<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel>
<title>BA High Life</title>
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<description>British Airways High Life. Travel advice and inspiration, insider tips from the world&apos;s best writers and biggest celebrities, hotels, restaurants, spas, adventure, shopping, reviews, ethical travel.</description>
<language>en-gb</language>
<copyright>(C) High Life 2012</copyright>
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	<title>The Queen&apos;s Diamond Jubilee</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/UK/The-Queens-Diamond-Jubilee.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Two monumental occasions will draw the eyes of the world to London this summer. One takes place every four years. The  other has happened only once in British history. But at the centre will be the same dutiful figure who, for all her innate modesty, is now arguably the most famous woman in the world. 
 There can be no doubt that 2012 is the year of Queen Elizabeth II. On the night of 27 July, before a global audience of several billion, she will declare the London Olympic Games well and truly open. But this great festival of sport will follow a steady build-up of events celebrating the Queen herself as she marks 60 years on the throne &mdash; her Diamond Jubilee. 
 It all starts this month with the  anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne in February 1952. To this day, she remains head of state of 16 nations (known as realms), including Canada , Australia , New Zealand , Jamaica and Britain , plus dependent territories from British Antarctica to Gibraltar and Bermuda...]]></description>
	<category>UK</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:05:56 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/UK/The-Queens-Diamond-Jubilee.html</guid>
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<item>
	<title>Brit abroad: a guide to Gibraltar</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/Brit-abroad-a-guide-to-Gibraltar.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[On a clear day, the journey possibilities from the summit appear to stretch on forever. To the north, beyond the bold stripe that constitutes Gibraltar's airport runway, the hills of Andalucia jostle for attention. Follow the coast northeast, and your gaze is tugged by a thread of beaches that ripples into the haze. Looking west, the coast curls around to point directly to mainland Europe 's southernmost point. Turn south and the foreground is alive (on the surface) with the world's shipping and (beneath) with seemingly half the world's cetaceans. Beyond, the might of Africa rises up. 
 I know of no other perch where you feel so connected to the world. But then, I've always been a Rock fan.  I first visited the Crown Colony 30 years ago. At the time I said something to the effect that it resembled Britain in 1952 (not that I was around at the time). It's a travel clich&eacute; to suggest that Gibraltar is cheerfully out of step with the rest of Europe &mdash; and like most travel...]]></description>
	<category>Destinations</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:13:01 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/Brit-abroad-a-guide-to-Gibraltar.html</guid>
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	<title>Letter from Hong Kong</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/John-Simpson/Letter-from-Hong-Kong3.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[It was a familiar enough setting: the vast ballroom of a big modern hotel, good but forgettable. Inside were various tables, laid for a formal dinner. We sat and chatted and looked forward to the food, famous for its high quality. My neighbours were civil servants, reserved and formal. 
 Then from the corridor outside an unmistakeable wheezing, squealing sound cut through the air, and a line of men in impeccable MacKintosh tartan and trews came swinging in, headed by a drum major holding his silver-headed mace high above his head, the pipers playing the great Highland bagpipes and the snare drummers rattling away with immense skill. The room filled with the magnificent sound, and everyone around me grinned with pleasure to hear it. 
 The drum major halted in front of the guest of honour, a woman, who poured him a dram of whisky in the approved manner. He downed it with evident enjoyment, and then the pipes sounded again and he led the entire superb contingent onto the stage where...]]></description>
	<category>John Simpson</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:58:58 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/John-Simpson/Letter-from-Hong-Kong3.html</guid>
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<item>
	<title>Letter from Hong Kong</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/John-Simpson/John-Simpson-Letter-from-Hong-Kong-2.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[For many years now Clare Hollingworth  has lived in Hong Kong . She still spends part of almost every day in the venerable, numinous atmosphere of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, with its wooden panelling, chatting to people and having the papers read to her. Unsurprisingly, Clare is a bit fragile nowadays, but when her 100th birthday came around recently she was still bright and sharp enough to be interviewed by the BBC for a celebratory broadcast. 
