TNT Magazine / Issue 1548

April 29-May 5 2013 Issue 1548 tntmagazine.com

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VIP TICKETS TO LEFTFIELD & MORE AT PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL!

WILD FOOD IN LONDON Go foraging for eats in the streets

BEST BEER FESTIVALS On the UK’s ale trail this summer

STREETFEST HITS TOWN Beats, b-boys and urban sport go east

!

A N I T A M O LA T fight d o o f t s e g ig e world’s b h t t a y c u a s tting A guide to ge

ISSUE 1548 / £1.95

+ LONDON’S WORST PLACES TO LIVE SAIL GREECE SUMMER TRAVEL GUIDE LEARN TO PLAY POLO

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18/04/2013 16:22:26

LAURA CHUBB EDITOR laura.chubb@tntmagazine.com

EDITOR’S LETTER Ah, yet another bank holiday weekend to fill, and yet again we’ve found so many options for a cracking three days in London. They probably outweigh the tears shed for the now defunct Australia Shop (only just, though – see P6). Hit up Streetfest for graffiti, skate and b-boy competitions (P8), go foraging in the city’s parks and squares to make a slap-up gourmet meal (no really, see P26), and use our Travel section to plan your upcoming summer of adventures (P71) and survive La Tomatina (P64).

THIS WEEK LONDONDIARY

4

LONDONNEWS

6

DRINK & EATS

14+15

@TNT

16

SPOTTED

19

LONDON SOUND

20

COMPETITION

22

CHATROOM DARA O’BRIAIN

23

LONDON SCENE

24

LONDON FOCUS

26

SPARE TIME

29

Photos: Visit Greece; Getty

LIFESTYLE

30-35

71

CAREERS

30

FEATURES

MONEY

33

STREET SMART

LIVING

34

NEWS

36-41

Graffiti, skating, live music and dance-offs at east London’s Streetfest this weekend

SPORT

42-46

FOOD GETS WILD

TRAVEL

49-69

Gourmet foodies The Foragers teach us about living off the land and eating weeds

8

DIARY

50

NEWS

51

UK TRIP

52

LATE DEALS

54

HOTSHOTS

55

TOP FIVE

56

Summer brings beer festivals all over England. Here’s our pick of the best

TIPS

58

PAINT THE TOWN RED

SHORT BREAK

60

BIG TRIP

64

Time to start planning for La Tomatina.

A guide to what you’ll need to survive

LEST WE FORGET

40

TNT joined Aussie and Kiwi expats on Anzac Day to find out what it means now

ON THE ALE TRAIL

52

64

DESTINATIONS SUMMER 71-85

SUMMER TRAVEL SORTED 71

CLASSIFIEDS

Check out our summer travel special, from mates’ breaks to top beaches

103-105

DESPERATELY SEEKING

106

64

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Editorial Group editor Carol Driver Editor Laura Chubb Content editors: Sub/ Sport Michael Gadd Travel Helen Elfer Entertainment Alasdair Morton Web Oliver Jones Social media Dan Thorne Contributors Daisy Carrington; Charlotte Maguire

LONDONDIARY

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Newsical value: find out who the fuerk is Buerk

Design and production Head of design and production Jon Cooke Design / picture editor Patricia Montenegro

Sales Commercial director David Alstin Sales manager Jaqui Ward Sales administrator Abby Nightingale marketing & events Marketing and events executive Phoebe Cherrill ACCOUNTS Margaret Roberts | Suzanne Welsh tnt MULTIMEDIA LTD CEO Kevin Ellis Chairman Ken Hurst Publisher TNT Multimedia Limited Distribution Emblem Direct Ltd Printed by Wyndeham Peterborough Limited News AAP SAPA NZPA Pictures Getty Images, TNT Images, Thinkstock TNT Magazine , 111 Cannon Street, London EC4N 5AR tntmagazine.com General enquiries Phone 020 7953 8469 Fax 020 7953 7957 Email enquiries@tntmagazine.com sales enquiries

Phone 020 7989 0567 Email sales@tntmagazine.com Where to get TNT

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

Shhh... SECRET LONDON buerk! The newsical waterloo

To many who didn’t live in the UK or weren’t old enough to remember the late Eighties and early Nineties, Michael Buerk is a “who the fuck?” figure (he’s a Brit George Negus if that helps). Yet the sheer outlandish lunacy of this history-re-imagining ‘newsical’ makes it fab fun. Buerk was a newsreader whose life is drastically – with a willful disregard for the truth – reappropriated for this ‘inspired by’ production. Fantastically off the wall, whether you saw Buerk’s 999 emergency rescue docudrama TV show or not. £10

May 2-4, 7.30pm The Network Theatre, 246A Lower Road, SE1 8SF

00 4

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buerkthenewsical.com

london’s brewing

wandsworth arts festival

make believe festival

The 100-plus beers from the 30 breweries that make up the London Brewery Alliance (LBA) are on tap for you to taste at this booze-fest at The Brewhouse, taking in everything from pale and amber ales, stouts and porters to lagers and specialty beers. If it was brewed in the capital, you can taste it. Cheers!

This south London borough puts on a festival taking in art, music and live performance. Our picks include The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (May 3-11), full of local young artists, and Silent Movie Magic – Music For Buster Keaton, a roaring Twentiesinfluenced live music cinematic experience.

This fest would make Terry Gilliam squeal with delight as it transports you to a land full of fairytales and steampunk mentalness, where cabaret theatre, art and live music combine across three days with themes Clockwork Underworld (May 3), Goblin King’s Masquerade Ball (May 4) and Make Believe Market (May 5).

May 3-19, various times Various venues across town Wandsworth Town wandsworthartsfestival.com

May 3 & 4, 8pm-3am.

May 5, 12pm-8pm Islington Metal Works, EC1V 1NQ Angel makebeliever.info

£5+

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.

Waterloo

May 4 & 5, 12pm-5pm & 6pm-11pm London Fields E8 3SB londonsbrewing.co.uk

FREE

£5

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Wheel-style: the UK’s first urban cycle fest

JOIN THE BEST PARTIES IN THE ADRIATIC! GROUP DEALS FREE SPOT FOR GROUP ORGANISER*

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spin london East London

Two wheels with some serious style at this urban cycling festival and show: think fixie bikes and lowslung skinny jeans. There’ll be exhibitions, static cycle racing, a pedal-powered cinema (obvs), maintenance workshops and live DJs. Not to mention loads of bikes and accessories to splash your cash on. So go on, why not ditch the travel card, commute on two wheels and get it sorted here with some class, too?

FREE

May 3, 5pm-8pm; May 4, 10am-7pm; May 5, 10.30am-6.30pm The Old Truman Brewery, E1 6QL Liverpool Street spinldn.com

a fete worse than death

the great british quiz

It’s a British May Day fete, complete with Morris dancers, a Maypole, fancy dress and a bandstand cranking out bluesy-folky tunes. Add to this a load of cider and food courtesy of The Foragers, who head out into the wild to find their grub by, you know, foraging. Just cross your fingers it doesn’t rain!

TV presenter, broadcaster and all-round foodie Hardeep Singh Kohli – who recently cooked a curry live on stage in the time it took for a takeaway to arrive – will cook for 70 diners before testing their knowledge on all things British. It’ll be a full-on culinary and grey-cellchallenging feast for all.

May 5, 12pm-9pm The Book Club, EC2A 4RH Liverpool Street wearetbc.com

May 1, 7.30pm-10.30pm The Princess of Wales, 22 Chalcot Rd, NW1 8LL Chalk Farm lovetheprincess.com

Photos: Samuel Payne

FREE

£35

SAIL CROATIA ‘THE NUMBER 1

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26/04/2013 14:02:14

LONDONNEWS

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EXPLODING PAVEMENT ROCKS PIMLICO A pedestrian got the shock of his life last week when a pavement in Pimlico exploded into a fireball as he walked by talking on his phone.

Footage captured by a local resident showed the man running from the scene, thought to have been caused by a faulty power cable.

Eyewitnesses described hearing three explosions, the second of which sent 10ft flames blasting into the sky. A spokeswoman for UK Power Networks told the London Evening Standard: “Safety is our top priority and the cause of this incident is being investigated.”

Feel like I’ve been hit by a bus In this Twitter post, former London Wasps player Danny Cipriani sees the funny side of his collision with a double decker at the end of a pub crawl in Leeds

MET POLICE TO BOOST RAPE CONVICTIONS Scotland Yard has announced it will overhaul its sex crime unit in an attempt to convict more rapists.

An extra 100 officers will be added to the new-look department, which is being reorganised following a number of reports of mishandled rape cases.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mick Duthie said that boosting the number of officers dealing with sex crimes would “improve the service we offer to victims and ... bring more offenders to justice”.

ON THE TUBE THIS WEEKEND’S CLOSURES/WORKS

CIRCLE: No service between Edgware

Road and Hammersmith all weekend.

DISTRICT: No service between Tower Hill and West Ham all weekend.

HAMMERMSITH & CITY: No service

between Moorgate and Barking all wknd.

METROPOLITAN: No service between

Wembley Park, Uxbridge and Northwood all weekend. Use the Piccadilly line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.

Edgware and Hampstead all weekend.

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The Australia Shop closes

Covent Garden supplier of Tim Tams and Twisties shuts forever News to chill you to the bone: after more than 35 years of trading, The Australia Shop in Covent Garden has closed.

The store, which kept Aussies in London supplied with a taste of home – think Tim Tams, Twisties, Burger Rings, Shapes, etc – and serviced New Zealanders with L&P and Pineapple Lumps, announced via its website that the doors would close forever on April 24. The owners of the store, Michael and Elizabeth Mills, said it was no longer viable to keep the store open, and blamed falling sales, rising council rates and the recession for their sad decision.

Another challenge to the shop’s longevity has been the rocketing cost of importing goods, due to the rise in value of the Australian dollar against the pound.

The pair first took over the business in 1994 and four years later moved it from the Savoy area of the Strand to Henrietta Street in Covent Garden and then later Maiden Lane.

As well as stocking the sweet essentials, it was a reliable place to pick up the likes of Bundaberg Rum and Tooheys.

It is understood that Michael and Elizabeth plan to continue with online sales under The Australia Shop brand.

Summing up the average TNT reader’s feelings, @staceyfenton tweeted: “Well this is the worst news I’ve heard since moving to London. How will I go on now?”

Lisa Agnew added on Facebook: “WHAT????? How?? I was a regular, couldn’t live without Savoys! And Cottee’s cordial in my snakebites. Worst.” Quite.

THIS WEEK IN LONDON...

Head to Little Venice for a jolly old English time at the Canalway Cavalcade 2013 this weekend.

The quaint event will see stacks of canal boats moored along the Grand Union Canal between Blomfield Road, Warwick Avenue and Warwick Crescent. Along with live bands, Morris dancers, colourful costumes and real ale stalls, there’ll be an after-dark procession of illuminated boats on Sunday evening. The cute gathering of canal boat enthusiasts is organised every year by the Inland Waterways Association and makes for an enjoyably traditional scene.

On from 10am until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday, with the illuminated boats at 9pm Sunday, and there’s a final day of festivities on Monday from 10am-5pm.

Boating: Little Venice

Photos: TNT; Getty

NORTHERN: No service between

Sweet treats: hopefully you got your supplies in early

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

26/04/2013 16:43:56

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

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26/04/2013 15:02:25

Stunt men: skateboard, blade, BMX and, er, unicycle skills at Streetfest

Off the hook Streetfest brings graffiti, skating, b-boys and more to the East End to make sure your bank holiday weekend goes off Words alasdair morton After its inaugural event last year, the one-day live art and urban culture Streetfest returns to east London for a bank holiday smashing line-up of music, art, dance and attitude.

Birthed last summer to bring together the diverse communities of street art, sport and performance, Streetfest kicks off in Shoreditch with live art demonstrations, including the audience-voted Secret Walls 90-minute graffiti comp, alongside a digital art tournament, pop-up photo and nail design booths and top audienceinvolving workshops, too.

The Hackney-based street dance company Nemesis, female-focused Dare2Dance and rollerskate dance troupe High Rollaz will deliver explosive routines. And choreographer Yami ‘Rowdy’ Lofvenberg, who won the World Lockin’ title at the Hip Hop Championships in 2010, will be running three dance workshops specialising in Eighties dance moves including The Backslide (the moonwalk to you).

British BMX star and Red Bull pro Kye Forte and his Mobile Sports Events team will take centre stage, heading up the urban sports demos.

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“We’ll be performing all kinds of 360 variations, flips and flairs on the new HP [half pipe],” says Forte, who won 2005’s World BMX freestyle title.

“The whole MBE team are looking forward to the shows. Working on a jump or line all winter then riding it for the first time in the spring is an amazing feeling.” Sports won’t be limited to two wheels, though.

There will be inline skate and unicycle demonstrations even, with skateboarding workshops and demos, too. The world-renowned Game of S.K.A.T.E. battle will be putting the pros’ talents to the test, and a Red Bull mini-ramp jump competition will pit 20 professional skaters against each other.

Alongside the shape-throwers and sports, there’s also a star-studded lineup of DJs and rappers to keep the party going long after the sun’s set, including Washington DC-based Oddisee, St Petersburg-born, London-based DJ Vadim, and south London’s Dot Rotten, who featured in the BBC Sound Of 2012 poll and has a debut album, Voices In My Head, ready to hit this June.

Urban culture need not be exclusive, though, and is a far cry from what you

might expect from a festival geared around moves, tricks and MCs. Stu Smith, founder of north Londonbased skate company Love ‘n’ Skate, one of SF’s co-curators, tells us skating is often misunderstood.

“The biggest misconception is that skateboarding is all ‘shaka-brah’ and rap metal, that LA stereotype – it’s not,” he insists. “Skating is a bunch of individuals into a whole bunch of different things and who each bring something different. Most of us aren’t throwing gang signs at each other all the time!”

So forget what you thought you knew and see the stars at London’s premier live art fest take to the air, shake their thing, and conjure new artworks before your eyes. There’s no better place to be this weekend!

BEST OF STREETFEST ›› Streetfest. May 5. 1pm-11pm. £10-15.

Hearn Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 3LS Liverpool Street streetfest.net

WATCH TOP 5 B-BOY DANCE tntmagazine.com/bboys

tntMagazine.com

26/04/2013 16:56:17

Rotten: rapper Dot hits the main stage

Represent your country

Awesome tours

Weekend festivals

Tunes: the party’s set to go on after sundown

Weekly after match socials

Street art: live demos and competitions all day TNT_1548_09 9

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secret walls art This is a 90-minute street art battle in which two artists – or two teams comprised of a number of artists – get the length of a footy match to conjure some judge- and crowd-wowing designs right before your eyes. This year’s “warriors” are Team GB (Ventza and Darren John) and Candy Lo & Riff. The winners will be decided by a combination of an adjudication panel and the opinion of the punters, which is measured using a decibel counter. For furiously good street art with a competitive edge.

Various times and locations thesecretwalls.com

kye forte & mbe red bull BMX demo sport

Oddisee music The Maryland-born rapper and producer hits the capital for the third time in this crowning headline show. Oddisee, who splits his time between New York, Washington DC and London, made a name for himself with underground movement Boiler Room. Famed for his thoughtful and intelligent production, as seen on last year’s People Hear What They See for the US hip-hop label Mello Music Group, which was voted the iTunes Hip-hop Album of the Year.

Britain’s foremost BMX Dirt star Kye Forte, from the little town of Newton Abbot in Devon, was the brainchild behind the Red Bull Empire of Dirt show in London last year, and is a globally respected stunt-bike guru.

Famed for his breathtaking skills and technique, Forte and daredevil assistants from the Mobile Bike Events team will conquer a purpose-built course on two wheels. Their mad skills demo session will be filmed for Red Bull Flow, too.

1.30pm-2pm; 3pm-3.30pm; 4.30pm-5pm; 6pm-6.30pm mbe-limited.com

8.30pm-9pm oddiseemusic.com

cut & paste design tournAmEnt digital art The Cut & Paste art collective – who act as the link between the creative industries and the business side, and are co-curators at this year’s Streetfest – present the global Digital Design Tournament. Digi artists from around the world have taken part in a competitive showcase and their work will take up residency here and be projected on screen at SF for all to check out.

1pm-7pm cutandpaste.com

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pop-up nail bar art

dj nikki beatnik music

Taking the day’s thriving art element and making it physical and personal, finger beautifiers Claire Kirby Nails and Effy Nails form the Nailfest Collective, on hand to make sure all nails are resplendent in only the most cutting-edge designs.

DJ and producer Nikki Beatnik (pictured, left), tagged as ‘the female Mark Ronson’ by some, is tour DJ for Kelis, has played festivals and clubs the world over, and is a musical magpie genius. Talented and diverse, her set will stun.

1pm-7pm effynails.co.uk; claireknails.wordpress.com

9pm-10pm djnikkibeatnik.com

palladium boots digital graffiti art

Choreographer Yami ‘Rowdy’ Lofvenberg, who’s trained in lockin’, popping, breakin’ and hip-hop dance and has been teaching for 10 years, will be leading these workshops, showing you how to do Eighties dances The Moonwalk, The Running Man and The Wave.

The folk from tour experts Alternative London will park up their big red bus to offer workshops and tutorials for those keen to make a street art impression all of their own. For those with skills to hone or those who just fancy grabbing a spray can and testing their own hand on the urban canvas.

Do you fancy yourself as the next Banksy? Harbour aspiring Blek le Rat ambitions? If so, this is one event you can’t afford to miss. Street style brand Palladium Boots bring this have-a-go digital graffiti wall where ambitious punters get three minutes to conjure their own slice of street art. A choice selection of talented students will also convene at the timesensitive wall to put their skills to the test.

2pm-2.45pm streetfest.net

1pm-7pm alternativeldn.co.uk

1pm-7pm palladiumboots.co.uk

80s dance move workshop dance

alternative london workshop art

tntMagazine.com

26/04/2013 16:56:27

red bull mini ramp jump contest sport

dj vadim music The St Petersburg-born DJ and producer (below) was raised right here in the Big Smoke, before swapping the UK for the clubland centres of New York and Berlin.

Hip-hop, reggae, electronica and soul, not to mention his trademark rhythmdriven instrumentalisations, combine in Vadim’s multigenre-fuelled output.

A legendary live performer – as anyone who caught his show at Koko last August will know – he’s travelled the world, played everywhere from Fuji Rocks to Glastonbury, and is set to unite SF’s music fans.

