Panama -

1. unlike many natives in Central & S Am, the Kuna control their homeland-- kuna yala, which includes the San Blas Archipelago. Kuna women are known for their beaded leggings & their signature molas, intricate appliqued blouses. the Mola can be traced back to Kuna women's geometric body painting; with the arrival of European settlers, the designs transferred onto cloth.
2. Sapibenega- a small island w/a white sand beach, has 13 simple cabins w/ wooden floors, bamboo walls & shutters, solar electricity
3. www.sapibenega.com

India- Hodka Village

1. Hodka Village close by Pakistan
2. Westernmost India
3. Halopotra (nomadic cattle breeders who are believed to have arrived from the Arabian peninsula) are Muslim, 90% of Hodka's population of 2500 but they share the jheel with the Meghwal, a Hindu people from Rajasthan
4. both groups are known for their exquisite artisanship, the women sew extravagantly patterned embroidery--some pieces take more than a year to finish
5. circular huts particular to Hodka's mud architecture part of the simple & chic Shaam-e-Sarhad resort (8 tents & 3 bhungas, distincitve circular mud huts in the vernacular architecture) local cuisine: vegetarian curries

Great Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

• the 1st Westerners to see Great Zimbabwe were so stunned they thought they'd stumbled on King Solomon's Mines. Visitors today are =ly impressed
• in medieval times upto 20000 people called this area home--today the 81 hectare central ruins are a mass of stacked granite boulders, tiny passageways & snaking walls. the best par is the 9m high 245 m round great enclosure which is crowned by teh conical tower

set in a country as renowned for turmoil as for ruins, just getting there can be fairly extreme

lost cities of the world

• Palenque: Mexico, at foot of Chiapas mountains in SWMexico, an archaeologist's treasure trove, existed @ least 100 years BC, 50 yrs later became a major population centre of Classic Mayan civilisation, complete wiht myth & legend: child kings, invasions, decapitations, court intrigue & finally the abandonent of the city. the city's rich history is recorded in the hieroglyphs which adorn temple walls
• Babylon, Iraq: settled around 2500 bc became a great centre of the mesopotamian world 500 years later, when Hammurabi, the 1st king of the Babylonian empire, made it his capital. it ws destroyed in the 6th century BC by the Assyrians & then left to fall into ruins in the 2nd cent BC, following the death of Alexander the great. the ruins of Babylon conjure images of a biblical past: the great tower of Babel, the beautiful hanging gardens..
• Taxila, Pakistan, 30 km NW of Islamabad, founded 7th century BC, a tale of 3 lost cities

next Bali trip

go May through Aug

1. stay
2. Anantara Seminyak: new resort minimalism w/Balinese architecture www.anantara.com $350
3. maya ubud: cliffside property river views www.mayaubud.com $195
4. como shambhala estate - stunning architecture & setting, rain-forest plateau overlooking deep river valley cse.como.biz $300
5. st regis bali: nusa dua resort 121 suites & villas stregisbali.com $435
6. eat
7. Jimbaran fish grills (jimbaran beach US$20 for 2)
   warisan: indo mediterranean fusion rice paddy views (Jln. raya kerobokan 62-361/731-175 US$50 for 2)
   Sarong Bali (high style haute cuistine) 19x Jln Petitengit 19x, Kerobokan, US$45/2)
8. Kagemusha: Jpn Jln Pengosekan, Ubud, $18/2
9. Ku De Ta: 9 Jln Laksmana 62-361/736-969
10. Naughty Nuri's : mixed grill BBQ Jln. Raya Sangingan, Ubud US$20/2
11. Waroeng: artsy cafe, noodles, Monkey forest road ubud 62-361/970-928 US$10/2

asian national park

• http://www.kaengkrachanresort.com/ thailand (nov-feb)
• kinabalu Malaysia (stay- Laban Rata 3273 meter pt, Mesilau Nature Resort) (Apr best, nov/dec wettest) (2hr from KK) can also ascend via longer less severe Mesilau trail & descend on the Timpohon trail
• Philippines Mt Arayat national park (short deive from manila) (dec-may)
• Preah monivong- cambodia (nov-dec) stay in Kampot http://www.rikitkitavi-kampot.com/

India - Assam

1. safari in Kaziranga
2. Singinawa jungle lodge www.singinawa.in
3. Diphlu river lodge www.dihluriverlodge.com

laos

http://www.kingfisherecolodge.com/
http://www.lafolie-laos.com/
http://www.rivertimelaos.com/
$28 45 min from vientiane
go to Nam Ha National Protected Area (northwesternmost province of Laos, 222,400 hectares of untamed forest which occupies 1/3 of the province)

SI PHAN DON
"4000 islands" island life, visit Khmer mountain temple of Wat Phu, Champasak

musandam

India - jodhpur

1. 26 acres 76 rooms (46 suites) 105 foot central cupola, tajhotels.com
2. or stay at Umaid bhawan
3. check out meherangarh

vietnam hanoi

• Halong Jasmine http://www.cruisehalong.com/ $419 pp, twin share wooen junk, 55 meter, 4 decks, 24 rooms
• www.exploreindochina.com 3-9 day motorbike trip thru north of Vietnam up to 5 per guide $150-270 pp daily depending on # of riders includes motorbike rental, fuel, lodging & meals

south africa

• sabi sabi earth lodge
• the Makuleke
• the Makuleke lease their land--nearly 60,000 acres at the Northernmost corner of Kruger National Park--to 2 luxury lodges. Guests at Pafuri Camp stay at one of 20 tented rooms joined by elevated walkways that allow animals free access to the Luvuvhu River http://www.pafuri.com/ $472
• the outpost's 12 hilltop suites have remote-control screens that can be retracted to provide a full view of animals at the river http://www.theoutpost.co.za/ $568
• Makuleke Community Centre & Homestay (8 miles outisde park gates) 6 thatched huts 27-79-151-7127 $33
• madikwe private game reserve: http://www.ccafrica.com/ $868
• Tintswalo at Waterfall, South Africa
• An ideal pre- or post-safari destination on the outskirts of Johannesburg.
• in the 500-acre Waterfall Country & Equestrian Estate, just 20 miles southeast of Rand Airport, means that travel time to the region’s game reserves is less than two hours.
• Founded by South Africans Warwick and Lisa Goosen, who opened their original Tintswalo Safari Lodge on a lush private concession in Manyeleti Reserve, which shares an open border with famed Kruger National Park
• heavy stone walls and bolted timber beams of the main lodge recall classic equestrian estates. In each suite, teak floors, pillow-strewn king-size beds, and soft leather couches are livened up with animal prints
• Jet-lagged travelers can breathe fresh air and recharge on private walking trails, or in the outdoor lap pool. On your way back from the bush, ease tired muscles with a special hydrotherapy bath treatment at the intimate Elemis spa
• www.tintswalo.com

malaysia

1. perhentian islands

guizhou china

Dimen China

• Dong village of Dimen, known for its beautiful polyphonic choral songs (w/no written language, the Dong use song to record history) & ornately decorated bridges

mali

2009 festival on the niger 1/29-2/1
festivalsegou.org

www.fulanitravel.co.uk 9 day tour $1884 pp + airfare

ecolodges

http://www.kooljaman.com.au/ near Broome
1. DESERT ecolodges
2. 1/ Adrere amellal 8hr from Cairo$493Al maha 45min from Dubai$1000
3. 2/ Apani dhabi. India. Organic farm. 8solar powered clay brick cottages. Rajasthan. $25
4. 3/ Wolwedans. 4 camps. [Namib$342]
5. 4/ Desert rhino camp. [Namib.] Largest free ranging population of black rhinos$814
6. 5/ Three camels. Mongolia$160
7. 6/ Tswalu kalahari reserve.[ S Africa.$1486]
8. 7/ UNO Eco lodge. Mexico. Archaeological sites $110
9. 8/ Voyages longitude 131. Ayers rock $1980
10. 9/ Wadi feynan ecolodge. Dana biosphere. Jordan. 26rm. $93.
11. JUNGLE ecolodges
12. 1/ Banjaar tola. India. 18tents. Kanha national pk Rs60,000 (Taj Safaris' 4th jungle lodge) by Banjaar River... tiger trails
13. 2/ Boat landing guesthouse. Laos $35.
14. 3/ [Canopy tower ecolodge. ] 45min from panama city in soberania$126
15. 4/ Daintree ecolodge. Australia. 15 treehouses 40min from great barrier$457
16. 5/ [Chalalan ecolodge.] Bolivia. 5hr boat ride from nearest town. Moonlight canoe trips thru chalalan lagoon.$345 4days (also do this... Bolivia. Amazon jungle, lake titicaca. Altiplano salt flats. " most dangerous road" 40 mile la Paz to coroico 12000 feet descent )
17. 6/ Kapawi ecolodge. Run by Achuars.$695 3n
18. 7/ Lapa rios ecolodge. Costa rica. Set in 1000acre tropical rain forest reserve.$270
19. 8/ [Lodge at chaa creek] Belize. Began in 70s as hippie farm reachable by canoe only 365acre reserve. Medicine trail path. Day trips to maya temples$270
20. 9/ Sukau rainforest lodge. Borneo. 20rm 45flight from kkinabalu. 2 hr by boat$370/2n
21. MOUNTAINS ecolodges
22. Blacksheep inn. Ecuador.$80
23. Crosswaters ecolodge.$220
24. Milia Mtn retreat. Crete. Greece.$102
25. O'reilly's rainforest retreat. Australia. Outside Brisbane.48 villas$327
26. Tiger mtn pokhara. Views of Annapurna. $500
27. Whitepod. Switzerland.
28. Safari Eco
29. 1/ Basecamp Masai mara. 45min flight from [Nairobi. ]$560
30. 2/ Bushman kloof wilderness. [South af ]Home to 130 rock art sites. Canoe around cape floral kingdom. A world heritage site $460
31. 3/ Caiman ecological refuge. [Brazil. ]Canoe n horseback ride thru seasonally flooded grasslands.$448
32. 4/ Campi ya kanzi. [Kenya. ]Owned by maasai $1300
33. 5/ Il ngwesi lodge. [Kenya. ] Indigenous culture100m from nairobi $380
34. 6/ Amboseli porini camp. [Kenya.] In the shadow of kilimanjaro $740
35. 7/ Kleins camp. Ten cottages. 24800 acre reserve$1080[ Tanzania]
36. 8/ Phinda private game reserve.16bush ensconced glass walled$764[ a Africa ]
37. 9/ Vumbura plains. [Botswana. ]On okavanga's northern edge $2050
38. 10/ Zibandianja camp. [Botswana. ]4tents
39. Island ecolodgesChumbe islands coral park. [Tanzania.] 7 bungalows$40
40. Kosrae village. E of [Palau$149] Nihiwatu. Indonesia. $440
41. Ranweli holiday lodge. Sri l. 2 hr from colombo Ayurvedic center$66
42. Rosalie forest Eco lodge. [Dominica.] Treehouses. Volcanoes n jungle.$50
43. Vamizi island. [Mozambique. ]10 villas in quirimbas archipelago. Migrating whales $900