 The main quality that marks a good foreign correspondent is luck, and Clare always had that in bucketfuls. Her very first foreign assignment, at the age of 28, was in Berlin in August 1939, working for the Daily Telegraph . Her boss was the paper's Berlin correspondent, Hugh Greene, who became the best director-general the BBC has had in my time. Maybe to get her out from under his feet, he sent her to the German-Polish border. 
 There she saw hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles queuing up, and booked herself into a hotel by t...]]></description>
	<category>John Simpson</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:57:14 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/John-Simpson/John-Simpson-Letter-from-Hong-Kong-2.html</guid>
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	<title>Lucian Freud remembered as Portraits exhibition opens</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Lucian-Freud-remembered-as-Portraits-exhibition-opens.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Lucian Freud was a famously dangerous driver in his brown Bentley, which was often badly parked outside his studio in Holland Park. Or at Clarke's restaurant in Kensington Church Street, where he had breakfast almost every day, and occasionally lunch and dinner too. It  was like a private salon for him, an extension of his home, and it was  where I used to meet him for breakfast most Saturdays in his final years. He  had been a regular diner at The River Caf&eacute;, but his favourite place for dinner became the Wolseley in Piccadilly,  which kept his own wine in its cellar. On the day after he died a black tablecloth  was placed on his usual table and a candle lit in his memory. 
 Lucian had a house on Dean Street, Soho, in the 1950s, where he led a  rackety life, often drinking with Francis Bacon in the Colony Room Club, a small after-hours drinking den up some  rickety wooden stairs. He was essentially a west Londoner, working for many  years in Paddington in a decrepit flat in...]]></description>
	<category>UK Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:33:33 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Lucian-Freud-remembered-as-Portraits-exhibition-opens.html</guid>
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	<title>London: Byron</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Byron.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[The Covent Garden outpost of burger bar Byron is almost as buzzy as the market itself. The white tiled d&eacute;cor is clean and simple, the staff is enthusiastic and passionate, and on the Wednesday lunchtime I visited, it was packed. The unique promise of Byron is 'fresh beef', ground on the premises everyday at 5am. Free to roam in the Scottish highlands, the cattle destined for Byron's burgers feed on grass in the smaller farms of Scotland for two to three years before slaughter, so you can be sure your burger will come from a happy cow. Respect for the animals and a clean conscience for the punters is what Byron is all about. 
 The menu is concise and although the juicy Aberdeen Angus burger is the star of the show, you can also order corn-fed chicken for example, or a Portobello mushroom and pepper veggie option and a couple of salads. The meat comes sandwiched in soft white buns, baked by Byron's very own artisan baker, but for calorie conscious customers, there is the opti...]]></description>
	<category>Food And Drink Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:27:49 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Byron.html</guid>
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	<title>The 30 best flights in the world: 10-6</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/The-30-best-flights-in-the-world-10-6.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[10: Kenya to The Seychelles  (NBO-SEZ) Chosen by Captain Sean O'Callaghan 'Touching down in the Seychelles is both technically interesting and a gorgeous descent. It is spectacular coming in over the sea and the sweeping rocks covered with rainforest. But what really caught my attention is the landing. Depending on the weather, you might have to steer the plane round a bay and then land on a very short runway. As a pilot, this is the kind of thing that sticks in your mind.' 
 9: Bangkok to Sydney (BKK-SYD) Chosen by Senior First Officer Graham Haydon 'When you leave Bangkok it's dark, but you can see bright lights over Sumatra and Bali in Indonesia. Over Australia you fly above miles and miles of outback, a beautiful nothingness. If you are landing from the north you can see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and if you come from the south you get great views over Botany Bay. It's a wonderful chance to see all the famous landmarks from a different angle.' 