10pm-11pm djvadim.com

game of s.k.a.t.e finals sport Game of S.K.A.T.E is a world-renowned skateboarding game birthed back in the Seventies that pits skateboarders against each other to demonstrate their skills, courage and four-wheeled talent. Heats took place in April at Mile End skatepark to whittle down a prospective 32 boarders to a final eight, who will face off in Streetfest’s final. The competition will be screened live on Red Bull Flow, Sidewalk and CaughtInTheCrossfire social media sites.

The same guys who put a man in space and then stunned the world as he jumped from a hot air balloon 39km high back to earth bring you this gravitydefying jump comp. A team of 20 professional skaters will compete in a half-pipe challenge with two aims – to outdo each other and to impress the crowd. The best rollerbladers and BMX riders will also be in action.

6.30pm-7.30pm streetfest.net

3.30pm-4pm & 5pm-6pm streetfest.net

voodoo unicycles sport

Photos: Getty; Rutger Pauw/ Red Bull

kingdom inline skating demo sport The inline skate curator at Streetfest, Kingdom Magazine, bring the best of British rollerblading to east London. The mag’s been at the core of the Brit inline scene since its inception in Brighton in the mid-Noughties, and they’ll be bringing this expertise, insight and knowledge to their skating exhibition, comprising the best and most talented skaters from not just London but around the country, too.

2pm-3pm vimeo.com/kingdommagazine

Unicycles are one wheel short of a bike, so to speak, but the Voodoo crew will show why it’s not about the number of wheels you’ve got but what you do with them that counts. The sixstrong team of riders will be demonstrating what can be done when you’re grabbing your crotch in a street-cool manner and peddling. Can’t wait to see that ...

bonnie & clyde breakdance battle DANCE The b-boys and b-girls take centre stage in this battle of the sexes dance-off.

Expect moves that make you marvel, bristling attitude, loud audience support for their respective gender and, of course, a highly driven, hormone-charged edge.

4.30pm-5.30pm streetfest.net

nemesis dance

The DJ collective Rags, Khalil, Snips and Budgie have been championing true hip hop and making a name for themselves across London with their legendary line-ups and parties. Expect big things.

Printing stylists Screen Street will be on hand all day to conjure up anything your mind can fashion onto a humble T-shirt. So get your thinking caps on and imagine some out-there visual masterpieces to put their skills properly to the test.

Dance group Nemesis run classes for young people in Hackney in street dance and contemporary dance, as well as athletic coaching so you have the stamina to pull off the big moves over and over again. They’re pulling up at Streetfest to offer tutorials and skills sessions so you can learn the moves, the technique behind them and what you need to work on to make sure you’re the sharpest mover in the hood.

Limber up and get ready – this will be an intense sesh.

6pm-7pm livinproof.co.uk

1pm-7pm screenstreet.co.uk

1pm-1.30pm; 3.45pm-4pm streetfest.net

TBC voodoounicycles.com

Livin’ proof music

screen street t-shirt printing art

tntMagazine.com

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26/04/2013 16:56:33

MYLONDON

KEEP MISSING YOUR

TNT?

jennifer lawton

Try Tag Rugby Competition Supervisor What baffles me about London is everything. I have lived here 18 months now and I still don’t feel like I know what I’m doing and where I am going.

London’s best-kept secret is a night out in Twickenham after the rugby at a pub like The Barmy Arms. The atmosphere is amazing, win or lose, and [I’m usually found] dancing on the tables screaming Delilah at the top of my lungs.

When I want to chill out I go to the parks, since there’s no beach nearby.

Not Hyde Park, but the little greens in each suburb.

The most interesting person I’ve met is not one particular person but more the teenagers I meet through supply teaching. Some have lived such interesting lives with different backgrounds and have stories to tell.

My favourite place for a drink is The Churchill Arms in Notting Hill. You can’t beat the beautiful flowers on the outside and the memorabilia on the inside. The customer toilets are also the nicest in a pub anywhere!

What gets me up in the morning is the fact there is so much to see in London – museums, galleries, shows, restaurants, and more – and the hope that the sun is shining. It isn’t very often but we can all hope.

My perfect weekend is escaping London to the countryside. There is so much to do in this small island country.

This summer in England I am most looking forward to being outside basically, drinking in beer gardens, going to music festivals and having picnics in the park. London comes alive in the summer!

My biggets faux pas in London was when I slipped on the Tube platform and went face first into the carriage, getting my leg caught in the closing door in the process and nearly losing a shoe.

The last naughty thing I did was spewing on the Tube my first weekend in London after a night at the Walkabout. Not my finest moment.

Five words that sum up London ... crazy, overwhelming, amazing, cultural and historic. trytagrugby.com 12

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PRESENTS

T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E AT K I L I L I V E . C O M

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LONDONDRINKS

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All-rounder: a joint to keep everyone happy in Balham

BAR

One wants a normal pub to drink beer out of a normal glass, the girl is sick of the shitty dives you keep dragging her to and the other drinking buddy just wants the game on. Everyone’s happy at The Regent in Balham. It may fall down for trying to please everyone, but it does a mighty fine job of it. Arvos are special, as full-length windows pour light into its two large spaces – the first for casual dining or drinking, the other with booths, tables and TVs. Live music goes on here, too.

THE GRUB The spring menu’s still on with classy, seasonal pub grub, such as a slowcooked lamb shoulder with colcannon and nettle pesto (£14), tiger prawn and chorizo rigatoni (£13) or 35-day-aged rump steak (£16.95). Check out the two-forone burgers on Wednesday or six items under £6 for beer-belly lining. All good.

THE SCENE

If it’s not here you’re too picky. Lagers range from Kronenburg to Staropramen, Guinness is on tap and ales last week were Doom Bar and Bombardier.

More in bottles, too. A well-picked wine list from the old and new world, with a stonking 17 of them by the glass. Cocktail drinkers aren’t left out, with the likes of pear cosmos or long island iced tea for the purists.

BILL PLEASE Pints from £3.95; wine from £3.40/ £16.50 a glass/ bottle; cocktails £7.50; mains from £11; burgers from £9.95; desserts £5.95.

VERDICT A fancyish dinner, a group piss-up or the big game. All sorted. MG BEHIND THE BAR

21 Chestnut Grove, SW12 8JB

3 OF THE BEST ARTY BARS

theregentbalham.co.uk

Balham

THE DOODLE BAR

DREAMBAGS ...

APPROACH TAVERN

This Battersea bar encourages punters to scribble on the walls with big fat marker pens and also hosts regular life drawing classes with cocktails. Next class is May 7 and costs £12. Be there at 7pm for an 8pm start.

Dreambagsjaguarshoes, named after the two stores the bar used to be, is a Shoreditch institution, with a different exhibition taking over the venue every six to eight weeks. It also hosts Sunday markets and art fairs.

A Bethnal Green boozer with an art gallery upstairs, you can gather round the bar for beers and pub grub with the arty boho clientele, before dipping into higherminded pursuits upstairs and browsing the installations.

thedoodlebar.com

jaguarshoes.com

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Chain reaction: but Chipotle isn’t just your average Mexican fast food joint

ROOF TOP POP-UP Now that the sun is haphazardly consenting to peep tantalisingly from behind the clouds, the summer pop-ups are coming thick and fast.

Background Bars are setting up at Dalston Roof Park (below) this week and will draw on the venue’s edible garden to mix cocktails and teas, while fried chicken aficionados The Wing Men will serve up their smoked chicken wings smothered in exciting sauces, including flaming peach, apricot hot sauce and Korean BBQ. The bar is open 5pm-11pm on weeknights and 3pmmidnight on weekends. See you there. facebook.com/backgroundbars

CHIPOTLE MEXICAN

FOGG’S GROG Odd gimmicky venue of the month goes to Mr Fogg’s, opening in Mayfair on May 13, which reckons it’s a recreation of the home of Jules Verne’s fictional Around The World In 80 Days adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Guests will find themselves in a period drawing room decorated with artefacts from Fogg’s travels, and the bar promises a global drinking adventure inspired by “Victorian cocktailian culture”. It’s from the folks behind Berlusconi-inspired pizza and karaoke joint Bunga Bunga.

This could go either way.

15 Bruton Lane, W1J 6JD

Photos: bootstrapcompany.co.uk

slider decider Just when you thought we couldn’t get trendier, we thought we’d flag up The Slider Decider at The Gun, Docklands on May 16, where some of London’s best eateries will be cooking up extravagant mini-burgers. A £10 ticket gets you two beers, two sliders and a taste of some of the creations.

Just another burrito joint? You could be forgiven for failing to make the distinction between this US import and the legions of other Mexican fast food chains in London these days, but Chipotle – slowly cropping up across the city and having just opened its sixth London venue in Wimbledon – is of a different breed.

The meat comes from local farms, everything is made fresh and on-site (including the tortilla chips) – hell, even the napkins are made from recycled materials. The company might be known for its “food with integrity” tagline, but we’re also happy to report that this unusually “slow food” approach to grub served on the go dishes up damn fine results. If you’re eating in, it’s an inoffensive space – all beige and greys, with booths for big groups and stools for loners – but it’s not the sort of place that encourages you to get comfy for a few hours.

The grub Another saving grace is that Chipotle keeps it simple. The menu is short – choose between burritos, burrito bowls, tacos and salads – and you can see up front all the fillings there are to choose from (quality is favoured over quantity with a choice of four meats, two types of beans, four salsas, two varieties of rice, peppers and onions, lettuce, cheese, guacamole and sour cream). I plump for the carnitas – smoky free-range shredded pork – with black beans, and am impressed at how the latter pump a peppy blend of chipotle chili and toasted cumin flavours into the mix.

My date goes for the barbacoa (farm-assured beef with chipotle chili, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano) and pinto beans cooked with bacon. We’re both left too full by our burritos to finish off the unfussy tortilla chips (just a squeeze of lime and kosher salt on these bad boys) and hand-mashed guac. A proper feed.

THE SCENE

Margaritas at £4.35 and bottled beers at £3.65.

Burritos are £6.50-£6.95; add guacamole for £1.40; add salsa for £1.60; tortilla chips are 90p or £2.30 with guacamole. verdict Less is more with these burritos, plus they’re eco-friendly. Thumbs up. LC Behind the bar Bill please

thegundocklands.com/sliderdecider 40 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7PA

chipotle.co.uk

Wimbledon

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Hell yeah: Karen O and co. hit up London

festival

watch

THE BIG FEASTIVAL

I’LL BE YOUR MIRROR Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY SAT, MAY 4 & SUN, MAY 5 | DOORS AT 12PM | £59

Kingham, Oxfordshire, OX7 6UJ. Aug 31Kingham

Sep 11. £100 weekend tickets

jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival

Former Blur bassist turned famous cheesemaker-cum-countryside gent Alex James and Essex foodman Jamie Oliver combine for this tunes and grub fest. For the former, Basement Jaxx, Rizzle Kicks, KT Tunstall (left), and Norman Jay are confirmed, but this is only half the fun. There’s also top food across James’ Coltswolds farm venue with the sure-to-be superb Street Food Alley offering a bestof Brit tucker, a food market, and a sleb-cheffilled Big Kitchen Zone.

This annual event in north London welcomes New York art-punks Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Brooklyn indie rock legends Grizzly Bear as exclusive London headliners and respective curators for this bank holiday weekend of rock ‘n’ roll.

Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase hit back this year with their third album, Mosquito, their first in four years since It’s Blitz! Where their last offering saw them add in a synth element to Zinner’s trademark guitars, Mosquito takes a more mature approach that combines the YYY journey so far into one fab fantastic record of ready-made hits. Among their cherry-picked line-up are The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Atlanta rockers Black Lips, Anita, Stockholm’s The Field, Dirty Beaches, King Khan And The Shrines and Mick Harvey.

Grizzly Bear, whose Shields long-player was one of the top reviewed albums of last year and saw them play a sold-out show at Brixton Academy, keep the Big Apple contingent going the following night. As well as headlining and dipping into last year’s critically acclaimed album to close out the weekend, they will bring along with them the likes of indie darlings The Walkmen, New Jersey’s Real Estate, Beach Boys collaborator Van Dyke Parks, post-rockers Tortoise, Sweden’s shoegaze soundscapists I Break Horses, and California’s Cass McCombs.

The breadth of bands, artists and sounds on the bill is what makes this one of the musical highlights of the year. It’s tops for checking out new acts, making some discoveries and, of course, lapping up New York’s headline stars.

Alexandra Palace

atpfestival.com

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NEW BAND

de la soul GIG Wed, may 8. 7pm £22.50

The Long Island hip-hop group return to London for the first time since their eighth LP, last year’s De La Soul’s Plug 1 & Plug 2 Present... First Serve. The Me Myself And I troupe have been consistently pushing the boundaries of rap since their 1989 debut, 3 Feet High And Rising, and through their trailblazing Nineties records.

Photos: Getty

The Forum 9-17 Highgate Rd, NW5 1JY Kentish Town theforumlondon.com

10x10 series 002: egg 10th birthday

secretsundaze opening party

CLUB

CLUB

sat, may 4. 10pm-11am £13+

sun, may 5. 2pm-10pm £9.50+

Dubfire plays a very special set at this second part of the north London clubbing institution’s 10th birthday bash. Along for the ride in support is Uto Karem, Shaded (live) and Derma in room one, Hands On Deck and Luca C & Brigante in room two and loads more to keep the party vibes flowing well into Sunday.

Detroit legend Derrick May toplines this summer season kick starter, along with Soundstream (live), Midland, James Priestley and Giles Smith in support at this bank holiday daytime party.

And if you’ve still got something left in the tank, then get over to the Bussey Building for the after-party on til 5am!

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

338 Studios 338 Tunnel Avenue, SE10 0PF North Greenwich residentadvisor.net

vampire weekend

richie hawtin: enter london

peace

GIG

CLUB

GIG

thur, may 2. 7pm £27.50

sun, may 5. 10pm-6am £27.50

thur, apr 30-may 3. 8pm £10

“Fourth best song of 2008” said Rolling Stone of Vampire Weekend’s breakout reggae-indiepop single A-Punk, which hit with a force they’ve struggled to maintain. Yet sophomore LP Contra was ace and newbie Modern Vampires Of The City is due out May 13. It’s time to fall in love again with their sunny summery sounds.

Hawtin enjoyed a top season out on Ibiza last year, nabbing himself a Best Night gong at the island’s end of summer DJ awards for this underground and mainstream-fusing night. He curates it himself, and after this south London sojourn it is back to Space for another season in the Balearics.

Hotly tipped last year as one to watch, this Brummie four-piece released their debut LP, In Love, last month, and stunned us all with its handsome-as-fuck guitar pop magic. They really are ones you should get out there and see at this four-day residency – the boys have the substance to match the style and all the media hyperbole.

The Troxy 490 Commercial Road, E1 0HX Limehouse thetroxy.co.uk

Brixton Academy 211 Stockwell Rd, SW9 9SL Brixton enter.m-nus.com

Birthdays 33-35 Stoke Newington Road, N16 8BJ Dalston Kingsland birthdaysdalston.com

here is your temple The buzz so far Moody and

atmospheric alt-pop from this Swedish five-piece – vocalist Emily McWilliam, guitarist Andreas Hourdakis, drummer Olle Nyman, bassist Ille Borg, and Mikael Svensson on keys – in a similar vein to Bat For Lashes and MGMT. Debut EP, So High, is out now, and the titular lead single pulses by on a throbbing drum line, loaded with chimes and McWilliam’s ethereal vocals.

The Critics say “Dark, ominous synth pop” ClashMusic the plug So High out through Bolero Records. Play Notting Hill Arts Club. May 7. £8 W11 3JQ Notting Hill Gate; The Lexington.

Jun 5. £7.50 N1 9JB Angel hereisyourtemple.com

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Kavinsky

Gary Numan

VIP TICKETS TO THE PLAYGROUND FESTIVAL AT BRIXTON ACADEMY Party innovators The Playground are hosting a two-night mega-rave at Brixton Academy on June 7 and 8 to kickstart the festival season off with a bang.

Electronica mammoths Leftfield and Gary Numan will be joining Squarepusher, Digitalism, James Lavelle (UNKLE), James Zabiela, Vitalic and Kavinsky.

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Dara O’Briain

The stand-up and would-be mathematical physicist on promoting ironical drug use, solving everyday problems with maths and Pixar INTERVIEW alasdair morton

Tell us about the second season of your maths show, School Of Hard Sums…

[As before] we have two comics, who we send out to solve a problem by hammering it out in the field, while I do it with a bit of paper and a pen. They’re getting their hands dirty while I sit down behind a large glass board to find the answer. Sometimes they get it, and sometimes I get it, and sometimes no one gets it.

Where did the show originate from?

Originally it was Japanese. The actor Takeshi Kitano, from Battle Royale, devised this show which was very Japanese. There were people shouting at different times and all kinds of stuff scrolling across the bottom of the screen. We had to tone down some of that but the gist of it is the same. It is funny but is mainly more about its subject – it’s more a popular science show than it is a comedy show.

Which guests have most surprised you?

They’re chosen as much for their curiosity as anything, so we had a broad spectrum of people like Tim Key, David O’Doherty and Josie Long, who wouldn’t be so good for Mock The Week – by their choice – as their style is too whimsical for that environment. Long clearly does a lot of puzzles as she got everything right really quickly.

Unhelpfully quickly. David was more interested in playing the, “What?! This is mad!” role.

But they did all rise to the task – it wasn’t like: “Here’s round three, now tell me a funny joke about TOWIE.” What problems did they have to solve?

They purport to be real life problems, but they are somewhat contrived. One was the idea of you being in prison where one of the guards always lies and the other always tells the truth, and how you would go about working out what was true. That sort of ‘real world problem’.

Was everyone a bit competitive?

I was – it was frustrating when you work it out and they got it right just by guessing.

Why do some people fear maths?

I have no idea as I don’t have that – it would be like asking a climber about vertigo. But I do think people are always going to have it. There

Problem solver: O’Briain is a funny sort of mathematician are some people for whom maths is a passion – it is the fundamental language of nature – and then those for whom it will always be just a subject they hated at school.

It was a passion for you. You have a degree in mathematical science...

Yes, I wanted to be a mathematical physicist, lecturing and doing research and all of that.

Where did your tangent into comedy come from then?

Excellent use of a mathematical term there, although it was probably more of a perpendicular [turn … boom, boom]. In college in Ireland, they have debates between the students and broadcasters and politicians and the like. I was deeply in awe of the people who did them because I was a gawky, shy teenager. So I tried it myself the following year and enjoyed it and that was the beginning – stand-up is an exaggerated form of that. I had never spoken in front of a crowd and did not know that I would find it as astonishing and addictive as I did.

Sometimes Mock The Week has found itself in hot water due to some ‘close to the bone’ comedy – do you think people are too easily ‘offended’ these days?

