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Fiona Brijnath, DirectorNinestone, South Zeal, Devon EX20 2PZ

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01837 840640email fiona@farfrontiers.comfiona@arcturusexpeditions.co.uk

update | September 2018

With summer now almostbehind us it’s good to

have an exciting winterholiday in the diary. In thisissue I’ve showcased trips youcan make this Christmas andNew Year, particularly withfamilies or groups in mind. As you know I’m always happyto chat through ideas.

In addition to new offeringsand discounts for early birdsand late bookers I hope you’llenjoy our two trip reports. The first is the result of myvery educational voyage inApril on Sea Spirit. I learnedso much more about the insand outs of polar expeditiontravel that it inspired me tojot down some tips for clients,especially those new to polarvoyaging, which you can readin full in my trip report on the Arcturuswebsite. The second report on page 5is a trip my husband Rahulmade recently to revisitLadakh, high in themountains of the northIndian state of Jammu andKashmir, which he found stilluniquely special and whichtouched his heart.

Do get in touch if you’d likeany more information onanything you see here, or if you have your own trip in mind!

INDIA, SRI LANKA AND MYANMAROpulent camping, jungle lodges, heritage houses and beach resorts – pages 2 and 3

BE THE FIRSTCruise the east coast of the

Andaman Islands on this classic 1960s motor yacht in 2020

– page 4

polar travel brochure gives an overview of theitinerary options, but hopefully this will give some

more ‘behind the scenes’ detailon what you might expect tosee and do in the variousregions together with generalfacts and tips – in the hope you might join Sea Spirit or 50 Years of Victory on anadventure of a lifetime!

The greatest revelation from my voyage concerned the North Pole. I hope the

excerpt below will whet your appetite!

My recent journey from the Cape Verde Islands to the Canary Islands aboard the 114 passenger adventure voyage ship Sea Spirit took the form of a ‘seminar at sea’, and what a fascinating one it was! }

~

Fiona’s trip report:A seminar at sea on Sea Spirit April 2018

Fancy combining a holiday with the Sri Lanka vEngland matches this autumn? Let me take thehassle out of planning where to stay for the testmatches and one day internationals!

KANDY

» matches « 17 and 20 October (ODI), 14-18 November (Test)

» stay « The Kandy House, an ancestral manorhouse only 10km from the Pallekele stadium orhistoric Taylors Hill up in tea country. We’ll arrangeall the transport to and from the ground for you.

COLOMBO

» matches «23 and 27October (ODI), 23-27 November (Test)

» stay «Maniumpathy, a stately heritage house within walking distance of the SSC stadium for the test matches and 5km fromthe Premadasa Stadium for the ODIs

More ideas for Sri Lanka for the rest of yourtrip on page 3!

During my three days, on what would traditionally be arepositioning voyage, I learned a great deal more about the finerpoints of polar expedition voyaging,immersing myself in the discussionsabout the many opportunities apolar voyage presents.

My experience has inspired me toshare some of this wisdom withclients, especially those new topolar travel, so you can get thebest from anAntarctic or Arcticvoyage. You’ll find my notes and suggestions in mylatest trip report on the Arcturuswebsite. Our annual

The North Pole is often misconstrued as a ‘buckettrip’ voyage and completely underestimated. Youare on a nuclear icebreaker (50 Years of Victory)and this spine-tingling experience starts with theextraordinary atmosphere of the sealed nuclearfacility of Murmansk – you have very specialpermission to be here! The next seven days are fullof the awe and wonder of travelling on this hugeand powerful ship, where hours can be spent at thebow watching the three metre thick ice crushedlike a knife through butter or parked up for anincredible wildlife encounter.

North Pole Day at 90 degrees North isunforgettable. There are overflights, celebrations,ceremonies and usually a BBQ on the ice, andeight to 10 hours are spent here before

Heading North of North!

Maniumpathy

Taylors Hill

heading south, all the while in 24 hours ofdaylight. The added bonus is a couple of days inequally magical and unique Franz Josef Land onthe way back, where the magnificent ship canreach right up to glacier faces.

