1575

November 2013 Issue 1575 tntmagazine.com

DIRTY SECRETS We shine a light on Australia’s dark side

ELF YOURSELF Make extra cash this Christmas

ASHES TO ASHES

NTI!ON IAC W NY

A SO CAM + VIP ENTRY TO THE FREEZE FESTIVAL

The coveted cup returns

N I E V I D S ’ T LE

New Year is h t d n a il a h T the beach in n o – t h ig n y – and all Spend all da ISSUE 1575 / £1.95

+ DINE IN A TEE PEE SORT YOUR XMAS GIFTS GET LOST IN BELGRADE GO ON SAFARI

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VAL D’ISERE – DECEMB ER 20-29, 2013

BY ACTION -OUTDO ORS.CO .UK

Join The TNT Snowblast Tour to Val d’Isere this Christmas!

TNT Magazine & Action Outdoors have partnered up to bring you The TNT Snowblast Tour – have a White Christmas to remember in Val d’Isere The TNT Snowblast Tour – a 9 day trip to Val d’Isere, France: 20th Dec – 29th Dec 2013

• 6½-day liftpass for Espace Killy ski area • 6½-day Ski or Snowboard and boot hire • 12 hours of group Instruction • 7 nights accommodation at UCPA Val d’Isere • ALL meals, including TWO Christmas celebrations • Après-ski events every day • TNT Ski merchandise • Return coach from London

£645*

Book online at: www.tnt-snowblast.com BROUGHT TO YOU BY

*Includes £50 discount valid through to Nov 25th.

EDITORIAL Acting editor Caroline Garnar Contributors: Michael Gadd l Alasdair Morton l Rachael Getzels l Carol Driver EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 0203 011 1066 To contact the various editorial departments via email please use the following email addresses: entertainment@tntmagazine.com lifestyle@tntmagazine.com sport@tntmagazine.com travel@tntmagazine.com SALES/MARKETING/EVENTS Sales manager Jaqui Ward PHONE 020 3137 5950 EMAIL jaqui.ward@tntmagazine.com Sales Executive Matt Syder PHONE 0207 9890491 EMAIL matt.syder@tntmagazine.com For all general enquiries please call 0207 989 0567 or email sales@tntmagazine.com DESIGN / PRODUCTION Head of design and production Lisa Ferron PHONE 01225 442062 EMAIL lisa.ferron@tntmagazine.com Design / picture editor Patricia Montenegro PHONE 0203 011 1066 EMAIL patricia.montenegro@tntmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS / DISTRIBUTION Manager Caroline Penn PHONE 01603 559004 EMAIL caroline.penn@tntmagazine.com ACCOUNTS Emma Overton EMAIL emma.overton@tntmagazine.com STARTRACK MEDIA LTD Directors Kevin Ellis, Ken Hurst Stuart Bidgood PUBLISHER Startrack Media Limited DISTRIBUTION Emblem Direct Ltd PRINTED BY Wyndeham Peterborough Limited NEWS AAP PICTURES Getty Images, TNT Images, Thinkstock TNT Magazine , 114 Coppergate House, 16 Brune Street, London E1 7NJ tntmagazine.com

WHERE TO GET TNT

COVER PRICE: £1.95 where sold SEE tntmagazine.com/findtnt for pick-up points or tntmagazine.com/emag to read TNT online

All thieves of TNT bins will be prosecuted.

Editor’s image by photsolutions.me

FROM THE EDITOR Check us out, we’re different...

From today, you might start noticing a few changes with your TNT Magazine.

For starters, I’m new, so hello. Then there’s the fact that we’ve gone monthly.

“But, what ever will I read for the other three weeks of the month?” I hear you cry.

Well, for starters, the mag is still full of all your favourite sections, but now they are even bigger and better, and span the whole month, so you will have plenty to feast your eyes on. Plus, we’re introducing five new quick-fire free magazines and delivering them right into your inbox every week. So, really, you’re getting even more of us, you lucky things.

Monday’s e-newsletter will be dedicated to news and sport; Tuesdays will be jobs day; on Wednesdays it’ll be travel (with all the latest deals for a quick escape); on Thursdays, it’s back to reality with all those essentials such as accommodation, money, shipping and stuff; while on Friday we’ll be getting you in shape for the weekend with all you need to know about where to gig, glug and have a good time.

All you need to do is let us know via the website (tntmagazine.com/about-tnt/ subscribe-to-newsletter) which ones you want to receive and we’ll email them directly to you (go on, get them all; as tradition demands, they’re free).

So, yes, things have changed, but just remember these two things and we’ll all be fine: sign up to our five free e-newsletters and look out for a new printed TNT on the first Monday of every month, not every week. Got it? Good.

We hope our changes suit you. If they don’t, keep it to yourself – I mean, I am happy to receive your feedback.

Enjoy!

Caroline

caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

In next month’s issue...

Mind-blowing Brazil 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.

Christmas craziness

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WIN A SONY ACTION CAM AND A PAIR OF VIP TICKETS TO FREEZE FESTIVAL TNT are offering one lucky winner the chance to win a Sony Action Cam and a pair of tickets for each day, plus VIP entry on Sunday, to the FREEZE festival. This year Sony is delighted to partner with FREEZE as the official ‘Action Camera’ – to capture the best winter sports action. Join the world’s ‘best in snow’ at London’s only après-ski party and catch the incredible international snowboarding and ski stunts on the icy rail jam in the ‘Hail the Rail’ competition.

The new Action Cam HDR-AS30V captures every epic moment with sharp precision – from hurtling down the piste to a mid-air switch grab.

SteadyShot allows smooth, shakefree Full HD video and still photos

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and with 170° field of view, the wearable video camera captures the whole scene and more.

Discover your true sense of adventure with the new Action Cam – complete with GPS and LiveView Remote. Plus, easily share your tricks and spills on the slopes with in-built Wi-Fi. Competition start date: 04/11/2013 Competition draw date: 11/11/2013 Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions freezefestival.com sony.co.uk/hub/action-camera

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THIS MONTH LONDON DiArY

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TRAVEL wOrLD NewS

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LATe DeALS

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HOTSHOTS

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feSTivAL: mArDi grAS

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ChriSTmAS mArkeTS

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A guiDe TO ThAiLAND

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AfriCAN SAfAriS

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ON THE COVER DINE IN A TEE PEE

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Barbecued pork and bonfires? Yes please

DIRTY SECRETS

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John Pilger’s new film reveals all

SPORT

SORT YOUR XMAS GIFTS

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rOuND-uP

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Don’t leave it to the last minute this year

ASheS Are BACk

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GET LOST IN BELGRADE

viewPOiNT

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This secret city has hidden depths

LET’S DIVE IN

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Spend your New Year in Thailand

LIFESTYLE

GO ON SAFARI

ChriSTmAS JOBS

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mONeY

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reCruiTmeNT SPeCiAL

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ShiPPiNg STuff hOme

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CLASSIFIEDS

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Our top countries for animal-spotting

ASHES TO ASHES

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Come on Australia, you can do it this time

ELF YOURSELF Be the big man himself this Christmas

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THIS MONTH’S TOP PICKS OLD ALE FESTIVAL

EURO OUTDOOR FILM FEST

Nov 22-14

Nov 23

South London boozer The White Horse is going to be throwing its 31st annual Old Ale Festival, with more than 60 tipples on hand for you to sample.

This European touring film festival arrives in London for one day, screening eight of the best adventure and extreme sports movies.

£10

12pm-12am SW6 4UL Parson’s Green whitehorsesw6.com

£12

4pm-9pm Royal Geographical Society, SW7 2AR South Kensington eoft.eu

Shhh... SECRET LONDON JA JA JA FESTIVAL NOV 8-9

Denmark’s Mew and The Ravenettes (left) are the headline acts at this two-day festival of Nordic music, film and food. There will be 20 bands playing the event, with Nordic Sound Bite promising the be “the ultimate collaboration between music and food” as well as a Nordic record label market and more. £25+

Ja Ja: music and food combine

HADRON COLLIDER EXHIBITION Nov 13-May 6

Times vary Roundhouse, NW1 8EH

Chalk Farm

roundhouse.org.uk

WOMEN IN FOOD

DR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSARY

RICHMOND LITERATURE FEST

Nov 7, 13 & 21

Nov 22-24

Nov 1-30

This new exhibition will lift the lid on just what those brainy boffins in Geneva achieved with the Hadron Collider – that feat of scientific engineering that can create conditions as they would have been after the Big Bang more than 13 billion years ago. Awe-inspiring.

This series of culinary themed events celebrates women in the food world with the likes of award-winning chef Skye Gyngell and the Evening Standard’s food critic asking what it takes to make it in a profession that is so dominated by men.

Doctor Who is one of the longest running shows in TV history and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a stunning three-day event that goes behind the scenes and has the current cast of the show on hand to answer your questions.

This month-long celebration of the written word is in its 22nd year. With appearances from the likes of Margaret Thatcher’s biographer Charles Moore and workshops for aspiring authors, it’s a must-go for bookworms and writers.

10am-6pm Science Museum, SW7 2D South Kensington sciencemuseum.org.uk

7pm-9pm Hide Gallery, SE1 3HP London Bridge toastfestival.com

10am-6pm ExCel Centre, E16 1XL Custom House celebration.doctorwho.tv

Times vary Richmond Theatre, TW9 1QJ Richmond richmond.gov.uk

£10

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£12

£8+

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Get your skates on: Ice skating comes to London

ICE SKATING

Mid Nov-early Jan No experience of London in the winter would be complete without taking to the ice on one of the numerous rinks that appear across the capital at this time of year. There are those in historic settings, such as that outside the Tower of London (Nov 16-Jan 5), those where you can shop then skate, such as the Westfield rink (Nov 21-Jan 5), and those that offer late-night skate ‘n’ dance, such as the Somerset House rink (Nov 14-Jan 5), which has DJs on selected dates. £5+

Times vary Various

BOOKSLAM

ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS

Nov 19

Nov 4-11

Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk is one of the guests at this event, and will be reading from his new book Doomed, as well as answering questions from the crowd about his approach to writing and what fuels his nihilistic fiction.

Current Wimbledon champ Andy Muray has pulled out through injury, but otherwise this showpiece end-of-season event will see the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic among the tennis stars wowing the crowds.

6.30pm-10pm The Clapham Grand, SW11 1TT Clapham Junction bookslam.com

Times vary The O2, SE10 0DX North Greenwich theo2.com

Photos: Getty

£10

£10

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LONDONSOUND LONDONSCENE

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Post-dubstep: Mount Kimbie

COMEDY NIGHTS

EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE

STAND UP FOR WOMEN

WORLD PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY

ARTURO UI

NOV 7 / 7PM / £20

NOV 8-26 / 10AM-11PM / Free

UNTIL DEC 7 / 7.30PM / £12+

Jack Whitehall hosts this fundraising shindig in support of Stand Up For Women, with a line-up that includes Sara Pascoe, James Mullinger, Tiffany Stevensen and Abi Roberts.

The 160 shortlisted images from more than 100,000 entries submitted by more than 5000 photographers around the world go on display in this stunning collection of photojournalism.

Morphing into a chilling Hitler clone, Henry Goodman delivers a bravura performance as the eponymous Chicago gangster in Brecht’s 1941 satirical allegory.

Wilton’s Music Hall 1 Graces Alley, E1 8JB Tower Hill wiltons.org

Southbank Centre Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo southbankcentre.co.uk

Duchess Theatre Catherine Street, WC2B 5LA Covent Garden arturoui.co.uk

BARRY HUMPHRIES: EAT, PRAY, LAUGH

HELLO, MY NAME IS PAUL SMITH

RAVING

NOV 13-JAN 5 / 7PM / £25+

NOV 15-MAR 9 / 10AM-6PM / £11+

UNTIL NOV 23 / 7PM / £22+

Legendary Aussie returns for this farewell tour, along with famed characters Dame Edna, Honorable Sir Les Patterson and more.

Leading fashion designer Smith’s work, creations, influences and future ambitions come under the microscope in this forthcoming exhibition looking at one of the world’s premier fashion labels.

A relaxing weekend in rural Wales proves to be anything but in actor-turned-playwright Simon Paisley Day’s riotous new comedy, which gives old-fashioned farce a modern twist.

Design Museum 28 Shad Thames, SE1 2YD Tower Hill designmuseum.org

Hampstead Theatre Eton Avene, NW3 3EU Hampstead hampsteadtheatre.com

NOV 14-23 / 7PM / £20

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST

HENRY V

The Midlands comedian returns to the stage with this ace new show. Best of all, it is in the intimate Soho Theatre.

NOV 26-JAN 5 / 10AM-5PM / Free

NOV 23-FEB 15 / 7.30PM / £10+

This annual exhibition looks at how Christmas would have looked in year’s gone by. Magical.

Jude Law takes centre stage in this high-profile take on the Bard’s famous work.

Soho Theatre 41 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road sohotheatre.com

Geffrye Museum 96 Kingsland Road, E2 8EA Aldgate East geffrye-museum.org.uk

Noel Coward Theatre St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4AU Leicester Square delfontmackintosh.co.uk

London Palladium 8 Argyll Street, W1F 7TF Oxford Circus dameednafarewell.com

FRANK SKINNER: MAN IN A SUIT

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CLUB NIGHTS

GIGS

FABRICLIVE

VAMPIRE WEEKEND

NOV 8, 15, 21 & 29 / 10PM-6AM / £12+

NOV 13 / 7PM / £25+

Friday nights mean this London clubbing institution’s famous Live parties, in which some of the biggest DJs in the world have appeared. This month there will be the likes of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and The 2 Bears (Nov 8), Boys Noise (Nov 15) and DJ Hype (Nov 29). One of the best clubbing nights out in town. Challenge yourself to last until the 6am chuck-out time.

The New York foursome (below) return to London for this grandstanding show at The O2 in which they will be tearing into their latest and third album Modern Vampires of the City. They’re sure to be dipping into their three-album back catalogue, too, and careerlaunching hits such as A-Punk.

Fabric 77a Charterhouse Street, EC1M 3HN Farringdon fabriclondon.com

Photos: Getty

LONDONSOUND

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WATCH THIS

The O2 Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX North Greenwich theo2.co.uk

MOUNT KIMBIE

SPACESTATION TAKEOVER

NOV 14 / 7PM / £25+

NOV 23 / 10PM-7AM / £20

Spacestation move into the Ministry of Sound this evening with M.A.N.D.Y leading the first room, Ninetoes next door in 103, DJ Lukey in the Loft and Julian Amour in the Baby Box with loads more lined up for this jaw-dropping event that will keep you on your feet partying until the small hours – and then some.