It is easy for people to say how they are outraged and shocked. There is a tendency

to be crushingly literal with things that were not intended to be, like when Paul Chambers posted what was clearly a joke about blowing up Nottingham Airport on Twitter. Words can be meant ironically or not and it is not up to you to decide that the irony doesn’t count. We are in danger of bleeding irony out of public discourse.

Frankie Boyle was accused of racism for having a character [in Tramadol Nights] that was racist.

Your last tour was called Craic Dealer – how long had you wanted to use that puntastic title?

I had it down as an idea for the previous DVD, but some major retailer – which I hint at in the show as Tesco – said no because they said it promoted drug use. So that became a story in the show in itself and then as well as calling the entire tour that we called the new DVD that, too.

You’ve thrice hosted Empire magazine’s awards – are you a big movie fan?

Yes, as much as the next person. You get to a point in life, especially when you have kids, when have to let go of things. Music went, video games stayed in and movies just about so. I get to see a lot of Pixar films and that’s about it.

Dara O’Briain: School Of Hard Sums airs on Dave, Mondays, 8pm, from May 1 uktv.co.uk/dave

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Fractured families: Geoffrey Rush stars in this sombre Oz drama

the eye of the storm FILM review by Alasdair Morton Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis | 15 | 119mins | Out May 3

dead man down FILM Starring: Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace | 15 | 117mins

Director of the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo movie, Niels Arden Oplev, reteams with Noomi Rapace for his first US flick, with Colin Farrell and Terrence Howard joining the cast.

A neo-noir about revenge, murder and all kinds of yucky-ugly business that involves explosions, guns and double crosses. So, all the pedigree there for quite a pulpy thriller.

On general release May 3

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Australian filmmaker Fred Schepisi is a sturdy helmsman for this tale of family dysfunction, resentment and longed-for, hard-fought inheritance.

One of the prized offerings at last autumn’s FilmFest Australia finally making its big screen bow over here, The Eye Of The Storm is both mature and sombre.

Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis are grown up children who return to attend their monied dying mother Elizabeth’s (Charlotte Rampling) last days, not so much to share her final earthly moments, reminisce and share pleasantries, but to ensure their varying estrangement does not deprive them of their inheritance.

Rush and Davis excel in their roles as the resentment-filled offspring, Rush’s Basil an actor who’s success treading the boards carries little weight with his mother, and Davis’s Dorothy a high society darling who has her very own reasons for being less than wholly enamoured with mummy.

It is Rampling that impresses most, though. Elizabeth’s commanding poise and composure, not to mention her sharp-tongued and acidic treatment of those around her, makes a formidable matriarch and domineering screen presence, as her children lurk at the foot of her bed and hangers-on and servants cower in the wings. As a study of familial disharmony it is sublime, and Schepisi (Steve Martin’s Roxanne) adds directorial flourishes alongside moments of dark comedy.

Yet despite this, Storm’s ponderous pace makes it a tough family to be won over by, whose company it is tricky to ingratiate yourself with.

Good for: A raft of high-calibre Aussie talent in a solid if a tad maudlin study of familial strife

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26/04/2013 16:14:55

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GIVE US A

trailer park boys

GIGGLE!

COMEDY

The Nova Scotian stars Ricky, Julian and Bubbles, of the titular TV show mockumentary, bring their live show to the UK as part of the boys’ court-ordered community service variety performance to talk about the dangers of drink and drugs. Outstanding character comedy that ran for seven seasons and a spin-off movie.

Hammersmith Apollo W6 9QH. May 3. £25+ Hammersmith hammersmithapollo.com

sebastião salgado: genesis

#aiww: THE ARREST OF AI WEIWEI

EXHIBITION

THEATRE

Photo journalist Salgado spent eight years of his life travelling the world and documenting cultures, creatures and places that have managed to remain untouched by mankind’s push for modernity. The results of this outstanding odyssey are on show here, in what is a must not miss exhibition. Illuminating.

In 2011, conceptual artist and political activist Ai Weiwei (of the porcelain Sunflower Seeds at Tate Modern) was detained for 81 days, with his captors as confused as he as to the nature of his crime. Howard Brenton’s play envisages this period, based on interviews with the artist, convincingly played by Benedict Wong. LK

Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD. Until Sep 8. £10 South Kensington nhm.ac.uk

Hampstead Theatre Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU. Until May 18. £22+ Swiss Cottage hampsteadtheatre.com

Will Pointing What’s the show about? I’m working on a set about the culture of the Job Centre compared to the worst night club in the world. It’s an unexplored area full of comedy gold.

Photos: Mats Bäcker

What’s the weirdest gig you’ve ever done? A Valentine’s Day singles night for 40 to 50-year-olds in north London. The singles area was sectioned off with a stained curtain and the lights were dimmed like a seedy strip joint. I supported Sol Bernstein [a comedy character], who’s an old Jewish man and he hilariously insulted most of audience. “You’re 50, give up pal.” It was a bizarre evening with a very strange vibe.

I’m so excited

doktor glas

FILM

THEATRE

Celebrated Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar returns with his 17th movie, a “light, very light” comedy, he says, that’s set almost entirely on a plane. At 40,000ft, the passengers – and air stewards – drink, fuck and overdose on mescaline. It even has a couple of cameos from former Almodovar alumni to have made it in Hollywood, including Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz.

A one man show in Swedish may not seem an enticing proposition, but Wallander star Krister Henriksson makes his West End debut in this gripping rendition of Hjalmar Soderberg’s epistolary novel – a tale of misguided medical practice that ends in murder – which caused a scandal when first published in 1905. LK

On general release May 3

Wyndhams Theatre Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA. Until May 11. £15+ Leicester Square drglas.com

Who inspired you to pick up the mic? I always made my friends laugh. One evening I saw a new comic bomb on an open mic stage.

I thought, ‘I can do that…’. I did and completely bombed.

What is the funniest thing you have ever seen? I’ve seen a man maniacally preach about the British values and culture inherent in a three-pin plug!

Point And Laugh Comedy. May 3. £3 Savoy Tup, WC2 0BA Temple pointandlaughcomedy.com

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Hunter-gatherers, L to R: Foragers Gerald and George and The Verulam Arms’ head chef Tommy Forrester

Eat your greens: a haul by The Foragers 26

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[Caption] Confused: TNT’s Laura chomps a flower

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26/04/2013 16:08:37

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Cooking with weed Ever fancied eating weeds and flowers? No? This weekend wild food pioneers The Foragers show Londoners they’re missing out Words LAURA CHUBB

When George Fredenham, one half of wild food outfit The Foragers, picks a flower and hands it to me, it’s not an old-fashioned case of a-wooing – this is a snack to hold me over ’til dinner. “Can I eat all of it?” I ask, contemplating the oddity of chewing on the coltsfoot flower’s yellow bud. It strikes me as a bit eccentric to start nibbling on bits of the countryside. “Everything but the poisonous bits,” Fredenham replies with a wry smile. He’s joking, but it’s exactly what I’m afraid of – it just doesn’t seem like something I should be stuffing in my gob. But sure enough, from top to bottom, the coltsfoot is full of flavour, the bud sweet and almost melonlike, while the stem is reminiscent of asparagus. Apparently I should be filling my face among the foliage more often.

I’ve travelled to St Albans to meet Fredenham and his foraging buddy Gerald Waldeck, who for the past couple of years have been serving up their pickings from the area, first in local pub The Verulam Arms and more recently at Dalston hipster joint The Dead Dolls Club. And this weekend they’ll mark a further step forward into London’s food scene, as The Foragers are doing all of the grub at A Fete Worse Than Death, a May Day street party at Shoreditch stronghold The Book Club. The free event on May 5 offers up a day of Morris dancing, cider drinking, village fete games and, thanks to The Foragers, gourmet wild food. It’s a big chance for The Foragers to really make a mark with their unique take on seasonal fare – hunting and gathering in the hedgerows, and cooking up incredible recipes using weeds most people would throw in the compost rather than stock in the kitchen.

The pair came together, appropriately enough, organically.

Waldeck’s daughter became friends with Fredenham’s brother, bringing the two men into contact. Waldeck had always enjoyed gathering wild plants, fruit and fungi; Fredenham had just quit his City job in emerging markets to pursue a passion for food. “I travelled to lots of interesting places with the job – Japan, Sudan, South America, Eastern Europe,” Fredenham explains. “But I would always be more interested in going out for street food after the meeting than the meeting itself.”

What’s his fondest food memory from this time? Without hesitation: “A big slab of fat with a shot of vodka in Russia.”

The Foragers aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty in the pursuit of new recipes – it’s all part of the philosophy, getting soil under their fingernails to put together a menu without supply chains or air miles. Fredenham tells me

a story about when he and a friend skinned, beheaded, de-clawed and “de-footed” 80 squirrels to make one loaf tin of pâté. (I hope it was good after all that? “It was lovely pâté,” he assures me.) That’s the kind of dedication and experimentation that makes the food so good. The meat The Foragers use is all game, shot locally, often from culls carried

“

I beheaded 80 squirrels to make a pâté

”

out on estates. So along with the furry-tailed little fellas, you can expect to see the likes of venison, pigeon and rabbit on a plate of foraged food.

What’s really surprising about this wild food malarkey, however, is just how much flavour comes from the kind of innocuous-looking greenery you might ordinarily trample ››

Recommended reading: know before you go ...

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TOP 5 FORAGING TIPS STAY SAFE WHEN GATHERING GRUB Collecting food from nature’s supermarket is a wonderful way to discover new and exciting flavours for free on your doorstep. But if you aren’t careful about what you collect you can end up seriously ill or, in the worst cases, dead. Bushcraft expert Kevan Palmer of Woodland Ways shares five simple rules for safe and responsible foraging.

Expert: Kevan Palmer teaches folks all about tasty plants underfoot. During our short walk in St Albans, we stumble across – to name but a few – cow parsley (tastes sweet, almost like a berry); hawthorn, a hedgerow plant I’m told is good in cheese sandwiches; and plantain, a weed which likes to grow on dirt tracks and tastes just like mushroom. Most surprising of all is the hedge garlic we find at the end. Crush up the green leaves of this plant and it smells and tastes precisely like garlic mayo. Bizarre.

Of course no one should go scoffing plants willy-nilly. Kevan Palmer, an instructor from bushcraft specialists Woodland Ways who works with The Foragers, tells me: “There are plenty of plants that can kill you quite comfortably and still more that can make you seriously ill.” One is hemlock, which looks a lot like cow parsley and (helpfully) often grows near it. It’s so deadly that The Foragers won’t serve cow parsley just in case.

Back at the guys’ Verulam Arms pub, I’ve earned a pint of their homemade birch sap wheat beer, which makes dangerously easy drinking – slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness at the finish. Fredenham tells me The Dead Dolls Club has taken to mixing cocktails with some of their spoils, especially the sweet woodruff plant, which can also make vodka taste like Polish Zubrówka if you leave a sprig in for a few weeks (add apple juice and it tastes like a drunk apple pie, trust us). Wild booze to complement wild food? At this point, I feel it’s my journalistic duty to head off to Dalston and try it out. I’ll report back … ❚ A Fete Worse Than Death at The Book Club. May 5, 12pm-9pm. FREE. 100 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH wearetbc.com Old Street More on The Foragers at the-foragers.com

TEST YOUR TOLERANCE Eat only small amounts of any new plant to test your tolerance. Some plants may not necessarily be poisonous, but may still disagree with you.

BE 100% POSITIVE Don’t eat any plant or fungi unless you have made a 100 per cent certain identification. Try to match at least three points of ID, as many poisonous plants look similar to other perfectly edible ones. If in any doubt, don’t take the chance. (The red fungi below may look pretty, but it ain’t for eating.)

PICK YOUR PLACE Forage from areas which haven’t been sprayed with chemicals and are not close to well-used walkways. (You don’t want to eat something a dog’s been doing its business on – Ed).

GET PERMISSION Do not trespass to obtain plants and do not uproot a plant without the land owner’s permission.

DON’T BE GREEDY Only take what you need.

If a plant is rare or even locally rare try not to use it. Do not strip all the leaves, flowers or fruit from a plant or area – leave some for others and the wildlife.

Pretty, but poisonous

URBAN FORAGING TOP GROUPS IN LONDON

hackneyharvest.com

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URBAN HARVEST This informal foraging group is all about “finding free food in north London”, and meets every third Saturday of the month around 1pm to collect unwanted fruit and learn more about the city’s edible plants. urbanharvest.org.uk

ABUNDANCE LONDON A Chiswick community project run by volunteers, this group regularly collects tonnes of fruit that would otherwise go to waste. abundancelondon.com

FOR A FULL LIST OF GROUPS VISIT tntmagazine.com/foraging

Photos: Oliver Dickens; Richard Cawthorne/ Hertfordshire Life; Thinkstock

HACKNEY HARVEST This lot are dedicated to making sure that the fruit growing in the squares, parks and gardens around Hackney doesn’t get wasted. Supported by the London Orchard Project (“urban fruit for urban communities”).

TNTMAGAZINE.COM

26/04/2013 16:08:02

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Luigi’s Mansion 2

The Phoenix Foundation: Fandango

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App of the Week The Thirty-Nine Steps App

Reading on the beach too much work? This new app combines gaming with literature in an interactive John Buchan adventure. £4.99 itunes.apple.com

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26/04/2013 16:36:24

LIFESTYLECAREERS

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Shining light: the skyline is at its finest at night

Singapore rising The booming Southeast Asian city-state shows no sign of slowing down. Breaking in, though, can be tricky Words Daisy Carrington Singapore is a metropolis on the rise.

Companies seeking a presence in Asia continue to flock to the diminutive citystate, and the population of 5.3 million is expected to surge 30 per cent by 2030. If there was ever a time to get in on the ground floor, it’s now.

A move up the ladder Singapore may be tiny, but it’s situated on some of the busiest waterways for trade. The government’s pro-industry, pro-foreign investment policies have also helped to create one of the most dynamic economies in the world today.

Particular emphasis is afforded to the banking and manufacturing industries.

“Don’t come here if you don’t like bankers,” quips Duncan Forgan, 35, a magazine editor who has lived in 30

TNT_1548_030 30

Singapore for the past nine months.

Though it already boasts terrific infrastructure, the government is planning on expanding many public services to make room for the expected population growth. As a result, there is also strong demand in the engineering and healthcare industries.

“It’s a great place to fast track your career,” says Craig Brewer, an Australian expat and director at Singaporebased recruitment firm Hudson Global Resources. “A lot of people are looking for Asia experience; it’s the new area of growth, so a stint here is viewed as a really positive thing.”

Jane Leung, a 25-year-old office assistant from Canada, says she moved to the city to advance her career.

“If you live in a Western country, you

can stay in the same position for ages, until someone retires, dies or decides to have a family. There are a million of ‘you’ back home, whereas there are only a hundred of someone like you here.”

Ups and downs Advancement aside, Singapore is a lure for its standard of living. The cleanliness of the city is famed (albeit at the expense of hefty fines and possible jail time), and the weather is perennially sunny. Though the locale offers world class grub, public beaches and ample green space, some find they’re spending so much time on the career ladder that they have little time to enjoy it.

“It’s laid back in my office, but I know people in other companies who are slaves to their desks,” Forgan says. “In

tntMagazine.com

26/04/2013 13:50:44

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Fast lane: the streets are transformed for the Singapore F1 Grand Prix circuit

LIFESTYLECAREERS Finance centre: don’t move here if you’re not a fan of bankers

On the job Salva Romero Career Restaurant manager Age 38 Lives SE1 From Spain

Photos: Getty; Thinkstock

How did you get into your line of work?

I have always worked very closely with customers, and then moved into the catering industry. I joined Wagamama 10 years ago as the front-of-house manager. Since then I have managed several restaurants.

Overall, for an outsider Singapore, it’s all about Best singa hoods trying to break in, it’s a the three Cs: career, car Tiong Bahru: One of Singapore’s tough nut to crack. and condominium. Most oldest nabes, this spot has since “I’d say 90 per cent Singaporeans disregard become hipster central. Stocked with of employers want us to the aching void at the indie boutiques, boujis coffee shops find a candidate who is heart of this desire, and and excellent grub, it is one of the already in Singapore,” work insane hours to most popular stops for singles.

Brewer explains. “They get ahead.”

Geylang: Essentially Singapore’s don’t want to relocate The salaries don’t red-light district, this area attracts people, as it’s expensive, always translate to for its “character”. Street walkers and they don’t want what they would be mingle with period architecture and back home – entry spot-on street food. to be financing offlevel banking, for Joo Chiat: A hood on the rise, the shore talent.” instance, might pull Joo Chiat brings in the rent-payers Unfortunately, in a relatively modest with its heritage architecture, trendy in order to acquire a £35,000 annually. But bars and designer furniture stores, work visa, you need the potential for growth though it still does a good business a company to sponsor is exceptional, and the in street hawkers. you. The best way tax is much lower than to get in is either to in many other countries, transfer to Singapore though the high cost of living will likely with a foreign company (preferably one eat up any of those savings. Expect to you already work at) or head out for an pay £650 per month minimum for a extended vacation, and try and make share, and upwards of £1300 per month contacts on the ground. for your own place.

To find work, Forgan says, “you need “The rents are more expensive than to network like a madman”.

Tokyo, and it’s a tough place if you like Under 25s are in a better position, the finer things in life,” Leung laments. as they can apply for a Holiday To “Good quality groceries, alcohol, Work programme cosmetics and shoes are all really through the expensive here.”

Ministry of NEXT WEEK Manpower.

Breaking in Smart dating: How For more on your phone can visas, visit Singapore’s niceties make it more hook you up mom.gov.sg. competitive than many cities abroad.

What do you do day-to-day?

I make sure all orders are successful, from the moment they are taken, to the moment they reach the table.

I also train staff.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I love to see people move up through the company with my support and training.

What’s the most challenging?

Managing the queue on a Friday at lunch time as it is so busy. Of course, that’s just part of the fun at Wagamama. wagamama.com

How to... write

a cover letter Without a good pitch, you won’t get in the door for an interview.

Here’s how to sell yourself.

• Read the job description, and

tailor the letter so it addresses every skill requested of you.

• Research the company, and

integrate your insider knowledge into the letter to stand out.

• Try and get a sense of the

corporate culture, and tailor the tone of the letter accordingly. If it seems laidback, a formal approach won’t do you any favours.

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26/04/2013 13:50:51

tntjobs.co.uk JOB OF THE WEEK: Live-In Carers Location: London & South East Salary: £574 per week

ORIGIN T: 020 7617 7894 www.origincare.com Live-in roles typically of 2 weeks on and 1 week off. Free specialist training provided with Origin, a dedicated company established over 10 years.

