Loch Carron

Adrian travels from Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness by train and finds it to be Britain’s most scenic rail journey

That is what Michael Palin of Monty Python and countless travel programmes called the railway that meanders from the Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness. They’re also quoted on tourist information available at the station. Is it an understatement or does it live up to this hype?
In Kyle itself, there isn’t an awful lot to see. There are gift shops and busy cafes that get bursts of business that fill them up when the trains get in, or when one of the Atlantis glass bottom boat tours return. From the harbour you can see the unappealing concrete Isle of Skye Bridge underneath which you can sometimes see otters, dolphins and seals. It is water that is the big draw of Kyle and it is water that provides the best views of the first hour or so of the ScotRail train journey.

Skye Bridge, Atlantis at Kyle

The first two stations, Plockton and Duncraig, are so close to Kyle that you are through them in15  minutes. But they obscure the view until you realise that the line which hugs Loch Carron as close as a mother hugs a child, is laid down in a bed hewn from the rock. You can only see the ‘V’ cutting if you look behind you from the carriage and see where you have come. In the water there will be fishing boats and cruisers, two masted sailing vessels and family run-abouts. From the train you can easily see that much of the water is crystal clear. In the May sun, the light reflects off the yellow gorse. Unafraid sheep and lambs are everywhere. Some ignore the train: others look disdainfully at you wondering why you are disturbing their snooze in the sunshine.

Houses dot the landscape in their solitude and you wonder how whoever lives there, can get to them. To a city dweller you question where they shop, go to school and where they have to travel for evening entertainment. Or do they just watch the loch and the views? Surely they aren’t just holiday homes? At the station in Plockton is a bogus clock carrying the message “Off the Rails. Where time stops still.” Presumably because everyone watches the loch and the views. And it really is so easy to just sit and watch. You can easily waste half-an-hour just gazing. Now if you had a pint in one hand and a Ploughmans in the other… And perhaps a chair and a newspaper. It would be so easy to rest your eyes for a minute or two until you were jolted by the odd rising fish or bird disturbing your slumber. But that’s what it’s like. Unhurried.
Gradually the loch narrows but even after Attadale (four stops down the line) the other side is an impressive distance away. From one seashore house a black dog goes hurtling into the loch to retrieve a stick. (That’s the quickest movement I’ve seen on this journey.) Over the seaweed it jumps before shaking itself all over the girl who threw it. That water must be pretty cold in May!
All of the views are on the left hand side. You can see little from the right as the steep cliff edges and a narrow road are all you can see. Take a right hand seat even if the sun is on you but be prepared from passengers across the aisle to lean over and take photographs of the hills across the other side of the loch. There, conifers and farmed woodlands follow the coastline. Further up the hillsides, it is rocky and bare  – but for scrub. Look down into the loch here and you will see how quickly it drops away and how deep it must be. Across from Attadale, row-after-row of white houses (and one solitary red one) line the shore. Now the hills start getting taller and a Mediterranean blue can be seen in the water. And the loch gradually peters out into streams and rivulets.

Tree words?

As we get to Strathcarron, across the flat pasture land a woodland of conifers oddly planted on the hillside would seem to be making out letters. Or some crazy abstract living art. Did the loggers realise what they were doing?

As we leave Strathcarron, for one of the first times, there are views on either side. Scrubland, rocky escarpments and bog land can be seen along with crevices cut in the rock side where water has flown off the hillsides into the flatter lands below. On the left hand-side is Loch Dughaill.

Achnashellach is supposed to be a request stop, but it seems to be widely used by walkers some days if you are on the first trains out either from Inverness or Kyle. These hardy souls have stout shoes, poles, rucksacks and protective waterproof leggings not to mentions plastic sealed maps and strange technical equipment, whatever happened to just going for a walk? These are serious walkers! We are into deer country and, despite their size, they seem more concerned by the train than the sheep ever were. Yet some of the antlers belie their train cowardice and I wouldn’t want to get too close.
A four storey, stone mansion is oddly out of step with all the other cottages and houses that have been seen. It has a rolling garden where others just seem to have land. In the distance, some of the taller peaks are dappled with snow. And a small loch- Loch Gowan – appears on the right hand side as we head to Achnasheen. Compared to Loch Carron this is a puddle! But further on as the railway line is sandwiched between two forests, comes another large body of water, Loch Luichart. It’s soon lost as we head inland to Garve and the landscape changes significantly. It is now pastoral, flat and similar to the English countryside. It stays that way as we head up to Dingwall and the bottom of the Cromarty Firth. For the first time the train travels faster.
Up until now it has aimlessly strolled down the mostly single track . Maybe Visit Scotland has a pact with ScotRail so that passengers can take photographs all the way. Whatever the reason, this line feels more like a heritage line rather than a busy commuter service. What Visit Scotland should do is see about an on-service buffet for those of us who didn’t bring a flask. And I’d pay for a pair of earphones and a commentary throughout the journey on what we were seeing. The journey takes about two and a half hours and costs £22.50 for a day return.
Passengers seem – in the main – to be visitors; some Scots, some English but many from across the North Sea. I was surprised by the number that caught the same train back after spending just over the hour in Kyle. It was obvious that they had just come for the train ride and the views. There are few children on board. They would quickly get bored. Most are young backpackers from Europe touring around, walkers or the middle-aged out for a comfortable way of exploring the highlands.
As the train sped – in comparison with the rest of the journey – from Dingwall past the Beauly Firth and into Inverness, thermos flasks and cardigans were retrieved. Cameras were put away and ham sandwiches disposed of while uneaten food was wrapped in foil again, ready for the next adventure in the highlands by these visitors.

