1585

September 2014 Issue 1585 tntmagazine.com

WIN

A HOLIDAY IN A ‘RUDE LODGE!’

IT’S HUMAN NATURE The 90s’ Aussie boy band are back! *swoons with excitement*

“STOP LYING TO THE REST OF WORLD”

BURMA, BABY, BURMA Check out next year’s hottest destination

Aboriginal actor Aaron Pedersen speaks out

E G D E E H T N O E LIV

the f ***er h it w x o b y e ith death, th w e ic d t s ju ’t This lot don

+ WINTER SUN EXPLORE EASTERN EUROPE SWEET SORRENTO CHRISTMAS BREAKS

ISSUE 1585/ 1578/ £1.95

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EDITORIAL Editor Caroline Garnar Online Ian Armitage Contributors Michael Gadd l James Ferron l Vicky Anscombe l Sarah Gibbons l Lucy Davies l Tom Coote EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 0203 011 1066 SALES/MARKETING/EVENTS Sales Manager Jaqui Ward EMAIL jaqui.ward@tntmagazine.com Sales Executive Matt Syder PHONE 0207 9890491 EMAIL matt.syder@tntmagazine.com

FROM THE EDITOR

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 284107 EMAIL lisa.ferron@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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“To live a life without adventure is to live a shitty life” someone once said, probably.

And if they didn’t, then you can quote me on that from now on (I’m sure my name will go down as one of history’s greatest philosophers). It’s certainly a motto the guys over on page 18 live by, as they quite literally risk life and limb in pursuit of a life less ordinary. They’re pretty inspirational, if a little nuts...

We’ve been feeling mighty chatty this month and so we’re chocca with awesome interviews. The screaming teenage girl inside us nearly died when we spoke with two members of 90s’ Aussie boy band, Human Nature (p24), while we had our more serious hat on when we spoke about the mistreatment of Aboriginals with Aaron Pedersen, who stars in new release Mystery Road, which addresses that issue (p16).

We also spoke with Dan Sultan about his new sound and bodily fluids (sweat and tears, mainly, p30). Tina Arena got political with us too, while the brilliant Jermaine Clements and Taika Waititi had us in stitches – but you’re going to have to wait for our October and November issues to read those gems.

As always, travelling the world has been at the forefront of our minds too, particularly with the long, dark nights drawing in. With this in mind we have found the top five winter sun destinations on page 36, and had a quickie trip to Menorca before the season slows (p64). If your mood really is ‘souring’, then as the saying goes, ‘when life gives you lemons, make limencello’ (this is the 18+ version of the saying). And on page 38 one of our lucky writers does exactly this while living like a local on a lemon farm in Sorrento, Italy.

We confess, though, that a tiny part of us is already getting excited about the festive season. Especially when we investigated the Christmas breaks on offer around Europe, with horse-and-carriage rides in the snow, Christmas markets, mulled wine and spiced biscuits, and all the skiing you can handle (p46). Plus there’s the fun and frolics of New Year’s Eve, and we’ve got our eyes on Hogmanay in Edinburgh this year, where the celebrations are guaranteed to be epic (p50).

Tartan for now (sorry, I am kilty of loving a bad pun, somebody loch me up),

caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

We talk to Tina Arena

TNT Travel Show info

Hit the snowy slopes

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 LONDON DIARY 8

24

LONDON NEWS

12

LONDON INSIDER

13

FOOD 14 DRINK 15 CHATROOM: DAN SULTAN

30

TRAVEL TOP 5: WINTER SUN 36 UK TRIP: IRELAND

42

EURO TRIP: CHRISTMAS 40 FESTIVAL: HOGMANAY 50 GUIDE TO: BURMA 54

38

ON THE COVER LIVE ON THE EDGE

24

42

SPORT ROUND-UP 74 RUGBY WORLD CUP 76

Actor Aaron Pederson speaks out

36

LIFESTYLE

Our top 5 destinations to beat the cold

38

Life gives you lemons – make limencello

CHRISTMAS BREAKS

64

LATE DEALS 70

‘STOP LYING TO THE WORLD’ 16

SWEET SORRENTO

WEEKENDER: MENORCA

HOTSHOTS 68

18

The 90’s Aussie boy band are back

WINTER SUN

58

TRAVEL TIPS 66

This lot do more than dice with death

ITS’ HUMAN NATURE

BIG TRIP: EAST EUROPE

SKI RESORT WORK

82

HOME FOR XMAS

84

DESPERATELY SEEKING 90

46

Yep, it’s that time of year again...

BURMA, BABY, BURMA

COMPETITIONS

54

Check out next year’s hottest destination

TIX TO SCOTTSBORO BOYS 29

EXPLORE EAST EUROPE

CYCLE EDGE PASS

35

HOLIDAY AT RUDE LODGE

63

58

Travel a little further for a lot more reward

16

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THIS MONTH’S TOP PICKS CINEMA @ MADAME KIWI FEAST TUSSAUDS SUPPER CLUB Sep 4-5

Sep 6

From the creators of the Rooftop Film Club comes a movie experience under the gaze of an altogether glossier set of stars with four exclusive screenings at Madame Tussauds London.

A taste of Aotearoa hits London’s east end, with a three course meal taking you back to the shores of the Pacific. Get all the Kiwi staples with a twist – quirky canapés, enticing hearty mains and delectable desserts.

£25

Doors open at 6pm (screenings vary) Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LR Baker Street experiencecinema.com

£29

7pm Secret location revealed when ticket is purchased grubclub.com

THIS MONTH’S MUST-DO ITUNES FESTIVAL Sep 1-30 iTunes Festival brings together the biggest names in music for 30 nights. A host of acts have recently been added to the line-up, which takes place at London’s Roundhouse, including Ed Sheeran, Deadmau5 and Jessie J. If you weren’t lucky enough to win tickets, you can still experience it on iTunes or with Apple TV. FREE

iTunes Fest: Jessie YAY

Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8EH

itunesfestival.com

SILENT DISCO AT THE SHARD

AFRICA UTOPIA FESTIVAL

MICHELIN-STARRED LONDON IN THE SKY

MARK LITTLE’S HUMOURMONGERY

Sep 6 & 27

Sep 11-14

Sep 12-21

Sep 14

Silent disco reaches new heights, literally.

Grab a drink at the bar, pick your channel, and choose your side as three DJs battle it out over separate wireless channels, playing the best in pop, rock and party classics, while you dance the night away in the clouds.

Following on from 2012’s sensational first edition, Africa Utopia is back.

The weekend-long festival has free and paid events, celebrating all that’s great about Africa, and will feature some of the continent’s most iconic musicians, artists, activists and entrepreneurs.

An open-air pop-up restaurant suspended 100ft from the ground... cool or what?! Eat the best London has to offer courtesy of chefs from the city’s best restaurants who’ll be creating their signature menus and dining experiences mid-air. Just don’t go if you don’t like heights.

Mark Little, known and loved for his work in Neighbours (you know, Joe Mangel!) is unleashing his inimitable mad-cap comedy nights on ‘The Chook’ in Highbury. The soap star will get on his soap box to work us into a hilarious lather.

10pm-2am 32 London Bridge St, SE1 9SG London Bridge theviewfromtheshard.com

Various times Southbank Centre, SE11 Waterloo southbankcentre.co.uk

From 8.30am daily Canary Wharf, E14 9SB Canary Wharf eventsinthesky.co.uk

£37+

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FREE+

£50+

£11+

7pm The Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar, N1 2NA Highbury & Islington thehenandchickenstheatrebar. co.uk

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No, this isn’t some yoke.

It’s a serious contest

SCOTCH EGG CHALLENGE 2014 Sep 16

The Scotch Egg Challenge is back for its fourth year and set to be more eggs-traordinary than ever. Guffaw!

Chefs from 16 UK venues will fight to have their Scotch egg crowned the best in the country. Who’ll be egg-static at the end of the night?

FREE

7.30pm The Ship, 41 Jew’s Row, Wandsworth, SW18 1TB Clapham Junction theship.co.uk

LONDON FASHION WEEKEND

KYLIE MINOGUE Sep 31-Oct 1

Sep 18-21 Sure she’s at iTunes Festival but she’s also doing shows at the O2. Score.

Go see the super-hot diminutive Aussie songstress in all her ever-smiling, costume-changing, cheesy-pop glory. (Pssst, missed out on tickets for her London show?

Check out livenation.co.uk for the full list of UK tour dates.) £39+

Fashionistas get ready, set... LFW is almost here and it’s brimming with style, darling. It’s your chance to discover the latest trends, find the perfect addition to your wardrobe and enjoy a bit of pampering too, all in the stunning Somerset House.

Photos: Getty & Thinkstock

£20+

From 9am Somerset House, The Strand, WC2R 1LA Temple londonfashionweekend.co.uk

7.30pm Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX North Greenwich theo2.co.uk

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It’s not her funeral, it’s Tarantino’s...

Wotsit all about: Yep, it’s a sweet face

COMEDY NIGHTS

EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE

BRIEFS: THE SECOND COMING ENDS SEP 28 / 7.30PM / £15.50 This Australian acrobatic and somewhat camp extravaganza has a four-week run. For a hint at what’s in store, see pic top right. Aces.

XAVIER MASCARO DEPARTURE SEP 3-OCT 5 / FREE The debut UK solo exhibition of Spanish and Latin American artist Xavier Mascaró, Departure is basically all about boats. If that floats yours then it’s well worth a visit.

KING CHARLES III ENDS NOV 29 / £17.30+ Tim Pigott-Smith’s Charles ascends the throne as the new monarch in Mike Bartlett’s sell-out ‘future history’ play.

London Wonderground Southbank Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX

Waterloo

londonwonderground.co.uk

Saatchi Gallery Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, SW3 4RY Sloane Square saatchigallery.com

Wyndhams Charing Cross Road WC2H 0DA Square

Leicester

delfontmackintosh.co.uk/Tickets/

KingCharlesIII/KingCharlesIII.asp

IT’S YOUR FUNERAL SEP 11 / 8PM-1AM / £10 ADV It’s Your Funeral returns to celebrate the apparent demise of director Quentin Tarantino.

(Cue bright red blood spurting everywhere.)

WOTSIT ALL ABOUT ENDS SEP 11 / FREE Photographs of models covered in everything from Mars bars to Jelly Babies, strawberry laces and marshmallows. Er, yum?

GREAT BRITAIN UNTIL JAN 10 / £15+ Satire on the press, the police and the political establishment.

Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club

Gazelli Art House

Theatre Royal Haymarket

42 Pollard Row, E2 6NB

39 Dover St, W1S 4NN

Bethnal Green

gazelliarthouse.com

itsyourfuneralparty.com

Green Park

Haymarket, SW1Y 4HT Piccadilly

trh.co.uk

LEE HURST’S ‘THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO AAARGGHH!’ SEP 17 / 8.30PM / £10 Comedy featuring A Question of Sport’s Lee Hurst. Part of Spiegeltent at Canary Wharf.

ZIGGY GRUDZINSKAS SEP 19-NOV 8 / FREE Sydney-born artist Ziggy Grundzinskas’ work features in the All That Matters Is What’s Left Behind exhibition.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG ENDS FEB 1 / £20+ Daft, laugh-out-loud comedy following the thwarted attempts of a fictional polytechnic drama society to stage a murder mystery.

Spiegeltent

Ronchini Gallery

Duchess

Canary Wharf, E14

Canary Wharf

canarywharf.com

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22 Dering St, W1S 1AN Oxford Circus

ronchinigallery.com

Catherine Street, WC2B 5LA Garden

Covent

theplaythatgoeswrong.com

Photos: Getty, James Ostrer, Briefs & supplied

Briefs: An Aussie Cirque du Soleil meets Ru Paul

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CLUB NIGHTS

GIGS

X PRESENTS... NOIR, LEFTWING & KODY, LARSE, PATRICK TOPPING AND NICE7 SEP 5 / 11PM-8AM / £10 ADV The summer season may be winding down but X Presents keeps the heat on with another sizzling line up of house and techno.

GOOD TIMES IN THE PARK SEP 13-14 / £65+ (weekend ticket) For the first time this year Norman Jay and his Good Time soundsystem are putting on a two-day festival in Wormwood Scrubs Park. The Cuban Brothers are worth the ticket price alone – plus Groove Armada and Miss Dynamite help.

Egg London

Wormwood Scrubs Park

200 York Way, N7 9AX

Braybrook St, W12 0AP

Caledonian Rd

Willesden Junction

egglondon.net

goodtimesinthepark.com

WATCH THIS

Norman Jay offers good times

TNT’S AFL GRAND FINAL PARTY 2014

St Vincent: aka singer/songwriter Annie Clark WILD LIFE! SEP 5 / 8PM-2AM / FREE BEFORE 9PM Queen of Hoxton’s Friday night party has been going strong for two years, and with Salt’n’Pepa on the playlist, we can see why.

IGGY AZALEA SEP 17 / 7PM / £15+ The Aussie MC is now a worldwide superstar and she’s bringing her risque rhymes to London. Let’s hope she doesn’t fall off the stage this time.

Queen of Hoxton

O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

1-5 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3JX Old St / Liverpool St

queenofhoxton.com

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

CLUB DE FROMAGE AND HOT DUB TIME MACHINE SEP 6 / 10.30PM-3.30 AM / £8 ADV This amazing one-off gig brings two titans of clubland together under one roof for one night of clubbing fun.

AZEALIA BANKS SEP 19 / 7PM / £20 She’s a festival-headlining rap sensation and loves to Tweet. Tickets to see her perform are a steal at £20!

O2 Academy Islington

O2 Brixton Academy

16 Parkfield St, Islington, N1

211 Stockwell Road, SW9 9SL

Angel

Brixton

ClubDeFromage.com

brixton-academy.co.uk

EGG PRESENTS... ROBIN SCHULZ + MORE SEP 12 / 11PM-8AM / £10 ADV First EVER London UK club show from chart topping German DJ and producer sensation, Robin Schulz.

LAURYN HILL SEP 20-21 / 7PM / £42.50 The former Fugee that did time for tax evasion is back out on tour. Expect the unexpected whenever she’s in town.

Egg London

O2 Brixton Academy

200 York Way, N7 9AX

211 Stockwell Road, SW9 9SL

Caledonian Rd

Brixton

egglondon.net

brixton-academy.co.uk

Love Aussie rules? Love TNT? Of course you do. So get yourself down to the Elk Bar to watch Australia’s finest sporting event on the big screen. We are hosting a day of sport, live music, drink specials and flavours from home at everybody’s favourite bar in the heart of Fulham. And in true TNT fashion, there will be a prize giveaway for the best-dressed supporter. All you’ve got to do is come in your full footy kit to be in with a chance of winning a £50 bar tab compliments of Elk Bar. DETAILS Date: Saturday September 27 Doors: open 4.30am (that’s commitment, people) Ticket: £10, includes a FREE VB Beer on arrival plus FREE pie.

Where: Elk Bar, 587 Fulham Road, London SW6 5UA – nearest tube is Fulham Broadway.

Entertainment: Multiple HDTV screens to watch the big game, best dressed competition & live music.

Visit tntmagazine.com for more info

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G’day to the UK Despite the intense sporting rivalry and the strong cultural ties between the UK and Australia, there is one aspect which has a huge deficit – visas and immigration.

But that might be about to change.

More Australians could live and work in the UK under a new visa deal being thrashed out to reverse a “discriminatory” British Government immigration policy.

After Tony Abbott’s visit to London last month, work is reportedly being done on a compromise to counter EU laws that have forced the UK to slash the number of migrants it can take from outside Europe – currently capped at 20,000.

It’s much needed. The decline in the numbers of Australians living in the UK are striking. In 1999, 40,000 Australians lived in the UK, whereas in 2011, only some 26,000 remained.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has publicly branded the current visa system as discriminating against Australians.

Writing in The Telegraph last year, he launched a lengthy and passionate defence of Aussies and their plight proclaiming, “It is time for Britain and Australia to set up a bilateral Free Labour Mobility Zone.”

Johnson added, “We British are more deeply connected with the Australians – culturally and emotionally – than with any other country on earth.”

He then recalled a story about an Australian teacher working in London’s Tower Hamlets named Sally Roycroft 12

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who was told to leave the UK, calling her situation “disgraceful” and that he was “infuriated” with Roycroft’s predicament. “She is Australian, and she has been told to bog off by the authorities in our country because it was, they said, too much of a palaver to go through the business of ‘sponsoring’ her to stay.”

“It would be good for the UK [if] skilled people like Sally would no longer face an absurd discrimination,” Johnson suggested in the column. “It would be good for Australia, where the unspoken reality is that Australians are actually quite keen to encourage more immigration from Britain, and it would be a small but practical way of intensifying British links with the growing economy of Oceania.

“It would be an assertion that we are no longer thinking of ourselves as little Europeans, run by Brussels, but as a country with a truly global perspective.

“I suppose there might be some objection from the EU – but they should be told firmly to stuff it.”

It is believed that a draft is expected to be completed for review by a parliamentary committee by year’s end before it goes to parliament.

TNT has long campaigned for change, highlighting the plight of hardworking Antipodeans who have been forced to put their lives on hold due to ridiculous red tape.

For updates on this story, keep an eye on tntmagazine. com/news/immigration and tntmagazine.com/ukba

Image: Getty

Is it about to be made easier for Aussies to stay in the UK?

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TRYTHIS

LONDONINSIDER

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Pop-up painting I used to love art at school, but it’s something I’ve completely lost touch with as an adult. Not since I was in uniform have I donned a paint-splattered apron, with a palette of acrylic paints, an easel and a clean, white piece of canvas in front of me. But that’s exactly the situation I’m in on a Wednesday night in the heart of London. Although, thankfully, this time I’m not at school, dreading the bell signalling that maths is next. This time I am in The Hilton Trafalgar Hotel bar, with a paint brush in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

I am at a pop-up painting session, now being held monthly at the Hilton Trafalgar, each time with a different theme.

Tonight we are painting a pop-art print of the Queen.

Painters are told they are welcome to just do their own thing – so some paint portraits of their partners, others whatever comes to mind; many paint the Queen, but make her more abstract, with vibrant colours and re-arranged eyes, noses, and mouths. Clearly we had some wannabe Picassos in the room. Most, though, including myself and my date, followed the step-by-step instructions from the artist on how to go about recreating the painting.

As we were in a bar, we had to strain above the noise to hear her, but helpers came around to us individually, telling us what colours to mix and what parts of the painting to do

at each stage. None of us were pros but we all gave it a good go... with varying results. My date’s Queen was going well until she got a bit of a black eye, and my Queen looked like she was the one who had given it to her. Luckily my date and I got along better than our Queens did, and we proudly took our paintings home to remember the night by. Although I haven’t quite brought myself to hang it yet, but I’m sure the back of my cupboard is appreciating it. By Caroline Garnar £29 includes a glass of wine, painting materials and you can take your artwork home. popuppainting.com; thetrafalgar.com

MYLONDON When I want to chill out I...

London has some beautiful green spaces, so weather permitting, I’d head to Hyde or Battersea Park to be at one with nature (and my iPad). If it’s raining then a café like Timberyard in Covent Garden is perfect.

The most interesting person I’ve met in London is...

I managed to ask Paul Smith a quick question at the launch of his Design Museum exhibition. It’s reassuring that someone with hoarding tendencies has become so successful so it fills me with hope!

My favourite place for a drink is...

The London Cocktail Club near Goodge St is small but perfectly formed.

Its flaming cocktails are something you need to try at least once.

buildings with names like ‘Tamarind Court’; it’s like something straight out of a novel.

My perfect weekend would be...

Brunch at Jackson & Rye, a stroll around Broadway market, dinner at Burger & Lobster, drinks in Brixton and dancing in Peckham. I’d spend Sunday recovering and catching an exhibition at The V&A. There would be no engineering works and the weather would be stuck at 25 degrees!

What I love most about London is...