Our clients are young adults with a spinal injury. We need positive people to help them live independently. Free accommodation, food and refunded travel expenses! Promotional prospects and higher rates of pay available.

John Hardy | 020 7617 7894 | johnhardy@origincare.com

www.adventuretours.com.au

JOB OF THE WEEK: Sales Consultant x2 Location: Balham Salary: On Application

Adventure Tours Australia is an award winning travel company specialising in small group tours.

The positions primary purpose is to maximise the sales of all ATAG product, including trips outsourced to other operators and accommodation products, over the phone and by email to travel agents and direct passengers.

ADVENTURE TOURS AUSTRALIA

Kelly Hutchison | Kelly.hutchison@peakadventuretravel.com

www.gentlemanandavan.co.uk

JOB OF THE WEEK: Removals Driver Location: Wandsworth, Southwest London Salary: £10 per hour

Gentleman & A Van is a market-leading removal & storage company based in Southwest London

Working as part of team of either 2, 3 or 4, the successful candidate will be required to drive a 3.5 tonne Luton van for domestic and commercial removals in London and the UK.

GENTLEMAN & A VAN T: 0845 226 3525

James Nash | james@gentlemanandavan.co.uk

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0870-898 8996 tntforex.com

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26/04/2013 17:14:02

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cash-SAVING TIPS

how you spend it!

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Double the Belgium Book a ticket to Belgium with Eurostar and for an extra £10 you can take a xxxxxxxxx trip on any other regional train service within the Xxxxxxxxxxx country. Ever fancied visiting Antwerp? Now is a good time to do it. Find out more at eurostar.co.uk. xxxxxxxxx Fun in the sun Xxxxxxxxxxx British Airways has a sale on spring breaks. Travel to Alicante, Spain return for £82, or £194 with seven xxxxxxxxx nights accommodation thrown in. Three-day Xxxxxxxxxxx holidays to Dubai start from £499. Deals are subject to change, of course, though they’re xxxxxxxxx still worth checking out at britishairways.com.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

like shopping, and then I try to make sure that my receipts reconcile so I stay on track.

Do you have any tips for saving money in London?

Bring lunch whenever you can. Ask for student discounts. Do free activities like going to museums or parks. Sign up for Groupon.

Jessica Puckett 21 Job Student From St Louis, US Lives Kensington

Photos: Getty

How do you budget?

I set price points that I want to hit each week for groceries, going out and miscellaneous activities,

What non-essential items do you spend money on?

Grande skinny vanilla lattes from Starbucks. And clothes.

how THEY spend it!

Wardrobe wonderland

Test your eyes Visit a Boots Opticians and get your eyes checked out for £10 (half off the usual price).

To get your voucher, visit boots.com and click under ‘Pharmacy & Health’, then ‘Health Shop’ and finally, ‘Opticians’.

Cheap John Lewis Gear John Lewis is offering a major discount on one item each day – such as £20 for a leather tote that’s normally £79 – through April. See deals online at johnlewis.com.

Your last big blow-out?

A weekend trip to Paris.

Feeling flush, Justin Bieber dropped £16,621 on a big, 14-carat, jewel-studded necklace designed to look like Family Guy’s Stewie. Good investment, kid!

Crazy baby, oh: Stewie from Family Guy is too

❚ Rapper Tinie Tempah, an avid shoe collector, bid over £24,000 for a pair of limited edition, futuristic Nike shoes that were based on the ones Michael J Fox wore in Back To The Future II, during a charity auction.

❚ Beyoncé spent £65,000

❚ Outkast’s Antwan “Big Boi” Patton once spent £59,836 on a pair of Nike sneakers.

The kicks were covered in rows of multi-coloured diamonds. Natch.

❚ Madonna spent £53,187 on her wedding dress when she married Guy Ritchie in 2000. Money didn’t buy love, though, as the couple split up eight years later.

on a pair of leggings. To be fair, they were gold (real gold) Balenciaga ones, and straight from the runway.

She showed them off at the Black Entertainment TV Awards in 2007.

t 020 7240 2403 info@smartteachers.co.uk

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

Be a Smart Teacher.

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26/04/2013 17:15:53

LIFESTYLEliving Home

Style .00

£45

Peppermint Scandi phone For when you’re feeling mint

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London’s worst places to live

grahamandgreen.co.uk

Not even this city’s perfect – we crunch the numbers to find the least desirable places to live in the capital Words daisy carrington

00

£5.

Coloured water bottles Give your home an eco feel johnlewis.co.uk

At the best of times, the London rental market is a headache (OK, a migraine), not made easier by the fact that some boroughs are just downright dumps. We’ve compiled this list of London’s five worst hoods by numbers, so you can see where’s best avoided. Some of them might surprise you ...

Hackney 9 6.9

RENT: Average £1380pm for a one-bedroom.

WHY IT SUCKS: We know, Hackney’s come up in the world, but if anything its perceived popularity has made it more unbearable.

Rents have risen nearly nine per cent in the last year (adding nearly £1200 to the annual

£

Raccoon cushion Better your couch than your rubbish hm.com

.95

£12

Donna Wilson egg cup Not egg on your face, but face on ... donnawilson.com

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Hailing a bus in Hackney: “on second thought, I’ll wait for the next one ...”

[Caption] Crime scene: some lines shouldn’t be crossed. Steer clear of Croydon

yearly rent bill), and according to the Hackney Community Law Centre, illegal evictions have doubled since landlords reckon they can get more for their properties. Worst yet, the residents are miserable. It forms a large part of London’s east, which a recent survey by rightmove.co.uk found is the country’s most unhappy region. Its unemployment is also among the highest in the UK at 11.7 per cent last year (the London average is 10 per cent).

Westminster RENT: Average £1964pm for a one-bedroom.

WHY IT SUCKS: Being one of London’s richest areas doesn’t make it a nice place to live.

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YOUr VIEW ariane

kearlotta Fashion writer, 29

“I lived in Tottenham during the riots. It’s not a great area, but has its charm. Having dogs helped – people would know that I lived there.

I didn’t mind it, but knew family and friends weren’t so up for visiting.”

noel

fletcher IT Banker, 32

Westminster has the worst crime rate in the city, with the Metropolitan police reporting a total of 62,000 crimes out of 770,000 in London took place in the borough. Weirdly, Westminster also has the highest number of brothels in the city (of 921 brothels monitored in London in 2008, it housed 71).

Secondly, the value for money is atrocious.

“The price to share a room in Westminster is equivalent to renting an entire flat anywhere else,” says Matt Hutchinson, founder of rental website spareroom.co.uk. “And really, that just defeats the purpose.”

Photos: Getty; Thinkstock

Croydon RENT: Average £800pm for a one-bedroom.

WHY IT SUCKS: Croydon bears the brunt of all the city’s ills. Whenever London’s worst anything is put to a vote, Croydon is usually tops. The hood recently earned the lowest score for “neighbourliness” in a survey by rightmove.co.uk questioning 40,000 Brits.

The council gets more complaints than any other in London (grievences number about 10 a month), the local hospitals get scathing reviews (patients recently scored Croydon University Hospital the second worst in England) and, as if the beleaguered borough didn’t have enough of an image problem, Channel 4 News recently compared it to a Syrian warzone, stating: “What Croydon is to London, Darayya is to Damascus.” Anchor Padraig O’ Brien claimed

it was a geographical comparison, but many in the area took umbrage.

Barking/Dagenham RENT: Average £900pm for a one-bedroom.

WHY IT SUCKS: These zone 4 destinations may save you a couple of quid a month on rent, but they won’t do your waistline any favours. These two outer boroughs have the smallest concentration of food shops per person, which Community Food Enterprise says makes healthy eating a gruelling exercise. “If someone has to travel far they are limited to what they can bring home, which increases food poverty,” says Eric Samuel MBE, CEO of the social enterprise.

Tower Hamlets RENT: Average £1380pm for a one-bedroom.

WHY IT SUCKS: No borough is better served by a public park than Tower Hamlets is by Victoria. The reason? The hood is broke. The unemployment numbers match Hackney’s (so they’re bad), and the area received some flak last year for having the worst child poverty in the city at 13.2 per cent (classed as when a family’s income falls 60 per cent below the average income of £25,000).

It doesn’t help when elected officials dip into the already tiny kitty, as was the case recently when mayor NEXT WEEK Lutfur Rahman was reported A guide to to have expensed almost £3000 Newie Green worth of taxi journeys.

“I hate Lambeth. The whole of it. I’m from north of the river, so everything south is bad. And didn’t something come out before saying it was London’s angriest area?”

YOUR VIEW FROM facebook.com/tntmag

Rebecca Clarke: Finsbury Park.

We were less than 5 minutes from the station in a room for £130 per week all inclusive. Within the first week there was a drug bust.Then a few more weeks later there was some type of shoot out, and then a young man was stabbed and killed outside the station. Then we had to move because it turned out it was actually a council house which was being sub-letted.

Enjoy it while it lasts ...

Ansa Nel Celestine: Leyton. We had a hole in our living room ceiling after a flood in the bathroom. You didn’t know if the bath was going to fall through with you in it.

Daniel Richardson: Hounslow.

Easy. Any place that has a section of the bar titled “deformity corner” surely gets a mention ...

join the conversation tntmagazine.com/worstlondon

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35

WORLDVIEW

girl, 4, treated for ipad addiCtion united kingdom

Just when you thought you’d heard it all – a four-year-old is undergoing treatment for iPad addiction.

The girl became so hooked on playing games on the tablet that she experiences tweets of the week @wittsjw Anzac Day. One of the most revered days of mourning in this nation’s history. And Australia’s #1 trending topic is Cody Simpson @sendasigh23 Happy Remind A Racist That St George Was An Immigrant Day @magnumlady I see they are still selling JLS condoms. No point getting them, they’ll just split

withdrawal symptoms when the iPad is taken away. Her concerned parents enrolled her in a ‘digital detox programme’ to wean her off the device.

Psychiatrist Dr Richard Graham, of the Capio Nightingale Clinic in London, likened the withdrawal symptoms of tech addicts to those experienced by alcoholics.

36

TNT_1548_036 36

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In the spotlight: Aussies see their photographs up in lights as images are projected on to the sails of the Sydney Opera House during the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone

glass half full for happy aussies australia

Australians are among the most optimistic people in the world, according to a study of more than 140 nationalities.

The study by Boston University, published in the Journal Of Personality, analysed 150,048 individuals from 142 countries. It examined relationships based on optimism, subjective well-being, perceived health and hopes for the future.

Australians also ranked ninth in the list of the most hopeful people for the future.

Surprisingly, given their recent economic woes, the Irish were ranked as the most optimistic nationals on the planet, followed

by Brazilians, Danish, New Zealanders and Americans.

“Our results suggest that optimism is not merely a benefit of living in industrialised nations, but reflects a universal characteristic that is associated with and potentially may serve to promote improved

psychological functioning worldwide,” the university’s Matthew Gallagher said.

sticky end for gummy bear thief new zealand

A trail of Gummy Bears led police to a thief who’d broken into a car parked in Auckland.

The vehicle was damaged in the robbery, but the only thing taken was a bag of the chewy sweets.

Auckland Police inspector Vaughn Graham said: “Officers followed a trail of Gummy Bears to a nearby bus shelter where a man who appeared to be intoxicated was asleep and surrounded by discarded gummies.”

The thief with the indelibly sweet tooth has been charged with theft as well as willful damage. He is due to appear at Auckland District Court this week.

tntMagazine.com

26/04/2013 17:27:53

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THIS WEEK

IN NUMBERS 6

Size, in inches, of a skeleton found in Chile that people thought was an alien. DNA tests reveal it was human

Amount of time, in days, drivers spend wasting their lives in traffic jams every year, says a new UK study

Zombie bride: the couple’s big day

2

COUPLE’S (UN)DEAD GOOD WEDDING

3

Time, in hours spent doing housework, it would take to burn off calories gained from a Starbucks muffin

UNITED KINGDOM

A couple dressed as the ‘undead’ have tied the knot in what could be the UK’s first zombie-themed wedding.

Horror fans Jennifer Jones and Rob Blackmore shuffled down the aisle after being transformed into flesh-eating creatures normally found in a movie.

The couple, from Liverpool, were able to create their dream wedding after winning a competition for the release of new computer game, Dead Island Riptide.

Jennifer, 27, said: “We wanted to get married on Halloween anyway so it was always going to be a weird wedding.”

The ceremony, with 250 guests, was decorated as a “hellish” Caribbean paradise.

CROC ATTACKS MAN, WHO STRIKES BACK

Photos: Getty; AAP

AUSTRALIA

Night swimming probably isn’t the safest thing to do in Western Australia, as a French sailor found out when he was attacked by a crocodile.

The saltwater beast tried to death roll Yoann Galeran when he was about 10 minutes from shore at Nhulunbuy, heading out to get a moored dingy.

He was grabbed by the neck and pulled under the water by the flesh-hungry critter.

However, the 29-year-old managed to fight back, smacking the croc over the head.

Relying on his instincts, Galeran fought

Wages, in thousands of US dollars, a stripper called Menagerii posted on Reddit to show what she earned in a night

Death roll: Yoann Galeran for his life, punching at the reptile’s body and its head until it let him go and he escaped to safety. “If it was bigger, I wouldn’t be talking to you now,” he said.

DUREX CREATES BUZZING UNDERWEAR AUSTRALIA

Long-distance relationships could become a great deal more interesting in the near future, thanks to Durex’s upcoming product, Fundawear.

Specifically designed for couples that frequently spend long periods of time apart, it’s a pair of vibrating undies that can be controlled by an iPhone from anywhere in the world.

The app, designed by researchers in Australia, presents the user with a diagram of your partner’s body parts and touching the screen stimulates them through vibration in the underwear. Skype is likely to get a little more interesting for couples once the product is released.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK They are continuing to sell well throughout the country irrespective of the allegations David Phelps, an art gallery owner in Torquay, says he’ll continue to sell Rolf Harris’s paintings despite them being vandalised after it was revealed the artist and entertainer had been questioned by police over historic sex abuse allegations

TNT doesn’t stop delivering with these pages, our sterling website is chock-full of travel features, great deals, competitions and more.

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THE UNCHANGING FACE OF THE AUSSIE STEREOTYPE

New stats say the average Aussie is a 37-year-old mother-of-two but has the cliche really been updated?

NEW MEDIA FAIL IN WAKE OF BOSTON BOMBING HORROR

The role social media has played in the Boston bombings needs scrutiny and must never be repeated

eti m/y tntmagazine.co FOLLOW UP FEATURES

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We’ve put together a list of the best foraging groups, classes and clubs London has to offer

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TNT puts the world to rights

OURVIEW

COMMENT: MICHAEL GADD michael.gadd@tntmagazine.com

No longer a stereotypical Aussie?: Crocodile Dundee

So long Foster’s stereotype as average Aussie changes

Photo: Getty

Wife-beaters out – in comes mum-of-two in a three-bed house

“G’day cobber, throw another shrimp on the barbie and get a dog up ya” – that’s how the traditional stereotypical Aussie would greet you. He’d be a white man, with a boorish or cocky tone, wearing a wife-beater (singlet), Stubbies (shorts) and thongs (yes, we know a thong is a G-string but flip-flops sounds almost as silly as jandals). Paul Hogan’s Mick ‘Crocodile’ Dundee, basically. Obviously the reality is far from it, mate, and has been for yonks.

As Australia ticked over 23 million people last week, new Bureau of Statistics info told us the average Aussie is in fact a 37-year-old mother-of-two who lives in a three-bedroom house in a suburb in a city. She’s still born on the big island, just like her parents were.

Although today, 26 per cent of Australians are born off-shore while 48 per cent (such as this little black duck) have a parent born somewhere else.

At home, one in five (19 per cent) Aussies speak a language that isn’t English – most commonly Mandarin due to the huge influx of new Australians from China. But is how the Aussie stereotype is portrayed overseas changing? Not really. I play sport in teams with mostly English members and among other things get called Barbie (courtesy of the country’s expertise on the meat-cooking device, not my unrealistic proportions, I’m sad to say) or Mick Dundee (I’d prefer to avoid wrestling a crocodile if I can help it).

Foster’s has a lot to answer for when it comes to the image of the uber-tanned, laid-back “g’day mate”-style Aussie bloke. It sells a false image of Oz because it goes down a treat when selling cold beer. It’s no offence, but wrong. The bikini-clad girls in its ads represent Australia more than the lads do – only because they’re women, though. The number of women overtook the men Down Under in the Fifties and streaked away since. Despite this, the Aussie stereotype can, as the cliche has it, be found on Home And Away or Neighbours.

But these days it’s the mum with a bit of somewhere other than England in her genes. » Agree or disagree? Has the stereotypical Aussie changed? letters@tntmagazine.com

ANZAC DAY GOES FAR PAST GALLIPOLI With Anzac Day on the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli each year, it’s understandable some confuse it as a day honouring just that, or focus mainly on it. But it’s still an annual bugbear for me.

Gallipoli’s an amazing story, and Australians’ and New Zealanders’ heroic efforts on that fool’s errand for the British Empire played a huge role in national development Down Under. I don’t belittle it for a second.

But it’s important to note that Anzac Day, as the Australian War Memorial says, is to honour those “who served and died

“

Remember those who died in all wars

”

in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.

Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, Greece, PNG, too many to list and many of them surprise Brit friends I mention them to. Seeing it marked by so many young people at places other than Gallipoli adds value to the day.

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Tributes: thousands turn out in Sydney

Lest we forget TNT remembers fallen Anzac soldiers with expats in London WORDS CAROL DRIVER

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best of our breed, the saviours of all we cherish and the architects of who and what we are.”

As services were held around the world, TNT headed to the wreath laying ceremony and parade in Whitehall.

Soldiers, dignitaries, VIPs, politicians, backpackers and families turned out for the service, which included readings, hymns, prayers and music – including traditional bugle call the Last Post – from the Coldstream Guard Band.

Regional technical officer Stuart Thomson, 46, who served with the Australian army for 23 years, said the day isn’t only important for remembering Anzac soldiers, but for paying

“

It’s thanks to them we have freedom today

”

respects to all those who have fallen since. “For me, it’s not just guys who died in warzones – a lot of my friends died in the Black Hawk disaster in Australia in 1996. I see it that any soldier that’s served whether in training or active service, this is a day to think about those guys and remember,” he added.

After wreaths were laid by representatives including the Australian and New Zealand high commissioners, Reverend Jenny Petersen concluded with lines from The Fallen by Laurence Binyon, ending: “At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.”

