An idea we warm to in all the cold weather is a stay at the Bath Priory Hotel, Restaurant and Spa (http://www.thebathpriory.co.uk), which is offering a free night if you book a two night stay. \

Located in the heart of Georgian Bath, the rooms are comfortable and luxurious.

Downstairs, the blazing log fire warms you whilst you choose from the many culinary delights offered by one of the best restaurants in the South West.

Privately owned by Andrew Brownsword (of Forever Friends fame) and his wife Christina, the hotel offers a fusion of relaxed luxury and an extremely inviting personal touch.

The church leans at 5.19 degrees, compared with the 3.97 skew at Pisa. The Italian landmark ower recently underwent a multi-million dollar restoration to avoid collapse.

At a modest ceremony, the German representative of Guinness told villagers: “Your church tower may not be quite as famous as the one in Pisa, but your tower is definitely the most tilted in the world.”

The church in northern Germany was built in middle of the 13th century but a 90ft tower was added in 1450.

The simple design is not particularly attractive. The church belongs to the local Protestant congregation. It was built on a wooden foundation, which seems to be shrinking due to the effects of drying out over the many years.

Since the early 1980s, villagers have been successful in carrying out interventions within the subsoil to reduce the inclination, thus ensuring that the tower does not topple over.

Although the church tower’s tilt angle is greater than Pisa’s tower, it has less than half the Italian tower’s height - and none of its ornate beauty.

The new record will appear next autumn in the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records - unless a new challenger comes along, of course…

In this first of a series we’ll take a look at Montreal. Next month, Toronto - followed by Vancouver.

Visiting Montreal can be compared to visiting Paris, minus the high prices and indifferent service. The island city, perched in the middle of the St Lawrence River is a collection of neighbourhoods, more than it is a single city.

Architecturally, Montreal offers everything from quaint cobblestone streets to skyscrapers. There are ethnic enclaves where you are just as likely to hear Lebanese, Syrian, Yiddish or Jamaican as you are French or English. Of course, the predominant language is French, making Montreal the largest French speaking city outside of Paris. 

Rather than the split personality one might expect from a city that was founded by the French and conquered by the English, it has long performed a cultural pas de deux. In Montreal, you can shop for French and Quebec fashions, eat foie gras and frites, and do some serious clubbing until the sun rises over the St Lawrence River.

Montreal is not just about being multi-lingual, it is multi-everything. You can see those influences, in brick and stone dating back to the 17th century, in Old Montreal. The city’s four universities, infuse it with a youthful verve. Local singer Rufus Wainwright has singled out the city as an incubator of contemporary Bohemia. Indeed, a stroll through the cafes in the Plateau neighbourhood or along the rainbow flag-strewn St Catherine Street, which runs through the Gay Village, proves him right.

Rue Saint Laurent, called “The Main,” by locals, has traditionally separated the French and English districts of the city. In the space of a few blocks, you can find Ex Centris, a state of the art multimedia and film centre, the raucous Schwartz’s Deli, where there’s often a queue for Kosher style smoked meat sandwiches, and the Globe, consistently listed among the great bars of the world. All this punctuated by Slovenian butcher shops, antique shops and endless shoe stores.

Part of the reason for Montreal’s unique character is undervalued real estate. Decades of uncertainty over Quebec’s national aspirations has kept property prices low. Cheap apartments and lofts are readily available for students, artists and those who put creativity ahead of the race to accumulate wealth. People hang out in cafes, they stay up very late, and even if they’re involved in commerce, a business lunch without wine is unthinkable.

Fine dining in Montreal often lasts several hours but it will cost far less than New York or Paris. People come to Montreal because of the European style hospitality. Menus range from the predictable to the eccentric.

Montreal’s neighbourhoods reward the curious explorer: from the French flavoured Plateau, Mile End and Outremont areas to the cobblestone streets and centuries old buildings in Old Montreal, which house restaurants, bars, boutique hotels and design shops. You can get around easily on the Metro (subway) designed by a Parisian.

Things not to miss

The Atwater Market, one of four major markets in the city, is a photogenic assemblage of produce, cheeses, cidre du glace (ice cider) and flowers that’s open daily. Often referred to as the biggest garden in town, the Atwater is located near the Lachine Canal, transforming itself into a gigantic greenhouse come the month of May.

Go to the Canadian Center for Architecture (1920 Rue Baile), for ongoing exhibitions and one of the best architecture bookstores in North America in a harmonious post-modern building. 