London is tolerant, forward thinking and my home! I feel so comfortable here, I can wear whatever I want and do most things (within reason). All we need now is consistently decent weather and 24-hour tubes!

Five words that sum up London are...

Diverse, eclectic, grand, random and inspiring. iwantyoutoknow.co.uk

When you’re hungover in London you can’t beat...

I always go for a full English breakfast. I love The Breakfast Club for this.

My favourite spot in London is...

Shad Thames is where my dream apartment would be. I love that there are

KRISTABEL PLUMMER STYLE BLOGGER @ IWANTYOUTOKNOW.CO.UK TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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BITE SIZE TACOS & TEQUILA FOR £2 When life gives you lemons, grab tequila and salt, we say. And at XXXXX Benito’s XxxxxxxxHat you can have tequila, tacos and Sol for only £2 each every Thursday [web] up at The President’s Bar in the Leadenhall spot. The tacos are hand pressed to order by Head Chef XXXXX Felipe Fuentes Cruz and the tequila Xxxxxxxx on offer changes every week. Just remember not to end up on the one [web] tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor – drink responsibly, kids.

XXXXX Xxxxxxxx benitos-hat.com

PAY [web] WHAT YOU LIKE Brick Lane’s Fika is inviting its customers to take charge – all in the name of charity. Running on the third Monday of every month from 5pm-10pm, diners at the Swedish Bar and Kitchen will be invited to pay what they feel their meal was worth, choosing from a special menu of Fika favourites. Fika is fundraising for local charity Headway East London (headwayeastlondon.org), which supports survivors of brain injury across London. fikalondon.com

Photos: supplied

EAT LIKE IT’S 1994 Tapas restaurant, El Pirata in Mayfair celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. As a gift to its customers, El Pirata is offering diners the very first menu from 1994, and at the same prices – £12.50 per person for eight tapas with a glass of wine starting from £2 (to put that in perspective a setlunch menu of two tapas and a drink is currently £10.25).

KUROBUTA Japanese Pub and Restaurant THE SCENE Last month we checked out Brew Cafe, which nailed the Australian philosophy of sticking two fingers up to stuffy fine-dining, favouring instead to serve top-notch food up in casual surroundings. And we’ve found another one.

This time it comes in the form of Kurobuta, a Japanese joint with Aussies at the helm, including ex-Nobu chef Scott Hallsworth. A well-loved spot on King’s Road since October last year, the new opening on Marble Arch already has bums on every seat, even mid-week. A rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack, huddled tables alongside long sit-up bars, music posters and Aussie waiting staff with a ‘wear whatever you want’ uniform and casual but enthusiastic manner make this place what it is: a success.

THE GRUB It’s Japanese food, but not as we know it. The flavours and ingredients are there but the dishes are distinctly Western. For example the tuna sashimi is served up as a ‘pizza’, although the base is a wonton crisp, while the BBQ pork belly (from the kurobuta pig) is served hot-dog style in steamed buns with peanut soy. We can recommend these, along with the light but crunchy prawn tempura, gooey and sweet grilled miso aubergine and perfectly cooked scallops. Our only complaint?

The chef was a little overzealous with the dressing flavours, so each dish needs a bit of a ‘scrape-off’ before you can really enjoy the more delicate tastes on offer.

BEHIND THE BAR The cocktails rock. The signature Green Bastard is a refreshing and light gin, cucumber and mint concoction, while the bar manager used to work at the bar where the Espresso Martini originated – reportedly when Naomi Campbell demanded something that would “pick her up and fuck her up” – so these are appropriately kick-ass. A good selection of wines and smooth Japanese rice beers are also on offer.

BILL PLEASE Served tapas-style, for six dishes between two you’re looking at £65 for food only.

VERDICT We’re total suckers for top food served up in an informal and buzzing atmosphere, even if it does make this place feel a little overpriced. Caroline Garnar

elpirata.co.uk 17-20 Kendal Street, Marble Arch, W2 2AW

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Marble Arch

kurobuta-london.com

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how You spEnd iT

cash saVers BYOC Cocktail bar – with a difference

Dreams come brew keiSha herBert, 24 We all know that JoB Market researcher BYOC sure as hell isn’t the first Prohibition-themed bar in London, but pounding headache from FroM Leeds ittoo is arguably one ofbubbly the most authentic. Hidden in the basement of an innocentmuch cheap LiveS Bethnal Green looking fresh juice bar, BYOC doesn’t actually stock any alcohol.

Instead, you the night before. Well smuggle your home-brewed but this year your dream of liqueur (well, ours was brewed by Sipsmith, How do you budget? who’s asking) down the steep steps and take a pew in the tiny, candle-lit space. expenses and waking up hangover-free After monthly can your become a reality with adding bit to my savings, Place bottle of booze on the table and the waistcoated mixologist willacome a stellar bottle your preferences and allergies, the rest isI in tryhis tocapable set myself a weekly to50% youroff table.

After asking of champagne.

Usually amount. It can be hands as he uses fresh juices and slices of fruit from the bar upstairsspending to shake your costing £29.75, Heidsieck difficult when some weeks spirit up into many-a creative concoction. For us, first he muddled our gin with Blue Topand is £15 a pop at with a garnish of pomegranate seeds and are busier than others, but pineapple passion fruit orange Asda. Or you can opt for a I always try to go with the cloves; then with raspberry, strawberry and an egg white foam, and, my favourite, bottle of ‘I heart Prosecco’ cheapest options. gin cooling forwith £9.99 fromcucumber, Budgens,lime, elderflower, mint, lemon and fennel seeds.

You can drinkRhythm as many & cocktails as you can handle in two hours, and Josh, any tips for Tesco.com, Dothen you have the man at the door, will be sure to see you out on the dot.

Well, this is the Booze or Londis. saving money in London?

THE SCENE

Prohibition, we don’t want you getting in trouble now do we?

I try to take my own lunch into work but I don’t always – at BYOC it’s all about the cocktails.

The origins of the manage that. A Taste Card BILL PLEASE £20pp entry fee, and you’re away... well, for two hours anyway. term ‘Boxing are and unique. The two hours goes quickly though, so be VERDICT Intimate,Day’ bespoke undecided, but we all sure to drink your money’s-worth.

CG

Fighting chance THE a GRUB There’s no food served

is really good for getting discounts at restaurants.

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.

how ThEY spEnd iT

Photos: supplied and Getty. Words: Rachael Getzels

know it’s due to the punches that are thrown 28 Bedfordbury, Covent Garden, WC2N 4BJ 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 with the professional outside, 3 OF THEpaps BEST waiting for a star spot.

See lastminute.com

AUTUMN POP-UPS

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Spend it like Beckham

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...

NOM NOM TOM This pop-up bar and bistro is called New Tom’s. Why? Because it’s by hip London restaurateur Tom Conran – and it’s new. It’s here for a year, but only open ThursdaySaturday so catch it while you can as its menu sounds delish. newtoms.co.uk Beckham the big

spender

❚ At least Beckham has earned his ridiculous fortune honestly – his old team, Manchester United, URBAN FOREST are the most valuable sports Zubrówka Vodka is bringing club in the world, clocking an forest’ to in‘enchanted at £1.4 billion. a Peckham rooftop. The Bussey Building the ❚ Nothing can sees get in the way of business forplus J-Lothe andbrand extransformation, husband Anthony.

The has teamedMarc up with Rooftop divorced pair still legendary co-own Film Club to screen the Miami Looks movies.

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Mystery Road is a groundbreaking new film, offering a truthful glimpse into the lives of Australia’s Indigenous people. We talk to its Aboriginal star, Aaron Pederson, in time for its UK release

[Caption] 16

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“We know what alienation is like” Mystery Road is a groundbreaking new film that offers a truthful glimpse into the lives of Australia’s Indigenous people. We talk to its Aboriginal star, Aaron Pederson, in time for its UK release INTERVIEW IAN ARMITAGE

Ivan Sen’s Mystery Road – which some people say is Australia’s answer to No Country for Old Men – is one of the best films I’ve ever seen.

A slow-burning and deeply satisfying modern-day Western set in outback NSW, it follows Aboriginal police officer Jay Swan, who is called back to his rural hometown to investigate the murder of a young girl. The film exposes an evil underbelly, addressing common themes such as local corruption, intimidation of small communities by criminals, and loss of innocence.

But it’s more than that. It has a greater importance, given its depiction of the lives of Indigenous Australians; racial tensions serve as the base of the film.

“It’s a conversation we should be having... [and] it resonates because it is a conversation people want to have,” says Aaron Pedersen, who stars as Swan (you might remember him from TV shows Water Rats or The Secret Life of Us).

Pedersen’s performance is a real corker, as proven by the Best Performance by an Actor he scooped at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The role first came about as he and Sen, who also has Aboriginal roots, crossed paths in 2006. “It was as simple as, ‘I’ve got a project for you’,” says Pedersen, “but it wasn’t until 2012 that I saw a script.”

He immediately felt a connection to the project, Sen, and the message of the film. “Ivan wrote it, and I performed it, because we wanted to have this conversation. We believed it was necessary,” Pedersen says. “I knew we were making something special and I knew Ivan wanted me to be the messenger for it and the voice for it.

“We were making a film for our ancestors; a film that, for Ivan and I, is our section of this country. It is the way we feel about things and the way we were brought up, so I knew we were making something that was genuine and truthful.”

The message is powerful. And yet, ironically, Pedersen’s character says very little.

“I love what wasn’t being said,” he says. “We know what alienation is like, bigotry and not being around the place. We know that and how people react to it, so for us it was about putting all that body language and all that conversation on screen. Because of the cast, which includes people like Ryan Kwanten and Hugo Weaving, we were able to make that

happen and bring it to life. That’s something people love about the film. When people aren’t talking it’s the most dangerous, I think.”

Sen successfully marries themes familiar to fans of Westerns to his vision of an Indigenous film with mainstream appeal.

And Pedersen believes it’s important that Mystery Road has been made, erm, for the road so to speak.

“First and foremost we wanted to make something that our people could connect to and be proud of. But we also wanted to make something for people of the world, because they’re the broader audience and there are a lot of people out there hungry for Indigenous content from Australia.

“I hope it gets a chance to reach a global audience because that is why we made it. We made it for the world to see it and for people to sit down and enjoy. It is a beautiful story and I love the way Ivan approached it. I loved what he asked me to do, that he trusted me and believed in me, and that we were able to say what we wanted to say and not pull any punches, but not apologise either.”

The reactions from audiences so far have been varied and interesting. “It takes on different things to different people,” says Pedersen. “People come out of it feeling like they have been in a conversation with the characters. It says something to them. They don’t feel like the film has been pushed down their throats; Ivan has allowed you to personalise it.”

Even if the film is not commercially successful, Pedersen is proud of its message and hopes it makes a difference in its own way. “A lot of Australian films struggle anyway,” admits Pedersen. “It was good to make a film with a lot of authenticity to it, with strong Indigenous content. It is about Indigenous people, the first people, so we were embarking on something we hope allows the film industry to take the next step up in some ways, whether it be from an Indigenous story perspective or just an Australian story perspective.

“I just think, let’s start telling proper stories, stop romanticising Indigenous Australians and telling lies to the rest of the world. Let’s start being truthful, owning our history and start being mature, you know? If we have such a proud hybrid nation then let’s show the world how proud we are.”

Mystery Road is out in cinemas now TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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LIFEON THE

EDGE Some people just aren’t cut out for the ordinary life. They like to ride the bumpy road at full speed, clinging on by their fingernails – even if their mode of transport is on fire...

COMPILED BY CAROLINE GARNAR

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BIGFEATURE

THE EIGHT-YEAR ROAD-TRIPPER “Maybe I have a different perception of what danger is” Sam Manicom has travelled for much of his life. He’s hitchhiked, travelled by bus, train, bicycle and sail. On his latest journey he set off as a novice motorcyclist, aiming to ride the length of Africa. This planned one-year journey turned into eight years and 200,000 miles around the world.

“We all travel to have adventures, to learn and to find out more about ourselves don’t we?” Sam says when asked why he is drawn to potentially dangerous situations. “Something going wrong is a combination of all of those, and inevitably there’s a quirky or funny side to things.

“Maybe I have a different perception of what danger is. It can be a buzz where every sense in your body is working on full power. Things taste sweeter, smell richer and it’s at times where risk is involved that you find out who you really are.

“I’ve been lucky enough to learn that most fears are not based in reality. Many times I’ve been told such things as, ‘The villagers in the next place are all robbers; they will kill you.’ When I’ve ridden that route, I’ve found that the villagers were amazed that I’ve survived the place I’ve just come from.

“Treat people and situations with due respect and, though things can go wrong, chances are you won’t die. The chances are far greater that you’ll have had a fascinating time.”

Here, Sam shares some of his incredible stories from his eight years on the road...

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19

BIGFEATURE become a prostitute; working so she could earn the fees to continue her schooling. We’d sit on her veranda talking.

I think that she enjoyed the conversations – in part because I didn’t want to take her to bed.

We became friends and it was Kulap that noticed my bike outside my cabin, but no sign of me. She knocked on my door and called out but I was too weak to answer. She came into my cabin and saw the semi-conscious state I was in. Unbeknown to me I had a bad bout of Dengue fever.

She knew exactly what it was and over the next week Kulap nursed me back to health. When I had the strength to make it to a doctor, he told me that she’d saved my life.

When he feared for his life (more than once)...

Not your typical roadside cafe

When he narrowly escaped a serious accident in the Outback...

As I headed up Australia’s Pacific Highway, pale blue flashed in the left of my helmet visor, and then my bike and I were literally flying sideways through the air.

A panel van pulling out of roadside bushes hadn’t seen me, and had hammered into me. Some 300 kilos of bike and luggage landed on top of me in the central reservation of the dual carriageway. My head was trapped right next to the fast lane and I was unable to move. I was stunned and in pain and petrol was spewing out of the bike onto my legs.

Even with the slipstream of the speeding traffic by my head, I knew I’d been lucky. But would my luck last? If the first people to get to me were smoking then I’d be in real trouble.

Thankfully the first people to arrive weren’t smoking – but they were three Australian Hell’s Angels. The first, a large man with heavily tattooed arms, looked as if he had just rolled off the set of a really bad Hollywood biker movie.

He wore filthy jeans, a badged denim waist coat and a German army WWII helmet on his head. His wraparound shades were the darkest I’d ever seen and on his chin he had several days’ stubble, but I wasn’t afraid. How could I be when he had two cow’s horns sticking out from the sides of his helmet? His first words to me were pure Australian.

“G’day mate. How’s it goin’?” Being a Brit, I of course replied, “Not too good, actually.”

Within moments they’d lifted my bike off me and while they roared away in a triple Harley Davidson blast, I stood contemplating my lucky escape. I’d collected scratches on my bike gear and bruises on my body. My bike was another story…

When he fell critically ill in Thailand (and was rescued by a prostitute) I’d stopped for a while to enjoy exploring one of Thailand’s islands. My temporary home was a small bamboo cabin right on the edge of a white sand beach. The sea was turquoise and the palm trees rustled their unique sound every time the breeze joined us. Life was pretty darned good. Then I fell ill.

Within two days I was so weak that I couldn’t get out of bed and was so dehydrated that I was hardly sweating.

A very pretty Thai girl was living in the cabin next to mine.

She was from a poor mountain family, and had recently 20

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I’ve been shot at a couple of times, had a 17-bone fracture accident in the Namib Desert, and my bike caught fire while I was riding it. The worst time was being jailed in Tanzania.

I had an accident and was charged with speeding, driving without due care and attention, and attempt to commit grievous bodily harm. (I’d been travelling very slowly on the busy road into a small town; my senses were firing on all cylinders, and I definitely didn’t ride on purpose at the man who stepped out in front of me.) Being thrown into a jail cell with 20 men is the scariest moment of my life. And when I realised that rape was on one of the guy’s minds…

Thankfully fate didn’t let this situation head any further in this direction. My first book, Into Africa, starts with this story.

The people he’s met...

There were the orphaned children in Tanzania who set up their own business so they didn’t have to beg; the raggedy woman in the deserts of northern Kenya who insisted on sharing her food with me; there was the blond aboriginal man in the Australian Outback. We sat under the stars with him telling me about his family’s history and their lives today.

Australian David, his Filipina wife Emmy and their sevenyear-old daughter Matea are strong candidates for the most interesting people I have met. This family had been travelling the world in their motorcycle side car rig for years. Matea had been born on the road, spoke a series of languages fluently and was as much at home playing with the local kids as she was holding a conversation with adults.

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This is a mere taste of Sam’s adventures. Indeed, he has written four books about his journey: Into Africa, Under Asian Skies, Distant Suns and Tortillas to Totems. You can buy them from Amazon and all good bookshops. sam-manicom.com. For tips on adventure and motorcycle travel from Sam, see tntmagazine.com/travel-tips-roundthe-world-biker-sam-manicom

THE RECORD BREAKER “You only get one shot, so make it count” Going 300kph on an untested, experimental motorcycle could be considered a perfect way to kill yourself. But for Paul Carter, attempting to be the fastest man on a biofuelled motorbike and break the land speed record is just something he has to do. And it’s a bumpy ride.

During his mission, Paul’s father died, which only inspired him more: “The death of my father only solidified my determination not to sit back and get lazy. Life is all about living it, not just knocking your pan out, paying your taxes, entropy and eventual death. You only get one shot, so make it count,” says the UK-born Aussie-raised army brat turned-oil rigger turned-bestselling author.

GETTING SICK ABROAD This is one most of us can relate to. Whether it’s the flu or something more serious, getting sick in a strange country (and, let’s admit it, without your mum around to nurse you) is one of the worst things that can happen while travelling. Here, author, blogger, photographer and seasoned traveller, Macca Sherifi, shares his experience...

THAT TIME I GOT AMOEBIC DYSENTERY

Plagued by cancellations, disastrous thunderstorms, lost keys and broken limbs following a few alcohol-fuelled benders, here he shares some of his close calls while trying to break the world record...

When he decided, “I know, I want to break the land speed record for a biodiesel-powered bike”...

My last book was all about riding a biodiesel motorcycle around Australia , and I was given the Aussie Record for being the first rider to circumnavigate the continent on used cooking oil. So I wanted the record for being the fastest as well.

Bio diesel as derived from used cooking oil, or any other waste oil, may not be sustainable at the pump, but it is viable for public transport, freight logistics, power generation and so much more. In order to get anywhere near the kind of power we needed, the first thing we did was look for a diesel engine that could work in a bike. We settled on 1.9 turbopower plant that came out of a car. By the time we had reached the speed testing stage the bike was four metres long, a metre wide and weighed half a ton. The next problem was finding a place long and flat enough to get it up to speed. We decided on a dry salt lake...

It was evident I wasn’t going to get better with time – this wasn’t one of those things that would just ‘go away’ – so I turned to my doctor; my dad. After explicitly explaining all my symptoms, he deduced I had amoebic dysentery, which meant I had to go on a course of strong amoebic ides to kill off all the amoebas.

Now, buying drugs in India is an absolute dream.

You can get most things – both prescription and nonprescription – over the counter, so picking up a course of amoebic ides wasn’t a problem. What was a problem was my dad neglected to tell me that a side effect was nausea, so I didn’t feel any better even after a few days of taking the drugs.

By this point, the two guys who I was travelling with were pretty bored of waiting around, and after the arduous nature of Bangladesh, we decided to get ourselves to the beach in Goa. This involved a 45-hour 1,400km train journey across the country. With amoebic dysentery. In India. It’s safe to say it was an experience I don’t ever wish to repeat in my life.

Once we arrived in Goa, the amoebic ides eventually kicked in and I started to regain some of my strength. After being on the lowest of lows, all of a sudden I had a surge of energy again, and I was soon on the highest of highs.

Being sick with amoebic dysentery really made me appreciate the good times even more, and I had renewed purpose to enjoy my round-the-world-trip. Still, I wish I had gone to the hospital.

