The ubiquitous smartphone: fast becoming the ideal companion when abroad

Today, there are literally thousands of travel apps (or applications) on the market for smartphones. I’ve picked my top 10, some of which are free to download.

Have a look and see if you agree?

If you have a favourite travel app which isn’t on this list, send it to us via the comments field!

1. Postagram Travel App

Take a photo with your smartphone and with the click of a button, Postagram will mail a physical postcard, along with a 140-character message of your choosing, anywhere in the world. It currently costs the equivalent of 99 US cents per postcard.

2. Off Exploring

There’s no need to lug a heavy laptop around anymore. With the Off Exploring app on your smartphone you can add your locations and photographs. You even get your own free web address so that friends and family can not only see what you’re up to, they can leave comments as well.

3. Google Translate

Often the most daunting aspect for many people when abroad is the language barrier. However, with Goggle’s Translate app things are now a whole lot easier. Type or speak into your phone and let it instantly translate into 17 languages. You’ll need to speak clearly though!  

4. GeoTipper
Tipping can be a bit of a minefield when abroad, sometimes leading to embarrassing situations. Geo Tipper works by giving you recommendations on how much you should add to your bill. It currently covers 42 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

5. Photosynth

Reviewing your photos often comes with a tinge of disappointment and the reason is often because you’re only seeing a part of what your eyes originally saw. With Photosynth, however, you can stitch together your photos to create real panoramic images. You can even send 360-degree views to friends and family while you’re abroad. 

6. TuneIn Radio

It’s comforting to take some old favourites with when travelling. With the TuneIn Radio app you can now take with you your favourite radio stations, music artists, sports and many more. It currently offers over 50,000 stations for you to choose from.

 7. Google Sky Map

Some locations in the world are perfect for the Google Sky Map app; if you’re in the middle of the Outback or Atacama Desert, simply point your phone at the night sky and it will show the planets and constellations.

8. Currency Exchange

We all need to know how much our money is worth when abroad. With the Currency Exchange app you can make sure you haven been short-changed, or are getting the best rate. This app is always up-to-date as well as it tracks currency changes around the world in real time.

9. Weather Pro

If you’re British, chances are you’ll be obsessed by the weather, so you’ll definitely want this app. It features seven-day forecasts and reports for over two million locations around the world, which includes Europe, America, Africa and Asia.

10. Trailhead

If your holidays are activity based then the Trailhead app could be for you. It finds walking/hiking trails and bike routes in your location, based on your GPS coordinates. It also tracks your route, distance, speed and elevation in real-time. You can then download this data onto a map to see exactly where you’ve been.

A whale breaching, showing its white belly

Two of our clients have just returned from an incredible whale watching trip in Argentina. The trip was taken whilst visiting Peninsula Valdes, where they had some close encounters with southern right whales. Susan Gandar shares her experience with us.

‘Look, there, at eight o’clock, a female being chased by five males …’

We were cruising out of Puerto Pirámides into the calm waters of the Golfo Nuevo where, from mid-June through to mid-November, the southern right whale comes to breed.  

‘The male whale has two testicles. Each weighs 500 kg …’

With a slap of her tail, sixteen metres of female dived directly under our prow hotly pursued by her five ‘ballena franca austral’ admirers, each weighing in at around sixty tons. A fountain of pungently fishy seawater was blown up into the air. Paula, our guide, laughed. 

‘Don’t worry. He’s only playing!’

They are called ‘right whales’ because they were the ‘right’ ones to hunt. They floated when killed, yielded copious amounts of oil and were also incredibly docile and friendly often swimming right up to the boat that was out there to get them. They were, worldwide, hunted almost to extinction. Today, in Argentina, they are a ‘National Natural Monument’, protected from the moment they enter Argentine territorial waters. 

‘Look, over there, a baby boy …’

He nudged at his mother hungrily.

‘He wants to feed but she only has so much milk. She has to make sure she has enough to get him, safely, back to Antarctica. A two month journey …’

The mother opened her mouth. 

