Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i Wanderlust

It’s hard to believe that over six months have passed since the pandemic hit Europe. I’m sure, like me, you hoped that it would quickly pass and that we’d all be travelling again by now. The travel industry has been brought to its knees, and the World Travel & Tourism Council has announced that up to three million tourism jobs in the UK alone could be lost. The plight of many millions of people around the world who rely on tourism can not be underestimated. But we can help... In this issue we have highlighted five destinations where by visiting when we can, we really will be helping (p44). Elsewhere in the magazine, Iceland (p32) and Thailand (p58) both rely heavily on tourism and are desperate for us to go…

The best UK walks Discover over 350 short strolls and long trails across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, for all fitness levels, seasons and occasions… wanderlust.co.uk/UKWalks Scotland trivia Know your Islay from your Colonsay? How about the inner workings of haggis? See how well you really know Scotland… wanderlust.co.uk/ScotlandQuiz Your daily coronavirus update Keeping on top of the ever-evolving travel advice is tricky. Fortunately, we’re here to help… wanderlust.co.uk/TravelUpdates Tick off these UK experiences A happy handful of the UKs classic travels, from The Dark Hedges to Hadrian’s Wall. How many do you still have to do… wanderlust.co.uk/UKExperiences Discover Fiji In the warm waters of the South Pacific await Fiji’s 300 alluring islands – known for their rugged landscapes, palm-lined beaches and coral reefs… wanderlust.co.uk/DiscoverFiji WIN! Win amazing trips…

POSTE RESTANTE Star letter Botswana beauty I took this image last year while at Elephant Sands lodge and campsite in Nata, Botswana. My wife, Sue, and I had continued our travels to Kubu Island and Nata, after first travelling through the Caprivi Strip [in Namibia] with my in-laws from London. The sign that you can see in the picture warns humans to give elephants a wide birth. After all, Africa is the wild animal’s territory and elephants have a right to roam free here and we should respect that. There is plenty of other wildlife around in Nata as well on the unfenced 16000 ha private conservancy. The lack of fences allows all animals to roam freely. Interestingly, the road north from Nata to Kasane in Botswana has been referred…

NO ROOM WITH A VIEW How does cliff camping sound? The adventure firm Honister recently launched the experience in the Lake District in Cumbria. If you have a head for heights, you can now traverse across a single rope bridge 152m above ground, before abseiling down to your bed for the night – a platform suspended from Fleetwith Pike. Dinner arrives in a hamper on a rope, and you dine watching the sunset before falling asleep under the stars. Even while asleep, you’ll be attached by a harness to your tent and the rockface – so there’s no chance of recreating that scene from the 1993 thriller Cliffhanger. honister.com DATES FOR THE DIARY Have you joined a free Wanderlust webinar yet? Sign in to listen to experts inspire your next…

“The beauties of the Wye Valley were discovered for the first time at the close of the 18th century, when war against France forced people to take holidays at home,” art historian Sir Roy Strong once wrote. “What they found in this part of their native country entranced them for its variety of landscape experience and historic association.” Fast-forward to 2020, and little (in that sense) has changed. As many of us seek to explore what’s on our doorstep, the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – dipping across both sides of the England/Wales border – is still just as mesmerising, and a salve for those itching to escape into nature. The first boat tours were 250 years ago, and even today the Wye Valley is best discovered…

Vital statistics Capital: Bangkok Population: 70 million Languages: Thai and its northern dialect Găm Méuang. Karen, Lahu, Akha and other ethnic minority languages are also spoken in numerous dialects. English is widely understood in the cities. Time: GMT +7 International dialling code: +66 Visas: Not required for stays of up to 30 days. Money: Thai Baht (TBH), currently around £1=TBH40. Credit cards are widely accepted in cities, where there are also ATMs. When to go November to February: the north is cool (around 23°C) and dryer. March to April: getting hotter, with temperatures often above 30°C and sometimes even breaking over 40°C, but less suitable for trekking because of smoke caused by slash-and-burn farming. May to July: waiting for Aug-Oct monsoon season to start, when the region turns lush and…

The Fertile Crescent. Back at last. I was first here in south-eastern Turkey around 12,000 years ago and now I have returned. By “I”, of course, I humbly mean humanity. It’s a strange thing, but it did feel like I was somehow coming full circle. Here in erstwhile Mesopotamia, between the legendary Euphrates and Tigris rivers, is where civilisation began. But the spot I was standing on, an unassuming archaeological site on a man-made hill near Sanliurfa, puts our existing account of the origins of settled life in the shredder. Göbekli Tepe’s been described as ‘the most important archaeological site in the world.’ It asks big questions about mankind, but I had another inquiry on my mind: why was I the only visitor here? And over the next three days,…

