

“Hours are usually 8am to 4.30pm and there’s a lot to do after work if you like the outdoors,” Jordan explains. “An hour’s drive will take you to amazing getaway spots at the weekends.” Jordan enjoys the city’s laid-back holiday vibe. “There are low stress levels here,” she says. “It’s a perpetual summer and people are really happy.” Lee Dixie, from Durban’s Dixie Recruitment (dixierecruitment.co.za), says there are great employment opportunities. “Major industries have developed around the Port of Durban, as well as sugar cane agriculture, import and export, plus there are forestry, petrochemical, automotive and manufacturing companies.” Then there’s the quality of life that comes with that. “We know

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LIFESTYLECAREERS On the job Marika Gauci

Career Owner of a pie making cookery school Age 40 Lives Harringay From Cardiff How did you get into your line of work? Tired of the music industry, I decided to swap to my other love, food. Cooking is in my family, so after assisting in cookery schools, culinary college and being a chef, I decided to start my own unpretentious home cookery school, Marika’s Kitchen.

Photos: Thinkstock

Chilled: Durban Yacht Basin

Gnarly: surfing Bay of Plenty off Durban

aspect of the place after how to balance work Away from the office a six-month holiday and play,” Dixie says. • Kayak along the coastline at when she was aged 20. “We have a diverse Vetch’s Beach, check out the The mix of cultures and Ovington Court shipwreck and spot After her visit from the UK, she simply never communities that are countless tropical fish. went back home. intertwined, which surfandadventures.co.za Kelland has spent makes it easier for • Go for a hike in the nearby the past 20 years living foreigners to settle.” Drakensberg mountains. This in Durban, where South African heritage area spans 200km and she founded and still Clinton Howes, 28, a offers the chance to see incredible runs the successful marketing manager views from Thabana Ntlenyana recruitment agency for security company – the highest point in South Africa. RMS Staffing Solutions Intelli Time and Access gotrekking.co.za (rmsstaffing.co.za). (intellitime.co.za), has • Relax with a rare bird watching “It was a good lived in Durban for 24 session. Exotic birds to tick off move for me as South years. He relishes the the list include wood warblers, work-life balance. “It’s southern tchagra and striped pipits. Africa encourages entrepreneurship far quite centralised, the birdwatch.co.za more than the UK,” CBD is surrounded by Kelland believes. suburbs so commuting “People here tend to be very positive to and from work is a breeze,” Howes about life and embrace opportunities. says. I think the weather also aids people in This leaves more time for the beach. having a positive outlook on life.” “We work considerably less hours Kelland admits Durban and South than the rest of the country and locals Africa as a whole have their quirks, are often called the ‘beach bums of the nation’,” he laughs. “The ocean is a but she definitely wouldn’t want it any major attraction in Durban, and that’s other way. where most of our time is spent. “South Africa has its problems and “We spend time with friends surfing, it doesn’t run like a well-oiled machine having barbecues and playing sports on as in more first world countries, but the beach. There’s very little work that the diversity adds to its character,” she gets done after hours.” says. “Come visit, you may be pleasantly Shona Kelland fell in love with this surprised.”

What do you do day-to-day? I’m a mum to my 14-month-old daughter, I run my cookery school and am writing Little Book Of Pies, which is out in 2014. What’s the most rewarding aspect of your job? The fact it’s not like a job, it’s just fun and I really enjoy meeting lots of lovely people. What’s the most challenging part of your job? The washing up! pie-club-london.co.uk; marikas-kitchen.com

How to...

answer faqs How to answer common questions when you’re in the hot seat for a job ...

• Why did you leave your last

job? Note specific reasons; a vague answer here could have your potential employer jumping to the wrong conclusions.

• What is your greatest

weakness? Identify something that you’re working to improve to give it a positive spin.

• Any questions? Don’t ask about salary or holidays. Find out more about the company instead.

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tntjobs.co.uk GALLOWGLASS www.gallowglass.com Gallowglass is Europe’s leading crewing company to the events industry working for TV, Theatre, Live Events, Sports Events and Outdoor Productions amongst others.

Satphone www.satphone.co.uk

Job of the WeeK: Crew Location: London Salary: Starting at £8.00 per hour + skills payments Gallowglass has vacancies for friendly enthusiastic and outgoing people to join our crew. You will need to be physically fit, have excellent spoken English, be adaptable, happy to work anti-social hours and have a can-do attitude. CVs to hr@gallowglass.com or complete our on line form at www.gallowglass.com

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You must have an excellent telephone manner. The role includes Sales, Order preparation, Customer after-sales support and general administration. http://link.callmonitor.com/tnt to take our online test and apply.

Helping Hands HomeCare

Job of the WeeK: Live In Carer Location: Nationwide Salary: Competitive

T: 0808 252 4164 www.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk We are a leading provider of care in the UK supporting customers to remain in their own home

Please do not telephone or otherwise contact our office directly regarding your application. Ignoring this instruction may impact your application.

Live In Carers required Nationwide. Directly employed by Helping Hands Homecare. Live and care for your customer in their own home. Fully supported role. Approx 6-8 weeks placement then a break. Recruitment | 0808 180 1123 | www.hhjobs.co.uk

www.care24seven.com

Job of the WeeK: Recruiting experienced and new LIVE IN & OUT carers within London Location: Across London – Head Office Chiswick 020 8912 4642 Salary: Fair rates of pay available

Dynamic Care Company is recruiting experienced and new LIVE IN & OUT carers within London.

You are expected to provide care to the elderly in their own home. We are currently recruiting carers who can be dynamic and have good communication skills. Work within the guidelines of the company policies e procedures. Training is given.

Care24seven T: 020 8912 4642

Please forward your CV to max@care24seven.com

London Beatles Store www.beatlesstorelondon.co.uk We stock a large range of Beatles merchandise and Beatles Original Memorabilia.

Job of the WeeK: Sales Assistant Location: London Beatles Store, 231-233 Baker St, London NW1 Salary: To be discussed You will have good customer service skills and be familiar with taking cash and credit card payments. Please send CV to: sgtpepper@beatlesstorelondon.co.uk

TORO EVENT CREW T: 020 3393 0869 www.torocrew.co.uk TORO Event Crew is a specialist service supplying stage riggers, sound & lighting engineers, heavy machinery operators and event labourers.

Gracelands café T: 02089 649 161 www.gracelandscafe.com We are a busy local café and we are proud to cook quality fresh food alongside great coffee and friendly service.

