Want to look and feel five years younger? According to legend, that’s the result when you bathe in Singang Gila Waterfall on the island of Lombok, so Intrepid’s Sally Arnold couldn’t wait to take a dip in Indonesia…
“From the small rustic village of Senaru, nestled between the base of Mt Rinani and the edge of the lush rainforest, our journey begins. We head off though the jungle to the waterfall. It’s not long before we come to an aqueduct-type bridge. We climb the staircase and step carefully across the bridge, which is actually a water channel suspended over a ravine about ten metres below - not for the faint-hearted! We continue following a series of irrigation channels until we reach the river, then it’s time to roll up our trousers, hold onto our guide and cross the icy water that’s refreshing in the heat.
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Thailand: a country where cares and worries ooze away… by Catherine Graham
“Thailand has so much to offer it is difficult to pinpoint just one element and still truly capture its magic. The experience gained from this country culminates from so many separate novelties on so many levels, I guess I just don’t know where to start…the Thai manner, service and friendliness, the temperature, the frantic yet exciting atmosphere of Bangkok, the peace and beauty of southern islands, the delicious cuisine, the quaint stalls and markets, the list goes on.
If I could cover every positive element from my two week holiday in Thailand, I would. However I will have to settle for one outstanding evening on Ko Pha-Ngan, down on party central: Haad Rin beach.
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It can be easy to put a foot wrong when we travel, but thanks to our Intrepid Russia team, here are some responsible travel tips to help you get it right…
In Moscow it won’t cost you a ruble to visit the Sakharov Museum, which tells the history of repression and human rights in Russia from the revolution onwards. Another great option is the newly-designed ‘Eco Walk’ to Vorobyovy Gory. The walk to the city’s highest point marks Moscow’s first attempt at recycling bins, bird feeders for the local wildlife and information about the nature of the area.
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Ask Intrepid traveller Susan Everton what were her Vietnam highlights and she’ll tell you she loved cruising Halong Bay, exploring the Old Quarter of Hanoi and overnighting at a Mekong Delta homestay - but her special stand-out event was the Hoi An cooking school…
“If you’re travelling with Intrepid make sure you join in the cooking class in Hoi An. It was fantastic - our teacher had a great sense of humour and we all had so much fun learning to cook Sweet & Sour Chicken Soup, Aubergine Claypot, Fish in Banana Leaf, Spring Rolls and Green Papaya Salad. The best thing is now I get to make these dishes at home and the food reminds me of my special Vietnam moments. Here’s my spring roll recipe that’s a favourite with all my friends.”
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What could be sweeter than Italy, when the roses are in bloom and the weather is warm? And as Intrepid traveller John Kirk attests, don’t put your Italy trip on ice, because a wonderful gastronomic adventure also awaits…
“Italy offers many tantalising treats, but none so sweet and addictive as its gelato in summer. I pretty much did a gelato tour of Italy with Intrepid’s La Dolce Vita, having at least one, but more often two cones (cono) or cups (coppa) each day.
Within an hour of checking into my hotel in Rome, I was standing at the amazing Trevi Fountain trying to decide which of the many gelateria surrounding the fountain would provide my first taste of real Italian iced confection. I joined the queue in the Gelateria di San Crispino, not knowing at the time that it has reputedly the best gelato in Italy. What a way to start my adventure!
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With the arrival of spring, a special festival has just taken place in China and Intrepid’s Sunny Bin helps explain the history behind the local traditions…
“I always think that the Chinese farmer’s calendar is more sensitive, and really makes you realise the passage of time. This calendar divides the whole year into 24 segments based on the slightest change in nature, such as the walking of the insect and the first spring rain.
It seems like only yesterday I was introducing the Spring Equinox customs to my Intrepid group on the way to Great Wall on 20th of March, then all of a sudden, I’m in southern China on the 5th of April telling them stories about Qingming, or Grave-sweeping Day.
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Kenya Teaching and Building trips focus on helping communities that lack government funding, but how do you get to these villages? Intrepid’s Samantha Finn takes us on a unique ride in Kenya that leads to a remarkable real life experience…
“Let me take you on a typical Kenyan journey in a matatu, an erratic ride on a Nissan minibus out of Nairobi. Something like a rollercoaster safari amongst the smells, chaos and exciting random nature of Kenyan public transport.
We begin our journey with a friendly, yet persistent, face through the window of the bus, proffering a bewildering mix of strawberry biscuits, hot sausages and lurid plastic jewellery. Having purchased some of these questionably essential travel items, you tune your senses to the upbeat melody of Kikuyu radio or marvel at the tightly-braided heads moving eagerly as mamas chat to their closely-sat neighbour. This is all enveloped in the unfamiliar and exotic aromas of hair oil mixed with dust, that is surprisingly more enticing than unpleasant!
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Intrepid’s Laura Carroll knows that sometimes the most unexpected moments are the most memorable, especially in Morocco…
“On a trip through the High Atlas Mountains, heavy rainfall and flooding prevented my group from making our planned mountain trek. After a bit of boredom, we came to an ingenious solution. Apple crumble!
We’d all been missing food from home, and here we were in one of the premier apple-growing regions of Morocco. With this idea in mind we set off to buy flour, sugar, spices and apples with which to occupy our evening.
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