BVI baby

My BVI

that’s my BVI…

British Virgin Islands

Snuggled amongst the gentle currents and smiling sun of the Caribbean lies a little bit of Britain that couldn’t be further from home. On the British Virgin Islands (BVI) life’s a beach; an isolated paradise to take you back to island living before the invention of fast-food and stress. Four main islands make up the majority of the BVIs; Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke, each with their own personality and unique brilliance.

We’ve got the inside scoop on this one. Oh yes… click here to find some local insights on the BVI’s.

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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an epic chat with charley boorman

Charley with his bike

on your bike…

Our brother website Epic Tomato caught up with actor and motorbike adventurer Charley Boorman just days before his latest expedition to Canada to find out what inspires him and what he hopes to learn from his upcoming journey…

And if you fancy a Canadian motorbike escapade of your own, live out your wildest Harley dreams in Québec. Click here to find out more…

What inspired you to go on these adventures, to travel and see as much as you have seen?

I think it was my Dad; he was a film director (producing works such as Deliverance and Point Blank) and would shoot all over the world from the South Pacific to South Carolina and Brazil. As a child I went everywhere with him and was always in his movies…I vividly remember dad’s stunt man  teaching me how to shoot a hand gun at age 4, leaning out of the window and shooting sign posts. I guess it was his way of getting a bit of free work…he used to say ‘if you go and sit over there I will give you a tricycle’. Becoming an adult I carried on making movies but was choosing them for location rather than for script. When I met my wife we went to Oz and Africa together to make films and this eventually led to making the TV shows. Now it’s my kids who come out to meet me wherever I am, from Cape Town to Kenya to Tokyo, I think it is really important to instil the travel ethos in kids.

How do you prepare for these kinds of trips, is there a routine that you follow?

(Jokingly) Aside from getting other people to do everything for you? (I am a great believer in delegation!)

When you do go on an adventure and film it, there are endless issues with visas, work permits, film permits etc…for example in Russia every region we travelled through required a separate letter of sponsorship to permit filming.

In terms of dealing with extreme cold or heat like you have had to in the past, is there anything that really gets you through it and enables you to cope?

When we trained with the ex-SAS guys for hostile environmental training, we were taught how to survive and react to border crossings (amongst loads of other things of course) and it was this in particular that I found so useful.

I reckon if you can survive all the preparation then the journey is easy. When you spend all that time and effort preparing for your journey not matter who you are or for how long you are going, it’s very easy to forget to enjoy it; you are always rushing towards your destination but at the end of the day does it matter if you make it that night…or you end up sleeping in the car?

The thing I have noticed over the years is that it’s not the things that that go off without a hitch you remember, it is the things that go wrong; the break downs, the ‘dodgy’ situations, the immigration officials demanding money off you and the ensuing arguments that really stick in your mind…

Is there anything you miss whilst you’re away…something you always take with you?

It’s funny, you fantasise about food a lot; travelling through Africa and Mongolia and all those sorts of places you find there is not much to eat and the food you can buy in shops is not that great, I guess because the indigenous population are so self-sufficient.

So it’s rations all round?

Yeah, a lot of the time we go for those gooey, orange boil in the bags … not very pleasant and it’s at times like those when I start really craving one meal in particular, and strangely enough it is one that I don’t even have that much at home; Bresaola…a dried beef Carpaccio with rocket, shavings of parmesan, olive oil and balsamic with a squeeze of lemon….it’s on my mind a lot oh as well as American hot pizza with extra cheese!

So you are off to Canada in the next few days and are planning to visit all the different provinces…

Yeah, we will be doing all sorts of different things from really fun extreme stuff to interacting with the indigenous Inuit of the north. It’s going to be interesting to just be in one country for once with much fewer language barriers yet massive contrasts between say the Northern provinces and over on the West Coast. I am particularly looking forward to going down to the border with Montana to the areas where there was prohibition to see the tunnels they used to smuggle the booze in from Canada.

Is there one particular thing you have you have learnt about yourself through all your travels?

When you are travelling, the mistakes you make tend to become more apparent so I always hope you can improve on them. I think I am much more tolerant now, I used to be very impatient; as a kid my nickname was short fuse but I think I have got a handle on that now.

I also now have huge faith in humanity; you hear terrible things about certain places; for example we went through Libya a few years ago…people’s impressions are of torture and tyranny but when you are there it is not nearly as bad…I am sure it all goes on, but we stopped in villages where we were made to feel incredibly at home and people were so friendly…the same in Egypt and Sudan…filled with some of the loveliest, beautiful people.