A view from the 09.00 to Kyle of Lochalsh

So does it live up to Palin’s words? The short answer is yes but with a caveat. The best views, in my view, cover the journey from Kyle to Achnashellach. That’s not to say that the rest of the journey isn’t attractive. It is in many places and a book to read in between those would be a good idea. But there’s absolutely no need for one as you pass Loch Carron.

What to see and do
Clearly you must start with the Golden Gate Bridge whose orange towers are arguably San Francisco’s best loved symbols. Driving or bicycling across “the bridge that couldn’t be built” affords unrivalled views of the Marin headlands.

The Golden Gate Bridge

Classical sightseeing should continue at Alcatraz – you can’t come to the west coast’s cultural capital and not take a boat over to the infamous Alcatraz prison, aka the rock. Ferries for Alcatraz (www.alcatrazcruises.com), whose A list criminals included Al ‘Scarface’ Capone, George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly and Robert ‘The Birdman’ Stroud, depart from behind the Pier 33 ticket booth. The self guided audio tours are excellent: not only do you get a close look at the prison cells, but you’ll hear the voices of former prisoners and guards recall what life on Alcatraz was really like.

Away from Alcatraz, first time visitors to SF will be enthralled by the cable cars. Designed by Scottish born Andrew Hallidie, the cable car revolutionised transportation in San Francisco when it was introduced in 1873. Usage has dwindled today (there are now just 10 miles of track, compared to 110 miles at the start of the 20th century) but a ride on a cable car remains the best way of beating San Fran’s legendary breakneck slopes.

Alcatraz

Next spend an afternoon ambling around Chinatown – home to one of the largest Chinese communities outside Asia – whose pagoda topped alleyways hum with activity 24/7. Finally there’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Forget the overpriced restaurants and tacky souvenir shops and seek out the sea lion colony that can usually be found between Piers 39 and 41. Close by on Pier 46, visitors can explore a WW11 submarine that survived six tours of duty.

City Lights Bookstore

Top shops
Union Square – aka the city’s heart – is home to upscale hotels, theatres and the largest concentration of shops such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Anthropologie, Abercrombie and Fitch and Bloomingdales. But if you prefer boutiques and quirky one off shops, make for the mural adorned Mission District – a haven for vintage and thrift store shoppers.
Meanwhile bookworms will want to flock to Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Bookstore (www.citylights.com).The first paperback bookstore in the US, City Lights achieved overnight notoriety when charges of obscenity were levelled at Allen Ginsberg’s epic poem Howl.

Best bites

The Farmer's market at the Ferry Building

I hope you’re hungry… food is without a doubt San Francisco’s favourite pastime. The city is home to everything from fine dining restaurants to food trucks and farmers markets – the best of which can found at the Ferry Building. Situated at the foot of Market Street, the former transport hub (with its 240ft trademark clock tower) boasts an airy gourmet market place selling artisan cheese, chocolate, wine country olive oil, organic veggies, fresh Marin oysters and other treats. For a sustainable supper, check out Roots (www.therootsrestaurant.com) at the Orchard Garden Hotel (SF’s first eco friendly hotel). Named San Francisco’s best organic restaurant, the emphasis on seasonal, locally grown produce. For further food recommendations, visit: http://sf.eater.com/

After dark
Vesuvio (www.vesuvio.com) – next door to City Lights bookstore in North Beach – is where Jack Kerouac and Dylan Thomas used to drink. While you’re in the Italian enclave (as North Beach has become known), have a cappuccino at Caffe Trieste (www.caffetrieste.com). Legend has it that Francis Ford Coppola wrote The Godfather here while Beat poet (and founder of City Lights Bookstore) Lawrence Ferlinghetti still frequents the Vallejo Street joint. Opera blares from the jukebox during the week while there are live concerts on Saturday afternoons.

Excursions
Stylish Napa Valley aka the centre of the American wine industry, lies an hour north of San Fran. There’s a myriad of wineries to visit but I can vouch for Robert Mondavi (www.robertmondavi.com) and Paraduxx (www.paraduxx.com) – tours and tastings from US$25. Consumed too much cabernet sauvignon (the fruity red wine that Napa is famed for)? Soak up some of the alcohol in Yountville. There are more Michelin star restaurants here than anywhere else in America, but do book ahead for celeb chef Thomas Keller’s French Laundry or Bouchon (Keller’s French brasserie) as tables go like hotcakes. For a meal that doesn’t require you to remortgage your house, the Oxbow Public Market (www.oxbowpublicmarket.com) is where it’s at. Comfort cooking is the order of the day at Todd Humphries’ Kitchen Door (www.kitchendoornapa.com) – mains from US$13.

Napa Valley

Alternatively if sipping wine in a sun dappled valley isn’t for you (maybe you’re from Mars or something), venture to the blue collar city of Oakland (www.visitoakland.org) to see why The New York Times ranked the the birthplace of poet Gertrude Stein as number five on its list of 45 Places to visit in 2012.