Images: Supplied, Murray Silby, Sam Menicom and Macca Sherifi

I knew I shouldn’t have eaten the fish. It was stone cold, ever so slightly pink on the inside, and yep, you guessed it, it smelled like rotten fish. I knew it was going to make me ill as soon as I looked at it, but I hadn’t eaten a thing in about 12 hours and I was desperate.

I had just arrived in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and it was an extremely long and tiring journey from the border of India. Whenever I arrive in a new city there are always two things on my mind: find accommodation first, and then find food.

However, what I didn’t know was most hotels in Bangladesh don’t have permits to allow foreigners to stay there, so my first impressions of the city was being turned away from hotel after hotel (this is why it’s always a good idea to book your first nights’ accommodation in a new country).

Anyway, after eventually finding a hotel to take me in (it involved a little incentive in the form of extra money), dinner was pushed back. This meant I was left over with the one thing no one else wanted – the rotten fish.

The next day it hit me like an absolute steam train, and without going into the gory details I couldn’t keep anything down for about two weeks. The only thing my stomach could really handle was naan bread (I still maintain to this day that Bangladesh has the best naan bread in the world).

ONTHEEDGE

Having learnt his lesson the hard way, for Macca’s tips on keeping healthy while travelling, see tntmagazine.com/ how-to-stay-healthy-on-your-travels. Macca’s e-book, Your Round the World Trip Planner: How to Plan the Trip of a Lifetime, is available to download for free at amazon.co.uk

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

21

BIGFEATURE When he broke his back – in the queue for the record attempt....

My bike fell on me while I was standing next to it, waiting to attempt the world record. That’s half a ton. It broke my back and it took me ages to recover. I’m all good now. Got my core strength back, no invasive surgery, just lots of pilates.

Imagine me and several heavily pregnant ladies contacting various parts of our bodies for half an hour.

When he discovered the wonders of riding through Tasmania...

You can depart from the East coast of Tasmania and ride all the way to the West coast in a day. You will in one day experience balmy sun and blizzards, and then almost rainforest levels of humidity. There are spectacular vistas and stellar riding conditions: especially the switchback hairpins, of which there are hundreds, snaking up one side and down the other of yet another jaw-dropping mountain in to rolling open fields with slow, sweeping turns that skirt the ocean.

Every place offers wonderful food and warm hospitality.

When he starred in the adventure series ‘Life on the Edge’...

Probably the craziest situation I found myself in was when I was in a ‘tinny’, or very small aluminium boat, with a camera man, sound recordist and director, two miles off a very remote part of the Australian coast with a dead outboard, no floatation devices of any kind and a monster wave about to swamp us. Oh yes, and all this is playing out in the middle of a place called ‘Shark Bay’.

Paul Carter

When he had to ride a four-metre long, one-metre wide bike across a dry salt lake...

I thought with all that size and weight, running fast on a dry salt lake would be as easy as slipping into a warm bath full of cheerleaders, but I was very wrong. It was really difficult.

There was a 20mph crosswind that literally shunted the bike all the way across the 10-metre-wide track no matter how hard and far I leaned over trying to correct my line.

The salt was like a bizarre combination of hard sand and compressed snow; it cracks like crazy paving and after you pass the ‘Dirty Two’ 200mph it’s like flying over a giant belt sander.

When Mother Nature conspired against him....

So much planning, logistics, time and money was wasted twice over. We were ready to race, we had done all the testing, ironed out all the quirks in months of shakedown runs and the whole event had to be cancelled because Mother Nature decided to turn the dry salt lake back into a wet lake the day before kick off. I was like a coiled spring; I had to learn the art of patience.

When he was attacked by eagles...

While I was testing out the bike, two eagles decided that would be a great time to fly at head height across the track and they nearly knocked me off – it was close.

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What he’s learnt...

Don’t take anything for granted, nothing lasts forever.

Family is more important than anything so cherish it, and try to avoid the clap.

Paul’s book following his world record attempt, Ride Like Hell And You’ll Get There, is available now on amazon. com. pcarter.com.au

THE WAR ZONE TOURIST “I was able to leave, but many people that are caught up in it cannot escape” Murray Silby is a freelance journalist and blogger. He took an intrepid trip to Israel during August, despite it being embroiled in turmoil. He claims not to be an ‘Indiana Jones’ traveller of conflict zones, but admits, “Fortunately most of the chances I’ve taken have turned out really well. Such occasions could easily go the other way, but taking chances often brings great experiences too.”

Despite being warned not to go to Israel at this time, after further research and a long search to find a travel insurance company that would cover any incident arising from the conflict, Murray decided to take his chances and ‘holiday in a war zone’.

When he decided to visit Israel at a time of conflict...

My trip to Israel was a chance to see the country and the occupied West Bank in a period of duress and to try to

ONTHEEDGE understand it better. I’ve grown up watching the Middle East conflict on the news many nights of my life and now, as a journalist, this holiday gave me the opportunity, under relatively safe circumstances, to experience it.

I’m mindful that I was able to leave, but many people that are caught up in it cannot escape. That’s the tricky part.

Going to a place to understand it, learn from it and engage with its people, but without treating it like a zoo… ensuring that it’s not something to wonder at and then move on leaving the exhibition behind.

Every traveller must decide what they do with the knowledge, insights and experiences they’ve gained, knowing at the same time the people who have hosted them stay behind and could face a tough and uncertain reality.

When there were people being killed less than 60km away...

Everyday life seemed to be progressing as normal, despite people being killed in their hundreds little more than 60km away from Jerusalem where I spent most of my time.

It struck me as a little bit weird that life in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv seemed to be ticking along, seemingly normally.

This could be interpreted, I guess, as stoic people determined not to have their lives disrupted by the conflict; people so used to these circumstances that they are capable of living life relatively unchanged, but still affected by it; or people who were mostly unaffected by the killing of hundreds of people nearby, whether they believed that it was justified or not. Most likely it’s a little bit of everything.

More signs of a response from the people came later in my stay as an increasing number of Israeli soldiers were killed. Then people were more vocal about the support for the defence forces. The Palestinian shopkeepers in East Jerusalem would happily tell you of their anguish at the events in Gaza if you stopped to have a conversation with them.

Intrepid journalist Murray Silby

When there were nearby explosions...

I was delayed for two days in Tel Aviv after rockets started landing near the airport and flights were cancelled. Also, while I was stranded in Tel Aviv, the streets emptied when an air siren sounded. A few seconds later there were a couple of explosions in the sky above. I’m told that was the Iron Dome “taking care” of a rocket.

Prayer time in Israel You have been warned

When he spoke to tour operators about how the conflict affected them...

Apart from one tour I took where it was their policy to discuss the history of conflict in the Middle East and Israel in particular, there seemed almost a determination not to speak about it unless asked about the conflict. Some reacted cautiously, unsure of your stance, while others openly gave their opinion. Those were the people who were usually strongly in favour of the Israeli operation.

You can read Murray’s blog at themouflonproject. wordpress.com where he shares his entertaining journey and everyday trials of adjusting from life as an independent journalist living in Melbourne to being a househusband and father in Cyprus.

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

23

Our favourite 90s’ boy band are performing in London in November – *squeal!* We chat to Andrew and Toby from Human Nature about crazy fans, Michael Jackson, and still performing 25 years on...

INTERVIEW VICKY ANSCOMBE 24

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Pop superstars Human Nature are known as the Aussie Take That, and with a quadruple-platinum debut album, fans who attempt to marry photos of them (more on that later) and five years of sell-out shows in Vegas, it’s no surprise.

The quartet celebrate their 25th anniversary this year, and they’re arriving in London in November when Smokey Robinson Presents Human Nature: The Motown Show comes to the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith.

We caught up with band members Andrew Tierney and Toby Allen to find out how Vegas is treating them, what’s next for the band – and if Back to the Future has ever influenced any of their song choices…

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Back to Nature

Someone tell Phil the camera’s behind him: (L-R) Phil, Andrew Michael and Toby

How is the show in Vegas going? Are audiences loving it?

A: Oh yeah, we reckon our audiences are having a great time!

We’ve been in Vegas for five years and we performed our 1,000th show earlier on this year. We’ve just finished a little run on the East Coast too; the crowd was just fantastic.

You’ve been living in Vegas for a long time; is it hard to avoid getting drawn into a party lifestyle?

A: You could really lose yourself here if you wanted to; whatever you want, you can get. It’s pretty full on for us, as we’re performing five times a week, so we have fairly normal lives. We choose to spread out our partying throughout the year as we take our career seriously.

Performing five times a week must be brilliant, but really tiring, right?

T: We’ve got a thing that we call Dr Stage; no matter how tired you are, when you’re about to go on, you suddenly get a massive energy rush. It’s so exciting.

We’re intrigued about Human Nature Day, which takes place in Vegas on May 11. Tell us more…

T: (Laughs) Well, it was a thing for the one year that it happened! I don’t think everyone stops work for it! It was very cool; we’ve actually got a certificate that the mayor at the time gave to us. It hasn’t stuck as an annual thing yet; we might leave that to people like Martin Luther King!

You’ve been performing together since 1989. Has it been hard work?

A: We’ve had a great time. I wouldn’t say that anything comes easily as we take it very seriously; we’ve always worked hard.

We’re doing what we did as kids back in high school, and we feel pretty blessed to be able to do that. I guess the highest point is the fact that we’re doing this all these years later!

What do you think is the secret of your success – how have you kept everything going for so long?

T: We were all friends before we started singing together; we started performing together at school. It was a huge benefit to know the guys as friends before we started working together.

Do you ever get a bit tetchy with each other, or is it always plain sailing?

A: There are always some moments where people need to take a bit of time; we all work really hard, and put 100% into the band, but when we sit down and have creative conversations, that’s when things can get a bit passionate – it can get a bit heated! The only reason we fight is because we care enough to give a shit. We never fight personally, it’s just about the music, so that’s great.

So it’s all quite easygoing?

T: We’ve never taken anything for granted, and we’ve worked really hard to get to where we are, so that keeps us levelheaded. We’re Aussies; we’re pretty laid-back people! I think one of us would say something to another person in the group if we felt that egos were getting in the way.

You started off as a doo-wop group and you moved into pop in the 90s; now you’re focusing on Motown.

What’s your favourite era?

A: They’ve all had their pluses. When we started out, we TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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CELEBINTERVIEW

didn’t know what we were going to do; we just did it for fun.

When we went through the pop phase, a lot of people would compare us to other boy bands, but when we switched to Motown, it brought people back to realising how we started.

Every era’s had good parts.

When you had just started out, you sang ‘Earth Angel’ at a talent competition. Was that inspired by Back to the Future, perchance?

A: Yes, it was! (Laughs.) How did you find that out? It was a combination of that and another film that came out at the time called ‘Peggy Sue Got Married’. We heard ‘Earth Angel’ and decided to create our own Back to the Future moment.

You’re known as the Take That of Australia, and you’ve even had a songwriting session with the one and only Gary Barlow. Do you mind the label?

T: Oh no! They’re amazing. It’s definitely a compliment.

You have a back catalogue of hundreds of songs – what’s your favourite, and why?

T: That’s such a hard question. There have been lots. There’s a song we do at the moment called ‘Reach Out, I’ll Be There’ which is so anthemic. We normally finish our show with it as it’s a real highlight. That’s one of the most enjoyable songs to sing – at least for now!

Obviously, you’re massive in Australia; do you have any crazy fans? Have there ever been any hairy moments?

A: There’s always stuff that makes you go ‘wow’; some people have come to see our show in Vegas more than 90 times!

The weirdest thing to happen to me went on during our pop phase; a girl asked her dad to marry her to a photo of me on a stick. Her whole family did this wedding ceremony. It was fun, but a little bit crazy.

Do you miss living in Australia?

T: We get to go back twice a year, but unfortunately the trips are often very short. Vegas is a weird beast; you can’t leave it for too long as you build up momentum by being there. The ticket vendors know you’re about, and if you leave for too long, you have to work twice as hard to build up interest again.

Here comes the obligatory Michael Jackson question: you toured with him in 1996 and 1997 during the HIStory tour. What was that like?

A: It was incredible. The further we get away from it, the more 26

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surreal it seems. We were in our early twenties and we got to tour the UK, Europe and Australia with him. We met him once – it was very short – and he said that he saw us every time we went on, that he loved our music, and thanked us for coming on the tour. That was our Michael Jackson moment.

During the same period, you were also supporting Celine Dion on her Falling Into You tour. Give us some goss!

A: She’s lovely! Very humble, and when it was my birthday, she sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. All these years later, we crossed paths in Vegas again. When she saw us, she said, “Oh, there are my boys from across the road!”, so she still remembered us, which was lovely.

You’re coming to London in November. Are you looking forward to coming back?

A: We’ve toured the UK before and it’s great to be coming back. The plan is to do two shows. There are people that remember us from our pop days in 2000, when we released ‘He Don’t Love You’ in the UK, who will be coming to see us.

The show will be a little different from our Vegas show – we’ll have some songs from our back catalogue, but the premise of the show is to recreate the feel of a Motown revue. We’re singing songs our way, and we hope people enjoy them.

T: I’d love to see loads of London, but there’ll probably be too much to see in the short time that we’re there. I love London.

If I hadn’t grown up in Sydney, London would be the city for me. Maybe not all year, though – you guys do have some weather that I wouldn’t enjoy! We get so many Brits coming to our Vegas shows, and they ask when we’ll be in the UK – happily, it’s happening very soon.

Do you think that you’ll stick with singing Motown songs, or will you try something new in the future?

T: We’re still open to doing anything, really – our new album, Jukebox, isn’t Motown, but it still has an old-school flavour to it. We definitely are going to move away from Motown eventually, but at the moment it’s fantastic as it’s working so well in Vegas. The music is so much fun. I still get surprised that I’m not sick of it!

What are your plans for 2015 and beyond?

A: We’re re-releasing a Christmas album in the UK and in the States, and we’ve made a new album, Jukebox, which was inspired by ‘Earth Angel’! We want to keep evolving, keep shaking things up, and keep having fun.

Smokey Robinson Presents Human Nature: The Motown Show comes to the Eventim Apollo on Sunday, November 23.

Tickets cost £35-£49.50. To book, call 0844 249 4300 or go to eventim.co.uk

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WIN TICKETS TO SEE THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS PLUS A MEAL AT THE HIPPODROME CASINO! Following a sold-out run at the Young Vic, the critically acclaimed The Scottsboro Boys is transferring to the Garrick Theatre for a strictly limited season.

Step right up and jump on board for this sensational musical, which brings to life the extraordinary true story that changed history forever.

Winner of the Critics’ Circle Best Musical Award 2013 and nominated for six Olivier awards, including Best New Musical, this is also the final collaboration of legendary composing duo Kander and Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) and is directed and choreographed by five-time Tony award-winner Susan

Stroman (The Producers).

Don’t miss this all-singing, alldancing, exhilarating and bold new musical, and experience the show that everyone is talking about.

One lucky winner will receive topprice tickets to the show and a meal at the Hippodrome Casino, with wine and a free gaming chip!

Plus three runners up will win a pair of tickets to The Scottsboro Boys.

Visit www scottsboromusicallondon.com for more information. Box office: 0844 412 4662. The Scottsboro Boys is playing at the Garrick Theatre from October 4.

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CHATROOM

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Dan Sultan The Aussie singer/songwriter has come back with a new sound and a new album.

We talk emotional moments, supporting important causes and getting sweaty ahead of his London gig INTERVIEW MARK MUGGERIDGE A lot of soul-searching and introspection went into helping Dan Sultan realise a new vision for his music, and he tells us he’s gone “out on a limb artistically” to create his new album, Blackbird.

Following the acclaim that surrounded his 2009 album, Get Out While You Can, a period of uncertainty kicked in for Sultan. However, now he is back with an album that he recorded in Nashville with producer Jacquire King, who cut his teeth on Tom Waits and helped Kings Of Leon find their world-beating sound. The result is Blackbird, and Sultan will be performing a London show at Bush Hall this month where he’ll be showcasing the new material that has been drawing sell-out audiences across Australia.

We can’t wait.

Photo: Supplied

Were there any special moments for you during the recording of Blackbird?

We were recording the guide-track to the final cut on the album, ‘Gullible Few’, and in truth we weren’t sure that the feeling of the song would fit the rest of the record. It was a late-night session and I recorded it with just piano and voice. When I stepped back into the control room, Jacquire and his engineer Lowell were sitting there with tears welling up in their eyes.

We formed a strong bond during the recording and when it came time to wrap up I was asked to sign a guitar that they have at Blackbird.

Not everyone gets to leave their mark; it was something I’ll never forget as they asked me to place my signature between those of Buddy Guy and Neil Young.

Did you meet any particularly interesting characters during your time in Nashville?

Music has a remarkable way of transcending cultures and crossing borders. One of the Nashville-based session players on Blackbird is a Russian-born bluegrass player Ilya Toshinsky, who played banjo on ‘The Same Man’. He’s an incredible musician. The song goes from this hillbilly sound to Arabic scales to just flat-out shredding, and it’s on an Australian rock-and-roll song recorded in Nashville. That’s pretty weird, but it all comes together.

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What did you learn from supporting Bruce Springsteen on his Oz tour?

I’ve taken on a new health regimen after watching Bruce wow audiences with his legendary sets. One show he was on stage for at least four hours and you have to be healthy to have that kind of stamina. His performances were a masterclass in showmanship and how to structure a set, and as I continue to grow as an artist and develop my live show, I’d love to find ways to put those lessons into practise.

Tell us about the Recognise organisation that you’re involved with, and Go Foundation...

I don’t consider myself a particularly political person, but I think it’s incredible that in this day and age Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are still not recognised in our [the Australian] constitution. Recognise.org.au is the people’s movement that is aiming to change that. I’m not that keen on hitting folk over the head with causes that I support, but I’ve had the Recognise folk set up at shows to speak to fans and hand out information. The really nice thing is that people are keen to support Recognise when they find out what it’s about.

My work with the Go Foundation is pretty new, but it’s a great organisation that exists to provide Indigenous children with scholarships to quality schools, and to meet expenses for

students attending these schools. I can relate to the situation that a lot of kids who benefit from involvement with Go Foundation find themselves in. My personal history is of growing up with not a lot, in an urban landscape as part of a marginalised people, so it’s good to be able to support this group’s work.

Your shows have a reputation for being good to work a sweat up at. Is that what we can expect from your Bush Hall show this month?

We’re bringing the full band to London and we’re coming off a long stretch of shows in Australia, so the band is pretty tight at this moment. It’s very much a lively rock-and-roll show and it shows off influences including hip-hop, punk, and even electro; all of which have shaped the music on my current album. As a band we don’t really sit in any one genre and the energy of the show certainly feeds off the energy that the audience are giving us. If folk come along expecting to have a fun evening with heaps of energy, then we’ll pick up on that and we’ll have fun on stage. At that point it usually signals we’ve got a great night on our hands.

See Dan Sultan at Bush Hall on September 30. Buy tickets at seetickets.com.

Blackbird is available to download from iTunes now, dansultan.com

RELISH THE ACTION The Ascot Festival of Food and Wine Raceday Saturday 6th September Savour the finest fare from local farmers’ markets and sample a selection of excellent wines from around the world. Celebrity Chef James Martin will be giving a cooking demonstration and designing an exclusive menu for our new restaurant, On 5. And with seven exciting Flat races at this historic racecourse it’s sure to be a memorable day out.

Tickets from £20 per person Fine Dining from £145 per person +VAT Visit ascot.co.uk to book

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WIN A SIX-MONTH PASS WITH EDGE CYCLE LONDON TNT is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a six-month pass at London’s newest and coolest indoor cycling studio, Edge Cycle.

Catering for all ages and levels of ability, Edge Cycle offers individuals a personalised workout in a motivating group environment. Edge Cycle’s state-of-the-art London studio offers a variety of classes, from more traditional indoor cycling classes to the unique Edge Bootcamp. This new class concept taps into the trend of HIIT training, and combines a mixture of fast-paced cycling and floor-based

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TOPFIVE

WINTER SUN

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WINTER SUN DESTINATIONS Winter is coming – no, there won’t be any white walkers or angry nomads trying to kill you and get over The Wall (this isn’t Game of Thrones), but it’s a depressing thought nonetheless.

