2010 - travel videos

By Mark Sukhija

Geneva - Drummers at L'Escalade

I hate flying. I'm not a nervous flyer. I just don't like it. It's boring. This, on the other hand, was a bl00dy marvellous flight. The best flight I've done in years. No, it was the best flight ever.

In spite of the odd bit of turbulence, the pristine blue sky made for view over the mountains and flight throguh the fjord were worth every penny.

I picked the flight up from Queenstown (Actually, they picked me up and brought me to the airport) having made the reservation through the local i-Site - who stock a whole heap of Milford flight options.

Fasnacht is the most important date in the Basel calendar and one of the the best times to visit the cultural capital of Switzerland.

72-hours of festivities commence at 4am on Monday morning with Morgenstreich, a procession of lanterns and piccolo players, through the streets of Basels Old Town. I know early morning in Feburary in Basel can be cold but get to Marktplatz or Barfusserplatz early (3am-ish) to get yourself the best place.

Pick up some Mehlsuppe (a traditional flour soup) to keep yourself warm.

16 Feb 2010

Today, I attended, for the first time, the Solothurner Fasnacht. I've long been a fan of Schaffhausen - Switzerland's finest baroque city.

I've attended the Fasnacht celebrations in Luzern this year and in Basel over the years and found the Soloturner Fasnacht Cortege to be one of the most convivial of the three. Although the Basler Morgenstreich remains, by far, the most unique.

On the Saturday of Luzerner Fasnacht various bands roam the streets, restaurants and bars of the old town of Lucerne

This band, with a penchant for English tunes, dressed in the uniforms of the Chelsea Pensioners sported Union Jacks on their left arms - each emblazened with their bands motif.

Saturday in Luzerner Fasnacht (or Carnival) sees bands wandering through the Lucerne Old Town often taking up position in one of the many historic squares. More often than not, the squares are also full of other participants, Fasnacht revellers and a convivial atmosphere.

In common with other Carnivals around Switzerland, Luzerner Fasnacht boasts its fair share of troups playing an assortment of catchy tunes processing around the old town. Many are made up of brass members and some drummers.

19th January 2010

Transiting through Singapore usually involves hanging around for a few hours and, delightful though Singapore Airport is, it can be a bit tedious. Which is why, after our last trip to New Zealand, we decided to take advantage of the free coach tour of Singapore provided at the airport which included a short stop at a local temple. The two-hour tours depart from Terminals Two and Three. They're clearly signposted in the terminals.

Driving is one of the New Zealand. New Zealand has one of those great combinations of beautiful landscape and sparse population. Which means you get great expanses of road more or less to yourself. With scenery like this - why would you want anyone else around ruining it for you anyway?

I must goto New Zealand more often.