African butterfly: An interview with Angelique Kidjo

I recently had the great fortune of meeting and interviewing Grammy Award-winning world music songstress Angelique Kidjo. The fiery diva, who hails from Benin in West Africa, was in Byron Bay to perform at the Bluesfest. During the interview I asked her questions about her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and the founding of The Batonga Foundation through which she supports the education of young women in Africa.

According to Ms Kidjo the greatest threat facing women today in Africa is the lack of education. "When you are a girl born in Africa you have no identity, you belong to your family – your mother and your dad have the right to decide on your life. That's why there are so many early marriages," Kidjo explains.

"We have to change Africa," she argues. "We need women leadership. We need women to be empowered in order to save the life of their children. So we need to educate the women...Because you have to have that protection of education in order to be a leader wise enough, and strong enough, and powerful enough to make the men of your country realise that we are not enemies, we are partners."

To find out more about The Batonga Foundation and how you can help out visit: www.batongafoundation.org.

Santa Fe style

Yes, I know it's been ages since my last post. Needless to say, I have numerous, not so good, excuses. Not only have I been working, but I've been off celebrating my 40th birthday (yes, I really am THAT old), attending Byron Bay's Bluefest, tripping around the countryside for parties and weddings, and I've been sick with the flu the last few weeks to boot! To get back in the swing of things I thought I'd share a recent slideshow of my photographs I put together on Santa Fe, New Mexico, for MSN New Travel. Enjoy!

Often referred to as the 'City Different', Santa Fe, New Mexico, lives up to its reputation as a truly a one-of-a-kind destination. Dominated by adobe buildings and pueblo style architecture and lined with rows of chic art galleries and superb restaurants, it is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and with an elevation of 7000 feet, Santa Fe is not only the United States' oldest state capital but its highest. Standing at the cross-roads of Spanish, Mexican and Native American cultures, this charming southwestern town has created a unique style and ambiance all of its own. Home to around 70,000 people, Santa Fe has long been a rich source of original American design. Founded in 1610 by Spanish colonists, European traditions were quickly adapted to the Pueblo Indian building materials and methods, creating an architectural style that is one of the most distinct in the world.

The what NOT to do travel guide

When it comes to travelling everyone has a list of 'must dos' such as learning a new language, experiencing the culture or perhaps even going bungy jumping. But there's another travel list you should pay heed to – the 'what NOT to do' list. I recently compiled my top 10 list of travel dont's for a new article for MSN NZ and thought I'd share them here:

1. Use or carry drugs
Unless you fancy spending your holiday taking in the view from a jail cell, whatever you do, don't use or carry drugs. In some countries drug possession carries severe penalties. Indonesia in particular has some of the toughest laws and currently has around 20 foreigners including three Australians sitting on death row for drug offences. It's simply not worth the risk.

2. Carry someone's bag
Never ever offer to carry someone else's bags or belongings in or out of a country for them. Just ask French national Michael Loic Blanc; he's now serving life in prison for smuggling 3.8 kilos of hashish through Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, found in a bag of diving gear he claims he was carrying for an acquaintance he met in Bali. Unfortunately for Michael, his 'friend' disappeared once the discovery was made.

3. Take photographs of official buildings
In many countries it's against the law to take pictures of anything that might be considered of strategic importance such as military installations, airports, bridges and government buildings. Be aware of what's acceptable and what's not at your destination. If unsure, it’s best to err on the side of caution rather than risk being arrested.

4. Outstay your welcome
Never stay longer in your destination than your visa permits. The penalty for doing so can range from a hefty fine to actually being detained. Bear in mind your embassy will not be able to help you in this kind of situation, so leave when you're supposed to.

5. Bribe officials
Admittedly this is a phenomenon that does exist in some form or another in every country. The problem however is that bribing the wrong person – even if they make the first move – could land you in serious trouble. Don't risk it.

