Travel By Lightfoot Edition 7 - The Photography Issue

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H I G H L I G H T S

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Photographer Trey Ratcliff’s take on Tokyo.

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KINGS OF THE DESERT

TOP 10 PLACES OF 2019

COME TOGETHER

Stuart Butler photographs the exotic camel caravan of Ethiopia.

Why would you want to go anywhere else?

Jose Jeuland captures the colours of Sri Lanka’s biggest Hindu festival.

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STRANGER THINGS

INTO THE WILD

EPICUREAN ISLAND

Out-of-this-world locations any Instagrammer would love.

Top filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert talk about their life in Africa.

Chef and photographer Mark Best meets the food heroes of Tasmania.

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CONTENTS

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A salt miner from the Danakil Depression.

Award-winning filmmakers and photographers Dereck and Beverly Joubert talk about the magic of film..

12 Contributors The photographers for this issue offer some tips on how you can capture your perfect holiday shot.

14 Take Me Here New photography books, studios and museums that you’re sure to love.

21 Fresh Perspective The people who are taking photography to the next level.

22 Escape Rooms The Instagram-worthy hotels that will be launching in 2019. .24

Scene Stealers The US film director that is inspiring Instagrammers with his vintage style.

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26 Starchitecture When a viewing tower is as glamorous as the tourist site that you have gone to see.

28 World Tour Photographer Trey Ratcliff talks about his favourite moments on his world tour.

30 Kings Of The Desert Stuart Butler captures the ancient camel train in Ethiopia.

40 Top 10 Places For 2019 The hottest destinations to visit this year.

44 Come Together Jose Jeuland joins the crowds at the biggest Hindu festival in Sri Lanka. .

52 On The Road Andrew Marshall snaps his journey through America’s national parks..

58 Stranger Things We show how you don’t need to leave Earth to see some out-of-theseworld landscapes.

68 Summer School School may be out, but your tots can still take an express class on history, art and geography on holiday.

70 Into The Wild We talk to National Geographic filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert about their life of conservation in Africa..

76 Epicurean Island Chef and photographer Mark Best visits the island of Tasmania.

81 Chef’s Guide To Ho Chi Minh Chef Luke Nguyen tells us where to find the best foodie treats in Vietnam.

82 If You Do One Thing…

Photograph pumas in Patagonia.

PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART BUTLER

8 Meet The Guest Editors

Y O U R HO T E L FO R A P E R F E C T H O LI D AY B E LV E DE R E - G R I N D E LWA LD . C H

# 1 I N RE N TAL AN D S K I S C H O O L BURI S P O RT.C H

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MEET THE GUEST EDITORS

“L

ife is a series of snapshots anyway, highlights that define us, the choices we make, the wrong turns, the laughter, the tears, bumps and bruises. It is the gentle touch of a fellow human being that we remember and visualise when we are alone. It is the dappled light caught playing with us through the leaves as we lie on our backs in a forest. So it is no wonder that we love creating images, we are creating life itself. Beverly and I have lived this incredible life of romance and adventure, a life that has captured all of these snapshots whether as real images or as memories. There can have been no better life… so far.”

DERECK AND BEVERLY JOUBERT

Dereck and Beverly Joubert are award-winning filmmakers, National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence and wildlife conservationists, who have been filming, researching and exploring in Africa for more than 30 years. They are the founders of Great Plains Conservation.

WWW.TRAVELBYLIGHTFOOT.COM

SIMON Since the day Simon’s family moved to Sri Lanka when he was 11, he has been hooked on travel. My favourite photo location: “It was when I chartered Alila Purnama and visited Raja Ampat. After trekking to the top of one of the islands in the archipelago we were treated to a stunning shot of the bay.”

E D I T O R I A L GUEST EDITORS Dereck and Beverly Joubert EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Claire Turrell ART DIRECTOR Claire Lambert

KIERAN

CONTRIBUTORS Mark Best, Stuart Butler, Adrian Stern, Jo Upcraft, Andrew Marshall

Head of Asia Kieran is the third generation of his family to live in Hong Kong. However, you can also ask the office adrenalin addict about South America where he lived and Canada where he worked as a ski guide. My favourite photo location: “Siem Reap. From the temples and ruins to bustling streets, you can find fantastic photo ops at every turn.”

MEET THE EXPERTS THE LIGHTFOOT TRAVEL TEAM TAKE THEIR CAMERAS TO ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE GLOBE

M A R K E T I N G A N D A D V E R T I S I N G GROUP MARKETING MANAGER Lexi Shuttleworth

KAT I E Head of Australasia Katie was born in New Zealand, and has worked in Sydney and Hong Kong. My favourite photo location: “On safari in Africa.

With fantastic wildlife and amazing sunsets — fab shots guaranteed.”

RAIN

VERITY UK Sales Manager Verity has an enviable travel career creating bespoke trips for guests in Europe and flying VIP clients to luxury travel camps in Africa.

My favourite photo location: “South Luangwa, Zambia. Working here gave me numerous memorable moments!”

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L I G H T F O O T T R A V E L FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Simon Cameron

@ L I G H T F O OT T R AV E L

Fluent in four languages, it’s no surprise that Travel Designer Rain would choose a globe-trotting life. My favourite photo location: “The mountains of Bhutan. At the top of the mountain, you are rewarded with the most spectacular view of the Himalayas and if you are lucky you can snap the planes as they fly over the top.”

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Sharon Mak

CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR Nico Heath CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR Lucy Jackson Walsh

JA N Island loving Travel Designer Jan has lived in the Philippines, Maldives and Singapore. My favourite photo location: “So many photos to choose from, but definitely the sunset in Fiji where the skies were on fire for a good hour during sunset.”

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Cover image: Landscape photographer working by a river in Norway. Photography: Getty Images

CASA A N G E L I N A P R E S E N TS

FINE ROMANCE

MAKE YOUR LOVED ONE FEEL SPECIAL — WHISK THEM AWAY TO CASA ANGELINA ON THE AMALFI COAST

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arved into the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, you’ll find the super stylish Casa Angelina hotel. This Italian hideaway is the perfect place for you and your loved one to embrace the sweet life.

You’ll have fun exploring this barefoot chic retreat in Praiano. Each room and suite comes with jawdropping vistas, but if you are looking for something really special, you should book into the Junior Suite that comes with a 30sqm terrace, which offers sweeping views of Positano and Capri.

However, you must try to tear yourself away from your Philippe Starck and Bang & Olufsen furnished suite, as there is so much more to explore.

Spend mornings relaxing on the beach, enjoying a private boat ride around the bay or just kicking back under a lemon tree by one of its two pools. You might also want to visit the new couple’s spa treatment room, where you can enjoy a couple’s massage and relax on the private terrace with juices, citrus sorbets and fruit.

You’ll want to leave room for the dishes by Executive Chef Leopoldo Elefante’s dishes. The chef, who has worked in four restaurants with a Michelin-star, also offers a bespoke experience where he will curate a surprise three-course menu just for you.

If you haven’t proposed already, this is probably enough to make you do so, but Casa Angelina also comes with its own Proposal Concierge who can make sure that when your partner says ‘I do’ it will be etched in their memory forever.

Once you arrive at Casa Angelina everything is done for you. All you need to do is relax, unwind and indulge.

Clockwise from top: The view from Casa Angelina.

One of its beautiful Junior Suites. Dine overlooking the bay. One of the two pools.

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T R EY R ATC L I F F

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A N D R EW M A R S H A L L

B EV E R LY J O U B E RT

UK journalist Andrew Marshall has visited more than 50 countries and writes for Lonely Planet.

My Tip For Holiday Photographs: “Want to tell the whole story? Take the approach of making a movie. Firstly shoot pictures of the cities and countryside that identify a place. Next, take shots of people and activities. (Remember to move around your subjects). Then take detailed photographs to complete the album.”

Award-winning photographer Beverly Joubert spends every waking hour in the bush taking breathtaking shots for National Geographic with her husband Dereck.

My Tip For Holiday Photographs: “If you’re photographing wildlife you need to be patient.

Do not become part of the story by interacting with them or challenging them to get a fiercelooking predator shot. It’s important to have total respect and let nature unfold in front of you. By doing this those unique moments will happen.”

ST UA RT B U T L E R

M A R K B E ST Chef Mark Best is one of Australia's leading chefs and restaurateurs. He also knows how to work magic with a camera.

My Tip For Holiday Photographs: “Tell a story that hasn't been told, one that creates a sense of time, place and envy.”

The UK writer and photographer has seen his work published in the Independent, Telegraph and Washington Post. He has written more than 30 Lonely Planet guides.

My Tip For Holiday Photographs: “If you are keen to take a shot of a local never use a long lens and try and take a sneaky picture. Go and speak to them, explain what you’re doing and ask permission. Once someone agrees to a picture you’ll end up with a much better image as you can set up the composition easier and plan your photograph.”

PHOTOGRAPHY ANNA KUCERA, @TREYRATCLIFF

Contributors

WE ASKED THE PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THIS ISSUE FOR TIPS ON HOW TO TAKE PERFECT HOLIDAY SHOTS

This US photographer based in New Zealand counts none other than Hollywood director JJ Abrahms amongst his fans.

My Tip For Holiday Photographs: “There are a lot of places that can be full with tourists, so go ahead and capture them in your shot as well. There’s nothing wrong with that. One fun challenge is to try different angles and wait for people to be in interesting positions.”

SAVOU R EN R ICHING E X PER IENCES IN V IETNA M’S HIDDEN PE A R L Travel back to the bygone era of the early 20th century and explore the fantastical charms of the awe-inspiring “Lamarck University”, crafted by the world-renowned architect/alchemist, Bill Bensley.