‘And there are the baleen plates she uses to filter the water for food. But there’s no krill here. By the time she gets back to Antarctica, to the feeding grounds, she will have been eight months without food …’

The baby nudged again and, this time, slowly, and with voluptuous grace, the mother rolled over onto her back. Cameras were put down, mouths closed, hands groped for tissues. Even Paula became silent. We stood there, staring down at the mother and baby lying there together, the baby’s head propped up on her white belly, her tail entwined gently round his tail. None of us had any seen, or will ever see, ever again, anything quite so beautiful. Or so humbling.

Click on the images below in the gallery to make them bigger.

Thanks go to Susan and Martin Gandar for supplying the text and images for this piece.

Susan and Martin spent four nights in Buenos Aires, before flying south to El Calafate and visiting El Chalten for two days trekking. They then flew north to Trelew, staying for three nights in Puerto Madryn, using the Hotel Territorio as a base to explore the Peninsula Valdes, including the penguin colony at Punta Tombo, the sealion colony at Punta Loma and the whale watching trip above. They finished their trip with a stay at the Sheraton sited inside the Iguazú National Park.

If you are planning a visit to Argentina or South America browse our website for more information or speak to one of our specialists on 01993 838 630.

Baby dolphin being bottle fed

A beached baby dolphin, found alive with its umbilical cord still attached, is being hand-reared in Uruguay.

The female La Plata dolphin was found on a beach near Montevideo city and was sent to the non-government wildlife rescue organisation S.O.S Rescate Fauna Marina.

Head of S.O.S Rescate Fauna Marina, Richard Tesore, has been bottle-feeding the little dolphin and taking her from her small tank at the rescue centre for swims in the sea.

Only last year a dolphin was rescued by the Rescate Fauna Marina in similar circumstances, with injuries possibly caused by a fishing net. Enlarge the images below by clicking on the photos.

The La Plata dolphin or Franciscana is found in the coastal Atlantic waters of southeastern South America. It is a member of the river dolphin group and the only one that actually lives in the ocean and saltwater estuaries rather than fresh water.

If you’re planning a trip to Uruguay browse the South America section of our website or contact our specialists by phone on 01993 838 650.

Machu Picchu, Peru

The treasures of Machu Picchu are finally returning to Peru, after spending the last century in the Connecticut city of New Haven. 

American explorer Hiram Bingham took  the Inca artefacts to America after discovering the ruins in 1911, with the intention of borrowing them for a limited period of research, but they have remained at Yale University ever since. 

The new museum in Cusco, the Casa Concha, is a suitably impressive building for the exhibition of treasures. Once the Palace of Topa Inca, one of the most successful Inca Emperors, the Inca foundations were overlaid with fine colonial decoration, niches of well-cut granite ashlars and baroque murals of Spanish saints. For decades many of the old Inca and colonial features had been stuccoed over while the building was used as Cusco’s police headquarters, but now a full restoration of the building has revealed its former glories.

370 of the artefacts have now been repatriated from Yale to the museum. On display are musicians’ instruments, beautiful plates with bird’s heads for handles, broach pins, a pair of ceramic dice and even human remains, revealing how cosmopolitan and playful the court of the Inca Emperor was. It is likely however that many treasures were looted from Machu Picchu long before Hiram Bingham discovered the site in 1911.

The opening of the museum in Cusco is a celebration for tourists as well as locals, pleased to see the Inca artefacts back in the city where they belong and on display for everyone to enjoy.

Our Peru specialists can put together an individual tailor-made trip to Peru including Machu Picchu. You can contact them online or by phone on 01993  838 620. View our Machu Picchu travel guide for more information on visiting Machu Picchu.

Audley Food Festival 2011

Friday 23rd September 2011 was the date of the first ever Audley Food Festival and, as with anything food related at Audley, the event was tipped to be a merry affair!

With each department given the task of cooking food from their region of the world and decorating their stands accordingly, the pressure was on to outshine the rest. More importantly, the event was being attended by Masterchef runner-up (and brother to Ben Whitaker, one of Audley’s India specialists) Tom Whitaker, whose job it was to taste test all of the food on offer before choosing a winning department.

