TAKE a beautiful, old country house in ancient, rolling Kildare parkland, spend millions on extensions, modernisation, spa facilities and an Arnold Palmer golf course and you’re going to have something pretty special.
Brittany: The mythic west
THE FIRST time I went camping in Brittany, I found the perfect ice-breaker. Having nearly run out of meths for my camping stove, I went around the various chemists in the tiny fishing port of Camaret, showing them the dregs of purple liquid and asking in my rudimentary French if they had anything like it.
Marrakech: The spice of nightlife
“THE BEST analogy I can think of is fishing,’ says superstar DJ Pete Tong. ‘You put some hooks out into the crowd and see what they respond to.”
We are sitting on a sunny rooftop terrace of the exotic Riad Lotus Ambre in Marrakech, having a lamb tagine lunch and discussing his set at Pacha that finished a few hours ago.
Mount Sinai: And, lo, there was light
I AM freezing cold, yet pouring with sweat, my heart is banging away as if about to burst and my legs feel like jelly. After three days of battling post-Cairo stomach problems (the details you don’t want to know) I’m already weaker than a decaf latte. And I’m still only 30 minutes into the three-hour climb up Mount Sinai. If I am to see the sunrise at just after 5am, I need to find some energy.Continue reading “Mount Sinai: And, lo, there was light”
Star Clipper: Sail through the centuries
WE TEND to think of the Mediterranean as a small sea, almost a lake. But, when you’re actually on it, you find it is a pretty big place.
From Gibraltar to Sicily, Alexandria to Dubrovnik, it spans three continents and many countries and cultures.
It can turn fierce, sink ships and pummel shores. Or, in its more usual calm mood, it can be one of the most idyllic places on Earth.Continue reading “Star Clipper: Sail through the centuries”
Milan: Putting on the style
CHECK into the luxurious Principe Di Savoia hotel in Milan and you know you’re somewhere special. In fact, you probably don’t want to check in at all unless you’re sure you can do the sumptuous, over-the-top decor justice.
You’ll want shiny-new Italian shoes, this season’s sunglasses and a new haircut. I shudder to think what any true fashion victim might need to spend before feeling confident enough to wade across the lobby carpet – poor things.Continue reading “Milan: Putting on the style”
Oman: Wadi you like?
I AM SITTING in an air-conditioned Toyota FWD, doing what feels like 70mph, when the ground ahead suddenly disappears from view.
The front end of the vehicle drops sickeningly, while girly screams echo from the people (not all of them female) in the back seat.
Then we hit the side of the massively steep dune, sliding alarmingly sideways, before roaring off across the soft sand for another go. This time backwards.Continue reading “Oman: Wadi you like?”
China: A Kunming plan
PERHAPS, if I could read it, the graffiti etched into the rocks of Kunming’s Stone Forest might seem less picturesque. For all I know, the beautiful calligraphy is the equivalent of ‘Kilroy was here’.
However, for me, the Chinese script merely adds to the charm of this 400sq km ‘forest’ – actually an ancient seabed of limestone, weathered into ethereal karst formations. It turns out I am not the only one. My guide explains that some of the carvings are now tourist attractions in their own right because of their age.
Switzerland: Good, best, Bettmeralp
‘HAVE a pleasant day,’ said my hotelier. ‘I’d have to work quite hard not to have a pleasant day here,’ was my reply. The quip was light-hearted but led me to wonder at how much truth there was in it.
How exactly would I have a bad day in this remote alpine hideaway? Obviously, the first problem would be any baggage I brought with me. Cut off from the outside world, by a train from Geneva and two 1,000m cable car rides, in a village with no cars, that baggage started to feel pretty light. Hassle with other people? Well, the stress-free environment seems to make everyone pretty friendly. Discovering that it was normal to leave front doors unlocked, something I did myself from the first night, put me in a trusting, open mood. I wonder if I should try it in London? Yes, well…Continue reading “Switzerland: Good, best, Bettmeralp”
France: Land of the Musketeers
WHERE IS the world’s largest brick building? The Cathedral Metropolitana, in Medellin, Colombia? The Qabus tower in Gonbad-e Kavus, Iran? Or Battersea Power Station?
All lay claim to it, as well as the Basilica of Albi. Well, having now been to Albi, all I can tell you is that the other contenders are ‘aving a laff.Continue reading “France: Land of the Musketeers”
Inherit The Earth 