HUGHENDEN MANOR – THE VICTORIAN HIDEAWAY AMONGST THE WOODS AND PASTURES OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Hughenden Manor - Disraeli's House
HUANGSHAN MOUNTAIN (YELLOW MOUNTAIN) “The loveliest mountain in China”
Huangshan Mountain and porters
THE NEW FOREST from cycling, horse riding to canoeing, discover ways to delve into the woods
New Forest
CADORNA LINE (LINEA CADORNA)- A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MILITARY ARCHAELOGY IN ITALY
Brave Italian troops - Oh no, it's sheep
CARDIFF – CITY THAT HAS REDISCOVERED ITSELF Discover castles, wild countryside and sizzling nightlife.
Cardiff bay
Set among the foothills of the Alps, the main Italian lakes of Maggiore, Como and Garda have their own characters but they share one thing in common – stunning locations, sumptuous villas, magnificent gardens and an old world charm.
This area has always been a major draw for the rich and famous. Still, the Lake Maggiore is hardly off-limits to the budget traveller. There is excellent hiking in the mountains and no shortage of hostels and campsites (we paid only 10 Euros per tent site in Baveno).
The Lake Maggiore is the second largest lake after Garda as it snakes 65 km among mountains from the Swiss canton of Ticino to the Italian Lombardy in the south.
The most scenic section of the lake is the Gulf of Borromeo, named after the family who owned the surrounding areas. The main town and a tourist resort is Stresa, “Queen of the lake” which lies at the foot of the Mottarone peak and boasts glorious views to the three islands: Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre.
Stresa has the faded charm of the early 20th century with its many Belle Epoque villas, gardens and hotels. Amongst them the sumptuous Grand Hotel des Illes Borromees used to have famous guests such as Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and Ernest Hemingway.
From Stresa it’s a quick ferry hop to Isola Bella. It was in the mid of the 16th century that Count Carlo III decided to build a monumental baroque palace and ornamental gardens. He named it Isola Isabella after his wife, later shortened to Isola Bella (Beautiful Island).
With its imposing palace at the front and gardens to the back, Isola Bella gives the impression of a floating vessel and definitely has an impact when you approach its shores.
There are some narrow streets with cluster of buildings near the harbour.
Once you enter the palace you can admire its lavish interiors full of marble statues, paintings and Murano chandeliers. The Throne and Queen’s Hall are the most impressive. You can also visit Napoleon’s room where he and Josephine slept in 1797.
At lake level there are six mosaic grottoes, built to be used in summertime to avoid the heat.
The Italian garden is very extravagant and dotted with statues, fountains and exotic plants and flowers.
Pompous white peacocks wander around the garden and flowers spread their scent. The ten ornate terraces culminate in a huge statue of a unicorn ridden by Amore.
Another ferry ride from Isola Bella brings you to Isola Madre famous for its spectacular botanical gardens full of rare plants from the Med, Asia, New Zealand and South America.
If you wish to get the whole panorama of lakes and the Alps you can take the cable car from Stresa to the Mottarone Peak or climb the winding path for four hours passing little villages and old churches, villas with terraced gardens, woods and alpine grasses until you reach the peak and take in spectacular views.
A few kilometres from Stresa there is another lake town Baveno famous for its pink granite and the famous Church of Santi Gerrasio e Protasio, which still has its Romanesque facade and frescoed vaults.
Following the lake road you will reach the suburban Verbania. It is worthwhile to to stop there in Pallanza to visit beautiful Botanical Gardens of Villa Taranto.
In 1931 Neil Mc Eacharn, a retired Scottish Captain purchased the property and transformed 20 hectares into a great botanical garden. You can wander 5 miles along different paths discovering over 20,000 various trees, shrubs and flowers from 5 continents.
There are acres of hundreds types of rhododendrons, dahlias, tulips and other shrubs and truly magnificent trees including cypress, sequoia, horse chestnuts from India and a “Handkerchief Tree”.
In pools giant water lilies float and among them statues and urns are displayed.
From Verbania you can move north along the lake shore passing the remains of Malpaga Castles built on two small islands and reaching Cannobio, last Italian town before the Swiss border.