Getting around
Exploring San Francisco is easy – at just 48 hilly square miles, the city is surprisingly compact. San Fran is also that rare thing: a US city where owning/hiring a car is not necessary, thanks to the fabulous (and affordable) public transportation system, Muni (encompassing street cars, cable cars and buses). The City Pass (www.citypass.com) gives you free MUNI rides plus generous discounts complimentary entry into scores of other attractions. However if you’ve got strong legs, you can easily cover much of San Fran on foot, in a day.

Cable car

Sleepover
Accommodation in San Francisco gets booked up very quickly so reserve well in advance, where possible. I stayed in Japantown at Kabuki Hotel (www.jdvhotels.com/kabuki/) which, with its shoji screens and Japanese soaking tubs, possesses more character than most. Rooms can be noisy but the neighbourhood is a delight with sensational sushi restaurants and the fabulous Fillmore venue (Zeppelin, Janis and Hendrix all played here) only a stone’s throw away. Found a fab hotel in San Fran? Let us know by posting a comment below!

For more San Francisco suggestions, visit www.sanfrancisco.travel

Name: Kayla Peterson
Age: 23
Occupation: Office manager of the Casablanca Inn and Bistro

Kayla Peterson

Are you a local girl?
I wasn’t born and bred in Santa Cruz but my family has had a vacation house in the mountains here for as long as I can remember, so I’ve been visiting the area my whole life. I’ve been resident since graduating from college in 2010 and can’t get enough of the local scene, vibe, culture and, of course, food!

What’s it like to live in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz is a completely unique place to live! It’s definitely a quintessential beach town, with its amazing ocean views and cliffs, old beach buggies lugging around big surfboards and adorable beach bungalows. But SC is unique in the sense that it’s in the middle of a forest, so there’s also amazing hiking, nature and wildlife opportunities. Santa Cruz has an extremely laid back atmosphere: everyone is so friendly because we’re enjoying the sunshine – maybe It’s all the vitamin D!

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

What is your favourite thing about SC?
I love the awareness of the Santa Cruz community: everyone is so politically, socially, nutritionally and recreationally active. Locals are aware of the things they consume and where those things come from – there’s a big effort to view things from a larger perspective. An air of camaraderie prevails – we’re all out to support each other, which is great for everyone in the long run! That means great local food, events and goods! All the restaurants around town are very vegetarian friendly and recycling and compost bins are a must!

Why should we visit Santa Cruz?
The better question would be why wouldn’t you visit Santa Cruz? For outdoor lovers, you have your choice of hitting the beach for some of Northern California’s most prized surf spots or heading up to the Santa Cruz mountains for hiking and biking trails, nature tours, and zip line courses. If you’re here with the family, the Boardwalk is where you want to be for roller coasters and arcade entertainment. If you’re with friends or a significant other, there are several breweries and even more vineyards pocketed throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains offering tours and tasting. This one of a kind town has everything that anyone could ever want and all within close proximity!

Capitola Village

How long do we, ideally, need?
To truly experience Santa Cruz, a visitor should spend between three and five days here. You’ve got to reserve a day for the Beach and Boardwalk (spend the day basking in the sun and hitting up the Beach Boardwalk at night for rides, games and quintessential Santa Cruz treats). Spend your second day hiking in the redwoods, exploring some of the towns deep in the mountains and zip lining if you dare!! Reserve a day to see the town sights, visit downtown Santa Cruz and the wharf, head over to Capitola Village for the quaintest beach town you’ve ever seen! Time permitting, take a day trip down the coast and visit nearby spots such as Monterey (home to the most amazing aquarium), the picturesque Point Reyes and the boutique town of Carmel.

How can you tell locals from our readers?
I think that Santa Cruz is one of the few places where the locals actually love to wear their own town’s apparel. Cars, sweatshirts, hats and skateboards are adorned with Santa Cruz logos. Locals have earned a reputation for being a bit…eccentric. There is a huge youth population here; our town is crawling with skaters, surfers and hippies. Santa Cruz attire is very casual – let’s just say shirts and shoes are not a requirement and a hefty percentage of the population, rock dreadlocks and/or a beanie. Santa Cruz natives are definitely known for being the original hippies: one of our mottos is “keep Santa Cruz weird.”

Best sights?
Well the Boardwalk and Wharf are Santa Cruz staples, but the West Cliff walking trail is also a must see! It’s a three mile sprawl on the cliff’s edge that ends at a beautiful beach, called Natural Bridges. You’ll pass Steamer Lane (one of the NorCal’s most famous surf breaks) along the way, as well as the Santa Cruz Surf Museum. You must visit some of our Redwood Forests and Henry Cowell Redwood State Park - 15 miles of walking and riding trails. Also, you’re basically guaranteed a free live music show downtown, on Pacific Avenue: on any given day, you’ll musicians staging an impromptu show. Stick around long enough and you’re sure to find act you’ll love!

Best bites?
For casual dining and cheap eats, Saturn Café is a delight – and it has a vegetarian/vegan friendly menu too. Charlie Hong Kong offers organic ‘Chinese street food’, served in customisable rice bowls. The Casablanca boasts a gourmet bistro and bar that specialises in creative, fresh and local dishes with a Mediterranean twist. The downstairs bar has an outdoor patio that over looks the Santa Cruz Main Beach, while the upstairs Bistro affords panoramic views of the Monterey Bay. Finally if all you want is a good old American burger, check out Betty’s Burger: they’ve got locations all around town.