This envelope-pushing duo were experimenting with post-dubstep beats and sounds before there was such a thing as post-dubstep. Their debut, 2010’s Crooks and Lovers, was critically adored and launched them onto the scene, with this year’s follow up Cold Spring Fault Less Youth (yes it is a bit pretentious) taking them to greater heights.

Ministry of Sound 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP Elephant & Castle ministryofsound.com

Koko 1a Camden Night Street, NW1 7JE Mornington Crescent koko.uk.com

SUPERNOVA MOUSTACHE PARTY

FREEZE FESTIVAL

NOV 23 / 10PM-10AM / £13+

NOV 27-DEC 1 / 4PM-11PM / £40+

To celebrate the charitable month of Movember, in which everyone goes crazy and grows a ‘tache for charity – well, mostly the men folk out there – Supernova have teamed up with the excellent Air London to bring together some top DJs. Tim Green, Anthea b2b Alex Celler, Julien Chaptal, Death on the Balcony, Kaiserdisco and loads more will be playing at Egg. This north London club has only been in the capital for a few years but has quickly become one of the most revered.

Madeon, DJ Fresh and Aluna George are just some of the highlights at this five-day music and snow festival in south London, but the bands and DJs are really only part of the appeal. There will also be a load of stars from the world of snowboarding and skiing, who will be dipping into their bags of tricks to stun and entertain the crowd, with all manner of off-the-piste fun too, including talks, movies and alpine-style grub.

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

Clapham Common SW4 Clapham Common freezefestival.com

AT THE MOVIES...

It’s going to be a stellar month for movies with everything from tense, nerve-shredding thrillers to comedy and horror remakes coming your way. Here’s our pick of the best not to miss. First up is Alfonso Cuaron’s highly praised Gravity (Nov 8), which sees Sandra Bullock and George Clooney’s astronauts lost in space when an accident befalls their ship.

Later sees the return of Ridley Scott with The Counsellor (Nov 15), which boasts an all-star cast – Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz – in its tale of drug trafficking on the Tex-Mex border. Actorturned-director Joseph Gordon Levitt makes his debut behind the camera with Don Jon (Nov 22), a romantic comedy-drama in which he stars alongside Scarlett Johansson. Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfieffer then team-up for Luc Besson’s The Family (Nov 22), about a Mafia crime family on the witness protection programme in France. A hit at last month’s London Film Festival, Parkland (Nov 22) about the events following the assassination of JFK, follows swiftly after, before Chloe Grace Moretz stars as the girl with telekinetic powers in this sure-tobe-ace remake of horror classic Carrie (Nov 29).

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Relaxed: wonderful food in west London

A NEW HO-DOWN The cheekily titled House of Ho Vietnamese restaurant opens this month and is the brainchild of New Zealand-born chef Bobby Chinn who, as well as already running restaurants in Saigon and Hanoi, finds time to be an author and TV host as well. This is sure to be a character-filled new opening to savour. houseofho.co.uk

ITALIAN ODYSSEY If you thought Italian grub was all about pepperoni pizzas and spaghetti bolognese, then think again. This month-long residency will feature a host of the very finest Italian chefs including the Italian Supper Club folk and the Michelin-starred Costardi Brothers, who will be out to take you on a journey through Italian cuisine.

There will also be themed movie events and a cocktail menu designed by expert mixologist Gerry Calabrese. thehouseofperoni.com

WEST LONDON HEAVEN The likes of Dingley Dell pork chop served with camembert, potato rosti, wilted spinach and pear chutney and crispy seared salmon, king prawns and seared scallops served with new potatoes, wilted greens and beurre blanc await at the Brook Green Hotel and Restaurant, which has just opened in west London. So if you over indulge at the dining table, you can pick up a room upstairs to recover!

URBAN MEADOW BRITISH

This newly opened café-restaurant offers a sleek interior design shaped around its large glass windows, rustic tables and chairs and laid-back atmosphere.

Open from morning to serve up breakfast for the commuter, with lunch and grazing plates for the relaxed as well as an impressive dinner menu, it has something for everyone. Sat on the side of Hyde Park, it enjoys a continental feel, and its bright lighting makes it feel decidedly summery, so it’s a great spot for when you’re sick of the cloud and rain.

THE GRUB Popping along of an evening, we sit down to sample the enticing dinner menu and opt to open up with the larder plank for two which is simply a staggering collection that takes in potted rabbit, buratta, smoked mackerel, broad bean ricotta, a soft Scotch egg, red and white smoked chilli onion rings and celeriac coleslaw. It is, too, even more impressive than this smorgasbord sounds and gets us nicely warmed up for mains. After toying with the grilled seasbass and chorizo salad, both of which I come close to choosing, I decide ultimately on the free-range roast chicken, which is succulent, delicious and cooked to perfection, with my partner enjoying the 28-day aged sirloin whose crushed peppercorn sauce is one of the finest we have tasted in town, both accompanied with the buttered King Edward’s mash and chilli buttered greens.

THE SCENE

Despite the continental vibe we decide to keep it British and plump for a couple of pints of their finest London Pride ale, which both go down a treat, but there is a pleasingly diverse wine list, too, for those more enamoured with the grape than the hops.

BILL PLEASE Starters from £4.95; Mains from £12; desserts from £5.45. Beers from £4.50; wine from £4.65 (by the glass).

VERDICT A refreshingly affordable west London eatery that sells itself short only by virtue of its relaxed approach as the food is simply stunning.

BEHIND THE BAR

brookgreenhotel.co.uk 150 Bayswater, W2 4RT

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Queensway

urbanmeadowcafe.com

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WIG WAM BAM

Tea pea: eat dinner in a wig wam

BAR

Every autumn and winter the Queen of Hoxton sets up a huge wig wam on its rooftop. Why? Because it’s awesome. The true joys of England’s crappy weather are made instantly apparent as soon as you step inside: hot, spiced drinks, roast meats, toasted marshmallows and crackling fires all equal sheer, unadulterated cosiness. This year’s theme brings the Northern Lights to the East, with blue and green lasers, sawn-off log seating, wood-chip flooring and reindeer hide seat coverings. There is an outside area too, where you are kept toasty with mini bonfires – although be careful where you sit as it can get rather smoky.

THE GRUB The central open grill brought the caveman out in us as great chunks of animal were offered to our plates – lamb, pork and wild boar can be had with chutney, potatoes, stuffing and more, and slapped between a bun if you wish, which we did. Smoky, tender and delicious.

BEHIND THE BAR Warm yourself up from the inside with hot buttered rum, hot gin punch, pumpkin spiced cider or a hot chocolate made interesting with Monkey Shoulder whiskey, and of course the obligatory cream and marshmallows.

THE SCENE

Drinks are £5.50-£6, mains are £6 including sides. Stews are £4.

When a rooftop bar refuses to let the wintry weather put a dampener on drinking, we can do nothing but say ‘cheers’ and down a hot buttery rum.

BILL PLEASE VERDICT

Queen of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX

3 OF THE BEST COCKTAIL BARS

queenofhoxton.com

Shoreditch Highstreet

KIMCHEE BAR

THE 3 MONKEYS

MANDARIN BAR

The finest Korean spirits will jostle for your attention at this new bar set to open on the 21st in the basement of Kimchee Restaurant. Try the Baekseju rice wine and Umeshu liqueur.

This recently opened cocktail bar boasts a wide and diverse list of drinks, so much so you’ll be hard pressed to choose, especially given that new concoctions crop up frequently.

Glass and marble make this a truly awe-inspiring bar, and the drinks list more than matches this impeccable design with hot new creations as well as classic cocktails vying for position.

kimchee.uk.com

the3monkeysbar.co.uk

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LONDONFOCUS

The dark side of Australia Journalist John Pilger takes his cameras into the depths of the Aboriginal community to film Utopia. The results are shocking WORDS CAROL DRIVER

It makes for powerful viewing. Every shot of the 110-minute film Utopia delivers an uncomfortable message. Or, as the award-winning movie director and journalist John Pilger puts it, an airing of the country’s “dirty secrets”.

The film offers a glimpse into the lives of an Aboriginal community in an area of northern Australia ironically called Utopia – home to the oldest human presence on earth.

Australian Pilger describes Utopia as: “A journey into that secret country. It will describe not only the uniqueness of the first Australians, but their trail of tears and betrayal and resistance – from one utopia to another.”

It opens with horrific scenes of brutality against Aboriginals, and continues to explore the unjust way in which the indigenous population has been treated, and continues to be treated, by politicians, by the media, by the public. Shooting the movie took Pilger back to Utopia, the poorest part of Australia, where he filmed The Secret Country in 1985 – that was considered a landmark movie, inspiring the setting up of the first indigenous memorial in the National Gallery of Australia.

However, 28 years on, he revisits some of the people and places to find little has changed.

Pilger’s Utopia will be previewed at London’s Curzon Soho in the West End on November 4, where he will also make an appearance to take questions. As well as in cinemas, it will also be screened on ITV. Here, he speaks to TNT.

their society. If Australia lived up to its myths of fair go for the underdog, it would have repaired its relationship with indigenous people long ago. It shocks foreigners that there is so little recognition that the uniqueness of Australia is not the beauty of Sydney Harbour, but an extraordinary original human presence in an ancient land.

Would it be a different story if it was a whiteAustralian community?

Yes. When Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008 apologised to the ‘Stolen Generation’, he added a qualifier – and his words were, ‘I want to be blunt about this’ – that there would be no compensation for the theft of 100,000 children. And there has been no compensation. Can you imagine him saying that to a white constituency? The courts would be packed with successful claimants. He wouldn’t dare. But he wagged his finger at black Australians, as if they were children.

The film opens with clips of Aboriginals being abused.

Did you find many examples of this?

There are many examples of this kind of brutality and ››

After 28 years, what has changed in Utopia?

My colleague, Paddy Gibson, the film’s associate producer, made a study of what had changed since The Secret Country was shown in 1985. The short answer is very little. Yes, a new and tiny ‘middle class’ has arisen, but its co-option by nonindigenous Australia – by government, business and academia – is striking, producing articulate people telling white Australia what it wants to hear. That’s vintage colonialism; what is different is that it’s unrecognised in Australia.

Why has nothing more been done?

Because there is no political will, no sense of what was once called a moral restitution. Australian society and its political class were always derivative of Europe: what the British call ‘provincial’. That has produced a mean spirit, a selfsatisfaction, the very opposite of the way many people see

Poverty: Aboriginal children living in Utopia TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Sacred: Uluru; and, below, indigenous people living in asbestos-filled homes culpable indifference, mostly unreported. Since the royal commission into indigenous deaths in custody in 1989, black deaths in police cells and other incarceration have more than doubled. Australia locks up juveniles at the highest rate in the world; most are indigenous. Talk to any young Aboriginal person in a country town and ask them about the police; the stories are shocking.

You compared the rate of incarceration of Aboriginals to black people in the final years of the apartheid in South Africa...

Yes, in Western Australia indigenous people are imprisoned at eight times the rate that black South Africans were locked up during the last decade of apartheid.

What were the most shocking things you saw while filming?

We filmed a house that was typical of so many we saw.

It was riddled with asbestos; indeed, the authorities had put a yellow warning sign next to the front door. It accommodated 25 people, many of them children. Infections spread like wildfire; children developed diseases that would kill them early in life and are unheard of in white Australia – such as rheumatic heart disease, for which Australia holds a world record. In Wilcannia, New South Wales, the average life expectancy of indigenous men is 33. There are too many shocking examples to describe here.

The living conditions were described as “19th-century Dickensian Britain” – is that accurate?

Yes. As Dr Janelle Trees explains in the film, a feature of Dickensian England was cross-infection of what are today preventable diseases, caused by poor living conditions – abject poverty, in other words. That’s the situation in many Aboriginal communities.

18

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Is this on the agenda of key politicians?

What are they pledging to do about it?

Nothing interesting that I know about. It’s mostly authoritarian – controlling people’s lives. They dress up their policies with PR words such as ‘reconciliation’, which are meaningless. It’s an attitude, a mentality familiar to black South Africans.

Are Aboriginals demonised in the press?

The media plays an important role in stereotyping indigenous people as drunks and welfare dependents. In fact, as research by Olga Havnen in the Northern Territory shows, most Aboriginal people have nothing to do with the dole. There is another media view that likes to see Aboriginal people as ‘noble savages’ whose exotic primitivism needs protecting – it doesn’t use that term, of course.

Who is to blame for the lack of progress?

The majority of society shares the blame with politicians, the media and academics who, like 19th-century anthropologists, relish pronouncing on indigenous life as if it exists in another country. We non-indigenous Australians are bystanders in our own country.

Is there any hope for equality in the future?

I don’t know about equality. If governments negotiate a proper treaty with Aboriginal people, recognising land rights and the right of self-determination, there may well be hope. ❚ Utopia is in cinemas from November 15, available on DVD and iTunes December 16, and will air on ITV in December utopiajohnpilger.com

Photos: John Pilger

Australia’s economy has boomed over the past 10 years. Why are aboriginals still in poverty?

Aboriginal people are cheated of the right that most Australians hold dear – the right to determine their own lives. They are controlled, manipulated, denied respect and rarely consulted. The money that governments claim to spend on indigenous people is often syphoned into a white industry making a killing out of what’s called the ‘black dollar’ – jerry-building houses, short-changing on services, swallowing consultancy fees. Australia is a model of an ideological economy in which those who conform can expect a pretty good life (though this is increasingly at risk),

and those who do not conform are cast out – regarded as hopeless. This is not civilisation in its literal sense.

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www.topdeck.travel 1/11/13 9:49 AM

TRAVEL LATE DEALS | HOTSHOTS | TRAVEL TIPS | FESTIVALS | TOURS | BIG TRIP IMAGE OF THE MONTH

FALL IN LOVE (AWW) The gorgeous autumn leaves in Washington, USA, cling on to the trees thanks to unseasonably mild temperatures.

Photos: Getty and supplied

INSIDE

SAFARI SO GOODIE /46

BOOZY BELGRADE /38

XMAS MARKETS /36

We pick the top safaris in Africa, where you can spot the Big Five and get up close with man-eaters (well, maybe not too close).

The Serbians know how to party, and though the outdoor clubs close come winter, the drinking scene just goes underground.

Get in the festive spirit (you know you want to) by taking yourself off to a Christmas market on a UK jaunt.

