Wanderlust Issue 138 (July/August 2013) Travel More, Pay Less • Road Trip Argentina • Egypt • Iraq • Bali’s Wild West • West Frisian Islands • Pocket guides: Tulum (Mexico), Lisbon, Edinburgh
Celebrating 20 years in travel 20 years of Wanderlust, 1993-2013
July/August 2013 | www.wanderlust.co.uk
Travel more pay less
Win!
A tr Thailip to wort and h page£3,000 92
Road Trip
Crossing Argentina on the classic Ruta 40
Iraq
Your guide to seeing the world – whatever your budget
Is THIS the safest country for travellers?
Europe’s secret isles Explore a wild and crowd-free archipelago
Egypt
Cruise the new Cairo route
Wild Bali
Discover Indonesia’s wildlife rich corner
£3.99
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Contents july/august 2013 • issue 138
360°
From the road
6 | World in pictures From Weymouth to New Mexico, images to fuel your wanderlust... 12 | Shortcuts This month’s global headlines 14 | Go now! Need a last minute escape? How about a quick trip to one of these four spots 16 | World Diary From feats of manliness at the Naadam Festival in Mongolia to alternative Olympics in Alaska, pencil in these dates! 18 | Departures The best value trips around 20 | Follow the boat Wanderlust-er Liz Cleere explores the real Maldives, away from resorts
41 | Snapshots You’ve been hiking in Bhutan, chilling on the dunes in Western Oz, floating in volcanic mud... and making us jealous again!
42 | Letters etc... Your chance to get in touch with the team – here’s a few of your letters, emails and tweets, plus news and experiences fresh from the myWanderlust forum 46 | Just Back From… If you’re heading to Haiti, Mexico, Australia or Indonesia, check out tips from fellow travellers who have just returned...
Edinburgh p137
Road Trip!
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Lisbon p135 Boston p16
Features
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Tulum p133
24 | Road Trip: Argentina
Gauchos, growing glaciers and epic emptiness – Chris Moss drives through Patagonia on Ruta 40, Argentina’s wildest road trip
48 | Wild Bali
Mark Eveleigh explores Bali’s wild west the little-known corner of Indonesia’s party island on Prapat Agung peninsula
62 | Iraq
Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes heads to Iraq’s beautiful and very safe northern Kurdistan region to share in the picnic after the pain
84 | Europe’s secret isles
Mighty tides, sandy shores and maritime history, Anthony Lambert explores the West Frisian Islands by bike and boat for an offbeat bargain adventure
94 | Travel More Pay Less
Dream wishlist experiences and their equally awesome budget alternatives – right here...
110 | Egypt
Matthew Teller proves that hope floats in Egypt as he cruises up the Nile through the newly reopened stretch between Cairo and Luxor
Road Trip Argentina p24
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i ina a tr nt 5,000 e g r a th over £ 9! wor n to p10 Tur
THE FUTURE Like this map? MAPPING To buy a similar wall map, COMPANY visit www.futuremaps.co.uk 004-005_Contents_SO.indd 4
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Navigator
Arrivals
75 | How to... survive a night in the bush, make
122 | Books Tales of retirement and our pick of
a camping stove and stay on a Slovenian farm 77 | Gear Everything you need for summer 78 | Health Dr Jane answers your 10 key questions about staying safe in the sun 80 | Photo tips Forget brooding shots – Steve Davey shows you how to share the joy 82 | Q&A Independent travel vs tour operator trips to Burma; taking your pets abroad; and hotel star ratings de-mystified
the newly released summer novels
124 | Guides Four useful travel apps and off-the-driven-motorway stop-offs
125 | Music And the Songlines Best Newcomer Award goes too... the hottest tunes for summer 126 | What’s on UK events and summer festivals 128 | Best travel films The Wanderlust team
Pocket Guides See31
133 | Tulum, Mexico Plan a trip to Mexico’s only beach-side Mayan temple
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135 | Lisbon, Portugal Head to the Portuguese capital for a bargain break with history, culture and cheap coffee! 137 | Edinburgh, Scotland Festival season hits Edinburgh – here’s how to spend your first 24hrs in the city
celebrates the movies that made them move
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a tr T h a i p to wort ilan h ove d r£ T
Frisian 84 West Islands
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Japan p98
Iraqi Kurdistan
Egypt
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Bali 48 Wild
Travel more
pay less There are some travel classics on everyone’s list... here’s how 94 to make those dream trips happen for less. But if money is an object, we’ve found the budget alternatives to get equally amazing experiences, without the staggering price tag. 004-005_Contents_SO.indd 5
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new mexico Snow geese
Photographer David Tipling The number of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) in North America has risen dramatically since the 1950s – it’s one of the great success stories of wildfowl conservation. Indeed, populations are growing so large that the birds are destroying habitats in Arctic Canada. Here, eminent wildlife photographer David Tipling has caught a flock in flight at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico. This is just one of David’s photographs from his new book Birds & People, a collaboration with writer Mark Cocker, which explores the relationships between birds and people. Endorsed by the RSPB and BirdLife International, Birds & People (Jonathan Cape, £40) is published on 1 August 2013.