 8: Berlin to Fran...]]></description>
	<category>Destinations</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:23:44 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/The-30-best-flights-in-the-world-10-6.html</guid>
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	<title>London: Copita</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Copita.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[The lowdown: 
 'Food is a matter of life or death,' proclaims Copita's website, forecasting a much more intense dining experience than the laid-back eaterie we found ourselves in. The newest tapas bar to pop up in Soho is the sister venue to Goodge Street's Barrica, with executive chef James Knight aiming to create 'true tapas' in a relaxed atmosphere. Copita is all high counters, bar stools and understated cream tiling, the finest piece of d&eacute;cor a glistening joint of jamon de bellota calling to you from behind the bar. As is customary with this type of bar, the portions are dainty, but unlike most, the flavour in each dish packed a real punch. The seductive (and pricey at &pound;13.50) jamon was delicately salty and melted in the mouth, veal cheek in a Pedro Ximenez gravy (&pound;5.85) was beautifully tender and sweetbreads served with a white asparagus puree (&pound;5.95) were crisp and moreish. We felt determined to go back and sample the more of the ever-changing menu....]]></description>
	<category>Food And Drink Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:37:32 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Copita.html</guid>
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	<title>London: Colchis</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Colchis.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[The lowdown: 
 Georgian food was an unfamiliar concept to my friend and I when we stepped into Colchis, a beacon of wintry cosiness with its fairy-lit ornamental trees and toasty interior. Luckily the experience proved both delicious and educational, with the staff eager to explain the house specialities and recommend dishes. 
 Colchis was the name for an ancient Western region of the Caucasian state, famously the home of the Golden Fleece in the legend of Jason and the Argonauts. The interior is slick, with no hint of Georgian 'theme' or national style &mdash; the d&eacute;cor is all polished dark wood, impeccable glassware and displayed wine. The food may be rustic but there is nothing shabby-chic about Colchis. A larger table next to ours confirmed my impression that this is a place for a leisurely evening spent chatting with a crowd of friends, sampling the extensive wine list and trying bits of this and that. We tried the Orovela 2006 Saperavi (Georgian wine), which was wond...]]></description>
	<category>Food And Drink Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:15:19 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Colchis.html</guid>
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	<title>Ask the pilot: First Officer Dougal Douglass</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/The-High-Life-Blog/Ask-the-pilot-First-Officer-Dougal-Douglass.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[My first flight was a lesson in a Cessna 152 given to me on my 21st birthday. I loved the sensation of being airborne, but I didn't suspect that three years later I'd be in the cockpit of a 737. When I applied to BA, I was fortunate to be accepted on a cadet training scheme and spent the next 18 months training. 
 I studied palaeontology and earth history at university. I also enjoy activities such as rowing and mountain biking , where you have a technical discipline in an outside environment. Being a pilot appeals as it allows me to combine the natural and mechanical worlds while still exploring. 
 Every year I clock up enough flying distance to get to the moon and back &mdash; about 500,000 miles. The great thing about flying the Boeing 777 is that it's so diverse. We have routes in North and South America , Africa , India , Asia , Australia and some shorter routes as well, such as Cairo . Some people like to fly to just one destination, but I prefer to have a bit of a lucky di...]]></description>
	<category>The High Life Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:53:53 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/The-High-Life-Blog/Ask-the-pilot-First-Officer-Dougal-Douglass.html</guid>
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	<title>London: Malmaison</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Hotels-And-Spas/London-Malmaison.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Stepping from the dazzle of a sunny afternoon into the Malmaison London, in the heart of Clerkenwell, it took a moment to acclimatise to the hotel's low-lit lobby. A dramatic hall featuring big patterns and crazy proportions (chairs with outsized wingbacks, a bold checked carpet), it is a far cry from the sterile welcome you might experience in the average chain hotel. The Malmaison motto is "hotels that dare to be different", and they have worked hard to ensure that this is every guest's first impression. 
 Above the staircase that spirals down to the Bar Brasserie hangs a giant Jack Vettriano oil painting, Game On, capturing two lovers in an erotic moment. The picture perfectly sums up the seductive atmosphere that Malmaison strive to create. Besides the soft lighting and hot colours of the d&eacute;cor, there are suggestive notes everywhere, from the labels on the bath products to the key card cover. Throughout the communal areas of Malmaison London scorching shades of plum and...]]></description>
	<category>Hotels And Spas</category>
	<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:43:56 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Hotels-And-Spas/London-Malmaison.html</guid>
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	<title>I&apos;ll be packing: Jenny Jones</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Ill-Be-Packing/Ill-be-packing-Jenny-Jones.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[If I'm heading to America I take English tea bags, Cadbury Creme Eggs and Mini Eggs. After a bad day, or even a really good day, I need a cup of tea and chocolate. 