Habitat 67 (2600, avenue Pierre-Dupuy) was designed Expo 67. It’s an apartment complex that looks like a collection of children’s building blocks.  The 40-year-old complex has aged gracefully and is now one of the chicest addresses in the city.

In warm weather, rent a bike from Montreal on Wheels (27, rue de la Commune Est, 877-866-0633) and go along the bike-path next to the Lachine Canal, where industrial lofts are fast morphing into residences.

Take a taxi up Mont Royal, for the best views over the city. Then head out to Isle St Helene, where you’ll discover the Biosphere, Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome built for Expo 67. 

If you only have time to visit one of the city’s countless churches, make it the Basilique de Notre-Dame, with its woodcarvings, gold leaf, and stained glass.

Shopping is ordinary in the Underground City, but the miles of tunnels that interlace the city are a work of genius in a climate where winter must be embraced for nearly half the year.

This quote from an online travel blog pretty well sums up Montreal; “The million citizens of Montreal know they are on to a good thing. Unlike Torontonians, who like Toronto for its efficiency, or Vancourverites, who favour proximity to the wilderness, Montrealers love Montreal, period.”

Montreal’s got joie de vivre to spare. But, you’re just as likely to find it at the Notre-Dame Basilica as on the dance floor. Montreal may be a party girl–but she’s got depth.
For more information, visit Tourisme Montreal.

The possibilities are endless. All you have to do is search the internet. Enter the name of the country you are considering, preceded by the word cycle and you’ll find all sorts of bicycle tours.  There are vacations to accommodate everyone from occasional Sunday cyclists and those preparing for the next Ironman competition. Here are a few of the more interesting ones we came across…

Switzerland: While the French Alps are often considered the most popular European destination for mountain bikers, Switzerland’s Valais region is the Continent’s cycling secret. Follow the Rhône River as it cuts through the mountains to the shores of Lake Geneva, enjoying amazing alpine scenery without too many cardiac arrests. Save some energy for tackling the local gastronomy and wines, as you trundle along smooth and uncrowded roads, past vineyards, castles and lowland villages all the way to the slick city of Geneva.

In 1998, the tourist authorities opened up nine national long-distance cycle routes that criss-cross the country on 3300km of dedicated signposted paths, mostly well away from traffic. Cycle routes in the cities are also plentiful. Rentals are readily available: it’s a rare train station that doesn’t offer bike rental. There are numerous chains which allow you to return your ride to a different location than the one where you stated.

New Zealand is a paradise for most outdoor activities. It promises very little traffic, wide open roads and beautiful, undulating scenery to pedal through, from rugged coast to glacier-clad mountains. The Queen Charlotte Track, only 71km long, follows skyline ridges over the Marlborough Sounds to subtropical forests brimming with native wildlife.

Leave your luggage with porters who will deliver it to your next overnight stop, leaving you free to enjoy the beaches and forests all the way from Ships Cove to Anakiwa. The Queen Charlotte track has been purposely built to cater to both walkers and bikers. It is the longest piece of continuous single track in the country and is suitable for novice riders while being challenging enough for the experienced mountain biker.

United States:Of course, everything in America is big and cycling opportunities are no different. If you’re prepared to load up your panniers for the full-on American cycling expedition, pedal a section of the Continental Divide Trail. The trail, at 5,000km, is the longest off-pavement bike route in the world, stretching from Canada to Mexico.

Alternatively, the Sierra Nevada wraps the magic of the US into a bite-sized parcel of amazing mountain and coastal scenery. The Tahoe Rim Trail is the day trippers’ choice - the winding track includes exhilarating descents through wild, ancient forests, plus views of mountain peaks and hidden beaches around Lake Tahoe.  The New Mexico section is particularly stunning; it takes cyclists through the heart of El Malpais National Monument, a fantastic area of lava flows, cinder cones, and lava tubes. The Great Divide Route maps were first published in 1996, and more than 18,000 map sections have been purchased since then.

Adventure Cycling Associatio, a not-for-profit organisation which has its headquarters in Missoula, offers a wealth of information at http://www.adventurecycling.org

Cuba:Where bikes outnumber cars by 20 to one, travelling by two wheels is really the only polite way of getting around. Follow Fidel’s history from the streets of Havana to the deep forests of the Sierra Maestra – the roads might not be smooth, and don’t expect to keep up with the locals, even if your bike outshines their vintage numbers, but the culture, coastlines and jungle-covered mountains make free-wheeling from tip-to-toe of the island a pleasure.