For those of us who do not cover a specific area of the world, we were able to pick another country or region not covered by our programmes. The Ticketing department chose to represent Italy, while the Upper West Wing, which consists of e-Commerce, Marketing, I.T, Finance, HR, Commercial, Operations and Journey Desk, went with a USA theme, or more specifically, the TV programme, ‘The West Wing’.

With a fine spread on offer, the tasting began and not surprisingly it didn’t take long for the rest of the company to follow suit, tucking into such delights as Hoth’s Khmer curry and a tasty North African tagine.

After Ticketing and Upper West Wing were crowned the overall winners by Tom, it was time for the Masterchef contestant to give a select few employees a lesson in butchery and knife skills before the two winning teams went head-to-head with a Ready, Steady, Cook style omelette making competition. After some more taste testing by Tom, who was faced with some very dodgy-looking omelettes, the Ticketing department finally walked away with the prestigious title of ‘Winning Stand’.

The evening’s festivities continued with a bake sale and more food and drink before the sun went down.

Many thanks to Tom for popping along to teach us a thing or two about cooking, as well as judging some appealing (and not so appealing!) dishes! A big pat on the back also to Audley’s social committee for arranging such a successful social event, I certainly hope we will get to indulge again next year!

Uluru or Ayers Rock in Australia has been shotlisted for the new 7 wonders of the natural world

A global campaign organised by a Swiss philanthropist has begun to decide the seven wonders of the natural world, out of 28 that have been shortlisted.

Voting will take place until November on the New 7 Wonders of the World website, so get your vote in soon if you would like to take part.

From the Galapagos Islands to Halong Bay in Vietnam, many of the 28 wonders on the shortlist can be visited on a tailor-made trip with Audley. The finalists include:

• The Amazon
• The Galapagos
• Iguazu Falls
• Komodo National Park, Indonesia
• Milford Sound, New Zealand
• Table Mountain, South Africa
• Angel Falls, Venezuela
• Jeita Grotto, Lebanon
• The Maldives
• Uluru, Australia
• Bay of Fundy, Canada
• Dead Sea, Jordan
• Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• PP Underground river, Philippines
• Halong Bay, Vietnam
• Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

 Don’t miss out on your opportunity to vote now!

Peruvian Amazon

Google’s next Street View project will capture 360 degree images of the Amazon to share with the world.

In the past week the Google team have been sailing down rivers and riding bikes through the villages of the world’s largest rainforest with 360 degree cameras, to give us an insight into Amazon life far off the beaten track.

Dance Fusion Spectacular – Monday 10th October 2011
London Palladium, 7.30pm

If you love all things Latin American than you are bound to love this show. Venezuela Viva! is a vibrant and colourful musical extravaganza with dancing, carnival style costumes and Caribbean and South American rhythms.

The dances and specially commissioned music tell of the origin and history of Venezuela from the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors 500 years ago to the present, showing how the spanish, indigenous population and African slaves blended their cultures to create a truly rich new art form.

The show combines Arabic influences with classic flamenco, Afro-Venezuelan drumming, the double rhythm of joropo (ho-roh-poh) and Caribbean salsa. The result is a new and exciting, uniquely Venezuelan show bursting with tropical energy and flamenco passion.

To find out more visit the Viva Venezuela website. To find out more about arranging a tailor-made trip to Venezuela, visit the Venezuela section on our website, or call our Venezuela specialists on 01993 838625. 

Tickets £15, £25, £45, £60, £100
 

Ed Stafford in the Amazon

Thursday 30 June, Channel 5, 9pm

The first episode of this two-part documentary surprisingly had me on the edge of my seat.

Following former British Army Captain Ed Stafford as he attempts to walk the entire length of the Amazon River with his friend and adventurer Luke Collier, I imagined lots of dramatic scenery and male bonding.

The programme certainly conveys a true flavour of the Amazon and its people, with a handful of scenic shots, but essentially we experience mainly the lows of Ed’s trip, the obstacles he has to overcome and the hostility of the jungle.