The nights are already drawing in and the days will get shorter and shorter until the point we go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. Oh, then there’s the seemingly never-ending rain. Have we depressed you yet?

If your response is “Oh well, carry on... it is England after all”, then 1.

You’ve become far too British and 2. If you want to freeze your arse off, good luck to you, but we don’t want to. So we’ve found some escape routes. Here are our top sunny destinations – and you don’t have to travel across half the planet. That’s right winter... do one!

CANARY ISLANDS It’s easy to see why the Canaries are a classic summer destination, so why not treat yourself to their golden beaches and volcanic valleys in winter time?

After all, the temperature doesn’t sink below a toasty 20°C, plus most bars and restaurants stay open for business.

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With seven islands to choose from, there’s something for everyone – hike in the mountains, check out volcanoes, explore quaint hamlets, surf and snorkel, dine on fresh seafood and party in lively bars and clubs.

But, this is about winter sun, and we’re guessing you’d probably like a nice stretch of sand to go with it... you do? Good, as the Canaries have playas aplenty – it’s what they’re known for.

Lanzarote’s Punta de Papagayo boasts golden coves to rival Europe’s finest beaches, Tenerife’s El Bollullo boasts black sand that sets it apart from the usual beach holiday, and Fuerteventura’s vast and beautiful Sotavento Beach is the top spot for windsurfers, especially during winter.

Tip: For the latter island, the 4* Barceló Jandía Mar on the Jandía beach in the south of Fuerteventura is offering a special winter sun rate of seven nights all-inclusive from £263pp. See barcelo. com to book.

Flight time: 4-5hrs depending on the island you choose.

How hot? Not below 20°C. turismodecanarias.com

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THE ALGARVE

IBIZA

This is Portugal’s premier tourist spot, much-visited for its beautiful beaches and coastal scenery. In the winter the summer crowds will have died down – which is a good thing – but Lagos remains a must-do for its thriving nightlife and surfer scene. If you like a dose of culture, the Algarve’s capital, Faro, has a medieval quarter.

Flight time: 2hrs 20mins How hot? A comfortable 22°C

Sure, the clubs may have closed down by the time winter rolls in, but the sun still shines over this famous party isle. During winter, you can enjoy San Antonio’s quieter beaches and safe, shallow waters, and dig out plenty of culture owing to the island’s chequered history that takes in the Phoenicians, Greeks, Assyrians, Romans and Moors.

Flight time: 2hrs 30mins How hot? Typically upwards of 25°C

visitalgarve.pt

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TOPFIVE MY EXPERIENCE

LOUISE MAY WHERE DID YOU GO FOR SOME WINTER SUN?

I went to Olu Deniz in Turkey for a beach holiday in late September.

WHAT WAS THE WEATHER LIKE?

Compared to England, it was hot. There was definitely a chill in the air in the evenings, and sunbathing hours didn’t extend beyond around 4pm, but I could still sit on my balcony with a book to enjoy the last rays.

WHAT DID YOU DO THERE OTHER

Photos: Supplied Words: Ian Armitage

THAN SUNBATHE?

MOROCCO

TURKEY

You could check out the touristcrammed Marrakech or traffic-jammed Casablanca, but we say head for the pretty coastal town of Essaouira; it’s the perfect spot for wind-surfing and kite-surfing. This easy-going spot is also stuffed with tiny boutiques and galleries that are filled with paintings and crafts from Moroccan artists.

Hang out at the 18th-century medina and neighbouring harbour, where fishermen bring their catch in.

Flight time: 3hrs 30mins How hot? Somewhere around 22°C

When it comes to experiencing this gem of a place, you can’t not go to Istanbul. It is the country’s biggest city (though not the capital); the cracks and crevices in the crumbling Roman monuments alongside fantasy-like minarets and domed mosques sum up its exotic past. Smoke shisha under a bridge by the Bosphorus, marvel at the city’s elegant mosques, and steam it up at the Turkish baths. For a beach break, go for beautiful Olu Deniz (see right) over touristy Bodrum.

Flight time: 4hrs How hot? 22°C-25°C

visitmorocco.com

I took a Jeep safari, which took us to numerous spots including natural mud baths and a giant lazy river (although the water was too cold for a dip). Locals came out with buckets of water to soak us as we drove by, so I would recommend you bring a change of warm clothes, otherwise it gets a bit chilly!

WOULD YOU RECOMMEND YOUR TRIP TO OTHERS?

Admittedly what was a lovely holiday could have been even better in summer temperatures, but it makes for a cheaper break, and a nice escape from the gloom.

goturkey.com

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for life Positano

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Photos: G Adventures and Thinkstock

Sorrento

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EXPERIENCETRAVEL

Sarah Gibbons lives la dolce vita on a traditional lemon farm in Sorrento, and washes down the dreamy days with plenty of limoncello…

The moment you travel round the curve of the Bay of Naples into the coastal town of Sorrento, you begin to spot the many lemon groves clinging to the verdant hillsides, adding to the already kaleidoscopic palette of colour that makes this region one of the most beautiful in Italy. Famed for its production of protected lemons, and the region’s most sought-after export, limoncello, Sorrento is a haven for foodies looking to sample a slice of the slow life.

I’m staying at a local lemon farm Il GiardinoVigliano in Sorrento, one of the many ‘agriturismos’ popping up along the picturesque coastline.

Run by the Nunziata family – Joseppi ‘Peppino’, wife Ida and sons Luigi and Valentina – the farm still grows lemons year-round using the same traditional methods, preserving such an important part of their region’s history which stretches back to the 16th century. However, these days production of the once lucrative fruit doesn’t fetch quite the same prices it once did, leading the family – like

many others – to supplement their income by running a homestay.

It’s a win-win for travellers who like to step off the tourist trail and sample life as a local. Away from the hustle and bustle of the main holidaying hubs, you can really relax, rejuvenate and appreciate the region’s zest for life, literally. The setting is stunning: an old stone farmhouse, with parts that date back to the 12th century, overlooking the sun-soaked pergola of lemon trees, heavy with the perfumed yellow fruit of all shapes and sizes.

The highlight is the farmhouse’s veranda with views over the Bay of Naples and the imposing Mt Vesuvius – a vista you surely could never tire of.

No wonder the Nunziata family have stayed put for generations.

Limoncello is the name of the game here and most of the region’s lemons get sent to the island of Capri to be made into the popular tangy tipple, and the Nunziata family even have their own brand. It’s a simple drink to concoct, as Luigi showed us one sunny afternoon, and is made up of only

three ingredients: lemon peel, alcohol and sugar. The result – to be served at room temperature, as we were instructed

by Luigi – is sweet and smooth with its trademark tanginess.

“Do you ever get sick of lemons?” one curious member of my group asks.

With a chuckle Luigi replies with a firm “no”, explaining how versatile they are as an ingredient. By the end of my trip, I knew just what he meant. Alongside the copious amounts of the citrusy liqueur we drank, it was also Ida’s lemon-inspired mastery in the kitchen that wowed us all.

We dined on her trademark wood-oven lemon pizza (sounds wrong but it works), citrusy mozzarella wrapped in lemon leaves, lemon risotto – and for pudding, the unbelievably moreish profiteroles with lemon cream.

One of the nicest ways to explore the region is by foot, so one morning we set off to hike along the Walk of the Gods coastal trail – linking Sorrento with Positano – armed with Ida’s freshly baked rolls for lunch.

Snaking around the coastline, past the Li Galli islands – the fabled abode of the enchanting Sirens who seduced ill-fated sailors with their beautiful voices (the Greek myth from which Sorrento derives its name) – the meandering track ends in the higgledy-piggledy town of pastelcoloured buildings, Positano. Here we explore the maze-like streets, packed with chic boutiques (and tourists) before the heavens open, when we promptly head back to the agriturismo with tired legs, hungry for more of Ida’s home cooking.

The following day, our destination is the glamourous island of Capri – a place that conjures up images of glossy celebrities sipping cocktails on their private yachts, dipping their toes in advert-worthy turquoise sea.

Our mode of transport may not have been quite as five-star, but we had a taste of the high life with our TNTMAGAZINE.COM

39

private cruiser who took us all the way around the island, stopping off to explore the Faraglioni rock formations and famed Blue Grotto, where we hop into tiny rowing boats to fit through the seemingly minute cave entrance, timed perfectly with the ebb and flow of the waves.

Inside the fluorescent glow of gleaming blue – caused by the refraction of sunlight shining through the cave’s openings – was mesmerising; an experience made even more surreal by the vocal gymnastics of the guides singing opera classics.

The most famous attraction of this region, and one that simply cannot be missed, is – of course – historic Pompeii, located a short drive from Sorrento. The sheer size of the Roman city, demolished by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD, is breathtaking and, despite the constant influx of tourists, it’s easy to imagine what life was like in its heyday; especially when you have a knowledgeable guide who brings the ruined villas, faded frescoes and grand city squares to life.

Many objects from the Pompeiians’ daily life were frozen in time with the carbonising ash which coated the city: goblets of wine, wood-fired ovens – with rolls like Ida’s still found intact – and, most poignantly, the citizens themselves; their final moments of fear recorded in their very last, contorted positions.

My final evening is spent, like most evenings from my stay, at Il GiardinoVigliano, sipping limoncello on the veranda watching the blood-orange sunset over the water and the shadowy silhouette of Mt Vesuvius, which caused such a catastrophe all those years ago. As darkness falls, I know it’s time for more delicious offerings from the Nunziata kitchen – and I cannot think of a better way to end my stay in Sorrento living like a local.

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TO EXPERIENCE THIS FOR YOURSELF...

G Adventures offers the Local Living Sorrento package. Travellers can get a taste for Italian life on this one-week trip to Sorrento, just around the corner from the Amalfi Coast. Replete with gorgeous scenery and fantastic food and drink, guests will unwind on an organic lemon farm with a local family as hosts, providing an in-depth look at what life at an Italian agriturismo is like.

There are also food demonstrations, including limoncello- and pizza-making, as well as a walk along the stunning coastline, a visit to the elite island of Capri and a stop at historic Pompeii.

Priced from £999pp for a seven-day trip, starting at and returning to Naples, there are a few spaces still available in its October 2014 trip, otherwise they start again from May to October 2015. This is part of G Adventure’s Local Living programme, see its website for more trips like this.

What’s included: • Guided tour of Pompeii. “Walk of the Gods” hike.

Island of Capri visit. Five home-cooked dinners using local organic produce. Scenic boat ride from Positano to Sorrento. Limoncello and pizza-making demonstrations. One evening cooking demonstration. Orientation walks in Naples and Sorrento. Transport between destinations and included activities.

• Six breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners. (Allow EUR100-150 for meals not included.)

• Hotel (one night), small locally-owned agriturismo/guesthouse (five nights).

• Minibus and boat transport.

• Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout, local guide.

• Small group experience; maximum of 12, average of eight.

Prices do not include flights.

For more information or to book, call 0844 272 2040 or visit gadventures.co.uk

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Get high on craic From sinking pints of Guinness in centuries’-old pubs to sobering yourself up with a dip in the Atlantic, a trip to Ireland is one big brilliant blur

Photos: Thinkstock and Jan Sexton

WORDS JAMES FERRON

Best for: Beaches

Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge

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PORTSTEWART STRAND AND THE CAUSEWAY COAST This pristine beach on Northern Ireland’s wild and windswept Causeway Coast has been allocated Seaside Award status for its cleanliness and water quality.

Travelling along the coastal road offers great views of nature’s own handiwork and the precariously balanced ruins of Dunluce Castle. You’ll find surprises around every corner and there are numerous nature trails and stop-off points along the way. Among this prime real estate sits the famous Royal Portrush Golf Club, where World Champion Rory McIlroy learnt how to swing a club. For more hedonistic distractions, the town of Portrush beckons, packed with traditional seaside charms and clubs. discovernorthernireland.com WHAT ELSE As well as, of course, visiting the Giant’s Causeway, for those who want to get the adrenalin pumping, a hair-raising walk across the Carrick-A-Rede rope bridge should do the trick. In operation since the 17th century, the bridge was traditionally used by local salmon fishermen to get them from the mainland to Carrick-ARede island, where they would bring their catches in.

Today only shoals of tourists make the precarious crossing.

UKTRIP

WHERE TO STAY Finn McCool’s Giants Causeway Hostel, because it’s close to both the Causeway itself (a mere 200m) and the famous Bushmills distillery – let’s face it, surrounded by so much soul-stirring beauty, it makes perfect sense to imbide the ‘water of life’. finnmccoolshostel.com Best for: pubs CORK Ireland’s second largest city, Cork is loaded with lively pubs that heave every night of the week. And while the alcohol flows freely, we recommend something that you’ll remember long beyond the morning after: explore the city by taking a night-time kayaking tour on the River Lee, which winds through the centre of the town.

WHAT ELSE A visit to the Blarney Stone of course. Lying on the cold, hard roof of 600-year-old Blarney Castle smacking lips with a rock built into the battlements makes a memorable addition to the bucket list, just avoid attempting it while still full of beer, or – as they say in Gaelic – you’ll ‘boke’ on the stone rather than kiss it. The backwards bend over a gutchurning 27m-high drop is, according to legend, rewarded with the ‘gift of the gab’: an ability to speak both eloquently and flatter anyone with wit and humour. So, ‘what the feck’, just shut your eyes and pucker up.

Pucker up: The Blarney Stone

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WHERE TO STAY Bru Hostel is one of Cork’s most popular hostels. They provide free internet and breakfast and a cheap laundry service. There’s also a friendly bar, perfect for meeting other backpackers. Dorm rooms start from £12pn. bruhostel.com

Belfast City Hall and the Belfast Eye – yeah they’ve got one too

Best for: culture GALWAY CITY Often referred to as ‘Ireland’s cultural heart’, Galway might not be the Republic’s biggest city, but its streets are arguably the country’s most atmospheric, pulsing with traditional pipers, fiddlers and street performers. Start your day at Eyre Square, Galway’s busy main public space, to soak up the city’s energy. Next, dander over to Eyre Square Centre shopping mall, where, for an alternative to window shopping, the ancient stonework of the city’s medieval walls can still be seen underneath the glass atrium.

WHAT ELSE Head over to Salthill Prom, which runs from the edge of Galway City to the suburb of Salthill – it is the longest in Ireland – where there’s always something happening. To add to the sense of wildness of living in the last city between here and America, watch the endless supply of brave/ crazy types jumping from the concrete high diving board into the chilly Atlantic. For contemplation and a sense of space, the sandy beaches along the prom will revive those who’ve sampled the many pints and endless craic to be had here.

WHERE TO STAY The Galway City Hostel is a great place that’s also conveniently located next to the bus and train station. Here, a free continental breakfast and the chance to fill up with endless caffeine will set you up for the next adventure. Beds from £15pn galwaycityhostel.com Best for: Guiness DUBLIN There’s no shortage of words to describe the welcoming atmosphere of Dublin. From your very first pint, you’ll be made to feel at home in the land of saints and scholars – you’ll be declaring your Irish ancestry before closing time. The epicentre of the craic is, of course, the Temple Bar area. Notable spots are the Palace Bar – unspoilt by the passage of time – and The Foggy Dew for the live music, but make sure you end up in Dublin’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head, first made a public boozing spot in 1198. For about £38, you’re served a traditional Irish meal with a side of live Irish music, ballads, history and storytelling. Doesn’t get more kitschy than this.

WHAT ELSE Sorry, still with the Guinness, but who could ignore discovering the very source of the black stuff, with a trip to the St James’ Gate and the chance to savour a pint poured by your own hand. Between all those pubs, rush round to Trinity College and tick off a genuine piece of culture with a gawp at the illuminated manuscripts of the ancient Book of Kells before you get sucked back into the next pub session. Also, be sure to get a feel for medieval Dublin at Dublin Castle (dublincastle.ie). Not exactly the most breathtaking castle in Europe (no moat, no turrets, pah!), it plays host to diplomatic state functions and rock concerts.

For just under £4 you can see the extravagant interior state apartments, or simply wander around the impressive grounds for free.

WHERE TO STAY Central, friendly, and in a character-filled Georgian building, try Citi hostel backpackerscitihostel.com Best for: the Ulster fry BELFAST The best way to start the day is with an Ulster fry. Featuring fine Ulster bacon, sausages, potato bread, mushrooms and tomatoes, it’s enough to fuel anyone for a 44

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day’s exploring. Enjoy Belfast’s finest gourmet creation at Maggie May’s (maggiemaysbelfast.co.uk), in Botanic Avenue.

WHAT ELSE Walking around the compact but lively city centre will soon make a dent in the calories. Don’t miss the city’s revived cultural centre, the Cathedral Quarter, with its cobble-stoned streets. The city’s 19th-century renaissance can still be seen in the area’s examples of grand architecture – which sit surrounded by joining alleyways, giving the area its unique feel – the focal point being St Anne’s Cathedral, which dazzles with glass mosaics and has the largest Celtic Cross in Ireland. In May, during the annual arts festival, this area comes to life with street theatre, comedy shows, visual art and live music.

Belfast’s famous shipbuilding heritage really kicked off with the building of the Titanic – the most luxuriously appointed ship ever. Cross over to the east side of the river and take a tour around the Harland & Wolff shipyard with Titanic Tours Belfast (titanictours-belfast.co.uk). Susie Millar, a direct descendant of a crew member, will take you through the story of this most famous feat of Edwardian engineering, which was proudly launched from here on its ill-fated maiden voyage on April 10, 1912.

Of course, it’s Belfast’s more recent and tragic history that’s given the city its international prominence. ‘The Troubles’, a period of sectarian violence from the 1960s, thankfully came to a peaceful end in the mid-90s. The politics are complex and bewildering to any outsider, but if you want to get a sense of it, hop into a black cab with Big E Taxi Tours (big-e-taxitours.com) for a mural tour. It’ll take you past the political-oriented murals of the loyalist lower Shankill area, the republican lower Springfield/ Falls area, and the six metre-high ‘peace wall’ along the way.

After all that history, you’ll deserve a pint. And there’s no finer watering hole than the Crown Liquor Saloon (crownbar.com) – a gem of a pub and a genuine must-see.

Belfast’s best-known bar and owned by the National Trust, this Victorian gin palace has scalloped gas lights, gleaming brass work and a fine long bar inlaid with coloured glass.

Grab yourself a snug and make use of the service bells that still work. For a complete contrast, pop across the road for a pint, cocktail, or jazz session at The Europa; not just a great city hot spot but a Belfast landmark, famous as Europe’s most bombed hotel.

WHERE TO STAY Lay your weary head to rest at Ark Hostel (44 University Street) in the heart of Belfast’s Golden Mile.

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Alte Oper in Frankfurt

Beyond Anzac: Explore the pretty

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Berlin’s Christmas marketwhile you’re there coastline of Gallipoli

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Alpe d’Huez, France

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Berlin, Germany

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Images: Thinkstock and Laurent Salino at Alpe d’Huez Tourisme 21/08/14

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Ho ho holiday Summer’s over and so, of course, it’s time to think about Christmas (*screams internally*). But if you book in for a festive break, those long, dark winter nights won’t seem so bad...

Back home we’re used to spending Christmas on the beach with a barbie, but there is something undeniably magical about cold, dark nights lit with twinkling fairylights, wrapping up warm and sipping on mulled wine next to a roaring fire, and – if we’re lucky – having a muck about in freshly fallen snow.

As you’re far from home and so don’t have to worry about spending Christmas with the family, why not take the chance to explore more of Europe? Spend your Christmas Day waking up in a city rich with culture, tradition, and with pathways blanketed in snow. Here are our favourite European destinations for a cracking Christmas.