Job of the WeeK: Temporary Event Crew Location: All around London Salary: £8 to £25 per hour Experience not essential. Great jobs on major events all around London. Looking for fit, hard workers. Duties include rigging stages and lights, Setting up AV equipment, transporting equipment. Please send CV to carolina@lolaevents.co.uk ASAP

Job of the WeeK: Sous chef. 5 days/week 8am-5pm Location: Kensal green Salary: £6.50 to £7.50 depending on experience We are looking for a passionate chef with a genuine love for food. You will have to work well under pressure whilst maintaining the high standard of what we do here at Gracelands café. Nick Stylianou | 07831 313 442 | nickstyli@yahoo.co.uk

Looking for your next job? New jobs online every day To advertise your job of the week contact 30 tntMagazine.com tntMagazine.com 30 Jaqui Ward | 020 3137 5950 | jaqui.ward@tntmultimedia.com

JOBS

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cash-SAVING TIPS

how you spend it!

Xxxxxxxxx

Ryan Torrie, 32

CHEAP TRAIN TICKETS Save masses on train fares by booking in advance with redspottedhanky.com. xxxxxxxxx There are advance tickets to Manchester from £12.50 Xxxxxxxxxxx (save 91 per cent on sameday tickets) and great bargains to Edinburgh (from £19.10). Plus no card, xxxxxxxxx booking or delivery fees.

Job General manager, The Betjeman Arms From Brisbane, Australia Lives Chelsea How do you budget? I prioritise my monthly living and travelling expenses first, then I put some funds in the savings account. And then I live the dream, haha! Any tips for saving money in London? Cycling. It’s so much quicker and you see a lot more of London in the process. Plus, in summer it’s a much cooler option than taking the sweaty Tube.

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Photos: Getty; TNT. Interview and research: Esin Huseyin

BE THE BURGER KING Fancy a burger blowout? Register your details with Burger King before xxxxxxxxx November 2 and you’ll get a limited edition voucher Xxxxxxxxxxx that includes 2-4-1 deals, meal deals and more. BIG FAT GREEK MENU xxxxxxxxx If you’re in the mood for food that’s more class Xxxxxxxxxxx than fast, The Real Greek is running a ‘summer menu’ offer until the end of September (if only the weather would play along). Just go to therealgreek.com/ promotions and click the ‘Get the Offer’ button by ‘Summer Menu’. This will take you to a PDF that you can print off and take into your preferred Real Greek. It gets you a starter and a main course for just £10 and is valid for up to six people, Sunday to Friday. Items on the menu include grilled skewers, meze selections and sides. Mm, feast time, we think!

LIFESTYLEMONEY

Your last big blow-out? I can tell you about the next one – I’ve got two upcoming ski trips to France. What non-essential items do you spend on? Fulham FC season ticket, concert tickets and Spanish lessons.

how THEY spend it! Love hurts ... the wallet Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne claims he lost £345m of his fortune going through a divorce from his second wife Joanne McCue, who dumped him via text

❚ The Daily Mail reported that controversial Aussie star Mel Gibson was set to lose half of his £533m fortune in his divorce from Robyn Moore. The pair married in 1980 and didn’t sign a prenup. Titanic bill: James Cameron with his latest squeeze. Should they split, it could cost him another £31m

❚ Hotshot director James Cameron lost £31m – half of his earnings from Titanic – on his divorce settlement with Linda ‘Sarah Connor’ Hamilton, who he was

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married to for just 18 months after an on again/ off again relationship.

❚ Silly Michael Jordan. He and ex-wife Juanita Vanoy did have a prenup – in which he said she could have half his fortune. She walked away with £105m. ❚ Heather Mills got £24.3m out of Sir Paul McCartney after four years of marriage. She’d asked for £125m.

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Let’s hope that’s all he does

Swedes approve beach wanking

Sweden

Good news for exhibitionists. A recent court ruling in Sweden has indicated that public masturbation is A-OK. A 65-year-old was in court to face charges of sexual assualt after he was caught shaking hands with the bishop on a public beach in Stockholm. He was graciously let off the sexual assault charges as it was decided that he was not actually directing his actions at anyone in particular. The prosecutor stated after the ruling,”We can conclude that it is okay to masturbate on the beach.”

brazil plans break from us internet brazil

Following revelations of the NSA spying on citizens, Brazil has decided to focus on onshore data storage to prevent the USA from snooping on Brazilian citizens. Brazil is forging ahead with their intentions to shift away from the currently US centric internet by moving data-storage to Brazil itself and enhancing data secutiry laws. Following Edward Snowden’s release of sensitive NSA documents it was revealed that they had been spying not only on their own citizens but also those in Brazil (and probably the world). This apparently includes the Brazilian president, and the country’s largest company, Petrobras. President Dilma Rousseff cancelled a state 30

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Capital growth: Spring has sprung in the nation’s capital. Here can be seen a rather large inflatable duck and some sort of kangaroo statue celebrating (if that’s possible) at the Floriade Festival in Canberra.

dinner invitation to the White House next month following the absence of any apology and contrition from Obama.The move is especially significant considering it is the first invitation Brazil has received in over 12 years.

Down Fido! Couple face bestiality charges

usa

A North Carolina soldier and his wife have been arrested after accusations that they had been making dog porn. It is alleged that a North Carolina woman has been shagging her dogs while

her husband filmed the acts. “Anything you can ever imagine a man and woman doing, she was having the dogs do,” Raeford police chief Franklin Crumpler told the Huff Post. The couple, Ruben Chance James Fox and Amber Nicole Fox, both 23, are facing charges of bestiality, conspiracy and disseminating obscene materials. Amber Fox also faces the additional charge of soliciting a crime against nature. How a-paw–ling!

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS Per cent of Americans who have apparently donated money to charity in the last month alone

Dollars per square foot of office space in Hong Kong. Making it the world’s most expensive place to own some carpet

Le snip: My word, that’s got to hurt

aww nuts: groom removes his testes

4.6

In an odd move, a man allegedly decided to chop off his own testicles prior to attending his own wedding. As the final touches were being made to All Saints Church, in Hutton, east of London, a blood-soaked man entered the church ready for the ceremony. Friends arrived to find a police car outside and were told by the vicar that guests could not enter as a man had been injured. The man had apparently chopped his balls off with scissors and went beserk inside the church. The wedding went ahead as scheduled with the bride none the wiser.

But is it Art? Whales can paint

Photos: Getty Images and AAP Newswire

Japan

Beluga whales in an aquarium in Yokohama have been taught to paint pictures for autumn art season. Japan never fails to disappoint with creative and unexpected performances. The beluga whales at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise will be dazzling art lovers and general punters alike using specially adapted paint brushes they can hold in their mouths. With the help of a trainer, the whales are guided to paint pictures bearing an abstract resemblance to natural scenes. Through this they hope to be able to get the whales to emulate the depiction of a cardboard cutout fish, with a little (probably a lot) of assistance from trainers.

