4 TRAVEL & INDULGENCE THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN, APRIL 7-8, 2012www.theaustralian.com.au

Splendid isolation ofa Solomons hideaway

Fatboys bar and restaurant sit on a platform 100m from shore

SUSAN MURPHY

ROOM ATTHE INN

FIRST in, first served, says theman behind the battered counteras he beckons for us to check inour luggage. He has bumped us tothe top of the paperwork queue,ahead of people who’ve beenwaiting for four days.

We listen to stories fromhopeful passengers about tryingto get on the flight, feeling guilty,but safe in the knowledge thatour luggage sits in the pile on thechecked-in side of the counter.Luck is on our side as theSolomon Airlines Twin Otterwings across the lagoons to theresort of Fatboys on the island ofMbabanga, an eight-minute boatride from Gizo, the provincialcapital of the Western Province.

Named by the previous ownerafter the Charles Dickenscharacter Joe the fat boy, Fatboysis now owned by David andChelsea Carlton.

We are greeted by David andson Kieran with hibiscus leis anda welcome cold drink. Davidhas the loping frame of aYorkshireman and a sense ofhumour to match, although hewas raised in Hong Kong.Kieran’s pyjamas, made from thesame cotton fabric as thecushions, indicate the practicalresourcefulness David andChelsea must employ to operatea resort in a remote andalmost inaccessible location suchas Mbabanga.

There is no problem accessingseafood, however, and we orderthe first of many lobster dishesfor lunch. The menu is small butupdated daily on a chalkboard,according to available produceand the fresh catch dropped in bylocal fishermen.

Experienced staff are not easyto find but Fatboys is fortunate tohave Selley and her cousinJohnny, both of whom have agentleness and charm that woulddisarm the most demandingguest. The cook has just returnedfrom a hospitality course inVanuatu; the last one was firedfor drunkenness.

David and Chelsea say theyhave learned to live with thestaff’s cultural differences, suchas sharing their clothes and theever-present wish to please —staff will sometimes take a guest’sorder, for example, despiteknowing the tiny galley kitchen

has run out of the key ingredient.The bar and restaurant form

the hub of Fatboys, elevated on aplatform 100m from shore.Locals with dreadlocks paddlingpast in a canoe, the Governor ofthe Western Province or sailorspassing in a luxury yacht mightdrop in for a meal or a game ofpool, making for an eclecticmingling. Many guests areassociated with the RegionalAssistance Mission to SolomonIslands (RAMSI) and aremostly Australian.

The bungalows are perched onstilts along the beach, facing thelagoon towards Kennedy Island;the volcano Mt Kolombangarasits in the background.

Kennedy Island is named afterJohn F. Kennedy because it iswhere he swam ashore when hisboat was sunk by a Japanesedestroyer in 1943.

The bungalows are made fromlocal materials, including tropicalhardwood, and each is differentin design; configurations includehoneymoon doubles and largerfamily styles. Four-posterbeds with heavy-duty mosquitonets add a romantic butpractical flavour.

Power is delivered by a seriesof generators; it’s not enough torun airconditioners, but theceiling fans are adequate and myhairdryer works.

The flights may not run asscheduled, the hot water mightrun cold and the bar could runout of gin, but that Fatboys existsat all is a wonder.

And let’s not forget theingredients of a tropical islandparadise: warm weather, bluelagoons, coral reefs, and thecharacters who gather here.

ChecklistFatboys Resort, Box 140, Gizo,Solomon Islands; +67 760 095;fatboysgizo.com.Tariff: From about $230 a night.Getting there: Solomon Airlinesflies from Honiara to Gizotwice daily; the flight takes aboutone hour.Checking in: RAMSI personneland Australian families.Wheelchair access: No.Bedtime reading: Tales of theSouth Pacific by James A.Michener, preferably read whilesinging I’m Gonna Wash thatMan Right Outta my Hair.Stepping out: Take a Dive Gizotour to a Japanese shipwreck.Brickbats: The pigeons soundlike children crying.Bouquets: The pod of dolphinsthat accompanies our boat; theeagle’s nest position of themassage hut.

Hidden treasures offer fragrant pleasures in Hong Kong and AfricaSUSAN KUROSAWA

THE SPATOURIST

SOMETIMES you need to be asleuth to winkle out the best pam-pering treats. In Hong Kong, asuperlative Angsana day spa issecreted on the ninth floor ofHotel Icon, on Science MuseumRoad in Tsim Sha Tsui East, nearthe Kowloon waterfront.