Cannobio’s narrow and cobbled streets hide many medieval buildings, the Sanctuary of the Santissima Picta and the medieval Ragione Palace. I particularly enjoyed the long promenade and fabulous gelati on the lake shore.
Going in the opposite direction to the south of the lake you will encounter the fortress of Angera still dominating the southern shore of the lake.
Nearby town of Arona was the birthplace of Saint Carlo Borromeo who was an archbishop and cardinal of Milan.
Towering above the town is his huge 33- metre high statue known locally as San Carlone. You can climb up inside the statue and look through his eyes to get a great view of the lake.
For those who need more relaxation there are regular ferry services crossing the lake.
And what is more enchanting than admiring the scenery while enjoying a few glasses of red wine.
WHEN TO GO
avoid July and August as the twisting roads are very crowded.
April to mid June and September to October are the best.
GETTING AROUND
car, buses offer regular service around the shores, ferry to most towns
rail: lago maggiore express (Arona, Stresa, Verbania, Luino, Brissago, Locarno)
see: www.lagomaggioreexpress.com
see: www.italianlakes.com
Once you got lost in a maze of narrow alleyways of Stone Town, haggled in bazaars and gorged on fresh fish it’s time to move on to some of the most beautiful beaches of nothern Zanzibar.
Picture endless white sand, turqoise waters, swaying palms and reefs writhing with colourful fish – minus the big crowds of the Med or Caribbean.
But before reaching the northern shores it’s really wortwhile to spend a few hours on the Spice Tour on a spice plantation.
There is no shortage of organised tours departing from Stone Town. Our guides Salim and Musa took our group to the centre of the island around Kizimbani village.
The tour started with the lunch in Salim’s house where we enjoyed a meal of pilau rice with marinated beef, vegetables seasoned with heaps of herbs and spices topped with some mango juice and kassawa leaves.
Then we started a few hours’ walk around shamba (plantation) with Salim showing us lots of spices, herbs and fruit trees. We had to guess their names followed by smelling and tasting different plants. I quite enjoyed touching and chewing them but I did not find the identification process that easy.
These are the names of some of the plants we encountered there: cardamon, chilli, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, Eucalyptus, ginger, jasmine, lemongrass, nutmeg, peppercorns, sweet basil, turmeric, vanilla, pineapples, apple custard, jack fruit, bananas, mangoes, passion fruit, durian, star fruit, robusta coffee beans, lipstick tree, soap bush, rubber tree, kassawa, bread tree and many more.
Most of these plants were introduced to Zanzibar by the Omanis – they discovered that Zanzibar’s hot and humid climate was perfect for the cultivation of spices.
At the end of the tour children surrounded our little group and offered palm tree necklaces, hats and woven bags full of these wonderful spices and plants. We also made a stop in a wooden hut to try different types of tea (lemongrass and spiced tea recommended!), had lots of fruit and picked up some jasmine and ying yang oils.
It was a great day out ($25 per head including lunch) and we very much enjoyed meeting locals. However, life on a plantation is not so rosy. All farmland belongs to the state and even though the whole village is employed on the farm their houses do not have any running water or electricity. The government seems to spend a long time experimenting with different crops but without making any conclusions about which crop is the most profitable. It was obvious that the most important source of cash was tourism.
We then moved on to the northern tip of the island to Kendwa. Kendwa is situated on a wide, sandy beach and lined with seafood restaurants, clubs and bars. A perfect base for backpackers famous for its legendary full-moon beach parties. I particularly liked the Scuba Do diving centre run by great South-African divers who were especially helpful to Artur when he trod on a sea urchin leaving his foot with hundreds of spikes (the best remedy to soak your foot with the juice of unripened papaya, break these spikes – all spikes under the skin will dissolve after a few weeks and be absorbed by your body.) Ouch!
In Kendwa we stayed at Sunset Bungalow Beach Resort – quite a low-key place with small bugalows dotted around the beach and gardens (price $15 per double room with a terrace, own bathroom and breakfasts included in the price).
The beach was great with an easy-going atmosphere and it was possible to swim at all tides.
You can hire boats and go snorkelling or diving off the tiny coral islands.