YOUR PARADISE AWAITS AT JW MARRIOTT PHU QUOC EMERALD BAY W: jwmarriottphuquoc.com | jwmarriottphuquocresort.com

T: +84 297 377 9999

JWMarriottPhuQuocEmeraldBay

# TA K E M E H E R E —

GAUCHO SPIRIT Hear the thunder of hooves and clink of metal bridles as you flick through the pages of Gauchos: Icons of Argentina by Aldo Sessa (USD$150, Assouline.com).

The photographer spent years travelling the country to capture these nomadic horsemen on film. Spy breathtaking landscapes, fascinating details of the gauchos’ lives and watch their equine workmates in action.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALDO SESSA. COURTESY OF ASSOULINE

Gentlemen riders, Argentina.

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# TA K E M E H E R E —

ULTIMATE KEEPSAKE

Get inspired by the people and landscape of Kenya.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANGAMA MARA

Make sure that your holiday photographs are your best ones yet — visit the new Photographic Studio at Angama Mara in Kenya. Guests can join master classes run by the resort’s resident wildlife photographer and naturalist. You will be able to learn how to perfect your shots and edit your images using the software available in the studio.

You’ll also have the chance to print a portfolio of your shots to create a memorable souvenir. If you need further help, go on a private 4WD photography safari and receive tips from a professional while you’re on location in the wild.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: ‘BEST FRIENDS’ BY REHAHN

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# TA K E M E H E R E —

LIVING HISTORY National Geographic photographer Réhahn has taken a UNESCO protected building in Hoi An and turned it into the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum.

The museum features photographs, costumes and recordings of ethnic groups living in Vietnam. Réhahn has captured what makes each group unique, from skilled textile makers in Sapa to the M’nong people who treat elephants as family.

A young girl from the M’nong people in Northern Vietnam.

EXPERTLY CRAFTED HOLIDAYS

CONCIERGE STYLE SERVICE

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ON THE MAP W H A T ’ S

H O T

N O W

FRESH PERSPECTIVE GET READY TO ELEVATE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCESCO CATTUTA/@FCATTUTA

Masters of Drone Photography is a new book that features the work of 17 photographers who have taken this new discipline to the next level.

Within the tome you will see an array of imaginative shots, as well as read tips and tricks from these innovative photographers. Priced around USD$32, Ammonite Press.

Assisi looks as if it’s floating on clouds.

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BOLIVIA

BRAZIL

Kachi Lodge Discover the Altiplano in style — book into the new Kachi Lodge at the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. You will spend the night in one of the space-age domes that come complete with a double bed, ensuite bathroom and luxe carpet. Just because you’re in a desert, you don’t have to slum it. Not if the co-founder of Noma has his way, because the staff from his multi-award winning Gustu Restaurant in La Paz are in charge of the cuisine. Yes, really.

Nannai Noronha The small island of Pernambuco off the northern coast of Brazil is set to be home of the latest property from the team behind the Nannai Resort & Spa in Mura Alto. The resort, which features just 19 bungalows that each come with a terrace and plunge pool can be found within a private bay. The Nannai Resort & Spa was named the most romantic hotel in the world, but we think that this will be hot on its heels.

ON THE MAP —

ESCAPE ROOMS

INDIA

Six Senses Fort Barwara Feel like royalty on holiday and book into the new Six Senses Fort Barwara near Jaipur. This 14-century fort, which was owned by the Rajasthani royal family, has been turned into a luxe hotel. Within its walled grounds you’ll find a palace and two temples. Relax in one of the two swimming pools, dine in one of the two restaurants or enjoy an Ayurvedic treatment in the former women’s palace, which is now a Six Senses spa.

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SWEDEN

Arctic Bath The team behind the famed Treehouse Hotel are back with another showstopping hotel — the floating Arctic Bath. Possibly your most refreshing getaway yet, the doughnut-shaped retreat features six hotel rooms, four saunas and a plunge pool at its centre. The boutique hotel was inspired by the log jams that float down the Lule River and it is sure to become a star of Instagram when it launches in 2019.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARCTIC BATH, KACHI LODGE, NANNAI NORONHA, SIX SENSES

INSTAGRAM-WORTHY HOTELS LAUNCHING IN 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY: @ACCIDENTALLYWESANDERSON

ON THE MAP —

SCENE STEALERS WES ANDERSON FANS ARE SEARCHING OUT HIS FAMED SYMMETRICAL STAGING IN REAL LIFE US film director Wes Anderson’s witty films are loved for their fairy-tale backdrops, dusty pastel palettes and symmetrical scenes.

So much so, fans of films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Royal Tenenbaums are now seeking out Anderson locations in real life. The culmination of their efforts can be found at @accidentallywesanderson. The team invite you to join them as they add to their bucket list of daydream destinations and find out more about what’s behind those beautiful façades.

Top row from left: Singapore, Sydney, Crimea, California. Second row: Edinburgh, Lake Como. Portugal, Newfoundland in Canada.

Third row: Bangkok. Switzerland, Dublin. Switzerland. Bottom row: Hong Kong. Lake Como, St Petersburg. Iceland.

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SALES & LETTINGS

“We pride ourselves on providing an exceptional, highly respected service�

Having worked within the prime Central London market for over 15 years we have gained an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and expertise. Our small, family run office creates long-standing, loyal relationships with our clients and other agents alike.

D S Churchill 2nd Floor Office, 19 South Audley Street London W1K 2BN

+44 (0)20 7629 7563 | info@dschurchill.com

G O T O G R E AT HEIGHTS

CAMP ADVENTURE PARK, DENMARK Get a bird’s eye view of the forest when you visit the new treetop walk at Gisselfeld Klosters Skove near Copenhagen. Take a 900-metre stroll up the viewing tower that gives you a 360-view of the lakes, creeks and Danish wetlands. If you want a quick descent, look out for the ziplines that are dotted around the park.

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STARCHITECTURE NEW YORK’S LATEST SHOWSTOPPING LANDMARK It takes a lot to stop New Yorkers in their tracks, but we think that this larger than life art piece might just do it. The Vessel, created by UK architect Thomas Heatherwick (he of the London Olympics Cauldron fame), can be found within Hudson Yards in New York. Comprising 154 intricately woven staircases, the bronzed-steel viewing tower will give you a workout as well as a unique view of the Big Apple. Heatherwick was said to have taken inspiration for the design from Indian stepwells. If you don’t like the sound of 2,500 steps, don’t worry, it also features an elevator.

DUBAI FRAME, DUBAI One landmark that is as pretty as a picture. Look through Dubai Frame and you’ll be able to spy snapshots of both old and new Dubai. Ride the elevator to the 48th floor of the golden frame to be treated to panoramic views of the city.

GOLDEN BRIDGE, VIETNAM When it comes to architecture that lifts you up, the designers of the Golden Bridge in Da Nang have taken it literally. Two giant hands hold aloft a bridge that offers views of the Ba Na Hills.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: DUBAI FRAME, EFFEKT, FORBES-MASSIEHEATHERWICK-STUDIO, TA CORPORATION

ON THE MAP

Constance Halaveli, a 5* luxury island hideaway on stilts in the Indian Ocean that puts paradise at your fingertips.

Unforgettable dives and unspoiled beaches make for a totally spoiled you and your loved ones. The magic of the surroundings is as romantic as it is exceptional. All with a genuine attention to detail that takes personalised service to a new level.

The shadow of the 86 villas falls on the turquoise lagoon. The three restaurants and the spa ensure that both body and mind are well cared for.

Constance Halaveli is like nowhere else.

Disconnect, reconnect and enjoy relaxation perfected.

THE MOST INTERESTING PERSON THAT I MET I met this old-timer about an hour outside of Chengdu, China, in this old tea house.

He was just hanging out, having tea, and smoking from this rather elaborate pipe.

It felt like it could have been from 1,000 years ago.

ON THE MAP —

WORLD TOUR US PHOTOGRAPHER TREY RATCLIFF TALKS ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR From Milan to Moscow, Budapest to Beijing, US photographer Trey Ratcliff has being travelling the world offering free photography master classes in each city. As he wrapped up his tour of Asia, we spoke to him about his successful 80 Stays Around The World expedition with Ritz-Carlton hotels. If you missed the tour, don’t worry, you can still get more photography tips and tricks from the man whose work can be found in the Smithsonian by following him on Instagram @treyratcliff or visiting StuckInCustoms.com

MY FAVOURITE SHOT SO FAR I have many favourites, but the one that stands out is of government housing in Hong Kong. A local friend took me to a place I would never have found on my own. There was a little light rain, so I had to be quick to take the shot before the lens got too wet.

I like the photo because it is a bit confusing.

Counter-intuitively, it’s often more interesting to confuse the viewer than to make everything too literal.

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THE DESTINATION I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO Tokyo, Japan. Not only do I love all the parts of the city for photography, but I have an equal affinity for the Japanese culture and the food. Oh, the food, don’t get me started! I can spend many days in each little mini-city inside Tokyo like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Asakusa, and so many more.

MY TOP TIP FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS IN TOURIST AREAS A lot of places are very touristy, so go ahead and capture them in your shot as well. There’s nothing wrong with that. One fun challenge is to try different angles and wait for people to be in interesting positions. This photo is a good example of a very touristy place, the pyramids in Cairo, Egypt.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TREY RATCLIFF

THE COUNTRY THAT GAVE ME ENDLESS PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES Overall, I’d say Japan. It has a great balance of big cities like Osaka to natural places like Kyoto. I could go there a hundred times and always find new shots and situations.

THE DESTINATION THAT SURPRISED ME THE MOST Budapest, Hungary. When our tour bus pulled into the city I was immediately impressed with both the architecture and the atmosphere. Plus, there are amazing underground Turkish baths all over the city. Groups of people would sit in parks and share a picnic and wine. Music everywhere… it was a beautiful place and I wonder why it took me so long to visit.

L I G H T F O OT T R AV E L P R E S E N T S

EXPERTLY CRAFTED We fuse our wealth of expertise and deep understanding of our destinations together to create unparalleled day-byday itineraries to suit your needs

KNOWLEDGE Our Travel Designers spend the year criss-crossing the globe learning even more about the countries they specialise in and ensuring their product knowledge is second-to-none.

