1577 by TNT Magazine

January 2014 Issue 1577 tntmagazine.com

!G IN W SKYDIVIN

A EXPERIENCE IN PRAGUE FOR TWO!

“PORN? NEVER SAY NEVER!” Hugh Jackman spills his beans

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT Australia Day in London

? E R E H E R E W U WISH YO life-changer a ip r t ’s r a e make this y o t s y a w 0 1 Top

+ ANZAC TOURS GET FIT THE FUN WAY HYBRID HOSTELS BE PAID TO PARTY

ISSUE 1577/ £1.95

9 772051 605008

THIS MONTH LONDON DIARY 8 YOUR LONDON

LONDON INSIDER

FOOD 14 DRINK 15 CHATROOM

TRAVEL REVIEW

DIARY 38 HOT AIR BALLOONING 42 UK TRIP: TOP 5

FESTIVAL: FALLAS 52 GUIDE TO GREECE 54 BIG TRIP: JAPAN

WEEKENDER: RIGA

TIPS 68

ON THE COVER

HOTSHOTS 69 LATE DEALS 70

WISH YOU WERE HERE?

Make this year’s trip a life-changer ‘PORN?

SPORT ROUND-UP 74 SIX NATIONS 76 LYDIA LASSILA

NEVER SAY NEVER!’ 16

Hugh Jackman spills his beans

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT

WINTER WARMERS 81 MONEY 91 92

DESPERATELY SEEKING 98 CLASSIFIEDS 97 4

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Budget doesn’t have to mean shit-hole

LIFESTYLE

GET INSURANCE

Australia Day in London

HYBRID HOSTELS

STUFF

ANZAC TOURS

Pay your respects in person

GET FIT THE FUN WAY

Top classes to try this year

BE PAID TO PARTY Become a holiday rep this summer

EDITORIAL Editor Caroline Garnar Online Editor Vicky Anscombe Contributors Michael Gadd l Rachael Getzels l Sean Martin l Megan Hogarth l Tamara Thiessen l Nick Tebble l Heidi Fuller-Love 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

FROM THE EDITOR

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

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Right, people. This is it. This is your chance to make 2014 your best year yet. We know you probably think that every New Year and then your motivation gets lost somewhere between the January blues and slit-your-wrists Valentine’s Day, but this really is going to be it. And do you know why? Because this year you are going to take the trip of a lifetime. I’m not telling you to go around the world in 80 days, climb to the summit of Mount Everest or trek to the North Pole (although please feel free to do any of these if you wish). I’m telling you that, no matter where you go this year, you must tick at least one thing off our list of the top 10 ways to make your trip a life-changer. See pages 20-25 and get planning. If you need inspiration for where to go, turn to our travel section from page 35. This month we are hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, remembering our fallen ancestors on an ANZAC Day tour, discovering Japan’s main island, and plenty more. If a week or two’s vacation isn’t enough for you, why not become a holiday rep? Soak up the sunshine for the whole summer season and get paid to party. See our article on page 88 on how to make this a reality. As well as daydreaming about 2014’s adventures, many of us are also deciding how to shift those Christmas pounds. On page 86, we’ve found some classes where, not only will you achieve this goal, but you will make new friends, try something new and have fun in the process. You should be prepared, though, to regain any shed weight come January 26, when scoffing barbecued meats and downing pints of Snakebite are requisite in celebration of Australia Day. See page 26 for our favourite places to go. And, last but never least, Hugh Jackman tells all about his recent brush with skin cancer, being Hollywood’s good guy, and finding his dark side. Enjoy!

caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

Cracking Croatia

Find love this V-Day

Explore London

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

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THIS MONTH’S TOP PICKS THE NOTEBOOK AT ROOFTOP CINEMA

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: QUIDAM January 4-February 16

January 6

You thought you could throw some serious shapes but wait until you see world-class acrobats contort into positions you didn’t even know existed in this top-rated circus show.

Tear-fest The Notebook will be screened in a heated marquee. Tickets include wine and a barbecue snack, but BYOT (T = tissues).

£20+

4pm-9pm Royal Albert Hall, SW7 2AP South Kensington cirquedusoleil.com

£21.50

9pm Kensington Roof Gardens, W8 5SA High Street Kensington rooftopfilmclub.com

Shhh... SECRET LONDON AROUND THE CAMPFIRE January 17 Original British b-boy Paul ‘Kermit’ Leveridge, whose lyrics were hailed as ‘the roots of grime’, is telling stories around the theoretical campfire at Ditto TV’s Campfire event this month. He’ll also spin some funky street rhymes and vinyl beats, plus images from the northern soul scene in the ’60s will be on display. FREE

Kool Kermit: Paul Leveridge

7pm The Lighthouse, N1 7BJ

Essex Road

ditto.tv/campfire

BRICK LANE BAR CRAWL

CRUISE LONDON ART FAIR

BURNS’ NIGHT BONANZA

POP-UP YOGA DETOX PARTY

January 11

January 15-19

January 17-18 & 24-25

January 23

Resolved to make new friends this year? Join a group of randoms for a good-old-fashioned bar crawl. Hitting five bars in five hours, it’s a lively affair and a great way to get to know some hot spots in this area. If you bring some ready-made friends along you get up to 20% off tickets.

This is the UK’s largest fair for modern British and contemporary artists. There will be thousands of pieces of work on display, all for sale, but also just good for browsing. There will also be tours and talks, plus a photography gallery.

Christmas might be over but there’s still plenty to celebrate as Burns’ Night approaches. Celidh Club in Hammersmith Town Hall is offering raucous weekends of knees-up barn dancing, Scottish music and of course haggis, tatties and neeps (ask a Scot).

Detox smoothies, healthy snacks and yoga will be on offer at this pop-up post-Christmas party so you can start the year off on a good foot. The party will take place at Adventure Yogi’s East London studios and all proceeds will go to charity.

7.30pm-3am Starts at Juno Bar, E1 6JE Shoreditch High Street bricklanecrawl.com

7.30pm-10pm Upper Street, N1 0QH Angel londonartfair.co.uk

6.30pm King Street, W6 9TJ Hammersmith celidhclub.com

Times vary Richmond Road, E8 3NJ Bethnal Green adventureyogi.com

£10

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AN EVENING WITH SLY STALLONE January 11

The Italian stallion himself, Sylvester Stallone will be hosting an audience at Central Hall, Westminster. The star of Rocky (and its million sequels) and Demolition Man will be talking about his illustrious career as one of Hollywood’s bad-boy action heroes, with stories from his private life thrown in for extra entertainment. They warn you not to meet your heroes, but this is just too damn cool to pass up. £45

7:30pm-10pm Central Hall, SW1 1XLHP St Jame’s Park seatlive.com

RAISE THE ROOF WITH A-CAPPELLA

THIS YEAR’S BEST AT BIG CHILL

January 22-25

January 25

It’s amazing what talented musicians can do with just their voice. At this event you’ll see some of the best create beats and melodies of familiar songs without any instruments. You’ll be convinced they’re hidden somewhere, but they’re not. Pinky swear.

Every January the Big Chill House put on a big free party where the DJs look forward into who they think will be big in the upcoming year, so expect a stellar line-up that you’ll be listening to all 2014. And you were the first to know.

6.30pm-10pm Kings Place, N1 9NL King’s Cross londonacappellafestival.co.uk

6:30pm-10pm Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross wearebigchill.com

Photos: Getty

£9.50+

FREE

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So scandalous: The Stephen Ward story gets the Andrew Lloyd Webber treatment

Ancient tales: Photos from the Silk Road that have never been seen before

Get laughing: Frank Skinner is set to take to the stage

COMEDY NIGHTS

EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE

SKINNER: MAN IN A SUIT

AUREL STEIN AND THE SILK ROAD

STEPHEN WARD

JANUARY 21-FEBRUARY 22 / 7.30PM / £20

JANUARY 6-FEBRUARY 14 / 10AM-5PM / Free

UNTIL MARCH 1 / 7.30PM / £15+

TV personality Frank Skinner takes to the stage with his satirical wit and humour. He’s an oldie but a goodie is Skinner.

A new photography exhibition rediscovers the once-thriving ancient societies along the Silk Road with thousands of archived images.

Soho Theatre Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square frankskinnerlive.com

The Royal Geographic Society Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN Embankment nationalgallery.org.uk

Headline-hitting ’60s scandal gets the Andrew Lloyd Webber treatment in a new musical about the society osteopath who introduced a showgirl to the rich, the famous and a Russian spy.

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN

NEW ORDER II AT SAATCHI

JANUARY 30-FEBRUARY 1 / 8PM / £16.50

JANUARY 26-APRIL 6 / 10AM-6PM / Free

CANDIDE

Having been ‘sent off’ from soccer AM for using the word ‘bumming’, Celebrity Juice’s Chris Ramsey ponders whether he really is the most dangerous man on Saturday morning television.

This trendy gallery that first recognised artists such as Damien Hirst will be showcasing the best in British contemporary art right now.

UNTIL FEB 22 / 7.30PM / £37.50

Bloomsbury Theatre Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston Square chrisramseycomedy.com

Saatchi Gallery Kings Road, SW3 4SQ Sloane Square saatchigallery.com

DISCOVERIES

Aldwych Theatre Aldywch, WC2B 4DF Covent Garden aldwychtheatre.co.uk

Leonard Bernstein’s glorious score, witty lyrics and Adam Cooper’s balletic choreography turn Voltaire’s novella into an unusual treat. Menier Chocolate Factory Aldywch, SE1 1RU London Bridge londontheatre.co.uk

HERRING’S WORK IN PROGRESS

JANUARY 31-APRIL 27 / 10AM-4.30PM / Free

THE DUCK HOUSE

JAN 7 / 8PM / £5

UNTIL MARCH 29 / 7.30PM / £20+

Richard Herring, otherwise known as the “podfather”, tries out his material for his new groundbreaking internet-only stand-up shows.

This display brings together weird and wonderful things that have been collected and discovered, such as rare zoological specimens, bizarre tools and now-extinct animal skeletons.

Pleasance Theatre Carpenter’s Mews, N7 9EF Caledonian Road pleasance.co.uk

Two Temple Place Two Temple Place, WC2R 3BD Temple twotempleplace.org

Vaudeville Theatre Strand, WC2R 0NH Charing Cross the-duck-house.co.uk

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You name it, he’s claimed it, in this new, fastpaced, trouser-dropping farce about a Labour MP whose lifestyle has been funded by the taxpayer.

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CLUB NIGHTS

GIGS

ZOMBIE SOUNDSYSTEM BLOW-OUT

CASS MCCOMBS

JANUARY 11 / 10PM-3AM / £10

JANUARY 13 / 7.30PM / £14

Zombie Soundsystem music label celebrates its eighth year of putting on underground house nights in London with a birthday blow-out hosted by special guest progressive futuristic-funk-house DJ Danny Howell plus some special guests TBC.

California singer-songwriter Cass McCombs brings his lonesome folk music and his more energetic arrangements to London following the release of his seventh album. This will be his most all-inclusive show to date.

Basing House Kingsland Road, E2 8AA Dalston Kingsland basinghouse.co.uk

Queen Elizabeth Hall Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX Waterloo southbankcentre.co.uk

ASHES TO ASHES

ESG

JANUARY 24 / 10PM-3AM / £5

NOV 14 / 7PM / £25+

Enjoy the electronic music of the ’80s at London Stone. Expect to hear the likes of Depeche Mode, Human League and Kraftwerk and the retro-influenced sounds of Goldfrapp, Moby and Ladytron. It’s hosted by Electric Dreams, which has become the go-to for anything ’80s in London.

Sampled by just about every hip-hop producer out there, ESG’s funky, bass-heavy South Bronx sound still sounds fresh as ever, even 30 years on.

London Stone Cannon Street, EC4N 5AD Bank electricdreamsclub.com

MINISTRY OF SOUND JANUARY 24 / 10.30PM-7AM / £13

The Ministry of Sound celebrates its 22nd birthday with a legendary trance, techno and house fest in

Koko Mornington Crescent, NW1 7JE Mornington Crescent koko.co.uk

FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS JANUARY 20 / 7PM / £25

The Fun Lovin’ Criminals are still going strong even though we haven’t heard much from them recently. But that just means the fact they’ll be playing live at KOKO for one night

Scooby Snacks: Huey Morgan of the Fun Lovin’ Criminals

this iconic London club, with sounds that will go on all night. Special guests to be announced.

Photos: Getty

Ministry of Sound Elephant and Castle, SE1 6DPX Elephant and Castle ministryofsound.com

END OF THE WORLD PARTY JANUARY 31 / 10PM-3AM / £3 Imagine, the end of the world is near and it’s your last chance to dance, what tracks would you choose? At this party you get to request any songs you want – only rules are they must be party tracks and songs other people will know. Scala Pentonville Rd, N1 9NL King’s Cross endworldparty.com

only this month is even more exciting. KOKO Mornington Crescent, NW1 7JE Mornington Crescent koko.uk.com

I BREAK HORSES JANUARY 23 / 7.30PM / £10

This Swedish Indie band bring their textured soundscapes and reverb heavy beats back to London after their last shows here sold out in a matter of days. Village Underground Holywell Lane, EC2A 3PQ Shoreditch High Street villageunderground.co.uk

WATCH THIS

AT THE MOVIES ’14 The film everyone has to see first this year? Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (out Jan 3). We’re pretty sure we don’t need to tell you why. Next up is The Monuments Men (Jan 9), with George Clooney directing and starring alongside Matt Damon and Bill Murray to name a few. Bound to be good. More risky is Need for Speed (March 14), which is about an ex-con racer who races across the country to avenge the death of his friend. We like the video game series though so we’ll give it a shot. We’re torn over biblical epic Noah (March 28), which crictics have tipped as a blockbuster – it’ll be interesting to see what Emma Watson and Russell Crowe do with their roles (please no more singing Russ). The Amazing Spider Man 2 (April 18) is also set to be a hit. Atleast it’s sure to be big on the web (boom boom tish). Aussie stud Hugh Jackman is up next in the latest X-Men installment. In X-Men: Days of Future Past (July 18) he’ll be going back in time with his younger self to fight another world battle. Doesn’t sound like a sleeper that one. Rumour also has it that Lionel Messi’s life story will be hitting the big screens before the Brazil World Cup in a dramatised biography about his life. Could get Messi.

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YOURLONDON READER’S PIC OF THE MONTH

YOUR VIEW We ask our readers what they’ve been thinking about this month... I’ve been thinking about how to be a nicer, better person in 2014, as 2013 wasn’t a brilliant year for me. I moved to London from Sudan in January and, due to a series of unfortunate events, 2013 went pearshaped for the following reasons:

I was taking photos of a friend’s band in a deserted lake near Waltham Forest around dusk. I asked one of them to lie down near the water’s edge with a view to taking some weird shot of his head with water near it (it was very conceptual, I’m an artist). The chap (let’s call him ‘Chris’, for that’s his name) lies down and then out of nowhere the suited man appears, ambles over casually and stands next to Chris without saying anything or acknowledging the rest of us. I managed to run off a couple of shots while he stared out at the lake and then he wordlessly picked up his briefcase, turned on his heel and left us. Josh Thornton, flickr.com/photos/thorntocon

STATUS UPDATE What’s been happening on Twitter this month... The TNT Twitter desk had paroxysms of delight when @AJTVNews, a British journalist travelling around Oz, proclaimed her distaste for Bon Jovi’s ultimate crowd-pleaser. ‘My opinion of a drinking establishment is always lowered upon the playing of ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’,’ Andrea mused. ‘There’s almost no song I’d like to hear less.’ Sensing an ally, we suggested that The Darkness were also the nemeses of popular music, but Andrea seemed unwilling to denounce them because they’re from Suffolk. She did, however, retweet our suggestion that ‘cock rock’ should be long-forgotten, much like onesies and Hollyoaks. What would you send to room 101? Want to have your say or see your photo in print? Email the editor at caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

1. Rather than bite the bullet and ask someone, I spent months on the Tube escalators standing on the left and stoically ignoring all the ‘harrumphing’ coming from behind me. Yes, I should have given it some thought – but you guys drive on the left? Right? I finally discovered the truth one Saturday night when a posh lady took me to one side and said, ‘You’re making a real nuisance of yourself. I suggest you stand on the right next time.’ Point taken. 2. I ended up being chucked out of a strip club on Gray’s Inn Road because I didn’t realise that when there’s a pint glass making the rounds, you don’t just pass it on, you pop in a pound coin. Yes, I saw there were pound coins already in there – but I figured they were tips for the bar staff, and it wasn’t compulsory. Anyway, I’m never going back. 3. I slept with someone who shouted, ‘I’ve come like a gibbon!’ after we’d finished. I have done some research as I was hoping it was a common British turn of phrase, but it’s not.

Benjamin Vowels

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Photos: Supplied

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MYLONDON

LONDONINSIDER

TRYTHIS Dining in the dark With so many restaurants vying for our tastebuds’ attention in London, it takes a lot for one to stand out. But Dans le Noir? offers the now-famous dining-in-the-dark experience. The idea is that your other senses are heightened when your sight is taken away, making the taste, smell and texture of the food become richer. But what I wasn’t expecting was the disorientation it made me feel. You are in total darkness, and I mean total. You can’t even see your hand in front of your face. To help you find your seat, you stand in a line with your other diners and put your hands on to the person in front’s shoulders, so you can follow each other in. Indeed, you get to know your fellow diners quite well as you are sat canteen-style and can’t help but compare notes on your food and pick up techniques on how to go about eating when you can’t see a thing. I had managed to find my soon-to-be-knocked-over glass of wine and cutlery, but by the end of the starter we had all opted to use our hands for eating. With our senses heightened, we found ourselves smelling and feeling the food, guessing which mysterious delicacy was in front of us. The waiters, who are all blind and so somewhat better at navigating than us, were super friendly and helpful. You are also not at risk of eating anything you are allergic to or truly dislike, as you are given a choice of fish, meat or vegetarian

menus, although for those who like to live on the edge, there is also a ‘surprise’ menu. Dans le Noir? is certainly a novel way to dine out, and I would recommend it as a one-off experience (it is a bit pricey). With Valentine’s coming up, it’s a good place to take your date and play footsie under the table... or at least you think that’s your date’s leg. If not, hey, you could get lucky twice. By Gemma Brown £42 for two courses, £51 for three. 30-31 Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0DU london.danslenoir.com

MYLONDON When I want to chill out I... grab my favourite book, head to Timberyard on Old Street, curl up on one of its mismatching chairs and read while drinking an exceptionally good coffee. The most interesting person I’ve met in London is... John-Paul Flintoff, who I met at The School of Life in Bloomsbury. He is a journalist on a mission to reduce his planetary impact. He makes all his own clothes, including his own underpants, which he makes using fibre derived from stinging nettles! For when you’re hungover in London you can’t beat... Breakfast on the ground floor at Smiths of Smithfield. All its meat comes from Smithfield’s Market over the road, resulting in the best fry up in town. My favourite spot in London is... Whitecross Street Food Market. Vendors line the street, filling the air with the amazing smell of cooking food, and you can always pick up something that will satisfy your craving.

some books at the Southbank Centre Book Market we would have lunch at Benugo Bar & Kitchen, a hidden gem of a restaurant at the back of the BFI. Next we would check out the latest exhibition at the Tate Modern, before jumping on the DLR back to Greenwich to meet our friends for Saturday night drinks. My New Year’s resolutions are... To read a new book every week and to write a blog post every week inspired by that book. What I love most about London is... I have lived and worked here pretty much my whole life but I still get lost, and I love that. As I wander around the streets of London I invariably discover a hidden little remembrance garden, historic monument, pop-up restaurant or a new coffee shop. Five words that sum up London are... Inspiring, energising, historic, steadfast, home. anovelconcept.co.uk

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My perfect weekend would be... After taking a leisurely walk through Greenwich Park with my husband we would explore Greenwich craft market before jumping on the Thames Clipper up to the Southbank. After picking up

LOUISE BARNARD BLOGGER AT ANOVELCONCEPT.CO.UK TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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BITE SIZE XXXXXX CHOW XXXXX DOWN ON THIS Saffas Xxxxxxxx rejoice: Bunnychow, which serves up the eponymous South African [web] street food, also known as kota, has found a permanent burrow in BoxPark, Shoreditch. Originating XXXXX from 1940s Durban, with some help Xxxxxxxx from the Indian sugar workers, the hollowed-out loaves filled to the brim [web] with deliciously spiced curry went down a storm when Bunnychow had XXXXX aXxxxxxxx pop-up over the summer in London, and now it’s here to stay. Hoorah! bunnychow.com [web]

DETOX DELICIOUSNESS New Canary Wharf eatery, One Canada Square, is helping you to kick-start your healthy resolutions by serving up five-a-day juices, such as yellow tomato juice, lemon juice, fresh grated horseradish and green tabasco. Sounds better than a plate of sprouts. onecanadasquarerestaurant.com

ADAM AND EVE ENGLISH

When looking for a lunch-time spot, I seek a place with a good buzz – but that’s not so noisy you can’t hear each other speak – somewhere that hasn’t squashed tables in so much that your elbow’s in the person next door’s food; and a spot that serves food that’s unpretentious but still has flair and is, quite simply, bloody tasty. I don’t think this is too much to ask and yet it has somehow remained elusive to me. Until now. The recently overhauled Adam and Eve pub just off Oxford Street has achieved all these goals with aplomb. Far from its garishly decor-ed past, the new look is still vibrant and light, but with quirky and cool furnishings, including Michael Cane pop art prints and food cans recycled into lamp bases. We like. THE GRUB The pub offers all the classic pairings that were simply meant to be together – just like Adam and Eve themselves (well, until the whole snake issue): fish and chips, sausage and mash, chicken and chips, macaroni and cheese and so on. Simple but hearty British fare, and all plate-wipingly good. The fish and chips comes with a crisp but light batter with succulent, flaky cod and chunky chips. The sausage and mash is perfect for warming up your insides at this time of year, with the caramelised onion gravy adding a deliciously sweet twist to the wild boar sausages. We had forgone a starter in order to squeeze in dessert – and starters are tempting, with a mini-portion of Stinking Bishop mac and cheese even on offer (that’s the name of the cheese, it’s not served with a side of smelly clergyman). The salted caramel cheesecake, however, was wholly worth the sacrifice. Delicious. BEHIND THE BAR A long and comprehensive wine list is accompanied by classic beers, jugs of sangria and a selection of cocktails. BILL PLEASE Starters from £6; mains from £10; desserts from £5.50. VERDICT I am very happy to have finally found what I’ve been looking for (isn’t that a song?), and will for sure return to Adam and Eve for many-a lunchtime treat. CG THE SCENE

Photos: supplied

ARABIAN NIGHTS If you’re looking for a spot for a group of friends to have dinner and get the party started, the new-look Mamounia in Mayfair is a great option. The Arabic bar and restaurant serves exotic cocktails and delicious mezze dishes and grills, and all in plush surroundings with live Middle Eastern music and a belly dancer on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Scoring points for authenticity, having lived in Dubai for more than five years, we can tell you now, this is how the locals like to live. For our full review check out tntmagazine.com. mamounialounge.com

77a Wells Street, W1T 3QQ

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how You spEnd iT

cash saVers TEA LIGHT LOUNGE BAR

Dreams come brew keiSha herBert, 24 We all know that JoB Market researcher Tanqueray Gin set up this tea light lounge in Indian restaurant, Carom, pounding headache from FroM Leeds totoo celebrate Diwali,bubbly the festival of light. It’s carrying on through until February, much cheap LiveS Bethnal Green which is lucky for us as it’s the perfect spot to cosy up on a winter’s eve. As the the night before. Well name suggests, space the has this year yourthe dream ofis lit by the gentle glow of tea lights, while How dodecor you budget? that lovelyup vintage, rustic feel, with crates recycled as shelves and dainty tea cups,expenses and waking hangover-free After monthly canjars, become reality with adding bit to my savings, jam wired abird cages and browned world maps decorating the walls. aSettling 50% in off a stellar bottle down a cubby-holed sofa, it’s the ideal spot for a drink for two. I try to set myself a weekly of champagne. Usually spending amount. It can be BEHIND THE BAR Created by Tanqueray Gin, you can bet your tonic and lime that costing £29.75, difficultthe when some weeks the cocktails here Heidsieck are something special, and you’d be right. We sampled Blue Top is £15 a pop at are busier than others, but Ginger Chilli Tipple, with the namesake ingredients muddled with Tanqueray, Asda. Or you can opt for a I always try to go with the lemon, orange and cranberry. Served hot or cold, it’s deliciously warming. Also, bottle of ‘I heart Prosecco’ cheapest options. the perfect at this time of year: a twist on mulled wine, it’s served forRoyal £9.99Potion from isBudgens, inTesco.com, a hammered metal cup the Tea Rhythm & with a ladle handle. For something creamy, Do you have any tips for Alexander with cinnamon, nutmeg milk, double cream, Tanqueray and spices is in London? Booze or Londis. saving money

is really good for getting discounts at restaurants.

