Archive for March, 2011

Highest Hotel in the World

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong opened its doors on Tuesday 29th March 2011 claiming the title of being the highest hotel in the world. The 312 room luxury hotel occupies the upper half of Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Centre (ICC) located in West Kowloon which stands at 488 metres high.

All of the rooms at the luxury hotel as well as guest facilities enjoy breathtaking views that oversee the Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island’s districts of Admiralty, Wanchai and much of the Kowloon Peninsula. Whilst looking down from the 50sqm Harbour Island Room, guests can see cars coming in and out of the Western Harbour Tunnel.

Whilst at the ICC building, the elevator ride which takes guests from the main lobby to the check-in counters on the 103 floor is known to be the fastest elevator in Hong Kong, travelling up to nine meters per second.

Check out this video of the Ritz-Carlton in Hong Kong from a helicopter. Imagine seeing some of these views outside your window!

Images courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.

Africa’s Seven Secret Wild Animals

With the rock star status of Aleksandr the Meerkat, I fondly remember the less known animals of the bushveld that I grew up with in South Africa.

I have been living in London for almost 12 years, but I grew up with mountain views. These were not the views of Table Mountain, but the Magaliesberg – firmly behind the “boerewors curtain” on the northern side of South Africa’s capital Pretoria. In the early 80’s, these suburbs were still growing, with some wild creatures straying into our garden from the bushveld over the fence.

They are certainly not as famous as the meerkats, elephants and the big cats, but they are special in their own (secretive) ways.

Painted Reed Frog
Hyperolius Viridiflavus

My little slimy frog friends form the official soundtrack to an African evening. The tiny males compete for female attention in choirs of bell like calls, their aim is to make as many calls as loud as they can, and they are really loud! They have many colours and decorations in variations of bright stripes and dots. The bright colours are mainly for warding off predators because their skin is poisonous. If you are on a holiday in South Africa, you can find frogs sitting on reeds and in grass around freshwater pools, occasionally in my dad’s tiny fish pond. The mucus on their skin dries to form a waterproof barrier to protect them from the summer sun.

Painted Reed Frog - Hyperolius Viridiflavus

Caracal
Caracal Caracal

Not as big or famous as lions, leopards and cheetahs, but a close contender for the feline beauty awards. Caracals are about the size of a large cat, but sadly got a bad reputation for stealing poultry and are often hunted. They prefer semi desert areas and their hairy paws are especially adapted to walk on sand. Their reddish fur and black tuffeled ears blend well into the reddish sand and rocks and make them surprisingly hard to see in the wild.

Caracal

Blue Headed Tree Agama
Acanthocerus Atricollis

At first I was really scared of these pre-historic creatures. They are pretty big at about 40cm and look fierce. They climb trees and buildings, preferring high areas in the sun. In the breeding season, the males’ large heads turn bright blue. But they never hurt me; they just watched from the wall, nodding their big blue heads up and down, as if in agreement to eat the insects while I spent the afternoon in the pool.

Blue Headed Tree Agama - Acanthocerus Atricollis

African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus Vocifer

The majestic fish eagle has one of the most distinctive calls of the birds that live around freshwater areas in Sub-Sahara Africa. I can only describe it as possibly yelping, similar to a turkey, at a higher pitch, and a seagull, uttered while throwing their heads back like a seagull. But somehow this is more of a welcome call to the African sunset before the painted reed frogs take over the airwaves for the night.  A female’s wingspan can reach 2.4m, and pairs can often been seen at the top of the highest trees close to their twig nests. Seeing one of these swoop down to pluck a fish out of the water is quite amazing!

African Fish Eagle - Haliaeetus Vocifer

Bush Baby
Otolemur Crassicaudatus

Galagos earned their name “bush baby” from the loud cries that sound disturbingly similar to that of a human baby. These ‘primitive primates’ are closer related to Madagascar’s lemurs than monkeys, and their favourite snacks are the creepy crawlies of the bush. It’s a bit hard to spot them in the wild, as they jump fast and far between trees when not hiding from daylight in hollow tree branches, but if you shine a bright light towards the distant trees, their large eyes reflect in countless little pairs. I first encountered a bush baby in a campsite – a precious moment before he jumped away and the huge giraffe around the next tree made me jump almost as high as the bush baby.

