1594 by TNT Magazine

TEL EARL O H

13th 2 01

SUM SPECMER IAL

R COU T

IBIS

June 2015 Issue 1594 tntmagazine.com

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FROM THE EDITOR

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

Sometimes, people are extraordinary.

ACCOUNTS Emma Overton EMAIL emma.overton@tntmagazine.com

When faced with a devastating illness or injury most people think they would fall apart. But the majority surprise themselves and those around them by fighting to stay positive and survive against the odds.

STARTRACK MEDIA LTD Directors Kevin Ellis, Ken Hurst Stuart Bidgood

Not only that, but they transform their life-threatening experience into something positive, using it as a catalyst for living a life they love, and doing what they think is important. Two fine examples of this are Kiwi Jessica Weller and Aussie Paul McMahon. Read their incredible stories over on page 16.

PUBLISHER Startrack Media Limited DISTRIBUTION Emblem Direct Ltd PRINTED BY Polestar NEWS AAP PICTURES Getty Images, TNT Images, Thinkstock and iStock TNT Magazine Star Track Media Ltd 3rd Floor St. Vedast House St. Vedast Street Norwich NR1 1BT tntmagazine.com

For both of these survivors, travel is on the top of their ‘live life to the full’ list. If it’s on yours too, you will be chuffed to see that we are hosting a brand new summer TNT Travel Show. All your favourite travel companies will be under one slightly smaller roof at the Ibis Hotel in Earls Court on Saturday June 13. Offering unbeatable exclusive discounts, giveaways and advice, this is the best place to book your last-minute summer travel, or next year’s epic adventure. Turn to page 20 for the lowdown. If you want to explore the UK while the sun is attempting to shine, turn to page 42 for our top five national parks, which show off Britain in its ‘green and pleasant land’ finest. Snowdonia in Wales is among them, and while you’re there you should check out our top 11 must-dos listed on page 46.

WHERE TO GET TNT

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

Taking our number one spot, though, is the Cairngorms in Scotland. If you head up in August, be sure to stop by in Edinburgh too for the fantastic Fringe Festival. See page 52 to find out more.

All thieves of TNT bins will be prosecuted. Editor’s image by photsolutions.me

If you want guaranteed sun, you can try hiking in The Canaries’ La Gomera (p54), shopping in the bustling souks of Morocco (p62), or watching that big ball of fire sink behind the horizon in epic Africa while on safari (p66). Whatever you do, book it at the TNT Travel Show! See you there...

caroline.garnar@tntmagazine.com

Hit up Hong Kong

A guide to The Ashes

Bella Italia

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 LONDON INSIDER

TNT NEWS

FOOD 14 DRINK 15 AGAINST THE ODDS 16 TNT TRAVEL SHOW 20

LAW OF VENUS

FREE DOWNLOAD FROM JUNE 24-28 Are women really aware of the inherent power in themselves? What is the true beauty of women? “Law of Venus” can answer to these questions. Based on the spiritual law, the book explains the true nature of women, the power women possess and how women should live their lives. In the past, women have been oppressed and didn’t even appreciate their own values. However, now it is time for all women to restore their dignity and be spiritually awakened to their innate ability. This book gives women a new exciting viewpoint and tells how they can be truly happy. This a guideline for the woman’s way of life.

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INTERVIEW: TOA FRASER 28 CHATROOM

LOCAL SPORT REPORT

TRAVEL TRAVEL NEWS 40 TOP 5: UK NATIONAL PARKS 42 UK TRIP: TOP 11 WALES 46 FEST: EDINBURGH FRINGE 52

EURO TRIP: LA GOMERA 54 WEEKENDER: TBILISI

LATE DEALS 60 A GUIDE TO: MOROCCO

BIG TRIP: AFRICAN SAFARIS 66 TRAVEL TIPS

ON THE COVER LONDON’S FREE SUMMER TRAVEL SHOW

We’re bringing you a shiny new TNT Travel Show on June 13!

TOP 5 NATIONAL PARKS

See the UK countryside at its best

EDINBURGH FRINGE

LIVING: JUST ARRIVED?

CAREERS: CREWING

CLASSIFIEDS 81 DESPERATELY SEEKING 82 4

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Embrace the madness of this epic event

MAGICAL MOROCCO

From bustling souks to wide open desert

AFRICAN SAFARIS

Exchange cow spotting for the Big Five

Jocelyn Low

LIFESTYLE

LS_200x283_TNTmag_Layout 1 22/04/2015 14:43 Page 1

Peter Schaufuss’ Olivier & Evening Standard Award winning production of August Bournonville’s Ballet

Performed by

AUSTRALIA’S Queensland Ballet Presented by PSB ApS and PMB Presentations

★★★★★

‘IRRESISTIBLE... the real meaning of the magic of the theatre DON’T MISS IT’ Jeffery Taylor · Sunday Express - London

★★★★★ ‘STARTLING AND VIBRANT’ Denise Richardson Dance Australia

‘A gem richly detailed precise and authentic...MAGIC’ Olivia Stewart The Courier-Mail Brisbane

Schaufuss

P E T E R BALLET APS UK2

The O The Gua bserver and ‘Rising S rdian - Londo n tar of

Dance 2 ‘Luke S 015’ c h a ufuss sh a beaco o n e n ...dancin over the produ like ction g with s p strength ectacular ’ Peter Pin Whispers ne Stage Australia

Music: Herman von Løvenskjold Performed with a live orchestra Conductor: Andrew Mogrelia

Official media partner of the Queensland Ballet London Season

Suppor ted by the Australian Government, Queensland Government and BG Group.

• P R OD U C T ION S

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR LI CUNXIN

TUESDAY 4 - SATURDAY 8 AUGUST LONDON COLISEUM eno.org 020 7845 9300

LONDONDIARY

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THIS MONTH’S TOP PICKS CROUCH END FESTIVAL

THE COLOR RUN June 7

June 5-14

As long as there’s still space, you’re not too late to sign up for the funnest run in town. Run, walk or even dance to the DJs’ tunes five kilometres around Wembley Park. Start in all white and end in all the colours of the rainbow as you have powdered paint thrown over you at every kilometre. £33

VAR Ten days of cinema

pop-ups, food festivals, exhibitions, theatre and more. Our must visit? The pop-up 1950s-style dating agency, Dated. A ‘disillusioned dater’ draws on her own online experiences, explores dating through the ages and asks visitors to share their stories. Various, Crouch End Finsbury Park crouchendfestival.org

Wembley Park Wembley Park thecolorrun.co.uk/London

THIS MONTH’S MUST-DO BRITISH SUMMERTIME FESTIVAL June 18-27 Bringing in some seriously big names, of course the one we are most excited about is Kylie on Sunday June 21. Acts joining the pint-sized pop princess include Grace Jones and Chic featuring Nile Rodgers, while the other weekend headliners are The Strokes, Blur, The Who and Taylor Swift. Mid-week there are comedy acts including Aussie Jim Jeffries – see p10 for more info.

£60+

See Kylie at British Summertime Festival

ORIGINS FESTIVAL OF FIRST NATIONS

BUSHSTOCK FESTIVAL

June 9-25

June 13

VAR Three weeks celebrating the world’s first nations, Beautiful One Day by Ilbijerri Theatre follows what happens after an aboriginal man dies in police custody; there’s an evening of Indigenous Australian performances at the British Museum, and the premier of Kiwi film, White Lies.

£15+ Bushstock, now in its fifth year, hosts indie talent across six neighbouring Shepherd’s Bush venues. Past line-ups have introduced you to next-big-thing artists like George Ezra, Hozier, Bastille, Michael Kiwanuka, Willy Mason and more. Our tip-off for this year? Aussie singer/ songwriter Lisa Mitchell.

Various, see website Various originsfestival.com

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Six venues, Shepherd’s Bush Shepherd’s Bush bushstock.co.uk

Hyde Park, W2 2UH

Various

HIGHGATE FAIR IN THE SQUARE June 13 FREE Welcome to the weird

and wonderful world of a classic English village fair, e.g. Morris dancers, local choirs and bands (likely with an accordion or two), Punch & Judy and sheep shearing. Circus themed this year, there will also be stilt walkers and acrobats, with a chance to have a go yourself. Pond Square & South Grove, Highgate, N6 6BS Archway fairinthesquare.co.uk

bst-hydepark.com

GRANDFEST June 13 FREE Grab your gran and

take her along to this event, encouraging golden oldies to get active with new hobbies. Hipster and homely types will also want to get stuck in to free crochet, bread making, home brewing and wood turning masterclasses (book in advance). There will also be food and drink stalls and live entertainment. Hoxton Square, Hoxton Old Street grandfest. royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

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Believe it or not: Bradley Cooper stars as The Elephant Man

Stunning: The Tuareg and a History of the Sahara exhibition

Photos: Supplied

Quite Interesting: see Alan Davies at the Hampton Court Festival

COMEDY NIGHTS

EXHIBITIONS

THEATRE

COMEDY IN THE DARK JUN 8 & 22, JUL 6 / 9PM / £13.50-18.50 Forced to perform in pitch black, various comedians are challenged to tickle audiences’ funny bone in the dark.

THE TUAREG AND A HISTORY OF THE SAHARA JUNE 2-20 / FREE Rare historic documents, stunning photography, beautiful artefacts, and Tuareg artists and musicians showcase the desert nomad’s Sahara.

THE ONE DAY OF THE YEAR UNTIL JUNE 13 / £14-20 Revival of the late Alan Seymour’s exploration of attitudes towards Anzac day on the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign. Stars Mark Little.

Udderbelly Festival Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

Waterloo

udderbelly.co.uk

The Royal Geographical Society 1 Kensington Gore, SW7 2AR Knightsbridge

tuaregtime.co.uk

Finborough Theatre Finborough Road, SW10 9ED

Earl’s Court

finboroughtheatre.co.uk

ALAN DAVIES & PAUL MERTON JUNE 17 / 8.45PM / £34-38 The not-so stupid Alan Davies will amuse with his cheeky story telling while Paul has brought his improv pals on board to make audiences at the Hampton Court Palace Festival chuckle.

FREE RANGE JUNE 5-JULY 17 / FREE Free Range boasts the most creative crop of graduate talent from the UK’s art schools, showcasing a different discipline each week.

THE ELEPHANT MAN UNTIL AUGUST 8 / £22-61 Once named the sexiest man alive by People magazine, Bradley Cooper heads the Broadway cast in this moving 1977 fact-based drama about the star attraction of a Victorian freak show.

Hampton Court Palace Festival

The Old Truman Brewery

Theatre Royal Haymarket

Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU

Hampton Court Station

hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com

91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL Street

Shoreditch High

free-range.org.uk

Haymarket, SW1Y 4HT

Charing Cross

trh.co.uk

JIM JEFFRIES JUNE 23 / 7PM / £31.10-39.30 Our favourite foul-mouthed Aussie comedian is headlining a weeknight at British Summertime.

THE JAM: ABOUT THE YOUNG IDEA JUNE 26-AUG 31 / £9.50 With unprecedented access to The Jam’s archive, this exhibition will chart the trio’s journey from going to school in Woking through to stardom.

DUSTY UNTIL AUGUST 22 / £20-49.50 New multimedia show celebrating 60’s pop icon Dusty Springfield adds classic footage to tell her story through the eyes of a childhood friend.

Barclaycard presents British Summertime

Somerset House

Charing Cross Theatre

Hyde Park, W2 2UH

Various

bst-hydepark.com

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Strand, WC2R 1LA

Temple

somersethouse.org.uk

The Arches, Villiers Street, WC2N 6NL Charing Cross

thedustyshow.com

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CLUB NIGHTS

GIGS

GOLD TEETH @ JAMM BRIXTON JUNE 5 / 11PM / £6-8

THE ANGELS

Think Rio Carnival meets Spring Break, meets golfing on the Costa del Sol, meets a Vegas pool party... in a dark room in Brixton, with tunes: 90s hip-hop and R’n’B and 60s rock and soul.

This is the epic Aussie rock band’s first show in the UK for 35 years, and on the first anniversary of lead singer Doc Neeson’s passing. Dave Gleeson of the Screaming Jets fills his shoes.

Jamm

The Garage

261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH Brixton

WATCH THIS

JUNE 3 / 7PM / £22.50

20-22 Highbury Corner, N5 1RD & Islington

brixtonjamm.org

Highbury

thegaragehighbury.com

LA SYLPHIDE

Have Faith: See Paloma at the Hampton Court Festival

AXWELL & INGROSSO

LEMURIA, DADS & PERSONAL BEST

JUNE 6 / 8PM / £38.50 Mind the gap London…Axwell and Ingrosso are coming to Ally Pally this June, so be prepared for an epic night of dance music of the electronic kind. Robin Shulz is also confirmed to support on the night.

JUNE 6 / 7.30PM / £12 U.S alt indie-punk trios Lemuria and Dads are touring with Bristol newbies Personal Best.

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

Wood

SCRATCH PERVERTS JUNE 12 / 10PM / £10 There are very few who are truly considered pioneers, but Scratch Perverts indeed reach this status. Going for nearly 20 years, the Fabric stalwarts Tony Vegas and Prime Cuts will be turntabling at the Hoxton Bar & Grill. Hoxton Bar & Grill 2-4 Hoxton Square, N1 6NUY

Hoxton

hoxtonsquarebar.com

MIKE SKINNER, MISS DYNAMITE & WOOKIE JUNE 19 / 9PM / £15 A trio of bona-fide legends from the UK scene, Mike Skinner, Ms Dynamiteand Wookiespan the gamut of hip-hop, grime and UK garage. XOYO 32-37 Cowper St, EC2A 4AW xoyo.co.uk

Old Street

The Dome 2A Dartmouth Park Hill, NW5 1HL Tufnell Park dometufnellpark.co.uk

THE GERMEIN SISTERS JUNE 10 / 8PM / FREE The Germein Sisters are an Aussie folk pop girl band, compared to Haim, The Corrs and First Aid Kit. They’ve supported Jars of Clay and opened for Sting & Paul Simon in Adelaide. Hear their EP ‘Because You Breathe’ at this free 30-minute gig. THE WORKSHOP (BELOW THE ROADTRIP) 243 Old Street, EC1V 9EY Old Street

germeinsisters.com

HAMPTON COURT PALACE FESTIVAL JUNE 23 / FROM 8.30PM / £34+ This annual festival champions live orchestras and bands, with Jools Holland, Burt Bacharach and Alfie Boe bringing the high culture, while the awesome Paloma Faith and good old Peter Andre bring up the peachy rear.

The Queensland Ballet is coming to the London Coliseum in August, so grab your tickets now. The company is returning to London for the first time in 30 years with August Bournonville’s La Sylphide. One of the world’s oldest surviving ballets, La Sylphide tells the story of a young man who encounters a sylph – a beautiful, ethereal creature – on the eve of his wedding. In the pursuit of true love and happiness, his life is sent spiralling out of control and into the supernatural as he abandons everything and ventures into the unknown. Since its Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning premiere season in London in 1979, La Sylphide has been presented by many of the world’s leading ballet companies to worldwide acclaim. Australia’s Queensland Ballet now enjoys international acclaim and holds a permanent place as one of Australia’s Premier Ballet Companies. Keep an eye out for the June issue of TNT, where we will be talking to Chinese-Australian Li Cunxin, the artistic director of the Queensland Ballet, about the production.

Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU

Hampton Court Station

August 4-8, 2015, London Coliseum eno.org/whats-on/other/la-sylphide

hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com

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TRYTHIS

The Graveltones

Sunday in the Apartment Sunday in the Apartment is like an Australian version of Britain’s Got Talent (Australia’s Got Talent, then). Although there are no acts you would want to hit the red buzzer for. Ant and Dec come in the form of Nick Hardcastle and Dan Fletcher, who warm the crowd up with a bit of a sing-song and banter. Held in the intimate St James Theatre Studio every quarter, the line-up is new each time, with anything from comedy to music to acrobatics – as long as they’re Aussie and they’re talented, they’re on the stage. We were first treated to music from The Hamiltons, a brother and sister band whose brilliant jam ‘Paranoid’ got us foot tapping in our seats from the offset. Comedy came in the form of Deborah Francis-White who told us the story of looking for her biological mother, injecting it with humour and washing it down with a glass of wine she nicked from a front row table. I liked her style. Next up was the innovative Phia, who used a loop pedal to record her voice and musical riffs live so she could harmonise with herself and create a whole band with just a few pieces of equipment, a kalimba and a guitar. More musical talent came in the form of singer/songwriter Kath Haling, who sung a touching song related to Anzac Day. Mark Little, aka Joe Mangle from Neighbours, chatted with Nick and Dan about his performance in upcoming play

The One Day of the Year (see London Diary), along with director Wayne Harrison. Our gold buzzer, though, has to go to The Graveltones. A rock and roll band with the emphasis on rock, the energy this duo exudes is extraordinary. So often is a drummer relegated to the back of the stage, but Mikey Sorbello owns it, offering the rock solid foundation for a voice plucked from the best kind of eighties rock band and epic electric guitar, both supplied by Jimmy O. I downloaded their album as soon as I got home. Keep an eye on the website for the next show so you can see the next big things emerging from Down Under up close and personal. By Caroline Garnar £25, St James Theatre Studio, SW1E 5JA sundayintheapartment.com

MYLONDON When I want to chill out I... head to Berwick street. I love to head over to the second-hand CD shops and flick through hundreds of album covers trying to find the perfect one to add to my collection. If you head there on a Friday there’s a great food market on too. The most interesting person I’ve met in London is... My local Big Isaac vendor, everyone in the start-up scene and the people in my office. They’re all crazy but I’ll never get bored of listening to them. My favourite spot to take visitors is... Southbank. It’s just the coolest place, and sometimes pretty weird.

When you’re hungover in London you can’t beat... The Breakfast Club followed by a nap on Clapham Common. My favourite spot in London is... The view from Blackfriars bridge at night – wows me every time. My perfect weekend in London would be... Breakfast at The Rapscallion, then a visit to a gallery or a museum. Lunch at Brick Lane market, walk along the canals or through Colombia Road flower market. Chill out in one of London’s cool bars and finish the day with a meal at a new restaurant. What I love most about London is... There’s so much to do and see. You just need to go out, head in a direction that you haven’t before and you’ll come across something great. CityHawk – the app for spontaneous dining in London CityHawkApp.com

My favourite place for dinner is... That’s a tough one. For a quick and cheap but amazing meal, the best place is Mama Lan in Clapham. If we’re willing to spend a bit Nopi in Soho is hands down my favourite restaurant. I also adore Eritrean food and love a visit to Adulis in Kennington.