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road trip patagonia
2,300km. 13,000-year-old hands. Gauchos. Guanacos. Glaciers still growing. Estancias still shearing. Lakes. Peaks. And mile upon mile of epic emptiness‌ Welcome to Argentina’s wildest highway... Words & Photographs Chris Moss
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Argentina Footnotes Vital statistics
Capital: Buenos Aires Population: 42.6 million Language: Spanish; also Mapudungun, Welsh Time: GMT-3 International dialling code: +54 Visas: Not required by UK nationals Money: Argentine peso (AR$), currently around AR$8 to the UK£. Take dollars and buy pesos in Buenos Aires or Bariloche. If using an unofficial casa de cambio (exchange house), ask your hotel for a recommendation as counterfeit bills are in circulation. ATMs are rare in rural Patagonia. The hand canyon Río Pinturas canyon is home to Cueva de las Manos – Cave of the Hands
When to go Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec ■ Oct-Nov & Mar-May: Shoulder season – expect sunshine and average temperatures reaching 15°C. March sees the National Trekking Festival in El Chaltén. Magellanic penguins nest and hatch at Cabo Virgenes, October-April. ■ Dec-Feb: High summer. Longer, warmer days. Roads and hotels busy with Argentines on holiday. Weather still changeable: bring clothing to cope with wind, rain and cold, and plenty of sunscreen. Festivals include the Río Gallegos Lamb Festival (Dec) and the Cherry Festival in Los Antiguos (Jan). ■ Jun-Sept: Heavy snows can fall and close parts of the southern Ruta 40.
The trip The author travelled with Audley Travel (01993 838650, www.audley.co.uk). A 14-day tailormade itinerary including six days driving the Patagonian section of the Ruta 40, three days at Estancia Monte Dinero and time in El Calafate and Buenos Aires, starts from £3,995pp. Price includes all flights, transfers, 4WD vehicle hire and some excursions. To explore the spectacular lakes of Patagonia, all-day excursions on Lago Argentino with Estancia Cristina (www.estanciacristina.com) start from around AR$580 (£72pp).
Health & safety You should be up-to-date with routinely recommended vaccinations. Medical facilities are good, but expensive. The Foreign Office recommends avoiding protest marches; some may have an anti-British element related to the ongoing Falklands dispute.
Further reading & information
Getting around Travelling the Ruta 40 means hiring (or buying) a car or motorcycle, unless >
4 Things I wish I’d known...
1 2
There’s little radio reception along the Ruta 40 – take CDs.
Chris Moss
Patagonia: A Cultural History (Signal, 2008) by Chris Moss, the author of this article, explores the region’s literature, mythology, film and indigenous traditions. In Patagonia (first published 1977) by Bruce Chatwin remains a minor travel classic and is a good primer on the region’s tall tales. Most guidebook publishers cover Patagonia. Moon Handbooks: Patagonia (Avalon, 2011) is authoritative and well organised. The Latin American Travel Association (www.lata.org) has plenty of helpful travel and tour company information on Argentina
Getting there The author travelled with KLM (0871 231 0000, www.klm.com), which flies from the UK (Heathrow, Birmingham, Edinburgh) to Buenos Aires, via Amsterdam. Returns from £659; flight time is around 16.5 hours. LAN (www.lan.com) flies BA-Bariloche and El Calafate-BA; expect to pay around £400 for the two single tickets. Air Europa (www. aireuropa.com) fly daily from Gatwick to BA, via Madrid, prices start from £653 return.
Southern Patagonia is much closer to the Falklands Islands/Malvinas than it is to the UK – be sensitive to local opinion when it comes to discussing the issue.
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Penknives – if you really have to bring one – have to go in your main luggage for domestic flights too.
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It’s worth allowing for two/three-day stays in places such as El Chaltén (for trekking) and Los Antiguos (to see the lake).
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Sticky rice A local field worker drives his team of two water buffalo through a rice paddy on Bali’s West coast
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West Bali, Indonesia 1
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I Take1a spectacular – and cheap – road trip toIthe island’s wild and little-known west 1
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Fly UK-Bali (via Singapore or another hub); hire a jeep to explore 1 1
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Apr/May & Sept – dry, quieter
BALI’S WILD WEST Words & Photographs Mark Eveleigh
Rent a jeep for £6 a day, drive away from the crowds and discover a land rippled by rice terraces en route to the best wildlife-watching in South-East Asia
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West Bali The very OK coral The beautiful reef of Menjangan island is teeming with Gorgonians and schools of fish
“The people don’t own the land – the gods have just leant it to us for safe keeping”
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< giant ‘harp traps’, designed to catch fruit
bats – which are said to taste sweetest during mango season. The Balinese blame the poaching on new arrivals from Java, and overcrowding is certainly driving people to venture deeper into the park. Even despite the poaching activity I was astonished to find that this forest boasted the best wildlife spotting I’d ever enjoyed in the thick jungle of South-East Asia. Even in Indonesian Borneo and Sumatra I’d never been in forest where wildlife was so constantly visible. Curious macaques followed us for much of the day and only abandoned us when a troop of rowdy black monkeys began screeching. We frequently saw deer; although they were skittish, we had surprisingly clear sightings. As I lay in my hammock that night – gratefully cocooned above the leechinfested ground – I thought of a phrase that Made had taught me earlier, which seemed to illustrate perfectly the respect with which the Balinese treat their island: Jatma desa angertanin gumin Ida Batara.
He’d translated slowly: “The people do not own the land – the gods have just leant it to us for safe keeping.” The Balinese are justly proud of their island, which is often described as the most beautiful in the world. They believe that when they die, heaven will be just like Bali.