Hanoi

• http://www.maichaulodge.com/default.aspx?Action=reservations 2 hr from Hanoi, 135 km south-west of Hanoi in the Northern province of Hoa Binh which is bordered by Son La in the West, Phu Tho and Ha Tay in the North, Ha Nam and Ninh Binh in the East, and Thanh Hoa in the South.

kerala India

http://www.cntraveller.com/Guides/India/Cochin/print.html

Kerala is India's green state, home to emerald mosaic of spice & tea plantations
stay at

• http://www.cghearth.com/ Spice Village (52 cottages) $260
• ayurveda at http://www.kalarikovilakom.com
  kalari kovilakom
  green magic treehouse resort (bed down 27m up in canopy of fiscus trees built by local paniya tribesmen, 1 of the "rooms" is accessed by a water-powered cane lift, the other by a white-knuckle rope bridge
• www.thepaul.in Kumarakom Lake Resort (10 hectares alongside Lake Vembanad, 49 villas, eat at Ettukettu (dinner $60/2) near by 5 hectare Kumarakom bird sanctuary (storks, herons, egrets & parrots), rent thathced roof houseboat to see area's hindu temples

guangzhou

• crosswaters ecolodge

Vientiane Laos

Nov to Feb best
see golden stupa of That Luang, Buddha Park statuary

stay
~~45 min away Rivertime ecolodge $28
~~ http://www.chantapanyahotel.com/ $35,
~~ http://www.setthapalace.com/ $125 (old world atmosphere),
~~ http://www.banpako.com/ $5 eco-lodge along Nam Ngum River 50 km east of Vientiane, located at archaeological site (hike in surrounding jungles & bamboo forests)
~~ hotel novotel http://www.novotel.com/
~~ beau rivage mekong http://www.hbrm.com/ artistic boutique inn
~~ don chan palace $150 http://www.donchanpalacelaopdr.com/
~~ tai pan, central location 2-12 francois nginn st http://www.taipanhotel-vientiane.com/ $60
~~ day inn (charming bargain priced) dayinn@laopdr.com $30

eat
~~Khop Chai Deu 54 Settathirat Rd 856-21/251-564 US$25 for 2
~~JoMa & ~~Daofa (both facing Kop Chai Deu on Settathirit) B/L
amphone US$30 for 2 856-20/771-1138
~~ **makphet US$20 for 2 Settathirat Rd opposite Wat Impeng/Wat In Paeng

~~Le Silapa (17/1 Th. sihom),
~~Le Banneton (th. norkeokoummarn)

Cambodia Phnom Penh

1. http://www.thequayhotel.com/ (carbon friendly), other hotel choices are http://www.phnompenh.raffles.com/ $290, http://www.pavilion-cambodia.com/ $50***, http://www.amanjaya.com/ $115
2. eat Romdeng 74 st 174 & le wok 33 st 178, other choices are : Malis 136 norodom blvd 855-23/221-022, Topaz (great wine cellar) 182 norodom blvd 855-23/221-622, Pacharan 389 E1 Sisowath Quay, 855-23/224 394, sugar palm no 19 street 240 855-23/220-956, le duo no.17 street 228, 855-12/342-921, FCC 363 sisowath quay 855-2 3/724-014, cafe metro, corner of sisowath quay & st 148 855-23/217-517, rubies : great wine list, corner of st 19 & st 240 855/92319769, Pontoon : riverbank @ street 108 855-12/572880
3. 22 Pacharan 389 el sisowath quay 85
4. 
   Comme a la Maison, at 13 Street 57, for a classic French dinner
   FCC Phnom Penh legendary bar
   
   shop: ambre 37 st 178 & http://www.songresort.com/
5. bliss spa- 29 st 290

komodo dragons

1. Labuanbajo seaside port of Flores to Rinca (2 hr away only) to see komodo dragons
2. fly Trans Nusa www.transnusa.co.id or (not as good) www.merpati.co.id
3. http://www.flores-komodo.com/tour_2_days_rinca_dragon_tours.html

Addis Ababa

trek with a pack mule from Massawa to Addis Ababa via Simien Mountains

Russia

1. lake Baikal

Indian places to visit (miscell)

1. Dharamsala
2. Coorg, India
3. 1/ aman (see red fort. Hama masjid. Lodhi tombs. 15m plunge pool in each room.
4. 2/ February mihar gahr (www.cazloyd.com) outside jodhpur. Owned by family of Rajasthan horsemen. Nine bedroom retreat. Access to equines.
5. 3/ SURYA SERAI outside Jaisalmer. 20 tents.(or hotel fifu in Jaisalmer, or Devi Garh Fort Palace in village of Delwara in the Aravali hills, go during the desert festival around Jan-Feb time........
6. 4/ In Kerala Neeleshwar www.neeleshwarhermitage.com thatched cottages by the sea and daily yoga
7. 5/ aman-I-khas (closes apr30) 187km from jaipur. 12th century ranthambore fort, inside are remains of temples, palace chambers)
8. 6/ devigarh near udaipur, 40 min away
9. 7/ Indian dance festival in Tamil Nadu dec25 til jan25
10. 8/ see Sikkim. Tashiding 19km southeast of yoksum. Go 1st m of Tibetan calendar. Pemayangtse 4km from pelling. 140km west of Gangtok. Enchey monastery in Gangtok.
11. 9/ medieval orcha-known for wall paintings
12. 10/ khajuraho -erotic arts temples

~~go in Feb fo Nagaur Fair in Rajasthan

Indonesia - Sumbawa island

aman gati $38 (not an Aman)

vietnam - con dao island

www.saigoncondao.com/en $100

India - Andaman -

www.barefootindia.com $90
barefoot@havelock $90

urumqi

• www.Sheraton.com

thailand- Pranburi

1. www.brassierebeach.com
2. www.x2resorts.com kui buri

Manila- the farm

2 hr from Manila
managed by alila hotels

next Tibet trip

Mustang- preserving Tibetan buddhism in a time warp & see Mount Kailash (steady stream of pilgrims, try to get there before Chinese pave road around it)
go to Tholing & Tsaparang

next Bhutan trip

want to trek the Jigme Dorji NP-- pristine forest & soaring peaks

Dhaka- Bangladesh

www.contic.com
traditional vessels tours from Dhaka

new delhi

new aman piraña qila

**Aman Delhi**
A hotel that’s completely divided the itchy-scratchy hordes waiting all year for the doors to open. The humbugs think Aman’s first city hotel is dark and gloomy, whereas it is in fact a raj-rejecting, angular, metallic, new-blood stealth bomber. It feels rather like a futuristic government agency, complete with doors that whoosh. The location – in Lutyens’ Delhi – is certainly unbeatable, and staff will mobilise you swiftly through inevitable flight delays. The lobby whirr of other city hotels in India might be lacking, but this is a slick marble retreat away from the ravenous hubbub. Nab a room on the top floor, with a black-tiled pool out on the balcony, for a cool urban frisson in your proper ivory tower. The spa, run by an energetic American, is very impressive.

• eat at Varq (Taj Mahal hotel) Hemant Oberoi's restaurant decor merges Indian artifacts
• Agni, Olive Beach (hotel diplomat 9) or Wasabi, Dakshin (s. indian food at the Sheraton $47) , Sandar Patel Marq, Chanakyapuri, Smoke house grill (VIPPS center) $117/2, 360 @ Oberoi $85/2

hotel:

75 min flight chartered +4 hr car ride + 1 hr hike

http://www.shaktihimalaya.com/360leti.htm

1. http://www.imperialindia.com/ $532
2. http://www.oberoidelhi.com/ $426
3. http://www.theparkhotels.com/ $377
4. http://www.tajhotels.com/ tajmahal $512

aman delhi (see Humayun's tomb, red fort, nizamuddin complex)
from WSJ: walking tour map
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123557526942872281.html#mod=article-outset-box

shenzhen hotels

• futian shangri-la

~ vision fashion hotel @ Shenzhen Grand Theatre

lombok

• best May-Aug
• fly
• to Mataram from Bali, S'pore
• stay
• heaven on the planet (mind blowing bird's eye views of the sea, chalets scattered among cliffs of Lombok's southeast coast) US$97
• kelapa villas: 14 private villas, 1-5 bedrooms, all w/in strolling distance of deserted western shore of Gili Trawangan www.kelapavillas.com $150
• novotel lombok (sasak theme, superb beachfront) $105
• oberoi $240
• eat
• astari (morocaan themed, vegetarian lounge/restaurant, spectacular vistas, Mawan Road, Kuta, L2 $12)
• coco's cafe (gili trawangan) $10 B/L2
• lombok lounge (backpacker diner) chili crab D2 US$9
• sama sama - drinks
• scallywag's -- shabby chic, BBQ, Gili Trawangan D2 US$15
• shore beach bar - drinks
• tir na nog - the irish/drinks gili trawangan, drinks
• 4 day treks $185 (Indonesia's 2nd tallest volcano, Rinjani)

http://www.tuguhotels.com/
gili nangu

Thailand - Khon Kaen

supanniga http://www.supannigahome.com/index.html

Arizona

1. check out Antelope Canyon

Alexandria, Egypt

1. crumbling colonial mansions, sea walls & sweeping beaches, street cafes & shisha, sunny autumn days 20-20c
2. stay 4seasons at san stefano (sev'l cafes for sunset drinks & shisha) or more central sofitel cecil
3. eat Samakmak (00 20 3481 1560 crab tagine & spaghetti vongole) abu ashraf (00 20 3481 5497 excellent sea bass & fish stews) greek yachting club (taramasalata)
4. see catacombs of shouqafa (Karmouz district) date from Roman times- painted tombs
5. fort qaitbar built over ruins of Pharos lighthouse (1 of ancient 7 wonders) national museum of alexandria
6. cafes: Trianon (green plaza) delices (43 saad zaghloul)
7. fly through frankfurt (Lufthansa) or Athens (olympic air)

easter island

www.explora.com $1795 3 nights all inclusive

Java

SOLO (SURAKARTA)
The old Royal City and a major repository of Javanese culture. Visit the city's two kratons – Surakarta and Mangkunegara – and ride a pushcart along the palace walls. Buy batik and antiques in Pasar Klewer and Pasar Triwindu. Duration: full-day

DIENG PLATEAUA mysterious plateau with a dozen scattered ninth century Hindu Temples. Take a drive to this isolated region with temples of great archaeological importance located within Dieng's beautiful scenery. Steep mountainsides and terraced vegetable gardens enclose this marshy caldera of a collapsed volcano.