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WORLDREVIEW

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Happy birthday! A giant birthday cake sits on the Sydney Opera House’s forecourt to celebrate its 40th anniversary

S.KOREAN POLICE – GANGNAM STYLE SOUTH KOREA

Seoul’s ‘tourist police’ force’s uniforms have been designed by the man behind the ‘Gangnam Style’ rapper’s, er, style.

The force, which has been formed to prevent tourists from being ripped off during their stay in the capital, is donning blue blazers with a silver shirt and tie, plus the obligatory sunglasses and a rather jaunty military beret.

During the launch of the force, currently made up of around 100 police men and women, the ‘Gangnam Style’ hit was played, and the troops rode their imaginary horses with gusto.

TWEET TREATS @ValEKilmer I once tickled Lou Reed.

I regretted it for the longest while as he spoke to me few times after that dinner. But I’m glad now. He needed it. @SarahMillican75 Recipe: slice into croissant, slot in Twirl, microwave for 10-15 secs on high, devour, do sexy noises, sit still due to feeling a bit sick.

FAMILY KEEP BODY TO SCARE AWAY GHOSTS INDIA

An Indian family lived with the body of a deceased relative because they thought keeping the corpse around would help fend off evil spirits.

The family of three from Nagercoil, India, kept the body of the deceased 56-year-old woman under the bed in the hope that doing so would scare off ghosts.

The authorities made the discovery when neighbours had complained about a smell coming from the house.

The woman’s mother, son and brother were notoriously superstitious. Her brother had told the police that his father had died 24

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

after seeing a ghost in the house and so he had decided to keep his sister’s body in the house in order to make sure that no more spirits would trouble them.

The three have been taken to hospital to be treated for a possible infection caused by the decomposing body.

We don’t think they’ve got a patch on the Ghost Busters.

MOBILE SURVIVES THREE MONTHS UNDERWATER

SWEDEN

A man in Sweden found his Nokia mobile phone after it has been lost in a lake for three months and was shocked to discover that it still worked.

Roger Nilsson had discovered the phone between two rocks after it had been lost three months ago and took it home. He cleaned it up, removing all the mud and dirt, and left it to dry only to discover that the handset still worked.

The most remarkable thing about the whole business is that the Nokia Lumia 800 is not especially designed to be waterproof, and certainly not

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THIS MONTH IN NUMBERS

49

The age difference in years between former Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi, 77, and his 28-year-old new wife.

The number of pictures a New Yorker has of her with various celebrities.

She spends 12 hours a day tracking them down.

6

Water phone! A Nokia that spent three months underwater still works for this duration of time. We know we’ve broken countless phones just by dropping it in our pint/down the toilet/in a puddle (usually on the same night).

AFTERNOON IS THE TIME FOR LYING AMERICA

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

The morning is the most likely time for people to be honest and we get more dishonest as the day goes on, according to new research.

Esteemed American university Harvard has discovered that it is easier and more likely for people to lie in the afternoon than it is in the morning.

The university carried out experiments in which people’s propensity for lying for self-reward were put to the test, with the results showing that those who took part in the experiments were more likely to start telling falsehoods after lunch.

“Our findings suggest that the mere time of day can lead to a systematic failure of good people to act morally,” said Dr Maryam Kouchaki.

We will not tell you what time it was when we wrote this story...

BOMBER KILLS NO ONE BUT HIMSELF TUNISIA

A suicide bomber who dedonated his

device on a popular holiday resort hotel’s beach in Tunisia failed to kill anyone but himself.

According to reports, a man carrying explosives tried to get into the Riadh Palm Hotel in the resort of Sousse, but when he was not allowed in, he ran onto the beach and blew himself up. He was the only reported casualty...

MR CHRISTMAS IS CAMERA SHY

10,000

The amount of time in days a pet dog spent trapped in a badger sett before being found alive by his owner. Aww.

The amount in tonnes that the largest dinosaur weighed. Its giant steps were recently digitally reconstructed.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

UK

A shopper in south London was kicked out of a Primark store for taking a photograph on her phone of a Christmas jumper.

Jade-Marie Harman had taken a snap of a Mr Christmas jumper in the bargain store, when she was told that she could not do so because it was illegal.

“I just saw this Christmas jumper with Mr Christmas on the front,” the 25-yearold told local newspaper News Shopper.

“The next thing I know I hear a voice shout ‘you can’t take photos in here – it’s against the law!’”

As she was leaving the store, having bought a couple of items, she was then promptly told she had been banned from the shop.

That’s not in the festive spirit now is it Primark? Mr Christmas would not approve.

80

If England do not close Australia down then they will make them pay Dewi Morris reckons Australia poses a serious threat to England in the Rugby League World Cup. We agree Morris

TRAVELDIARY Helen Elfer

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Yanky style: Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

TRAVE@TNTMAGAZINE.COM

PLANE RUDE There’s one thing that annoys me above all else when I’m flying. It’s not delays, crappy food or even the screaming babies. No, it’s that moment before you take off, when cabin crew come round to check if you’ve got your seatbelt on. You say yes and then they say: “Can you show me, please?” Can I show you? Are you kidding me?

I’m not five years old. These days, if I say I’ve brushed my teeth, finished all my vegetables or am putting my coat on because it’s cold outside, then I’m probably not fibbing. The same is true of whether or not I’m wearing my seatbelt.

Asking to check, especially in that maddeningly officious “lets-just-besure-shall-we?” tone just, well, it makes me want to act up. Big time.

I want to unbuckle the damn thing, stand up, switch all my electrical equipment back on and, I dunno, hurl my freebie packet of mini pretzels in the air.

It’s these moments when I genuinely understand air rage. All that being told what to do – sit down, put that away, be good – just makes you regress to a nursery school frame of mind. No wonder you have grown men and women throwing toddler-esque tantrums on board. Who can blame Alec Baldwin for losing his shit and pounding the walls when asked to stop playing Words With Friends on his mobile?

Or Naomi Campbell for kicking Heathrow airport staff – God knows why. Well, OK, those are both terrible examples. But still, I’m sure everyone would behave a lot better on flights if they weren’t treated with that long-suffering, schoolteacher attitude. Perhaps they’re nicer to you in first class? I’ll let you know if I ever find out ...

What annoys you about flying? Write to

Thanksgiving is a pretty big deal in the USA, and they mark it in the Big Apple with, among other celebrations, this Macy’s Thanksgiving 28 Parade. Famed for its marching bands, assortment of floats and, of course, its giant balloon characters that tower through the city’s streets, it is a fantastic reminder of the lack of subtlety that the Yanks, thankfully, do so well.

NOV

WHERE: New York City DETAILS: There are two-and-a-half miles of public viewing along the parade route, which snakes its way through the streets of Manhattan, so there is no shortage of viewing spots from which to catch a glimpse of the clowns, bands, floats, and more.

LOYKRATHONG FEST

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social.macys.com

REVOLUTION FESTIVAL

Thailand

Mexico

This magical festival sees floating crowns, or boats as 17 they are sometimes also known, filled with flowers and lanterns and then set out to sea. It’s a beautiful image that stirs the soul.

This annual event marks the date in 1910 when Mexico 28 overthrew dictator Jose de la Cruz Porfirio Diaz Mori after 34 years of military rule that began a decadelong civil war. Woop Mexico!

NOV

festivalasia.net

PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR India

Each year the month of November sees upwards of 30 300,000 people and no fewer than 20,000 camels and cattle come together in this vibrant, colourful mela (festival) that brings together farmers, traders, villagers and intrepid tourists from all across the Rajasthan region of India.

TO NOV

pushkarcamelfair.com

26

DO IT BECAUSE: The sight of a giant Spider-Man or Hello Kitty balloon weaving its way down 34th Street in the crisp New York autumn air is something you just don’t get to see every day.

HOW MUCH: It is fabulously free.

NOV

visitmexico.com

MONKEY BUFFET FEST

Thailand

This curious-sounding festival sees 4000 kilograms 25 of fruit and vegetables laid out in the province of Lopburi, north of Bangkok. This is for two reasons – it lures out the 3000 monkeys living in the area for a good hearty meal, and provides a cacophonous tourist event.

Both are achieved with aplomb.

NOV

festivalasia.net

Photos: Getty

travel@tntmagazine and let us know

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TRAVELTIPS

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READERS’ TIPS HIGHLANDS HEAVEN TIP Most people this time OF THE of year will be looking WEEK forward to hitting the Alpine slopes soon. But if you want to get some time on the piste and save a few pennies, then head to Scotland.

The Highlands have some great slopes, and they are far easier to get to for a quick break away or long weekend.

Aviemore is my personal favourite.

And, in case you didn’t know, the whisky is simply great, too. You can bookend it with a stay in Glasgow or Edinburgh as well to make it a skiingcity break without leaving the UK! Micky C, via email

YOU ASKED FOR IT...

LAURA LINDSAY FROM LONELY PLANET

are going to Rajasthan for two Q We weeks and want to try and see as much as possible; what is the best route and are the trains okay for tourists? Obviously the Taj Mahal is going to be touristy, are there any secret tips to seeing it in a different way? Also, where is the best place to celebrate the Holi Festival?

Jen, via email weeks is a fantastic length of time to A Two visit one of India’s most majestic regions.

28

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This is a reader forum — TNT and Lonely Planet accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using the information provided.

Photos: Getty

I have suggested an itinerary based on your UK flight being to and from Delhi as this is often the most convenient and cost-effective route from the UK. As well as Rajasthan, I’ve also included a few of India’s highlights which are outside the state.

If it’s your first trip to India then Delhi’s chaos will be a baptism of fire, but the capital has some great sights, including the Red Fort (Lal Qila), India’s largest mosque, Jama Masjid, and Humayun’s Tomb. From here I would recommend jumping on a direct two-hour train to Agra.

Trains are absolutely fine for tourists to use; in fact they are the best way to get around for their ease and speed. Opt for a pricier air-con ticket, as these mean you will have a comfortable seat in a spacious carriage.

In Agra, you should take time to appreciate the relics of the Mughal Empire, including one

of India’s best forts, Agra Fort, and Itimad-udDaulah, a smaller version of the Taj Mahal. Stay overnight in Agra so that you can reach the Taj Mahal first thing the following morning before most of the crowds arrive from further afield and whilst temperatures are more comfortable.

If you can, get to the site for sunrise, it is a magical time of day to visit. Remember: don’t head to the complex on a Friday as you will find it closed. I would also recommend spending a day at the beautiful ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri, which is just a short bus or train ride outside Agra.

Next, take a detour from the Golden Triangle trail (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) and take a sleeper train south to the riverside city of Varanasi. This holy city is famous for its ghats (riverbank steps) from where you will see a colourful display of events, from cleansings to funerals.

Return to Agra, and from here you can start to explore Rajasthan by train; visiting the pink city of Jaipur, the lakeside city of Udaipur and busy Jodhpur whose unusual blue buildings will add to your colour wheel of Indian cities. From Jodhpur, you can take a train to Delhi for your flight home.

Holi takes place in February or March. If you want to try to experience this colourful paintthrowing party, Holi will be best experienced in Udaipur as the royal family hosts a decadent function at the city palace here along with a huge fire ceremony and a horse procession.

PARTY TOUR OF THE BIG APPLE Some of you might already know this, but if you have a visit planned to New York, check out the Party Shuttle tours.

They’re on minibuses so they feel more intimate, and you don’t get gawped at as much as you would be if you were sat on some brightly coloured open-top bus. We just did one and it was the best experience we have ever had doing a city tour – we definitely recommend climbing aboard a party shuttle.

Melanie, via email

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Life’s a beach: Escape to Tenerife

DEAL OF THE WEEK SCOTLAND 3-day SKYE HIGH, usually £119, now with 15% Off! Price includes HAGGiS Guide, transport, free dram of whiskey, free Lonely Planet guidebook. Price doesn’t include travel from London to Edinburgh or accommodation. Tour departs Nov 15.

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TENERIFE 7 nights in Tenerife from £162pp Staying at the 3-star Hotel Xibana Park in Puerto De La Cruz on a bed-and-breakfast basis, depart from Luton November 14.

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TENERIFE 7 nights in Tenerife from £284pp Staying at the 5-star Best Semiramis in Puerto De La Cruz on a half-board basis, depart Luton November 30.

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HONG KONG 5 nights in Hong Kong from £662pp Staying at the 4-star Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees Hotel in Kowloon on a room-only basis, depart Heathrow November 19.

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HUNGARY 5-star Budapest for £138pp Spend two nights on room-only basis at the five-star Hilton Hotel in Budapest for £138 per person, when you depart from London Luton on November 25. The hotel is located next to Buda castle and overlooks the Danube River. holidays.easyjet.com

EGYPT 7 nights in Sharm El Sheikh from £279pp Staying at the 5-star Aqua Blu Resort Sharm in Sharm El Sheikh on an allinclusive basis, departing Luton Dec 5.

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SRI LANKA 7 nights in Sri Lanka from £826pp Staying at the 5-star Era Beach in Galle on a bed-and-breakfast basis, depart Heathrow November 21.

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UGANDA An 8-day Gorilla Express tour costs £386pp with Geckos Includes camping, gorilla trek permit, game drives in Queen Elizabeth NP, hippo cruise, local transport and local tour leader. Price excludes flights. Departs Kampala on Dec 1, book by Nov 27.

Call 0845 863 9723 or visit geckosadventures.com

NEW YORK and a Caribbean Cruise from £1,299 Book by November 4 to save £500 per person on a 10-night full-board cruise around the Southern Caribbean and get four nights in New York on a room-only basis absolutely free. Return flights from London Heathrow are included and departing on December 30. Call 0800 408 0758 or visitcruisenation.com

BERLIN 2 nights in Berlin from £133pp Stay at the 4-star Ivbergs Premium in Berlin on a bed-and-breakfast basis, departing Stansted November 18 Call 0800 111 6271 or visit lowcostholidays.com

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SCOTLAND Short break to Edinburgh for £95pp Depart from London Southend on November 18 and spend two nights on bed-and-breakfast basis at the three-star Holiday Inn Express Waterfront. The Royal Yacht Britannia is in easy reach, while the sights and sounds of central Edinburgh are easily accessible. holidays.easyjet.com

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HOTSHOTS SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO TNT AND YOU COULD WIN A THREE-DAY TOUR OF SCOTLAND OR A PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE!

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To be in with a chance of winning one of these fantastic prizes, simply upload your images to tntmagazine.com/ hotshots First prize is a three-day tour of Scotland for two worth £218 from Haggis Adventures (haggisadventures. com). Must be taken within three months of receiving prize letter.

The runner-up wins a £60 photography course voucher from Nigel Wilson Photography (photographycourses. org.uk).

