Arrivals & Departures Weekly Travel News & Views 16 July 2024

NEW OLDEST

It was this week revealed that the “new” world’s oldest cave art has been found in Sulawesi, Indonesia. More than 51,200 years old, the figurative painting features a wild pig and three human-like figures. It is more than 5000 years older than the “previous oldest” cave art. It was found and verified by Australian scientists from Griffith University working with Indonesian colleagues.

CHAUVET CAVE

In the south of France, the cave paintings in the Chauvet Cave world heritage site have been visited by more than 1.5 million people. They were discovered in the Ardeche by three amateur speleologists, turning the timeline of the history of art on its head. At the time, they were the world’s oldest known masterpieces, at more than 36,000 years old (18,000 years older than the Lascaux cave in the Dordogne). It is an exceptional collection of big, high-quality artworks. Entry is €18 for adults. grottechauvet2ardeche.com

NEW SALT ROUTE

The need for salt has driven and themed much of human history. There was a lot of salt production around Nice, in the south of France. It was brought to Nice, unloaded on the beach and then packaged, weighed (and taxed) in the Cours Saleya market. The new Pagarine Route is a 159km walking path from the French Riviera to the Italian hills, following an ancient salt trading route. It starts on the French coast in Nice and finishes in the Italian city of Cuneo, with walkers following in the footsteps of medieval salt traders.

AID FOR AFRICA

This month, on July 13, in 1985, the Live Aid benefit concert brought the world together. The concert was a sort of “massive stereo” and held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. It raised millions of dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia. Years of drought and civil war, and a failed attempt by the Ethiopian government to control the grain market, led to a devastating famine. The concert was driven by Sir Bob Geldof, who was obsessed with helping. It’s a fitting anniversary on which to publish our Africa Guide.

SIR BOB’S SAYINGS

Sir Bob said: “Music is something I must do, business is something I need to do, and Africa is something I have to do. That’s the way it breaks down in my life.”

Sir Bob also said: “There is an otherness to Africa that I imagine everyone gets — except Africans, who just happen to live there.” (And I like that thought even better.) I still occasionally rewatch his series Geldof in Africa and dip into the good book that goes with it.

MY BIG FIVE

The Big Five game animals in Africa are lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and African buffalo, and my Big Five national parks in southern Africa are . . .

+ Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.

+ Maasai Mara, Kenya.

+ Chobe National Park, Botswana.

+ South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

+ Kruger National Park, South Africa.

THE LITTLE FIVE

There’s also a “little five” in Africa — antlion (an omnivorous ant), leopard tortoise, rhino beetle, elephant shrew and red-billed buffalo weaver bird.

ORCA DAY

July 14 was World Orca Day, and Majestic Whale Encounters has an interesting annual Orca and Lights Expedition to the Norwegian fjords, where humpback whales and orcas may be seen between the ice caps. A spokesperson says: “This expedition offers an opportunity for guests to swim with the orcas in an ethical and respectful manner.” (Let’s hope it’s reciprocated.) The six-night trip on MS Kinfish is for a maximum of 12 guests. The sight of a pod of orcas is surely unforgettable. majesticwhaleencounters.com.au

IMPROBABILITIES

On the subject of collective nouns, New Zealand Birds lists in the “p” section. . .

+ An improbability of puffins

+ An invisibleness of plovers

+ A prattle of parrots

+ A gallon of petrels (seriously).

nzbirds.com

BEST HOTEL BRAND

There’s an annual report called the Brand Finance’s Hotel 50 which ranks hotel groups. And the 2024 report, which has just been released, rates Taj as the world’s strongest hotel brand. They weigh up all sorts of aspects of a hotel business to give a brand strength index, and Taj scored 92.9 out of 100 to earn an AAA+ rating. Taj has opened the doors to India’s living grand palaces, has a presence in Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala and the Andamans and is now global. It has a portfolio of grand palaces, iconic city hotels, safari lodges and spa resorts, which includes more than 110 properties in 13 countries.

BIG HISTORY (& STORY)

Taj Hotels celebrated its 120th anniversary last year. Taj was founded in 1903 by Jamsetji Tata, a man for whom courtesy and respect were fundamental. The first hotel, The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, looked out over the Arabian Sea and inspired the world. It was beautiful and cost nearly $450,000 — an enormous amount of money 120 years ago. Family and friends had tried to dissuade him, warning that it would lose money. “Perhaps it will,” Jamsetji said, “but that makes no difference.” He wanted Indians to have a beautiful hotel and it rose, under his personal guidance, on the seafront where the Gateway of India would one day be built. A Taj insider says: “When the Taj opened its doors, it inspired delight and awe in every Indian, and not just for its imposing exterior. To many Indians who had never travelled abroad before, this Taj was an incredible wonder of the modern world, a tantalising glimpse into the future.”

WEDDING SEASON

India is, indeed, a land of contrasts, and Justin Bieber has just performed at a celebration as the son of India’s richest man prepares to marry. He sang for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant and their guests in Mumbai. It has been suggested he was paid nearly $15 million — more than Rihanna, the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and Andrea Bocelli, who have all performed at pre-wedding parties. For travellers, the wedding season in India is in November, and tour groups (certainly the ones I lead) often get invited to local weddings. Auspicious dates are based on astrology and location. I was there for wedding season in 2023, and it began on November 23.

PURPLE REIGNS

Fans have been converging on Minneapolis in the US for the 40th anniversary of Purple Rain, which was on July 13. The movie and soundtrack shot Prince, a native of the city, to fame. A big party was took place in the city’s First Avenue and a block party the following day. Minneapolis has a new tour of Paisley Park, Prince’s home and studio. paisleypark.com