GEDONG SONGOVisit the eighth century Hindu temples of Gedung Songo scattered along the foothills around Gunung Ungaran. The nine temples are quite simple in their architecture, but the setting offers a superb view of Lake Rawa Pening and the surrounding mountains

stay at Losari coffee plantation

Madagascar

fly
Tue 6/29/2010 HKG-JNB 23:45-07:00+1
Wed 6/30/2010 JNB-TNR Antananarivo 10:00-14:10 pm
Wed night stay Le Pavillon de l'Emyrne
Th 7/1/2010 fly to Anjajavy
Fri 7/2/2010 stay Anjajvy
Sat 7/3/2010 fly to TNR stay Le Pavillon de l'Emyrne
Sun 7/4/2010 fly TNR-JNB 14:45 pm-17:25 pm stay JNB overnight
Mon 7/5/2010 fly JNB-HKR 12:35noon- 07:45+1 arrival
(would need to take 3 days off, 6/30 Wed, 7/2 Fri & 7/5 Mon)

Isolated by millions of years and miles of Indian Ocean, Madagascar’s exotic wildlife, cultures, and landscapes transport the intrepid traveler into a strange and wonderful world.

Madagascar is often called the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean—a forgotten world inhabited by strange and wonderful plants and animals.

All of the island’s mammals, most of its birds, and over eighty percent of its plants are found nowhere else on Earth, creating a nature-lover’s dream.

You’ll be captivated by the island’s lemurs literally dancing across trails, gigantic baobab trees framing tropical sunsets, and brilliantly colored birds and butterflies flying among a thousand species of orchids

when to go: Jan -March

get there: connect thru Paris

Anjajavy l'hotel http://www.anjajavy.com/ 3n/$1661 incl priv plane transfer, le domaine de fontenay http://www.lefontenay-madagascar.com/ $238, relais de la reine, http://www.tsarakomba.com/, vakona forest lodge http://www.hotel-vakona.com/ $154

info on T&L http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/madagascar-a-safari-tour/sidebar/1

hotel info from cntraveller.co.uk

Anjajavy L'hotel
Near Mahajanga, north-western Madagascar(00 33 1 44 69 15 00)
Anjajavy L'Hotel, a member of Relais & Châteaux, has 25 air-conditioned guest villas, simply furnished with a double bed on the ground floor and two singles on a mezzanine level. The villas in front are more private and have uninterrupted sea views. All have large verandahs and big bathrooms. The main lodge houses a bar, a dining room and an open-plan games room and lounge. There are well-organised land- and water-based activities. There's a three-night minimum stay. Price rating: 3/5
Le Pavillon De L'emyrne
Antananarivo, Madagascar(00 261 20 222 5945)
Le Pavillon de l'Emyrne is a sophisticated, 13-room boutique hotel in the capital with pretty grounds and a colonial ambience. Price rating: 2/5
Mandrare River Camp
Near Fort Dauphin, south-eastern Madagascar(00 261 20 220 2226)
Mandrare River Camp has six comfortable tents with four-poster beds and en-suite bathrooms with bucket showers and eco-friendly chemical loos. Generally excellent meals, accompanied by South African and French wines, are served with great care and attention to detail in the dining tent. There is an emphasis on cultural activities, including visits to local villages and markets. A four-night stay is recommended. Price rating: 4/5
Tarajava Guesthouse
Upper Town, Antananarivo, Madagascar
An eclectic B&B furnished with antiques and Venetian-glass chandeliers. There are four bedrooms, two of which have terraces with astonishing views across the city. Price rating: 2/5

Getting there
Air Madagascar operates a non-stop service between Paris and Antananarivo four times per week. It also operates a weekly service between Marseilles and Antananarivo. There are flights from London Heathrow via Milan.

Air France flies from London to Antananarivo via Paris four times per week. Corsair operates a weekly service from Paris Orly.

You can fly to Johannesburg, South Africa and connect with the Air Madagascar/SAAirlink flight to Antananarivo, which operates five day per week. Air Madagascar flies from Nairobi, Kenya once each week.

There are daily flights between Madagascar and Mauritius and through fares are available on Air Mauritius.

flights to Anjajavy only Tue Th Sat

Kham

1. access thru Zhongdian or Chengdu
2. www.haiweitrails.com

Litang annual yaji

Abu Dhabi

• http://www.arabian-adventures.com/ desert camping trips & day trips to other emirates
• for Arabian onyx on on safari at Abu Dhabi's desert isands
• http://www.desertislands.com/EN/Home/

kashmir

1. Himalayan glacier fed rivers, lakes & hiking
2. Indian controlled province of Jammu & Kashmir
3. Sonamarg (gateway to Ladakh) through 11575' Zojila pass (12 m away)
4. Intercontinental Grand Palace in Srinagar
5. or www.houseboatowners.org

India camel fairs

1. pushkar camel fair
2. Chandrabhaga camel fair
3. both in November
4. http://www.wildfrontiers.co.uk/
5. DEL food incl
6. BUKHARAITC Maurya Sheraton & Towers, Diplomatic Enclave (00 91 11 2611 2233). This restaurant is housed in the ITC Maurya Sheraton & Towers in south-west Delhi. Food is grilled behind a glass partition. You can watch the chefs thread the meat onto steel kebabs while you sip a chilled beer. Good choices include the murg tandoori (a whole chicken marinated in yoghurt, malt vinegar, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, chilli, turmeric and garam masala), the tandoori pomfret, a whole flatfish from the Indian Ocean roasted with spices; and bharvan kulcha, a baked bread stuffed with cottage cheese. Less delightful are the Flintstones-style décor and the absence of both cutlery and finger bowls. In deference to the restaurant's north-west frontier theme, diners are expected to tear chicken apart with their bare hands, with only an apron for protection.
7. CHOR BIZARRE Hotel Broadway, 4/15A Asaf Ali Road (00 91 11 2327 3821). For a truly northern Indian experience, head for Chor Bizarre, on the edge of Old Delhi (other branches have opened in the newly fashionable suburb of Noida and in London's Mayfair). Chor Bazaar mean 'thief's market', and the chef has indeed stolen dishes from across India. Who knows where the management got the 1927 Fiat, parked in the centre of the restaurant, from whose interior Bombay street snacks (chaat) are served? The bhel puri is excellent, but the real highlight here is the Kashmiri thali, a set menu that changes daily depending on what produce is available from the market and named after the brass try on which it is served, (a thali). With advance warning, the restaurant will also prepare wazwan, a 36-course feast.
8. DHABA Claridges Hotel, 12 Aurangzeb Road (00 91 11 2301 0211). Located at Claridges Hotel, a fine Art Nouveau building within which every effort has been made to recreate a roadside eatery such as you might find along the Grand Trunk Road. The designers have even tacked the side of a Tata truck onto the wall of the restaurant. The chairs are similar in style to the charpoys on which Indian lorry drivers like to recline after a good lunch, and the waiters are dressed in a colourful version of truckers' attire. Feast on yellow dal, alu masala (curried potatoes) and matter paneer (cottage cheese with peas).
9. KARIM'S Near the Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. Hidden away down a narrow passage, this renowned institution has been trading since 1913 and still serves the best grilled meat in town, the chicken tikka being a particular favourite. Dishes include murg Tandoori, nan and kebabs. Karim's is also famous for its brain curry, should you be brave enough to try it.
10. SEVENTYSEVEN The Manor Hotel, 77 Friends Colony (00 91 11 2692 5151). SeventySeven in The Manor Hotel - a modernist villa in Friends Colony - does a magnificent masala dosa, the paper-thin, crispy gram-flour pancake, served with a spicy sambal or curry sauce. The evening menu is, according to manager Ben, designed to introduce guests to a more modern version of Indian food.
11. SWAGATH 14 Defence Colony Market (00 91 11 2433 0930). Here you will be presented with your seafood to prove its freshness. Soft-shelled crab, one of many offerings, is deep-fried and coated in a sauce of sweet butter, garlic and green chilli.
12. THE SPICE ROUTE The Imperial Hotel, Janpath (00 91 11 2334 1234). If Dhaba is trying too hard to recreate an authentic experience, The Spice Route at the newly renovated Inperial Hotel on Janpath has moved into fantasy land, incorporating an Indiana Jones-style restaurant within the neo-classical building. The irachi stew of lamb and potato in coconut milk, served with appams (rice-flour pancakes). The more robust of appetite with coconut, curry leaf, black tamarind and mustard seeds. The days of starting a meal with fruit juice are back, try the spiced pineapple rasam with fresh curry leaves. And the vermicelli payasam, cooked in sweetened milk with fried cashews, raisins and grated coconut, is extraordinary.

next Jordan trip

1. see desert castles from Ummayad times
2. Ajloun Nature Reserve
3. Dana's canyons

nile cruise

1. Abercrombie & Kent Sun Boat IV (internet access, http://www.abercrombiekent.com/ $1995 3N)
2. Assouan (16 passengers: no a/c or pool http://www.nourelnil.com/ $1570 7N) double masked sailing vessel
3. La Flaneuse du Nil (7 room sailboat http://www.vdm.com/ $1100)
4. Oberoi Zahra (wi-fi, http://www.oberoihotels.com/) $3790 7 days
5. Sonesta St. George I (groups of 18, Nile + upper delta $5795 12 days http://www.travcoa.com/)
6. Sudan (1885 steamship http://www.steam-ship-sudan.com/ $2600)

Fez for Easter 2010

Apr 1 2010 CX261 HKG 23:45 CDG 06:35 +1 12:50 breakfast in Paris 4/2/2010

friday, April 02, 2010
Departure: 01:50 PM Paris, France - Orly, terminal S
Arrival: 02:35 PM Fez, Morocco - Sais

pay for 3 nights hotel 4/2, 4/3, 4/4 (4/5/2010 checkout)

monday, April 5, 2010
Departure: 04:00 PM Fez, Morocco - Sais
Arrival: 08:40 PM Paris, France - Orly, terminal S

late dinner ?? in Paris
4/5 1 night at hotel luxembourg parc euro 216 per night

4/6 noon flight to HK arrive 4/7th
(should pick up CX tickets first as can always cancel or change dates)

