A trek through the vast Sperrgebiet wilderness that will soon be opened to tourism reveals an abundance of flora and fauna, mountains, meteorite craters, pristine beaches, isles with names like Roast Beef Island — and swarms of killer bees. Second of two parts Trygve* Cooper, ...
Inside Namibia's forbidden zone
First of two parts The public will finally be allowed access to one of the world's last and largest wilderness areas — the Sperregebiet diamond region. Day one in the deep south of Namibia and the view does not entice. What started as high winds has ...
The other wild side of Zimbabwe
In recent years Zimbabwe has consistently made headlines for all the wrong reasons: despotism, the highest inflation rate in the world, human rights abuses. You name your classic African fiasco/atrocity/act of idiocy, President Robert Mugabe's has done it. In spades. So why the hell, you ...
After a week of decadent inactivity in the Aegean Dream resort on the coast of Turkey's Bodrum Peninsula I woke (late) to the disturbing realization that — as I confessed on this page last month — I had ceased to be a travel writer. I ...
Herodotus, the so-called Father of History, made a few rather extravagant claims in his time (his time being the 5th century B.C., which is when he wrote the world's first history books). The Ionian Greek's accounts of Himalayan marmots* pursuing and devouring camels and ...
What's the odd cattle prod on flights safely free of children's milk?
You may be aware of something called "The War on Terror." If you aren't, try taking a flight from London's Gatwick Airport. Recently, I arrived there, as advised by my travel agent, four hours before my flight's departure time, at the ungodly hour of 6 ...
Get ready to sprint-shop where the living ain't easy
Very recently, I had the opportunity to see the 83-year-old head of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. The contemptible cranium was traveling at high speed in a convoy of shiny black Mercs, souped-up and overcrowded army trucks, police cars and motorcycle outriders. I, and very ...
Heidelberg's a blast! This German university town has something about it that simply says "style." It also has a history of revolutionary ideas, religious schisms, destruction, anarchy and heroic restoration. This may be why it attracts 3 million tourists a year. There's a thoroughly imposing, partially ...
The scene looks straight out of Jurassic Park. Huge vehicles thrash through the churned earth burdened with winches and cranes, steel crates and giraffes. Tough guys in uniforms bellow instructions or saunter about holding guns, netting, ropes to restrain buffalo, and all sorts of ...
Time to kill -- but not mosquitoes
I am only an hour's drive from my destination -- the lodge of Safari Hoek, where, as promised in the last column, I plan to write up an "ethical" hunting safari outfit -- when I inadvertently bag my first trophy. A guinea fowl. Big ...
Not such a wild conservation idea?
It is late afternoon, and over sundowner drinks in the hunting lodge the talk around the table is of lions. Or, to be more specific, one particular lion -- "Old Black Mane," the night raider, cattle killer, and terror of the local tribesmen. Man ...
Rice rats and romance on the 'River of Nine Dragons'
The rusty boat farts, coughs and chugs slowly along the narrow river channel, a skinny boy perched on its prow shouting directions back to the captain (who does almost as much farting and coughing as his geriatric craft). There's the slop and slosh of ...