VALUE We carefully nurture our relationships with global and local suppliers so that we can provide the best value and experiences to our clients.

MAKING MEMORIES START PLANNING YOUR BESPOKE JOURNEY WITH LIGHTFOOT TRAVEL NOW

EASE When booking with Lightfoot Travel we allocate you one point of contact who will seamlessly guide you through the booking process.

PEACE OF MIND You gain the reassurance that while you are travelling, we are constantly on hand to make sure that your holiday runs seamlessly.

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C U LT U R E —

KINGS OF THE DESERT PHOTOGRAPHER STUART BUTLER TRAVELS TO THE DANAKIL DEPRESSION TO CAPTURE A DISAPPEARING WAY OF LIFE D E S T I N AT I O N : ETHIOPIA

L O C AT I O N : DA N A K I L D E P R E SS I O N

A camel train winds its way across the salt pan.

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T

he line on the horizon bubbles and bends in the heat. Curtains of sand sweep over the desert plains and passing camels slip in and out of hazy focus. A man with a weathered face and a Kalashnikov machine gun slung over his shoulders saunters into the shade of a stick and wattle building. A hot wind blows, and somewhere, out there in the distance beyond the scorched white salt pans, a volcanic lake of lava boils in anger.

Local legend says that this land wasn’t always so tough. Once, so the tales of old go, the very ground here was made of pure, priceless gold, but that the wealth of the people who lived here made them become lazy and that gradually they forgot to pray to God and to thank Him for all the wealth He had given them. In retaliation He turned what was gold into salt. But, it’s still said that one day, when humans again live in peace and remember to pray to God, that He will turn the salt of the Danakil Depression, where I now stood, back into gold.

The Danakil Depression, which is one of the most jawdropping sights in Africa, spreads across a part of the northeast African countries of Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea, is the lowest point in Africa and one of the lowest spots on the planet.

Searing hot and highly volcanic, the tectonic forces at play here are so powerful that ever so slowly the Danakil – and indeed Africa itself – is being torn apart. One day, way into the distant future, this scorching and near water less desert will become the bed of a newly created ocean.

Even without its suicidal tendencies, the Danakil has a fearsome reputation. It has the hottest year-round average temperatures of anywhere on

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Clockwise from top left: Miners dig out salt from the land. The bubbling Danakil Depression. A camel waiting for his next load.

Earth (Dallol, an old mining town in the middle of Danakil, is said to be the single hottest place in the world, with a year-round average temperature of 34 Celsius and, between May and September, afternoon temperatures here are almost always above 50 degrees Celsius); it’s one of the most seismically active corners of the continent; and the Afar people, who call Danakil home, have long been renowned for their pride and independence.

Indeed, before the 1930s almost every outsider who tried to explore the area found themselves in

PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART BUTLER, ISTOCK

the unfortunate position of being castrated by the not-so-friendly locals.

Today, the welcome is much warmer, but the climate, and pretty much everything else about Danakil, is just as extreme. In the few days I’d already been here I’d clambered gingerly through clouds of natural poison gas to the rim of the Erta Ale volcano in order to peer down into one of the world’s only permanent lava lakes. And, in a crater above the village of Dallol, I’d walked through a bizarre landscape of yellow, pink and garish green mushroom-like formations of sulphur rock.

Exploring these sulphur fields, created by volcanic action, I felt like I was walking through a nuclear coral garden.

I’ve been a regular visitor to Ethiopia for more than 25 years and over that time I have seen the country transform itself in ways I could never have imagined during my first visit. But, one thing that never changes is the pleasure I get from taking pictures in Ethiopia. Due to the extreme conditions and difficulty of travelling here, the Danakil had always been a place that I’d only ever been able to

Sweet black tea keeps everyone refreshed.

“

I caught my breath at the sight of hundreds of camels moving in a single, long, snake-like line across a simmering salt pan without a horizon

�

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Editors’ Note “THE CAMEL TRAINS ARE VERY EXOTIC AND NOT SEEN OFTEN.” DERECK AND B E V E R LY J O U B E R T

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dream about visiting and photographing. I hadn’t been in Danakil very long before I’d concluded that with its exploding volcanoes and plains of extraterrestrial sulphur formations, the Danakil was certainly one of the most otherworldly places I’d ever witnessed.

But yet, it wasn’t so much the natural phenomena that had drawn me here, but the chance to photograph a group of people who, quite literally, carve a life out of the salt pans found all across the Danakil. One morning, about half-way through my stay, I woke with the rising sun. Peering out from the open-sided straw-and-twig shelter in which I had spent the night, I caught my breath at the sight of hundreds of camels, moving in a single, long, snake-like line across a simmering salt pan without a horizon. I jumped out of bed and roused my driver from his sleep, and we set off in haste to investigate.

Some minutes later, we caught up with the head of the camel caravan, and found three hardened men, faces scarred and lined by the desert wind, walking with determination through this scene of desolation. The men were, they informed me, salt miners from the much more gentle Ethiopian highlands, and every week or so throughout the cooler months of the year, they walked for days on end at the head of camel caravans hundreds strong to the Danakil’s vast salt pans.

Here, they and their Afar companions cut, hack and smash neat blocks of rock salt from the burning ground, lash them to the camels and walk back the way they had come to sell the rock salt in the highland markets.

It’s a trade that has been conducted for generations, but as we arrived at the heart of the salt pan and the men set to work digging up the precious salt, they explained how they can see that life will change in the future. Cheaper, factoryproduced salt has already been flooding their traditional markets and reducing their profits, and to make matters even worse, a new road is slowly edging its way off the highland plateau, down

across the Danakil wastelands and out into this salt pan.

When the heat of the rising day became too intense even for these apparently heat resistant men, we all moved into the slight shade generated by a tumble down stone shelter. Overly sweet black tea was poured into dirty glasses from a kettle that had become blackened from years of wood smoke. Sipping their tea, the men told me of their fears for the coming years. When the road eventually arrives, the men worry that it will bring with it trucks, which can carry the salt faster, cheaper and easier than these men can with their camels. And with the arrival of the trucks it’s likely that one of the last great camel caravans of Africa will vanish like the Danakil’s once legendary gold.

GETTING THERE For more information on travelling to Ethiopia email a Lightfoot Travel Designer at info@lightfoottravel.com

Clockwise from top left: The locals who live in one of the hottest places on Earth.

Smashing the salt into smaller pieces to transport. The arrival of trucks could mean the end of the camel trains.

LO CATIONS YOU'LL LOVE Ethiopia gives you endless reasons to pack a camera

BLUE NILE FALLS

LALIBELA

OMO VALLEY

Called the ‘Smoke of Fire’ by the locals, the

Called the Eighth Wonder of the World, these

From the bull-jumping Hamer Village people

Blue Nile Falls near Bahir Dar, sees water hurtle

subterranean churches will take your breath

to the lip-stretching Mursi tribe, you will have

over the cliff edge, into a chasm more than

away. Tour 11 medieval UNESCO World Heritage

a chance to see some of the 50 tribes whose

45-metres deep. You can also visit the 14th-

Sites that locals believed were built by labourers

traditions are firmly intact and appear to remain

century monasteries that surround Lake Tana.

during the day and angels at night.

untouched by 21st-century life.

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1 LADAKH

SO NOW: One of the last wild places.

If the idea of white water rafting or trekking doesn’t have you rushing to this high-altitude destination, what about the fact that this Himalayan hideaway is also the home of snow leopards? If you are travelling from June to September, book into the Chamba Camp Thiksey.

Think four-poster beds, opulent chandeliers and a butler on standby. From picnics to polo matches — almost anything can be arranged. If you stay at Chamba Camp Thiksey you will have four, yes four dining options to choose from. Feast in the cool silk lined restaurant, enjoy a barbecue under the stars, dine at a private table by the lake or even among the camp’s organic garden. When you are ready to explore, go hiking, rafting, visit the local Thiksey Monastery and head into the wilds to spot those elusive snow leopards.

Above: Blowing conch shells before morning prayers.

Left: Chamba Camp Thiksey.

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I N S P I R AT I O N —

TOP 10 PLACES FOR 2019 WHERE YOU SHOULD BE SEEN AND WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SEEING THIS YEAR…

2 NEW YORK SO NOW: Airport makeovers, a USD$25 billion megaproject and showstopping starchitecture.

The home of Broadway is ready to put on a show in 2019. Not only are four of its airports undergoing a makeover, but there is also a whole new neighbourhood to explore. The USD$25 billion megaproject called Hudson Yards comes with celebrity restaurants, a new cultural centre — The Shed and a new landmark for New York, the Vessel by architect Thomas Heatherwick.

Old neighbourhoods are also being revitalised.

The Cipriani family has launched Mr C Seaport in one of the oldest parts of Manhattan and overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. This riverside property will instantly make you a fan of the Big Apple.

As will the TAK Room – Thomas Keller’s latest venture at Hudson Yards or the new Shake Shack Innovation Kitchen in the West Village. Like the sound of cold brew matcha latte? They are already serving it here.

Need another reason to go? Woodstock will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Pop some flowers in your hair and relive the glory days from 15 to 18 August 2019 in NYC.

“ ”

Above left: Mr C Seaport. Above: Central Park.

Visit the Moynaq Ship Graveyard, once a busy fishing port, but now a desert

Left: Historical Uzbekistan.

Below: Yurts in the desert.

3 UZBEKISTAN SO NOW: New president, new reforms and no visas needed.

Steeped in Silk Road history and filled with UNESCO Heritage Sites, the former Soviet country is far more accessible to travellers. Not only has a new president brought reforms, making it easy to get a visa, but if you are lucky enough to come from places such as Singapore, Malaysia

or Indonesia, you don’t even need a visa. The Silk Road cities are where you need to be and Uzbekistan has three of them — Khivao, Bukhara and Samarkand. So catch a high speed train from Tashkent to one of these ancient cities. When travelling through Bukhara make a stop at the antique-filled Silk Road Tea House where their cardamom coffee will revive the most jetlagged traveller. For unique places to stay, choose a yurt in the Uzbek wilderness. And for intriguing sights, visit the Moynaq Ship Graveyard, once a busy fishing port, but now desert after rivers were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects.