Recuperate from more-rugged rides on the picture-postcard beaches, and reserve some energy to dance to the rhythms of salsa, sounding through the cities of Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

Vietnam: It’s very inexpensive to rent a bike and join the race cycling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, but variable road conditions and kamikaze traffic have taken away the romance of this classic route. Better to pedal in the north, among the mist-tipped highlands where the H’mong, Dao and other minority hill tribes reside.

Ride beyond the west side of the Hoang Lien mountain range, past paddy fields, waterfalls and forest thickets, and then from Sapa up into even more remote villages and the cone-shaped peaks of Bac Ha. With thousands of kilometres of stunning beaches and beautiful coastal roads as well as some of the freshest seafood going it can be an indulgent experience. You can plan a route that’s never very far from a beach and stay in comfortable hotels.  If you miss the chaos of the big cities, just join in the bustle of the Saturday markets as you pass through.

Jordan: Cycle tourism in Jordan is still in its infancy, but those in the know are ditching their camels for a smoother desert ride in the saddle of a bicycle. Pack a sense of adventure and your own repair kit and spend a week free-wheeling the scenic route between the archaeological wonders of Amman and Aqaba.

Veer off the highway at Madaba, cycle on past Mount Nebo and you can see the Dead Sea and avoid the steep Wadi Mujib valley. Then, with Petra, the Dana Nature Reserve and Wadi Rum each less than a day’s ride apart, there’s more than enough to keep you entertained all the way to Aqaba.

Ethiopia: Morocco has always been considered north Africa’s mecca for mountain bikers, but in recent years Ethiopia has proved a worthy rival with its own winning combination of dusty, adrenalin-inducing trails and back-country village life.

Not for the novice cyclist - get on your bike in Addis Ababa and head off towards the Rift Valley, where locals – still surprised to see mountain-biking visitors – welcome you into their rich and colourful culture. Tough climbs up loose scree slopes are rewarded by magnificent views of ancient volcanoes and thrilling downhill runs to eucalyptus-shaded river valleys and mosque-strewn villages.

Bolivia: The Cordillera Real boasts a staggering combination of mountain tundra, plummeting descents, Inca trails and cloud forests. Base yourself in Sorata and explore the maze of tracks that riddle the area, or tackle “The World’s Most Dangerous Road”, which drops from the snow plains of La Paz to the steaming jungle at Coroico in just 64km. Hire a local guide in La Paz and you may also experience the secret grandaddy of all downhills – ten hours of the wildest descent imaginable.

But don’t let vertigo bar you from Bolivia – the perfect white flats of the Salar de Uyuni make for an out-of-this-world biking experience if you’re prepared to undertake this four-day challenge.

Iceland: Skirting icecaps and volcanoes while cycling across the landscape of Iceland is arguably one of the wildest and most remote two-wheeled experiences in the world. From the lava fields and black sand (ash) deserts, cycle into the Icelandic Highlands and back down into the valleys, stopping to explore waterfalls, mossy craters and glacial rivers. The dramatic terrain makes for a demanding adventure, but the effort is more than worth it when you soothe your aching muscles in natural hot pools under the midnight sun.

Not that there’s anything particular wild about Christchurch, the principal city of South Island. Indeed, it prides itself on its Englishness, with its red telephone boxes and the River Avon gently flowing through the city centre, home to dozens of Oxbridge-style punts.

At the city’s heart is Cathedral Square, where you’ll find the Anglican building which gives the city its name. Here you’ll also find New Zealand’s own Speakers’ Corner, which works pretty much the same way as the one in London’s Hyde Park!

You’ll also find trams, although the system is little more than a tourist attraction now. The trams ceased operations altogether in 1954 but returned to the inner city, on a restricted loop, in 1995. Still, there’s no shortage or rail and bus connections either.

Christchurch is full of posh little boutiques and unusual shops as well as the expected big brand names and its compactness makes for an easy and enjoyable shopping experience.

Its other main attractions are natural, with a welter of botanical gardens, parks and bush.

The other big city (although, on South Island, such expressions tend to be very much relative) is Dunedin.

Whereas Christchurch affects a conciously English air, Dunedin has tartan in its blood. The Lay Association of the Free Church of Scotland founded Dunedin at the head of Otago Harbour in 1848 as the principal town of its Scottish settlement and there’s no shortage of shortbread, bagpipes and Scottish country dancing for those so inclined!

The cityscape glitters with gems of Victorian and Edwardian architecture - the legacy of the city’s gold-rush affluence. Many, including First Church and Larnach Castle designed by one of New Zealand’s most eminent architects RA Lawson. Other prominent buildings include the magnificent railway station (pictured), from where you can catch a number of tourist excursions.