Only a few kilometres to the north there is a big traditional fishing village of Nungwi. You can either hop on a boat or walk along the shore at low tide (8:30am) and reach Nungwi within 45 minutes.
Nungwi is a place where dhow building (Jahazi) is still practised using traditional methods. We passed many fishermen either building or repairing wooden boats or groups of women and children gathering crabs at a low tide.
At the tip of the island stands a lighthouse built in 1886. Just before the lighthouse is Muarani Aquarium ($5 entrance fee), a small, natural pond surrounded by porous coral stone into which sea water seeps through.
There you can see dozens of endangered green turtles. We had a lot of fun feeding them with seaweed and salad leaves. The biggest and oldest turtle was a 25 year old John F Kennedy and its 20 years old partner Marylin Monroe. Green turtles are endangered, live on Zanzibar atolls and are herbivores (eat greens only). Unfortunately for them the local population considers their eggs and meat as aphrodisiac. The same with monitor lizards – they love turtles’ eggs.
There is also a turtle nursery on site where tiny turtles are brought from different beaches. When small they’re fed with sardines and other fish but when they reach two years they move on to eating greens. They often nimble each other – do not seem very sociable creatures.
When older they’re released back on atolls and fitted with transmitters (they travel long distances and are even found in the Red Sea in Egypt).
We saw some monitor lizards, pythons, land tortoises and to our surprise heaps of dolphin skulls. In 2006 there was an underwater quake and 500 bottle-nosed dolphins lost their ability to feed themselves or navigate and died of starvation.
Next to them lies a skeleton of the humpback whale washed out in Nungwi lagoon.
Thanks to looking after the aquarium the village gets all entrance fees and uses the money to fund social projects such as building a school, a road and some new shops.
From Nungwi it’s easy to hire a boat and visit the most beautiful coral reef in Zanzibar – the Mnemba Atoll. With its pristine beaches and clear waters it’s a paradise for divers. It is home to lots of fish, turtles and quite a few dolphins.
The views are sensational – bleached beaches, turqoise shallows and rich dark waters as sloping reefs drop away. It is a remote paradise. But when you’re there you don’t need anything else.
GETTING THERE
use dala-dalas (minibuses) from Stone Town
hire boats to get to coral reefs (prices always negotiable)
The moment you arrive in central Dar-es-Salaam you’re totally overwhelmed by frantic crowds spilling from everywhere, noise and hawkers tugging at your clothes and offering their wares. Our oriental adventure starts here at the harbour when we board a “Kilimanjaro” ferry destined for a tantalising island of Zanzibar.
After two hours of cruising the Indian Ocean and passing numerous sailing dhows dotting the azure waters the island slowly appears on the horizon. Old, crumbling palaces along white sandy beaches, rows of little boats and big, rusty ships signify the harbour of Stone Town – our gateway to Zanzibar.
I already look forward to losing myself in the ancient alleys of Arabian Nights-style town. If only we could pass the border checkpoint and incessant waves of people disembarking a few ferries.
At last we can head from the waterfront to a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, flanked with crumbling mansions, overhanging terraces, bazars and mosques.
We’re quickly surrounded by many “friends” trying to lead us to their favourite shops or selling their wares.
The most intriguing are large carved doors with brass studs influenced by Indian motiffs. Apparently, these studs used to protect cities from elephant raids in India. But Zanzibar is not at all known for any elephants. Obviously, locals were impressed with the Indian fashion. Still, the doors are beautifully and elaborately decorated with rich carvings often depicting lotus flower, fish and other animals.
Stone Town is steeped in Swahili culture where Arabs arrived to trade and subsequently married into local society. Briefly, the Portuguese ruled the island but were driven away by the Omanis.
Their sultanate survived until the 20th century. No wonder that the architecture is a result of Arab, Persian, Indian, Portuguese and African traditions mixing together.
Stone Town is small and it’s not so difficult to find your way out of alleyways and arrive at the waterfront.
An unusual meeting point on the waterfront is a gigantic Indian fig tree known as the “Big Tree”. It was planted by Sultan Khalife in 1911 and is a popular place for workshops and to find boat pilots to hire.