6. Assume immunity
When you're in another country you're a guest and you must abide by their laws. Don't assume you'll receive special treatment because you're a foreigner and remember consular assistance cannot override local laws. Take Michael Fay, the 18-year-old American who ran afoul of the law in Singapore for graffiti; he was jailed, fined, and given four lashes of the cane for his crime.

7. Leave your bags unattended
Never leave your luggage unattended. All it takes is a few seconds for a thief to swipe your bag or rid you of your valuables. It’s also not unheard of for drugs or other contraband to magically appear in your bags, so make sure they’re locked and secured against tampering.

8. Flaunt your wealth
While you might be scraping by on a shoestring budget, as a western traveller you're still richer than more than two-thirds of the world's population. Conceal your wallet, hold on to your purse, and don't flaunt your wealth by flashing your money and jewellery. Also be discreet when using hi-tech gadgets like digital cameras, laptops and iPods.

9. Dress inappropriately
Some cultures find it an offensive or even enticement, for women to wear short skirts, shorts and bathing suits and many even frown upon men wearing shorts. So ensure you pack appropriate clothing for the places you are visiting.

10. Assume everyone can speak English
Guess what? Not everyone in the world speaks English. In fact, English comes in a distant third to Mandarin which is the world's most common native language. So, no matter how loudly or how slowly you speak, you'll always be better off learning the local language.

Picture: View looking out over The Wild Coast, South Africa

Guidebook vs Tour guide

This morning I received a press release which criticised guidebook giant Lonely Planet claiming that they'd "lost touch with the zeitgeist" and were being forced out of the market by e-travel websites like OurExplorer. (Interestingly the press release was written and supplied by OurExplorer, so there's no bias there of course!)

The basis for their claim was an article written by British-born travel writer Tristan Rutherford, Battle of the Orient-Guidebook vs Tour Guide, in which he compares the enjoyment of using a Lonely Planet guidebook versus a local tour guide booked through OurExplorer. The city in question was Istanbul in Turkey and when summarising his experience of having a tour guide, Tristan argued that "A thousand guidebook words couldn't convey her emotion." Because of this one report, the writer of the press release (again, an employee from OurExplorer) proudly announced that Lonely Planet had been "slain" and that the death of the guidebook was nigh.

Really, what a load of rubbish! In my opinion comparing a guidebook with a local tour guide is like comparing apples and oranges. There is no comparison! A local tour who lives in and grew up in a city will naturally convey more emotion about a place than a guidebook. As a guidebook author I've used local tour guides on numerous occasions while researching and updating the books I have worked on. Not only do they help with collecting the most up-to-date and accurate information, but they also give you a more personal experience of a place – something a guidebook can never do. As I've said before on this forum, a guidebook is not a bible. It is merely a tool used to enhance your travel experience. To use it alone and base your whole trip on it is very foolish indeed.

So, do I believe e-travel websites will "push guidebook companies like Lonely Planet into the history books"? Well, there is certainly scope for e-travel websites to give guidebooks a run for their money. The problem however is that you can't trust the information that is posted on these websites – you have no idea who wrote it, when it was written, and where the information came from. At least if you buy a guidebook written by a respected author, you can feel safe knowing that they have some authority on the subject. If you're in any doubt read Lara Dunston's recent postings on Cool Travel Guide where she critiques the information suppied on Dubai by the new travel website Offbeat Guides - her findings are truly scary!

Just for fun I thought I'd quickly test out the Ourexplorer website. I put in the city of my birth, Brisbane in Australia, and said I was interested in "shopping". Would you believe that the first local "expert" who popped up was a 53 year-old male who hails from the US and uses a photograph taken in Sydney to highlight his expertise in Brisbane! I can't say that I'm confident he'd make a very good shopping partner.. And I'm cerrtainly not willing to hand over 200euro a day to find out!!

