Six of the best hikes in Hong Kong

Beach on Lamma Island in Hong Kong - photo by Rob McFarland
Beach on Lamma Island in Hong Kong – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Aug 25, 2018

1. LAMMA ISLAND
A 30-minute ferry ride from Central, this car-free oasis offers hikers a rewarding montage of beaches, history and gourmet seafood. Start with a poke around the stores in the laid back township of Yung Shue Wan before following a meandering seven-kilometre trail that offers sweeping coastal views as it passes the white sand Hung Shing Yeh Beach and the city’s first commercial-grade wind turbine. Finish up with a tour of the fish farm at Sok Kwu Wan before tucking into a seafood feast at one of the bay’s many excellent waterfront restaurants.

Read the rest of this story here.

Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda

Remembrance wall at Kigali Genocide Memorial - photo by Rob McFarland
Remembrance wall at Kigali Genocide Memorial – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Aug 18, 2018

Visiting a memorial that chillingly describes how a million people were murdered in a 100-day killing spree is probably the last thing you’ll want to do when you arrive in Rwanda. But you should. Firstly, to pay your respects, but also because it might be the only reminder you’ll get. So miraculous has been Rwanda’s recovery since the horrific genocide in 1994, it’s hard to believe the atrocities happened in the same place.

Located in Kigali’s Gisozi district, a 10-minute drive from the centre of the capital, the Kigali Genocide Memorial opened in April 2004 on the 10th anniversary of the genocide. The first section describes the complex series of events that led to the civil war between Rwanda’s two main ethnic groups, the Hutus and Tutsis. Interestingly, the initial distinction between them wasn’t based on ethnicity at all – it was socio-economic.

Read the rest of this story here.

Delicious Dublin food tour, Ireland

Inside Camerino bakery in Dublin - photo by Rob McFarland
Inside Camerino bakery in Dublin – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Aug 18, 2018

“I fell in love with Dublin,” says Ketty Quigley, explaining why she relocated to Ireland from France in 2004. “And I fell in love with an Irish man,” she adds with a smile. “What I didn’t fall in love with was Irish food.”

Thankfully, much has changed during the intervening years. The recession in 2008 closed many of the city’s high-end restaurants and those that survived were forced to reinvent themselves. The result was a reinvigorated casual dining scene with a focus on local produce.

Quigley was so impressed that in 2012 she started a food blog called French Foodie in Dublin. Since then, she’s been named the SHEmazing! Food Influencer of the Year, has become a judge for the Irish Restaurant Awards and is one of Tourism Ireland’s Irish food champions. Not bad for something she started as a side project because she was bored at work.

Read the rest of this story here.

Review of The Murray hotel, Hong Kong

Bathroom at The Murray hotel, Hong Kong - photo by Rob McFarland
Bathroom at The Murray hotel, Hong Kong – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – June 30, 2018

THE PLACE
The Murray, Hong Kong

THE LOCATION
A prime spot opposite Hong Kong Park in the heart of Hong Kong Island’s busy Central district.

THE SPACE
A modernist masterpiece, The Murray building housed government offices for more than 40 years before being transformed by award-winning architects Foster + Partners into the city’s newest five-star hotel (it opened in January). They’ve kept the building’s grand arches and distinctive recessed windows, cleverly angling each room to make the most of the views over Hong Kong Park and Victoria Harbour. The design of the public spaces is minimalist with extensive use of black and white marble, but colourful artworks and elaborate flower arrangements help soften the mood. A striking rooftop glass pavilion houses the hotel’s signature restaurant, Popinjays, and there’s a spacious wraparound verandah with mesmerising views over Central and the harbour. Throw in a state-of-the-art gym, a soon-to-be opened indoor lap pool and a lavish spa with a steam room and sauna and you might never want to venture outside.

Read the rest of this story here.