The other characteristic buildings on the waterfront are the Arab Fort and the House of Wonders – a sultan’s residence. It’s a rather striking building with its white walls, clock tower and elaborate balustrades. The Old Fort is a stone fortress with the internal courtyard full of gift shops and a small arena. The Palace Museum has a selection of rooms dedicated to sultans and Princess Salme of Zanzibar. They’re all in different stages of neglect and the whole place is rather melancholic.
Nearby there is a place of the biggest slave market in Zanzibar. Nowadays, the Anglican Church stands in the middle of this former place of torture. It was built at the end of the 19th century when the slavery was reluctantly abolished. A monument to the slaves is just beside the church.
You can also go inside narrow tunnels where slaves used to be chained and lie on stone benches.
Apart from obvious architectural delights Stone Town offers great shopping for tourists as there lots of different shops and workshops next to each other. Whether you hunt for spices, kangas, furniture, T-shirts, Tinga-tinga paintings, woodcarvings or woven goods you can always find a souvenir.
The main market called Darajani Market is just outside Stone Town and is a lively, loud and colourful place. All types of food are sold there from meat and fish, bundles of chicken, fruit and vegetables, herbs and spices to clothes and sandals, copper and brass bowls, pans and modern mobile phones or TVs.
The town changes dramatically at nights with its green and yellow lights and bursting alive with live music venues. Tourists flock to the Forodhani Gardens on the main sea walkway in front of the Old Fort and the House of Wonders.
Every night the gardens host a very popular market selling freshly caught and grilled seafood and fish, sugar cane juice and other Zanzibari recipes. It’s not exactly cheap but great fun to walk around, choose different fish, haggle with stalls’ vendors drinking exotic juices and enjoying the sunset over the ocean.
If you stay another day in Stone Town it is worthwhile to visit a few small islands a few kilometres from the town. The Prison Island (Changuu) is especially popular as you can visit giant Aldabra tortoises and snorkel on a shallow reef. All you have to do is to find a boat pilot and settle a trip price. Our pilot demanded $40 for a return trip but we haggled hard and managed to reduce the price to $20 for two people.
It only takes 30 minutes to get there and the island is narrow with a beautiful sandy beach and the 19th century prison in the middle housing giant tortoises brought over from Seychelles by the Sultan. There is quite a big colony of them with the oldest male now 185 years old. At over 200kg in weight they still manage to move rather quickly and munch through spinach leaves and salad all the time. They seemed to like me stroking their necks and bonding with them was great. Just avoid their sharp beaks as they’re able to take your fingers or even the whole hand off. At the time of our visit they were still in the mood for breeding and very sexed up – even the 150 year old specimens.
It was also fun to pick up some tiny tortoises and move them around.
We wandered around the mangrove forest and spotted some peacocks, tiny Suni antelopes and more ancient tortoises. The prison nowadays houses a guesthouse with a lovely swimming pool. The island was not crowded and it was lovely to have the whole beach to ourselves. All our tropical fantasies were more than fulfilled.
GETTING THERE
a ferry from Dar-es-Salaam to Stone Town- prices vary from $25 to $35
GETTING AROUND
walking around the town is the best option
use dala-dalas (minibuses) for trips outside the town
boats on the waterfront (prices vary – always haggle)
ACCOMMODATION
selection of hotels in Stone Town
we stayed at Safari Lodge on Konomi Road
From fairytale castles, otherwordly rock formations to cobblestone villages and lush forests, the Czech Republic and its “Cesky Raj” – paradise region offers a timeless experience for all visitors.
Who in Central Europe has not heard about a famous robber Rumcajs, his wife Hanka and son Cypisek? Though he’s a fictional character from the forest of Raholec near Jicin but the Paradise Region is very real and considered to be one of the most beautiful and mysterious places in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Robin Hood was hiding from the bad, malicious count Albrecht Wallenstein among rock labyrinths, castle ruins and forested hills around a little town called Jicin – the gateway to the Cesky Raj.
Rumcajs was created by a writer Radek Pilarz and Jicin was his hometown.