THE SCENE

Last big blow-out? I went to a second-hand clothes fair last month. Instead of leaving with a few cheap bargains, I ended up spending a lot more money than I imagined! I spent the last week of that month on a very small budget. What non-essential items do you spend money on? Each month I get something new to refresh my wardrobe. And if there’s a special occasion, that’s another excuse to hit the shops.

served in a mini-milk bottle and is sweet without being sickly. I try to take my own lunch into work but I don’t always of Indian favourites: the tandoor chicken, lamb and The origins of on thethe heat, but full on the flavour. manage that. A Taste Card prawns are easy term ‘Boxing Day’average are BILL PLEASE Cocktails at £7.95, platters from £17.95. undecided, but we all VERDICT A lovely spot to head for a quiet drink or some pre-dinner cocktails.

Fighting chance THE a GRUB Enjoy a mixed platter

Photos: supplied and Getty. Words: Rachael Getzels

know it’s due to the punches that are thrown 100 Wardour Street, W1F 0TN as eager shoppers try to get the best deals on the first day of major nationwide sales. Oxford Street will be prime territory with up to 70% off all high street brands. Get ready to rumble.

snap it up Do some celeb stalking at super-star hangout Gilgamesh in Camden. The famous restaurant is offering 50% off its £55 set menu through December. Just try not to tussle the 3 OF THEwith BEST professional paps outside, waiting for a star spot. HANGOVER See lastminute.com

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You know when you buy a fancy new toy and don’t know where to keep it? David Beckham faced this conundrum when he bought a Miami football team for £16 million but couldn’t find a stadium for them. So he’s building one...

HAIR OF THE DOG What do you get if you cross a Bloody Mary and a hot dog? Bubbledog’s hangover cure: a hot dog topped with tomatoes, horse radish, pickles, Lea & Perrins, mayo, and jalapenos, washed down with a glass of bubbles. bubbledogs.co.uk Beckham the big

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❚ Basketball team Chicago Sky never have a problem finding someone to sing the national anthem given ALWAYS PREPARED that former Destiny’s Child No matter what the time of member, Michelle Williams, day, youacan soak owns share of up theyour club. alcohol session with a plate of❚ delicious stodge, with Former basketball starallMagic was part of day (andJohnson night) breakfasts, a £1.2billion dealat tothe buy24the burgers and pasta bankrupt LAwith Dodgers. That’s hour VQ Cafe branches hefty price and for aFulham. team with inaBloomsbury no money. Sounds like he vq24hours.com may have missed a trick.

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Getting plastered: Hugh is sporting a small plaster after his cancer op

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CELEBINTERVIEW

It had to be Hugh Facing his skin cancer scare with humour and humility, Hugh Jackman has impressed the world yet again. TNT sits down with Australia’s nice guy to talk scars, scratchcards and porn... When Hugh Jackman Instagrammed a picture of himself with a big plaster on his nose, we presumed he’d accidentally hit himself in the face while donning his Wolverine claws (we’ve all done it). But the accompanying caption told us otherwise: “Please don’t be foolish like me. Get yourself checked. And USE sunscreen!!!”. Turns out a mark on his nose, which he too thought was from fighting on the set of Wolverine: Days of Future Past (out July 18), was actually skin cancer. It was a basal cell carcinoma, which is the less-aggressive non-melanoma form of skin cancer, and he caught it early, so the 44-year-old has made a full recovery after having surgery in November to cut the cancer cells out. Of this he jokes, “People presume actors are very vain, but I told the doctor to make it an even bigger scar: ‘Go about 45 degrees up, then a little tilt down – I’ve always wanted one of those’.”* Jackman now lives in Manhattan, New York, but he blames his brush with cancer on his Aussie roots: “Australians – it’s par for the course. I don’t remember being stopped and someone saying, ‘Are you boys wearing sunscreen?’ until I was around 15 or 16,” he told Today Entertainment. We suspect his scare won’t slow him down, though. On stage and screen for 20 years now, Jackman has won three Tony Awards and was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Les Miserables. A triple threat, he can sing, dance and act – is there anything he can’t do? “I can’t ever see myself doing porn. But never say never!” he laughs. When we catch up with him on his promotional tour for Prisoners, which is out on DVD now, he’s on good form. True to rumours, the man’s a charmer and an all-round nice guy. In fact, we discover than Jackman has bought every member of each film crew he has worked with a scratchcard lottery ticket every Friday for the last 13 years. Which makes TNT’s first question to Jackman an easy one: Why the hell would you do that? “The truth? I had a friend come and visit me on a movie set and he goes, ‘You don’t know that guy’s name do you?’.” Jackman confessed to his mate that, despite having worked on the set for two months and the guy in question being a fellow Aussie, he didn’t. “But it’s different with a big crew – it took them a month not to call me Mr Jackman,” he says in his defence. But his mate told him to cut the crap, go up and just say “g’day”.

“I thought he was right, and that’s how it happens in Australia,” tells Jackman, his Aussie accent still twanging like he never left. “We don’t have stand-ins – you stand there for an hour while they light the set and everyone makes fun of each other - but here you have stand-ins and trailers, all that fancy stuff.”

Expect nothing and “ everything is a bonus ” Reckoning he’d feel like a dick if he just rocked up and said, “Hi, I’m Hugh, how’s it going?”, he introduced Lucky Friday. “So I would say, ‘Hey man, it’s Friday, we have this tradition in Australia: if I don’t give [scratchcards] out on Fridays, people don’t come back after lunch – so here it is, Lucky Friday, have a good weekend.’ So that’s how it began.” And has anyone ever won anything? “Actually on the last film, someone won 1500 bucks. Prior to that, the

››

Hugh nose best: Hugh Instragrammed this pic with a ‘wear sunscreen’ warning TNTMAGAZINE.COM

highest was $187. If you extrapolate 13 years of 300 tickets a week, it’s a bad deal,” he laughs. We like to attribute his laid-back, good-guy nature to his Aussie upbringing. Indeed, it seems his Dad has a lot to do with his down-to-earth attitude, and love of movies. “I always loved going [to the cinema]. My dad was really into drive-ins – probably because it was cheaper. He had five kids, so to shove them all in one car, it’s easier. ‘Hey, you two! Lie down in the back!’.” He’s a big family man himself now – he and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have two adopted children, Oscar, 13, and Ava, eight – and he likes nothing more now than to hang his claws at the door and spend time at home. “It was always my dream to go to amazing places, meet amazing people, the work I do, but to be honest, it’s the simple things. I had such a great weekend and I was just at home with my kids. We played Monopoly, we cooked, we watched movies together, and I felt such a deep sense of contentment and happiness with just the most basic, simple things.” In Prisoners, Jackman plays a father of a six-year-old girl who is kidnapped, and he chases the suspect down himself, even torturing him for information. So does he draw on his own life, imagining how he’d feel if his kids were kidnapped? “No, I don’t do that. I mean, reading the script, I felt sick to the stomach. But I try and build the character. It’s a dangerous thing to rely on the imagination of your own children going missing. I learnt that in theatre, because when you are doing a show eight times a week, you are constantly drawing on that stuff and it can become dangerous. I have seen people go a little (whistles) from doing that. You’ve got to be careful.” So where does his dark side come from? “It’s there, man. Unfortunately, it’s in all of us. I am, by nature, a pretty optimistic, happy guy. But come to my house at 4.30 in the morning when I have to go to the gym and lift weights and you may not find this convivial sort of guy,” he laughs. Talking of which, when filming Prisoners he was training up for Wolverine: Days of Future Past, and had to be careful 18

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not to let his bulging biceps detract from the character, despite the violence needed for the role: “I think the producers were like, ‘Why does Hugh need to have meals every two hours? He’s playing a suburban dad who’s a carpenter!’. But they never questioned me about it. People know me so much for Wolverine, and I am either in a tank top or I’ve got my shirt off for half the movie, because that deals with violence in a certain way, maybe even in a glorifying way. In this movie, the violence has to be uncomfortable and he [the director, Denis Villeneuve] really didn’t want any perception of me as Wolverine. I think that was a wise decision.” Jackman’s hard work paid off with a stellar performance in a gripping film, and there has been talk of another Oscar nomination for the actor (“It’s just my publicist talking, that’s all,” he jokes). Would winning an Oscar be the icing on the cake? “Look, my philosophy in life is, expect nothing and everything is a bonus.” And with that, our interview with the nice guy of show business draws to a close. We thank him and leave him with our address... just in case he fancies sending us a scratchcard. You never know, it could be our Lucky Friday.

*Quote source: today.com. Interview: Interview Hub. Words: Caroline Garnar. Images: Getty, Instagram and supplied

Mr Nice Guy: Hugh is one loveable Hollywood stud

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SEE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE Do you dream of dodos and mourn over mammoths? Well soon you could be adding species of shark, tiger, turtle, elephant, rhino, monkey and more to that list, including the animal that everyone loves, the Giant Panda (if you don’t love them now, simply watch a panda cam for a few minutes and you will – the one at the Smithsonian National Zoo is our fave, nationalzoo.si.edu). If you manage to see an endangered species before it’s too late – or even better, help campaign to keep them around – you will truly have a unique experience – and some rare snaps – to last a lifetime.

WHERE TO DO IT The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) offers 13-day trips to China, where you get to see Giant Pandas in their natural habitat and learn about their conservation (worldwildlife.org/tours/ china). The Black Rhino, which is critically endangered, can currently be found in Namibia, while Borneo is home to the Sumatran elephant, gorilla, rhino and tiger, as well as the ohso-cute orangutan, all critically endangered due to poaching, deforestation and habitat loss. You can dive with the largest fish in the sea back home, with Whale Sharks found around Ningaloo Reef, off western Australia. If (when) you fall in love with these animals on the brink of extinction, you can help by ‘adopting’ one through WWF. Your $50 (£30) donation will support WWF’s efforts to conserve wildlife and their habitats across the world. Don’t expect Tony the Tiger to write you a thank-you note, but you will receive a certificate, photo, information about your animal and a cuddly toy. If you are truly inspired, you can volunteer on a conservation project on a working holiday (see p25 for more).

EAT SOMETHING YOU CAN’T IDENTIFY If just the thought of it makes you squeal (you big girl), put it in your mouth and chew. Them’s the rules. We’re talking cockroaches, bats, brains and balls of various animals and so on. In many parts of the world, animals we would usually spray with repellent are a delicacy, or at least a common street food. Indeed, most of us wouldn’t heave at the thought of eating croc, snake or kangaroo back home, while the fine fellows we live alongside in the UK enjoy nothing more than a good liver or kidney, so why should we turn our nose up at what other cultures deem edible? Get stuck in, we say. If it tastes disgusting, at least you’ll have a good story to tell your mates.

WHERE TO DO IT You don’t actually have to leave this city to sample a bug or two (especially if you sleep with your mouth open). Daniel Creedon’s Archipelago (archipelago-restaurant.co.uk) on Cleveland Street serves up locusts and crickets, while pop-up Bushtucker Trialesque eateries and menus have seen a surge in popularity recently. For the truly authentic experience, however, you can’t beat the street food of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Although, in this instance we recommend you look at the speared spindly-legged creatures, but don’t touch. Health and safety ain’t up to much in this part of the world, and you will likely find yourself becoming firm friends with a toilet bowl. Instead head to authentic but 20

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Life-changing travel for 2014 If you’re going to make one resolution this year, make it to take a trip that you will never forget. TNT finds 10 ways to make this happen WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

clean restaurants such as Marum Restaurant on Wat Bo Road, or Green Star Restaurant near the Wat Damnak Pagoda, which serve up various fried critters. Of course, if you don’t want to go that far, you could always pop over to France for some frog’s legs or snails. Surprisingly delicious.

TRAVEL SOLO For many of us, it’s hard enough to sit at a bar by ourselves without hunching over our phone, furiously thumbing at the screen in an attempt to show everyone around us, “Hey, look, I do have friends, they’re just not with me right now.” To travel alone, then, can seem like utter madness. But think of the benefits. You can pick and choose who to hang out with: that girl who may be a good laugh, but farts in her sleep? Dropped. The guy who uses his head purely for crushing beer cans? Awesome for a night out, but you can easily head off without him to a museum or art gallery and no offence will be taken – hey, you’ve only just met, after all. Plus, let’s admit it, a lot of the appeal of travel is self-discovery, and who better to accompany you on this quest of getting to know yourself than me, myself and I? (Well, not me, you. Unless that was an invite?)

WHERE TO DO IT Pretty much anywhere you want to... if you’re a guy. Ladies, we’re afraid this one’s a bit tougher for you. Of course men need to be vigilant in dangerous places – parts of South America, the Middle East and Africa are best travelled through in a group, if at all – but, in some countries, lone women will be seriously harassed or even arrested. In strict Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to walk around unescorted by a male relative, and, while you are not in imminent danger, you will likely feel uncomfortable roaming the streets of India alone. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

DO SOMETHING CRAZY There’s nothing like risking your life to make you appreciate it. Hopefully you won’t actually be dicing with death, but it can certainly feel like it when you are plummeting towards the earth having just jumped out of a plane or staring into the beady eyes of a Great White, and when the adrenaline kicks in you just can’t beat that buzz. While onlookers might think you’ve lost the plot, you’ll just say, ‘Can I do that again?’. You big crazy hero you.

WHERE TO DO IT If you want to explore the UK a bit more this year, try coasteering in Cornwall, where you scramble along cliff faces and plunge into the cold waters for a ‘refreshing’ dip, all while dressed in a whole-body condom (well, near enough). If heights are your thing, Snowdonia in Wales has the longest and fastest zipline in Europe. You are strapped lying down and ‘fly’ 500km above a lake, reaching speeds of up to 500mph. Most places offer skydiving, and it doesn’t really matter where you do it: the view’s almost always good or you’re too busy screaming your head off to notice. For a unique view, though, we recommend Skydive Dubai, where you will plummet towards the man-made Palm Jumeirah and have the rare opportunity to look down on the world’s tallest building.

LIVE LIKE A LOCAL Certain sights are buzzing with tourists for good reason: they are worth seeing. But once you’ve ticked these off your list, be sure to ask the people who actually live there how they spend their time. It’s always worth making an effort to chat to locals, as long as you can understand each other of course (see p23 to help with this). With few exceptions, they tend to be hospitable and eager to show off their country, and you’re sure to discover some lesser-known gems, with fewer crowds and more authenticity. They can tell you, too, about local festivals and street parties that you may not otherwise have know about. In addition, make sure you try some of the local food, and in places where the locals actually eat. As well as enjoying an authentic atmosphere and traditional dishes, the food’s usually a helluva lot cheaper. If you get a little nervous or you don’t speak the lingo, check out dopios.com, where you can get in touch with an English-speaking local in advance, ask them any travel questions you may have, and even arrange to book a local experience with them for when you get there.

WHERE TO DO IT Anywhere and everywhere. No matter your destination, ask anyone, from the woman who runs your hostel to the man who sold you a coffee, what they recommend you do on your visit. Dopios has locals across the world willing to show you a unique side to their country. Our favourite experiences from the site include the street art tour with Athens local, Manolis Iliopoulos, a trip to Montezuma Waterfalls in Costa Rica with Dominic Gluchowski, and a whirling dervish dance class in Istanbul, Turkey, with Hatun Akkale.

GET FESTIVAL FEVER There’s an unexplainable feeling that snaps and crackles in the air when thousands of people are sharing an experience. At a traditional festival, locals and people from across the world bond over one shared goal: to enjoy themselves. Social barriers are broken (the copious amount of drink usually helps with that one), people dress up, and you can’t help but get swept away 22

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with the buzz. It also offers you an insight into the (often crazy) traditions of a country or city, as they use it as an opportunity to showcase their local food, costume and music. Just prepare your stomach and liver in advance. Festivals get unfailingly messy.

GROUP TRAVEL WE’RE DOING IT

WHERE TO DO IT There are festivals, big and small, but we recommend you tick at least these off your bucket list: prepare to be turned into a human bruschetta at La Tomatina (August 27, 2014) in Bunol, Spain, where tens of thousands of people get together to chuck tomatoes at each other. If you prefer being covered in wine rather than tomatoes (that may seem like an easy choice, but be warned, wine does sting the eyes somewhat), then head for Haro Wine Festival in La Rioja, Spain (June 29, 2014). For something just as messy but a bit more spiritual, the Holi Festival (March 17, 2014) across India involves throwing coloured powder at each other, which they believe helps to cleanse the soul and forgive and forget. Rio Carnival (February 28-March 6, 2014) is a biggie not to be missed, where G-bangers and feathers are as requisite as music and booze. To find out why you don’t want to miss Fallas (March 15-19, 2014), another Valencian festival, turn to page 52. If booze

Red faced: La Tomatina is your main priority, the top choice has to be Oktoberfest (September 20-October 5, 2014), which has replicas across the world, but the original is in Munich, Germany. You will dine on bratwurst sausages and down beer by the gallon while listening to ‘oom-pah music’ and wearing lederhosen. For something closer to home, you can pop over to Dublin come March 17 to celebrate their patron Saint Patrick by painting yourself green and surviving on a diet of Guinness, Guinness and more Guinness.

LEARN THE LANGUAGE The crazy hand gestures. The slowed speaking. The omission of every other word. The sinking feeling that you will, indeed, wet yourself if you don’t find out where a toilet is very soon. Trying to communicate in a non-English-speaking country can massively hinder your experience. No matter how much of the local food you eat, or locals you attempt conversation with, if you can’t speak their lingo, you end up missing out. You don’t have to become fluent, but try to learn easy conversation, or at

You can always set off on your own but join an arranged tour group. Andy Robinson and Kirsty McGregor have been leading travel tours for 10 years and have just released a guidebook titled It’s NOT a holiday: The A-Z guide to Group Travel (£9.99, blackfrogpublishing.com). Here, they share the benefits of travelling in a group... “Group travel gives you far more scope to really immerse yourself in where you are going; it takes the logistical headaches out of the equation and allows you more time to enjoy the experience. No badly driven night buses. No trying to find a bed for the night. No getting ripped off at borders. No dragging your bag around with you. “Tour leaders have a wealth of knowledge and will take you to places hidden from the hordes of guidebook-toting backpackers. Tour drivers will take you off the beaten track to places impossible to get to without your own transport and camping equipment. “Best of all, though, are the people you travel with: people who can become mates or partners for life. Travel isn’t all about ticking off bucket-list sights; it’s about the journey, the people and the local way of life. “Not only will you share these amazing experiences with other like-minded people, you will learn new skills such as cooking over campfires, shopping in local food markets and how to be a responsible traveller. “Group travel is not always a holiday. But it is always a life experience.”

least the basics including pleasantries, ordering and where the toilet is. Not only will it assist you, locals will appreciate it, and, if you become good at it, it’s a skill that will stay with you for life and could prove useful personally (for future travel as well as impressing the opposite sex), and in your career.