Number of divorces in South Korea per 1000 people. Couples of South Korea, relax! Don’t let the North get to you

Number, in tourists, who visit France every year. And, why not? Great food, beautiful cities... Lots of French people?

Crocs are luckily less keen on human toes

make it snappy: Croc under bed zimbabwe

A former Zimbabwe cricketer was surprised to discover a rather scaly bed fellow had crept into his room. One-time all-rounder Guy Whittall, now director of Humani safari park, unknowingly slept peacefully just centimetres from a 150kg crocodile that had snuck in from the Turgwe River to sleep beneath his bed. Whittall’s housemaid discovered the croc and alerted Guy to the visitor by screaming loudly. Most disconcerting was that Guy recalled spending the morning sitting with his feet over the edge of the bed. The croc was removed with the help of a few of Guy’s lucky co-workers and returned to the river.

150

77,526,000

QUOTE OF THE WEEK I think the policy will be very offensive and... we fully reject the policy Indonesian MP Tantowi Yahya slamming new Australian PM, Tony Abbott’s new ‘Sovereign Borders’ policy of towing boats back. Looks like the PM’s in for a fight.

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Scrambled: Chelsea looked terrible

‘Special one’ left with egg on his face

Football

Chelsea and their new/old manager, Jose Mourinho have made a poor start to their Champions League campaign, on top of their worst Premier League start for a decade, being beaten 2-1 by lowly FC Basle at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea started the game the stronger and opened the scoring through young Brazilian midfielder Oscar, but second half strikes from Mohamed Salah and Marco Streller saw the Swisse side earn a sweet revenge against the side that removed them from last year’s Europa League semi-final. Mourinho, who had called his young players “beautiful eggs” before the game, was left bemoaning their lack of ‘maturity’ and tendency to “get shaky” whenever faced with a stern test.

WArriors left with the Blues cricket

The New South Wales Blues have smashed one of the highest ever 50over scores in a one–day game against Western Australia. The Blues finished their innings on 7-465, with left-hander Ben Rohrer belting 108 runs off just 66 balls, and getting good support from wicketkeeper Ryan Carters (91 off 70), all-rounder Moises Henriques (87 off 55) and young gun opener Nic Maddinson (76 off 48). While the Warriors side was suffering from a number of forced admissions (due to the Perth Scorchers playing at the T20 Champions League tournament in India), the result was still tough to take. The Blues effort though fell short of the all time record of 4–496 made by Surrey. 32

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Murderball: American and New Zealand wheelchair rugby internationals contest for possession at the Tri-Nations opener in front of St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney

PM to Manu – ‘There’s no Beef’ Rugby Union

Pranked prime minister David Cameron has told Lions centre Manu Tuilagi there is no need to apologise for ‘having a bit of fun’. Tuilagi had apologised after he put ‘bunny ears’ on the PM during a photo outside of No10 Downing Street. The PM had been honouring the victorious British and Irish Lions squad who defeated Australia in June and July. The prime minister tweeted: “Manutuilagi it was great to welcome you and the @lionsofficial team to No10. No need to apologise, I know it was just a bit of fun.’’ At least someone has a sense of humour about it.

BIG WEEK FOR ... Arsenal’s new 42.5 million pound man, Mesut Ozil has had a fairytale start to life as a Gunner. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is understandably chuffed, but can Ozil maintain his form? If not, Wenger could be in hot water. When the transfer window slammed shut and Arsene Wenger emerged proudly clutching at Ozil like he’d just pulled him from the womb, Gunners fans around the world rejoiced, and rightly so. Ozil is a world class talent of the highest order. Yet the Gunner’s still look light both up front and at the back, something Ozil can’t really help. Will Arsene’s splurge pay off in the end or not? Only time will tell.

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QUOTEs OF THE WEEK At the start it was based on hate, but that gradually grew into love New Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o describing his rocky relationship with his current and former manager Jose ‘the Special One’ Mourinho

Who will be showered in confetti come September 28th?

PREVIEW when saturday comes AFL Grand final

Sat Sep 28 – Channel 7 Many from the Northern Hemisphere find AFL quite peculiar. But then it is more a religion than a sport. At the time of writing their are still four teams in the running to lift the famous Premiership Cup and win the coveted Flag – Hawthorn and Geelong from Victoria, the Sydney Swans from New South Wales and the Fremantle Dockers from WA. Defending champions the Swans will be making the trip across the Nullabor to face

the Dockers in Perth in the second week of the finals and, after a bruising encounter with Carlton the week before, might not have what it takes to press on to a second straight Grand Final. Meanwhile the rivalry that has grown up between the Hawks of Hawthorn and the Cats of Geelong has come to dominate the AFL in recent years. The semi-final between these two giants of the game will likely decide who will be lifting the cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the day of the 117th annual final in front of 95,000 screaming fans.

THE CHAT | Luis Suarez, genius or demon?

Photos: AAP newswire , Getty

serving a long suspension for biting Q After Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic last season, how will Suarez’s return affect Liverpool? Positively or not? We will know more after watching him in action for the Reds A against Manchester United in the League Cup. Suarez has looked very sharp for Uruguay during his suspension lay-off, but – having agitated so strongly for a move away from Anfield during the off season – will his heart still be in it and, indeed, will the fans still be behind him? Who knows. Others will also point to Liverpool’s great record without the Uruguyan, with Daniel Sturridge proving a revelation in the middle of the park. At the end of the day, Liverpool will surely be stronger if they can have an in-form Sturridge and Will Suarez bite back? Suarez on the same pitch.

It may well be that we made a mistake FIFA President Sepp Blatter finally admitting that awarding Qatar the 2022 Football World Cup could have been a mistake. The chances of the tournament moving to the winter, however, received a considerable boost when UEFA bosses agreed last week that playing the games in the summer was a non-starter

I don’t think it’s right to go into specifics, we just have to play better cricket more consistently Baggy green captain Michael Clarke discussing his side’s Ashes drubbing at the hands of the old enemy. It’s not rocket science, obviously

TV HIGHLIGHTS AFL The Grand Final The big one Sat 28 Sept, 5:30am, ESPN

Football Everton v Newcastle The Toffees and Magpies battle it out Mon, Sept 30, 8pm, Sky Sports 1

rugby union Harlequins v Saracens Luve Premiership Rugby Sat 28 Sept, 3.15pm. BT Sport 1 tntMagazine.com

Match of the gay Football needs a kick up the arse, but will tying coloured laces in a pretty bow make a difference? Words bill slater

It’s a Christmas tradition in our flat that as soon as the bells start to jingle, the girlfriend digs into the bottom of the wardrobe and drags out an ancient pair of blood red Doc Martens that go back to the stone age. They’re covered in stick-on silver and gold stars and sprayed with glittery tinsel. She wears them, sometimes accompanied by a lacy pink tutu with orange and black hooped tights, to every festive do we’re invited to. It’s not that she’s a fairy or anything. It’s more a sort of “Hey! It’s Christmas and I’m celebrating it.” In any case, there are no such things as fairies. It’s all a bit like the current celebration of gay footballers, which involves all the pros across all the UK’s professional leagues being asked to tie their boots up with rainbow laces. As this story goes to bed, so to speak, on Friday, it’s too early to tell how many forwards, wingers and stout defenders of clean sheets will bend to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by the unlikely brothers in arms behind the campaign – the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power and the sexual equality charity Stonewall. Not that it really matters, because there are no such things as gay footballers. Are there?