LAURENCE CARVER CO-FOUNDER OF THE CITYHAWK APP 12

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AUSTRALIA BLASTED OVER ‘BACKPACKER TAX’ Australia has been accused of wrecking its own economy with a new backpacker tax which could deter working holidaymakers by hitting them in the pocket. Backpackers who live, work and travel in the country are among Australia’s highestspending visitors, and foreigners on working holidays currently pay no income tax until they earn AU$20,000 – the same tax-free threshold enjoyed by residents. But new budget proposals mean working holidaymakers will no longer be treated as residents for tax purposes – forcing them to pay tax from the first dollar they earn. “Ripping more than half a billion dollars from the visitor economy with a new ‘backpacker tax’ is simply ridiculous,” said Margy Osman, chief executive of the Tourism and Transport Forum. “Taxing working holidaymakers from the first dollar they earn, instead of giving them equal treatment with other resident taxpayers, is a backward step and will damage Australia’s international reputation.” Ms Osman said increased visa application charges were also “an enormous own goal”. Visitors from China will see application fees increase from $130 to $135, while working holidaymakers face an increase from $420 to $440. “Australia has long been a favourite destination for young people from around the world who live, work and travel here for up to two years, and who spend on average more than AU$13,000 during their stay,” said Ms Osman. “Coupled with the 10th consecutive increase in their application fees, this new tax on working holidaymakers will make them think twice about coming here.” However, Robert Henke, secretary of the Backpacker Operators’ Association New South Wales, said most backpackers already failed to benefit from the AU$20,000 tax threshold because they tended to move around rather than working in the same place for the required six months. He told the BBC that bad publicity resulting from the budget changes could do more to scare backpackers away than the changes themselves.

SUCK IT AND SEE: SEX MUSEUM’S $1MILLION BID FOR MONICA LEWINSKY’S BLUE DRESS A sex museum has offered Monica Lewinsky a colossal $1million for the infamous DNAstained blue dress she wore during her affair with former president Bill Clinton. The New York Daily News reported that the Las Vegas Erotic Heritage Museum has upped an earlier $250,000 offer for the GAP dress, which provided investigators with a vital piece of evidence during the so-called ‘Zippergate’ affair. Lewinsky was a 22-year-old White House intern when she began her relationship with Clinton – the husband of 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton – in the mid-90s. Their illicit liaison hit the headlines in 1998 when Lewinsky claimed to have had sexual relations with Clinton nine times between 1995 and 1997 – allegations he initially swore to be false. Lewinsky claimed that their relationship had involved oral sex but not intercourse – and she kept the blue dress which she said was stained with the president’s DNA. She handed the dress over to Kenneth Starr’s investigation team in July 1998, and a blood sample was subsequently taken from Clinton. The FBI reported back that semen found on the dress was Clinton’s to “a reasonable degree of scientific certainty”. Clinton later admitted in taped testimony to an “improper physical relationship” with Lewinsky, and confessed to the affair on television. He was subsequently impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice, but was acquitted by the Senate in February 1999. It is not known whether Lewinsky, now 41, has accepted the sex museum’s offer for her dress, which it apparently wishes to include in an exhibition examining the private relationships of people in power.

TNTNEWS ELECTORAL DYSFUNCTION: AUSTRALIAN SEX PARTY PUTS MEMBERS ON DISPLAY

Australian Sex Party supporters have been posting proof of their existence on social media after the group was deregistered for having too few members. The Sex Party – whose policies include the legalisation of cannabis, the expansion of sex education in schools, gay rights and voluntary euthanasia – was deregistered by the Australian Electoral Commission on May 4 for failing to demonstrate that it had the required 500 members. But proud Sex Party followers responded by posing with their membership cards in selfies, which were then posted on Facebook and Twitter in protest at the electoral watchdog’s decision. “I know that our members are very passionate about this and I think we’ve actually had people signing up – we have new members today as a result of the AEC decision,” said party leader Fiona Patten, quoted by ABC. The Sex Party – which says it has 6,000 members – was formed in 2009 having emerged from the Eros Association, an adult industry lobby group. Ms Patten, who sits in the Victorian state parliament, is its one elected MP. The party – which hopes to be re-registered within weeks – is famed for its salacious name and for cheeky slogans such as ‘We’re serious about sex’ and ‘The Australian Sex Party – where you come first’.

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Images: iStock. Words: Trevor Burton and Kaye Holland

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KICK BACK AT CITY ‘BEACHES’

CÎROC AT LONDON RIVIERA London’s Southbank will enjoy the vibes of tropical Cuba, the chilled Miami beach side and the French Riviera from June 1. The five-month boutique pop-up from Cîroc Vodka and The Food Firm offers palm trees, flamingos, and a selection of thirstquenching Cîroc Pineapple cocktails to enjoy in the sunshine. There will also be Cîroc School of Mixology master classes taking place every Wednesday evening, where guests can learn to create a tropical summer punch. thelondonriviera.com

DOODLE BEACH Okay so there might not be any sand, but the Doodle Beach perches right on the water overlooking the neighbouring houseboats on Ransome’s Dock in Battersea. Head over on a Saturday for a ticketed lunch in partnership with Grub Club, with food from Crayfish Bob, Constancia Argentine Grill, Mama’s Jerk and the Italian Supper Club. Musicians and illustrators will entertain you in ‘the Doodle way’. thedoodlebar.com

Photos: supplied.

JW3 PIAZZA From July 5 the JW3 piazza (near Finchley Road & Frognal overground) will be transformed into a summer hub for all ages, with seasonal treats, cocktails, deck chairs, games, music and an in-built water feature to paddle in. Zest, JW3’s in-house restaurant and bar, will serve special dishes from a beach hut and grill. jw3.org.uk

JOE’S SOUTHERN KITCHEN American food at its heart-attack-inducing finest in Kentish Town THE SCENE Exposed

brick, red booth-style seating, steel tables, neon signs and an ever-changing projection of images from America’s southern states ensure the interior of Joe’s is as much a feast for the eyes as the menu is for your belly. Although you do have to strain to see over the hoards of heads to enjoy the finer details as groups of friends tuck into deep-fried chicken and a buzz of conversation and finger-lickin’ fills the air. THE GRUB More than two thirds of adults in the US are reportedly overweight or obese. This is probably because everything is deep fried, slathered in gooey cheese and served in epic portions. Joe’s Southern Kitchen has a quintessentially American menu, and damn did it make my stomach growl and my arteries cry for mercy. Starting with the fiery stuffed and battered jalapeño peppers, the cream cheese did little to cool my mouth, and yet I couldn’t resist every last bite. The sticky buttermilk marinated BBQ chicken wings were a milder but just as delicious way to kick things off. For mains, the eight-hour slow roast beef short rib is packed with flavour, but suffers from being a little dry. While the Big Apple Hotdog is a classic option, the herbs in the thick sausage were a little overpowering for me. My side of mac and cheese, however, was a hot pot of chewy deliciousness. I think I’d order that as a main next time, or stick to the chicken. Whatever you do, though, leave room for dessert. The iced crunchie is a cool concoction of honeycomb and chocolate that has to be up there with one of my favourite puds of all time. BEHIND THE BAR: There’s an impressive cocktail list, including bourbon-based beauties: the Kentucky Cousin is refreshing and zingy, great for cooling the mouth. Spirits, wine and local and American beers are also available. BILL PLEASE: Starters around £5, mains around £12, desserts £4. VERDICT: Got a self-righteous friend who lives on kale and veggie smoothies? Take them here and test their will power... mwah ha ha. By Caroline Garnar 300 Kentish Town Road, NW5 2TG (also a branch in Covent Garden) joessouthernkitchen.co.uk

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BASEMENT SATE cash saVers

how You spEnd iT keiSha herBert, 24

Dreams come brew

Tucked behind an unsigned red door and down a narrow staircase in We all know that JoB Market researcher Soho, it’s little wonder Basement Sate has had to hammer a plaque to its door pounding headache from FroM Leeds warning punters they will find no prostitutes here. But what they will find is just as too much cheap bubbly LiveS Bethnal Green seductive. Dark green leather chairs and mahogany fixtures give it a Gentleman’s the night before. Well Club – but one whichof welcomes women, perhaps for an illicit tête-à-tête in budget? thisair year your dream How do you one of theup tucked-away booths. Indeed, with desserts served alongside potentexpenses and waking hangover-free After the monthly can become a reality adding a bit to my savings, cocktails, Basement Satewith really is looking to lure you to the dark side. 50%THE offBAR a stellar bottle I try tooldset myself a weekly BEHIND With 12 original cocktails to choose from, you are offered of champagne. spending amount. It can be fashioned flavoursUsually mixed with spring-time ingredients. Her Cocktail is a heady costing £29.75, when concoction of IrishHeidsieck whiskey, dry vermouth and amontillado sherry. difficult It may come insome weeks Blue Top is £15 a pop at are busier than others, but a small glass, but its warmth spread through me leaving me deliciously woozy as I Asda. Or you can opt for a I always try to go with the sipped and devoured the booze-soaked luxardo maraschino cherry at the bottom. bottle of ‘I heart Prosecco’ cheapest options. With desserts listed beside the cocktails, we couldn’t resist the Chouchou – light for £9.99 from Budgens, choux pastry puffs of yuzu Tesco.com, Rhythm & cream, topped with indulgent dark chocolate Do youand have any tips for raspberries – and the Kinder Surprise; a chocolate sphere broken to revealmoney pralinein London? Booze or Londis. saving foam, crunchy caramelia pearls (like mini Maltesers), tonka whipped cream andmy own lunch I try to take a Fighting chunks of gooey chance brownie. We practically licked the plate clean. into work but I don’t always The origins of thefrom £7, desserts from £6. Go on Tuesdays for manage BILL PLEASE: Cocktails a dessertthat. and A Taste Card term ‘Boxing Day’ are cocktail pairing menu for two for £36. undecided, but we all VERDICT: Naughty but nice, Basement Sate is the perfect place for an intimate date. know it’s due to the By Caroline Garnar THE SCENE

Photos: supplied and Getty. Words: Rachael Getzels

punches that are thrown 8 Broadwick Sxtreet, W1F 8HN 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 3 OF THEpaps BEST professional outside, waiting for a star spot. See lastminute.com BRUNCHES

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

Oxford Circus

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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...

BUSABA EATHAI The brunch menu here is filled with authentic dishes such as coconut porridge and fisherman’s spiced rice. Or if you’re looking for more of a liquid brunch, enjoy a light bite and brunch plate with unlimited Prosecco for £25. busaba.com Beckham the

big spender

❚ At least Beckham has earned his ridiculous fortune honestly – his old team, Manchester United, DIRTY BONES are the most valuable sports ‘The Dirty Bloody Hangover’ club in the world, clocking isinthe weekend at perfect £1.4 billion. indulgence. Priced at £15, knock back can a Dirty ❚ Nothing getMary in the way of business for J-Lo cocktail, 1/2 bottle ofand exhusbandorMarc Anthony. Prosecco shake, the MacThe divorced pair or still co-own Daddy burger, the Dirty the Miami Dolphins. Dog, and Dirty fries. Looks like a sports team is for life, dirty-bones.com not just for Christmas.

Do more Spend less

❚ Basketball team Chicago Sky never have a problem finding someone to sing the national anthem given HOUSE OF HO that former Destiny’s Child Kick off the rock and Williams, roll member, Michelle brunch a lychee owns with a share of thebellini club. then pick three tasty Asian small plates.basketball Mains include ❚ Former star Magic Johnson was lemongrass chicken in part a fishof a £1.2billion to buy the caramel sauce, deal apple-smoked bankrupt LA ‘shaking Dodgers.beef’. That’s pork belly and a hefty price for a with Finish with dessert ofteam the day. no money. Sounds like he houseofho.co.uk may have missed a trick.

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Cocktail and dessert bar, Soho

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AGAINST THEODDS Antipodean travel lovers Jessica Weller and Paul McMahon both came face to face with death, and both got him to pack his bags so they could continue to pack theirs... WORDS CAROLINE GARNAR

Jessica Weller from Auckland, New Zealand, fulfilled the dream of many Antipodeans: she moved to London and used it as a base to travel Europe. But the full-time teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer just four months in – and at the age of just 27. ‘I caught the travel bug after going to South East Asia and had always felt being an explorer was a part of my soul. I had wanted to live in London for as long as I can remember and so many of my friends had done the same. It almost felt like it was a rite of passage. ‘It took me four years after finishing university to get my ducks in a row – considering my career and the ability to earn decent money. But when I had finally done that and saved enough, I was on a plane to London Heathrow. ‘A few months later I had travelled to seven countries and just completed a large trip around Belgium, Poland, Berlin, Croatia and Bosnia. I was exhausted, but put it down to all the travelling. ‘I was about to head off to Austria when I noticed my breasts had become unusually hard and were very sore. My left one felt like there was a large ball of gristle trapped inside and it was veiny on the surface. ‘I was diagnosed on June 10, 2013. I was 27. The cancer was an uncommon but aggressive sub-type of breast cancer called HER2+. The tumour was at stage three and moving into the lymphatic system. I was told that listening to my body had saved my life. ‘I started chemo at the end of July three days shy of my 28th birthday. Surgery and radiation followed and I had targeted therapy up until October 2014 to ensure that the HER2+ cells would not reoccur. I was in treatment for 15 months. ‘In my down moments I felt lost and helpless. The uncertainty was the worst thing, but I managed to get through that by booking trips to Europe and doing plenty of social things in and around London. My treatments were every three weeks so I was able to

plan around each one. I constantly had to remind myself to take each day as it came and live for the day as much as I could. ‘When I was diagnosed I was in the best head space of my life. It wasn’t easy but I still managed to live how I wanted. I was so lucky to have such amazing friends around me and the support of my family, who were all back in New Zealand at the time. ‘Since my diagnosis I continued working as a fulltime teacher and have travelled throughout Europe and crossed the USA. Two of my favourite trips were skiing in the French Alps in Tignes and a three-day crazy weekend in Amsterdam. ‘One of my biggest achievements was completing a half marathon – walking – in the middle of treatment and raising more than £1,000 for Breast Cancer Research UK. And I did the full marathon in September 2014. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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‘I have also done a TED Talk and established a project to travel to conferences about breast cancer and young adult cancers to gather resources and information. I then share this with cancer organisations in New Zealand and help them direct educational programmes at young people. ‘Sharing my story with others through volunteering and public speaking has given me incredible strength and pushes me to advocate for those going through the disease and educate those who do not currently have the appropriate awareness surrounding their own bodies. I wish I had known more about breast cancer before I got diagnosed. I never checked my breasts, although I was pretty aware of what was going on with my body. ‘Cancer should not been seen as a death sentence. Early detection saves lives: I just want to ensure that I am spreading the word so as many people as possible can better look after themselves. ‘My cancer was removed with clear margins in January 2014. So it’s all gone. It will be my two-year ‘cancerversary’ on June 10. I am on yearly checks now for the rest of my life. ‘Sometimes I try to think back to my diagnosis and wonder what would have happened if I didn’t have cancer. I can’t really imagine it. ‘I’ve been inspired by so many. I have had the opportunity to meet some incredible people who have all established names for themselves in non-profit and are making such a difference in terms of cancer awareness education in both the UK and the USA. ‘The friendships I built are those I will always have and London is the place where these relationships started. I have been back in New Zealand now for five months and missing London heaps! It’s so different being back, but I just got offered a full-time teaching role, so looking to click back in here and get settled. ‘I am more inspired than I have ever been – to live. 18

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I still have the travel bug so the project helps with that. I go on plenty of New Zealand road trips too. ‘Having such a massive health reality check really puts things into perspective. I no longer drink, I am careful about what I eat and I try to rest more. I try hard not to sweat the small stuff. ‘Life is all about living to the best of your ability. Look after your body because it is the only one you have. Take advantage of opportunities when they are presented and take risks. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose in most cases. ‘Travelling opened my eyes to so many possibilities and kept me strong through the tough times. London has a massive place in my heart too and, in a lot of ways, it saved my life.’ To read more about Jessica, you can follow her blog at jessweller.com

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Australian Paul McMahon fell three-and-a-half storeys onto concrete after he slipped from a roof he and three others had climbed to at the end of his birthday party. ‘I had damage to a facial nerve and was not originally able to smile – this is improving, but has taken two years or so. I broke my leg and arm and I was diagnosed with the worst brain injury imaginable,’ he told TNT. Doctors told Paul that he would never be the same again and his future was laced with uncertainty. But Paul tells us they were wrong, as his injury healed in just four to six months. ‘My memory and attention were lost but they have returned, except the memory of the accident. I know that day is lost forever; the brain is a smart cookie!’ Paul tells us that positivity was key in his road to recovery. ‘Brain injuries are incurable through drugs; you alone have the power – and the therapists of course. With normality as my goal I healed quicker. My positive approach and how that affected my healing had doctors baffled. I’m baffled also!’ He decide to write a book about his experience, and to help him recover. ‘I’m not a doctor but I think the book writing exercise healed me faster than usual. Doing something keeps you positive and active. Without my book I am certain depression would have damaged me. This doesn’t mean everyone should write; it means you must do something that keeps you happy such as gardening or travelling.’ Talking of travelling, this is something Paul has continued to do in spite of – or indeed because of – his accident. ‘The fall inspired me to do what I love. I’ve already been to 35 countries at the age of 29; not because my parents are millionaires but purely through the love of it. At 19 I had only been to Australia and New Zealand. Always try to do what you love, then the money comes after... I’ve done a lot of sleeping on couches!’ And what else has happened since his accident? ‘Well

TNTFEATURE

it only happened last year, so I’m still looking for work and writing. But there is the story of falling in love, two weddings, realisations of my life and travelling Australia. So not much really!’ To help Paul get a publisher for his book, like his Facebook page at /paulmcmahonauthor

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BY POPULAR DEMAND:

TNT Travel Show June 2015 The people have spoken, and TNT has listened. We are hosting a new summer 2015 Travel Show on June 13 to help you land even more exclusive travel deals. Get in!