How did you find it riding through the deserts?

Hot! Really hot…but it’s great, it’s what you fantasize about when you are planning the trip; about being baking hot with tyre sets melting beneath your wheels.

It was brilliant at night, still baking hot, lying there in your little silk liner under just a mosquito net looking up at just the most incredible stars in a pitch black African night sky. Once we came off the road and made camp when it was dark, in the morning we woke up to find ourselves right in the middle of these 3 huge kilns that were used for making bricks out of mud…all we could see was a load of guys looking down at us and a whole lot of commotion.

What are you looking forward to most about Canada?

I am really keen to get up into the mountains and the wilderness. We have arranged a whole host of amazing activities including kayaking, heli-mountain biking and swimming with minke whales in Newfoundland tempered with some time with indigenous tribes whose ancient ways of living remain unchanged to the present day.

(4 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)

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from jakes to giants

young the giant

giants and men

Young The Giant are one of the latest summer-sound bands to hit our shores, coming to prominence on legendary music shows like BBC’s Later With Jools Holland, and have recently announced that they are to play at Chicago’s Loolapalooza festival, alongside luminaries like Muse, Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket and Coldplay.

Following the release of their debut single, ‘Apartment’ in the UK earlier this year, one member, Francois, took some time out of the European tour to catch up with Ed Schofield…

How would you personally describe your music?

I always have a hard time pinning down what I think we sound like. For the most part, we try to keep our arrangements tight, energetic, and groovy.

So how did the band come about? Where did you all meet?

We all went to high school in the same school district and were each involved in the local music scene in some way or another. With the prospect of time spent at different universities looming, we decided to come together and see how much we could accomplish before heading our separate ways. Once we had all started taking full course loads, we realized it was still possible to pursue the band if we could adapt to using more unorthodox writing methods.

Having played shows with names such as Kings of Leon and Cold War Kids, there must be some amazing memories from your time so far as a band, What are some of your biggest highlights?

I don’t know that I speak for everyone, but a highlight for me was the first show of our first national tour with Minus the Bear. I had been a fan since early high school and there was a very surreal quality to the entire night. It really hit home for me that we were actually making a serious go at this thing.

Do you remember the point when you all realized this could well be more than a hobby?

I can’t say that there was a specific point when it all clicked. It was more of a chain of events over a few months (getting picked up by a management agency, playing with the Kings of Leon and getting some early interest from a few labels). After that, we realized that we needed to make a decision about whether or not we could continue devoting enough time to both school and the band in order to succeed in either.

Originally you were called The Jakes but changed to Young The Giant, what was the reason for the name change?

We felt as though the name “The Jakes” really didn’t reflect where we wanted to be musically. It seemed as though the writing process was becoming clouded by our own preconceptions about the band, some of which were focused on the name.

Where do you all draw your main inspirations from as a band when you’re writing, recording and creating ideas?

I think a lot of the inspiration comes from the earliest writing method we were comfortable with. For a while, we would cram ourselves into a practice space and jam until something cohesive emerged. Although it wasn’t perfect, there is something to be said about trying to merge five creative minds into a focused voice. Working with Joe Chiccarelli also taught us to listen to one another and to back out when someone else has a good idea.

We also listen to a lot of music together and try to analyze influences, tones and songwriting technique.

You guys lived together in a house in Newport Beach. Did you get a lot done in this time towards the band? There must have been a lot of parties and distractions all the time!

Our parents and management would probably like us to tell you that we were productive and deserving of our position of luxury by the Pacific. That would be a lie. Although we did spend most of our time lounging by the beach, drink in hand, we like to believe that the experience helped us in the creative process later on. Yeah, that sounds good.

What bands are you all listening to at the moment? Any recommendations for us?

I’ve been listening to a lot of Bowie and post-Beatles McCartney (Ram is a favorite of mine). LCD Soundsystem recently released a set of live sessions, which is pretty fantastic. Kanye is also pretty amazing.

(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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meet rob

We caught up with Epic Tomato’s expert guide Rob Murray-John over a cup of tea and chatted about what’s he’s been up to, where he’s off next and everything in between…

Hi Rob, long time no see, where have you just come back from?

summiting mount toubakal

I have actually just come back from my brother’s stag party. It wasn’t exactly your typical booze cruise though – we went to the Toukbal Valley in Morroco for a couple of days of hiking through the mountains followed by quad biking and camel safaris.

Have to say that’s one ‘epic’ stag. Do you ever take a break from these extreme environments?