4 TASMANIA SO NOW: Australasia’s new artisanal find.

Tasmania is ready to step out of Australia’s shadow. Not only does it want to be the world destination for eco-tourism (one billion dollars has been earmarked for hotel developments), but its award-winning artisanal farms and whisky distilleries are already putting it on the world map.

It’s the home of the world’s best single malt whisky, yes really. If you want to try some of this delicious gastronomy for yourself go on a tour of the distilleries, visit what’s been named as Australia’s best dining room at Saffire Freycinet or stop by the award-winning Peacock & Jones restaurant found in an old sandstone warehouse on Hobart’s waterfront. Here you can enjoy diamond clams, pasture-fed lamb and fish fresh from the market served with vadouvan, honey bug and fried curry leaves. You can burn off those calories by enjoying the Overland Trek that runs from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. Then book into Pumphouse Point, a boutique hideaway set in the middle of the lake, which also has a new lodge on the shore. Spend the day trekking or fly fishing and the evening relaxing by the fire.

Clockwise from above: Cradle Mountain in Tasmania. Pumphouse Point lounge and lake view.

5 JAPAN

Colourful traditional dress. Right: Mount Fuji.

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SO NOW: Hosting not one, but two legendary sporting events.

Japan is the country that really does have it all.

From the 400 plus Michelin-star restaurants for foodies, to the ancient temples for culture vultures and the power-filled mountains of Niseko for adrenalin addicts. And now it is about to become the venue for the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Summer Olympics in 2020. The Rugby World Cup from 20 September to 2 November 2019 is scattered throughout the country, so if you are following your team this gives you the chance to do some sightseeing at the same time. Looking for somewhere to stay in Tokyo? Take a peek at the new Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo, which has to claim the title for being the most well-positioned hotel in the city, set in the middle of the shopping district.

Another reason to go to Japan in 2019? Did we mention cherry blossom season?

Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio. Right: Nannai Noronha.

7 BRAZIL

“ ”

Whisk through the jungle canopy of this Nicaraguan island on your own zip line

Left: Raffles Hotel.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.

6 SINGAPORE SO NOW: A special centenary, a new mega flight and the home of Crazy Rich Asians.

Singapore has so much to celebrate — 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of Singapore, Raffles is about to reopen its doors, it's the home of the world's longest flight (Singapore to New York) and thanks to Crazy Rich Asians, it's also Hollywood's favourite new destination. You can book into Raffles when it opens mid-2019,

or you can choose one of Six Senses first urban hotels — Six Senses Duxton or Six Senses Maxwell.

Then dine at one of the new celebrity restaurants that are owned by Michelin-starred chefs. Visit The English House for dishes by Marco Pierre White and Raffles for new restaurants by Anne-Sophie Pic and Alain Ducasse. Lastly, if you want to feel like a Crazy Rich Asian you can always drive a Ferrari around the Formula One track.

SO NOW: Arrival of dream hotels.

Brazil is ready to party.

Not only does it boast a raft of glamorous new resorts to explore, new ways to explore, but Brazil is the host of the 2019 Copa America (the South America world cup) from 14 June to 7 July. Let’s face it, with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay in the line up, it might as well be the World Cup. Five of your favourite hotels are also about to open properties in Brazil — Anantara, Fairmont, Bulgari, Four Seasons and Six Senses. However, there’s one more than you need to take a peek at.

Nannai Noronha, which is expected to open in March 2019 will be set on its own private island. It’s owned by the same team as the Nannai Resort & Spa in Mura Alto, which Condé Nast called the world’s most romantic hotel. One for the honeymooners that's for sure. Finally, if that’s not enough, you can also take a ride on the new Peralta Boat, which will take you through the Corumbao area of the Pantanal, the best location to spy wildlife in the Americas.

8

Home to the new Singita Lodge.

Above: A golden monkey and her baby

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SO NOW: Surely the world’s chicest safari.

If you want to feel like a jungle VIP, Rwanda is the place to go in 2019. This country is about to spoil us with a wealth of riches. Not only are luxury hotels launching in their droves, and the beloved mountain gorillas increasing in numbers, but Rwanda now boasts the five animals that wildlife lovers want to see – rhinos, lion, leopards, elephant and buffalo, since 20 black rhino were transferred to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda from South Africa in 2017. Rwanda is an animal lovers’ paradise. You get to see the wildlife you adore and you get to see it in style. If you want to witness the mountain gorillas from 2019 you also have the option of staying at One&Only Gorillas Nest and Singita Kwitonda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park. As for the rhinos, you will be able to book into Magashi in Akagera National Park, or to spot the chimps, book into One&Only Nyungwe House in Nyungwe National Park. Tarzan and Jane would be jealous.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK, SHUTTERSTOCK

RWANDA

10 CAMBODIA

Left: A Nile cruise. Right: The Great Pyramids of Giza.

9 EGYPT SO NOW: A new city, a new museum and it's the muse for the latest Karl Lagerfeld collection.

Egypt may be seeing glittering hotels, a state-ofthe-art museum and a new mega city launch in Cairo, but surprisingly, the ancient country is still friendly on the wallet. If you want to leave behind the hustle and bustle that surrounds the pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza, trek through the Sinai

Desert, climb Mount Sinai and camp beneath the stars. Alternatively set sail on the Nile and ride in a traditional felucca from Luxor to Aswan. During your four-day journey you will be able to visit the palaces of the Egyptian kings and queens with an Egyptologist or just watch the world go by from your pool on the deck. But before you fly out of the country, make sure that you squeeze in a trip to the new USD$1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum that’s next to the Great Pyramids of Giza. It’s a history lesson that you’ll never forget.

“ ”

Cambodia is about to welcome a host of Architectural Digest-style properties

SO NOW: New eco towns and resorts.

Move aside Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia is coming through. Not only is the country about to welcome a host of Architectural Digest-style properties, but it’s about to launch a sprawling eco megaproject called Song Saa Reserve near Siem Reap. Seven resorts will be invited to join this eco-town and create a quiet retreat outside of the bustling UNESCO World Heritage City. But you don’t need to wait until it’s built as when it comes to where to stay in 2019 you will be able to take your pick.

If you long to castaway on your own private island book into Six Senses Krabey Island and Alila Koh Russey, or spend the night in a Bill Bensley retreat in the Cambodian jungle – Shinta Mani Wild has just opened its doors – or should we say zipline. Yes, that’s how you arrive. The Shinta Mani Wild also comes with lots of unique experiences, such as foraging with the chef in the jungle, then using those ingredients in traditional Cambodian recipes when you return to the kitchen.

C U LT U R E —

COME TOGETHER JOSE JEULAND TRAVELLED TO THE NORTH OF SRI LANKA WHERE HE CAPTURED THE NALLUR FESTIVAL IN JAFFNA D E S T I N AT I O N : SRI LANKA

L O C AT I O N : JA F F N A

More than 600,000 worshippers visit the Festival.

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W

atching the fishermen haul in their bulging nets of freshly caught fish was entertaining enough, but we soon discovered that this wasn’t the main attraction in Negombo. Unbeknownst to us, we had chosen to visit during the Nallur Festival, the largest Hindu festival in Sri Lanka.

As we walked closer towards the main square, the sounds of drums, horns and cymbals filled the air. The streets were buzzing with crowds of people in colourful outfits who were all making their way to the glittering Jaffna Nallur Kandaswamy Temple.

Today was part of a 25-day celebration, which locals said would see more than 600,000 worshippers visit the town throughout the month.

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What made it even more poignant, was that some of the people who came to the festival were former refugees who had escaped the Civil War. The atmosphere in the town was intoxicating.

From the colourful outfits and the energetic music, to the rich sticky scent of peanuts that the market traders roasted by the roadside, it was a treat for all the senses.

I was told by some of the locals we met that worshippers take part in many customs, including going into a trance, piercing their body and tongue and breaking coconuts in front of the temple. But as we walked towards the temple, we mostly saw families laughing, eating and praying together.

As we reached the temple we could see men carrying huge floats upon their shoulders. Shaped

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOSE JEULAND

Clockwise from left: Worshippers carry a giant float on their shoulders. Men crawl along the wet sand to show deference.

One of the youngest festival goers. Worshippers join the festival.

like cobras and peacocks, these giant statues were balanced upon bamboo poles, which the men used all of their strength to keep aloft. They walked round and round in front of the temple holding the float as their legs buckled beneath them.

The heat of the Sri Lankan sun in August was unforgiving so the locals had sprayed water over the hot sandy streets to make it more comfortable for barefooted worshippers. As we had shed our shoes out of a sign of respect, I also appreciated the cool damp sand beneath my feet.

When we arrived at the temple it was such a sight to behold. I had never seen a building of such lustre and grandeur. This was even before I stepped inside. Entering the temple was akin to walking into a palace. The floor, walls and statues had all been

created with great care and were a master class in craftsmanship. As much as I longed to capture these details on film, I had to keep my camera firmly in my bag as no photography was allowed.

But what I saw was enough to make me change my holiday plans. We arrived in Jaffna 10 days before the end of the festival. We had only intended to stay for a couple of days, but we were so intrigued by what we saw, we decided to stay until the final day. They told us that the festival would become more and more enthralling as time went on.

When we weren't at the festival we took the chance to visit the rest of Jaffna. We took a trip to the Dutch Fort and nearby waterfalls, but we would return to the festival on important days to lose

“

The temple was such a sight to behold. I have never seen such lustre and grandeur

Clockwise from above: The Jaffna Nallur Kandaswamy Temple. Watching the crowds walk by. The festival is a family event.