Penny Ice Creamery

Top shops?
Where to start… SC has seriously good, local shops – the majority of which are located downtown on Pacific Avenue. Marini’s Candies has been in SC since 1915 and are famous for their salt water taffy and chocolate covered bacon. The Penny Ice Creamery uses local ingredients to make incredible (and seasonal) ice cream flavors – think black liquorice, strawberry pink peppercorn, cardamom pistachio, olive oil et al). The Original O’Neil surf shop is located in Capitola, and Bookshop Santa Cruz is still going strong – even in this crazy digital age! Santa Cruz also has awesome farmers markets – you’ll find them all over town, throughout the week, peddling local produce and live music. Definitely don’t miss out on visiting a farmer’s market aka Santa Cruz culture at it’s finest.

Casablanca Inn and Bistro

Where should we stay?
Well I’m definitely a little bit biased, because I’d say that Casablanca Inn and Bistro is the best hotel in Santa Cruz! We’re located right across the street from the main Santa Cruz beach, between the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and the Wharf. Casablanca is a historic Santa Cruz landmark – the original building was built in the early 1900s so it has adorable old world charm plus we have a wide variety of rooms (30 have ocean views) and suites, a gourmet restaurant and buzzy bar on the property!

Natural Bridges beach

Any insider tips for our readers?
If you don’t fancy sharing the sand with tonnes of other tourists, avoid Main beach (by the Boardwalk) which can get crowded and seek out Sea Bright or Natural Bridges – both of which ares less than 5 minutes away. Also, refrain from visiting chain restaurants and corporate shops where possible. Santa Cruz prides itself on its great local businesses: take a chance on a local place and you won’t be disappointed.

Anything else that you’d like to add?
Santa Cruz locals are super friendly! People on the street will just randomly start a conversation with you. So if you happen to be in town and have any questions, ask away!

Continued from yesterday…

The Red Centre
The next stage of the adventure took them on a flight south to Alice Springs in the Red Centre,  the hub of Australia’s gold and gem mining in the 1900s. These days Alice Springs is better known as a base from which to explore the vast desert of the Red Centre, from 4×4 tours and camping under the stars to tackling the Larapinta Trail – a challenging 223km trek running along the spine of the West MacDonnell mountain range.

Jarvis and clan picked up another campervan and drove 310km west from Alice Springs to Watarrka national park and Kings Canyon, a colossal chasm in the George Gill mountains. Sheer cliff faces of rust-red sandstone tower 100 metres above the canyon floor, giving vital shade to plants and animals, and hiding water pools and a sheltered valley known as the Garden of Eden.

Alice Springs

To appreciate the canyon’s scale, most visitors do one of two hikes: a 2.6km gentle walk along the gorge’s floor, or a more demanding 6km climb up to the rim of the canyon. Even Sophia tackled the longer walk, which, says Gill, “is well worth it for the unforgettable views.”

Visitors to the canyon generally stay, like the Smiths, at Kings Canyon Resort, which has camping and a budget lodge as well as a hotel. Some of the hotel rooms have spa baths with floor-to-ceiling glass looking out into the canyon. “From my bath I could watch scores of green parrots in the tree directly outside my window,” recalls Gill.

A trip to the nearby Lilla community, to visit sacred sites and hear about bush foods and medicine, is a new way to learn about Watarrka’s heritage. Almost a quarter of the Territory’s population are Aboriginal people and, since ancestral land was returned to its indigenous owners in 1976, around half of the Territory is Aboriginal-owned. To help visitors find authentic Aboriginal experiences, the tourist board has created hubs in both the Red Centre and Top End to promote and support small indigenous operators.

Uluru

One of the most significant Aboriginal sites is Uluru (Ayers Rock), a sandstone mass 348 metres high, with a circumference of 9km. It’s a controversial site and Jarvis was surprised that some visitors ignore the local Anangu people’s request not to climb this sacred landmark and the government is reluctant to enforce a ban. At Uluru, as at other sites of Aboriginal significance, visitors are asked not to go into restricted areas, not to pick fruit or flowers, and to ask indigenous people before taking photos of them.

On a morning walk around the rock’s base, the Smiths heard stories, and saw paintings depicting how the rock was created and sacred points where Aboriginal women still sit to encourage fertility. The most striking time to see Uluru and the 32 dome-shaped rocks of nearby Kata Tjuta is at sunrise or sunset, when dust in the air filters out the blue of the sun’s rays, turning the sky a spectrum of colours. Watching the magical sunset together, from their campground at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, was a moment the family say they will never forget.
Hamilton Island, Queensland
After one final Uluru sunrise, Jarvis and his tribe left the Northern Territory for the conclusion of their odyssey by flying to Hamilton Island off Queensland’s coast.

Hamilton Island

The island, at the centre of the Whitsunday archipelago, marks the southern gateway to the 2,600km string of coral known as the Great Barrier Reef. At 5km by 3.5km, Hamilton is one of the largest of the 74 Whitsundays, and has a huge choice of hotels and facilities – and an activity that appealed to each member of the party. Jarvis made the most of Hamilton’s 740 hectares (1,829 acres) by following walking trails around its protected bushland, while animal-mad Sophia enjoyed the koalas in the wildlife park.

