Talk time: 4pm. Saturday, March 9, 2013.
Talk title: Summer soundtracks: music festivals and mini-breaks in Europe
Speaker’s name: James Smart
Company: Lonely Planet
Why do you love to travel?
The different sensations: the languages, the smells, the hassles, the weather. It keeps me out of the office too.
Who would be your ideal travel partner and why?
David Attenborough. I’d miniaturize him and put him in small box, so he could pop out on request and tell me about any local animals or traditions in a hushed voice while a lush orchestral score played in the background.
What was your favourite destination last year and why?
I had a wonderful time travelling through southwest Turkey, from Izmir to Antalya. Amazing blue seas, great classical monuments, friendly people and decent beer. Plus I’ve never known any country make aubergine seem quite as interesting.
Describe the most unusual situation you’ve found yourself in while travelling.
When I was 19 I went to Bolivia and me and my friend Phil bought some dynamite to give to the workers in a mine near the city of Potosi – they make very little money and lead dangerous lives, so when you visit you can give them some almost as a tip . Unfortunately, we forgot to give it to them and so decided to blow it up by a deserted lake when we were on a tour of the Atacama desert. It turned out that the deserted lake was right by border with Chile.
A couple of men came running over with rifles and marched us into an office, where the local commandant shouted at us. I barely spoke any Spanish at the time and kept mumbling “desayuno”, which means “breakfast”, rather than “lo siento”, which means “sorry”. Thankfully our tour guide knew the commandant quite well and he let us go after we gave him a roll of camera film for some surveillance photos, before waving us off cheerily the next morning.
Name two up-and-coming destinations for 2013 and why?
Turkey – going to the southwest made me appreciate what a great and interesting place it is, and the less-visited, more traditional southeast of the country now has much better links to Istanbul and the world. Ancient ruins, great food and treks: all good things.
Corsica – the Tour de France starts there this year, and even if you don’t like bikes there’s plenty of wild landscapes to explore and hearty food to gorge on.
If you could return to any country you’ve been to, where would it be and why?
Italy – because I’ve barely been there. I went snowboarding in the Dolomites once, but have never seen Rome or Florence or Naples, and I’m aching to check them out.
What’s the one thing you can’t travel without and why?
Just about wherever I go bring my swimming shorts – I love chucking myself into rivers, lakes and seas even when it’s a bit chilly. Also, even though I work for Lonely Planet, I honestly do always take a guidebook and always have. Whether it’s something to read while you’re waiting on the train, tips on where to stay or eat, or background on a nation’s history, I like to have one at my fingertips.
Give us an overview of what you’ll be discussing at the TNT Travel Show:
I’ll be talking about some of Europe’s great music festivals, summing up the scene and giving general tips, plus focusing on a few of my personal favourites: a varied bunch that also take you to some fascinating locations that are ripe for a few days exploration before or after. Events I’ll touch on include Benicassim (Spain), the Tisno festivals (Croatia), Roskilde (Denmark), Green Man (Wales) and All Tomorrow’s Parties (England). They’re springboards for a classic English seaside trip, touring Barcelona and Valencia and visiting wild archipelagos and Viking longships.
Who will find your talk relevant?
Anyone who likes to rock, rave, dance, sing or travel.