1. most complete medieval city
2. the medina (fes el-bali) a tangle of more than 9000 alleys & dead ends
3. temperatures low 20s throughout winter
Fes: souks: Look for leather jackets, bags and belts, carpets, exotic jewellery and rainbow-coloured babouche slippers. With far fewer tourists than Marrakesh, its old town less comprehensively renovated, much of Fez has remained largely unchanged for centuries. There are magnificent crumbling palaces, ancient and beautiful medersas (Islamic colleges) and the largest and most atmospheric medina in Morocco. Spend the morning in … Fes el-Bali, or Old Fes, a tangle of cool, dim lanes and alleyways lined with stalls selling herbs and spices, pomegranates, dates and olives, unspeakable animal parts and mountains of slippers. Mules amble past, laden with skins, women stand and chat with cockerels under their arms, and from countless small workshops come the sounds of sawing wood or hammering metal. There is remarkably little hassle here, but take a guide for the first day to avoid getting hopelessly lost - and to show you the medina’s treasures, such as the ancient and very beautiful Bou Inania medersa,with its exquisite stucco and carved wood. And do visit the Tanneries – a medieval scene, where men haul skins in and out of great vats of lime and dye just as they’ve done for centuries. An excellent local guide is Ajebbari Lahcen (00 212 61 35 12 47), with impeccable English, but any of the above hotels will help you book a reputable guide. Lunch in… El Blida in the medina (00 212 35 63 39 75), for the lightest couscous, tagines and mezze of marinated vegetables and dips, served in traditional surroundings; no alcohol. Set menu about £10-£12. In Meknes (see below), Ryad Bahia (00 212 35 55 45 41, www.ryad-bahia.com) serves delicious soups, savoury pastries and kebabs in a simple, traditionally furnished, Moroccan-owned riad. £10-£14 a head, no alcohol. Stroll Around … Some of Fez’s gently decaying palaces, built and largely abandoned by the city’s great families, before developers get their hands on them. Among the best are Mokri Palace (£1.20 entry), its elegant First Empire style staircases bathed in green light from the Venetian glass windows above, and Glaoui Palace, where family retainer Abdou will show you the secret women’s courtyard, and open vast, intricately decorated doors onto a vanished world. Telephone to arrange viewing (00 212 67 36 68 28) and make a donation when leaving. Ajebbari Lahcen (see above) takes tours around Fes palaces. Buy … Chez Alibaba (00 212 35 63 69 32) sells wool, cotton and silk wraps and scarves from £10 (but beware the “agave silk” that turns out to be rayon). Look out for rose oil and cult beauty product argan oil in the souks, as well as saffron, glossy dates and aromatic spices. Other good buys from medina stalls are lanterns, mirrors and jewellery. Shopping hours are roughly 10am-7pm, closed on Fridays. Have dinner at … Fes doesn’t yet have much of a restaurant culture, and most visitors eat at their hotel. But the restaurant at Riad Fes serves well executed, sophisticated Moroccan food (chicken with saffron and almonds); menus from £28 non-residents, £18 residents, booking essential. ***Riad Numero 9*** is a petite, exquisitely decorated medina house, with excellent French/Moroccan set-menu dinners (£16) by arrangement (www.riad9.com). If you want a break from local cuisine, Majestic (00 212 35 72 99 99), serves good French/international style food in stylish surroundings at the Henri Leconte sports academy, 15 minutes from the centre. Stay up late at … Your hotel. Even the stylish bar at Riad Fes is quiet by 11pm - this is not a place to kick up your heels. Instead, have a sunset drink on the terrace of the Sofitel Palais Jamais hotel (www.sofitel.com), on a hill overlooking the city, and feel the hair stand up on your neck as the call to prayer reverberates around the rooftops and minarets of the medina. Recover at… Volubilis, about an hour’s drive away through the rolling countryside of the middle Atlas. This was once the furthest outpost of the Roman Empire in Africa and despite earthquake damage, the superb mosaics, reconstructed basilica, streets and shells of domestic houses give a fascinating glimpse into Roman life. A few miles further on is the city of Meknes, with a picturesque medina (smaller and reputedly less expensive than that in Fes). The town’s towering walls and edifices are the legacy of Morocco’s Genghis Kahn - Sultan Moulay Ismail. Richard Lawson of Yallah Morocco (00 212 61 34 28 89, http://go.telegraph.co.uk/?id=296X674&url=http%3A//www.yallahmorocco.com/) organises excellent day trips – as well trekking and riding excursions in the Middle Atlas. At all costs avoid… Coming nose to nose with one of the severed camel heads above butcher’s stalls in the medina.

Ethiopian air

• fly into Addis Ababa
• traverse the Awash to Djibouti before crossing the Red Sea to Aden

Yemreha.... spa by Dos Architects

see Omo, lalibela, axum, gondar

Central Asia

1. 14 weeks with Dragoman Overland entire 6803 mile trail from Istanbul to Beijing
2. or 15 night taster from Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan to Altai Shan mountains in Kyrgystan

guatemala

• 80miles of trekking (through rainforest) to Mayan site of La Mirador

Belize

1. Actun Tunichil Muknal (cave of the stone sepulchre)
2. 45 min jungle hike, 1/2 mile swim into cave chamber w/intact ancient Mayan pottery, cave where they worshiped Chaac (rain god)
3. from guardian.co.uk
4. The knowledge that Francis Ford Coppola's decision to open a hotel in the dark heart of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in central Belize was inspired by the making of Apocalypse Now didn't fill me with confidence. "I was searching for the same jungle paradise I enjoyed in the Philippines ..." he writes in the hotel's brochure, "and invite you to do the same."
   Its setting is certainly remote, close to the Guatemalan border, a bumpy 45-minute drive from the Western Highway, along an unpaved, red-clay track through a dense tropical woodland of exotic vines, strangler figs and palms that gradually gives way to pine forest, then blighted pine forest. For many of the trees are branchless, leafless, lifeless stumps. It's a blasted landscape, apocalyptic even, the legacy, it turns out, of a plague of bark beetles rather than Agent Orange, but even so thoughts of napalm, extreme prejudice and visions of Kurtz as general manager began to come to mind. What was this place?
   I needn't have worried, for Blancaneaux Lodge itself could hardly be lovelier: six thatched hardwood casitas and seven villas on stilts arranged along a steep valley descending to a creek, fed by the gushing Privassion river, all rocks and rapids and waterfalls.
   Coppola bought Blancaneaux, then a dilapidated guesthouse, in 1981, and 11 years later after a big family house party to celebrate both the wrap on Dracula and his birthday, decided to turn it into a hotel. Nothing glitzy or luxurious - the rustic decor favours guatemalteco textiles and brightly painted wooden animal masks and figures - just a hideaway, a retreat. There are no televisions or DVD players or even telephones - if you want to communicate with reception from your casita there's the "shell phone", a conch set on a wooden box concealing an intercom link. There's no swimming pool; why would there be when the river's been dammed to form pools (and generate electricity)? No air con. But there is a massage therapist offering Thai and oriental foot massages; as well as horses to ride; luxuriant tropical grounds and an immaculate organic vegetable garden to admire; waterfalls to bathe under; and rugged landscape to hike through. The air is fragrant; the atmosphere - bar the relentless roar of the river - tranquil; and sitting on the star-lit deck of our casita the first evening, watching the fireflies dance over the rapids, the sense of romantic escape was complete.
   Though Coppola makes no play of his movies in the hotel, there is nevertheless a palpable sense of the man. All 15 wines on the wine list, from the US$6-a-glass house Rosso, Bianco and Talia Rosé (after Coppola's sister Talia Shire, better known as Connie Corleone) to the US$150-a-bottle premium Rubicon, are produced on his estate in Rutherford, California. Various members of his family have contributed recipes to the Italian-influenced menu, as incidentally has Mrs Scorsese, whose hearty garlicky lemon chicken I enjoyed. He even publishes an in-house magazine, Zoetrope, a Granta-like quarterly of new writing, the current issue of which contains pieces by Neil LaBute, Neil Jordan, Eric Bogosian, Michael Tolkin and FFC himself. (Blancaneaux hosts screen-writing workshops - in June Jane Smiley is teaching a short-story writing course here.) And if you opt for Villa 7, where the Coppolas stay when they're in residence, there are family photographs, notably a group shot taken in the 80s judging by the clothes, Nicolas Cage - with hair! - in the back row, a teenage Sofia Coppola sitting at her father's knee in the front.
   We'd come to Blancaneaux from Guatemala, where we'd stayed at La Lancha, a three-hour drive away and the newest of Coppola's three resorts, on the rainforest-clad shores of Lake Petén Itzá and a small beach. The style here is similar to Blancaneaux - hillside cabanas on stilts overlooking water - but the concept is simpler, the rooms smaller and the rates lower. The rooms, all with large balconies strung with hammocks and scattered with Adirondack chairs, are beautiful but scantly furnished; a chair to put one's clothes on might be useful, I said to Elvin, the manager. "Ah," he said, "we had some chairs but they weren't right, so we got rid of them and are waiting for a container of new ones." Coppola's wife, Eleanor, who's in charge of the decor, has an exacting eye and won't countenance compromise, but the result is an ideal of perfection that's pretty close to mine.
   La Lancha's ultimate appeal is its proximity to Tikal, arguably the most spectacular of all the ruined Mayan cities. And by staying so close, you can get there early - we were there by 7am (jet lag can be good for something) - the better to appreciate the extraordinary wildlife. Earlier that morning we heard the reverberating roar of howler monkeys - a sound so terrifying it's what Spielberg used as the dinosaur call in Jurassic Park. Now we were watching them, troupes of five or six, swinging through the tree canopy, their young on their backs, along with smaller, white-fronted spider monkeys. There are jaguars and ocelots, not that you ever see them, and tapirs and peccaries here, too. But Tikal's real glory is its birds. Nearly 300 species have been recorded here, and we saw richly coloured ocellated turkeys, more like peacocks than their overfed Norfolk cousins; blue-crowned motmots or birds of paradise; keel-billed toucans and emerald toucanets; hummingbirds no bigger than a thumb; oropendolas darting from their strange suspended nests; and myriad parrots.
   Tikal may lack the sophisticated carving and friezes found on some of the Mayan sites in the Yucatán in Mexico, but its age (parts date back to 55BC), its area (370 sq km) and the dense jungle setting make it astonishing. There's no better way to get a sense of its magnitude than by climbing Temple Four, which has only been possible since last year when a ladder was installed. It's 105 steep rungs to the 58m summit, but the view of the central plaza and its acropolis is sensational, and the acoustic is incredible: up here you can still hear voices from the plaza.
   There are lots of Mayan sites in this part of Guatemala - Uaxactún, El Mirador, Rio Azul, Yaxhá and Topotxe, and Caracol and Xunantunich across the border in Belize - many of them still wild, mysterious and undeveloped. But if after so much culture, you yearn for a little seaside R'n'R, then Coppola has a third resort on the Belizean coast, a three-hour drive south down the thankfully sealed Hummingbird and Southern Highways from Blancaneaux.
   Turtle Inn sits at the southern end of the Placencia peninsula, a narrow strip of land flanked by a lagoon to the west and the Caribbean to the east, sheltered by a vast reef, where whale sharks congregate at full moon between April and June. Marine life is the big draw here, not least outstanding diving and snorkelling. But for those who prefer to stay above the surface there are kayaks and boat trips up nearby Monkey river. There we spotted not just howlers, but iridescent blue morpho butterflies the size of your hand; egrets, night herons, tarantulas, golden-silk spiders in their glittering webs and, best of all, rare manatees, for Belize has the largest population in the Caribbean of these shy elephantine aquatic mammals with their paddle tails and sad seal faces.
   Like its sister hotels, Turtle Inn consists of a dozen or so two-person "cottages" and villas, as well as the family pavilion, dotted along a palm- sheltered shore. And if you stay in a sea-front unit, the distance from the end of the bed to the ocean is barely 10m. Each is open-fronted (so who needs air con?), with a mosquito-screened veranda and a private garden out back: ours had an open-air shower and a cashew tree full of viridescent iguanas.
   While Blancaneaux and La Lancha are colourfully guatemalteco in style, the furniture and art here - further evidence of Eleanor Coppola's taste - have come mostly from Indonesia. But Belize, a British colony till 1981, is such a multicultural society - of Creoles, Maya, Garifuna, Mestizos, Ladinos, British, Chinese, Mennonites and Amish - so it doesn't feel out of place.
   As at Blancaneaux, Turtle Inn grows its own veg in an organic garden presided over by its ebullient Sicilian chef, Antonio Fecarotta, the delivery of whose "Daily Bulletin" - that evening's menu introduced with some occasionally eccentric though winningly expressed pensées - is the highlight of a lazy afternoon in a steamer chair on the beach. For dinner - conch escalopes, smoked snapper, arugula pizza - is something else to look forward to. As are Coppola's wines. The sparkling blancs de blancs he calls Sofia (natch) may be a little sweet. But his proprietary claret is excellent, and his Blancaneaux 2000, a blend of Viognier, marsanne, roussanne and chardonnay outstanding (as, at US$87.50 a bottle, it should be).
   I loved these places: their aesthetics, their laid-back ethos, their kind and friendly staff and above all the attention to detail. The sense that everything extraneous has been edited out, and that what we are left with, from the locally sourced deliciously scented soap to the aromatic salad leaves, is the best that can be. He's made great movies, he makes great wine, his hotels are fabulous, his daughter wins Oscars. Francis Ford Coppola: what a guy!
   