WHERE TO DO IT You’re lucky, you already speak one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. The second most useful to know is arguably Spanish, spoken in South America, Spain, the Pacific Islands and more. The best way to learn? Start speaking it! Go to Spain or South America and hole yourself up in a near-tourismfree area so you can’t cheat with English. You can learn at a local language school, or even live with a family, where conversational Spanish will be a necessity, with some also offering one-on-one tutoring. If you would rather ease yourself in more gently, try Guatamala, where the Spanish dialect is basic, slow and easy to understand and language classes are very cheap, or Barcelona, which is a buzzing city with language schools on every corner, but it is rather touristy. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

LIVING ON THE EDGE I’M DOING IT

TAKE A ROAD TRIP

You can catch adrenalin junkie Rob Bell in his new show, Man vs World, on the Travel Channel. Here, he shares his most memorable adventure... “In my experience, some of the most exciting, thrilling and adventurous times you can have in life are when things take a turn for the unexpected. I remember a time when some friends and I were canoeing in the just-thawed Yukon Rover and hit some unexpected rapids caused by a log-jam. Our vessel – and our skill level – was far over-powered and we were dumped into the freezing cold, fast moving water. Once we scrambled to shore we had to spend 10 hours navigating our way back through the forest to our start point. We encountered absolutely no civilisation along the way and had to make lots of noise to scare off any bears and wildcats. The whole experience was a complete mental and physical battle. “Now you could call this a complete disaster of a day. I call it one of the best adventures I’ve ever had. I remember every last detail – and it was 10 years ago now. And the reason I remember it all so vividly is because we were living life at what felt at the time like the edge of our limits. “Perhaps it’s easy for me to recollect this adventure through rose-tinted glasses because we got away without any serious consequences, and by no means am I advocating stupidity when abroad or out in the wilderness. Mother Nature is always in charge. But I like to live life with a thirst for adventure combined with a healthy dollop of positivity and optimism. It’s led me to some unexpected outcomes in the past, which all have one very simple thing in common: excitement. And if you can find some genuine and sometimes unexpected excitement on your travels, you’ve probably got a good story to tell for many years to come.”

The beauty of taking a road trip is the freedom. You can work to your own schedule, spend more time in a place that you love, or move on swiftly from somewhere not-so much. Even better is investing in a campervan so you can take your home with you wherever you go. No need to worry about dodgy hostels, bed bugs or sleeping on the streets when everywhere’s full. Many campsites have some of the best locations, tucked out of town but with woodlands and awesome views over lakes and mountains.

WHERE TO DO IT The US of A is notorious for its wide open roads where you and your mates can cruise from one state to the next, taking in the sights. Route 66 is the most famous, taking you through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. For Antipodeans though, we seriously recommend the Van Tour Europe (vantoureurope.com), aka ‘the pissheads tour across Europe’ (we can’t think why its so popular with you lot). The unofficial start and end points are the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona (July 6) and Oktoberfest in Munich (September 20), though you can go for as long or short a period as you like. Taking in major European festivals along the way, you’ll bump into and meet up with fellow van touring types – and, in all likelihood, get ruinously pissed en masse, particularly at the 100 Club Munich pre-Oktoberfest party where Van Tourers get together and drink until they vomit, and then drink their vomit. Yep, it’s that kind of party.

LEARN A NEW SKILL Have you ever been on a sailing trip, safari or surfing lesson and thought about your instructor, ‘I’d love to have their job’? Well what’s stopping you mate? All you need to do is train up and get good. You can learn your skill of choice while enjoying the holiday of a lifetime, which could soon be turned into the job of a lifetime. Even if it doesn’t, you’ll still have an awesome new string to add to your bow.

WHERE TO DO IT STA (statravel.co.uk) has launched several new ‘learn

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VOLUNTEERING IN AFRICA I’M DOING IT programmes’ available in South Africa and Australia (so you can visit your folks while you’re there). You can learn to surf in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, for £85 for a three-night course; learn to dive in Cairns from £561 for a five-day PADI Open Water course; learn to sail from £1,645 for a three-week liveaboard course in the Whitsundays; or learn to be a game ranger with a 22-night stay in Shamwari’s Ranger Training Facility, South Africa, for £1,462. Prices include all course material, equipment hire, accommodation and selected meals, but not international flights.

VOLUNTEER After returning from your travels, you can usually tick off the list: sun tan, great memories and a massive hangover. And there’s nothing wrong with that; but you could add to that list: taught some kids English, helped to build a school, rehabilitated lions back into the wild. Once your hangover and tan have worn off, the feeling of having really made a difference will remain. It is a real commitment, though. Not only are you volunteering your time, but you will need to pay a fee to the volunteer programme, which covers your expenses, including your flight, board and lodging. In return, though, you will work with experienced project managers who can train and support you, emoptionally as well as practically. You will enjoy a truly integrated experience, usually living within the community you are helping, possibly even with a local family. You may need some relevant experience or skills, such as languages, for certain projects. For less ‘extreme’ volunteering, you can try ‘voluntourism’, which is where tour companies incorporate one or two short-term volunteering projects into a bigger travel package.

WHERE TO DO IT Africa in particular abounds with volunteering opportunities. African Impact (africanimpact.com) offers various projects, from teaching and caring for orphans in Kenya to sports coaching in South Africa to joining a lion rehabilitation project in Zimbabwe. Of course it’s not only the ‘obvious’ parts of the world that need help: all countries have people, communities and animals in need. GoAbroad.com has a comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities across the globe.

Avid world traveller, HIV awareness advocate and barefoot enthusiast, Alanna Wallace works full time as a volunteer co-ordinator in South Africa with African Impact. Here, she tells us what a difference volunteering can make… “Volunteering is a life-altering, perspective-changing endeavour. I volunteered for a number of months before joining the African Impact team, and I have always said my job was simply to ensure I helped volunteers to feel the same sense of impact I had felt. “Volunteering allows you to immerse yourself in a different culture and country in ways that tourists can never experience. Those who volunteer are able to gain perspective on how others live and they get to give back at a grassroots level and in the most sustainable way possible. “Outside of the tangible impacts volunteers feel when they’re in the field, the experience allows them to create bonds with local individuals as well as other like-minded volunteers who have come to do the same from all over the world. Not to mention the fun side of volunteering and all of the adventures you can have – safaris, sightseeing, river rafting, hiking, mountain climbing – the options are endless! “Time spent volunteering is never wasted – not only are you contributing to the greater good, it’s an opportunity to experience a true personal growth that is difficult to acquire any other way.” You can follow Alanna’s adventures on Twitter at @alannafwallace

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Aussies, your day has come Don your thongs, get your green and gold face paint out and wave that flag for the most important day on the Aussie calendar WORDS RACHAEL GETZELS

Just because it’s rainy and cold, doesn’t mean you can’t dust off your thongs and crack open the Victoria Bitter on January 26. Yes The Triple J hottest 100 may be on at 1am here, but that’s never stopped you before. London isn’t a bad place to celebrate Australia Day either seeing as it’s packed full of Down Under types and dozens of bars triple their hours for one of the greatest parties of the year – in our humble opinion. If amid the obscene number of tinnies you pound each year you’ve lost sight of what Australia Day is actually about (or if you’re not actually from Oz), we’ll give you a quick reminder: Australia Day marks the arrival of the first fleet of ships from England in 1788 in what is now Sydney. Now of course it’s a public holiday celebrating everything that is great and good about being Australian – and yes, we know that list is long (too long to write here). Back in the homeland, they’ll be celebrating with picnics, outdoor concerts, barbies, fireworks and, of course, the day off work – although January 26 falls on a Sunday this year, so your friends back home can’t rub it in. This also means it’s an all-day affair so head down to your nearest Aussie watering hole first thing and don’t expect to see daylight again for 16 hours or more. Thousands of your kinfolk will be doing the same. It’s not quite the same as the beach, but soon enough you’ll be so far gone that you may actually wake up in Bondi for all we know. Or a gutter. But you won’t know the difference by then. To make it easy for you we’ve provided a rundown of the best places to celebrate in true Aussie style, and broken them down into areas so you won’t have far to stumble home.

There will also be a fine selection of Australian food, from kangaroo steaks to a surf ‘n’ turf platter. Walkabout Bar, Temple: This iconic Australian bar is not one to miss on the big day. With a year-round Aussie theme, it comes as no surprise that it pulls out all the stops at the end of January to celebrate its sunny roots. Expect Aussie beers and pies and live music, with proceedings kicking off as early as 8am. Yikes.

“

You may wake up in Bondi for all we know. Or a gutter South London

”

Infernos, Clapham: In true TNT style we will be hosting one of the biggest and best Australia Day parties around. It’s at Infernos in the Aussie heartland of London. The 12-hour event (9am to 9pm party people) is free entry if you register ››

Central London Waxy O’Conners, Soho: Don’t be fooled by this bar’s Irish reputation. Australia Day is a big one on its calendar too (it’s probably only the Irish that could give you Aussies a run for your money when it comes to knocking back a pint after all). Waxy’s has great deals on drinks so your pennies will last all day and you can also book out an area for your party. Jetlag Bar, Fitzrovia: Australia Day kicks off early at this central sports bar with a cover band on Saturday Night and celebrations going on until late Sunday with an Aussie movie marathon. With films on the top floor and Triple J followed by vinyls on the first floor, there’s plenty to get stuck into.

Shades of grey: Keep your Aussie sunnies close by to mask your hangover on Monday [Caption] TNTMAGAZINE.COM

PLAY THIS AND GET WASTED! Everyone loves a good drinking game, and this one can go on all day and night, if you can still get your drink to your lips that is... DOWN A SHOT IF: • Someone is wearing one of those helmets with two beers either side (mainly because you’ll need a stiff drink to tolerate them). • Whenever a song by an Australian is announced on the Triple J Hottest 100. • Whenever you see a male at the party with his nipples on display (if it’s a woman, buy her a drink). • Any time an English person comes up to you and says, “G’day mate”. • If anyone offers you an Australia-themed temporary tattoo. Nice. AND DOWN YOUR WHOLE DRINK IF: • You see someone with a real ‘Made in Australia’ tattoo.

Dingo dango: Apparently dingos wear lacy dresses under their skin... online (tntmagazine.com/australiaday) and the Aussie beer will be flowing like Wollomombi Falls. With tunes spun by an Australian DJ downstairs and Triple J playing from start to finish on the top floor, you will be instantly transported back home. And let’s not forget the costume competition – get your green and gold in gear and you could be in the running for more than £1300-worth of prizes. Bison and Bird, Clapham: This Australia Day classic serves Bundy and Coke and Snakebite for £2.95 throughout the weekend celebrations and the music is always pumping, making for a great party vibe. Aside from the drink deals, it also serves up a banging burger. Entrance is free and the pub is open from noon to 1am on the Sunday. The Clapham Grand: If you can’t take another second of acerbic English humour, then check out the Australia Day Comedy Carnival at The Clapham Grand. Stand-ups from Down Under will be working the crowd, so you will actually get the references and be able to laugh along for real – hoorah! The show takes place at 8pm on Saturday, January 25 and tickets cost £15 from ticketweb.co.uk. The Church, Southwark: Another Australia Day stalwart – this day-time-hours only club will be bigger and better for ‘Church’ worshippers come January 26. The general costume hullabaloo will apply (the crazier the better) and the crowd

Eat meat: You may not get a barbie on the beach, but there will be plenty of Aussie grub on offer will be off their rockers as usual. Screw the Sunday day of rest, this is the place to come if you want to go really wild – and we mean really wild. Tickets are available online for £9 via eventbrite.co.uk. But be warned – they will sell out fast. Adventure Bar, Clapham: Get into the spirit at this boozer on Clapham High Street with beer pong, some hearty Aussie grub and of course all the classic tunes. The bar will be open from 5pm on Australia Day and you can book a space ahead of time for your mates to hang out.

East London Strongrooms, Shoreditch: Australia Day has not escaped the skinny-jeaned enclaves of East London. Strongrooms has an extensive collection of beers from all over the world and on Australia Day there will be special offers on Aussie brews.

0 2 Y A D A I L A R T FREE EN AUS PM RY 26 | 9AM – 9 SUNDAY, JANUA

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The awesome Elk Bar in Fulham will be celebrating Australia Day too. Keep an eye on elkbar.com for details

Don’t expect any music from Down Under, however, as the DJ will be spinning soul and a bit of funk, but if you live in the area and don’t want to go too far afield to celebrate then this a just the (free) ticket. Strongrooms will be open from 8pm to 2am that Sunday.

North London Belushis, Camden: This pub chain will be celebrating for the entire weekend at its venues across London, with Australian sports victories playing on a continuous loop on the big-screen TVs, and its famous ‘Aussie weekender’ offers a (big) burger and a Fosters for £9.99. In fact, all drinks here are cheap, cheap, cheap, so roll up if you want to learn the true meaning of the word ‘hammered’.

CELEBRATE

West London The Prince of Teck, Earls Court: If you’re looking for something a bit more subdued, The Prince of Teck in Earls Court might be just the ticket – an English bar upstairs, and Australian bar downstairs, you will be greeted by a stuffed kangaroo at the door, and can go on to enjoy some of its fine rustic fair. On Australia Day it will be open from 8.30am to midnight and tables can be booked by emailing info@princeofteck.co.uk.

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£1,350 WIN A TANDEM SKYDIVING EXPERIENCE IN PRAGUE WITH TRAVEL CHANNEL! TNT and Travel Channel are offering the chance to win the adventure of a lifetime to celebrate the new show Man vs World. Enter now to win a three-day trip for two to Prague, including a Tandem Skydiving Experience and Prague City Tour. Prize package also includes return flights, breakfast, three nights’ accommodation, and is valid for travel yearround, subject to availability. Competition opens 01/01/2014, and closes 31/01/2014. Visit our website for T&C’s. Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions www.travelchannel.co.uk

It will be all manpower, with a little help from Mother Nature, all of the way. From canyoning, paragliding and downhill mountain biking to white water canoeing, coasteering and mountain boarding; Rob will do whatever it takes to get to his destination before sunset. Throughout his journey, covering demanding terrain across South Africa, Poland, the Czech Republic and the UK, Rob will meet a wide range of experts and guides, all with their own ideas and techniques that will help him navigate his way through coastlines, cliff faces, hillsides and river gorges. Each destination will throw up new challenges, testing Rob’s nerve but allowing him to see the world from an entirely new perspective.

In Man vs World, Rob Bell – adventurer, athlete, engineer – will make a series of Only on Travel Channel from January point-to-point journeys through some of the world’s most dynamic and exciting landscapes, 27, weekdays at 10pm. but there’s a catch; no engines are allowed. Freeview 42, Freesat 405, Sky 251, Virgin 288

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Jonathan Tipletsky With his latest film, The Railway Man, starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman, it seems another Aussie director is hitting the big time. We caught up with Tipletsky to find out more INTERVIEW SEAN MARTIN The Railway Man is based on the autobiography of Eric Lomax, a soldier who was captured by the Japanese during WWII, tortured and forced to work as a slave on the notorious Thai/ Burma ‘Death Railway’. Eric died shortly after filming wrapped. Here, we talk to Aussie director Jonathan Tipletsky about the film, working with A-listers, and honouring Eric’s legacy. This is your biggest film to date – what does The Railway Man mean to you? It means a lot to me just [because of] the story that it tells. It was a great experience to work with Patti [Eric’s wife] and Eric Lomax. For them to trust us to take their story and turn it into a movie was amazing. If the movie was fiction you’d just say it’s unbelievable, and I think that’s the challenge of making and honouring this story. That’s what made it so exciting to do.

Photo: supplied

Australia is churning out some top directors such as yourself, Baz Luhrman and Peter Weir – do you think people are starting to pay more attention to the Australian film industry? I think that we’re a very small industry and the thing about it is that we go through periods where we make three or four really good movies and then another year we make maybe one or two. I think we punch above our weight generally though – if you think about America, they make hundreds of features a year and how many of them are truly great? Were there any difficulties in adapting the story from a book to film? There always are [difficulties]. The problem is often about condensing, because you can’t tell a 40-year life story in that amount of time. You have to decide the story you’re telling and then use the bits that are relevant. In many ways, the film started out as an adaptation of Eric’s book, but because it took so many years to develop and we got to know Eric and Patti very well during filming, we got to know what they were feeling emotionally and psychologically. So ideas and directions for scenes came out of that relationship.

A lot of war films glorify war, but you’ve really shown how awful it is and the after-effects. How difficult is it to capture that sort of raw emotion? You have to trust the story. It’s about facilitating that and trying to pinpoint what the drama is, and hopefully the emotion will come from that part of the storytelling. In a sense it’s not just one thing, it’s an accumulative effect where you put together all of these elements, which hopefully add up to something greater than the sum of its parts – that is, a great emotional impact for the audience. I never wanted it to be sentimental; I wanted it to be truthful. This is the first time you’ve worked with A-Listers. Does it make filming easier? They are great actors and the whole celebrity thing is somewhat removed from it because you go to work day in day out with these people and you work together. Working with that quality of actors makes the film come alive and that is a very invigorating experience. Was it easy to get them involved in the project? When I first became involved in the project we

sent the script to Colin [Firth] because I thought that there was no one better to play that central role of Eric. When he read it he came on board very quickly. He felt it was a character that he simply couldn’t not play. Once he was involved with us the next stage is always so much easier because Nicole [Kidman] came on board soon after, because she wants to work with great actors and so does he, so it’s a very symbiotic process. And what made you want to get involved in the film? You read the script and think “this is an unbelievable story”, which is what we’re all looking for as directors. But more than that, it is about the very best and worst of human nature. It reveals what we’re all capable of: hatred and revenge and so on. That’s a welldocumented theme in a lot of movies, but what I liked about this was that it took it to a further level. It is about reconciliation, forgiveness and coming to terms with, and letting go of, these brutal experiences and being able to find peace in your life. The Railway Man is in cinemas from Jan 10

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HAZY DAYS If you think the weather here is bad, at least you are not in Xi An, China, where heavy smog has shrouded the city and people have been warned to stay indoors.

Photos: Getty and Thinkstock

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ANZAC AND BEYOND /46

JUMP IN TO JAPAN /58

Hostels are evolving. No longer are they shabby sleep-holes; oh no, they have pools, hot tubs and free beer. Hells yeah.

We commemorate Anzac Day with a tour of the battlefields in Gallipoli in memory of our ancestors who died in WWI.

So much to explore, so much delicious food, so much crazy culture. Our whistle-stop tour across Japan will leave you breathless.

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Blockbusters in Berlin: The Berlin Wall

GET FILM-SAVVY IN BERLIN

GERMANY

Berlin is an amazing city to visit at any time of year, with vibrant nightlife pulsing through its veins and a worldclass selection of museums, galleries and guerilla clubs. In February the Berlinale, one of the world’s leading film festivals, hits the capital, attracting some of the biggest names in cinema. From cutting-edge art-house specials to comic relief, there is something for everyone, and with screenings and cultural events all across the city, you’ll be overwhelmed with things to do. Even if you’re not game for buying tickets to the film events, the buzz is immense as all the clubs, bars and restaurants pump up what they have on offer. The festival runs from February 6-16, berlinale.de. Return tickets to Berlin start at £56, Ryanair.com

NEW YEAR’S YOGA ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT UK

Your heart was in the right place when you made your resolutions but have you actually acted on them? We think probably not which is why we recommend that you get your arse in gear (and in shape too) with this yoga retreat on the Isle of Wight. It’s not too far to go but you’ll have an other-worldly experience of calm at the award-winning Nettlecombe Farm, which overlooks the sea from the rolling hills of the island. The rural weekend away includes yoga tuition in the farm’s underfloor-heated barn, accommodation and home-cooked vegetarian food. The weekend costs £280 per person and the first retreat takes place at the start of February. For dates and more information go to nettlecombefarm.co.uk. 36

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Little star: An elephant baby called Naledia, meaning ‘star’ in Setswana has been born in a reserve in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. The baby’s mother Kiti was abandoned by her herd after being attacked by a crocodile. They now live at the camp, which focuses on the conservation of elephants, which are critically endangered.

PUT IT ON MY TAB WORLDWIDE If you’ve been struck by the travel bug but can’t scrape together the pennies to match then this website might be right up your street. Recently launched in the UK, mytab.travel allows friends and family to buy a travel gift card, which can be used towards any or all of the trips you’re planning to take. They simply say how much they want to donate towards your adventure funds and you can do with it what you please. The website has thousands of options for flights and hotels so the world is your oyster with this one. And the best part is that the more people that use it, the better and cheaper deals they can negotiate, so get gabbing

and tabbing and become one of the jet set today. It’s a much better gift than those socks your aunt promised she’d send for your birthday.

A LOVE FEST UNDER THE NORTHERN LIGHTS NORWAY Valentine’s Day is on the horizon and we’re betting you’re completely stumped for what to do. However, you can let someone else do the hard work for you by making a booking with a tour company that specialises in romantic breaks away. This year Simply Northern Lights is offering a lovey-dovey getaway in the Arctic North. By night

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[Caption] Written in the stars: Get romantic under the Northern Lights

An elephant that broke out of a circus last month caused havoc in the streets of Rome before officials finally caught up with it two hours later. Mia spent two hours trampling through residential streets in a north Rome suburb before she was sequestered by police at the entrance to a motorway. The circus owners claim that the cops caught up with her as she faced a moment of indecision at a roundabout.

GOING CHEAP

you’ll snuggle up in glittery ice-carved hotels and cosy cabins deep in the woods. And by day you can try your hand at any number of snow sports, from skiing to dog sledding. All the while you can gaze up at the flickering Northern Lights from the hot tub outside your hotel. Word on the grapevine is that the Arctic north is currently experiencing the best conditions for viewing the breathtaking explosion of colours in the sky for 10 years, so get there quick! Packages including accommodation and flights start at £1,030.

GRIN AND BEAR IT

Photos: Thinkstock

ALASKA Follow in the footsteps of the BBC’s Great Bear Stakeout as you arrive by water plane deep in the wilderness and go on an Alaskan grizzly bear trailing holiday. Grizzlies are not to be messed with (just watch Grizzly Man, a film in which a photographer who thinks he has befriended the grizzlies ends up getting eaten by one – on camera), which is why you’ll be staying in an eco-lodge protected by electric fences. Luckily you’ll also be in the safe hands of an expert naturalist and wildlife photographer who will ensure that you get close to the bears while remaining un-eaten. The total cost of the 10-day wilderness adventure is £5999 per person including flights, accommodation and meals. Exodus.co.uk.