Asked whether younger generations will keep the Anzac tradition, Jennifer Tomasetti, from Sydney, said “absolutely”.

“We’ve worked so hard as a nation to build up Australia to what it is today and it’s thanks to the soldiers that fought.”

She added: “I’m very proud to be Australian today.”

Is Anzac still relevant? How did you mark it? Send us your views and photos to letters@tntmagazine.com

Photos: Getty; AAP

“It’s the concept of ‘lest we forget’. If we don’t pass the tradition of Anzac Day on to our children and to their children, what those soldiers fought for becomes obsolete and forgotten. What we have now is because of what they fought for.” As hundreds of people lined the roads by the Cenotaph in London last Thursday to remember fallen troops, Stacey Wilson, 30, from New Zealand, summed up what Anzac Day means to Antipodeans in 2013. Earlier, more than 3000 expats turned out for the 5am Dawn Service in Hyde Park to mark the 98th anniversary of April 25, 1915, when Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed in Gallipoli, Turkey, during the First World War. Clad in yellow and green or draped in their national flags, Aussies and Kiwis remembered the 44,000 soldiers who died during the campaign, including 8709 Australians and 2721 New Zealanders, in what’s seen as a conflict that defined the nations, creating a resilient bond.

Michael Hutchinson, 29, moved from Sydney four years ago. He said the service allowed him to carry on a tradition he started after spending Anzac in Gallipoli in 2009. “My grandfather fought in World War II and Korea so I have always had a deep respect and appreciation for the sacrifice that he and his fellow veterans made. I was so moved by the experience [in Gallipoli] that I made a promise to myself I would ensure I attended a Dawn Service each year.”

Australia’s high commissioner to Britain, Mike Rann, attended the service, along with the Duke of Kent and Australia’s opposition foreign affairs spokesman Julie Bishop.

Rann told the gathering that marking Anzac was still relevant to generations today. “In a time of terrorism, when the enemy is often unknown and unseen, we honour not only those who have fallen over the years but those who continue to bravely serve us in places like Afghanistan and in peacekeeping operations around the world,” he said.

“On this day we remember our fallen comrades as the TNTMAGAZINE.COM

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Jonathan Page (left), Australian: “It’s part of our history, so we should respect the fallen heroes. We should never forget the sacrifices they made.

I think marking Anzac Day is getting more popular with new generations.”

For more than nine weeks, TNT has been campaigning with your help against the UK Border Agency. We’ve revealed horror stories, gained press coverage in the UK and Australia, and attracted support from high-profile MPs. To read our coverage so far, visit tntmagazine.com/ukba. Five weeks ago it was announced the UK Border Agency will be split into two organisations – one dealing with visas.

In true shambolic style, a name for the office, and how it’s going to work, is yet to be decided. So far, all that’s clear is that it’s going to be the same staff, reporting to the same bosses, in the same building, operating within the same budgets. Therefore, our demands for this new entity remain the same.

Add your voice to TNT Magazine’s UKBA Balls-Up campaign to demand the new office changes its policies so that:

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Private Dennis McIver (right), NZ: “I lost four mates last year while they were serving. We’re here to honour them with our mates and share it with people to get the message across how important Anzac is.”

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Ben Ward, NZ: “I’m representing my parents. My father was a Sergeant Major fighting in Italy. They’ve both passed away, so this is incredibly significant. My family still embrace it seriously, it keeps the memories alive.”

✔ Every applicant receives correspondence when an application has been received ✔ Advice is then sent to all applicants detailing the process system and what it means for those wanting to work or travel ✔ Every applicant gets access to an emergency helpline which they can call for updates at any time, not only after six months ✔ The target for processing visas for those based in the UK who are eligible to work is reduced to three months ✔ A full refund is offered to applicants if their application takes longer than the target time if it is due to UKBA incompetency ✔ The amount of premium service appointments is increased – and a full refund is offered to applicants if the UKBA doesn’t adhere to the allotted 24-hour timescale ✔ Applicants wishing to extend visas to stay in the UK can do so before the ‘28 days before expiry’ deadline Add your name to our government epetition.

Follow the link from tntmagazine.com/ukba

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SPORTNEWS

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Capped: Tim Mikkelson

skipper mik to lead Nz lap of honour rugby sevens

Fullback Tim Mikkelson will take over as skipper of the All Blacks Sevens side for the HSBC Sevens World Series tournaments in Glasgow and London due to a DJ Forbes foot injury.

“While it’s disappointing not to have DJ on the team, we’re hoping this gives him plenty of time to come right for Moscow for the Rugby World Cup in late June,” coach Gordon Tietjens told irb.com. “Tim did a great job stepping up to the captain’s role in Tokyo and certainly deserves the honour of leading the team again.”

The New Zealand side lead the series handsomely going into this weekend’s Glasgow comp and ahead of the finale at Twickenham on May 11 and 12.

quins and saints to decide semi line-up rugby

Already semi-finalists, Harlequins and Northampton finish the regular season at Twickenham Stoop on Sat (2.30pm, ESPN). The result will decide who they face next week.

Quins sit third, just one point ahead of the Saints. The winner will visit the Leicester Tigers, who earned homeground advantage by finishing the season second.

The loser faces top-placed Saracens, who take on Bath at Allianz Park at the same time (Sky Sports). The semis will be played on May 11 and 12.

Saints have made the past four finals without reaching the big one. Director of rugby Jim Mallinder told the Guardian he’s trying to keep his players’ feet on the ground: “We know it is going to be hard, because this season we have struggled against the top sides. But we have a chance.”

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The final result is inevitable but sometimes the bull gets a few good shots in before the knock-out. Spanish matador Julian Lopez “El Juli” felt the full force of this bull when he was gored during a bullfight at the Maestranza bullring in Sevilla last week

black caps arrive to take on england cricket

Brendan McCullum’s New Zealand Black Caps arrive in the UK this week ahead of their two Test and three ODI series against England.

The tour starts with a three-day warmup against Derbyshire from Saturday and a four-dayer from Thursday, May 9, against an England Lions side in Leicestershire.

The first Test is at Lord’s from May 16, with Mark Gillespie and Martin Guptill the only changes to the side which drew three matches at home in March.

Ex-skipper Daniel Vettori is back for the one-day squad, which plays its first game on Friday, May 31. Two Twenty20s will be played on June 25 and 27 at the Kia Oval.

BIG WEEK FOR ...

Rob Quiney’s found a good match in Essex, the division two county side he joined last week. He’ll line up for them against Hampshire in the Y Bank 40 on Friday (4pm, Sky Sports 3).

Quiney is in need of some love after his axing from the Aussie side after two Tests against South Africa and he dubbed the season his “worst season in the last three or four years”.

It was only a year ago he was Australian domestic cricketer of the year. He started by being Essex’s best batsman (25 and 56) last week in a dismal innings defeat to Northants.

tntMagazine.com

26/04/2013 16:03:00

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QUOTES OF THE WEEK We have to find an elevated minimum level. We can’t afford to let games slip away Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley after his team let another game slip. Their St Kilda game’s live on ESPN, Fri, 10.30am

Hat-trick hero: can Stevie G repeat his last derby triple?

PREVIEW MERSEYSIDE DERBY A TALE OF TWO TEAMS LIVERPOOL V EVERTON SUN, 1.30PM, SKY SPORTS 1 The oldest derby in the Premier League hits Anfield this weekend with two sides next to each other on the table but with very different motivations.

Before Saturday’s clash with Fulham, Everton were sixth, still within a sniff of a Europa League spot. They need to rack up wins and hope Tottenham or Chelsea flop in the final rounds of the season.

Liverpool have to come to terms with the loss of their season-best player, Luis Suarez, for 10 games after he was banned

for 10 matches for biting Branislav Ivanovic.

While they won’t say it out loud, in seventh place they’re looking towards building momentum for season 2013/14.

When they played in March it was all Liverpool, with Steven Gerrard scoring all three in a 3-0 win. Sadly for him, the guy who laid on two of his goals got a bit peckish against Chelsea and will be in the stands. A positive for Brendan Rodgers’ side though is that unlike in March, he has another striker – a good one at that – in Daniel Sturridge, who he signed in summer.

Always a cracking game.

It seems that the people making the decisions have got it in for Luis a bit. That’s the way I see it … the punishment is very disproportionate Liverpool’s Spanish keeper Pepe Reina sticking up for his bitey friend Suarez

You will get smashed UFC boss Dana White to gobby giant and Brit boxer Tyson Fury who said MMA is rubbish and called out the discipline’s heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez

TV HIGHLIGHTS FOOTBALL Aston Villa v Sunderland The EPL relegation battle is heating up Mon, 8pm, Sky Sports 1

THE CHAT | Bayern take Barca’s baton

AFL

Photos: Getty

Richmond Tigers v Geelong Cats Isn’t Spain the centre of the football universe?

Q And Barcelona the standard every other team is measured on? What happened last week then?

Last week belonged to the Budesliga, with Bayern Munich A and Borussia Dortmund spanking their Spanish opponents in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. While the La Liga sides are at home for this week’s return legs, Barca have a 4-0 deficit to overcome against Bayern (Tue, 7.45pm, ITV), while Real have to find a way to be at least three goals better than Dortmund after losing 4-1 (Wed, 7.45pm, ITV). The tiki-taka passing game of Barca was found out by Bayern’s efficiency and speed while Real couldn’t find a way to stop the red-hot Robert Lewandowski. We’ll soon know if it was a fluke.

Live AFL action from Melbourne Sat, 10.30am, ESPN

FOOTBALL QPR v Arsenal A tricky one for Euro-chasing Gunners Sat, 4.45pm, ESPN

RUGBY LEAGUE Bradford Bulls v Leeds Rhinos Red-hot: Lewandowski

Super League big guns do battle Fri, 8pm, Sky Sports 2

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Meeting my polo Destiny As England’s polo team prepares to take on Argentina at The O2, TNT finds out if the sport is as hard as it looks WORDS MICHAEL GADD

“Remember you’re on a horse, Michael!” a friendly Irishman yells from a nearby mount. A couple of hours ago I was doing well to stay on my steed, Destiny, but now I’m at full stretch, hooked horizontal into the stirrups as I try to scoop an orange ball out of a crowd with a big cane stick. To say it’s a technically questionable move wouldn’t be harsh, but it’s my first time and it’s hard to not get carried away with this “sport of kings”.

The royalness of polo’s nickname condemns it for many as a sport for the uber-rich. It also looks bloody hard. Players ride a horse one-handed and hit a ball with a 50-inch long mallet. At Cool Hooves Polo, part of the Royal County Of Berkshire Polo Club, they’re keen to expel the elitist myth.

I’m here for a masterclass with England polo captain Jamie Morrison, also club chairman, and Eddie Kennedy, the Irish gent soon to advise me of my idiocy. I take some comfort in Morrison telling me “80 per cent of the game is the horse”, but I wasn’t worried about the horse.

It’s safety first as we’re kitted out with helmets and Kennedy runs us through what our morning holds. He’ll teach us to ride with double reins in our left hand. On a ‘wooden horse’ we’ll hit balls – a specific technique is required to not clock the horse. Then we’ll put it together at the end in a game.

Instead of a traditional polo playing area the size of nine football fields, we’ll be learning in the Cool Hooves Arena Polo space. This format is the Twenty20 cricket of polo, a condensed area that shows off the traditional skills of the sport but is a faster, more spectator-friendly format, as will be on show May 21 when England play Argentina in the third HPA Gaucho International Polo event at The O2 Arena.

“For the layman, you go to a normal summer polo match on the grass and it’s all so far away,” Morrison explains.

“When it goes to the other side of the field, spectators have a drink and wait for it to come back. In the arena, the crowd feels the game, feels the power of the horses and what they 44

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can do. It’s a bit like going to an ice hockey match.”

Before we even begin, there’s a casualty – my jeans crotch is even less flexible than me as I blunder onto Destiny. Four reins in my left hand, we’re walking around a circle. So far, so good. Polo ponies (as they’re called, but they’re full-grown horses) are incredibly well-trained, especially schooling ones like my new best friend. “If you do nothing, she’ll do nothing,” Kennedy says. A gentle lift of the reins finds first gear, a little higher is second, or a trot. My right hand is lost, though. “What are you grabbing?” Kennedy asks, as I clutch the front of my saddle or wave it like Destiny’s a bucking

“

It’s like playing ice hockey, but on a horse

”

bronco. Within what seems minutes he tells Destiny and I to do U-turns, first at a walk and soon at a canter (third gear).

Thankfully, Destiny’s on board. To prove the skill of the horse, he asks us to trot across the playing area and stop at the wall when Destiny’s nose touches it. Easy, no thanks to me.

Confidence isn’t high, and plummets when I’m asked to stand while riding. Not only is polo riding a one-handed pursuit, it’s an on-your-toes, arse in the air, quad and calfhammering thing, too. Willing away cramps in muscles I didn’t know existed, crash-course one is over.

I’m more comfortable hitting balls – can’t be that different to hitting red ones with a bat. “It’s all about timing,” Morrison explains. I’m screwed, then. “Don’t try to hit it too hard,” Kennedy adds, when I try to hit it too hard. A pendulum action, the swing takes place in a zone parallel to the wooden horse (about the height of Destiny). The arena ball isn’t the

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Raw power: England and Argentina at full speed

Pick the pro: Jamie Morrison at The O2 last year (left) and TNT’s Michael happy to stay on the back of Destiny

Photos: Getty

rock hard one used in regular polo, but an orange minifootball – lighter and easier to control, Morrison says, adding to the skill showed by the pros. We hit backwards, forwards, on the off-side (right) and the near-side (left), which is tricky as you cross your body (no lefties allowed, sorry).

Back on Destiny, and with a stick in hand, my riding skills (loose term) skyrocket. A friend suggests I was like a puppy who’s seen a “Ball! Ball! Ball!” It’s hard to argue. I feel like a pro as Destiny prances towards the ball, allowing me to focus on making contact with it.

Into a game situation, my fellow learners are as clueless as me, but I soon find the breakaway tactic popular in under-sixes football useful. With Kennedy on my team and Morrison for the opposition, the ball is kept moving by an expert when it gets clogged in a sea of horses and sticks. When we get the ball, I break from the pack and Kennedy, with a smooth sweep, finds me repeatedly in space for a breakaway (I was barely beyond walking pace, but that ruins the image). I even score a couple of times. Then, about to shoot, and perhaps suspecting me of getting too big for my boots, Morrison glides in behind to hook my stick before my shot. Another skill learned. At the end, I do resemble that puppy, with a shit-eating grin.

“How’d I go?” I ask Kennedy. “Yeah, you were one of the top performers, you’ve got a future in the game.” A cracking quote if not through a chuckle. “It really takes time to get up and learn. We’d have to get you up 100 per cent riding, that’s the most important, and that takes years of practice. If you can’t get to the ball you can’t hit it. A crash course like this, you’re only going to realise it’s a tough sport.”

So when Morrison takes on South America’s best next month and it looks easy, I can assure you it’s not – even with Destiny on his side.

HPA Gaucho International Polo. The O2. May 21. Tickets from £20.

SE10 0DX gauchopolo.com North Greenwich

Down the line: Cool Hooves coach Eddie Kennedy awaits Michael’s next false move

Elite: Prince Harry with Nacho Figueras, Argentina’s captain

england v argentina polo’s best at the o2 When Jamie Morrison’s England team goes stick-tostick with Argentina at The O2, punters can be assured they are watching polo as good as it gets.

The Nacho Figueras-led Argentines are streaks ahead of the world in outdoor four-a-side polo, but England are at the top in the smaller three-per-team arena format.

“It’s a great rivalry,” Morrison says. “Last year the game went to a penalty shootout and we beat them.”

The rating of players worldwide from zero to 10 goals keeps games even. Only Argentina has players rated the maximum – Morrison is an eight. This game will allow a total goal rating of 22 on each side, “a very high level”, Morrison says. “It’ll be full-on action, very fast, I’d recommend anyone to come and check it out.”

In addition to the polo, The O2 hosts a full-on South American fest, with food from Gaucho, live music, DJs and the biggest ever Argentinian wine tasting overseas.

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SPORTVIEW

TNT puts the world to rights

COMMENT: MICHAEL GADD michael.gadd@tntmagazine.com

The cap fits: Chris Rogers recalled to the Aussie squad for the Ashes series

Buck back in the Baggy Green: it just makes sense

Chris Rogers could rule Lord’s for Middlesex and Australia in 2013

» Agree or disagree? Is Rogers the right man for the job? letters@tntmagazine.com 46

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It’s such a shame when the headlines are dominated by an act of idiocy from a serial offender, in this case Liverpool biter Luis Suarez, when there’s guys like TNT’s favourite striker, Chris Wood, going about their business.

New Zealander Wood, a West Bromwich-Albion loan-out when he impressed for Millwall last year, is now kicking butt for Leicester City after signing with them for £2m in January. His coach Nigel Pearson has dubbed his start at the Premier League promotion hopefuls as “exceptional” and says he’s a key player in their future plans.

“

He’s a tank, with a left-boot rocket

”

Some frontmen trade in finesse and flair, Wood is an old-school tank who uses his strength, composure, speed and leftboot rocket to do damage. He has 22 goals for the season, scored between at times 36-hour flights from All Whites games.

He also seems a stand-up bloke, so worth more attention than that gnawy moron.

Photo: Getty

A case of logic overcame the Australian cricket selectors last week. It’s not something they’ve been over-familiar with of late, but picking Brad Haddin as vice-captain made sense. His batting numbers are about the same as Matthew Wade’s but his experience will be handy in the Ashes. Even more sensible, while called a ‘shock’ and ‘surprise’ by some, is the recall of Chris Rogers.

Rogers already has a Baggy Green – look at him doing his best Cheshire Cat face on receiving it in Perth in 2008. The grin didn’t last long, though. He scored 19 in his two innings and was filling in for Matthew Hayden, who was fit for the next game. Dumped.

So the journeyman – who played for Shropshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Wiltshire and Northamptonshire before taking over the captaincy of Middlesex, and despite being from Sydney, played 10 years for Western Australia and now Victoria – has had to wait five years. What’s he done? Scored runs, in Australia and England, in what was surely a clincher when the 16-man Ashes squad was devised. Forget he’s 35 (Haddin’s age), the selectors went with the “best man for the job” theory. Rightly, given the situation.

Rogers’ first class average after 14 years just ticked over 50 thanks to a solid start to the season for Middlesex, who’ve won their first two County Championship games in a doddle.

His numbers aren’t inflated by Aussie or UK conditions, they’re about the same in both, and he’s also committed to the long form of the game. When in the 11 he’ll be seen as a leader among the young line-up, too. He’s skippered Middlesex into division one in his first year in 2011 and to third last year, their best since 1995. Now they’re a competition favourite.