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WINNER THE SAND CITY, PORTUGAL Alice McGrath, Ballarat, Australia WHY IT WORKS Pera, where The Sand City is, was amazing. Every year sculptors from around the world create sculptures out of sand that match a particular theme. This year’s theme was music.

This is the sculpture of Johnny Depp and the Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I was hoping to make Johnny Depp the main focal point while trying to fit as much of the background in as possible.

RUNNER-UP ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, SPAIN James Ford, Barnet, England WHY IT WORKS We went to Gibraltar to see the monkeys, but once we reached the top [of the Rock of Gibraltar] the view was beautiful and it definitely added to the experience.

We’d just had our bags stolen so my partner and I both walked up the mountain in our flip-flops, which made it pretty tricky to get to the top!

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FESTIVAL GUIDE

MARDI GRAS

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WHEN? MARCH 4, 2014

Mardi Gras is the annual celebration known for its flamboyant colour, fantastic food and over-the-top celebration, but did you know it literally translates from the French as ‘Fat Tuesday’?

So named for the traditional practice of indulging in fatty foods before the ritual fasting season which kicks off on Ash Wednesday, this celebration has its roots in French Catholicism and is celebrated around the world in a variety of ways, each with their own peculiarities and homespun traditions.

In Belgium, Mardi Gras is celebrated with 1000 gilles (traditional dancers wearing wax masks) who cavort across the city throughout the day.

In Germany, where the celebration is known as Karneval, parades and festivities take place across the country in cities from Cologne to Berlin.

In Sweden, where it is known as Fettisdagen, the celebrations are shaped around the eating of semla, a sweet dessert roll, marking their last indulgence before the fasting period for Lent commences.

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In Italy, Mardi Gras, or Martedí Grasso as it is known, holds its biggest celebrations in the cities of Venice, Viareggio and Ivrea.

Similarly, in the Netherlands, where the celebrations are known as Carnaval – which comes from ‘carne vale’, or ‘goodbye to the meat’ in Latin – a period of indulgence and partying ushers in the fasting that, in time-honoured tradition, is to come.

To many people though, Mardi Gras means one thing, or more specifically, one place in particular.

In the United States, especially in cities of ethnic French origin, Mardi Gras is celebrated with gusto, passion and music, food and dance, and no more so than in the capital of Louisiana, New Orleans.

The Big Easy, as it is colloquially known, sees thousands of people descend on the town for the twoweek period of partying, celebrations and decadence that marks this annual event. It truly is one to be seen – and experienced – to be believed. mardigrasneworleans.com

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MARDI GRAS

XXXXXX FESTIVAL TOP GUIDE FIVE

WHAT XXXX, TOXX EXPECT

XXXX,NEW WHY XX ORLEANS?

While Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world, nowhere is it taken with such an emphatic dose of hedonism and decadence as it is in the southern United States city of New Orleans.

A two-week orgy or music, masks and mayhem is what it is all about, with people coming, not just from all over the States, but from all over the world to experience this truly unique event. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime must-do.

Flights from London to New Orleans from £450 with American Airlines

aa.com

Photos: Getty

GET XXXX, IN THE XX SPIRIT

It is one thing to come down, grab a brew and get in the party vibe, but if you only came for the dancing and drinking, you would miss out on a huge part of what Mardi Gras in the Big Easy is all about.

As much as it is about debauched decadence, it is also about the cultural history that started this celebration back in the 1700s in New Orleans.

So while you can done some traditional costuming and line the route, we also recommend getting out and exploring the numerous other parties, events, and balls that take place across the city to make the occasion.

One not to miss includes the Meeting of the Courts ceremony that marks the end of each year’s Mardi Gras, in which Rex (the appointed king of Mardi Gras) and his Royal Consort attend an end-ofseason bash that takes the year’s party fortnight out in style. rexorganization.com

It’s all about letting your hair down, relinquishing your inhibitions and getting down with the party mood.

Famed for its truly good-times vibe, the New Orleans Mardi Gras is infamous for its hedonism. Masks, music and food all take centre stage in the season, which is centred historically around the French Quarter of the city.

There are parades each day of the fortnight-long season, with street events organised by private clubs known as krewes. Colourful fancy dress fills the streets, ‘throws’, which can be anything from colourful beads to plastic toys, are tossed out from the parade to the crowd, and there has been an evermore popular trend in recent years for flashing along the route in order to cajole those on the parade to send more throws out into the crowd. There are more family friendly parade routes, but that would miss the point of it all, right? mardigrasneworleans.com

WHAT XXXX, ELSE? XX

New Orleans is not just about Mardi Gras – it is a fascinating city steeped in culture and tradition.

With influences coming from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, it is a melting pot of culture, food and music, with events taking place across the city all year round, from an autumn Voodoo Music festival, a Boudin, Beer and Bourbon season, and, of course, all manner of events that celebrate its jazz music heritage.

Befitting a city that is seen, quite rightly, as the festival capital of the world, there is everything from music, culinary, art, theatre and multicultural events throughout the year, such as the Tenessee Williams fest, in honour of one of the city’s most famous sons, the Dirty Linen Night, the Louisiana Swamp Festival, and the Treme Creole Gumbo Festival. You’ll never be short of a party in New Orleans. neworleansonline.com

CHECKING IN

BIENVILLE HOUSE OVERVIEW This character-filled hotel situated in the French Quarter of New Orleans mixes its intimacy (there are only 83 rooms) with a whole host of southern charm. There are balconies and verandas from which to take in the thriving city streets below, and the hotel restaurant Iris is much celebrated for its fine dining.

WOW FACTOR The rooms with four-poster beds and overlooking the courtyard pool immediately take you away from the hustle and bustle outside to a world of calm and relaxation. It’s a perfect getaway when you need to chill out from the pandemonium that takes over the city during Mardi Gras to recoup for a while.

ROOMS There is an array of rooms to cater to all tastes, from standard and deluxes, to sun deck rooms, superior rooms, a king salon and, for those who have just won big on the lottery, a penthouse.

BILL PLEASE Standard rooms from £150 per night.

320 Decatur Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130 bienvillehouse.com

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35

Festive fun: Chill out in Edinburgh

Christmas markets UNITED KINGDOM

Welsh wonderland: Cardiff’s edition

Sweet tooth: Manchester’s market

Ice ice baby: Leeds has an ice rink as well as a market 36

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UKTRIP

Market in your diary Bad puns aside, it really is time to plan which Christmas market you want to hit this year...

WORDS HELEN ELFER

We love Christmas markets, not only for the unique handmade gifts you can buy for your friends and rellies, but for the festive atmosphere, twinkling lights and all the mulled wine you can get down you (a lot).

It’s been scientifically proven that Christmas markets get better the closer to the North Pole you are, so with this in mind, we travel up through the UK to check out the best of the bunch. (N.B. The aforementioned fact is totally untrue).

Cardiff Spread across the Hayes, Trinity Street, Working Street and St John’s Church area, Cardiff’s festive market has a strong focus on its Welsh heritage – offering an alternative to the usual German themes.

Buyer’s market: Most of the stalls here sell traditional regional gifts, such as carved Welsh love spoons, pewter products, thrown pottery, Christmas lanterns and local artwork. Visitors can also commission crafty personalised gifts from the talented artisans around the precinct or chow down on seasonal fare.

Xmas X-factor: It’s going to be extremely nippy in Cardiff, so make sure you take time to warm your cockles with a generous nip of whiskey or fruit and cream liqueurs sold from many of the stalls. Runs November 14 to December 23. cardiffchristmasmarket.com

Photos: Facebook, Getty, Thinkstock & Facebook

Manchester Now in its 15th year, Albert Square is the main hub of Manchester’s huge series of Christmas markets, but there are seven smaller ones dotted around the city centre.

Buyer’s market: The theme is European, so you’ll find areas of the market representing the trademark Christmas goodies from different countries. Invest in delicious Dutch toffee, waffles and cheeses, French biscuits and lavender soaps or some Spanish chorizo – plus, obviously, as much glühwein as you can drink. Arts and crafts are sold at the stalls in Exchange Square, German goodies in St Ann’s Square, and French treats in King Street. All the market areas are walking – or staggering – distance from each other.

Xmas X-factor: Bigger is better in Manchester. To prove this, every year it’s a tradition to hoist a huge inflatable Santa on to the city’s Town Hall. Not forgetting the religious side of

things, a giant revolving nativity scene is the centrepiece of the market. Runs November 15 to December 22. visitmanchester.com Leeds Leeds goes all out every year with this German Christmas Market, or Christkindelmarkt, in Millennium Square.

Buyer’s Market: The festive village hosts more than 40 traditional wooden chalet stalls and Alpine-style log cabins from which cutesy gifts such as hand-crafted jewellery, seasonal decorations and wooden toys are sold. Naturally, there will be heaps of German seasonal munchies on offer – think stollen, gingerbread and bratwurst. The old-fashioned carousel ride is extra fun after a glass or two of glühwein.

Xmas X-factor: This is Leeds, so naturally the majority of visitors are as interested in festive boozing as Christmas shopping. The ever-popular Frankfurter Scheune is a large hall built just for this, serving hot, Christmas cocktails, mulled wine and German beers, along with grub. Bavarian bands will be performing here every night of the market, too. Runs November 8 to December 18. leeds.gov.uk Edinburgh Edinburgh has hosted a festive market since medieval times, and this one at East Princes Street Gardens has a welcoming Scottish flavour, from the foodstuffs to the atmosphere.

Buyer’s Market: The eclectic Scottish produce is enough to make your mouth water – juicy sausages, fried potato cakes, gourmet venison burgers and speciality hot chocolate made with a whole Mars bar – that’ll put some flesh on your bones.

Xmas X-factor: Edinburgh’s market offers so much more than stalls, with a pretty ice rink, retro fairground rides, such as the big wheel and carousel, plus parties and shows including Limbo – if you missed it at London’s Southbank, you must see it here – and Hot Dub Time Machine, ‘the world’s first time-travelling We uncover the UK’s dance party’. Runs November top destinations 22 to January 6. edinburghschristmas.com ❚

NEXT MONTH

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37

[Caption] Water life: Belgrade bustles along the Danube and Sava rivers

Serbia BELGRADE

HUNGARY ROMANIA BELGRADE

BOSNIA SERBIA

GETTING GETTINGTHERE THERE Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fly from London Luton to Belgrade with Wizz Air, fares starting from ÂŁ49.99

[Caption] Belgrade Fort and The Victor, left Attention: 38

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Get lost to find Belgrade Abandoned publishing houses, apartment block basements... why you should look in all the unusual places to find Belgrade’s buzz WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

“If you live in London, why would you come to Belgrade?” is the reaction of many of the locals living in Serbia’s capital (who, by the way, are super friendly and always helpful).

Well, for starters, there’s the nightlife. Come midnight, it’s not unusual to find yourself in a crumbling abandoned building or the basement of an apartment block, drinking rakia and surrounded by locals who are so frequently out all night they may as well not own beds. During the summer the open-air clubs along the River Danube and River Sava also draw in the true party-goers.

little bit too happy to be looking at the River Danube (it’s his sword).

“

Shopping

Beneath the surface lies a unique party scene

”

During the day, a simple stroll around the city is enough to occupy your time, with industrial spaces converted into cafés-come-shops-come-galleries, a crumbling fortress with views across the city and uber-cool graffiti scrawled across any spare scrap of wall or floor. As you walk, be sure to stop at one of the street bakeries and pick up some flaky pastry deliciousness stuffed with soft cheese and spinach or sticky sour cherries.

Belgrade’s a small city and you can walk to most places, but the taxi service is excellent here. Ask for one to be ordered and it will be with you within three minutes. You will also be given a taxi number so you know which one’s yours. Fares are cheap too – you shouldn’t pay more than RSD500 (around £4) to get anywhere in the city. If you do flag one down, make sure it has a taxi number on its roof and the letters ‘TX’ at the end of its number plate, otherwise you risk getting ripped off.

Here’s our hit list for your time in Belgrade...

Bohemian District Take a stroll through this pretty cobbled thoroughfare lined with cute cafés with cast-iron chairs spilling out onto sun-dappled terraces, overflowing flower boxes and pastelcoloured walls. This was the hangout for poets, actors and artists, with their late 19th-century haunts, such as Tri Sešira, Dva Jelena and Zlatni Bokal, still standing today.

For unique (if pricey) fashions, head for the Choomich Design District, where you will find local designers mingling over coffee in the courtyard. Mikser House is also worth a stop, if only to buy a cushion adorned with a moustache and the word ‘fucker’ in Serbian. Perfect present for dad, no?

Wall art: Belgrade is covered in cool graffiti

Belgrade Fortress This fortress offers unbeatable views across the city and the Rivers Danube and Sava, particularly at sunset. Surrounded

by Kalemegdan Park, the up-hill stroll is relaxed and pretty.

Other bits to see are the collection of tanks and ‘The Victor’ statue, which is of a naked man who at certain angles looks a TNTMAGAZINE.COM

39

Tesla and Tito museums Unfortunately, a number of Belgrade’s museums and art galleries are currently closed for reconstruction – and have been so for 20 years. Two that are open and worth a visit though are the Nikola Tesla Museum (tesla-museum.org), which is dedicated to the unsung hero and ‘mad scientist’ of electricity, Nikola Tesla, and the Museum of Yugoslav History (mij.rs/en.html), which is basically a monument to the late ruler of the Yugoslav Partisans, Josip Broz Tito.

Nightlife By night, Belgrade appears quiet, but beneath the surface lies a unique party scene, the highlight of which has to be Bigz. Convinced we’d landed in a horror movie come to life, TNT was dropped off in the middle of nowhere and nervously made our way into a huge derelict publishing house, covered in graffiti and with the sound of death metal screaming its way through the walls. However, with the help of some surprisingly friendly army-booted metal-heads, we found our way to the room playing seriously cool live jazz. After that, the only danger we faced was alcohol poisoning...

Electrifying: The Nikola Tesla Museum

NEXT MONTH We find the best beaches for some winter sunshine

MID-RANGE

LUXURY

EAT

The oldest restaurant in Belgrade is rather charmingly called ‘?’. It retains its traditions with dinner-jacketed waiters, checkered tablecloths and a guitar and violin live duo serenading the diners. Its traditional menu offers bull’s sex glands and grilled intestines, or Leskovac meatballs and succulent pork dishes for the squeamish. 011 263 5421

Dine with the Belgrade posers and their tiny dogs on leads at Toro.