This is an intensely emotional trip and the shipitself is totally unique. It will give you goose-bumps just to look at it!

And now for some cricket…

» North Pole top tips «

» The best thing is there’s no seasickness onboard as the ship is so massive and stable

» The polar bear encounters will be quitesomething – in many cases they come right up to the ship on the ice edge and have beenknown to spend one or two hours close by

» If you stand in the bow at any stage of thevoyage you are the most northerly person on the planet!

I came away from this seminar feeling verypersonally connected to Sea Spirit, 50 Years ofVictory and just some of the very special staffand with the North Pole firmly established as a place I must visit in my lifetime. See my trip report on the Arcturus website for more polar voyage tips!

wish list

» INDIAN SUBCONTINENTPalatial camping

Jaagir Lodge at Dudhwa, Uttar Pradesh, near the border with Nepal, is a fantastic base

from which to discover theTerai, the marshy junglebetween the Himalayasand the great plains ofIndia. Safari for tiger andleopard in the company oftrained naturalists.

Experience mobilecamping at its most luxurious at the new Kishkinda Camp in Hampi,Karnataka, with its sumptuoustents, four-poster beds andpersonalised butler service. Hampi’s sacred ruins, royal palaces,watchtowers and temples haveearned it a UNESCO WorldHeritage designation.

Sangam Nivas Camp in the Leh Valley, North India will be a perfect base for theKumbh Mela, 10 January to 6 March 2019.Contact me for more information.

Chamba Camp at Thiksey, Ladakh is perfectfor any time between May and October. Our clients the Dampneys have just returnedfrom there (see back page).

» INDIA New Pandaw Lower Ganges cruise

December 2018 will see a new seven night cruiseon the lower Ganges and Hooghly rivers on boardthe Orient Pandaw. It will operate weekly everySunday, in and out of Kolkata, and we do have verygood rates on these departures.

Pandaw also has family offers on various rivercruises in Asia for selected dates during the schoolholidays. An Asian adventure on the water is aChristmas present in which you can all share.

For the first cabin two adults pay full price, and for the second, one or two children betweenfive and 18 travel free.

Another excitingdevelopment isPandaw’s new‘combination’itinerary so you canmake back-to-backexpeditions ontheir distinctive

ships. Experience four countriesby adding a Red River cruise in North Vietnam toa voyage along the upper Mekong through Laos,Thailand and Myanmar!

» ANTARCTIC Ross Sea

An additional expedition, Antarctica's Ross Sea,was recently added to Spirit of Enderby's 2018-2019 calendar. You might still get on board whenshe sets sail on 8 January 2019 for a 30 dayodyssey quite unlike any other to the Antarctic.Contact me if you are interested in other lateoffers for the Antarctic 2018-19.

Chamba Camp

» SRI LANKA New hotels, stunning locations

You’re never short of superlativeaccommodation in Sri Lanka – as I found out when I toured there in September 2017. As well as these new arrivals and suggestionswe also have some wonderful private villasthat would be perfect for family groups, so do get in touch.

Goatfell is a new boutique hill country hotel in a refurbished former estate manager'sresidence at Kandapola, Nuwara Eliya, in Sri Lanka's Central Province. Another teacountry bungalow, Nine Skies, opens thisautumn near Ella, 200 km east of Colombo.

The lovely Kahanda Kanda hotel set amidpalm fringed jungle and the teaplantations of southern Sri Lankahas revamped its gym and isopening two new PlantationPool villas in October.

The authentically wild Gal Oyajungle lodge near SenanayakaSamudra Lake, and the luxuryhilltop resort of Santani near Kandy are twomore stunning properties we can suggest. I have so many more!

Do away with the turkey and tinsel this year! Here are some of my perfect locations for a Christmas or New Year getaway.

