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Smashed Marble columns, glass and pottery. Exploring the ruins of Xanadu

December 18, 2013
Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan the legendary warlord who subjugated China from his Mongolian stronghold, built the Xanadu palace complex as a summer retreat from the heat of the Forbidden city in Beijing. The palace is arranged in a pattern of three concentric walled circles. Standing on the outer crumbling wall little remains of the buildings that once stood inside, only...

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Stuffed Squirrels and wandering Sheep: Inside Xanadu

December 13, 2013
Waiting for Mr Wong I looked through the Jinlianchuan hotel gift shop. It had the a delightful array of essential products seen to be required by tourists. No toothpaste or mineral water, but huge quantities of local brands of alcohol, sharing shelf space with stuffed squirrels in tasteful poses. ...

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In the middle of the Gobi Desert, by Mistake.

December 09, 2013
  The benefits of traveling in an emergency vehicle were becoming quickly apparent. Apart from the comfy leather seats and air conditioning, having sirens and flashing lights gave us the the ability to evade the many tolls on the road heading north. The method Mr Wong used was to slow down as he approached the toll booths, and then turn on the sirens...

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One of our emergency vehicles is missing. The road to Xanadu

December 07, 2013
The hotel travel desk was not being particularly helpful. Run by the ubiquitous government agency CITS (China Tourist Bureau), when I explained I wanted to go to Xanadu I was met with big smiles and an enthusiastic "Yes". I got quite excited. Unfortunately they thought I wanted a car and driver to take me to the Great Wall, a common request from most...

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RIP Nelson Mandela. The day I made Nelson Mandela laugh

December 05, 2013
It's not every day you bump into Nelson Mandela. I had arrived from London via Athens and Nairobi on an epic Olympic Airways flight. I was exhausted, hungover and wondering how to safely get to my hotel in Hillbrow. All of a sudden there was a commotion and a group of six men with AK47 guns surrounding a small figure were moving swiftly...

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Getting to Xanadu, Via a Peking Duck restaurant. Beijing, China

December 02, 2013
"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure dome decree, where alph, the sacred river, ran ...

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What have Machu Picchu, Nelson Mandela and Robert Smith all got in common?

November 27, 2013
Peru will be the subject of one of the forthcoming series of posts in Farflungplaces. Here is an early taste of one of the posts, thanks to our sponsors, Marca Peru. ...

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Organising a Piss Up in a Brewery. Port Vila, Vanuatu.

November 21, 2013
There has not been enough focus on beer in Farflungplaces, an important part of the travel experience. I will attempt to put this right with this post. ...

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WWII Madness. Million Dollar Point. Santo, Vanuatu

November 18, 2013
Like most of Vanuatu, Espirutu Santo in the northern chain of islands, was occupied by the Americans during WWII to launch their attacks on the Japanese in the Pacific. On their departure from the island they left behind infrastructure like roads and runways, and even buildings, with army built Quonset huts still standing around Santo. The biggest legacy is Million Dollar Point, both...

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An island of Blue holes, Beaches and Beef. Santo, Vanuatu.

November 15, 2013
Espiritu Santo (just Santo to the locals) is what the Spanish thought Australia looked like. The explorer De Querios 'discovered' Santo in 1606 and believed he had found the great southern continent. Admittedly the mangroves and the hot humid temperatures do resemble far north Queensland, but that is all. ...

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Top ten insider tips for Port Vila, Vanuatu

November 12, 2013
1. On a Wednesday night head down to the Nambawan cafe for their outdoor cinema (you can also go Saturday and Sunday (family film night)). Sitting in comfy chairs, or lying on a blanket, with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and eating one of their tasty pizzas is a great way to spend the evening. As the sun goes down the film begins,...

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