Posted Sunday, January 28, 2007, 10:22 PM by Lonely Planet
Tom Parkinson, one of our star authors who has worked for us for seven years and a regular stalwart of any LP London social function, has sadly passed away from a heart attack on Friday 19th January.
Tom was one of our fearless, go anywhere, do anything, live-to-travel seriously hardcore authors. He started his association with LP back in 2001 when he interviewed, fresh out of Cambridge, for an editorial position. His thirst for adventure and his love of all things weird and obscure ultimately drew him to the authoring side of LP and he attended a new author workshop alongside other stalwarts such as Mark Elliott, Josephine Quintero and Andrew Stone. Before long he had chalked up an impressive and far-ranging number of titles for Lonely Planet, including guidebooks, trade & reference titles and digital articles - check out his article on Berlin's music scene currently on the homepage of lp.com. He was in the middle of writing up Madagascar for us, having just spent three months there, and was due to start work on the first edition of Borneo after that.
On a more personal note, Tom would always attend any social function we had at this office and would often be found long after everyone else had gone home propping up the bar with Neil Wilson and David Else, among others. He was always great fun to talk to, an interesting, inspiring guy who was most definitely living his life to the full. He will be sorely missed.
-Imogen Hall, Regional Publishing Manager UK
Read more about Tom's life, work and friends.
Labels: Travelsnitch
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Posted Wednesday, January 24, 2007, 8:46 PM by Lonely Planet
Tony Wheeler prepares to take on the Plymouth to Banjul Challenge 2007
On Friday 2 February Maureen and I will be departing England in a beat up old Mitsubishi to drive the Plymouth-Dakar. You read that right, 'Plymouth' not Paris. So it doesn't start in Paris, and to be honest it doesn't end in Dakar in Senegal. It continues on to Banjul in Gambia, next capital down the coast of West Africa.
The other big difference from the Paris-Dakar is the Plymouth-Dakar does not cost a squillion dollars and you don't drive there very-very-fast. Simply getting there is the key, because when you arrive you must give your car away. They're auctioned off for African charities.
So we have our car, a 1989 Mitsubishi Colt (a Lancer in some markets), German registered (Berlin) because the cars have to be left-hand-drive (British cars have their steering wheels on the right). It's waiting for us in Exeter (about 170 miles west of London). We've never seen it and about the only thing we know about it is we have to hand over £350 (that's US$690) before we can drive it away.
We start from the Triangle Car Park at The Serpentine, Hyde Park. London at 10 am on Friday 2 February. We hope some of the other 42 cars starting at the same time as us will also turn up there. Their teams come from England (of course) but also Belgium, Dubai, Germany, Ireland (north and south), Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and the USA. As well as our Australian twosome.
Then it's over (or under) the Channel, down through France and into Spain. If our Mitsubishi, dubbed 'The Original Lonely Planet,' keeps going we'll be at Tarifa (near Gibraltar) on 4 and 5 February, Marrakech in Morocco on 8 February, Dakhla in Morocco on 12 February, Nouuakchott in Mauritania on 17 February, Zebrabar in Senegal on 18 and 19 February and finally, 6000km from our starting point, in Banjul on 21 February.
So keep an eye on this site to see where we've got to. We'll make our first report on Tuesday 30 January, after we've picked up our wheels.
See Outside Magazine or the Plymouth-Dakar website for more on the trip.
- Tony WheelerTrack progress and view a map of the route
here.
Labels: Africa, Plymouth to Banjul Challenge 2007, Travelsnitch
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Posted Monday, January 22, 2007, 4:29 PM by Lonely Planet
Sarah Andrews is in the Canary Islands, researching the guidebook and learning to live sustainably...
I thought we were heading into the greenhouse to check out the banana plants inside. So when dozens of white chickens suddenly crowd around me and start pecking at my tennis shoes, I'm rather taken aback. Luckily Pedro Cabrera, who's showing me around his organic farm, knows what to do. He scatters the hens with one strong kick in their direction, and we continue on the tour of his land, where chickens (not pesticides) keep pests away from banana plants, sheep (not herbicides) keep fields weed-free, and crops are rotated every season.
Pedro is one of just 57 organic farmers here on El Hierro, a tiny island in the Canary Island archipelago boasting peaceful pine forests, cliff-lined coastlines and striking volcanic badlands. A rural island where tourism has yet to descend, El Hierro is, as Pedro says, "one of the few places you'll find that hasn't been too destroyed by development." The island's government hopes to keep it that way with an ambitious plan to make the entire island eco-friendly and energetically self-sufficient. Already declared a Unesco Bio-Reserve, nearly 70 percent of the island is protected land. But a multi-pronged plan launched in 1997, and now beginning to show results, takes preservation a step further. Organic agriculture is just the tip of the compost pile. Keeping marine reserves pristine, recycling, conserving water, offering electrically powered public transportation, promoting eco-friendly tourism, and taking advantage of clean, sustainable energy options all form part of the plan too, easily making El Hierro the most eco-friendly place in Spain.