The long walk ahead Given Bali’s growing population, it’s going to take action rather than sentiments to protect the park. While West Bali brings in so little tourist revenue, protection of the reserve is not a conservation priority. Only tiny Menjangan Island – off the north coast, but still technically part of the park – attracts significant visitors, who come to enjoy one of Asia’s greatest diving experiences. There are those who say that tourism is the only real hope for wildlife in this region. As more visitors arrive to experience this unexpectedly wild side of Bali, the poachers will be forced to look for another way to survive and perhaps (as has been the case in similarly afflicted parts of
Africa) they can eventually find work as experienced jungle guides. “We have a long walk ahead of us,” Made smiled the next morning as he handed me a steaming cup of black Balinese coffee. “But no hurry. Alon-alon – slowly-slowly. It’s the Balinese way.” His voice was interrupted by a strange chugging filtering down through the canopy. As it came closer, the sound reminded me of something from my past. Then it dawned on me: it was like a commuter train pulling into King’s Cross Station. But my life in London was half a world away, and as two flapping shadows passed over the trees I realised the noise was the wingbeats of a pair of hornbills. All over Indonesia hornbills are considered birds of good omen. I looked over at Made to discover the smile of delight on my face reflected right back in his. ■ Mark Eveleigh is a freelance photojournalist, currently based in South-East Asia. He is also director of The WideAngle photographers’ network: www.markeveleigh.com
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West Bali Footnotes Vital statistics
Island capital: Denpasar Island population: 4.2 million Language: Bahasa Indonesia (national language); Balinese. Only people working in tourism tend to speak English – an Indonesian phrasebook will be helpful. Time: GMT+8 International dialling code: +62 Visas: Required by UK nationals. You can apply in advance for a two-month visa (£35; 020 7499 7661, www.indonesianembassy. org.uk). However, most travellers buy a visa on arrival (30 days; US$25). A 30-day extension can be arranged via reputable travel agents in tourist centres for IDR600,000 (UK£40). Money: Indonesian rupiah (IDR), currently around IDR15,000 to the UK£. In West Bali only big towns have ATMs.
When to go Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec ■ Apr-Sep: Pleasant dry season, with cool ocean breezes. Little rainfall June-August, though the ends of the dry season (April/May and September) are best to avoid crowds. Note, Bali is tropical but has a varied climate, ranging from the relatively arid north and humid south coast to chillier highlands. ■ Oct-Mar: Wet and sticky. Heaviest rainfall December-February; rains tend to be short and sharp. Worst is the inundation of rubbish that floods the beaches from urban rivers.
Health & safety Bali in general is virtually crime-free, and you’re unlikely to encounter problems in the rural regions. Indonesia has a zerotolerance drugs policy; those caught face prison or potentially the death penalty. No specific vaccinations are required and hygiene levels in Bali are among the best in Asia. Ensure you have adequate travel insurance. For specialist cover visit www.wanderlustinsurance.co.uk
Further reading & information Bali & Lombok (Lonely Planet, 2013) Secrets of Bali: Fresh Light on the Morning of the World (Orchid Press, 2010) by Jonathan Copeland Travelling to Bali: Four Hundred Years of Journeys (Oxford University Press, 1995) by Adrian Vickers
The trip You can hire a vehicle independently in any of the main tourist centres. Alternatively, Bali Jeep Adventure (www. balijeepadventure.com) can arrange tours through the region and into the park from £75pp for a day tour from central Bali (including park fees and lunch). At present there are no operators organising self-drive packages of West Bali. For advice, Indonesia Trip Advisors (www. indonesiatripadvisors.com) can help with logistics and accommodation across Indonesia.
Getting there There are no direct flights from the UK to Bali. Returns from Heathrow or Manchester to Bali via Kuala Lumpur cost from around £679 from Round the World Flights (020 7704 5700, www.roundtheworldflights. com). From 2 November 2013, Garuda (0871 744 0190, www.garudaindonesia.co.uk) will fly Gatwick-Jakarta direct, six times a week. Flight time from the UK to Indonesia is around 14.5 hours, excluding stops. Alternatively, several airlines fly UKSingapore; from Singapore there are cheap flights to Bali with AirAsia (www.airasia. com) and Lion Air (www.lionair.co.id). Flight time is around 2.5 hours.
Getting around Car hire costs about IDR200,000 (£13) a day for a seven-seater Suzuki APV Arena minibus and IDR80,000 (£5) for a Suzuki
‘jeep’. You can hire a local driver/guide for an extra IDR100,000 (£7); you will also need to pay for his accommodation and meals. Agung Tourist Services in Kuta provides car rental plus other logistical support in Bali (call Justin on +62 857 3857 2043). West Bali National Park HQ is in Gilimanuk and there’s a ranger station at Labuhan Lalang, from where you can get a boat to Menjangan Island or the Brumbun Bay starling breeding grounds. Expect to pay around IDR650,000 (£44) a day for a guide and entrance fee. See www.tnbalibarat.com.
Accommodation Budget accommodation is widely available. You can find B&B doubles from IDR150,000 (£10); an example is Homestay Gede (+62 812 397 6668), a friendly family-run hangout right in front of the pointbreak at Medewi and a perfect base from which to explore West Bali. If you want to splash out, Puri Dajuma Cottages (near Medewi; www.dajuma.com) is a wonderfully romantic beachfront spa resort; cottages from €130 (£110). It can arrange bespoke 4WD two/three-day packages from central Bali and, best of all, is base-camp for ace jungle guide Made Budha Yasa. Facilities in the park itself are minimal – just a few shelters and very basic washing facilities at ranger stations. Unless you’re well equipped for camping (jungle hammocks are best in the forest itself), opt for one of the hotels close to the park.
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THE PICNIC AFTER THE PAIN A holiday in Iraq? You bet. The northern region of Kurdistan is not only safe, it’s scenically splendid, historically fascinating and fond of celebrations – to which you’re warmly invited...
