Image credit: Nomad Tales, November 2008

In the last three months the number of foreign tourists to India from Western lands has plummeted by 25% overall, and 35% fewer women have visited.   This is according to a survey of 1200 tour operators in India conducted by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.

This sharp decline has resulted from widespread international reporting of the horrific rape of an Indian woman, and further reports of savage attacks and sexual attacks on foreigners.

The research shows that the tourists have not stayed home, which is troubling to the travel industry there.  They have diverted to safer countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam.

The British Foreign Office recommends no travel at all to certain parts of India, and essential travel only to other parts of the country.  They also consider that there is a risk of terrorism through-out the country.

The tourists that have gone to India since the attacks have shunned the areas where the attacks took place.

Of course, not all of the tourists will have been chased away by the personal security risk: Some will be staying away because of the increased visa costs: the price of a visa for UK residents has recently gone up and is now £92.20.  For the US citizens it is now $76.00

ASSOCHAM Secretary General, Mr. D S Rawat, acknowledged the long-term impact of the attacks on inbound tourism.  He further noted that “security needs to be further strengthened at major tourist places and a programme to sensitize the importance of tourism and respect for tourist be continuously held across the country”.  [sic]

This will impact on the Indian government’s plans to boost tourism.  They have a plan to double the amount of foreign exchange that tourism earns, by 2016.  The dramatic loss of tourists has occurred during what is traditionally the peak season for visitors to the country.

The first expensive lesson learned by India is that tourists go where they feel safe and welcome.

Australia has had some bad experiences in this regard.  Rabbits were introduced in 1788 and then again (yes, really!) in 1859.  Scientists misguidedly imported cane toads in 1935.  The country is still struggling with the destruction that the introduction of these pests is causing.  Biosecurity has become a major concern.

Nature itself is the enemy

Most natural products could fall foul of the rules.  In essence you need to declare all food, wood, animal and natural fibre products.  Our advice is to learn the rules, examine the database, leave the more troublesome items at home, and declare everything that could possibly fall within the regulations.

The government maintains a database of about 20,000 materials that have the potential to cause trouble.  (We have a very abbreviated overview of the list below, as well as a link to the official, online database.)  If you fail to declare them when you arrive you are almost certain to have them confiscated, and may in addition pay a fine that could exceed A$66,000.  You could even face a jail term if you give evidence of trying to smuggle such goods into the country.

Any food that you bring with you must be declared, even if you got it on the plane.  The authorities are likely to okay and return to you commercial foods that are packaged and unopened.  Things like biscuits and sweets are seldom a problem.

Granny’s home-made cake and preserves are more likely to be confiscated.

Some States in Australia do not even allow fresh fruit that is coming from elsewhere in the country, to protect against pests endemic in those areas.

Declare everything

If you have declared all the items in the Incoming Passenger Card that you will have to complete onboard before landing then you will be okay.  Even if the goods are not permitted and are confiscated, but you have declared them, you will not be liable for a fine.  The authorities are not unreasonable, just strict.

For items that are not in themselves illegal you will be given the choice of having them decontaminated if that is technically possible (for example by fumigation or gamma-ray irradiation), to store it for you during your stay in the country, to ship it out of the country or to have it destroyed.  You will have to bear the decontamination, storage or shipping costs.

Food, plant material or animal products that are not permitted can be dumped in the quarantine bins located in the airport terminal.

Baggage examination

On arrival sniffer dogs will give the baggage a going-over and X-ray imaging is used.  Your goods may also be examined by biosecurity officer from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).  The other official bodies involved in the process are the Customs and Border Protection Service, and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).

The officials have a good record of stopping contraband.  If caught you face a A$340 on-the-spot fine, to be settled immediately.  For more serious cases, which obviously involves more than the odd misplaced rusk or Snickers bar, you could face prosecution, which could result in being fined over A$66000.  In serious cases the law allows for up to 10 years imprisonment, which would result in a criminal record.

Large sums of cash must be declared

There are no limits to the amount of money that can be brought in or taken out, but if more than A$10,000 is involved then you are required to declare it and fill in forms.

It is part of Australia’s international commitment to the prevention of money-laundering.

Short list of Goods to Declare

The following list covers the main categories of goods that you must declare on entry to Australia.

Food

Airline food and snacks, commercially prepared, cooked and raw food and ingredients, dried fruit and vegetables, instant noodles and rice, packaged meals, herbs and spices, herbal and traditional medicines, remedies, tonics and herbal teas, snack foods.

Dairy and egg products

Infant formula (must be accompanying a child), dairy products (fresh and powdered) including milk, cheese and non-dairy creamers, cheese must be commercially prepared and packaged and originate from countries free from foot and mouth disease, all whole, dried and powdered eggs, and egg products, such as mayonnaise, egg products including noodles and pasta that are not commercially manufactured.

Animal products

Meat, including fresh, dried, frozen, cooked, smoked, salted or preserved from all animal species, sausages, salami and sliced meats, fish and other seafood products, pet food including canned products and raw hide chews, rawhide articles and handicrafts including drums.

Seeds and nuts

Cereal grains, popping corn, raw nuts, pinecones, birdseed, unidentified seeds, some commercially packaged seeds, and ornaments including seeds.

Fresh fruit and vegetables

All fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables.

Plant material

Tea containing seeds, fruit skin (for example citrus and apple peel) and fruit pieces, remedies and medicines containing herbs, seeds, bark, fungi and dried plant material, fresh or dried flower arrangements and potpourri, dried herbs or leaves, handicrafts including wreaths and Christmas decorations containing seeds, raw nuts, corn, pinecones, grapevines, bark, moss, straw or other plant material, wooden items with bark or signs of insects present.

Live animals and animal products

All mammals, birds, birds eggs and nests, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects, feathers, bones, horns, tusks, wool and animal hair, skins, hides and furs, stuffed animals and birds (taxidermy certificate required) some may be prohibited under endangered species laws), shells and coral (including jewellery and souvenirs), bee products including honey, beeswax and honeycomb, used animal equipment including veterinary equipment and medicines, shearing or meat trade tools, saddlery and tack and animal or bird cages.

Other items

Biological specimens including tissue culture, craft and hobby lines made from animal or plant material, used sporting and camping equipment including tents, footwear, hiking boots, golf equipment and bicycles (need to be checked to ensure they are clean and free from soil contamination), used freshwater watercraft or fishing equipment including rods and nets, waders, kayaks, paddles and life jackets.

In many cases items you declare will be returned to you after inspection.  If you have obtained an Import Permit prior to departure your goods may be allowed in, or they may be allowed in after suitable treatment.  Or, of course, you can dump them in the quarantine bins for disposal.

The official Import Conditions database

The Import Conditions (ICON) database lists some 20,000 foreign plant, animal, mineral and human commodities and the import conditions attached to each.  These are the conditions under which it will be possible to bring them into Australia.  Most times the condition is considerably more strict than merely carrying it with you in your luggage!

Link to Import Conditions Database – ICON – produced by AQIS

Bokar fortress, Dubrovnik. Image credit: CC2.5 Daniel Ortmann, 16 April 2006

Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  Its medieval city walls, paved streets and old world charm are mesmerising.  It deserves its reputation as one of the top medieval walled cities.

Dubrovnik has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979 and had been demilitarised in order to try protect it from exactly the sort of siege that it was later subjected to.  It is certainly deserving of the World Heritage appellation.

Dubrovnik is small and if you are reasonably fit you can explore it comprehensively by foot in a couple of hours.

Old City Walls

Walk the city walls, if you have time and your ship lets its passengers off early.  Why?  In summer many may find it excessively hot later in the day.  This is definitely worthwhile and a good opportunity for taking pictures.  The city walls are massive and were built for protection, but today serve as a wonderful open-air-museum.

Walled City

For us the chief attraction of Dubrovnik was being able to meander down the streets inside the old walled city.  Unfortunately, on the day we were there this was counter-balanced by grim weather with intermittent rain, and the arrival of a thunderstorm.  It was judged wisest to cut the walk short.

Out of necessity (we had colds caused by unhygienic shipmates sneezing on us) we visited the old pharmacy, founded in 1317.   It is said to be the third-oldest continuously operated pharmacy in the world.

While we were in the queue at the pharmacy, an Italian woman pushed her way through the crowd to the counter.  Her medical emergency was “pills for fat”.  When we left a few minutes later she was sitting on the step outside, reading the packaging.  On closer scrutiny we decided that she had bought badly.  She really needed, since “pills for rudeness” are not available, “pills for ugly”.  (When people in the queue protested about this, the pharmacist merely shrugged.  Jumping the queue is regarded as acceptable behaviour in Croatia.  It is not generally acceptable in polite Italian company – we stood in very orderly queues in Italy.)

What will you see in the walled city?  The sights include the Franciscan Monastery in which the Old Pharmacy is housed.  No photos may be taken within the pharmacy, but it’s worth going inside even if you are not purchasing anything.  In addition to the beautiful ceiling is the interesting collection of old bottles lining the walls. Space however is cramped and you should be prepared for a squeeze.

The fortress-like Dominican Monastery, the Sponza and the Town Hall are also noteworthy, with most of the monuments and old buildings having an authentic medieval look to them.

Where to eat

There are a number of cheaper places to eat but we had a splendid lunch just outside the Pile Gate to the old city, at the Nautika restaurant.  One could not hope for a better position.  It has lovely views of the ocean and is somewhat sheltered from the wind by the walls.  We were comfortable sitting outside on a fairly stormy day with the waves crashing against the rocks.  It gave a dramatic backdrop to our lunch of Croatian style pizza and red wine.  It is a pricey establishment and be sure to check the bill properly – as our waiter mysteriously lost his hitherto good English and looked at us blankly when it came to getting the correct change, even though we had tipped generously.

Arriving by Ship

If you are arriving by ship as we did, you will find that the cruise ships dock in Gruz, a harbour which is 2.5 km from the old city.  The bus stopped at a scenic point along the route to the old city where you can take a great photo.  Sadly it was also the artillery point used during the war when Dubrovnik was under siege for seven months in 1991.

The traffic into the city can be horrendous during the season.  The drive down from the lookout point into the city foot took thirty minutes of stop-go traffic in the bus, enveloped in Diesel exhaust fumes, owing to the number of buses from the visiting cruise ships.  It could have been walked in minutes.

When it came to getting a bus back to the ship there was a long queue of people encircling the entire square beside the Nautika restaurant.  Locals in traditional costume plied their trade alongside the queue, selling local memorabilia.

Money and payments

The currency in Croatia is the Kuna.  We had discovered that we could exchange Euros for Kuna in Venice, at the airport.  Dubrovnik features on the back of the 50 Kuna note.  Credit and debit cards are widely accepted, but one is generally advised against using them as the rate of fraud has reportedly been high.  Prices are sometimes marked in Euros and sometimes in Kuna, so you need to keep careful track of that.

Off-season travel

Two of our correspondents travelled to Dubrovnik off-season by land.  Getting there by bus was more complicated and included military inspections at the border, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

There are a number of small hotels and bed and breakfast establishments that provide good value if you intend to stay over.  The B&Bs tend to be more friendly than the hotels.  The downside to off-season travel is that Dubrovnik is a city that is very much dependent on tourism.  Many of the shops and restaurants are only open in season.  But if you travel when the cruise ships are not visiting you will have the city pretty much to yourself, which is an altogether less pressured experience.

Copyright Diytravelexpert.com

Ireland is compact enough to criss-cross very readily in just one day and be back in your hotel in time for dinner.  For this journey we took a bus, a tram, three minibuses, two trains and two aircraft.  Most of this was done on a single ticket.

Although the trip took just a day we went from modern-day Dublin all the way back to the iron age, and stood on a perilous cliff looking out in the direction of the Americas.  This took us back in time by perhaps as much as twenty-two centuries.

Bus

Our journey started off with a bus from slumbering Temple Bar, exhausted from its jollity of the night before, to Dublin Heuston station.

Train

At the station we were met by a member of Railtours Ireland, who was to escort us all the way through to Galway.  From this point until we returned to the station in the evening we travelled on a single Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) ticket!  We boarded the train at 7:30 and enjoyed the lush greenness of the Irish countryside, punctuated by towns with familiar English names, though the Irish names were to us unfamiliar and exotic-looking.

As we drew closer to Galway the stone walls of the West became more prevalent.

From the station in Galway we were given directions to the minibus stop and said goodbye to our escort.

Minibus

We were driven from Galway to the Connemara airport.  It is worth commenting on that the drive was at a reasonable speed and in compliance with the traffic laws.  That made a refreshing change from our experience in many other parts of the world.

Flight

Aer Arann Islands operates the eight-minute flights from Connemara across Galway Bay to the Aran Islands.  We flew to Inishmore, the largest of the Aran islands.  The flight is a short hop in a nine-seater twin-engined Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.  Each passenger is individually weighed so that the balance of the aircraft can be calculated.  (If you weigh more than anybody else then you are probably going to sit in the single seat at the back!)

There are good views of Inishmore as you come in to land at the small aerodrome.

Second minibus – tour of Inishmore

The villages on Inishmore are clusters of sometimes as few as three to four houses.  One views various ruins of buildings such as the Irish Church, and a building that dates back to Cromwell.  The fields are small and the walls of stone around them are an indication that they were riddled with stones that had to be removed by hard, back-breaking work before anything could be planted.

The undoubted highlight though, is Dun Aengus, built around 200 years BCE by people so ancient that archaeologists have no clue as to who they actually were!

Iron-age fort: Dun Aengus

Dun Aengus has its back to the sea, with a 100 metre cliff on that side, and a series of four concentric fortifications on the land side, to protect it from attack by land.  It is not clear what its purpose was, but whoever built it certainly went to a lot of effort to put it up.  Some have suggested that it had religious purposes, but that seemed to us to be an unnecessary amount of fortification for a shrine.

Curiously enough, some walls that were “restored” in more recent times appear to be falling over already, in contrast to the original walls that seem to be doing fine by themselves despite their age.

Our visit to Dun Aengus was enhanced by the local historian offering her expertise and knowledge to our small, ad-hoc group that had tramped up to the fort together.

There is a fairly long, uphill walk from the small group of crafts shops where the minibus stops, up to Dun Aengus, and the site itself is perched on somewhat of a hill, so you need to be fit to get there.  It is not suitable for folks using wheelchairs.

There was time to lunch at the crafts village, and buy some unique knitwear, handmade on the island.  Though wool was also on sale, it rather disappointingly came from England!

The return to Dublin consisted of everything in reverse: a minibus to the aerodrome, another fun flight, the minibus back to Galway.  A short stop in Galway to buy some traditional jewellery (helped by kind directions from the driver), then the rail journey back to Dublin and a short tram ride back to the hotel.

The green beauty of the land is something truly memorable.

Image credit: Baycrest – http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Baycrest – ?????? License: CC-BY-SA-2.5

Following successful high-speed test runs on 24 December, the latest extension to China’s high-speed network opened to passengers on 26 December 2012.  The average speed over the route is 300 km per hour, with peak speeds of up to 350 km per hour.

The 2298 km line runs from Beijing down to Guangzhou in the south and cuts the travel time from 22 hours (see our article An Epic Rail Journey Across China) down to just eight hours.  While this takes more than twice as long as the same journey by air, the train is cheaper (even if you move up a class) and you get to experience the countryside close-up.

Investment in China’s train service slowed after the Wenzhou accident in July 2011 but has picked up again after the introduction of new safety measures.  More than half of the projected 16,000 km modern rail network has now already been built.

It is planned to extend the line to Hong Kong by 2012 and the underpinnings of the underground West Kowloon Terminus have already been completed.  This is intended to increase competition with the regional airlines.  Despite the large area of the country, there is considerable air traffic congestion over China as the airlines are restricted to narrow flight corridors.  Weather conditions also result in frequent flight delays.

A first-class ticket on the Beijing/Guangzhou high speed line costs 1388 Yuan.  (By comparison, an economy class ticket over the slightly longer Hong-Kong/Beijing route on China Southern Airlines costs 1620 Yuan.)

Binhai Road, Dalian, 8 April 2006 by Jeremi

Dalian in the North East of China is a popular tourist destination for locals and some international visitors.  There is also a small thriving ex-pat community.

The malls are friendly and engaging and some of them are very modern.  Further encouragement to shop is given by the fact that for most folks the city is pedestrian-unfriendly.  The mere fact that the traffic lights are red is no indication that the cars are going to stop.  Having had several near-death experiences during the course of each excursion, we should add our voice of warning about the furious traffic in Dalian.

What else can you expect when going to Dalian?

Arrival

The airport is small and fairly easy to navigate your way around.  Not much English is spoken by ground staff and showing your ticket to airline staff if you need assistance is useful as they are usually very helpful and will direct you to where you need to go.  The taxi drive from the airport is a good opportunity to not look out the windows.  Or if you really feel a need to, try to focus on the scenery and not the scary traffic manoeuvres.  From the airport to downtown Dalian takes about twenty minutes outside of peak hour.  But peak hour is long.

Accommodation

We stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel Dalian which was a good experience.  It is central and the staff speak reasonable English.  There is a lot of other accommodation available in the area, some at very low rates.  However, if you are limited to English then you will have to choose carefully as not all of the proprietors or staff are able to communicate in English.  The district where the Shangri-La is situated is Zhongshan District.

In China it is customary to demand a key deposit.  If you do not speak Mandarin and the hotel staff do not speak English then negotiating the deposit will be made that much more difficult.

Binhai Road

Take a taxi ride out along the Binhai Road, which is on the southern side of Dalian, it is a scenic winding road along the coast.  Beautiful and the air is really clear here and breathable compared to other parts of China.  There are numerous opportunities for taking photos along the way.

Huge public squares

Visit one of the renowned squares in Dalian such as Zhongshan Square, Renmin Square or Xinghai Square.  Xinghai Square in particular is a must see as it is reported to be the largest square in China.  A pair of good walking shoes is recommended.

Dining at the Olive Garden and The East is Red

There are lots of street-side vendors selling a variety of food.  We chose not to buy meat of any kind from these, but something that was a winner was peeled- and roasted- chestnuts which were very cheap and tasty.

Places that we went to included an Italian themed restaurant, the Olive Garden, which serves authentic Italian pizzas and pasta, the pizza was really good.  This is of course if you don’t mind choosing non-Chinese food and thus missing out on the local experience.

For an authentic Chinese theatre/dining experience, The East Is Red restaurant in Dalian provides this.  We were treated to a lively and colourful play performed about the Cultural Revolution, followed by an art auction showcasing local talent.  This restaurant is frequented by locals and advance bookings, sometimes three months in advance, are required to get in.  Or if you know someone local who is connected to the restaurant or has a friend working there, this will get you in too.  It turned out that our Chinese friends know someone who knows somebody.  It was a memorable experience.

Victory Plaza and other shopping

There are quite a number of shopping malls in Dalian where you can buy anything from high-fashion clothing brands to souvenirs and general household appliances.  We visited Victory Plaza which is a warren of perilously narrow corridors crammed with small and big stores selling clothes, Chinese and Russian souvenirs (Dalian was under Russian control until after the Second World War) and gadgets of all kinds.  Generally this is a mall where you must bargain, which made it far more appealing to us.  Having a Chinese friend along will be useful as their bargaining skills are awesome, although the store owners will be a bit less happy as prices for Westerners are usually higher.  The best price for a local is usually much better than the best price for a foreigner!

Victory Plaza is in Zhongshan Road in the Zhongshan district which is centrally located.  It is a bit cramped and we would definitely recommend not using the public toilets.  If you really must, make sure you have your own stash of toilet paper and waterless hand sanitiser.  These can be bought before arriving in China.

Other shopping malls in Dalian include Friendship Shopping City, Parkland Shopping Centre, Russian Custom Street and the Tianjin Walking Street to name a few notable and worthwhile shopping places to visit.  As you can gather, if you have an eye for quality then Dalian is a very good place to shop.

A unique experience in China

All in all Dalian, is a relatively clean, unpolluted, and scenic place to visit in China.  It is off the beaten track to most international visitors with an interesting history, great for shopping with scenic routes nearby.  Winters are a dry cold that goes through your bones where the mercury gets to below freezing, while summers peak at around 24 ° C, albeit with fairly high humidity.

As well as by air, it can also be accessed by train from Beijing and by ferry from South Korea.

Picture credit: ShaMianRen 28 March 2006

In summer, the city streets swelter under the humidity and your skin feels as though it’s gently steaming.  So much so that the author felt a need to pour her bottle of water over her head whilst there earlier this year, to the surprise and amusement of the local bystanders.

Here are a few of what we considered to be essential places to visit in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou Pearl Market

Don’t ask us how to get there, speak to the taxi driver.  Any one will do as they all know where the market is.  Once you are there, be sure not to get lost!  Getting lost is pretty easy as the market is situated in a multi-storey building with the stalls located along rabbit-warren style corridors.  There is so much to see and buy here at a very reasonable price that unless you keep careful track of time you could easily find that you have spent the entire day there.

Most of the pearls are not fresh water pearls and some are of good quality, at a fraction of the price back home.  Drive a hard bargain, because if you’re a Westerner, there is a big invisible dollar sign above your head as far as the vendors are concerned.

Chen Family Temple

This is a must-see for Chinese architecture lovers.  Built in the 1890s, it is a fascinating and beautiful collection of courtyards, sculptures and historic items on display.  There is a nominal entrance fee which includes a ticket that also serves as a postcard with free postage within the borders of China.

There are several little shops selling jewellery (though at less favourable prices than at the Pearl Market), Chinese porcelain, small jade and wooden carvings and other quirky items such as a frog that turns gold when boiling water is poured over it.  The golden frog is available at several different touristy spots in China.

The very attentive ladies at the tea shop that sells porcelain will also obligingly give you a cup of steaming jasmine tea, which is surprisingly refreshing on a hot day in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou trade fair

If your visit is business for the trade fair, then you already know what its all about.  A useful tip that we discovered quite by accident is to trawl the street markets on the final day of the fair.  Why?  Because what was only available as bulk previously, now becomes available to you as a regular customer rather than a retail customer.  So, we bought several purses each at a very good price, whereas the day before we would have had to buy a minimum of 100!  When you’re only buying for yourself, one hundred purses would be rather to many.

Insider hints for Guangzhou

Taxis.  Our best tip for travelling in Guangzhou would be regarding the taxis.  If you can at all avoid it, do not be in a position where you have to take a taxi between 4 and 6pm.  The reason is that there is a change-over of the shift and you can wave all you like, not one will stop.  There are private cars that though that operate ‘under the radar’ as taxis during this time.  They are not registered and are risky as their driving, believe it or not, is even worse than that of the regular taxis.

Heat.  The heat can be really oppressive.  Always carry a bottle of water with you.  Sunscreen is also advisable, though you won’t see much sun as there is an ever-present smog blanketing the city.

Bargaining.  In China there are always (broadly-speaking) three prices: highest is for Westerners, next is for the Chinese public.  The best prices are reserved for people connected with the vendor, with the degree of connectedness determining the final price.  It is expected that you will bargain, irrespective of which group you belong to.  If you have a Chinese friend with you, get him or her to bargain in your behalf.  (But remember that your driver or tour guide is not your “friend” when it comes to bargaining!)

Guangzhou is a vibrant city with lots on offer to shopaholics.  There are many different cuisines to sample, pretty much anything that your palate desires, be it Peking Duck or Irish fare at the Paddy Field (an Irish-themed pub in Guangzhou frequented by foreigners).

The old part of Istanbul is the Sirkeci area, which conveniently contains the best examples of architectural wonders stretching from the Byzantine era through to the Ottoman empire.  In the space of a few miles there is such an abundance of interesting scenery from different eras that one feels like a time traveller.

Copyright DIY Travel Expert

There are several decent hotels in Sirkeci and if you stay there then all of the attractions mentioned are accessible by walking.

Sirkeci Station

If you head south, towards the Bosphorus, you will see the Sirkeci Railway Station.  It has marvellous frontage and was used as the authentic backdrop for the movie of The Orient Express.  It is the terminus of the only rail link to Europe from the city.

At the time the author visited, there was a crowd of dubious-looking men in the area which lead to the conclusion that taking out ones camera might not be a good thing to do.  Most other travellers have not reported this.

The Istanbul Railway Museum is inside the station.  Entrance is free.

If you walk to the west from the hotel area of Sirkeci you will find it a short walk to the old centre.  The curio and trinket shops along the way offer better value than we were able to find at most other places.  Needless to say, they do a roaring trade.

Within a short distance are the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, the cistern, the Istanbul Archaeology Museum and the Topkapi Palace.  We decided to skip the Archaeology Museum, the cistern and the Hippodrome for our one-day venture.

Hagia Sophia

Still a breathtaking spectacle and a monument to Byzantine architecture, this grand edifice was for nearly a 1000 years the largest cathedral in Christendom.  It has been a museum since 1935 and no religion is practiced there nowadays.  The elegance of its external lines was somewhat spoiled by buttresses added by the Ottomans, but then again they saved the dome from falling down, which it had previously had a habit of doing.

Hagia Sophia - copyright DIY Travel Expert

It is a marvellous building and well worth exploring to see the patina of history.  One surprise for us was to see that the four large Islamic medallions are merely painted on a light membrane stretched over wooden frames.

Oddly enough, the queues for people who already had tickets were much longer than those who that wanted to buy one.  (Is that your experience too?  Please comment.)  Salesmen went up and down the queues trying to sell guidebooks.  The prices were often more expensive than one can pay at the museum shop inside.  One particular con trick was to offer a book plus a ticket for a low price.  When we entered there was a large pile of tickets that had been confiscated.  They were all counterfeit!  When we spoke to the agent at the barrier he freely gave us one.  They were good-looking fakes and to the untrained eye they seemed to be the real thing.  At that point we felt just a little smug at having rebuffed the salesmen.

Blue Mosque

The Blue mosque is still a house of worship.  It was built to showcase Islamic architecture and to rival the splendour of the Hagia Sophia.  We think that they succeeded.  The Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia stare at each other across an ornamental garden with a pond, which, owing to renovations taking place in the area, sounds much better than it looked.

The honesty of a significant proportion of the salesmen plying their rather aggressive trade in the park did not seem to be affected by their proximity to places of worship.  One old lady was selling pashminas.  We found a whole pile of tags behind a small hedge that we realised she had torn off them.  The tags told the real story: 50% Viscose, 50% Acrylic.  In case you are uncertain, neither of those are traditional pashmina materials.

The park was a good training in how to avoid the schtiks used by various con-artists that work the tourist crowds in Turkey.  The shoe-shines that dirty your shoes for free, then charge to return them to their original condition; the cheap guidebooks sold for above the going rate; and handmade musical instruments of suspect hygiene.

The common greeting in Turkey is mirhaba!  (The “h” is always pronounced in Turkish.)  If you learn one word in the language, that is it.  It will help you to be friendly to those that deserve it, and some of the vendors find it off-putting, particularly if you are dressed right.  They are looking for tourists, after all, not Turks.

Topkapi Palace

The sequence of Sultans who ruled from the Topkapi each vied with their predecessors as to who could leave the most lavish legacy.  As a result, instead of re-investing into upgrading the existing buildings, they would lay out their own new palace.  As a result the area comprises a range of architectural styles any of which is not nearly as impressive as the much later Dolmabahce Palace.  Entrance to the family living quarters, the harem, requires the purchase of an additional ticket.

Topkapi Palace Main Gates - picture copyright DIY Travel Expert

The palace was not just the residence of the Sultans.  It served as the centre of government and the huge kitchens give an indication of how an entire town worked there each day.  The kitchens usually fed 4000 people on an average day though on special occasions they could cater for up to 6000.

Though the site has been a museum since the 1920s the Privy Chamber is a site of Islamic pilgrimage as it stores sacred relics of Mohammed.  The lighting there is dim, to protect the relics.  An Islamic cleric intones the Koran continuously.  Conservation measures do not appear to be implemented, in particular, the regulation of temperature and humidity.

The views over the Bosphorus from the far end of the palace complex are really quite stunning.

V&A Waterfront Cape Town Harbour - Copyright DIY Travel Expert

Cape Town is definitely a destination and not just a ‘stop-over’.  It has something for every taste.

People from many different African nations mix side by side with South Africans as well as having a fair amount of European expats living in the CBD and suburbs.

If you have a day in Cape Town, what attractions should you aim to see?

Long Street is popular for nightlife and is a good place to go to if you are a night owl.  It is lined with pubs and restaurants that are frequented by locals and foreigners alike.  From the chic to the dowdy, and the downright seedy.

By day Long Street is an amazing street for shopping, by night it is “party central”.  Either way, if you can’t get in Long Street what you are looking for then it is probably not available anywhere else either.

Below are a few suggestions of the top major attractions that can be seen in one day.

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway

Taking the cableway up Table Mountain is a must-see.  It is weather dependant, and closes when there are high winds.  You get a panoramic 360 view from the car as it rotates slowly during the short journey up or down the mountain.

There are lots of great photo opportunities from anywhere on the mountain.  A return ticket costs approximately $25 per person.  This goes up and down based on the rate of exchange.

Tickets can be booked online at the Table Mountain Cableway website.  Online tickets are date- and time- specific.  You will save yourself 10% by booking online rather than at the ticket office.

Further outdoors activities that you can fit into a day in Cape Town could include a visit to the world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens on the lower slopes of the back of Table Mountain.  Hundreds of acres are left wild in the upper reaches to conserve local flora and are beautifully manicured lower down.  It has first-class facilities, two restaurants and ample parking and in the lower, landscaped section, the names of all the plants are indicated.  You will find surprisingly familiar plants here: marigolds and geraniums (pelagoniums) hail from the Cape.

A final outdoor treat is a drive around the Peninsula, which should include a visit to Cape Point, the most south-westerly point of Africa and the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, despite what hydrologists may say.  The Cape Point nature reserve comprises approximately the lower half of the peninsula and has abundant local wildlife.  You may spot kudu and ostriches, baboons (which can be pesky because of ill-advised feeding, which is prohibited by law) and the seemingly ubiquitous “dassies” (hyraxes) who brazenly sun themselves on any warm rock.

Castle of Good Hope

This fort is the oldest building in continuous use in Southern Africa, built between 1666 and 1679.  (There are ruins from a lost civilisation at Mapungubwe near the Limpopo and further north at Great Zimbabwe.)  It is simply called ‘The Castle’ by locals and has a wealth of history.  It was built on the site of an earlier, rudimentary fort constructed in 1652.

It is perhaps the finest example of Dutch military architecture remaining from their Golden Age, and was built as a VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie – the Dutch East India Company) outpost to victual ships travelling between the Netherlands and Indonesia via the Cape.

Entrance fees are nominal at R25 (under $5) and one can wander around at leisure, walk the battlements or look at the artefacts displayed in the military museum.  There is also an unrivalled collection of VOC tableware.  You may also witness the firing of a 4 pound field gun in the courtyard.

There is a restaurant on site serving teas and lunches.  For more information on this attraction, see Castle of Good Hope.

If you wish to keep to the theme of antiquities you can walk up to the Slave Lodge by way of the Golden Acre where, remarkably, the first dam built at the Cape is preserved within a modern shopping centre.  From the Slave lodge (a cultural history museum, which includes an unexpected collection of Masonic memorabilia) you can walk through the original Company’s Gardens (then used to grow vegetables but now dominated by lawns and exotic trees brought by sea captains from faraway places).  To the right of the entrance to the gardens, past St George’s Cathedral, is the National Library, the main repository for copies of any book published in the country.

At the top of the Gardens there is the National Gallery on the left, the South African Museum in the centre, and one of just two planetariums in Africa on the right.  Very close to the National Gallery is the Cape Town Jewish museum in the Old Synagogue, and the more modern Holocaust Centre in the same complex.

Robben Island

Robben Island has become famous for having served as a prison home for a number of leaders of the ANC movement, most notably the venerated Nelson Mandela, who were imprisoned there following their convictions for politically-motivated crimes.  The tour takes 3.5 hours, which includes transport there and back on the modern Robben Island Ferry that leaves from Cape Town harbour.

If you like your tours strongly didactic then you will enjoy the rigid program with a strong educational slant.  You will not have an opportunity to wander about independently and there are no opportunities to view the extensive wildlife on the island.  It is very much a guided tour with a fixed programme.

Tours cost R220 (approximately $30 subject to the rate of exchange).  Tickets can be booked online, but are date- and time- specific.  Note that boat trips can be cancelled when the Cape of Storms lives up to its name in winter and spring months (June to November).

Tickets can be booked online here. 

The Robben Island Ferry sets out from the Waterfront.  If your visit is cancelled due to wind you could hardly wish to find a better place to console yourself.  Otherwise, on your return you can shop at a wide range of places from African curios to haute couture, and there are any number of restaurants and drinking-holes.  Capetonians hang out at the Waterfront too, so it is not merely for tourists.  You may be surprised to see rich and famous persons here, who have slipped in unannounced and whom the locals tend by nature to give the space and relative anonymity they desire.

Climate

The Cape Town weather is generally moderate.  In winter (the sometimes wet, “green season”) there can be rain storms, but the temperature seldom gets below freezing overnight.  If you dress for the season the chances are that a visit at any time of the year will prove to be a pleasant one.

Personal safety

Robbery on the mountain has been reported in isolated areas.  You can still enjoy the experience, though, by being cautious.  No robberies have occurred in the general area around the restaurant and curio.

The British Foreign Office has this general safety advice about South Africa:

Most cases of violent crime occur in the townships. Consult a reliable tour guide if you visit a township. The risk of violent crime to visitors travelling to the main tourist destinations is generally low. The South African authorities give high priority to protecting tourists. Tourism police are deployed in several large towns.
Incidents of vehicle hi-jacking and robbery are common. You should be vigilant of the risks, particularly if driving after dark. Keep to main roads; park in well – lit areas.

There are frequent incidents of car windows being broken and valuables (e.g. handbags) taken whilst cars are waiting at junctions (smash and grab). Keep valuables out of sight.

Discreet luggage label

See stay safe at your destination part 1

• Before leaving your home country, get the local emergency numbers at your destination and save them on your mobile phone contacts list.  Also have the list on paper – if your battery is flat and the phone dies you still want access to the numbers.
• Don’t share your travel plans with strangers.  This includes keeping it off Facebook and other online places that are leaky about information.
• Keep your passport with you at all times.  While this increases the risk of it being stolen, it may help you if you have a sudden medical emergency, or police start shouting at you in a language you do not understand.
• Leave copies of your passport with someone back at home.  There is some dissent within our team on this one, though this is the generally accepted advice.  The idea is that this would help you get a new passport if your one is lost, stolen or damaged.  Will a simple photocopy be sufficient for re-issue of a passport – it seems doubtful.  (Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!)
• Leave behind a copy of your medical and insurance papers with someone trusted.  They can then assist you with claiming if necessary.
• The best place for booking adventure activities such as sky-diving and bungee jumping is through the local tourist information offices.  This is to make certain that you are using reputable companies who stick to the safety regulations.
• Reputable hotels frequently have information on tours available from reliable organisers, if you have not booked these prior to leaving home.
• It may be wise not to wear patriotic apparel or to festoon your gear with your country flag.  You may encounter someone who is bitter or resentful toward your country.  Ill-feeling can last hundreds of years in some regions.

The following tips include information from “Don’t Panic” by Helmke Hennig and Frances le Clus.

• Do not have your home address, hotel’s name that you are staying at, or your telephone number anywhere visible on your luggage.  You can get luggage tags that close, meaning that a casual inspection will not reveal who you are, where you are from, or your destination.
• If you accept a free drink or meal offered anywhere, do so very cautiously, as there are usually strings attached.  This is specifically true of certain types of bars in the Far East.  You may wake up naked, beaten and robbed, or at the least you may end up paying many times the going rate for a drink that you did not really want in the first place.
• Sometimes our best protection is our instincts.  If a situation feels wrong, move away as quickly as possible.