Dunedin is home to the huge Cadbury factory that manufactures all the chocolate manufacturer’s output for the Southern Hemisphere. As with its sister plant in Birmingham, England, there’s Cadbury World, a chance to take a tour of the factory and chomp your way through some complimentary products at the same time - just don’t go there before you’ve had your lunch!

Head west and you’re really getting into wild New Zealand. Queenstown is built around an inlet on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin lake shaped like a staggered lightning bolt, and has spectactular views of nearby mountains.

If you ever had a hankering to try out extreme sports, Queenstown is the place to realise those ambitions. It’s acknowledged as one of the world’s best places for “adventure tourism”.

You can bungy, ride in jetboats on the lake, river surf, mountain bike, paraglide and even take your chances on a canyon swing.

If all that sounds too exhausting or scary, a lake cruise on the TSS Earnslaw (pictured) is the perfect antidote. This 1912 vintage twin screw steamer is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Central Otago.

For all the high adventure, it’s the spectacular scenery that abides longest in the memory for those who make it to this part of New Zealand, especially as you travel into the wildest outposts of its fjord country.

The most famous destination in the fjord country, and in New Zealand, is the spectacular Milford Sound, which author Rudyard Kipling dubbed the eighth Wonder of the World.

Milford Sound runs 15 kilometres inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock faces that rise 1200 metres or more on either side.

It’s most distinctive summit is Mitre Peak, in the distinctive shape of a bishop’s headgear.

Walking in the fjord country is a serious proposition and only seasoned hikers should stray far from the beaten track. For the less athletic among us, the best two ways to see Milford Sound are by boat - there are plenty of ships plying its waters - and by helicopter, which will also land you up on a glacial snowfield.

It’s a seriously memorable end to your journey through a seriously memorable country. It’s a cliche, but New Zealand is one tourist destination that can truly claim to “have it all”.

This is a country which revels in the outdoor lifestyle - and using its scenery to provide ultimate thrills. This is, after all, the birthplace of bungy-jumping.

It’s also a country which is immensely proud of its heritage (and whose treatment of its indigenous peoples compares favourably to Australia’s somewhat ambivalent relationship with the aborigines).

Consisting of North and South islands, there is a dramatic contrast between the more populous north and the rugged landscapes of the south.

North Island is where most tourists will start. At first glance Auckland, the nation’s biggest city, could be any other metropolis on the planet. It has the same skyscrapers, multi-national presences and brands.

But stay a while and its subtleties reveal themselves bit by bit. There’s a feeling of spaciousness you don’t usually find in a city.

The best place to get an overview of Auckland is from the top of the Sky Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the southern hemisphere. If you’re feeling very brave, you can look through (and step on) the glass bricks which dot the floor of the upper platform. They’re built to withstand the weight of an elephant, apparently, though that might not be a comfort if you’re not good with heights.

If you feel in need of a rest after that excitement, go down to the Sky Tower’s cafe level, where you’ll be entertained by bodies flying past the window. This is the Sky Jump, a sort of cross between bungy and base-jumping. Cables control the descent rate of the jumpers and at the same time prevent them from being blown into the side of the tower by crosswinds.

For something a little tamer, though still as entertaining, try Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World. This aquarium in the Mission Bay suburb is built in a set of former sewage storage tanks, which now house thousands of fish.

But you’ll never see the real New Zealand if you stay in the cities. The Bay of Plenty region, just south of Auckland, has great charm with its rolling coastline and easygoing seaside settlements.

It’s also where you’ll find the most dramatic examples of geothermal activity - something New Zealand is noted for. Around the Rotorua region you’ll find plenty of opportunities to gawp at geysers and watch boiling-hot mud bubble pensively.

The geothermal goings-on have also led to a burgeoning spa industry in the Rotorua area.

It’s also here that you’ll find some of the best examples of New Zealand’s Maori heritage, particularly at the Tamaki village, where you’ll be greeted with the “hongi” - the traditional Maori greeting of touching noses.

While you’re in the Rotorua area, you’ll want to go to the New Zealand Agrodome to have a look at New Zealand’s most famous export - sheep.

Three times daily the Agrodome hosts the bizarre but fascinating Sheep Show, which features a “beauty parade” of nineteen different sheep breeds as well as a shearing demonstration. You can also tour the organic farm and the more energetic can sample yet another Kiwi extreme sport.