FRANCE

Staring death in the face: get close – but not too close – to grizzlies [Caption]

FIVE-STAR BARGAINS SPAIN If you’re dying to beat those January blues, book a trip with Inntravel, which is offering last-minute deals on hotels and travel in Spain. Travelling between Seville, Granada and Cordoba on a first-class train ticket, you will be put up in luxury five-and four-star hotels at hugely reduced prices. The cities are a vibrant mix of modern and traditional Spain and there’s a whole host of activities to do en route, from a romantic Caliphal dinner (think old-style exotic high-living) to olive-oil tasting. The £810 package includes six nights of accommodation, some meals, a number of activities, first-class train travel and a welcome drink in each hotel. For more information check out The Splendours of Al-Andalus tour on inntravel.co.uk. Flights to Malaga start at £58. Ryanair.com

Sotheby’s Paris is giving away a £610,000 Pablo Picasso masterpiece for £84 to raise money for charity. The 1914 work ‘Man in the Opera Hat’ is the top prize for a raffle where tickets are priced at EUR100 (£84). Tickets – which have been limited to 50,000 – have been available online since April. The event organisers hope to raise EUR5million, which will go towards conserving UNESCO World Heritages.

SHARE SOME CHRISTMAS JEER AMERICA

Police were called to a home in South Carolina because relatives were fighting over decorating the Christmas tree. Cops were called to the residence because three females, aged 76, 61, and 24 started fighting about when to decorate the tree. The reports say that a 41-year-old male relative arrived at their house to try and calm the women down but was unsuccesful. By 1.30am the family members had apologised to each other. No one wanted to press charges.

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Lord of the trance: Armin Van Buuren

TRUE ESCAPES Oonagh Shiel, travel expert at Cheapflights.com, tells us where we can switch off this year. Costa Rica: Stick your phone where the sun salutation don’t shine and surf waves instead of the web at a Digital Detox Yoga and Surf Retreat at Via Yoga in Costa Rica. The resort offers six-day programmes specifically designed to help holidaymakers addicted to technology unplug. Cheapflights.co.uk offers return fares to Costa Rica from London Heathrow starting from £479 for travel departing January 13 to February 10. Pitcairn Island: You can’t get much more off-grid than holidaying on a 3.6km-long island in the middle of the South Pacific. Once home to the legendary HMS Bounty mutineers, Pitcairn Island offers untouched subtropical landscapes and endemic marine life. Fly into Tahiti and catch a boat onwards. Cheapflights.co.uk offers return fares from London Heathrow from £1,028, departing January 1-March 31. Ireland: For a short-haul (and cheaper) solution, The Westin Dublin is combatting text addiction by confiscating phones, tablets and laptops, giving holidaymakers the chance to recharge. Fly from Gatwick to Dublin with Cheapflights.co.uk from £60 for travel departing January 1-8.

FUTURE MUSIC FESTIVAL ASIA Kuala Lumpur This young event is already gaining a reputation for being South-East Asia’s largest music festival. Only in its third year, it’s already bringing 13-15 in the big names in house, trance and hip-hop including Deadmau5, Paul Van Dyk, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon of Wu Tang Clan, Baauer, Eric Prydz and Armin Van Buuren. MAR

WHERE: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia WHY GO: Armin Van Buuren’s legendary ‘A State of Trance 650: New Horizons’ is making a return – look at the image above. Don’t you just want to be there? WHAT ELSE? Take some time to explore Kuala Lumpur’s epic Batu Caves, see the city

GO ON A BLIND DATE

If English girls just aren’t doing it for you, head home 21 in February to join Sydney’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Biggest Blind Date. More than 700 singletons will meet in the Sydney Opera House to have a matched-up blind date and party after.

The slopes of Bansko will vibrate with electronic music 8-14 this March. Even if you can’t ski, you can watch pros at the new Snow Park, relax in the spa and do some yoga before finger-pointing the night away. From £199 for non-skiers, or £279 includes a 5-day ski pass.

FEB

MAR

horizonfestival.net

PRAGUE MUSIC FEST

Thailand

Prague, Czech Republic

Most of South and Southeast Asia celebrate New 13-17 Year in April and they do it by throwing water at each other for five days – fire trucks and even elephants get involved too. Awesome.

If you’ve got sophisticated tastes, take a trip to cultural 12-2 Prague in May to enjoy classical concerts with orchestras and singers from across the globe at its Spring International Music Festival.

APR

MAY-JUN

festival.cz/en

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songkran2014.com

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Bansko, Bulgaria

SONGKRAN

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Get away: Pitcairn Island

from up high at the Petronas Twin Towers’ Skybridge and bar hop in Bukit Ceylon. HOW MUCH: Tickets currently cost £33 per day or £65 for all three days. Prices increase closer to the deadline for online tickets, which is March 11.

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Tours, day trips and festivals! 28 FEB

SkandaValeTemple

Disneyland Paris

19 JUNE

Ladies Day Ascot

Alton Towers

SKANDA VALE DAY TRIP from London to Carmarthen Wales (Skanda Vale Temple). This tour takes us to a beautiful Skande Vale Temple otherwise known as The Community of the Many Names of God located in the remote valley of Llanpumsaint Mountain, Carmarthen. West Wales. DISNEYLAND PARIS – Eurodisney by coach - What can we say about Phoenix Tours’ convenient and fantastic value coach trips to Disneyland Paris that haven’t been said a hundred times before by delighted customers? Be thrilled by Mickey, Donald, Goofy and all the cast on a magical experience that will linger in the mind long after you’ve returned from a memorable trip to Disneyland by coach. Coach trips to Eurodisney at Disneyland Paris are the perfect treat for all ages. Relax on Phoenix Tours’ coach trips to Disneyland and watch out for our special deals to Eurodisney Paris, which are advertised only on this website. Keep checking back for the best deals. LADIES DAY ASCOT - Want an excuse to don your gladdest rags? Book a Ladies Day tour with us! The Royal Meeting is a week long event combining tradition, with unmatched horse racing. The Gold Cup meeting - ‘Ladies Day’ is one of our most popular tours. ALTON TOWERS - Phoenix Tours’ coach trips to Alton Towers from London are not to be missed. Enjoy a trip to the famous house and spectacular theme park with its awesome rides. Londoners and visitors taking our coaches to Alton Towers arrive relaxed and have plenty of time to delight at A. W. N. Pugin’s architectural masterpiece, which he later used as inspiration for his Victorian gothic reworking of the Houses of Parliament.

Get In Touch. Call us now on: + 44 (0) 20 7231 1118 Email us on: sales@phoenixtours.co.uk www.phoenixtours.co.uk

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HOSTELS

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TOP FIVE

HOSTELS Travelling on a budget doesn’t mean you have to skimp on luxury. We may not be talking about the five-star Raffles Resort here, but hostels are coming up in the world and these days there are so many to choose from. From a 19th-century castle in France to beach bungalows in Thailand, you can pitch up for the night in some truly breathtaking locations – and you won’t be short of parties and good company either. Here’s our list of some of the best cheap stays in the world, and there are lots more where these came from.

1. BEST FOR: Pure luxury We’d forgive you for mistaking Equity Point in Morocco for a five-star luxury spa hotel. A sanctuary in the historic centre of capital city Marrakech with stunning views of the market square and the Atlas Mountains, the hostel is made up of white-washed courtyards decked out with sumptious Moroccon fabrics and cushions and billowy green plants. There’s also a traditional spa with decently priced treatments and 40 00

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the luxury of an authentic Moroccon hammam. The outdoor pool in an open courtyard is surrounded by sun loungers and fountains and can be used year-round. And then there are the rooms: luxuriously adorned with blankets, drapes and huge cushions that will have you dreaming of royal reclining, as your footboy hand-feeds you grapes by harp music. On the top floor you will find the bar, complete with dramatic views of the city and lit-up by fire throwers and Moroccan lanterns. You can get single dorms, but the shared rooms are extremely spacious, and come at bargainbasement prices. You can also take cooking classes at the hostel and trips to pretty much anywhere in Morocco can be arranged on site, for those days when you’re not basking in the summer sun by the pool. Breakfast is included in the price and for those of you who can’t live without your homelife luxuries, there is cable TV in the rooms. Dorms cost £8 a night, with private double rooms going for up to £60. equity-point.com

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BEST FOR: Partying

BEST FOR: Beach bums

There are thousands of hostels that are good for this, but with complimentary beer during your stay, it’s impossible not to get in the celebratory mood at The Adventure Brew Hostel in La Paz, Bolivia. Plus, the altitude makes it go right to your head. Part brewery, part hostel this fine establishment also has rooftop hot tubs, and they even offer beer baths if that’s something you’ve always dreamed of. Dorms start at £5.30.

You can’t get closer to beach bum heaven than these wooden bungalows on the wind sands of Saithong Resort in Koh Tah Island in Thailand. With lush coconut groves on one side and dazzling turqoise water on the other, you may have just hit paradise. The bunglows all come with fans, which we’re telling you, is a God-send. There’s also scuba and snorkelling rental and a seafood restaurant near the bungalows. Rooms start at £12 a night.

theadventurebrewhostel.com

saithongresort.info

TOPFIVE MY EXPERIENCE

JULES PEARSON ON GENERATOR BARCELONA WHY DID YOU STAY AT THIS HOSTEL?

I stayed here because it looked more interesting than your bog-standard hostel offerings. The decor is pretty swish and resembles a boutique hotel, and they also have private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. WHAT WAS THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE?

It was bustling and there was a great mix of travellers from all over. I stayed just after the Benicassim Music Festival so there were lots of music lovers. Whilst it was loud and energetic it wasn’t overly boisterous, which was great!

Photos: Getty and supplied Words: Rachael Getzels

WHAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS?

BEST FOR: City escapes

BEST FOR: Living like a royal

Generator Hostels offers great cheap sleeps in city-break locations across Europe, and its hostels are all equipped to the max. The hip hostel in Barcelona for example is slap bang in the middle of the vibrant city and includes a trendy communal lounge and bar decorated with fresh urban art. The city hostels in Venice, Copenhagen, Dublin, Hamburg and London are also all incredibly located and well designed, with rooms coming in at £10 a night.

If you’re scoping out budget hostels, chances are you’re not living like a king – but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. For the bargain basement price of £12 a night you can shack up in a magnicent 19th-century chateau atop a hill, overlooking Marseille. The hostel also offers volley ball, football, cycling and tennis and nearby you can go kayaking or sailing. The hostel is set in eight hectares of park and the bedrooms are huge with high ceilings and wrought-iron balconies.

generatorhostels.com

In the room everything was just as it should be. Also the views over the city were pretty special. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THIS HOSTEL AND WHY?

It’s excellent value for money. You really feel like you’re staying in a super-luxe hotel and it feels safe. There’s lots of staff around who were all uber friendly – and they were more than happy for me to practise the lingo on them!

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Turkish delight Despite being terrified of heights, Megan Hogarth finds peace in the skies over magical Cappadocia Nerves and excitement wake me well before my alarm sings at 4.45am. Will the weather be good enough for us to fly? Will it be as amazing as I’ve always dreamed? Am I going to freak out and spend the entire time clinging to the basket in a frozen state of panic? There are many questions going through my head as I pull on every layer in my backpack to prepare for my first ride in a hot air balloon. Ninety minutes later my balloon is rising to join the others already in the sky. The glow from the burners makes them easy to spot before the sun comes up. It isn’t as cold as I thought it would be for the beginning of November, but I enjoy the heat from the flame above me. I close my eyes as it warms the top of my head. When the blast from the burner stops, the world is silent again. Turkey is still asleep. I open my eyes to take in the spectacular view below me. What was I worried about? This was not what I expected. Ballooning always seemed so adventurous and scary. But maybe I’ve read too many Richard Branson autobiographies. Finally I can understand how Branson managed to sleep while floating around the world – it’s incredibly peaceful up here. My tummy turns in elevators, on balconies and while climbing ladders. I’d heard being in a hot air balloon was different, but that’s little comfort when my knees go weak just looking 42

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at photos of people standing on observation decks. But I was determined to fly today. It’s why I’m in Cappadocia, a strange little region in the middle of Turkey. Two factors make hot air ballooning in Cappadocia so popular: the weather and the landscape. Suat Ulusoy, Royal Balloon’s chief pilot, says most companies fly about 300 days in the year and he hasn’t cancelled a flight in three months. He won’t fly if conditions are unsafe and rises at 4am every morning to assess the best locations for the flight that day. Suat won’t even get a break from his early starts when winter comes because they fly in the snow. When the sky lightens, the main appeal of this place becomes clear and I decide Suat has the best job in the world – despite his schedule. Cappadocia is one of the most unique and freaky landscapes on earth and the sight of it at sunrise is magical. Location scouts were onto something when they considered this area as a potential setting for the Star Wars movies. The weird rock formations are just as bizarre from the ground as I discover on my first days in Goreme, a small tourist village known for its cave buildings. Still weary from the 10-hour overnight bus ride I endured to save money on accommodation, so I spend my first day walking around Goreme and resting in a cave at Emre’s Cave Hostel (+903842712654, dorm bed from £5). It’s basic but it’s one of the cheapest hostels in town, and the experience is a novelty.

SHORTBREAK

Starry night: The sci-fi-looking landscape

“

I don’t appreciate the oddity of this landscape until I see it from the sky

”

Valley is a nod to some romantic story, but that idea goes out the window when I emerge from White Valley and see the obvious phallic formations. It’s a very delicate name. given what I’m looking at. But I don’t appreciate the oddity of this landscape until I see it from the sky. ››

Photos: Hakan Kosluoglu; www.royalballoon.com, Thinkstock

Goreme is the activity centre for the Cappadocia region. It’s filled with souvenir shops, cave hotels with swimming pools (a ridiculous concept in November, but a necessity in summer) and tourist agencies. I am constantly asked if I would like to take a guided tour in a bus, jeep or by horseback, or hire a bike, scooter or ATV. Every restaurant promises authentic cuisine and the local specialty, clay pot kebab. It is difficult to trust recommendations because everyone refers me to their friend or relative. I end up at Anatolian Kitchen (+903842712715, average main £5) for dinner, purely because the name is similar to the first Turkish restaurant I went to. I return every night because the food is cheap and good enough to make up for eating bread rolls, fruit and biscuits for breakfast and lunch each day to avoid the marked-up menus in town. Goreme is more expensive than other parts of Turkey I’ve visited so it’s easy to pass up a lot of its offerings. A trip to the Turkish bath here costs £20, while the same experience in Antakya costs £9. After browsing some of the shops I decide to leave any souvenir shopping until I’m back in Istanbul, where the prices are less inflated. But the hot air balloon ride is something I can’t do anywhere else, nor do I want to. If I am ever going to let myself be carried up to 3000 feet in the air by a combination of hot air and fabric, it’s going to be in Cappadocia. In my three days here I don’t meet anyone who isn’t taking a balloon ride. Every guest in my hostel is on a tight budget, but splurging on a ride and skipping the other activities to do it. Walking in the valleys is my first good look at the rock formations that have made Cappadocia famous. Many of the rocks in Goreme have been carved and molded by the people who lived in them, but here the strange wavy walls are natural – the result of centuries of erosion. I start with an easy walk through Pigeon Valley, named after the little caves locals carved for the birds, and walk to the small village of Uçhisar. I return through White Valley, which is unoriginally named for the colour of its rocks. I assume the name Love

Up and away: A balloon ride is calm and peaceful

Inside out: Let the soft fabric carry you up TNTMAGAZINE.COM

“Is anyone afraid of heights?” Suat asks, as a man unties one of the ropes keeping us grounded. I own up, not expecting sympathy, but perhaps reassurance. “Well it’s too late now,’’ he says with a smile. I take comfort in the fact he can joke. But then the basket bounces across the ground as we take off and my hands clench. I immediately worry I’m not going to enjoy this experience one little bit when we start floating upwards, but I soon learn why Suat could joke about my fear of heights

Stunning: The balloons of Cappadocia 44

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– I’m no longer nervous at all. It’s true what they say: it really is different. Well for me at least. Suat later tells me about a passenger who was terrified of heights, but came on the ride anyway because he didn’t want his wife to have to go alone. That guy spent the entire ride sitting in the bottom of the basket. It is not lost on me that Suat waits until we have been in the air for a while before sharing this story. For just over an hour Suat guides me and the other 10 passengers over Rose and Red Valley. He can’t control our direction – we travel with the wind – but he takes us up and down, searching for the right pockets of air that will carry us to interesting points. Suat entertains us with more stories from his 20 years as a balloon pilot in Cappadocia, such as the one about the man who planned to propose but left the ring in the van back on the ground, or the time he flew Martha Stewart. He has a major in history (he was at university when he saw an advertisement for balloon pilots) and his knowledge is a great accompaniment to the view. From above, the rocks and cliffs in the valleys look like waves and the variation of colour is striking. It’s cloudy so I’m not treated to the stunning orange sky I’ve seen in so many photos. Instead the sun teases us through the clouds sending eerie slivers of light across the sky. At times the landscape is grey and silver and appears to reflect the clouds above. But the colours change as more sun appears and highlights the tinge in Red Valley. It’s the perfect backdrop for the army of balloons we’re part of. When Suat started flying in Cappadocia he says it felt crowded when there were four or five balloons with him. Now there are up to 100 here every morning in peak season. I reach 36 before I lose count. We hover close to the rocks for most of our flight. A few balloons are soaring above us, but Suat says we would lose the detail in the rocks if he did the same, although he takes us up for a panoramic view before we land. It doesn’t take me long to decide hot air ballooning isn’t the once-in-a-lifetime experience I thought it was. I’m hooked. And Suat gives me a reason to return to Cappadocia some day. “The landscape is always changing,’’ he tells us. “Your grandchildren could come here and they will see something different.” I’d better come back and check. Royal Balloon (+903842713300) offers two balloon ride packages: The Royal Balloon King Flight is 90 minutes and costs €240pp (£202). The Royal Balloon Queen Flight lasts for 60 minutes and costs €175pp (£147). Both packages include transfers from your accommodation in Goreme, buffet breakfast before the ride, insurance and Champagne on landing. royalballoon.com

an open letter

trips for 18 to 30 somethings

from James Nathan

(Managing Director of Topdeck Travel) Confederation and USTOA and preferred partners of such big names as Flight Centre, Harvey World Travel, Student Flights and STA Travel.

Growing up in Australia, I always had a great desire to experience the Dawn Service at Gallipoli. The union of Australians and New Zealanders at ANZAC Cove, to join together not only to remember fallen soldiers, but also commemorate the founding of the ‘ANZAC Spirit’ is an incredibly moving experience. I have been lucky enough to experience the Dawn Service in Turkey on several occasions. Being at Gallipoli has also given me the chance to observe the performance of my own company, as well as our competitors. Through my experiences, we have constantly fine-tuned our ANZAC program, and I am now sure that our Gallipoli product is second to none in terms of quality and value for money. For our 2014 Gallipoli program I can assure you: »

All Topdeck passengers will stay in 3 to 4 star hotels, all of which in Istanbul are located within walking distance of the Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar as well as the restaurants and nightlife of Sultanahmet.

All Topdeck trips will be accompanied by experienced Turkish Guides who have been to Gallipoli. Topdeck Turkish guides are paid above the industry average, are highly experienced and have an excellent command of English. We do not cut costs (as some companies do) by supplying a guide who has never visited Gallipoli.

In addition, all Topdeck trips will also be accompanied by one of our own European trained Australian or New Zealand Trip Leaders. Only Topdeck Trip Leaders undergo a rigorous 7 week Training Trip renowned for its quality within the travel industry.

All Topdeck passengers will travel in style in some of Turkey’s most modern air conditioned and video equipped coaches

We have over 30 years experience of group travel, and have been running trips to Gallipoli for longer than any other festivals operator … we know what you want!

Finally all Topdeck passengers will be given my personal phone number in Turkey, hence, in the unlikely event that there is a problem that can’t be resolved by our experienced staff members, I will personally attend to it.

As you can see, at Topdeck we are committed to giving all our passengers superior quality trips. As a preferred supplier to some of the most respected names in the travel industry worldwide, this is our charter. So, if you are thinking of travelling to Gallipoli this year make sure you talk to us. You have my personal guarantee that we have left no stone unturned to ensure you will have a truly memorable ANZAC trip. This is a once in a life time experience, make sure you do it right. I invite you all to experience Gallipoli in 2014 the Topdeck way. Cheers,

All Topdeck passengers have the comfort of knowing that their trip payments are 100% guaranteed by Topdeck’s ABTA bonding.In these uncertain times it’s comforting to know your funds are 100% secure. In addition, Topdeck are members of ETOA, WYSE Travel

L8291 / Y2992

James Nathan

share the experience www.topdeck.travel

Standing tall: The Aussie service at Lone Pine Memorial

Anzac tours GALLIPOLI, TURKEY

Beyond Anzac: Explore the pretty coastline of Gallipoli while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there RIP: The war cemetery in Gallipoli

Remember: An Anzac memorial in Canakkale

Unite in memory: Anzac is a time for Aussies and Kiwis, young and old, to get together and remember

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Lest we forget On April 25, Australia and New Zealand remember their fallen soldiers. Pay your respects in person this year with an Anzac tour WORDS HEIDI FULLER-LOVE

If you’re an Aussie or a Kiwi, Anzac is just one of those things you have to cross off your ‘to-do’ list. So pack your sleeping bag, follow this guide and head out for Gallipoli to discover the delights of this pine-clad peninsula, then join in the popular all-night vigil under the stars, and end your tour scuffing your toes in the turf where those brave Anzacs laid down their lives.

What is Anzac Day? If you were schooled in New Zealand or Australia and don’t know what Anzac Day is, you should hang your head in shame. Ah who are we kidding? We spent our history lessons throwing gobbed-up bits of paper into the teacher’s hair every time she faced the blackboard (for which we are not proud). Anyway, we’ve done our research since then and can tell you that Anzac is an acronym for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and Anzac Day commemorates the fateful April 25, 1915, when soldiers from both countries were boated in across the Dardanelles to capture the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey on orders from England. As in many other WWI conflicts, a major botch up at Allied High Command meant that, instead of being sent in via the fairly easy slope of Brighton beach, the Anzacs were landed in a cove where they had to scale a steep and rugged hillside at dawn, surrounded by what one soldier described as “shrapnel bullets striking the water with a noise like the popping of corks when drawn from Champagne bottles”. Amazingly, the Anzacs conquered the cove and clung to that scrubby two-kilometre-long plot of land for more than eight months, but 8,709 Australian and 2,721 New Zealand soldiers lost their lives during these events that were later known as The Gallipoli Campaign. Afterwards the word Anzac became so popular in Australia and New Zealand that people used it to name everything from their new company to their cute kitten, until 1916 when the Commonwealth government stepped in and voted a law that would control the use of the legendary name.

