Afghanistan at a Crossroads

Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World opened on March 3rd at the British Museum. This exhibition is a window into the fragile history of this beautiful country's cultural heritage; it is a story of survival that goes beyond politics. I intend to travel to Afghanistan this year, but only with fully comprehensive travel insurance, of course. I have a burning desire to go to Kabul, partly because one of my best friends in the world, Heather is there, practically single-handedly setting up the country's legal system, but partly because every Afghan I have met – mostly taxi drivers in London – have enchanted me with their quiet stoic strength, dignity and optimism. I have already checked out a couple of tour companies: Afghan Logistics and Tours and Hinterland Travel, so watch this space. Interestingly, though, the ever over cautious Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not currently give a blanket ban on travel to the country.

I can't remember the last time an exhibition gave me shivers down my spine, but this one did. The sheer breadth of the origins of the pieces on display from a country so ravaged by war, offered a glimmer of light on a dark March day. In fact, I was reminded of a wonderful book I read a long time ago and loved: An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan.

On display are 200 objects, which survive thanks to the quick thinking and brave actions of the staff of the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul. Perhaps the star piece and one of my personal favourites is a dazzling golden crown made for a nomadic princess. But this is no ordinary crown, it was built to be flat packed in a style that Ikea would be proud of, for this princess that was always on the move. 'You need one of those,' my friend observed. Dating back to 2,000BC, the piece was was found at Tillya Tepe, 'the hill of gold', along with 20,000 other gold objects. When the exhibition closes in London on 3rd July some of the treasures will go back to Kabul when the national museum will, miraculously, open again.

Peace in the Middle East

I have just returned from a trip to Oman with a gaggle of 100 journalists from the British Guild of Travel Writers. All the participants I spoke to seemed delighted by this beautiful country with its gentle people, a world away from the brash consumerism of near-neighbour Dubai.

At a time when many countries in this part of the world seem explosive to say the least, Oman's people appear genuinely happy with, and even devoted, to their Sultan. We toured deserted wadis (dry river beds) and historic forts before relaxing in the sublime spa of the Chedi, one of the Leading Hotels of the World.

Christmas at Claridges

I was lucky enough to be taken to lunch at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant at Claridges today. I love Claridges for its timeless sophistication and the experience did not disappoint. Our effervescent French waiter announced that he was going to give us a present, which turned out to be the best table in the house, on a raised platform overlooking the splendid dining room. Thank you Laura Mason-Byers from Cellet, one of the UK's major boutique PR companies.

A few of us started with a startlingly good Gin Fizz and the food that followed was classic European with just the right hint of Christmas. The credit crunch price - £30 for three courses, is something to be applauded. This is excellent value, especially compared to the price of afternoon tea, which is £35 per person (£50 for a 'festive' version).

I really appreciated the concise menu – a choice of three dishes for each course and couldn't fault my starter of mushroom gnocchi with chestnut and a perfect poached egg (not easy to do), followed by guinea fowl and then chestnut pannacotta with fresh berries. I and my fellow diners were tempted to shut the door and retire for the rest of the day. In fact, we practically did and the whole experience was so leisurely that we did not leave until nearly 4pm. This was a pleasant surprise after hearing previous diners complaining about the two sittings at dinner meaning you are practically kicked out at 9pm.

We had time to pause to admire the Galliano christmas tree, which I have to say was really not my thing and I found rather alarming. I like my Christmas – including decorations – soothing and classic, although I did admire the distinctly Modernist lights of South Moulton Street afterwards.

Is the Age of Great Exploration Over?

No one does a travel writing event like the Royal Geographical Society and on Thursday 28th October (6.45pm–8.45pm) it is treating the public to an evening with seven of the world's greatest explorers. In an ambitious event, speakers will embark on a journey from Herodotus in the fifth century BC, through the Age of Enlightenment, taking us face to face with the big names in exploration today.

Christina Dodwell carries the flag for inspiring female explorers, recounting stories of her grandmother travelling through China in the time of the warlords to her own eco tourism initiative in Madagascar. Attendees will also get to meet Benedict Allen, the only person known to have walked the full length of Namibia up the Skeleton Coast and Ed Stafford. the first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon River.