48

ourselves in the crowd and see who we could meet.

Whether we would visit the festival in the morning or the afternoon, we would always see something different. On the last day, when we visited the festival we were packed like sardines. The sun was beating down upon us and there was not much of a breeze. It felt as if all the 600,000 people must have been there at that point.

But the wait was worth it as there was still one more visual treat in store. As it reached sunset, the devotees carried out their god in a chariot.

The chariot was of such an incredible height. But what was more impressive was that it was being carried around using only human strength, as the worshippers were holding it aloft on their shoulders.

It was truly a majestic sight.

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�

5 MORE ASIAN F E S T I VA L S T O PHOTOGRAPH Warning! Carry a power pack (maybe two) 1 SNOW AND ICE

You’ll find Holi celebration in

FESTIVAL

India, Nepal and many parts

China’s coldest city plays

of South Asia.

host to the annual Harbin International Ice & Snow Festival from now until February 2019. It showcases striking works of art, sculpted with ice from the Songhua River.

4 BALI KITE FESTIVAL This is not your typical kite festival… the Bali Kite Festival that runs from July to October 2019 not only tests everyone’s kiteflying skills, but also sends 2 SONGKRAN

thanks to the Hindu Gods

Songkran marks the

for an abundant harvest.

beginning of the traditional

Teams comprise 70 to 80

Thai New Year. Locals will

people, 10 of which are

be celebrating from 13 to

needed to fly the kite. The

15 April 2019 by soaking

competition is as intense

anyone in the vicinity with

as the festivities.

buckets of water and water pistols. The temples will be bustling as followers visit to leave offerings.

5 THIMPHU TSECHU The Thimphu Tsechu from 8 to 10 October 2019 in Bhutan is the country’s 3 HOLI FESTIVAL

biggest social gathering.

The Festival of Colours

Expect Cham Dances,

celebrates the end of

colourful national costumes

winter and beginning of

and lots of laughter. The

spring. A Holika bonfire that

festival commemorates

represents burning the devil

the birth of Bhutan’s patron

will take place on the night

saint, Padmasambhava,

of 20 March 2019, then a

who introduced Buddhism

day of festivities follows,

to the country.

including colour water fights and dancing in the street.

Driving through Monument Valley.

ADVENTURE —

ON THE ROAD JUMP IN A MODERN DAY WAGON AND EXPLORE THE US OF A, SAYS ANDREW MARSHALL D E PA R T : CA L I F O R N I A

ARRIVE: U TA H

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T

he Southwest of the United States is a land for the imagination. For where else can help you comprehend the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, the soaring mesas and buttes of Monument Valley, the spiritual reverence of Canyon de Chelly, and the vibrancy of Navajo, Hopi and Pueblo cultures? The variety and magnitude of the landscapes of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah is unparalleled, and this trio of Southwest states boast the highest concentration of national parks in the nation.

The early settlers had done it the hard way with their canvas-covered wagons, but my partner and I were exploring this Wild West region the easy way, seated comfortably behind the wheel of an all American RV. Recreational vehicles (as motorhomes are known here) are as American as the stars and stripes, and their popularity

Above: A retro truck snapped at the Route 66 Visitor Centre. Below: Death Valley National Park — one of the hottest places on Earth.

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is evident by the sheer number of facilities available, making ‘on the road travel’ an experience of pure freedom.

It took two days driving from San Francisco before we cleared California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the RV pulled back on the hot desert air, the miles fell behind in a spectacle of rockstrewn plains, windblown sand dunes and highways stretching into infinity. With some cool sounds on the stereo and the RV in cruise control, we move on effortlessly into Death Valley — one of the hottest, driest and lowest places on Planet Earth.

Temperatures in Death Valley once hit 57°C in July 1913, and evocative names like Desolation Canyon, Starvation Point, Hell’s Gate and Furnace Creek reflect the region’s mining and pioneering history. Some of the park’s attractions include Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America at 282 ft below sea level), Zabriskie Point, the Devil’s Golf Course and Dante’s View. From an elevation of 5,476 ft we take in the panorama of dazzling white salt-pans, rock-strewn plains and sweeping sand dunes hemmed in by the bare bones of the Amargosa Mountain Range.

Skipping across the bottom of Nevada, it was twilight along Highway 160 when the infamous Las Vegas Strip loomed into view — four miles of pulsating neon signs and a surreal skyline made up of the Eiffel Tower, an Egyptian pyramid, a Sphinx, the Statue of Liberty and an exploding volcano.

Love it, loathe it, or both, Vegas is artificial and completely over the top, and you couldn’t get a greater contrast to the large scale natural attractions to follow.

Somewhere across the north-western Arizona state line, down Route 66 was the mother of all canyons — the Grand Canyon. Around 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attaining a depth of over a mile, it took us two days hiking along the west rim, taking in the postcard views, and a

“ ”

Snow-capped mountains and timbered plateaus, rugged canyons, deep lakes and cactus-covered deserts at every turn

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW MARSHALL, LAS VEGAS CONVENTION & VISITORS AUTHORITY XANTERRA PARKS & RESORTS

Clockwise: Arches National Park in Utah. A Navajo girl in Monument Valley. The Grand Canyon at sunset.

The canyon celebrates 100 years as a national park in 2019.

strenuous descent into the canyon, past millions of years of glowing sedimentary rock, before we could even begin to comprehend its immensity.

Situated 230 miles east of the Grand Canyon and located within the Navajo Indian Reservation Lands, is Canyon de Chelly National Park, where we had our first glimpse into the world of the prehistoric pueblo people. The Navajo who now live here call them ‘the Anasazi — the ancient ones’. An easy hike leads down to the floor of the picturesque canyon and the Whitehouse pueblo ruins. Built against an overhang of canyon walls and surrounded by Navajo fields of maze, the Anasazi ruins are simply stunning. Why the Anasazi left their canyon homes is still a mystery.

EXCLUSIVE GO PADDLEBOARDING IN GRAND TETON.

The days that followed epitomised the amazing diversity of experiences you can have on a RV tour of America’s Southwest. We examined dinosaur footprints alongside the highway, witnessed trees frozen to stone in the Petrified Forest National Park, and across the border in New Mexico we visited the Indian pueblo village of Taos where adobe homes date back to the 1400s.

If there’s one place in America’s Southwest where there’s a tangible feeling of the past, then Chaco Culture National Historical Park in northwestern New Mexico is it. Between roughly AD 900 and 1150, remote Chaco Canyon was a major centre of culture for the Ancient Pueblo Peoples Today, dozens of ruins dot the windswept plains of this UNESCO World Heritage site, testifying to the centuries that the Chacoans lived here. Most impressive are the huge house complexes like D-shaped Pueblo Bonito, with its distinctive round ceremonial chambers called kivas.

From Chaco we drove the RV back into Arizona and hit Hwy 163 towards Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park — some of the most scenic driving of our entire journey. This most iconic and recognisable landscape of America’s ‘Wild West’ is home to the native Navajo Indians, and is also known for its red desert crowned with distinctive mesas and towering sandstone buttes.

A 16-mile graded dirt road leads from the visitor

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centre and takes in the key points of interest such as The Mittens, Three Sisters, John Ford’s Point (named after the film director), Totem Pole and Teardrop Arch.

Crossing over into Utah, our three-week RV trip was nearing an end, and Utah isn’t a state to run short of time in, with snow-capped mountains, timbered plateaus, rugged canyons, deep lakes and cactus-covered deserts at every turn. With heavy hearts we by-passed Bryce Canyon to spend our last days in Arches National Park.

MOST SCENIC ROAD TRIPS Keep your camera at hand on these inspiring drives

Clockwise from far left: A red Cadillac on The Strip in Las Vegas. Arches National Park. The famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign. Desert View watchtower and Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.

The gravity-defying wonders of rock formations have always sparked the human imagination, and Arches National Park with its 2,000 natural stone arches — the greatest density on earth — is the place to visit if you want to be awed by simply amazing landscapes. Parking up the RV, we head off on the park’s signature three-mile return trail that leads to its main drawcard – spectacular Delicate Arch. Straddling a ridge of glowing red sandstone between an ancient pothole and a sheer cliff face, with panoramic views to the east over the snowcapped La Sal Mountains, Delicate Arch framed in the sweeping span of Frame Arch literally has the power of presence to stop us in your tracks. It's a superb grand finale to a simply amazing journey.

Editors’ Note “NATURE AND TRAVEL IS SOMETHING WE KNOW ABOUT.” DERECK AND B E V E R LY J O U B E R T

1 THE MILFORD ROAD,

3 GARDEN ROUTE,

NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH AFRICA

This 119-kilometre long

Stretching from the South

stretch of highway is

to the East of the country,

guaranteed to leave you

the Garden Route features

speechless. The drive

numerous lagoons, lakes,

from Te Anau to Milford

forests and beaches. And

Sound showcases the best

if you head a little inland

of what New Zealand has

you can visit Wine Country,

to offer, including Eglinton

which includes the famed

Valley, Mirror Lakes and

towns of Stellenbosch,

Lake Gunn.

Franschhoek and Paarl.

2 AMALFI COAST, ITALY

4 RING ROAD, ICELAND

The Amalfi Coast has been

As its name implies,

labelled Italy’s most scenic

the Ring Road is a loop

stretch of coastline and

that takes you around

with good reason. From

this rugged island.

the Mediterranean villages

Start in Reykjavik then

perched over steep cliffs,

circumnavigate the island.

to the lush gardens, and

Make time in your schedule

miles and miles of coastline

to include a glacier hike, a

that overlook turquoise and

dip in thermal springs and

emerald seas.

countless photo ops.

STRANGER THINGS

BOLIVIA’S SALT LAKE A prehistoric lake dried up and left behind cacti-covered islands, sparkling rock formations and another excuse for visitors to take the perfect Instagram shots. Head to Salar De Uyuni to break the internet.