 Style-wise I go for a rugged look and without fail you'll find some Billabong jeans in my luggage. I live in them. And in my beauty bag I always have Snow Skin suncream as I can be on the slopes for five hours a day in bright sunshine. 
 Living out of a bag eight months of the year means I'm good at packing quickly: I throw it in, zip it up and go. That said, I once forgot to pack my snowboard boots &mdash; I had to get some shipped out to New Zealand. 
 I like to admire the sea from a window seat or watch a romcom or action thriller when I fly. I like not being able to connect to the internet while in the air &mdash; it means I can really switch off and daydream. 
 On a recent trip to the Maldives, I swam with 20 wild dolphins. It was one of the top ten things I've ever done. So beautiful. 
 My GoPro video camera...]]></description>
	<category>Ill Be Packing</category>
	<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:57:49 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Ill-Be-Packing/Ill-be-packing-Jenny-Jones.html</guid>
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	<title>In pictures: Scott&apos;s Last Expedition, Natural History Museum</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/In-pictures-Scotts-Last-Expedition-Natural-History-Museum.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA['This is the Terra Nova in the ice. The photographer was Herbert Ponting, who took all of the photographs on the expedition; he took thousands. It took Scott's crew weeks to get through this pack ice, the broken up ice you see here, to land. Ponting was a fascinating person who had done a lot of travelling; he was the first official photographer that went on an Antarctic expedition.' 
 
 &lsquo;This photo was taken inside the base camp hut at Cape Evans. The men slept in bunks and the only person who had his own corner was Scott. He'd been on an expedition before and knew that the leader would publish their Antarctic diary, so he wrote a lot and we have a rich record of his and other people's writing on the expedition. On the far right are reindeer-fur mittens, and his boots are modelled on finnesko , which the Sami people of Northern Scandinavia used to protect their feet.' 
 
 &lsquo;They had 33 sledge dogs with them for transport, and Chris there is one of them. The gramopho...]]></description>
	<category>Adventure Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:12:10 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/In-pictures-Scotts-Last-Expedition-Natural-History-Museum.html</guid>
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	<title>Seven tips on sports photography</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/Seven-tips-on-sports-photography.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[1. Freeze the action Sport is fast paced and exciting. Use a fast shutter speed of at least 1/1000th of a second to freeze the action. This eliminates blurring in your sports images. 
 2. Shutter lag One of the biggest problems for budding sports photographers is shutter lag (the delay between pushing the shutter release and the camera actually taking the picture). To remedy this have your finger half pressed on the shutter release and be ready for the action. 
 3. Know your sport Be aware of who the favourite  is, who is likely to win and who isn't. Research which athletes  react for the best celebration or dejection images. 
 4. Positioning Positioning is everything. Try to place yourself square on to the subject ensuring that the action is coming towards you. For example, at school sports days, position yourself at the end of the races to capture the children as they run towards you. The best reaction pictures happen as the kids break the finishing tape at the end of the race...]]></description>
	<category>Adventure Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:02:01 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/Seven-tips-on-sports-photography.html</guid>
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	<title>Notes from a traveller: Brian Wilson</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Notes-From-A-Traveller/Notes-from-a-traveller-Brian-Wilson.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Any American visiting the UK is obsessed with knowing where The Beatles hung out. To this day I am still very jealous of their fame, John [Lennon] and Paul [McCartney]'s singing and their group harmonies. I didn't think what I did musically was anywhere near as good as The Beatles. Maybe other people consider me a genius, but I don't. 
 British audiences are very sensitive to American art. I couldn't believe the standing ovation I received when I re-recorded Smile and Sweet Insanity and played at London's Royal Festival Hall for the first time. And all of those buildings on the South Bank are testimony to the great British tradition of the arts. 
 I love playing the outdoor-festival circuit. The smaller ones are the best &mdash; ones such as GuilFest in the UK ( guilfest.co.uk ). One day I may go back there and play again for the older hippie crowd, as it's set in a beautiful part of Surrey. 
