Sometimes we could do with a little more la vida loca, a bit of the ‘crazy life’, so Intrepid Express reader Jill Cann followed her dream to enjoy sangria, afternoon siestas and all things Spanish…
“Spain was something of a mystery to me. I didn’t know much about the cuisine – I had never even seen a Spanish restaurant. I had heard of tapas, but being from Niagara, the tapas I had tried were always full of Canadian ingredients – the only thing that made it a tapas was the portion size. I knew about wines from La Rioja, however the selection at home was limited and it always led to disappointment. Despite my lack of prior knowledge of the place, it seemed romantic and exciting and I wanted to see it and discover for myself what made Spain Spanish.
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Ahhh, taking time out to pamper yourself while you’re on holidays is one of the good things in life. But Intrepid’s Jane Crouch wasn’t quite so sure, when she heard that this relaxation therapy would include fish…
“Madam, you like fish massage?” “When I heard these words for the first time in a busy tourist precinct of Bangkok, visions of some Monty Pythonesque wet fish dance came to mind. What happens? Will they pummel and beat me with wet fish? Will they apply chopped up oily fish over my body in some kind of moisturising mud pack-like way? Or might they some how use scaly fish to exfoliate me as they run them over my body?
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One of the best things in life is getting to live your dream and Intrepid’s Lisa Rollinson got to do just that on the Road to Zanzibar…
“I’m an animal fanatic! I have dreamed of travelling to Africa since I was a little girl and while growing up I wanted to be David Attenborough. By my late teens I realised that a career in wildlife documentaries was unlikely, but I could still travel through Africa and see all the animals… and continue my dream.
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In April 2009, two British tourists were staying in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where they witnessed a situation that made them feel uncomfortable. An older western man was holding hands with four Khmer children at the Angkor Wat temples, all aged less than 15 years old.
The next morning, the concerned couple saw the same man in the hotel restaurant eating breakfast with the four boys. At this point, the couple realised it was a cause for concern, so they spoke to the hotel manager. He checked with his staff who confirmed this man had stayed in the same room as the four children. Sadly, at this point, they had already checked out. The couple called a national hotline they had seen advertised, but as it was Khmer New Year, it was not being answered. They themselves had a flight to catch back to the UK that afternoon, so they did not know where to go for help with so little time.
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Having lived in London’s urban jungle for three decades, the countryside holds a unique fascination for Paul Joseph. And so it was with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation that he visited one of the cornerstones of country life in the Las Pampas region of Argentina – an estancia…
“Estancias, also known as ranches, play a massive role in Argentine culture, history and economy. Centuries ago these establishments were responsible for making this unique country one of the largest meat and grain producers in the world. The venues are scattered across the entire Argentine countryside and are the source of, in my opinion at least, the best steaks in the world.
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Alan Rosenthal has just released his delicious new cookbook stewed! 80 Irresistible stews and One-Pot Wonders. It’s a feast of international dishes, from jambalaya and curries to tajines, and best of all, the 80 recipes are economical, tasty, comforting and simple to make at home.
Alan travelled the world researching this book, so Intrepid Express asked Alan what was his favourite dish in Vietnam, and his answer was instantly pho. This iconic dish is so delicious and healthy and thanks to Alan, now you can give it a try…
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Every city has its celebrations, but the Fiestas de Quito is one of the world’s biggest. From the end of November the streets overflow with music and mayhem and Intrepid’s Summer Davis loved being amongst it all…
“For six days in the capital city of Ecuador, every night is a public party and for two days at the finale of this independence day revelry every business closes officially. This week most Quitenos partake of at least one chiva outing (traditional open-air bus painted bright colours), squished in the vehicle amongst drunken companeros belting out traditional Quiteno music along with the popular band on the bus roof.
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Some people are inspired to visit Vietnam for its World Heritage-listed sites, intriguing local culture or even its delicious cuisine, but it was the promise of some serious retail therapy that tempted Intrepid’s Lisa Rollinson…
“Vietnam has such an amazing variety of things to do and see but what convinced me to visit was the shopping. I was told it was great…but ‘great’ is a huge under statement. From ceramics near Halong Bay, to tailored clothes in Hoi An and incredible lacquer work throughout the north, I was in my element.
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Before you blow out your candles on your next birthday cake, maybe you’ll want to make a wish like Intrepid Express reader Michelle Geraghty…
“At this point, I’ve had 31 birthdays – each one of them being pretty special… whether it was spending it at my granny’s when I was 4, because I got the bicycle of my dreams at the age of 12, because I got to take photos of Uluru changing colour at sunset when I turned 28 or because I was surrounded by mates having a wicked weekend on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland when I hit the ripe old age of 30. Each of them, a happy memory that’s etched in my mind forever.
But none stand out like my 29th birthday, when I found myself breathless from the altitude (not the trekking – honest!) on the Lares Trail in Peru. Visiting Machu Picchu had been on my ‘To Do’ list for a while, and I’m not the type of person to take an easy route there!
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