I am particularly keen to see Robin Hanbury-Tenison, the founder of my favourite charity, Survival International, the only international organization supporting tribal peoples worldwide, which does wonderful work in more than 80 countries worldwide.

There are still a few tickets left, I here. Book them here to discover the answer to the question: 'Is the age of great exploration over?'

The Spirit of Brazil

On 13th September, I celebrated what is, The Brazilian Embassy informed us, National Cachaça Day at Langhams Hotel. Cachaça is the country’s 400-year-old national drink that has only recently been propelled onto the world stage. Walk into pretty much any good cocktail bar in the world and you will find Caipirinhas – that classic mix of cachaça, lime, sugar and ice on the menu. This unique spirit that is as much a part of Brazil’s culture as carnival and football, today is – believe it or not – the world’s third most popular spirit.

During the afternoon tasting, we were presented with 16 cocktails, followed by neat samples. That is a lot to get through and I nearly didn't manage it. Luckily I was there with my wine writer friend, Stuart George, who I met on a wine tasting trip in Brazil last year arranged by the embassy. Stuart, who is a consummate professional, managed to get through all these drinks, continuing to make thorough tasting notes all the way through. Read his brilliant blog about the event.

When Brazilians order a Caipirinha they tend to share it between four. This makes sense to me as I reckon they are quadruple the strength of drinks in the UK. My favourite is a version 'de maracuyá' (with fresh passionfruit). At Langhams, the Bossa people made a good version, calling it a Bossa Passion. Velho Barreiro, who have been going since 1873, came up with O Draque, a 400 year old cocktail that is the precusor to the mojito, which was fresh, rustic and classic.

I have a confession to make and its one that gets most Brazilian's eyes rolling. I like the dirty cachaças, like 51, drunk by people on the street, rather than in the shiny cocktail bars of Rio. Cachaça is known as aguardente ('firewater') for a reason. Arrebenta peito (chest smasher), assovio de cobra (snake’s whistle) are some other wonderfully descriptive alternatives. But I also like the smooth cachaças made for the American market.

Leblon presented us with a cashew nut batida (a kind of Brazilian alcoholic milkshake) that was smooth, lively and not too sweet. I have a soft spot for the people from Leblon because one of their representatives took me out on a charming cocktail tour when I was last in Rio. It doesn't surprise me that during New York's Fashion Week, models were drinking Leblon's very own strawberry and basil caiprinhas at designer Diane von Fürstenberg’s event. Leblon's website, particularly the 'Daily Muddle', is a great read, with a beautiful soundtrack. I just lost myself in Luisa Maita and Forro in the Dark.
Although cachaça is often compared to rum, this really is a misnomer. Both spirits are made from sugar cane, but this is where the similarity ends. Cachaça is made from fresh sugar cane juice, rather than molasses (a derivative of sugar cane) and is altogether sweeter and fresher tasting than rum. More people seem to be discovering that cachaça can be appreciated in the same way as a good whiskey or a top shelf tequila and not just in a cocktail.

Amber Nectar and How to Order a Beer In Australia

It’s no secret that Australians love their beer. One joke runs that a seven-course meal in Australia is a pie and a six-pack. But you might be surprised to learn that they drink less per capita than the British, Czechs, Germans, Irish and Belgians, and the increasing popularity of wine and other drinks has caused beer consumption to fall.

The two Foster brothers, Ralph and William, were the first to come up with the idea of selling cold beer in Australia in 1888. Until lager arrived, the national brews were ales and stouts conditioned in the cask or bottle. The most well-known beers in Australia lagers are made lighter and cheaper with cane sugar, rather than rice, as in America or maize, as in Britain.

The great Aussie drink is a "tinnie" (can) of beer, which some seem to drink as if it were water. It is crucial that the beer is as cold as possible and the further you go into the interior – where the hotter it is – the more extreme the obsession becomes, so that by the time you get to Alice Springs you are given an iced can from the fridge in a ‘stubby holder’ so the heat from your hands doesn’t warm your drink and in Darwin the beer is served in an ice bucket.

Most brands have about 4.8% alcohol but "light" beers are widely available, with less than 3% alcohol.