 I'll always live here in California because of California Girls. Is there a better rea...]]></description>
	<category>Notes from a Traveller</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:58:13 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Notes-From-A-Traveller/Notes-from-a-traveller-Brian-Wilson.html</guid>
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	<title>London: Archer Street</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Archer-Street.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[The lowdown: 
 When I was told that the staff at this London bar break into song and dance 'when you least expect it' my heart sank a little. I wasn't sure I fancied my mint julep delivered with a side of jazz hands or a tunelessly serenaded cocktail menu. Luckily my experience was far from my expectations. 
 Turns out the folk at Archer Street really can hold a tune &mdash; the few that I spoke to had professional training &mdash; and rather than being sprung upon you at an (in)opportune moment, when the atmosphere's warmed up, they take to the microphone and belt out some crowd pleasers: everything from modern classics to Moulin Rouge, which was much more enjoyable than I'd anticipated. 
 Joining Bocca di Lupo along Archer Street, one of Soho's hottest addresses, the eponymous bar is split across two levels: a large upstairs bar, candlelit and sexy, walls lined with champagne bottles (it's the first exclusive Billecart-Salmon Champagne bar in London), and a cosy downstairs wit...]]></description>
	<category>Food And Drink Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:16:32 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-Archer-Street.html</guid>
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	<title>TripAdvisor&apos;s top five hotel boot camps</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Hotels-And-Spas-Blog/TripAdvisors-top-five-hotel-boot-camps.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Milia, Crete, Greece Set on a mountain settlement, Milia is an eco-friendly complex offering a variety of activities and healthy Cretan cuisine. milia.gr 
 Amansala Bikini Boot Camp, Tulum, Mexico Welcomes guests of all fitness levels in a non-competitive and &lsquo;eco-chic' atmosphere. amansalaresort.com 
 Hillmotts Fitness Retreat, Buckinghamshire, England Set in beautiful country-hotel grounds, Hillmotts Fitness Retreat offers a three-day fitness &lsquo;kick start'. hillmotts.co.uk 
 NuBeginnings, Razines, France Set in an historic French chateau, NuBeginnings France offers a weight-loss programme combining nutrition, exercise and hypnotherapy, all individually tailored to your needs. nubeginningsfrance.com 
 The Hills Health Ranch, British Columbia, Canada Situated in the middle of ranch lands, The Hills Health Ranch specialises in weight loss, fitness, nutrition, wellness and lifestyle counselling. thehillshealthranch.com 
 To read more about these boot camps, visit trip...]]></description>
	<category>Hotels And Spas Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:11:58 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Hotels-And-Spas-Blog/TripAdvisors-top-five-hotel-boot-camps.html</guid>
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	<title>London: W Lounge</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-W-Lounge.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[Having established 42 hotels worldwide, from LA to the Maldives (and with 21 more including Paris and Bangkok in the pipeline), the glamorous W brand this year brought its rockstar-dust to London. Sitting on the edge of Chinatown, just off of film premiere hub Leicester Square , the W hotel has already become something of a VIP destination. 
 The hotel's first-floor bar &mdash; which you reach via a leather-lined lift, passing a tornado-shaped glitterball feature as you emerge &mdash; screams 'after party' with its leather banquettes, glossy tiles and throbbing music. The drinks menu is varied, with an emphasis on premium spirits (by the bottle if you can handle it). 
 Brit-themed cocktails such as the tea-laced Lord Grey and fruity Lady Chatterley are worth a try, or you can always order a gin and tonic from their friendly black-clad staff. From 2-5pm, the bar even offers a RockTea &mdash; the W take on afternoon tea , with a gin martini and 'cherry bomb' cakes in place of the s...]]></description>
	<category>Food And Drink Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:02:29 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Food-And-Drink-Blog/London-W-Lounge.html</guid>
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	<title>Six of the best boot camps</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Adventure/Six-of-the-best-bootcamps.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[THE EARLY RISERS' CAMP 
 1. Boot Camp Spain, Malaga 'Our constant companions were two bone-fide Army Physical Training Instructors with big muscles, beautiful manners and bad jokes.' Read full review . 