With a gorgeous setting on the riverside, take a pew in the sun, order some sangria and sushi and people watch your afternoon away. Prices are surprisingly reasonable for the portion sizes. facebook.com/ToroBelgrade

Also set along the waterfront, dine on Mediterranean-style seafood and meat dishes at the sophisticated Chameleon before blowing your holiday money at the adjoining casino, which is open until 6am. en.grandcasinobeograd.rs

DRINK

You will think you’re in the wrong place, but buzz on the iron gated door with a small label marked, ‘The Federal Association of Globetrotters’, head downstairs and ring on the doorbell to enter into a lounge and ‘secret garden’ of knick knacks, overgrown plants, chattering locals and super cocktails.

7 Bulevar Despota Stefana

Rakia is the national drink. And it’s strong. Served in shot glasses, the traditional flavour is plum, which with 40% alcohol, is potent enough to take your tonsils out.

We recommend the cherry or berry flavours, which are deliciously sweet and not too strong. Rakia Bar offers a range of flavours, and has a lovely owner to boot. rakiabar.com

During the summer, the Danube and Sava rivers come to life with open-air floating clubs playing house and techno into the early hours. With scantily-clad podium dancers, an Absolut Vodka bar, lasers and top DJs, Freestyler is ever-popular. freestyler.rs/en

SLEEP

There’s a definite party vibe at Star Hostel, with big groups of friends continuing the drinking in the basement of the city-centre hostel until the early hours. The rooms are basic, but the staff are nice and helpful and the water’s hot. From €8pp/pn (£6.70) October-May, €12 (£10) June-September. starhostelbelgrade.com

Arka Barka Hostel is awesome.

For starters, it floats. Bobbing about on the River Danube, the rooms are clean and comfortable. The staff are super friendly and helpful too.

The only downside is it’s on the ‘wrong’ side of the river, meaning it’s a 30-minute walk or short taxi ride into the centre. From €15pp/pn (£12.50) arkabarka.net

If you can’t give up your five-star luxury, the Metropol Palace Hotel is the fanciest spot in the city.

The rooms are super plush, with a waterfall shower, massive bath tub and big, comfy beds. The spa is also worth a look, with its sauna, steam room and indoor pool. From €125pr/ pn (£105). metropolpalace.com

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Photos: Thinkstock, Getty, Facebook, TNT Caroline Garnar, Winston McLeod, Wikki commons

40

BUDGET

Weekly coach service from the UK to the French Alps The cheapest and easiest environmentally friendly way to over 40 great French Ski resorts Free and reasonable luggage policy Free ski/snowboard carriage Generous leg room

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A GUIDE TO | THAILAND

Hold the press: paradise has been found

All Thai-d up Whether you want to party on a beach or lie on it, we uncover where you need to visit in Thailand and why...

BEST FOR: Full moon parties Koh Pha Ngan If you haven’t made your NYE plans yet, book this in. Haad Rin, the beach on the far south of Koh Pha Ngan, is notorious for having the wildest, most debauched full moon parties in Thailand, particularly when seeing in the New Year (full moon or not). Long-standing traditions for a night out here include tripping out on magic mushroom shakes (not something we recommend), drinking buckets (yes, actual buckets) of Sang Som rum with Thailand’s lethal caffeinespiked pop, painting faces with fluorescent squiggles, jumping over burning skipping ropes and watching fire poi… in no particular order, but always followed by a rave on the beach that lasts until the sun comes up.

WHAT ELSE? If your New Year’s resolution is to get fit and healthy, you can kick-start your mission here, quite literally. There are two Muay Thai boxing schools on the island where you can sign up for lessons (kobramuaythai.com) or you can join in games of beach football, table tennis or volleyball at sundown on most of the bigger beaches. kohphangan.com BEST FOR: Crazy nightlife Bangkok From restaurants that catapult your dinner into the air 42

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FOOD TO TRY IN THAILAND The best food you’ll eat in Thailand will be bought from street stalls, where curries, pad Thais and all things in between are best enjoyed with an ice-cold Thai tea, called cha yen.

Perfect for a sociable meal with friends, a boiling pork broth is placed in the middle of the table before raw ingredients are poured in and left to simmer, ready for you and your mates to share and slurp down.

JIM JUM

This shrimp soup unifies all the flavours for which Asian food is renowned – sweet, sour, salty and spicy, all in one delicious bowl.

TOM YUNG GUNG

Arguably Thailand’s most famous dish, along with the gorgeous red and green curries. It’s wellknown for a reason, and that’s because it’s delicious, especially when the delicious mix of rice noodles, tofu, peanuts, shrimp, scrambled egg and sweet and sour sauces is eaten in Thailand itself.

PAD THAI

MOO DAD DIEW Tender skewers of pork are marinated in a dark soy sauce and deep fried then served with chilli sauce and sticky rice.

before being caught on a spike worn by a waiter riding a unicycle (The Flying Chicken, 02399 5252), to watching men beating the crap out of each other in a Muay Thai bout (Lumphini Stadium, 02251 4303), to the infamous ping-pong shows (go to the Patpong area and make sure there’s a cover charge on your table to avoid getting scammed), a night in Bangkok can feel like a particularly vivid and crazy dream.

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE Josie Poole, 22, recently spent seven months travelling around South-East Asia, with the bulk of her time spent in Thailand.

Here are her top must dos and tips...

WHAT ELSE? Bangkok may be a famous party city, but it boasts more than its fair share of culture. Be sure to check out Bangkok’s wats, or Buddhist temples. Probably the most visited is Wat Phra Kaew (Na Phralan, Phra Nakorn Old City, admission £7).

This compound boasts intricately decorated temples, giant gold stupas, and the Emerald Buddha – Thailand’s most holy image. You can also see the former royal residence, the Grand Palace, which lives up to its name. bangkok.com BEST FOR: Exploring Phuket Spend the day strolling around Phuket Old Town to see shrines, temples, quirky cafés, museums and even a mini ex-red light district. Built during the tin boom in the last century, you will also see Sino-colonial mansions, once occupied by Phuket’s tin barons.

WHAT ELSE? To get out on the water, take a boat trip from the northern end of Phuket and wind around the stunning limestone islands, stopping off at beaches and to check out James Bond Island, so named for its starring role in The Man with the Golden Gun. phuket.com

Songkran Festival (April 13-15) We spent the famous water festival in Koh Tao. The atmosphere is second to none, and it’s unlike any street party I’ve ever been to. It’s basically a massive water fight that lasts for a whole week in some places (Bangkok, Chiang Mai...) but just a day in Koh Tao. We drove our scooter round the island visiting all the little villages, where the kids wait outside all day to chuck water on any passers-by.

Sadao Bike Show (usually early-mid June) We met some expats in Koh Lanta who invited us to the bike show on the Thai/Malaysian border. Sadao is a bit of an eyesore, but the bike show was so much more fun than we expected. There were a lot of tourists from around Asia, and we even got to see one of Thailand’s most famous rock bands, Carabao, who you may recognise from the back of a Chang bottle.

We stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone was really friendly, including the leader of the Thai Hells Angels!

Eat street food I’m not talking about the roasted scorpions they sell on Koh Sahn Road, I mean proper street food. My absolute favourite was pad kra prao; fried pork with garlic, chilli and a fried egg on top.

Learn a few words of Thai It will go a long way with locals.

‘Sawatdee ka’, if you are a woman, and ‘sawatdee khap’, if you are a man, is a polite way of saying ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ – ‘ka’ and ‘khap’ are added to most sentences as a form of respect. We also found knowing the word for ‘toilet’ (‘hong naam’) came in very useful!

Read Josie’s travel blog at penvy.co.uk

Words: Caroline Garnar and Helen Elfer. Photos: Getty images, Thinkstock and supplied

BEST FOR: Diving

From busy to beach: Thailand offers the ideal mix

The Similan Islands Practically every list of the world’s best diving locations rates the Similan Islands near the top, and that’s because they have some of the most jaw-dropping underwater sights. The archipelago of nine islands is a National Marine Park with calm, clear waters (up to 30m visibility) that are ideal for underwater explorations. The west coast is famous for its huge granite boulders that peek above the water’s surface and drop up to 50m underwater, creating tunnels and swimthroughs for divers to investigate. Of the many famous dive sites here, Elephant Head, East of Eden and Christmas Point are three of the most popular.

WHAT ELSE? The best beach in Thailand is, naturally, hotly disputed, but many agree that Donald Duck Bay on Koh Similan, the most developed of the nine islands, is a strong contender. It’s so named because you can see a huge boulder out to sea that is TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Crystal clear: the waters off the Similan Islands are perfect for snorkelling

The pits: Party ’til you stink on Koh Pha Ngan

bizarrely shaped a lot like the cartoon character. If you want a few hours’ break from diving, this is a great place to lay down your towel and enjoy the scenery. kohsimilan.net BEST FOR: Wildlife Koh Tarutao Once upon a time, the Thai government used to send its crooks to the island of Tarutao – to look at it now, this seems like the last thing that would put anyone off a life of crime.

The island is full of dense forest that’s teeming with wildlife: on the land and in the surrounding waters you can see sea turtles, whales, monitor lizards, crab-eating macaques, mouse deer and countless species of birds. Some of the island is signposted in English, making it easy to follow wildlife trails, either on foot or by mountain bike (it’s simple to hire these on the island).

WHAT ELSE? There is plenty of budget guesthouse accommodation on Tarutao, but it’s also very popular with campers, because while there are decent facilities, it rarely gets too crowded.

It only costs 65p per night to camp if you have you own tent and other roughing-it equipment. kotarutaothailand.com 44

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GettinG there Fly from London Heathrow to Bangkok from £622 return with Thai Airways. thaiairways.com

thailand BAngkOk

cambodia THE SImILAn IS.

getting around

kOH PHA ngAn

Buses are the easiest and PHUkET cheapest to kO TArUTAO organise (most hostels can book you tickets and arrange a pick up from your hotel to the bus station).

Travel for six hours max, however; for anything longer, it’s worth booking an internal flight as they are reasonably priced – try Air Asia, Bangkok Air and Thai Airways. Another good option is to get the train from Bangkok to Chumphon and Surat Thani (the jumping off points for the beaches and islands off the eastern coast), but book in advance as the seats go quickly.

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Never forget: elephant spotting is a memorable experience

African safari ACROSS THE CONTINENT

THE GAMBIA

KENYA TANZANIA

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Sensational African safaris Safaris in Africa are about so much more than the big five – this continent is a diverse mix of creatures, customs and cultures WORDS ALASDAIR MORTON & RACHAEL GETZELS

Africa is a continent full of diversity and wonder; its broad spectrum of cultures, climate and environment making it a mustvisit for everyone.

It need not cost you an arm and a leg either, as there are safari packages to suit all budgets, and you can even go solo, make up your own itinerary and choose at timetable to suit your sightseeing needs.

Tanzania

WHEN TO GO Winter safaris can be just as rewarding and you’ll find the tourist trails will be quieter.

ACCOMMODATION If you are on a budget then 4x4 camper vans can be a good way to get out and explore while keeping an eye on the purse strings. Depending on how adventurous or luxury-focused you are, options for everything from camping to chalets to five-star laden hotels cater for all.

SEE The big five – elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalo.

But beyond this, it is impossible not to be won over by the majestic and wildly diverse scenery this wonderful continent has to offer.

This eastern African country is a great place to take in all your safari desires as it has something for everyone, from towering mountain peaks and breathtaking views through to nature reserves and everything you could possibly think of for your dream safari experience.

THE ANIMALS Being home to no fewer than 15 national parks including Mikumi, Ruaha and Saadani means it is the perfect place from which to get out and tick off the big five – that would be rhinoceros, buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard, to those uninitiated with big game box-checking.

THE EXPERIENCE As well as the numerous creatures that are on-hand to occupy your time spotting, you are just as likely to be bewitched by the scenery in which these animals live. The great plains of the Serengeti are a truly awe-inspiring sight to behold, equally so Mount Kilimanjaro, which towers more than 19,000ft above sea level.

It is the highest mountain in the continent, as well as one of the big seven mountains (the tallest mountains on each of the world’s continents) that driven climbers seek to ascend.

For the adventurous and strong, you can bag yourself a summit too as part of a five-day trekking excursion – best get ready for the altitude though!

THE WOW FACTOR Tourists descend upon Tanzania every year to witness the great migration, in which 1.5 million wildebeest journey 1200 miles across the country’s grasslands and hills towards their destination in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. tanzaniatouristboard.com

South Africa

There are all manner of safari options for the intrepid explorer to find in South Africa.

While most visitors to the country will take the most common starting point landing at Cape Town and heading out east along the Garden Route, you would do better to make your own way up to the northern part of the country where some of the best safari experiences in all of Africa can be found.

THE ANIMALS South Africa is home to more than 600 national parks and reserves, including the Kruger National Park, one of the biggest in all of the continent – it’s almost the size of Wales. The best time to visit is in the winter season, which runs from June to September – the weather will be colder and there will be more chance of rain (no problem if you have been living in the UK for any period of time!), but less foliage means you will have a better chance to catch a glimpse of some critters.

THE EXPERIENCE Even at this time of year, and despite its size, Kruger can still be crowded, meaning it is best to get off the beaten track and avoid the popular routes.

With everything from campsites to bustling compounds though, this is never too much of a problem. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – its name translates as ‘place of thirst’ and is located further to the west, one quarter of which lies in South Africa, the remaining three quarters across the border in Botswana – is a game reserve in the semi-desert Kalahari region.

It is a less well travelled park though and offers bountiful opportunities for embarking on a more rugged and wild, not to mention cheaper, big five experience, and is a good option for those journeying on a budget.

THE WOW FACTOR You can combine your lion-watching with sunbathing time by visiting Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. This park is famed for its beaches, so you can do two holidays in one by chilling out on the the beach one day, and spotting the big five the next. Nice. ›› southafrica.net TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Thirsty: wildebeest drinking water in Ngorongoro crater, Tanzania

Cheeky: The Gambia is a great place to monkey-spot

Big cats: a pride of Lions in the vast plains of the Serengeti

Close: zebras and buffalo mingle at the water hole

The Gambia

Botswana

If Kruger Park is the size of one of the countries in Great Britain, then The Gambia is a poor relation, well at least in terms of size. In all other aspects it more than holds its own amongst the other, larger, more well-known safari options in Africa and offers a true adventure experience.

THE ANIMALS The Gambia doesn’t have any of the big five creatures on its books for you to peer at through your binoculars. It does though, offer some serious simian-spotting, with apes, chimps and baboons among its most readily spied animal inhabitants.

