Adventure

Our van had seen better days but my partner tackled each bend as if auditioning for a car commercial. My stomach was firmly clenched as we edged a little too close to the cliff-edge during every dramatic twist in the road.

Just as I was wondering why we hadn't bought a sat-nav, the road levelled out onto a flat and fertile lowland on which in some prehistoric time the ocean had rolled. As the sun was at its highest, we faced landscapes that had taken trillions of years to form. With mountains on all sides, Europe's natural beauty was staggering.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to live in a region like Andalucía, rich with natural and cultural attractions, know that tourism is a complex topic, and a great source of wealth. It is not only the climate and nature, though these elements are without doubt the cornerstones of the industry. It is also culture, in the widest sense of the word and in its most modern usage. Culture, ranging from the heritage of its historic sites to its varied gastronomy, from its popular 'fiestas' to golf courses, and a long etcetera.

I stepped from my airport taxi into an undulating sea of travellers clutching sugar skulls, pan de muerto sweet buns and cheery wreaths of marigolds.  Met by a grinning skeleton with a purple feather boa, he handed me tumbler of smoky agave liquor mescal. 

New Zealand is a country which thrives on adventure. Rugged mountain landscapes become off-piste playgrounds, sky-reflecting lakes turn into jet-boat race trackers while ice-blue glaciers open up for exhilarating exploration.  The Kiwis have made it possible to jump, drive, slide, roll, fly or hike through pretty much any part of the country's terrain - making it a wonderland for adrenaline seekers.

In 2002, Whitby's historic harbour thronged with excited Aussies eager to snatch a glimpse of the Endeavour as it sailed into Captain Cook's hometown.  When I visited, though, there was just the odd flip-flop-wearing pilgrim lounging outside the Captain Cook museum; the town's cobbles swarmed instead with black-haired twentysomethings dressed in petticoats and top hats.

When boho-chic style hit the catwalks, prices in Notting Hill's second hand stores soared - and they never came back down, crippled vintage shopping and forcing those looking for that particular to look elsewhere. So, when the affordability of weekend break to the other side of the Channel you can say 'bonjour' to Paris's Le Marais district - your wallet and wardrobe's new best friend.  Here taffeta cocktail dresses are in abundance, leather satchels are aplenty - and price tags are rock bottom.

Most travellers to India have Varanasi on their itinerary. It's well known as a good spot to sign up for a crash course in Indian cookery, and is a photographer's dream with its high-octane mysticism and heady mix of saffron-robed sadhus (ascetics), pilgrims, drifters, beggars and tourists.

Ancient meets the modern in this city.  Home to the only Pompidou Centre outside Paris and birthplace of one of the most celebrated artists in history, Malaga is more than just the gateway to the beaches of the Costa del Sol and Andalucía in the south. A compact and richly cosmopolitan city, it delivers on culture, tantalising tapas, new hedonistic hotspots that could give Barcelona a run for its money and fine weather, with more than 300 days of sunshine a year.

The island of Bermuda is a self-governing British Overseas Territory. Isolated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and some 900 miles north of the Caribbean (contrary to popular brief).  The island was once used as a base by pirates to loot foreign ships and the sea is still the focus of any holiday here.  However, Bermuda remains largely overlooked by some holiday makers, despite its year-round sunshine, daily direct flights from the UK and just a four-hour time difference.

Delicate bridges and waterways weave in and out of old brick and glass buildings, and outdoor cafes line every road. There are hen and stag dos a-plenty, and hitting the main drag in Old Centre to party hard is definitely part of the experience, as is strolling through the infamous Red Light District where purring women push themselves up against windows beckoning in paying customers. When you're looking to chill out, visit the mesmerising Van Gogh Museum or kick back with a spliff. Yes, it's legal here - and all part of the, er, cultural experience.