 THE PICTURESQUE CAMP 
 2. FIT Luxury Bootcamp, Tuscany 'The location was a challenge in itself: a wine lover trying to lose weight, clear the head and get fit... in the middle of a Tuscan vineyard.' Read full review . 
 THE MOTIVATIONAL CAMP 
 3. Fit Camp Week at Champneys, Tring 'Ordinarily I love a power walk, but coming as it did after a 7am wake-up workout, followed by circuit training, followed by spinning, followed by yoga, followed  by aqua fit, I was so bone tired I felt like a toddler on the brink of a huge tantrum.' Read full review . 
 THE WEEKEND CAMP 
 4. Natural Perspectives at Natural Retreats, Yorkshire 'We'd just warmed up in a beautiful meadow and the scenery took my mind off the fact that the longest jog I've managed in the past five years was a 12-minute...]]></description>
	<category>Adventure</category>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:37:13 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Adventure/Six-of-the-best-bootcamps.html</guid>
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	<title>Mauritius</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/15-reasons-to-visit-Mauritius.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[1. Tee off in paradise The British introduced golf to Mauritius in 1844, long before it reached the US, and it has the honour of being the third country in the world to turn its natural landscape into greens, bunkers, fairways and lagoons. Today there are four 18-hole courses, the best of which is The Legend, designed by Hugh Baiocchi and home to the Mauritius Open every December. It's part of Belle Mare Plage resort ( bellemareplagehotel.com ), as is the Links Course, designed by Peter Alliss and Rodney Wright. Both are musts for golfing honeymooners. In the southwest, Le Paradis Hotel &amp; Golf Club has a picturesque course, but it's reserved for guests ( paradis-hotel.com ). 
 2. Taste the sugar To understand Mauritius, you have to understand sugar. The first plantations began under French rule in the 18th century and sugar still dominates the landscape, with 90 per cent of cultivated land on Mauritius given over to the crop. Initially, African slaves were brought over to work...]]></description>
	<category>Destinations</category>
	<pubDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:32:27 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/15-reasons-to-visit-Mauritius.html</guid>
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	<title>Five of the best quirky London bookshops</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Five-of-the-best-quirky-London-bookshops.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[FOR THE FOODIE 
 Books for Cooks, W11 Take thousands of tasty cooking titles, mix in a kitchen-cum-caf&eacute;  to test them in, sprinkle with a  cosy sofa and the result is Books  for Cooks in Notting Hill. Nibble on a three-course lunch menu from Tuesday to Saturday while thumbing through tomes to inspire your own culinary experimentation. booksforcooks.com 
 FOR THE COLLECTOR 
 Daniel Crouch Rare Books  and Maps, SW1 Channelling a pared-down contemporary library, this shop in St James's is the place to find a beautiful collection of atlases, maps and rare books in a relaxed environment. It's the stuff cartographers' dreams are made of. crouchrarebooks.com 
 FOR THE TRAVELLER 
 Daunt Books, W1 Globetrotters can take a journey back to the Edwardian era at the Marylebone branch, with its beautiful panelled walls and wooden floors. Daunt has six branches dotted across London, which offer the best in authentic travel writing and guidebooks. Perfect for fuelling your wanderlust....]]></description>
	<category>UK Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:34:05 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Five-of-the-best-quirky-London-bookshops.html</guid>
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	<title>British Airways and Comic Relief&apos;s work in Rio de Janeiro</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/British-Airways-and-Comic-Reliefs-work-in-Rio-de-Janeiro.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[At the age of seven, Joelma was fending for herself on the streets of Rio de Janeiro &mdash; her parents in the Santa Cruz favela where she was born could no longer support her. She witnessed rapes and abuse, drugs were rife, she begged for food and had her first baby while still a street child herself. 
 Today, at 27, she's telling me her story as she braids hair in a brightly coloured salon in the centre of the city. Her life has been turned around by Associa&ccedil;&atilde;o Excola (Ex-Glue Sniffers Association), an organisation that works with women and children living on the streets, helping young mums learn new skills to enable them to keep their kids safe. 'It's dangerous on the streets,' says Joelma. 'Lots of young girls go into prostitution to buy crack. I got off the streets because of Excola. I earn my own money doing hairdressing and manicures, and help teach the kids that come to the centre too.' 