Bush Baby - Otolemur Crassicaudatus

Bat-eared Fox
Otocyon Megalotis

The bat-eared fox are nothing like European foxes. They are about cat sized, and their large ears can detect their prey in the ground. They then dig furiously and devour the unlucky insect in seconds. A bat-eared fox will mainly eat termites, grasshoppers, little lizards, eggs, small mammals and even fruit, from the grassy plains and savannahs close to it’s earthy den home. Unfortunately their cousins, the jackal, has landed them in trouble with their taste for farmyard treats and they are often poisoned by farmers. You can sometimes see them in playing in pairs in the moonlight.

Bat-eared Fox - Otocyon Megalotis

Aardvark
Orycteropus Afer

The name ‘aardvark’ translates as ‘earth pig’, but it isn’t related to pigs at all – more to the hyrax, a rabbit sized furry mammal. An aardvark eats mainly termites and ants, the only fruit it will try is the aardvark cucumber. You might see only see the leftovers of this solitary nocturnal animal’s meals in the giant termite mounds of the bush. I have to admit, I have not seen this elusive animal in the wild, but I always wished to see one of these strange ‘living fossils’. London Zoo has a very lovely pair you can see up close when they are sleeping.

Aardvark - Orycteropus Afer

Have you seen any of these whilst on your South African holiday?

Starry Starry Skies – Best places to stargaze

Have you ever looked up at the sky and gazed in awe as the stars shine down on the only planet we believe inhabits life?

As a kid I used to be fascinated in looking up at the sky and trying to find fluffy animals in the clouds.  When night fell I’d often lie on the grass and look up trying to find a shooting star, but in London it’s hard to see any stars with so much light pollution! My interest grew as I aged and a visit to Florida’s Space Kennedy when I was eleven was a true experience. For the first time those magical lights in the sky became hard rocks in my hands and metallic dust in a tube. Even now when I go away on holiday I often find myself stopping and looking up at the night sky trying to find the Big Dipper or Orion’s Belt. Below are some of the places I have visited where I have seen shooting stars, satellites and even the rings of Jupiter….

Egypt Mount Sinai
During my trip to Egypt back in 2008 I visited a traditional Bedouin Camp close to Mount Sinai. It turned out that this particular family of Bedouins were “watchers of the stars” and had a $20,000 telescope set up behind their make shift tents, lent to them by an American Space Observatory.  For the first time I was able to look through a telescope and see in great detail the rings of Jupiter. The mass darkness in the middle of the desert allowed us to sit and gaze at passing satellites, the North Star and even the occasional shooting star! Definitely a great place to visit to feel one with the earth and sky!

Mount Sinai in Egypt

Kruger National Park, South Africa
Probably one of the largest national parks in Africa, the Kruger National Park is another great place to see the stars above. With such a vast open space and no light pollution, you can take a laze in your hammock (from the safety of a private lodge) and stare for hours. Why not take a two or four night luxury camping safari and experience the open bush with safari walks, game drives and camp fires at night – in my opionion the best way to experience the real safari experience! You can sleep out under the stars on a treetop platform – and don’t worry mosquito nets are provided so you aren’t bitten to bits!

Kruger National Park in South Africa

The Atacama Desert, Chile
Rising from the sea level to over 4,000 metres into the Andes towards Bolivia, the Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth but never have I seen some truly breathtaking landscapes! Near perfect visablity allows us star gazers crystal clear views of the shining legends above! and to keep with the space theme – you can also visit the Valley of the Moon. No you won’t be walking on the moon – but this landscape offers an impressive range of color and texture, looking somewhat similar to the surface of the moon.

Atacama Desert in Chile

Where have you been that is good for star gazing?