With its charming and picturesque main square adorned with lavish Baroque arcades leading to a Baroque castle and a magnificent church of Jakub Vetsiho you cannot fail to admire its charm.
From the Valdicka Brama – a medieval tower dominating the whole town centre you can see for miles from the Jesuit college, rows of old townhouses to the distant forested hills.
There is an interesting Regional Museum portraying local events and prominent historical figures especially the unpopular count Albrecht Wallenstein.
But by far the most popular place is Rumcajs’s cobbler workshop near the tower where you can try his tools, sit down at his table or try his boots.
No wonder that thousands of tourists flock to this stunning area throughout the whole year.
And the best way to explore it is by hiking the sandy trails or climbing countless vertical rocks.
Just a few miles from Jicin you will enter the Prachovske Skaly, the biggest clusters of rocks 450 metres high that look like rows of vertical, grey pencils reaching to the sky.
The tour is around 4 km long and leads through narrow rock corridors and different lookout points. To get there you have to climb hundreds of steep steps carved in the rock or squeeze through narrow gaps between huge stones. Once at the top there are stunning views of the area and canyons lined with dark vertical rocks. From one of the lookout points you can see ruins of the Trotsky Castle with its two towers on two parallel basalt rocks guarding an entrance to the castle – just like the Devil’s horns.
It’s well worth a climb for exhilarating views and a sense of adventure. A true paradise for all romantic souls.
GETTING THERE
flights to Prague, then by rail or bus to Jicin -120km from Prague
FOOD AND DRINK
great and cheap beer – original Pils beer
hearty food – staples include dumplings, meat and potatoes
ACCOMMODATION
for true romantics staying in the castle in Hruba Skala is a must (Renaissance castle perched on the top of a rock).
Bed&Breakfast or hotels in Jicin or Trutnov.
Hamburg’s reputation was built on the Red Light District and rock n’ roll. But the infamous port city is transforming itself into one of Germany’s coolest and sophisticated cities.
Standing outside a bar around day-trippers wandering along the Reeperbahn between girlie bars and music clubs I observe a mix of decay and gentrification. You could be forgiven to feel East Berlin vibe but we’re firmly in the west – Germany’s second biggest city Hamburg.
A busy port was always assured a steady flow of ships and sailors looking for liquor and ladies. It was on the “sinful strip” in the St. Pauli district in the early sixties that the Beatles honed their skills and their sound. As John Lennon himself said though he was born in Liverpool, it was Hamburg where he grew up.
But there’s more to Hamburg than shipping and sex. It has this special kind of rebellious streak with its unique mixture of old and new, boho dissaray and sophistication.
The best way to appreciate the city and its massive port is to take a ferry tour of its harbour. From the Landungsbrucken (jetties) you can walk along a promenade admiring the steady flow of numerous boats crisscrosssing the harbour, the tall ship museum Rickmer Rickmers or explore a chain of popular seafood restaurants lined along the fish market.
Near the port you will pass the Storehouse City – massive, red brick warehouses transformed into modern offices that overlook a grand canal and several metal bridges. The 132-metre tower of St. Michel with its bombed out facade is a well-known landmark in this area.
From there there’s a pleasant walk to the central square surrounded by swanky shopping malls and chic little boutiques but it is the Town Hall that dominates the square with its impressive architecture and its sheer size.
I particularly enjoyed a Sunday antique market in Collonadestrasse with its myriad of colourful stalls displaying all sorts of antiques and with wonderful almond Danish pastries under the arcade’s columns. From there it is only a short stroll to the central park full of vibrant autumnal colours, ice creams shops, a tropical greenhouse and plenty of relaxing locals.
For those wanting more privacy there’s a lovely Alster Lake where you can hire sailing or rowing boats or just stroll along the shores gawping at different embassies’ buidings and their resplendent architecture.
Heading west we pass a prosperous suburb sprawling over some hills and dotted with pretty pastel houses and steep steps leading to the River Elbe. In autumnal sunshine, container ships process down the Elbe and in the distance we can just make out some docks and the Airbus factory. People lie on the sandy beach enjoying their drinks or playing with children. And what’s more satisfying than watching the sunset on the Elbe beach.