The numbers don’t lie Well, there might not be, but, Stonewall – founded 25 years ago and galvanised by the offensive Section 28 of the Local Government Act to prevent the promotion of homosexuality in schools – told us the odds of there being no gay professional football player are “over a quadragintillionto-one”. In case you were wondering, that’s a one followed by a mere 123 noughts. Or if you want something more down to earth, PR-tothe-stars Max Clifford told The Independent on Sunday as long ago as 2009 that he’d represented two high-profile gay 34

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Premier League footballers in the past but advised them to stay in the closet because football “remains in the dark ages, steeped in homophobia”. Nearly five years on, it looks like it still is.

Rainbow warriors Hence, we suppose, the new campaign, and good on Stonewall and Paddy Power for kicking on with it. That said, we suspect we shouldn’t hold our breath in any expectation that Match of the Day will surprise us all by being able to spring Alan Hansen’s eventual successor as an ex-pro pundit out of the closet. Although it should be said that BBC host Gary Lineker has come forward as one of the campaign’s most high profile supporters, saying he’ll wear the laces while in front of the MOTD cameras. Nevertheless, with the 5000 pairs of laces having been distributed to footballers across all 134 professional clubs in the UK and each player asked to wear them in their club fixtures last weekend, it will be interesting to see who did and who didn’t. Early vocal supporters included QPR’s Joey Barton, Fulham’s John Arne Riise and Everton’s Phil Jagielka. They have all championed the campaign’s simple message of ‘Right Behind Gay Footballers’, which is designed to kick start a change in attitudes and make the Brits’ national game more gay-friendly. Paddy Power and Stonewall asked fans and the public last week to back the campaign by taking to social media and using the hashtag #RBGF during the build-up to the weekend fixtures – a bit of the campaign that soccer bad boy and twitter-mouth Joey Barton certainly got right behind as “a subject that’s quite close to my heart”. And although the media campaign to win support from footballers, celebrities, fans and the public might have, to put it in Stonewall’s words, shone a “spotlight on homophobia in football”, Paddy Power hasn’t yet managed

Olympic gold medalist diver Matthew Mitcham

out and about how other sports fare When it comes to LGBT sports people, even the mighty Wikipedia can only manage a 200 or so-strong list. An Aussie contingent of 15 includes two divers, two hockey players, two swimmers and one racing driver, gymnast, snowboarder, mountaineer, boxer and single volleyball, tennis and rugby players. And one (woman) footballer. New Zealand manages a swimmer, a skater, a horse rider and a rugby player. South Africa has one footballer (deceased).

to deliver on the quadragintillion odds by persuading any footballers to publicly come out. Indeed, to the contrary, many top clubs have come out in revolt against the campaign (see boxout, right), not impressed by the way it has been pushed forward without their input and, critically, with a commercial partner. However, as the bookie’s spokesman said: “We love football but it needs a kick up the arse.” Stonewall’s deputy chief executive Laura Doughty put it more politely: “It’s time for football clubs and players to step up and make a visible stand against homophobia in our national game,” she said. “By wearing rainbow laces, players will send a message of support to gay players and can begin to drag football in to the 21st century.” Like the Paddy Power bloke went on to say in an echo of the campaign poster: “In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it’s time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn’t matter what team they play for.”

Photos: AAP, TNT Images

Changing the Fash-ion But when it comes down to it, why should gay footballers, or gay anyone else for that matter, feel they have to declare their sexual orientation? Heterosexuals don’t. That’s not the point though. The point is that they should be able to if they want to. Able to without risking having their careers wrecked by foul-mouthed fans, gob-shite gaffers and leery team mates. Able to without being driven – like Justin Fashanu (pictured top left), still the only top UK footballer to declare his homosexuality – to suffer the kind of torment that led him as Britain’s first black £1m footballer to hang himself in the lonely dank darkness of a lock-up garage in east London all the way back in 1998. In some ways, football doesn’t seem to have come far in 15 years. ❚

QPR’s Joey Barton is a prominent supporter

not in rainbows who backs the campaign Numerous Premier League clubs announced they would either oppose the new campaign or leave it up to their players to decide, effectively opting out. The reasons some gave for the decision were that Paddy Power and Stonewall’s campaign is embarrassing because the clubs were not consulted. Some have suggested, the Daily Mail reported, that the betting company is simply using the issue as part of a misjudged publicity stunt in which clubs not getting involved can’t help but look bad. Sunderland, for example, said in a staement: “The underlying message is a very positive one and something we wholeheartedly support. However, we were not entirely comfortable with the third-party commercial links.” Here’s how each club was believed to stand, as TNT went to press, with regards to working with the campaign. Take note that solitary yes Everton also happens to be an official partner of Paddy Power. ARSENAL Maybe ASTON VILLA Maybe CARDIFF Maybe CHELSEA Players’ choice CRYSTAL PALACE Players’ choice EVERTON Yes FULHAM Players’ choice HULL Players’ choice LIVERPOOL No MAN CITY Players’ choice MAN UNITED No NEWCASTLE Players’ choice NORWICH No SOUTHAMPTON No STOKE Maybe SUNDERLAND No SWANSEA No TOTTENHAM No WEST BROM Maybe WEST HAM No

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TNT WINTER SHOW 2013

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devilishly handsome Meet Joey, the Tasmanian devil, part of a Monarto Zoo breeding programme which aims to save the Aussie icon from being wiped out by disease.

Photos: AAP, Getty

INSIDE

get lost /42

czech please /44

the big one /48

Like wondering around surrounded by massive green shrubberies. Then you’ll love our list of the world’s best five mazes.

A new initiative sees Prague’s former homeless leading unique tours of the city, giving tourists a different take on the capital.

The world’s biggest bungee jump, glittering casinos and hints of old-world Portugal. Macau is China, but not as you know it. tntMagazine.com

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WIN six months fitrooms membership Summer is just a distant memory and the nights are drawing in. Time to get your body in shape at Fulham’s favourite gym. Fitrooms and TNT have joined forces to help a lucky reader shake off any extra weight with a six-month gym membership. One runner-up will win five pilates taster sessions, another will win five personal training sessions, while another will take home a pass for any five classes. Fitrooms in Fulham is one of the best-equipped, most state-of-theart health clubs in London.