ARIZONA’S ANTELOPE CANYON Monsoon rains have turned this canyon in Navajo country into a must-visit for photographers. It’s tricky to get that perfect pic due to the amount of light that bounces off the walls, but the results are worth it.

TIANZI MOUNTAINS IN CHINA When James Cameron was looking for inspiration for his movie Avatar, he turned to the Tianzi Mountains in Zhangjiajie. These towering monoliths measure up to 1,262 metres above sea level.

RAINBOW MOUNTAINS OF PERU . A combination of minerals and weathering have created this geological confection 100km southeast of Cusco. Locals treat the Ausangate Mountains of Peru as a holy place and use it for daily worship.

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WE DON’T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL ELON MUSK CAN SEND US TO MARS TO SNAP SOME OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD INSTAGRAM LOCATIONS

GATES OF HELL IN TURKMENISTAN Geologists searching for gas in the Karakum Desert got more than they bargained for when they drilled into the Earth in 1971. To curb the release of methane, they set the cavern on fire. It’s still burning almost 50 years later.

ETHIOPIA’S SALT SPRINGS In the Afar region of Ethiopia, you’ll find the Danakil Depression and an array of alien-like hot springs. The springs are created by the Dallol volcano as its hot magma moves below the surface.

MARBLE CAVES IN PATAGONIA This marble sculpture has been created thanks to General Carerra Lake constantly lapping against the rock face and moulding the cave. The blue colour is due to the reflection from the cerulean-hued water.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK, SHUTTERSTOCK

PAMUKKALE IN TURKEY The mineral rich waters from hot springs drip down the terraces to create this otherworldly landscape in Turkey. The site is also home to a GreekRoman city, which is why this is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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THE PANGOLIN MEN WHEN A SMALL ELEPHANT RESCUE CENTRE IN ZIMBABWE WAS ASKED IF IT COULD HELP SAVE A TRAFFICKED PANGOLIN, LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THEY WOULD SOON BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF PROTECTING ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED ANIMALS ON EARTH

I

n the wilds of Zimbabwe, five men are taking an afternoon stroll through the bush. Their steps are slow and unhurried as they wait for their charges to catch up. It’s a process that happens every day. Each afternoon, as the desert sun starts to lower in the sky, the pangolin carers each carry one of these four-legged pine cones into the bush where they can forage for dinner. After toting them over their shoulders they then carefully lower the pangolin onto the pathway so that these mini prehistoric creatures can search for ants and termites.

This picture of tranquillity is only slightly tainted by the reason of how the pangolins came to be here. These animals have all been trafficked and they are now being rehabilitated at the Tikki Hywood Trust in the hope that they can be released into the wild. Thanks to their spiny armour it looks as if very little could pose a threat to them, but the facts tell a different story. Over the past decade more than one million pangolins have been killed either through deforestation or China’s lust for pangolin flesh. Pangolin meat is often eaten to seal a business deal and its spines are used in Chinese medicine.

To protect the animals, the centre takes a covert stance on operations. However, one person that they let visit their sanctuary was the wildlife photographer Adrian Steirn. The trust invited the photographer to the sanctuary to help put these fragile creatures in the spotlight and at the forefront of everyone’s minds when it comes to animal protection. “To see the relationship between animal and carer in every frame was relevant for people out there to actually care,” says Steirn.

To find out more about the trust visit www. tikkihywoodtrust.org

The work, while rewarding, is intensive. Each pangolin has its own handler and the trust can have between 10 and 15 pangolins in its care at any one time.

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Clockwise from left: The pangolin is an intricate part of nature. “It is nature’s natural gardener,” says Lisa Hywood, founder of the Tikki Hywood Trust. “The way that they forage, what they eat is so vital to the earth. A very necessary component.” Right: The Tikki Hywood Trust has been working with renowned wildlife vet Dr Chris Foggin to help with the rehabilitation of the creatures. Below: Since 1994, they have managed to rehabilitate more than 100 pangolin.

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“ �

As the desert sun starts to lower in the sky, the pangolin carers each carry one of these four-legged pine cones into the bush where they can forage for dinner

“ �

Zimbabwe has managed to convict more pangolin poachers than anywhere else in the world. In 2016, 52 animal traffickers were convicted.

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Zimbabwe has managed to convict more pangolin poachers than anywhere else in the world. In 2016, 52 animal traffickers were convicted. Now the trust is working hard to bring together all the African countries to show how important this species is in its continent. “We want to protect it with high jail terms and enforce the law, knowing that the law can act as a deterrent,” says Hywood.

To view more of Adrian Steirn’s images see www.adriansteirn.com or @AdrianSteirn.

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S I LV E R S E A P R E S E N T S

Flåm, Norway by Steve McCurry

BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF WORLD FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER STEVE MCCURRY ON A SILVERSEA ADVENTURE

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othing can rival the wonder of our world.

Our curious minds propel us not just to keep exploring our magnificent planet, but to experience it fully. Silversea’s mission is to unlock new territories, allowing you to go deeper and discover the authentic beauty of the world that we live in. And this is why the luxury cruise company has invited renowned American photographer Steve McCurry to join them as a creative partner. “You’re present, in focus; that’s travelling, to me,” says McCurry. “It’s an urgent need to go and observe this world that we all share.”

The man who shot the world’s most famous photograph, the 'Afghan Girl', for National Geographic magazine has spent the past year travelling with Silversea and documenting his journey. Find inspiration in destinations visited by

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McCurry: set sail from Barcelona to Rome (25 April to 2 May 2019 and London to Copenhagen (from 22 June to 6 July 2019). You will be able to see the same landscapes that inspired the man who has won a National Press Photographers Award and four first prize awards from the World Press Photo contest.

Whether you take one or both journeys, expect your shutter to be constantly clicking. When you sail from London to Copenhagen you will be able to cruise through the fjords of Flåm, past Lemse that celebrates its Viking past and on to Tromsø, which is known for being one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, while if you choose to cruise from Barcelona to Rome, you will be able to photograph the famous Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Both are picturesque trips that you will never forget.

Photographer Steve McCurry.

Clockwise from left: Flåm, Norway by Steve McCurry. Sicily, Italy by Steve McCurry.

Silver Wind passing through Tower Bridge in London courtesy of Silversea.

Sicily, Italy by Steve McCurry

Cruising Along North Cape Hammerfest

Honningsvåg Tromsø

Leknes

Civitavecchia Barcelona Alghero

Bronnoysund Ålesund Bergen

Olden Flåm

Porto Mahon

Sorrento

Cagliari

Copenhagen

Trapani

London

LONDON TO COPENHAGEN

BARCELONA TO ROME

S I LV E R W I N D

S I LV E R S P I R I T

DURATION 15 DAYS

DEPARTURE 22 JUNE 2019 Day 1-2 London (Tower Bridge) 3 Day at Sea 4 Flåm & Gudvangen 5 Ålesund 6 Brønnønysund 7 Leknes 8 Tromsø 9 Honningsvåg (Nordkapp) 10 Hammerfest 11 Day as sea 12 Olden 13 Bergen 14 Day at sea 15 Copenhagen

VOYAGE 2919

DURATION 7 DAYS

DEPARTURE 25 APRIL 2019

VOYAGE 5912

Day 1 Barcelona 2 Porto Mahon 3 Alghero (Sardinia) 4 Cagliari (Sardinia) 5 Trapani (Sicily) 6 Sorrento 7 Rome (Civitavecchia)

DISCOVER SILVERSEA'S OFFERS ON SILVERSEA.COM OR CONTACT YOUR LIGHTFOOT TRAVEL DESIGNER.

F A M I LY —

SUMMER SCHOOL A LITTLE EXTRA SNEAKY TUITION THAT KIDS ARE SURE TO LOVE

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MEDIA STUDIES

Shoot A Film In Italy Lights, camera, action… Your children will have the chance to follow in the footsteps of the great Italian directors and make a movie on the Amalfi Coast if you book into the Belmond Hotel Caruso.

Mini Sophia Coppolas and Scorseses will work with a talented local filmmaker, cameraman and sound engineer, and learn how to make their own movie. Kids get to write the script, choose the soundtrack and the location and star in front of the camera. So get their people to call our people and we can arrange it.

Extra Tuition: If they need to scout a location you can always take a Hollywood-style helicopter tour of the area.

ART

Take A Photography Master Class In India If your tot wants to be the next Nat Geo photographer, take them to the Flame of the Forest resort hidden within one of India’s first tiger reserves — Kanha National Park. Comprising just four traditional cottages, this chic hideaway feels like a home from home. During the day your kids can take a mini photography master class with a naturalist whilst on safari and in the evening, they can tuck into dinner around a campfire.

Extra Tuition: Go on a nature walk with the resort’s staff who are all from the local community.

BIOLOGY

Plant Coral In The Maldives Mini environmentalists can learn about the planet and help save it at the same time when they visit COMO Maalifushi in the Maldives. Tots can sign up for the Kids Aqua Safari where they join a marine biologist to find out more about the colourful marine life that they spy on their snorkelling trip.

They can also help save Nemo and his friends by planting coral-filled frames that help replenish the reef.

Extra Tuition: Kids can also listen to a presentation by the marine biologist and then feed the fishes.

HISTORY

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK

Make A Terracotta Warrior In China Arty kids will love this fun twist on a history class. Take a trip to Xi’an where the whole family will be able to spy the Terracotta Army that was discovered by a farmer in 1974. Kids will then be able to visit one of the Terracotta factories nearby to find out how the warriors were made and then create one of their own.

Extra Tuition: Visit the Great Wall of China in Beijing where the emperor of the Qin Dynasty joined together fortifications from various states to create a wall that you can see from space. If your tots are hungry after all that walking they can also learn how to make some traditional dumplings.

GEOGRAPHY

Stay With Nomads In Mongolia Learn about the wilds of Mongolia from the people who know it best — stay with nomads in a pop-up ger in Mongolia. Here your children will have the

chance to learn more about the families who move with the seasons. They will also be able to help herd the animals, milk the cows and collect water from the river. Mum and Dad don’t have to worry about roughing it in a tent because these luxury gers come with hot showers and en-suite bathrooms.