Though there's a long way to go to meet the island's ultimate goal of becoming energetically self-sufficient, El Hierro's efforts have been widely praised. Still, not everyone is happy. In the Bar El Parlamento, a locals' retreat, none of the five older men drinking this afternoon has anything positive to say about the island's conservation efforts. All the new rules take away their freedom, they complain. It's not possible to build a house wherever you like or to conduct business however you want to. It's a big step backward and it makes life more expensive.
Pedro is philosophical about the resistance. "When people grow up seeing things done a certain way, it can be awfully hard to change," he recognizes.
We say thumbs up to those who are willing to give change a chance.
Labels: Europe, Sustainable and responsible tourism
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Posted Wednesday, January 17, 2007, 4:06 PM by Lonely Planet
Images can be so evocative. They capture that moment in time from your travels and help you remember the little things, that often are not so little after all, rather form the memories you hold dear for years.
Lonely Planet is asking Flickr users to submit image entries in a couple of competition categories. The winner of the first: "On the way" has been decided - as voted by the online community.
A Laos kip for your thoughts is by Kieran Ball.
The theme of the current competition is: "Markets." Check it out
here.
Labels: Travelsnitch
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Posted Wednesday, January 10, 2007, 7:47 PM by Lonely Planet
Got a spare 750 million euros lying around? Well forget Richard Branson's desert island purchase, perhaps it's time you invested in your own micronation. Fortunately enough there's one for sale. A Spanish real-estate agent is currently flogging the world's smallest state -
Sealand - a crumbling former anti-aircraft platform in the North Sea, 10km off the coast of Britain.
Retired British army major Paddy Roy Bates, a pirate radio station operator, took over this 10,000 sq foot platform with his family in 1967 declaring himself prince and the Principality of Sealand an independent state in international waters. The only operating, stationery man-made nation in the world, Sealand has been making headlines on and off for years. For example, commandoes from the British Royal Marines once attempted to evict the Bates'; but even more dramatic was the time Dutch and German businessmen kidnapped Prince Roy's son but were overpowered and held as prisoners of war before eventually being released.
In addition to its bizarre history Sealand offers unparalleled water views, comfortable accommodation, a chapel and it's a tax haven to boot. The platform, like any decent micronation, also has its own flag, passport, currency and stamps.
Sealand is featured in Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made NationsLabels: Travelsnitch
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Posted Tuesday, January 09, 2007, 6:17 PM by Lonely Planet
Joshua Samuel Brown discovers he has something in common with the colourful locals...
The Combat Zone got its name back when Taiwan was still known in some circles as "Free China" and American soldiers came here in droves. The neighborhood was a major red light district, a little slice of Bangkok.
Times have changed, and nowadays it's difficult to say exactly who the habitues of these few grungy alleys really are. Shuangcheng Street, the main road from which the alleys branch off, is a night market to the south while North of the main drag there are a few pubs - places like B52 which seem to be more popular with Filipino and Indonesian migrant workers than either locals or westerners. As for the sex bars, there's still one alley dedicated to them - Lane 32.
It was on this alley that I had a strangely beautiful encounter, innocent yet erotic, with one of the women who works there. Each of the dozen or more pubs had two or three scantily clad women sitting out front, smoking cigarettes, rubbing their hands together against the chill.
I was not merely the only foreigner out on the street, I was the only customer, period. At every bar I passed, the girls called to me and invited me in for a drink. I got to the end of the street, saw what there was to see, and headed back. At the corner, an older woman – obviously the mama-san of one of the bars - walked up to me and asked me why I was cradling books in my arms. I smiled and told her I was a travel book writer, that I was researching an update for a guidebook to Taiwan.
"Well, why don't you list my bar?" She said. "Lots of nice girls."
I blushed slightly. "I'm sure they're all very nice. But the guidebook doesn't really list, um..."
I searched for the most diplomatic Chinese term. One of the women, thin, about 30 with dark eyes and a puffy white sweater drawn over her shoulders, looked me up and down, her eyes resting on my copy of the old Lonely Planet guide I was updating.
"What I mean to say," I continued "is that our book is really focused more on introducing westerners to Taiwan's customs and history - parks and museums. Culture, that sort of thing."
The woman in the white sweater spoke up softly. "I have culture."
I blinked, not knowing how to interpret the comment.
"She is a professional love-maker!" blurted the mama-san.
"I have culture," repeated the prostitute, ignoring the mama-san. "You could say I am like a museum."
I was intrigued. "How so?"
The prostitute bent down and rolled her left pant-leg up to her knee. Every inch of skin revealed was covered in tattoos. Deep forest greens and reds, birds and trees. Butterflies.
