Samantha

See the Far East for the price of a London bus fare

At one minute past 12 on 6th May 2011, Malaysia Airlines launched a very special seat sale designed to encourage holiday makers to visit the wonders of South East Asia and the Far East. Destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore, great hubs to fly into and fly out of to other destinations such as Vietnam, Borneo and Thailand.

With air fare at just £2 per person plus tax, you can fly with Malaysia Airlines to those stunning picture postcard beaches you may have always dreamt of visiting.

Here are just a few ideas to entice you…

Phuket, Thailand
Located just off the west coast of mainland Thailand and a 60 minute flight south of Bangkok, this stunning tropical island boasts some of the most glorious beaches and attractive offshore islands in Thailand.  If you’ve dreamt of a luxury hotel in a secluded and refined setting and maybe a few spa treatments for two, this is the place to be.

Banyan Tree Phuket, Thailand

Bali & Lombok

Bali is a wonderful tropical island, where you can see the richness of their culture in an instant. Holidays to Bali offer a combination of blissful romance, cultural discoveries and exotic beaches. Whether you are looking for a spa holiday, diverse scenery to explore, sandy beaches to kick back on or want to take part in a water sport or two, Bali is an island that offers more then just a beach and you’ll be sure to find something to suit you.

The Amala, Bali

Langkawi, Malaysia

Malaysia is a country that has a blend of fascinating and diverse cultures mixed in with exotic island retreats and eco-adventure options. Kuala Lumpur is the proud capital of Malaysia, combining high rise modern skyscrapers with intricate temples and mosques. If the chic city vibe isn’t for you then head over to the west coast where you’ll discover the islands of Langkawi and Pangkor. Both islands boast lovely beaches and a rural atmosphere making them a real island retreat.

The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia

So you’re probably thinking…what’s the catch for this great seat sale? Well, Malaysia Airlines has issued only 10,000 seats for the sale and a final booking date of 17th May 2011, so to avoid disappointment turn those dreams into reality and book your perfect luxury and tailor-made holiday today. See Western & Oriental Travel’s special offers for Malaysia Airlines.

Longest Tunnels in the World

My latest trip to Italy consisted of a very long and tiresome 16 hour drive from London to Milan, passing through 5 countries over 825 miles. During our road trip, we happen to pass through many tunnels some which seem to never end. Having never been a big fan of tunnels (the film Daylight didn’t help!), I tried to think of other things whilst driving through them to ease my phobia. Instead, I ended up wondering what the world’s longest tunnel was. It just so happens I passed through a couple of them on my holiday…

Channel Tunnel
Probably one of the most famous tunnels in the world! With a length of 31.4 miles long, this great piece of human engineering carried 17 million passengers from Folkestone to Calais in 2010 alone.  The tunnel also carries high-speed Eurostar passenger trains, Eurotunnel Shuttle roll-on/roll-off vehicle transport—the largest in the world—and international rail freight trains. Unfortunately on my return journey, the car in front of me on the Eurotunnel Train had broken down (had to be a Jaguar with an automatic transmission so it couldn’t even be pushed!) and was stuck for an additional half an hour with 5 carriages of cars behind me who were full of frustrated French and English men! Needless to say, I was just relieved it wasn’t my car!

Channel Tunnel Eurotunnel

Gotthard Road Tunnel
A new tunnel experience for me! At 10.5 miles long, this is the longest tunnel I have ever driven through by car! It is the third-longest road tunnel in the world after Norway’s Lærdal Tunnel (24.5 km), and China’s Zhongnanshan Tunnel (18 km). The St. Gotthard tunnel forms part of the A2 motorway in Switzerland, running south from Basel through the tunnel down to Chiasso on the border with Italy. Currently under construction, the Gotthard base tunnel due for completion in 2017 will be the longest tunnel in the world at 35.4 miles long. Fortunately for me it won’t be a tunnel I will have to drive through – instead it will be a rail link between Zurich and Milan that will allow passengers to travel between both cities in less then three hours.

Gotthard Tunnel Switzerland

Have you been through any one of these longest tunnels in the world? Do you prefer your flying or driving to your holidays in Europe? Why not go on a road trip once in a while and you might just see the light at the end of the tunnel…eventually!

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?

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?

Most Interesting Traditional Foods

Never mind fast food, here are the communities that are preserving the great old home cooked recipes.

In every holiday destination I have visited, I have noticed an ongoing theme. Nearly everywhere I have visited has a McDonald’s or a greasy kebab house on the corner of a back alley.  When I visited Egypt back in 2009, I was amazed to find a McDonald’s right in the middle of nowhere! It soon came to my attention that travellers are not always able to able to experience the real culture and local cuisine that destinations have to offer.

Whatever happened to the traditional foods that are native to each country and enjoying the delicious local cuisine on offer? Here are some interesting traditional foods which might entice you…

Mustard oil pickles, India
There are some great places to eat whilst on holiday in India. Originated in Mumbai, India, the ancient method of preserving food by making a pickle has been used for centuries. In the height of the summer when the sun was at its hottest, locals living in rural areas where food was not as accessible, used to spend days cutting vegetables and fruit for pickling. Passed down from generation to generation, families in India have perfected their own signature pickle recipes that are used to preserve and eat with delicious Indian curries. Popular pickles in India include lemon, mango, onion and the renowned chilli pickle. Many recipes include a mixture of mustard oil and ground spices to give them that authentic Indian flavour!

Chuno from Peru: one of the oldest foods in the world

The potato remains one of the most sustainable foods in the world, millions of people around the world consume tonnes of potatoes every year. However, for Andean towns in Peru, extreme temperature variations in the region can cause trouble with growing crops. However, these extreme conditions present the perfect method of preserving what would otherwise be inedible potatoes. Peru is where Chuno Blanco originates from and archaeological evidence has found in the Andes, Chuno is a 10 million year old food source.

Don’t forget to look out for Chuno potatoes on your next Peru holiday and tour. I’ve been told they are a real treat!

Guarana, Brazil
Famous for being an ingredient in soda and fruit drinks in health stores, this coffee bean sized fruit is used as a sweetener in soft drinks and energy shots. Not many people know that this tiny fruit originates from the Amazon Rainforest. Members of the Brazilian Satere-Maue tribe use an ancient technique of mashing the plant seeds into a hard bar that is used to grate on food and into drinks. These seeds are very rich in caffeine and vitamins and many tribes use them to combat fatigue and stimulate brain activity.

Guarana Berries in the Amazon Rainforest

Siwa Oasis Dates, Egypt

Founded by Alexander the Great in 330 BC, Siwa Oasis was once the most inaccessible of all Egypt’s oasis. Famous for its dates, the area boasts some 300,000 date trees which are considered some of the finest in the world. It is believed that the mineral waters of Siwa and the saline soils give Siwan dates their unique sweet taste.

Siwa Oasis Dates in Egypt

What is the most interesting traditional food you have tried?