Extra Tuition: If your kids are foodies they can also learn how to prepare traditional Mongolian dishes with the family.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Go Rafting In Peru It can be hard to get children on holiday to concentrate for that long, so whizz through the Sacred Valley on a whitewater raft. The trip will take you from Pachar to the amazing Inca terraces in Ollantaytambo. Here you’ll be able to hike around one of the last remaining Inca towns and discover an array of archaeological sites. This way your tots will be burning calories and learning at the same time.

Extra Tuition: Book into Sol Y Luna where you can tour the Peruvian landscape by horseback, kayak or bicycle.

Clockwise from far left: Make a splash at Belmond Hotel Caruso.

Spot tigers at Kanha National Park. Book a pop-up ger in Mongolia. Plant coral with COMO Maalifushi. Make a Terracotta Warrior. Visit the Sacred Valley.

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DREAM LIFE —

INTO THE WILD AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY MAKERS DERECK AND BEVERLY JOUBERT TELL US ABOUT THEIR EXTRAORDINARY LIFE LIVING IN THE AFRICAN BUSH

I

n the North of Botswana lies the Okavango Delta, home to cheetah, lion, white rhino and black rhino — some of the world’s most endangered animals. It is also home to two of the most famous wildlife filmmakers and photographers in the world — Dereck and Beverly Joubert. They are usually found driving through the waterways in their Jeep, with camera equipment balanced on the roof and spare lenses squeezed into any minute space left in the vehicle. But even when they are motoring through croc-filled waterways or submerging their vehicle completely and having to scramble on to the roof, there is nowhere in the world they would rather be. And they would still say that even after an almost fatal run-in with a wild buffalo — but we’ll get onto that later.

The couple, who met at high school in South Africa, first worked in the bush together when Dereck and Beverly Joubert driving through the Okavango Delta.

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they ran a camp called Sohobele in the Timbavati Reserve. While the camp didn’t last, the affect the bush had on them did. “The camp placed us in the Timbavati Reserve, and it also placed us most notably near to my brother, an artist living in the Klaserie. In many ways I was mentored into this lifestyle,” says Dereck.

Their introduction to the new way of life was a happy accident, so was their entryway into film and photography. The passionate conservationists realised that they could use their images to help tell spread their environmental message. Both were equally adept behind the lens, and their ability and need to tell a story through film soon steamrolled.

It wasn’t long before they caught the attention of National Geographic.

Through their closeness to the animals the Jouberts were making endless discoveries that so far had gone unnoticed by the world of science.

They were the first to notice that lions could and do kill elephants, that hyenas hunt and kill as much as lions do, and they also captured on film a young

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leopard taking an orphaned baby baboon high into the trees to protect it from a passing hyena.

The result of their work has seen them receive eight Emmys and a Peabody. However, the photography would just be the start of their mission to protect wildlife. One night when Dereck was plotting the size of the big cat population, he was hit with the realisation that while they spent four years creating the award-winning film Eye of the Leopard, 5,000 leopards were killed by hunters during this time. “We decided that we needed to acknowledge our successes, but also our failure in being able to turn the most important curve around with just our films and that’s when we

“ ”

The elephants got closer and closer.

Eventually they were scooping flowers off the deck between our feet. We sat in awe

Clockwise from above left: Sunset at Selinda Camp. Duba Plains, where the Jouberts live.

Dereck and Beverly in the field.

One of the big cats they help protect. Getting close to nature at Selinda Camp.

launched the National Geographic Big Cats initiative,” explains Dereck.

The cats were facing four key threats — the loss of habitat through slashing and burning; the massive expansion of livestock moving into the big cats’ territory; trophy hunting and the trading of lion bones. The illegal trading of the bones gave further concerns, as the lions are poached using poison and they were also entering the human food chain.

“People’s lives are in danger in the Eastern markets as they eat these poisoned bones,” says Dereck.

The Jouberts started fighting to save the big cats by working with scientists to assess and map the populations of big cats, create on the ground protection efforts to stop poachers and work with local communities to show how valuable these creatures are. They have also helped reintroduce

big cats into the wild. One of their projects funds Warrior Watch, a initiative led by Samburu warrior Jeneria Lekilelei, to make sure that man and beast live in harmony. The Warrior Watch team use their tracking skills to make sure farmers know where the lions are and avoid any unnecessary altercations with livestock.

Spurred on by the success of the Big Cats Initiative, the Jouberts then launched the Great Plains Foundation to move rhinos from high poaching zones to safety. The aim was to move 100 rhinos and now they only have 13 more to relocate to reach their target and make it the largest rhino move in history.

The Jouberts have spent more than 30 years raising awareness of the issues that face the wild animals in Africa. Their hard work was acknowledged

by National Geographic when they made them Explorers In Residence, alongside wildlife luminaries such as marine biologist Sylvia Earle and oceanographer Robert Ballard.

Yet even with all this adoration, day-to-day life for the couple hasn’t changed. Home is a canvas tent in Duba Plains in the Okavango Delta and their day starts at 4.30am when they head out before dawn to film. Then when it’s light, they follow the lions as they start to hunt. “When it’s blisteringly hot around midday, we will find some shade and I often read some research or write,” says Dereck.

“As soon as the edge comes off the heat, we follow the lions or rhinos — whoever is on the move, until the end of the day when we are treated to the most magical sunsets.” The couple return to the camp to eat and spend the next three hours downloading the images before they hit the pillow. “We sleep like babies until a Heuglin’s robin starts to call at 4.30am,” says Dereck.

Close proximity could drive any couple to distraction, and while they have their own survival techniques, including claiming sections of the Jeep as their own, the key to their success says Dereck is that they started as friends. “We believe in some fundamental elements of life — trust, respect, dignity, sharing, health, happiness and finally love.

It’s not always perfect, but if you stay true to those and remind yourselves that you are friends first, then the clutter dissolves.”

This isn’t to say that every day goes swimmingly.

They have faced crashed planes, deadly snake bites, elephant attacks and in 2016, the Jouberts were attacked by a buffalo at night. Its horn impaled Beverly and Dereck had to carry her back to the camp and administer first aid for 11 hours. She died twice during the incident and lost two litres of blood.

“I would not trade a single hardship because it makes us who we are… except this one,” says Dereck.

Still obviously shaken from the episode he adds: “It put a few wrinkles on my forehead.”

Beverly is now back to flying around the world, even more determined to draw attention to the threats facing Africa’s wildlife. When Dereck reels off their plans for 2019, it’s clear that neither of them show any signs of slowing down. Not only are they working on a TV series for PBS television on the Okavango Delta, they are filming three

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documentaries, writing a book about their lives and opening a lodge in Zimbabwe that follows the success of Selinda Camp in Botswana, which they launched to help protect the land and wildlife corridors. They also plan to move the remaining 13 rhinos to Botswana to reach their epic target and launch the Great Plains Academy, to help underprivileged communities.

The fight to save the wildlife continues and it’s one they feel they are winning. “We are losing animals, but we are winning the fight for them ironically,” says Dereck. “If I site the public opinion around Cecil the lion, you can tell we are part of a movement that can’t be stopped. The timelines keep me up at night though. We will be better, but will it be in time?”

When the couple first entered the bush, they couldn’t have known what an impact their work would have made on the lives of others. Even after the toughest days, it’s clear to see what keeps them going: “Recently we had a herd of elephants come into the camp silently, under the full moon,” says Dereck. “We sat on a wooden deck and as they got closer and closer we realised they were feeding on the flowers from the Sausage Tree above us.

Eventually they were scooping flowers off the deck between our feet as we sat silently in awe.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION

Beverly and Dereck launched Selinda Camp in the Okavango Delta to help protect the land for wildlife.

DERECK JOUBERT ON FILM MY FAVOURITE SHOT: Impossible to choose. But one of my favourites of Beverly’s is the eye of a leopard through a veil of palm fronds. It speaks to the mysterious nature of these cats.

MY MOST CHALLENGING SHOT: I worked on getting the ideal images of African skimmers skimming on a mirrorlike lake for years.

THE SHOT THAT DIDN’T MAKE IT: I once created an elaborate set that was 30 metres above the forest floor to shoot a barn owl’s nest.

I worked on it for a month and lost half my blood to mosquitoes.

The editor said, “Yeah, it’s not that good, let’s dump it.” We did.

THE AIM OF MY IMAGES: I’d hope that [people] sense the awe we have from the depth of years working with wildlife. I also hope they Clockwise from above: The National Geographic Explorers in Residence. Beverly going to great lengths to get the perfect shot.

Beverly and Dereck with one of the rhinos they have moved to safety.

are stimulated to lean forward and wonder what comes next — for that animal in the next frame, or for them collectively in the next few years or decades.

IF HUMANS ARE THE PROBLEM WE WILL STEP IN: Death is as much a part of living as being born is. What upsets us though is if someone drove into a lion or laid a snare for that elephant. That is when we intervene.

FOOD & DRINK —

EPICUREAN ISLAND CHEF MARK BEST VISITS THE FOOD HEROES WHO ARE PUTTING TASMANIA ON THE MAP

F

lying South from Melbourne, it doesn’t take long before we leave the coast of Victoria behind and swoop over the wild green seas of Bass Strait to the Northern tip of Tasmania. Even from the comfort of the pressurised cabin, it still gives me pause to stop and think that it is only the Apple Isle that lies between me and Antarctica.

As our Dash 8 drops through the cloud and turns up the Tamar River Valley, I spy patches of emerald green land broken by creeks and dams and tiny red and green roofs of tile and tin. The wetland reed beds bordering the river banks give way to vineyards, apple orchards and pastures freckled with black faced sheep and white faced cattle.