If squawking monkeys aren’t your bag, then you can take in some of the 560 different species of birds that live within six protected areas. Best spots for bird watchers include the Kiang West National Park and the Ginack Island National Park, as well as bird reserves in the coastal city of Tanji.

THE EXPERIENCE The Gambia is 300 miles long and 30 miles wide, bisected by the namesake river. The River Gambia National Park (also known as Baboon Islands) is home to a primate protection programme based on five islands in the river, which you can visit via boat tours.

The Abuko Nature Reserve offers up chances to get your eyes on hyenas, crocs and some of the three types of monkeys that live in the Gambia (vervet, patas and red colobus), too, with day-long bush and beach safaris also popular so you can get out to spot the animals before taking a picnic on the beach.

THE WOW FACTOR One of the most unique points about visiting this west African country from the UK is that it is no more than seven hours away, so there is no jet lag time difference to contend with. This means no dreaded tired eyes, which is handy for animal spotting.

The Moremi Game Reserve in northern Botswana was voted the best game reserve in Africa a few years ago by the African Travel and Tourism Association, and it’s clear why.

The first reserve in Africa to be started by local residents, it is focused as much on environmental conservation as it is on tourism. Situated along the Okavango Delta, it is known for its bountiful wildlife and bird watching opportunities.

THE ANIMALS Both black and white rhino have been reintroduced into the park meaning it is a top destination for big five spotting, and with more than 400 species of birds to be found it is ideal for ornithology enthusiasts, too.

THE EXPERIENCE Straddling the Shashe, Motloutse and Limpopo Rivers in eastern Botswana is the Northern Tuli Game Reserve which is just as well known for its spectacular landscapes and rich cultural history as it is for its abundance of wildlife.

Comprising 71,000 hectares of diverse habitat, it is one of the largest privately owned game reserves in south Africa and home to bushland, woodland and marshland with towering cliffs, meaning you are just as likely to get caught up checking out the scenery as you are the 48 species of mammals and 350 species of birds that can be found living amongst it.

THE WOW FACTOR The Makgadikagi Pans Game Reserve in the central region of the country offers something a little different, with its 12000 square miles of seemingly neverending flat, featureless terrain making up one of the largest salt planes in the whole world. Flat it may be, but the zebra and wildebeest can be found in plentiful supply, serving up another safari option in this diverse country.

visitthegambia.gm

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botswanatourism.co.bw

››

Spectacular: the view of Cape Town

Seaside: combine your safari with a beach trip

Getting high: Mount Kilimanjaro

Down time: Tazania Kenya THE ANIMALS Kenya has the big five in abundance – lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos and hippos. But it also has an impressive population of bright pink flamingos that you’ve probably seen photographed in classic safari shots in magazine brochures. The baboons are also busy in Kenya, jumping on and off your Jeep as you trundle through these parks, which are well kept and well visited.

THE EXPERIENCE Kenya is the place to see and be seen when it comes to going on safari. Queen Elizabeth II made that abundantly clear when she chose to stay at Treetops lodge near Mt Kenya in 1952. The hotel was recently renovated to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee and, as such, you can find true luxury trips here – but also some budget staples, given the vast amount of tourism in the area. Most of the tours are very well organised and many of them include visits with the Maasai people who live in the area.

THE WOW FACTOR Kenya really has it all so it’s hard to single out one thing. From vast grasslands that will have you singing ‘Hakuna Matata’ at the top of your lungs (there’s no one for miles to hear you, you see) to coastal regions where white sand beaches protect coral clusters. There are parks that are famous for letting you get closer to elephants than you can anywhere else in Africa, and areas where tourists can witness the annual migration of thousands of zebra and wildebeest. If it all sounds a bit Disney’s The Lion King, that’s probably because it is. tourism.go.ke

Zambia THE ANIMALS Permanent rivers all over Zambia mean it’s a magnet for wildlife – and far less visited than safari parks in 50

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neighbouring countries. You’re basically guaranteed a run-in with the biggest rhino of all here, the white rhino, and the lush grassland attracts absolutely enormous herds of grazing zebras and antelopes, which can only mean one thing... predators lurking in the trees. You’re more likely to spot a leopard here, though the giant cats do keep to themselves.

Packs of wild dogs also rule the roost, but they’re hard to track down (and won’t respond to ‘Fido’).

THE EXPERIENCE Green vegetation sets apart Zambia’s parks from the arid desert that makes up most other safaris,

“

If it all sounds a bit Disney’s The Lion King, that’s because it is

”

so you’re in for a visual treat. Because of the many rivers in the country, canoe trips through the wilderness are also possible. Zambia has a collection of more luxurious lodges with waterfront views and extra comforts you wouldn’t always expect so far from home.

THE WOW FACTOR Hippos may look slow and dopey, but as the world’s most dangerous animal they’re not creatures for cuddling up to. However for those of you who live life on the edge, some of the safaris in the south of the country take you so close to the bathing mud-lovers, you can almost reach out and touch them. Watch out for floating limbs. expertafrica.com/zambia

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Canvas comfort: camping on safari

Stunning: sand dunes in Namibia

Zimbabwe

Namibia

THE ANIMALS In England we have pests – minuscule woodworms munching on floorboards, maybe an ant or two under the sink. In Zimbabwe, they have elephants.

The population of the magnificent animals has soared to more than double what the land can support. And as a result they’re wreaking havoc in towns and villages – think stampedes smattering farms, crushing houses, and feasting on whole fields for lunch. It’s a jumbo problem that makes for a unique safari experience.

THE EXPERIENCE Zimbabwe is trying hard to attract visitors following years of instability and danger that black-listed the country as a safe and popular tourist spot.

However, international flights are flying there once again and many of the safaris cater to younger travellers whose cash may not be flowing. Rustic camping grounds with wooden huts surrounded by armed guards is the name of the game here. The benefit is that many lodges are right out there in the wilderness, maximising chances of a good sightings. Perhaps not such a good thing for a British tourist who was mauled to death by five lions while he was showering under a tree at his campsite in 2010.

THE WOW FACTOR Zimbabwe has the best views of the jaw-dropping Victoria Falls and many of the packages include a visit. Going on safari close to the waterfalls is a birdwatcher’s dream – it may sound less exciting than coming face-to-face with the big five but when you see creatures coasting through waterfall mist that can be seen and felt from kilometres away, it will take your breath away.

THE ANIMALS Namibia has the largest and healthiest population of cheetahs in the world; but they run so fast, it’ll be hard to catch more than a fleeting glimpse. If you’re squeamish when it comes to snakes, cross this one off your list. The arid desert is home to more than 70 species of the slithering reptile, including the three types of spitting cobra and the African puff adder, which hide out in river beds ready to strike if your feet smell particularly good (probably nothing to worry about, if your hiking boots are anything to go by). If you hit the coast on safari, you’ll see a whole new set of wild delights – flamingos and seals holding court with hulking elephants and lounging lions.

THE EXPERIENCE Nambia offers up coast line that many other safari parks lack, so it truly stands apart. Most of the locations are pretty easy to access, so if you’re bringing your mum, extra travel complications will not hamper the visit. There’s something for everyone here too – from more budget campsites with showers under the trees to luxury lodges where honeymooning couples shack-up.

THE WOW FACTOR Watching the red-hot African sun set atop some of the biggest sand dunes in the world at Namib-Naukluft National Park has got to be on your bucket list. Think Lawrence of Arabia (or, Africa) and you’ll be close – this is one of the world’s oldest deserts and nothing has changed except windstorms whipping the massive piles of sand into towers. The narrow road in and out of the park is also a sight to behold, flanked by huge dunes that will not do you any favours if you’re claustrophobic.

expertafrica.com/zimbabwe

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namibiatourism.com.na

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

Explore: local food and customs as well as the big five

SPORT NEWS | FEATURES | GAMES TO WATCH | VIEWPOINT IMAGE OF THE MONTH

SONNY’S BIG BLUE Evidence that even the most gifted of us are mortal came when New Zealand’s Sonny Bill Williams coasted over the try line against Tonga in the Rugby League World Cup, only to slip over the deadball line and bomb the four-pointer.

Photos: WIKKICOMMONS

INSIDE

A DALY DOSE /54

ASHES COUNTDOWN /56

IS THIS ODI’S END? /58

As TNT previews the month in sport, Australia and Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans gives the Rugby League World Cup lowdown.

Australia have a chance at retribution on their home turf, but England are favourites as the old enemy pushes for four Ashes in a row.

MS Dhoni even thinks the massive 350-plus run chases his India team successfully made against Australia isn’t good for 50-over cricket.

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FLASHBACK... 2008

CHURCHILL MEDALIST DALY CHERRY-EVANS RUGBY LEAGUE

The 2013 Rugby League World Cup champion will be crowned after the final on November 30 at Old Trafford, but there’s a big month of footie to go before we get to that point.

TNT quizzed Manly and Australia’s Daly Cherry-Evans (above), the halfback who won the Clive Churchill medal for best player in the NRL grand final despite being on the losing side, about the tournament.

Where does the World Cup sit in terms of prestige for a league player who’s a star in the NRL and State of Origin?

Playing for your country is the highest accolade a player can receive, so to win the World Cup we’d rate very highly, if not at the pinnacle of our careers.

Is there added inspiration for the Aussies after losing the 2008 final to the Kiwis? I can only comment personally, and this is only my first World Cup, so I don’t have any background or any more ill feeling to any nation that isn’t naturally there. I’ll be looking to start from scratch and win this World Cup on its own merits.

Was it a good or a bad thing to get such a strong side like England first up?

It was tough first up. Doesn’t bother me though, you have to win as many of the pool games as you can. The further you go along the better you play, so to get a win against England early puts us in good stead for the tournament.

Are England a genuine title threat?

Anyone who thinks England aren’t a title threat are almost stupid – they’re a host nation and they have a lot on their side, including the crowds and home field advantage come the later rounds. So they’re still on the top of our radar.

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It will be an image etched on all Australian rugby league fans’ memories, when New Zealand won the 2008 World Cup final 34-20. Then came this spectacular haka once they’d been presented the trophy – can they repeat the deed this month?

What are the key areas the Kangaroos have to look at to fend off NZ and England? Stopping a team’s go forward, you go a long way to winning a football match, so we’ve got to work hard on that.

What sort of an impact will Sonny Bill Williams have on the tournament? He has a huge impact on any side, he’s such an athlete in so many sports. We need to worry about him, but only to a certain extent because they’re such a tough side across the park, not a one-man team.

Your Manly mate Keiran Foran’s taken over from Benji Marshall – does that add to the inevitable clash with them?

He’s gonna be a big part of the tournament for the Kiwis, when we meet them we’re going to have to try and limit his involvement to help contain the Kiwis.

UNDER THE PUMP Disgraced Wallaby James O’Connor is rebuilding his career in the UK with London Irish after the Australian Rugby Union canned his contract.

The blow due to one too many off-field misdemeanors has made him ineligible to play for the national team until 2015. But now he’s out of the Australian sport bubble and his new base until the end of the Premiership Rugby season is Madejski Stadium in Reading. Could this be the start of one of the great comebacks?

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HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH

Leaving it late: Roger Federer

PREVIEW FED EXPRESS DELAYED IN O2 ARRIVAL TENNIS: ATP TOUR FINALS IN LONDON NOV 4-11

It was the tournament organisers’ worst nightmare when Roger Federer almost didn’t qualify for this tournament, which is open to only the top eight players of the year.

With third for the year Andy Murray out injured, it gives another player an opportunity, but it still took a first-round win in Paris last week to confirm Federer’s spot at the O2. Federer is one of the most popular sportsmen in the world, despite his

recent dip in form, and at this tournament last year he got bigger cheers from the London crowd than Murray.

This is the 12th time in a row the Swiss has qualified for the tour finals, which will be spearheaded this year by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

Also appearing will be Juan Martin Del Potro, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych.

The singles champion will be presented with the The Brad Drewett Trophy, which honours the memory of the ATP Executive Chairman and President who passed away in May this year.

Photos: Getty

LET’S GET TRIVIAL | All White at World Cups New Zealand takes on Mexico in a play-off to reach World Cup finals in Brazil – it’s a tall order but a position the All Whites are growing accustomed to.

New Zealand have never being disgraced at the World Cup’s pinnacle, despite never making it out of the group stage.

When they first qualified, in 1982, they beat Australia in their qualifying group and went through after a play-off win against China. They copped Brazil, who beat them and Scotland 4-0, but managed two goals against Scotland.

That was nothing compared to the last effort though.

Despite losing to Fiji in qualifying, New Zealand were the only undefeated team in the 2010 finals after draws with Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay. They finished ahead of winless Italy!

3 CRICK: Bangladesh v New Zealand 4-11 TEN: ATP Tour Finals 5 RACING: Melbourne Cup 5-8 CRICK: Australia A v England 8 RLWC: New Zealand v PNG 8 RUG: Italy v Australia 8 RUG: England v Argentina 8 RUG: France v New Zealand 9 RLWC: England v Fiji 9 RLWC: Australia v Ireland 10 FOOT: Man Utd v Arsenal 15 RLWC: QF1 - Win B v Win C 15-17 F1: US Grand Prix 16 RLWC: QF2 - Win A v Win D 16 RLWC: QF3 Run-up A v 3rd B 16 RUG: England v New Zealand 16 RUG: Ireland v Australia 17 RLWC: QF4 Run-up B v 3rd A 19 FOOT: SOCCEROOS V COSTA RICA 20 FOOT: World Cup qualifier – All Whites v Mexico (WC Qualifier) 21-25 CRICKET: ASHES - AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND FIRST TEST IN BRISBANE 22-24 F1: Brazilian Grand Prix 23 RLWC: SF Winner QF1 v QF3 and Winner QF2 v QF4 (Both at Wembley) 23 RUG: Harlequins v Gloucester 23 RUG: Scotland v Australia 23 FOOT: Everton v Liverpool 24 RUG: Ireland v New Zealand 24 FOOT: Man City v Tottenham 30 RLWC: Final at Old Trafford 30 RUG: Wales v Australia Dec 1 FOOT: Tottenham v Man Utd

All Whites’ Winston Reid

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Ashes Down Under When the Ashes battle resumes in Brisbane this month, all the pressure is on England... Australia hope WORDS MICHAEL GADD

It’s getting serious now Australia – after losing the most recent series in England 3-0, the old enemies are officially tied on 31 series each. And with England notching up series victories to nil, the record of 123 Test wins to England’s 103 will be turned around before we know it.