Words & Photographs Lyn Hughes
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‘After years of persecution, the locals are revelling in their relative freedom’
Corbis; Lyn Hughes
< dealerships. Driving past cranes and building
sites, it was hard to believe that Erbil has a rich history; the citadel at its heart lays claim to being the world’s oldest continuously inhabited settlement. Fragments of pottery from Neolithic times have been found here, while reams of historic heavyweights – from the Sumerians and Assyrians to the Mongols and Alexander the Great – have lived within. In the 1980s, Saddam planned to house his security forces in the citadel; he had its magnificent main gate pulled down to make it more “Arab-looking”. But restoration of the whole citadel is now underway. While most families have been moved out, one family has been allowed to stay – not least so the place can maintain its ‘continuously inhabited’ claim. Regardless, the labyrinthine Qaysari Bazaar at the base of the citadel was still bustling. Stalls were piled high with walnuts, pistachios, apricots and strawberries, and we snacked on earthy stewed broad beans from a huge vat. A nearby shop was selling traditional musical instruments, including a type of lute called a saz. Yards away,
a phone shop touted desirable phone numbers: whoever wanted 0750 445 1616 would have to pay $65,000. Back at my hotel, Kurdish pop videos played in the bar-restaurant. While none of the artists were as scantily clad as Beyoncé, it was still a surprise to see sultry women writhe and pout, not a headscarf in sight. The sound was turned down while a band shuffled onto a small stage. A portly grey-haired gentleman then played a saz and sang ballads of love and loss. There was a brief stir when famous Kurdish singer Aziz Waysi walked in, but he sat quietly and everyone soon returned to their beers or arak.
Finding faith The majority of Iraqi Kurdistan’s population are Muslim, but other religions are practised here – if not necessarily flourishing. “You can tell Christian villages by the beer adverts,” explained Karwan the next day, gesturing at a Tuborg poster as we drove through a broad plain, bright green with spring grass. Flocks of grazing sheep roamed with their shepherds, and giant storks’ nests perched on pylons.
We turned off towards the village of Alqosh, which sat before some hills that looked as if they’d been scraped by giant fingernails. A winding road took us up a slope to the Rabban Hormizd Monastery where we explored several cave rooms, a small cave chapel and a church. Back down in the village, at the newer Monastery of the Virgin Mary of the Cereal, Father Gabriel took us through the history of Christianity in Iraq. There were once around 600 monasteries, and they were centres for learning and knowledge. However, many Christians have left the country; Father Gabriel was worried that one day there will be none left. There are just eight monks at this monastery now, which also serves as an orphanage. Our next stop was Lalish, the spiritual centre of the ancient but little-known Yezidi religion – a perplexing hodgepodge of Zoroastrian, pagan, Christian and Sufi beliefs. We were greeted by Kamal, an English teacher, who filled us in. The Yezidis have been persecuted throughout their history; during Saddam’s time it was forbidden to > Wanderlust July/August 2013 | 67
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How to | Skills | Gear | Health | Photo tips | Q&A
Navigator
“There is no such thing as a sunblock that will protect you all day...” Dr Jane’s summer special, p78
Travel need-to-knows, from avoiding burrowing fleas to Burmese flees
Take my advice
How to... survive a night in the bush If you get lost on the African plains, Rob Clifford’s top tips will help keep you alive until dawn…
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Think logically Generally, everything in the bush is better equipped than you are but there are things you can use to your advantage. Look for trees, rocks and banks to leap up. Beware of using caves as you never know what got there first…
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Pre-empt the dangers You can work out the biggest threats and habitats to avoid through a process of elimination. Spiders and scorpions lurk under rocks; snakes sit in trees; elephants enjoy open grasslands by day, but prefer the woodland’s safety at night. Obvious game trails are a likely highway for nocturnal predators.
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Pick your location The perfect spot to spend the night is at the base of a tree, back to the bark, with a good view of what is around. Look for elevation – higher ground gives you a better view, good hearing and more ambient light. Clear the area – walk around to check for signs of animal activity.
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Get settled Make yourself as comfortable as possible in a sitting position. This way you can hear and smell what is around you. Do not climb a tree for a sleep – you’ll likely roll over and fall out. Try not to move unnecessarily through the night.
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Think through your flight plan Prepare an escape route: look for a suitable tree or boulder. Familiarise yourself with any obstacles. Don’t expect to run at night – this invariably ends in injury or worse.
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Rob Clifford is Operations Manager at Robin Pope Safaris (www.robinpopesafaris.net), which offers safaris in Zambia and Malawi
Alamy
Be mentally prepared Remain calm. Identifying the sounds of the night is hugely soothing. Remember: in most cases animals are afraid of humans. In the busiest wildlife areas the chances of anything happening are highly unlikely. Sleep well!
A place in the sun Surviving a night in the wild is all about location, location, location…
Did you know? A University of Minnesota study revealed that of the 500 lion attacks on Tanzanian villagers from 1988 to 2009, most victims were attacked between dusk and 10pm, on nights with low moonlight. Wanderlust July/August 2013 | 75
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Wan de Ph rlust e is aut oebe Sm ditor h o Sleep r of Ext ith r of s: Adve eme (Sum a Wild Ca ntures mper mers d out n ale, £8.99 ow )
Navigator Skills
How to... make a camping stove from a soda can
Fancy some outdoor cuisine but don’t have a cooker? Phoebe Smith shows you how to make your own
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the Local’s guide to… Slovenian farms
You need: ● 2 empty
drink cans ● Swiss army
Turn one can upside down. Punch 12 evenly-spaced holes around the base-rim with the punch on your knife and three small holes in the middle of the base.