From Wednesday this week, he faces off against another opener-skipper in South Africa’s Graeme Smith as Surrey visit Lord’s, where Australia and England play the second Ashes test from July 18. With big quick Chris Tremlett back fit for Surrey and pushing for an England spot, could this be a dress rehearsal for Rogers? I’ll be there just in case it is.

WATCH WOOD, NOT VERY GNAWY BOY

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Learn The Lingo courses, part of TNT’s Language School, are ideal for beginners or those who’d like to brush up on the basics

French & Spanish TUESDAY APRIL 30 Spanish @ 6:30pm

WEDNESDAY MAY 1 French @ 6:30pm

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VENUE: YHA Holland Park Holland Walk, Kensington, London W8 7QU

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TRAVEL LATE DEALS | HOTSHOTS | TRAVEL TIPS | TOP FIVE | TOURS | BIG TRIP IMAGE OF THE WEEK

HEAD TO HEAD A traditional elephant fight takes place during the spring Suwari festival in Boko, India

Photos: Getty; Thinkstock

INSIDE

PERFECT PINTS /52

PLAIN SAILING /60

LA TOMATINA TIME /64

Kick back with a zesty pint of cider or a hearty bitter at a festival celebrating the best of British booze.

An intensive sailing course in the Ionian Sea comes with peace, quiet and then partying on some of Greece’s prettiest islands.

The world’s biggest food fight is one of the craziest scenes you’ll ever experience. La Tomatina aficionados tell us how to survive.

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TRAVELDIARY

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Nice buns: Cheung Chau fest

Helen Elfer TRAVEL EDITOR

WHAT’S COOKING IN THE BEDROOM? Bad at budgeting? Yeah me too. I can count zillions of times when I’ve done some wonky maths, persuaded myself I can afford flights and a cool, central hotel somewhere, only to find I’ve got just about enough cash left to eat out at Subway. As long as I don’t get carried away and add a cookie and cardboard cup of Sprite. (I bloody hate Subway. No matter what you order, it’ll always taste like a drawing of a sandwich. Why are there such a depressing number of Subways in Europe? Answers on a postcard.)

But if, like me, the prospect of a week of footlongs fills you with dread when you’re trying to cut costs, hotel.info have come up with a solution. They’re creating a guide to cooking all your holiday meals where you’re staying, using only items that might be commonly found in your hotel room or luggage. Sceptical? Well let’s see.

Here’s their recipe for a breakfast of poached eggs and asparagus on toast: you can toast the bread by pressing it against the iron. Crack your egg into cling film and then hang it inside the kettle while it’s boiling. So far so good. Now tie some spears of asparagus to a pen and hang them inside the kettle to steam them. Et voilà. As far as I can tell, this would work like a dream... as long as you remember to pack some cling film. Apparently cheese toasties and even minute steaks can be whipped up using just the humble iron, too.

I’m definitely going to try this one out next time I’m strapped for cash on holiday. OK, so this solution might not satisfy the foodie tourists among you, but hey, if it’s between that and a meatball marinara, I know which I’d choose.

Write in to helen.elfer@tntmagazine.com

How many buns does it take to create a 20-metre-tall tower? You can find out if you attend one of the world’s quirkiest, albeit tastiest, 14-18 festivals in which residents of the Hong Kong island Cheung Chau celebrate the glutenous treats by racing up bamboo towers that are covered in buns. There’s a bit of a free-for-all as everyone grabs the goodies en route.

MAY

WHY: Hong Kongese are divided on the fest’s origins: some say the bun festival began when villagers gorged themselves on pastries after a plague. Others say it used to be a ceremony to soothe ghosts of the plague’s victims. The connection between these events and the bun scramble? We bun-no.

ROSE FESTIVAL Morocco

This wonderfully perfumed event takes place in a small 8-10 mountainous area near the Sahara. Thousands of tourists sift through fields of Persian roses for a three-day flowery festival filled with song and dance, feasts and even a chariot procession.

MAY

visitmorocco.com

CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

France

The eyes of all movie-lovers will turn from the big screen 15-26 to the glitzy Cote d’Azur for Cannes. More than 30,000 will hit the southern French city for celeb-spotting and, if you can pull enough strings to get tickets, film screenings.

MAY

festival-cannes.fr/en.html

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DO IT BECAUSE: The higher up the competitors get in the main event, held on May 17 this year, the better their luck in future will be. If scaling piles of baked goods ain’t your thing, watching others doing it is just as entertaining. cheungchau.org

BRIGHTON FRINGE

England

This wide-ranging arts fest is one of the largest fringe 4-2 festivals in the world covering dance, comedy, poetry, puppetry – you name it, if it’s artistic it’s represented here. Go along as a spectator or you can participate in the performances and workshops. It’s on for a whole month this year, so there’s no excuse for missing out.

MAY-JUNE

brightonfringe.org

PRIMAVERA SOUND

Spain

More than 100,000 people will descend on Barcelona 22-26 for one of the first music festivals of the season. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Blur are playing.

MAY

primaverasound.com

Photo: Getty

Got any wacky ways of saving cash overseas?

CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL Hong Kong

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26/04/2013 17:01:42

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Top job candidates An impressive 23 candidates from the UK have made it through to the next stage of Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ competition. They’re up against 150 hopefuls from 35 countries who have made the shortlist and are in with a chance of scoring one of the most amazing roles ever created. These include Chief Funster in New South Wales and Outback Adventurer in Northern Territory.

Tourism Australia’s managing director Andrew McEvoy said: “Tourism Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’ competition has clearly struck a chord with Brits, and I know there are some fantastic entries from the UK in the mix.”

Tomatina tickets

ON-Time Airlines

Seems like the crowds can’t get enough of La Tomatina’s squishy, stinky, tomato fight fun.

But the ordinarily sleepy town of Buñol, where the annual La Tomatina festival is held, has struggled to contain the numbers of revellers in recent years. The event has got so busy that Spanish authorities have just announced a plan to ticket the 2013 event. No formal details have been released yet as to where and how to obtain them, but it’s expected that 20,000 tickets will be released closer to the event at €10 (£8.50) per person. Check with your operator if you’re going on a package tour.

Good news for South African Airways (SAA), which has been named the most punctual airline in the world. According to a report by airline and flight information services provider FlightStats, SAA took the top spot on the list, with 92.26 per cent of flights departing on time during March. Gary Kershaw, SAA’s UK general manager said: “We take enormous pride in our product and performance. At Heathrow we consistently out-perform the target we set for on-time departures, despite the fact that Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports, and leads the list in Europe.”

crap travel job Think flight attendants live a non-stop lifestyle of glamorous parties, jetting from exotic beaches to buzzing cities? Apparently that’s not the case, according to a new ranking based on pay, stress, physical demands and future prospects.

In an annual survey of 200 careers by Canadian website careercast.com, the role of flight attendant was ranked 191 out of 200. “High stress, low pay and a shrinking job market all contribute to flight attendant’s inclusion among the worst jobs of 2013,” it says. Surely the perks must make up for it just a little bit? Discounted flights and holidays are nothing to sniff at...

DEEP SCOTTISH LOVE WE DON’T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING. OUR CUSTOMERS SPEAK FOR US “I booked the 5 day Highland fling, and adored every second of it.

The sights were fantastic. I loved it, and would do it again on a heartbeat.”

5 Day Highland Fling, 8 April - Alex Gordon, USA

NEWS & VIEWS /HAGGiSADVENTURES

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So much beer, so little time: start a label collection this summer ...

Beer festivals uk

Cheers for beers: here’s to how Egham salutes real ale and cider 52

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UKTRIP

Perfect pints Kick back with a zesty pint of cider or a hearty bitter at a fest celebrating the best British booze WORDS HELEN ELFER

There couldn’t be a better way to spend a warm weekend (they’re coming!) than heading to one of the UK’s best beer festivals to spend a couple of days tasting and note-taking or chatting and chugging (depending on what kind of beer drinker you are). So check the weather forecast and get out there to see a new corner of the country, listen to some great live music and sample some seriously tasty brews.

Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival WHEN: June 6-8 This is an absolute behemoth of a beer fest, taking over the whole of Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena and including both Welsh and foreign beers, plus ciders and perries. Live music comes from rock and R’n’B covers band Jumpin’ Jimmy and The Nice Guys and Here Be Dragons, a wild Celtic band.

TIPPLES: You’ll be spoilt for choice with Welsh ales from Brecon Brewing, the Celt Experience and quirky South Wales microbrewery Tiny Rebel, plus plenty more.

STOMACH LINERS: Martin’s Jerked Meats, which sells hand-made jerky made with ales from Otley, Kingstone and Brecon. Feeling adventurous? Taste Merry Berry Truffles, which they say are perfect for pairing with beers and ciders.

MORE INFO: gwbcf.org.uk

Photos: Getty; Bob Inman; Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival

FyneFest WHEN: June 14-16 This one could get messy, as it’s a three-day camping festival

by Loch Fyne, about an hour’s drive from Glasgow. Along with the beer drinking, there’s locally sourced food to get stuck into and lots of live music. Bombskare, an Edinburghbased ska band are playing and so are Shooglenifty, who will be letting rip with their techno-meets-Scottish-folk tunes.

TIPPLES: The beer list is yet to be confirmed, but since the festival is run by Fyne Ales, we’d recommend you keep your eyes peeled for their Piper Gold. This bitter pale ale won a Camra’s Champion Beer of Britain bronze award, and is described as “well bittered but balanced with a long dry finish”. They’re also doubling their cider selection.

STOMACH LINERS: Seafood from Loch Fyne Oyster’s, venison burgers, sausage rolls and a hog roast will be among the fodder on offer.

MORE INFO: fynefest.com

Reading Real Ale and Jazz Festival WHEN: July 18-20 Forget those hoary old buggers you get at many a beer fest, who spend all their time muttering among themselves about obscure ales. This is a welcoming, all-inclusive event, where the music and good times are as important as the beer. In fact, if you dare to order a glass of wine instead, no one will raise an eyebrow. Retro swing and R’n’B band Laura B And The Moonlighters, plus boogie-woogie faves the Red Stripe Band will be keeping everyone’s toes tapping during the three boozy evenings.

TIPPLES: It’s always nice to try a local brew at ale festivals, so look out for the Loddon Brewery taps. The family-run brewery is based in a 200-year-old barn near Reading. Try their Hullabaloo Best Bitter, which they describe as having “a dry, herby bitterness which is balanced by the distinctly biscuity flavour of Crystal and Amber malts”. Yum. STOMACH LINERS: A hog roast, Pieminister Pies and a burger van should provide all the salty stodge you might require.

MORE INFO: raaj.info Egham Real Ale and Cider Festival WHEN: August 8-11 This small Surrey beer festival on the outskirts of London offers the perfect excuse to go back each day, as they have so many breweries involved they don’t have room for all of them at once – drinkers should check the blackboard outside to see what’s on each day. Aussie blues guitarist Roland Chadwick will be playing on the Friday night.

TIPPLES: Hackney Brewery will be represented – try their Golden Ale, which they say is “refreshing and complex, ideal as a session ale” with “deep flavour characteristics, but is light and is high in aroma hops”. Look out for other London breweries too, such as Croydon’s Cronx and Notting Hill’s Moncada.

Getting high: STOMACH LINERS: Hot We try kite surfing and cold food available. in Camber Sands MORE INFO: Head to eghambeerfestival.co.uk

NEXT WEEK

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LATEDEALS

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An eight-day Croatia sailing trip, including Dubrovnik, costs £110pp with Travel Talk

DEAL OF THE WEEK Lanzarote break

£258

A seven-night stay with easyJet (0843 104 1000; easyjet.com/holidays).

Includes flights and four-star, selfcatering accommodation at the Hotel Blue Sea Corbeta. Departs from London Gatwick on June 2.

< £250

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Croatia An eight-day sailing trip from Trogir to Dubrovnik costs £444pp with Intrepid Travel (0844 4998487; intrepidtravel.com).

Includes accommodation in twin berth cabin, some meals and excursions.

Excludes flights and £40 food kitty.

Book by May 9. Departs May 11.

SPAIN A six-day tour is now £299pp (save 30 per cent) with Travel Talk (0208 0998852, traveltalktours.com). Includes three- and four-star accommodation, some meals, train and coach transport and visits to Madrid and Barcelona.

Excludes flights and local payment.

Book by May 5. Departs June 15.

Croatia A seven-night stay is £372pp with easyJet (0843 104 1000; easyjet.com/holidays).

Includes direct return flights and fourstar, half-board accommodation at the Lafodia Sea Resort. Departing from London Gatwick on May 11.

> £500 New York A three-night stay costs £695pp (save £175) with Funway Holidays (0844 5570770; funwayholidays.co.uk). Includes direct return flights and three-star accommodation at the NH Jolly Madison Towers hotel. Departs from London Heathrow on May 6. mombasa Seven nights in Kenya is £762pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 1116271). Includes direct return flights and four-star, all-inclusive accommodation at the Southern Palms Beach Resort in Diani. Departs from London Gatwick on May 11.

Egypt & Jordan A 16-day tour is now £539pp (save 40 per cent) with Travel Talk (0208 0998852; traveltalktours.com). Includes fourand five-star accommodation, felucca cruise, some meals and visits to Cairo, Giza, Pyramids, and more. Excludes flights and local payment. Book by May 5. Departs May 18.

DAILY TRAVEL DEALS Go to tntmagazine.com/travel/latedeals where new travel deals are updated daily.

There are more than 30 deals live at any time. Also sign up for TNT’s weekly travel newsletter, which will be emailed to you every Wednesday with the most up-to-date deals and guides to over 170 destinations.

Sign up at tntmagazine.com/travelemail.

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* Australian dollar 1.49 New Zealand dollar 1.81 South African rand 13.3 Polish złoty 4.8 Euro 1.17 US dollar 1.53 Canadian dollar 1.57 Hong Kong dollar 11.7 Swedish krona 9.8 Swiss franc 1.41 Singapore dollar 1.88 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

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copenhagen A two-night stay is £236pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 1116271). Includes direct return flights and four-star, B&B accommodation at the Copenhagen Island Hotel. Departs from London Gatwick on June 1.

Amsterdam A two-night stay is £199pp with lowcostholidays.com (0800 1116271). Includes direct return flights and three-star, B&B accommodation at the Hotel Casa 400 Amsterdam. Departs from London Southend on May 21.

Croatia An eight-day sailing trip is £110pp (save 70 per cent) with Travel Talk (0208 0998852; traveltalktours.com). Includes A category private boat accommodation, some meals and visits to Makarska, Dubrovnik and more. Excludes flights, port tax and local payment. Book by May 5. Departs from Split on May 11.

Berlin A two-night break costs £130pp with easyJet (0843 104 1000; easyjet.com/holidays).

Includes flights and four-star, B&B accommodation at the Hotel Adrema.

Departs from London Gatwick on May 14.

Madrid A two-night break costs £145pp with easyJet (0843 104 1000; easyjet.com/holidays).

Includes direct return flights and fourstar, B&B accommodation at the Best Western Arosa hotel. Departs from London Gatwick on June 4.

£250 – £500

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26/04/2013 17:18:47

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PATRICIA MONTENEGRO Talks travel photography

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Upload your images to tntmagazine.com/hotshots First prize is a three-day tour of Scotland for two worth £218 from Haggis Adventures (haggisadventures.com). Must be taken within three months of receiving prize letter. The runner-up wins a £60 photography course voucher from Nigel Wilson Photography (photographycourses.org.uk).

RUNNER-UP

WINNER

RUNNER-UP

VENETIAN SUNSET Zoe Greenwood, London, England

CHILLED KOALA Ben Walker, Guildford, England

WHY IT WORKS This is a perfect example of how it’s not just the subject of the frame but the light that sets the mood for an image. “This picture was taken from a vaporetto at sunset on the Grand Canal, heading back from Murano,” Zoe tells us. “Every angle was a new photo opportunity, improved by the second by the changing view and the changing light.”

WHY IT WORKS It’s not just people who offer up magic moments when they’re chilling out. Koalas are experts too. Ben captured this frame when he was volunteering at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. “After taking several pictures of the koalas I saw this one resting its head between the branches,” he says. “It seemed like the perfect shot!”

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

A TRIP FOR TWO TO BATH & STONEHENGE

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Send us a horizontal photo of yourself with a copy of TNT from anywhere around the world and, if we print it, you’ll win a trip for two to Bath and Stonehenge with Anderson Tours, valued at £104! » Email your pictures to ontheroad@ tntmagazine.com along with your name, where you’re from and where the photo was taken, or see tntmagazine.com/world.

Files must be at least 500Kb.

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26/04/2013 15:12:35

TOP FIVE

1

bungee jumps

@tntmagazine

Bloukrans Bridge, south Africa

Nothing sorts the men from the boys like the prospect of a bungee jump.

One minute you’re nonchalantly looking up at that platform, telling everyone how much you’re looking forward to the leap. The next minute you’re right up there on the edge, fingers being prised from the instructor’s jacket as you weep uncontrollably like it’s your first day at school. Not so cool now, huh?

If you do steel yourself enough to jump, though, there’s nothing like it.

You’re actually flying for Pete’s sake and, if you choose right, doing it over one of the planet’s most scenic sights.

In the heart of South Africa in the Western Cape’s Nature’s Valley, the Bloukrans Bridge Bungee is the world’s highest commercial bungee bridge at a shriek-worthy 216m high.

There’s no wimping out here though, everyone from Prince Harry to Jack Osbourne has had a go. So has a chap called Mohr Keet, who set the Guinness World Record in 2010 for the oldest person to bungee jump when he leapt from the bridge at the grand 56 00

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age of 96. Think that’s impressive?

Bloukrans is also the site of the record for most bungee jumps done in a day: Scott Huntley threw himself into the sky 107 times in nine hours in 2011.

So with all that to contend with, there’s not much of an option to bottle it once you’re up there, if you’re just doing one easy-peasy little jump.

Instead you can try and soothe yourself with the tremendous views and the dramatic scenery of the Bloukrans River below, the Garden Route’s gorge, mountains and sea in the distance.

If you’re not quite brave enough for a bungee jump there are plenty of equally fun, but less boast-worthy, jumps and swings to try out, including the 200m Flying Fox cable slide. It’s also possible to do a bridge walk, either to support your mates who are jumping, or enjoy the view from the secure walkway, which is suspended below the main road.

A jump costs £53pp and a bridge walking tour costs £7pp. faceadrenalin.com

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top five checking in Coastal retreat

2

verzasca Dam, switzerland

If you fancy trying your hand at being 007 for a day, then take a trip to the Verzasca Dam in Ticino, Switzerland.