NEED-TO-KNOW INFO WHAT: TNT Travel Show June 2015 WHEN: Saturday June 13, 2015. 9am-6pm WHERE: Ibis Hotel, Earls Court

47 Lillie Road, Earls Court, London, SW6 1UD june-2015.london.tnttravelshow.com Pre-registration is free, however the free tickets are divided into three-hour slots for this travel show: 9am-12pm, 12pm3pm and 3pm-6pm. There are also ‘Anytime’ tickets available – these will allow you to queue jump, enter the show at anytime and stay for as long as you like – these tickets are £5. Book tickets now by visiting our June show website: june-2015.london.tnttravelshow.com/content/book-tickets

tnttravelshow.com

SUMMER SPECIAL

TRAVEL SHOW

IBIS H

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0 13th 2

You asked for it folks and here it is – an extra Travel Show taking place on June 13, 2015 at the Ibis Hotel, Earls Court. As with previous Travel Shows, the June show will provide attendees with massive exclusive discounts on trips from top tour operators covering the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. Plus service providers, from recruitment and tax and visa experts to shippers – everything you need to make the most of your stay in the UK and your travels abroad. There will also be the TNT Travel Show staples of travel seminars, competitions (including the TNT Lucky Dip), giveaways, booze, music and the reminders of home at the TNT Shop. Plus, booking your chosen trips couldn’t be easier with TNT Tour Search experts on site to book your tour and get you ready for your chosen trip. As is traditional with a TNT Travel Show, there are thousands of free tickets available. However, for this show the free tickets are allocated into three-hour time slots, 9am12pm, 12pm-3pm and 3pm-6pm. There are tickets available for any time during opening hours – these are £5 a ticket and allow you to queue jump and come into the show at any time you wish and stay for as long as you wish. TNT is holding this new Travel Show at the Hotel Ibis in Earls Court – a smaller show than the traditional spring and autumn events held at the Business Design Centre, but it will still provide attendees with everything they would expect from our Travel Shows. The TNT Travel Show remains the best place to plan all the year’s travel with one-on-one advice from our travel exhibitors, which range from tour operators, travel agents, accommodation providers, travel equipment providers, overland operators and visa and service providers. From short weekend breaks to round-the-world trips, all you need to know is under one roof. Book your chosen time slot NOW via our website – tickets for each slot are limited! june-2015.london.tnttravelshow.com Follow us on Facebook or Twitter @tntmagazine for updates.

DEALS AND DISCOUNTS The TNT Travel Show is renowned for offering massive deals and discounts exclusive to the show. And this show is no different – grab yourself the travel deals of a lifetime as exhibitors offer amazing savings that are available ONLY on the day. The March 2015 show saw discounts of up to 50%! Keep an eye out on our website for deals on offer as we get closer to the show, or follow us on Twitter @tnttravelshow where we’ll be tweeting details and offers.

PRIZES AND TNT LUCKY DIP Competitions and prize draws are always a big thing at the Travel Shows – most of the exhibitors tend to run their own competitions on their stands, giving away anything from drinks to trips. One of the most popular competitions is TNT’s very own Lucky Dip competition. You can’t miss it: there will be TNT Lucky Dip stands from which you can get your form – simply fill it out and hand it back. At the end of the day one form will be picked out and the winner could win up to £3,000 in travel. At the March show one winner did exactly that. “WOW... I am at a loss for words. BEST NEWS EVER!” said Kerry-Lee Pohl. “This is one hell of a good note to start the week on. 2015 sure seems to be shaping up to be pretty epic.... BRING IT ON! Thanks to all those involved at the TNT Travel Show. Was an awesome day, with a great vibe and met some fantastic people. Bring on the adventures.” In June – that could be you!

SEMINARS The June show will provide you with all the information and inspiration you need to get on the road with our programme of travel seminars. Talks given by industry experts and fellow travellers are both informative and fun – past talks have included: Your Survival Guide to European Festivals, USA Travel on a Budget, Overlanding Through Latin America and The Rickshaw Run. If there’s a particular subject you would like to see covered email caroline.penn@tntmagazine.com and we’ll see what we can do!

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

TRAVELSHOW EXHIBITORS Here’s a list of who’s confirmed to be at the show at time of press. Keep an eye on june-2015.london.tnttravelshow.com for updates, as more top operators are sure to join the fun! BUSABOUT Get great deals on 2015 travel. Our hop-on hop-off travel network is designed exclusively for the independent and budget-conscience traveller. Our coach network covers 34 destinations in nine countries including Europe’s most exciting capital cities. These great-value trips are an awesome way to travel, be it the highlights of Italy and Spain, sailing along the Croatian or Turkish coast, exploring Eastern Europe and North Africa or partying at Europe’s most famous festivals such as Pamplona and Oktoberfest. New for 2015 – Busabout Asia. It’s the same ethos, the same freedom and the same vibe as our European trips. Our itineraries are a unique blend of mustsees, hidden gems and local favourites. There’ll be towering temples, sandy dance floors, wise stories and all the scrumptious food you can eat. Pick one trip, combine a couple or even link up the whole lot! busabout.com DJH CITY-HOSTELS The best-kept backpacker secret, you will find DJH City-Hostels in the centres of Bonn, Cologne, Duisburg and Düsseldorf. Think three-star hotel quality rooms with private baths at hostel prices. Travel from London St Pancras to the heart of Cologne in just 4.15h with Deutsche Bahn. city-hostel.de bahn.com/UK ENCOUNTERS TRAVEL At Encounters Travel we offer good value, exciting small group adventure tours, giving you the ability to travel, have fun, and take in the culture and sights of some of the world’s most exotic and exciting destinations. Whether you are a solo traveller, a group of friends or a couple, we have the perfect holiday for you. If you are looking for action, trekking, adventure or just a bit of culture and a getaway, Encounters 24

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Travel has it all. We’re committed to designing itineraries that work well for you, the traveller, and don’t cut corners. We include as much as possible in the upfront tour price, while keeping the tours great value and providing clear information about what extras you may need to allow for. encounterstravel.com EXPAT EXPLORE Expat Explore Travel will be offering some amazing deals available exclusively at the TNT Travel Show June 2015. We’re bringing back the incredibly popular 2-for-1 deal on our Egypt tours, and offering big discounts on our Europe, Croatia and Turkey tours! expatexplore.com FESTIVALS ALL AROUND Festivals All Around are Spanish born and bred and here to show you the most incredible festivals Spain has to offer in the most epic fashion possible. Join the ‘Festivals All Around Family’ to discover what La Tomatina and Running of the Bulls really have to offer! Be part of it! festivalsallaround.com GO SAIL TURKEY If you are going to Turkey in 2015, then you have to do a Go Sail Turkey cruise! Sleep under the stars on deck, swim with sea turtles, get en-suite cabins as standard, hang out with your shipmates, enjoy the spacious sunbathing areas, tuck in to three amazing meals every day, grab some cold beers, dive into secluded bays and party at the Smugglers Inn. It’s the only way to see the Turkish coast! As the only exhibitor offering four-day and seven-day Turkish gulet cruises, you’ll be sure to find the right route at the best price that fits into your travel plans for Turkey 2015. Ask us about our add-on tours to Cappadocia and Pammukale. gosailturkey.com HAGGIS ADVENTURES We’ve been running legendary trips for backpackers and independent travellers since 1993 that get you off the beaten track and explore Scotland, England and Wales. Our reputation has been built on ‘word of mouth’ recommendation and

our mission is to make each trip the best one yet. Our trips range from day tours to 10day adventures plus Easter, Christmas and Hogmanay specials. And we have the best guides – proud locals who are passionate about showing you around and who want you to love their country as much as they do. haggisadventures.com ITALY ON A BUDGET TOURS Italy on a Budget tours is a tour operator based in Florence for students, backpackers and travellers on a budget – 18-39’s willing to visit Italy without breaking the bank. We offer day tours, short breaks, adventure holidays to the major Italian destinations including Florence, Tuscany, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Rome, Venice, Amalfi coast and lots more. All our tours are escorted by local, professional and extremely trained English speaking guides and their sole purpose is to ensure you have the time of your life. They know the people, the traditions and the customs so that they can provide you with unrivalled insights and a real taste of the culture while having fun. If you are looking for the real Italian experience Italy on a Budget tours is the perfect choice for you! italyonabudgettours.com MEDSAILORS Make your way across the picturesque and idyllic landscapes of Croatia, Greece or Turkey with MedSailors, the leading sailing holiday provider for 20-35 year olds. Offering you the perfect balance to a perfect holiday, you will spend seven days sailing the breath-taking islands of the Mediterranean on board your very own yacht. Whether you are travelling with a friend, embarking on a solo adventure or getting together a whole group of friends you are guaranteed an unforgettable holiday and the time of your life! Once on board you will fill your days relaxing in the cooling breeze, swimming, sunbathing and learning how to sail from your skipper, also your personal tour guide. They will guarantee you access to the hottest local spots and the most beautiful sights, with Hvar Town in Croatia

TRAVELSHOW and the legendary Greek nightlife in Poros and Ermioni offering you every chance to party the night away! Finish it off with golden sunsets and picturesque waterfront bars and you will experience the best of the world of sailing. medsailors.com PADDYWAGON The “most fun tour company in the world”, as voted by 900,000 Hostelworld travellers in their annual Hoscars! Paddywagon were also 2011’s “best UK & Ireland tour operator” at the TNT Golden Backpack Awards. Paddywagon is well-known worldwide as the 100% True Irish Experience. We guarantee the most fun, flexible, informative and friendly Irish extravaganza. The only 100% Irish-owned backpack tour company, we promise the best travel experience in our beloved motherland. Choose from relaxing day-trips in our sexy Green Mercedes Paddywagons or full-on six or nine-day tours of the country in the company of Ireland’s top tour guides. As seen on TV. paddywagontours.com SHAMROCKER ADVENTURES Since 1999, it’s been our mission to give independent budget travellers the chance to really discover Ireland and remember it as one of the best times of their life! We’ll make sure you get a tremendous insight into our country, meet real local characters and discover what it means to be Irish. All our guides are 100% Irish born and bred. Full legends in their own right and who have more stories and knowledge of history that you would think was possible. Discover the Emerald Isle with our famous 100% Irish guides on our awardwinning trips. Or celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Ireland – the country that taught the rest of the world how to party. Wild, authentic and Irish adventures. Fanfeckin-tastic! shamrockeradventures.com SPACESHIPS CAMPERVAN RENTALS Spaceships are like a good 26

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car to drive with more useful features than a large UK campervan. Our vehicles are not only compact and fuel-efficient but are also easy to drive and comfy to sleep in. If you are looking for a cheap and practical way to travel throughout the UK and Europe Spaceships really are the allin-one solution. What makes Spaceships great is that we have a no hidden costs policy, 24-hour roadside assistance, fully comprehensive insurance and unlimited mileage. All of our UK campervan rentals also come with unique access to our 16 Space Stations located around the UK and Europe. These stations not only provide the best places to stay for you and your camper, but you also get great discounts on activities and accommodation, as well as a FREE DVD exchange. Spaceships Campervans have a longstanding relationship with TNT and are excited about the June 2015 show. Come say hello to the Spaceships team at the show and grab yourself a great deal at the same time! spaceshipsrentals.co.uk STOKE TRAVEL FREE UNLIMITED BEER & SANGRIA AT THE JUNE TRAVEL SHOW. All your Stoke trips – Bulls, Oktoberfest, Tomatina, music festivals, road trips, Croatia cruises, city breaks and the famous Stoke Travel Surfari from San Sebastian. stoketravel.com TOPDECK We are Topdeck. We do epic Eurotrips, Big Game safaris, American road trips, sailing trips, pyramid expeditions, and other awesomeness around the world for travellers between 18-39. We realise that everyone’s different, which is why all our trips include heaps of free time to play and explore. It’s your trip, your way. Your trip includes all the must-see, must-do activities and top-notch local fare to recharge those batteries between stops, which means you can spend your money where it matters and we’ll take care of the rest. You will hit the road on modern, wifiequipped coaches, stay in handpicked accommodation ranging from castles to

yachts, and hang out with other young explorers bent on seeing the world. And that’s just how we got started. We had a group of mates, some wheels and enough wanderlust to make most mothers worried. Forty years into it, we’re still discovering new places to see and unforgettable travel experiences to make our passengers’ trips just that little bit more awesome. That’s us, but this is about you. It’s time to live large, dream bigger and squeeze life for all it’s worth. The rest can wait. Ready to pack your bags? Let’s talk. topdeck.travel TRAVEL TALK Travel Talk tours are designed for young, fun-spirited individuals aged between 18 and 35. Our tours will take you on life-changing adventures and provide exhilarating experiences, without breaking the bank. We aim to offer you exciting and diverse tours at reasonable and affordable prices without compromising comfort or quality of services. Our popular exotic destinations include Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Spain and Russia. In the summer we have Croatia Sailing, Sail Turkey and island hopping tours in Greece. In the winter we offer skiing and snowboarding tours in different resorts in the French Alps. Travel Talk also takes you to the biggest festivals in Europe including La Tomatina and Oktoberfest. Make sure you stop by to visit our friendly team and check out our tours at AMAZING prices, PLUS you only need a £10 cash deposit to secure your spot! traveltalktours.com WICKED CAMPERS Wicked Campers are the original budget campervan rental company with heaps of experience, awesome vans and plenty of traveller-friendly deals. If you’re an independent, adventurous traveller then come and visit us at the June TNT Travel Show to bag yourself an epic deal, pick up some freebies and meet some legends! wickedcampers.co.uk

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James Rolleston as Hongi in The Dead Lands

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CELEBINTERVIEW

‘I got to explore the world of Toa’ With a name meaning ‘warrior’ in Maori, it seems it was Toa Fraser’s destiny to direct tribal action epic, The Dead Lands. TNT talks to the New Zealander ahead of its UK release... INTERVIEW BY CAROLINE GARNAR

Toa Fraser must have felt like ‘the man’ on the set of The Dead Lands. His name, which means ‘warrior’ in Maori, was repeatedly cried from the mouths of strong, wagglingtongued, bulging-eyed, loin-clothed men. “It was a reaI feat of serendipity that I got to make it; I got to explore the world of Toa,” he says of the film, which follows a Maori boy who sets out to avenge the death of his family. “I’m grateful to Matthew Metcalfe, the producer, for offering it to me.” Although not Maori himself, Toa moved to New Zealand at the age of 14, both his daughters are Maori, and his Fijian father was mates with one of the “esteemed innovators of Maori broadcasting”, Tainui Stephens, who ended up being an associate producer on The Dead Lands. “Dad would tell us mythological stories when we were kids – not too far away from the sort of movie we ended up making with The Dead Lands,” Toa tells me. “We really all set out to make a movie in the way our ancestors would have told it if they’d had the tools we have these days.” The Dead Lands is utterly unique in that it’s the first film to be entirely spoken in the Maori language. The weapons used and fight techniques are also authentic, with the actors going through bootcamp prior to filming. Casting must have been a bitch, as not only did the actors have to be Maori, but also pretty kick-ass at it. “There were three really important skills: the language, the fighting ability and the acting ability. Not all the actors had all three, but we worked really hard to make sure we got a cast that could support each other,” Toa shares. The result is an impressive epic offering wellchoreographed battle scenes, a sense of magic, and a fascinating glimpse into Maori culture. I caught up with Toa when he was in London scouting for locations for his next project, Six Days, a film set in the 1980s around the time of the Iranian embassy siege. And that’s all we’re allowed to know right now, but hey, we’re here to talk about The Dead Lands, and so that’s we do... The cast of The Dead Lands had a lot to learn – the Maori language, how to use the weapons and fighting techniques – as well as upping their fitness and strength. How much time did you dedicate to that?

Toa Fraser

We didn’t have that much time – we did a six-week bootcamp, which encompassed the physical training with strength and fitness stuff, also learning the weaponry and martial arts. But it was quite holistic actually because you learnt a lot about the culture and the language through that anyway. We also cast it in a way so that a lot of that stuff could be cast led. Everybody had different strengths; some were great at the language – Te Kohe Tuhaka [who plays the leader of the rival tribe, Wirepa] and Raukura Turei [who plays Mehe] are both native speakers, but Lawrence Makoare [The Warrior] and James Rolleston [the protagonist Hongi] weren’t as confident. Te Kohe Tuhaka really stood up and became a leader within the group – behind the scenes as much as on screen. Lawrence, though, has a lot of film experience as he’s worked with Peter Jackson on Lord of the Rings and the James Bond movie [Die Another Day]. James is the youngest of the group, but he’s got a very special relationship with the camera and the actors. James is the first actor who I realised I wasn’t really helping; he was doing everything himself. I would do three takes – knowing the first one was the best, but I had to pretend like I’m giving TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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worked for the BBC, so I grew up very much with a foot in both the Pacific and here. We actually did a lot of post-production for The Dead Lands in London – it’s a New Zealand/UK film production, and so we had a lot of very important contributions from UK technicians. When did your fascination with Maori culture begin? For me it’s just part and parcel of being a New Zealander. It’s not a separate thing to me; it’s very much a part of day-to-day life. One of the great things about New Zealand is that we are increasingly proud of our bi-cultural and multi-cultural nature.

him direction so everybody thinks that I’m in charge (laughs). But James was totally in charge of his thing. So there was a lot of give and take between the actors bringing different qualities to the group. You’re a big fan of action films, so was there any Van Damme-type stuff in the choreography, or was it true to Maori fighting techniques? James Webster, a young Maori mau rakau practitioner, worked in conjunction with Steve McQuillan the stunt coordinator, so it was kind of a conversation between movie language and mau rakau language. Also, working with a lot of guys around my sort of age, we’d all grown up with JeanClaude Van Damme and Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, so there was a hell of a lot of talk about those kinds of things on set. I suppose the most practical reference, though, was I had a great bit of help from Gareth Evans, the director of The Raid; so there was a nice cross pollination of ideas from Indonesia to New Zealand, which was very helpful. Were any stunt men used? We had stunt doubles for three or four of the main cast, but in the end they ended up doing most of it themselves. Lawrence spectacularly so, because he had a long way to go when he was cast in the movie – he did an extra four weeks of one-on-one training with me and with a personal trainer. He went on a massive journey with peaks and troughs, but he came out on top. In the middle of the movie there’s a fight with something like 170 beats, which is a hell of a lot, and he did most of that stuff himself. And were there any injuries? Actually Lawrence buggered his knee up on the very last shot of the movie (Laughs). It was my fault; I was making him run across desert a bit too many times. You moved to New Zealand from the UK aged 14. What are your memories of England? Do you miss it? I love England. My parents and my brother and sister are still here – and my granddad lives in Southend-on-Sea, so I have a very strong connection. My dad’s from Fiji, but he moved to New Zealand in the 50s and then England in the 60s and 30

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Is Dead Lands based on a Maori legend? No, I believe Glenn Standring wrote it completely originally. Glenn had a fascinating story himself, though: he grew up in the South Island and only in the last five or 10 years he’s found out that he has Maori heritage. I’m putting words in his mouth a bit, but I guess one of the ways that he wanted to explore that is through his own storytelling ability in film. What impression of the Maori culture would you like to leave audiences with? It’s often seen as mystical and romantic, but these men are violent and brutal... For me the most important thing was to make a cool film (laughs). A lot of the cast were friends of mine already and we had a very strong sense of “let’s make an awesome action movie”. The kind of movies we grew up with, but let’s make it in our own way and let’s make it with our own language and with our own weaponry and with our own voice; so it wasn’t really a matter of setting out to make an anthropological ‘this is the culture’-type thing – it was far more a desire to flex our muscles and tell a story like our ancestors would have. We had a very strong sense of responsibility to the culture, though, and to ourselves. We knew that we were going into some quite dark territory in terms of story, but we made the

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CELEBINTERVIEW

film in a very Maori way. We said ‘karakia’, or prayer, every day and we sang songs a lot – so we were able to go into the darkness and come out again into the light every day. In the film The Warrior says, ‘Men teach boys death is noble so they rush into war for their tribes’. Do you think much has changed? On the one hand people can watch The Dead Lands and just see it as an awesome action movie, with cool balletic choreographed play – and that’s one way to look at it. Another way I would venture to look at violence in The Dead Lands is to think about the ambivalence of it. The fact that violence is attractive to young men especially – certainly as a teenager in New Zealand I felt that attraction very strongly myself. So I didn’t want to shirk from the seduction of violence, but at the same time there’s an obvious sinister and very destructive counterbalance to that seduction. I think the film voices that – I don’t think it judges it. Certainly I love the weariness of The Warrior’s sentiment when he says stuff like that. But yeah I think violence is still very much a part of the lives of many different people all around the world, and through telling stories about it I guess we can meditate on it. What were your biggest challenges with this film? Well I don’t speak Mouri so that was a significant challenge for me; to direct actors speaking words I didn’t necessarily understand. But I found that was actually quite freeing. There’s a great story about director John Huston: when he was directing he would turn his back on the actors and shut his eyes, and so he would just judge them on what he heard. And this was a similar sort of thing – without my literal sense I had to read the performance on a much more emotional level. Another great challenge, which I loved, was the physical side of the movie. I committed to supporting Lawrence through his early weeks of bootcamp. And that was one of the hardest things Lawrence and I individually had ever done, but it was very rewarding at the same time.