Zorbing involves climbing inside a huge transparent sphere and being pushed downhill. You can have a “dry zorb”, where you’re strapped in for the experience, or for the more adventurous (or mad) how about a “wet zorb”, where you’re left to bounce around inside the sphere with a couple of bucketfuls of water for company. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to climb inside your washing machine, this is the place to find out.

Among New Zealand’s most notable exports are its impressive wines and one of the best areas for sampling it at its origin is the Hawkes Bay region on North Island. It also boasts one of the sunniest climates in this temperate region, with 220 sunshine hours per year.

Auckland may be the biggest city in New Zealand, but its capital is Wellington, looking out on the Cook Strait which divides it from the wilder south.

Wellington is known for its windy weather, so come prepared. It’s also blessed with a harbour setting perhaps only exceeded by Sydney for its beauty. If you only do one thing in Wellington, drive or get a bus to the summit of Mount Victoria and look down on the spectacular harbour view.

Your ferry to South Island awaits - and that’s where we’ll head next time.

By contrast, South Africa’s Garden Route, on the Cape coast, is still something of a hidden gem, although the country’s ever-expanding tourism trade means that it’s less of a secret than it was perhaps a decade ago.

The Garden Route stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River which is crossed along the N2 coastal highway over the Paul Sauer Bridge in the extreme eastern reach of the Western Cape.

In practice, most of its visitors begin at Cape Town and finish up at either Port Elizabeth or Durban, where they generally either catch a plane home or strike north for the game parks, Kruger being the most popular.

Cape Town is a wonderful start for any journey, with its dramatic, big skies and cosmopolitan city centre sheltering under the imposing landmark of Table Mountain. Cape Town’s unpredictable weather - be prepared for alarmingly high winds in any season - means that the mountain is often covered by the “Table Cloth”, a fringe of fluffy white cloud sitting atop its broad top plateau.

Cape Town is the place to get all your shopping done and of course to pick up the hire car - you can travel the Garden Route by train, but for ultimate flexibility and the odd inland strike, a car offers the ultimate in flexibility.

After leaving Cape Town the Garden Route proper beings in the lovely town of Mossel Bay (pictured), named for its abundant mussel beds by Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerden in 1601.

Mossel Bay has the second mildest all-year climate in the world - the first is Hawaii, in case you were wondering. It’s a compact little place, with a modest museum celebrating the bay’s discovery by Portugese explorer Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488 and an aquarium which features a great white shark caught locally.

This last is a reminder that inviting as the Cape Coast may look, it is not without its risks. More deadly than the sharks are “rips” which easily match some of the most notorious in Australia for risk factor. Take care and don’t swim outside of designated zones.

Mossel Bay’s picturesque qualities are somewhat hampered by the “Mosgas” refinery which has been built adjacent to the town, though the plant has significantly benefited Mossel Bay’s economy.

Your next port of call on the Garden Route should undoubtedly be slightly inland - the pretty little town of George, which is also the route’s administrative centre. George nestles on a plateau between sea and mountains and retains many original colonial-style buildings.

George is also the starting point for another captivating detour - the Stellenbosch wine route. It’s certainly worth heading into the interior a little to visit some of the region’s excellent vineyards, with the obligatory tasting.

George is also the turn for a visit to Oudtshoorn, the largest town in the Little Karoo region. Oudtshoorn’s fame comes from a rather ungainly, aggressive pot-roast. It has the world’s largest ostrich population and thousands of visitors flock there (geddit?) every year to visit some of the specialised breeding farms.

The town’s most famous inhabitant not sporting feathers was one CJ Langenhoven, a writer considered to be one of the fathers of the Afrikaans language.

By now the Garden Route’s scenic factor is already high, but it simply goes off the scale as we rejoin the coast at Knsyna (pronounced nize-nuh). The town is primarily built on the northern shore of a large warm-water estuary, fed by the Knysna River. This estuary eventually opens to the ocean after passing between two large headlands, known appropriately enough as The Heads.

They may look pretty, but The Heads have become infamous due to the loss of boats and fishermen passing through their treacherous and unpredictable waters.

Knysna itself (pictured) is a cosmopolitan little town. It has many excellent restaurants and with its mild climate has become a magnet for people reaching retirement, golfers and hippies, thanks to its thriving arts and crafts scene.

If you decided to take the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train along the Garden Route instead of driving, Knysna is also the official end of the line. In practice, due to damage to the line caused by recent flooding, the train currently stops short of Knysna itself too. Another reason to opt for the car this time.

Only a few more miles down the route, but worth a stop in its own right, is Plettenburg Bay. Plet is world famous for its scenic beauty, especially the rolling, white-sand beaches. Whales are often seen off the coast here, as are dolphins cavorting in the surf.