What happens on an Anzac tour? You can co-ordinate your trip with a visit to Turkey’s capital, Istanbul, as most operators offer one- or two-day tours with pick-ups from the city. Stock up on evil eye charms and meerschaum pipes in the famous bazaars before hopping on

the bus that will take you to Eceabat. Here you have lunch – and get what might be your first experience of those hole-inthe-floor Turkish toilets – before crossing the Dardanelles to the Gallipoli peninsula. Arriving at Anzac cove late evening you’ll prepare for the night’s vigil – bring a sleeping bag and plenty of warm

“

The three minutes silence will make the hair on the back of your neck prickle

”

clothes because it gets cold up in them there hills, but dress in layers so you can sling them off again on the long slog up to Pine Hill. Everyone’s crammed together on a grassy strip of land like sardines, but that’s all part of the fun. In contrast to the night, when bands play period music and historical videos are shown on a big screen, the three minutes silence before the service in the morning will make the hair on the back of your neck prickle. “The waking at dawn followed by three minutes of silence before the service is very moving,” says Ahmet Kohman, whose company Cyptur Holidays offers day-and week-long Anzac tours. “It allows visitors to honour the spirits of their fallen ancestors at Anzac Cove.” When the moving service is over you’ll slog several kilometres up a very steep dirt track (marvelling how the Anzacs managed to do it under fire and carrying heavy packs) until you reach Lone Pine Memorial where another service is held for Aussies, then onto Chunuk Bair where the Kiwi service is held. And remember, 2015 is the 100th anniversary of this famous battle, so events this year and next are going to be huge.

Exploring the rest of Gallipoli Not to be confused with the port of Gallipoli in Italy, Turkey’s narrow, 50km-long Gallipoli peninsula at the entrance of the Dardanelles is named after the town of Gelibolu. If you’re a ›› TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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real battle beaver you can visit all the other WWI sites dotted around the peninsula, but its worth checking out other attractions of this lovely sea-view spot studded with pine trees and olive groves. Right at the tip of the peninsula you’ll find Kilitbahir Castle, a sturdy 15th-century fortress with amazing views over the Dardanelles to Canakkale, built for Sultan Mehmet II – look out for the bronze, muscled statue of Seyit, a local timber cutter renowned for his amazing strength. Eceabat has a handful of waterfront taverns where you can enjoy a snack, before crossing to Canakkale just opposite and taking the hour’s bus ride to Ancient Troy where you can see the reconstructed ruins of the legendary city – complete with that trouble-making wooden horse. When you head back to Canakkale later in the day you can walk along the waterfront and have your photo taken next to a model of the Trojan horse that starred in the film alongside Brad Pitt (although his acting was a little wooden – boom boom tish). Most of all, though, you want to take this trip to pay your respects and have an adventure in the footsteps of your ancestors. Do ’em proud.

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(1991-2014): 23 year’s of great party tours!!

Statue stats: Gallipoli abounds with war memorials

MID-RANGE

LUXURY

Limani in Eceabat has the best views over the Dardanelles. This good-value fish and shish restaurant is run by Yuksel and his friendly family. Homecooked dishes here include plate loads of very filling mezze snacks and dishes such as the scrummy tereyagli karides – shrimps cooked in butter and served in a clay pot. +90 286 814 2755

Maydos in Eceabat has nice views over the tiny port and lots of hearty local food, including the fingerlicking midye salat (mussel salad) tavuk i (roast chicken kebab) and sigara boreghi (cigar-shaped, deepfried cheese rolls). maydos.com.tr/restaurant

Climb up from the Akos Hotel in Canakkale to find Radika Balik, a rooftop seafood restaurant where the sea bass is baked to perfection and desserts, such as the fruit salad drizzled with hot halva, are droolingly good. The views are pretty awesome too. Worth a treat. hotelakol.com/en/restaurant.html

DRINK

Despite its Aussie name, laidback beach bar and cafe, Boomerang, is where you can get all the best Turkish brews. Run by an eccentric Turkish guy, he’ll even let you camp in his garden if you ask nicely. +90 286 814 2144

The 1960’s-style bar, Benzin (pictured), on the seafront of Canakkale is popular with locals and has a lively weekend nighttime scene. neredekal.com/benzincafe-canakkale/

Luxury is hard to come by in the small seaside town of Canakkale, but Makkarna Bistro, where you can get a mean tequila sunrise and sip on local beer, is a great place to meetand-greet locals as you watch the city’s beautiful – and less beautiful – people go waltzing by. +90 286 213 30 32

SLEEP

The name, Crowded House, sets the tone for this cheery hostel close to Eceabat’s main square. It has a summer beer garden where there are regular barbecues, and a selection of dorms and double rooms that are clean and comfortable. crowdedhousegallipoli.com

Housed in a historic Ottoman house close to Canakkale’s pretty, cafélined harbour – and well-placed for the ferry across to the battlefields, the Kervansary has a dozen lightfilled rooms. Wifi is free and a buffet breakfast – served in the pretty flower-filled courtyard – is included in the price. otelkervansaray.com

Buyuk Truva Oteli (pictured) is a clean, modern boutique hotel within easy reach of the ferry and main sites of Canakkale. The Buyuk Truva has free wifi access, A/C in all the rooms and even has big screen satellite TVs if you really need to get your media-fix. truvaotel.com

EAT

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Photos: Thinkstock & supplied

BUDGET

Colour me happy: Cool and quirky Brighton

The best of the UK UNITED KINGDOM

Climb high: Ben Nevis Cave in: Get adventure holidaying in Wales

Striking: Liverpool by night

Quaint: Oldfashioned Irish houses 50

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Words: Rachael Getzels. Photos: Thinkstock, Getty

Wet wet wet: White water rafting in Wales

UKTRIP

Capital escapes Spread your wings beyond London and see what else there is to discover in part two of our best UK destinations special Before you leave the shores of this small spot you’re calling home, be sure to make the most of what’s on offer. From the wilds of the Scottish Highlands to the old-style pubs of Ireland, the breathtaking scenery will leave you reeling and a slice of history awaits in every ancient alley. Read on for the top five places to visit beyond the buzzing metropolis of London – and an added bonus? Not one is more than a few hours away from the capital.

The Beatles, the city holds a special place in every Brit’s heart but, beyond the Fab Four tours, there’s a lot more to explore. Tate Liverpool and the Walker Gallery have long displayed work by cutting-edge British artists and hosted the acclaimed Turner Prize in 2007. The life-size cast iron Another Place sculptures on the beach are striking and the city is awash with art placed out on the streets for the public to enjoy. itsliverpool.com/culture

Best for outdoor adventure: Wales

“

Miles of craggy coastline and sheer cliff faces that plunge into pounding waves make Wales a popular destination for thrill-seekers the country over. A recent tourism drive dubbed Heart of Adventure has made activities such as kayaking, white water rafting, extreme ziplining, abseiling and off-roading all the more accesible in the oftenoverlooked wilds of this area. Wales is also famed for its gorges and caves and it’s the caving centre of the UK, with eerie and challenging trails through bat-infested caverns. There’s no end to outdoor activities here that you wouldn’t always associate with the UK but, in fact, are right on London’s doorstep. visitwales.com Best for drinking: Dublin The Irish pretty much invented drinking – well, that’s not strictly true, but they arguably do it with more commitment than any other nation in the world. The streets of the capital city are bursting with traditional pubs with low-beamed ceilings and beer brewed on site. Victorian boozer Stag’s Head, near Trinity College is one not to miss if you want to learn the true meaning of a pint. Then of course there’s the Guinness Storehouse with seven floors dedicated to the stout. And when you’ve had quite enough of day drinking and the luck of the Irish is still on your side, head to Temple Bar where you can dance red-faced and limbs flailing into the morning. guinnessstorehouse.co.uk Best for culture: Liverpool This smog-stained industrial city in the North was labelled the Capital of Culture in Europe a few years ago, which is surely a claim worth checking out. As the hometown of

Brash Brighton Pier is a sight to behold

”

Best for music: Brighton

Otherwise known as ‘London-by-the-sea’, this spirited beach town is full of vibrant bars and whimsical cafes along the boardwalk. Because it’s jammed full of young people there’s a huge appetite for good music as giggers build a name for themselves en-route to London. Brash Brighton pier is a sight to behold, with its blaring lights, dizzying fairground rides and somewhat tacky but terribly addictive arcade. Concorde 2 and Digital host some big names in the DJ and live music world and there are a ton of smaller venues for indie-lovers. brightonnoise.co.uk Best for hiking: The Scottish Highlands The Scottish Highlands are an outdoors fanatic’s must-visit destination. With the highest mountain in the UK, Ben Nevis, standing 1,344m above sea level, there is plenty of scope for mountaineering, and the Nevis Range is home to hiking, trekking and mountain biking in the summer months. The nearby Kinlochleven boasts the highest indoor ice wall in the country at the Ice Factor (ice-factor.co.uk) for all-yearround ice axe action. You can do all sorts of kayaking in the plentiful lochs, carved glacially out of the land, and there’s even a variety of winter ski destinations. Aviemore, in the Cairngorms National Park, is one of the most famous and frequented ski spots worth a look. scotoutdoors.com TNTMAGAZINE.COM

FESTIVALGUIDE

FALLAS

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WHEN? MARCH 15-19, 2014

FESTIVAL GUIDE

FALLAS

If you’re seeking sensory overload, you can’t beat Valencia’s Fallas festival, a five day firework-packed mega-fiesta with plate-loads of paella (which was first cooked up here) on hand to sustain you – and plenty of Agua de Valencia (the city’s Cava-based cocktail) to wash it down. Derived from the Latin word for ‘torch’, the Fallas festivities are a blaze of life, colour and deafening noise, so be prepared to miss out on sleep – in true Spanish style this is non-stop fiesta with a few hours siesta-time sandwiched in between. Indeed, this fiesta attracts surprisingly few tourists, so you can expect an authentic Spanish experience all round. Spain’s third-largest city has been celebrating the Fallas festival for the past two centuries – it’s said to have originated when Valencianos added their own quirky twist to the traditional Latin tradition of lighting fires to welcome spring, by burning effigies, known as ninots, atop the flames. Satirising previous year’s events or public figures, these ninots 00 52

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soon became unpopular with local politicians, who repeatedly tried to ban the Fallas – luckily without success. Nowadays Valencia’s Fallas festivals are a huge affair, with a whole area of town – the Ciutat Fallera – given over to the sculptors and artists who will create the three- or four-storey high wood and papier-mâché figures that are paraded around the streets on floats across the five-days. Each barrio, or area, of the city has its own casal faller, which is the committee that presides over the creation of the ninots and decides who will be satirised – previous victims have included George Bush and Lady Gaga. March 15 is La Planta when the spectacular final pieces are added to those monumental Fallas and the fiesta can begin.

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FALLAS

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Words: Heidi Fuller-Love. Photos: Getty

CHECKING IN

WHY VALENCIA?

WHAT TO EXPECT

Fallas festivals have sprung up all over the province over the past few decades but Valencia City, where the fiesta originated, is definitely the biggest and best of them all. Plus, when you’re partied-out, there’s still a lot more to keep you here. Once a bit of a backwater, Valencia is now one of Spain’s hippest cities, so it’s worthwhile lingering in this conurbation overlooking the Mediterranean to admire buildings in the beautiful old quarter or striking new architecture like David Chipperfield’s Veles i Vents America’s Cup building, or to visit amazing museums like the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias where you’ll find an interactive science museum and Europe’s largest marine park.

Each day of the festival starts at at 8am with La Desperta, when hordes of locals swarm onto the streets to throw firecrackers while brass bands play full volume. Later in the day comes the Mascletà, another deafeningly spectacular volley of fireworks held in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, along with costumed events and performances. By nightfall the entire city morphs into an open-air party space strung with multi-coloured lights, where costumed revellers snack on sugary doughnut bunyols and dance until dawn. La Cremada, the final night, sees bonfires lit all over town with ninots stuffed with fireworks and set ablaze in a madcap atmosphere of merry mayhem.

GET IN THE SPIRIT

WHAT ELSE?

First off make sure you wear comfortable shoes because you’re going to do a lot of walking if you want to get a slice of all those different neighbourhood parties. Also, wear casual clothes as things will get inevitably messy. Make like locals and carry your own glass on a string around your neck (you can buy them from most stores during carnival) so that you can fill up on the free booze that’s on tap at most of the street parties. If you want to wear traditional costume you’ll fit in fine with this crazy crowd – you’ll find plenty of rental places open during the festival. Finally, wear a big smile at all times and learn a few worlds of Spanish – Catalan is even better!

The Fallas kicks off spring in Valencia so if you’re lucky and get warm sunshine you can sit out for hours in kerbside cafes and bars around the trendy Barrio del Carme neighbourhood. A bike is great for getting around this pancake-flat city, so take a tour with a fun local group like Bravo Bike and make a few friends as you pedal round. Also, Valencia might be rocking during the Fallas, but this is a party destination all year round, so come earlier (or stay later) so that you have time to check out that raucous nightlife scene. Indeed, a few months later, on August 27, Valencian village, Bunol, is home to La Tomatina, the festival where everyone throws tomatoes at each other. We told you they were crazy.

PURPLE NEST HOSTEL OVERVIEW Let’s face it, you’re not going to spend a lot of time sleeping during your time in Valencia – especially with all those Fallas fireworks going off – so you may as well stick with a budget hostel. The Purple Nest Hostel in the heart of Valencia is ideal as it’s safe, friendly, fun and close to the festival action. WOW FACTOR Not many hostels have a ‘wow factor’ (although turn to page 40 to find ones that do), but this one is perfectly impressive thanks to its air-con, 24-hour key card access, free towels, safety boxes and baggage storage, an outdoor chill-out area as well as super friendly and helpful staff. The best bit about staying in a hostel is the social aspect, and with a fully-stocked bar with live music, you can be sure to get friendly with your fellow travellers here. ROOMS This hostel is brand new, so everything’s clean and in good condition. The spacious rooms go from doubles to 12-bed dorms. BILL PLEASE From £33pp over Fallas, three-night minimum.

Plaza Tetuán, 5, 46003, Valencia nesthostelsvalencia.com

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Get to the Greek From sleepy ports to party spots, start planning your summer holiday at these top Greek islands WORDS TAMARA THIESSEN Best for: History Crete The largest of the Greek islands offers all the best selling points – scenery, seafood, beach, picturesque ports, rural villages – wrapped in a cloak of classical Greek vestiges. This is the birthplace of Ancient Greek or Minoan civilisation, which peaked around 1900BC. The peaceful, joyful disposition of the Minoans can be seen in their ancient palaces, art and everyday objects. The most incredible archaeological site is the dolphin-frescoed palace of Knossos, surrounded by olive groves and cypress forests six kilometres southeast of Heraklion and hailed as the seat of legendary king Minoa. What else? From gorges to high mountains, Crete’s crown of snowcapped peaks melt into fields of spring flowers in April. The sapphire-clear Samaria Gorge in the National Park of the same name is a mountain walker’s Mecca. The 16km trail requires a few hours, and is generally open between April and October. Some 150km from Heraklion, a hire car is the best bet for reaching it, and for getting about Crete. Check out auto-kappa.gr

FOOD TO TRY IN GREECE Seafood is the culinary highlight of the Greek islands. often it comes in the form of ‘mezedes’, traditional appetisers, hot and cold, which can make a delicious and inexpensive meal when treated as a smörgåsbord. Sardeles pastes Fresh sardines, salty and swamped in olive oil and served with chunks of lemon. Good for anchovy fans. Octopodi Grilled octopus is reputedly the best mezze twinned with aniseed-flavoured ouzo. Succulent and tender, some tavernas pre-boil then grill it, and serve it with oil, lemon and herbs such as oregano. Saganaki These bite-sized delights take their name from the small frying pan they are cooked in, the sagani. The most common ones are made from sharp, kasseri cheese, deep-fried and seasoned with lemon. Others consist of little casseroles of mussels, shrimps and prawns.

Best for: The good life

Bourekakia Small filo pastry envelopes stuffed with feta cheese, and sometimes nuts and spinach.

Symi One of dozens of ink blots in the Dodecanese islands, the main port of Gialos earns its moniker as ‘Greece’s Portofino’.

Loukaniko Grilled spicy sausage.

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A GUIDE TO GREECE sunlight and plummeting precipices of Santorini still make it for many the most seductively scenic of the islands. The 18km-long isle is a geological phenomenon. The Santorini ‘caldera’ or cauldron is a volcanic basin, formed from an eruption 3,500 years ago. The dazzling white and cobaltblue roofed houses of the main town, Fira, are iced over its eastern slopes. Visitors (and donkeys) face a steep climb to the many restaurants and hotels nestling in its hilly streets, but the views are worth it. Especially around sunrise and sunset when the whole island from Cape Exomitis to Cape Mavropetra is bathed in golden light.

Pretty ports: Crete abounds with quaint fishing ports Rising over the water in Venetian pastel tones, its tiers of neoclassical houses appear like an amphitheatre against the arid sun-parched hills. The ink-blue anchorage is hemmed in by bars and tavernas. From the port, the ‘kali strata’ – the ‘good steps’ – lead to the upper town, Chorio, a huddle of Aegean sugar cube-style white stone houses. With no major ‘must see’ sights, nor crowds rocking up to see them, Symi is a relaxed reading holiday place. Its inhabitants are unabashedly given over to the good life – and visitors are expected to join in. What else? Visit the mellow yellow walled monastery, the Archangel Michael of Panormitis, sandwiched between a luxuriant bottle green cape and the sea, on the southern tip of the island. Free food and wine are offered to religious pilgrims – alas not routine tourists. Best for: Panoramas Santorini The Aegean blue expanses, whitewashed houses, dazzling

Vibrant vistas: Worth the walk What else? Byzantine Empire monuments, basilicas, monasteries and ancient settlements: Santorini packs a punch for history buffs. In the south, the once-buried Minoan city of Akrotiri, dubbed a Bronze Age Pompeii, has emerged from its heavy coat of volcanic ash and stone. Up to 4.5 meters below ground, the 2-3 level houses and paved alleyways are vestiges of a settlement buried in 1600BC. Not only is this Greece’s bestpreserved prehistoric city, undoubtedly it boasted one of the most advanced drainage systems in the world.

Images: Thinkstock and Getty

Best for: Partying

Postcard perfect: Santorini

Mykonos With its sweep of scintillating lights, white villas and dreamy low-lying mountains, Mykonos Town’s bay-side location is a natural party set. Hardly surprising that it attracts the glamorous hoards who like to see and be seen. Ever since Jackie Kennedy and Onassis set foot here in the ’60s, the party has gone on and on. The frolicking is concentrated around the tavernas, cocktail bars and nightclubs of ‘Little Venice’ where people gather on bar terraces at sunset for an aperitif or mezedes washed down with ouzo. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

Golden shower: Partying in Mykonos

In 2011, Jennifer Barclay moved to the Dodecanese island of Tilos. In Falling in Honey: Life and Love on a Greek Island she tells of the joys of island life.

Local produce: From beeswax cream to aromatic and herbal handmade soaps to wines. My personal favourite, though, is the honey. It amazes me that it’s ready to eat straight out of the hive – this perfect food full of goodness, it needs nothing from us. The actual making of honey has all been done by the bees. As Poo Bear said to the bee: the only reason for making honey is so I can eat it. The wholesome simplicity of bucolic life: Since coming here I can swim, walk, cook simple meals – and try to work! – every day. Tilos has always been famous for its herbs that grow wild everywhere, and its mountain sides are mostly empty except for tiny chapels, goats, and beehives.

and secluded sandy coves. One of the 11 Sporades islands scattered in the western Aegean Sea, Skópelos lost some of its sweet anonymity with the filming of Mamma Mia, but for much of the year its soul and solitude endure. The main seaport – also Skópelos – perches on the foreshore, a semicircular arrangement of flower-decked houses and blue slate roofs. Don’t be surprised to see women strolling the cobblestone streets in traditional dress – velvet coats with billowing sleeves and flowery embroidered silk skirts. What else? Legend holds that Skópelos was founded by Cretan prince Staphylos (which means ‘grape’), son of Bacchus, the Olympian god of wine. Thus in ancient times it already produced a very good drop. These days, local viticulture has waned, but not the drinking. Enjoy your tipple with a tiropita – coiled pastry stuffed with fresh goats’ cheese.

Friendly locals: The spontaneous hospitality of the locals has been a magnet for years of Greek island hopping. I’ve fallen in love with so many islands over the years just by hopping on the next ferry: islands that smell of herbs and pine trees, whose villages have whitewashed alleys overhung with magenta bougainvillea, stalked by cats and chickens. Islands where pigs roam on the wild beaches and cows wander through the ruins of ancient hilltop castles; where people gather in the village square at least once a day to gossip and play backgammon; where the hills are filled with olive trees and thyme drops away to a deep sparkling blue. Craft shops: Sokaki is the newest craft shop in Livadia harbour, Tilos. The owner Maria makes clothes, bags, accessories, cards and more. You can also stock up on Greek-made brands such as the rather tempting-sounding Fantasy sandals.

What else? Most party heads also love to have fun in the sun, or simply sleep off their excesses on the sand the next day. Regular buses head to Paradise Beach and to gay-friendly (and, in parts, nudist) Super Paradise Beach. After a full body massage or some watersports, the partying begins again. At the height of summer, cocktails, honey and yogurt flow on tap at beach bars, and there are wall-to-wall sun beds, umbrellas and bikini-clad bodies vying for some sunshine. Be prepared to fight for a spot. Best for: A hideaway Skópelos If Robinson Crusoe went Greek island hopping, this may well be his pick. Skópelos is full of velvety hills, crystal blue waters

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Soak it up: Beaches get busy in summer for good reason

GETTING THERE Aegean Air fly from London to Santorini, Crete, Mykonos and Rhodes mostly via Athens. Easy Jet flies to Athens with direct flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete MarchSeptember.

