Tiger's Nest Monastery in Bhutan.

On friday afternoon I popped along to another of our client seminars, ‘Himalayan Treasures’, which was presented by Chris Moore from our North and Central Asia department, and Camilla Brent-Smith and Iona Laing from our Indian Subcontinent team.

The seminar focused on the type of trips available throughout Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal and it was really interesting to see the diffent options available in each country. I am not particularly familiar with any of these countries and the seminar was a great introduction to the Himalayan region.

From a journey towards Everest Base Camp in Nepal to the spectacular sights of Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan or a trip along the Friendship Highway in Tibet, there’s definitely a lot to be gained from a trip to any one of these three countries.

I think the most interesting thing I learnt from this seminar is just how different these countries are and a trip here would be well and truly off the beaten track – perfect if you’re looking for a bit of adventure on your next holiday!

If you’re interested in finding out more about a trip to Tibet please contact our North and Central Asia department on 01993 838 200. If you would like to speak to someone about Bhutan or Nepal please contact our Indian Subcontinent Team on 01993 838 300. Alternatively fill in the quote request form online.

If you fancy popping along to one of our client seminars and finding out a bit more about the destinations that we cover, take a look at the seminar programme on the website.

North & Central Asia's Henrietta and Jo have been collecting toiletries for The Christina Noble Children's Charity in Mongolia.

Doing your bit for charity doesn’t always have to involve raising money and this week the North and Central Asia department here at Audley have come up with an ingenious way of supporting a children’s charity in Mongolia.

Items such as toiletries, general medical supplies and bathroom related items are pretty hard to come by for The Christina Noble Children’s Charity, so rather than asking for monetary donations the guys over in NCA are asking everyone to have a clear out of their cupboards. Henrietta and Jo, who are organising the collection, had this to say:

We know that hotel toiletries lurk in the back of cupboards unused and unloved and we are asking our colleagues to bring them in, hand them over and we will send them off to Mongolia.

In addition, lots of us have unopened (or a teeny bit tried) bars of soap, shower gels, creams etc that we have never used and we would love these too.

This is a great way for everyone to clear out their cupboards, treat themselves to some new smellies or even feel good about themselves by buying some vitamins for the kids out there – there is often a lot of scurvy in Mongolia and vitamins are vital to beat this!

Items on the most wanted list include toothpaste, soap, vitamins, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, sun cream, moisturiser, shower gel, plasters and antiseptic cream.

The collection is taking place this week and is just one of the many charity events that are happening at the Audley offices at the moment. We also have a hotdog sale to look forward to this Thursday and this is being run by the Indian Subcontinent team in aid of The World Land Trust.

Hidden Japan season on BBC4

Last Monday (16th March 2009) marked the beginning of  BBC4’s ‘Hidden Japan’ season. A month-long focus on all things Japanese the season kicked off with Marcel Theroux’s ‘In Search of Wabi Sabi’, one of three films which form the centrepiece for numerous other documentaries, animations and dramas.

According to Richard Klein, Controller of BBC4, the season aims to “get under the skin of one of the most famous and yet incomprehensible countries in the world” through the various programmes that will be aired during the month, with the hope of discovering the hidden soul of Japan.

Running until 6th April 2009 the season will include the following programmes:

• Fish! A National Obsession (Keo Films)
• Japan: In Search Of Wabi Sabi (Keo films)
• Japan: A Story Of Love and Hate (Ten Foot Films)
• Japan In Colour: Albert Khan (BBC Productions)
• The Kawasaki Candidate
• In The Shadow Of Fujisan
• AGD Goes Samurai
• Great Railway Journeys: Tokyo to Kagoshima
• Natural World: Buddhas, Bees & Hornets
• Spirited Away
• Geisha
• Gohatto
• Twilight Samurai
• The Sumo Tokoyama
• Secret Life Of A Masterpiece – The Wave
• Natural World: Garden Of The Gods – Hokkaido
• Natural World: Satoyama – Japan’s Water Garden

BBC4’s Hidden Japan season is a great way to learn more about this intriguing country, especially if it is a destination you are considering travelling to. With a culture so very different from our own I think this collection of programmes is going to be eye-opening and really informative – I’ll definitely be tuning in. If you would like to find out more then visit the Hidden Japan section on the BBC’s website.