A word of warning: don’t criticise an Australian beer unless comparing it to another kind of Australian beer. Fosters is the brand most internationally known and actually the third most available beer in the world, sold in over 130 countries. But most Australians would never touch the stuff, tending to prefer beers produced in their own state.

One of the most popular beers is Victoria Bitter – which is actually a lager and known as ‘VB’ – ask for it by its full name and your bar man is likely to fall on the floor laughing. Logically enough, this is most commonly drunk in Melbourne and the state of Victoria, although some say this is one of the worst kinds of Australian beers and too weak to drink. If the rumours are true, actor Russell Crowe flies cases of Victoria Bitter into the film set wherever in the world he is working.

In New South Wales, Tooheys (new or old) is the local brew while XXXX, or Fourex, is the beer of choice up in Queensland. It has been drunk there since 1924, but is still hard to find outside of the state border. Coopers and West End are brewed in South Australia, although Coopers has found its way to the East Coast. In Western Australia, they drink Swan Lager and Emu bitter, and in the Northern Territory NT Lager.

There’s no such thing as a pint (except in Tasmania) or a half in Australian bars, and to make matters even more confusing there are enormous variations between the states when it comes to ordering the size of your beer. If in doubt, just ask for your preferred brew and let the bar person prompt you on the measure.

In New South Wales a middie (285 ml) is roughly half a pint and a schooner (425 ml) a pint.

In Victoria they only drink pots (285 ml).

Tasmanian bars serve tens (285 ml) and pints (425 ml).

Queenslanders drink pots (285 ml) and schooners.

In South Australia ask for a pony (142 ml), a Butcher (200 ml), a Schooner (285 ml), or a pint (425 ml).

Measures in Western Australia are a bobby (200 ml), a glass (285 ml), or a pot (425 ml).

And in the Northern Territory a six is 200 ml, a seven 285 ml and a handle 425 ml.

This text appeared in my book, Living and Working in Australia, published by The Sunday Times.

Understanding Cuba

While it may seem hard for the holidaymaker to make sense of Cuba, spare a thought for the Cuban. As one hotel gardener put it: “I was born a year after the Revolution. I have been living with this system for nearly 50 years and I still don’t understand it.”

The first thing to remember when you land in Cuba is that you have just entered one of the world’s last bastions of centrally controlled socialism. Its government has delivered free and universal housing, health and education to the people of this island, but has deprived them of many civil and human rights. Freedom of speech is restricted, the only newspapers are government-run and Cubans are not even allowed to have the Internet in their home. Open criticism of the government is not tolerated, and freedom of movement is heavily restricted.

On top of this, millions of Cubans have fled to the US since the Revolution, and many people are resigned to never seeing their loved ones again. The US government makes it hard for Cubans in America to send money home, and only allows one visit per year, part of a cold war against Cuba that began when Castro nationalised industries that were owned by big US companies.

The measures against Cuba have intensified through the years, with the US demanding that its trading partners fall into line and isolate the country economically. In response, Cuba came to rely on the Soviet Union, but following the collapse of Communism in Europe, ordinary Cubans were left high and dry. Families, particularly in the countryside, were left with nothing to eat for days on end.

In 1990, the Government declared an austerity programme known as the Periodo Especial (Special Period). For five years, rations were cut to the bone and the World Health Orginisation estimates that during that time every Cuban lost between 5 and 20 pounds due to food shortages. Even today, the memories are painful: every Cuban has a story to tell – of babies who could not be fed, of scams to sell cardboard as food, or of young girls who turned to prostitution to feed their families.

Tip: Don’t bring up questions about Castro or politics in public places. Many Cubans are happy to talk if there is no chance of being overheard, but even then try to be tactful and listen, rather than offer your opinion on such a complex matter.

The strength of the people is tested daily by la lucha (the daily struggle). As Cubans say, “Everything here is difficult”, but they also assert: “Todo se resuelve”, everything will sort itself out. The Cubans are nothing if not determined, and necessity being the mother of invention, the country is gradually bouncing back, and is even beginning to show signs of thriving. Cuba is proud that after hundreds of years of foreign intervention (Spanish, English, American, Soviet) it is now standing on its own two feet.

This article appeared in Thomas Cook's HotSpots Guide to Cuba