If you call Fitrooms on 020 7610 1410 and quote ‘TNT’ you can join the gym and get October FREE (but hurry, offer limited to the first 50 places). Fitrooms is located at 254-258 North End Road, Fulham. See fitrooms.com Comp opens: September 23, 2013 Comp ends: October 10, 2013 Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions

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BUrger off Anti-McDonald’s protesters from Melbourne are confident of getting a meeting with McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson after a rally in the US attracted local media attention. The No Maccas in the Hills group inflated about 30 kangaroos at a Chicago McDonald’s as part of their fight against the company building a fast food restaurant in Tecoma on Melbourne’s eastern outskirts. Garry Muratore, a spokesman for the group, said the rally attracted a lot of attention.”We were talking to the media guys there and they think Don will take notice when he sees it on Chicago media.”

Photos: Thinkstock

Baaaa-d to worse A man who admitted to having sex with a goat in August has been jailed for six weeks over the offence and will be forced to sign up to the sex offenders register. The North Wiltshire magistrate’s court activated an “eight-week suspended sentence” on Thursday, according to the Metro, which will see Robert Newman spend six weeks in jail for his penetrative attack on a local goat. Newman originally denied having sex with a goat on a farm in Wiltshire, but changed his plea after learning that the poor animal required veterinary care afterwards.

Virgin/New Zealand The competition watchdog has given Virgin Australia the green light to extend its alliance with Air New Zealand for another five years. The ACCC has said that it doesn’t think the extension of the deal between the two trans-Tasman airlines will affect competition on other similar routes. “We were concerned that authorising the alliance would eliminate competition from Virgin as an independent player,” said watchdog commissioner Jill Walker. ”That’s why we think we still need a capacity condition on this alliance.”

Prawns, not pies Tourism Australia has announced a new culinary marketing campaign. On the back of the strength of Australia’s wine exports, tourism chiefs are hoping to lure foodies from all over the world to experience the country’s high-end culinary culture. A spokesperson for TA said that this new focus on food could potentially provide a great boost for Australia’s economy. “Potentially billions of dollars over the long run and for us trying to get to our 2020 goal of somewhere between $115 billion to $140 billion in tourism receipts that we will hopefully be getting by 2020,” he said.

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Sin city: gamble on a trip to Las Vegas for £839pp with lowcostholidays.com

DEAL OF THE WEEK top tallinn

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INDONESIA An eight-day tour of Lombok costs £491pp with Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com; 0844 499 8487). Includes guesthouse accommodation, seven meals, local transport, guided walks and local tour leader. Excludes flights. Departs Ubud, on Bali, on Oct 12. Book by Oct 9. cyprus A seven-night trip is £401pp with easyJet Holidays (0843 104 1000; holidays.easyjet.com). Includes three-star, half-board accommodation at Hotel Golden Arches in Limassol and return flights from London Gatwick. Departs October 9. JORDAN An eight-day Essential Jordan tour is now £329pp (25 per cent off) with Travel Talk (020 8099 9596, traveltalktours.com). Visits Amman, Wadi Rum, Petra, Dead Sea. Includes accommodation, airport transfers, some meals and guide. Excludes flights and local payment. Departs Oct 13; book by Sep 30.

> £500 mexico Seven nights in Mexico is £885pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). The deal includes five-star, all-inclusive accommodation at Temptation Resort Spa Cancun and return flights from London Gatwick. Departs October 3. THAILAND Seven nights in Thailand is £740pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). The deal includes five-star, B&B accommodation at Rest Detail Hotel in Hua Hin and return flights from London Heathrow. Departs October 7. LAS VEGAS A five-night trip to Las Vegas in the US is £839pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). The deal includes four-star, room-only accommodation at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino and return flights from London Heathrow airport. Departure date is October 21.

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ibiza Seven nights is £138pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). Includes four-star, self-catering accommodation at THB Bahia Ocean Beach Hotel in San Antonio Bay and return flights from London Stansted. Departs October 13. PARIS Two nights is £170pp with easyJet Holidays (0843 104 1000; holidays.easyjet.com). The deal includes three-star, B&B accommodation at Le 55 Montparnasse Hotel and return flights from London Luton. Departs October 8. RUSSIA A six-day Highlights of Russia tour is now £239pp (40 per cent off) with Travel Talk (020 8099 9596; traveltalktours.com). Visits St Petersburg and Moscow. Includes accommodation, airport transfer, four breakfasts and guide. Excludes flights and local payments. Departs October 5; book by September 30. MOROCCO Three nights is £239pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). Includes four-star, B&B accommodation at Hotel Almas in Marrakech and return flights from London Gatwick. Departs October 14. costa del sol A seven-night trip to Marbella is £151pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 111 6271). Includes four-star, B&B accommodation at Las Chapas Palacio del Sol and return flights from London Stansted. Departs October 5.

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Tiki-tastic: you can do Polynesian paradise on a budget

the insider: MOROCCO Ahmed MHA Tour Guide Travel Talk

YOU ASKED FOR IT... Laura Lindsay from lonely planet

Q We all know how expensive French Polynesia can be, but is there any way to spend an amazing holiday there without having to empty my life savings account? Izzy, via email A It’s the 118 islands’ idyllic setting that makes

readers’ tips on prague Golden Lane, Prague

FREE VIEW Golden Lane (the unmissable feature at Prague Castle) is free after 6pm! Head to Powder Tower too for some great (and practically free) views of the city. Amy Donegan, via Facebook

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this part of the world an expensive place to get to, but that’s what also makes it so special. Don’t give up though, as it's possible to travel almost anywhere on a budget as long as you are prepared to compromise. There are plenty of modest accommodation options in French Polynesia. Find a bed locally in such places as homestays and pensions. Pensions are small guesthouses which often also provide meals. Lonely Planet’s South Pacific guide lists some of the best.

Another great money-saving tip is to stay on one of the less visited islands where demand isn’t quite as high. Boat travel is relatively cheap so there’s no reason to stay on the popular and expensive island of Tahiti just because your flight lands there. Consider smaller islands such as low-key Taha’a or Fakarava, one of the most beautiful atolls (a coral reef based island) in French Polynesia. The best deals can be found in April to June and September to November. Getting to French Polynesia will be the unavoidably expensive part. If you have little money but plenty of time, crewing positions on yachts leaving the west coast of America could get you to the islands. However, this route would take around three months and involve working, so you definitely need decent sea legs! You could also look at yachting options from Australia.