If you’re interested in travelling to Japan visit the main Audley website for information on holidays to Japan.

A gathering of dervishes, watercolour, Isfahan, c. 1640. From the Ardabil section. © The Trustees of the British Museum.

‘Shah ‘Abbas: The remaking of Iran’ is a brand new feature that I have just added to the Iran section of our website. The feature focuses on an exhibition currently running at the British Museum with the same name. Shah ’Abbas:  The remaking of Iran is the third major exhibition in a series by the British Museum that focuses on great rulers and is running until 14th June 2009.

The feature also includes a page on visiting the British Museum, details of how to book tickets online and travel to Iran through Audley, but most exciting for me is the video content that has been included! A welcome addition to the Audley Travel website I am sure this is the start of lots more, exciting video content to come, so watch this space!

If you are interesting in travelling to Iran please contact one of our Iran Specialists or fill out a Quote Request form online.

To visit the British Museum website click here.

I always think it’s difficult to write about Russia without lapsing into lazy clichés. While there were elements of this, the personal stories that Jonathan Dimbleby uncovered added an extra poignancy and depth to the comments about the vastness of Russia, and the suffering of its people.

I was particularly touched by the choir of baboushkas (grandmothers), all of whom had been widowed by drink, war or tobacco – or a combination of all three. He also visited some more out-of-the-way places – the Arctic port of Murmansk, the lakes and forests of Karelia, as well as the two main cities of Moscow and St Petersburg.

In future episodes he’ll be working his way further east. There’s also a BBC book due out to accompany the series. Jonathan will be appearing to sign copies of his new book in Bristol on Mon 19th May and at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Wed 2nd July. More details here.

Watch Jonathan Dimbleby talk about his new book below.

Incidentally, David Niblock, the cameraman for the series, has a selection of wonderful photos taken during production of the series on his website.

Fortunately, no Audley clients, staff or partners in the area have been immediately affected. By all accounts the Chinese authorities have responded well to the disaster, mobilising the army and emergency services to cope with the fall out from the earthquake, though they have been hampered by bad weather.

Visit the BBC News website for full coverage and more information about the rescue effort.

If you want to help with the relief effort, we suggest a donation to the Red Cross, who have been supporting the Chinese Red Cross.
 
Audley is looking at ways we might be able to assist once the area has recovered from the immediate effects of the quake.

The 10 performers take the ancient art of taiko drumming and turn it into a vibrant and exuberant show, compromising of drumming, flute & shamisen (a Japanese stringed instrument) playing and some comedic interludes. The drums themselves vary in size from hand held drums to the barrel like Odaikos which are up to 6 feet across. The performance takes an enormous amount of strength and stamina and the sheer agility, co-ordination and choreography of the drummers are what make the show so powerful, along with the resounding reverberations of the drumbeats. In fact, the latest production is called Shin-on, which translates as heartbeat in English and it is said that the sound of the drums is like the sound of a mother’s heartbeat to her unborn child.

The Yamato drummers form part of the Kodo drumming school, the most famous and rigorous of taiko schools. The drummers are based for a third of the year on Sado, a beautiful and rural island just off the coast of north-western Japan. Here they train intensively before heading off on tour in Europe and Japan for the rest of the year. Elsewhere in Japan troops of drummers accompany the countless local festivals that take place throughout the year and despite the hard work that goes into learning to be a taiko drummer, it certainly looks like a lot of fun. One of our Japan specialists, Henrietta joined a taiko group during her time living in the Alps region of Japan and can vouch for the pain that goes into the training! Shin-on is showing at Sadler’s Wells’ Peacock Theatre until Sunday 30^th March.To find out more about Japanese culture please visit the Japan section of the Audley website.

Anybody who has met me for more than about half an hour would vouch for the fact that food is right up there on my “reasons for travel.” So you can probably imagine how my eyes bulged when I heard that Michelin have now declared Tokyo to be officially the cuisine capital of the world, with an astronomical total of 191 stars (compare that to Paris’s meagre 98!). I think that my 3 night stay in Tokyo this May to catch up with our local agents will have to incorporate some fine dining – all with a mind to being able to recommend the best restaurants to our clients of course.

The Tokyo Michelin guidebook is out now and provides a mouth-watering insight into dining in Japan’s capital.