Australia take cold comfort in being hosts as they try to fend off a fourth Ashes loss in a row. The last series in Australia was full of all the wrong sort of records with England winning 3-1.

The Ashes 2010/11 was the first time an Ashes series has been won with three of the Tests claimed by innings margins.

It was also the first time England had notched up totals of 500-plus four times in a series. Here are some of the talking points that will help decide this series.

BACK FACTOR Cook and Pietersen sat out the first tour match at the WACA due to stiff backs, credited to the long flight, but it’s Aussie captain Clarke’s torso that is most worth worrying about. He didn’t seem phased as he notched up 88 on return for New South Wales, but his being able to stay on the park is of vital importance, not just for his batting, but his tactical nous.

TOP ORDER FORM If England showed a weakness in the series just gone, it was in their top order trio. Australia’s quicks had one over them and since top-order batsmen and quicks tend to decide Ashes series in Australia, that battle will be key. Sadly, two of the guys who struggled in England (Johnathan Trott and Alastair Cook) dominated last time out. Cook scored 766 runs at and average of 127 last time in Oz so, regardless of form, right now he has every reason to be confident if he’s fit.

PERSONNEL PROBLEM Many of the same players will be back in action this series (with Shane Watson, Phil Hughes, Clarke, Brad Haddin, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson likely to come back, at the very least in Perth), although the official Aussie squad isn’t named until November 12. But the omissions for Australia are more notable than England’s. They no longer have Andrew Strauss or Paul Collingwood, but they still have Cook, Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, James Anderson and Graeme Swann – Chris Tremlett is likely back as well. Their losses hardly compare to Australia’s – Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey is as bad as it gets and they haven’t been ably replaced.

GROUND CONTROL: Guide to the Ashes 2013/14 venues The Gabba, Brisbane Nov 21-25 The Woollongabba ground is a green-top beauty for bowlers on day one but flattens out to reward the technically gifted from day two onwards.

Extra bounce for spin.

56

Adelaide Oval Dec 5-9 A first-time drop-in wicket brings some unpredictability to this beautiful place, but experts expect something for bat and ball, just like the usual Adelaide deck.

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The WACA, Perth Dec 13-17 Duck! The quicks reign in Perth and Nathan Lyon could make way for a fourth seamer for Australia. Not as lethal as it once was but still nothing like the English have.

The MCG, Melbourne December 26-30 The variable bounce late in the Test tends to be the worry for batsmen here, but it’s essentially the ideal balance for bat and ball. Boxing Day piss-up adds to the hostile vibe.

The SCG, Sydney Jan 3-7 The one turner that could really aid Graeme Swann comes last in the series. It’s still a good batting deck during the middle days, but gone are the days of mammoth totals.

Destroyer: Mitchell Johnson could return in Perth, or even before Dominant: Alastair Cook hit Australia out of the series last time Down Under

Familiar: England’s Alastair Cook, Graeme Swann and James Anderson celebrate their last Oz win

WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME IN AUSTRALIA 1st Test Brisbane: DRAW AS GOOD AS A WIN England were getting pumped after the first innings of 260 was eclipsed by Australia’s 481, including big hundreds to Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin. But Alastair Cook saved the match with his 235, aided by Andrew Strauss’s 110 and Johnathan Trott’s 135 not out – they declared 1-517 and the deficit was too great.

BFG TRIO It’s not story time but England’s Big Fast-bowling Giants – Steve Finn, Chris Tremlett and Boyd Rankin – are all over six foot seven inches. There’s only really room for one of them in the Test team, unless an injury hits James Anderson or Stuart Broad, but it gives a clear message of their intentions. Darren Lehmann’s asked for bouncy wickets but that could backfire.

OLD SMOKY George Bailey’s been scoring runs at will in India and doing a bang-up job as captain too – selector John Inverarity has said he wasn’t picked for Australia A because, “The general feeling is we thought George has gone past that.” If there’s a smoky to appear in this series, despite his ordinary red ball record, it could be the 31-year-old Tasmanian.

HISTORY BOYS No Australia side has had such low expectations going into a home Ashes and no England side’s been more fancied since Kerry Packer’s World Series cricket gutted Australia of most of their best players in the late ’70s. No pressure?

THE URN – HEAD-TO-HEAD

Photos: Getty

TOTAL ASHES MATCHES • Won by Australia 123 • Won by England 103 • Draws 89 TOTAL ASHES SERIES RESULTS • Australia won 31, lost 31 • England won 31, lost 31 • Draws 5

2nd Test Adelaide: ENGLAND TAKE CONTROL England picked up where their second innings in Brisbane ended with the top order scoring runs at will.

They bowled out Australia for 245, with James Anderson taking four wickets, and went on to smash 5-620 at fourplus runs an over. The Aussies managed just 304 in the second innings, with Swann the destroyer with five-for.

An innings and 71 run win for England.

3rd Test Perth: JOHNSON DOMINATES A lively WACA deck dictated play here. Australia set a low 268 with Mitchell Johnson top scoring with 62. He then ripped through the English batsmen with six wickets as they reached just 187. Another scratchy innings for Australia with 309 thanks to Shane Watson’s 95 and Michael Hussey’s 116 as Chris Tremlett took five for England. Ryan Harris’s six and Johnson’s three wickets saw England rolled for 123. Australia won by 267 runs.

4th Test Melbourne: AUSTRALIA CAPITULATE England batted second to score a more-than solid 513, with Trott in the runs with 168 and Matt Prior next best with 85. It was enough to cancel out Australia’s shocking 98 and 258 as England won by an innings and 157 runs. This gave England an unbeatable 2–1 lead in the series so as holders they retained the Ashes.

5th Test Sydney: SALT INTO THE WOUND It didn’t get any better for Australia, as England capped off the series with an innings and 83-run victory. Michael Clarke was captain for this one, and won the toss and batted. Australia’s 280 was not good enough as England smashed 644, their highest innings total since 1938, with Cook scoring 189 and Bell and Prior also getting tonnes.

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SPORTVIEW

TNT puts the world to rights

COMMENT: MICHAEL GADD michael.gadd@tntmagazine.com

Next stop: ODI pitches in India are such roads Australia should host the next series on the Nullarbor Plains

If 350 is the new 280, 290 or 300, it’s curtains for ODIs Even MS Dhoni thinks regular monster run chases are ridiculous

» Agree or disagree? Is there still a place for the 50-over game? sport@tntmagazine.com 58

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Ewen McKenzie went on the front foot when he gave former bad boy Quade Cooper the vice-captaincy, saying outsiders don’t know him like he and his teammates do.

That’s true, but we do know he’s the sort of guy who will slag off the coach and set-up as toxic and put an entire code on the back-foot. We do know he’s the sort of guy who flirts with the cash that comes with a high-profile code switch.

Cooper is a supremely talented player, but reliability, calm under pressure and the trait to think of the team and others before himself don’t jump out on his CV.

“

Cooper got rewarded before he’d earned it

”

New skipper Ben Mowen is that sort of guy. So is James Horwill, the flanker replaced as captain so he can regain form.

So is Will Genia, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore and others, all overlooked for the player who played a couple of decent Tests and got rewarded for being on good behaviour well before he earned it.

Photo: Getty

Even after his side had executed yet another 350-plus run chase, and having played his own classy part in it, India captain MS Dhoni feared for the future of one-day cricket.

There was a time not that long ago when 250 runs was pretty damn good and some might think that the fireworks that come with sides chasing down 350 runs is a good thing, but it’s really the death march for the one-day game.

The day 50 overs gets played like 20 overs the fast-food version of the game takes over. That’s clearly what the BCCI want, hence the bowler-hating roads they kept serving up in India for the seven-match series with Australia.

Of course the length of the series is ridiculous in itself, but you have to be suspicious when a nation pumping so much money into T20 cricket presents the top two ODI nations in the world with pitches that aren’t just standard batting road, but the Nullarbor Plain.

Cricket is a sport of batting, bowling and fielding, with skill and tactics and nuance in all of these disciplines being what makes the sport great. What India’s serving up isn’t cricket, it’s glorified batting demonstrations where bowling machines might as well be used and fielding practice mostly for the crowd catching endless sixes.

Take nothing away from the likes of Virat Kohli and George Bailey who are amassing runs where others struggle, but when Dhoni speaks against something so in favour of immense skills, it’s worth listening.

“I’m not sure where it’s going but if we are chasing like this it is not going to be good for the long-term health of the game,” he said after India sent the series into a decider.

“Only seeing boundaries and sixes for seven hours? The bowlers actually feel it will be better to put a bowling machine there. I honestly don’t know what is a good performance now by a bowler.” He might not get the chance to work it out.

QUADE’S BETTER BUT NOT WORTHY

LIFESTYLE CAREERS | MONEY | LIVING | HEALTH & BEAUTY IMAGE OF THE MONTH

SNOW WAY MAN Selfridges’ Christmas window display is up, which means its time to start scraping together some cash for Christmas, see p60

Photos: Getty

INSIDE

CHRISTMAS CASH /60

GET A JOB! /64

HOME TIME? /69

Make some extra moula this holiday season by flogging fir trees, spinning festive tunes or moonlighting as the big man himself.

You’ve landed, and you’re wondering where all your cash has gone already. We hate to sound like your mum, but you need a job!

If it’s time to fly back home and you’ve realised you can’t fit all your junk in your trunk, it’s time to ship yo shit.

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In the money: the only person counting the cash at Christmas is Santa, so if you can’t beat, join him

Tight Christmas?

Ho ho holy crap, this time of year’s expensive. We suggest you apply for these seasonal positions, with bells on WORDS RACHAEL GETZELS So, it’s Christmas time once again. The season for mince pies, being jolly – and digging deep in your pockets to buy your aunt some woollen socks and your office co-worker a blow-up doll.

That is, when your head isn’t in the toilet recovering from last night’s Red Hot Santa Tinis.

With drinks flowing and stockings waiting to be filled, this time of year is always a bit of a squeeze. So why not pick up some extra dosh by taking on some seasonal work? From Santa’s Little Helpers to flogging fir trees, December is awash with jobs for the festive down-trodden. And, hey, you might even get into the spirit...

Christmas bar staff As London gears up for its busiest drinking month of the year – with 60

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extra ambulances at the ready when office parties go wrong – so too, do the most festive bars and restaurants.

VIP catering companies such as At Your Service (ays.co.uk) and Espirit (espiritgroup.com) provide bar and waiting staff for some of the most exclusive parties in the city.

Hours are flexible, meaning that work needn’t interfere with your own plans, plus the perks abound – think massive trays of sausage rolls and smoked salmon canapes that are all yours if they don’t get eaten.

For more experienced bar staff, the Nordic-themed watering hole in Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland (underbelly. co.uk/nordicbar) is hiring dozens of temporary employees throughout the months of November and December.

Get in there.

Santa and his Little Helpers With beards and bellies provided (if you need them, that is), how could you ever not consider moonlighting as Lapland’s finest resident for the Christmas season? The Christmas grottos at shopping centres in Brent Cross, Bromley and Watford are on the look out for Santas. No North Pole experience necessary, and the recruiters ensure that the going rate for Father Christmas is “competitive” (magentastar.co.uk/joinourteam.html).

If short, rather than wide, is your thing, then look no further than the world’s largest (and arguably greatest) toy store. Hamley’s flagship shop on Regent Street is recruiting Christmas elves to join its team over the busy season. Applicants must have a cheery

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ON THE JOB AMIE TREWIN

CAREER PR & marketing exec at surfdome.com AGE 25 LIVES Kilburn FROM Cornwall

Say this: ‘Hey Mr DJ play a Christmas song’

demeanor, look good in green, and know how to steer a reindeer. To find out more, email the Hamley’s Toy Shop team at jointhemagic@ hamleys.co.uk.

Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

Christmas tree vendors

How did you get into your job?

I had a pretty active upbringing on the Cornish coast and worked at my local surf shop Zuma Jay. PR was the route I wanted to pursue and it made sense to combine my passion with my professional ambitions. A move to London and a few internships saw me land the role at Surfdome.

Branch out: help shift trees this winter

ODDEST CHRISTMAS JOBS • Lapland is on the lookout for ‘Dogsled Mushers’. It’s not as grizzly as it sounds... although in order to drive a sledge of huskies through an endless icy wasteland you’ll need a good sense of direction – and a stellar pair of gloves.

• Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer served up for dinner with a side of veg and potatos sounds a bit macabre. But if you’re a bit of a Scrooge, the position of ‘Reindeer Chef,’ at a leading restaurant in Norway may be right for you. They say it tastes like chicken.

Tree hauling is a man’s job. And nowhere is that more apparent than at Pines and Needles Christmas tree suppliers, where vendors must be comfortable enough with their brawn to wear a traditional Scottish kilt – a skirt worn by both sexes.

The reason? All trees sold at Pines and Needles are freshly cut from the Scottish Highlands. Worried your bare, knobbly legs will buckle in the cold?

Fear not. A strong dose of heavy lifting and Christmas cheer will be sure to warm the cockles at this most festive of jobs. To find out more about the hundreds of openings, email enquiries@ pineneedles.com.

Christmas Forest, which has stalls all over London, will also be recruiting

through the months of November and December. To find out more from them, email info@ christmasforest.co.uk.

Office party DJs

DJing from decks placed atop the managing director’s desk in a stuffy office block may not be what you envisioned for your first gig, but we’ve all got to start somewhere – and with Mariah Carey spinning on the decks, what’s not to like? Companies such as DJ London (dj-london. co.uk) and Function Central (functioncentral.co.uk) are on the lookout for talented DJs who can help them keep up with demand as the Christmas party season approaches.

Gumtree is also a thriving hotbed of jobs for musical aficionados who need to earn some extra cash this year; search DJing jobs, and you’ll be faced with everything from Christmas cheese requests to positions for those who are willing to break out some grimier beats during the season of goodwill.

What do you do day-to-day?

I have meetings with brands, do sample call-ins, blogging, creating marketing mechanics, briefing designers, executing promotions and analysing product performance.

What’s the most rewarding part?

Events such as press days, where you get to meet people and see their reaction first hand to what your brand has to offer.

And the most challenging?

Surfdome.com stocks more than 800 brands, so juggling marketing communications for such a wealth of offerings can be interesting! surfdome.com

HOW TO... COPE WITH

EMAIL OVERLOAD You have hundreds of emails and new ones ping in all the time. Here’s how to deal with it:

• Don’t let emails distract you

from the task at hand. Instead, finish your task, then check your email. Then onto the next task and so on.

• Subscribe (ironically) to

Unsubscribe.com to get yourself removed from mailing lists, promotional emails, etc.