Six of the best Hong Kong speakeasies

Making a cocktail in The Old Man speakeasy - photo by Rob McFarland
Making a cocktail in The Old Man speakeasy – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – June 23, 2018

THE OLD MAN
In less experienced hands, The Old Man would be just another yawn-inducing addition to the long list of bars dedicated to writer Ernest Hemingway. However, the man behind this upscale establishment is Agung Prabowo, who previously managed the highly-regarded bar at the Mandarin Oriental. The menu features seven cocktails named after Hemingway books (Death in the Afternoon anyone?) plus a selection of the writer’s personal favourites, which includes the surprisingly feminine White Lady (a mixture of gin, Cointreau and lemon juice). Look for the unmarked flight of stairs leading down from Aberdeen Street in Central.

Read the rest of this story here.

Contoy Island Tour, Mexico

Contoy Island in Mexico - photo by Rob McFarland
Contoy Island in Mexico – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sun-Herald, Australia – May 13, 2018

“Make some noise for the crew,” bellows an excitable guide. “No noise, no lunch!”

I’m in Cancun, Mexico’s Vegas by the sea, and have signed up for this “Paradise Island” boat tour for what I’d hoped would be a respite from the town’s all-you-can-drink happy hours and pole-dancing waitresses.

But this doesn’t bode well. An armada of minivans has delivered us to a dock north of Cancun where we’ve been divided into groups and allocated boats. I’m in the English/French group and our guide is an enthusiastic Mexican called David.

“Is anyone celebrating anything?” he cries, once we’re all aboard. “No? OK, let’s celebrate being alive!”

I let my head slump onto my life jacket. It’s going to be a long day.

Read the rest of this story here.

Semuc Champey, Guatemala

Aerial view of Semuc Champey, Guatemala - photo by Rob McFarland
Aerial view of Semuc Champey, Guatemala – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – May 12, 2018

My guide Sam has just earned himself some serious brownie points. The climb to the El Mirador lookout is a one-kilometre-long thigh-punisher – a relentless series of uneven rocky steps and steep wooden ladders that would be taxing enough on a cool day, let alone in this 33-degree heat and 90 per cent humidity. If I was him, I’d have wished me good luck at the bottom and said, ‘see you when you get down’. But he insists on accompanying me, despite having done it dozens of times before.

By the time we get to the top, I look like I’ve just been spat out of a car wash. Sam, who’s Guatemalan and used to this humidity, has a slight sheen on his forehead.

Why subject yourself to such a torturous trek? For an aerial perspective of what many claim is Guatemala’s most beautiful natural site – a 300-metre-long limestone bridge over the Cahabon River that harbours six cascading turquoise pools.

Read the rest of this story here.

Wildwaters Lodge in the White Nile, Uganda

Pool at Wildwaters Lodge in Uganda - photo by Rob McFarland
Pool at Wildwaters Lodge in Uganda – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Apr 24, 2018

On paper, a private boat transfer sounds like a delightful way to start a holiday on an exclusive island resort. And if the property was in, say, the Maldives or the Seychelles, I’m sure it would be. However, when it’s on an island surrounded by three class six rapids in the middle of Uganda’s raging White Nile, the trip takes on a rather more intrepid feel.

Adding to my concern is that the boat in question is actually a wooden canoe whose engine is a young staff member with a paddle. After carefully loading my luggage into the front, he instructs me to sit in the middle “for balance” and then launches us into the ferocious current.

Read the rest of this story here.

New Zealand’s best wine regions

Craggy Range vineyard in Hawkes Bay - photo by Rob McFarland
Craggy Range vineyard in Hawkes Bay – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sun-Herald, Australia – Apr 15, 2018

It’s hard to believe New Zealand produces less than one per cent of the world’s wine. So ubiquitous is its presence on international wine lists, you’d be forgiven for assuming it was a bigger player. However, in 2014 it ranked a surprising 14th in global wine production, one behind that well-known wine powerhouse, Romania.

Of course, much of NZ’s fame comes courtesy of one region and one varietal – Marlborough sauvignon blanc – and as such it’s tempting to think of it as a one-trick vine. But the country has more than 2000 vineyards, stretching 1600 kilometres from sub-tropical Northland to frosty Central Otago, which between them produce an intriguingly diverse range of wines.

Read the rest of this story here.

Mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda

Gorillas in Virunga Massif in Rwanda - photo by Rob McFarland
Gorillas in Virunga Massif in Rwanda – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Apr 14, 2018

Mr D holds up his hand and we all shuffle to a stop. “They’re in the next clearing,” he whispers. “Take off your rucksacks. Only cameras and phones from now on.”

A crackle of anticipation passes through the group. Heartbeats quicken; mouths go dry. “Everyone ready? Remember, if you are gentle, they will be gentle. OK, follow me.”

Two trackers with machine guns step aside and we creep in single file through the dense undergrowth. Mr D announces our impending arrival with a series of shrieks and low-pitched grunts. We enter a small clearing and there, less than four metres away, is a 150-kilogram silverback mountain gorilla.

Read the rest of this story here.

Chasing giants in California

Paddling Big River Estuary in a redwood outrigger canoe - photo by Rob McFarland
Paddling Big River Estuary in a redwood outrigger canoe – photo by Rob McFarland

Sun-Herald, Australia – March 25, 2018

Standing at the foot of a coastal redwood is one of life’s great humbling experiences. It’s not just that it’s the planet’s tallest living thing (the highest known specimen is seven storeys taller than the Statue of Liberty). Or that it can live for 2000 years. It’s the awe-inspiring realisation that the rust-red giant towering above you came from a seed slightly bigger than a pinhead.

Millions of years ago there were redwoods all through North America, Europe and Asia. Now, you can only find them in a narrow 720-kilometre coastal strip from central California to southern Oregon.

Read the rest of the story here.

 

In Situ restaurant, San Francisco

 

The Forest dish at In Situ, SF Moma - photo by Rob McFarland
The Forest dish at In Situ, SF Moma – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Feb 24, 2018

Like most great ideas, the concept behind In Situ is so devilishly simple you wonder why someone hasn’t done it before. Invite a selection of the world’s top chefs to contribute a dish then create a restaurant to showcase them.

Headed up by three Michelin-starred chef Corey Lee, In Situ features recipes by more than 80 gastronomic greats – including Rene Redzepi, from Noma, David Chang, from Momofuku, and Peter Gilmore, from Quay.

The inspiration for the restaurant came from its setting inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The museum presents a curated selection of the world’s finest art; In Situ does the same for food.

Read the rest of this story here.

Tour of Nyamirambo in Kigali, Rwanda

Walking tour of Nyamirambo in Kigali - photo by Rob McFarland
Walking tour of Nyamirambo in Kigali – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sun-Herald, Australia – Feb 18, 2018

In a bare concrete hall, women rummage through second-hand clothing on makeshift wooden tables. “We call it caguwa wishyure, which means pick and pay,” says our guide Shema. “You can also say caguwa to a loved one. To show her she’s unique and there’s nothing else like her.”

I try to imagine how my girlfriend would react if I compared her to a piece of second-hand clothing. I suspect it would not end well.

Read the rest of this story here.

Embera village visit, Panama

Boat trip to Embera Quera village in Panama - photo by Rob McFarland
Boat trip to Embera Quera village in Panama – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Feb 3, 2018

After turning off the main road, we park in a small clearing and follow a dirt track down to the river. Waiting for us in a wooden dugout canoe are two men wearing small black and white beaded skirts and bright yellow loin cloths. The younger one steps out of the boat, smiles and hands me a lifejacket.

We motor up the mud-coloured Gatun River, its banks thick with fig trees, palms and rushes. Along the way we pass a three-toed sloth hanging languidly from a branch and an inquisitive capuchin monkey who climbs down from the treetops as we approach. “We’ll keep our distance,” says Luis, my guide from Chimu Adventures. “Last year one jumped into the boat and stole a lady’s $300 Prada sunglasses.”

Read the rest of this story here.

Wildlife spotting in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Elephants in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda - photo by Rob McFarland
Elephants in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Jan 6, 2018

Book a trip to Uganda and most people will assume you’re going to see the mountain gorillas. It’s one of only three places in the world where you can visit them in the wild (the others being Rwanda and the Congo). And while it’s one of the most memorable wildlife encounters you’ll ever have, Uganda has a lot more to offer nature enthusiasts. The country also has the infamous Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo), 10 species of primates and more than a thousand varieties of birds.