 In 2010, British Airways launched Flying Start , a charity partnershi...]]></description>
	<category>Destinations</category>
	<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:05:18 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Destinations/British-Airways-and-Comic-Reliefs-work-in-Rio-de-Janeiro.html</guid>
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	<title>Five of the best UK Chinese New Year celebrations</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Five-of-the-best-UK-Chinese-New-Year-celebrations.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[London, 29 January The main event is the morning's parade around the West End, starting at 10am in Chinatown and reaching Trafalgar Square at midday, where bigwigs such as Boris Johnson and the Chinese Ambassador to London, Liu Xiaoming, will be speaking. There will also be traditional music and dragon dancing into the evening, so you can be sure the UK's largest Chinatown won't disappoint. chinatownlondon.org 
 Manchester, 27-29 January Hoping to beat last year's record of 65,000 attendees, Manchester's Chinese New Year will be kicked off on the Friday with a variety show by the Chinese Art Troupe (Manchester Central Exchange Auditorium) and runs until the traditional lion dance performance and fireworks display on the Sunday evening. manchester.gov.uk 
 Birmingham, 29 January Birmingham's Chinese Quarter's Sunday celebration includes Kung Fu demonstrations, acrobatics and fireworks, with much of the entertainment provided by local clubs and organizations. Staying in? Make sure...]]></description>
	<category>UK Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:22:03 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/UK-Blog/Five-of-the-best-UK-Chinese-New-Year-celebrations.html</guid>
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	<title>Denise Lewis: counting down to London 2012</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/Denise-Lewis-counting-down-to-London-2012.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[So, 2012 has finally arrived. I can't believe seven years have passed since I was lucky enough to be chosen &mdash; as part of the London 2012 bid team with Lord Coe and David Beckham &mdash;  to deliver a speech in Singapore to the International Olympic Committee members in front of the world's media. It was probably one of the most nerve-racking things I had ever  done and, for a girl who disliked reading aloud in class, well,  I've certainly come a long way! And so, too, has preparation for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now, the countdown to London 2012 will really intensify. 
 The stage is set for us to welcome the world to Britain. The venues are ready and you can bet the athletes are desperate to get under way. In just over six months' time, the first medals will be handed out. New heroes will have emerged and perhaps a few world records will have been broken. But it's what happens in the minds of the athletes during the months leading up to the most important day...]]></description>
	<category>Adventure Blog</category>
	<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:40:31 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/News-And-Blogs/Adventure-Blog/Denise-Lewis-counting-down-to-London-2012.html</guid>
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	<title>Florence: The St Regis</title>
	<link>http://www.bahighlife.com/Hotels-And-Spas/Florence-The-St-Regis.html</link>
	<description><![CDATA[The lowdown: 
 Gucci stilettos and sparkling jewellery in backlit glass cases mingle with restored stained glass windows, original frescoes and Murano glass chandeliers at the St Regis Florence. This Arno riverside property, originally The Grand Hotel, designed in 1432 by the architect of the Duomo Santa Mario del Fiore Brunelleschi, reopened in 2011 after a ten-month refurbishment. The d&eacute;cor blends the chic style of modern Florence with its artistic heritage. The 81 guest rooms and 19 opulent suites are decked out in three styles: Medici, with drapes tumbling from gilded coronas over the bed, Florentine, all timber floor and intricately frescoed walls and Renaissance, peppered with oil paintings and luxe furnishing. A hidden TV in the bathroom mirror and framed letters in faded, quilled Italian add comfort and character. 
 Offering not just a visual feast, three Michelin-starred chef Etichetta Pinchiorri serves up unmissable gourmet Tuscan food in the in the palatial Art-...]]></description>
	<category>Hotels And Spas</category>
	<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:04:47 GMT</pubDate>
	<guid>http://www.bahighlife.com/Hotels-And-Spas/Florence-The-St-Regis.html</guid>
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