In last week’s episode Ed and his friend almost died whilst trying to scale a huge mountain of shale in Crocs (surely the most impractical shoe for such a challenge!) to reach the source of the river.

Barbequed monkeys, tortoise liver, mummified body parts and severe dehydration punctuate the rest of their journey from Peru to Brazil. Lovesick Luke then abandons his friend, rowing off in a dinghy, just as they approach the drug smuggling region.

After receiving death threats from villagers, the guide also chooses to abandon poor Ed and he is left to complete the journey alone.

With the promise of hunger, disease and parasites in the final episode, I can’t wait…

To experience the Amazon for yourself (in a tamer, more enjoyable capacity!) visit our website and browse our suggested itineraries.

The McCurdie family celebrate Christmas Day in the Masai Mara, Kenya

“Our visit to Malacca was an intriguing end to our visit to Malaysia, a country where numerous traditions, religions, cultures and cuisines meet and blend harmoniously.”
Nigel Wright, Malaysia

“Our heads and hearts are full of the images, sights, sounds, and smells, but perhaps the most lingering image of all is the one of the Cambodian people.”
Valerie and Raymond Gatward, Cambodia

“To have spent the time with the wonderfully friendly people of the Governor’s Camp among the enchanting wildlife of the Masai Mara made it an experience we shall treasure forever.”
Dr Ian McCurdie, Masai Mara in Kenya

These are just some of the comments we have received and which you can read in full in our Client Stories section of the Audley Magazine.

How to send us your Audley travel stories
It’s easy, if you’ve been on a trip with us simply click on this link and upload your text and photos. If you do you’ll also have a chance to win a £50 Bobbooks’ photobook voucher.

The route of the second voyage of HMS Beagle (1831-1836)

On this day 175 years ago HMS Beagle anchored in Simons Bay, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. It was on a momentous five year voyage and on board was a man who would become the world’s most famous naturalist – Charles Darwin.

Following in Darwin’s footsteps (or perhaps wake might be more appropriate) nowadays is a little tricky unless you have lots of money and around five years to spare, but with Audley you can visit many of the places he visited. To this end I have listed some of these and accompanied each with a quote from his journal in which he describes what he finds in these places.

Galapagos Islands
“[of a lizard] A seaman on board sank one, with a heavy weight attached to it, thinking thus to kill it directly; but when, an hour afterwards, he drew up the line, it was quite active. Their limbs and strong claws are admirably adapted for crawling over the rugged and fissured masses of lava which everywhere form the coast. In such situations a group of six or seven of these hideous reptiles may oftentimes be seen on the black rocks, a few feet above the surf, basking in the sun with outstretched legs.”

Salvador, Bahia Coast, Brazil
“Amongst the Batrachian reptiles, I found only one little toad (Phryniscus nigricans), which was most singular from its colour. If we imagine, first, that it had been steeped in the blackest ink, and then, when dry, allowed to crawl over a board, freshly painted with the brightest vermilion, so as to colour the soles of its feet and parts of its stomach, a good idea of its appearance will be gained.”

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
“Considering the enormous area of Brazil, the proportion of cultivated ground can scarcely be considered as anything compared to that which is left in the state of nature: at some future age, how vast a population it will support! During the second day’s journey we found the road so shut up that it was necessary that a man should go ahead with a sword to cut away the creepers. The forest abounded with beautiful objects; among which the tree ferns, though not large, were, from their bright green foliage, and the elegant curvature of their fronds, most worthy of admiration.”

Maldonado, near Montevideo, Uruguay
“Of lizards there were many kinds, but only one (Proctotretus multimaculatus) remarkable from its habits. It lives on the bare sand near the sea-coast, and from its mottled colour, the brownish scales being speckled with white, yellowish red, and dirty blue, can hardly be distinguished from the surrounding surface. When frightened, it attempts to avoid discovery by feigning death, with outstretched legs, depressed body, and closed eyes: if further molested, it buries itself with great quickness in the loose sand. This lizard, from its flattened body and short legs, cannot run quickly.”