Founded in 1806, my destination of Launceston, is one of Australia’s oldest cities. With a population of 86,000 the small city is situated at the junction of where the North Esk and South Esk shake hands and become the Tamar River. The Tamar (known as kanamaluka in the indigenous language) is 70km

The island of Tasmania.

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“

Known for exotics like kelp, Flinders Island wallaby and Tamar Valley black truffles, it is an exciting area for chefs and diners alike

long and despite being called a river, the waterway is a brackish and tidal estuary throughout its entire length.

Tasmania is known as the ‘bread basket’ of Australia due to the depth, breadth and beauty of its agricultural produce. Northern Tasmania and the broader Launceston area are home to some of its best finds. Known for its stunning dairy buys, berries, apples, oysters, sheep and cattle, not to mention exotics like kelp, Flinders Island wallaby and Tamar Valley black truffles, it is an exciting area for a chef and diners alike. And it doesn’t hurt that the scenery between all of these picture perfect farms is simply breathtaking.

I’m here to cook a dinner at Josef Chromy winery with local and international culinary students using the best of the local seasonal produce. In planning a dinner like this I need to actually see the produce so I decide to hire a car and hit the road and find out just what this island has to offer.

I start by visiting Olivia Morrison at her farm on the edges of Launceston. Morrison traded inner city Sydney life when she decided on a lifestyle change for her family. Exposed to “handmade product through her love of good restaurants”, Morrison and business partner Lili Foster have

”

been making handmade butter for two years as Tasmanian Butter Co, where they use milk from local farmers and Tasman Sea salt as well as truffle butter using Tamar Valley Black Truffles.

Olivia learnt how to make butter from Patrick ‘the butter Viking’. Patrick also provides his expertise to Danish Restaurant Noma where I once had “an old carrot cooked for 12 hours in goat butter” and as you can imagine it was delicious. Olivia and Lili now produce about 120 kilograms of butter a week, which can be found on some of the better mainland restaurant tables.

With butter pats in hand, I drove on to meet Angela Glover and her husband Phil, who have been running Mount Roland Free Range egg farm since 1998. Situated at the base of Mount Roland, about 100 kilometres from Launceston, their property has the benefits of “clean air, high rain fall, magnificent scenery and no foxes”. The chickens get the run of lush pasture under the watchful eye of four Maremma Sheepdogs and their puppies.

The large white dogs, indigenous to the mountains of Northern Italy, are born and raised with the chickens. Aggressive to predators, kind to the family, but wary of other humans, this relationship is not a one-way street. The dogs

Clockwise from above: Phil Glover from the Mount Roland Free Range egg farm.

Some of their produce. Larry Blackberry of Real Beef Farm.

EXCLUSIVE EAT OYSTERS AT A VIP TABLE IN THE SEA

eat up to 100 eggs a day and prefer to sleep with their charges or even in the snow in preference to their kennels. Standing in a beaten rabbit felt akubra hat, Phil, is dry and laconic and as he describes his love for the land and his hopes for the future on their small patch of heaven: “Independence, raising animals ethically, producing clean food, minimal chemicals and keeping close to nature”.

Another farm that supports this philosophy is Real Beef Farm on Frankford Road in Exeter. It’s owned by two families who they tell me are “the best of mates”. Larry and Alison Blackberry and Bjarke and Margaret Porsbro-Pedersen own four properties between them. The oldest farm has belonged to Larry’s family since 1940 when his grandfather started farming in the area around Exeter. For both families their connection to the farming community and their custody of the land is paramount. Bjarke Porsbro-Pederson said: “For us we simply want to ensure the next generation are connected with their food and understand where it comes from. We also want to leave the farm in a better place than when we started farming so it can support the next generation. Our grandchildren.”

From here I drove on to meet Bavarian couple, Joe and Antonia Gretschmann of Elgaar Farm, in Moltema, northern Tasmania. They have produced delicious and authentic Swiss style cheese, milk, yogurt and cream from their certified organic property since 1986. Their 80-strong head of Jersey and Guernsey cows, chosen for their “pretty faces and sweet nature” produce intense and rich milk from their diet of grasses, legumes and herbs.

The cows are treated as part of their family and even in their later, unproductive years are put to pasture to live out their life. Antonia, who still retains that German frankness and economy of speech says that these cows will then ‘grandmother’ their daughter’s calves.

And it’s not just the cows that the Gretschmann focus on, they help protect the environment too. Shoppers will find their creams and yogurts

Left: Lili Foster and Olivia Morrison of Tasmanian Butter Co. Right: Joe Gretschmann of Elgaar Farm.

packaged in returnable glass jars and bottles as the farm also shows “care for the future”.

After driving 200km around Tasmania, and being thrilled with what I had found I was delighted to find out that I was able to meet these farmers again at the Harvest Launceston Community Farmers’ Market, which is held every Saturday morning in a quiet inner city carpark. The market has been incredibly successful since its inception in 2012 thanks to the abundance of small producers in the region and the tight selection criteria put in place. Part of this is an ethical charter so you can be assured of ethically raised meats, organic garden produce and artisanal breads and cheeses as well as meeting the people behind their product. Even after spending seven days driving around the island looking for great produce, I still manage to leave the market with my arms full of shopping and more ideas for my menu.

I’m inspired by the people I have met, their values, charm and frankness. This place with four seasons and a community of like-minded people who go out of their way to help each other and know the beauty of this fragile land.

Editors’ Note “ORGANIC FOOD IS A BIG INTEREST OF OURS.” DERECK AND B E V E R LY J O U B E R T

ATTENTION- GRABBING HOTELS Stay at these pretty hideaways in Tasmania

PUMPHOUSE POINT

SAFFIRE FREYCINET HOTEL

HENRY JONES ART HOTEL

The last stop on the famed Overland Track

If you want to practice your food photography,

This former jam factory in Hobart’s harbour has

is a welcome one. This converted 1930s

this is the place to do it. Not only is it home

turned into a haven for Tasmanian art. Capture

hydroelectricity station set on Lake St Clair

to Australia’s best dining room specialising in

the striking 19th-century brick walls and timber

features 19 rooms that all overlook the water.

degustation dining, but activities include oyster

beams on camera then turn your lens on some

Hunker down in front of the fireplace, relax with

shucking and champagne tastings. Delicious.

of the artworks that fill this heritage hotel.

a good book in one of the mini libraries or pop a bottle of champagne from the honesty bar.

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“I’VE LEARNED THAT EVERY MOMENT IS PRECIOUS. LET’S NOT WASTE ANOTHER, BEFORE COLLECTIVELY SAVING AFRICA’S WILDLIFE.” Dereck Joubert

SUPPORT GREATPLAINSFOUNDATION.COM

FOOD & DRINK —

L U K E

N G U Y E N ’ S

GOURMET GUIDE TO HO CHI MINH THE CELEBRITY CHEF GIVES US THE LOWDOWN ON HIS SECOND HOME… Born into a family of cooks, it’s not hard to see why Luke Nguyen was destined to open up his own restaurant, Red Lantern in Sydney at the age of 23. The MasterChef star has not only gone on to write books and star in his own travel shows, but open restaurants in Hong Kong and Ho Chi Minh. So it’s only right that we asked him for his top tips for Ho Chi Minh.

Vietnamese coffee at Shin Cafe.

Chef Luke Nguyen.

MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF HO CHI MINH I went to Ho Chi Minh City for the first time when I was 18. When I arrived I was so amazed at the energy of the place — it was busy, it was bustling, it was loud… I loved watching all the locals go by on what looked like millions of motorbikes. I had never been there before, but I felt like I arrived home.

MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS My first restaurant would have to be one called Oc Oanh — they serve a lot of snails and grilled seafood. You can see everything being grilled in front of you. My second would have to be Vietnam House, which is my own. It’s one of the best fine-dining restaurants in the city. And my third would have to be to eat pho from any of the street food places.

THE PLACE TO HAVE A COCKTAIL XU. I’ve been going there for over 20 years now. I believe they have the best cocktails because they use the best ingredients and they have a really good balance of flavours.

Dried shrimps for sale in China Town.

Cho Cu market in Ho Chi Minh.

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM

BEST PLACE TO BUY COFFEE Shin Coffee — you can find it in District 1 and District 2. They use Vietnamese coffee beans from the highland area.

TOP AREA TO SHOP FOR INGREDIENTS I love to go to Chợ Cũ Market, which is an old market on Ton That Dam. You can get everything you need on one street.

BEST DISTRICT FOR KITCHEN BUYS Chợ Lớn in district 5 (China town). I would buy woks, knives, ladles, chopsticks and bowls. It’s fun to go to District 5.

Find the best cocktails at Xu.

One of the dishes from Oc Oanh.

PERFECT SAIGON SOUVENIR I always tell people to buy local coffee. Take that back to your country and it will always remind you of Vietnam.

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IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS YEAR…

Clockwise: A puma. Diego Araya giving tips. Catching the puma in action.

PHOTOGRAPH PUMAS IN PATAGONIA BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHY MASTER CLASS THAT YOU WILL NEVER FORGET

PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES KAO

Travel to EcoCamp Patagonia in Chile for the ultimate photography master class. Wildlife photographer Diego Araya, who was featured in the BBC documentary ‘The Dark’, will lead you through Torres del Paine national park in attempt to find one of South America’s most elusive creatures — the puma. Along the way you will be able to turn your view finder on the park’s striking landscapes, spectacular sunrises and sunsets and discover Patagonia’s native flora and fauna. Each day of the tour, while Ayana is helping you perfect your photographs, the team of trackers from EcoCamp Patagonia will attempt to find you another dynamic muse, such as guanaco in Laguna Azul, flora in Los Cuernos and the Andean condor in Torres del Paine. You’ll spend the night in the world’s first dome hotel, which is modelled on the ancient shelters of the region’s Kaweskar people. At the end of each day you can relax in your luxury eco suite, look out at the stars through the floor-to-ceiling windows and think about what you will photograph tomorrow.

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W W W . L I G H T F O O T T R AV E L . C O M