I think there’s a certain glamour to aerobatics – that world in which elite groups of the world’s finest pilots outdo one another to create the ballet of the skies. This synchronised dance of timing and daring is also one of the most dangerous activities you could sign up for, so there must be an element of madness in the steely nerve of these handpicked men – and women.

I admit it; I was quite surprised to see that two of the world’s oldest and finest aerobatics teams, the Red Arrows and the Patrouille de France, now also have female pilots within their ranks. I know it’s 2011 and that there are now women fighter pilots in the air forces of the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Holland, Canada, Australia and even the likes of Pakistan and the Philippines, but it still took me by surprise. (more…)

Photography Wilderness Safaris & Caroline Culbert

It is hard these days to see and experience the Africa of old, as described by the likes of Ernest Hemingway in the days of the classic safari, when wildlife roamed the open African savannah and tom-toms sounded from within hidden villages. Fortunately there are still pockets where Africa lives on in all its glory.

One such pocket, indeed a sizeable one, is Namibia. Situated to the northwest of South Africa, this is a country that stands out for its peace, stability and relative prosperity. Quite in contrast to most of the continent, it is not plagued by coups d’etat, unrest and famine, but has enjoyed many years of growth, building on natural resources such as minerals, its wildlife and scenic beauty, and a population that is small enough in relation to resources to allow a good standard of living. (more…)

Paris: City of Light, beacon of romantics and capital of fashion and elegance. Yes, this beautiful city is all these things, but much more besides. More profound than the sum of its famous parts, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe or Champs Elysées, Paris is a city of many layers, its history and present intertwined in a rich mosaic of beauty, grandeur, passion and sorrow. To truly discover Paris is as great an endeavour as to tame a wilderness or scale a giant peak.

Like most great cities Paris is a place of clichés. Do the great monuments, sights and romantic aura of cinema, fiction and travel brochures hold true? Yes, Paris is not one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations for nothing; go out and marvel at the elegant buildings, walk the broad boulevards, visit the museums, soak in the café society and be seduced by those chic shops. This city has it all to offer; just don’t think you can come to grips with a place as big and fascinating as this in one visit. To unravel the many layers that truly make up Paris takes an understanding borne out of many years of experience – some even say a lifetime. (more…)

There are designer watches sporting famous brand names and then there are collector’s watches whose names say it all to those in the know. The Tourbillon, by Greubel Forsey, is just such a masterpiece.

Not merely bought as a watch but sought after by collectors from across the world, the Tourbillon is a work of art, a pinnacle in the watch making craft that involves art, jewellery and fine engineering in its making. (more…)

No- and low-alcohol beers have been gaining some traction of late in several markets but there’s one country where NABLABs have been embraced by consumers like no other. Michel Cruz reports from Spain on the rise of low alcohol refreshment.

In many ways the Spanish beer market is much like that of the rest of Europe. After years of rapid growth the current economic climate has seen production drop somewhat, with on-trade sales falling and consumer focus turning to economy brands available through off-trade channels. Where the country clearly stands out, though is the fact that Non-Alcoholic Beers and Low-Alcohol Beers (NABLAB) are consumed at around three to four times the average European rate. We wondered why.

Since their mainstream introduction in the 1980s non-alcohol and low-alcohol beers have not exactly taken the industry by storm. Most beer drinkers still prefer the taste of alcohol in their lager and continue to overwhelmingly consume ‘conventional’ beer types in spite of the pressures of anti-drink driving campaigns. Many seem prepared to single out a ‘designated driver’ for abstention rather than opting for the range of alcohol-free products that are available. While the taste of early NABLABs is cited as one of the reasons, others point to the fact that changing longstanding consumer habits in such traditional beer markets as Germany, Belgium and the UK is a hard and lengthy process. (more…)