An Aboriginal-inspired massage at Spa Wumurdaylin was booked for Annette as a birthday surprise, and Gill looked after Sophia while Jarvis and the sisters explored the coast by sea-kayak, spotting dolphins, turtles and huge shoals of tropical reef fish.

Hamilton Island is within the largest marine protected area in the world and huge efforts are made to run it as sustainably as possible. Electric buggies are provided for guests on the car-free island (the few remaining petrol-powered buggies are being phased out), and a glass-recycling plant has been constructed which crushes glass to be used in garden beds instead of shipping it to the mainland.

On the group’s final day in Australia, they took a catamaran out to Fantasea Reefworld, a floating pontoon on the reef. Jarvis, Livia, Millie and Annette donned ‘stinger suits’ to protect them from jellyfish as they snorkelled, and they came face-to-face with one of the reef’s most inquisitive residents: a three-metre long Queensland grouper called George. While lunching on the pontoon they also spotted humpback whales making the annual migration north, a particularly memorable moment for Livia: “They were so close to the pontoon they gave me a fright when they suddenly shot water out of their blowholes.” The pontoon has equipment for scuba diving and an underwater viewing chamber so even non-swimmers can see the bright corals teeming with fish up close.

Fantasea Reefworld is one of three operators in the Whitsundays that has Eco-tourism Australia accreditation; its marine biologists try to educate visitors about reef ecology and the threats the reef faces. The Smith family learnt to identify some of the reef’s 1,600 species of fish, 133 sharks and rays, and 30 kinds of whale and dolphin. They also heard about the work carried out by the Fantasea Foundation, which funds monitoring of the effects of coral bleaching and climate change on the reef.

“We didn’t just have a fun day out; we learnt why it’s so important to protect the reef,” says Jarvis. “The biologists’ passion for the reef was contagious.” All the family were beguiled by Hamilton Island’s natural charm and, says Jarvis, this is being carefully preserved, “because the height of all new buildings is restricted and 70% of the island will be retained as bush and rainforest”.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands

Back in Surrey, there was consensus amongst the family that Australia had been the perfect destination for their adventure to celebrate a collective 130 years of birthdays. “Apart from some of the more challenging treks, there was very little that Sophia couldn’t manage,” says Livia. While each has a personal highlight of the trip, they agree that it was sharing it with their closest family that made it so extraordinary. “Eight days in a campervan is a lot,” says Jarvis, “but the shared experiences en route made every minute worthwhile.”

Luxor is divided into the East bank (home to the major hotels, banks, and the Karnak and Luxor temples) and the West bank – site of the Valley of kings and Valley of the Queens. Over the last few years a number of small hotels have opened on the West Bank – could these alternatives to the luxurious yet expensive East bank options, be the way to woo back tourists in these tough times? I decided to find out.

My first consideration was how to get to Luxor. After careful thought, I decided to fly out of Manchester with Monarch. The overall cost came to just under £210 and included in-flight meals. The one drawback? The flight times (9am outbound, 10.45pm inbound) meant an early morning start and an equally early morning return!

On arrival at Luxor, a lift had already been arranged. The journey from the airport to the village of El Bairat El Gezira on the West bank, took approximately 50 minutes. As this was the first time I had stayed on the West Bank, I had only booked a hotel for one night: this would enable me to look at other available hotels to decide where I wanted to stay. The hotel I chose was the Nile Valley and I actually ended up staying there the whole week owing to the fact that the Nile Valley boasted a swimming pool, was close to the village and a tad cheaper than so called competitors.

My room was pleasingly decorated in white with grey floor tiles and well appointed boasting both a small balcony and ensuite equipped with a bath, shower and good-sized white basin. The bed was comfortable and the room cool,with new remote controlled air conditioning.

Meanwhile the rooftop restaurant afforded wonderful views of the Luxor Temple. The plated breakfast, included in the price, was simple but adequate: expect bread, cheese, tomatoes and cucumber, honey, yoghurt and small pots of jam along with a choice of fresh lemon juice or kharkade (boiled dried hibiscus flowers). If you missed a meal tho, eating out in Egypt is easy. My favourite restaurant was El Fayrouz although the Amon, with its delightful garden restaurant, came a close second.

Part-way through the week, nostalgia took me to the East bank. The national ferry runs when it’s full, so can be slow, but at one Egyptian pound (approximately 10p) is a bargain. A more fun option, at around four Egyptian pounds, is to choose one of the gaily painted little tourist motor boats. Privately owned, most owners now operate a straightforward ferry service between each bank. Taxis are also easy to secure, although do agree a price before you start and only pay at the end of the journey. ‘Baksheesh’ (a Turkish word meaning ‘gift’), is expected.

Luxor is rich in archaeology and so a good guide book is a ‘must’. Sites on the West Bank include the Valley of the Kings, the wonderful painted Nobles’ Tombs, the Workman’s Village of Deir el-Medina and the ‘mortuary’ temples’ of Deir el-Bahri. Cafes offering welcome shade from the midday sun can be found throughout the West bank.