WHEN TO GO
best to visit in spring, summer or early autumn. The beach bars are open until the end of September
GETTING AROUND
metro, buses: day travel ticket for public transport is over 5 Euros
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Nordsee – popular chain serving seafood by the ferry terminal. Fish&chips is a bargain at 3 Euros
Vapiano - popular Italian chain
Habibi Grill in St. Georg – Turkish cuisine at 8.50 Euros
WHERE TO SLEEP
Instant Sleep has dorms from 16.5 Euros in the Schanzenviertel (see www.instantsleep.de )
Meininger City Hotel – twin rooms start from 34.50 Euros per night
For a wide selection of hotels and sightseeing please visit
Portsmouth in the south of England was the place from which the British Royal Navy controlled the seas in the 19th century.
It’s still the place to come if you love your ships or simply enjoy the seaside.
The Historic Dockyard is the best place to start and immerse yourself in maritime culture. It’s in the middle of the old harbour, very close to the railway and bus station and is the best known for housing three magnificent old ships: HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and King Henry VIII’s beloved Mary Rose.
You can wander for hours amongst numerous museums, shops and action stations but the most impressive are ships especially the HMS Victory which played an important part in the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), leading the fleet to victory, although Vice-Admiral Nelson lost his life during this battle.
In its heyday, the HMS Victory carried a crew around 900 sailors. The tour around the ship is interesting as interiors look authentic with antique furniture, low ceilings and cannon balls dotted in straight lines. Life on board was really tough and crew members heavily punished for swearing, blaspheming, drunkenness or fighting. This was done on the top deck with everyone attending and using the whip “Cat o’Nine tails”. Afterwards, vast quantities of vinegar were applied to poor sailors’ backsides. Ouch!
The HMS Warrior dating back to 1860 was the first iron-hulled armoured battleship and run by both steam and sail.
As for Tudor Mary Rose – it was salvaged in 1982 and has many Tudor artefacts brought from the site.
To round off the visit you should not forget action stations with its interactive features such as a virtual ride on a helicopter, using a radar or shooting the enemy boats. It’s definitely the quickest way to see whether you are cut out for the navy life.
Not forgetting about other needs there is no better place than a new shopping and restaurant centre on the waterfront called Gunwharf Quays famous for its ultra modern Spinnaker Tower (170m), offering great harbour views from the top.
And what is better than relaxing on the waterfront with a cold beer in your hand watching ferries sail by.
A short walk will lead you to Southsea and its long-stretching shingle beaches and fantastic views of the narrow entrance to the harbour from the top of the Round Tower. During a sunny day the sea shimmers with brilliant light and the horizon is dotted with islands-forts.
After all this excitement you can hop on board the boat and cruise around harbour admiring both old and new warships or just feeling the sea breeze on your face.
HOW TO GET THERE
80 miles southwest from London
90 minutes by Rail
2 hours 30 mins by National Express Coach
As we approach the grand avenue leading to Cliveden mansion it’s easy to see why Astor family chose this place as their home.
Standing high upon the chalk cliffs the mansion commands breathtaking views over rolling hills, surrounding woods and an idyllic bend in the river Thames at the bottom of the valley.
At the beginning of the 20th century Cliveden was a glittering hub of society as the home of Waldorf and Nancy Astor and later associated with the infamous “Profumo Affair” in the 60s.
Once you enter the Grand Avenue you’re greeted by the impressive Fountain of Love with the marble shell and nymphs surrounding it.
The approach to the house is spectacular and the house is surrounded by magnificent gardens with great sculptures and a clock tower towering above surroundings.
And autumn is a perfect time to visit as you can admire golden hues of the forest , triangular shaped beds with colourful plants or reddish acers and golden wisteria in the Water garden.
My favourite place was a secret garden hidden away in the forest full of graceful statues and little arches. And the most romantic setting was on the edge of a cliff overlooking the river Thames with its charming Tortoise fountain and a lovely stone bench.
There are numerous river walks leading through woods and pastures and a chance to go boating on the river. And what can be better than relaxing on the deck, eating cakes and admiring views.
The hotel is open to visitors only in the afternoons but you can wander around its gardens for hours.