Top 10 Lemurs of Madagascar

160 million years ago Madagascar separated from the super continent of Gondwanaland, and forged its own evolutionary path. Today, 80 per cent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on earth, including the iconic lemurs, stars of the recent Attenborough BBC series. There are over 90 lemur species – some so tiny they fit in a match box and others that can leap a full ten metres. Many are endangered species, threatened by farming, the clearing of forests for fire wood and hunting. Here are some of my favourites.

Indri – the ‘panda bear’ lemur

The largest of the surviving lemurs, the cuddly Indri is about the size of a female chimp. Almost tail-less, they have piercing green eyes and are best known for their eerie whale-like calls, which can carry for up to 3km. You can only see them in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Perinet/Analamazaotra), their Malagasy rainforest home, as they don’t survive in captivity.

Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur – the Kylie Minogue of the lemur world

The smallest primate in the world, weighing only 30 grams, Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur is probably the cutest. This star of the lemur world is strictly nocturnal and can be found in the Kirindy Forest, north of Morondava, an area also famed for its bountiful baobabs.

Ringtail lemur – Madagascar’s WAG Pack

Madagascar’s trademark and national mammal, Ringtails hang out in large matriarchal groups, squabble regularly but defend their patch together with gusto. The most ground-based of all the lemurs, their distinctive ‘Davy Crocket’ tails make them easy to identify. They are widespread across the sub-arid South of Madagascar. See them in Berenty, Isalo and Andringitra National Parks, Ifotaka and Anjaha.

Coquerel’s sifaka – the Strictly Come Dancing lemur

Sifakas come in a number of variations and all are endearing and acrobatic. Although almost completely arboreal, living and moving through the trees, their long legs and tails help them to gracefully ‘dance’ across open spaces. Coquerel’s sifika is critically endangered but commonly seen at Ankarafantsika National Park (Ampijoroa) and at Anjajavy.

Eastern lesser bamboo lemur – the gentle lemur

The best known of the Bamboo or Gentle lemur family, unsurprisingly the Eastern lesser mostly eats bamboo. These have been the most heavily hunted lemurs in Madagascar, often kept in captivity as pets, and now have a conservation status of ‘vulnerable’. Whilst on your Madagascar holiday, you can see them in the wild in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Perinet/Analamazaotra) and Ranomafana.

Aye Aye – the gremlin of Madagascar’s forests

The Aye Aye epitomizes all that is fascinating about Madagascar’s unique wildlife. This secretive nocturnal inhabitant of the Malagasy rainforests looks as if it is composed of random body parts: a fox’s tail, bat ears, rodent incisors, and remarkable tarantula-like hands. See the Aye Aye in the uninhabited island reserve of Nosy Mangabe, Ambaniala (near Maroantsetra), and even in Perinet.

Red ruffed – the best dressed lemur

This large and extremely vociferous lemur has a strikingly luxuriant red and black pelage, and wins the accolade of ‘best dressed’ lemur. Perhaps a little blousy, our flamboyant friend prioritises its grooming routine, and that of its friends, using its toothcomb like front teeth. You’ll have to visit the Masoala National Park, in the northeast corner of Madagascar to see the Red-ruffed lemur as this is the only place where they survive.

Milne-Edwards’ sifaka – if George Clooney was a lemur he’d probably be a Milne Edwards

Another member of the graceful sifika family, the Milne Edwards is uber chic, with a debonair, understated creamy white and chocolate brown coat, and smouldering ruby-red eyes. Not as showy as some but the height of sartorial elegance and found in the Ranomafana National Park.

Black lemur – the laid-back beach-bum

Males are jet black and females a rich reddish-brown. Black lemur are only found on Nosy Be, Nosy Komba and in a small area of the Sambirano domain on the mainland. Black lemurs are best known for their fondness for licking certain millipedes which exude an intoxicating substance, leaving the lemurs dazed and glassy-eyed, but totally ‘blissed-out’.