5. chaa creek (frommer's review)
   This is definitely the premier lodging choice in this neck of the woods, and one of the nicest hotels in the country. Much loving care has gone into creating the beautiful grounds and cottages here. Located on a high, steep bank over the Macal River, this is one of the oldest of the original jungle lodges in the Cayo District, and it's only improved with age. All of the thatched-roof cottages are artistically decorated with local and Guatemalan textiles and handcrafts. Each comes with a quiet porch or balcony area set amid the flowering gardens. The choicest rooms are the treetop suites, which are quite large, and feature a queen bed, a sunken living-room area, and a wraparound deck fitted with a sunken Jacuzzi. Of the standard rooms, nos. 1 and 2 are my favorites.
   The newest additions at Chaa Creek include a large, modern stable, and a canoe-building workshop. You'll also find a lovely little full-service spa, as well as an informative, but small, natural history museum, and a Blue Morpho butterfly breeding project. The guides here are well trained and knowledgeable. Chaa Creek has also taken over the former Panti Medicine trail and the neighboring Ixchel Farm, which you can explore with a guide or with a self-guided trail map. Canoes and mountain bikes are available, and horseback rides can always be arranged. Over 250 bird species have been spotted within a 5-mile (8km) radius of the lodge. Mick and Lucy Fleming, who originally began farming this land in 1977, are the engaging hosts, and much of the food served in the lovely screened-in dining room is organically grown on the hotel's own farm. There's also a separate open-air bar and lounge area, where guests congregate most evenings before and after dinner.
   
   Facilities:Restaurant; bar; lounge; small, well-equipped spa; bike rental; tour desk; laundry service; free Wi-Fi; nonsmoking rooms

ryokan

Kinsuikan www.kinsuikan.jp/en
on Miyajima island
rooms look out over Seto Inland Sea

Ahilya Fort - India

• go Oct-March
• fly jet airways to Indore from Delhi (1 1/2 hr) or Mumbai (1 1/4) 2 1/2 hr taxi to Maheshwar
• stay Ahilya Fort www.ahilyafort.com $520 incl meals bvg excursions 2 nights min
• see
• Mandu (25 bumpy miles from A. Fort, abandoned 6th century city of Mandu, built by Muslim ruler Hoshang Shah & famed for state of preservation)
• Omkareshwar (sacred island in Narmanda River 34m upstream from A. Fort, site of important Shiva Mandhatta Jyotirling temple, close to center of shiva lingam manufacturing) gathering place for wandering sadhus, 8 hr slow boat ride 1 way
• Rehwa society- weaving workshops

bangkok food

1. greyhound cafe (emporio shopping complex)
2. tamarind cafe www.tamarind-cafe.com (meatless, serene, airy spot amid hustle & bustle of Sukhumvit road, also doubles as gallery) 27/1 soi 20, sukhumvit road 66-2/663-7421

Yemen (old Arabia)

1. Sanaa (Sheba hotel)
2. Aden (sheraton gold mohur)
3. Shibam (al-hawta palace)

Iran / Persia

1. fly to Tehran from Dubai
2. archaemenid ruins of Persepolis-seat of ancient achaemenid Empire, 70 km from Shiraz
3. mosques of Esfahan
4. stay Homa or (modern but lack of character) Pars international in Shiraz http://www.pars-international-hotel.com/ $107 atmospheric *Abbasi* http://www.abbasihotel.com/ $120 (in Esfahan)
5. other places to see
6. Shiraz: Citadel of Karim Khan Zand, & tomb of great poet Hafez in Shiraz
7. Meidan Emam, Esfahan
   Tchogha Zanbil
   Takht-e Soleyman
   Bam and its Cultural Landscape
   Pasargadae
   Soltaniyeh
   Bisotun
   Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran

~Zeinoddin Caravanserai
Ranked among the best 'Final frontiers' hotels
Now that everyone is longing to get into the Axis of Evil as fast as their flying pants will allow, blow the competition out of the water by staying here. Sitting on the legendary Silk Route, surrounded by oases and hot springs, this is a building with history, where gold, ivory and spice traders would hole up and gossip. It has been beautifully restored and is utterly enchanting, unlike anywhere else you have been before. With large wooden doors, vertiginously high ceilings, carpeted brick floors and little wooden ladders up to your raised bed, hidden behind a wall of heavy curtains, it’s Harry Potter-gone-Persian. There’s an exquisite dining room where you feast on chicken with walnuts and pomegranate and bowls of saffron rice. The staff, from the Belushi tribe, are absurdly good-looking. After dinner, they whirl themselves into a frenzy.
Location: Yazd, Iran

Reservations: Simoon Travel (tel: 020 7622 6263)

Rates: Double, from £80

When to Go Iran's climate is at its best in spring or fall, but try to avoid the fasting month of Ramadan (October 4 to November 2 this year), when restaurants close during the day, and the weeks around Noruz, the Persian New Year (March 21, 2006)
consider side trips to Yazd, Hamadan, and Kerman, which offer more traditional Persian flavor

Tehran
Iran's capital is urban to the max, and the traffic is appalling, but it's worth more than just a stopover. The Tehran Bazaar is a must, though you'd be well served if you hired a guide to wind you through it. Indeed, great shopping is one of the city's primary attractions. Tehran's many museums are worth a visit, especially the Museum of Contemporary Art. Park-é Laleh and Park-é Mellat are where Tehranis gather to picnic, play soccer, and while away cool evenings. Don't even think of missing a morning hike in Darakeh, north of the city, or a cheap and homey breakfast at one of the myriad chaykhuneh (teahouses) along the trail.

WHERE TO STAY
Melal Apartment Hotel
Popular with business travelers, this all-suite hotel in north Tehran is the most comfortable in town, with a health club, pool, and in-house chauffeur service. Two-bedroom suites from $250 per night. 68 Naseri St.; 98-21/879-0543; www.melal.com

WHERE TO EAT
Nayeb Park-é Sa-i
This north Tehran landmark is the place to be for Friday lunch. The well-to-do wait up to two hours for a linen-covered table, where they feast on excellent kebabs and platters of perfectly cooked long-grain rice. Lunch for two $25. 1030 Val-ye-Asr Ave.; 98-21/871-3471

Maykhanechi
An old-school joint—just outside the Tehran Bazaar's carpet showroom, it's a pet resort of the dealers— serving fantastic ground lamb (kubideh) and chicken kebabs, paired with sour pickles, fiery raw onions, and delectable smoked rice. Dinner for two $6. 76 Lajevardi Alley, off Khayyam St.; 98-21/561-4152

Monsoon
Well-prepared Southeast Asian dishes (prawn curry, tamarind-glazed chicken) draw a young, Western- leaning crowd. Soft lighting, lacquer-topped tables, and walnut-paneled walls provide a soothing ambience. Dinner for two $36. Gandhi Shopping Center, corner of fourth St. and Gandhi Ave.; 98-21/879-1982

WHERE TO SHOP
Agate Gallery
Contemporary takes on classic Persian gold jewelry. 14 Kar & Tejarat St., off Vanak St.; 98-21/877-5571

Laal Jewelry
Rare and high-quality pieces, including earrings, pendants, Burmese rubies, and parures from Iran's Qajar period. 2 Golshahr Passage, Golshahr St., off Africa (Jordan) Ave.; 98-21/205-5552; www.laaljewelry.com

Z. Naghashpoor Carpets
One of the finer rug dealers at the Tehran Bazaar. Second floor, Shops 15 and 16, Saray Akbarieh (Carpet Showroom); 98-21/563-0793

Panje Tala
Small but well-curated boutique for handicrafts, carved wooden figurines, decorative boxes, kilims, table lamps, and metalwork. 151 Ostad Nedjatollahi Ave.; 98-21/880-1791; www.panjetala.com

Tavazo
The city's best selection of nuts (Iranian pistachios are outstanding), seeds, and dried fruits—including melons, mangos, apricots, limes, and anything else you can imagine. Multiple locations, including 1056 Val-ye-Asr Ave.; 98-21/871-7094; www.tavazo.com

Esfahan
By far the loveliest city in Iran, Esfahan retains great old-world charm in its gardens, mosques, and bridges, not to mention the graceful vernacular architecture of its everyday buildings. The 17th-century wooden palace of Chehel Sotun holds some of Iran's most accomplished frescoes, richly detailed tableaux of the Safavid kings' epic battles. The vast Imam Square at the center of town is said to be the second-largest urban plaza in the world, after Tiananmen Square; it's dominated by the dazzling, aquamarine-tiled Imam Mosque. The square's southern edge is fronted by Esfahan's evocative bazaar. Crossing the Zayandeh River are five historic bridges (and six newer ones), tucked into which are numerous waterside teahouses—ideal places to welcome the evening. For a good English-speaking tour guide, contact Abbas Alijanian (abbasalijanian@yahoo.com).