Images: Thinkstock and Laurent Salino at Alpe d’Huez Tourisme 21/08/14

Best for: A cosy getaway KRAKOW, POLAND Why: You can’t beat Krakow for traditional Christmas scenery. From the twinkling lights of the festive markets to the snow-covered Gothic churches, every sight you clap eyes on looks like it belongs on the front of a Christmas card.

The city’s most unique Crimbo tradition is the ‘sopka’ – miniature portable theatres used for puppet Nativity plays.

You’ll find them at most of the old churches in the city.

Don’t miss: Get a scenic tour of Krakow by night from a horse-drawn carriage, which you can arrange from the central Rynek Glowny Grand Square. Bring a blanket and a flask of mulled wine to keep you warm if it’s snowing. How much more Christmassy could you want?

Getting there: Fly from London Stansted to Krakow with Ryanair (ryanair.com) from £130 return*. Flight takes approx two hours. poland.travel

Best for: A foodie holiday BERLIN, GERMANY Why: Everyone knows the real meaning of Christmas is to stuff yourself silly. So what better place to do it than in Germany, which boasts some of the best Christmas grub on the planet?

In the lead up to the big day, browse all the goodies in the many Christmas markets across the city, including iced gingerbread cookies, lebkuchen (soft, cinnamon-flavoured biscuits) and stollen (festive fruit cake) among other sweet and savoury treats.

For Christmas dinner itself, Germans usually go in for a

traditional, multi-course roast, which could include goose, stuffed carp and suckling pig, or a rich cheese fondue with a generous kick of wine. Be warned, though, do this foodie holiday right and you won’t be able to squeeze into your seat on the plane ride home.

“

Every sight you clap eyes on looks like it belongs on a Christmas card

”

Don’t miss: Washing down everything you eat with cups of the ultimate Christmas tipple, glühwein.

Getting there: Fly from London Heathrow to Berlin with British Airways (ba.com) from £222 return*. Flight takes approx one hour 45 minutes. visitberlin.de

Best for: A guaranteed white Christmas MOSCOW, RUSSIA Why: Tired of always dreaming of snow-covered scenes on Crimbo Day and never actually seeing them? Then take matters into your own hands and jet off to Moscow for the holidays where your chances of seeing snowflakes falling on December 25 are infinitely better than they are in London.

While you’re here, indulge in ice skating on the frozen lake in Gorky Park, then visit some of Moscow’s most iconic architecture, such as St Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin while they’re covered in powder.

Don’t miss: The ultimate Russian Christmas experience – watching Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker at the Bolshoi Theatre, which has an annual run between Christmas and New Year. Book tickets (bolshoi.ru/en) well in advance.

Getting there: Fly from London Heathrow to Moscow with EasyJet (easyjet.com) from £80 return*. Flight takes approx three hours 40 minutes. moscow.info

Best for: A skiing wonderland ALPE D’HUEZ GRAND DOMAINE SKI, FRANCE Why: The Alps can also guarantee a white Christmas – TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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EUROPEANBREAK self-catering studio apartment for four people start from £476 for seven nights arriving December 20 with Pierre & Vacances (pierreetvacances.co.uk). alpedhuez.com To really treat yourself (it is Christmas after all) VIP SKI has five chalets to choose from in Le Village, Alpe d’Huez. Prices for seven nights start from £1,399 per person. This includes return flights from Gatwick, resort transfers, seven nights catered chalet accommodation and more. vip-chalets.com

Best for: A Christmas surprise

and this time you can slide down it. Whether you choose to ski, snowboard or airboard (like body-boarding, but on an inflatable…on the snow) there are a multitude of ways to offset that heavy turkey-filled feeling. Alpe d’Huez has an impressive range of slopes to suit all abilities. Those feeling particularly adventurous can take on the mighty Sarenne, the longest black run in the Alps, or even have a go at husky dog sledding. You can always be sure of a glass of vin chaud (mulled wine) or hot chocolate to warm you up at the end of the day, but if that’s not enough we recommend trying your hand (or dancing feet) at some ski-booted table-top boogying at the daily Folie Douce après ski party.

Don’t miss: There are Christmas concerts, festive markets and live music throughout town as the resort gears up for Christmas and New Year. Christmas Eve is marked with street parades, a carol concert outside the Tourist Office and a theatrical visit from Father Christmas.

Getting there: Fly from London Gatwick to Grenoble from £85 return* with EasyJet (easyjet.com) or £125 return* with Monarch (monarch.co.uk). A return transfer with Ben’s Bus from Grenoble to Alpe d’Huez takes approximately 1hr 40 mins and costs £46.50 (bensbus.co.uk). Prices for a three-star 48

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Travel with a group on Topdeck’s festive tours

Image: Topdeck Travel

Winter wonderland: Alpe d’Huez

ANYWHERE IN EUROPE Let’s face it, one of the best things about Christmas is unwrapping a mystery prezzie and finding it to contain something totally awesome. So why not make your festive getaway a surprise? The travel equivalent to an excitinglooking wrapped gift, Mystery Break plans your break for you – where you go, where you stay, and how you get there – and they don’t unveil the destination until one or two days before you set off.

Don’t worry, though, they’re not about to send you to the end of the world in a tin boat where you will sleep in a box; its trips are all within Europe, and you can veto up to three destinations, so you don’t end up somewhere you’ve already been before – definitely an issue if you’ve only just put a stop to Stavros the hairy barman’s lewd messaging. You can also choose the type of break you want, from cultural, romantic, beach, party or surprise me, and Christmas markets has been added on for the festive period.

While filling out the five-minute form online you can select your level of hotel from two to five star, plus you can select your flight times and number of nights. This all obviously affects the cost, so you can play around with these until you can afford it. Mystery Break aims to keep trips at around the £199pp mark for two nights. mysterybreak.co.uk ❚

EUROPEANBREAK

Meet David, one of Topdeck’s Trip Leaders who still can’t believe he gets paid to travel and hang out with hundreds of travellers from around the world.

Originally from South Africa, he spends most of his year adventuring around the world from Asia to the Middle East. David knows that travel is all about experiences, and is here to share some of his favourite things about the upcoming festive season in Europe…

The Christmas markets “Nothing beats a Christmas market; seriously, nothing. This is Christmas. You can really feel the spirit of the season and, most importantly, hang out with the locals. My personal favourite is in Brugge, easily the most famous in Europe. The Baltics is also well worth the venture, with incredible wooden carvings in Tallinn and Riga – they even have real reindeer!”

All of the lights “When we are talking Europe, we’re talking about some of the most beautiful cities in the world – let alone at this time of year. Paris for me stands out above the rest. It gets fully decked out in decorations. I love walking up the Champs Elysées, which is covered head to toe in the best display of lights I have ever seen. Instagram your heart out.”

A true white Christmas “A white Christmas is the best thing ever. From snow fights, real snow-capped Christmas trees, and, my personal favourite, ice skating at some of Europe’s most famous monuments.

A must do is Museumeplein in Amsterdam – awesome!”

Food glorious food “Face it, people throw out the diet books at this time of year. From chimney cakes (think the best cinnamon roll you have ever had), the best sausages in Germany, the smell of ginger and spices, and glühwein (spiced Christmas wine). Head to the Christmas markets in Alexanderplatz in Berlin to try some of the best in Europe.”

Experience snowy Europe with Topdeck

Image: Topdeck Travel

The insider's guide

A Mystery Break is a short city break to a trendy destination in Europe.

Oh - and we don’t tell you where you’re going until 1-2 days before you travel. Crazy huh?!!

All of the lights: Champs Elysées Boys Trip

Pamplona, Spain Romantic Getaway

San Sebastian, Spain

1. Select your travel theme (now booking Christmas Markets) 2. Pick your dates, times and number of adventurers 3. Find out where you’re going 1-2 days before you travel!

Save a futher 10% off your Mystery Break with promocode:

TNTMAG

To go on one of Topdeck’s festive tours in Europe, visit topdeck.travel

Valid to: 31/12/2014

www.mysterybreak.co.uk TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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FESTIVALGUIDE

HOGMANAY, EDINBURGH

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HOGMANAY, EDINBURGH I’m being swept along in a blazing sea of fire, swimming with a thousand fellow torch carriers through the illuminated city of Edinburgh. The sound of bagpipes and drums are joined by proud Scottish cries, led by a burly bunch of Vikings covered in fur and leather, with steely helmets (ahem) and on the hunt for ‘bebe back rrribs’. Probably.

And this is just the start of Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, with the torchlight procession happening on December 30. New Year’s Eve itself is a night of live music, DJs, street parties and fireworks. The mood is friendly and there’s a cosmopolitan atmosphere with a quintessentially Scottish twist – you will likely never have seen so much tartan, and the Proclaimers’ ‘I Would Walk 500 Miles’ is never out of earshot. Performances at the big street party, too, are from an unquestionably Scottish line-up, including DjangoDjango and Chvrches.

The not-so-bonny Scottish weather is no cause for concern – the whole arena 50

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stays warm thanks to everyone dancing together enthusiastically.

The midnight moment comes too soon for all and, before I know it, the bells are ringing, the epic fireworks are popping, and I’m linking arms with my friends yelling ‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot…’ and pretending I know the rest of the words to ‘Auld Lang Syne’. I head home in the ‘wee sma’ hours, and wake up bleary eyed on New Year’s Day ready to blow the cobwebs away and splash about in the River Forth as part of the literally breath-taking (and literally loony) Loony Dook.

Hogmanay tours are offered by HAGGiS Adventures (haggisadventures. com) and Macbackpackers (macbackpackers.com). These guys guarantee you a fun bunch to party with and also sort your accommodation and ticket to the massive street party.

They can even whisk you off to give you a taste of highland life for some much needed ‘R and R’ post-Hogmanay.

Trust me, you’ll need it.

Words: Hannah Greenshields Photos: Getty, Thinkstock and Smart City Hotels.

WHEN? DECEMBER 30-JANUARY 1

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CHECKING IN

HOW DID IT BEGIN?

WHAT TO EXPECT

Hogmanay is what the Scots call New Year’s Eve, and a hundred years ago Hogmanay was actually more important than Christmas for many Scots.

The winter solstice holiday tended to be at New Year when families gathered together, exchanged presents and wished each other a ‘Guid New Year’.

Edinburgh is world famous for its Hogmanay Street Party where around 80,000 revellers dance their way into the New Year, with incredible live music, DJs, bars and, of course, the famous Edinburgh Hogmanay midnight fireworks set behind the striking Edinburgh Castle.

The spectacular torchlight procession kick starts the festivities on December 30 at 7pm. The Street Party on December 31 combines five live music stages,a classical music concert in St Giles’ Cathedral, a huge Ceilidh (Scottish barn dance) and the headlining Concert in the Gardens, for which you’ll need a ticket (£20). Midnight fireworks are sent up over Edinburgh against the iconic city skyline as the bells strike midnight, and the people of Scotland join hands with family and friends for the world’s biggest rendition of Auld Lang Syne. There’s no doubt that Edinburgh welcomes the New Year in an almighty fashion. Och aye.

GET IN THE SPIRIT

WHAT ELSE?

There’s no obligation to wear a kilt, although tartan is obviously encouraged. For a real taste of Scotland, most of the restaurants serve a menu of local food. If you’re brave enough, get stuck into the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties. Pubs on every other corner serve a range of locally brewed beers and whiskeys, and offer a friendly and warm environment. Reel your way into 2015 with the UK’s largest New Year Ceilidh, with spectacular views of the midnight fireworks. And why not really immerse yourself in the culture with Scotland’s finest hangover cure, the deep-fried Mars bar? If that’s not enough, take the plunge on New Year’s Day in Loony Dook, the annual fancy dress splash in the River Forth. Chilly.

Yes, you’re in Scotland for Hogmanay, but don’t let that stop you exploring everything else that Edinburgh has to offer. The capital, perched on extinct old volcanoes and rocky crags, is home to tons of museums and galleries, and if you have an afternoon to spare you should explore the castle. From its ramparts you can look down on medieval lanes weaving through the buzzing, metropolitan city. For more beautiful views, squeeze in a hike up to Arthur’s Seat for amazing views of the castle, city and the Firth of Forth in the distance. The Scotch whisky experience is not to be missed – learn all about the whisky-making process, decipher distinct whisky aromas, and enjoy a ‘wee dram’ of the finest Edinburgh has to offer.

SMART CITY HOSTEL OVERVIEW Situated right in the heart of Edinburgh is Smart City Hostel. In this prime location you’ll rarely be more than a few steps from the merrymaking. A friendly, party-loving hostel, you’ll get a ready-made group to party with as well as a bed.

WOW FACTOR Bar 50, the inhouse bar, is a great place to get started. The team take pride in their local knowledge and everything is locally sourced where possible. You can join in with the local musicians at open mic night on a Monday, and flex those brain muscles on a Thursday at the pub quiz.

ROOMS There is a mix of private and dorm rooms (all en-suite), ranging from twin bunk rooms, female-only dorms, to 12-person shared dorms – so there really is something for everyone.

BILL PLEASE Private rooms start at £49 per night, and beds in dorms start at £10 per night. Make sure you book early because Hogmanay is ridiculously popular, so accommodation can get quite pricey in Edinburgh.

smartcityhostels.com +44131 524 1989

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WHY TRAVEL WITH US? LET OUR CUSTOMERS DO THE TALKING “I haven’t laughed that hard in a looooong time! Besides the constant entertainment, the scenes of Scotland were gorgeous.”

Ashley, USA, July 2014

2014 Winner

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“Easily the best trip I’ve been on! You’ll end up with a group of young and energetic explorers who like to stray off the beaten path.”

Clare, Australia, April 2014

“Wow. Seriously wow. If you’ve never heard of “This trip was incredible and all because Deep Scottish Love before, you’ll definitely of our amazing Guide! I would do this 100 understand it once you’ve done this tour.” times over.”

Erin, Australia, July 2014 Anna, USA, August 2014 Visit our website for customer testimonials

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“We had the best tour guide anyone could ask for, we all learnt so much about the history, myths and legends of Ireland.”

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Burma after reading Long looked over for its Southeast Asian neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam, read this 10-day itinerary and you’ll be booking Burma in no time WORDS LUCY DAVIES

Day 1 Singapore Airlines flies into Yangon daily and arrives late afternoon, which gives you the chance to have a rest at your hotel before venturing out in the evening. One of Yangon’s most famous landmarks, and the most sacred of all Buddhist sites in the country, is the Shwedagon Pagoda. Visible from almost everywhere in the city, it is one of Southeast Asia’s most stunning religious monuments. The best time to visit is at sunset, when the bright golden stupa turns crimson orange and the large diamond at the tip of the spire casts shards of light across the grounds of the temple. You can easily while away a magical hour or two here before grabbing some local food and heading back for an early night – you’ll need it as you’ve got an early flight tomorrow.

WHERE TO STAY Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (kandawgyipalacehotel.com) is constructed from local golden teak and boasts traditional Myanmar architecture. Situated right on the shores of the Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake, you’re in for a cracking room view.

Day 2

Shwedagon Pagoda

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Catch an early flight from Yangon domestic airport to the ancient city of Bagan. Just over an hour’s flight, there are several good local airlines operating this route. Bagan is one of Myanmar’s top attractions and a must do on any itinerary.

Slap bang in the centre of the country, the city can get very hot from March to May before the rainy season begins and runs from June to September. The area is known as an Archaeological Zone and all foreign visitors must pay around USD$15 on entry, and you can soon see why.

The incredible plains contain thousands of temples dating back to the 11th century, and the views from the sky are aweinspiring. With so many temples, it’s best to focus on visiting just a few; the most impressive include the Shwezigon Pagoda

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A GUIDE TO BURMA

(one of the oldest temples, dating back to 1090), the Wetkyi-in Gubyakgyi (famous for its frescoes and rare ancient paintings) and the Ananda (one of the best preserved). A popular spot to head to at the end of the day is the Shwesandaw Pagoda.

Here you can climb to the top and experience a magical sunset sinking behind the mystical surrounding landscape.

WHERE TO STAY Located in the heart of Old Bagan on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, the Aye Yar River View Resort (ayeyarriverviewresort.com) offers traditional-style rooms and a gorgeous swimming pool hidden among the tropical gardens.

Day 3 Journey southeast of Bagan to Mount Popa. Occupying an elevated position and surrounded by lush forests, temperatures are cooler here than in Bagan. Mount Popa itself is an extinct volcano rising 4,980 feet and the monastery at the very top is said to be home to the country’s infamous ‘nat spirits’. From the base you can choose to climb the 777 steps to the summit where you will find a labyrinth of shrines to explore as well as a 360 panorama of the surrounding plains.

WHERE TO STAY Popa Mountain Resort (myanmartreasureresorts.com) has incredible far-reaching views over the surrounding countryside. The resort has an infinity pool and restaurant overlooking Mount Popa itself, and you get to stay in your own teak villa. Bonus.

Temples at sunrise in Mandalay

Day 4 Leaving Mount Popa, Mandalay is around a three-hour drive northeast and is known for being the religious centre of the country. Mentioned by both George Orwell and Rudyard Kipling, it is also noted for being a place of great importance during Britain’s colonial reign. Must-see places include the Mandalay Palace, which was the residence of the last Burmese monarchy and the Mahamuni Pagoda. A great way to end the day is to ascend Mandalay Hill to see the sun set over the city.

WHERE TO STAY The modern Mandalay Hill Resort (mandalayhillresorthotel.com) near the centre of the city offers a large swimming pool with swim-up bar as well as spa facilities if you fancy a pampering.

Mount Popa

Images: Thinkstock and Getty

Day 5 Pyin Oo Lwin was designed by a British soldier and became the summer capital to escape the heat of nearby Mandalay.

The town therefore has a very British feel about it, and the elevated position means temperatures are far cooler. Just a couple of hours from Mandalay, a stop on the way is highly recommended at the local flower market where people from the surrounding villages come every day to buy and sell huge bundles of brightly coloured carnations to take to nearby temples as offerings. Wander around the beautiful botanical gardens and stop at some of the many colonial buildings and churches dotted around the local area.

WHERE TO STAY The bungalow-style rooms at Aureum Palace (aureumpalacehotel.com) are set in lovely grounds with resident swans. Romance on a stick.

Day 6 Leaving Pyin Oo Lwin, stop in Amarapura to see the U-Bein bridge, credited with being the oldest and longest teakwood

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bridge in the world. Next, continue back to Mandalay, taking a short boat ride to the town of Ava where you can enjoy a horse and cart journey to the impressive Bargayar Monastery famous for its intricate wood carvings and teak pillars. In the afternoon, a great excursion is to sail across the majestic Ayeyarwaddy River to the town of Mingun where you can walk around the site of the colossus MingunPayagyi, which was designed to be the world’s largest monument. Leaving Mingun late afternoon means you can experience a beautiful sunset across the river on your return trip to Mandalay. We do love these Burmese sunsets.

WHERE TO STAY Catch another night at the Mandalay Hill Resort why not?

Day 7

Leg-rowing on Inle Lake

Take a morning flight from Mandalay to Heho, which is the gateway to the stunning Inle Lake. Located in the heart of the Shan Plateau, the lake is home to the indigenous Intha people, known for their traditional method of leg-rowing which you can still see them doing today – these skilled fishermen make stand-up paddleboarding yoga look easy.

Powered long boats will take you from the mainland across the lake stopping at various villages where you can check out the local produce including silk, handicrafts and vegetables.

There are options to eat at local restaurants on the lake, but boats are not permitted on the lake after nightfall so you’ll need to grab dinner back at your hotel.

WHERE TO STAY Only completed last month, the brand new Amata Garden Resort (amatainleresort.com) offers great facilities and a prime lake-front position with far-reaching views over the waters and surrounding mountain range. Nice.

Day 8 Enjoy a full day in Inle Lake so you can tour around the Indein villages on the mainland. Passing the fascinating floating gardens you can explore the stilted houses, numerous pagodas and bamboo forests in the local area.

WHERE TO STAY Why move when the Amata Garden Resort has all you need?