Lawrence Makoare as The Warrior What audiences do you think The Dead Lands will appeal to? Aw man, that’s a very hard question Caroline. I don’t know... the kind of movies I watched back when I was 23/24, as a young man – Heat and True Lies, Braveheart I guess – I can imagine myself as a 23-year-old loving this movie. How has the response been to the film in New Zealand? Really fantastic and very humbling really. The Maori audiences embraced it – they really owned it. It was something that we were hopeful would happen, and it really did. There’s a statistic that 10% of the whole Box Office in New Zealand was taken up by one cinema in Manukau in South Auckland, which is a particularly urban Maori area. For me that statistic is really gratifying because that was one of our real aspirations – that it would be embraced by young Maoris, and it really has been. What are you most proud of about The Dead Lands? I am proud of many things about the movie, but I guess the first thing that springs to mind is my work with Lawrence. When he came in to audition for the part as The Warrior, I didn’t quite know what movie I wanted to make at that stage. We were thinking it could have been a more JeanClaude Van Damme film and we might have cast a sports star as the action hero. But then Lawrence came in and did his audition – which was one of the more emotional scenes in the movie – and he blew me and Liz Mullane, the casting director, away. It was so beautiful Liz and I both cried, Lawrence cried, and we all sat down on the floor cross legged in a semi-circle and didn’t say anything for a good quarter of hour. When we finally stopped crying and began to talk, the first thing that Lawrence said was, ‘don’t you think the tears will make me look weak?’ And I said, ‘No man I think it makes you stronger’. And in just that tiny bit of dialogue between him and I, we really honed in on the ambivalence and vulnerability that I was hoping to bring to his character. And we knew we had it. We had Lawrence, but we also had a way into the movie for me.

The Dead Lands is out now in cinemas, VOD and DVD TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Chelsea McGuffin

We talk to the ballet dancer who ran away to join the circus and is now performing in jaw-dropping Aussie production Scotch and Soda at London Wonderground. INTERVIEW BY CAROLINE GARNAR

Tell us about your childhood in Australia... I grew up in Canberra. School and ballet was what I did. From a young age I started dancing seven days a week so most of my time was spent at the ballet school and not much with the family.

Chelsea is the one on the table balancing on the Champagne bottles... just your average night, then

Have you ever really hurt yourself during practice? We are always hurting. The only really serious injury I have had, though, was in a performance at the Sydney Festival while performing Scotch & Soda. I turned but my foot didn’t turn with my body and I tore a ligament in my knee. I finished the show and then went straight to the hospital. It put me out of action for six months but I am back and my knee seems fine. It’s the simple things that can get you sometimes. What could go wrong? Hmm... Lots of things could go wrong. I think we spend less time thinking about what could go wrong and more time thinking about how to get things exactly right so the risk factor is lower. I think if you think about what could go wrong too much you would lose your nerve. Are there any other circus skills you want to try your hand at? We are always trying new skills and acts. But there is also something to 32

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Image: Scotch & Soda by Matilda Temperly

You went from training as a ballet dancer to joining the circus – how did that come about? I wanted to perform but dance wasn’t hitting the mark for me. I started aerial trapeze classes and met a great group of women who all inspired me. Before I knew it, I was doing street performance work. Then I joined a travelling circus called Circus Monoxide.

be said for keeping the old and really working it in. I have a mix of old and new skills in Scotch & Soda and it creates a really nice balance to have the intensity of the new acts and then the comfort of the old. What can people expect from Scotch & Soda? It’s a rag tag group of misfits having a wild party. It’s a whiskey-soaked evening of breathtaking feats, blinding charm and beatnik soul. You can expect gravity-defying circus from some of Australia’s finest acrobats and live jazz music from the brilliant Crusty Suitcase Band. How was Adelaide Fringe festival? The Adelaide Fringe was great. It

was a challenge with such a big show to get it in and out of the tent in 30 minutes each night. But we had great reviews and feedback so we are pretty happy with that. Are you excited to be performing in London? Yes. I love performing in London. We performed at London Wonderground a number of years ago and it was a highlight season for me in my career. I love walking the streets of London, meeting characters and weaving my way through the old windy roads while I’m here. See Chelsea perform in Scotch & Soda at the London Wonderground now until August 2. londonwonderground.co.uk

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WIN A NIGHT OUT FOR FOUR AT THE BELLE ÉPOQUE CHAMPAGNE BAR Camden’s favourite pan-Asian restaurant, Gilgamesh, has opened a new and exclusive champagne bar, The Belle Époque, and TNT is giving away a night out for FOUR people to enjoy this month. The experience will include a free bottle of Belle Époque champagne and tapas to share. Opens: Thursday-Friday from 4pm-midnight Saturday-Sunday from noon-midnight The Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road. Camden, London, NW1 8AH.

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LOCALROUND-UP

Local sport report TNT gets the lowdown on what’s happening at London’s AFL clubs...

WEST LONDON WILDCATS

SOUTH EAST LONDON GIANTS

Oh yes it’s ladies’ day

One small step for Giants, one giant leap for AFL London

The AFL London 2015 season is now well and truly underway! The Wildcats started the season by winning the annual preseason cup held at Peckham Rye Common on April 18. Teams from each of the seven London-based male AFL clubs were involved, along with four female teams competing for the very first time. Congratulations to the Wimbledon Hawks on winning the inaugural women’s pre-season cup! The following weekend saw Anzac day footy at its best, tough and relentless, with the Wildcats coming away with wins across all three grades. This was followed by the annual Rubix Cube Party where it was great to see so many people get involved and enjoy themselves! Lately we have been lucky enough to have former Carlton premiership player and legend Anthony Koutoufides on hand to take training and put the boys through their paces, along with telling a few stories about what it was like to play AFL footy. Attention now turns to one of the highlights on the West London Wildcats / Wildkittens social calendar – the annual ladies’ day party on June 6, where FREE Sangria and Pimms will be served to all ladies from 1pm as the Wildcats take on the North London Lions. All most welcome, see facebook.com/ events/903269823047784 for all the details. West London Wildcats Aussie Rules Football Club is based in south west London, but with playing members from all across the city. We have three teams that play during the summer months, and likewise our netball team, the Wildkittens, have a number of grades available for girls keen to get involved. Both Wildcats and Wildkittens are recruiting for new players from all countries and backgrounds. If you would like to get involved please contact Nathan on 07800 694 273 or via email (westlondonwildcats@londonfooty.com) or send a message via the West London Wildcats Facebook page.

On Saturday April 18 the Giants hosted the Shea Sports Cup, one of the biggest events in AFL London’s calendar. The day was a great success with seven men’s teams and four women’s teams taking part in their first proper AFL games. The day ran smoothly with teams enjoying good food, drink and entertainment. On April 25 AFL London kicked off with the ladies playing first against the North London Lions and the men’s social team playing against the Reading Kangaroos. In honour of the ladies’ first game and in keeping with AFL tradition a banner was made for the girls to run through at the start of the game. A good day was had with both teams winning on the day. Thursday April 30 was an exciting day for Giants who got to meet and train with Carlton legend Anthony Koutoufides. Anthony helped both teams with training drills followed by a Q&A session at sponsor pub White Horse. Saturday May 9 saw – for the first time in Giants’ history – three teams play on their home ground Peckham Rye. The men’s social team started the day against Putney Magpies who proved to be too strong on the day, followed by the ladies whose inexperience couldn’t be matched with the strength of the Hawks, and lastly by the conference team who held on to beat London Swans. The men’s teams played West London Wildcats on Peckham Rye on May 16 and ladies played their fixture on May 30 against Wandsworth Demons. Check out next month’s TNT to find out the results. If you fancy trying something different and giving AFL a go, or miss playing the game, you can contact the club through its Facebook page, Twitter (@londongiants) and for the ladies via Marianna Graham (womensfootball@londongiants.com)

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LOCALROUND-UP WIMBLEDON HAWKS 2015 season off to a flying start The Wimbledon Hawks are extremely happy with their start to season 2015! The Premiership side had a huge win in the first round against the Putney Magpies, but failed to back up that strong performance last weekend against a stronger London Swans side. Both the Premiership side and Social team are looking for wins this weekend against the WL Wildcats and Reading Roos respectively. Our ladies team the ‘Hawkettes’ have got season 2015 off to a perfect start too. After taking out the inaugural Ladies PreSeason Cup in Peckham, they backed up the tournament win with a massive 62 point against the SE London Giants, clearly showing why the Ladies Hawks are the benchmark team in the Ladies League in its historic first season. The Hawks also enjoyed having a training session with exAFL player Anthony ‘Kouta’ Koutoufides who was in London helping out the footy teams over here. Kouta was impressed by the number of players at the session and the great sense of camaraderie down at Wimbledon! The most reassuring thing at the Hawks though is the great feeling around the club at the moment. The Hawks have had excellent numbers at training – and at the pub – as we gear up for the biggest day of the year on the Hawks social calendar… The Annual Hawks Ladies Day. Hawks Ladies Day attracts

the biggest crowd of any game in AFL London, and our 25th anniversary Ladies Day to be held on May 30 at Motspur Park is going to be the biggest and best yet! Regular training sessions are held every Tuesday and Thursday night, 6.30pm on the North-West corner of Clapham Common. We are still always needing new men’s and ladies players, so if you’ve been missing your footy over here, or even if you’ve never seen the game and want to try a new sport, then come down to the Wimbledon Hawks. We welcome all players of ability and experience in Aussie Rules.

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Join the Wandsworth Demons at the Epsom Derby If you want to get in on the action down at the Hawks, be it playing or just for a few pints, check out our website; wimbledonhawks.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get in touch with someone at the club directly, email club@wimbledonhawks.com.

WANDSWORTH DEMONS It’s party time at the Epsom Derby! The Demons have faced some tough opposition in the first few opening rounds of the London AFL season, yet our 2015 campaign is looking strong. It’s not too late to sign up as there are still three quarters of the season left (plus finals) and you won’t be alone – there have been an overwhelming amount of new members this season, so they’ve really helped create a great vibe around the club. Add our women’s team to the fold, who made history this month when they played the North London Lions in their first ever official London AFL league match, and the Demons are enjoying the season both on and off the field. Which now brings us onto our next topic – our biggest social event of the year: Epsom Derby! The main day has been announced and it’s fast approaching – Saturday June 6, 2015. The jewel in the Demons’ crown, our Epsom Derby Day is the envy of all the clubs in the league and you can be part of it for a very reasonable one-off payment. Several coaches have been booked in anticipation, so now it’s up to you to come along. We’re picked up on Clapham Common for the drive down to the Derby and a day of festivities. We have a track-side position with bookies right next to us, all you can drink, a full lunch and snacks during the day. We are then dropped right back at our major sponsor, The Alexandra in Clapham Common, for the after party – what more could you want? If you would like to find out more, send us an email: contact@ wandsworthdemons.com. Like our Facebook page to get further details and updates for the day. We look forward to having you join us!

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Aussie comedian Adam Hills with North London Lions our new Lions to get their first taste of London footy. The coaches decided to use the games to blood our newcomers and get them learning our new game plan. A mixture of British, Australian, EU, rest of the world and, for the first time ever, ladies took part in the games and, while the results on the day didn’t go our way, we believe it will benefit us in the home and away season. Prior to our Round 1 games, a number of Lions and Lionesses turned out for the Anzac Day Centenary Dawn Service at Hyde Park Corner, rubbing shoulders with celebrities, diplomats and even former Prime Ministers. Later in the day, all teams paid their respects before the first bounce by forming a guard of honour while the Last Post played. Finally game time arrived, our ladies had ventured out to South East London to take on the Giants. The Lionesses put up a good show despite having no substitutes’ bench and we were proud of the way they fought it out until the end. Our Premiership and Conference men’s squads were out in Shoreditch playing the Swans and after a slow start, both teams ran out comfortable winners in very blustery conditions with our GB players coming close to best on field. Following a league bye, we were proud to host the Demons our home ground, the glorious Bounds Green. All three men’s team were in action and the crowd saw some hotly contested football. Once again, the wind proved a pivotal factor and the teams that kicked with the breeze in the opening term ran out eventual winners on the day. Our Conference side was able to sustain their perfect start to the season, while the Premiership and Social showed a lot of grit and determination despite not getting the end result. It was also great to see so many Lions head back to our favourite post-game venue, the Bloomsbury Lanes, to celebrate the return of footy in London. Next month will be a huge one for the club both on and off the field. Our women will return to action as will all men’s teams. Plans are well underway for our 25th Anniversary Gala and our annual river cruise up the Thames, co-hosted with the Wildcats, taking place on June 6. Tickets available from aussierules.co.uk. And even though the season has started, we are still accepting new members whether they be female, male, Australian, British or from anywhere else.

NORTH LONDON LIONS Wind blows both ways for Lions It was another typically busy month in North London, with the annual pre-season tournament proving a great forum for 36

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For anybody interested in joining North London men’s or ladies’ teams please contact info@aussierules.co.uk or visit aussierules.co.uk. To keep up with all the latest goings on follow us on Facebook or Instagram @northlondonlions

Tuesday 16th - Saturday 20th June 2015

RA CIN G LIKE NOW HERE ELSE With over 300 years of spectacular heritage, a day at Royal Ascot is a day like nowhere else. To enjoy world class Flat racing, with a stellar field including Australia’s Brazen Beau and Shamal Wind, secure your place at this one of a kind occasion by booking your tickets at ascot.co.uk Tickets £27 - £80 per person Fine Dining from £250 per person +VAT

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CMY

MORE THAN A HOSTEL Affordable luxury just got a little closer. Stay social this summer.

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NEW PARTY HOTEL HAS LAUNCHED IN MALLORCA – DIVE IN! BH Mallorca re-opened this month and is set to be the ultimate place to party. Along with swimming pools, hot tubs and even a water park you will find a stage hosting huge DJs with the summer line-up as follows: Steve Angello (4/6, 2/7, 23/7, 6/8, 27/8), Nicky Romero (25/6), Robin Schulz / Oliver Heldens (30/6, 11/8), Axwell (7/7), Rudimental / Gorgon City (9/7, 8/9), Hardwell (16/7), Duke Dumont (21/7, 18/8), Ingrosso (28/7), Martin Garrix (13/8), and David Guetta (21/8). We’re sending a TNT writer to check it all out. Pick up July’s TNT to find out more. bhmallorca.com

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ONE WORLD OBSERVATORY OPENS IN NY Observatory at Top of One World Trade Center opened on May 29, providing panoramic views of New York.

The view from street level

Positioned on top of the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere – on levels 100, 101, and 102 of the One World Trade Center building – One World Observatory offers unbeatable views of the Big Apple skyline. Alongside the view, visitors can learn facts about the building and stories of the people who helped build it, see a display of the skyline grow from the 1600s to present day, and finish off with a meal in one of its restaurants. The Main Observatory

also features the Sky Portal, where guests are invited to step onto a 14ft-wide circular disc that will deliver an unforgettable view using real-time, high-definition footage of the streets below. Best try this before lunch. Complimentary admission is offered to 9/11 family members and the rescue and recovery workers who responded on 9/11 and in the months after with special discounts offered to active and retired members of the U.S. military. Standard tickets $32 (£20), oneworldobservatory.com

computer knowledge is pretty essential.

also get a travel allowance to spend on whatever we like throughout the year – I got flights to Rio for just £90!

GET PAID TO TRAVEL! By becoming an STA Travel Expert...

Tell us about your role as an STA Travel Expert.... It can be at times challenging but nearly always a lot of fun! I get to

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What qualifications and/ or experience does an STA Travel Expert need? A travel expert should have done a fair amount of travelling themselves of course. I would advise some previous experience in sales, but it’s not essential. If you are a good people person and have a real passion for the work we do here at STA I think you will be successful. Oh, and basic

What personal qualities do you need? You have to be a real people person with natural sales ability. Obviously a passion for travelling is a must and to be able to convey your own travel experiences in a way that is helpful to others looking for insight into planning their own adventures. Do you get to travel with your job? Yes, STA offers some great travel perks for employees. We get familiarisation trips to places we haven’t been to before with some of the tour operators we work with. We

What other perks are there? Working with fun, likeminded people! There are also more opportunities to progress into various roles in a global company. What’s the most challenging aspect of the job? I would personally say time management. You need to stay very organised to keep on top of things every day with all the different bookings and adjustments and so on. Apply now at tntjobs.co.uk/ job/385559-travel-expert

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Want to earn a salary + bonus in excess of £21k a year? Want to be able to go on trips around the world at no cost? Do you have over 12 months left on your UK work visa? If you have answered ‘yes’ to these then apply for the Travel Expert roles that STA travel have in London and across the UK. We speak to STA Travel Expert in Victoria, Matthew McMunn (pictured), to find out more about the role...

talk to new people every day about what I am most passionate about, and that’s travelling the world. If travelling is your passion the selling part normally comes pretty easy. If you enjoy the challenge of hitting monthly targets it’s a fun job. Our main role is to listen to people’s questions and discover as much as we can about what kind of person they are and what they are looking for on their personal adventure. We then do our best using our own expert knowledge and experience to create the perfect trip for them.

