17 " Mytriphighlightdefinitelyhadtobemy timeatthedeluxeBorneoRainforest LodgeinDanumValleywhereIwas chasedbyalargemaleOrang- utan! HavingbeenassuredIwasnottoo closebytheheadrangerthere, hethen proceededtoturnandrunwhenthe Orang- utanletoutaroarandmoved towardsus. Ididnothangaboutto questionhischangeofopinion, but followedinhisfootsteps. Otherwildlife highlightsfromtheislandweretheendemic Proboscismonkeyswiththeirlongnoses, aredgiantflyingsquirrelinflight, andthe peculiarlookingRhinoceroshornbill." NickNikolsky Malaysia BorneoWildlife Discoverer( AOH) " Corsicaistheperfectfusionofthe FrenchcultureandtheItaliancuisine and, beingItalianmyself, Iwasoverjoyed! Duringtheweekweenjoyedagreat varietyofwalksthroughperched mountainvillages, pineforestsand unspoiltcountryside. Eachwalkwas rewardedwitharefreshingbathin waterfallpoolsorwoodlandriversandat theendofthedaywewereserveda deliciousdinnerpreparedbytheresident chefattheHotelBeausejour. Overall, Ihadafabuloustime!" AnnaDambrosio France CorsicanMountains& Villages( TEB) " Thistripwassomethingalittlebitspecial; andIwillneverforgetit. Ifyou'renot visitingincrediblesitessuchasPotala PalaceortheJokhangTemple( thebest monasteryintheworld), thenyou're drivingthroughsomeofthemostjaw-droppingscenerythemindcanimagine. Thenthere'sthestunningturquoiselakeof YamdrokTso, whichchangedcolourwith everypassingcloud. MtEverestwasnext anditdidn'tdisappoint. Fromthehotel binocularswecouldactuallymakeout climbersascending. Aftermorestunning sceneryweendedupatthespectacular forestedgorgeoftheMatsangTsangpo River. Asitstitlesuggests, everydayof thistriphasahighlight!" JimCarder Tibet HighlightsofTibet( ACB) Dontforget... Beforeyougotocompleteour quickchecklist: . leaveakeyatafriends . watertheplants . yourpassport . insurance . travelmoney . sunlotion . toothbrush& toothpaste www. exodus. co. uktel08458639660sales@ exodus. co. uk

Afterashortscrambledownmoonlitcragspileduplikegiant buildingblocks, Islippastanotherpileofglowingembersand theblackhumpsofslumberingsentriesandintotheSiq, staying closetothecanyonwallsanddeepintheshadows. Aboveme, anarrowstripofskysparkleswithstarsandtheground crunchesunderfootlikefrozensnow. I'mtryingtoremember Burgon'spoem: StillonforPetra- tillthedesertwide Shrinkstoavalley; andoneitherside Theruderockspringethandalongarray Oftombs, forgotten, saddenalltheway, ButI'mdistracted. Theghostsarespillingfromtherocks: Romans, statelessslaves, wanderingtradersandtheNabataean who'sskillinharnessingtheregion'sflashfloodsturnedthis harshdesertintoanartificialoasis. AsIemergefromthe sandstonecorridortheplazaaroundtheTreasuryseemstofall silent, asthoughtheghostswereinlowconversationuntil Iarrived. Bydaythisspotisspectacular- thesightofthe magnificentandmisleadinglynamedroyaltombisunforgettable andthebuzzoftraders, touristsandguidesreturnstoPetrathe lifeitlost. Bynight, however, theplaceisdead- atrulylostcity withporticosthatgapelikethebroken- toothedmouthsofskulls andblackrecesseslikeemptyeyesockets. Theeffectischilling, yetclosertotheexperienceofexplorerJean- LouisBurckhardt-who'rediscovered'Petrain1812- thananydaytimetour. Iam, toparaphrasePaulSimon, theonlylivingboyinPetra. 18 Iwakeat1: 25am- latearrivalsbangingaroundintheroom nextdoor- butit'sanotherhalfanhourbeforetheideahitsme. Irise, dress, grabmycamerabagandabottleofwaterandslip outofthehotel. Thenightairisheavywiththescentofjasmine andahighwhitemoonisplatingtherooftopswithsilver. Adog barksasIslipthroughthestreets, mothswhirlaroundthe buzzingstreetlightsandsomewhereinthedarknessaman coughslong, hardandpainfully. Downhill, apolicepick- uptruckis parkedinthepooloflightoutsidetheMoevenpickhotel, rightby Petra'sgateway, butI'mnotgoinginbythegate. Turningleft, Iwalkuphill, followingtheroadsouth. Atabendintheroad Iclimboverthelowwallanddescendtherockyslopetothe wadi. There'sjusttheclatterofloosestones, thecautioustinkle ofasheepbelland, inthedistance, thepersistentbarkingof thatdog. Ifindapathandfollowitintoanolivegrove, whereI'm startledtosmelltobaccosmoke. Thesmokersareasstartledas me- twoshepherdsstraightoutofLuke'sgospel, watchingtheir flocksbynightallseatedontheground. Theystand, returning mysalaamalaluykam, inlowtonesasthoughwaryofwaking thesleepingtown. Theyoungerliftsablackkettlefromadozing fire, hismovementdraggingashortflamefromtheembers, butI don'thavetimeforchai." Petra?" Iaskpointingintothe darkness." Petrana'am," theynod. AsIemergefromthe sandstonecorridorthe plazaaroundtheTreasury seemstofallsilent, asthough theghostswereinlow conversationuntilIarrived" " MIDNIGHTATTHE OASIS