The site has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor. Originally the house was built in 1666 for George Villiers, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham. He was a well-known rogue who kept his mistress Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury there and had a duel on the estate grounds.
Nowadays there are more peaceful events organised in Cliveden such as classic car shows where proud owners of old and not so old vehicles gather to show off and swap their experiences. The old time charm and the tranquility of the place can easily transport you back to the 20s or 30s. If only we could join Nancy Astor parties!
HOW TO GET THERE
the estate is 2 miles north of Taplow in Berkshire
ADMISSION FEE
the estate belongs to the National Trust and the entry fee is £8.00
Just half an hour drive from London, Hughenden Valley is home to some of England’s loveliest countryside and a historical residence of Benjamin Disraeli – the Victorian Prime Minister.
It is a brilliant destination for history buffs wanting to uncover the colourful past of the unlikely Victorian Prime Minister and for walkers or cyclists who can wander through beech woods and rolling hills. For us it was The Apple and Cider Festival held on the hottest October Sunday that was the main attraction. And the place did not disappoint us.
The orchard was full of fruit trees heavy with ripe, colourful apples where everyone was encouraged to pick the best fruit, taste freshly pressed apple juices or some bubbly cider. Hundreds of red and green coxes, pippins, sunsets and russetts landed on the ground ready for tasting. For those with more refined tastes a lovely outdoor restaurant offered apple crumbles, scones and coffee.
The house is a grand, red building with a mock Jacobean facade and sweeping lawns full of elegant garden ornaments.
Inside it is full of Victorian artefacts, paintings and furniture. Disraeli was Queen Victoria’s favourite politician and she was also a frequent guest in Hughenden. There you can easily imagine dining with Queen Victoria, try her favourite chair or writing with Disraeli in his trusty, small study room at the top of the house. He acquired the house in 1848 and stayed there until his death in 1881. His ascent through political ranks was partly achieved through charming influential aristocratic ladies and his marriage to the wealthy widow Mary-Anne. Though not to everyone’s liking Disraeli had a real affection for his wife and proved to be a skilful negotiator on the international scene.
The house is also a place of the top secret Second World War story of Operation Hillside, for which artists painted bombing maps, including the famous Dambusters raid. When visiting cellars you’re transported back in time to the 1940s especially in the wartime living room.
Outside there are numerous forest walks leading to the Disraeli Monument overlooking the valley which built as a surprise by his wife to commemorate his father in 1862.
On the way down to the church where Dizzy is buried you can stop at picturesque picnic spots which you share with sheep and some bullocks.
The Chapel of St Michael’s and All Angels is the final resting place for Disraeli and his family members. It is a modest place full of serene atmosphere surrounded by green pastures. A perfect spot to relax before heading home.
HOW TO GET THERE
by car: along M40 from London
it is 1.5 miles north of High Wycombe
ADMISSION PRICE
Hughenden Manor belongs to the National Trust
House and Garden – entrance fee is £7.25
Garden only – entrance fee is £2.90
“Jambo! Jambo, brother, sister!” I dodge a long line of taxis and safari vehicles moving along Old Moshi Road and try to ignore the insistent buzzing of touts “good price for you now” , “serengetisafarigoingnow”.
What’s worse, the rain is bucketing down and water mixed with mud is rushing along roads. It’s loud and muddy and all local entrepreneurs just don’t know the virtues of soft sell.
Arusha, the main safari town in northern Tanzania is not a beautiful place. The centre is surrounded by tin roofed cluster of ramshackle low houses and divided by a few broad avenues lined with slightly more imposing buildings, Indian shops and one glass skyscraper looking out of place.
In the middle there is a big covered area containing a typical African market. I’m on the mission as I have to stock up on food and drinks before hitting the road. As we shall be camping in the bush soon I’m determined to get some fresh produce soon.
The market is definitely lively with a constant throng of sellers, buyers, hawkers and the brightly clad mamas sitting in front of neatly stacked piles of bananas, mangoes, oranges and all kinds of vegetables I can think of. I try to navigate this maze of stalls and negotiate good price. Soon I discover it’s no easy feat as all prices for mzungu (white man) are overinflated – at least double rates than for locals. And despite my best efforts all these sellers do not budge and ignore my haggling. After several minutes of getting nowhere I capitulate and pay almost as much as they want. They seem happy now and I feel guilty.