Interview for Women on the Road

Over this last year I've been privileged to have interviewed some amazing and inspiring women including seven times world surfing champion Layne Beachley and Australia's favourite jungle girls Bindi and Terri Irwin. Recently though, the tables were turned and I became the subject of a similar interview for Women on the Road. Edited by Leyla Giray, Women on the Road is a fantastic website aimed at women who love to travel. Along with practical information on planning, safety and money, the website features interviews with inspirational women travellers who share their experiences and philosophies on travel. Other interviewees have included Hilary Bradt, the co-founder and chairperson of Bradt Travel Guides, Beth Whitman, publisher of Wanderlust and Lipstick (another great website for wild, wandering women), and Fawzia Rasheed, who is the author of Rough Guides' new book, Travel with babies and young children, so I'm certainly in good company. You can read my full interview here.
Picture: That's me standing on John Ford's Point in Monument Valley, Arizona.

Women CAN read maps, men just DON'T listen

I've just finished writing an article for MSN New Zealand titled Are men better travellers than women? (yes, a minefield I know, but I can't wait to see the reader comments on that one!), and one of the arguments that kept popping up time and again in my research against women was the old Women can't read maps chestnut.

While this notion has certainly been bandied around for as long as I can remember, it was made popular by Allan and Barbara Pease in their 2001 book, Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps. It was then given more credence by a report released by the University of Warwick in 2007 that claimed that women are apparently genetically predisposed to remain forever lost.

Really, I'd just like to say what a load of rubbish! I for one am very adept at reading maps (road maps, that is) and love nothing more than plotting a route and hitting the highway with a map close at hand. Perhaps it is because I've spent so many hours following and drawing up maps for the travel guidebooks I have worked on, but I pride myself on being able to get from A to B without getting lost. I've even, with my trusty map in hand, managed to have a fight with a GPS and been proven to be right (it's a long story).

Personally, I think it is more a case of men not listening to the women who are reading the maps. I have had this happen to me on several occasions while travelling for work, when in spite of the fact that I had a perfectly good map and was providing accurate directions to the destination I was seeking my male driver refused to listen to me and instead continually stopped to ask other men for directions. In one particular instance, the driver had blindly driven past the place we were trying to find, but rather than following my advice to turn around and go back he simply ignored me and continued on down the road in the wrong direction!

So what do you think? Can women read maps? Or are men, as the University of Warwick claims, genetically predisposed to be better travellers than women?

Will your relationship pass the travel test?

By now you all should know that I am a strong proponent of travelling solo. While I love the freedom I feel when grabbing my backpack and setting off to explore the world alone, there are of course those times when I want to share the experience with someone else. Few things though, test a relationship like travelling together. Whether you are travelling with a friend or a romantic partner, the challenges you'll face being on the road together 24/7 will be unlike anything you'll have ever faced at home. So here are my five tips on how to ensure that your relationship passes the travel test:

1. Communication: The key to avoiding disappointment is communication. Discuss what you both expect from the trip and from each other. Determining these things at the start will prevent you from getting into unnecessary arguments and playing the blame game later if the trip doesn't go to plan.

2. Money: Before you think of packing your bags, make sure you have an open conversation about money and your spending habits. How much money are you both taking? Will you be travelling on a shoestring, moderate or top end budget? Who will control the money? Will you split all costs, or rely on one person?

3. Time apart: Travelling in such close proximity for an extended period is bound to drive you a little stir crazy. So before cabin fever sets in, make sure you plan some time apart. Whether it's a short stroll or a quiet cup of coffee or you want to try a different activity or need a few days to go off exploring by yourself, spending some time alone is a great way to recharge your relationship batteries.

4. Sociability: You need to be clear from the start about whether you are seeking exclusive one-on-one time together or are after a more social travel experience. And if you do want company set boundaries for new friendships to avoid upsetting or betraying your partner.

5. Compromise: You're not always going to want to do the same things or go to the same places – you might want to spend the day lazing on the beach while your partner wants to go trekking in the mountains. No matter what the situation, if the travelling partnership is going to work you both need to make some compromises. The key of course is striking the right balance.

Happy travels!