London is conveniently en-route to many destinations and there is nothing better than breaking your journey to Africa, Asia, or even other parts of Europe, with a fun-filled stop in what is arguably the most exciting – and eccentric – city in the world. A slew of new hotels, and several iconic establishments, bring new meaning to the word “buzz. Like the city itself, they feel like places where exciting things are about to happen and you want to be part of it.
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Just an hour and half flight from Lima, Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca with its 400,000 residents, sits at 10,900 feet above sea level in glorious winter sunshine and surrounded by the Andes. Feeling a little breathless on arrival, we are immediately tempted with a cup of tea made from cocoa leaves, the local antidote for altitude sickness.
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Thimpu – Capital of Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
At airport in Bangkok before dawn and recovered from sleep fuddled text message which read “Welcome to Afghanistan” – momentary panic and then realized I had left my cell phone on during flight from Zurich and must have picked up signal somewhere over the Khyber Pass. Line-up beside check-in counter reserved for monks, a dozen board our flight in saffron robes.
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Phuket – Thailand
First stop for some much need beach time and fantastic Thai food. Phuket in southern Thailand – giant island lined with beaches and covered in lush tropical mountains. Motorcycles everywhere and tuk-tuks – mini taxis crammed with people. We venture out to Koh Yao Noi and Six Senses Resort – an island paradise in Pha Nga Bay. Infinity pool, in distance sheer cliff islands, great snorkelling and beach visits.
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First stop Bogota, at 8,500 feet in the cradle of the Andes, where we stop on a quiet Sunday and decide to go into the city for lunch. In a long security lineup we meet a fellow Canadian who is also up for some lunch and we whisk into town in the tiniest, rickety cab. We cannot come to this town and not stop in at the Botero Museum – the famous Bogota native and lover of the chubby naked female form. The museum is in “La Candalaria” – the colonial barrio of the old city, which is not as quaint as expected but doable for 24 hours. By mercy of a cab driver and our 20 words of Spanish we are deposited at “Casa Vieja” for a “real Columbian Sunday Lunch”. It is raining cats and dogs and we are ushered into a small, low ceiling, tiled floor Spanish bodega.
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Amsterdam to Lusaka – No stops required
Arrive late in night on inaugural KLM direct flight from Amsterdam to Lusaka. Runway is awash with dignitaries and dancing tribesmen. Surprisingly quiet town of 3 million with much construction and several South African style malls, suburban cafes with good wifi and excellent coffee. You can do most of your shopping at the stop lights as vendors crowd around with everything imaginable.
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Marrakech
Marrakech, she of snake charmers, monkeys on ropes, mountains of figs and apricots, belly dancers and souks … all as imagined – narrow, colourful laneways, acres of slippers, impossible to know where you are or where you are going, alleyways full of motorcycles, bicycles, donkeys and greetings from every shop front. Smoke, dust and sunlight fractured onto brass, silver and copper by roofs made of wooden slats … and then a little square with sunlight and some stools around low tables perfect for a glass of mint tea?
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Up and out with our ranger to great herds of topi, impala, buffalo and ostrich mating dances. We go to small village of Nata; I venture into the centre of the local market; piles of dry fish from Lake Victoria, massive papayas, dried casava and cones of red millet for sale. Music is blaring and he local “Texas Bar” is open … Saturday night after all. Julie waits in landrover a little unnerved by stares – not many muzungus come this way. We continue to high school with Grumeti Reserve conservationist who teaches students at local environmental school set up on the Reserve. Students come from this school – five teachers for 650 students and they all feel lucky to finally have a school, meals prepared for 250 boarders over open fires.
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