Remember the opening scene of GoldenEye? That was filmed right here and when it came out in 1995 was the largest bungee jump ever performed.

It wasn’t Pierce Brosnan who actually took the leap, though, it was stuntman Wayne Michaels who took on the 220m drop. Prices start at £181pp and nighttime jumps are available. trekking.ch

Photos: Getty; Thinkkstock

4

Macau Tower, Macau

This epic drop is the highest commercial bungee in the world. And you’re surrounded by concrete. Gulp.

Plummeting off the Macau Tower, you’ll fall 233m metres right into the city (if you keep your eyes open, you’ll be able to see mainland China as you jump). A special technology has been used so the jump is straighter and closer to the building, which means you’ll feel like you’re falling much faster as the wind rushes between you and the walls. Prices from £203pp. ajhackett.com

3

Morrisson’s Rock, canada

Got a head for heights? Wild for water?

Then check out the ‘Goliath’, with Great Canadian Bungee.

The only site on the continent that allows you to freefall far enough to have a clear spring-fed lagoon waiting to refresh you (it’s a completely alligator-free dunk, promise), the 60m jump takes place in a dramatic limestone quarry, so be prepared to hear your terrified screams reverberating off the rock faces. Prices from £64pp. bungee.ca

5

Colorado River, Costa rica

Tropical bungee. It sounds ... almost relaxing, doesn’t it? Just about like you should bring a frothy piña colada along for the ride.

You’ll take your dive off the top of the Colorado River Bridge and fly 80m down to a beautifully lush Costa Rican rainforest canopy. Enjoyed yourself?

If you head back up again for another leap, you receive a membership card to Tropical Bungee’s Addict Club, and get discounts in the future if you bring mates along. From £50pp.

The Quay hotel & spa OVERVIEW: The Quay Hotel and Spa in Llandudno in beautiful rural north Wales overlooks the Conwy estuary, a short distance from the popular university town of Bangor. It’s also just a five-minute drive from Llandudno Junction train station and right next to Snowdonia National Park, a top spot for outdoor adventurers. Spa facilities upstairs add that extra bit of luxury for groups or couples keen to be pampered. But for daredevils looking for a rest after tackling Snowdonia or the newly opened ZipWorld (home of the northern hemisphere’s longest zipwire) it’s ideal.

WOW FACTOR The view from many of the rooms looking out onto the Conwy estuary and Conwy Castle is stunning and makes it obvious why the venue is so popular for weddings.

ROOMS With an unusually large living area with more than enough room to swing several cats, top views and a sense of decadence, The Quay feels like a cut above the average.

BILL PLEASE Double rooms start from £95pn.

quayhotel.co.uk

bungee.co.cr

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Cosmopolitan: explore both sides of the Bosphorus River in Istanbul

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THE INSIDER: SOCIAL NETWORKING PETER WARD Co-founder Wayn.com

YOU ASKED FOR IT...

LAURA LINDSAY FROM LONELY PLANET

Q I’m planning my third short trip to Istanbul next month. I’ve seen all the sights in the Old Quarter (Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar) but would like to know what is worth visiting across the Bosphorus on the Asian side. Any ideas?

Emma, via email A Istanbul is a fascinating place so I can see

READERS’ TIPS ON LA TOMATINA GO BEFORE YOU GO There aren’t many toilets in Buñol that Tomatinans are allowed access to, so relieve yourself before you go and don’t drink too much sangria. And avoid any alleyways that smell funny.

Hannah Essex, via email STICK TO THE SOFT STUFF Watch out for the frozen tomatoes that some of the local kids chuck about – they really hurt!

Sam Eastham, via email 58

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

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why you’re keen to visit a third time! Straddling two continents, Istanbul sits on both the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus River, making it a tantalising mix of cultures.

Whilst the city’s old quarter, Sultanahmet, is a tourist hotspot packed with famous sights such as the Ayasofya and the Blue Mosque, there are many more sides of this cosmopolitan city to see. Üsküdar on the Asian side of the Bosphorus

is just a 15-minute ferry ride from the European part. Visit during the week and divide your time between admiring the contrasting architecture of the area’s two mosques – the modern Sakirin Mosque and the more traditional Atik Valide Mosque – and indulging in some peoplewatching from one of the busy cafes. Mistabul Hancı Café has a great view of the Bosphorus and there’s always the chance you’ll spot a local fisherman reeling in a catch.

The Golden Horn section of the Bosphorus is also definitely worth checking out. This frenetic and exciting part of the city is best seen from Taksim Square, which at night comes alive with thousands of tourists and locals alike converging to sample the wild nightlife. Istiklal Caddesi is the main artery of this area and a good place for an evening stroll.

Are conventional travel guides dead?

Guidebooks are out of date the moment they are written. There’s nothing like speaking with locals and travellers in real time to find out where’s the place to be right now.

What’s the best travel tip you’ve got through social networking?

I met a really cool Irish traveller in Ibiza who mentioned there was a party at a secret location. I texted the contact she gave me and ended up at the Boujis summer party, with unlimited alcohol all night, on a secluded beach. It was probably one of the best nights of my life.

Top trend in travel social networking?

Social sharing of where to go, what to do and who to meet.

Europe Summer Sale

Our 3 favourites

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Wind in hair: Ionian Sea queen of the world [Caption]

Island hopping Greece

pREVEZA LEFKAS

GREECE

Ionian Islands

GETTING GETTINGTHERE THERE Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Fly from London Gatwick to Preveza/Lefkas from ÂŁ198 return with Thomson Flights. thomson.co.uk

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Smooth sailing An intensive sailing course in the Ionian Sea comes with peace, quiet and then partying on some of Greece’s prettiest islands Words Lara Dunn

I’m beside myself with excitement as I board a yacht at Nydri on the Greek island of Lefkas. I won’t be returning here for a week and am blissfully envisaging spending that time learning to sail on the glorious turquoise waves of the Ionian Sea, coasting into tiny harbours and villages along the way, and sleeping every night on board, lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves lapping against the timber vessel.

What I don’t foresee at this point are the scary storms, skull-cracking, cocktail-induced hangovers and even a man overboard shock that is awaiting me.

After just one day at sea, everything is swaying just a little, shifting almost imperceptibly up and down. Even when I’m on dry land, I can still feel as if the gentle bob of the sea is beneath me. Of course, it could be the effects of the couple of beers I’ve had with dinner in the charming little harbour at Meganisi, but I’m fairly sure it’s just that I’m used to being aboard a boat.

I’m sharing the liveaboard experience with skipper Ed, and just one other trainee sailor. Such a small crew makes for more hands-on sailing time, which is fine by me as I’m learning loads. Already I’ve learned to change direction and handle the steering on the crossing from Nydri, as well as fit in a cheeky swim when we moored off the island of Skorpios.

When I arrived in Greece my knowledge of knots and ropes was basic to say the least. Yet here I am, somewhere between Little Vathi (on Meganisi) and Big Vathi (on Ithaca, the famed home of Odysseus) leaping about the boat as if I’m an extra in an Errol Flynn movie. At least that’s how it’s playing out in my head. The reality, I suspect, is more that my patient skipper Ed is doing all the hard work. “I’ve been sailing since I was just a boy and not once have I ever been bored,” he tells me. “It’s the best feeling ever to be totally in charge of where you’re going and how you get there, not to mention the exhilaration when the weather gets feisty. I just love it!”

Suddenly, that’s exactly what happens – the weather takes a sharp turn for the worse, and a strong wind picks up.

As the boat heads between Ithaca and Kefalonia we start to coast at a clip that demands we move the sails quickly and decisively to control speed and direction. At least those tacking and jibing lessons are going to stick, I think. That said, it’s certainly alarming being in the galley and seeing the horizon dip and rise through the small doorway above you.

Thankfully, the storm soon passes and we arrive safely in Fiskardo on Kefalonia for the evening. It’s time to meet up with the other boats in what could loosely be called our “flotilla” full of trainees eager like me to get their RYA (Royal Yachting Association) certificates by the end of the week.

After a day out on the waves, it’s good to spend the evenings being sociable with the same crowd, getting to know each other over a few drinks. Genteel port town Fiskardo turns into a serious crime scene against cocktails (we hit them

“

It’s alarming seeing the horizon dip and rise

”

hard) – as the mojitos keep flowing, clumsy piggy back races along the waterfront seem like a good idea.

There’s just one problem … getting back to the boats. ››

Hello sailor: this is your chance to chase the sun tntMagazine.com

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All moored up against each other, there’s a dinghy ferry to be negotiated and out of the darkness suddenly comes an ominous splash, and then a distinctive Irish accent, which I recognise as belonging to one of my drinking buddies from earlier. “Argh, I’m in the water!” he shrieks, before hauling himself out. Lesson learned, don’t go drinking with the Irish.

The following morning, I sprawl out on the boat in the morning sunshine, frightened to move my sore head in case it starts pounding again. When news arrives that a storm has blown in, meaning we can’t leave port today, I’m guiltily delighted – I can think of far worse places to have a hangover than Fiskardo’s pretty harbour, lined with tavernas and bars and a smattering of arty nick-nack shops.

Once we do begin our final leg back to Lefkas, I’m tested to see how much I’ve learned, and I’m pleasantly surprised how much has sunk in. I actually feel like a competent crew member now. The bustle of busy Nydri is a bit of a shock to the system after such tiny harbour stops. Still, we’re in port for the final night and there’s a choice of bars and restaurants, so it would be wrong not to sample them, wouldn’t it? ❚ A Learn To Sail week costs from £650pp with Sunvil Sailing, based on a shared cabin. sunvilsailing.co.uk

Sweet stop: take on the bars and tavernas of Kefalonia’s Fiskardo

next week: Paddling Venice: Kayaking through Italy’s famous canals

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MIDRANGE

LUXURY

eat

A traditional harbourside taverna in Fiskardo, Irida has great views and offers a good mix of fresh seafood and local Greek dishes. The cheese pies are particularly good, as is the lobster. On chilly evenings they even offer you blankets. Main courses from around £6. irida-fiskardo.gr

A cosy northern Italian-style restaurant specialising in seafood, Trattoria Vezene (above) is located on the main harbourside at Vathi, on Lefkas, facing across the water to Skorpios. Simple food cooked from scratch using local ingredients. Main courses from around £10. trattoriavezene.com

Stelio’s in Vassiliki, Lefkas, is on the docks, so a scenic place to spend the evening. The traditional Greek dishes are served in starter-sized (mezze) portions to mix, match and share.

Each costs less than £3, or let them choose 10 appetisers and salads to share between two for £26.

(Vassiliki waterfront, tel. +302 6450 31566)

drink

At a great harbourside location with a balcony to watch the world go by, Theodora’s Café Bar has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and an excellent menu of cocktails (the mojitos are particularly good!).

Expect to pay around £2 for a beer.

(Fiskardo, Kefalonia, tel. +302 6740 41297)

155 Cocktail Bar (left) in Vassiliki, Lefkas, is smart and fashionable, with outdoor and indoor seating.

It serves a variety of cocktails, drinks and specialty iced coffees, with laid-back tunes in the background.

Cocktails from £6.50.

155cocktailbar.com

One of the only nightclubs in Nydri, Excess, plays a mix of music including garage, house, rock and even some Greek tunes. Nydri is a touch pricier as a rule, but Excess is good for late night revelry. Expect to pay around £3 for a pint of beer. facebook.com/excessclublefkada

sleep

Armonia Hotel is the land base for Sunvil’s sailing programmes. With its own pool, free wi-fi and seafront location, it’s a three-star hotel and a good option for an extra week before or after a sailing trip. Very close to the main entertainment area. From £40pppn. (Nydri, Lefkas, tel. +302 6450 92751)

Find bright and clean studios and apartments with air-conditioning, balconies and private showers on the north side of Nydri at Dionysos Studios (left). Just 100m from the nearest beach and 5 minutes’ walk from the town centre and bars.

Studio apartments from £21.50pn.

(Nydri, Lefkas, tel. +302 6450 92277)

Emelisse Hotel (above) in Fiskardo, Kefalonia, is a smart boutique hotel with bars, restaurants, swimming pools, outdoor cinema, day spa, gym and tennis court. B&B rooms cost from £150pn. emelissehotel.com

Photos: Thinkstock; Getty; Laura Dunn; visitgreece.gr

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Red dawn: when La Tomatina kicks off it’s every man, woman and salad stuffer for themselves

La Tomatina BuÑol, Spain

SPAIN Barcelona

GETTING THERE Fly from London Gatwick to Valencia from £103 return with easyJet. easyjet.com

MADRID Bun˜ol

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Viva La Tomatina!

The world’s biggest food fight is one of the craziest scenes you’ll ever experience. La Tomatina aficionados tell us how to survive Words Frankie mullin

WHEN TO GO: La Tomatina always takes place in Buñol each In what is probably the festival world’s most night before as we’d been out in Valencia year on the last Wednesday in (tomato) concentrated hour of mayhem, this – for dinner then flamenco dancing – so August. This year it’s August 28.

August’s La Tomatina will yet again turn everyone was buzzing on the way to Buñol The weather will be reaching highs the streets of Buñol, near Valencia, into an in the morning. of 25-30°C, so you can guess how ocean of blood-red pulp. Since its beginning, “Once you arrive, there are stalls those tomatoes will smell. circa 1945, La Tomatina has grown to epic everywhere selling sangria so we got drinks CURRENCY: £1 = €1.17 proportions and the last few years have as we headed in to wait a few hours for ACCOMMODATION: seen upwards of 45,000 people packing the tomato trucks. Things get pretty mental themselves into a seething, tomato-throwing The Home Youth Hostel, in the city and you should steer clear of big groups of centre, is colourfully decorated and mass in this otherwise sleepy Spanish town. blokes if you don’t want your clothes ripped lively. It’s a step up from a basic The premise of La Tomatina is simple: off. I’ve seen massive, muscly blokes getting backpackers, which means there throw, mash, squidge or otherwise propel their shirts pulled off by groups of guys and, aren’t any bunkbeds, even in the over-ripe tomatoes at as many of your fellow for girls, sports bras and a few layers are a three-to-four person dorms. From Tomatinans as possible. You have one hour must. People are laughing though and the £14.50pppn. and all warfare must cease when the second atmosphere is great.

SEE: homehostelsvalencia.com of two rockets is fired off. It sounds simple “The time a guy reached the ham at enough, but there are pitfalls to be avoided. the top of the greasy pole [a La Tomatina With so many people getting so messy in so much sludge, tradition – more over the page] there was the biggest there are a few precautions it’s helpful for you to know eruption of noise and celebration I’ve ever seen. People were about so you can make sure you have maximum fun. literally crying and shouting because it hardly ever happens.

Also, this year big changes are afoot and, for the first time “The first year I went we were right by the spot where ever, La Tomatina will be ticketed, with limited numbers trucks dump all of the tomatoes. Once the fight started, it (likely to be set at 20,000). While this will guarantee better was mayhem. People were throwing everything from T-shirts tomato action for everyone involved, you’ll need to book to flip-flops and we were knee-deep in tomatoes. I got hit by earlier than ever. And if you’re going with a tour operator, a carrot at one point and, apparently, local kids put tomatoes make sure you check with them that your tickets are included in the freezer the night before so it’s like being hit by a rock. in the package.

People are picking up handfuls of tomatoes and shoving them in your face and down your pants – you feel quite TNT caught up with some regular festivalgoers, who just violated by the end! It’s one of the most mental hours you’ll can’t get enough of the mess-fest. From people tearing each ever experience.” other’s clothes off, guzzling sangria, clambering up greasy poles and, of course, getting knee-deep in purée, it sounds Ally Reynolds: “It’s a crazy tomato mosh pit” like a wild time is had by one and all.

Ally Reynolds, 28, from Melbourne, Australia, has been to Nic Cooper: “People shove tomatoes down your pants” La Tomatina twice and works for tour operator Topdeck.

Nic Cooper, 28, from London, has been on four Busabout “Most people who go to Tomatina stay in Valencia tours to La Tomatina. and make the trip in by train or with an organised tour “Luckily for me, the first time I went to Tomatina our coach. The night before the big fight is electric. People are guide knew all the little back streets to get us right to the pouring out onto the streets in search of paella – there is a front of the action. Otherwise, I’ve heard stories about big cooking contest to see whose is the best in town! – and people getting stuck behind the crowds and missing the drinking litres of sangria. Dance the night away but take it ›› whole fight. Our group had got to know each other the easy, you have to be up early in the morning. tntMagazine.com

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Sleepy Buñol: such a quaint town before the tom-gun war arrives

“Even though the tomato throwing doesn’t officially start until 11am, you should aim to get to Buñol around 7.30am to secure a spot near the ‘palo jamon’ [which loosely translates to greasy pole], a huge pole covered with lard and with a ham on top. The tradition is for men, and occasionally women, to climb over each other in an attempt to reach the ham and become the hero of the festival.

“At 11am a loud bang rings out and the start of the tomato throwing begins. Just when you think you are so tightly packed you couldn’t fit another soul into the tiny streets, down come seven massive lorries filled with tomatoes. Between 150,000 and 200,000 tomatoes are tipped onto the street and it gets messy!

“After one hour, the fight ends with the firing of a second shot and fire trucks move in to hose down the streets. Locals throw buckets of water off their balconies and bring out their own hoses. You’ll need a good scrubbing down as you will be completely covered in sweat, tomato juice, hair, water and sangria.

“Before and after the fight there are massive speakers blaring out club tracks and everyone is dancing, drinking and enjoying life. The best way to describe Tomatina is a crazy mosh pit filled with a shedload of tomatoes. It’s certainly a day you will never forget!”

Photos: Getty, Tourism Spain

Food fight: “It’s a fruit!”

“No, it’s a vegetable!”

Rub it in: things will get messy

random tomatoes were thrown our way but then the tomato trucks came through and things got hilarious. I got completely involved in the fight and I don’t even like tomatoes.

“After the fight, everyone is hot, covered in tomato juice and starting to stink, so the locals [point] hoses out of their windows and you can run in front of them to get soaked.

Some people take their clothes off and dump them – I couldn’t believe how many people just left their shoes. I must have seen about 250 pairs when I walked back up the hill.”

Saucy: eat your heart out Jamie Oliver … now pass the pasta

Carly Amos: “I don’t even like tomatoes!”

Carly Amos, 28, from London is a tour guide with Topdeck.

This year will be her second La Tomatina.

