Additional costs on a cruise can quickly add up, with drinks one of the biggest offenders. A cool G&T by the pool, a glass of wine or two over dinner, a cocktail at the show, and before you know it you’ve run up an unintended bill.
20.07.2023 - 13:21 / wanderlust.co.uk / queen Victoria
This is a ‘what a time to be on the planet, in this room, right now’ type of whisky,” beamed Ron, the head tour guide at Ardbeg. Despite the ravages of the pandemic I agreed with Ron; not just on the 45-year-old dram. This was, and is, a special time to be at my favourite Islay distillery, the whitewashed dame that has stood firm against the Atlantic since Queen Victoria was on the throne. It was and is a special time to be on Islay too, a life affirming oasis; a safe port, even, in the Covid-19 storm.
I’ve long had a special place in my heart for the ‘Queen of the Hebrides’. It’s hard not to fall for an isle alive with sweeping beaches, epic seafood and no fewer than nine whisky distilleries; Islay is a real life treasure island. This time, though, it was not mere sightseeing I sought, but an escape from the maelstrom of the pandemic. I’d taken five days out of the confines of my home office, but could Islay work her magic so quickly in this most surreal of times?
I was in good company flying to Islay. There may have been only five passengers on our Loganair Saab 340, but over autumn and winter thousands of pairs of geese flock here to escape the worst ravages of winter. Indeed 60 per cent of the world’s barnacle geese and a quarter of its endangered Greenland white-fronted geese seek sanctuary on Islay.
This may be northern Europe, but the Gulf Stream ensures the mercury rarely dips too low and snow is rare. My traditional autumn Canary Isles escape had been quarantined off, but on this early morning flight, as Islay seared into view in the peach-tinged light, its sandy shores wrapped around low hills and gnarly bays, the island already felt much more than a substitute.
Islay may currently be pleasantly devoid of the crowds, but it’s no backwater as local taxi driver Hughie Currie was quick to point out. “Islay was the centre of the isles for centuries and we’ve not forgotten those days,” he said with a quiet smile and hint of cheekiness in his eyes; a look you get often on Islay.
Hughie was right though. The mystical Lords of the Isles, the MacDonalds, held sway over huge swathes of the Hebrides from Finlaggan, their Islay stronghold until James IV’s ascension to the Scottish throne in the 15th century. Today Prince Charles holds the title of Lord of the Isles.
We made for Finlaggan to delve further. The first time I came I was disappointed: I’d been expecting a sturdy fortress and boastful battlements. That is not Islay’s style. So powerful were the Lords that they didn’t need to fortify Finlaggan. As we eased out to the wee island that houses the epicentre of their world, the centuries slipped back to when they sipped claret here as they surveyed their expansive empire. It’s an arresting spot,
Additional costs on a cruise can quickly add up, with drinks one of the biggest offenders. A cool G&T by the pool, a glass of wine or two over dinner, a cocktail at the show, and before you know it you’ve run up an unintended bill.
Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, just north of Miami, is among my favorite properties in the world and one of that’s beloved by my entire family.
This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Justin Miller, a Tokyo-based DJ and English teacher. He shares what he's learned about Tokyo after living in Japan for 15 years. It's been edited for length and clarity.
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