Travel

There are places in the world whose name carries meaning well beyond mere geography. A thousand kilometres off the west coast of Ecuador lie the islands of the Galapagos Archipelago - 24 specks of geology straddling the equator that have become, not only

After I got back from China people kept asking, 'So how was it on the train?' I went by rail from Shanghai to Beijing. One of the world's fastest, the train rips along at around 300kph though is capable of even more.

We arrived in Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, on time, and quickly transferred to Viking Njord (for only its 5th trip since being launched in April 2012) to drop our bags and go exploring.

As long as I can remember, I've kept a bottle of lavender oil on hand to ward off coughs, colds and insect bites; to clean and heal wounds; to assist sleep and diminish anxiety; and simply because I love the intoxicating smell of this magical floral herb.

Derek Greslewski, author of My Trout Diaries, A Year of Fly Fishing in New Zealand, takes a close look at the Tongariro River loop track, through trout-fishers' paradise

Do you think of huge, bustling Beijing as a city with eco lodges at its doorstep?

Best to take a half-empty suitcase if you visit Shanghai. The shopping is vast and varied, from to the very best brands in the world to fake knock-offs you can bargain hard for.

When even our kids can't ride a bike without a helmet, the wind-in-hair sensation is a feeling they'll never know. For grown-ups it's just a memory.

If you're going to try the most famous Chinese dish in the world, then what better place to go than the place that keeps on winning awards for the best Peking Duck in Peking?

It's easy to think of reasons why China might not be on your places-to-see list. It's so big and so foreign, huh? All those vast cities, language you don't understand, food you might not warm to?