What's your top tip for enjoying a holiday in Morocco? It's a welcoming country, so go with no preconceptions – be nice to people and you will get the best of them. What's Morocco's best-kept secret? The western part of the Anti-Atlas mountains – the incredible canyons and scenery at Tafraoute, Tata, Amtoudi, Ameln Valley and Ait Mansour. What's your favourite part of Morocco? I really like the southeast of Morocco: people are courteous, the landscape’s varied, there’s beautiful architecture and it’s very relaxing. What's the best view in Morocco? Sunset or sunrise at the top of the sand dunes in the Sahara desert. traveltalktours.com

TOP FIVE

MAZES

hampton court, england

Are you ready for a modern horror story? There are places on earth where not even an iPhone, GPS or trusty old atlas can help you escape. No, not the Northern Line at 8.30am, and nor are we talking about the remotest corners of less-developed countries, where (gasp!) there’s no wi-fi. We mean mazes. Maybe you like them because of the sense of danger that comes with being trapped and lost at the same time, or maybe you’re hooked on the rush once you’ve cracked them. Or possibly you just like to take a slow wander through while pondering their philosophical symbolism. Hmm. No matter what the reason, you can’t deny that an adventure in one of the world’s top mazes is a total blast. One of our all-time faves is very close to home at Hampton Court in Surrey. It was commissioned around 1700 by King William III and is the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze, covering a third of an acre and with half a mile of paths in total. Baffling twists, confusing turns and maddening dead 42 00

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ends are all part of the game here, as Hampton Court’s is a puzzle maze, unlike the single path mazes that used to be more popular in England. In other words, it has a reputation for being fiendishly difficult to navigate. If being stuck all by yourself in a seemingly endless series of pointless trails wasn’t enough headfuckery for you, an audio installation called Trance that was added a few years ago has only made the experience all the more surreal. The installation was inspired by the concept that mazes are traditionally places of clandestine meetings and saucy goings-on. So hidden sensors in the maze walls trigger mysterious audio clips, which are designed to taunt and mislead lost wanderers. Turn one corner and you’ll hear a rustle of skirts, or you might be tempted down another path by snatches of conversations and a peal of spooky laughter. Could it be the most fun you’ve had or the stuff nightmares are made of? You decide. hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace/maze

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villa pisani, italy

According to legend, the terror of this maze overwhelmed even infamous dictators Hitler and Mussolini. When the pair met at the maze, neither would venture inside because they were so afraid of getting lost. Where’s the fun in that, guys? Made up of 12 concentric circles, this maze is said to be the world’s most complicated. At the centre, a guide stands on a spiral staircase to give directions to those who are struggling.

Photos: Dole Plantation, Japan National Tourism Organisation, Getty, FOTOTECA ENIT, Caspedia Digital Memorie Library, Newsteam

villapisani.beniculturali.it

Pineapple Garden, us

This maze was named the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008 and has held the title since. The pineapple-shaped labyrinth stretches over three acres and includes nearly 2.5 miles of paths. Organisers have planted eight secret stations that each lead to the centre of the maze. The fastest people to locate all eight stations and return to the entrance to win a prize did it in seven minutes, but the average time is between 45 minutes and one hour. doleplantation.com

Fortress of no hope, japan

Boutique bliss

Launched just last summer, this mindmelting maze at Fuji-Q theme park gives visitors just 30 minutes to find their way out – the success rate so far stands at nil. The walk-through building, rather than a conventional garden maze, has innumerable doors, halls and rooms that become more complex as the path progresses. There are hidden clues to find and the video game-style setting is designed to test memory, stamina, logic, and, of course, luck. fujiq.jp

kraay family farm, Canada

Most mazes force you to rely on memory and intuition to get out, but this one lets you cheat. Last year, the Kraay family fashioned their Lacombe Corn Maze into a QR code. The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed that at 309, 570 square feet, the kernelled code was the world’s largest. Scanning it takes visitors directly to the farm’s website, where they can attempt to use a diagram to navigate their way through. That is, if they can get service through the stalks.

Radisson Blu Madrid Prado Overview This boutique hotel is just minutes’ walk from all the best features of Madrid – tapas joints and cheap wine bars line the streets surrounding it and, of course, the Museo del Prado, which has one of the biggest collections of European art in the world, is over the road. The hotel has just 54 rooms, so there’s a cosy feel and plenty of character, managing to avoid feeling like an international chain altogether. Creative touches such as the mini art gallery in the foyer give the place an artsy, sophisticated atmosphere. wow factor In the basement is a giant hot tub, which comes complete with multicoloured lights and huge rain showers. The water isn’t as hot as you’d expect but it’s still a very soothing place to chill out. rooms Smart and spacious, many with huge double windows that open out onto traditional Juliet balconies. Oversized prints of the city decorate the walls and cupboards. Bill please Standard rooms from £103pn.

radissonblu.com

kraayfamilyfarm.com

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Bohemian beauty: Charles bridge, with Prague Castle in the distance

[Caption]

Prague CZECH REPUBLIC

POLAND

PRAGUE

SLOVAKIA

CZECH REP.

HUNGARY

GETTING GETTINGTHERE THERE Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fly from London Stansted to Prague from about ÂŁ75 return with easyJet. easyjet.com

Medieval: Old Town Square 44

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[Caption]

Anti-clockwise: tour leader Karam; Astronomical Clock; the Sex Machine Museum

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Czech-ered pasts A new initiative sees Prague’s former homeless leading unique tours of the city, giving tourists a different take on the capital Words LISETTE ALLEN

I’m standing on Perlová, a pretty street in central Prague. Karim, our group leader, is pointing at a small plaque. This memorial isn’t in honour of fallen heroes, but fallen women. “[The area] used to be packed with brothels,” Karim tells us. “You had men, women, transvestites – everything.” He ought to know: during the reign of Communism, Karim regularly picked up punters here himself. With his glittery false nails, battered leather jacket and copious bling, it’s clear Karim is no ordinary tour guide. Our escort works with Pragulic, a social enterprise scheme masterminded by a pioneering group of Czech students. For the past year, they’ve organised hugely popular walking tours of the capital led by people who’ve experienced homelessness. It’s ethical tourism in action: you see the main sights but from a more grass roots perspective, and best of all, the money you spend changes lives – half the 200CZK (about £6.50) ticket price goes straight to the guides to help them start afresh. Heading further into the Old Town’s maze of cobbled streets, we make a brief stop at the Sex Machines Museum. There’s lots of giggling as we take turns in the Love-OMeter chair: I’m tepid rather than wild. Once we’ve finished checking our libido levels, we continue through narrow alleyways crammed with sightseers, finally emerging in front of the Astronomical Clock. The big draw to this spot opposite Old Town Hall is the wooden apostles that pop out of the famous timepiece once the hour strikes. Karim’s patter, at turns knowledgeable and fanciful, is far more entertaining than this overrated show. Puffing on a cigarette, he regales us with legends like Shakespeare’s alleged stay in Renaissance Bohemia as a royal spy. His opinion of nearby Old Town Square? “They’re trying to bring the traditional feel back but it’s still crowded and overpriced – just for tourists, really.” Karim waves his umbrella aloft – yes, he has one – and we head for Mariánské Náměstí. This square is off the main tourist drag so we enjoy a welcome respite from the hordes while Karim recounts another tall tale. On the façade of Prague’s City Hall, we see a soot-covered statue: Rabbi Loew, the reputed creator of the Golem, an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter (mud, clay, etc), conjured up to protect the Jewish community from pogroms and persecution. Loew lived for