“Last year, I took my first group to La Tomatina. We were up at the crack of dawn and, when we got to Buñol, we made our way down the hill with masses of people dressed in ridiculous costumes and tour group T-shirts. At first, a few 66

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Ashley Pyziakos: “It’s an intensely happy experience” Ashley Pyziakos, 30, from Brisbane, Australia and Pepe Pardo Esteve, 30, from Valencia, Spain, co-founded The Tomatina After Party in 2011.

Pepe has grown up going to La Tomatina and decided two years ago that a large-scale but organised after party was required to finished off the day in style.

Their first party was on the terrace of IVAM (the modern arts museum of Valencia) with 1500 people. Last year, 3500 people took advantage of their classed-up swimming poolfilled venue. “What shocked me both years was what an intensely happy experience it is,” says Ashley, who now lives in Valencia. “I’ve never been around so many people and not seen anyone getting aggro.”

Ashley believes the new ticketing of La Tomatina is ultimately a good thing. “I think it’s massively positive but I do worry that a lot of people are going to show up at the festival and not get tickets,” he says. “We need to get the word out there.”

After party tickets are sold at thetomatinaafterparty.com and start at just €10 (about £8.50). ❚

ASHLEY AND PEPE’S TOP TIPS ✓ Only bring what you need. Leave behind passports, laptops and mobile phones where you’re staying. ✓ Carry money and valuables in a zip-lock bag in your underwear or a very safe pocket. ✓ Wear closed-toe shoes that you won’t mind throwing away at the end. Flip-flops won’t work. ✓ Wear clothes you don’t mind binning afterwards. ✓ Expect your clothes to be torn off. Girls – wear sports bras. ✓ If you want to take pictures, a water-proof camera is the only viable option. ✓ Take clean clothes and leave them somewhere so you can get changed before you get back on the bus or train.

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SET SAIL Top breaks for you and your mates

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BEST BEACHES BIG ADVENTURES ENGLAND’S SUNNIEST SPOTS 26/04/2013 14:55:16

DESTINATIONS SUMMER Bring it on: rock out at Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music fests

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Party: sailing Croatia and below, Serbian nightlife

Cheers: Oktoberfest is the unofficial end of Van Tour

Relax: let someone else do the driving on a European road trip

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Group holidays > europe

Mates’ breaks Europe has loads of vaycays perfect for a gang of you to make it a summer to remember, from buzzing music festivals to road trips and sailing holidays Words Helen elfer

S

o between you and your mates, think you can rustle up a few tents, maybe a camper van or two, and a decent drinks kitty to see you through the sunny months ahead?

Good. Then here are some suggestions for holidays you can take in a big group, with enough action and relaxation to suit both the laziest and craziest of your friends.

Music fests

Road trips

at £85 for three days, including camping. The action all happens at night, so during the day you’re free to hit the beach, explore Bilbao’s dynamic arts scene or just start the boozing early. Now in its eighth year, the fest pulls in crowds of up to 40,000 and Green Day, Kings of Leon and Depeche Mode are headlining along with Fatboy Slim and Editors this year.

If you’re more of a dance-head than a rocker, try EXIT in Serbia (July 10-14). This festival does drum ‘n’ bass like you’ve never experienced it – while dancing in an old fortress on a hill, overlooking the Danube river at Petrovaradin Fortress in Novi Sad. During the day you can recharge your dancing batteries on the nearby sandy beaches. The line-up includes DJ Fresh Live, Friction & MC Linguistics, SKiSM and The Prototypes.

BOOK: Check out bbklive.com and exitfest.org.

Van Tour Europe is a tricky one to explain to most people – unless you’re from Oz or NZ, in which case you’ll get the concept straight away. Basically it’s a completely chaotic, disorganised road trip in a beat up old van through Europe.

You stop wherever you feel like and make loose arrangements to meet up with other Van Tourers at various stops along the way. Naturally, lots of drinking and driving is involved (though not at the same time, obviously). Those on the jaunt usually meet up for big get-togethers at some of Europe’s best festivals.

The Running of the Bulls at Pamplona and Oktoberfest are the unofficial start and end points, while top messy fests La Tomatina (a huge tomato fight) and Haro Wine Festival (where you chuck buckets of vino all over each other) are popular in-between stop-offs. The rest of the time, you can make a loop through Europe, hitting up all the hip cities you’ve always wanted to visit or take a drive along the continent’s coast, stopping to party and surf in Malaga, San Sebastian, Lagos, or anywhere you fancy, really. What’s not to love?

BOOK: To find out more about popular routes and meet up spots, visit vantoureurope.com.

If you’re fed up of England’s ever-soaring festival prices (£210 for Glastonbury now? Really?) and crap weather to boot, but don’t want to miss out on seeing all your favourite bands, choose from some of Europe’s top musical festivals this year. Bilbao BBK (running July 11-13) is a firm favourite – partly because it’s an absolute bargain

Sailing

Taking a few days to hit the open waves is a must if you want to squeeze in all the sand, sea and sun you can in Croatia. An island-hopping tour should do the trick, giving you and your mates the chance to party it up on deck by night and explore some of the country’s prettiest sights by tntmagazine.com/destinations

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DESTINATIONS SUMMER

Make a splash: try watersports on a beach break

day. Don’t miss out on visits to Mljet Island National Park to see the salt water lakes, the pretty harbour town of Trstenik on the Peljesac Peninsula, and Korcula’s medieval Old Town. Some tours depart from Hvar, which is famous for having a raucous after-dark scene, or you could fly into Dubrovnik to spend some time in this beautiful coastal city before you set sail. Lord Byron didn’t call it the “pearl of the Adriatic” for nothing.

BOOK: See croatia.hr for more info or check out great late package deals at tntmagazine.com/travel.

Boozy breaks Short on time, cash or both? We feel your pain, but you still have options. Instead of a long, epic adventure, just get a few of your buddies together for a short, sweet drinkathon.

To save on the pennies, your best bet is to head for Eastern Europe. Spend a couple of days in one of the amazingly scenic cities here, perhaps exploring Belgrade’s fortress, Tallinn’s quaint old quarter or Prague’s Castle District.

By night is when the fun really starts here, though, as accommodation in all of these cities is cheap, and you can get a pint of beer for around a quid. Can’t say fairer than that. Closer to home, you can’t beat Barcelona for great atmosphere, weather and nightlife during the

Pit stop: swing by Dubrovnik on a sailing trip

NEED SOME BUDDIES? Billy no mates? If all your pals have already made their summer plans, or are heading back Down Under for their breaks – never fear. Tour package holidays can be great for sociable types travelling alone. You’ll be thrown together with like-minded souls who you’ll travel, dine and drink with, and during your free time you can hang out as much or as little as you like. Try Busabout (busabout.com) for cheap, boozy coach tours of Europe, Contiki (contiki.com) for sailing cruises through Greece and Croatia, Travel Talk (traveltalktours.com) for Middle Eastern jaunts, and Edge (edgeadventures.com) for Latin American adventures.

summer months. Head straight to Las Ramblas, the popular tree-lined pedestrianised street, for top bars, restaurants and clubs.

BOOK: See tntmagazine.com/travel for late deals.

4

“Yay to my new friend count! Woooh!”

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, Matt Risley

Hipster: shady characters party in Belgrade

tntmagazine.com/destinations

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DESTINATIONS SUMMER

Popular: Torremelinos draws big crowds

Booty-full: Super Paradise Beach looks very favourably on nudity

Scenic: Baska Voda, Croatia

Legendary: surfing at Mundaka

8

On high: paraglide over the blue lagoon at Oludeniz

tntmagazine.com/destinations

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best beaches > europe

Life’s a beach From paragliding to partying, and between going au naturale and getting back to nature, Europe’s top beaches offer a wealth of unforgettable experiences Words LAURA CHUBB

S

ure, Europe’s got some great city breaks, but for the ultimate summer vaycay, you’ve got to hit the beach.

The continent is packed with sun and sea destinations to suit every taste, whether you just want to top up your tan, get sporty or party. Plus, Mediterranean summers come with guaranteed sun and sizzling temperatures (most likely 30ºC+), so a beach break makes the perfect escape from UK climes. Here are five of our favourites.

But that’s the point of this perennially popular resort on the Mediterranean’s Costa Del Sol – it’s a big, brash holiday with everything turned up to 10, from the blue of the sky and the sea to the volume of the tunes blasting out of the bars. Since it first began attracting tourists in the Fifties, Torremelinos has also had a thriving gay scene and there are gay bars to suit most tastes in the centre of town.

GETTING THERE: Fly from London Luton to Malaga from £107 return with easyJet (easyjet.com).

Oludeniz, Turkey BEST FOR: Paragliding

Super Paradise Beach, Mykonos

environmental standards). It’s also one of the world’s most renowned spots for paragliding – daredevils launch from 6460ft Babadag Mountain, the dramatic backdrop to the bay, and get spectacular views over the surrounding countryside and Oludeniz’s stunning blue lagoon.

GETTING THERE: Fly from London Heathrow to Antalya airport with Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) from just £205 return.

BEST FOR: Getting naked THE SCENE: This Greek island is undoubtedly the glammest, known for beaches crowded with beautiful people and a plethora of ultra-chic, pulsing bars. Paradise Beach, around 6km from Mykonos town, is renowned for its mega-parties, which tend to get cranking around 4pm.

But for an even more hedonistic scene, head another kilometre along to Super Paradise Beach, which not only gets its party on, but is also the best spot for going au naturale (you know you want that all-over tan). The Super Paradise Beach Club calls it “the most alternative and anti-conformist beach on the island”. Nude-friendly and in

Torremelinos, Spain

some parts ‘nude obligatory’, the gold-sand beach is set within a deep bay with the green-blue Mediterranean

THE SCENE: Famous for its paradisaical turquoise waters, this small village and beach resort in southwestern Turkey frequently turns up on ‘best beaches in the world’ lists and is an official Blue Flag beach (which means it meets stringent

BEST FOR: Partying THE SCENE: If a peacefully isolated escape is what you’re after, best avoid Torremelinos at all costs. The beaches are packed, there are high-rise developments populated by hot-pink Brits all over the place and the clubs are pumping.

lapping at its shores. There’s a sizable but not exclusively gay crowd and you can expect to see hot bods dancing and getting their drink on from mid-afternoon.

GETTING THERE: Fly from London Gatwick to Mykonos from >> around £305 return with easyJet (easyjet.com). tntmagazine.com/destinations

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DESTINATIONS SUMMER

Pumping: hit the clubs in Torremelinos

Big break: ride Basque Country barrels

Mundaka, Spain BEST FOR: Surfing THE SCENE: In northern Spain’s spectacular Basque Country, Mundaka is legendary among surfers for its deep barrels and has hosted the likes of Kelly Slater and Andy Irons (it was once a site on the World Championship Tour of Surfing). On the Bay of Biscay and neighbouring famous Basque cities Bilbao and San Sebastian, it’s a great choice for those who fancy a side of holiday with their surf. Plus, the sleepy fishing village of Mundaka itself is surprisingly unspoilt and a great spot for chilling with cheap beers after a day getting pounded by the waves.

GETTING THERE: Fly from London Heathrow to San Sebastian

Top Turkey: take to the skies around Babadag Mountain

BEST BLACK SAND BEACHES El Golfo in Lanzarote not only boasts the drama of a pitch-black sand beach bordering deep-blue Atlantic, but also has a bright green lagoon at the back of it, a natural phenomenon resulting from algae. turismolanzarote.com/en Tenerife’s El Bollullo shows a very different side to the Canary Island from its package tour stereotype.

A quiet black-sand beach backed by volcanic cliffs, it’s a best-kept secret. turismodecanarias.com

via Madrid from £206 with Iberia (iberia.com/gb).

Baska Voda, Croatia

BEST FOR: Scenery THE SCENE: Located between Croatian holiday hotspots

Los Cancajos on La Palma is a beach set along a black rock coastline. Keep an eye out for the huge bright-red crabs that scuttle over the rugged scenery. turismodecanarias.com

Split and Makarska, Baska Voda has been quietly building a reputation as the most scenic slice of life on the Adriatic.

bored of lazing around and taking endless pictures of this paradise (unlikely, but you never know), there are plenty of opportunities to get out hiking and earn your next full day of sunbathing.

GETTING THERE: Fly from London Luton to Split from around £270 return with Wizz Air (wizzair.com).

Dramatic: El Golfo

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock

Its long stretches of sand are backed by thick pine woods and the looming Biokovo mountains, so should you get

10 tntmagazine.com/destinations

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Photos: Getty, Thinkstock

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DESTINATIONS SUMMER

Rural roaming: in Hampshire’s New Forest

Traditional: Blackpool’s seaside

Lake District: home to England’s highest mountain

Cornish delight: sunbathe at St Ives

Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, TNT

Beach break: Brighton is a Brit classic

12 tntmagazine.com/destinations

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ENGLAND > Sunny hotspots

Great British summer Believe it or not, the sun does shine on England now and again come summertime.

Here’s our pick of where to bask in the rays, from seaside stays to country escapes Words alasdair morton

t

he truth is that, during the summer, the sun does come out from that great big grey cloud it hides behind for most of the year. And when it does, there’s nowhere better to play than the quintessential green and pleasant land.

Bournemouth, Dorset Famous for one of the most beautiful beaches in England, its seven miles of fine yellow sand is scenic, impossibly clean and untainted, and even boasts a giant deckchair next to which you can pose for piccies, or try and clamber upon before some responsible lifeguard type catches you out. bournemouth.co.uk

Lake District, Cumbria To the northwest of Manchester, the Lake District has England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike (reaching 3102ft

It is an English institution to have at least one holiday in Blackpool, come rain or shine. There’s the famous Pleasure Beach with its rollercoasters (try the Big One and its 205ft drop, the tallest in the UK), the tower (a poor man’s Eiffel), plus it’s also obligatory to ride on a donkey with a 99 flake ice cream in your hand. No British summer would be complete without it. visitblackpool.com

New Forest, Hampshire The New Forest is home to miles of unenclosed heathland full of roaming ponies and plenty of hiking, horse riding and mountain biking opportunities. Just as good getting out and exploring the winding country lanes on two wheels/ feet/

into the heavens), in case you fancy testing your endurance. It also boasts some of the most beautiful

four hooves is exploring the beer gardens that exist round most corners of this colourful part of the south. thenewforest.co.uk

scenery in the whole country, including the longest, deepest lakes (Windermere and Wastwater), hence its name. Ideal

Brighton, Sussex

for enjoying the rays amid England’s rolling green hills. golakes.co.uk

St Ives, Cornwall Photos: Getty, Thinkstock, TNT

Blackpool, Lancashire

Voted the best seaside town in the British Travel Awards in 2010 and 2011, St Ives has pedigree and deservedly so.

Think beautiful beaches, pirating history, narrow cobbled streets, and ale pubs galore. Proud of its unique culture, Cornwall can feel like a whole other country. stives-cornwall.co.uk

Just 45 minutes from London sits this quintessentially British beachside town. It’s loaded full of history, as anyone who’s seen Quadrophenia will know, and has a thriving live music and club scene, whether you’re into rock or electronic sounds. Plus, there’s all the old traditional seaside entertainments (palm reading, teddy pickers, dodgems).

Warning: it gets rammed in the summer, especially at weekends, as the Big Smoke descends, but It’s still totally worthwhile braving the throngs. visitbrighton.com tntmagazine.com/destinations

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DESTINATIONS SUMMER

Must do: explore Nepal by bike

=6*-)<)*4- 8:1+-; With the African specialists Absolute Africa 30 years overlanding in Africa

Waterworld: dive Dahab, Egypt

A whole range of trips incl. game drives in the Masai Mara and the Serengeti, gorilla trekking, guided game walks, rhino trekking, evening game drives and so much more.

Serene: the Amazon Rainforest

www.absoluteafrica.com Phone: 0208 742 0226 Email: absaf@absoluteafrica.com

14 tntmagazine.com/destinations

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26/04/2013 14:55:45

Action holidays > worldwide

Action and adventure Who wants a relaxing holiday when you could be up close with lions or paddling the Amazon? Here’s our pick of big adventures on a small budget. Strap in!

Words michael gadd

t

ake your pick – is it the endangered creatures of Africa that tickle your fancy, the great green wonder of the Amazon, Egypt’s underwater world or the peaks and trails of Nepal? Time to choose your own adventure.

ride that lets you relax at the end of a hardcore day.

DO IT: Brazil Travel Plan (braziltravelplan.co.uk), £575 per person based on two sharing. Leaves from Manaus.

Scuba diving, Egypt Safari, South Africa A must for any wildlife and outdoors lover, Africa gives endless chances to get up close to its unspoiled glory. But when ticking off any adventure bucket list, the “big five” has to be tops. While the “big five” label was coined by game hunters for their most desired scalps, the term’s been claimed by tourism operators who get you a glimpse of lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinoceros in their natural habitats. African Budget Safaris’ range of tours includes a six-day jaunt to the 2 million hectare Kruger National Park, which includes hiking and drives in search of the main attractions and much more.

DO IT: African Budget Safaris (africanbudgetsafaris.com) has a six-day Kruger Park tour costing £655pp from Johannesburg, not including flights.

Canoeing, Brazil The finest way to appreciate the Amazon Rainforest’s inimitable symphony is from the water by canoe. Go as laid-back or hardcore as you like as you enjoy the most species-packed jungle in the world. Brazil Travel Plan runs a four-day, three-night Amazon tour which takes you into the depths of the rainforest by boat, before your own paddle power takes over. With the comfort of small jungle lodge accommodation thrown in, it’s a challenging thrill

Egypt has fast become a Mecca for divers, with Dahab among the favourite bases for those who prefer to do their adventuring under the sea – in this case, the Red Sea. Like all good dive tour operators, Deep Blue Divers Dahab run all levels of PADI scuba courses, from beginners to experienced, to ensure you’re equipped to capture the colourful coral and sealife in all its glory. Be careful, though.

Once qualified, you’ll be hooked.

DO IT: Deep Blue Divers Dahab (divedahab.com) have packages from £47- £170 for one-to-five days (two dives a day). Seven-night package with four-day beginners diving course from £222, depending on accommodation.

Mountain biking, Nepal trekking and mountain climbing are sensational ways to see the Himalayas, but the region’s fascinating landscapes and trails are among the world’s most renowned for mountain biking. take day trips out of Kathmandu or train up for a bigger journey, cruising through the villages and hidden tracks of the mountains. KE Aventure Travel runs a 12-day guided cycle journey from Pokhara to Kathmandu, which takes in the Vertical Mile across the Kathmandu Valley rim.

DO IT: Himalayan Single trek (himalayansingletrack.com) offers a package from £1645 including all meals, flights and accommodation (£945 without flights). tntmagazine.com/destinations

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26/04/2013 14:55:45

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