Beware - Plet (pictured) is extremely popular with the South Africans themselves and it can get unbearably busy quite easily, especially during the summer season, where its modest infrastructure struggles to cope with the weight of visitors.

Nature’s Valley is a resort and retirement village a little further along the route. As its name suggest, it is an absolute haven for wildlife of all descriptions.

For a long while, travel along the Garden Route parallel to the coastline was impossible, due to the extremely deep and precipitous river gorges blocking all east-west traffic.

Nature’s Valley only became easily accessible after Thomas Bain completed the Grootrivier Pass in 1880.

A hundred years later, the demands of road transport would dictate the building of a freeway with enormous concrete bridges - a tribute to the skill of engineers and bringing in its wake considerable collateral damage to the environment.

Storms River marks the official end of the Garden Route - a rugged little town popular as a centre for extreme sports, many of them involving water of course.

But as I already mentioned, most visitors will at least push on to Port Elizabeth. “PE”, as it’s often called, is also nicknamed “The Friendly City”.  It now forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, which has a population of more than one million.

PE’s beaches are a magnet for tourists, but the city also has a number of engaging historic attractions, linked by the Donkin Heritage Trail (pictured).

Those who push on a little further along the coast to Durban will find a rather different atmosphere. Durban is the second most populous city in South Africa and has that “big city” vibe. Again, the beaches are a huge draw, especially for surfers. The Golden Mile, with its casinos and conference centres, is a match for any similar facility anywhere in the world.

The Garden Route is a route of contrasts, its memories a series of breathtaking snapshots to treasure for ever. Go and discover it for yourself soon.

The online search engine giant announced recently that it had modified its search tool to provide up-to-date information on the status of daily airline flights.

When users type their airline and flight number into the Google search bar, the first result returned will tell them whether the flight is on time or delayed, as well as estimated departure and arrival times.

The data Google returns is supplied from online flight tracker http://www.flightstats.com which culls its information from airports around the world.

Google software engineer Nick Weininger revealed the new tool in the company’s official blog, where many of Google’s new features are rolled out.

And that’s the secret of the Christmas Santa specials. They transport you, not only along the miles of privately owned-track, but back 50 or more years in time, bringing back some of the magic and excitement of a “real” Christmas.

All over Britain, hundreds of volunteers have grouped together and now run more than two hundred steam centres. Many of the trains were found wrecked and have been lovingly, expensively and painstakingly restored to their original condition, from before the nationalisation of rail in 1948.

In many cases, the track has had to be acquired and maintained and impressive viaducts made safe for the weight of the massive trains and coaches. Stations and signal boxes display with pride the old world charm, made possible by the work of volunteers.

If being an engine driver appeals to you, or sounds like the perfect present, then courses are available at many of these railways. The Severn Valley Railway offers “footplate experience” courses from Dhs1,900 to Dhs5,700 for the more advanced.

Most people, however, are quite content to sit back and enjoy the scenery. And what scenery! These preserved lines travel through some of the loveliest in Britain. There’s the Bluebell Railway in Sussex - where the Reverend Awdry set that most beloved of trains, Thomas the Tank Engine - the Watercress Line in Hampshire, the Swanage Railway in Dorset, Keighley & Worth Valley in Yorkshire, Ffestinog and Welsh Highland Railways in Wales, and the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway in Scotland.

Many of them offer the opportunity to dine in style on board one of the luxury Pullmans. The Kent & East Susex Railway owns a Pullman car called “Barbara” built in 1926 and still with its original parquetry panelling. Several also run murder mystery events on the train - your very own Murder on the Orient Express.

And if you want to celebrate Christmas in style, what better way than on a steam train? Most offer Santa specials for children - so you can enjoy the magic of Christmas through children’s eyes as a wondrous dragon of steam transports you into a magical Christmas land.

Alternatively, simply relax with carols and mince pies or take a special Christmas lunch in the style of yesteryear. For a full list of train treats, go to: http://www.silversurfers.net/travel-railsteam.html

It reminds you that out there, in the gentle, warm lapping waves of North Queensland’s coastal waters are enough stinging jellyfishes to land a whole nation in hospital. The vinegar is there to administer basic first aid to the screaming, squirming victim.

Welcome to Australia - the land where nearly everything is dangerous.

Yet you can’t help falling in love with Northern Queensland, especially Cairns (pictured), its main city (a description which would be laughable elsewhere). Cairns has a raffish, slighty run-down bohemian air about it.