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The insider's guide to The Balkans

Kotor, Montenegro

Meet Martina, one of Topdeck’s best Trip Leaders. A former florist turned globe-trotter, she set off to see the world and never looked back. From body rolling down Sahara’s tallest sand dunes to sailing around Greece, she’s made quite the dent in her quest to pin the map. This month she shares her five favourite things about the Balkans, Europe’s hottest travel destination this summer. ›› KOTOR I love Montenegro; it’s one of the most beautiful countries along the Dalmatian coast. As most people don’t know much about the country, they have no expectations and are stunned by the endless sandy beaches and oldvulture world charm. Kotor is my absolute For the culture favourite placelike to visit. Like a smaller version of fortified For those who to Dubrovnik, this coastal immerse themselves in gem is also encircled by medieval walls that make great vantage points to take in the cultural experiences while breath-taking seaside views. travelling, the Hammam de la Mosquee du Paris is an ›› DUBROVNIK Who wouldn’t fall in love with ideal destination. Visitors Dubrovnik? Entirely can respectfully spendrebuilt time since the 90s’ war, its white marble streets and sparkle in the mosque bookina the sun. So many scars, but also so much I love walking along the city walls, massage in thebeauty. hammam soaking up thethe sun between laps of gelato and imagining for after. Enjoy the scenesarchitecture out of Game of of Thrones. wonderful

Harbor at Zadar

the mosque, and the Salon ›› Thè, ZADAR From the honey Romans and Ottomans to Venetian, de which serves royal Austrian andAfrican communism, Zadar has been occupied pastries and North by anla-mosquee.com/ empire or two before emerging as the splendid tea. travel destination it is today. Thanks to its rich and htmlfr/hammamfr.htm layered past, history hides behind every corner of the city. Walk across Zadar’s Roman ruins and discover the For the fashionista sound of the ocean. The modern sea organ transforms Les Bains du Marais waves into music, providing the perfect soundtrack to take in the glorious view. ›› SAILING Have a week to spare? Sail along the varied landscape of the Dalmatian coast, admiring the steep cliffs, hidden beaches and bright blue water from the deck. Words fail to do justice to the views you’ll discover aboard a yacht in the Balkans. ›› FOOD With an obvious Mediterranean influence, Balkan cuisine offers a diverse flavour palate rooted in fresh and local produce. Explore one of the region’s many markets and pick up some local food for a seaside picnic. Be sure to grab a bottle of local wine – it is wildly underrated!

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Warm up your girls’ weekend topdeck.travel in Paris at HammaPacha

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TOPFIVE

BRITISH NATIONAL PARKS

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BRITISH NATIONAL PARKS

Words: Kaye Holland. Photos: iStock

With summer on the horizon, don’t forget what’s on your doorstep: Britain and its national parks, which show off the blessings of the country’s natural good looks. They represent a nation at its non-architecturally-enhanced best. Here are five of our favourites…

CAIRNGORMS, SCOTLAND From the red depths of the Grand Canyon to the creaking glaciers of New Zealand’s Fjordland, you might expect 42 00

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Britain’s modest wilderness to be an uneven match for world heavyweights. But explore the length of this small island (about 600 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats) and you’ll find rugged peaks, rushing waterfalls and sweeping forests enough to spark flutters in your chest. The Cairngorms National Park – Britain’s largest – is perhaps most impressive. Snow-coated mountains ring a serene spread of still, clear lochs and thick Caledonian pine forest.

Five of Scotland’s six highest peaks are found here and the 4528sqkm of land couldn’t be better suited to outdoors action. In winter, it’s skiing and husky-sledding. Meanwhile other seasons bring mountainbiking and climbing, kayaking and rafting, river tubing and zip-lining… the opportunities for adventure are endless. Thanks to its world-class surrounds, the Cairngorms is home to a committed community of folk who spend their days running amok in the fresh air, and their evenings rewarding these efforts with a few ales and a wee dram in characteristically cosy pubs. The Cairngorms is a lifestyle as much as it is an amazing photo opportunity – and most who get a taste of Cairngorms life have a tough time trying to leave. While this national park’s beauty can’t be overstated, it has a rich history, too. Remnants of Celt and Pict settlements from as far back as the 10th century are scattered across its moors and grasslands – and what would a Scot landscape be without a few crumbling castles? Bottom line? No matter how short your stay in the UK, don’t leave Britain without seeing the Cairngorms – otherwise you’ve not really seen Britain at all. cairngorms.co.uk

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LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND

NORFOLK BROADS, ENGLAND

Pretty enough to inspire not just poetry, but an entire collection of ‘Lake Poets’ (including William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge). The UK’s second-largest national park also boasts England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and 12 of the largest lakes in England, meaning you can walk, cycle and splash about here to your heart’s content! The cultural heritage of the Lake District is as unique as its geography. Visitors today can indulge in local treats like Cumberland sausage and enjoy centuries old traditions such as hound trailing and rushbearing. So scenic you actually catch yourself shaking your head in wonderment, don’t miss Catbells fell, the preposterously handsome hills that reflect resplendently in the shallows of Derwent Water. lakedistrict.gov.uk

Quaint England at its picture-postcard best, the Norfolk Broads – which lie in the countries of Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of England – are a collection of placid lakes and rivers, the banks dotted with fairytale windmills and reed beds, all flanked by flat fields of green. At 303 sq km it is Britain’s largest nationally protected wetland and a member of the international family of national parks. Six rivers link the shallow lakes of the Broads and make up a total of 200km of navigable and lock-free waterways. They are the Ant, Thurne, Bure, Yare, Chet and Waveney. The quintessential setting for a barge holiday, many of the broads are artificial creations, produced when medieval peat beds flooded. The result is a picturesque network of navigable waterways – and a place on our list. broads-authority.gov.uk

4 4

PEAK DISTRICT, ENGLAND

SNOWDONIA, WALES

Founded in 1951, the simple splendour of Derbyshire’s natural wonder is its allure. This is a beauty without bells and whistles. Despite it’s name, you’ll find no highest mountains or longest lakes here. Instead, acres of green hills and valleys spread out in the very definition of English idyll; it’s the archetypal ‘green and pleasant land’. Add to this picture caves, cliffs, rivers, and purple-heather-coated moors, and you’ve got an adventure playground suited to all. The Peak District isn’t just for looking. Get involved: cycling, caving, camping, off roading, fishing, felling, trekking and horse riding and air sports are just a few of the activities that adrenalin junkies can indulge in. One negative? England’s first national park is also Europe’s busiest so don’t just rock up: book your hostel or accommodation well in advance. peakdistrict.gov.uk

Situated on the west coast of Britain, the mountain scenery in Snowdonia, northwest Wales, takes your breath away. From the looming might of the Snowdon Massif (at more than 3,000ft high), to the isolated serenity of Llyn Llydaw lake (an ice-blue calm amid jagged drama), you’ll be stunned into admiring silence. While many come to conquer the big one – Snowdon is the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland – there are lakes, woodlands and valleys to explore if you’ve no head for heights. Meanwhile culture vultures will appreciate the wealth of picturesque villages – take a bow Betws y Coed and Beddgelert, steeped as they are in local history. Oh, and more than half of Snowdonia’s population speak Welsh, which is pretty entertaining – it sounds like utter gibberish. eryri-npa.gov.uk TNTMAGAZINE.COM

TRAVELBITE

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Catching waves in the Canaries Jennika Argent learns to surf in Famara, Lanzarote

Beaches are usually associated with relaxation and sunbathing. But this beach is different. As far as the eye can see, wetsuit-clad figures jump around on the wide, flat stretch of sand, warming up for a day of riding waves. At the far end of the beach, an impressive block of cliff shelters a huddle of white houses from the ceaseless trade winds. This is Famara. A small fishing village on the north-eastern coast of Lanzarote where I’ve come to learn to surf. Lanzarote may not be everyone’s idea of a surfing paradise but it holds the nickname of “European Hawaii” because you can surf all year round. On my first evening, the guys from the surf house take me to the local ‘Burgeria’ restaurant which serves huge, stacked burgers alongside authentic tapas, such as spicy chickpea stew, fish covered with green ‘Mojo’ sauce, spiced with coriander and cumin and ‘Bien Mesabe’ cake (made with what tastes like almond puree). It’s a good introduction. My first day of surfing is filled with nervous anticipation, excitement and fear. We’re in good hands though. Our instructor Carlos expertly takes us through the motions and assures us we will all be able to ride a wave by the end of the day. Our group

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gathers into a circle to warm-up and we follow his stretching, lunges and hip thrusting gyrations, which has us in fits of giggles. We are shown the steps of going from lying down on the board, to standing up in one swift move. This is achieved by placing the hands under the chest to lift the torso and then quickly tucking the legs under, so your feet are standing where your chest was, with your leading foot forward. We carry our boards down to the water’s edge, and enter to waist height, cautiously watching the endless rolls of water spilling towards us. As instructed, I start by turning my surfboard round to face the beach, then lie belly down on the board and wait for a wave to take me down to the shore, like bodyboarding. If your weight isn’t centred, the board will either nose dive or flip up in front of you. Once I have the hang of this, step two is to now do this on my hands and knees (like a dog). Step three is the real deal, coming right up to standing. This time, the wave catches my board, shoving me forward with a strong gust of energy. I push myself up onto my hands and tuck my feet under my body, all the time looking ahead to see where I’m going. My

first few attempts end with an awkward topple into the salty water, but by lunchtime, most of us have managed to wobble through a few seconds of riding a wave. The feeling is exhilarating and addictive and I spend the rest of the day beaming from ear to ear. Surfing seems to be a mixture of sensing the ocean and trusting your instincts. On top of the beauty of the island, and the chance to brush up on my Spanish, I returned home a lot slimmer and fitter, if a little bruised!

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WIN TICKETS TO THE ISLE Worth £ OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 2015 700 COURTESY OF JACK DANIEL’S Jack Daniel’s is partnering with Britain’s most exciting rock ‘n’ roll clubnight, This Feeling, to host and curate a stage at one of the world’s most famous festivals – The Isle of Wight Festival 2015.

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The two are joining forces to create the Jack Rocks stage, which will feature the most exciting emerging talent, including Hyena, Storms and Young Kato, as well as special guest slots from more established acts such as Eugene McGuinness and headliners Black Rivers and Dave McCabe & The Ramifications. To celebrate, the iconic Tennessee whiskey brand is offering one lucky TNT reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to the festival, which will take place from the 11th – 14th June.

A NIGHT OUT FOR FOUR AT THE BELLE EPOQUE 33 CHAMPAGNE BAR TICKETS TO BILBAO BBK LIVE IN SPAIN

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For the latest updates on the Jack Rocks stage line-up announcements, follow @JackDanielsUK on Twitter and Facebook or check www.thisfeeling.co.uk Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions www.thisfeeling.co.uk

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2 Wales is a beautiful, cultured land with both incredible natural and man-made brilliance. Although it’s just a stone’s throw away, this untamed land is a place many of us have never chosen to visit. So next time you’re considering your domestic getaway, try Wales (or Cymru if you want to get really Welsh about it). And here are 11 reasons why…

1 MOUNT SNOWDON This mountain is steeped in thousands of years of history and mythology; it is even said that one of its many cave networks is home to the legendary sword, Excalibur. Its summit is the highest piece of land in all of Wales and the tallest mountain in Great Britain outside of the Scottish Highlands. On a clear day, you can see Scotland, England, Ireland and even the Isle of Man from its peak. For your average climber, it takes about six hours to hike to the summit and on the way you’ll experience some of the greatest views Mother Nature has to offer.

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2 SNOWDONIA RAILWAY If the sights and sounds of the British Isles’ highest peak sound attractive to you, but the walk doesn’t, then consider the Snowdon Rail service. Located at the base of the mountain, this century-old rail line will allow you to ride right to the very top. Enjoy the awe-inspiring view from the summit and the beauty of the land on the ride up, without the hard climbing part in the middle. Even if you have already done the trek, you might not be able to resist witnessing Snowdon from this new angle.

3 BRECON BEACONS Continuing with the natural theme, we have the Brecon Beacons, a glorious mountain range set in the heart of southern Wales. Pure serenity, the Brecon Beacons are the perfect location for hikers or explorers to get back to nature and experience it firsthand. Complete with stunning mountains, forests, lakes and waterfalls, whether you’re

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Your Wales tick list Wales is not all sheep-herders and double-language signs, it is a vibrant area with plenty to explore – so much so we had to squeeze an extra one into its top 10… WORDS: BEN GRIFFIN

6 5 going for a quick walk, a long wilderness trek or even a camping holiday, there’ll be plenty of sights to see.

4 LLANDUDNO PIER For all the seaside lovers out there, it’s hard to beat the traditional charm of Llandudno Pier. Highly regarded by the film industry, many period dramas have insisted their cast grace its historic walkway to create the authentic cinematic experience, as the pier still sits on its original woodwork built in 1878. The longest pier in Wales, it also boasts an arcade, shops, food stalls, and offers a great position to view fireworks and air shows. The pier also provides a unique vantage point from which to view the Welsh coast, great for photographers and nature lovers alike.

5 THE GREAT ORME While visiting the town of Llandudno, you will most likely be struck by the sight of the Great Orme located across the bay.

This glorious headland is one of Wales’ most famous natural wonders. From the top, there are beautiful views out to sea, or off to the Lake District and Isle of Man. There are many ways of reaching the top, although the tourists’ favourites are either the cable-car or tram ride. Both will take you to the summit of Great Orme and while it isn’t quite as high as Snowdon, it is definitely worth a visit. If the natural beauty doesn’t grab you, however, the Great Orme also features an artificial ski slope and Wales’ longest toboggan track.

6 THE MILLENNIUM STADIUM The Millenium Stadium is an iconic Welsh landmark. Featured as a backdrop on numerous TV shows and movies, the stadium is a bastion of modern Welsh style. Located in the city of Cardiff, whether you’re into sports, music or both, the atmosphere and occasion of an event at the Millenium Stadium is simply unmatched.

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8 7 CARDIFF BAY Just outside the Millenium Stadium is the beautiful Cardiff Bay, which is the place to be if you enjoy the buzz of a good city. Its waterfront location makes for a picturesque scene on which its many high-quality restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues are set. Wile the time away walking along its packed jetties or enjoy an exciting evening on the town; Cardiff Bay has a little bit of everything.

8 CAERNARFON CASTLE Wales has a rich and exciting medieval history, and nowhere is better to explore than the mighty castle of Caernarfon. This monument to Welsh past can be found in its namesake town, in the northern county of Gwynedd. An enormous fortress, it was constructed in 1283 during the war between England and Wales and was one of the most expensive castles constructed during the period. Due to its magnificent size and medieval charm, for all you history buffs – or those who just like a good day’s exploring – Caernarfon is definitely worth a visit.

9 LLANDDWYN ISLAND Llanddwyn Island is one of the little-known gems of Wales. Located on the northern point of the country, although it claims to be an island, it is actually a peninsula. With a narrow walkway between it and the mainland, this false island of Wales is easy to reach, yet just as isolated and cut off as any water-bound island. This isolation mixed with accessibility has resulted in something rather special. Llanddwyn is well known for its rustic Welsh architecture, including the ruins of a 5th-century church and a slightly 48

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9 more modern lighthouse, as well as its rich natural surroundings. Its sandy shores make for perfect unwinding spots and the distance between it and the nearest town means it’s an ideal spot for wildlife. The cliffs of Llanddwyn Island are often brimming with nesting birds.

10 CADAIR IDRIS Beneath the mighty Mount Snowdon sits a cauldron-like formation of mountains that form a semicircle around a shimmering blue lake. Welsh for ‘The Chair of Idris’, the Cadair Idris is a stunning natural location. The way in which the mountains encircle the lake may explain its illustrious name; perhaps it was once the seat of a god. Now, though, it is simply an awe-inspiring and dramatic natural location, the perfect place for afternoons exploring or day spent with the camera getting incredible shots.

11 CARDIGAN BAY With great beaches and attractions for the kids, this is a perfect family location. However, there is another, more unique, reason to venture to this part of Wales on your time away. In the summer months, the bay is home to a variety of marine animals, but most notably its population of dolphin. A great spectacle to see by land or sea, many companies will take you out in search of them for a small fee. Seeing nature up-close and personal, rather than on TV with Attenborough’s voice over the top of it, can be a thrill, and for many, wild dolphins are at the top of their must-see list. If this article has inspired you to visit the beautiful country of Wales, check out greatescapeswales.com

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DO SOMETHING SIMILAR Get out of London with Haggis Adventures and head west to let wild Wales capture your imagination as you explore this exceptional and fascinating country. Impressive castles, historic villages, stunning coasts and beautiful mountain scenery are on offer with the chance to experience Walesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unique culture, both ancient and modern. Five days, ÂŁ235pp. Book it: tnttoursearch.com/tours/welsh-explorer-0

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WHEN? AUGUST 7-31, 2015

FESTIVAL GUIDE

EDINBURGH FRINGE Within half an hour of hopping off the train, I’m battling my way down the Royal Mile, hood up against a drizzle that’s not quite rain yet, accepting every leaflet thrust into my hand. I’m instantly affected with Fringe Fever, promising everyone that I’ll definitely be there, while starting to realise that my mental schedule isn’t going to hold all of these shows. I pause to pick up my big red Fringe guide – which would become my bible for the next five days – and I’m immediately targeted by a man with a flyer. One of many. He tells me he’s advertising the best stand-up in Edinburgh, and the most handsome man in town, before I rudely interrupt him with: “Hey – I know you.” He is not quite a celebrity. I don’t think he’s ever been on the telly. He definitely doesn’t know me... So, understandably, he is a little taken aback. This guy is Carey Marx, who I saw in a basement comedy night in Putney almost a year ago. I tell him this, and he confesses to being the ‘remarkably 00 52

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good-looking’ comedian on the flyers. Now, he’s basically my best mate. My point is this: for three weeks in Edinburgh, the big names of contemporary comedy come out to play, along with the up-and-comers and the enthusiastic amateurs (no guarantee of talent here) – and they’re all out on the streets peddling their own shows. On a stroll down the Royal Mile you can chat to dancers, musicians, actors, singers – quizzing them about their acts and, perhaps, meeting the A-listers of tomorrow. I once read that during The Fringe, Edinburgh’s population triples in number, and I can vouch that it appears to be the truth. There are people rushing around from venue to venue, locals just trying to get on with regular life, meanderers pausing to take in the view – and getting in the way of the former two groups – and then the masses of flyer distributors, pouncing on The Mile and lurking around corners in wait of their target demographic. In short... embrace the madness.