Day 9

Local homes on stilts

Returning to Heho you can catch a short direct flight back to Yangon in the morning to allow you a full day to see the city.

Recommended stops include buildings within the city centre, the Botataung Pagoda and the 70-year-old Bogyoke Aung San Market. Designed in British colonial times, the market is still known today by its old name, Scott Market. It’s the largest in the city and contains more than 2,000 shops – the perfect place to pick up some last-minute souvenirs before leaving the country. Sob. WHERE TO STAY It was good enough for you the first time, so why not spend your last night back where you started at Kandawgyi Palace Hotel (kandawgyipalace-hotel.com).

Day 10 It’s back home for you today. If you can’t handle heading back to London just yet though, you can extend your stay in Burma with a beach stay in NgweSaung, which is around four hours from Yangon. Alternatively, spend a few nights in Singapore on your way back to the UK.

Buddha statue at the Botataung Pagoda 56

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This tour is available with Mercury Direct, priced from £1,799 including Heathrow flights, internal flights, tour guides, entry fees, four-star accommodation and some meals. mercurydirect.com/tours

TOUR SEARCH DESIGN 1

TOUR SEARCH For the last 30 years TNT Magazine has brought travel advice and news to a growing audience of travellers. 18 to 35 year olds from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have been using TNT as their guide to living and working in the UK. With a growing audience comes growing demand and over quarter of a million users are now demanding travel offers and information for tours across the globe from their base in the UK. Here at TNT we have listened to the demands of our readers and we’re excited to launch TNT Tours.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend in Dublin, a group tour across North Africa, or a ten day epic adventure in South America, the TNT Tour Search facility is here to meet your travel wishes.

With tours being added on a daily basis and reviews to give you peace of mind, TNT Tours will become your primary destination when looking to travel anywhere around the globe and you know the process will be as good as you can get anywhere else, if not better. Oh! and you don’t have to be Australian.

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Looking for a cheap and independent adventure?

Head to Eastern Europe.

Its geography may be unclear, but its beauty, allure and unique architecture isn’t EDITED BY TOM COOTE

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There is no generally accepted definition of what exactly Eastern Europe is. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania often identify themselves as Northern European and seem keen to distance themselves culturally from their soviet past. At the southern end of the continent, in the Caucasus, it can be debated whether Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan should be geographically classed as a part of Eastern Europe, despite many of the population very definitely identifying themselves as European. Russia, of course, is mainly geographically in Asia, but its best-known cities, St Petersburg and Moscow, are firmly rooted, both culturally and geographically, within the traditions of Europe.

Most of the Eastern European countries were a part of the Soviet Union up until its dramatic fall in 1991, but Yugoslavia – despite also being a communist state – remained largely independent before eventually breaking up into its

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Beauty and the east world, most Eastern European cities are far safer to visit than their Western European equivalents. As public transport is often heavily state subsidised, they are also far cheaper to get around. Longer distance and international overland travel is also something of a bargain: overnight sleeper trains can be a particularly efficient way of covering large distances, with a bunk in a second-class sleeper compartment costing little more than a night in a hostel (which are also often great value in comparison to Western Europe).

Although some of the less accessible parts of Eastern Europe – such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and the Caucasus – might be better visited as part of a larger overland trip, the dramatic rise of budget airline flights across the region now means that many of Eastern Europe’s greatest cities can easily be visited over a long weekend. If you book flights well in advance at non-peak times (try the sites for EasyJet, Ryan Air, Air Baltic and Wizz Air) then you might well find that you can pick up return flights for less than your train fare to many UK airports. What’s stopping you?

Dubrovnik, Croatia The Stari Most bridge in Mostar, Bosnia Herzegovina

component parts of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia Herzegovina. Hard-line communist Albania was also an exception, having aligned itself with Maoist China.

To confuse matters further, a number of functionally independent countries within what is generally considered to be Eastern Europe, often aren’t recognised by the United Nations as legitimate sovereign states: Kosovo is still struggling for full recognition within the UN as Serbia still considers it a part of its territory; Transniestre – despite having its own army, currency and enforceable borders – is still generally considered to be a part of Moldova; and South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh, in the Caucasus, are also all disputed territories.

Despite such apparent political turbulence, in what is undoubtedly one of the most rapidly evolving regions of the

Dubrovnik is one of the best preserved and most beautiful medieval cities in the whole of Eastern Europe.

Monumental walls surround a maze of marble streets and baroque buildings, protecting a historic port at the foot of magnificently craggy cliffs. If this all sounds like somewhere out of Game of Thrones then that’s because it is: Dubrovnik, along with a number of other sites along the Croatian coast, has often been featured as more than one of the exotic locations in the hit TV show.

‘The pearl of the Adriatic’ was heavily bombed during the siege of 91-92, with a large number of the medieval buildings receiving direct hits. Fortunately, the city has been skilfully restored, and other than some slight variations in the colour of the red tiled roofs, it has largely been returned to its former glory.

If you are planning to visit Croatia on a short budget trip, then your best option might be to fly into Split, further up the coast, on EasyJet. After checking out the Roman ruins of Diocletian’s Place and visiting Klis Fortress (yet another Game of Thrones location), it’s around four hours on the bus to Dubrovnik itself.

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BIGTRIP

Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is considered by many to possess the most beautiful ‘Old Town’ in the Baltic. Cobbled streets snake around numerous baroque churches and extravagantly ornate medieval buildings, leading down from the Gates of Dawn – one of the walled city’s original gates – towards Vilnius Cathedral and its landmark 57m-high belfry.

Overlooking Cathedral Square is the ruined Gediminas Castle – accessible by foot or funicular railway – with impressive views from the top of its tower.

By the 15th century, Lithuania had grown to become one of the largest empires in Europe, with territory reaching down from the Baltic to the Black Sea. These days it’s tiny, if crammed with places of interest, but the people are still fiercely proud of their heritage. Lithuania’s large Jewish population, in particular, suffered terribly during the Nazi occupation and Soviet era but the people’s independent spirit was never really broken: it went on to become the first country in Eastern Europe to formally declare its independence from the Soviet Union.

Many travellers will choose to visit Lithuania as part of a larger trip to the Baltic, along with Latvia and Estonia. A recommended short(ish) trip would be to fly into Kaunas or Vilnius on Ryan Air and then out of Estonia’s capital Tallinn with EasyJet. If you wished to carry on into Russia, then it is also easy to travel on from Tallinn to St Petersburg.

THINGS TO DO As in many Eastern European capitals, nearly all that is of historic interest is to be found within the easily walkable Unesco-listed Old Town. It’s the kind of city where you could happily wander around all day, seeing something slightly different around every other crumbled or ornately decorated corner.

Particularly of note is the district of Uzupis. In 1998 its residents declared it an independent state, to be known as the Uzupis Republic. They have their own government, flag, 60

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currency, constitution and an army of 11. Among the 41 points listed in the constitution, it states that ‘everyone has the right to be of any nationality’, ‘everyone has the right to appreciate their unimportance’ and ‘everyone has the right to die, but this is not an obligation’.

One worthwhile attraction that lies slightly outside of the historic old town is the Museum of Genocide Victims (otherwise known as the KGB Museum). Guided or headphone tours are available, or you can just wander through the former cells, interrogation rooms and exhibits by yourself. In one cell, known as the water room, prisoners were forced to stand on a small platform until fatigue sent them crashing down into the surrounding frozen water. In the execution cell, more than a thousand lost their lives. The guide told me that he used to be in the KGB but he might have been joking...

A popular day trip from the modern capital is to the ancient capital of Trakai to visit the beautifully restored gothic Island Castle. It takes about 45 minutes each way on the bus.

GOING OUT Restaurants line the main pedestrianised area leading down towards Cathedral Square, and plenty of the numerous bars and pubs also serve good Lithuanian food.

Particularly recommended is the Uzupis Café: it has a great location right next to the river in the most scenic part of Uzupis, and the prices are surprisingly reasonable.

WHERE TO STAY The competition among budget hotels and hostels is fierce, but I would particularly recommend the Old Town Hostel (oldtownhostel.lt/en), conveniently located close to both the train station and the Gates of Dawn.

Kiev, Ukraine Ukraine might not seem like an obvious place to go on holiday at the moment. That’s a shame as Kiev has the potential to become one of Europe’s most popular

The view of Vilnius Cathedral Belfry from Gediminas Avenue, Lithuania

Pictures: Getty, Thinkstock, Mövenpick Hotels and Caroline Garnar

THINGS TO DO The biggest attraction in Dubrovnik is simply the city itself: whether getting lost in the narrow maze of medieval alleys, promenading along the marble floored Placa, or wandering around the walkways perched on top of the 25mhigh city walls. Within the city itself, there are plenty of shops, museums, monasteries and numerous churches to explore.

Dubrovnik makes for a great base for exploring not only Croatia, but also other parts of the former Yugoslavia (dubrovnikdaytours.net). There are numerous boat trips on offer to the surrounding islands and you can also take day trips to Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina (home to the gorgeous Stari Most – the ‘old bridge’ that was blown up during the war, but later restored) and to the spectacular fjord at Kotor in Montenegro.

Not surprisingly, some Game of Thrones themed tours have also become popular (gameofthronestourcroatia.com).

GOING OUT The seating of numerous tourist-oriented restaurants sprawl out across the marble boulevard of Placa, while the the electronic music scene is thriving thanks to Croatia’s summer beach and boat festivals.

WHERE TO STAY If you are travelling independently, then as soon as you get off the bus at Pile Gate, you are likely to be approached by locals renting out rooms in their own houses or apartments. As in many other parts of the former Yugoslavia, this is likely to be your best-value option.

Vilnius, Lithuania

BIGTRIP destinations: there’s plenty to see, its good value for money, and it’s probably far safer than most big cities.

Until fairly recently it was only really worth budget travellers visiting Kiev as part of a bigger trip – possibly arriving overland from Poland via Ukraine’s Unesco-listed Lviv, or by overnight train from Moscow or Minsk – but Wizz Air are now offering cheap flights directly from the UK, opening up the possibility of a weekend break in Ukraine’s capital.

With a population of around three million – slightly more than Paris – Kiev covers a large area, but most of the many sites can easily be visited by foot. For trips further out, the metro is cheap and easy to use – the buses can be harder to figure out.

THINGS TO DO Kiev’s biggest attraction is the Caves Monastery. It is actually a whole complex of Orthodox-style churches, museums and monasteries, laid out across a forested park overlooking the Dnipro River. On descending to the caves you will be given the opportunity to buy a long, narrow candle to help you find your way as you shuffle along behind a long line of headscarf-wearing babushkas kissing the coffins of the monks.

Closer to the commercial centre of the city are numerous Orthodox onion-domed churches and museums. Most notable is the St Sophia Cathedral Complex. Other sites worth visiting include the recently restored Golden Gate, the Gaudi-like Chimera Building and Independence Square (aka Maidan), the site of recent demonstrations. Despite demonstrators still refusing to move their tents and barricades of tyres at the commercial hub of Kiev, life seems to be carrying on around them as normal (at least for the time being).

A popular day trip from Kiev is to the Chernobyl nuclear power station and the towns of Pripyat and Chernobyl themselves. You have to keep your arms and legs covered at all times, and on the way out you have to go through a

Radiation: An abandoned Chernobyl classroom

series of radiation checks. One of the guys on our trip was initially turned back but eventually let through after they had scraped some radioactive mud off his trainers. A tourist on an earlier trip had to strip down to his underpants for testing after failing to make it through the safety radiation checks a number of times (he had neglected to mention that he had received radiotherapy for cancer a few years earlier).

At around US$150 a head – or slightly more if you don’t book in advance – it’s not cheap for a day trip but they do at least throw in a decent meal (at a restaurant well within the exclusion zone).

GOING OUT Almost every style of restaurant can be found in Kiev, and there are plenty of clubs and bars. Some of the best ones can be found in backstreet basements but these can be difficult to locate without assistance, so ask the locals.

WHERE TO STAY The Kiev Central Station Hostel (kievcentralstation.com) is clean, and the staff friendly and helpful – when you manage to find them. They can also help arrange trips to Chernobyl.

Moscow, Russia Moscow is huge, with a population of more than 10 million.

And in stark contrast to most of Eastern Europe, it has a reputation for being outrageously expensive. Also, unlike the rest of Eastern Europe – with the exception of notoriously obtuse Belarus – Western tourists require an expensive visa to visit. Fortunately for Russia’s fledgling tourist industry, Moscow is home to some of the biggest attractions in all of Eastern Europe.

Another incentive to finally make the trip is that EasyJet is now flying to Moscow. If you wanted to make the most of the cost of the visa, then you could also take an overnight train north to beautiful St Petersburg, before carrying on to Estonia and catching a cheap flight back from one of the Baltic capitals.

Getting around Moscow is easy and cheap, using the excellent metro system. Many of the stations are so ornately decorated that they have become a tourist attraction in their TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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own right. It is even possible to take an organised Moscow Metro Tour (moscowfreetour.com).

THINGS TO DO One of my most vivid travel memories is emerging from Moscow’s majestically ornate metro system in the middle of a brutal Russian winter, and stepping out through the snow into the hugely impressive Red Square. At one end of the square stands the spectacularly onion-domed St Basil’s Cathedral, so beautiful that Ivan the Terrible blinded the architects to ensure that nothing comparable could ever be built again. To the other sides stand Lenin’s Mausoleum, the State History Museum, the extravagant shopping centre GUM and the Kremlin.

Other popular attractions include the Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Gorky Park, Pushkin Fine Arts Museum, and a night out at the Bolshoi Ballet.

One of Moscow’s newer attractions can be found at Winzavod (winzavod.ru/eng/), a former brewery and wine factory that has been transformed into a complex of art galleries and performing arts venues. As a centre for contemporary Russian arts it is generally considered to have been at the heart of Moscow’s cultural transformation.

GOING OUT Moscow has a bit of a reputation for both hedonism and unreasonable door policy: some of the most popular clubs and bars include Propaganda, Bunker 2, and Karma (ex Buddha) Bar. WHERE TO STAY Godzillas (godzillashostel.com) is well established and centrally located. It can also provide independent travellers with the required visa invitations (at a cost).

Berat, Albania Albania has such a distinct feel and atmosphere that it barely feels like Europe at all. While many countries within Europe seem to simply merge into one another, from the moment you cross into Albania, it is clear that you are setting foot into somewhere truly unique.

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Berat, Albania

Words: Tom Coote (tomcoote.net) Photos: Tom Coote, Thinkstock

St Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow

The first things you will notice are the thousands of concrete bunkers dotted not just over the hillsides, beaches and gardens, but also throughout the centre of the cities. Albania’s former communist leader, Enver Hoxha, had around 700,000 of these concrete and steel domes constructed throughout the country in the hope that they would repel any invaders.

Having been built to stand up against a full tank assault, they are now almost impossible to destroy.

Having emerged from a hard-line, isolationist, communist netherworld, Albania now seems keen to welcome tourists.

Many of the once notoriously potholed roads have now been resurfaced; the drab grey tower blocks in the capital, Tirana, have been repainted in a range of vivid colours; and the beach resorts around Saranda are being exposed to breathtakingly rapid development.

Albania is still a bit harder to get to than most of Eastern Europe, but EasyJet flies to both Corfu (a short ferry trip across from Saranda) and to further south in Greece, and it is easy to cross into from Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia.

THINGS TO DO Berat is arguably Albania’s most beautiful town. Known as ‘the town of a thousand windows’ its hillside is covered with traditional white Ottoman houses, seemingly stacked one upon the other. Towering above it all stands the Kala, a 14th-century citadel that is still home to a number of active churches. At the foot of the hill stands the 14th-century Sultan’s Mosque, one of the oldest in Albania. A pleasant walk along the river and across the seven arched stone bridge will lead you on to yet more medieval churches, mosques and monasteries.

The journey to Berat from other Albanian cities such as Tirana, Saranda, or Albania’s other Unesco-listed historic centre Gjirokastra, is as memorable an experience as Berat itself. The mountainous bunker-dotted scenery is as aweinspiring as it is individual, and the near suicidal risk-taking of the minibus drivers, regularly overtaking blind on extreme mountain switchbacks, is something you are usually more likely to encounter in the Himalayas than in Europe.

GOING OUT While Tirana and Saranda have more than their fair share of bars and nightlife, Berat isn’t really the place to go if you want to go clubbing.

WHERE TO STAY The attractive Hotel Mangalemi (mangalemihotel.com) is a great-value B&B set in one of Berat’s traditional Ottoman houses. The terrace, which has gorgeous views, is a great place to eat out or even just to stop for a drink. ❚

48HOURS

MENORCA

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YOUR WEEKEND IN MENORCA, SPAIN

Europe is sprinkled with magical islands harbouring ports, sandy beaches, fresh seafood and rich histories.

Menorca is arguably one of the lesser-known of the Balearic Islands – with Ibiza’s clubs and Mallorca’s package holidays hogging the limelight – but this little island is quietly and steadily making itself known. It lures in couples looking for a chilled-out getaway and groups of friends wanting to explore this small part of Europe at their own pace. P.S. Drinking of wine is mandatory.

DAY ONE Mahon harbour

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MORNING Ease yourself into the day with a boat trip, letting the sun warm your shoulders as you familiarise yourself with the area you have just arrived in, Port Mahon. The Yellow Catamaran (yellowcatamarans.com) is a good way to do this. Sit up on the open-air deck to take in the views and sparkling water as the recorded voice tells you what you are looking at – from a lonely island with crumbling boundaries once used as a quarantine for those with contagious diseases, to the summer

house where Lord Nelson is said to have holidayed with Lady Hamilton. When the boat anchors, you can head down the stairs to its glass-bottomed hulls to see the world lurking beneath the sea: swaying sea grass and shoals of tropical fish going about their day.

AFTERNOON Menorca is a small island, but it’s worth hiring a car so you can explore. Start by heading for the beach at Cala en Bosc on the other side of the island (still only about a 30-minute drive), stopping at Restaurant S’amarador (samarador. com) in Ciutadella de Menorca for lunch along the way. Nothing beats sitting by the harbour-side, tucking into freshly caught seafood – and here it is particularly good.

Once you reach the golden sands, don’t be tempted to laze the day away; instead, join one of the (rather hot) instructors for a kayaking session.

Paddle out and around the cove to reach hidden caves, ripe for snorkelling.

Admittedly on our visit we were told not to swim in the water as it was jellyfish season; although that didn’t stop us taking an impromptu dunk

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when our kayak capsized. We are happy to report we emerged sting-free, although we lost a large chunk of our dignity at sea thanks to the unladylike act of climbing back into a kayak while trying to keep one’s bikini in place...

EVENING After that good workout, we deserved an amazing meal and a drink or 10.

This in great supply at Barcelo Hamilton hotel (barcelohamiltonmenorca. com) in Cales Fonts. The food at its water-side restaurant, Sa Cova, is truly exquisite, and whatever you have (we recommend the lobster, egg and chips), be sure to finish it off with an iced Pomoda: a citrusy sorbet muddled with local gin. Seriously addictive. Head up to its rooftop spot, Blue Sky Bar, for after-dinner cocktails. Try one of their innovative gin and tonics infused with a variety of herbal teas.

Spend the night in your lush king-size bed (€98, approx £78pn) and have a peaceful slumber thanks to the hotel’s no under-17s policy. Hoorah to that.

Words: Caroline Garnar. Photos: Supplied, Caroline Garnar and Thinkstock

DAY TWO MORNING If you can tear yourself away from the roof-top Jacuzzis and day beds at Barcelo Hamilton, then 1. You have more will power than us, and 2. You should head into the town of Mahon, Menorca’s capital, for a little exploring. To bring the town to life we highly recommend hiring a guide from the tourist board (menorca.es), in particular a spritely chap fantastically named Fernando. A life-long resident, he is super passionate about his town and appears to know everyone and everything. Explore the town hall, the cobbled streets and the stunning old opera house, while learning the history of the town and quirky facts such as, according to Fernando at least, mayonnaise originates from Mahon.