Falkland Islands
“The only quadruped native to the island is a large wolf-like fox (Canis antarcticus), which is common to both East and West Falkland. I have no doubt it is a peculiar species, and confined to this archipelago; because many sealers, Gauchos, and Indians, who have visited these islands, all maintain that no such animal is found in any part of South America. Molina, from a similarity in habits, thought that this was the same with his “culpeu”; but I have seen both, and they are quite distinct.”

Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
“In the morning I went out walking; but I soon found that the country was very impracticable. All the hills are thickly covered with tall fern, together with a low bush which grows like a cypress; and very little ground has been cleared or cultivated. I then tried the sea-beach; but proceeding towards either hand, my walk was soon stopped by salt-water creeks and deep brooks. The communication between the inhabitants of the different parts of the bay is almost entirely kept up by boats.”

Sydney, Australia
“At sunset, a party of a score of the black aborigines passed by, each carrying, in their accustomed manner, a bundle of spears and other weapons. By giving a leading young man a shilling, they were easily detained, and threw their spears for my amusement. They were all partly clothed, and several could speak a little English: their countenances were good-humoured and pleasant, and they appeared far from being such utterly degraded beings as they have usually been represented. In their own arts they are admirable.”

Mauritius
“The brilliancy of the green was the more remarkable because it is a colour which generally is conspicuous only from a very short distance. Towards the centre of the island groups of wooded mountains rose out of this highly cultivated plain; their summits, as so commonly happens with ancient volcanic rocks, being jagged into the sharpest points. Masses of white clouds were collected around these pinnacles, as if for the sake of pleasing the stranger’s eye. The whole island, with its sloping border and central mountains, was adorned with an air of perfect elegance: the scenery, if I may use such an expression, appeared to the sight harmonious.”

Footnote
An international group of scientists hope to recreate this voyage aboard a modern replica of HMS Beagle. They plan to set sail from London in 2014 assuming they raise the necessary $34 million to pay for the build and subsequent five year trip.

The Rio carnival in Brazil

Brazil’s capital city has been a hive of activity over the last couple of days as the annual Rio carnival takes place.

Playing host to street parties, bands, samba parades and balls, the carnival, which this year runs from 5th to 8th March, attracts over 1 million tourists who join locals on the streets for the country’s biggest party.

The carnival is most famous for its samba parade, where samba schools are judged on their costumes, flow and spirit, percussion band, samba song and float amongst other categories in the carnival’s fierce and colourful competition.

To find out more about visiting Brazil on a tailor-made holiday, or to experience the carnival next year, visit the Brazil section of our website.

BBC Radio 4 show discusses the pleasures and pitfalls of volunteering in and travelling to Guyana and South America's Wild Coast

I’ve just been told about a radio show that aired on BBC Radio 4 over the weekend. Part of the ‘Excess Baggage’ series, which looks at topical travel subjects and recounts travellers’ tales, this latest episode focuses on Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, known as South America’s ‘Wild Coast’ region.

The 30-minute show includes stories from John Gimlette, travel writer and author, about the pleasures and pitfalls of volunteering abroad and travelling to this fascinating part of South America. The show is available to listen to on BBC iPlayer – click here to find out more.

Some of the pages from Audley's new South America brochure.

It’s been a few years since we updated our South America brochure but the new one has been worth the wait.

With 124 pages packed full of information and fantastic images, this is one of our most comprehensive brochures ever.

Every single country in mainland South America is featured, plus the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica get a look in too (although we also have dedicated brochures to these destinations).

Take a look at the brochure now!

• Here’s the online version (you will need Adobe Flash Player). 
• If you want to see online versions of all our brochures, or if you want to request a free physical copy of any of them, simply go to our brochures page.

Some of Audley's fundraising efforts in 2010.

Throughout this year many staff here at Audley have been busy raising money for the various charities we support.

These efforts can be split into two different categories:

From the whole company

Departmental efforts

Added together – and not including individual fundraising outside of work – the total raised for 2010 was £2,885.

Well done to everyone for such an amazing year of fundraising!