Sitting on the balcony on my last evening I realised this, for me, was a perfect mix. Although I love the luxury of five star hotels, to be a part of village life – even if only briefly – was just magical. Would I do it again? Definitely.

Fast forward to today and few would agree with Gertrude. Indeed The New York Times no less, ranked Oakland as number five on its 45 places to go in 2012 list ahead of big name North American locations like New York, San Francisco and Chicago.

The Times sung the praises of the city’s “sophisticated restaurants” and “upscale cocktail bars” which, it claimed, have helped turn “once gritty Oakland into an increasingly appealing place to be after dark.”

We asked Lindsay Wright, PR & Communications manager at Visit Oakland, for the lowdown on five dining destinations – from $5 food trucks to Michelin-Star restaurants  – that have helped put Oakland on the map

Oakland city centre

Brown Sugar
Head to Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland, a neighborhood that is home to industrial arts studios and shipping ports, for some authentic southern cuisine. Chef Tanya Holland is somewhat of a celebrity chef here in Oakland, recognised for her buttermilk fried chicken and cornmeal waffle combo.  http://brownsugarkitchen.com/

Commis
Chef James Syhabout was named Best New Chef in 2010 by Food and Wine Magazine, largely due to his Michelin star restaurant, Commis, on Piedmont Avenue. This upscale eatery serves only five-course, prix fixe dinners. Just this year, Syhabout opened Hawker Fare, a more casual Asian eatery and a welcome addition to the Uptown neighbourhood
http://www.commisrestaurant.com; http://www.hawkerfare.com/.

Flora
Uptown Oakland has become a destination for entertainment and the arts in the Bay Area, but a number of culinary hot spots have also contributed to the popularity of the district. Try Flora for an experience reminiscent of the Prohibition Era. The Art Deco building is a fantastic option for creative cocktails and house-made charcuterie  http://floraoakland.com/.

Pizzaiolo and Boot & Shoe Service
Oakland restaurants and locals take pride in utilising sustainable ingredients, even for cuisine as simple as a pizza. Pizzaiolo and Boot & Shoe Service, two sister restaurants in Oakland, specialise in eclectic, wood-fired pizzas with toppings that may include rapini, nettles, spring onions and capers. http://bootandshoeservice.com/; http://www.pizzaiolooakland.com/.

Wineries
Many visitors to Oakland may also be surprised to find that there are a number of urban wineries here. Head to JC Cellars or Urban Legend Cellars to get a taste of the local wines produced right here in Oakland: http://www.jccellars.com/; http://www.ulcellars.com/. You can also tour all of the wineries by bike with East Bay Winery Bike Tours, who offer urban wine tasting on two wheels: http://eastbaywinerybiketours.com/.

Thanks Lindsay! For more on what to do in up and coming Oakland, check out www.visitoakland.org

Three milestone birthdays seemed a good enough reason for three generations of one British family to make a long-awaited antipodean journey together.

With his mother Annette turning 60 just a week before his own 40th birthday, and his partner Livia about to hit 30, musician and publisher Jarvis Smith planned a multi-generational, three-week tour of the Northern Territory and Queensland. Also joining the party was four-year-old daughter Sophia, her maternal grandmother Gill, and Livia’s sister Millie.

Admitting that the trip was ambitious and mindful of its environmental impact, Jarvis explains: “Because of the long-haul flights, we were keen to see as much as possible. Above all it was the Aboriginal significance of the Northern Territory and the ecological importance of the Great Barrier Reef that excited us. There could be no more memorable way to mark our birthdays than by sharing these experiences.”

The Top End
The first leg of Jarvis’s family odyssey was a flight from London via Singapore to Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory. This is only half the size of neighbouring Western Australia, yet is still so vast that Spain, Italy and France would all fit comfortably inside it.

Two very different regions, the tropical Top End and the arid Red Centre, encompass some of Australia’s greatest biodiversity, much of which is well looked after within the territory’s 24 national parks and 73 nature reserves.

Historic Darwin was the perfect starting point to explore the Top End, including the forests and wetlands of Kakadu and Arnhem Land, and the gorges and rivers of the Katherine region. With a population of just 120,000 and a laid-back, multicultural atmosphere, the Smith party found Darwin the ideal place to unwind after a long flight.

The city’s natural harbour is even larger than Sydney’s, edged with marinas and bays where the family enjoyed freshly caught barramundi and soft-shell mud crab at Jarvis’s 40th and Annette’s 60th joint birthday lunch. “I tried the succulent Moreton bay bugs, which tasted rather like lobster. It was the best seafood I’ve ever had,” enthuses Livia.
Darwin’s beaches are off-limits for swimming due to saltwater crocodiles and jellyfish, but regeneration of a former industrial site has created a man-made lagoon and wave pool where the family could swim. A big hit with Sophia was Aquascene in Doctors Gully, where for a few dollars visitors can hand-feed hundreds of milkfish, catfish and bream at high tide.

Djilpin art dancer, Darwin Festival

The Smiths were fortunate to be in town for the annual August Darwin Festival, 18 days of art, music and comedy. Another highlight was Mindil beach sunset market (every Thursday and Sunday between April and October), where they joined hundreds lured to the beach by entertainers and delicious food stalls.