Summer nights Castlerigg stone circle “For a magical evening visit Castlerigg stone circle, near Keswick. Choose a warm evening, take a picnic and watch the sun go down.” Barbara Rayne Let it shine Lake Windermere “Go to Claife Viewing Station on the west shore of Lake Windermere. The whole place looks like a small castle and when you go up to the viewing platform, the sun shines through the colourful glass, throwing beautiful beams of colour on the floor.” Caroline Butcher Valley views Rannerdale Knotts ”Rannerdale Knotts is one of my favourite places ever. It’s a bit of a steep climb but not for long, and when you do get to the top, wow! What a view! A saddleback stretches before you and it’s an easy walk from then on.”…

VERDICT: It’s a close call – no wonder some travellers get them confused. While Ljubljana has more charm than Bratislava, cave enthusiasts will no doubt pick Slovakia to attend an underground concert. But then again, who’s ever seen a blind salamander?…

Vital statistics Capital: Reykjavík Population: 364,000 Language(s): Icelandic Time: GMT International dialling code: +354 Visas: Not required for stays up to three months. Money: The Icelandic Krona (ISK) is currently 170ISK to £1. When to go Despite a fearsome climate, Iceland is accessible all-year round, with two main tourism seasons. June-late Aug: Daylight hours are long and temperatures between 10°-15°C. Driving holidays, hiking and nature-watching are popular. Sept-Apr: Winter days are dark with sub-zero temperatures and snow possible. During this period the great attraction is the aurora borealis. Health & safety At time of going to press, Iceland had one of the lowest rates of coronavirus infection in the world. All passengers are currently required to take a coronavirus test upon arrival at Keflavík Airport, isolate for 5 days, and…

It seems another lifetime ago, doesn’t it? When we lived for our next trip, planning routes, comparing flight prices, getting annoyed with booking apps, and then wondering where we’d last spotted our passports in the heady anticipation of airports and adventure? But while many of us can’t wait to get back on the road, there are plenty of destinations who have missed travellers too. Desperately, in fact. Of course, anywhere reliant on tourism has suffered because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but some more so than others. These five places will not only welcome you when it’s safe to visit, but if you travel mindfully with a social conscience as well as an exploratory one, you can leave a positive impact on the communities who live there and the wildlife too…

Vital statistics Capital: Ankara Population: 82 million Language: Turkish, Kurmanji (Kurdish) is widespread Time: GMT +3 International dialling code: +90 Visas: British Citizens travelling to Turkey for tourist or business purposes are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Money: Turkish lira (TRY) is currently around TRY9.75 to the UK£. When to go April-May & September-October The shoulder seasons are pleasantly warm, with temperatures of 20°C-30°C, so are typically the best times to visit Turkey’s array of ancient sites. June-August High season and hot November-March Can get quite cold (4-15°C), however, despite the temperatures, these winter months can be the best time to explore the sites, as they’re far less busy. Health & safety See FCO (www.gov.uk) for latest coronavirus…

Get orientated “You cannot enter [Wawel Cathedral] without the internal tremor, without fear because it contains in it – as in almost no cathedral of the world – the enormous size, which speaks to us in all our history.” This is what Karol Józef Wojtyła, the Polish Pope John Paul II, said of Kraków’s cathedral in 1964. Indeed, this grand cathedral, perched on Wawel Hill, has come to symbolise the entire nation, making it a key stop for visitors to Poland's southern city hub. Wawel Cathedral was built in the 14th century by King Władysław the Short. Over the next 400 years, it hosted every royal coronation bar two. As well as being a place of celebration, it is also a place of commemoration, with much of Poland's royalty, including…

Watching Chilean flamingos taking flight at sunset is a memorable sight, but the birds aren’t the only species travellers will see around South America’s largest lake. Straddling Peru and Bolivia, and sitting 3,812m above sea level, Lake Titicaca is also home to puna ibis and yellow-winged blackbirds –and it’s the only place in the world that you’ll find the Titicaca grebe. But while the lake is a birder’s paradise, many visitors will want to see the floating islands near Puno, on the lake north-western Peruvian corner. The indigenous Uru people create the islands – some the size of tennis courts – from totora reeds, which they also use to make houses, boats and crafts. If visitors want to linger, they can organise a homestay on the terraced island of Amantani,…