Shoe shine charity event at our offices in Witney

The Atrium of our New Mill offices was transformed into a typical South American street scene on Wednesday, as members of our Latin America team took part in a charity fund-raising event.

In a nod towards the street vendors and famous shoe shine boys of La Paz in Bolivia, the team donned traditional hats and ponchos and invited the remaining Audley staff to turn up, grab a newspaper, take a seat and have their shoes polished.

Refreshments were on offer, including cold drinks and a variety of homemade empanadas (a South American version of a Cornish pasty), and donations were made throughout the day in return, which included some heated haggling for multiple shoe and boot discounts!

The donated money is being used to support Suma Kamaña, a little-known children’s day centre based just outside the city of La Paz. This hard working charity provides much needed healthcare, education and play facilities for children who are sadly forced to live with their parents inside the famous San Pedro prison in Bolivia. Having to share a cell with their mothers and fathers, these children have little hope of a normal childhood, but Suma Kamaña provides a welcome retreat, allowing them to play and learn in a safe and friendly environment outside of the prison walls.

An impressive total of £500 was raised by the end of the day – a fantastic effort from everyone involved, and money that will make a massive difference to the lives of the children at Suma Kamaña.

In case you were wondering, the shoe shine seat that you can see in the images below is an authentic shoe polishing chair that was kindly lent to us by a local antique shop (www.witneywarehouse.com). We think it made a great addition to the day!

We can organise tailor-made holidays to Bolivia, along with journeys through South America designed to suit your preferences. You can speak with one of our friendly specialists by calling 01993 838 650.

Historic naval journal goes on display at the British Library

A rare and historic naval journal charting the explorations of a British sailor and navigator has gone on display in the British Library in London.

The journal, which includes hand-drawn charts, diaries and detailed maps of South America, was written by Sir John Narbrough, who sailed to Latin America in search of gold at the request of James, Duke of York  (who later became King James II) between 1669 and 1671.

The journal was finally secured by the British Library following a large fund-raising effort from a number of organisations and charities.  The acquisition means that this valuable and important piece of British naval history will be kept on home soil and available for all to see.

As a history fan, this sort of news is always of interest to me, and it’s great to hear when an ancient treasure such as this has been saved from private buyers and kept on public display.

You can see Sir John Narbrough’s Naval Journal at the British Library’s permanent exhibition called “Treasures of The British Library“, which is located in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery and open to everyone seven days a week.

The volcano in question is Marum, which is in Vanuatu in the South Pacific. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Don’t forget to look at our 10 Volcanoes Worth Seeing magazine article. These are all volcanoes which you can see as part of an Audley tailor-made trip.

Christ the Redeemer statue re-opens in Rio de Janeiro

Following a four-month facelift and £2.7 million in public and private donations, Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue has re-opened to the world.

The 80-year-old monument, which depicts Jesus Christ standing with his arms outstretched, was closed earlier this year due to water and weather damage to its face and hands. A team of 100 restorers and volunteers set about repairing the statue – an arduous task which resulted in using 60,000 pieces of stone from the same quarry that was used to mine the material for the original structure in 1931.

The statue, which stands at the summit of Corcovado Hill overlooking Rio’s beautiful coastline, was illuminated in green and gold light at its grand unveiling in honour of the Brazilian football team’s 2010 World Cup campaign.

To find out more about visiting Rio de Janeiro or to book a tailor-made holiday to Brazil, visit our website or call one of our South America specialists on 01993 838 610.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Machu Picchu will reopen in April

The Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism has announced that the country’s top tourist destination, Machu Picchu, will reopen to visitors from April 1st 2010.

The UNESCO World Heritage site, which attracts more than 800,000 visitors each year, has been closed for two months following a prolonged spell of heavy rainfall which caused floods at the beginning of the year. Those floods caused landslides and washed away large sections of the rail track that leads to the site.

Following extensive maintenance work to restore the rail line, ‘The Lost City of the Incas’ is due to reopen to the public on April 1st.

To find out more about visiting Machu Picchu or to plan your trip to Peru, visit our website at audleytravel.com or speak with one of our South America specialists on 01993 838 620.

