what's hot Looking for an exotic spa holiday? Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali has walked away with the New Spa of the Year award by AsiaSpa, the region's top spa and wellness publication. Situated along a stunning stretch of Bali's northeast coast, the resort's tailor- made wellness programmes are big on local ingredients. Treatments include a Balinese coconut mask for the hair andPapaya Enzyme Wraps incorporating locally grown papayas. Yum. CALLING ALL SWINGERS Remember our interview in the Autumn issue with Indian guide Sameer Rathore? Rathore won Bronze in Wanderlust's Paul Morrison guide of the Year awards. Said Daily Telegraphtravel editor Graham Boynton: " He's completely dedicated. Always prepared to go the extra mile." Wanderlusteditor- in- chief Lyn Hughes said: " The quality and consistency of the testimonials we've received over the past three years speaks volumes." Bungy pioneer AJ Hacketthas launched its latest extreme adventure activity, the Nevis Arc, 20 years after it sent its first customer flying across a 120m gorge near New Zealand's adventure capital, Queenstown. One of the world's highest swings, Nevis is situated above the dramatic Doolan's Creek Gorge. AJ Hackett Bungy co- founder Henry van Asch said: " Customers have told us they wanted another activity in this stunning area, so it's absolutely fantastic to see it finally open." Jumpers can select their own level of ' fear factor' ( 80m or 120m), and decide whether they want to swing forwards, backwards, alone or with a friend. Then they are flung out over the valley in a massive arc with a six- and- a- half second acceleration towards rock faces, reaching speeds up to 80mph. BOOK IT NOWThe Nevis Arc jump costs £ 70. To book the brand- new Sameer's Rajasthan tour, visit www. travelmoodadventures. com or call 0800 2989 811. SAMEER'S A WINNER! So, you've spotted leopard, lion, cheetah, rhino and elephant. But, have you ever seen a white lion? As well as offering guests a rare and unique wildlife sighting, the release in October of the world's first wild, fully self-sustaining pride of white lion at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa is a big step forward for responsible tourism, and of huge international significance. Over the past six years the Sanbona pride, including two adult males and two juvenile female white lions, has been integrated into 40,000 hectares of wilderness – a real achievement according to Mantis Group ecologist John O'Brien. " They had lost all fear and respect for nature. Once we'd introduced the two lions into the park we had to teach them how to hunt and survive, minimising all human activity, and leaving them alone to bond with the tawny lions. The pride re-unites regularly and the lions are hunting and fending for themselves." All White Now www. travelmood. comWINTER 2008/ 09 5 BOOK IT NOW Doubles from £ 190, full board. Stay five pay for four ( Jan 11 to Mar 31). Good enough to eat BOOK IT NOW Sanbona is located in the Klein Karoo in South Africa's Western Cape. Suites cost from £ 475 per night, including all meals and game drives. BOOK IT NOW Image courtesy of AJHackett Bungy NZ

6WINTER 2008/ 09 www. travelmood. com
D o my job for long and the thing people ask, ( usually after " Will I fit in your case?") is " So where's your favourite place?" And I can't tell them – not because I'm keeping it a secret, but because I simply can't narrow it down to just one. Overall, though, I can say with certainty that the places I most love to see are God- given, not man- made. And, sociable as I am – and curious about people – the encounters I most enjoy are with wild animals, in the wild. There's no thrill to beat it. I've had some magical moments: seeing bears in the Rockies, humpback whales off Hawaii, moose in Norway, alligators in Florida's Everglades, deer and their fawns in the New Forest. But it's been in Africa that I've seen the most – and the most exciting – animals. And, oh, what wonderful memories it makes! Tracking radio- collared leopards in Namibia led us to one sprawled in a tree, Pat Richardson, travel editor of bestmagazine... watching the spectacular sunset – with its recent kill dangling from a branch nearby. Etosha National Park was heaving with vast herds of zebra, endearingly resting their heavy heads on one another's necks. Add to sights like these a fabulous, fantasy landscape that looks, in places, as if it belongs on another planet and the entire experience becomes unforgettable. In neighbouring South Africa, a game drive on a private reserve revealed a baby rhino, sitting ' kitty' – feet tucked under – to suckle, kneeling up then keeling over, replete, and falling asleep. Later a velvet-coated giraffe, long-lashed eyes wide with curiosity, almost put his head inside our safari vehicle. This, too, is a beautiful land – a whole world of stunning scenery woven into a single country that constantly surprises. While there's still wildlife to see, my advice to you would be: go, go, go to Africa! In October, I was there, in Hermanus – a small town on the south coast, famed as the world's top spot for land-based whale watching. Every year, Southern Right whales bring their calves here and they come unbelievably close to shore, even resting their bellies on the sandy ocean floor as the tide rises around them. As I watched, the youngsters played – one slapping its huge tail 22 times in a row, clearly loving the sound – while the females kept a close eye on them, and bellowed occasional warnings. A few yards further out, others ( males, I felt sure) did endless ' my- flukes- are-better- than- yours' dives. It was unbelievable: 18 or 20 whales, some less than 30 feet away, were showing off, playing and talking to each other. The very air I was breathing shook with the sounds they were making! If my favourite place has to be somewhere, let it be there. Since her last column appeared, Pat's travels have taken her to Stratford- upon- Avon, Jersey, Edinburgh, St Mawes in Cornwall and Florida - where she walked barefoot on beautiful Gulf Island beaches, and never missed a sunrise or a sunset - as well as to South Africa. PAT RICHARDSON has her say
columnist ... takes a walk on the wild side