Cairns has yet to totally fall victim to the dominance of global big business which has permeated other parts of the country. Standing on the end of its modest pier, you really do get the feeling of being on the edge of civilisation.

This pier is also your gateway to one of the world’s most iconic and beautiful places - the Great Barrier Reef. Tours depart daily to a boat-sized pontoon permanently moored above the reef.

From here you can dive (the reef must be the best place on earth for your first taste of scuba), view the stunning corals from the confines of a semi-submersible or content yourself with a mixture of sunbathing and snorkelling. While you try not to think of the jellyfish. Or the sharks.

Of course, staying on dry land in Australia is no passport to safety. There’s all those snakes and spiders to consider.

And on a journey through the Daintree rainforest to Cape Tribulation, I learn of another danger.

The cassowary (pictured) is a rarely-seen emu-sized bird which inhabits the denser areas of the Daintree. Agressively territorial, the cassowary has a razor-sharp talon on its middle toe which it has been known to use to disembowel humans. What other country has a bird that’s lethal to humans, for crying out loud?

If you can forget the dangers for a moment, there’s no denying the beauty of the Daintree. You really feel that civilisation has been left far behind, as your four-wheel-drive gamely struggles over bump after bump on the rough trail up to Cape Tribulation beach (pictured).

The toll on your buttocks is worth it in the end. The sandy expanse heading towards the horizon is stunning and will bring out the Robinson Crusoe in everyone.

Just don’t walk too close to the water’s edge. Not so many years ago, a latter-day Crusoe was doing just that when a huge estuarine crocodile sprung out of the surf and dragged him into the water. His body was never found.

Let’s be careful out there.

Sporting Glory

Maybe you’re too unfit to play professional tennis camp, or see your name up there in the world rankings. Maybe not though.

If you still want that sporting glory, there’s always something a bit different. What about trying your luck at The World Championship of Dominoes - All Stars Weekend, in Montego Bay in Jamaica (pictured). It’s on this month from 18th to 21st - and there’s more that Dhs500,000 in prize money up for grabs. You can dine on jerk chicken and rum while you battle it out.

Entrance fee is Dhs575 a day, including unlimited food and drink. If you want to find out more, email the organiser Roddy Schaaffe on rschaaffe@aol.com . Stay at the Holiday Inn Sunspree, where the championship is held.

Dog Fight

Work getting you down? Want to have a major league fight with your boss? Save your aggression for a high-tech shoot-out at fighter pilot school in Arizona’s Phoenix Valley. The aircraft are equipped with gun sights and dual controls, but you’ll be relived to know that sound effects replace real bullets.

Details: Fighter Combat International offers various courses. Advanced Air Combat Mission costs Dhs4,000 for a three to four-hour programme, including 60-minute flight and aerobatics. The three hour Introduction to Air Combat Manoeuvring costs Dhs2,500, with 30 minutes in the air.

For more information call 00 1 480 279 1881, or visit http://www.fightercombat.com

Wagon wheels

If you want to stay on the ground for a thrill, there’s always the gladiator training school in Rome. Geared up in your tunic, sandals, belt, iron, protective gloves and a wooden training sword, you’ll learn all the key Russell Crowe moves.

Details: Gladiator school is Dhs2,600 a day for up to eight people. Stay at the Rome Cavalieri Hilton - 00 39 06 3509 2031, http://www.cavalieri-hilton.it.

Up the pole

Fed up with the sound of your mobile?. Go where they can’t find you - the North Pole maybe? The 15-day expedition leaves by boat from Murmansk, traveling on a Russian icebreaker ship through dense Arctic pack ice.

You’ll be up close to polar bears, and get a bird’s eye view from one of the ship’s helicopters. At the pole, there’s a chance to hike across the ice, and to walk around the globe in less than a minute.

Details: Starting from UK, the 15-day North Pole Expedition costs Dhs87,500 with WildWings including return flights from Helsinki to Murmansk, cabin accommodation, two nights in a Helsinki hotel, transfers to the vessel, all meals onboard ship, helicopter excursions and landings, complimentary parka, and posttrip CD with photos and videos.

For more details, contact 0044 117-965 8333, or visit http://www.wildwings.co.uk

Work it out

This destination is a must for revitalising the mind and body. The Wildfitness retreat has a novel exercise regime. Forget the gym this programme means you will canoe through mangroves and run through the forest.

Your teachers are world-class athletes, commandos and yoga specialists, and shedding unwanted pounds is done the imaginative way. Groups are limited to 12 or fewer.
The cost starts at Dhs16,500 for a nine-day programme, including massages, yoga and nutrition workshops, three daily training sessions and all food.