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Repeat step 2 on the other can (i.e. no hole punching). Slot the can with the holes into the one without, so that the holes are facing upwards. to boil
To boil water will take about 12 minutes. The first time you use the stove, underestimate how much fuel you need – you can always add more but you can’t remove it once lit! Only ever use outside.
Using the sharp blade on your Swiss Army knife, cut away the rest of the can to leave a section about 4cm high (you can rest your knife on the tuna can to help).
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If there’s difficulty fitting them together, bend the sides inwards on the top can. Once they’ve slotted together, you can secure with tape. Your stove is complete.
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Place the stove (holes facing up) into the empty tuna can. Fill the stove with methylated spirits, making sure the liquid doesn’t reach the top of the holes. Put a few drops into the tuna can and light this. This will prime the stove, warming its fuel until it combusts and escapes through the holes on the top. Get cooking!
Know your enemy...
For summer fun on a traditional, working and spectacularly sited Slovenian farm, pick one of these recommendations from Tripbod.com’s local guide, Vesna Dreisiebner, near Špičnik A heart-shaped road winds among vineyards and leads to this hilltop farm, close to the Austrian border. Here, trails cross Svečina’s rolling hills and the friendly owners offer tastings in their 300-year-old wine cellar. Robidišče, near Breginj Time passes slowly in the countryside, especially in the authentic village of Robidišče (pop: 11), in western Slovenia. This is the place to learn local customs, eat local food and help out with life on the farm. Pri Lovrču, Triglav NP The remote village of Čadrg offers total disconnection from the bustle of the Soča valley. On this organic farm you can feast on traditionally churned Tolminc cheese, and toast the mountains with homemade cider. To arrange a bespoke trip with a local expert, visit tripbod.com
Illustration: Luke Webb Images: Dreamstime; SciencePhotoLibrary
knife ● Empty can of tuna (lid removed)
Jigger Fleas
Danger rating: Low. They burrow into the skin, causing pain and itching, but treatment is simple. Identification: Jigger fleas are tiny – you’ll only spot them once they’re under your skin. A pea-sized lump will appear, normally around your toenails, between the toes, feet soles or fingernails, with a black dot at its centre where the female has buried herself. Where found: Africa, Asia and South America. Likelihood of encountering: Quite likely when visiting Africa (especially) and India.
What to do if bitten: Try to pick away at the layer of skin overlying the pregnant flea with a safety pin or needle until you can tease it out. If she bursts, infective offspring will probably re-infest you. Therefore clean the wound with spirit alcohol or strong antiseptic. If possible get a doctor to do the removal for you – they’re less likely to pop the beast. Suggestion: Wear proper shoes. Jigger fleas – or ‘sand fleas’ – live in the sand until they can find a warm-blooded host in which to reproduce.
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SCULPTED BY THE SEA
The Dutch West Frisian Islands are ruled by mighty tides, which shape everything from their sandy shores to their maritime history. Explore by ferry and bike for a bargain offbeat adventure Words Anthony Lambert
Beach beacon A lighthouse stands guard over the waters off Texel, the largest of the West Frisian islands
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t could have been a set from Pirates of the Caribbean. The ramshackle stockade and its single stilted hut were the only features visible as the tractor-wheeled bus carried passengers from the ferry to terra firma across the sandy expanse. It seemed entirely in keeping with the quirky character of the island that this beachcombers’ structure turned out to be one of only four places on Vlieland licensed to stage a wedding. I was travelling between the islands of Texel and Vlieland, the two most westerly inhabited isles in the chain of 14 that make up the Dutch West Frisians. The islands – five inhabited – form a barrier between the mainland and the North Sea, enclosing the Wadden Sea to the south. The largest nature reserve in western Europe, the Wadden Sea was made a World Heritage site in 2009: it’s the largest area on earth constantly sculpted by the tides. Twice a day, thousands of square kilometres of sand are revealed, providing food for millions of migrating birds. However, it isn’t just birds who flock to the West Frisians. The islands have become
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popular with mainland Dutch, who come for an inexpensive break, either to relax or enjoy a host of outdoor activities – from windsurfing and surf-kayaking to horseriding and blokarting. I felt it was about time outsiders discovered this unusual archipelago, too. With its unconventional-lifestyle vibe and outdoorsy focus, it bears some similarity to, say, Canada’s west coast Gulf Islands. But with a distinctly European feel – and being only a few hours away from the UK – the West Frisians provide a cheaper and more accessible alternative.
Better by bike My journey started on Texel, the largest island and the most easily reached from Amsterdam. From the moment I stepped off the ferry, it was obvious that the islands’ reputation as a paradise for cyclists was justified; the first of many cycle-hire firms offered an astonishing variety of machines, including electric bikes. I would have assumed these were only for wimps had I not heard about another characteristic of the islands – the wind. For reasons best known to meteorologists, it blows long and hard, and battling into a head wind when
dinner or a ferry calls is made simpler by switching on the motor for a surge of power. Exploring the islands by bike is made an even greater pleasure thanks to over 300km of segregated, well-built cycle routes. The network on Texel is so extensive that junctions are numbered; routes can be devised by following arrows on the posts at each intersection. Using a combination of low-cost ferry crossings and my own pedal power, exploring the West Frisians was definitely going to be wallet-friendly. From my hotel in the coastal resort of De Koog, I headed north to the tip of the island, cycling in the lea of the dunes that line the 24km-long beach. As I pedalled, I passed polder ditches brightened by spring daffodils, where spoonbills searched for small fish. To the east lay the grasslands of the Polder Eijerland, an area reclaimed from the sea in 1835 and characterised by straight roads and large rectangular fields. Over the dunes was De Slufter, a curious ‘green beach’ of sea lavender and other saltwater-resistant plants that is covered by high tides through a tiny inlet; it’s one of the best places to see grey plovers, avocets, curlews and dunlins. Beneath the 45m-high crimson lighthouse at the northern point of the island lies >
Previous spread: Shutterstock This spread: Alamy; Anthony Lambert
West Frisians, Netherlands
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travel classics
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Want to do more but pay less? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how to enjoy the ultimate
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budget options
travel experiences for less â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the low cost alternatives...