Seemingly relaxed we go on a little walkabout admiring the wide selection of fruit and vegetables which are presented with great care and arranged rather creatively according to the shape and colour. Most round fruit – oranges, mangoes and passion fruit are placed in heaps (fumba) while less spherical fruits come in palm-frond baskets.
We trod through the reddish mud towards aromatic spices, herbs, potions and powders as well as dried barks and desserts. One particularly catches my attention. It is mildly narcotic and judging by the brisk trade very popular with locals. It looks like a triangular parcel which you pop into your mouth, then chew but never swallow. You can choose from a range of sweet spices, chopped nuts, vegetable syrup and lime, which are then wrapped in a hot betel leaf (this is the narcotic bit). It is known as Paan and it tastes as exotic as it sounds.
Next to huge piles of green and yellow bananas you’re hit by the sound of squawking trussed-up chickens – all looking rather scrawny and panic stricken, whilst in the other part of the market you will be offered snuff tobacco, textiles, sunglasses, plastic toys and dodgy electronics.
By the time we move from one side to another I’m already exhausted by the humidity, noise and cries of overeager sellers. One particular guy has been following us trying to offload his rather well presented Masai knives and carved Makonde art.
One moment of indecision and I’m surrounded by several sellers shoving their stuff in my hands. I especially like colourful Masai paintings and these carved knives. Straight away we engage in furious bargaining and he manages to make me feel guilty again. The moment I pay he quickly jumps on his bike and is gone. Dazed and confused I clutch my newly acquired artefacts and go back to our truck.
It’s time to move on and wave good bye to the safari capital of Arusha.
He might be grey, small, wrinkly and with only a few patches of coarse hair but I was smitten as soon as I set my eyes on Kainuk.
Immediately, he came to meet me, lifting his trunk and nuzzling me back. I blew some air into his trunk which is a proper greeting in an elephant world.
Not to be outdone other elephant babies start crowding around our little group demanding more cuddles and attention.
It was a great experience to be able to cuddle, stroke their ears and participating in their milk feeding routine. Kainuk and Naipoko are the youngest babies and a part of a much larger herd being cared for at a wildlife centre just outside Nairobi in a corner of the Nairobi National Park. It was set up by David Sheldrick in 1979 to look after orphaned elephants and black rhinos after being rescued from drought and poachers in the African bush.
Each young elephant has its own carer who spends almost 24 hours with them.
The carer sleeps near elephant stables, wraps them in blankets at night, feeds them every 3 hours with pints of a special milk formula and walks with them in the bush to teach these inexperienced youngsters how to survive in the wild when released back in national parks.
You can visit them every day between 11am and noon to watch them being fed from giant milk bottles. They drink only milk up to 6 months of age and the amount ranges from 4 pints up to 20 pints every 3 hours. After their brunch comes playtime which involves a lot of rolling around in mud, hitting each other with tree branches, ball games and an occasional teenage scuffle.
At first you meet baby elephants ranging from 3 months up to one year olds, followed by the arrival of an older teenage group up to two year olds. And as every parent knows, youngsters get a little harder to handle when they turn into teens.
The older group came from the bush charging towards us, trumpeting. It was an awesome sight but also a bit scary as they did not intend to stop and were eager to play with us. No wonder that keeping them in check proved to be a difficult task for carers.
The naughtiest was a male called Chimi Chimi who enjoyed bullying babies and pushing them into water. But carers cannot really punish elephants as they become too resentful and too difficult to handle. All discipline matters are left to the oldest female.
Once elephants reach the age of two years they are usually moved to Tsavo National Park where they can learn to join other herds or create their own group.
Elephants are incredible and noble creatures – highly intelligent with a great memory, very attached to their families and at the same time very individualistic. To be so close to them was a priceless experience.
HOW TO GET THERE
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Mbagathi Road
Karen Town, Nairobi
Entrance fee: $ 7.00
The easiest way is to hire a taxi
To adopt your own elephant please visit www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org