For more details contact Wildfitness, or visit http://www.wildfitness.com.

The Great White is one of nature’s most notorious and feared predators. Reaching up to six-and-a-half metres in length, the shark is an awesome sight. To experience the adrenalin rush that happens when you come face-to-face with this magnificent creature, head for Gansbaai in the Cape and go diving with these underwater giants.

If you head down the eastern coast for about 180km from Cape Town, dive charters virtually guarantee sightings of the sharks on every expedition. Five kilometres out to sea, there’s a narrow channel between Geyser rock and Dyer Island. This is home to almost 60,000 tasty Cape Fur Seals, and therefore a natural feeding ground for the Great Whites.

It all sounds like the experience of a lifetime, but the way these dives are run has caused some contention within the diving community. The dive charters “chum” the water around the boats with a mixture of sardines and fish oil in order to draw the sharks as close as possible. A large piece of bait is then dangled just above the surface, holding the shark’s attention for as long as possible, so the divers have a great view of the world’s most frightening creature from the safety of a cage.

This makes the sharks mega-excited and the divers get their Jaws experience - but it’s not the creature’s natural state and there’s a worry about the effect on their long-term behaviour patterns. It’s a fact that number of shark attacks in the Cape has gone up since the initiation of these cage dives, which may be due to the sharks linking man to food. There’s a rumour that the sharks have become so used to being fed from the boats they are beginning to hang around even before the water is chummed.

But there’s no doubt that the Great Whites are amazing hunting machines - incredibly graceful and beautiful in their own right. Being in the water with one, with just a cage as protection is probably as close an encounter as anyone would want.

For more about the shark dives, follow this link.

Although the local villagers have a tradition of sorcery, with stories of many strange happenings in the past, these days, the festival it is more of a folklore event than a witches’ coven. Up to 1,500 people from all over France get together to sing, dance and revive old, or lost, traditions.

The day starts with a mass in the church, followed by open-air entertainment all afternoon. In the evening, there’s an open-air dinner, with lots of folk dancing. If you find yourself passing through the wonderful wine country of Sancerre on the first Sunday in August, then it’s worth paying Bué-en-Sancerre a visit. There’s also the added benefit of being able to sample the marvellous wines and locally made crottin de Chavignol goat’s cheese.

http://www.berry-passion.com/berry_sorcellerie.htm" target="_blank">Click here for photos of the event

It now tops the list of 25 tourist experiences in the UK and Ireland including activities like, surfing in Newquay, experiencing the Glastonbury Festival and hiking in Snowdonia.

Mark Ellingham, series editor and Rough Guides founder, sums up his UK readers’ views: “When we think of holidays, a lot of people immediately associate this with going abroad. But, believe it or not, you don’t actually have to jump on a plane to have an amazing time.”

The Fringe and Beyond

The city of Edinbugh certainly has a lot to offer this month. The official Edinburgh International Festival, from 10th August to 2nd September, concentrates on what some like to call “the high arts,” a classical collection of dance theatre and opera to rival any in the world.

While this is going on, the now famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival 5th-27th August has already kicked in. Its performances are more spontaneous, zany and sometimes just simply outrageous. In 2006 the fringe offered 28,014 performances of 1867 shows in 261 venues, with a total of 17,000 performers. Impressive!

True to the guidelines laid down when it started in 1947, anybody who can raise the funds to pay for a venue is welcome to join in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

No wonder it’s the largest arts festival in the world, and 60 years on, the organisers are bound to pull something special out of the hat for 2007. Let’s hope the weather is kind to the outdoor entertainers, after the deluges that descended on the UK in July.

For more information on this year’s fringe productions check out: http://www.edfringe.com/

For all the details on the Edinburgh International Festival of classical music, theatre, opera and dance go to: http://www.eif.co.uk/

The calypso competition is the crescendo of the carnival season, where the island’s premier performers pit their lyrical and musical abilities against each other to win the coveted Calypso Monarch title. The run-up begins months in advance, with competitors performing nightly for audiences eager to hear the latest sounds.

There’s also a beauty queen competition, a steel band competition called Panorama and a King and Queen of the Band competition, where band members compete in elaborate costumes before a panel of judges. Jammed in there is a “jam” featuring top soca acts from all around the Caribbean.

The climax is a kaleidoscope of colour and sound on Carnival Tuesday when all the costumed bands take to the streets for a day of full-on fun. Be there!

http://www.stlucia.org/

http://www.luciancarnival.com/