NIGEL THOMPSON MARJORIE YUE Join the gust list
One of the world’s great bucket list travel experiences is getting a year-long reprieve – all thanks to an ill wind. The RMS St Helena, one of only two remaining Royal Mail Ships, is to continue serving the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena, where Napoleon was exiled from 1815 to his death in 1821.
She was due to be decommissioned once the island’s £285million airport – paid for by the Department for International Development – opened for commercial flights last spring, a scheme aimed at making the 47 square miles British Overseas Territory self-sufficient and boosting tourism.
But that has been shelved because of a dangerous weather condition known as wind ‘shear’, which make it unsafe for large jets to land.
Scheduled British Airways services from Johannesburg, due to start last May, have been suspended giving the RMS a reprieve from the breakers’ yard.
Now she will remain the 4,000 islanders’ essential link to the outside world until the wind shear issue is resolved. So travellers with three
weeks to spare will be able to make the voyage by ship up to next February.
They must travel to South Africa, then spend 10 days at sea and eight days on the island, which is 1,200 miles off Africa’s west coast and known for its isolation, scenery and rare wildlife.
Besides carrying vital cargo, the 155-berth, 344ft liner offers passengers two bars, a full service dining room, sun deck, swimming pool, gym and library. The journey is a world away from the modern cruise ship, with traditional deck games (including cricket!), talks, quizzes and film nights.
A spokesman for St Helena’s tourist board ( sthelenatourism.com ) said: “News this venerable institution will continue to sail throughout 2017 has been warmly welcomed far and wide.”
Discover the World is offering 18-night trips to St Helena in 2017 by RMS from £3,234pp for two sharing. This includes a 10-night return sailing from Cape Town, eight nights’ B&B on St Helena, seven days’ car rental, a full-day 4x4 excursion and a half-day wildlife cruise. Flights to Cape Town are extra. discover-the-world.co.uk
Worried about rubbish sterling exchange rates? Try Argentina where tourists should now find their hotel bills are tumbling. New laws mean foreign visitors are exempt from paying a 21 per cent tax on rooms, with the reduction in rates starting to filter through this month. argentina.travel