WHERE TO STAY
Abbasi Hotel
Iran's most atmospheric hotel, in a 17th-century caravansary surrounding a courtyard with rosebushes and persimmon trees. Interiors are all gilt- and mirror-encrusted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and brilliant frescoes. Request one of the restored Qajar suites that overlook the garden. Doubles from $170. 98-311/222-6010; www.abbasihotel.com

WHERE TO EAT
Wooden Bridge Teahouse
A classic chaykhuneh under the arches of Khajoo Bridge, catering to a student crowd. Women and men can be seen sharing hookahs here in cozy corners (despite a law forbidding women to smoke them). Under Pol-é Khajoo, Kamal Esmaeil St.; 98-311/221-8295

Chaykhuneh Sonati Azadegan
Another tea-and-hookah haunt that's popular with both students and bazari. The food is delicious and cheap, especially the goosht kubideh (a pastelike spread made from mashed lamb stew, to be slathered on lavash bread) and the piquant house-made torshi, a condiment of pickled vegetables. At the well of Haj Mirza, off Mir-emad St., near Imam Square

Shiraz and Persepolis
Shiraz has long been Iran's intellectual center, with several top-rated universities, as well as the avowed capital of Persian literature: the poets Hafez and Sa'di are buried here, and their garden-shrouded mausoleums are popular nighttime gathering spots. Old Shiraz, on the eastern side of the city, contains the wildly jumbled Bazaar-e Vakil, a plethora of mosques and madrassas, as well as the sparkling, mirror-covered shrine of Shah-e Cheragh. Just 40 minutes away by car are the ruins of Persepolis, an essential part of any visit to Iran. A fantastic guide for both Shiraz and Persepolis is the charming and eloquent Akbar Daghigh-Afkar (98-917/112-4249; akbard2003@yahoo.com).

WHERE TO STAY
Pars International Hotel
A new high-rise with all the mod cons and a central location. What it lacks in character it makes up for in convenience and service. Doubles from $95. Zand Blvd.; 98-71/233-6380

WHERE TO EAT
Hammam-e Vakil
Carved out of a historic hammam (bathhouse), with vaulted ceilings and a gurgling fountain, this is the most seductive setting in town. Order the fesenjan, a rich stew of chicken, pomegranate, and walnuts, and the albaloo polo, a hearty platter of rice studded with sour cherries. Dinner for two $15. Taleqani St.; 98-711/222-6467; www.hammam-vakil.com


Shater Abbas Restaurant
A convivial local favorite, occupying a beer hall–like cellar. The renowned, house-made taftun breads are baked and seared in a clay oven out front. The halim bademjan (eggplant and chicken mashed with yogurt) is excellent, as is the sabzi polo (rice with dill, coriander, parsley, and chives). Lunch for two $10. 1 Khakshenasi St.; 98-711/227-1612

next Peru trip

• Lake Titicaca (stay at Titilaka)
• Colca Valley beneath the Andes (stay at Las Casitas-part of Orient express)

Trans-Siberian Express (Golden Eagle)

Launched in April 2007, the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express is Russia’s first luxury private train. The train serves the world's longest railway line from Moscow to Vladivostok as well as specially developed routes.

• One of them - the Silk Road - goes through Kazakhstan stopping at Baikonur Space Centre, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, before traversing the Gobi and moving on to Beijing.
• the train also provides westbound journeys departing from Beijing.

12 fully en-suite sleeping cars

• Gold Class cabins have everything from power showers and under floor heating to DVD/CD players, LCD screens, and individual air conditioning units. At 7 sq m, these rail cabins are among the largest in the world. Fully en-suite, the bathrooms contain a separate shower cubicle.
• Silver Class cabins are more compact at 5.5 sq m and have similar facilities as the Gold Class as well fully en-suite wet rooms.
• Two restaurant cars
• RATES:Silver Class Cabins are from GBP 5,495 per person (sharing)Gold Class Cabins are from GBP7,995 per person (sharing)
• The price includes:
  Arrival and departure transfers
  Accommodation (4/5 star)
  Sightseeing led by English speaking tour guides (Excludes flights, visas, all other excursions and pre and post tours)

dunhuang

1. flight conf # 736171911 hotel conf # 113097642
2. 12 September CX6878 HKG 19:30 PEK 22:55
   03:25
   15 September CX6891 PEK 18:20 HKG 22:05
   03:45
   
3. must sees
4. crescent lake
5. jiayuguan
6. mogao caves (cave 96) (cave 17 diamond sutra)
7. mingsha shan (singing sand dunes)
8. fly in from Beijing 9/13 17:25 arrive 22:05
9. fly out from Dunhuang 11:40 arrive 14:40
10. http://www.dunhuangresort.com/

LA spas & restaurants

http://www.kinaraspa.com/ in west hollywood
food

1. Axe 1009 Abbot Kinney Venice 310/664 9787 $75/2
2. Clifton's brookdale Cafe 648 s. broadway 213/627 1673 $22/2
3. R23 923 E 2nd St 213/687 7178 $90/2

cruise ships

1. Oberoi Zahra- old fashioned Nile cruiser
2. Apsara- Kerala's backwaters www.theparkhotels.com
3. Yangzi explorer (abercrombie)

Mexico

• see Cacaxtla in Tlaxcala -day trip from mexico city
• see labna, xlapak, sayil, kabah, uxmal

dubai

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g295424-d526588-Reviews-Jumeirah_Bab_Al_Shams_Desert_Resort_Spa-Dubai.html

in Dubai stay at XVA Art hotel, Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert or al maha

things to see in Turkey

• Sumela monastery near Trabzon

see also the library of Celsus at Ephesus, Canakkale, Izmir, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Ankara

fly Dubai to Istanbul on emirates

Oman

1. see Sur and Salaleh
2. Oman's desert hinterland borders the Empty Quarter, the bitter desiccated land, which knows nothing of gentleness or ease' made famous by Wilfred Thesiger in his 1959 bsepook Arabian Sands.
3. much of it is forbidding gravel plain, but Wahiba, with its dunes of honey-coloured sand & rust red valleys half-a-mile wide, enclosed by dunes of a uniform height of about 200 ft...blocked at intervals by gradual rises of hard sand, is a stunning landscape
4. when to go? Sept to May
5. alternative place to stay (other than 6senses) in Musandam Peninsula is the Golden Tulip in Khasab $239 (secluded, arid, diving 2-3 hr from Dubai)
6. in Muscat stay at the recently renovated Al Bustan Palace www.ichotelsgroup.com 360GBP

• pristine desert w/Oryx & mountain wilderness
• Qurm Natural Park Muscat festival in January
• Hajar Mountains
• coral gardens w/psychedelic squid
• check out Majlis al-Jinn -- 158m rappel- world's 2nd largest cave
• 
  12 September CX745 HKG 23:55 DXB 04:25+1
  8:30
  15 September CX746 DXB 18:20 HKG 06:10+1
  7:50

Udaipur

23 Oct CX753 HKG 22:55 DEL 02:05 +1 0 5:40 330 eTicket Economy (Y)

Flight Date Depart Arrival Flight Details Class Of Travel
9W709 Sat, 24 Oct, 2009 Delhi 05:45 Udaipur 07:45 2h 0m/1 stops Economy (O)

Operated by Jet Airways - Departure: TERMINAL 1
9W3326 Mon, 26 Oct, 2009 Udaipur 18:40 Delhi 20:20 1h 40m/0 stops Economy (O)

Operated by Jet Airways - Arrival: TERMINAL 1

26 Oct CX694 DEL 23:55 HKG 07:25 +1 0 5:00 330 eTicket Economy (Y)

Fare Details

in udaipur stay at
oberoi udaipur or taj lake or Devi garh or Fateh Garh

take trains: thegoldenchariot.co.in or palace on wheels

Taipei restaurants

http://blog.xuite.net/wineya/0/28824552
Taipei is really strange in that... if you google info on restaurants, you'll likely run into blogs before you run into any dedicated websites that are like ie hong kong's hong kong magazine, open rice or time out magazine.... but there're definitely plenty of foodies out there in Taipei, this wineya person's blog is worth checking out for up to date ideas of where to eat!

http://www.foodandwine.com/restaurants/list/taiwan

http://maps.google.com.tw/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=zh-TW&geocode=&q=%E5%8F%B0%E5%8C%97%E5%B8%82%E5%AE%89%E5%92%8C%E8%B7%AF%E4%B8%80%E6%AE%B5116%E8%99%9F1%E6%A8%93&sll=25.045909,121.545181&sspn=0.010886,0.026178&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=A&brcurrent=3,0x3442aa2c196a3a0b:0x595d3af570d705b4
Aoba restaurant

¤ Silks Palace- by National Palace Museum

1. shi yang shan fang #60 lane 101 jingshan rd, shilin district 886-2/2862-0078
2. chili house 250-3 zhongxiao east rd sec 4 886-2/2721-6088 http://www.just-ho.com/ NT$1200 for two
3. gi yuan (best known for chicken soup) 324 dunhua south rd sec 1 886-2/27083110 NT$1400
4. VVG Bistro (cozy french) can rent apartment nextdoor 20 alley 40, lane 181 zhongxiao east rd sec 4 886-2/8773-3533 http://www.vvgbbb.com.tw/ $1790 for tso
5. sofa (swank lounge, retro furnishing) 56 lane 161 dunhua south rd sec 1 886-2/8773 0906
6. qi min organic hotpot- 128 zhongxiao east rd sec 4 886-2/2772-5123 NT$1200

hotels:
tango http://www.tango-hotels.com/ NT$ 6000
Sherwood http://www.sherwood.com.tw/ NT$10,200
Sheraton http://www.sheraton-taipei.com/ NT$10,000
see
http://www.travelandleisure.com.au/taipei/default.aspx
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/13154?pageNumber=10

Where To Go Next: Taipei
By Rob McKeown
Iconoclastic Chefs
Inspired by a small group of pioneering chefs, like Liu Xian Hua—who has been cooking at the groundbreaking restaurant Ah Tsai for 20 years—Taipei’s talented cooks have been developing highly personal cuisines that make use of the superior local ingredients and reflect the city’s cosmopolitan culture.

La Petite Cuisine
Justin Quek, who trained at numerous Michelin-starred restaurants in France, has been one of Singapore’s top chefs for years because of his cooking at the Les Amis restaurant group. Since he opened La Petite Cuisine in Taipei two years ago, he has become known for his lightened French haute-cuisine creations: white asparagus with a silken sauce of morels, langoustine carpaccio. The dishes can be paired with boutique Australian reds like the rich Pinot Noir from Bass Phillip. Details 45 Shuang Cheng St.; 011-886-2-2597-3838.