From Darwin, the family set off to find the wilder side of the Top End, driving 250km east to tropical Kakadu national park in a six-berth Maui camper van. With five adults and a small child in one van, Annette admits they had to be super tidy and considerate during their four nights on the road: “We grandmothers had to top and tail to make more space in our bed, but it was great fun.”

Jarvis advises hiring from Maui or sister company Britz, both of which take their environmental responsibilities seriously. They encourage customers to volunteer on an environmental project during their holiday, and Maui claims to have the most fuel-efficient fleet on the road. Customers are asked to stay only five nights in any one place; to leave areas as clean, or cleaner, than they found them; and to dispose of all rubbish and drainage liquids appropriately. Jarvis chose eco-certified campgrounds listed on the Northern Territory tourist board website where possible: “Many used solar power and had very advanced recycling facilities to minimise their impact.”

The family was frequently joined at dinner by the wallabies and wallaroos that bound around the national park. They went bushwalking and on a billabong cruise to try to spot some of the other 66 mammals, 120 reptiles and 290 birds that make Kakadu their home.

Nourlangie Rock Kakadu

The Northern Territory is ‘Crocodile Dundee country’: it has around 150,000 saltwater crocs and 100,000 freshwater ones, making a ratio of almost one crocodile to every human. It was on a cruise on Yellow Water billabong in Kakadu that Sophia saw the freshwater version of her favourite animal up close: “A really, really big crocodile, he had very rough skin and I watched him eat his lunch.”

At sites such as Nanguluwur and Nourlangie they marvelled at Aboriginal rock paintings depicting creation stories dating back as far as 20,000 years; at Bowali cultural centre and Warradjan Aboriginal cultural centre they learnt more about the indigenous people who have lived in Kakadu for 50,000 years.

A short drive south from Kakadu to Nitmiluk national park brought the group to the spectacular Katherine gorge, formed from not one but 13 gorges, carved into the sandstone by the Katherine river over a billion years. The family joined a breakfast cruise to explore the rockpools, waterfalls and sandy beaches hidden in the gorge’s shadow, with a guide pointing out the canyon’s flora and fauna along the way. “The wildlife was incredible. I saw five different species of kingfisher in one morning,” says Jarvis. “Before the tour, I wouldn’t have been able to distinguish one from another.”

To read more about the Jarvis’s Australian adventure, be sure to log onto CD-Traveller this Thursday (May 17)!

Continued from Saturday

Strapped into the tandem harness with Vincent, we ran together, feeling more albatross than eagle, towards the edge of the cliff, my mind blank with sheer terror.  No more than 10 steps taken and the chute inflated and we were pulled smoothly up into the air. Settling onto the tandem seat I relaxed enough to take a breath and look around, the lake glistened far below in the afternoon sun, and birds swooped around us in peaceful bonhomie as we glided above the trees and Vincent found new thermals to take us higher still.

Fifty metres away, youngest daughter Beth, whooped with exhilaration as she took the controls under Laurence’s careful instructions.  The entire flight took 30 minutes, and was captured by our co-pilots both on photo and on film for lasting proof of our daring deeds.  After a gentle landing Laurence and Vincent set off for flight number two, with husband and elder daughter – while Beth and I recounted to each other our personal flight highlights and watched paragliders and hang gliders smoothly descend all around us onto the valley floor.

Our afternoon with Laurence and Vincent was proof that such high octane deeds aren’t just for adrenalin junkies in their twenties and that’s life affirming in itself, but equally feels a positive message to send to our children (who at times feel their parents are no longer up for such daring do).

After a more restful and dream-free night’s sleep we had a leisurely morning’s cycle ride beside the lake – by next year Annecy’s cycle path (previously a train track) will circle the entire 38km perimeter of the lake.  After the stomach turning thrills of paragliding we were now happy to move onto the relatively calmer challenges of French cuisine, with a visit to local cookery school, Bocafina.  The school has opportunities for tourists, be they small groups or families, to stock up on their cookery skills and at the same time sample the best that French cuisine, combined with local produce, has to offer.

Perched dramatically on the hillside, Bocafina looks onto the Lake through panoramic picture windows which could provide inspiration to any aspiring cook. The school is a relatively new addition to the lakeside activities and is the personal inspiration of English woman, Joyce Lamy who, two years ago persuaded her French husband and two children to move to the relative calm of Lake Annecy after 17 years of Parisian life as a successful international business woman.  Keen to use her business skills, Joyce has transformed what was a large outhouse on their property to a state of the art teaching kitchen, equipped with every labour saving gadget that money can buy. Engaging some of the best local chefs in the enterprise, she now offers courses tailored to tourists, businesses and locals alike.

François, a local chef who has previously worked in Michelin starred restaurants in France and Canada, and now is a freelance chef based in the Annecy area, was our teacher for the afternoon.  In less time than it takes to flip a crepe François had Kate and Beth chopping fresh herbs and peeling potatoes with an enthusiasm never previously witnessed back at home.  Meanwhile adults were shown how to expertly filet fish for our starter whilst discussing the subtlety required when using white truffle oil within a perfectly balanced vinaigrette.

Kate and Francois

The ingredients for our three course meal had all been sourced locally wherever possible, and François was generous in handing over skills which we would all be able to use once we’d returned home.  Two hours later, and more patience from a qualified chef than we’d ever witnessed on our weekly viewings of  Masterchef, we sat down to a memorable meal which we had collectively helped to create.