• Ensure you answer all the

questions asked to save them having to email you again.

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CASH-SAVING TIPS

HOW YOU SPEND IT

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SPA-NDEMONIUM As Christmas time draws near you will learn that walking through London is akin to traversing a rhino heard. Which is why 25% off entrance to the city’s foremost spa, The Sanctuary, could not be better timed. Offer is valid on Wednesdays and Thursdays – perfect for a midweek pick-me-up.

To find out more go to sanctuary.com

LIFESTYLEMONEY

JOB Harvey Nichols search marketing executive FROM South-east London LIVES Penge How do you budget?

By transferring about 20% more than I should into my savings account on pay day and making do. It makes you creative in having to source fun, free nights out.

Do you have any tips for saving money in London?

Find those free nights out that exist all over London.

If you want to drink (as in drink, drink) hip flasks

always keep the costs down.

Then cycle as much as possible because transport is scarily expensive.

Last big blow-out?

In August I got back from travelling in Latin America.

Argentina to Mexico via Rio Carnival, Maccu Piccu and Cuba. That was a huge blow-out but worth it all.

What non-essential items do you spend money on?

Clothes, nights out, travel and coffees. Cycling to work helps with that. I’m cutting down on coffees at the moment too.

HOW THEY SPEND IT You’d better Belieb it

Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber has only gone and bought his family a £530,000 five-bedroom house. That’s a tall price for a wee lad of 19. About time you started treating your ’rents to the same eh?

A new home for the Biebers

❚ Bieber isn’t the only one shelling out the dosh for the people he loves. One devoted fan from Canada spent £50,000 on plastic surgery trying to resemble his idol.

❚ Beyonce really does have it all – good voice, great bod and a generous soul, after buying her mum a £36million mansion. That’s Christmas covered for a few years then.

❚ 38-year-old Bradley Cooper

❚ Jennifer Lopez’s home is so big she didn’t realise a stalker had been living in her pool house for six days.

Bit of a crime she didn’t offer up the space to her parents instead.

won’t be buying himself or his family a new house any time soon – that’s because he still lives at home with his mum, Gloria. Aww, bless him/weirdo.

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Get the job done That last pint isn’t going to buy itself, so it may be just the time to get yourself a job WORDS RACHAEL GETZELS

Your bags aren’t quite unpacked and you’ve barely had time to tell your mum you’ve landed safely – but already your pockets are light. This is London after all. Gone are dreams of frolicking in Hyde Park and washing down fish and chips with pint after pint. It’s time to get a job.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. We happen to know which industries hire Antipodeans like they’re dying out, and we’re sharing our insider info with you. In no time you’ll be exchanging Europiss fizz for a shaken Martini. It’s what James Bond drinks; and you’re on his home turf after all.

jobs don’t always require experience, although it can help. And if you’re a trained cocktail mixologist? Well, you’re in. No other city in the world appreciates a good Sex on the Beach more. Ironic, given the weather.

Money and hours: If you have bartending qualifications – this could be an IBA certificate or a WSET in bar work in the UK – you can earn up to £16,000pa.

Otherwise you’ll be closer to minimum wage. But you can bank on getting extra tips for that accent. Part-time hours are offered but shifts can be late.

A hotel salary ranges from £20,00040,000 depending on experience.

Hospitality

Care work

Hospitality jobs abound in London with its busy bar and restaurant scene. From pulling pints in old-fashioned boozers to serving up delicacies in upmarket venues, there are many openings and experience requirements are broad.

If you’ve got a background in hospitality there’s scope for moving into the hotel industry. Concierge and receptionists require a winning smile and a good sense of humour; management jobs are busier but with so many hotels in the city, you’ll find a good fit.

Suits you if: You’re sociable and energetic, happy to have a job that keeps you on your feet and enjoy a stiff drink with the team now and again.

Got the skills? Bar and restaurant

Nannying is a British tradition (think Mary Poppins) so London is awash with agencies that can set you up with a family and many of the options are livein. Great if you’re currently homeless.

Housekeeping jobs are also set up this way. If screaming children scare you off you could work with the elderly or disabled, though experience is needed.

Suits you if: You’re patient, compassionate and you own a flying umbrella (not really).

Got the skills? For full-time nannying jobs, Cache level 1,2,3, BTEC, NNEB or a degree in early childhood is required and background checks will be carried out. Carers are vetted and interviewed by specialists before they’re hired.

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The loos are that way!

Become a tour guide Money and hours: Live-in hours can be demanding (10-12 hours a day) but the pay is good: £400-500 a week for a nannying job and up to £750 as a home-carer, though this requires being on call 24 hours a day. With rent and food often covered, the savings here are easily an extra plane ticket home.

Teaching You don’t have to be a stern Victorian school ma’am who speaks the Queen’s English to teach in London. In fact Antipodeans are particularly in demand here, known for their enthusiasm and people skills. Short-term contracts are the best way to start. If your

Those who can, teach: Can you?

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Shake it: Become a cocktail connoisseur behind the bar

MY JOB ANITA LEUNG, 26

Barista, from New Zealand How I got my job: I walked into cafés and had coffees with the managers and explained my training in New Zealand.

Why I love it: It’s not just about pouring water and coffee, it’s a whole science.

MATT DAWSONCLARKE, 22

Crew, from New Zealand

builders, carpenters and electricians will never go away, especially in a city as leaky as London, so jobs are plentiful.

There are websites devoted to this sector so the job hunt needn’t detract from other manly pursuits.

Suits you if: Did we say you should be burly? And steady with a saw.

Got the skills? Most construction qualifications you’ve earned at home will translate, but many jobs require that you hold industry standards cards such as the ECS. Apply for this online.

Trades and labour

Leisure and tourism

This is for the burly men (and women) out there. The need for plumbers,

This covers everything from fitness instructor to city-tour guide, to festival crew. Probably the most happy-golucky jobs of the bunch, they fit well with other work and will guarantee new mates and novel experiences.

Suits you if: You’re happy to grin for hours and can answer the question, “where is the loo?” all day long.

Got the skills? The main criteria here are enthusiasm and friendliness.

Experience isn’t required to lead tours or jack-up tents for gigs – but knowing your right from your left does help.

Money and hours: These jobs can be short-term, such as crewing weekends before festivals, or evening only, such as fitness training. There’s usually some full-time work on offer too. Pay will vary but it’s not going to be top dollar.

Here, it’s the fun that counts.

ZOE ELVES, 24 Au pair, from Australia

How I got my job: I applied through Gumtree and had studied in the industry back home so that helped massively.

Why I love it: I love the work and have an amazing relationship with the family.

ALICE MCGRATH, 25

Teacher, from Australia How I got my job: I joined a teaching agency back home and they organised paperwork so I could start working here.

Why I love it: Teaching abroad has given me the chance to broaden my skills.

TROY SAUNDERS, 26 Maintenance, from Australia

Photos: Thinkstock and supplied

background isn’t in the classroom you can pick up some cash by tutoring or bandying language skills you may have across a room of keen adult learners.

Suits you if: You’re confident and calm.

Got the skills? You must have UKrecognised teaching qualifications and be registered here as an OTT. Tutoring requirements are more lax.

Money and hours: Great holiday and £120 a day for contract work, £150 for long-term. Tutoring offers flexible hours and great pay.

How I got my job: I heard about the job through word of mouth and as soon as one came up I applied online.

Why I love it: It’s up to you how much time you dedicate and the team is great.

How I got my job: I applied through an agency and found a job with Sky. Why I love it: This opportunity will be good for my CV and I’ve met some really great people, so I enjoy the atmosphere.

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Top London Escorts 0208 577 7713 / 0207 439 2223 Full security service transport to and from work (and interview).

First class facilities.

Start immediately earn upto £1000 a day.

Call us 24hrs 7days a week.

www.toplondonescorts.com 66

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• 6½-day liftpass for Espace Killy ski area • 6½-day Ski or Snowboard and boot hire • 12 hours of group Instruction • 7 nights accommodation at UCPA Val d’Isere • ALL meals, including TWO Christmas celebrations • Après-ski events every day • TNT Ski merchandise • Return coach from London

£645*

Book online at: www.tnt-snowblast.com BROUGHT TO YOU BY

*Includes £50 discount valid through to Nov 25th.

LIVE-IN CARERS At Origin our clients are young adults with a spinal injury and we need positive people to help them live independently.

We have live-in caring roles typically of 2 weeks on and 1 week off. We provide free specialist training and you get free accommodation, food and refunded travel expenses!

Promotional prospects and higher rates of pay are available.

A Driving licence is essential for this role.

T: 020 7617 7894 www.origincare.com Location: London & South East Salary: up to £630pw John Hardy | 020 7617 7894 | johnhardy@origincare.com

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Professional Chef de Parties required for Event Catering companies within Central London. £9.00-12.50p/h. Weekly pay, flexible hours, 7 days p/w.

CV, Qual, Passport, Hyg Cert ess.

Tel: 0208 946 6342 or 0208 944 1609 Email: Claire@claireschefs.com (Agy)

Fun Jobs !

STORE SALES PEOPLE

Location: 15 Sites Across London Salary: £7p/h basic plus daily and end of season BONUS and COMMISSION Confident and customer friendly team players.

Contact: Jim Cartwright | 07833 259 230 recruitment@pinesandneedles.com

OFFICE TELESALES PEOPLE

Location: Wembley, HA9 7RE Salary: £7p/h basic plus BONUS Enthusiastic and confident with team spirit.

Contact: Veronika Kusak | 020 3384 9420 veronika@pinesandneedles.com

DELIVERY DRIVERS

Location: Central/Outer London Salary: Between £60 and £120 a day Experience of driving an Extra Long Wheel Base van.

Contact: Ismail Asmal | 07951545532 roosterstransport@gmail.com

WAREHOUSE SHIFT MANAGERS

Location: Wembley,HA9 7RE Salary: £7p/h basic plus BONUS Very physical work with some IT skills required too.

Contact: Sam Lyle | 07980865056 sam@pinesandneedles.com

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HAM PSTEAD NANNIES Hampstead Nannies is one of London’s most professional Nanny Agencies, run by trained personnel with a wealth of experience in all aspects of childcare and education.

We are acknowledged as being friendly, reliable and highly competent in placing qualified, experienced and reference checked Live In/Daily Nannies, Mother’s Helps, Housekeepers and Maternity Nurses.

Barkat House 116-118, Finchley Road, London NW3 5HT. Finchley Road Tel: 020 7433 2525/6.

www.hampsteadnannies.co.uk

EVENT CREW Gallowglass is Europe’s leading crewing company to the events industry working for TV, Theatre, Live Events, Sports Events and Outdoor Productions amongst others.

Location: London Salary: From £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 TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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ON THE MOVE?

Guaranteed weekly shipping to OZ, NZ, SA and beyond

S E C I V R E S G N VI O M L A N O I T A N R E T N I R E T S FA E V O M L A N O I T NA R E T N I R U O Y R O F G N I K C A P SAFER L A N O I T A N R NTE I R U O H T I ’ E W E G T N N I A L R L I A B U R G CE I R P ‘ SMARTE S L A V O REM ith containers w ft 0 4 d n a ft ly to the co-load 20 available on allow us to lly a s m rm te o s n y s s e Move g ic in ternational moving serv unique pack In ly r r k u u e o O e y ? w r t e s fo m fa r packing ffer the sa e ship so How can w ns we can o panies. Safe a m e o m c is g h n ri T . tu anufac exporters UK’s top m commercial

ed to s are design m te s y s g in ve. ck al house mo resistant pa n t o c ti a a p rn im te e in u ty for you . Our uniq imum securi , just for you x e a d a m e m th m re to Cus ensu

charged sure you are n e to ts n e hich is m ise measure built pallet w c d re n p a h w , e llo u a ers. niq ms into contain their own, u cking syste g s a in a p d h r a r u lo e o l m re a n to Internatio Every cus asured befo At 1st Move ouse move. curately me h c a r u o y f o e CT siz for the EXA

NO upfront charges NO cancellation fees

CALL FREE 0800 3890784 For more information go to www.shipit.co.uk

like us on

LIFESTYLELIVING

facebook.com/tntmag

Ship to shore Got excess baggage to rival Kate Gosselin’s? We give you the lowdown on shipping your stuff when heading home WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

You arrived with little more than a backpack, and now it’s time to leave you realise you’ve accumulated boxes of things you didn’t know you couldn’t live without.

Sound familiar? If so, don’t worry, you can keep all your ‘I Heart London’ mugs and Union Jack bedspreads (just us?), as you can ship them back to your homeland with ease.

Rates for shipping start at around £100 for one 30kg carton, and it takes from four to 12 weeks. You should also factor in insurance, which usually costs 5% of the value of your goods. Air freight is, of course, quicker, but will cost quite a lot more.

Photos: Thinkstock

What to ship Bear in mind that you won’t have access to the stuff you ship for up to 12 weeks, so don’t pack all your underwear, for example. Soft furnishings, electrical goods, clothes

and sentimental knick-knacks are good examples of what you could ship.

full to the driver. They usually accept cash or debit/credit cards.

Be prepared

At the other end

Arrange the pick-up date with the company and give yourself plenty of time to get organised as you will need to complete some forms, supply passport and visa copies (if applicable) and pack.

The shipping company will provide you with sturdy boxes of various sizes for your things, so arrange the free delivery (usually with a £50 deposit) of these in plenty of time before your departure date. You can pack yourself as they also provide you with bubble wrap and tape. Make sure none of your cartons weighs more than 30kg. Tip: It’s better to over-order cartons as they will charge to deliver more, whereas they will collect any empty ones for free.

On the day of the pick-up you will need to pay the remaining balance in

You can usually track your shipment online, or you can contact the company for updates. Once it has arrived you will be contacted and you may need to head to customs to fill out documentation for the arrival of your goods.

Be prepared to pay extra fees, such as for examination by the quarantine authority if your baggage is selected.

Once this is all sorted you can take your baggage yourself, or arrange for doorstep delivery.

Companies to try...

• Excess Baggage (excess-baggage.com) • Anglo Pacific (anglopacific.co.uk) • PSS (pssremovals.com) • Simpsons (simpsons-uk.com) • 1st Move International (shipit.co.uk) TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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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 085 0355 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

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FREIGHT

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PERSONAL SHIPPING SERVICES 1-3 Pegasus Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 4PS

FREEPHONE: 0800 988 3688 TEL: 03333 212 810

sales@p-s-s.co.uk | www.pssremovals.co.uk 72

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We are the UK’s most successful tax refund company with over 20 years experience

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