“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”Robert F. Kennedy Lesser spotted Serengeti National Park, Tanzania Photographer: Dale Morris One of the ways travelling helps the planet is by helping prevent poaching – either by giving the wildlife a tourist-dollar value to locals or just by having extra sets of eyes on them; all heavily set back by the coronavirus crisis. For the cheetah, with just over 7,000 left in the wild, this is a disaster. But there’s another way to provide aid: Remembering Cheetahs (£45) is the latest photobook from the Remembering Wildlife team, featuring images from some of the world’s best photographers, with proceeds going to projects across the planet – the series has raised £628,550 so far. You can see the…

”We completed the 1,000km South West Coast Path in three days. All stunning but especially Worbarrow Bay.” Debbie Kempster “Just one of the amazing sights from our recent trip to Northern Ireland: the Silent Valley in County Down.” Josie Jo ”We enjoyed our staycation exploring the Cheshire countryside, kayaking its canal network.” Mike B ”Perfect weather for a countryside walk in the New Forest after lockdown.” @michaelcharlessheridan ”Appreciating the aroma while walking among the lavender fields on a sunny day at Castle Farm, Eynsford, Kent.” Sarah Hughes ”Walking up Grey Mare’s Tail in Scotland. We did it with three kids, but got this pic with just the two of us!” Graham Seed ”Carradale Bay, Kintyre… we’ve seen seals and dolphins, and been walking, kayaking, snorkelling... loved it!” Jo & Chris…

Beirut, the Lebanese are proud to tell you, is an ancient city. The Phoenicians, those great merchant sailors of the ancient world, first set up shop here some 5,000 years ago, and since then Beirut has seen them all come and go – the Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans and French. Despite this, it’s a city that tries to relentlessly look forward. The glitzy redeveloped Downtown area is the face that Beirut has preferred to show the world in recent years, with its moneyed Dubai-on-the-Mediterranean vibe offering an optimistic narrative for a country that many still associate with civil war. For the past two years, I’ve been lucky to call Beirut my home. And I’ve been pleased to discover that when you look behind the curtain there’s still plenty of the…

The stilt-raised hut was dark and smelled of smoke and chillis. Underneath, a grey sow suckled her dozen or more snuffling piglets. A notched trunk ladder led to the bamboo-walled room where four of us would sleep on coconut-fibre mattresses draped with mosquito netting. Our hostess, Na-Ma, was hunched over a fire throwing quizzical smiles at her guests as she sliced vegetables and boiled pots of rice for the meal we would share later. This was Pha Mon, a village of the Red Lahu people. It was the first overnight stop on a rugged three-night trek through the forested mountains and tribal settlements of Thailand’s far north-west, the centrepiece of our stay in the area. ‘“Our guiding principle is that tourism should generate income for host communities in a mutually…

“Georgia more than lived up to my expectations, thanks to its fabulous scenery, culture, history and people. Oh, and not forgetting the wine. To travel there with Dario was a real pleasure.”Lyn Hughes In search of pristine mountain scenery, celebrated vineyards, and ancient cave towns? Well, Georgia has them all. Best of all, it’s still practically undiscovered. Team up with former Wanderlust World Guide Awards winner, Wild Frontiers’ Dario Ghirlanda, who’ll show you the lesser-explored side of the land on this 11-day small-group tour. Explore Georgia’s crown jewels – the current and former capitals of Tbilisi and Mtskheta, where UNESCO-listed gems and hidden treasures go hand in hand – before delving into the remote Tusheti region. HIGHLIGHTS Tbilisi Set on the banks of the Mtkvari River, Georgia’s cosmopolitan capital is…

The highlights: Experiencing a completely different culture and realising how much we share – love of family, food, children, country and travel to name a few; the gracious, kind and generous locals; the temples and historic sites; biking through rice paddies, and visiting locals in small villages; the street markets during the day and night; eating rice from a bamboo stalk with the Hmong tribe; and our amazing guide, Duc. Must see: Hanoi Old Quarter; the villages and rice paddies in Mai Chau Valley; Hoi An old town and An Bang beach; overnighting on Halong Bay; and cruising the Tam Coc in Ninh Binh. Top tip: Eat early and often: pho, bun cha, banh mi and basically anything and everything. Cautionary tale: If you can, travel with a guide. They…

“Oh, you’re off to the Lake District then?” I was constantly asked when I told people I was off to Cumbria for my first post-lockdown minibreak. Well no, not exactly. I was actually revisiting a special place with a quiet beauty. Where the sky is huge and the sunsets are some of the best you’ll ever see. Where curlews cry and oystercatchers wade the mudflats and shimmering sands. Down in the south-west corner of Cumbria, Arnside sits on the Kent Estuary where the Kent River flows into Morecambe Bay. The village was a popular resort in Victorian times, but today it is largely bypassed by the tourists heading for the Lakes. However, the promise of a good sunset will draw those in the know to its promenade to gawp at…