Camping rocks! Wake up to discover a cheaper way to see Uluru
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Classic vs Budget
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ride the african rails south africa
SA
£84VE 0
The Blue Train vs Shosholoza Meyl
< The classic experience: The
The alternative: It will cost you from R560 (£40) to ride a Shosholoza Meyl train from Johannesburg to Cape Town (www.shosholozameyl.co.za). The service doesn’t quite extend to Pretoria, just north of Jo’burg,
but otherwise it follows the Blue Train’s route to an inch. That’s the same grand veld views, with at least £840 change. Shosholoza Meyl is arguably more interesting, too: the cabins (two or four berth) are a little more
4
Have a traditional night’s sleep japan
Ryokan vs Minshuku
The classic experience: Though they come in varied shapes (and prices), most ryokan will fulfil your basic Japanese hotel fantasy. The interiors of these traditional inns are usually wooden, with sliding shoji screens, futon mattresses and tatami-mat floors. Service is impeccable and discreet; food – served in-room, by waitresses in kimonos – is delicious, exquisite and almost too pretty to eat. While you’re there, it’s shoes off and yukata robe on, to laze on your little terrace or maybe take a dip in the on-site onsen
plasticky and meals in the restaurant car aren’t included in the fare, but you’re far more likely to meet regular South Africans – who, like you, can’t afford the Blue. Oh, and you don’t have to dress for dinner.
SAV £6 E 30
(hotspring baths). The cost: Ryokan prices vary sharply. A top-end establishment with high-quality food and rooms with private onsen could cost ¥100,000 (£670) pppn. Simpler options cost between ¥12,000-20,000 (£77-128) pppn. Make it cheaper: Stay in a lower-end ryokan. Also, many include breakfast and dinner in their rates; it may be possible to save by choosing a ryokan that doesn’t and eat elsewhere instead. The alternative: If a ryokan is a slick boutique hotel, a minshuku is a good, honest B&B.
Smaller, simpler and family-run, minshuku still offer an authentic Oriental feel – beds will be futons on the floor, paper screens are common – but there will be no staff to serve you tea in tiny cups, bathing facilities will be shared, and likely no one will speak English. Meals are less fussy too, the emphasis being on good homecooked Japanese dishes rather than creating an edible work of art. But, for a friendly, informal feel, and a good cash saving – minshuku cost around ¥6,000-9,000 (£40-60) pppn – they’re hard to beat.
Alamy; Corbis; istockphoto
Blue Train is the most opulenceoozing way to travel between Pretoria (right) and Cape Town. It has wood-panelled loungecars and a dining-car awash with crystal and white linen. It has Deluxe and Luxury cabins – both elegant, though the latter has a full-size bath. And it has butlers and dress codes and inclusive wine and cigars. Meanwhile, outside this lavish loco, super scenery slides by: the diamond-rush Kimberley, seemingly endless bushveld, the Great Karoo and, finally, magnificent Table Mountain itself. The cost: The 27-hour Blue Train (www.bluetrain.co.za) from Pretoria to Cape Town (or vice versa) costs from R12,280pp (£880), based on two sharing. This includes all meals, drinks and off-train excursions. Make it cheaper: You can’t – sadly, R12,280pp is the cost of the cheapest cabin in low season. Trips in high-season (1 September-15 November) cost from R15,155 (£1,085) in Deluxe, R16,505pp (£1,180) in Luxury.
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5
infiltrate the fjords norway
hurtigruten Voyage vs Geiranger Ferry
Alamy; Corbis; istockphoto
The classic experience: Norway’s west coast is notched by over 1,000 fabulous fjords, best seen and snuck into by boat. Luckily, the Hurtigruten (‘fast route’) fleet has been plying this serrated shore for 120 years. There are year-round daily departures on the 2,400km voyage from Bergen, in the south, to Arctic Kirkenes. En route you sail by Art Nouveau Ålesund, the Seven Sisters Mountains and the charming fishing huts of the Lofoten Islands. You also experience life aboard a working ship: this is no simple cruiser – locals use it as a vital lifeline to get between these remote, spectacular ports. The cost: A one-way, seven-day midnight-sun sail from Bergen to Kirkenes (or vice versa – sailing south is slightly cheaper) in June-August costs from
SA
£1,9VE 82
£1,738pp (based on two sharing an inside twin cabin); outside cabins cost from £2,007pp, suites considerably more. Make it cheaper: Sail off-season – the lead-in fare for a January-March departure (good timing for northern lights) is £1,179pp. If you book for 2014 by the end of September there are discounts of up to 25%. The alternative: If you don’t have the time or budget to sail the length of Norway, opt for a mini-taster instead. UNESCOlisted Geiranger is the Taj Mahal of Norwegian fjords, its dramatic sides splattered by lofty waterfalls and dotted with abandoned farmsteads. From 20 June to 20 August, a ferry links Geiranger and Valldal, charging just NOK230 (£25) for 2 hours and 15 minutes of magnificent – if all-too-brief – fjord floating. <
A-fjordable cruising A boat trip through the Norwegian fjords offers spectacular scenery
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hope floats
The much-missed Nile route between Luxor and Cairo has finally reopened â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a long cruise via its ancient tombs and winding souks shows Middle Egypt is very much back from the dead Words & Photographs Matthew Teller
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Egypt
Entry level opportunity The Tomb of Isadora at Tuna el-Gebel, near Minya, on the edge of Egypt’s mighty Western Desert
‘We rolled onwards to the beauty of remote Tuna el-Gebel, its angular stone mausolea romantic against the tawny dunes’ < a caravan from Canaan (Palestine) visited
the pharaoh, bringing gifts. The foreigners are depicted at Beni Hasan with unusual goatee beards, wearing sandals (Egyptians went barefoot) and dressed in striking multicoloured robes. Nobody is suggesting they are Israelites, but Joseph – known, too, for a coat of many colours – was in Egypt around the same time. The parallels with the Old Testament story rang like a bell. It was my turn to gaze open-mouthed. Hesham, once he’d told the tale, shrugged and smiled.