Brazilian singer and composer Adriana Calcanhotto.

Here, one of those employees, Rebecca Profit, a Brazil country specialist, describes the evening.

The concert was staged as part of a Brazil Week celebration in Oxford, a city which houses not 3,000, as I initially thought, but 4,000 Brazilians!

It was sponsored by TAM airlines, the Brazilian airline we use regularly for our clients visiting this incredible country.

Joining Adriana on stage was the unique combination of Moreno Veloso, son of Caetano Veloso (another Brazil great, a virtuoso songwriter now in his 60s and well known for his experimental style) and Domenico Lancelloti, an accomplished cellist and guitarist.

They were mostly playing MPB, “Musica Popular Brasileira”, a voice and guitar genre which arose in the late 1960s and involves mixing updated versions of traditional Brazilian urban music styles, like samba, with contemporary influences, from folk to rock and pop.

The songs were a unique blend of all their talents. Moreno Veloso used drum boards and added wacky sound effects to some songs, using all manner of different instruments. Adriana’s beautiful voice floated through each song, with its hints of melancholy and maybe distant roots in Portuguese fado. As a tribute to Jaqueline du Pre, the inspiration for the venue and for Domenico’s English cello teacher in Brazil who always raved about her, their final song was accompanied by all three of them on cello. Domenico and Adriana played them traditionally, while Moreno used his cello more like a guitar or drum. The effect was sensational, and resulted in a standing ovation from their adoring Brazilian fans.

Rebecca Profit

Brazil country specialist

Visit the Brazil section of our website.

'Last Chance to See' on BBC2

Have you been watching the BBC’s news series ‘Last Chance to See’ which began on 6th September? Presented by Stephen Fry, the programme is a remake of a radio series from 1985 and book of the same name, released in 1990 as a companion to the radio series.

The aim of this programme is for Stephen Fry and zoologist Mark Carwardine to re-investigate a number of the species that appeared in the original series to see what has happened to both the animal and conservation efforts. 

Always a fan of anything presented by Stephen Fry, I was keen to watch this week’s episode in which Stephen and Mark visited New Zealand in search of the kakapo, a fat, flightless parrot on the verge of extinction (although I have to say my favourite part was one very amusing scene where a kiwi ’played dead’ as part of its defence!).

As always with Stephen Fry, this programme is informative and entertaining, and certainly worth adding to your series link, especially if you are keen to travel to Brazil, Kenya, Madagascar, Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand in the future – all of these countries are covered in the series and are also destinations that we cover here at Audley.

Alternatively catch up on this series through the BBC iPlayer.

Lost Land of the Volcano on BBC1

Last night, many of us at Audley watched this new series on BBC 1. In Lost Land of the Volcano, an international team of scientists, cavers and wildlife filmmakers travel into the heart of Papua New Guinea to explore Mount Bosavi – a giant extinct volcano.

Some of the species they filmed include a giant rat the size of a cat and the world’s smallest parrot.

It was a great start to an interesting series with new species of wildlife being discovered literally at every turn. If you missed the first episode, it’s available on iPlayer (UK only). The rest of the series continues next week.

If this series has whetted your appetite for a (slightly less adventurous) trip to Papua New Guinea, then find out more on our tailor-made Papua New Guinea tours.

The remote Tristan da Cunha in the middle of the South Atlantic

Here at Audley we pride ourselves on having a far flung client base but even we were surprised to hear we have a client on an island a whopping 1,743 miles (2,805km) from the nearest mainland.

The place in question is the very remote Tristan da Cunha, and the client in question is the UK Government Administrator on the island.

Because Tristan da Cunha is so remote, and because there is no airstrip, it takes a boat journey of several days from Cape Town (the nearest land) to reach it. And should you miss your boat you’ll have another month to wait for the next one!

Tristan da Cunha has no landing strip and can only be reached by boat.

Irrespective of physical distances the ubiquitous Internet clearly enables at least one of our clients to book with Audley from one of the remotest settlements on Earth, although how many of the other 263 inhabitants are online is anyone’s guess?

Visit the Tristan da Cunha website.