GREECE ATHENS

aegeanair.com

GETTING AROUND Hellenic Seaways’ high-speed hydrofoils link the continental port of Volos to Skopelos in less than three hours. Dodekanisos Seaways links Rhodes and Symi in about 90 minutes, and there are also seasonal direct ferries from Piraeus to Symi. Cyclades Islands ferries connect Piraeus to Santorini, Mykonos and other islands. hellenicseaways.gr

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Honshu glad you visited? You will be once you see the stunning mix of natural majesty and man-made masterpieces on Japan’s main island WORDS NICK TEBBLE

It’s rare that you find high-tech cities, exquisite temples and stunning natural wonders all on one island, which is why Japan’s Honshu is a must for any traveller. Here’s our lowdown on the places that are simply unmissable. Tokyo Japan’s ultramodern capital at the head of Tokyo Bay is home to Sky Tree, the world’s tallest tower (not structure, that’s still the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). But that’s just one of the attractions in a city that caters to all, from the full-on culture vulture to the hard-core clubber. Things to do: Opened in 2012 at 634m high, Sky Tree gives amazing views, not just of the city, but its surrounds: to the east, the Pacific, to the north and south, the great Kanto plain with its eponymous mountain range beyond; and to the southwest, unmistakable Fuji – on a clear day. If you’re into history, the Imperial Palace is a must. Home to the Japanese Emperor since 1868, you can circle its giant stone walls and enjoy its East Garden anytime. To explore further, book a tour on the Imperial Household Agency’s website (sankan.kunaicho.go.jp). Nearby stands Yasakuni-jinja, the main shrine to Japan’s war dead. Despite the controversy over its annual attendance by the country’s political leaders, it still serves as a poignant reminder of war’s horror. For all things artistic, do not miss the National Museum in Ueno Park [tnm.jp). Known as the Louvre of Japan, its many exhibits range from paintings, pottery and calligraphy to sculpture, arms and armour. Manga fans and tech toy geeks should check out Akihabara. In the city centre, its gaudy streets are full of girls in kinky ‘maid’ outfits, handing out fliers for their ‘meido’ cafes. This city boasts more restaurants than any other in the world. And if you’re wondering where the fish in your sushi came from, head for Tsukiji, the world’s largest seafood market. Get there early and you can watch the frantic tuna auction. But don’t delay: it’s going to be relocated as part of the city’s face-lift for the 2020 Olympics. Tokyo’s performing arts scene is as rich as any capital’s. What you won’t get elsewhere, though, are Kabuki, Bunraku

and Noh. These traditional dramatic arts of song, puppets and masks play at the National Theatre (ntj.jac.go.jo/english). But if big men grappling in loincloths is your thing, head for Kokugikan (sumo.pia.jp/en), home to Sumo wrestling in January, May and September. Going out: Shopaholics, get your credit cards ready for the neon delights of Ginza, while those who party hard should check out Shibuya, the latest hub of the city’s club scene. Big kids can head to the Tokyo Disney Resort in nearby Chiba (tokyodisneyresort.jp/en). Stay: Try a Japanese capsule hotel. Great for location and budget too. From £19pn. capsuleinn.com/en Kyoto Exit the ultramodern train station and the first thing you see is a futuristic tower, but don’t be deceived: tradition still lives here, from ladies in kimonos to the beautiful geisha girls. Things to do: Kyoto has a wealth of World Heritage Sites (pref.kyoto.jp), many of them Zen temples. Must-sees are Kinkakuji, its gold-foil walls mirrored in a pond; Ginkakuji, all soft trails winding through hills of bonsai and moss; and Ryoanji, its raked rock garden a haven for meditation. ››

Bright lights: Shopping hot spot, Ginza

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Magical: Kyoto’s Kinkakuji in the snow

Parade: The Jidai Festival is celebrated In Kyoto every October True blue: The Izu Peninsula is Japan’s ‘Cote d’Azur’

Pictures: Getty, Thinkstock

Blossoming: The gorgeous cherry blossoms of Japan Our tip: if you want to find nirvana by contemplating rocks, get there on an early morning weekday. Ditto for all these sites to avoid the crowds. Before Buddhism there was Shinto, Japan’s religion of nature and ancestor worship. Check out one of its premiere sites, Fushimi Inari-taisha. Inari is the God of Rice, and Japanese come in their millions to make offerings and pray for good luck on the temple’s five hillsides. For more than a thousand years Kyoto was the country’s capital, Gosho the imperial palace. Once the Emperor’s home until his move to Tokyo in 1868, today you can wander through its grounds yourself. But it’s Nijo that holds World Heritage status among imperial sites. A walled castle in the heart of the city, cross its moat and enter the exquisite Ninomaru Garden and eponymous palace. Inside this magnificent wooden structure you’ll find delicate paintings on sliding doors, and walk on floors that cry like nightingales – a medieval alarm system. For an excellent day trip, take a 45-minute train ride to Himeji Castle, another World Heritage Site. It was here they filmed the ‘ninja school’ in You Only Live Twice. While its main keep is undergoing renovation until March 2015, you can still access the rest of the grounds. Going out: Kyoto has plenty of bars and clubs, but there’s one kind of nightlife you may not have tried. In Gion you can spend an evening with a geisha. With their supreme hostess and dance skills, not to mention their ability to drink you under the table, the company of these exquisite young women doesn’t come cheap. Another option is to watch their public dances in spring or autumn. Stay: Close to the station, K’s House is the best deal in town with rooms from £15pn (kshouse.jp/kyoto-e/). 60

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Izu Peninsula With its dazzling turquoise coast, this is Japan’s selfstyled ‘Cote d’Azur’. Add to that its forest trails over hills and volcanoes, it’s a wonder this is still a secret to many backpackers (welcome-to.jp/nationalparks/Fuji). Things to do: East Izu is great for surfing. Head down the coast by road or train and you’ll spot figures on boards catching waves. Usami beach is one of the best, but outside the summer a wetsuit is a must, and check for jellyfish in the

Wowzers: The view of Fuji from Hakone

autumn. Ito is Izu’s most popular resort. Its sandy beach, Sagami Bay, is excellent for swimming in or just a simple stroll, while the chief attraction is its hot spring spas. Known as ‘onsen’, and found all over Japan, Izu is famous for them. Here at Ito you’ll find indoor and out, public and private, humble and luxury. But one thing’s the same: while there’s no mixed bathing, skinny-dipping is obligatory.

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Walk on floors that cry like nightingales – a medieval alarm system

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Shimoda is where Japan ended its 200 years of isolation. In Ryosenji Temple in 1854 the country signed a ‘Friendship Treaty’ with America’s Commander Perry, but only after he’d sailed a fleet of warships into Tokyo Bay. The locals called them ‘black ships’, but gunboat diplomacy has gone commercial, and today you can board a replica for a cruise along the turquoise coast. Irozaki is Izu’s windswept tip. Follow the trail upwards and you’ll pass gorgeous inlets until a white lighthouse and Shinto shrine bring you to a cliff: here the last rocky outcrops drop away like dominoes until vanishing into the Pacific. There are no trains to West Izu, no surf or sandy beaches either. This is wild; its rugged coastline offering super views of Fuji looming over Suruga Bay. Check out Dogashima too for a cruise through amazing rock formations. If you want to hike, head up into the central highland. There are numerous trails, like the one to Amagi, a range of dead volcanoes marking Izu’s highest point. It takes half a day to do, and the saddle offers a spectacular panorama of Fuji, Izu and the Pacific. Going out: All the resorts in Izu have bars, but one sticks out: Soul Bar Tosaya in Shimoda. An old residence from the Black Ship period, it serves up soul music and tasty food. Stay: It’s K’s House again. From £18pn with an onsen thrown in, you just can’t beat it (kshouse.jp/ito-e/).

Love sushi? Love Japan

Keep walking: The annual Jidai Festival in Kyoto TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Oh deer: The Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima

Buddha’s home: Todaji Temple in Nara houses the Big Buddha Swan lake: Swan about on Lake Ashinoko

Castle in the clouds: Matsumoto Castle Hiroshima It’s a byword for the Bomb, yet today Hiroshima is a centre for the peace movement that aims to ban it. Nearby Miyajima island offers a scenic side trip to this leafy, laid-back city on the Inland Sea. Things to do: Take a tram into the town centre and get off at Genbaku Dome – that’s ‘Atomic Bomb Dome’. Standing on the east bank of the river Kyuohotagawa, it’s now a Peace Memorial and World Heritage Site, one of the few commemorating horror. On August 6, 1945, it was just metres from the Enola Gay’s target: the Aioi Bridge. While the bridge has been rebuilt, the dome remains exactly as it was after the blast. Its smashed, concrete body and skeletal dome serve as a reminder of that day, yet at night the floodlit ruins possess a ghostly beauty. A short walk away in a backstreet you’ll find a silver plaque marking Ground Zero. It was directly above this point that Little Boy exploded, almost impossible to believe when you look up into a bright blue sky – just as it was at 10 past eight that morning. Other Genbaku sites include the musty basement of a kimono shop that made one man the closest survivor to the hypocentre. Today it’s known as the Rest House, and if you ask at the desk, they’ll let you go downstairs. It also serves as an information centre for visitors to the Peace Memorial Park (pcf.city.hiroshima.jp). Situated just downstream from the dome, this park now holds an annual ceremony on August 6 to honour the bomb’s victims. Attended by the Prime Minister, he lays a wreath at the cenotaph, itself aligned with the dome and Flame of Peace. There are many monuments and memorials here, its centrepiece being the museum. Here you will find an all-too 62

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gruesome display of items that withstood the blast: from body hair and bones to purses, glasses and clothes – most unforgettable: concrete steps from the entrance to a bank, the shadow of a man still there. Going out: Hiroshima’s leafy boulevards have good restaurants, bars and clubs. Our tip: take the ferry to Miyajima. This beautiful island boasts one of Japan’s most famous views: the great red gates of Itsukushima Shrine that seem to float in the sea. The island’s quiet streets are lamplit by night, its tame deer providing company as you find a place to eat. Stay: The Hiroshima Peace Hotel is 10 metre by bus to the park. From £9pn (booking.com/hotel/jp/hiroshima-peace). Nagano Prefecture It may not be the Roof of the World, but with its spectacular spine of Alps, this central prefecture is definitely the Roof of Japan. Yet it’s not just snow and rock: plenty of castles and spas are up here too, not to mention one very special onsen (go-nagano.net). Things to do: Nagano City serves as capital and gateway to the prefecture. It hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, but to the Japanese it is better known for Zenkoji, one of the country’s most important and popular temples, where the first statue of Buddha to enter the country is held. Opportunities for hikers abound in these mountains, and a good base is the prefecture’s second city, Matsumoto. But before you put on your boots, don’t miss the city’s castle. It’s the oldest wooden one in Japan, and unlike others, still in its original state. A challenging hike from Matsumoto is to Mount Jonendake. Towering over the Alumina Valley, rising to 2,857m,

it takes about five hours. But it’s worth every breath, the summit providing one of the grandest views of the Japanese Alps. With its gentle walks along the Azusa River, and the peaks’ reflection in romantic Taisho Pond, Kamikochi must be seen. But it can get very crowded in the summer. Start climbing up from this 15km plateau, though, and you’ll soon find two great trails leading to Yari-ga-take (3,180m) and Hotakadake (3,190m), Japan’s third highest mountain. As with lots of these walks, overnight huts can be found along the way – no need to book or cook. Nagano has plenty of ski resorts to choose from, so many, in fact, that it’s also called ‘the White Triangle’. Some of the best are Nozawa, Hakuba and Hippo-One. This last staged the Olympic downhill in ‘88, but don’t worry: its slopes cater to all nine levels. Almost every resort has an onsen, but don’t miss Jigokudani’s. Not that you’ll be taking a dip. This outdoor spa is strictly for macaques. Known as ‘snow monkeys’, watch them soak in their own hot tub before finding one yourself in nearby Shibu and Yudanaka Onsen. Our tip: Jigokudani Monkey Park is best visited in winter, when its residents relish the heat.

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Tame deer provide company as you find a place to eat

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Going out: Every resort has its share of bars and restaurants, but for all you ‘gaijin’ (what the Japanese call foreigners, it literally translates as ‘outside person’), Nagano City’s Bistro Liberty takes some beating: Guinness and good pub food. Stay: 1166 backpackers, near Nagano City’s centre, offers rooms from £15pn (1166bp.com). Nara Japan’s first capital, second only to Kyoto in World Heritage Sites, Nara (nara-park.com) boasts some of the finest Buddhist monuments in the country, not to mention a nearby ninja castle and two amazing fire festivals. Things to do: The first on anyone’s list has to be Daibutsu, Big Buddha. It lies within Todaiji, the Great Eastern Temple complex with its Big Buddha Hall called Daibutsuden: the world’s largest wooden building, its seven bays and sloping roofs seeming to fill the sky. Big Buddha is one of the world’s largest bronze figures, no surprise as it was cast from 1,000 kilos of the stuff and another 130 from gold. As this 16m Buddha sits in lotus position, it’s hard not to feel awe. But this is Vairocana, the supreme Buddha, and if you go round the back and squeeze through the hole in a wooden column, he’ll even grant you enlightenment, which is nice. There are several more sites to be explored, such as Nara Palace, Kasuga-Taisha – Nara’s most celebrated Shinto shrine – and Kofukuji temple, whose five-storey, 50m pagoda forms the city’s landmark and symbol. But don’t miss Asuka. Just 25km south of Nara, its ancient burial tombs once housed powerful clan leaders. You can enter some and stand under massive 75-tonne stones. A side trip from Nara takes you to Iga Ueno, a feudal castle with the tallest stone walls in Japan. Once a leading ninja TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Make like a train and leave: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in autumn school, its students learnt the art of stealth, but there’s no creeping around today. You can explore the castle as well as the excellent museum nearby. In addition to the exhibits, you can catch some real-life ninja fighting. If you’re in Nara in January, do not miss Yamayaki on the 25th. This is the Grass Burning Festival, when a whole mountain side is set alight, followed by pyrotechnics. If you can’t make that, there’s more torching in the first half of March. This is Otaimatsu, part of a Buddhist repentance ritual held in Todaiji’s halls. As priests hold flambeaux over crowds, embers rain down. These are said to grant you safety for the rest of the year (starting after you get burnt, perhaps?). Going out: After a hard day’s touring, sample the local sake at Saka-gura Sasaya, near Kofukuji. Just look for the barrels in the window. Stay: Takama Guest House is close to Nara Park. From £13pn (takama-guesthouse.com). Fuji and around You’ve seen it in the movies, you can even watch it on live streaming, but however familiar the image, Japan’s highest and most sacred mountain still presents a range of wonders above and below her pagoda slopes. Things to do: At Fuji’s northern foot lie five lakes. Known as ‘Fujigoko’, the most popular is Kawaguchi. With a direct connection from Tokyo, and doubling up as a hot spring resort, this offers breathtaking views of Fuji and its unrippled form in water. Yamanakako, the largest, offers equally stunning vistas, as well as boating, fishing, wind surfing and camping. Saiko’s western end presents full Fuji views, while just beyond lies Aokigahara, the Sea of Trees. This forest is notorious as Japan’s top suicide spot, and for having demons, yet its mossy trails and sylvan silence are enchanting. Our tip: the best Fuji viewing times are early morning and late afternoon, especially in autumn and winter. Hakone is one of Honshu’s most popular resorts. Part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (welcome-to.jp/nationalparks/ Fuji), its main draw is its onsen. Hot springs bubble all over, and hotels have built around them. You could spend days just soaking, enjoying forest vistas from the tub, even Fuji from a few. 64

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Lake Ashinoko lies in the centre of Hakone, giving one of the most fantastic sights of Fuji. Framed by lakes and hills, you can view it from the shore or two boats doing cruises. A ropeway from ‘Ashi’ takes you to Owakudani. The hillside steams with hot springs of volcanic sulphur, while you can eat freshly boiled eggs blackened by it. From here you can also climb Kamiyama (1,438m), one of Hakone’s many peaks. While it’s never officially closed, July and August are the safest months to climb Fuji. They’re also the busiest, but for once that’s part of the appeal. For many Japanese, climbing Fuji is almost a ritual, so join them in the early evening as they start from one of the five designated routes. A night climb is magical, as bobbing head torches illuminate the hard

“

A whole mountain side is set alight

”

slopes of lava. It’s also tiring, and each route has stations where you can eat, sleep or just take a breather. At any time of year, the 3,776m summit is cold in the early morning, so make sure you have proper mountain gear. Then check out the crater. It’s 500m wide, 50m deep, and while you can’t go down, the sheer size tells of the enormous force this still active volcano must once – and may yet! – have produced. You can circle its rim and climb to the highest point in Japan, right beside the weather station. But once you sense that rising sun, it and the crater can wait. To the east the deep blue sky and Pacific begin to brighten, to the west the Japanese Alps light up, while to the south Fuji’s huge shadow spreads over Shizuoka – and if you look to the northeast, right across the Kanto plain, you might even spot Sky Tree. Going out: It has to be Naraya Café, Hakone, near Miyanoshita station. Sip an espresso and enjoy the mountain view as you dip your toes in a footbath. Stay: Fuji Royal Hotel, Kawaguchi, is beside an onsen, and near a starting point for Fuji. From £15pn. (Fuji-royalhotel.jp).

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48HOURS

RIGA

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YOUR WEEKEND IN RIGA, LATVIA

DAY ONE

Local produce: Stock up at Riga Central Market

Back in time: Riga is full of historical buildings 66 00

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MORNING Riga is in vogue right now having emerged from a murky Soviet past, and only just opening up fully to tourists. The city is divided into halves – the old town, which is where the main tourist attractions are, and the new town where the art nouveau buildings are decorated with buxom naked women. Start the day by taking the lift up to St Peter’s Church to get your bearings. The famous 13th-century building has been struck by lightning six times and rebuilt twice so keep this one for clear weather. From there you’ll see nearby Pelmeni, a great lunch spot where you can fill your bowl to the brim with as many dumplings as you want for just a few quid. Do as the locals do and wash them down with beer. Or if you’re feeling really hardy, get the afternoon swinging with an XL shot of Moskovskaya Vodka.

will lead you past the beautiful House of Blackheads, which was built for unmarried German merchants, to Riga Castle where the president of Latvia lives, to The Swedish Gate, which is part of the old city walls. Here, there are lots of trendy shops and cafes to browse before heading to the nearby Museum of War which documents the violent history of Latvia with old photos and weapons. End at the impressive Freedom Monument, which is flanked by plazas and waterfalls. This walk can be done with a guidebook or you can book a tour. If you’re visiting in the summer, a bike trip to the suburbs (Rigabiketours.com) will show you the ‘real Riga’. Highlights include the crumbling Great Cemetery, which came close to being destroyed during Russian occupation and has since been pilfered by grave robbers, and the grungy Moscow zone, which has lots of character.

AFTERNOON If you’re going to Riga post-May take in the city with a walking tour that

EVENING Keep in step with the city’s history by dining at Austrumu Robeza

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(austrumurobeza.com) – it’s definitely an experience as you slurp your soup below busts of Stalin in this Communist-style eatery where very little has changed since the dictator’s heyday. The food is good and you’ll never drink alone (the cheap vodka helps). Upmarket bars of Riga can be found in the old town, with more bohemian spots dotting the new town. The Radisson Blu was one of the coolest places in town during the Soviet era, and the heaving Skyline Bar on the 26th floor is still an extremely popular place to prepare yourself for a big night out. Nautilus in the old town is one of Riga’s most happening nightclubs, blaring up-to-the-minute house music – and it’s submarine themed. It’s also well-known for its audience of beautiful women.

DAY TWO

Words: Rachael Getzels. Photos: Thinkstock and Getty

MORNING Rise and shine! There’s still much more to see in Riga even though we know your head is pounding and the finer points of last night are a haze. So get your walking boots on (don’t worry, it won’t be a hike) and head to Riga Central Market for a slow stroll that will have you soaking up some culture without you even realising. Built in German Zeppelin Hangers, this is the biggest enclosed market in Europe. As you explore you can treat yourself to some traditional bites (salted cucumber, fresh pork chops, freshly smoked eel) or snap up some hand-made socks or hats and souvenirs. Everyone visits this buzzing sales space, from the Riga elite to the homeless that gather outside and pick-up the day’s refuse, so it provides real insight into the city. AFTERNOON The Riga Aviation Museum near the main airport is a treat. It looks more like an army base than an educational hub (perhaps because all the planes are real and Riga is no stranger to military occupation). If you’re a military thriller fan, the books will be brought to life as you walk among Soviet-era fighter jets and bomber planes in the main yard. You can also check out the enormous MI-6 passenger helicopter which has set world records for speed and hauling capacity. Entrance is free, avia.ak22.net.

Pretty: Riga’s gorgeous buildings

If you want a break from war history, check out Riga’s Sun Museum in the old town – it’s the only museum in the world dedicated, to yes, you guessed it, suns, and it’s a unique little experience that will stick out in your mind for sheer quirk. The private collection boasts thousands of images and models of suns from all over the world with the different interpretations and stories behind them. At the end of your visit, you’ll be given a plaster sun to paint in their creative room and take home with you, as the owner of the collection attempts to spread ‘the light’ (whatever that might mean) all over the globe. EVENING By now your hangover has just about subsided enough that you’re ready to tuck into a good meal. As it’s your last night in town, we recommend living it up for dinner. Carpe Diem in the old town is one of Riga’s most famous eating establishments, serving up big, juicy steaks like you’ve never seen before (unless you’ve been to Argentina). The meat is all organic and local and it’s cooked to perfection. You’ll dine under chandeliers, and when dinner is over you can recline in your seat and let live music lull you into post-food bliss. You’ll have just enough energy to get back to your hotel room and pack for your flight after a whirlwind adventure in one of Eastern Europe’s undiscovered gems.