Cheers
The Grand Hyatt Taipei’s bistro-style restaurant—a music-industry hangout that’s being revamped by U.S.–based design star Tony Chi—is an unlikely home for some of the city’s best Chinese food. Originally intended as an American restaurant, it now devotes much of its menu to Chinese dishes. Chef Chien Huang creates stunning versions of the Taiwanese food he grew up on (pork rice with braised mushrooms and eggs) and other regional dishes (Sichuan wok-fried chicken). Details 2 Sung Shou Rd.; 011-886-2-2720-1200, ext. 3188.

Ah Zheng
Owner Ah Zheng, who likes to wear ties and suit vests under-neath his black apron and is never without an espresso in his hand, runs the kitchen in this brick-walled restaurant. Zheng’s food is a terrific hybrid of Taiwanese, Japanese and Southeast Asian. The menu changes constantly; on lucky nights there might be Hokkaido crab with pepper salt, or grilled pork with white miso and chiles. Details 20 Lane 81, Dun Hua Nan Rd., Sec. 2; 011-886-2-2702-5277.

Modern Japanese
Taiwan’s capital has long been full of sushi bars and teppanyaki joints, a legacy of the island’s past as a Japanese colony. But over the past few years, modern Japanese pop culture has been making greater inroads into the city’s restaurant and bar scenes.

Lao Kan Pai
This new crimson-hued spot turns out superb small-plate dishes of baby cherrystone- like clams in a sake-spiked broth, and rib eye served with dipping salts and fresh wasabi and cooked on a tabletop grill. Details 44 Lane 280, Guang Fu Nan Rd.; 011-886-2-2751-7388.

Ko Ji
Formerly known as Bamboo, this hip restaurant reopened six months ago as Ko Ji. It’s as popular for its bar, which makes excellent sake cocktails, as it is for its contemporary Japanese cuisine, in dishes like grilled tuna flavored with soy and ginger. Details 1/F, 15 Renai Rd., Sec. 4; 011-886-2-2779-1152.

Mitsui Cuisine
A cavernous underground restaurant revered for its outstanding omakase (chef’s tasting menus). On any given night, the parade of dishes might include milky-sweet Japanese sea urchin or steak with rock salt, served at black marble–topped tables under shadowy lighting. Details B1/F, 108 Dun Hua Nan Rd., Sec. 1; 011-886-2-2741-3394.

c'est bon
23 ln 33 zhongshan n rd s1

chili house 250-3 zhongxio e rd s4
barcode for drinks at 22 Songshou road

HK spas

¤ bliss spa - W hotel

Mongolia Mongolia- not the China inner Mongolia

¤ Terelj hotel in Gorjhi Terelj park, stay in normal room built in style of 19th century palace or in a yurt
www.slh.com $274

Kenya

Stay Majlis

Www.themajlisresort.com


Porini lion camp
Fly thai air then air kenya to nairobi olekiombo


**kiwayu** lamu
Run with effortless charm and insouciant efficiency, Kiwayu takes the concept of flip-flopped indolence and turns it into a fine art. There is nowhere else quite so laidback and carefree, nowhere quite so beautifully under-appointed. Tracey Emin is a fan, as is Roberto Cavalli. The few bandas on one of the best beaches ever flaunt a lack of modern tricks with breezy pride: open-sided, made of thatch, utterly bereft of doors, phones, TV or wi-fi. Check the seagrass matting on the bathroom floor for scuttling hermit crabs before you step out of the shower. Take a slow and lazy sail up the coast or fish for red snapper. The most unplugged place in the world.

Sweetwaters tented camp. Big five. $360 incl meals 2 hr drive from nairobi

Camps in the Mara, Kichwa Tempo, Bateleur (prime vantage points along migration route)
Tembo $375
Bateleur $855
www.ccafrica.com

2 new lodges in the Samburu National reserve, both linked to Northern Rangelands Trust set up to help communities protect the wildlife
¤ Sasaab_ overlooks Ewaso Ngiro River, 9 lodges, $530 all inclusive
¤ Saruni Samburu-in Masai Mara, overlooks waterjold, 4 houses £380 per person for 3 nights all inclusive until 12/30/08
http://www.lamuretreats.com/

sept 2010 Kicheche


take 2.5 days off
Leave
Wed, Sep 22 Cathay Pacific 731
Depart: 4:25pm
Arrive: 8:40pm Hong Kong, Hong Kong (HKG)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)

8hr 15min | Airbus A330
Change Airline. Time between flights: 5hr 55min

Kenya Airways 311
Depart: 2:35am
Arrive: 6:40am Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Nairobi, Kenya (NBO)
5hr 5min | Boeing 767

fly to Kicheche 10 am

fly from Kicheche 4 pm

Sun, Sep 26 Emirates 722
Depart: 11:35pm
Arrive: 5:35am Nairobi, Kenya (NBO)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)

5hr 0min | Boeing 777
Time between flights: 12hr 40min

Cathay Pacific 746
Depart: 6:15pm
Arrive: 6:10am Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Hong Kong, Hong Kong (HKG)
7hr 55min
arrives Tue 6:10 am
$2700 USD

montenegro

6/30 wed night to airport
fly to Rome 7/1 th 00:05 arrive 7 am day tour in rome (breakfast/lunch)
Rome - Podgorica
1 Jul 10
17:30 Rome (FCO)
18:40 Podgorica (TGD)
Montenegro Airlines (YM)
1:10

3 nights at aman 7/1, 7/2, 7/3

Return: Podgorica - Rome
4 Jul 10
08:50 Podgorica (TGD)
10:00 Rome (FCO)
Montenegro Airlines (YM)
1:10 0 stop(s)

rome to HK arrive 7/5 mon 7 am






go to Budva
eat at Konoba Stari Grad (Njegoseva 14)
¤ bianca resort & spa
www.biancaresort.com
¤ hotel Milocer (part of Aman Sveti Stefan)
¤ Svetai Stefan (near small resort of Petrovac--14th cent walled village, part of Aman resorts) (fly in from Rome Montenegro airline YM 00991 PODGORICA 14:15 departure, free airport pickup by Aman)
Bianca resort & spa (in Kolasin) www.biancaresort.com, great base on River Tara
www.queenofmontenegro.com 71pounds per night
¤ EAT Belveder, Catovica Mlini
hike biogradska gora national park & whitewater rafting in Zabljak or Kolasin
fly to Tivat (20km from Budva) or Podgorica

take 2 days off in June
6/15 tue fly to Rome
6/16 wed Rome to Dubrovnik 6 pm - 7:20 pm
overnight Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik
6/17 th Dubrovnik to Aman Sveti Stefan
overnight 6/17 th 6/18 (2 nights) cheaper option stay entire time at Dubrovnik (day trip by boat www.atlas-croatia.com) (or day trip to Mostar)
fri day trip possible Monte by bus
6/19 sat 3:45 pm Dubrovnik flight to Rome 5:10 pm
6/20 Sunday noon flight to HKG

things to see in Dubrovnik
City Wall
Dominican Monastery and Museum
Dubrovnik Cathedral (Church of the Assumption)
Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola
Luza Square
Onofrio's Fountains
Pile Gate
Ploce Gate
St. Blaise Church
Stradun

Thailand-hua hin

¤ the Barai
¤ 6 senses
¤ Chiva som

kep Cambodia

¤ STAY www.knaibangchatt.com $146 or La villa de thomas $25
• See Bokor, rabbit island, Kampot
¤ eat at www.veranda-resort.com

borneo

• http://www.gayana-eco-resort.com/ $200
• http://www.kudatriviera.com/ (in Sabah, Northern Borneo, 29 rice barns 6 km unspoilt coast, closest town 20 min drive away) $750

¤ hike Mt Kinabalu
www.suterasantuarylodge.com.my
¤ see Sepilok Orang Utan rehab centr
• Dive Sipadan,
http://www.swvresort.com/

Gayana Eco Resort

see the Maliau Basin (a natural wonder)

yarra valley- australia's next wine country

¤ 48km NE of Melbourne
¤ is to Melbourne what Hunter Valley is to Sydney, top of the class pinot noirs
¤ Giant steps/innocent bystander winery 336 maroondah hwy, healesville
¤ healesville sancturary, badger creek rd to view dingoes, koalas & kangaroos
stay at Balgownie estate vineyard resort & spa
eat: locale (de bortoli wines 58 pinnacle lane, dixon's creek) Healesville hotel @ 256 maroondah hwy, healesville
taste also: TarraWarra Estate @ 311 Healesville-yarra glen, YARRA YERING 4 Briarty Road, Gruyere

pakistan hunza valley

• (known for stunning scenery & welcoming locals) Visit summer & autumn esp sept
• Gilgit- madina hotel & guesthouse
• Karimabad hunza baltit inn www.serenahotels.com
• Darbar hunza www.hunzadabar.co.pk
www.sitra.com tours
• Islamabad to gilgit www.piac.com.pk pakistani int'l airlines
hunza baltit inn

kanchanaburi Thailand

¤ two hour drive, 3rd class trains leave 2x Bangkok Thonburi station, 3hr, kanchanaburo to nam tok (death railway route) 2 hour
¤ river kwai bridge resort
• www.safarine.com

Shanghai hotels

¤ waterhouse at south bund (new design hotel)
¤ park hyatt
http://www.ivyshanghai.com/

cambodia sihanoukville

Sihanoukville independence hotel

beijing nanluoguxiang

¤ zha zha cafe- nanluoguxiang 101, dongcheng district
¤ tibet cafe- 97 nanluoguxiang