Crowned lemur – royal lemurs for a royal year

Part of the ‘true lemur’ grouping, both male and female Crowned lemurs wear v-shaped tiaras – the males’ tiaras are black and females’ tiaras (pictured) are grey and orange. Crowned lemurs are common in Montagne d’Ambre National Park and in the far north of Madagascar in Ankarana Special Reserve. Wonder what they’ll be doing on 29 April?

With thanks (and apologies) to Derek Schuurman, co-author of Globetrotter Travel Guide: Madagascar, co-author of Bradt’s ‘Madagascar Wildlife’ guide and contributor to Conservation International’s ‘Field Guide to the Lemurs of Madagascar’.

Which of these lemurs would you like to see on your next Madagascar holiday?

6 Phrases to remember for a day in Havana

Having been lucky enough to spend a few days in the fascinating Havana, here are the sentences I would recommend to any traveller. With them, you will be sorted from morning until late.

Cuban friend

“Thanks for the tips, mate”

9am: Jamon y queso por favor! (“Ham & Cheese please!”)

To me, these are the best ingredients to add to your scrambled eggs to kick start the day. Most of the hotels actually offer great breakfasts to their guests and with this typical grill, you will easily have enough energy to wonder around Havana until lunchtime.

11am: No fumo, gracias (“I don’t smoke, thanks”)

Even after that, the (never aggressive) person who’s trying to sell you Cohibas, Romeo y Juliettas or any other famous Cuban cigars might insist for you to buy some as a gift, but this will help you smoothly getting rid of at least half of them! Unless you really know about cigars (and fake ones) the safest purchase is at a official retail store (hotel, airport…).

1pm: Donde esta el Malecon? (Where’s the Malecon?)

Don’t miss a stop to see the typical image of Havana with its interesting buildings and monuments, all along the sea, an essential part of your Cuba city break. Get some street food (bocadillos – sandwiches – or pizzas) in the nearby vibrant streets for a quick lunch under the sun and relax later on the terrace of the massive Nacional Hotel, for an after lunch coffee, or cocktail of course.

5pm: Donde esta la terraza? (“Where’s the terrace?”)

To a hotel receptionist.  To get the best views in Havana, roof terraces are the best spots by far. A few hotels in Old Havana offer a bar on top of them (such as Parque Central and Saratoga) from where you can admire the Capital, the Cathedral and all the wonders of the Cuban unique architecture, plus the sea, all of this while enjoying a drink and/or a meal!

8pm.  La Guarida por favor (“La Guarida please”)

To a taxi driver, to be taken to one of the top paladares (family – no state – owned restaurant) in Havana. Dishes are fine, wine is good, and the pictures of celebrities decorating the patio walls let you know the place has to be taken seriously! Dining isn’t that cheap here, but still affordable (at least for tourists). A great dining experience, which is rare in Cuba, in a great atmosphere: not to be missed!

11pm. La misma! (“The same!”)

Head to the Floridita bar, one of  Ernest Hemingway’s favourites , and indulge yourself with a few (or more) expert made cocktails, from the classic Daiquiri, frappé or not, toThe old man and the sea writer ‘s own creation, the well-named Papa Hemingway. Cigars are also available to complete the experience!

Do you recommend any phrases?

Baby Meerkats! See them here

We know that going on a safari and watching a video are not quite the same thing.  But if you are looking for even more reasons to go on a South Africa holiday, check out some of the amazing safari holiday videos on the web.

One of our new lodges, the Tswalu Kalahari Lodge in South Africa recently sent through this video of the new pups from one of their smaller meerkat colonies.  Our office all loved watching them explore their new kingdom & had to share it.

Baby Meerkats from Tswalu Kalahari Lodge – South Africa

Meerkat Pups from Field Guides on Vimeo.

What wildlife video would you like to see in real life?

Incredible Disappearing Wonders of the World

It’s incredibly sad to think that in a couple of centuries some of the world’s greatest wonders will have disappeared.  It wasn’t until recent years that I realised how much of an impact tourism has on the destruction of unique habitats and fascinating destinations. With climate change and travel very closely linked, we’ve learnt that by our means of travelling to these iconic destinations, we often do more damage then good, and due to climate change, some of the greatest destinations will soon disappear. Below are some of the destinations which could be affected and a must see before they do!

