Travel
Chasing the Sun
[We publish in this column articles and notes which may help our readers in their plans for travel at home and abroad. They are written by correspondents who have visited the places described. We shall be glad to answer questions arising out of the Travel articles published in our columns. Inquiries should be addressed to the Travel Manager, The SPECTATOR, 99 Gower Street, W.0 1.] AT this time of year one's friends often ask one for advice as to where to go to escape winter fogs and bleak Januarjr and February days in England. Here are a few suggestions to suit the needs of those who can afford to be a short time away and for those lucky individuals who can manage several months:
NEAR AT HAND. . .
Near at hand are some of the smaller. places in the Esterels, between Toulon and Cannes. There are many, comparatively speaking, inexpensive places to be found, if the visitor does not mind simple fare, and does not wish to spend his time in large hotels surrounded by his fellow-countrymen. There are still, thank goodness, many places in the South of France where simple accorrunodation.and good food can be obtained at a price to suit- the moderate purse..
If he is in search of a golfing holiday and finance is not of primary importance, the seeker of sunshine could not do better than go to the delightful Golf Hotel at Valescure, near St. Raphael, which is three minutes from the links and wi ich commands a loirely view all over the stone-pineclad hills; down to Frejus, and the Bay of St. Raphael. If costs must be considered he can ,find several good hotels at moderate prices in the town of St. Raphael, and there is an early morning and mid-day 'bus service which takes him to and from the golf course in time for a morning and afternoon round. The golf links at Valescure hold their own with any that I,know, although, of course, the turf naturally cannot compete with the best English courses. The views are magnificent, the umbrella pines being such a feature and everyone who has once been to Valescure, always wants to go back..
FURTHER AFIELD.
Another nice place for a holiday which is slightly more ambitious, is Algeciras, where the English visitor will receive a warm 'welcome at the Hotel 'Reina- Cristina. A 'stay at Algeciras has also the advantage that Gibraltar is 'nearly on the other side of the Bay, and it is a good jumping-off place for trips through Southern Spain and across to Morocco. There are now excellent roads'in Morocco, comfortable hotels and frequent- motor 'charabanc services.
LONG CRUISES.
For those who can spare a couple of months, there is no more delightful trip than a visit to the West Indies, which can be reached either direct from Bristol or via New York, or by some of the foreign lines. A couple of weeks should be set aside for Jamaica and a' visit to the 'Blite Mountains should be included, Despite statements to the contrary, every visitor should try to fit in the Port Of Spain in Trinid ad, with its luxuriant tropical vegetation. For then with time in hand, there are excursions full of interest along he Spanish Main in the footsteps of Drake, and Raleigh, to Cartagena. For the more ambitious a trip up the Magdalena River to Bogota may be included ; the Panama Canal is also near at hand. On the return journey a sojourn in the Bahamas Islands is to be commended and a visit to Miami and the Florida winter resorts. Then, best of all, if the would-be traveller has three months to _spare, he, cannot do better than go by Royal Mail steamer to SouthAfrica, stopping at Madeira on the way out, and if he has stillthe time and the necessary wherewithal, returning home via the East Coast route. Most travellers will probably want to visit Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rhodesia and the Victoria . Falls. But those who dislike railway travel can have a delightful and restful holiday in the Cape Peninsula. In the neighbourhood of Cape Tpwn are some of the most attractive districts in the whole British Em- pire ; the Old-world Dutch civilization gives extra charm and
the wild flowers are a never-to-be forgotten joy. - J.
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