"Is your entire..." I began.
"Oh yes, everything. My breasts. Not my nipples, that's too much pain."
She pulled down one corner of her sweater to show me her shoulder, around which I thought I could see part of a phoenix rising in flames. It felt as if we were sharing a moment of sorts. I wanted to show her my own phoenix tattoo, something I brought back from Mainland China years ago, but I was wearing too many layers. Plus, I suspected that stripping in front of a prostitute might entail contractual obligation of some sort.
"Are you going to come into the bar and spend some money?" the mama-san asked in English, clearly in business long enough to have little patience for freeloaders.
"Not tonight. Really, I should be going. So much work..."
"OK. Come back when you want to spend money."
I headed towards the main street. "Goodbye!" Chirped the tattooed prostitute. "Come back sometime so I can show you more culture!"
Read more of Joshua's adventures in Taiwan as he researches the guidebook at
http://josambro.blogspot.com/.
Labels: On the road
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Posted Tuesday, January 02, 2007, 8:01 PM by Lonely Planet
Lara Dunston, author of the Dubai city guide goes into battle with the paparazzi...
The 3rd Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) promised scores of celebrities. Our 'VIP' press status got us a great view of everyone arriving on the red carpet - from behind. In true Dubai style, there was a 'VVIP' media list but unfortunately we weren't on it. Welcome to Dubai...
When DIFF launched three years earlier, in the great tradition of Arab hospitality it opened its arms to everyone. Cinemas were packed. Stars shopped solo at Madinat Jumeirah. The parties were crowded and fun.
This year, after a week of movies and disappointing photo ops, we left with the impression that like Dubai, the festival has grown too big too fast. Poor organisation resulted in 'sold-out' screenings and half-empty cinemas. The 'black tie' galas saw parties packed with corporate minions, while more interesting filmmakers were either left off the list or went elsewhere, reluctant to don the now-required tux.
While scores of C-listers experienced Dubai's five-star treatment, only A-listers Oliver Stone and Richard Gere were - as rumour had it - ensconced at the Burj Al Arab, Dubai's iconic 'seven-star' hotel. On the red carpet, camera-phone wielding tourists jostled alongside paparazzi for a look at the pampered pair before they were whisked into Madinat Theatre for a discussion panel. Stone was embarrassingly inarticulate, with no apparent knowledge of the rich tradition of Middle East cinema, while Gere was a surprise - opinionated, sincere, and down-to-earth. He even tried to talk to fans afterwards until over-zealous security whisked him away.
As for the films themselves, the highlight was the significantly expanded Arab selection featuring wonderful movies from around the Middle East, and some excellent world cinema. However, there were too many mainstream movies, some screening just days later in the multiplexes. Somewhere beneath the glittering layers of gaudy evening gowns and red carpet galas, a truly great Middle East film festival is just dying to get out of its festooned frock and slip into something more comfortable.
If you're in Dubai in mid-December, take advantage of the rare chance to see some (sub-titled)films from the Middle East region. You can check out the program and buy tickets online before you leave home at http://www.dubaifilmfest.com/.
Labels: Middle East
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Posted Monday, January 01, 2007, 4:04 PM by Lonely Planet
Leif Pettersen sees in 2007 in the EUs newest member state...
The phrase 'Happy News Year' (in English), is all over the media here. What I briefly thought was a wildly self-perpetuating translation slip, is in fact Romania acknowledging what is sure to be a huge news-making year. Their photo-finish entry into the EU is still somewhat tenuous. Romania will be closely supervised while they fulfill deal-breaker commitments to eradicating corruption and enacting judicial reforms. They also face the indignity of other EU members limiting the number of Romanian workers admitted to their countries - including England, Spain and even smug new-comer Hungary. But never mind that, I came here for debauched partying.
I had left in September after 13 uninterrupted months, Romania-ed out, swearing not to return for at least a year. But my weakness for poignant moments and unhinged parties tore me from my retreat on Sardinia and drew me to Iasi - Romania's second largest city - to witness the European Union membership celebrations on December 31st.
Due to a hastily enacted law, passed in October, prudent distance has been placed between moonshine aficionados and the booster rocket-sized fireworks they once freely procured. The reduced possibility of being taken out by a pyrotechnics mishap dulled the edge of mayhem I'd envisioned, but Iasi was nevertheless in high gear. The square fronting Iasi's magnificent Palace of Culture was the focus of the festivities, with Romanian and European Union flags hung together from every post-like protuberance.
After five hours of live music, 25 minutes of fireworks, several bottles of community champagne and wine and untold calories burned dancing with strangers, I limped home through the frozen night with thousands of new EU citizens, all facing a whopping 'news year', as they cope with their new position within Europe and the world.
For more from Leif on Romania check out www.killingbatteries.com.
Labels: Europe
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