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EDINBURGH FRINGE

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Words: Stephanie Palmer and Caroline Garnar. Photos: © Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society

AUSSIE ACTS Nick Cody

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

WHAT TO EXPECT

The Fringe story dates back to 1947, when eight theatre groups turned up uninvited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival, an initiative created to celebrate and enrich European cultural life in the wake of the Second World War. Not being part of the official programme of the International Festival didn’t stop these performers – they just went ahead and staged their shows on the ‘Fringe of the Festival’ anyway. Year on year more and more performers attended, and in 1958 the Festival Fringe Society was created. Although the society proudly has no influence over the programme: anyone with a story to tell and a venue willing to host them is allowed to attend.

The festival features more than 3,000 shows, spread across 299 venues, plus a whole load of street acts and events. Posters are plastered over every stationary surface, stacks of discarded flyers litter every pub table, and every loo in the city is wallpapered with them. To be honest, it’s all a little overwhelming. Even if you were here for the full festival, from start to finish, there just aren’t enough hours in the day. So everybody jostles for the crowd’s attention, with varying success. You will see some real shockers, some people who will likely be household names before too long, and random acts like a Canadian telling stories in a traditional Japanese style and a puntelling chicken. Enjoy!

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD DO IN EDINBURGH... One of the first things you should do upon arriving in Edinburgh is head up Arthur’s Seat. The view of Edinburgh and beyond from the top is second to none. It looks like a long, arduous climb to the top but rest assured if you’re relatively fit it should only take about 30 minutes to reach the summit, so no excuses. Reward your climb with a coffee and an enormous slice of delicious cake at Mimi’s Bakehouse. We all know about the Edinburgh dungeons but what about taking things to the next level by signing up for a Mercat Tour? The guides are natural storytellers full of personality and wit. Whisky connoisseur or first-time taster – you will love the Whiski Rooms in Old Town. This has to be one of the best places to try haggis, neeps and tatties.

For an evening tipple, 52 Canoes Tiki Den is a quirky bar, popular with locals. The cocktail menu is extensive and will be right up your street if you love rum. The food has a Mexican vibe while staff are friendly and the music good. Or, if you’ve not experienced a true Scottish ceilidh (barn dance), then book in for Ghillie Dhu’s Friday night Rabbie Burns three course supper, ceilidh, live bands and DJ. If you’re still standing by 3am when things wrap up you’ll have done well! If visiting Edinburgh has given you a taste of Scotland and you want more, check out the tours on offer from the appropriately named Haggis Adventures (haggisadventures.com) who offer everything from Highland Flings to Island Explorers. Och aye.

Nick Cody: Beard Game Strong This Aussie newcomer's debut stand up sold out at the Metro Theatre in Sydney, and he has supported superstars Jim Jeffries and Bill Burr. Tipped for big things, he’s coming over for his Edinburgh debut. Michael Griffiths: Sweet Dreams – Songs by Annie Lennox Part cabaret, part storytelling, Griffiths takes on the role of Annie Lennox to tell her life story through her songs. Tumbling After by RedBellyBlack Straddling theatre, performance art, and a vivid dream, Tumbling After is the seductive story of two couples as they stumble into and tumble out of love, looking at what happy ever after means today. BRUCE Bruce may be just a floating block of yellow foam, but he’s out to prove he’s got a heart of pure gold. Skilled puppeteers bring Bruce to life as we witness the comedic story of his life. Close Up by Circa Close Up gets as close as possible to study a range of exceptional circus acts with new angles and hidden textures revealed by ultra-slow motion footage and phenomenal skills.

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La Gomera

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Mt Garajonay

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Whistle while you walk TNT goes trekking through the green heart of La Gomera’s lava lump WORDS: KEN HURST

Before they built any roads on this volcanic lump, the farmers scratching a living from the hard-hewn mountainhigh terracing, which still dominates much of La Gomera’s landscape, used to communicate by whistling to each other across the hills. Copying the bloke who demonstrated the skill at the Central Bar in the frontier-like town of Vallehermoso, I tried out this so-called el silbo gomero halfway up a hill the next day. My mate was sure I’d somehow succeeded in proposing to a girl in the next valley. Sadly, she might no longer have been there to hear me, for most of the farms and farmers long ago gave up their battle with such a tough landscape and abandoned their banana and avocado trees in favour of building a tourist industry. And whoever’s in charge of it should be commended for doing it so well. It’s hard to believe that this beautiful and sparsely populated island – it’s less than 14 miles from end to end and has scarcely 20,000 inhabitants – is just a Fred Olsen ferry whistle (less than an hour) away from the kiss-me-quick hats and high-rise hullabaloo of Tenerife. La Gomera is an island that has dedicated itself to trekking and, apart from a few well-off grey beards and blue rinses who soak up the sun that shines on its southern shores for a good bit of the year beyond Europe’s summer, backpackers are its bag. It’s a place that’s working hard to stick to a plan that has nothing to do with pink tutus and taffeta, stag parties, sand or sangria. Food, wine, beer and accommodation remain sensibly priced (especially given the wobbly weak euro) and the people who serve it up appear refreshingly un-jaundiced about working in the new service-led economy where tipping is not automatically expected but smilingly well received. Our week-long excursion took us from town to town and up to the dizzy height of La Gomera’s summit – the top of the island’s highest mountain where they say the ancients felt closer to their god Oraphan. And down again. Don’t underestimate the challenge of walking this rocky paradise. It can be hot. Very hot. And steep. Very steep. That said, the signposting is excellent and Oraphan only knows

the work that must have been put into restoring the labyrinthine paths that lead... well, pretty much everywhere really. After preparing for a hot sweaty week at the gorgeous state-run Parador de la Gomera overlooking the ocean above the ferry port at San Sebastian, we mini-bussed towards El Cedro and the Garajonay National Park – the green heart of La Gomera. There, we took off through the rainforest atmosphere of dense laurel woods and up to bare heights from which Tenerife’s famous Mount Teide can be seen. Five or six hours and 12k later, we make the short descent to our billet for the

Roque El Cano

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San Sebastian port night at the charming little Hotel Sonia in Chipude. The mini supermarket next door provided more than adequate sustenance (and water – you need to be carrying a couple of litres of it on these hikes) for the next day’s 15k to the aforementioned whistler’s impromptu demonstration at Vallehermoso. We holed up at the Tamahuche Rural Hotel there for a couple of nights, spending the next day visiting, via a demanding ascent, the chapel at Santa Clara. Eventually, a seemingly never-ending steep descent leads to a beach not far from the town we left five hours earlier (it’s not safe for swimming but in summer there’s a salt water pool). Our next 15k stint found us walking out of the Vallehermoso Valley via the ‘frozen’ lava tube that is El Cano. The route takes in the architecturally grandiose but rather less well appointed Garajonay National Park Visitors’ Centre where, accompanied by umpteen feral cats, you can take your lunch break provided you can claim the single table that furnishes the picnic area. Vast bare concrete beams currently perch unfinished over a magnificent nearby vista, so there’s hope for future visitors. For now, we preferred the small friendly bar opposite where the beer came chilled and the plastic-wrapped churros featured the reviving sweetness of factory-filled cold custard. Do not, however, take this fare as being typical of an island-wide cuisine that features cheap and plentiful fresh fish – sometimes brought to your table to choose – that is some of the best you’ll taste anywhere. Today’s 15k comes with a walking time of around seven hours and a destination of the upmarket and more sprawling town of Hermigua via the coastal village of Agulo. The last section involves a tough descent which, our guide notes say, is NOT (note the capitals) suitable if you are afraid of heights and should NOT (caps again) be attempted AT ALL (and again) in stormy or rainy weather. We’re not and it’s not, so we do. It’s fine. We reward ourselves with two nights at the Hotel Ibo 56

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Alfaro and a rest day punctuated by a calamari and beer lunch in the idyllic beach bar setting at nearby La Caleta. Via, of course, a guilt-quenching 13k circular sortie among the succulent milk and prickly pear cactus plants that, were these rocky hills a desert, would be the saviours of thirsty cowboys in Arizona. Finally, it’s a 10k hike back to San Sebastian after riding to the starting point with the luggage transport. Tantalisingly, it has to use the road via San Sebastian as the usual route has been blocked by a rock fall. There is the option of a longer 13k walk ‘home’ that includes a 300m ascent, 1200m in descent and involves what they describe as “a stunning traverse” along the island’s barren southwest coast. We give it a swerve. The temptation of lounging about back at that Parador overlooking the ocean, followed by a long shower, a wander into town for an evening beer or two and some more of that Atlantic-caught fish is just too strong. The thing is, this is the sort of holiday where you can kid yourself you’ve earned your indulgences. If you need anything, just whistle.

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48HOURS

TBILISI

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YOUR WEEKEND IN

Words: Sophie Ibbotson. Photos: iStock

TBILISI

Tbilisi Old Town and Narikala Fortress Drink a toast to Tbilisi: after all, if the Georgians hadn’t invented wine, our lives would all be poorer as a result. Celebrate this achievement with a break in one of Europe’s most rewarding cities.

Kartvlis Deda, or Mother Georgia Statue

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DAY ONE MORNING Georgia’s immigration officials welcome foreigners with a passport stamp and a complimentary bottle of Georgian wine, which all bodes well for your stay. Check in to The Terrace (theterracetbilisi.com), Tbilisi’s new boutique hotel, for chic interiors and some exceptional views across the city. The hotel’s lively bar is on the glorious outdoor terrace which gives the hotel its name. Get your bearings with a tromp around Tbilisi’s Old Town, where the labyrinthine streets are lined with extraordinary beautiful buildings with a mixture of neoclassical masonry and plasterwork, intricately carved wooden balconies, and a hint of Art Nouveau. Be sure to visit the Gabriadze Marionette Theatre (gabriadze. com) with its deliberately higgledy piggledy, yet undoubtedly magnificent, clock tower. Consider watching a performance here too: The Battle of Stalingrad performed by marionette puppets, part of the company’s current

repertoire, is a theatrical masterpiece. Take your lunch in one of the many cafes surrounding the theatre. Must-try Georgian delicacies include khinkali, a steamed dumpling stuffed with minced meat or vegetables, and khachapuri, the most wonderful cheese, cream, egg and bread concoction you will ever have the good fortune to try. Both khinkali and khachapuri wash down well with a locally brewed beer. AFTERNOON After lunch, seek out the Narikala Tourist Route, a 1.5km trail which starts by Tbilisi’s 400-year-old Botanical Garden. The gardens themselves cover 161 acres in the heart of the city, and are home to around 4,500 species of plants. The trail climbs steeply to the top of the ridge and then loops around the Narikala Fortress, the imposing architectural symbol of the city, before descending to the Mother Georgia statue. First built in the 4th century as the Shuris-tsikhe – the Invidious Fort – it is well worth stopping off to look around the

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Narikala Fortress. Although most of what survives dates from the 1500s, you can go inside the 12th-century St Nikolos church, and the site offers some of the best panoramas of the city. Admission to the fortress is free. EVENING At the end of your hike, and a tiring day’s sightseeing, it’s time to relax. In the Abanotubani part of the Old Town are Tbilisi’s medieval sulphur baths, naturally fed by mineral water springs that spurt from the surface at a constant temperature of 38-40°C. The baths are on the site of these springs, where the city was first founded, and you can enjoy private cabins with a bath, massage and towels for around €40 (£30). Heading into the communal baths is a cheaper option if you’re not too prudish: there isn’t a bathing suit in sight. Washed and refreshed, it is time for a drink. We love the 18th-floor Oxygen Bar at the top of the Radisson Blu, where you can enjoy a sophisticated cocktail or three. The bar is open until 1am during the week and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Gabriadze Marionette Theatre and Clock Tower

DAY 2 MORNING No one in Tbilisi rises early: you, like the rest of the city, should take the chance to recover from what will undoubtedly have been an excellent night out. A super buffet breakfast is included with rooms at The Terrace, and so you can start the day gently with a coffee on the rooftop. AFTERNOON Spend your afternoon in the National Museum of Georgia. Head straight into the Archaeological Treasury, where you’ll find the most remarkable collection of gold items from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD. Highlights include diadems, temple rings, necklaces and bracelets from the ancient kingdom of Colkheti, known to the Ancient Greeks as the Land of the Golden Fleece. Many of the items were excavated from burial mounds, and they were not only made in Georgia but also imported from Rome and Persia. On the same site is the Museum of Soviet Occupation, a sobering exhibition covering the period 1921-1991. It is dedicated to the victims of the Soviet political repression, as well as the history of the anti-occupational, national-liberation movement of Georgia. The displays are well done and informative, with captions in English as well as in Georgian. EVENING Make the most of your last night in Georgia by imbibing plenty of Georgian wine. Make a beeline for Wine Bar (25 Pushkini Street), where you can taste the output of many of Georgia’s finest winemakers. Our perennial favourites are the Lagvinari Saperavi (red) and Rkatsiteli (white), two indigenous grape varieties. Lagvinari’s white wines, or amber wines more accurately, are made in a qvevri, an amphora-like earthenware vessel lined in beeswax. The qvevri is buried within the floor of the wine cellar, which ensures a constant temperature during fermentation, and its natural shape separates out the wine from the sediment. Qvevri wines are organic, so you can drink them in perfect confidence they are good for your health. Cheers to that!

The sulphur baths

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LATEDEALS

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DEAL OF From THE MONTH £276*pp

Venice, Italy, from £129pp

< £250

£250-500

> £500 ATHENS TO ISTANBUL This 10-day tour from £503.30pp with takes you from the beautiful Athens and carries you to the astonishing Mykonos, Santorini, Kos and Bodrum. Does not include external flights, departs Athens June 27th.

VENICE, ITALY Two-night stay at the 3-star Palladio villas in Venice from £129pp. Located in Malcontenta, the Palladio villas is just a short walk from Fusina Pier from which guests can take the waterbus to the centre of Venice and its many attractions. Includes return flights from London Stansted departing June 23rd. icelolly.com

OKTOBERFEST, GERMANY Three nights bed & breakfast accommodation in a twin room in Munich from £255.55. The largest beer festival in the world, held since 1810, Oktoberfest is an experience of a lifetime. Does not include external flights, meet Munich September 25th.

MARRAKECH, MOROCCO Four nights all-inclusive accommodation at the 5-star Pickalbatros Aqua Fun Club from £249pp. Located perfectly for exploring Marrakech and its markets. Includes return flights from London Gatwick or London Stansted departing various dates until July 1st.

FLEXITRIP PASS (6 STOPS) Nine countries and 34 destinations from £359pp with ultimate in flexibility to design your own trip with Busabout. Choose where you want to go and when. Ideal if you really want a true trans-continental flexible tour of Europe. tnttoursearch.com

SAIL DUBROVNIK TO SPLIT Eight days aboard a Category A boat sailing from Dubrovnik to Split from £599pp. Stop offs include Dubrovnik, Miljet, Korcula, Hvar, Brac and Makarska. Finish off in the largest city on the Adriatic Coast, Split. Does not include external flights, departs Dubrovnik June 14th. traveltalktours.com

BEST OF IRELAND TOUR Six nights accommodation on a bed & breakfast basis with tour guide and transportation from £469pp. Surprisingly for one of Europe’s smallest countries, seeing all of Ireland in one trip is hard, so taking part in organised tours are the best way to see popular sights as well as to get off the beaten path. Does not include flights, departing Dublin July 12th. expatexplore.com

AFRICAN ADVENTURER A 30-day epic from £755pp. An African adventure of big highlights: game drives on the Serengeti and in the Ngorongoro Crater, visit Zanzibar Island, a Masai village, and fishing villages in rural Malawi and finish at Victoria Falls. Go on lion walks, rhino treks, white water rafting, bungee and gorge swing. Does not include external flights, departs Nairobi July 5th. tnttoursearch.com

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VARANASI EXPERIENCE, INDIA A four-day experience from £239pp, this is the perfect add-on to any trip to India. Explore the Hindu city of Varanasi, take a boat trip down the Ganges River to witness the bathing ghats and centuries-old temples. Also visit Sarnath, known as the birthplace of Buddhism. Does not include external flights. tnttoursearch.com

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DAILY TRAVEL DEALS GO TO tntmagazine.com/travel/latedeals for more new travel deals. Also sign up for TNT’s weekly Tour Search and Travel newsletters, which will be emailed to you every Monday and Wednesday with deals, prizes, news and destinations. Sign up at tntmagazine.com. To see hundreds of package tours in one place, visit and book through TNT’s Tour Search at tnttoursearch.com

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Get 20% off Topdeck’s 8-day Essential Egypt, the perfect way to safely tour the highlights of Egypt in style. Starting and ending in Cairo, this fantastic short escape includes guided tours of the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, the Temples of Abu Simbel and more. Departs July 5th. From £276 plus US$190 local payment. topdeck.travel/tnt-deals

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MONEY TRANSFERS Need to send money between Australia, New Zealand and the UK? You don’t need a bank to do it. We also do money transfers to South Africa.

TRANSFER FEES FROM £1 For live transfer rates, visit tntforex.com or call 0870 898 8996

EXCHANGE RATES* 1.96 Australian dollar New Zealand dollar 2.11 South African rand 18.51 Polish złoty 5.66 Euro 1.39 US dollar 1.55 Canadian dollar 1.89 Hong Kong dollar 12.02 Swedish krona 12.95 Swiss franc 1.45 Singapore dollar 2.07 WHY USE TNTFOREX?

n Great rates n No hidden bank fees n Faster transactions n Easy-to-use online systems n Safe, secure and fully compliant

n Unrivalled customer service * Transfer rates are as of 19/05/15. Please note that these are mid market rates in relation to GBP

**Prices correct at time of writing

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ESSENTIAL EGYPT

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Go to tntmagazine.com/competitions. See webpage for terms and conditions. Winners will be selected at random.