more than 600 years, Karim claims, until he was killed by smelling a rose that Death himself was hiding in. We then follow in the footsteps of kings along Karlova, part of the so-called royal way – královská cesta – which monarchs once processed along en route to their coronations. The street is named after Charles IV, the visionary emperor who shaped medieval Prague, Karim tells us, and commissioned the photogenic river crossing, Charles Bridge. This is our next stop. And while the bridge might be jam-

“

We take turns in the Love-O-Meter chair

”

packed with people, the view in the distance is fabulous. Sitting on the crest of the hill is that breathtaking jewel in the Bohemian crown, Prague Castle. Thanks to the Baroque ››

Bridge builder: King Charles IV tntMagazine.com

statues that flank its edges, Charles Bridge is just as stunning. We follow the throngs across the Vltava river, passing souvenir stands, caricaturists and a violin quartet playing Britney Spears. Karim leans over the side and gestures to Kampa Island. “That’s where they shot my scene in Mission Impossible.” Karim has been an extra in other Hollywood films too, including vampire flicks Underworld and Van Helsing – “I’m great at impersonating the undead” – and proudly reels off a list of the A-listers he’s rubbed shoulders with. We finally take a well-earned break on Malostranské Náměstí, where the conversation turns serious. After 20 years of turning tricks, Karim was deliberately infected with HIV by a malicious client. Contracting the virus was a catastrophe, but it gave him access to the support he needed to escape the streets and rebuild his life. “I do this to give something back,” he explains. It’s already 1pm – our trip’s scheduled end. Karim’s off to the castle to be interviewed by a Czech TV crew. He might not be living the red carpet lifestyle, but thanks to his new career, Karim has a roof over his head – and a taste of stardom. ❚ For more information on Pragulic’s tours and how to book, check out their website pragulic.cz

BUDGET

MIDRANGE

LUXURY

eat

Authentic Vietnamese cuisine is the new hot trend on the Prague dining scene. Family-run Viet eatery TuanLan Pho Vietnam is the ideal spot to get your pho fix in the centre of town. Main courses start from a bargain £3. photuanlan.com

For karma-free eats, check out zen hidden gem Maitrea, where you can sample veggie versions of Czech classics like spicy goulash and dumplings (£5) in a feng shui interior. restaurace-maitrea.cz

Braised beef cheeks, grilled octopus and glazed sweetbreads are just a few of the options on Argument’s six-course taster menu (about £26). Who said the Czechs don’t do gourmet? argument-restaurant.cz

drink

Café-Pub Atmosphere is a downto-earth and lively venue for a night out. The beer’s reasonably priced for such a central location, so grab a table in the large courtyard and treat yourself to a couple of glasses of Pilsner (about £1.30). atmoska.cz

Czechs love the grape as much as the grain and Prague is packed with unpretentious wine cellars, like Vinny Sklep Ujezd. Order a bottle of Merlot (£10.50) and a large plate of tapas to share (about £10). vinnyujezd.cz

Imagine a cocktail joint with the oldworld vibe of a gentlemen’s club and you’ll have pictured Hemingway’s Bar perfectly. Salute Ernest with a Hemingway Daiquiri (£4.40) or for the truly adventurous, there’s Absinthe Toulouse Lautrec (£6). hemingwaybar.cz

sleep

Off-the-beaten track hostel Sir Toby’s has a cosy feel and facilities aplenty, including a communal kitchen. Dorm beds start at about £5pn; private rooms from about £25. sirtobys.com

Hotel At the Charles Bridge is only a few steps from the Vltava’s most famous crossing point and boasts great river views. Doubles start at about £100pn. archibald.cz

Located in the heart of the Old Town, the Buddha Bar Hotel oozes oriental opulence and has been graced by Cambodian royalty. Double rooms from about £175pn; suites start at around £800pn. buddhabarhotelprague.com

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Wild or tepid? The Love-O-Meter chair

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47 13/06/2013

13:54

Head for heights: TNT’s Helen bungee jumps from the top of Macau Tower

Macau

GETTING THERE Return flights from London Heathrow to Macau, via Beijing, cost from £569. airchina.co.uk

CHINA

CHINA MACAU

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HONG KONG

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BIGTRIP

The high life The world’s highest bungee jump, glittering casinos and hints of old-world Portugal – Macau is China, but not as you know it Words helen elfer