Amazon Rainforest

Spanning the border of eight countries, the Amazon is the world’s largest river basin and the source of one-fifth of all free flowing fresh water on Earth. The Amazon Rainforest is one of the planets most luxuriant and home to one in ten known species on Earth. In 2004 alone, the equivalent of an area larger than Sicily was lost to logging and farming. Rainforests used to cover 14% of the earth’s surface and now sadly only cover a mere 6%. Experts predict that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in the next 40 years.

Logging in the Amazon Rainforest

Africa’s Rooftop

“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” as described in Ernest Hemingway’s 1938 short story may soon be a distant memory. A report published in 2009 warned that Africa’s highest peak has lost 26 percent of its icecaps since 2000, and 85% of the snow that once covered the mountains in 1912. Scientists predict that all of its glaciers could be gone as early as 2020!

Disappearing Glacier of Kilimanjaro

Luxor Tombs

On the west banks of the Nile, the Valley of the Kings is the site of burial grounds and tombs that belong to kings and powerful nobles that lived centuries ago between the 11^th and 16^th Century. The valley consists of 63 tombs and chambers and thousands of visitors explore the valley every year. The carvings and painted decorations of the chambers are so fragile that the humidity and fungus that is caused by poor ventilation and tourist’s breath are destroying the artefacts inside. Scientists and archaeologists predict the tombs could disappear within 150 to 500 years.

Valley of the Kings - Egypt

The Maldives Islands

Maldives holidays are enjoyed by thousands of people every year. At just a metre above sea level, the Maldives is one of the world’s lowest lying countries and with rising sea levels, many fear that the islands will simply disappear beneath the waters. To the every day traveller, the signs of climate change are invisible, but scientists on the island fear the sea level is rising 0.9cm a year. Since 80% of its islands are no more then a metre above sea level, scientists predict that the Maldives could become uninhabitable within 100 years.

Ariel view of the Maldives Islands

Are there any other places which you know of that may disappear in the future?

Top 5 Places I Want to See…

I like to think I’m fairly well travelled; I’ve back-packed, flash-packed and even lived a few weeks of luxury, but I’ve found out that the more you see, the more you realise there is to see. My travel wish list is therefore growing longer and longer with every new edition of every travel magazine, each travel Tweet and more particularly when I listen with mounting jealousy to my friends telling tales of amazing times in far-flung locations. So, this is my personal wish list – I’ll get to them all, one day…

1. Antarctica

Before Antarctica is developed beyond a gift shop on the South Pole (true story), I intend to visit this pristine wilderness for its spectacular beauty and outstanding wildlife. For now, I’ll have to be content with Google Street View…

Antartica

2. Israel

With a list of historically, culturally and religiously significant sites as long as your arm, from Jerusalem and the Dead Sea to Bethlehem, Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee (plus the apparently buzzing nightlife of Tel Aviv), the ‘land of milk & honey’ holds endless fascination for me.

Wailing Wall - Israel

3. South America

Strictly speaking this is really a combination of rather a lot of places, but since I haven’t been to any of them and can’t decide where I would visit first (Carnival in Rio? Hiking in Machu Picchu? The Amazon? Angel Falls? The Galapagos? A restaurant serving steak and red wine anywhere in Argentina?), South America gets its own special place on my list.

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil

4. Atlanta & the Deep South

Ever since falling in love with Rhett Butler when I read Gone with the Wind as a teenager, Atlanta has held its own in my top five places to visit – yes, the history of the Civil War might be interesting, but it will take second place to seeing the costumes from the film and even Tara’s front door!

5. Zimbabwe

Adventure, superb game viewing, affordable – and now safe.

Meerkats in Zimbabwe

That’s my Top 5 – it took a lot of thought to drill it down as there are so many more places to see! Where are yours?