Cambodia Angkor

1. Bakeng Hill --Just past Angkor Wat, Bakeng Hill is meant to resemble Mount Meru, the center of the earth in the Hindu cosmology. The hill makes a great spot for sunrise or sunset viewing and gets crowded like a mosh pit in high season. The hike up is a good way to limber up and break a sweat predawn, but the crumbled steps and slippery mud are a bit much for some. Consider taking the trek in style high up on an elephant's back in a houda. Elephants for hire start at about $20 (£11) and wait at the bottom of the hill.
2. Koh Ker -North of Beng Melea is Koh Ker, another popular off-the-map temple
3. Kabal Spean- Known as the "River of a Thousand Linga" (a linga is a phallic symbol representing the Hindu god Shiva), Kabal Spean lay undiscovered by Westerners until a French researcher stumbled across it only recently. Dating from the early 11th century, the relief carvings that line the stream beds are said to purify the water before it fills the reservoirs (called barays) of Angkor. It's the journey here that's really interesting -- on some rough roads through rural villages north of Banteay Srei -- and there's a fun forest hike (about 30 min. to the first waterfall). Khmer folks come to picnic, and it's a good spot to swim or follow the path that trips along at brook side; from there, you can view the many carvings in relief on the banks and creek bed
4. Pre Rup -With it's three central spires, Pre Rup looks a bit like a mini Angkor Wat. Prerup was built by King Rajeindravarmen II in 961 and was dedicated to Shiva. The best views are from the Hindu temple's south side. It is made of gray sandstone, which is a less durable material than the pink sandstone of Banteay Srei. As such, time and weather have had its way with the temple and much of the intricate carvings and detail have been worn away by rain and erosion. It's a crumbling edifice but still completely awesome in size and structure. Plants have begun to grow on the central towers and you can see their bright green leaves working their way through the gray stone. You'll be scrambling over the fallen rock and debris near the bottom of the temple and you still feel like a humble, insignificant mortal. Climb to the top of the temple and look west; on a clear day, you can see Angkor Wat's spires (roughly 12km away) peeking out over the treetops.
5. Ta Kaeo - What's most interesting about Ta Kaeo is that it was never completed. Legend has it that the temple was struck by lightning during its construction, and all work was abandoned at a stage where the main structure was complete, but no adornment had been added; as such it serves as "Temple Structure 101." Also unique is the fact that Ta Kaeo is made of a rich green sandstone (elsewhere it's a deeper brown or grayish color). Built in the 10th century by Jayavarman V, the temple was dedicated to Shiva. The central prang once housed a lingum, and the three levels are all encircled by sandstone galleries. The climb to the top is very steep, a bit of "4-points" rock climbing really, but the view is well worth it.
   

2-3 wk temple trail
danang to hoi an to doc let to nha trang to Phan Rang to Mui Ne to HCM to Phnom Penh to Sambor Prei Kuk to Preah Vihear to Koh Ker to Angkor

temples yet to check out---Koh Ker or Banteay Chmar

Beijing things to do

Club Les Fleurs -
8Central Park building 7, Guandongdian Nan Lu, Chaoyang (朝阳区朝外大街6号新城国际7号楼6层)Beijing, China Phone: +86 (10) 6533 6288
One of the best massage deals in town, Club Les Fleurs offers half-price services before 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday. One-hour Chinese body massages go for about 130 yuan, or roughly $20. Other draws include a funky modern Chinese décor and free snacks (pork dumplings and freshly squeezed fruit juice). It's conveniently located near Kerry Center Hotel and the new Rem Koolhaas-designed square CCTV Tower.

havana

A PRADO Y NEPTUNO
Prado 408, on the corner with Neptuno, Centro Habana, Havana (00 53 7 860 9636). A happy mix of tourists and Cubans and performances by local ensembles give this excellent pizzeria an informal and occasionally frenetic atmosphere, making it ideal for a group night out. The pizzas are some of the most authentic in the city; the pasta, though less good, is better than the Cuban average.

D'GIOVANNI Tacón 4, Habana Vieja, Havana (00 53 7 633 3560), in a beautifully restored 18th-century mansion just off the Plaza de la Catedral. Despite all the competition, it can reasonably claim to offer the best pizzas in Havana.

EL PATIO PLAZA DE LA CATEDRALPlaza de la Catedral, Habana Vieja, Havana (00 53 7 867 1034). A good place to try the Cuban standard of chicken, plantain, and moros y cristianos (literally 'Moors and Christians', a combination of black beans and white rice).

EL TEMPLETE
Avenida del Puerto 12-14, on the corner with Narciso López, Habana Vieja, Havana (00 53 7 866 8807). A relatively recent and very welcome addition to the restaurant scene in Habana Vieja. The platters at this seafood specialist are prepared with a professionalism that's rare around here: there's no coincidence that the head chef is not from Cuba but the Basque Country, and dishes such as Galician-style octopus and dolphin fish with houmous and capsicum oil are dripping with flavour and a break from the national norm. The roadside location is nothing special, but who needs a colonial courtyard when the cooking is this good?

HANOI CALLES BERNAZA Y TENIENTE REY
Plaza del Cristo, Vedado, Havana (00 53 7 625 881). A hangover from the days when virtually every restaurant in Havana was named after the capital of a socialist soulmate, Hanoi has survived by offering good-value Cuban cuisine, as well as the odd Vietnamese variation.

LA BODEGUITA DEL MEDIO
Calle Empedrado 207, Habana Vieja, Havana (00 53 7 618 442). Even in the 'Special Period' (Fidel Castro's term for the economic meltdown following the collapse of Communism elsewhere in the world), this was one of the few places that continued to serve palatable food. Its most arresting feature is the graffiti covering the walls and tables. Drink the health of Ernest Hemingway, who started each evening with a mojito in the bar below.

LA COCINA DE LILLIAM
Calle 48 1311, between 13 and 15, Playa, Havana (00 53 7 209 6514). A fantastic garden restaurant bursting with tropical plants and a sense of exclusivity, particularly for a paladar. The intercom entry system adds to the feeling that you are entering a private club, one whose visitors have included Jimmy Carter. Among the flora you'll be served dishes such as the excellent ropa vieja, a traditional Cuban dish of shredded stewed meat (usually beef, but here they use lamb). Open Sun-Fri, and closed for the last two weeks of December.

LA GUARIDA
Calle Concordia 418, between Gervasio and Escobar, Centro Habana, Havana (00 53 7 863 7351; http://www.laguarida.com/). A ramshackle 19th-century residential neighbourhood in Centro Habana is not the place you'd expect to find some of the tastiest, most expertly prepared cuisine in the city, but La Guarida is not your average paladar. Scaling the winding staircase to the 3rd floor of this withered apartment building, the set of the award-winning Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd got the wrong place, until a door opens into the atmospheric and idiosyncratic family-run restaurant. Dine on dishes such as sugar-cane tuna glazed with coconut, or fish salad with crunchy vegetables and peanuts in one of three intimate, moodily lit dining rooms, as you take in the eclectic wall displays, from abstract art and cigar labels to pictures of Castro.

LA TORRE
Edificio FOCSA, Calle 17, on the corner with M, Vedado, Havana (00 53 7 838 3088). It may be hard to concentrate on your food when the view from your table is this stunning, but the seafood-and-steak menu does its best to match the wonderful vista from this 36th-floor restaurant. An unforgettable dining experience.

see
Vinales: time amid strange limestone mogote mounds
santigao: cuba's colonial treasure trove
hike: comandancia la plata

WHAT TO SEE

• JARDIN BOTANICO NACIONAL
• Carretera El Rocio, Havana. Jardin Botanico Nacional has a well-kept collection of tropical plants that includes poinsettias the size of Christmas trees, hibiscus, bromeliads, coleus and bougainvillea. Open daily.
• MUSEO DE LA REVOLUCION
• Refugio 1, between Avenida de las Misiones and Zulueta, Habana Vieja, Havana. To learn a bit about the countrys history, visit the housed in a huge, ornate, dome-topped building which was once the presidential palace. The spirit of the greatest revolutionary of them all, Che Guevara, lives on in posters, statues and murals such as the one on Plaza de la Revolucion.
• PARTAGAS CIGAR FACTORY
• Industria 520, Habana Vieja, Havana. A national treasure that hides behind the Capitolio in Havana's main square, Partagas - formerly the second largest cigar factory in Cuba - is worth a visit.
  
  4/7 tuesday 23:55 0545+1
  4/8 Wed 0945 1415 Gatwick Havana
  4/12 Sun 1645 0620 Mon 4/13
  4/13 12:35 07:10+1
  stay Nh parque central

must sees

1. El Malecón
2. Callejón de Hammel
3. Catedral de San Cristóbal
4. Cementerio de Colón
5. Museo de la Ciudad
6. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
7. Parque Histórico Morro y Cabaña

namibia

18 Dec CX749 HKG 23:45 JNB 06:35 +1
02 Jan CX748 JNB 12:35 HKG 07:05 +1

S Af. Air 12/19 JNB Windhoek 0950-1150 (or air namib 0745-0845)
1/1/2010 S Af. Air Windhoek Jo'burg (6 flights to Jo'burg)

start with sesriem & sossusvlei

stay

hotel in between Windhoek Damaraland & etosha (www.erongowilderness.com)

Twyfelfontein lodge

etosha stay at
Onguma Safari Tented Camp
http://www.ongumanamibia.com/onguma-the-fort-etosha.html

http://www.mowani.com

Soussusvlei desert lodge 1/20
Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp 3/20

Skeleton Coast (ie Skeleton Coast camp or Serra Cafema)

http://www.eyesonafrica.net/african-safari-namibia/serra-cafema/index.html

sent enquiries for quotes to truly africa & www.wilderness-safaris.com (waiting for reply)

rome hotels and food

what to see
http://english.scuderiequirinale.it/Mediacenter/FE/CategoriaMedia.aspx?idc=40&explicit=SI
400th anniversary of Caravaggio's birth, exhibition at the Scuderie del Quirinale

• il palazzetto
• hotel de russie (between Spanish steps & Piazza del popolo) http://www.roccofortecollection.com/

budget hotel: hotel prati www.hotelprati.com

~RESTAURANTS~
Trastevere district
*Asinocotto www.asinocotto.com (seabass with spinach & tarragon vinegar)
*la cisterna (via della cisterna) (Roman style suckling lamb)
Piazza Barberini district
*Tuna @ 11 Via Veneto, minimalist seafood heavy 06-4201-6531

Cartagena

• Avianca flies from London via Madrid to Bogota to Cartagena
• where to stay
• Sofitel santa clara- former convent
• agua hotel- converted mansion
• casa la fe- colonial house
• casa pestagua- 16th cent house
• hotel cartagena millennium- bocogrande contemporary hotel
• hotel casa del arzobispado-historic mansion beside cathedral
• hotel charleston cartagena
• hotel quadrifolio- 8 suites 17th cent house
• la merced hotel boutique- 8 room 18th cent
• la passion - 8 rm

http://www.townandcountrytravelmag.com/vacation-ideas/best-vacations/cartagena-colombia-summer08

tangier

1. fly heathrow to tangier (sometimes have to fly through Casablanca)
2. villa josephine http://www.villajosephine-tanger.com/ 220pounds B&B
3. hotel nord pinus tanger
4. el minzah
5. le mirage
6. dar nour
7. continental 40pounds (colonial, above port, oozes run down charm
8. eat: raihani (00 212 3993 4866) own garden, french & moroccan food, Valencia (00 212 3994 5146) near seafront, seafood , saveurs de poisson (11 pounds), cafe de paris nearby place de france (coffee) hotel le mirage http://www.lemirage-tanger.com/ (sea view)
9. see Kasbah at the dar el-makhzen (a 17th century palace that houses an absorbing crafts museum)