It was called ‘Mahonaise’, but the French Duke who liked it so much he introduced it to the rest of Europe, pronounced it ‘mayonnaise’.

AFTERNOON You absolutely have to spend a lazy afternoon at Binifadet Winery (binifadet.com/en/). Not only will they give you a free tour around the cellars, giving you an insight into the processes

48HOURS Religious experience: Sacre Coeur

Barcelo Hamilton’s rooftop that go into making a bottle of your favourite plonk, but you can take a pew on its delightful, leafy terrace, hemmed in by climbing vines rich with fruit, and sip away to your heart’s content. Their chardonnay was our personal favourite, while we finished off our meal – fresh cheese, meats, olives, tomatoes, Spanish omelettes and thick, warm slabs of toast smeared in a divine wine marmalade – with a glass of the sweet Muscat wine and a few cheeky scoops of wine ice cream.

Although lying on our stomachs after that lot may not have been the best idea, it’s impossible to resist checking in for a massage back at Barcelo. Not only that, but they actually use grape extract from the Binifadet Winery, so if wine wasn’t already oozing out of your pores, it would now be smoothed into them in the form of a gentle scrub and lotion. And do you know what?

Not only is wine great for guzzling, it’s great for your skin too.

EVENING Quite possibly one of the coolest club locations we have come across, the Cova den Xoroi (covadenxoroi. com) is literally in a cave, with its opening perched on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Sip a drink on its carved-out terrace area, which is the perfect spot to watch the sun sink behind the sea, before heading inside to party the night away until you see the sun re-appearing again.

Simply unmissable.

Fly with Monarch Airlines to Menorca during September from £57 one way. monarch.co.uk

TNT’s Editor getting pissed as usual

The local food

Freedom: The view from the Arc de Triomphe Cova den Xoroi TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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A There is no easy answer to how long you should spend in one of the world’s most captivating cities; it depends on what you want to get out of your trip. My advice would be to allow yourself time to take in the major sights and then some additional days to really get under the skin of this diverse city. Consider allocating around 10 days if you are also planning on one or two day trips.

Spend the first few days getting acquainted with the city and its different districts and take in some of its most famous sights. Start by jumping on the free Staten Island Ferry to view Manhattan from the water and catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. Make sure that you take a trip to the top of the Rockefeller Centre or Empire State Building for views of the city. I’d recommend the Rockefeller Centre as the observation deck, 70 floors up, has great 360° views of the city including a spectacular view of Central Park and the Empire State Building.

Although New York has an efficient subway system and countless yellow taxis, walking Manhattan’s streets will allow you to

understand its diverse districts; cultural quarters of Little Italy and Chinatown, upmarket residential areas such as the Upper East Side and quirky Chelsea Village all deserve an explore. The city’s green spaces are also must sees; visit iconic Central Park and the Highline, an urban park on a former railway line. Spend some time taking in the city’s world-renowned shopping and museums. Of course, no trip to New York is complete without a trip to Times Square, and do try to check out a show on Broadway.

Ensure that you take some time to visit Brooklyn too, Manhattan’s cool and hip neighbour linked by the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. If you’re there when a game is on, head to the Barclays Centre to catch a Brooklyn Nets basketball game. You’ll get a great view of the city if you walk back to Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge.

In summer, a great day trip is to the Hamptons, the seaside playground of the rich and famous complete with gigantic houses, fast cars and sandy beaches. It’s a love it or hate it kind of place but when New York swelters in summer this is the place to be.

Alternatively, jump on the Acela Express train to Philadelphia. Offering a less touristy view of East Coast city life, Philadelphia’s growing food scene and world-renowned arts culture make it a great alternative to NYC.

TRAIN REACTION Spending a few days in the super fascinating Serbian capital of Belgrade can only be topped if you catch the overnight train and wake up in the beautiful Montenegro. The locals will warn you against it, but I highly recommend the train journey over a bus or car. It is nearly 11 hours, but the seats are wide and comfy, and even recline. The views are stunning too.

We were told it was basically a ‘tin can on wheels’, but we felt safe and comfortable. Sometimes, it seems, it pays to ignore the locals.

Sarah, Caledonian Road

1 November 2014

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DEAL OF THE MONTH LAS VEGAS NYE Celebrate New Year’s Eve in pp style with Topdeck’s four-day Las Vegas NY trip starting 30 December 2014. On NYE enjoy an included dinner with the group and hit one of Las Vegas’ top nightclubs where you will enjoy VIP entry to bring in the NY! Includes three nights at Bally’s hotel on The Strip, three breakfasts, Topdeck Trip Leader and lots of free time! Must be minimum 21 years old.

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£250-500 THAI ELEPHANT CONSERVATION Seven days at a rescue centre north of Chiang Mai volunteering with elephants and helping with the reforestation project from £399pp. Includes accommodation, all meals and transfers to and from the elephant park.

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OKTOBERFEST, MUNICH Three nights B&B at the Haus International Hostel in Munich from £209pp. Includes coach travel to and from the festival for the opening weekend, tour guide & T-shirt. Does not include external flights, departs Munich September 19th thefanatics.com

TENERIFE Seven nights all-inclusive in Puerto Santiago, Tenerife, staying at the 3-star Aparthotel Globales Tamaimo Tropical from £299pp. Includes return flights from London Luton or London Stansted departing various dates between October 1st & October 16th. travelinteraction.co.uk

RODA, CORFU Seven nights’ all-inclusive accommodation at the 3-star Roda Garden Village from £239pp. Situated on the beautiful beach, the Roda Garden Village is just 200m from the centre of Roda, surrounded by green rocky mountains. Includes flights from London Luton, London Gatwick or London Stansted, departing on various dates between September 20th & October 22nd.

SAIL TURKEY Eight days’ sailing along Turkey’s magnificent Turquoise Coast on board a traditional Gulet from £251.25pp.

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> £500 EGYPT & JORDAN 16 days travelling from Cairo, through Egypt and Jordan and back to Cairo again from £649pp. Includes Luxor, Aswan, Felucca Trip, Dahab, Petra, the Red Sea, Amman and much more. Includes B&B accommodation in 4-star and 5-star hotels, airport transfers and all land transportation plus sail boat. Does not include external flights or local payment, departs October 4th. traveltalktours.com LOS ANGELES-SAN FANCISCO Seven days travelling from LA, through the Nevada Desert via the Grand Canyon & Las Vegas, to San Francisco. Includes a visit to Yosemite National Park, all overland transportation, sightseeing tours, overnight accommodation and some meals from £625pp. Does not include external flights, departs Los Angeles September 28th. topdeck.travel

KILI TREK & SAFARI The Roof of Africa and The Big Five combined from £1,445pp! This 12-night trip with Absolute Africa includes a seven-day Machame trek on Kilimanjaro and a safari into The Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, spending time camping under the African stars with morning and afternoon game drives.

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NICE ICE BABY Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo began the Belgian Grand Prix weekend by having a massive bucket of ice tipped on his head... and ended it with a spray of Champagne. The Aussie champion won his third F1 race at Spa, but not before taking the ALS ice bucket challenge to raise awareness and funds for motor neurone disease. He then boldly nominated his boss Christian Horner and rival Lewis Hamilton. The trademark grin didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leave his face at any point. Legend.

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Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin is in line to achieve the remarkable, if not impossible, and win back-to-back AFL Premierships with two different teams. His new side, the Sydney Swans, led the ladder after 21 rounds, ahead of who else but Franklin’s old mates and defending champions at Hawthorn. There’s a long way to go until September 27 though, and Geelong, last year’s grand finalists Fremantle, and four other teams in the finals will have something to say about that fairytale. Whoever makes the big one, watch it in the best way possible at TNT’s AFL Party at the Elk Bar with doors from 4.30am.

For more details visit tntmagazine.com/london/events

CAN RABID RABBITS END THE DROUGHT? RUGBY LEAGUE

Even in second place after 22 games, with two to go, South Sydney were favourites to take out the NRL Premiership.

And that was the week after being done over by the North Queensland Cowboys.

But could this really be the year the cardinal red and myrtle green Bunnies win their first title since 1971?

Manly and arch rivals the Sydney Roosters are likely to have the biggest 74

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say in that not happening as the finals get underway this month in the lead up to the grand final.

And just like last year, Souths round 26 showdown with the Roosters – to be played Thursday, September 4, could even decide the the minor premiership.

Last year the Rabbitohs weren’t up to the mark in that match, or the semifinal, and their nemeses went on to win the Premiership.

Catch all the action, including the finals starting September 12 to the October 5 grand final, live on the Premier Sports channel.

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BIG MONTH FOR...

Australia and South Africa’s rugby teams have plenty to prove when they take each other on in two matches that will, let’s face it, decide who will come second in The Rugby Championship.

The Wallabies were spanked by the All Blacks, who are miles ahead in class.

Captain Michael Hooper (pictured) was the only man in gold up to the mark. And the Proteas struggled to dominate lowly Argentina in their openers.

They clash on September 6 and September 27.

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HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH

Words: Michael Gadd. Photos: Getty

PREVIEW

New hope: England ace Ross Barkley

Socceroo Tim Cahill

ROY’S BOYS CONFIDENCE CAMPAIGN ENGLAND V SWITZERLAND, EURO QUALIFIER, SEP 8 After the disaster in Brazil, which saw England return home with their tails between their legs, Roy Hodgson’s lads are back in business as they bid to qualify for Euro 2016.

It begins on September 8 with what should be the only genuinely tough fixture in the group E against Switzerland, who went one better and made it to the round of 16 before being beaten by finalists Argentina.

Also in their group is Slovenia (world

No 39), Estonia (93), Lithuania (103) and San Marino (208). To make the tournament in France England must be in the top two in their group after a series of home and away fixtures – even if they somehow manage to come third, which would almost surely end in Hodgson’s sacking, they can still go into a play-off with the other thirdplaced sides for the last spot in the tournament.

Against Switzerland, Hodgson comes face to face with the side he led at the 1994 World Cup in the USA.

SEMI PRO RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS WANTED

Hemel Stags are seeking players for the 2015 season. Generous match payments for suitable players with UK/EU passports or ancestry visas.

Contact: Head Coach Troy Perkins 07708764645 Email: troy.perkins@hemelstags.com Web: www.hemelstags.com

2 Cricket ODI: England v India 3 Foot friendly: England v Norway 4 Foot friendly: Belgium v Australia 4 Super League: St Helens v Warrington 5 Cricket ODI: England v India 5-7 F1: Italian Grand Prix 5-7 AFL: Finals Week One 6 Rugby C’ship: Australia v South Africa; New Zealand v Argentina 7 Tennis: US Open Final 7 Cricket T20: England v India 8 Foot friendly: Saudi Arabia v Australia 8 Foot friendly: Uzbek. v New Zealand 8 Euro qual: England v Switzerland 11 Super League: Wigan v Warrington 12-14 NRL: Finals Week One 12-13 AFL: Semi-Finals 13 EPL: Arsenal v Manchester City 13 Rugby C’ship: New Zealand v South Africa; Australia v Argentina 13 Super League: Catalan v Castleford 14 EPL: Manchester United v QPR 19-21 F1: Singapore Grand Prix 19-20 AFL: Preliminary Finals 20-21 NRL: Finals Week Two 20 EPL: West Ham v Liverpool 21 EPL: Manchester City v Chelsea 27 Rugby C’ship: South Africa v Australia; Argentina v New Zealand 27 EPL: Arsenal v Tottenham 27 EPL: Liverpool v Everton 27 AFL GRAND FINAL 27-28 NRL: Finals Week Three Oct 4 Rugby C’ship: South Africa v New Zealand; Argentina v Australia Oct 5 NRL GRAND FINAL TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Words: Michael Gadd. Photos: Getty

Unfinished Business

England star Mike Brown won every individual prize he could last season, but it means nothing to the full-back without silverware... and his sights are on the big one, the 2015 Rugby World Cup No northern hemisphere rugby player made a bigger impact in 2013-14 than England and Harlequins’ ace Mike Brown.

The explosive full-back was immense for club and country, with accolades including Six Nations player of the championship and the Aviva Premiership’s player of the season.

He couldn’t have done much more individually but, as he explains, that means little in rugby union without something to celebrate with team-mates.

His England side finished the Six Nations second behind Ireland, and Harlequins bowed out of the Premiership in 76

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the semi-finals to eventual winners Northampton.

“I really enjoyed last year. I showed everyone what I can do at the highest level, but it’s about lifting my game again this year,” Brown says.

“It was nice to win [the Six Nations and Premiership awards] but I’d have swapped them both for an Aviva Premiership Rugby winner’s medal and a Six Nations winner’s medal.”

“It was a positive for me from what could have been a negative season otherwise, but it was just great to pull the 15 shirt on at club and international level and show everybody what I could do leading into this year.

“It’s something to build on and something I’m massively looking forward to doing.”

With the 12-month countdown now on for the pinnacle of the sport, the World Cup being held in England and Wales, the stakes have been raised even higher this season.

Brown says any performance last year is rendered irrelevant if it’s not backed up over the next year and, with the general sale ticket window open this month for all 48 matches in the tournament, the anticipation is all the more real.

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Brown with his player of the season trophy

English rugby’s 2014 club captains

PREMIERSHIP RUGBY 2014 IN LONDON

The Premiership Rugby season kicks off on September 5, with the four London clubs all clashing the next day at Twickenham as part of the traditional London Double Header.

Saracens take on Wasps at 2pm followed by London Irish and Harlequins at 4.30pm.

There are few better ways to spend an autumn or winter’s afternoon in London and nearby than at the rugby – and, unlike the football, you can drink in the stands during the game.

Here’s all you need to know to adopt your nearest London team as your own, and head to their first few home matches at which you can pledge your newfound allegiance.

The full back rises above the All Blacks “It’s a massive year for every English player and there’s no point playing well last year and not doing it again this year,” Brown says. “I’m massively looking forward to getting back into things domestically and internationally.”

“This Premiership season will be so exciting with the World Cup on the horizon.

“It all starts with playing well for your club, and if you do that and the club’s successful, then it puts you in a good place in terms of England selection. And if you’re playing for England it puts you in a good place confidence-wise to do well there.”

Brown’s Harlequins campaign kicks off against London Irish in the second match of the traditional London Double Header at Twickenham, following Saracens and Wasps, on September 6.

“It’s a great start to the season at Twickenham, the home of English rugby, and it provides a great day for players and fans. It’s exciting times at the moment and I can’t wait to get out there.

“Hopefully we can get off to a good start there and build on that because we left ourselves with too much to do last season and we can make it easier on ourselves. It will be tough but we are looking forward to it.”

LONDON WELSH london-welsh.co.uk Home ground: Kassam Stadium, Oxford, OX4 4XP Next home games: Sep 7 v Exeter; Sep 26 v Gloucester HARLEQUINS quins.co.uk Home ground: Twickenham Stoop, TW2 7SX Next home games: Sep 12 v Saracens; Sep 20 v Wasps LONDON WASPS wasps.co.uk Home ground: Adam Park, High Wycombe, HP12 4HJ Next home games: Sep 14 v Northampton; Sep 28 v Newcastle LONDON IRISH london-irish.com Home ground: Madjeski Stadium, Reading, RG2 0FL Next home games: Sep 20 v Saracens; Oct 4 v Northampton SARACENS saracens.com Home ground: Allianz Park, NW4 1RL Next home games: Sep 27 v Sale; Oct 11 v Gloucester For tickets to the London Double Header at Twickenham visit ticketmaster.co.uk

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Words: Michael Gadd. Photos: Getty

World Cup 2015 progress report

Kurtley Beale and the Wallabies have work to do Tickets for the 2015 Rugby World Cup go on general sale for a limited time only from September 12 to 29 with seats to all 48 matches available to fans.

The Cup will be played in 13 venues in England and Wales from September 18 to the final on October 31, 2015. To get your seat visit rugbyworldcup.com.

With the world’s best teams already ramping up preparations, we look at how the contenders are fairing and who’s the best of the rest.

NEW ZEALAND The defending champions are still the world’s best by some way and will expect nothing less than victory in England. They put Australia to the sword with a 51-20 thrashing in their second Bledisloe Cup clash, and it could have been worse. And this with the return of Dan Carter still to come.

AUSTRALIA Uh oh. Just when we thought a resurgence was on the cards with the 12-12 draw in the mud against the All Blacks, the Wallabies wilted under pressure the next week. The likes of Kurtley Beale don’t look like permanent fixtures and Ewen McKenzie’s rebuild might need to start again.

SOUTH AFRICA The Proteas aren’t blowing the world away and will rely heavily on the boot of Handre Polland, but the way they’ve played badly and yet still won against the Pumas shows their ability to win when it’s not all going right for them.

ENGLAND The dark horses for the World Cup at home – they’ve come 78

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All Black Dan Carter will be back close in the past two Six Nations (runners up twice) – and that’s been with a squad put together with an eye on 2015.

In Autumn they beat Australia, Argentina and pushed the All Blacks – they’ll have learned from their absurd tour of New Zealand.

THE REST For the Home Nations, Ireland have big tournament form after Six Nations victory, but the loss of a veteran like Brian O’Driscoll isn’t minor; Wales rugby need to put their political woes to one side and get everyone on the same page; and Scotland are destined to be also-rans.

Elsewhere, France will be a lottery as ever, but last time out against the Aussies showed little sign of anything worth worrying about in 2015. But Argentina are showing improvement in spades – their 33-31 loss to South Africa in the Rugby Championship was nothing short of phenomenal, so they could be a handful come next year.

TNT BAREFOOT BOWLS TOURNAMENTT We were bowled over by the TNT readers who turned up in spite of the rain to throw some balls around, dress up and get drunk. God bless you, we say.

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Winning Team: Jack Outta Hell – Luke, Matt, Joel & Neil Prize: Their choice of 9-day Felucca Odyssey Tour, 9-day Essential Turkey Tour or 8-day Adventure Morocco Tour with Travel Talk Best Dressed Team: BP/BC – Matt, Teresa, Emily & Stu Prize: Gold Membership each to 8th Day Adventure Best Bowler: Kate McCulloch Prize: Surf weekend in Cornwall with The H.O.F.N.A.R Experience Best Dressed Individual (And All Round Legend): Martin Kaesler Prize: Hercules Limited Edition Bocce Bowls Set Photos by: Simona Dalla Valle Sponsored by...

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LIFESTYLE CAREERS | LIVING | CLASSIFIEDS | DESPERATELY SEEKING ONE BRIDGE CLOSER

Photo: Miles Willis/Getty Images for Ballymore

The bridge that links the new London development of City Island in Canary Wharf to Canning Town has been put in place. Once complete, the unique 12-acre island is being pitched as a ‘mini Manhattan’ with apartments, waterside parks, new bars and restaurants, artist studios, boutique shops, a school and, naturally, a private residents’ club. Maybe one day, hey?

LIFESTYLECAREERS

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Powder power Getting paid to ski is snow joke, much like that pun. Sign up for a season in the snow and you won’t regret it...

Getting paid to ski sounds like a job too good to be true. But it’s not – you just need to put in some hard graft as well.

It’s billed as a life-changing time during which you’ll make new BFFs, improve your skiing or snowboarding and spend months in the fresh mountain air.

For many people, working a ski season is a dream job – earning while playing in the white stuff for up to six hours a day. But it’s not all fun and frolics – you do have to earn your keep, and don’t expect that to be a lot.

The most popular job on the slopes is a chalet host. You’ll be responsible for cleaning as well as preparing breakfast and cooking dinner.

You work shift hours (usually 7am to 10am and then 5pm to 9.30pm) with one day off a week. And, on transfer 82

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days, you’ll be expected to get up at the crack of dawn to scrub the chalet from top to bottom.

“Getting up early to cook guests’ breakfasts, usually after a few drinks and only a few hours’ sleep, or cleaning the whole chalet on transfer day were the worst parts of the job,” says Richard Hudson, who manned a chalet that accommodated 30 people for Esprit Ski in La Rosière, France.