WHEN TO GO: Autumn and winter are the best times to visit I’m sitting patiently on a stool in the open ahead, don’t look down!” shouts another. air, 233ft above the ground. Heavy padding as the weather is cool and clear, No problem, I’m still enjoying the views. And is strapped around both my ankles, and with temperatures ranging from then I’m right there at the edge, arms spread I’m weighed down further with a harness, the low to mid-20°Cs. wide. They let go of my harness and start buckles, straps and an awful lot of carabenas. CURRENCY: £1=12.4 MOP counting down from five, fast. I’ve had to shuffle to get to my perch, Finally, with a jolt, my body realises what’s (Macau Pataca) jangling like a doomed felon. going on. My breath disappears, stomach ACCOMMODATION: I’m not here to be put to death (although lurches, mouth goes dry and heart starts The Sofitel Macau offers spacious from a certain perspective, close enough), but rooms with sensational views out slamming against my chest. But it’s far, far to do the highest bungee jump in the world, too late … onto the harbour. There’s also a from the top of the Macau Tower. Veteran Usually when I catch a glimpse of an casino on site and the Old Macau jumpers told me earlier the waiting is the impressively cloud-piercing landmark, I get a historical quarter is within walking worst bit, but actually, I think, this is the best distance, so you can experience the little swell of admiration. The Macau Tower seat in the house. is visible from almost everywhere on the best of both sides of the territory. The day is warm, muggy and a little island, but over the past few days of my trip, Standard rooms from £115pn. overcast but it’s still clear enough to be able every time I’ve craned to see its long, delicate sofitel.com to see over the whole peninsula. To my right swoop into the sky and spaceship-shaped SEE: en.macautourism.gov.mo is the curved Nam Van Lake, and a sweep of top, all I feel is unease, knowing the moment the casinos and hotels that ritzy Macau is famous for – the is drawing closer when I’ll have to leap from the top of it. Wynn, MGM Grand and the huge, golden-lotus-shaped Still, I find plenty to distract me. Macau is working hard to Grand Lisboa. From this height they look calm and serene, be recognised as a diverse holiday destination, which is not belying the fact that inside the casino halls a fever of dealing, easy with the bright lights of Hong Kong, Asia’s busiest hub, shaking, shuffling, rolling and flashing is taking place, not to on its doorstep. Colonised by the Portuguese 400 years ago, mention millions of Macanese patacas won and many more many parts of Macau still look like old-world Portugal and a millions lost. To my left is a bay that runs out into the South wander through town takes me past old Catholic churches, China Sea, dotted with small fishing boats, a sprinkling of lemon-painted buildings with wooden shutters, and plenty yachts and a long barge that’s used for spectacular firework of small Portuguese restaurants (try Antonio’s for boozedisplays on special occasions. Further out is a hazy line that laced Crepe Suzette, Portuguese cuisine and traditional I’m pretty sure is the coast of mainland China. serenades sung over dinner, antoniomacau.com). The panorama is so absorbing I’ve been lulled into a I also pay a quick visit to the Macau Giant Panda Pavilion peaceful daze and have almost forgotten the reason I’m (macaupanda.org.mo, entrance 80p) to see Xin Xin and Kai here, until one of the staff snaps my attention back to the Kai, which were given to Macau in 2011 to celebrate the deck. A busy team of orange T-shirted staff are working with 10th anniversary of Macau becoming a Special Administrative fierce concentration, fastening ropes and issuing snappy Region of China (Macau, along with Hong Kong, was handed commands into walkie-talkies. There’s no casual chat and back to China by its colonists, but under an agreement in spite of the fact I have a fair few questions I’d like to ask that sees it enjoy a large degree of autonomy in terms of (among them “has this ever gone wrong?”), this might not government, legal systems and more). The two giant pandas, be the best time to distract them. Without further ado, I’m one male, one female, are twins who were born in the year instructed to make my way out to the ledge, helped along of the Beijing Olympics (2008), which is considered to be by two of the guys. “Wave at the camera!” shouts one. I lucky. They certainly seem like they’re enjoying the good ›› obediently do so, with a big grin. This is fine. “Eyes straight life when I watch them through the glass in their big tntMagazine.com

Hanging out: on Skywalk X you can dangle from Macau Tower

Take a gamble: Grand Lisboa; below left, inside the casinos

enclosures, napping and eating. Macau clearly does have plenty of gentle, low-key activities on offer, but really, trips to the territory have always been about thrill-seeking. And for most visitors, these thrills come from playing for very, very big bucks in the casinos. The only part of China where gambling is legal, for years Macau has had a reputation as a playground for well-off mainlanders to come and hit the tables. The casinos here are outrageously opulent, with glamorous lobbies, showy water fountains and lines of Cartier, Salvatore Ferregamo, Yves Saint Laurent-type stores full of designer gear to spend your winnings on. In The Venetian Macao, which is the world’s biggest casino, there’s even a mall with a canal running through it where shoppers can ride in a gondola past high-end stores, paddled by a gondolier kitted out in the requisite stripy T-shirt and red-ribboned straw hat. It’s a copy of the shopping canal in The Venetian Las Vegas, which is in turn a copy of, obviously, the real one in Venice. How very meta. I’m no high roller, so I choose a very low-key casino to have a little flutter in, at the Sofitel Hotel where I’m staying. Pinging, flashing machines line the walls at the back, while the rest of the hall is filled with roulette, black jack and baccarat tables. Only the croupiers are wearing formal clothes and I’m surprised to see that the punters, mostly middle-aged, Chinese mainlanders are all dressed casually in trousers and jumpers. The mood is also not what I expected. Instead of high tension and “take the car keys!” type drama, the atmosphere is as flat as the worn-out carpet patches by the most popular tables. I take 200 Macanese patacas (about 15 50

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quid) out of my wallet and stand awkwardly by the roulette table. No English is spoken, but after a few mimed gestures I manage to acquire some chips. I place them quickly on the table, excitement rising, choosing numbers for stupid reasons – the date, my birthday, my age. The only other player is a man with a stack of chips worth thousands of pounds, although you’d never know it from his disinterested expression. The wheel spins and I wait with bated breath. For nothing.

Standing tall: Macau Tower looms over the bay

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, Flkr-Jack Zalium, facebook, TNT - Helen Elfer

Venetian: canals and gondolas at the world’s biggest casino

Next thing the croupier is sweeping away the plastic discs without a word, so I assume I’ve lost. I walk off, thinking of better ways I could have spent £15, leaving the other player stoically stacking up another set. What an anticlimax. So when the time finally comes to head up the Macau Tower for my bungee jump, I’m still holding out for my adrenalin surge. I’ve definitely come to the right place this time – there are a heap of daredevil activities on offer, and I start off with Skywalk X, a walk around the outer perimeter of the tower, 233m high, just 1.8 metres wide, and with no handrail. Along with two other tentative tourists, I’m harnessed up and step outside. Our guide dares us to lean backwards against the sheer drop, depending entirely on the harness to stop us plummeting to the concrete below. I tell myself it’s no different from abseiling and to trust the equipment, then slowly force myself to lean back. It’s completely exhilarating,

“

Flamin’ brilliant: a fiery artwork at last year’s fest

I tip over the edge with a strangled howl

”

and I spread my arms out wide for a show-off picture. Just 10 minutes later, even the most reluctant member of our little group is swinging on the ropes, pretending to step off the edge and posing for more Facebook-gold snapshots. We stroll back inside, giddy with excitement, and I’m more than ready for the bungee jump. A flashed-by 20 minutes later I’m standing there on the platform. I tip over the edge, letting out a weird, strangled howl, and the grey skies, busy roads, casinos and hotels become an upside-down jumble as I fall. A few seconds later it’s done – I bounce gently and pull on the rope that brings me back upright, letting out a whoop as I’m gently lowered to the ground. After some thrills in Macau? My advice would be to forget the casinos and head up the Macau Tower for that risktaker’s adrenalin jolt instead. Sure, you have to gamble that the concrete below won’t smash your brains out, but at least the odds are in your favour. ❚

Flotilla: the fun will be on the river, not just by it

LONDON’S BIGGEST FREE TRAVEL SHOW Business Design Centre Islington | N1 0QH Saturday 28 September

Terribly British: Morris dancing on the South Bank

tnttravelshow.com tntMagazine.com

FluCamp.com 17/09/2013 16:17

Saturday 28 September 2013 Business Design Centre - Islington - N1 0QH 9.30am - 5.30pm