When I am not on an ‘Epic’ trip, I love going visiting the Outer Hebrides. It is a chance to really get away from it all. I like to stay fit and the surrounding hills are a perfect place to go for long runs through the dramatic countryside. I have a young family too so it is great to take them out windsurfing, surfing and hiking.

Ok, list us your favourite destinations and environments in the world.

the jugle of guyana

My favourite countries are a bit of a diverse mix – Peru, Bolivia and Guyana in South America and Papua New Guinea in the Oceania. My favourite environments would have to be jungle and desert. I have trained for a long time in the jungle and really do feel at home there whilst I simply love the vast wilderness and stunning landscapes of the world’s deserts.

So tell us, when and how did you start leading expeditions?

I originally went out to Indonesia after university for a charity project in aid of protecting the environment. After 3 years with the company charity, I was eventually asked to start leading exploratory expeditions into the jungle and ended up doing so for over almost 20 years. It was this intimate knowledge of the jungle and having met and gained advice from some incredible military and British Special Forces recruits that has enabled me to compile this pioneering group of adventures.

Can you tell us a bit more how Epic Tomato came about?

camel trekking in the sahara desert

As with the whole ‘Tomato’ concept, it was a group of like-minded  people getting together and thinking about how to enhance peoples’ lifestyles and tune into their specific needs. We wanted to find five of the most extreme environments on the planet and create five bespoke trips within each of them in order to explore the most unique, untouched places on earth. It is a product of not only my own knowledge but of several close friends and their own expertise and knowledge as very experienced extreme guides and leaders.

What’s the ethos behind Epic Tomato?

There are no set in stone itineraries. All of our trips are boutique, expedition led tours that are tailor-made to each client. We enable them to maximize their time and get the most from their experience. We provide a service that can’t be organised yourself. We use local guides and local knowledge; our people live in these environments all the time and have a vast knowledge of these places. To give you an example, many clients would consider bringing sleeping bags when embarking on a trip through the Middle Eastern desert, however we have found it more comfortable and enjoyable to use Bedoiun camel hair tents and sleep under the stars in the unexplored corners of the Jordanian wilderness.

That sounds incredible, how do I sign up?

revising the plans for the trip

The whole idea of Epic is to create individual experiences so it is hard to be completely spontaneous when booking. Our bespoke trips require intricate planning and logistical support, so I would say that people interested in booking with us should get in touch between 3 and 6 months before they want to go. From the client’s point of view, we have always found it better to plan ahead – it is a chance to let the excitement build and to also prepare yourself mentally for what is sure to be an adventure of a lifetime. For those who have requested longer trips, with extended periods in the wilderness, may want to train a little so that they don’t have to worry about any physical exertion when they are out on the road. We also always include a good slice of tailor-made luxury at the start and end of trips (so that you still go home relaxed), those who have travelled with Black Tomato before will know what this means.

Are all Epic trips strenuous, do I need to be as fit as an Iron Man to go on them?

Not at all, all the trips are bespoke so they can be as physically demanding as you like and we will tailor them to our clients. With such a wide variety of options; from the gentle journeys across the desert in Mali to the dense primary jungles of Guyana and Borneo, I think it is more of a mental state of mind than being a super fit GI Joe or Jane. Whilst a reasonable level of fitness would definitely be a bonus, it is much more about having a spirit of adventure and being ready to take a step out of your comfort zone.

So, where’s next for you?

into the unknown: river may, papua new guinea

In September I am heading to Papua New Guinea to take part in a two week exploratory trek and raft deep into the uncharted jungles of the Star Mountains. We have no idea what we will find since this area is totally unexplored. We are then planning to use light weight rafts, that we will carry with us, to try to navigate the recently discovered May River –again a world first. (Incidently the reason it is called the May River is because its existence was only discovered in May.) I am looking at this as a personal mission of discovery but don’t worry I will keep my eyes peeled for potential Epic Tomato adventures too.

Any tips for surviving the urban jungle for us city slickers?

With so many of our clients working in stressful jobs where they work long hours, I always think that it is important to remember the most important things in life. I really do think that a trip with Epic Tomato, to places where life in principal is much simpler, can really help. It is so important to realign your priorities and strip away the ‘fluff’ of western life – ‘oh no my blackberry isn’t working’ – this may be put into context when you remember your time sitting in a hut in Papua New Guinea with a member of an indigenous tribe who hunts for food in the jungle simply to survive.

Tell us one thing you can’t travel without.

I always take a pot of marmite with me on the road…sometimes there is nothing like those little creature comforts.

Head over to Epic Tomato to pick your next adventure experience

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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