Remembering: The Freedom Monument

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A Israel is a fascinating destination with a wealth of historic and religious sites. The Foreign Office advises against travel to some parts of the country including the borders with Lebanon, all of Gaza and extra vigilance should be taken if visiting the West Bank. With this in mind I would recommend you centre your trip around the West of the country, where you can take in the delights of cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, picturesque Jaffa and historic Jerusalem comfortably in five days. Assuming that you are flying in and out of Tel Aviv, start by spending a couple of days exploring this progressive city by bike, using the city’s bike hire scheme Tel-O-Fun. This is also a cheap way of seeing the city as the first 30 minutes are free. Visit the Old Port, a renovated commercial centre bursting with shops, restaurants, cafes and clubs. Then enjoy some sunshine on one of Tel Aviv’s beaches; Gordon Beach is one of the best. Go back in time with a stroll through the Yemenite quarter of narrow

lanes and ramshackle buildings. Close by, you will also find the bustling Carmel Market, the beating heart of the city. Next, head to Jaffa. This beautiful coastal fortress town is only a 2.5 km walk from Tel Aviv and makes a great day trip from the city. Jaffa’s pretty harbour is one of the oldest in the world. Finally take a trip to Jerusalem where you can visit the religious sites of the iconic gold plated Dome of Rock and, of course, the Western Wall. It is wise to keep your wits about you in Jerusalem’s Old City, as protests and demonstrations can occur. The best times to visit are either side of the July-August peak season as both prices and temperatures are better. Visiting in OctoberNovember or March-June will mean you will see occasional rain and temperatures will be lower, but there will be less demand on accommodation. Avoid the religious holidays of Passover and Sukkot when there is a rise in local tourism. With regards to Israeli passport stamps, the situation can change but currently it is good news. Since January 2013 the Israeli authorities have recognised that passports containing Israeli passport stamps can cause problems for onward travel to a number of other Middle Eastern countries so they will provide an entry card instead of a stamp, which you should just keep in your passport until you leave the country.

PACK LIKE A PRO I recycle the thin, transparent plastic dry-cleaning bags (although you can buy cheap ones) and pack similar types of clothes in each bag, still on their hangers: i.e. short-sleeved tops; longsleeved tops; trousers; evening wear, or however you want to organise them. When I’m unpacking it’s so quick just to remove half-a-dozen bags and hang them up and, as they are transparent, it’s easy to see what’s in each. This works particularly well if you are on a tour and staying in a number of places, as it really takes away the stress of packing and unpacking a number of times and lets you get on with enjoying your holiday instead. Catherine Harwood

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WINNER MYANMAR, SOUTH-EAST ASIA James Percival, London TELL US MORE I decided to visit Myanmar as I was keen to go somewhere that is relatively untouched by tourism. This picture was taken on Inle Lake. I took this while standing on a moving platform, so I had to take a lot to get a composition I liked. It was quite an overcast day, and so I wanted to capture that in the water reflections. I also wanted to capture the movement of the locals along the river.

RUNNER-UP ROYAL PAVILION, BRIGHTON Kristie Dack, Queensland, Australia TELL US MORE This photo was taken in Brighton, outside at The Royal Pavilion. I wanted to take a photo where you could see how locals like to spend their Sunday afternoons. Whether it’s picnics, sun baking or just chilling with music, you will always see a Brit outdoors as soon as the sun is out. I also loved the contrast between sky and grass.

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NEW YORK Prices from £559 for a three-night break in Manhattan. Includes room-only accommodation at the three-star Milford Hotel and return flights from Heathrow or Manchester departing on dates between January 7 and 13. (qwertytravel.com, 0208 5889943)

BULGARIA Seven nights in Bansko from £410pp. Staying at the four-star MPM Sport Hotel on a half-board basis. Departing Gatwick January 13. (0800 1116271, lowcostholidays.com)

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dates between January 5 and March 31. (cheapflights.co.uk) COSTA BRAVA Seven nights from £193pp staying at the four-star Hotel HTOP Calella Palace in Calella on an allinclusive basis. Depart Stansted January 14. (0800 111 6271, lowcostholidays.com) TURKEY Seven nights in Turkey from £191pp staying at the five-star Titan Select in Konakli on a half-board basis. Departing London Gatwick January 7. (0800 111 6271, lowcostholidays.com) ROME Enjoy two nights at the Marco

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

ASHES TO ASHES, SUDS TO SUDS England’s now-retired Graeme Swann led the ‘sprinkler’ celebration last time in Oz. Australia’s retaliation this year is the cracking of a few beers from the sponsor of the day after a Test win – and the celebrations were even more animated in Perth when they won back the Ashes after three series of torment. They’d won Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to earn back the urn, and went on to fight out victory in the Melbourne Test.

Photos: Getty

INSIDE

A LOAD OF BALLS /74

RUGBY RUNDOWN /76

SHE’S FLYING HIGH /80

We find out former Australian Open singles and doubles champion Virginia Wade’s top tips for the Melbourne Grand Slam.

We tell you who to watch and why as Rugby’s Six Nations Championship kicks off. Where will your new loyalties lie?

Reigning gold medalist in freestyle aerials, Lydia Lassila is hoping for more glory at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

SPORTROUND-UP

FLASHBACK... 2012

World No 1: Rafael Nadal

WE WADE INTO TENNIS TALK WITH VIRGINIA

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The first Grand Slam of the year brings out the best in Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Just two years ago they played the record longest final in history, with the Joker defending his title against Rafa after an epic five hours and 53 mins.

TENNIS Former Australian Open singles and doubles champion Virginia Wade will be an expert analyst for Eurosport when they cover the Melbourne Grand Slam starting January 13. TNT asked the Brit legend who’s best placed to open the year on top and how Oz’s best hope is shaping up. How would you compare now to previous eras? I think the game continues to be stronger with some fantastic rivalries in the men’s draw, but Serena Williams has a psychological edge on everyone in the women’s. The thing that is dramatically evident now is the number of good players. When you had Sampras or McEnroe or Lendl they were fantastic but the depth was not there that is now. You can’t really compare eras but tennis is producing some unbelievably good athletes at the moment. The Aussies love Roger Federer – is he a contender despite the likes of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic overtaking him? This is difficult! I’d say Roger’s lost a little power and speed, but he’s always a contender. But if it came to a five-set match with Nadal or Djokovic I don’t think he’d be able to last the course. We have to ask for your expert tip going into the tournament… The way Djokovic played at the end of the year it would have to be him. It looks to me that he is back in his full stride and has massive confidence now. But Nadal is extremely close. In the women’s how can you not go with Serena? If she really wants to win she can pull it off. The host’s greatest hope in men’s or women’s would have to be Samantha 74

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Stosur – how do you rate her chances? She had a dismal 2013 to be honest but she has changed her coach to Miles Maclagan and I think it could work. She is very shy and not somebody who is going to be naturally aggressive. It will be very interesting to see how she does with Miles because he is very laid back. Hopefully he has enough experience now to be able to help her utilise all the amazing strength she has. Stosur said herself that her past couple of years have been disappointing, but can she reach the top four again? I think she has got a game that could compete in the top four, especially on hard and clay courts. There is a real opportunity in the women’s game for somebody to step in and challenge. This is a fantastic opportunity for Sam to get back up to where she was. Watch the Aussie Open, Jan 13-26, live on Eurosport and multi-court coverage online via eurosportplayer.com

UNDER THE PUMP Samantha Stosur is Australia’s highest ranked player, by some way, as No 18 in the world going into her home Grand Slam. Yet despite the home court advantage and crowd backing she’s never had a happy time in Rod Laver Arena. In 11 appearances in Melbourne Stosur’s never gone past the fourth round – this is a powerhouse who won the 2011 US Open after losing the final of the French in 2010 and peaked at No 4. In 2013 she dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since April 2010, but turned it around in the latter part of the season making back-to-back finals and winning a second season title in Moscow.

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HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH

Captain clobber: George Bailey will skipper Australia in ODIs and T20s

PREVIEW TIME FOR A BASH NOW URN’S RETURNED LIMITED OVERS CRICKET: AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND (SEE DATES RIGHT)

Photos: Getty

After just three Tests, Australia won back the Ashes after seven years. They rubbed the Poms’ noses in it with a convincing win in Melbourne too, with just Sydney to go when we went to print – a massive turnaround for Michael Clarke’s side that hadn’t won a match in nine outings. The once-great Aussies have emerged from what’s been the doldrums, but it hasn’t been that bad if you look at their form in the shorter games.

In the farcical series in India recently, where the high 300s were a standard score, Australia were playing to go to the top of the world rankings. They lost the epic seven-match series 3-2 but stand-in skipper George Bailey was on fire. And Mitchell Johnson’s form was so good they brought him home early to get ready for the more important Ashes. We all know what happened then. He’s back for the ODIs too. England have rested their over-30 Test players for the five ODIs and three T20s, but Australia are going all out to back up the 50-overs series they won recently in the Dart…

LET’S GET TRIVIAL | Broncos back to Barnet The London Broncos were almost no more but have been resurrected by a deal to move to Barnet. Long story short, Twickenham Stoop was expensive and frankly too big for the city’s third favourite football code. Now they’ll share The Hive with the non-league football club. The team that assembles will surely struggle after the RFL refused the Broncos’ request to be allowed to sign more overseas talent than allowed, but Tony Rea is on the case to replace the 16 players who moved on after his side missed the wooden spoon with a final round win. The move to Barnet is a homecoming of sorts, with one of the Broncos’ previous incarnations London Crusaders at one stage playing at what is now Saracens’ home ground Allianz Park. When the season begins on Feb 7 back in Barnet, it’ll be small ground rugby league the way it should be.

Guest star: Jamie Soward played with the Broncos

What rift? Michael Clarke and Shane Watson after winning the Perth Test 3-7 TEST CRICK: 5th Ashes, Sydney 11 HEIN RUG: Harlequins v Clermont 11 EPL FOOT: Man United v Swansea 11 EPL FOOT: Tottenham v Crys Palace 12 ODI CRICK: Aus v Eng, Melbourne 13 TEN: Australian Open begins 17 ODI CRICK: Aus v Eng, Brisbane 18 HEIN RUG: Saracens v Connacht 18 HEIN RUG: Scarlets v Harlequins 18 EPL FOOT:Arsenal v Fulham 19 ODI CRICK: Aus v Eng, Sydney 19 EPL FOOT: Chelsea v Man United 24 ODI CRICK: Aus v Eng, Perth 25 TEN: Australian Open women’s final 26 ODI CRICK: Aus v Eng, Adelaide 26 TEN: Australian Open men’s final 28 EPL FOOT: Liverpool v Everton 29 T20 CRICK: Aus v Eng, Hobart 29 EPL FOOT: Chelsea v West Ham 29 EPL FOOT: Tottenham v Man City 31 T20 CRICK: Aus v Eng, Melbourne 1 FEB EPL FOOT: Fulham v South’ton 1 FEB SIX NAT RUG: Wales v Italy 1 FEB SIX NAT RUG: France v England 2 2 FEB T20 CRICK: Aus v Eng, Sydney 2 FEB SIX NAT RUG: Ireland v Scotland 3 FEB EPL FOOT: Man City v Chelsea

Turn to P76 for our expat guide to the Six Nations TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Six of the best

The lack of Wallabies or All Blacks shouldn’t stop you from getting into Europe’s rugby championship

Wales’ Halfpenny

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WALES

Coach: Warren Gatland (NZ) Captain: Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) Superstar: Leigh Halfpenny (fullback, Cardiff Blues) Breakdown Wales’ victory in last year’s Six Nations was epic – needing to beat England at Twickenham in London in the last game of the tournament they blew the at-thetime leaders away in a 30-3 flogging no one expected. Some say momentum began in the second half of their opening game – see Ireland – but it was probably when they walked on the field against the English. Think about NZ v Oz and triple it. Gatland’s charges did well in autumn against Australia and South Africa too, unlucky not to record their first wins in ages against either side. They also

Leigh Halfpenny dominated Argentina and Tonga. They’re domestic game is in political turmoil but the national team is the symbol of Welsh national identity, and that’s pretty awesome. Why back them? They’re not England and everyone in the country will go bonkers about it, plus Dylan Thomas, Shirley Bassey, the world’s longest place name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch (seriously) and the fact the bastards from the rest of the UK left them off the Union Jack.

Words: Michael Gadd. Photos: Getty

Rugby’s Six Nations Championship is far too good a tournament to let the fact you have no real allegiance to any of the teams involved stop you from getting into it. The tournament kicks off in the first weekend of February, with Wales aiming to make history and become the first team to ever win the thing three times on the trot – and when we say history, we mean since 1883 when this began as the Home Nations, with England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales doing annual battle in what was the first international rugby tournament. Over time France made it the Five Nations and Italy made it what it is today – a collective of tight-fought, impassioned union contests all screened on free-to-air BBC. Here’s a cheat’s guide to each of the teams and some reasons as to why you may want to turn them into your second favourite country.

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ENGLAND

SCOTLAND

Coach: Stuart Lancaster (England) Captain: Chris Robshaw (flanker, Harlequins) Superstar: Joel Tomkins (centre, Saracens)

Coach: Scott Johnson (Australia) Captain: Kelly Brown (flanker, Saracens) Superstar: Greg Laidlaw (scrum-half, Edinburgh)

Joel Tomkins

Kelly Brown

Breakdown The team are building towards the 2015 World Cup in England, there’s no doubt about that at all. They certainly aimed up in the autumn tests. They deservedly beat Australia 20-13 in a rusty performance and pushed the All Blacks in a spirited 22-30 defeat. Problem for them is they’ve been decimated by injuries, especially to some of the most talented outside backs in the world (Tomkins will be back from a knee injury). They’ve got plenty to prove but plenty of excuses too. Their match in weekend four against Wales could well decide the victor. Why back them? You live in London, so clearly like something about the English. They’re playing proper rugby now too, using the wide men in what is often entertaining and not just kick-fests. Also, bacon butties, Shakespeare, the Royals and ability to solve problems with either dry wit, a cup of tea or a pint.

Breakdown Ireland face the extremely likeable Scotland side in their opener with Aussie Johnson still the ‘interim’ coach and doing wonders with an inexperienced outfit. They’ve had a number of recent narrow losses, most notably against Australia when they went down 21-15 in the recent autumn tests. They got toweled up by South Africa though, 28-0, showing the class divide. Scotland haven’t won any of the Nations incarnations since its last year as Five in 1999. They won’t win this year either, but they’ll be a major hassle and, if Laidlaw’s kicking boots are on, they could cause an upset or two. Why back them? Absolute underdogs punching above their weight, with mostly youngsters under the direction of an excellent Aussie mentor. Also, Billy Connolly, for sticking with haggis despite its limited appeal to most, Glasgow and Edinburgh and how much they hate each other, whisky, the Highlands and the most trusted accent in the UK, apparently.

FRANCE

IRELAND

Coach: Phillipe SaintAndre (France) Captain: Thierry Dusautoir (flanker, Harlequins) Superstar: Frederic Michalak (scrum or fly-half)

Thierry Dusautoir

Breakdown This year’s tournament is made for the French, who tend to do well in the years the England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland sides’ best players go and bash themselves up on a tour of a southern hemisphere super power. France are hugely unpredictable, and tend to play better at home, but anyone who backs them is a true gambler. While having no real stand outs, other than a pack that likes to beat up on opponents occasionally, the muchmaligned Michalak tends to be involved when something big happens. They got three dust ups from the All Blacks in June, and lost to South Africa, but after coming a shock last in 2013, surely the World Cup finalists won’t let that happen again. Why back them? No one would expect it, ’cause they couldn’t care less if you did or not, also wine, Les Miserables (before Jackman and Crowe buggered it up), any cooking technique that’s a bit clever, they’re not England, French kissing and fashion.

Coach: Joe Schmidt (New Zealand) Captain: Paul O’Connell (lock, Munster) Superstar: Jonathan Sexton (fly-half, Racing Metro)

Jonathan Sexton

Breakdown Kiwi coach Joe Schmidt goes into his first Six Nations with mixed form in his three autumn tests – on the whole, the performance of his unfancied troop was encouraging. Most impressive was their devastating 24-22 defeat to New Zealand – the world’s best side stung them with the final play of the match. In last year’s championship they started with a bang, beating the eventual winners in Cardiff with a first half ambush. But they didn’t go on with it. As with every tournament featuring the legendary Brian O’Driscoll, there’ll be talk of it being the Lions centre’s last, but this team has bigger honours on the agenda. Why back them? Guinness, cheese and onion crisps, whiskey, Swift, Joyce, Wilde, Shaw and the fact rugby’s the only sport in which the two Ireland’s who are supposed to hate each other actually play together.

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Happy chappies: Wales celebrate their victory at last year’s Six Nations

SIX NATIONS FIXTURES Saturday Feb 1 Wales v Italy, 2.30pm France v England, 5pm Sunday Feb 2 Ireland v Scotland, 3pm

Sergio Parisse

ITALY

Coach: Jacques Brunel (France) Captain: Sergio Parisse (number 8, Stade Francais) Superstar: Leonardo Ghiraldini (hooker, Trevisi) Breakdown The only country never to have won the Five or Six Nations was a surprise packet last year, finishing

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fourth ahead of Ireland and France but in rather dour fashion. They’ve copped some serious batterings of late, especially from the southern sides such as South Africa in a three-match series. Australia, who’ve mostly been struggling or scraping by the northern sides, spanked the Italians 50-20. They also pipped Fiji 37-31 in a game where the Pacific Islanders broke the record

for sin-binned players with five given a 10-minute rest. They were also beaten in a tight one by Argentina 14-19. But the smooth devils are ever-improving, and in the last Six Nations shocked all with wins over France and Ireland that few expected and they pushed England in an 18-10 loss. Stranger things have happened, but maybe not strange enough for the Italians to break their duck this year. Why back them? The Pope said he’s into them, pasta, wine, Luke McLean (their fly-half of 50 caps is from Townsville), coffee, ego trips for girls in the street, old things, art, Galileo, Da Vinci, swearing (it’s a tie with the Scots for this) and being the rank outsiders.

Saturday Feb 8 Ireland v Wales, 2.30pm Scotland v England, 5pm Sunday Feb 9 France v Italy, 3pm Friday Feb 21 Wales v France, 8pm Saturday Feb 22 Italy v Scotland, 1.30pm England v Ireland, 4pm Saturday Mar 8 Ireland v Italy, 2.30pm Scotland v France, 5pm Sunday Mar 9 England v Wales, 3pm Saturday Mar 15 Italy v England, 12.30pm Wales v Scotland, 2.45pm France v Ireland, 5pm

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Up in the air Lydia Lassila is already the comeback queen as she looks to defend her Olympic gold in Sochi WORDS MICHAEL GADD

There is little Lydia Lassila has to prove going into the Sochi Winter Olympics as the reigning gold medalist in freestyle aerials – a competition Australia has punched way above its snowsport weight in recent years. Lassila was the third Australian in as many Winter Games to take top spot in the graceful and acrobatic discipline – Jacqui Cooper won Turin, Italy, in 2006, and Lassila (then Ierodiaconou) was in Salt Lake City, USA, when Alisa Camplin took her historic gold in 2002. For Lassila, the victory in Vancouver 2010 was the culmination of a lifetime’s Olympic dream, and after a horrific run of injuries. She thought it was all she wanted but, with gold around her neck, realised she was wrong. So now Lydia’s back after another lay-off, but this time not after a knee reconstruction – part of the deal for aerials – but after having a son, two-year-old Kai. “All three of [the Aussie gold medalists] have had some terrible injuries, but we all found the motivation to come back. All for different reasons, but we still found the reasons to go again,” says Lassila. “For Alisa, her first win was at the Olympics. So she may have wanted to prove that it wasn’t a lucky fluke, and she went on to dominate. My reason is because I feel I’m getting better. It’s not about medals and dingle dangles; the hardware’s good and an Olympic gold is recognised and something you take to your grave, but for me it’s on a deeper personal level and I’ve been like that since a kid. I’ll do a skill, and I’ll do it a hundred million times until I’ve nailed it, and it’s that buzz that I do it for.” It stands to reason that sliding really fast down a slope to a jump, doing untold tricks at the height of an apartment block and landing on hard snow wouldn’t encourage us average Joes, but we guess that’s why Lassila is the pro. Lassila, speaking to TNT over Skype from the Australia team’s base in Finland ahead of World Cup events in China

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and the US, recalls the moment she knew she’d go around again – the decision to train away from her Melbourne home for up to 10 months of the year in the quest of a series of perfect jumps. “It was quite a strange learning experience after Vancouver,” she says, with a curious giggle. “I’d won a gold medal and thought that’s what I was chasing – I’d wanted it so bad for so long. I thought that would give me satisfaction, but I got the opposite. I realised pretty quickly that wasn’t what I was chasing. I realised it was me trying to beat me

“

I realised gold wasn’t what I was chasing

”

constantly, and that hasn’t really changed, even with so much changing in my life.” Getting knocked down and getting back up is in Lassila’s make-up. As a kid she had Olympic gymnastics ambitions, but was forced to ‘retire’ though injury at 16. Seeking a new outlet, she became part of a programme that has clearly been effective in turning talented gymnasts into queens of flips, twists and flawless landings on the slopes. Her 2002 Olympic appearance was in her rookie year in the sport, and in 2003 Lassila was ranked number two in the world. She calls her then-self reckless and says she worked hard but not smart. She tore her ACL in 2005 and, in the second round of qualifying at Torino, her knee collapsed and she was under the knife again. On her return, she was smarter in her approach and regained that number two spot in 2007-08 and won her first World Cup series the next year.

Emotional: Webber can be excused this desecration of the national flag after his decades’ service to the sport Vancouver was to be Lydia’s games though. A World Record final score of 220.91 points and Advance Australia Fair seemed like destiny. That time has come again in Sochi between February 6 and 23. And again, Lassila’s building up meticulously. “I’ve done it before with a knee operations,” she says of coming back from her break – the second reconstruction was 16 months out. “It’s different but not really. Coming back from that was harder than with a child. I came back after Kai and got into pretty good shape. I needed to have a break after Vancouver, my body needed it. “It was nice to get perspective on life. It gives you more balance when you can attach yourself to study, or business or family, or whatever it is.”

Lassila relishes her work-life balance, running a sporting rehab equipment business from her laptop whether in Zurich, Melbourne or near Helsinki. “Even with Kai, I was really motivated to come back,” she says. “You don’t really know [how you’re going to feel] until you’re there, so I was really excited when that was the case. “Obviously it’s changed: logistics with Kai; being apart from my husband because he’s at home working. We rely a lot on mums and mother-in-laws to help. It’s quite a team effort, but everyone’s been supportive from day one. “The hunger and motivation and desire is really strong. I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t there. If it wasn’t there, I’d have no problem with stepping away. The risks we take, this sport’s too dangerous for that.”