Life in the slow lane We rolled onwards, to the beauty of remote Tuna el-Gebel, its angular stone mausolea romantic in the afternoon sun against tawny dunes; beneath lay hair-raising catacombs filled with mummified baboons sacrificed to Thoth, god of knowledge. In far-flung Tell el-Amarna we roamed the sun-temple, built 3,400 years ago by the revolutionary Pharaoh Akhenaten and his queen, Nefertiti. Their
newly egalitarian forms of government and worship lasted barely two decades in the teeth of a furious hardline counterrevolution. Pacing the rubble of betrayed dreams, I bit my lip for Tahrir Square. And then we returned to the river. Excursions fell between mesmerically long stretches of cruising. Average speed on the Hamees was eight knots (roughly 15km/h), but even that wasn’t nearly slow enough. Once, close to Esna, I experimented with real-time writing. First I logged a range of saw-tooth cliffs rearing up on the western shore, topped by a squat, domed lookout. They were still passing when I noted a photogenic pair of date palms, one resting on its neighbour’s shoulder. I broke off for the putt-putt-putt of a mudbrick pumping station on the opposite shore, drawing water up to cascade into beige irrigation channels. Before that faded, six or seven kids were leaping off a grassy bank, their bodies slick in the afternoon sun. A buffalo bathed, snorting in the shallows.
Then came a picnicking family, whooping as our five-storey mobile hotel rudely parped. Worlds kept revealing themselves, minute by minute, and it didn’t let up after dark. Before, if you wanted to travel through Middle Egypt, you faced tediously long train or bus journeys, a scant choice of hotels and a fair bit of suspicion – and that’s if the security situation allowed a visit at all. Now, the Hamees delivered us direct to a succession of cities completely untouched by tourism. I was out every night.
Unlocking a nation In Minya, where a swanky new archaeology museum is due to open, I ambled through a city centre as charming as anywhere in Egypt. A 20th-century cotton capital, exporting to Europe and beyond, Minya sings with the textile magnates’ colonial Rococo and Art Deco villas, many now artfully crumbling. Stares broke into smiles at my “salaamu alaykum”. Fathers nudged their children. Lads jostled for photos. > Wanderlust July/August 2013 | 117
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First 24 hours
edinburgh scotland
Monumental view The view over the ‘Athens of the north’ from the Dugald Stewart Monument on Calton Hill
Where? Scotland Why? Festival season is in full swing, and there’s a show for every taste When? June-Aug (to experience all the festivals)
Before you arrive Scotland’s capital (and the surrounding Lothians region) is drenched with bloody, epic history and international landmarks. The city has volcanic origins (did you know Arthur’s Seat is an extinct volcano?) but nowadays the most explosive presence in the city are the world-famous summer festivals. Plan in advance, and book as far ahead as possible if you want to take in Edinburgh’s festival season. This is especially true of accommodation – as you might have to stay outside the city and head in for show-time .
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istockphoto
At the airport All flights land at Edinburgh Airport, 12km west of the city centre. European Union (EU), British and Swiss nationals don’t need visas. Once you’re through baggage reclaim and into Arrivals, there are
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two bureau de change (Travelex and ICE) or ATMs at both the international and domestic ends of the terminal.
Getting into town
Its festival season is packed with milestone anniversaries this summer, but there are plenty of reasons to head to Edinburgh once the curtains fall says Clare Wilson
terminal. You can book private hire airport taxis – run by Edinburgh City Private Hire – in advance by calling 0131 477 4000. Car hire companies also operate from the airport.