Jaagir Lodge

Kishkinda Camp

Kahanda Kanda

Gal Oya jungle lodge

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARfiona’s

» JAPAN In January

I had a blissful trip to Japan in January 2017 –Hi tech Tokyo, snow monkeys, farm-houses in snow-clad mountain villages, bullet trains,chanting monks, noodle street stalls, bubblinghot springs, Saki, Hiroshima and a meetingwith a traditional Geisha in a private teahouse in Kyoto. It’s a world of contrasts,from ritualised Batto sword fighting,vineyards and whiskey distilleries tosnorkelling among the corals of the OkinawaIslands. For a non-Christian country,Christmas is a big event and the spectacularwinter lights are a sight to behold.

NEW AND COMING SOON

» VIETNAM Overnight trainThe new luxury overnight ‘Lotus Train’ is a relaxingway to see more of Vietnam south of the capitalHanoi on your way to Da Nang. We can book yourown private cabin (each has four berths). The train

leaves Hanoi or Ninh Binh in the evening, arriving in Dong Hoi, Hue and Da Nang City in themorning. This will workwell with our suggestedVietnam’s Mekong Deltaand beyond itinerary.

» MYANMARNew resorts in the Myeik (Mergui)Archipelago

Set to open this November, Awei Pila is a secludedluxury beachfront eco-resort just two hours byprivate boat from Kawthaung on the northernmostbeach of Pila Island. It issurrounded by virgin forestwith views over theAndaman Sea.

Opening soon, Wa AleIsland Resort’s stunningtented and treetop villasare set in breathtakinglywild scenery and the barefoot luxury experience it offers will be similar to that of a top end African safari lodge.

We have some great itinerary suggestions forThailand and Myanmar for which these resortswould be a grand finale. Wa Ale is just 55 nauticalmiles from Kawthaung, just across the border fromThailand’s Ranong Airport.

NEW ZEALANDAND THESUBANTARCTICISLANDSChristmas Spirit

How about taking the family toNew Zealand for Christmas andjoining an extraordinary voyagein the South Pacific? Spirit ofEnderby has been refurbishedand now boasts a fresh,contemporary lounge, upgradedcabins with USB charging pointsand an up-to-the minute lecturetheatre. Join her for ourSubantarctic Islands – birdingdown under voyage 8 November– 1 December 2018 or ask meabout her Forgotten Islands ofthe South Pacific expedition 1-13 January 2019. Thesevoyages also run in the 2019-20season after she’s explored somefascinating locations in Arcticand Far East Russia from May toSeptember 2019.

Wa Ale Island Resort

Awei Pila

» ATLANTIC ODYSSEYPlancius revisits

After completing an especially successful AtlanticOdyssey in spring this year, Plancius will set offon 20 March – 2 May 2020 for another 45 dayextravaganza. On this voyage from Ushuaia to St Helena and ending in the Cape Verdes(including the whale-packed waters of theAntarctic Peninsula) you’ll cross the Atlantic andthe Equator and see some of the wildest, leasttouched, most visually stunning locations on theplanet – plus an abundance of wildlife. Awesome!

» GALAPAGOS ISLANDSNew Theory

Cabins for March 2019 onwards are nowbookable for luxury expedition cruises aroundthe Galapagos on the new MV Theory,identical sister ship to MV Origin. Named afterCharles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and thefirst and only vessel in the Galapagos to beaccepted into Relais & Chateaux, she too willbring environmentally responsible five-starcruising to the seas around the archipelago.

ANDAMAN ISLANDSNew cruise

Pandaw will be offering expedition cruises tothe Andaman Islands from early 2020. Nowgoverned from India, their ethnographically-distinct aboriginal peoples thrived forcenturies without contact with the rest ofthe world. With pristine beaches andinteriors bursting with plant and animal life,this is truly an unspoiled tropical paradise.

Sail out or back from Thailand on a 10 night cruise on board the10-suite Andaman Explorer or takea shorter seven night cruise flying inand out of India.

Let me know if this interests you and I’ll be in contact as

soon as the full itinerary and datesbecome available.