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WIN TICKETS TO BILBAO BBK LIVE FESTIVAL IN SPAIN TNT and Bilbao BBK Live Festival have teamed up to give three lucky readers a pair of tickets to Bilbao BBK Live Festival. Boasting an incredible line-up that includes the likes of MUSE, Mumford & Sons, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Disclosure, Alt-J, Future Islands and The Cat Empire, to name just few, Bilbao BBK Live has established itself as the next stop to Pamplona! The late start of bands and the festival’s proximity to the city and beach also allows you to make the most of your time in Bilbao; a modern city famous for its architecture, museums and gastronomy – and it’s just a stone’s throw away from some of the best waves in Europe! Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions bilbaobbklive.com/2015/en

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A NIGHT OUT FOR FOUR AT THE BELLE EPOQUE CHAMPAGNE BAR

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MOROCCO MAGIC

Whether you want to ride a camel, catch some waves, hike in the High Atlas mountains or follow in the footsteps of Kim Cattrall and co, Morocco delivers. TNT shows you the way to go... WORDS KAYE HOLLAND

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Best for budding cooks: ESSAOUIRA The laid-back beach town of Essaouira is the perfect spot to learn how to prepare a tasty Moroccan tagine, a flavoursome stew slow cooked in a conical-shaped dish – also called a tagine – cleverly designed to seal in the spicy fragrances. Take a four-hour workshop in authentic yet sleek L’Atelier Madada (lateliermadada.com) in the lofty grounds of boutique hotel Madada Mogador. Suss out how to make the perfect cup of mint tea too, laced with lashings of sugar, a vital part of Moroccan culture served after every meal. After cooking the richly flavoured tagine and indulging in the fruits of your labour, enjoy a tour of the hippy town’s

DO SOMETHING SIMILAR MOROCCO ON A SHOESTRING This budget trip offers an amazing insight in to Morocco’s historic cities, with bustling medinas and fantastic historic sites to see, and a wonderful chance to experience local Moroccan cuisine. Book it: tntoursearch.com/tours/morocco-on-ashoestring

MOROCCO: FES AND MARRAKECH Discover two of the most vibrant cities in this fabulous country on this must-do mini five-day exploration. Discover the rich and colourful history and culture alongside the modern day buzz of the souks, markets and streets. The perfect way to see Morocco! Book it: tnttoursearch.com/tours/morocco

NORTH MOROCCO ADVENTURES Immerse yourself in the exotic colours and cultures that define Morocco. From the imperial cities of Meknes and Rabat to the whitewashed town of Chefchaouen, the rich history and traditions of this ancient land await. Discover the medieval city of Fes, explore the spice markets of Marrakech and travel to the Roman ruins of Volubilis – this northbound tour lets you soak up the sights and revel in the hidden delights. Book it: tnttoursearch.com/tours/north-moroccoadventure

EXOTIC MOROCCO An ideal tour combining history and culture. Begin your Exotic Tour in the amazing city of Marrakesh. Enjoy a remarkable day in the Moroccan desert including an entire day of trekking on a camel. Pass through the traditional village of M’Hamid and stay in sedentary tents portraying the authentic local life of the Saharas. Visit nomad families living in hand-woven, goat hair tents and have dinner under the stars among the biggest sand dunes, aka the ‘ocean without water’. Book it: tnttoursearch.com/tours/exotic-morocco To find out more and to book, visit tnttoursearch.com

fish and spice souk (market), chock full of olive mountains, patterned tagine dishes, caged chickens and suspicious looking medicines – herbal Viagra anyone? Much of what’s on offer is not for the faint-hearted: think blood-smeared decapitated rams’ heads. Escape the gore by retreating to one of the market’s small spice shops, stocked with an array of glass jars filled with heady spices, henna dyes and sweet smelling perfume sticks, such as gazelle musk, taken from behind the animal’s ear. Best for aspiring surfers: AGADIR A 25-minute drive north of Agadir, Taghazout is a mecca for surfers as it boasts an enormous stretch of coastline and TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Spice markets, Essaouira

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330 days of sunshine a year with temperatures rarely dropping below a toasty 20 degrees. Surf spots aren’t as swamped as those in Europe and the US, and the warm water and consistent waves make for a pleasant ride. Whether you’re a novice or a super-star surfer, Taghazout has a break for you. Hash Point is known as the lazy man’s spot because it’s an easy right-hander that breaks near the shore, ideal for those who loathe paddling, while the Super Wedge offers small fun waves. Stay at surf camp Taghazout villa, set on the water’s edge at Hash Point, which offers surf guiding. See surfmaroc.co.uk for the full low-down. Best for film buffs: OUARZAZATE Famously known as the Hollywood of Morocco, Ouarzazate is home to the Moroccan Film Studios where epic films, such as The Jewel Of The Nile, Cleopatra, Lawrence Of Arabia and some scenes for Star Wars were shot in its desert-like landscape. Visitors can go on a guided tour of the film sets. Also meriting exploration is the fortified city of Ait Benhaddou, an 11th century UNESCO-protected kasbah, which provided the backdrop for Russell Crowe’s Gladiator. The well-preserved town marks the start of the road of a thousand kasbahs, known as one of the world’s oldest trading routes. It’s freckled with ancient kasbahs with buildings made with mud and straw, while olive and date palmeries break up the dry desert landscape, along with small markets selling prickly pears and watermelons. And although Sex And The City 2 was set in Abu Dhabi, much of the film was shot in Marrakech’s Mandarin Oriental Jhan Rahma Hotel.

Best for people watching: DJEMAA EL FNA, MARRAKECH Ouarzazate

Djemaa el Fna is the pulsing heart of Marrakech. The big square is chock-a-block with snake charmers, leashed monkeys (which will somehow find their way on to your back) and storytellers. At night, the square is filled with plumes of cooking smoke infused with sizzling aromas from the open-air food market made up of pop-up stalls with gas fires, where cooks are dressed from head to toe in white and cheery waiters will vie for your custom with promises of “Asda price” tucker. Eating here is a no frills-affair – you will sit on plastic benches, but the food is delicious and the prices are low. Food ranges from brochettes (meat skewers), salads and couscous to fish and snails. Agree a price upfront to avoid getting ripped off. Best for maze-like medinas: FÉS EL-JDID

Djemaa El Fna,Marrakech 64

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In many Moroccan cities, the French colonial authorities established well-ordered ‘new cities’ a few kilometres out from their chaotic traditional hearts. And, while many of the best hotels and restaurants are to be found in Fés el-Jdid (the new city), the most interesting part of Fés for tourists is to be found in the old walled medina of Fés el-Bali. Most visitors to the old city start off at the main entrance of Bab Bou Jeloud before descending into the wonderfully atmospheric market via either the Talaa Kebira (big slope) or Talaa Seghira (little slope). If you don’t already have a guide, at

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this stage you will almost certainly be inundated with offers. It’s difficult not to become a little defensive in Morocco when you are constantly being approached by touts, hawkers and ‘guides’, but it is worth considering hooking up with a decent official guide as they will lead you to places that you might otherwise only stumble upon via serendipity. Buried deep within the dark tangle of narrow alleyways lies such attractions as the Kairaouine Mosque, the Bou Inania and Al-Attairne Medressas (theological colleges), and the pungent leather tanneries. Surfing in Agadir

Gorgeous Moroccan architecture

Morocco Tours from Encounters Travel Morocco is a land of dizzying extremes, lying in the shadows of the imposing Atlas Mountains and bordering the northern edge of the Sahara Desert, Morocco has long been a melting pot of uniquely different cultures that create a rewarding holiday experience for all those looking to explore and Encounter this fascinating part of North Africa. From cities full of bustling souks, aromatic spices and beautiful mosques to the rugged desert landscapes home to ancient caravan routes and small oasis towns, Morocco has something for everyone. Perfect for adventurous travellers looking for the ride of a lifetime, a trip through this North African country is nothing but high notes. See this North African gem’s fascinating landscapes on one of Encounters Travel’s five exciting group tours! encounterstravel.com/morocco.html tours@encounterstravel.com 0800 088 6002

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Kairaouine Mosque, Fes TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Safari so goody Tired of cow spotting in the English countryside? Be humbled by nature’s giants and predators, as well as the overwhelming landscape they call home, by heading on an African safari WORDS RACHEAL GETZELS AND ALASDAIR MORTON

Africa is a continent full of diversity and wonder; its broad spectrum of cultures, climate and environment make it a must-visit for everyone. It need not cost you an arm and a leg either, as there are safari packages to suit all budgets, and you can even go solo, make up your own itinerary and choose at timetable to suit your sightseeing needs. Here you will find the top countries across Africa in which to spot the Big Five – that’s rhinoceros, buffalo, elephant, lion and leopard to those uninitiated with big game box-checking – and more exotic creatures great and small. For a whole host of safari tours across Africa, see tnttoursearch.com

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BIGTRIP

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BIGTRIP

Tanzania THE EXPERIENCE This eastern African country is a great place to take in all your safari desires as it has something for everyone, from towering mountain peaks and breathtaking views through to nature reserves and everything you could possibly think of for your dream safari experience. As well as the numerous creatures that are on-hand to occupy your time spotting, you are just as likely to be bewitched by the scenery in which these animals live. The great plains of the Serengeti are a truly awe-inspiring sight to behold, equally so Mount Kilimanjaro, which towers more than 19,000ft above sea level. It is the highest mountain in the continent, as well as one of the big seven mountains (the tallest mountains on each of the world’s continents) that driven climbers seek to ascend. For the adventurous and strong, you can bag yourself a summit too as part of a five-day trekking excursion – best get ready for the altitude though! THE ANIMALS Being home to no fewer than 15 national parks including Mikumi, Ruaha and Saadani means it is the perfect place from which to get out and tick off the big five. THE WOW FACTOR Tourists descend upon Tanzania every year to witness the great migration, in which 1.5 million wildebeest journey 1200 miles across the country’s grasslands and hills towards their destination in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR Highlights of Tanzania with Topdeck Travel: 11 days from £765pp tnttoursearch.com/tours/ highlights-of-tanzania-2015-16

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Killimanjaro, Tanzania

BIGTRIP South Africa THE EXPERIENCE There are all manner of safari options for the intrepid explorer to find in South Africa. While most visitors to the country will take the most common starting point landing at Cape Town and heading out east along the Garden Route, you would do better to make your own way up to the northern part of the country where some of the best safari experiences in all of Africa can be found. Kruger National Park is one of the biggest in all of the continent – it’s almost the size of Wales. Despite its size it can get crowded, meaning it is best to get off the beaten track and avoid the popular routes. With everything from campsites to bustling compounds though, this is never too much of a problem. The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is a game reserve in the semi-desert Kalahari region. Its name translates as ‘place of thirst’, and it is located further to the west, with one quarter lying in South Africa, the remaining three quarters across the border in Botswana. It is a less well-travelled park and offers bountiful opportunities for embarking on a more rugged and wild, not to mention cheaper, big five experience, and is a good option for those journeying on a budget. THE ANIMALS The big five are joined by plenty of game. The best time to visit is in the winter season, which runs from June to September – the weather will be colder and there will be more chance of rain, but less foliage means you will have a better chance to catch a glimpse of some critters. THE WOW FACTOR You can combine your lion-watching with sunbathing time by visiting Hluhluwe-Imfolozi. This park is famed for its beaches, so you can do two holidays in one by chilling out on the the beach one day, and spotting the big five the next. Nice. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR South Africa Discoverer with G Adventures: 10 days from £849pp tnttoursearch.com/tours/ south-africa-discoverer-2015

The Gambia THE EXPERIENCE The Gambia is 300 miles long and 30 miles wide, bisected by the namesake river. The River Gambia National Park (also known as Baboon Islands) is home to a primate protection programme based on five islands in the river, which you can visit via boat tours. The Abuko Nature Reserve offers up chances to get your eyes on hyenas, crocs and some of the three types of monkeys that live in the Gambia (vervet, patas and red colobus), with day-long bush and beach safaris also popular so you can get out to spot the animals before taking a picnic on the beach. THE ANIMALS The Gambia doesn’t have any of the big five creatures on its books for you to peer at through your binoculars. It does though, offer some serious simianspotting, with apes, chimps and baboons among its most readily spied animal inhabitants. If squawking monkeys aren’t your bag, then you can take in some of the 560 different species of birds that live within six protected areas. Best spots for bird watchers include the Kiang West National Park and the Ginack Island National Park, as well as bird reserves in the coastal city of Tanji. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

BIGTRIP THE WOW FACTOR One of the most unique points about visiting this west African country from the UK is that it is no more than seven hours away, so there is no jet lag time difference to contend with. This means no dreaded tired eyes, which is handy for animal spotting. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR West Africa Cruise with G Adventures: 17 days from £6,299pp tnttoursearch.com/tours/ west-africa-cruise-accra-to-marrakech-2015

Zambia THE EXPERIENCE Green vegetation sets apart Zambia’s parks from the arid desert that makes up most other safaris, so you’re in for a visual treat. Because of the many rivers in the country, canoe trips through the wilderness are also possible. Zambia has a collection of more luxurious lodges with waterfront views and extra comforts you wouldn’t always expect so far from home. THE ANIMALS Permanent rivers all over Zambia mean it’s a magnet for wildlife – and far less visited than safari parks in neighbouring countries. You’re basically guaranteed a run-in with the biggest rhino of all here, the white rhino, and the lush grassland attracts absolutely enormous herds of grazing zebras and antelopes, which can only mean one thing... predators lurking in the trees. You’re more likely to spot a leopard here, though the giant cats do keep to themselves. Packs of wild dogs also rule the roost, but they’re hard to track down (and won’t respond to ‘Fido’). THE WOW FACTOR Hippos may look slow and dopey, but as the world’s most dangerous animal they’re not creatures for cuddling up to. However for those of you who live life on the edge, some of the safaris in the south of the country take you so close to the bathing mud-lovers, you can almost reach out and touch them. Watch out for floating limbs. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR Highlights of South Africa, Zambia & Botswana with G Adventures: 22 days from £5,119pp

face with the big five but when you see creatures coasting through waterfall mist that can be seen and felt from kilometres away, it will take your breath away. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR Zimbabwe & Kruger Explorer with Encounters Travel: 12 days from £1,299pp tnttoursearch.com/ tours/zimbabwe-kruger-explorer

Namibia THE EXPERIENCE Nambia offers up coast line that many other safari parks lack, so it truly stands apart. There’s something for everyone here too – from more budget campsites with showers under the trees to luxury lodges where honeymooning couples shack-up and make some animal noises of their own. Nudge nudge, wink wink. THE ANIMALS Namibia has the largest and healthiest population of cheetahs in the world; but they run so fast, it’ll be hard to catch more than a fleeting glimpse. If you’re squeamish when it comes to snakes, cross this one off your list. The arid desert is home to more than 70 species of the slithering reptile, including the three types of spitting cobra and the African puff adder, which hide out in river beds ready to strike if your feet smell particularly good (probably nothing to worry about, if your hiking boots are anything to go by). If you hit the coast on safari, you’ll see a whole new

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Zimbabwe THE EXPERIENCE Zimbabwe is trying hard to attract visitors following years of instability and danger that black-listed the country as an unsafe tourist spot. However, international flights are flying there once again and many of the safaris cater to younger travellers whose cash may not be flowing. Rustic camping grounds with wooden huts surrounded by armed guards is the name of the game here. The benefit is that many lodges are right out there in the wilderness, maximising chances of a good sightings. THE ANIMALS In Zimbabwe, they have elephants. So many that the population of the magnificent animals has soared to more than double what the land can support. And as a result they’re wreaking havoc in towns and villages – think stampedes smattering farms, crushing houses, and feasting on whole fields for lunch. It’s a jumbo problem that makes for a unique safari experience. THE WOW FACTOR Zimbabwe has the best views of the jawdropping Victoria Falls and many of the packages include a visit. Going on safari close to the waterfalls is a birdwatcher’s dream – it may sound less exciting than coming face-to70

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Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

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set of wild delights – flamingos and seals holding court with hulking elephants and lounging lions. THE WOW FACTOR Watching the red-hot African sun set atop some of the biggest sand dunes in the world at NamibNaukluft National Park has got to be on your bucket list. Think Lawrence of Arabia (or, Africa) and you’ll be close – this is one of the world’s oldest deserts and nothing has changed except windstorms whipping the massive piles of sand into towers. The narrow road in and out of the park is also a sight to behold, flanked by huge dunes that will not do you any favours if you’re claustrophobic. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR Namibia Nomad with Absolute Africa: 22 days from £595pp. tnttoursearch.com/tours/namibia-nomad

Botswana THE EXPERIENCE The Moremi Game Reserve in northern Botswana was voted the best game reserve in Africa a few years ago by the African Travel and Tourism Association, and it’s clear why. The first reserve in Africa to be started by local residents, it is focused as much on environmental conservation as it is on tourism. Or straddling the Shashe, Motloutse and Limpopo Rivers in eastern Botswana is the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, which is just as well known for its spectacular landscapes

BIGTRIP and rich cultural history as it is for its abundance of wildlife. Comprising 71,000 hectares of diverse habitat, it is one of the largest privately owned game reserves in south Africa and home to bushland, woodland and marshland with towering cliffs, meaning you are just as likely to get caught up checking out the scenery as you are the 48 species of mammals and 350 species of birds that can be found living within it. THE ANIMALS Situated along the Okavango Delta, Moremi is known for its bountiful wildlife and bird watching opportunities. Both black and white rhino have been reintroduced into the park meaning it is a top destination for big five spotting, and with more than 400 species of birds to be found it is ideal for ornithology enthusiasts, too. THE WOW FACTOR The Makgadikagi Pans Game Reserve in the central region of the country offers something a little different, with its 1,2000 square miles of seemingly neverending flat, featureless terrain making up one of the largest salt planes in the whole world. Flat it may be, but the zebra and wildebeest can be found in plentiful supply, serving up another safari option in this diverse country. DO SOMETHING SIMILAR: Drive Botswana is a safari specialist with first-hand experience throughout Southern Africa, with a particular focus on Botswana and the self-drive safari style. drivebotswana.com

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LONELY PLANET’S TRAVEL TIPS

Walk the Caminito Del Ray, Spain While beach breaks and boozy weekends away are Emma Sparks essential for any traveller’s calendar, sometimes the best memories are made when you get out of your comfort zone. Get your blood pumping with these adventure sports and see your destination from a different perspective, says Lonely Planet’s Emma Sparks.

TAKE TO THE SKIES IN SLOVENIA With mountains galore, crystalline lakes and swathes of pristine forest, Slovenia is made for outdoorsy types. The Julian Alps loom over scenic tourist spots, Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj; you can arrange to climb Mt Triglav – Slovenia’s highest mountain at 2,864m – on a two-day hike, but if you want the views 72

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and adrenaline without the legwork, paragliding or skydiving are two unforgettable alternatives.

and ride independently; roads are fairly forgiving and locals are generally very friendly to cyclists.

KAYAK ALONG SWEDEN’S WEST COAST Sweden’s western waters are calm and inviting. The coastline is peppered with pink-hued granite islands, making it a wonderful waterscape to explore by kayak. Companies like Nautopp (nautopp.se) offer day trips and multiday excursions suitable for all abilities. Alternatively, you could simply rent your kayaks and go it alone. Whatever you do, a pit stop at picturesque Fjällbacka is a must, particularly if you’re a fan of fresh seafood.