The airport is well connected Other ways to arrive with the city centre – the terminal’s Edinburgh is well connected to information points provide airport bus the rest of Scotland and England by information and an interactive train. The Caledonian Sleeper train journey planner. connects London with The Airlink 100 express and Edinburgh (and other N22 night buses (adult Scottish cities) every open return £6, www. night except flybybus.com) take If you’re in town for the festival’s closing fireworks Saturday, leaving around 30 mins to get and can’t get a ticket, don’t Euston station to Waverley Bridge by stress: there are a number around 11.30pm Edinburgh’s main train of good (if busy) viewing spots on Calton Hill, North and arriving in station. The Lothian Bridge and Princes Edinburgh the Buses’ #35 also runs Street, among following morning into the city centre others. around 7.20am. Trains are (£1.50) but calls at stops en run by ScotRail (www.scotrail. route, and continues to Leith. co.uk) and you can book online now Taxis can be found outside the east for services up to 12 weeks in advance (UK Arrivals) end of the airport
Top Tip
or from many staffed train stations nationwide. A small number of ‘Bargain Berths’ are available for £19 (one way) – a standard advance single between London and Edinburgh costs from around £60. If you’d rather drive, the journey takes about 5.5hrs from Birmingham, 4hrs from Manchester and York, and 2.5hrs from Newcastle. If you’re coming from the north, the city is around 3hrs from Inverness and about 2hrs from Aberdeen. Driving up from the south, get off the motorways to drive along the Borders Historic Route. This passes through the beautiful (and much fought-over) Borders country, which nowadays is peppered with royal market towns. Stirling lies westwards or you could cross the mighty Forth bridges to head north, and take the Fife Coastal Route towards St Andrews for a quick tee off. >
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Wanderlust Pocket Guides <
edinburgh orientation
Enjoy the castle, Royal Mile and a nip of the good stuff… Essential info
Population: 486,120 Languages: English Timezone: GMT +0 International dialling code: +44 Visas: UK nationals and citizens of the EU/EEC and Switzerland don’t require a visa. Currency: Pounds Sterling (£) – Scottish bank notes look different to English notes but are valid tender in the UK. Highest viewpoint: Carlton Hill or – for more-fit walkers – Arthur’s Seat Health issues: None Recommended guidebook: Time Out: Edinburgh & the Best of Glasgow (2010) is broad and useful. Web resources: The official Edinburgh festivals website is www.edinburghfestivals.co.uk;
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Edinburgh
great britain
First day’s tour
Start the day exploring Edinburgh Castle. The mighty fortification was once the residence of Scotland’s kings 30 100 and queens. Inside you’ll find the Crown Room where the Scottish 20 75 Crown Jewels are kept, and the Stone of Destiny, upon which previous 10 50 Scottish monarchs were crowned. Stroll down to the other end of the 0 25 Royal Mile to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official -10 0 residence in Scotland. At one o’clock, JFMAMJJASOND ■ Rainfall (average) Temperature (average high) aim to be either at Edinburgh Castle for the daily gun salute or at the top of Cool Places (www.coolplaces.co.uk) Calton Hill (take the short route just off have a great guide to Edinburgh too. Princes Street) at Nelson’s Monument Useful apps: Edinburgh Festival – a ball at the top of this drops Fringe (free, iPhone and Android) is simultaneously with the firing of the the official app of the 2013 Edinburgh salute; an old navigation aid for sailors. Festival Fringe and lets you find nearby Spend the afternoon learning about shows, check listings and availabilty the whisky making process at the and buy tickets from your iPhone. Scotch Whisky Experience (close to The Welcome to Scotland app Edinburgh Castle) but if (free, iPhone and Android) whisky isn’t your tipple, is good if you’re try the unusual ‘liquid planning on deli’ Demijohn, If you’re really keen to exploring outside which holds duck the tourist crowds at the capital. a range of the big attractions, aim for Climate: July and the end of the day rather August are than the start. Just make normally the sure you don’t get locked in with the ghosts of warmest months in Holyroodhouse! Scotland, with 40
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Insider Tip
liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars produced by small cottage industries around the UK. For a bit more traditional culture, give hand-weaving tartan a try over the road at the Tartan Weaving Mill and Exhibition, or you could have a poke into some of the city’s museums. The Writers’ Museum (housed in the historic Lady Stair’s House) celebrates the lives of three of Scotland’s great writers – Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. Or the blockbuster (free) National Museum of Scotland holds over 20,000 exhibits spread across 36 galleries.
temperatures of an average 19°C. The weather in Scotland can change quickly.
Dreamstime; istockphoto; The Scotsman
] Top end: The Scotsman (20 North Bridge, 0131 556 5565, www. thescotsmanhotel.co.uk) is a 5* luxury boutique hotel housed in the former Scotsman Newspaper building. It’s just off the Royal Mile, with views of the castle, the Firth of Forth, Leith, Princes Street and Calton Hill. No two rooms are alike, but they’re all gorgeous and discounts are available for booking in advance; doubles from £190.
The Scotsman
] Mid range: Adria House (11 Royal Terrace, 0131 556 7875, www. adriahouse.co.uk) is well established, centrally situated in the elegant Georgian New Town – the Playhouse Theatre is just around the corner – as is Calton Hill if you want to take in the city skyline. Doubles from £100 in July/ August, a hearty breakfast is included and New Town has plenty of classy restaurants, friendly bistros and contemporary cafe-bars nearby for lunch and dinner. ] Budget: Tantallon Place B&B has just two bright and sunny (en-suite) rooms, and they make their own jams, marmalade and bread for breakfast. Summer rates are a bargain from £40 (0131 667 1708, www. tantallonplace.co.uk)
Stay or go?
Edinburgh’s great for a long weekend, so stay for a couple of days, but it’s worth exploring the outskirts of the city and the surrounding countryside. Get the train to the village of South Queensferry for a view of the two Forth Bridges and a ferry ride underneath to the nearby island of Inchcolm. Explore along the Water of Leith, which wends its way west and north of the city to the sea at Leith. Arguably the most interesting stretch takes you through the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art and Dean Village’s former mills and workers’ houses, and on to Stockbridge. Keep an eye out for the Anthony Gormley statues along the way.
And then there’s the rest of Scotland where history, culture and scenery are interwoven like colours in tartan. Heading north over the Firth of Forth into Fife, there’s Dunfermline – the ancient capital of Scotland – to the home of golf in St Andrews. You could also head west to Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, and the Clyde region with all its maritime and industrial heritage. And south is the Scottish Border: nowadays the sweeping valleys, emerald forests and heather-clad moorlands are pretty tranquil, but they’re steeped in bloody battles, magnificent castles and literary greats to discover. n
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First night’s sleep
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