“It is hard work; the days are long and you don’t get much time for yourself,” Hudson, 24, from Chalk Farm, adds. “Be sure you can deal with a hectic lifestyle before signing up. But I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I still rate it as probably the best six months of my life – and I was on the slopes nearly every day.

“Being a chalet host gives you more time on the slopes than any other resort job. Coupled with awesome nightlife, you’ve got an ideal job.”

As your main duty will be caring for guests, making sure they’re well-fed every day, put yourself ahead of other candidates by booking on to a cookery course, which shows you’re able to cater for large groups.

The pay varies, but as a chalet host you can expect to take home about £80 per week. For David Miller, though, it wasn’t about the money, but all about getting time on the slopes so he could improve on his skills.

Miller, 28, worked two seasons, in Tignes, France, and St Anton, Austria, for Skiworld. “Your accommodation, food, lift pass, insurance, ski hire and

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LIFESTYLECAREERS ON THE JOB Louis Kwakye, gym manager, 25, Chingford How did you get your job?

Two snapped Achilles tendons during an athletics career led to the leisure industry… two short years later, I run a 5,500 member club!

What do you do day to day?

Interact with members, run fitness classes, host wellness events with my personal trainers, banking and maintenance, and much more!

What’s the most rewarding part?

Meeting with so many different people and helping them reach their goals.

Sounds cliché but there is no better feeling. Bankers to policemen, estate agents to IT engineers. If they love fitness they are here!

And the most challenging?

Deciding what trainers to wear! I love my job! puregym.com

Photos: Thinkstock. Words: Carol Driver

This could be your office

any lessons you want are all provided,” he points out.

“At the beginning of my first season I could just about stand up. By the end, I was going over jumps popping backside 3s. It is the best environment to learn in, as your workmates will teach you to snowboard and put the time in to make sure you pick it up and progress quickly.”

If you don’t fancy being a host almost 24/7, there are plenty of other positions available. Ski reps are sought-after.

As the main point of contact for guests, you’ll be dealing with problems, as well as arranging après-ski events.

In to beauty? Therapists and masseuses often find work, taking care of aching and tired limbs.

Or you can train to be a ski/ snowboard instructor; work in a bar or a restaurant as a chef or a waiter in a resort; bag a job driving; or get involved at a managerial level.

Leila Dukes, 28, worked as a chalet host in Tignes for one season, before heading to Morzine to be a restaurant manager at a hotel with more than 200 guests a week, working for Crystal.

“I was responsible for a team of 18 staff across breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner,” she says.

“I got on the slopes up to four times a week. I did my first season having been able to ski since the age of five, but never having snowboarded. Now I’m a better snowboarder than skier.

“The pay was enough for beer money, and the contract included accommodation and food, so that’s all I needed. I’d definitely do it again, it was one of the happiest times of my life.”

As a travel fan, you could find yourself on the slopes anywhere in the world. In Europe, France is the most popular option, while it’s cheaper to live in Austria.

Wannabe pros tend to head to Switzerland, but expect the cost of living to be high.

And it’s not just months of a jolly that will count against your career.

Dukes adds: “I did it as an experience and to make friends, but I have had employers in the ‘real world’ who have been impressed by my seasons – I guess what they show is that I had drive and independence at a young age.”

SAY WHAT? A NATIVES.CO.UK SURVEY REVEALS FUNNY SEASONAIRE CUSTOMER QUERIES... WE DESPAIR.

“Can you make the skis less slippery? I keep sliding backwards when I try to get to the lift queue.”

“I’d like to try snowboarding but I’m comfortable on my skis, could you just fasten them together for me with Sellotape instead?”

“Is there anything you can do about this weather/snow?”

“Is that a gluten-free toaster?”

“Do you have a hosepipe ban here at the moment?”

“So if it’s winter in New Zealand when it’s summer in America, what month is it there?”

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Santa has to work at Christmas, and so do you...

You simply can’t beat Christmas with your rellies back home. Especially if all your mates have headed home and your only option here is to eat sliced turkey out of a packet with your housemate who smells of cheese.

Affording a trip back to Oz, however, is a different ball game. Of course you’ve got the “Your Christmas present is my presence” line to save money on gifts, but flights at this time of year can be through the roof.

One option is to get a temporary Christmas job while you’re back in Oz. We know you want to spend most of your time in the pub and catching up with mates, but if you’re clever about it, you can cover the cost of your flight and have an awesome Christmas back home. Think about it.

For inspiration, here are some short-term job ideas you could try over the holidays...

willing. Also you’ll have your days free to soak up the sun. auspost.com.au

Sorting mail

Office work

As it’s commonly a time of mass card-sending, Australia Post tends to struggle at Christmas – and there are a variety of jobs available.

If you don’t mind getting up off your backside, you can deliver mail by walking, bicycle or motorbike, and you can also take shifts sorting out mail and van driving. The downside? Mail sorting jobs tend to be overnight, and there will always be pesky dogs that take a dislike to you, but pay is good and you can pretty much guarantee you’ll land a role if you’re punctual and show

Businesses always need temporary staff over Christmas when full-time staff head off on their holidays. Admin, accounting, secretarial and data entry jobs are always plentiful.

They’re not necessarily the most exciting jobs in the world, but you will be doing fairly easy work in an air-conditioned office, most likely from 9-5, with one hour for lunch.

Even though your prospective employer will be aware that you’re not in it for the longhaul, you still need to be professional and dress appropriately. Expect to earn around

Sales assistant The need for sales assistants starts to ramp up in September, and it’ll be tiring work – but you should be able to get your hands on a nifty staff discount (great for Christmas presents). All training is provided, and the work will be flexible so you’ve got a bit of time to stuff your family’s stocking too (no incest jokes, please). You can expect to earn around AU$18.19 an hour, and the good news is experience within retail doesn’t often translate to much bigger bucks – so the average newbie will only be on a bit less than a manager. retailchoice.com/ JobSeeking/Australia

Words: Vicky Anscombe and Caroline Garnar. Photos: Thinkstock

LIFESTYLELIVING

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CARS2 AUSTRALIA.CO.UK

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LIFESTYLELIVING

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TOP THREE CARIBBEAN BARS The Rum Island @ Floridita Your very own Caribbean retreat, this naughty number finds itself at the base of the oh-so-grand staircase of Floridita. The atmosphere, decor and drinks offering excels in both opulence and deviance, delivering a heady dose of rum-infused refreshment and hearty BBQ-ed meals. The vibe is upbeat and lively, making this a stellar choice for a Caribbean bar in London.

Words: Rebecca O’Malley

Dub Jam, Covent Garden A sweet escape from the frantic activity of London’s Covent Garden, Dub Jam is a Caribbean-themed hangout that transports the spontaneity of the beach party to the weather-worn streets of London. The sound system pumps out classics from Trojan Records, and the bar flows with Red Stripe and boasts an eclectic selection of rums in its boozy arsenal (the brave can sample their infamous Wray & Nephews rum punch).

A delightful Jamaican hideaway in Central London.

The Rum Kitchen, Notting Hill This Caribbean beach shack cocktail bar is more than worth the trip downstairs.

Sitting pretty beneath the Mecca for traditional home cooked Caribbean dishes (we’re talking jerk chicken wings, pulled pork sandwiches and roasted cod in coconut milk), this candlelit fellow serves up a cracking soundtrack of reggae and calypso beats alongside one hundred varieties of rum. How about a glass of the Rumbustion Cooler or the Rattle Skull Punch? Yikes.

See our top five Caribbean bars at tntmagazine.com/london/food-anddrink/top-5-caribbean-bars-in-london 86

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Spend quality time back home at Christmas

around AU$19 an hour. Try seek.com.au for office work and finite.com.au for IT work

Hospitality and bar work If you’re after a challenge, fast on your feet and adept at making tips, bar work during the Christmas rush can pay off. In order to work with booze, you’ll need an RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) certificate, which is a one-day course that costs around AU$65. Keep your eye out in local papers for openings and don’t be afraid to go straight to the source and ask behind the bar if they have any openings – confidence is key in this job so it will

make you look good anyway. The basic rate is pretty low, but you have the bonus of tips – if you are good at your job, that is. backpackerjobboard.com.au

Au pair/nannying If you’re a dab-hand at a bedtime story and happy to have your nails painted pink, you’ll find plenty of nannying work over and around the Christmas period as parents’ work and social schedules pick up. Of course you won’t get much over babysitting rates, but if you become a temporary livein nanny, you can expect to earn around AU$230 per week. nannyaustralia.com

BACK FOR GOOD? If you’re moving back home for good, chances are you’re freaking out about how much stuff you’ve got to leave behind. Your beloved bed, your awesome dresser you found at a vintage store, your car – oh God your car! You saved up for ages for that baby and now you’ve got to sell it? Not necessarily... we drive on the same side of the road in England and Australia, and so you could ship your car back home.

Cars2Australia, funnily enough, do exactly this. They will assist with the necessary import documentation and application forms, transport your vehicle to the UK docks, prepare your car to ensure it meets Australian Customs

standards, carry out a comprehensive condition report, arrange the customs clearance and quarantine inspection in Australia, and finally assist with the registration of your vehicle upon arrival in Australia.

Its fees start at just £495 plus shipping costs, with a shipment taking five to six weeks.

Obviously you don’t want to ship an old banger, particularly as customs fees can add on another $1,200, but if your car is worth a decent amount, and it will fetch the same or more on re-sale in Australia, then this is definitely worth doing. Visit cars2australia.co.uk for more information on how to proceed.

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alexander-assoc.co.uk

alexander-assoc.co.uk

To advertise call 020 7989 0567 or sales@tntmagazine.com

PhD Studentships

In the current market we are not advertising all our contract roles.We are seeking CVs for all levels In the current market we are not advertising all of MEICA, Process and Civil Engineers.

RECRUITING CAD & DESIGN ENGINEERS our contract roles.We are seeking CVs for all levels

In Chemical Engineering at Imperial College 3.5 Years Appointment (Salary Equivalence of £23k per annum)

In the current market we are not advertising all our contract roles.We are seeking CVs for all levels of MEICA, Process and Civil Engineers.

of MEICA, Process and Civil Engineers.

Commissioning Coordinator & Mgr London & South Coast £40 to £50k • Civil • Structures • Rail • MEP Commissioning Coordinator & Mgr Commissioning London & South Coast £40 to £50k Coordinator & MgrSouth London & South Coast £40 toto£50k Princ Civil Eng W & WW Netwks East £50k • Mining • O&G UpUpto Princ Civil Eng W & WW Netwks South East • Highways Up to £50k Princ Civil Eng W & WW Netwks South East £50k Civil Project Manager London £38 to £45k Civil Project ManagerWater £38 to £45k (Site London &London Design) Electrical Design Engineer London & South East£32 to £35 Ltd Civil Project•Manager £38 to £45k Flood Risk River Modeling expert South West Perm £Neg Electrical Design Engineer London & South East£32 to £35 Ltd MEICA Coordinator London & Surrey Up to Engineer £40 •Electrical Autocad •LtdRevit • Microstation • 3D Design London & South East£32 to £35 Ltd Civil Design Eng with 5-10 yrs exp S.East & West £35k/£25 to £28 Ltd Flood Risk River Modeling expert South West Perm £Neg Flood Modeling expert South West Perm £Neg MEICA Project Manager South EastRisk River Up to £350 Ltd TNT@alexander-assoc.co.uk 01959 562572 Proposals Engineer MEICA London & Mids Up to £35 Ltd Coordinator London Uptoto£40 £40LtdLtd MEICA Coordinator London&&Surrey Surrey Up Developer Services Manager South West Perm £Neg Process Design Engineer South East to £70kyrs Civil Design EngUp5-10 with 5-10exp yrs exp S.East S.East& &West West £35k/£25 £35k/£25 toto£28 Civil Design Eng with £28LtdLtd Mechanical Design Engineer SE & NW Up to £32 Ltd MEICA Project Manager South East Up to £350 Environmental Consultant South East Perm £Neg MEICA Project Manager South East Up to £350LtdLtd Structural Engineer London Up to £48k Proposals Engineer London & Mids Up to £35 Ltd Technical Author ProposalsSouth East £170 to £190 Ltd Engineer London & Mids Up to £35 Ltd Commercial Manager South East £75 to £100k Developer Services Manager South West Perm £Neg Hydraulic Engineer/Surge Analyst EastServices Anglia Perm £Neg Developer Manager South West Perm £Neg Process Design Engineer South East Up to £70k Chemical Sales Engineer Midland Circa £35 to £42k Process Design Engineer South Up£32toLtd £70k Mechanical Design Engineer SE &East NW Up to Mechanical Design Engineer SESouth & NW UpPerm to £32 Environmental Consultant East £NegLtd Gallowglass is Europe’s leading crewingSouth company industry Structural Engineer London to £48k Environmental Consultant Eastto the events Up Perm £Neg workingTechnical for TV, Theatre, Live Events, Sports Events and Outdoor Author South East £170 to £190 Structural Engineer London Up toLtd £48k Productions amongst others.

Commercial Manager South East £75 to £100k Technical Author South East £170 to £190 Ltd Hydraulic Engineer/Surge Analyst£8.00East Anglia Perm £Neg Location: London Salary: From per hour + skills payments Commercial Manager South East to£42k £100k Chemical Sales Engineer Midland Circa £75 £35 to Gallowglass has vacancies for friendly enthusiastic and outgoing Hydraulic Engineer/Surge Analyst East Anglia Perm £Neg people to join our crew. You will need to be physically fit, have excellent spoken English, be adaptable, happy to work anti-social Chemical Sales Engineer Midland Circa £35 to £42k

alexander-assoc.co.uk

EVENT CREW

London & South Coast £40 to £50k South East Up to £50k London £38 to £45k London & South East£32 to £35 Ltd South West Perm £Neg London & Surrey Up to £40 Ltd S.East & West £35k/£25 to £28 Ltd South East Up to £350 Ltd London & Mids Up to £35 Ltd South West Perm £Neg South East Up to £70k SE & NW Up to £32 Ltd South East Perm £Neg London Up to £48k South East £170 to £190 Ltd South East £75 to £100k East Anglia Perm £Neg Midland Circa £35 to £42k

hours and have a can-do attitude.

In the current market we are not advertising all our contract roles.We are seeking CVs for all levels of MEICA, Process and Civil Engineers.

Commissioning Coordinator & Mgr Princ Civil Eng W & WW Netwks Civil Project Manager Electrical Design Engineer Flood Risk River Modeling expert MEICA Coordinator Civil Design Eng with 5-10 yrs exp MEICA Project Manager Proposals Engineer Developer Services Manager Process Design Engineer Mechanical Design Engineer Environmental Consultant Structural Engineer Technical Author Commercial Manager Hydraulic Engineer/Surge Analyst Chemical Sales Engineer

alexander-assoc.co.uk

RECRUITMENT

CVs to hr@gallowglass.com or complete our on line form at www.gallowglass.com

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College is one of the world’s top chemical engineering departments and is based in central London where teaching and research is delivered.

The SPEL research group specialises in characterising solid state particulate materials, such as powders, fibres, films and aggregates.

With our world class characterisation and solids preparation facilities, we study pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and complex organic solids with a specific interest in understanding the fundamental relationship between particle properties and their performance/ manufacture. We work with a range of global industrial sponsors.

We currently have two PhD vacancies to suit a graduate in chemical engineering, or a related discipline such as chemistry or physics, who would like to develop their professional career via paid PhD study.

(I)

Crystallisation of Biological Molecules using Nanonucleants

(II) Developing Novel Instrumentation for studying Polymer Swelling Interested, then email your CV to

d.r.williams@imperial.ac.uk

www3.imperial.ac.uk/surfacesandparticleengineeringlab/

Closing Date September 30th

Do you want earn from £4,928 weeks?

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Are you looking for Care work to suit your travel plans?

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Do you have what it takes to become a Self-Employed Carer?

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Patricia White’s Agency are looking Patricia Patricia White’s White’s Agency Agency areare looking looking for Health Professionals or forfor Health Health Professionals Professionals oror Experienced Carers to introduce to Experienced Experienced Carers Carers toto introduce introduce toto their prestigious clients in London their their prestigious prestigious clients clients inin London London and the UK. and and the the UK. UK. Patricia White’s Carers provide Patricia Patricia White’s White’s Carers Carers provide provide companionship, practical and care companionship, companionship, practical practical and and care care support to elderly clients on a Live In support support toto elderly elderly clients clients onon a Live a Live InIn or Live Out basis. oror Live Live Out Out basis. basis.

• • Are Are you you interested interested inin becoming becoming a carer? a carer?

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• Can Can you you commit commit toto to anan an 8 8week 8week week position? position?

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Do you you have have a aminimum a minimum minimum ofof of 6 6months 6 months months • Do Do you have • DoDo you you have have a minimum a minimum ofof 6 months 6 months experience or an equivalent? experience experience or or an an equivalent? equivalent? experience experience oror anan equivalent? equivalent?

• Do Do you have aclean clean drivers licence?

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•• Would Would you like to experience living a Would you you like like to to experience experience living living inin in • Would Would you you like like toto experience experience living living in in aa aa British household?

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Are you you flexible, flexible, reliable reliable • Are Are you you flexible, flexible, reliable reliable and and resourceful? resourceful?

Please contact our recruitment team Please Pleasecontact contactour ourrecruitment recruitmentteam team Tel: 01372 46 11 00 | Email: info@patriciawhites.co.uk Tel: Tel:01372 01372464611110000| |Email: Email:info@patriciawhites.co.uk info@patriciawhites.co.uk www.patriciawhites.co.uk www.patriciawhites.co.uk www.patriciawhites.co.uk 88

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DESPERATELYSEEKING

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Are you desperately seeking someone or something? Email caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com with your message

SAY WHAT?! bananas are definitely not a fruit, they are a nut. don’t even get me started on carrots.

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I was only called a c**t three times on my birthday this year, a record low.

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Dye her hair pink. We know it’s your favourite colour ma’am – go for it! i met this really hot guy the other night. he looked like boris johnson but with tattoos.

if there’s such a thing as trench fanny, I’ve got it.

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Have you trained it to do that or something? If it happens again I’ll cook you dinner that night. I hope you like cat stew. Lucy Nobody nose: You’re my friend’s younger brother but I really fancy you. I thought you were going to kiss me the other night but instead you just stuck

your finger up my nose. Does that mean you don’t fancy me back?

Let me know. Your sister’s best friend x One night band: Dave, I regret sleeping you with you on our first date. I blame Eric Clapton and your ukulele skills – that finger work was impressive. I haven’t heard from you since... please call me.

Regretful Racheal

Not-so sweet: Babes, I know you read this every month and so I thought it was the best way to do this: you’re dumped. Love, well not really, your sorry sugarlump x Silent witness: I saw you pinch my girlfriend’s bum at The Palm Tree the other night. I didn’t get annoyed because I thought you were hot, and I’m bi-curious. Fancy a three-way? I’m sure my girlfriend will be up for it. She’s a bit of a slag. Curious George.

Stairway to heaven? I know I fell down the stairs and spat water all over you on our first date, but do you fancy a second? Charlie Picture this: Why do men insist on sending girls pictures of their cocks? We don’t want to look at it.

It’s ugly. That’s why God gave us a hole to hide it away in. Soph Reunited: ’Pedro’, the matter at hand has been ‘taken care of’. Now we can be together. Meet me at Aldgate East at 7pm on September 10. Bring your travel clothes, we’re going on holiday! Red Fox Don’t fancy Nancy: Nancy, I don’t fancy you. Please stop trying to ‘accidentally’ sit on my lap whenever you sit on the sofa and I know you are stealing my knickers.

Straight Sarah Shy guy: We’ve been really good mates for 10 years now and I’ve never found the courage to tell you I love you. God I hope you don’t read this. Stevo Ex-factor: I saw my ex with his new girlfriend last night. I just wanted to tell the world that she’s fatter than me. Haha!

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