Photos: Getty

A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO GOLD The road to Sochi is an epic one, with intense training and long hours. “It’s a full-time job, even when resting you’re working,” Lassila says. “A lot of my training is five or six months on the water ramp. That’s where you learn the skills to be comfortable to do it on snow. I also do a lot of trampoline training, plyometrics and weights.” She does an hour of yoga a day too. On landing, a wholly unnatural three to four times the jumper’s body weight pulses through their body, so they have to be strong enough to absorb that... multiple times a day. In Finland, before the World Cups, they were doing about 12 jumps a day – a long process with the landing area needing to be made safe after every jump. Then comes the recovery session, as important as the rest. There’s stretching, physio, and Lassila’s least favourite after a day on snow, the ice bath – literally plunging

into a wheelie bin full of iced water. “It’s a daily ritual unfortunately. You’ve just got to do it to get all the lactic acid out after jumping. Anything that could be inflamed, you give it a good zap of ice and it does it good.” The day’s not over though. “At home I’ll do mental training, which is like visualisation, relaxation, whatever the sports psychologist and I are working on. Then it’s bed time and you do it all again.”

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Fireworks light up the sky over London as Big Ben chimes in the New Year

Photos: Getty and supplied

INSIDE

KISS MY GUNS /86

REP IT UP /88

IT PAYS TO PAY OUT /92

Get fit in the New Year with our choice of exercise classes with a difference – from hardcore to weird to fun to sociable.

Fancy clubbing in Tenerife this summer? Oh, and getting paid for it? Become a holiday rep... and start saving for a new liver.

Yes it’s boring, but it’s also essential. Before you go off on your travels, break your phone (again) or get your laptop nicked, get insured!

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Hear your rellies loud and clear over Skype this year. store.apple.com/uk

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FREE NUTRACHECK BARCODE SCANNER PHONE APP Keep an accurate food diary for this year’s diet. Paid-for packages available. nutracheck.co.uk

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Available for Wii, X-Box 360 or as a DVD set for £39.95 game.co.uk

Just hitting a daily step count will help you lose weight. johnlewis.co.uk

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£39.00 LOOK AT YOURSELF IN A NEW LIGHT

Get photographed like this and the money goes to a breast cancer charity. electricalstorm.org

Photos: Supplied

SHAKE YOUR WAY INTO SHAPE IN 2014

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Channel a slightly-less weird Tilda Swinton this winter. missguided.co.uk

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LIFESTYLEHEALTH TREATMENT OF THE MONTH

IYASHI DOME Exercise and a healthy diet are of course integral to getting back into shape in the New Year, but you also need to get rid of all those nasty toxins that are now floating around your body. Food roasted in its own fat, copious amounts of alcohol and selection boxes eaten in one go put you on your body’s naughty list if not Santa’s. My Detox Diet offers bespoke detox plans with juices and treatments available. I tried out the Iyashi Dome treatment, the only one of its kind in England, although apparently its huge in other parts of Europe. To sum it up, I laid down in a pod in paper knickers, with just my head sticking out the top, while infra-red rays penetrated my skin and made me sweat like a pig, to be frank. The idea is that your toxins escape out of your body in your sweat and you are left with a cleansed system. Plus the 30-45-minute treatment is said to burn up to 600 calories and is the equivalent to a 20km run. I certainly sweated enough to verify that. You need a number of sessions to notice a physical difference (firmer skin, less wobble), but one is a good way to start your health kick off with a clean slate. CG Cost: £35 or £165 for five, £300 for 10 Where: 20 College Approach, Greenwich, SE10 9HY Transport: Cutty Sark DLR

Wave goodbye to mince pies and say hello to thin thighs with these post-festive fitness classes The average person eats 26 mince pies at Christmas time. ‘I’m not average,’ we hear you say, but don’t kid yourself. Even if you weren’t chowing down on mince pies, chances are you’ve been gorging yourself on festive food with the rest of us. It’s just what you do in December. But not in January. January is the time for cleansing the soul, ridding yourself of Christmas party regrets and shifting those holiday pounds. Many of us also include ‘meet new people’, ‘try something new’ and ‘look ridiculously hot’ in our New Year’s resolutions, so why not combine your goals? Here are our top class suggestions for 2014...

Join a sports team Dodgeball: You can’t go wrong with a game that consists of throwing giant balls at your opponents. You also can’t go wrong with a game where short shorts, an ’80s ‘tash and a white headband is the norm. Gomammoth. co.uk run a city-wide dodgeball league

with teams based all over London. Seasons last 8-12 weeks and you can sign up as a group or as an individual. They also organise legendary costume weeks, after-parties and beer pong. Sorry, did we say exercise? Details: Dodgeball individual entry for eight weeks, £45. Team entry, £450-£495.

Get yourself some serious guns Military fitness: Nothing says ‘fitness’ like a beefed-up drill sergeant barking commands at you as you buckle at the knee and barf up a lung. But pain is beauty and there’s no better way for getting in shape stat. British Military Fit (britmilfit.com) runs outdoor classes at all the main parks in London (we know it’s cold but stop whining, this isn’t for wimps). Army personnel will give you a run for your money (literally) with a whole body workout that will “improve your speed, agility, strength and stamina”. Basically you’re gonna get big. Details: £45 a month for four classes, £58 for

Kiss my guns: Get big with military fitness

Cram it in your cramhole: Make friends (and enemies) at dodgeball

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Burn off that holiday chub

mydetoxdiet.co.uk

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LIFESTYLEBEAUTY LIFESTYLEHEALTH GET FRESH

Soothe those kissed-out lips... with this moisturising balm. £3.99 wedderspoon.co.uk

Do some DIY pampering... with this Moroccan spa kit. £25 esofmo.com one month of unlimited classes. Classes meet most days.

Words: Rachael Getzels. Photos: Thinkstock and Facebook

Learn a sexy skill Pole dancing: Pole dancing exercise classes have taken the city by the storm. And with instructors with names such as Jenyne Butterfly (US Pole Dance Federation Champion 2010) and Nico Modestine (Mr Pole Fitness UK 2012) what’s not to love? You can burn up to 400 calories an hour and it’s really good for your thighs, bum and tum. You’ll also be learning sexy moves like the “showpony” so if you want to improve your pins and posture roll on up. Warning: prepare for friction burns in delicate places. Ouch. Details: Laphq.co.uk has beginner, intermediate, and expert classes. Its biggest studio is in Old Street but it also holds workshops at 14 other venues across London. Classes cost £99 for a period of six weeks.

Try something different Kangoo jumping: It might sound a little crazy but jumping up and down like a kangaroo supposedly burns twice as many calories as running. Wearing egg-shaped springy shoes known as ‘Kangoos’, you will bounce

your way to spring-thin. The cardiovascular workout lasts for 45 minutes and is set to a mixture of Kylie Minogue, Timberlake and funky house. Lets face it people, have you ever seen a fat kangaroo? Details: Gymbox (gymbox.com) has gyms all over central London. For access to classes you must become a member, which costs £58 per month.

Pull on the dance floor Street dance: Bust a groove this January by joining a fitness dance class. Not only will you get fit, but you can show off your moves come the weekend club night. Gymbox offers Ragga Dancing with the tag, “burn dem calories”. Enough said. If you’re looking for something a bit more specialised on the moves front, you could check out the classes at Pineapple Studios (pineapple.uk.com). As well as street dance/hip hop, they’re also hot on tap, ballet and contemporary dance. Details: Joining Gymbox for £58 a month allows you to take any of its classes. Pineapple Studios costs £2 for the day, or £4 for the evening, plus the individual class fee paid to the teacher (£7-8). A month’s membership at Pineapple is £28.

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Hands up if you’ve got it made: Party like you’re getting paid for it – ‘cause you are

Rep-roaring drunk Get paid to hang out on the beach, get wasted, and live in a resort this summer with a job as a holiday rep... If you go by what you see on TV, you’d think being a holiday rep involves getting paid to get laid, go out partying and drink gallon-sized rum tikis with vacationers. Well, we’re here to tell you that you’re not wrong. In reality of course, there is also work to be done – but being paid to spend a summer in the sun making sure people on holiday are enjoying themselves doesn’t exactly sound like the pits. The repping season lasts from April to October and most resorts require that you apply a few months before. So if bronzing your bod while chilling on the beach all in the name of work sounds appealing, get applying.

What you have to do A holiday rep’s job is to ensure that everything runs smoothly for 88

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vacationers who have paid for a packaged trip in a resort. The first port of call will be meeting groups at the airport and showing them around the hotel. From there you will help organise and lead activities – think foam parties, pub crawls and boat trips. It will also be your job to deal with any problems such as conflicts between vacationers, passport issues and hospital trips. Sadly, there is a small amount of paperwork, but this consists mainly of logging activities or reporting any issues among your merry band of lobsters (you know what Brits abroad are like – they’ll be burnt to a crisp within minutes). Most of your time, however, will be spent drumming up enthusiasm (and money) for big nights out and beach trips and then joining your group when the wet and wild

antics begin (we’re talking the about swimming in the sea and drinking here so don’t get any ideas).

Pay and benefits Let’s get down to the nitty gritty: yes, you will be paid for this work. No, it isn’t a huge amount. Most firsttime holiday reps can expect to make about £450-500 per month. But the perks abound. Benefits vary between employees but they typically include free flights, accommodation and a food allowance as well as a bar discount. Some resorts let you use company cars on your days off and, of course, all activities with your group and use of all hotel facilities are free.

How much you have to work Most holiday rep jobs last from a

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LIFESTYLECAREERS ON THE JOB Deepak Tailor CAREER Manager at LatestFreeStuff. co.uk AGE 25 LIVES Stratford, London FROM London How did you get into your line of work? I had been using freebie sites for four or five years, then I thought it would be a brilliant idea to set up my own. I used all my savings to set up the site. What do you do day-to-day? I research and find the best freebies of the day and talk to journalists and marketing directors about new free sample campaigns.

Whatever it takes: you’ll be responsible for making sure that your group is having a good time...

Photos: supplied. Words: Rachael Getzels

month to the whole season, and we’ll be honest, hours can be tough. Spending the day with your group really does mean just that – you might be working for 12 hours at a time, six days a week. But that still leaves 100 hours for partying, sleeping it off and sunbathing on your own time.

LET THE JOB HUNT COMMENCE! – Careerintravel.co.uk handily lists holiday rep openings in all the major tour companies. – For a fee, middle-man companies such as Air-pro.co.uk and Playawayabroad.com will set you up with accommodation at resort towns in Spain and Greece for a month while they help you look for a repping job.

be judged on that sparkling personality of yours. If you want to work as a kid’s holiday rep you will need an NNEB or NVQ or equivalent.

Where to go

Resort towns in Spain and Greece see the most amount of packaged holiday action. Tenerife, Gran Who are ya? Canaria, Benidorm, Lanzarote, Marbella, You need to have a buttMagaluf, Ayia Napa, – You can also go through load of energy, as well Malia and Zante all recruiters such as totaljobs.com, as be outgoing, friendly, party hard and have or try club18-30.com, Thomas and also responsible. Cook’s programme that caters to lots of repping jobs You also have to have on offer each year. the young party crowd. great people skills and Ibiza may sound like a lot of patience. Drunk a good option but holidaymakers and flight actually less people go to the island on delays can get ugly. packaged holidays so it can be harder You got the skills? to get a job. Spainmadesimple.com gives you a run down of different areas You don’t need special qualifications and also has some info about repping to be a holiday rep but a degree in in general. Visitgreece.gr will also help tourism or hospitality does help you you get oriented. stand out. However, you will mainly

What’s the most rewarding part of the job? Watching all the pictures and videos that people share about their freebie collections on our Facebook page! It really makes me happy that people get something for nothing! And the most challenging? Waking up at 7am to start finding the freebies! LatestFreeStuff.co.uk

HOW TO...EAT LUNCH

AT YOUR DESK

Nowadays, most of us don’t have time to leave the office for lunch, but here’s how to make the experience more enjoyable for yourself – and others.

• Turn off your phone and email:

You may not have the luxury of a whole hour out but you can at least take a short break.

• Time your meal: If you eat

when everyone else does, there’s time for a quick gossip and you won’t be disruptive.

• Avoid pungent food: Pretty self explanatory. You don’t want to be ‘that guy...’. Sorry, no sardines today mate.

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KARATE INSTRUCTOR PART TIME. £35 per teaching hour, up to 12 hours per week. Variable hours from 4pm daily. Location; South and West London.

OF LONDON

SaleS Manager

An excellent opportunity for a London based Sales Manager to join one of England’s leading fireplace companies. This role will require you to have a confident sales approach, excellent telephone manner and customer service skills. You must be a quick learner with the ambition to perform above expectations and be well presented at all times. Salary: £22,000 per annum (Depending on experience) + commission

Applicants must be; Able to pass an enhanced CRB check. Qualified instructor with a traditional karate style. Available for a minimum of 12 months.

The successful applicant will need to meet the following criteria: • Proven sales experience. • Business account management. • Ability to work as an effective team member. • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. • Effective time management skills • Sound knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel.

Initial contact for interview by email to LSKA18@hotmail.com

You must have full eligibility to work in the UK and will be subject to providing references. To apply please email jkennedy@acquisitions.co.uk attaching your CV and covering Letter. Tel: 020 7482 2949

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.

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AVM Impact, the UK’s leading provider of audio visual, video conferencing and collaborative technologies is recruiting for top talent. We offer very competitive salaries. Immediate vacancies include Project Managers, AV Engineers, Commissioning Engineers, Designers and Pre Sales Engineers. If you are looking to work for a fast growing technology company and have IT, telecoms or electrical experience, please send your CV to jobs@avmimpact.com

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CASH-SAVING TIPS

HOW YOU SPEND IT! HUGH MACPHERSON, 25

BUFF BODY BOUND We know gym offers will be thrown at you from every direction in January, but we think this one is extra good – £19.99 a month at PureGym with no fixed contract and 24-hour access, seven days a week to its facilities (absolutely no excuses then). PureGym has six locations around London and it offers free classes. Puregym.com

Photos: supplied and Getty

SAY NO TO TAT Get in good with the ‘rents, by (not) splashing out at Harrods during its legendary January sale. With 60% off its iconic, luxury tourist souvenirs, you’ll look like you’ve gone all out when you step off the plane. A big relief seeing as you thought the best you could do was a packet of Walkers crisps. SIGHTSEEING GALORE After a sedentary Christmas it’s time to explore London again. We know the sights aren’t cheap, but with presentation of a Virgin train ticket you can get 2for1 entrance at some of the main attractions, including Tate Britain, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. See virgintrains. co.uk/2for1/ for more info.

JOB Sustainability consultant FROM Dorset LIVES Holloway, London How do you budget? I used to make a chart with how much I spend each month but it didn’t make me save more. So now I play the ATM game – look away when your balance comes up and hope it all works out. Do you have any tips for saving money in London? I try to cook so I don’t spend money on takeaways. So I would say have a well-

stocked spice cupboard so you can turn any horse meat into something edible. Last big blow-out? I went on two back-to-back holidays this year, which was pricey. I bought a bamboo steamer recently but I’ve always wanted one. If I’ve got £20 spare I might spend it on a nice whisky. What non-essential items do you spend money on? I’d say cigarettes but a pack can last me a week. I don’t think I could do without my Spotify Premium account which is 10 quid a month.

HOW THEY SPEND IT! Kim Kar-cashing-in

When Kim auctioned her clothes to raise money for victims of the Philippine typhoon we thought she’d had a turn for the better. But then it was reported that only 10% went to the cause while she pocketed the rest. Nice, Kim.

We hope Kim thinks long and hard about what she’s done

❚ We think there’s a match made in heaven (or hell) for Kim and Wyclef Jean who set up a charity for Haiti earthquake victims, and was accused of spending the donations on himself – private jets included.

❚ Demi Moore also has an

❚ It’s not just Kim who’s

❚ We fault celebs for looking

cashing in – her ex-hubby Kris put her £1.2million engagement ring up for auction listed as ‘Lot 49, Property of a Gentleman’.

for some quick cash, but it seems we’re a willing audience. Recently a fan paid £4,000 for a lock of Mick Jagger’s Hair.

axe to grind with her ex Ashton Kutcher, figuring the best way to ‘move on with [her] life’, as it’s been reported, was to auction her engagement ring for a whopping £153,000.

t 020 7240 2403 info@smartteachers.co.uk

smartteachers.co.uk Teach. Travel. Be Smart. Be a Smart Teacher.

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Back it up Insurance can feel like an unnecessary expense but, trust us, you’ll be kissing the insurance man when you drop your phone in your pint... again It’s a sad tale we’ve all lived to tell – the dreaded insurance calamity. You’ve been bouncing around happy as Larry for years, in and out of your house with the door locked shoddily behind you, all over the world on risk-taking adventure holidays, bling in tow. And then bam. Someone nicks your laptop, your diamond-encrusted toothbrush gets stolen from your house, a mate throws your phone in the sea (okay, we’re not sure insurance strictly covers this) and you’re majorly out of pocket. All because you didn’t just listen to what your mum has been saying for years and invest in a dreaded ‘policy’. Even the word is enough to make you shudder. But fear not, we’ll try to kiss away those bad dreams with some longawaited facts that will explain all. There are three main types of insurance that we recommended to cover your arse in case of a disaster – and remember, these do happen, and always when you really can’t afford it...

Contents insurance £35

This is basically the biggie for break-ins – contents insurance covers anything in your house that might get nicked – even if you think you haven’t got anything worth nicking. (Seriously, there have been cases where robbers have stolen dirty hampers of clothes. Who knows what the end goal was here but at least the victims were covered). Contents insurance also includes damage – let’s say a cigarette sends your stuff up in flames or water ruins your rug. Remember, contents insurance is not the

Oops: It’s always a good idea to get travel insurance

same as building insurance – it only covers things that aren’t attached to your house (so, if say a giant tornado rips your roof off, you won’t be in the money). Landlords who rent out property are required to have building insurance so if you’re a tenant it might be worth checking that out. Your contents insurance, however, is up to you – so if you think you’ve got some stuff worth taking or you can’t bear the thought of your dirty laundry going missing, we recommend you take out a policy. Cost: Prices vary depending on how much you want covered and also, we’re afraid to say, your postcode. To get a quote you have to describe your home contents and see what comes back. The price of a policy can be as low as £45 for the year but it really depends on how far you want it to stretch. Where to buy: Websites like money.co.uk and comparethemarket.com compare insurance rates from the many (and there are many) companies that offer coverage. Endsleigh.co.uk comes recommended for students.

Gadget insurance On an average day you’re probably ploughing down the street with your laptop in your backpack, your smartphone in your hand, your iPod in your pocket, and your camera in your bag – that’s more than £2,000-worth of gadgets you’re carrying and if that’s something you do every day, the margin for error is high. Gadget insurance covers your electronics against accidental

LIFESTYLELIVING MY STORY EMILY HEATON 24 Marketing executive

Thieving bastard: It’s happened to the best of us, just make sure you’re protected

FUNNIEST INSURANCE CLAIMS It’s amazing how creative some people can get when attempting to get their insurance cash back...

Photos: Thinkstock. Words: Rachael Getzels

– “A lamp post bumped into my car and hit it in two places.” – “I saw two kangaroos having it off in the middle of the road. So I hit them, which caused me to ejaculate through the sunroof.” (we’re not kidding, this really was filed) – “I was going at about 70 or 80 mph when my girlfriend reached over and grabbed my testicles so I lost control.” (We’re noticing a bit of a theme here.) – “A seagull swooped down and stole my phone from my hand.” – “My boyfriend was cheating on me so I threw my phone at him but I missed and it hit a wall.” damage (cracked screens are big business), theft, water damage (or, more likely, beer), unauthorised usage, sudden breakdown and, for a couple of extra quid, loss. Cost: Gadget insurance can cost as little as £1.50 a month. That’s not half bad considering the chances of breaking your phone at some point. Remember, if you’re travelling abroad you won’t necessarily be covered by standard gadget insurance, so double check your policy and invest if that’s something you do often. Where to buy: Protectmybubble.co.uk offers pretty low insurance rates for gadgets. Mygadgetbuddy.com also have reasonable

rates and they offer good packages if you travel abroad a lot.

Travel insurance This is probably the one you know most about so we’ll keep it brief, but will also say again, it’s really worth it – ask any of your mates. They’ll all either have a story about the time their camera got pinched on a bus in Peru and they didn’t have it insured – which is why there’s no record of them having made it up the Inca trail (sure) – or they’ll tell you about the time an elephant sat on their sunnies and they got them replaced within weeks. So listen up, invest in some travel insurance due to the likelihood of mishaps abroad (which is all part of the fun). Policies generally cover everything from baggage loss, to property theft, to medical expenses. If you plan on doing any adventure activities (like paragliding or water skiing) you’ll need to pay for a higher grade of insurance. Aside from that, it’s important to consider the chances of injury or your stuff getting stolen wherever you’re travelling as this will determine the level of protection you’ll need. Cost: Holiday coverage starts at £8 but this changes depending on location. A month’s backpacker’s insurance hovers at £25 and the rate goes down the longer you’re away. Where to buy: STA Travel are the young traveller’s favourite as they’ll help you tailormake your policy. Outbackerinsurance. com also specialises in backpacking, while sites like gocompare.com will help you to shop around.

“I got my SLR camera stolen when I was on a night bus from Ecuador to Colombia – I was sleeping and my feet were leaning on the bag but still someone managed to knife a hole in it and get away with my camera. Luckily I got it back on insurance but the worst part was losing some of my travelling photos. I’d say the most important thing is remembering to back them up regularly.”

NATHAN WREN, 25 Television researcher

“I lost six phones in one year when I was at uni. Some of them just fell out of my pocket, one got nicked, the other one I left in a taxi. I managed to get them all replaced on insurance, although I did have to pay a fee to file each of the claims – but in the end that probably only came to the price of one phone. I don’t lose as many phones now but I still make sure all gadgets like that are insured.”

SARAH GILL, 27

Tech reporter

“When I was at uni someone climbed through my bedroom window and stole my camera, laptop and iPod. Luckily I was out but it was really upsetting because I lost years’ worth of photos and music. I managed to get the electronic stuff back on insurance but the other stuff is gone forever!”

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