Enjoying the views of the sun setting over the Lake, eating a meal which had become an intrinsic part of our holiday experience, and with our only remaining challenge being to re-navigate Annecy’s one way system on our return to Geneva, we raised a glass of local wine to Lake Annecy and the thrills, spills and delights that could be delivered in the space of an eventful and memory packed weekend.

Need to know
Bocafina Cookery School
http://bocafina.eu/

Takamaka : paragliding and cycle hire
http://www.takamaka.fr/

Segway
http://www.mobilboard.com/en/agency/segway/annecy

Savoyard Cuisine at L’Etage
www.letageannecy.fr

We stayed at the Allobroges Hotel
www.allobroges.com

Lake Annecy official tourist website
http://www.lac-annecy.com/gb/index.html

Flights to Geneva Airport from Edinburgh, Bristol, East Midlands, Manchester, Liverpool, Dublin, Luton, London (Gatwick, Heathrow, London City)

With flights to Geneva now from 10 UK airports, its never been easier, or indeed cheaper, to experience the surrounding areas. Heading south, one of the options is Lake Annecy which lies less than 40 minutes by car from the airport; France’s second largest lake and a potentially scenic base from which to take part in a wide variety of activities to keep adults and children alike amused for a long weekend.

Arriving during the Easter break, we decided to test out just what the Annecy area could offer our family of four – comprising two adults, 10 year old Beth and teenager Kate – each of us with our own very distinct holiday likes and dislikes.

 Navigating Annecy’s one way system proved to be the first unexpected test of the holiday, but one that I’m relieved we persevered with, given the delights that were in store. After 40 minutes circling the town, it was with much relief that we deposited our car in the hotel car park and headed out on foot to sample the rejuvenating delights of one of the many Salons de Thé which populate Annecy’s old town.  In true French style, patisseries and tea shops can be found on most streets, and at this time of year were adorned with Easter bunnies and chicks in quality French chocolate.

Lake Annecy's old town

The town’s population is just shy of 50,000, though the main old town is compact and easy to navigate on foot, canals dissect cobbled streets, decked out with spring flowers on every bridge.  Views of the lake with snow-capped Alpine mountains provide jaw-dropping scenery and meant that photo opportunities were not in short supply, however with active kids on the lookout for their first weekend activity, a Segway tour had the potential to be a sure-fire hit.

Our tour guide and franchise owner – Julie, formerly a Parisian communications professional had arrived in Annecy a couple of years ago to move from the rat race that life in Paris has become. Proving to be a patient tutor Julie quickly taught us the basics of Segway driving and we headed off down to the Lake.  Moving your weight, even subtly, around the Segway platform causes a shift in both direction and speed, I couldn’t help wondering whether any Segways and their accompanying tourists had plummeted into the lake on previous expeditions – at a cost of €7,000 per Segway, Julie seemed perhaps too confident in our newly-found abilities.

Segway is now the second most popular TripAdvisor experience in the town, and as we glided along the edge of the lake, already expertly weaving around bemused tourists at 10km an hour it’s not hard to see why; this is a fun and different way to get your tourist bearings. Segway tours can be taken not just around Annecy but also in the nearby Semnoz forest where cross country Segways with extra wide tyres are proving a popular activity.

Dining Savoyard-style that evening meant a high fat content meal, with the local dishes of tartiflette, raclette and fondue, seeing us consuming the annual recommended cheese intake in less than 60 minutes. If you haven’t been partaking in strenuous activity (and climbing aboard a Segway clearly doesn’t count) and you
want to live beyond 40 then perhaps these dishes shouldn’t be recommended as a regular part of your diet.  You know what they say about cheese and vivid dreams – our cheese-laden evening meal had me dreaming of falling for much of the night, perhaps not that surprising given that our next day’s activity would be paragliding.

 Annecy is one of the paragliding capitals of the world due to the unique wind conditions delivered by the combination of mountains and the lake below, which together create the perfect uplift for paragliding fanatics from around France and beyond. With five take-off and landing areas in the surrounding mountains and valley
there are now several companies in the area providing beginner-level tandem flights, so that even paragliding novices can experience the sport.

We chose to fly with Laurence and Vincent, co-founders of local company Takamaka (which also provided hire cycles for the next day’s leisurely cycle ride around the lake) and who have between them more than 40 years of paragliding experience; local boys they understand the complexities of the local thermals and despite the amount of flying hours accrued clearly have maintained a huge love and energy for gliding.  We rendezvoused in the pretty lakeside village of Tailoires, 8 miles out of Annecy, from where we were then taken up to the take-off site at Col de La Forclaz.

As the mini bus slowly climbed from the valley floor my anxiety levels similarly rose, according to Laurence no two flights are the same, it all depends on the unique thermals that day. I was unsure as to who, out of the four of us, would have the courage to do what Vincent nonchalantly told us we would need to do –  run towards the edge of the cliff which stood 800m up from the valley floor, and then keep running. As Vincent took our pre-flight photo all the drama queen within me could think was that this could be the last photo of all four of us alive and a poignant memory for grandparents back at home who forever more would rage at our parental insanity.

To read the second part of Catherine’s Lake Annecy adventure, don’t forget to log onto  CD-Traveller tomorrow!