We’re really excited about this forthcoming new experience on a very small ocean goingexpedition ship. If you’re excited by the idea ofauthentic expedition voyaging with a lesspredictable and risk averse itinerary, then thecustom designed and built MV Strannik maywell ‘float your boat’! She can take up to 36 daypassengers or sleep 12 in five cabins (double,twin or triple berth) with desk and en-suite withelectric toilets.

Run by Rodney Russ who has been involved in expedition travel since the early 1980s,Strannik’s expeditions will mostly be in supportof science, research and conservation. You’ll bean involved and valued member of the teamcollecting data, recording observations and doing hands-on conservation work.

Pictured here recently awaiting her mast,Strannik will make her ‘shake down’ cruise toSouth East Asia later this year. Not only willexclusive groups be able to join her advertisedexpeditions but she can be chartered for aprivate expedition or cruise. Perhaps shecould help you fulfil your dream of a lifetime?

MV Strannik Small and perfectly formed

FALKLANDS on Ortelius Late offer

There’s a last minute special offer of 35 per cent off remaining cabins onOrtelius’ Falklands Exclusive voyage sailing 29 October – 7 November 2018 for a feast of birding, wildlife watching and hiking!

» ARCTICSailing into the sunset

Polar Pioneer will be sailing her final polarvoyages to the Arctic and Scotland in 2019.If you hurry you might still have a chance tosail on her and benefit from someexceptional farewell savings. Her lastvoyage will be the Northern SvalbardExplorer 29 August – 9 September 2019when she will explore some of the farthestreaches of the archipelago.

SinhaGiri in the heart of Nuwara Eliya overlooksthe racecourse and Gregory Lake. This restoredbungalow is filled with passionately collected artsand treasures and has two magnificent suites.

Boutique 87 at Bentota on the south west coast is all tropicalminimalism with twosuites, a secluded lappool, magnificentgardens and aprivate lake.

Stay two nights at either hoteland receive 50 per cent off your lastnight. Or, combine two nights at each hoteland get your final night's stay free of charge.Applies to room and whole house bookingsuntil 30 November 2018.

SRI LANKA Two contrasting properties

Boutique 87

SinhaGiri

(an initiative set up by the Snow LeopardConservancy) and marvelling at the peacefulvalleys with their clear tumbling streams, chukorpartridge, flowers and little stone ‘chortens’(Buddhist shrines). I then had the good fortune tovisit the magnificent Hemis monastery during theannual festival honouring the Guru Rinpoche.Masked performers danced to the clash of cymbalsand the wail of pipes that echoed against the stonevalley walls. The noise, the colour, the prayers andthe dancing, and the deep devotion of the localvillagers held us all enthralled and made us feel a part of this ancient Buddhist festival.

Contact Fiona for our Discover Ladakh and other itineraries

30 years ago I flew out of Leh on a rickety oldturboprop after an exhilarating summer leadingtreks in the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges andattempting to climb Stok Kangri. I vowed to returnto this mystical Indian frontier on the edge of theTibetan Plateau!

Fast forward to June 2018 as I winged back, excitedyet apprehensive as to how changed I would findthis magical place. The starkly beautiful brown andpurple hills surrounding Leh, the fluttering of theTibetan prayer flags in the winds of the highHimalaya and the soft cries of ‘Juley’ as the localsexchanged greetings were a nostalgic reminder thatsome things had withstood the passing of the yearsin these valleys steeped in gentle Buddhist beliefs.

I came back to Ladakh partly in search of my youthand also, as someone who studied big cats, topromote and help conservation of these elusiveshadowy creatures. I spent a few wonderful daystrekking to the area where we set up camp in winteras a base for our snow leopard trip, having tea andchatting with the ladies from Rumbak village whosold me little snow leopard dolls made from yak hair

~

the globetrotter returnsLADAKH 2018

}

Just for a change here’s a trip report penned by my husband Rahul! Ladakh is so amazing I have to share this!

Leh, venue for the 33rd Kalachakra Buddhist

festival and teachings of the Dalai Lama

Prayer flags on a mountain road

Morning prayer hall,

Thiksey Monastery

32 metre statue of Maitreya

Buddha, Diskit Monastery

Rizong Monastery

Rahul Brijnath’s trip report June 2018

}What a place! Amy and James had the time of their lives swimming with sea lions and penguins and spotting whales. I even managed to snorkel!David was inseventh heaven on the boat and I managed not to feel seasick at all which was great.~

David and BryonyLloyd and family,Ecuador and the Galapagos April 2018

}All in all China was very interesting with beautiful sites and lovelypeople. I always felt extremely safe. Angkor Wat is of course

amazing, I’m so glad I went.~Mr and Mrs Gene Howard, China and Cambodia, June 2018

}A wonderful holiday that will live long in the memory. Fabulous skiing experience followed by a taste of the culture that Japan has to offer.~

Mr Eoin Murray and family, Japan, April 2018

}The Kakheti wine area, including Gremi,the Nekresi monastery and Tsinandali estate

was probably our favourite experience. Therewas something magical about going for a swim,

surrounded by vineyards that could almost have been in France or Italy,but knowing that beyond the hills the other side of the Alazani Valleylay Chechnya and Dagestan. Gori is also a must. Restaurantswere a bit hit and miss – the salads are divine and you canlive on them alone, but meat/fish cooking didn't always hit the spot, though somehow it never really mattered that much.~Graham and Sue Bell, Georgia, June 2018

Did you notice the envelope?Like many of you we’re trying to cut down ouruse of plastic, so recently we looked into the life cycle issues and practicalities of alternativesto ‘polywrap’ for sending out our newsletters.We’re returning to good old envelopes for theforeseeable future – not just any envelopes,ours are made of 100% recycled paper and arethemselves 100% recyclable by you. Sorted!

}Our favourite part of the trip was observing the walrus, least favourite, the dining area was too noisy during meal times. In all other respects the trip was excellent and was hugely blessed by the quality of thelectures and lecturers.~

John and Beryl Bannister, Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Spitsbergen, May 2018

}Ladakh is gorgeous,stunning scenery with a warm welcome from everyone

including the weather. Quality of camp staff and food both of the highest standard with nothing too much trouble.~Hugh and Janet Dampney, Ladakh, August 2018

your feedback

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See our websites for more client comments on trips that interest you – we’re always adding new feedback!

Could there be anywhere better than Antarcticafrom which to view the total solar eclipse? It’sexpected there on 4 December 2021 and Plancius,Ortelius and the new ship Hondius will be in theWeddell Sea between the South Orkneys andSouth Georgia, right at the centre of the moonshadow at the edge of the sea ice!

Let me help you plan your 19 night voyage toinclude this extraordinary phenomenon.

In June I attended the Scott 150 celebrations inPlymouth, including a wonderful servicecommemorating the life of Captain Scott and theunveiling of a commemorative plaque on the site ofhis birthplace, after which a wreath was laid at theNational Scott Memorial at Mount Wise. We weretreated to fascinating talks on Scott and on marinescience by specialists David Crane and Lloyd Peck, all topped off with a gala dinner. I made many newfriends among the polar enthusiasts there, includingfrom the Captain Scott Society in Cardiff.

» snippets «

Newsponsorship Great excitement forour family at ourlocal cricket club’send of season BBQon 27 July! FarFrontiers Travelsponsored a newtrophy for ChagfordYouth Cricket’s team(where my boysplay). The Spirit ofCricket award is aperpetual trophy andwas won for the firsttime by Flo Hassell.

Scott 150 celebrations

Design: String concept and design 01323 647078

Total eclipse 2021

}Once I got north of the Baldur Ferry it was more like Scotland. My hire car was excellent and the weather was kind – a cool wind but sunshine.In the Westfjords, the Fisherman Hotel at Suoureyri is lovely as is the Breidavik.~ Martin Dawson, Iceland and Greenland, June 2017

}Great holiday: ten close, ten good and five distant tiger sightings, exceeding our expectations.~

Mr and Mrs Ken Miles, India wildlife, March 2018