GO SCUBA-DIVING IN CYPRUS With its warm waters and top-notch visibility, Cyprus boasts some of the best dive sites in the Mediterranean. There are plenty of dive centres scattered along the coast which offer training, as well as specialised dives for experienced scuba lovers. Just 10 minutes from Larnaka, the world-famous Zenobia wreck – complete with resident moray eel – lures divers of all abilities to explore its eerie skeleton.

CYCLE ITALY’S CLASSIC ROUTES Whether you’re a seasoned pro or total novice, Italy offers all sorts of delights for cyclists – not to mention foodies. What better excuse to smash some carbs than a long and leisurely amble through Tuscan vineyards, or a challenging alpine ascent? Join a group tour or rent

WALK THE CAMINITO DEL REY, SPAIN The notorious Caminito del Rey footpath reopened in February 2015, having undergone a multi-million euro restoration; now you can enjoy one of Spain’s most spectacular walking routes in safety. Perched 100m above a craggy ravine, views can be dizzying, as well as awe-inspiring. Advance bookings are essential (visit caminitodelrey.info).

Photos: iStock

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Go to tntmagazine.com/competitions. See webpage for terms and conditions. Winners will be selected at random.

WIN A PLACE ON THE FIRST ROLAND AIRA COURSE AT SUBBASS ACADEMY OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC SubBass is giving you the chance to win to a place on the world’s first Roland Aira Academy Course. The two full-day classes kicked off on May 23, with the next courses lined up for June 13 and August 22. You will delve into the TR-8, TB-3, VT-3 and the System-1 of the Roland Aira range, which are one of the most talked-about music production products on the market today. Now for the first time you can take a dedicated course covering the full range, which teaches you how to get the most out of these amazing products. SubBass Academy of Electronic Music has been teaching and forging careers for DJ’s and producers for more than 12 years. Enter at tntmagazine.com/competitions subbassdj.com subbassdj.com/courses/music-production-courses/Roland/AIRA

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LIFESTYLE CAREERS | LIVING | CLASSIFIEDS | DESPERATELY SEEKING

Team GB’s Olympic Slopestyle Snowboard finalist, Jamie Nicholls defied the laws of gravity with extreme stunts on, off and around The Snow Centre’s real snow slopes – and it was awesome. Here he is completing a Switch Frontside Rodeo 540 Spin (a frontflip with a 540 degree spin in the air) as he gaps a stairway from inside the indoor ski and snowboard centre and lands outside in the car park. Yeah, well we can board without falling over (much), so there.

Image: Scott Pattenden

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BRING THE OUTSIDE IN

Give your plants some welly... With this Wellington boot plant pot. houseoffraser.co.uk

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Setting up guide Transform your cocoon... With these butterfly plaques. next.co.uk

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This cushion is fluffy as... you guessed it – a cloud. amara.com

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Just arrived? Here’s your must-do checklist... You’ve got the flat, you’ve scouted the local pub, and you’ve got the job. Now all you need is the dentist. And the doctor. And the bank account. And the driver’s license. And the… okay, okay, we’ll stop now. But we promise, it’s not as bad as it sounds. So no more hyperventilating. Here’s all the info you need to get those boring (but important) tasks done so you can get back to the boozer.

Setting up a bank account Setting up a bank account is a huge headache in the UK and you’ll need to do a lot of paperwork. But it can be done. Banks will consider your application on a caseby-case basis but generally you will need to provide at least your passport, proof of address or a utility bill with your name on it (which can be tricky if you’ve just arrived) and a birth certificate or driving license – and sometimes that isn’t even enough. Our best advice is to open up a bank account through HSBC Australia or HSBC New Zealand before you leave home. There’s also always the option of paying an agent like 1st Contact

Kickstart to help you set up an account in the UK, 1stcontactkickstart.com.

Registering with a doctor The NHS provides free health care to all citizens of the UK. However, non-UK residents will only receive free emergency treatment or treatment for certain contagious diseases. So this is where you have to listen up. Get travel insurance with some sort of medical coverage before you leave home. It’s crucial as it will save you from having to fork out dosh if you need to visit a doctor while you’re here. If you’ve been in the country for more than six months you can apply to see a GP for free, but you will need to provide documents of employment or evidence that you’re a student. It is up to the practice whether they accept you or not. Beyond that they can take you on as a private patient, in which case you’ll pay for the appointment and medicine yourself or you’ll have it covered by your personal health insurance. Most people choose to visit GPs in their area, so pay a visit to your local practice

Photos: iStock, TNT photographer and PRshots.com. Words: Rachael Getzels

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Make new mates with TNT’s Fresh Meet Sorting out the practical stuff is all well and good, but what about the really important stuff like making new friends you can head to the pub with? This is where TNT’s new Fresh Meet monthly events come in...

If you’ve recently arrived in the UK and are travelling within the UK and Europe then TNT Presents – Fresh Meet is a great place to start. You can meet other like-minded newbies as well as get some useful information to help you on your way. We will help you find your bearings, and give you tips and advice on all the things you need to know while working and travelling here. The First Fresh Meet event kicked off at the Temple Walkabout bar. We were delighted to see so many new faces and some fresh visitors to the UK. We had Aussies and Kiwis who had been in the UK for less than a week and one guy who had stepped off the plane that day! There were a number of great prizes, exclusive discounts and specials on any trips or tours booked on the night with our travel partners Topdeck and Busabout. The winner of our raffle won a fabulous prize of a six-stop Flexi Pass with Busabout worth £359. Chuffed Beth Edwards had these

and tell them you want to book an appointment. They will tell you which documents they specifically require, and depending on your situation, they will decide whether they can offer you care for free. The NHS website has advice and information for using UK health services as a foreigner, nhs.uk.

Finding a dentist Slowly but surely, dentists have separated themselves from the NHS, or even if they are NHS, that only covers the basics so you still have to fork out for any expensive dental treatments. It’s worth going with a private practice anyway as waiting lists are huge for NHS, plus it’s

kind words to say about the event: “Like most Aussies in London, I love travelling and find the architecture, history and culture of Europe truly amazing. The TNT night was a great event with plenty of games, prizes, drinks and travel inspiration. I also met lots of like-minded Aussies, Kiwis and Internationals on the night who also like to have a good time and explore the world. “I was so excited to win the Busabout six-stop Flexi Pass – I never usually win anything! I have done a Greek Island Flexi Hopper trip with Busabout in the past and had a blast, and I am also booked onto the Ottoman Trek this May with them so I know they are a great company. “Thanks again to TNT for putting on a great event. I would recommend anyone to go!” To find out the date and information of our June event, visit tntmagazine.com/freshmeet

harder to get on top of the list if you’re a non-resident. Forest and Ray Dental Practice (forestray.com) is an affordable option in central London that has long been popular with expats due to its easy location and affordable prices. Begin by booking a consultation to see how those pearly whites are doing, but they can cover dental implants, orthodontics and oral surgery.

Transferring your driver’s license You may not need to drive if you’re in London, but having a car for those epic UK or European road trips is a must. Luckily, you’re allowed to drive on your

foreign license in the UK for up to 12 months. Beyond that, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have a special agreement with the UK that makes the license transfer easy-peasy once you have been here more than 187 days. At that point all you have to do is go to gov.uk/exchange-foreign-drivinglicence and fill out a questionnaire that will smoothly guide to you to the correct form (it will probably be the D1 form). Download it, fill it out, send it off with a £43 cheque, and voila you can drive in the UK like a true Brit. Just don’t go driving on the wrong side of the road otherwise the po-po will put a swift end to that. TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Help out with security at your favourite festivals

Behind the scenes From building the sets to serving the food, be a part of this year’s biggest events and reap the benefits Summer is the season for parties and festivals, which means it’s also the season for events jobs. From swanky wedding receptions on pristine lawns to festival raves, there’s a good time to be had and the duties are varied. The even better news is that Antipodeans are highly sought after. Jarrod Bischoff of events recruiting company Crewsaders explains: “We target mostly Antipodeans, primarily for their work ethic and good nature. We have found that, due to the strong sports culture and education within Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the people coming over are fit, keen and have the perfect attitude.” Crewsaders.com offers jobs in events all through the year, and the team’s expert knowledge and Kiwi boss (who, incidentally, named the company after his favourite rugby side – The Crusaders) 78

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make it easy to get involved. “Crewing is a good option for Antipodeans because it allows them the flexibility to travel whenever they want,” adds Bischoff. “We have a work hard/play hard culture, and as this company was started by an Antipodean whose aim was to ‘work-to-travel’, the values and culture were structured in such a way that would allow for the guys to get out and see the world.” The job itself actually involves a lot of travel, too. “Because Crewsaders is based across the UK, our crewmen get to see places in the UK and Europe. By working on big production road shows and so on, our boys will also work in some of the world’s greatest venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, the O2 Arena, the Roundhouse, and even Abbey Road Studios, where we are the preferred suppliers,” he adds.

Interested? Here’s a breakdown of the roles you can get involved with:

Crew In this role you will be building the physical structures of an event, which requires some brawn and is great if you like to be active. As Nick Grecian, managing director of Gallowglass, one of the biggest crewing recruiters in the country explains: “In the crewing world, no two days are ever the same – one week we could be building the fortress fence around the Glastonbury Festival site, the next we could be helping to transform Trafalgar Square or working in the studios at Media City UK, the Manchester home of the BBC and ITV. The hours can be anti-social, but the team spirit is fantastic.” The hours can be long but, if you’re contracted, you can have as much or as little time in between jobs as you wish.

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Event staff Working events is the most varied of the jobs available, ranging from being a host to catering to working in cloakrooms. If you’re into food, catering may be your best bet as you’ll likely come away with a tray of sausage rolls. If music is more your bag, consider a role picking up rubbish at a festival as a trade off for bagging a free ticket. Admiralgroup.com caters for some swanky events so if you’re into the VIP lifestyle, give this a try. Crewsaders. com recruits for all events jobs so if you’re not sure, get in touch with the friendly team and they’ll find you a match. Catering companies will train you in silver service. More general roles don’t require qualifications but

experience can help get you a place. Pay ranges from £8-12 per hour depending on your role, but if you’re working at a festival your compensation will likely be in the form of a free ticket.

LIFESTYLECAREERS Work as a driver and you could meet your idols

Drivers Events require drivers for general set-up as well as more specialised cherrypicker or forklift operating. If you’re really lucky, you may even be assigned the job of driving musicians at festivals around, which means rubbing shoulders with your idols. Get in. A clean driver’s license is of course a must here. If you have a foreign license you can use it on a small car only, and you have to have held it for at least a year. You also can only drive on

Words: Caroline Garnar and pubandbarcareers.com. Photos: iStock.and pubandbarcareers.com

Help to build epic stage sets

We are looking for fit, motivated individuals who have a passion to work in events and are excellent team players. We offer flexible part time hours at great rates, allowing you to earn some extra money and get a great sense of achievement from working alongside other crewmen. If that sounds like you - then apply today and join our team.

EVENTS WORK | FLEXIBLE HOURS | EXCELLENT RATES Email: info@crewsaders.com Call: 0845 094 4884

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ON THE JOB

Zakk Callaghan, 27, is a full-time crew chief at Gallowglass (gallowglass.com), where he has worked for nearly four years. Here, he tells us a little more about his job... My day-to-day work includes... Every day is different with Gallowglass, which is part of what makes it so appealing. One day I will be building film sets at one of the various studios in and around London, the next I could be setting up lighting and sound on massive truss structures for corporate events, theatres or festivals. A large part of our work tends to be packing or unloading trucks and then assisting clients with the setup of that equipment. However I have also built seating structures for stadiums, worked on London Fashion Week and most notably the London 2012 Olympics. I have been lucky enough to work in some of London’s most iconic venues with some of the industry’s leading event professionals creating events ranging from those aimed at a global audience, to private functions for a handful of people. I got my job by... Having previously worked in event production, I had heard mention of Gallowglass on various occasions through word of mouth and their strong reputation within the industry. With an aim to broaden my experience

and try something new, I sent my CV in and was given the opportunity to sit an induction and face a baptism of fire by testing my lifting technique with some ‘steel deck’. I was on site the next day… The most rewarding part of my job is... Seeing an event come off successfully knowing how much hard work was done behind the scenes. Often people don’t realise the amount of work that has sometimes taken months of preparation to ensure its success. The most challenging part of my job is... Having a strong emphasis on punctuality, and as our work can take us almost anywhere – sometimes at strange hours – the reliance on London transport can at times be frustrating. However, investing in a good reliable bike has helped me a lot. My advice for anyone looking to get into this industry is... Get used to working at all sorts of unsavoury hours, day and night. You quickly learn to sneak in some sleep wherever you can. Be prepared to do anything and everything on site, as this is how you learn and will stand you in good stead with both clients and the office alike. Above all though, enjoy yourself. You get to meet some amazing people, work on great productions and in amazing venues.

“If your name’s not down you’re not coming in...”

that license for up to 12 months after you first entered the UK. To operate cherry pickers or forklifts you will need a special license. Each machine has its own regulatory body through which you can get training.

Security To man the door at big events or work security at festivals, you’ll need some specialist experience. Stewarding, which involves directing queues, is usually more low-key and doesn’t require special training. Festaff. co.uk recruits specifically for festivals. Crewsaders.com is a good place to look for security jobs. To work big events you will likely need an NVQ Level 2 in spectator safety. Pttc.co.uk runs courses every month in London. Most recruitment companies also run training courses.

EVENT CREW GALLOWGLASS CREWING is looking to bolster its labour force for some exciting large projects in Live Events, Sports Events and Fit Outs. Are you friendly, enthusiastic, physically very fit with excellent spoken English and a “can do attitude” - then you should be working for Europe’s largest crewing company. The work will be in London and you must live within easy commuting distance of central London. Our work is 24/7 so be prepared for anti-social hours but you will be with a great team! We are looking for full time (starting from £8.80) and part time (starting from £8.00) with the potential to earn up to £15.00 per hour. Higher rates for plant operators. Send your CV to hr@gallowglass.com or better still complete the on-line form at www.gallowglass.com We are also looking for event technicians to add to our database – please send in your CV.

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RECRUITMENT

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DEE COOPER live-in jobs

Dee Cooper Live In Jobs has heaps of new available hotel and pub vacancies for live in couples and singles across the UK including Lake District, Scottish Highlands, Surrey, Berkshire and Cornwall. Call Dee on 01764 670001 or email deecooperjobs@gmail.com for details of how to apply for these immediate positions. Bar waiting and general asst positions plus some chefing vacancies available now.

Dee @ dee cooper live in jobs

Looking for work? Harvest workers, experienced milkers, fencers, tractor drivers and all farm staff.

F/T SHOP ASSISTANT

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LONDONPlease BEATLES email/post STORE CV to:

P London 231-233 Baker St, London London NW1 Beatles 6XE St 231/233Beatles BAKERStore, STREET LONDON NW1 6XE

sgtpepper@beatlesstorelondon.co.uksgtpeppe

Interested? Email us at: careers@Portlandbrown.com

sgtpepper@beatlesstorelondon.co.uk

R L EA LS C TE

SUMMERL SPECIA E 13th

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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?! Your dad is like ned flanders on crack.

i woke up in the middle of taking a piss over the tv. that did not end well.

Spice it up: My neighbours keep me awake most nights by having sex. I would be jealous, but it’s the most boring-sounding sex EVER. The bed squeaks at the exact same pace for about an hour, with pauses around every 10 minutes. How they do not get bored I have

with our lives rather than waiting for our phone to beep as you finally have the decency to reply to our message. To all men out there, get some balls, and be honest with the girl if you’re not feeling it. Don’t just fuck off and pretend you’ve lost the power to text.

local paper back home and I had to share it with my favourite mag’s readers: A Brisbane couple drove their car to the shopping centre, only to have their car break down in the car park. The man told his wife to carry on with the shopping while he fixed the car. The wife

THINGS THE QUEEN SHOULD DO BEFORE SHE DIES...

it’s sad how wile e coyote is remembered for his violence and not for his brilliant paintings of tunnels.

‘apparently it’s like the biggest match in boxing history. ‘I doubt that, I’ve not heard anything about it. Who is it, Muhammad Ali? ‘It’s Mayweather v Pacquiao.’ ‘Oh yeah I have heard of Merryweather!’

‘that music’s a bit hardcore isn’t it?’ ‘it’s will smith...’

Here’s that picture of me and my heavy earth-moving equipment you wanted.

he looked like he’d been hit in the face with a hammer. not just once, repeatedly.

i tried to turn the light off with the remote control, and you tried to use the butter to turn off the tv. there really is no hope for us.

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

Celebrate her official birthday on June 8 by getting a birthday pie in the face... happy birthday ma’am!

no idea. I find it so hard not to say anything to them when I see them. Maybe I should send them a variety box of chocolates and hope that they get the hint? Or a copy of the kama sutra? Too much? Flour power: To the hot girl who works behind the bakery counter at the Tesco Express in Caledonian Road, I’d like to put a bun in your oven. Am I your piece of cake? Balloon babe: You were holding a birthday balloon, looking adorably embarrassed when I had to help you get it in the taxi as it kept trying to float away. Let me take you out for a belated birthday drink? Balloon boy. Sound advice: Why do guys do the disappearing act? We’re big girls, we can be told, ‘thanks but no thanks’. That way we can get on

You’ve got mail: You “accidentally” sent a text to me when it was meant for your friend saying how much you like me. I just wanted to say, that’s the oldest trick in the book, and the feeling’s not mutual. Beardy man: You had the most impressive beard I’ve seen in a long time. Ginger tinge, long and bushy. You were tall and wearing a black and white check shirt. I want to get beard rash with you. Hand-some: I waved hello to my friend behind you and you waved back. You were so embarrassed you scarpered, but I wish you hadn’t. You were gorgeous and your hands were massive! I hope you wave at me again some time... Right bolts, wrong nuts: My mum sent me this story from the

returned later to see a small group of people near the car. On closer inspection, she saw a pair of hairy legs protruding from under the chassis. Unfortunately, although the man was in shorts, his lack of underpants turned his private parts into glaringly public ones. Unable to stand the embarrassment, she dutifully stepped forward and quickly put her hand up his shorts, and tucked everything back into place. On regaining her feet, she looked across the bonnet to see her husband staring back at her. The RACQ mechanic, however, had to have three stitches in his forehead. Naked ambition: To the girl who lives opposite me and strips naked as soon as she gets home, please close your curtains first, you put me off my dinner.

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