Sleep to Scotland
THE WELCOME Quick and efficient. We were checked in within minutes and on the beach just moments later. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Overlooking the Atlantic, set on Victoria Beach and within spitting distance of Northern Africa, this hotel is less than two miles from Cadiz old town. It is the perfect spot to combine sightseeing and enjoying the miles of glorious sandy beaches on the peninsula – lined by lively bars and fish restaurants. A frequent local bus stops outside the hotel and takes you to the centre of town for just over one euro. THE ROOM Our spacious accommodation had a giant, comfortable bed and large contemporary en suite bathroom. A good-sized balcony had a partial sea view – though with the beach just a few steps away it never got used. THE FOOD Cadiz has no shortage of foodie finds so we never ate in the hotel. Casa Manteca is run by the sons of a matador and offers some of the finest, and cheapest, rations of meat and cheese I’ve eaten in Spain. There are dozens of fried fish bars. Freiduria Las Flores is the most popular so arrive early to get the prime spot – a table overlooking the square for the best people-watching in town. THE SERVICE Friendly. All staff spoke great English too. LOVED The proximity to the beach. Come day or night there is always something going on. There is also a small pool to the rear of the hotel which gets the sun in the afternoon. But with the ocean so close, we usually plunged into the Atlantic. It was five euros for a sunbed and umbrella outside the hotel – cheaper than in many Spanish resorts. HATED The 25 euro car parking charge per day. You don’t need a car in Cadiz so if you are not travelling further afield, use public transport. Buses, trains and taxis are cheap. BOTTOM LINE Double Rooms start at £69. CHECK IT OUT palafoxhoteles.com/en/cadiz-hotels. IF next month’s release of Kenneth Branagh’s film Murder on the Orient Express has got you thinking about top train journeys, Scotland is the place. Catch the Caledonian Sleeper at London Euston and wake to views of Rannoch Moor, or travel overnight to Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen or Glasgow. For more ideas see visitscotland.com/railjourneys. WE love bears like Paddington, whose new film opens next month, and Winnie, subject of a V&A exhibition in London from December. So why not head off to spot the real thing? There is an enduring affection for the 91-yearold bear of very little brain, just look at the success of the current film about his creator A.A. Milne, Goodbye Christopher Robin.
The easiest and cheapest way to get in touch with Pooh is a trip to the Hundred Acre Wood, which is actually the Five Hundred Acre Wood in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex.
It is at the heart of the High Weald and, despite its name, is nearly two-thirds heathland. There are guided walks, butterflies, freeroaming cattle and the chance of bumping into an actual piglet. A.A. Milne got his inspiration walking here and the Pooh sticks bridge is easy to find. There’s a Pooh Corner shop and Piglet’s Tearoom in the village of Hartfield. GO FOR IT: A couple of Pooh-related walks are available to download from the Ashdown Forest website, free. See ashdownforest.org. You will have to go far further afield to find the origins of Paddington.
Pack loads of marmalade sandwiches and loads of lolly because visiting spectacled bears in the Peruvian Andes won’t be cheap.
Trying to find them in mountain range will not be easy so dropping into one of semi-wild rehabilitation centres will be a safer bet.
You will also get the chance to visit the magnificent ruins in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the high citadel of Machu Picchu. GO FOR IT: Journey Latin America offers a 14day From Paddington to Peru itinerary which includes Machu Picchu and a stay in the Chaparri bear rehabilitation centre in northern Peru. The trip from £3,653 includes all flights and accommodation and most meals. See journeylatinamerica.co.uk. The Jungle Book has inspired many to go to India in search of tigers but there are also sloth bears – immortalised by Baloo.
You can stay in the luxury lodges of India’s spectacular Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh and head out on safari, either on elephant, in a vehicle, or even on foot. As well as sloth bears, the park has leopards, Asian wild dog, Indian bison, and birds such as the tawnybellied babbler and blue-bearded bee-eater. You need add a visit to Kanha National Park for the tigers. GO FOR IT: Naturetrek offers a 10-day itinerary, including all flights, transfers, guiding and meals from £2,595. Check out naturetrek.co.uk. ADORABLE koalas are unthreatening, diminutive and have an air of vulnerability. It is a pity they live so far away and are not actually marsupials, not bears. There’s plenty in Australia. The best chance of seeing one is on Kangaroo Island, near Adelaide in South Australia. Here thousands of koalas far outnumber hu humans. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary has be beachfront cabins and provides the chance to ge get pictures. GOG FOR IT: Flights to Adelaide are from £750 an and there’s a direct ferry to the island from A Adelaide. A two-bedroom cabin in Hanson Bay co costs £113 per night. See hansonbay.com.au. Don’t be fooled by the white fluffiness – polar be bears are some of the most dangerous creatures o on Earth. They live in inhospitable regions so go going to see them could cost an arm and a leg, metaphorically. The polar bear capital is Churchill, in northern Canada, and just getting th there is quite an adventure. GOG FOR IT: Great Rail Journeys’ Polar Bears of Ca Canada is a nine-day trip which includes husky