Of Uganda’s 10 national parks, the most visited is Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), a 1978-square-kilometre wildlife wonderland in the west of the country. Thanks to a volcanic landscape that includes savannahs, forests and wetlands, the park is home to an astonishing array of animal and bird life. It’s also home to humans, too. It’s one of the few national parks to have communities living inside its boundaries. All of which means there’s an unusually diverse range of ways to experience it. Here are some of the best.

Read the rest of this story here.

Rafting the White Nile, Uganda

White water rafting on the White Nile in Uganda - photo by Rob McFarland
White water rafting on the White Nile in Uganda – photo by Rob McFarland

Traveller, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia – Oct 20, 2017

“We have three options for Itanda Falls,” our guide Wilson says. “Easy, 50-50 or 100 per cent.”

The six of us confer. Choosing 100 per cent means we’ll enter Bad Place, a hole formed by an enormous standing wave, which all but guarantees we’ll flip. I make an impassioned plea for 50-50 but the consensus is clear. “Hundred per cent,” Peter from Belgium says. “After all, you only live once.” Staying alive is the overriding theme of the safety briefing that started today’s adventure.

Read the rest of this story here.

 

Renaissance of the New York Hotel restaurant

Papads at Indian Accent restaurant in New York - photo by Rob McFarland
Papads at Indian Accent restaurant in New York – photo by Rob McFarland

Sydney Morning Herald & The Age, Australia – November 19, 2016

The hotel restaurant used to be something of a last resort. Often housed in a bland, unflatteringly lit space, it was a convenient option when you were too tired to go anywhere else. The menu was normally unadventurous (club sandwich anyone?), the service lacklustre and the experience functional rather than fabulous.

How times have changed. Nowadays, celebrity chefs are falling over themselves to collaborate with high-end hotels. Particularly in cities such as London and New York where real estate is at a premium and competition is cut-throat. The benefits for both parties are obvious – a well-known chef lures guests to the hotel and the restaurant gets a steady supply of customers. In short, everybody wins.

Read the rest of this story here.

London’s best single-product restaurants

Turkey salad starter at Strut & Cluck in London - photo by Rob McFarland
Turkey salad starter at Strut & Cluck in London – photo by Rob McFarland

Sydney Morning Herald & The Age, Australia – November 12, 2016

Ever woken up with a craving for turkey? Me neither. But should that occur, and you happen to be in the London suburb of Shoreditch, you’re in luck. In June husband-and-wife team Amir and Limor Chen opened Strut & Cluck, a restaurant specialising in turkey. They claim it’s leaner and healthier than chicken and is packed with proteins, amino acids, zinc and magnesium. They use free-range birds sourced from farms in East Anglia and marinate the meat for 24 hours before slow cooking it in a secret family blend of herbs and spices

Read the rest of this story here.

Local produce in Vail, Colorado

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company tasting room - photo by Rob McFarland
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company tasting room – photo by Rob McFarland

Sydney Morning Herald & The Age, Australia – October 22, 2016

Where do you go to learn how to make moonshine? Moonshine University, of course. Christian Avignon and Ryan Thompson had no experience distilling spirits, so they figured they’d better learn from the best before starting a distillery in the ski resort of Vail, Colorado. Clearly they were given good advice at Kentucky’s Moonshine University, because since launching in 2014, the 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company has already moved to bigger premises and is now sold in more than 700 outlets around the state.

Read the rest of this story here.

Review of British Airways i360, Brighton

British Airways i360 - photo by Rob McFarland
British Airways i360 – photo by Rob McFarland

Sydney Morning Herald & The Age, Australia – September 10, 2016

When the architects behind the London Eye, arguably Britain’s most successful tourist development this century, unveil a new £46 million attraction, it’s kind of a big deal. Not only is the 162-metre-tall British Airways i360 the world’s tallest moving observation tower but it’s also the world’s most slender tower (a fact you may not want to be reminded of just before you go up it on a windy day).

Read the rest of this story here.

%d bloggers like this: