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Readers response: Have you ever experienced culture shock while travelling? How did you handle it?

When it comes to travelling abroad, it's not uncommon to experience culture shocks as part of your holiday. Travelling to unique corners of the globe can often come with stumbling onto potentially uncomfortable and unusual situations. We asked our readers if they have ever experiences culture shocks and how they handled them, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Alison Mahoney - Yes, in the mid 60s got fined for kissing my boyfriend in the street in Athens. How things have changed. Margaret Godfrey - Yes, First time I went to Vietnam - from Hobart. The heat, the sheer number of people just outside the airport door, being grabbed by stall holders in Ben Thanh Market and pulled into their stalls with "You Buy". Had a good cry later in my hotel, then a cup of tea with another woman on tour. After going to dinner with rest of group, got over myself & thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Val Beale - Cambodia was a culture shock for me. Lovely people but so much poverty. Felt overwhelmed. So glad I went though. Jim Janush - Yes, the first time I went to South America, though not the first country there I was visiting. It was in the second country I had trouble accepting how different it was to what I was used to, the strange, backwards manner of simple organisation, almost everything. It grew on me, and after a few days it felt normal, and now it doesn’t feel anywhere near as bad. But the first couple of days were horrific. Bruce Hopkins - On a USA Holiday, we took a Day Bus Trip from San Diego to Tijuana, what reality check it was seeing the Mexican/USA Border. Judi Tracey - Definitely when l went into the Grand Bazaar in Turkey. It was full of males, drinking coffee, smoking and googling at women. I never felt so uncomfortable and concerned for my safety if a fire broke out!! I couldn’t leave quick enough. Kristeen Bon - Bali. Went 25 years ago and hated it…..the heat, the constant harassment, the food, everything. Went back last year thinking maybe things had changed…..nope, still too bloody hot, locals still harassing you, streets, shops and resorts falling apart……..not even a single comfortable chair on one of the island resorts. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

10 odd emotions you may have experienced

We all experience a wide range of emotions each day. But did you know that there are actually names for some very specific feelings? See how many of these you identify with. 1. Opia Have you ever had a feeling of arousal when you lock eyes with another person (even a stranger on the bus)? That’s opia. Naturally it depends on the circumstances, as a mutual gaze with someone who looks like they want to steal your wallet is not a good feeling. But when it is between two people who feel attracted to each other it can be very pleasant indeed. 2. Déjà vu Many of us have experienced this one. It is a feeling that you’ve done something or been somewhere before, while you are doing it. It can be really specific too – for instance you might just be stepping off a train and see someone drop their coffee on the platform and this can trigger the feeling. 3 out of 4 people say they have experienced déjà vu so it’s a very common emotion. 3. Ellipsism This is the specific sadness that comes from knowing that you won’t live to see what happens in the future. For instance you may feel sad knowing that you won’t live long enough to see your children start a family of their own. 4. Chrysalism This is the feeling that you get when looking out the window at driving rain and feeling warm and secure inside your warm house. It’s based on the idea that you feel safe as you did inside the womb. 5. Adronitis If you’ve ever met a new person who you’d like to be good friends with, and felt frustrated when you realised that it will take some time to develop the friendship – you’ve experienced adronitis. In order to get close to someone it takes time to share experiences and information, so it’s not something that can be rushed. 6. Liberosis When you wish you could be a kid again, without all the rules and responsibilities of adulthood. In general it means you wish you could stop caring so much about things. 7. Enouement We spend so much time worrying about the future, and more often than not it turns out just fine. Enouement is wishing that you could go back to your past self and tell yourself that everything will work out well. 8. Jouska This is when you imagine a conversation in your head where things work out well for you – such as winning an argument or asking for a promotion. 9. Exulansis If you’ve ever tried to talk about something important with other people and you give up on it as they don’t seem to understand – you’ve experienced exulansis. 10. Fugue state Generally reserved for people who have had too much alcohol or drugs, this related to being able to move and speak without being consciously aware that you are doing it. The person has no memory (a blackout) of the time. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

If you experienced ‘Blursday’ during lockdown, you’re not alone

After two years of mask-wearing, hand sanitising, lockdowns and social distancing, it’s safe to say we’re all experiencing some side effects of going through a global pandemic. If you feel like time has slowed down or Mondays feel like Wednesdays and Wednesdays feel like Fridays, you’ve likely experienced a feeling recently dubbed ‘Blursday’ - and you’re not the only one. A team of scientists have now captured what living in ‘Blursday’ is like, and have published their findings in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-022-01419-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>. Using data from surveys conducted in nine countries - gathered through 14 questionnaires and 15 behavioural tasks - during the first two years of the pandemic, the team of researchers found that feelings of isolation affected our sense of time, including feelings of time grinding to a halt. Maximilien Chaumon, a researcher at the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière in France and coauthor on the study, told <a href="https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/it-s-not-just-you-lockdowns-had-us-living-in-blursday-study-says-70422" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scientist</a> of how a fellow researcher saw COVID as an opportunity to gain an insight into the complex phenomenon that is our perception of time. “When we talk about our senses, [not] our sense of time but our sense of vision, touch, and so on, we think about those sensory receptors,” he explained. “And time perception does not have such receptors. It is a psychological construct, actually, that has a very multifactorial origin that is very complex.” Chaumon said the pandemic provided the perfect chance to collect data on this concept, explaining that our sense of time is incredibly influenced by our environment, emotional state and how isolated we are, which in turn can affect our wellbeing and mental health. “This is sort of the angle that triggered this study, in the sense that this massive disruption that COVID-19 created, with its lockdown, on our daily routine, the way we use our time, the way time unfolds during the day, and initial reports of people reporting being lost in their week, not knowing whether it was today or whether it was Monday or Tuesday and so on,” Chaumon added, By compiling a range of tasks to measure different aspects of our time perception, along with psychological scales that measure anxiety and depression, the team hoped to correlate the tasks and measures. Wibbly wobbly time causes wibbly wobbly health problems Theirs isn’t the first to study our perception of time or the effects the pandemic have had on it. <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu7061146.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3D4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUaUp6sA-2BpAvcl9YHzVa412QC1m3ibG-2FC3WQYczSIN1ZeXjTw-2F-2FSDFk4BOzJ4zXx-2Fvw-3D-3DLypt_LUT5diG96CqPUCpHtTdEJL2b31V0MmXDDBFBEm0nPEbHc8MtQdGxiyqTf-2FzdAPZDSx9IaeyAwnFz9OTaNQFX-2BXQLL8NMAAKx-2FL8IrpwUjzdetB7ZKmCghKO52pZka6HGYFTMHI-2B-2Fe-2BJS6LfwGws67A744zSx8i0Vtoc20FSpJ-2FY8ZMNMbQJlM8bC-2FeElv-2B99BECt8HWdJ0JCLCokbTc4kBOuKcR5lBaDkTG2apoJrHyzEYaHEX-2Bx1-2B-2F82umfOSV3S2GvH5vXKwhUg7158G3vtov5dTRfjj5yJu2iMqiZQRyCHDmZg-2Bz4smKOIckwZVBpH-2BFGnRcww1nHSSSRxw-2FRTNWsefWy1jyO4slKTgvThQY-3D&data=05%7C01%7Clilly.nguyen%40latimes.com%7C9f19770ffc344ce0549a08da853c1f96%7Ca42080b34dd948b4bf44d70d3bbaf5d2%7C0%7C0%7C637968790511475387%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bumpnIH0Ne%2BwT6N9Sv850G8Sd44L7vlbxB9aHIcysko%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Another study</a> published in 2022, based on surveys conducted in just the US, found that people have been losing their sense of time because of the pandemic, collective trauma caused by it, and additional challenges we’ve faced in recent times, including unemployment, financial hardships, supply shortages, death, and climate change. E. Alison Holman, a professor in nursing at UC Irvine who has been studying the relationship between trauma and time perception and is a co-author on the study, said in a recent interview that not addressing this change in how we sense time can put us at greater risks in terms of our mental health. “Having your sense of time get messed up to the extent that it really screws you up in terms of where you see yourself going in your life, in the context of the loneliness that people were experiencing and the social isolation, it’s an open question now that I’m trying to address,” Holman <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220823170747.htm">said</a>. “How does that alter your sense of time? How might the social isolation of the pandemic have contributed to that alteration in your sense of time because you’re spending all of this time by yourself? "Given that distortions in time perception are a risk factor for mental health problems, our findings have potential implications for public health.” What can we do to readjust our sense of time? According to Holman, regaining a sense of time relies on reintegrating our past and present, as well as rebuilding our future. “When you think about your life and who you are, you have a past. Your past is a big part of who you are today. We have a past, a present, which we are doing right now, and a future that we hope to get to,” Holman said. “What happens to people is they end up getting stuck in the trauma. As time moves on, they don’t mentally move on. “Being able to reintegrate one’s past with the present — knowing where I am now and where I’m going, the future. That’s really important for mental health.” Image: Getty Images

Mind

Hugh Grant reveals panic-inducing COVID-19 symptoms he experienced

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Actor Hugh Grant went into graphic detail about the strange symptoms he experienced while battling coronavirus this year. Grant, 60, and his wife Anna Eberstein were struck with the illness and Grant made the detailed confession on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The pair suffered from normal coronavirus symptoms, which included a tightness in the chest and a loss of smell but also experienced other odd symptoms. “It started as just a very strange syndrome where I kept breaking into a terrible sweat,” he said, describing it as “like a poncho of sweat.” “Then my eyeballs felt about three sizes too big and this … a feeling as though an enormous man was sitting on my chest, Harvey Weinstein or someone,” he said. Grant started "to panic" when he lost his sense of smell. “I started sniffing flowers, nothing. And you get more and more desperate. I started sniffing in garbage cans. You know, you want to sniff strangers’ armpits because you just can’t smell anything,” he explained, telling Colbert he even resorted to spraying his wife’s Chanel No. 5 perfume “directly” into his face. The pair have since recovered from the illness and a recent test reveals he now has antibodies for the virus. He's not the only celebrity to experience odd symptoms from COVID-19, with actress Alyssa Milano losing a lot of her hair after just one brushing as she was diagnosed with COVID-19. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Thought I’d show you what <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Covid19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Covid19</a> does to your hair. Please take this seriously. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WearADamnMask?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WearADamnMask</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LongHauler?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LongHauler</a> <a href="https://t.co/H0wCmzYswV">pic.twitter.com/H0wCmzYswV</a> — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) <a href="https://twitter.com/Alyssa_Milano/status/1292540903047852034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2020</a></blockquote> “I am what they call a ‘long hauler’. Last night, I had real heaviness in my chest. I went to the ER just to make sure it wasn’t a blood clot. Thankfully, it wasn’t,” she wrote on Twitter, seemingly having the same symptoms Grant experienced. </div> </div> </div>

Body

Up, up and away: Experiencing the magic of the Wairarapa Balloon Festival

Peter King is at his happiest when he’s flying high above the wide Wairarapa valley. Not only is the vista beautiful from 5000ft, but the region’s geography and drainage winds, which typically run from north to south, make it a popular place to fly hot air balloons. “Hot air ballooning is all about manipulating air currents over the landscape,” says Peter. “After taking off and getting airborne, it’s about planning where you want to go by identifying and feeling the breezes on the way up. It’s a science to get it right and when you do, the feeling is just terrific. It’s peaceful and the vistas, especially in the Wairarapa, are amazing.” Peter’s foray into hot air ballooning began in the seventies when he flew with James Greig in one of the first three hot air balloons imported into New Zealand. One of them was later flown by Roland ‘Roly’ Parsons, the first and only man to cross the Cook Strait in a hot air balloon and the first man to pilot a balloon directly over the top of Mt Cook, in the Southern Alps. “I had my PPL (private pilot’s license) but quickly became captivated by the balloon and excited by the sport. At the time Bernina was sponsoring the sport in Europe and things were starting to happen here. We ended up buying the Bernina balloon previously owned by Jim Greig. and I guess you could say, we’ve never looked back.” <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816603/trust-house-night-glow_500x333.jpg" alt="Trust House Night Glow"/> The Trust House Night Glow sees tethered balloons lit up by colourful lights and against a musical backdrop. Since then Peter, who runs Kings Woodworking Company in Carterton which makes bespoke timber benchtops for national distribution, has flown at locations all around New Zealand and also attended the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. He thrives on the camaraderie amongst the balloonists. “Because the wind dictates which direction you go, there is no set landing place’ so the ground crew are a vital component of a successful flight. They make sure that the landowner’s requirements are met & there is a safe pack-up,” he says. “The other side of the sport I enjoy is going into local primary schools and opening up the envelope for kids and blowing air into it. They are genuinely amazed and ask such wonderful, crazy questions like ‘how does a pilot go toilet’?” <img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816602/212_499x665.jpg" alt="212"/> The Resene Splash n Dash competition at Henley Lake in Masterton makes for a spectacular display. This Easter it is being held on Saturday, 31 March (7am – 9.30am weather conditions permitting). Peter is looking forward to flying his new 70000 cubic foot Boland balloon named “Snakeskin” at this year’s Wairarapa Balloon Festival being held over the long Easter Weekend. Amazingly, with American balloon maker, Brian Boland, who has operated Boland Balloons in Vermont since the 1980s, the whole balloon was sewed up in Pete’s lounge. The team, meticulously cut & sewed the 170 panels that make up the envelope including the “snakeskin” panel the balloon is named for. The basket is made from plywood, aluminium and fabric upholstery. The whole aircraft has been fully checked by CAA and registered as a “homebuilt aircraft”. Pete will also wear his distinctive red and gold leather helmet with silver wings that was specially made for his 60th birthday by Carterton leather artist, Trevor Lamb. <img width="498" height="630" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816601/image__498x630.jpg" alt="Image_ (56)"/> “Bud E Beaver” is one of three special shaped hot air balloons coming to the 2018 Wairarapa Balloon Festival, being held this Easter. Peter will join more than 20 other balloonists for the festival including his son Dan who will pilot a two person Boland with distinctive red and white stripes. In addition there will be three special-shaped balloons including “Bud E Beaver”, “Iwi the Kiwi” and “RAC Van” the latter which weighs in at 325kgs, is approximately 30m tall and has yellow flashing lights. “There will be five Boland hot air balloons flying in the Wairarapa Balloon Festival at Easter time. They are light balloons so the envelope does not have to be as big so it’s quick to inflate and pack up. We just enjoy the speed and it is as fast as the wind takes us.” The 2018 Wairarapa Balloon festival from Thursday, March 29 to Monday, April 2. Location details about morning balloon ascensions in Carterton, Greytown, Masterton and Martinborough; times for the burner parades and details on the Trust House Night Glow at Solway Showgrounds can be found on <a href="http://www.nzballoons.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.nzballoons.co.nz</a>. For more information on what to do in the Wairarapa over Easter, including accommodation options, please visit <a href="http://www.wairarapanz.com/" target="_blank">www.wairarapanz.com</a>

Domestic Travel

Experiencing mountain magic in Switzerland’s Tschiertschen

Travel writer Justine Tyerman learns an important lesson in the little alpine village of Tschiertschen, Switzerland. Tall stories The Swiss don't set out to tell tall tales... but they do it, unintentionally, all the time. Especially the alpine folk. Here’s a perfect example: ‘How long does it take to reach this lake?’ I asked, pointing at the blue dot below the mountain peak on the wanderweg (hiking) map. ‘About two and three quarter hours,’ replied Heidi, the delightful receptionist at the Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa in the exquisite little alpine village of Tschiertschen, the correct pronunciation of which still eludes me. The best I could manage was ‘tear-chin’ which seemed to get a flicker of recognition and an amused smile from the locals. ‘Ok, that sounds manageable. We'll do that tomorrow,’ I said as we checked into the four-star resort high in the magnificent Bündner Alps of Switzerland. <img width="428" height="285" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Alpina-Tschiertschen-spa.jpg" alt="Alpina Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14158 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa. Image credit: Justine Tyerman ‘You can hike an extra 45 minutes from the lake up to a restaurant on the top of Hörnli mountain for lunch if you like,’ Heidi added helpfully. ‘Or take the gondola from Arosa.’ ‘Three and a half hours to the top?’ I replied. ‘And lunch at a nice restaurant? We'll hike up there, no trouble. We're Kiwis (New Zealanders). We don’t need to take a gondola.’ The prospect of a restaurant at the top of the mountain intrigued us. When hiking in New Zealand, we always joke about there being a cafe or lodge around the next corner . . . but there isn't. The summits of our highest mountains are devoid of any habitation. Except for at our ski resorts. With the next day all sorted, we were escorted to our salubrious suite where we did a quick change and embarked on Heidi’s ‘one-hour’ familiarisation hike. That was a real eye-opener and the first indication of the Swiss tendency to seriously under-estimate hiking times. The ‘easy’ amble turned out to be a strenuous two and a half hours of puffing uphill. But the landscape was so beautiful, we were not complaining. We walked through autumn forests, past pretty waterfalls and meadows of friendly cows playing ding dong songs on their bells as they ambled around the hillsides. The day was eye-wateringly clear, crisp and sunny - perfect conditions for hiking – and the views of the mountains and valley were glorious. <img width="447" height="299" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-waterfall.jpg" alt="Waterfall in Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14183 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Little waterfall in Tschiertschen. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Not only did we love every second of the hike, it was also an important learning curve for us – we discovered the Swiss who live in the mountains are super-fit and acclimatised to the high altitude. They sprint up steep mountains as if they are mere hillocks. We realised that any estimated hiking time from a Swiss alpine-dweller needed to be viewed with the utmost scepticism. That’s what I mean when I say they tell tall tales . . . without intending to. Another thing we learned was that most Swiss are excellent amateur tour guides. They are so proud and knowledgeable about their country, they are eager to share their favourite hikes and must-sees with overseas visitors. This happens at railway stations, bus stops, restaurants . . . anywhere there is a map of mountains and hiking trails. Which is everywhere in this abundantly-blessed country crowded with peaks and crisscrossed with tracks. Having learned these invaluable lessons early on in our alpine holiday, henceforth we roughly doubled all hiking times and managed splendidly. <img width="446" height="297" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/cow-with-bell.jpg" alt="Cow" class="size-full wp-image-14194 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Cows playing ding dong songs on their bells. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Back at the Alpina, we headed for a soak in the hot pool and then had drinks on our balcony as the sun set. It was magic. I was so happy, I was tempted to yodel. Shared Asian dinner That evening, we were treated to a shared Asian dinner prepared by the Alpina’s highly-talented Chinese chef Tony Leung. We dined in the elegant La Belle Époque restaurant, the hotel’s historic dining room with its original parquet floor and chandeliers. As visitors from New Zealand, it was most enjoyable for us to be seated at a round table with a group of friendly Swiss folk. A 17-year-old boy, who was dining with his grandparents, did a fine job of translating for everyone. His grandparents live in Tschiertschen and they told us about the wonderful parties and balls that were held in that very dining room when they were young. They also gave us many tips about where to hike. <img width="462" height="308" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Justine-Chris-Tyerman-Alpina-Tschiertschen-restaurant.jpg" alt="Justine and Chris Tyerman" class="size-full wp-image-14172 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Justine and Chris enjoying their dinner. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Tony’s Asian dishes were delicious and our charming waiters Eran and Jamina looked after us exceedingly well. On the menu were chicken soup with glass noodles, Sze-chuan beef, Thai chicken curry, sweet and sour shrimps, Asian vegetables with tofu, wild rice and fried rice noodles with vegetables, and lychees and icecream for dessert. I never tire of those fresh Asian flavours. The wines were delectable too. We were thoroughly spoilt that night. We slept with starlight shining through the skylight above our bed, and awoke to the sound of tinkling cowbells and church bells. I wrapped myself in a warm blanket and opened the doors to our balcony to watch the sunrise. Nowhere is the freshness of the new day so sweet as in the mountains. The sun was slow to show itself on our side of the valley, sliding tantalisingly just below the ridge, casting hazy golden beams and long shadows across the little village. Suddenly, Tschiertschen was illuminated in dazzling light and the colours were blindingly bright. The church spire shone in the morning sun and the pastures were vividly green and as smooth as an iced cake. How do they mow the grass so beautifully on such steep slopes, I wondered. <img width="443" height="295" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-sunlight.jpg" alt="Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14181 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Tschiertschen in the sunlight. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Breakfast at the Alpina was a gastronomic highlight with a delicious array of mueslis, fresh fruit, yoghurts, cheese, cold meats, salads, juices and the best bread and pastries I've ever tasted. Having doubled Heidi’s hiking estimate, we abandoned our plans to hike to the top of Hörnli and decided to catch the train to Arosa and take the gondola to the restaurant for lunch. Rather than backtracking by bus to Chur, we walked down to the train station at St Peter Molinis. Even that turned out to be much further than anticipated with a steep climb up to the station at the end but the hike was well worth the effort. En route, we came across an old sawmill operated by hydropower from the Ruchtobel River, spotted wild deer in the forest and walked through pastures with cows so tame they were happy to be patted. At the station, we met a young woman who explained that at St Peter Molinis, trains only stop if you push a button. A vital piece of information. She also told us all her favourite places to hike. The train trip was stunning - deep gorges, turquoise rivers, power stations and high viaducts - and the lakeside village of Arosa was like a jewel surrounded by a necklace of magnificent mountains. <img width="450" height="600" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Langwies-viaduct.jpg" alt="Viaduct" class="size-full wp-image-14174 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Langwies viaduct on the way to Arosa. Image credit: Justine Tyerman <img width="454" height="303" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Arosa-automn.jpg" alt="Arosa Obersee lake" class="size-full wp-image-14160 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Arosa and its Obersee lake. Image credit: Justine Tyerman We took the gondola to the top of Hörnli where there were alps as far as the eye could see. The 360 degree panorama was staggering, the horizon bristling with mountains. A telescope told us the names of all the peaks and ranges from Zermatt to St Moritz and far beyond. We basked in warm autumn sun while lunching and drinking chilled rosé at the splendid restaurant. We celebrated life and how privileged we were to be in such a beautiful part of the world. <img width="447" height="298" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Hoernli-top.jpg" alt="Hörnli" class="size-full wp-image-14171 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Top of the Hörnli. Image credit: Justine Tyerman As we walked back down the mountain track, there were patches of snow where the snowmakers had been hard at work, laying down a base for the coming ski season. The return trip to Chur by train and Post Auto bus to Tschiertschen was just as jaw-dropping the second time around. Arriving back at the Alpina, the staff were so friendly, it felt like we were coming home to family. After relaxing in the sauna and drinks in the bar, we dined in the scenic Panorama Restaurant overlooking the valley and mountains. With a strong penchant for spicy cuisine, we had another of Tony’s fabulous Asian dishes, Thai curry with cod and jasmin rice, served with a flourish by Eran who again looked after us splendidly. There was even a ‘Welcome Tyerman family’ heart-shaped stone on our table. High above us on the dark horizon, we could see the twinkling lights of the restaurant at the top of Hörnli where we had lunch. We’ll hike up there one day, we promised ourselves. <img width="429" height="286" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/hoernli-restaurant.jpg" alt="Hörnli" class="size-full wp-image-14170 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> The Hörnli restaurant. Image credit: Justine Tyerman The Alpina Hotel: history The Alpina Hotel, established in 1897, has a long and illustrious history. The first holiday-makers arrived in Tschiertschen in the summer of 1892, even before there was a road link to Chur. The road was opened three years later setting the scene for the idyllic mountain village with its sunny, sheltered location to become a high-altitude resort. Soon after, Christian Hold of Arosa built the 40-bed Alpina Hotel on an elevated terrace above the village. Originally, the building had only one row of balconies but the hotel was so popular that in 1913, Hold added 20 more beds and a second row of balconies. From 1897 right through until the late 1970s, the Alpina’s La Belle Époque dining room was famous for its elegant balls and parties. In the years that followed, the Alpina saw a series of tenants and by 1937, it had central heating and running water on all floors. During WW2, the hotel stood empty for a while, until it was used as a detention camp and refugee home in 1944-45. In December 1946, chef Adam Stocker bought the Alpina from Hold and in 1952, the installation of the first ski lift launched Tschiertschen as a winter holiday destination. Stocker and his wife Barbara ran the Alpina until 1973 when they passed the lease and then ownership on to their son Andreas and his wife Esther. They undertook further improvements to the hotel in 1984-85. In 2001 Marina Sciamanna took over the hotel and ran it as a friends-of-nature house for cost-conscious Dutch guests. In 2008, she handed over management to her son-in-law, Tobias Alderliesten who steadily increased the number of bookings every year. The hotel then came to the attention of Malaysian entrepreneur Ah Khing Teo who purchased it in April 2013. He commissioned architects and engineers to carefully restore the historic building in the style of the historic hotel. During the extensive renovation and modernisation process from 2014-15, spa facilities were added on the ground floor. Upon reopening in December 2015, the four-star Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa has reassumed its rightful place in the tourist landscape of the Grisons. It is once again THE place to stay on the south side of the Schanfigg Valley. The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa today High on an elevated terrace above the village, the white, five-storey Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa with its gables and traditional balconies is an impressive landmark. The renovated hotel now offers 27 rooms and suites, two restaurants, stylish wine and cocktail bars, a cigar lounge, library and spa zone. <img width="429" height="286" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Alpina-Tschiertschen-hotel.jpg" alt="Alpina Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14155 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Our bright, sunny balcony suite on the top floor of the hotel had a large, super-comfortable bed with fluffy down duvets and soft pillows, a bathroom with a separate toilet, shower enclosure and vanity well-stocked with the Alpina’s own fragrant toiletries, a skylight window, flat screen TV, and free wifi. I loved the warm hues of the pine walls and oak floors. But my favourite place was the balcony. I was spellbound by the stunning view of the Schanfigg Valley, the magnificent Bündner Alps and the exquisite little village of Tschiertschen with its narrow streets, sun-blackened chalets and barns and graceful stone church. Nearby was the bottom station of the ski-lift. I could just picture the scene in winter with the landscape blanketed in glistening white snow. <img width="430" height="286" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-village.jpg" alt="Village of Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14182 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Village of Tschiertschen. Image credit: Justine Tyerman A welcome card and fresh fruit from managers Michael and Marlies Gehring was a thoughtful touch along with a choice of pillows – on the menu were cherry stone, millet, pinewood, feathers or synthetic fibre balls. I enjoyed reading Marlies’ tips of the day especially her advice on how to sleep better and the health benefits of yoghurt, linseed oil and drinking lots of water. As a historophile, it was heart-warming to see how well the herringbone parquet floor, chandeliers, wood panelling and plastered ceilings of the Alpina’s La Belle Époque dining room have been restored. Even the mirror above the piano is in the same position as it was in 1897, perfectly placed to reflect the hands of the pianist. The Panorama Restaurant has also been renovated in keeping with the Golden Era of the 1920s. The outside terrace has spectacular views of the valley and mountains. The cosy Alpina Bar has original wood panelled walls and floors while an intimate wine bar, the AlpinaVinothek, has been installed in the old vaulted cellars. There’s also a library and cigar lounge. The outstanding new Shan Spa (Shan is Chinese for ‘mountain nature’) offers pure relaxation, pampering and indulgence, the perfect place to relax, destress and unwind. Facilities include an outdoor Jacuzzi, a smorgasbord of saunas, a Kneipp basin and a range of relaxing massages, beauty treatments and Asian health applications. My husband Chris is a sauna fan so he sampled all four. The Finnish sauna has hot, dry air to enhance circulation and stimulate the blood supply to your muscles; the eucalyptus of the steam bath benefits the respiratory system, skin and hair; the bio-sauna offers essential herbal aromas to purify and warmth to revitalise the body; and the infra-red sauna is especially recommended for muscle spasms, joint pain, general fatigue and for those who do not tolerate intense heat and high humidity in a sauna. He emerged refreshed, rejuvenated and re-energised. A highlight for me was the unique sensory shower experience of the Via Mala thunderstorm path with hot and cold mist, a storm with huge rain drops, bird song and stars, and a deluge of hot water with cool mist. I did it several times. It was quite addictive. I also enjoyed the Kneipp basin where I sat on a warm stone bench and trod water in a stone tub which stimulated my circulation and arterial blood supply. Apparently it’s a great way to prevent varicose veins so I’ll need to keep coming back. But at the end of a day in the mountains, I loved nothing better than lying in the warmth of the Jacuzzi, relaxing on the bubble lounger, and breathing in the fresh, sweet alpine air. Getting to Tschiertschen Tschiertschen (1340 metres above sea level, population 240) may look and feel delightfully remote and tranquil but it’s only 25 minutes by regular Post Auto bus service from Chur and one hour and 45 minutes from Zurich Airport. We caught an early train from Zurich and sped through countryside that looked like a never-ending series of postcards - flickering past my eyes like the frames of an old-fashioned movie, only in glorious technicolour. When we disembarked at Chur, there was our Post Auto bus, clearly marked Tschiertschen, pulling into the station at precisely the time it was scheduled. <img width="433" height="289" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-welcome.jpg" alt="Welcome" class="size-full wp-image-14184 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Tschiertschen welcomes its visitors. Image credit: Justine Tyerman We headed 10km (25 minutes) up a steep, windy mountain road to a village straight from a Swiss Tourism brochure. I had to blink several times to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. Tschiertschen is a quintessential tiny Swiss alpine village built on a mountainside, untouched by commercial tourism. The historic Alpina Mountain Resort and Spa, one of only two hotels in Tschiertschen, sat proudly above the village bathed in sunshine. I fell in love with the place in an instant. The friendly driver deposited us at the bus stop from where we planned to walk to the Alpina. It looked like a short distance on the map but it was straight uphill so we got all our exercise in one strenuous hit, lugging our cases up the steep main street. Had we phoned, the hotel's courtesy car would have collected us, ‘No problem,’ said Heidi as we arrived out of breath at reception where cool drinks and alpine nut cake awaited us. So much to offer Summer In the summer, Tschiertschen is a hiking paradise, the ideal starting point for many beautiful day and half-day excursions. The 70km network of trails takes walkers through unspoilt natural landscapes devoid of man-made interference like tar-sealed roads, cable cars and snow cannons which is increasingly rare these days. <img width="468" height="312" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-Alpina-hotel.jpg" alt="Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14179 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Tschiertschen and its Alpina Mountain Resort. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Tschiertschen is the first stop on the famous six-day Schanfigger Höhenweg, described as ‘the most beautiful mountain hiking path in Graubünden’. The village is also the perfect base for mountain bikers. And for those who need an extra boost uphill, the Alpina has the latest, greatest, off-road, cross-country e-bikes for their guests’ use, the ‘flitzerli MONSTER eBike’. Graubünden’s most beautiful tennis court is located in Tschiertschen, directly behind the Alpina Hotel. Guests play for free with rackets and balls provided. Winter Winter in Tschiertschen is a dream come true for skiers and snowboarders seeking to escape the crowded slopes of Switzerland’s famous ski resorts. There’s 32km of excellently-prepared pistes of all degrees of difficulty, 100 percent natural snow, no crowds, no queuing for the modern four-seater chairlifts and ski lifts and no loud music blasting across the slopes. Just beautifully diverse downhill runs through forests and gullies with terrain to suit everyone from beginners and families to experts like local resident and three-time world champion ski acrobat Mia Engi. There’s also plenty of challenging terrain for free-riders, powder hounds and off-piste skiers. <img width="445" height="298" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Tschiertschen-winter.jpg" alt="Winter in Tschiertschen" class="size-full wp-image-14196 no-display lazyloaded appear" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Winter in Tschiertschen must be wonderful. Image credit: Alpina Tschiertschen The ski school meeting point is right behind the Alpina Hotel and the valley station of the lift can be reached in just one minute. There’s also a free ski bus from the village car park to the bottom of the chairlift. And if you are looking for a new thrill on the snow, the Alpina will lend you a gögel, a mono-ski/toboggan combo. Organised winter events include guest ski races, night skiing with torches, guided ski tours and ski safaris, gourmet evenings and plays, exhibitions, readings and chamber music concerts. Wine and food The Bündner Herrschaft area, often called the ‘Burgundy of Switzerland’, ranks among the best regions for red wine north of the Alps. The vineyards where 45 grape varieties flourish in warm conditions, are just 20 minutes by car from Tschiertschen. The picturesque wine-growing villages of Fläsch, Maienfeld, Jenins and Malans are worth visiting at any time of the year. Winemakers mature their finest wines in oak barrels and secure top international awards with them. Tschiertschen is famous for its high-quality ‘AlpenHirt’, dried beef made from cattle grazing high alpine pastures. The meat is marinated in a mixture of red wine, natural salt and herbs and left to dry in the mountain air for eight to 16 weeks rather than being preserved in pickling salt with additives in a smoke chamber. Guests can also sample richly flavoursome Alp Farur cheese. Tschiertschen holds a Farmers’ Market every Saturday afternoon selling alpine cheese, alpine butter, eggs, meat, Graubünden nut gateaux, home-made Graubünden pear bread, jams, liqueurs and aperitif platters directly from the local farmers’ wives. Chur Just 20 minutes away from Tschiertschen on the Post Auto bus, lies the city of Chur (population 34,880), the capital of the eastern Switzerland canton of Graubünden/Grisons. Chur boasts a car-free medieval Old Town, the wonderfully restored 13th-century, three-naved Cathedral of the Assumption in the courtyard of Bishop’s Palace, the Graubünden Museum of Fine Arts, the Rhaetian Museum, Graubünden Natural History Museum, art galleries and theatres with classical and jazz concerts . . . not to mention excellent shopping. <img width="466" height="310" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/historic-auto-bus.jpg" alt="Historic auto bus" class="size-full wp-image-14168 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Historic Post Auto Bus. Image credit: Justine Tyerman Unique, unspoiled, authentic Tschiertschen has a wealth of unique natural attributes. A world away from the glitz and glamour of Switzerland’s world-famous resorts, the village offers a tranquil, close-to-nature, unspoiled, authentic, alpine experience, a welcome respite from the stressful, high-pressure lives that many people lead in the cities these days. But comfort is not compromised. The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa pampers you with romance, history, gourmet cuisine, fine wine, spa facilities, salubrious suites and impeccable service. Unique, unspoiled, authentic . . . go there before the secret is discovered. * The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa is a member of the Romantik Hotels & Restaurants International, a group of more than 200 establishments in 10 European countries. ‘The distinguishing characteristics of tradition, history, quality and warm hospitality combined with excellent cuisine, authentic local roots and tangible history unite the owner-run hotels, creating an exclusive collection to delight even the most discerning guests.’ * The Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa is included in the Guide Michelin’s list of the best hotels in Switzerland. * Justine and Chris Tyerman stayed at the Alpina Mountain Resort & Spa, Tschiertschen, Switzerland:<a href="http://www.the-alpina.com/" target="_blank">www.the-alpina.com</a> * Switzerland Tourism: <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/" target="_blank">www.MySwitzerland.com</a> * Swiss Travel Pass: <a href="http://www.myswitzerland.com/rail" target="_blank">www.MySwitzerland.com/rail</a> * Rail Europe: <a href="http://www.raileurope.com.au/" target="_blank">www.raileurope.com.au</a> / <a href="http://www.raileurope.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.raileurope.co.nz</a> * Swiss International Air Lines: <a href="http://www.swiss.com/ch/en" target="_blank">www.swiss.com/ch/en</a> * Republished with the permission of <a href="http://travelmemo.com/" target="_blank">Travelmemo.com</a>

International Travel

5 psychological phenomena you’ve never heard of but definitely experienced

You know when you have some kind of mind-blowing moment of a false memory that you share with someone else, or you start to see your new car has been bought by everyone else, too? Well, there’s a term for both of those phenomena. 1. The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon This one is also known as a “frequency illusion”, and is used to describe the illusion in which a word or object that has suddenly come to your attention is seemingly everywhere. Did you learn a new word today? You’ll be reading and hearing it everywhere. Did you buy a new car? Every other person on the road owns the same one in the same colour. This is explained by the simple fact that you are temporarily focused on this word or object, so it no longer escapes your notice. 2. Jamais vu This French term is the opposite of the more commonly known “déjà vu”, and translates to “never seen”. Basically, this phenomenon is when you are in a situation you recognise in some way, but that still seems completely unfamiliar. The best way to experience this for yourself is to write or say aloud the same word repeatedly – you will soon begin to question the reality of the word itself, despite knowing for certain that it is real. 3. The Mandela Effect Have you ever remembered something that wasn’t a real memory? That’s understandable – we can often confuse dreams or fictional stories with real memories. What is unusual is when multiple people falsely recall the same thing. These “collective false memories” range from misremembering the title of the popular picture book series The Berenstain Bears (people will swear that it was BerenstEin), to the believing that Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 1980s (he died at home in 2013). 4. Out-group homogeneity effect This is the perception of a person or group of people that “out-group” members are more similar to one another in comparison to those within the “in-group”. Basically, this is a way of explaining why we often view people from different sub-cultures as having a lot of similarities, and why many people view people from different ethnic backgrounds as being alike to their fellows, while their own groups are perceived as diverse. 5. The rule of 6 handshakes Sometimes referred to as “six degrees of separation” or “six degrees of Kevin Bacon”, this is the idea that every living thing in the world (though the more popular variation of this phenomenon simply concerns people) are connected to each other through six or fewer degrees of separation. The idea was popularised by the 1990 play (and 1993 film) by John Guare, Six Degrees of Seperation. How many of these phenomena have you experienced before? Let us know in the comments below.

Mind

Experiencing the real Hawaii: Volunteering at 71 with my grandson

Russell Livingston, 71, recently went on an <a href="https://www.volunteerhq.org/au/" target="_blank">International Volunteer HQ</a> trip to Hawaii with his 17-year-old grandson. The IVHQ Hawaii volunteer program in which my grandson (age 17) and I (age 71) participated on is truly a rare gem! I’ve volunteered on seven fabulous IVHQ programs, and I can say that IVHQ and Sustainable Coastlines do an outstanding job. All IVHQ volunteer work across the world is meaningful and important, but on the Hawaii program you are immersed in Hawaiian history; you are helping re-create authentic ancient Hawaiian conditions, structures, and environments, and each day we were all amazed, and proud, at what we had accomplished! You work as the native people worked, do as they do and see what they saw. You learn so much about Hawaii and its history. It’s an incredible adventure. The local program coordinator, Katie, picked us up at the airport in the van, making arrival easy and stress-free. The volunteer house is at the base of gorgeous steep tall mountains, which, after rain, run with waterfalls ready to explore. Your room is in a large modern house with all the conveniences you are used to and in a lovely safe neighbourhood. Not to mention the rooms have real reds with comfortable mattresses and box springs! There are only 2 to 4 people in a room instead of the more common 8 to 10. Waking in the morning to the sweet sound of cooing doves, we drag ourselves out to the great room/kitchen to the sound of happy contemporary island music and Katie’s cheerful greetings and help ourselves to breakfasts of all sorts of cereals, bread, eggs, fruits, tea, coffee, etc. The first morning is orientation, by Katie, our leader, historian, driver, cheerleader, cook, guide, travel agent, a fellow labourer, and house mum. She is always available and is extraordinarily positive, hard-working, and helpful. We learned of the great Pacific gyre, a garbage swirl dumping millions of tons of plastic and trash on the beaches of the world and of the ghastly damage to fish, seabirds, turtles, and other sea life caused by plastic and trash. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45906/image1_500x375.jpg" alt="Image1"/> We all piled into the van and drove to a perfect tropical beach—littered with trash. A few hours of sifting sand and cleaning the beach (with an hour’s break for body surfing and swimming) gave us hundreds of pounds of icky stuff, which we hauled back to the van. It’s great exercise, this program keeps you fit! Then off to a recycling station, the nearby supermarket to get food for dinner, and home to shower. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45905/image6_500x375.jpg" alt="Image6"/> The indigenous people of Oahu lived in 28 separate areas called ahupua’a, each extending from the top of the highest mountains where the most rain fell, down through the tropical rainforest, then through broad green valleys watered by streams and springs, continuing to the flatter wetlands, and finally to the ancient rock-walled fish ponds and the sea. You work in each of these sections of one of these ahupua’a, called He’eia Ahupua’a, in the long exhausting quest to restore it to its original condition. It is one of the only ahupua’a to have avoided urbanization and destruction, highlighting what a unique mission you are participating in. At the highest elevation, up a steep and rugged path through the lush jungle at the headwaters, we worked building a trail to restore access to the various parts of the mountain - more great exercise! After climbing back down you can refresh yourself with a cold drink from a pure spring flowing from the rock. The mountain is Mauna O’loleka’a (Tumbling Rat Mountain), which I demonstrated to be aptly named by taking an accidental flying dive and skid—good sympathy points! The non-profit organization responsible, Papahana Kuaola, also operates an organic native plant nursery and seed bank. Finishing the day’s work around 1:00 PM, as we did each day, we were presented, courtesy of Katie, with a luau of authentic Hawaiian foods—delicious! Great leftovers too! Lunch is provided daily and is really excellent. Katie may pick up and bring it to us, we might eat at a restaurant, and once we packed our own lunches of sandwiches, fruit, snacks, etc. Each evening Katie lets you know where you will be and what you will do the next days on the project so you can make plans for the afternoon. You can go fishing, kayaking, snorkelling, swimming, surfing, bagging rays at the beach, sight-seeing, shopping all over the island, swimming and snorkelling with sharks, hiking trails, walking jungle streams, hitting Waikiki and Honolulu: anything you can think of. Katie helps you plan so she can take you where you want to go, or you can always catch a bus or call Uber or Lyft. One day a week, work is at Kako’o Owii, an organic farm with stunning views of mountains and green valleys. The farm and the original wetlands of the area are part of the restoration project. Native crops are grown, and taro, or kalo, used in making poi, is primary. After an interesting educational lesson, you may spend a truly unique morning thigh-deep in a taro patch, cutting and pulling up the large plants by the root. You may then “stomp” a taro patch, your legs will be covered in marvellous muck as you use your feet (and hands) to submerge weeds. Don’t worry there are showers. It’s more great exercise! At the huge Paepae O He’eia fishpond, learning the fascinating history and operation of the pond, you then help to recreate the original conditions: hauling and burning cut mangrove branches, working with school kids carrying rocks, building rock walls by hand—REALLY great exercise! <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45904/image5_500x375.jpg" alt="Image5"/> There is so much more I could say about this remarkable Hawaii program! It is perfect for one’s first trip (or last); during my trip there were 10 first timers aged 17 through 20, including my grandson, plus my ancient self on my 7th IVHQ volunteer trip, and we all had a truly wondrous adventure that none of us will ever forget. After our return, my daughter said, of my grandson, “You went to Hawaii a boy, and you came back a man.” Dude!

Retirement Life

Experiencing India on the Maharajas’ Express

People do a lot of waiting in India. Waiting for work, waiting for a blessing, waiting for things to get better. Often they are waiting for a train. Here are some people waiting on a platform: an elderly man with a waterfall beard cascading from his wizened face; a young mother in a mustard-yellow sari holding a bamboozled infant wearing eyeliner; a little boy striding purposely past them to the end of the platform, curling his toes over the edge, and pissing onto the rails, a perfect golden arc glinting in the morning sun. Above them, hand-painted signs cover the walls; around them, a scratchy tannoy voice babbles updates from the network. Nearby, a dog quivers with fleas, restlessly shifting on the concrete as though expecting a relative to return on the next carriage. Everyone is waiting for something, but they are not, in the ordinary sense of the word, waiting for my train. The Maharajas' Express is the best train in India by some measurements, and the best in the entire world by some others. A grand, burgundy monster too big for many rural stations, it is owned by the Indian government and has been designed to carry foreigners, and to be seen and photographed by locals. For the onlookers on these platforms, the Maharajas' seems to say: wait long enough and you too could make it on here. I've come on board for the Indian Panorama program, a 2300-kilometre sampler of northern India. It starts in Delhi, and over eight days and seven nights introduces its guests to the country's Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and British heritages. Each carriage (the number varies depending on the occupancy for the trip) is assigned a personal butler, young men who seem to possess a Batman-like ability to appear from nowhere to offer help. Some guests develop a not unreasonable theory that the butlers are stored in the ceiling and deployed the moment they sense a minor inconvenience. For many, being waited on like is a treat, but I find it more than a little uncomfortable. Having an Indian house boy is an incredibly awkward business. The only silver lining for me is that my butler is called Mahipal, which is more-or-less pronounced My Pal, allowing me to feel as though we're something like equals. "Thanks for that My Pal", "Oh don't worry about it My Pal, I've got it." The key to enjoying the Maharajas' Express, for me anyway, is to pretend as though you're in some kind of elaborate improv and that none of this is real. When they literally roll out a red carpet at a village station and the music starts playing and beggars in rags are shepherded to the side so you can stride past ... that's all just pretend. Actors in convincing garbs. But, wow, haven't they done a good job with how it all smells? At almost every stop the platforms are decked out in garlands of fiery marigolds. Often there is a band. Always there are locals staring. You have to slide into the role pretty quickly. Thankfully the substance of the Indian Panorama itinerary is so rich that a lot of this pantomime is forgotten. The first stop is the spectacular pink city of Jaipur, then on to Ranthambore National Park where we casually see wild tigers from the jeep, as though they aren't stealth experts and one of the world's most endangered creatures. <img width="500" height="279" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/27244/india-train-in-text-one_500x279.jpg" alt="India -train -in -text -one" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> That afternoon we visit Fatephur Sikri, an abandoned red ruin, once the home of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, now a Unesco World Heritage Site and the domain of several hundred rose-ringed parakeets, whose vibrant green feathers seem to bounce out of the ochre sandstone. Our cameras flutter like their wings. Several of the passengers on board have also travelled on the fabled Orient-Express, and compare the Maharajas' favourably. It may not have the prestige of its older rival, but it has considerably larger cabins and every night of the trip is spent on the train (on the Orient-Express' London to Venice route, just one night is spent on-board). Not that people don't occasionally lament being on the train through the night. It's rarely quiet, occasionally the old tracks cause the carriages to rock violently, and some trick of the half-conscious brain leaves several passengers feeling as though we are travelling too fast towards some unknown disaster. This being India, the train driver also uses the horn. A lot. Sometimes to alert signalmen further up the line, sometimes to try to cajole people into getting out the way. Its mega population means there are 1.2 billion potential problems in India these days, and that's not including the holy cattle. Nonetheless, it's hard to imagine how the staff can do much more, given the format is essentially the same as it was in 1853 when the ruling British ran India's first locomotive. The food is unanimously excellent, too, but, while the Europeans are familiar with many of the Indian dishes, for the Americans much of it is a new experience. And for a small Japanese group of four, whose food at home is diametrically opposed to this, negotiating the thalis is like walking through a chilli-laden minefield. Noting this, the chef and his unseen team start cooking separate dishes for them. It's that kind of service that leaves people so fond of the Maharajas' Express, and undoubtedly the sort of thing that's led to it being crowned Leading Luxury Train at the World Travel Awards for the past four years. The attentiveness is possible because of the mammoth number of staff: most remain invisible but, once you total everyone working on the train, there are between 70 and 80, far more than there are passengers. Many of the places we visit – Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow – are familiar to outsiders, at least by name, but none of us have heard of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. We know nothing about it before we arrive, but that soon changes thanks to our guide, the garrulous Mr Singh. As we walk around these Unesco-backed Hindu and Jain temples, he starts every anecdote by pleading for "our kind attention", before launching into a colourful dialogue about ancient practices, tyrannical emperors or Buddhist principles. "May I have your kind attention? Who are you?" He asks no one in particular. "You are not only a body. You are a blessed being!" Some of the passengers nod attentively, others wander off to take photographs of the near-pristine sculptures that adorn these 1000-year-old temples. "Nothing is new under the sun," Mr Singh says. "Look at these carvings! See the monkey business between man and woman? The woman worried about her muffin tops, the man reaching for her? Nothing is new under the sun!" <img width="500" height="279" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/27243/india-train-in-text-two_500x279.jpg" alt="India -train -in -text -two" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> We get a new guide almost every day, all with excellent English, most with a good sense of humour. (In Jaipur: "See these milk urns? The writing says how much water they have added to the milk and sometimes how much milk was added to the water.") A couple of times, however, it feels as though we don't need any guidance at all. The first time it happens is at the Taj Mahal, the grandest jewel in India's crown, the "tear-drop on the cheek of time", a place so photographed and mythologised it seems almost unnecessary to try to capture it. Perhaps it's enough to say that, as far as the death business goes, this is about as beautiful as it's possible to be. The other time is in the holy city of Varanasi. Death looms large here, too, death of the here and now, with 24-hour public cremations taking place on the banks of the Ganges. Above the ceremonies, black kites swoop ominously over buildings that seem to be crumbling into the holy river, yet, for Hindus, there is no better way to enter the afterlife than here, returned to ash by the holy river. Watching the ceremonies from floating boats, the passengers of the Maharajas' Express are divided about whether or not we should be here at all. The deceased loved ones are dipped into the sacred water before being transferred, wrapped in bright robes, to the pyre. A prayer is chanted, a flower placed, thousands of bells ring, the sound tinkling over us like rain. Personally, I'm glad to witness it, to see that the departed – some of them so light their stretchers are lifted as though empty – are indeed loved ones, perhaps even more so in death than in life. Mark Twain wrote of Indians: "It is a curious people. With them, all life seems to be sacred except human life." I can't say how true that is, but visiting Varanasi I saw that at least human death is sacred. On the last morning it's we who have to do the waiting, held at a signal outside Delhi as the rush-hour traffic snakes its way hither and yon. As I eat my final breakfast in the dining car, a local train pulls up next to ours. The people on board are in second class, without air conditioning or virtually any comfort at all. I stare at them and they stare back for longer than I can bear. But before I look away, a trick in the windows' reflections seems to project me into their place, and I hope that they, somehow, can see themselves in mine. Have you ever been on a long train journey? Share your story in the comments. Written by John Golder. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Maharajas Express Related links: <a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/07/spicejet-plane-nearly-takes-off-without-40-passengers/">SpiceJet plane nearly takes off without 40 passengers</a> <a href="/travel/international/2016/07/how-the-taj-mahal-is-under-threat/">How India’s Taj Mahal is under threat</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/04/will-and-kate-recreate-princess-diana-taj-mahal-photo/">Will and Kate recreate Princess Diana’s iconic Taj Mahal photo</a>

International Travel

Experiencing Geelong’s Festival of Sails

Coinciding with Australia Day each year, the coastal town of Geelong, about an hour's drive from Melbourne, hosts the Festival of Sails. It's the oldest sporting event in Australia dating back 172 years and is rated among the state of Victoria's 12 top sporting events alongside the Australian Open tennis, Formula One Grand Prix and the Boxing Day cricket test. The Festival of Sails finds its origins in 1844 when two men decided to race from the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown to Geelong. They repeated the race annually with others joining, and now, known as the Passage Race, hundreds of boats contest the event that launches the Festival of Sails. This year, 276 boats of mixed class raced, including some competitors from the famous Sydney to Hobart race. There were 3000 sailors competing, ranging in age from 12 to 81. A spectacular sight, the Passage Race launches a long weekend of competition on the water in Geelong, hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. <img width="500" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/18048/geelong-in-text_500x280.jpg" alt="Geelong sailing festival"/> The event has evolved into a family festival coinciding with Australia Day with more than 100,000 people attending waterfront-wide activities including concerts, carnival rides, the Giant Sky Wheel, aerial and water skiing displays and market stalls. On the water the skiing display attracted a crowd of hundreds along the shoreline as six-person pyramids, slippery footwork spinning tricks and a 120kmh swing-around-the-boat trick wowed. The big finish for the show was two flyboard stuntmen defying gravity in jet boots. On the opposite side of the marina a golden sand beach stretched for a kilometre, giving families space for some volleyball, swimming, sailing, water fights or even just a good old snooze. Scenes at the festival revealed a great love for the nation on Australia Day with the country's flag flying at every turn. The people wore it with pride too, in flag-adorned clothing - or even just the flag itself wrapped as a dress, cape or beach towel. Taking centre stage at noon, a citizenship ceremony welcomed migrants as the newest Australians. A real celebration, capped by an aerial display, beers and a barbecue. The writer travelled courtesy of Tourism Victoria. Written by Ed Scragg. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/best-place-to-swim-with-whale-sharks-in-australia/">Best place to swim with whale sharks in WA</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/03/best-aussie-wildlife-experiences/">6 best Aussie wildlife experiences</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/03/right-whale-in-cape-cod/">Rare right whale spotted in Cape Cod</a>

International Travel

Video of grandmother experiencing virtual reality will melt hearts

If you like technology, funny videos or simply that fact that we basically now live in The Twilight Zone, you will love this video of Marie, 89, trying out virtual reality technology for the first time. The grandmother wears Google Cardboard. It’s a VR experience starting with a simple viewer-made out of cardboard- that anyone can build or buy. Once you have it on, you can explore a variety of experiences that appear to unfold all around you. Marie in particular is watching a rollercoaster simulation. Her reaction is nothing short of hilarious. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/12/instagram-adds-new-feature/">The new Instagram feature you’ll love</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/11/types-of-people-on-facebook/">The 10 types of people you always find on Facebook</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/11/android-phones-security-phone/">Android phones at risk of hacking</a>

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Video of grandmother experiencing virtual reality will melt hearts