Before even considering the

calming Asian-inspired treats instore, there are two unusual fea-tures. Angsana, part of the Singa-pore-based Banyan Tree empire,is a well-known brand and itsvenues rarely are so tucked away.Then there’s Hotel Icon, a conven-tional property in appearance andfacilities, but it’s a teaching andresearch facility for Hong KongPolytechnic University’s school ofhotel and tourism management.

The 262-room mid-rise hotelopened a year ago and is staffed byyoung and enthusiastic traineeswho are getting the ultimate inhands-on practice. It’s touted asthe world’s first such businessmodel for the hospitality industry

and although I haven’t stayedhere, I can attest to swift and help-ful service in the lobby, down to astaff member all but leaping frombehind the concierge desk toescort me to the ninth floor, in caseI failed to locate the Angsana spa.

It’s a can-do attitude that setsthe scene well for this calming andfragrant sanctuary, which opens11am to 10pm daily, making post-shopping therapies a delightfuloption. ‘‘Drift away on a cloud ofcontentment’’ is but one of thepromised results.

The four large treatmentrooms, featuring Angsana’s signa-ture oriental colours and designelements such as bamboo and

screens, do feel planets removedfrom the energetic hustle of HongKong and there’s a good range ofoptions, including a men’s menu,with butch-sounding names suchas Power Back massage to relievespinal tension and including awarm paraffin application toreduce muscular aches.

If you are jetlagged, try aDreams treatment for 60 or 90minutes with warm sesame-oilmassage and including refresh-ments and a loll in the relaxationlounge. I reckon do this just afteran early dinner and then sleepsoundly; from $HK800 ($98), asteal by five-star spa standards.

Other intriguing offerings at

Angsana include a massage withbamboo rods, an avocado‘‘smoothie’’ body conditioningtreatment and a coffee-infused‘‘latte barley’’ cleanser.

In Johannesburg, the BotanicaSpa at The Westcliff, an Orient-Express property near the zoologi-cal gardens (look for giraffes peer-ing over the trees), is another off-the-radar surprise.

This pink-painted hotel cas-cades over tiers linked by tiledcourtyards and cobbled pathways,and the spa is all but hidden acrossa series of suites with woodenshutters and cool surfaces.

It is here I encounter Afric-ology, a South African holistic

skincare brand that captures theessence of this continent with itsbush botanicals, aloe vera, laven-der clay and even extracts ofmineral-rich rooibos tea, knownfor its anti-oxidants and skin-healing properties.

And when in Africa, well . . .time for an African Potato BodyExperience, and it isn’t even din-ner time. This 120-minute extra-vagance costs 1180 rands ($147)and includes an exfoliation com-bined with warm compresses, abody wrap formulated withAfrican potato and marula oil, atraditional foot ritual, scalp mass-age and body conditioning.

Having discovered Africology,

I’m delighted to visit its ultra-hipflagship store in Johannesburg’sThe Mall of Rosebank and to seeits earthy products used in spas inother parts of the continent, suchas at the lovely Sanctuary Retreatsproperty Chobe Chilwero Lodge,overlooking the Chobe River innorthern Botswana.

Forget high-rise salons andurban retreats — here you will beattended to in the bush bungalowspa or a tree-house treatmentroom and facilities include Vichyshowers, hydrotherapy bath,plunge pool and relaxation area,and private treatment rooms thatsmell richly of shea butter.

Expect bushbucks to cross your

path as you wander back to yourguest cottage after a rugged-sounding Inkomfi sloughing pro-cess, involving something to dowith walnut shells.

It’s a remarkable little oasis inthe bushy middle of nowhere.

ChecklistAngsana Spa, Hotel Icon,17 Science Museum Rd, Tsim ShaTsui East, Kowloon. More:+ 852 3400 1052; angsanaspa.com.The Westcliff, 67 Jan Smuts Ave,Westcliff, Johannesburg. More:+27 11 481 6000; westcliff.co.za.● africology-sa.com● sanctuaryretreats.com

Great big leopard diaryTracking elusivepredators forconservationresearch in theNamibian bush

CATHERINEMARSHALL

PICTURES: CATHERINE MARSHALL

A female leopard, caught in a box trap, lies sedated on a vehicle at Ongos game farm; she is released into the wild once tests have been conducted

Volunteers venture into the leopard-concealing grasslands

BOTSWANA

SOUTHAFRICA

ANGOLAZAMBIA

WalvisBay

KHOMASHOCHLAND

REGION

AT L A N T I CO C E A N

Karasburg

Gaborone

NAMIBIA

Windhoek

NAMIBIA hides its secrets well:the hills surrounding the capital,Windhoek, trick even the keenestof eyes, for they rise and fall inceaselesswavesandresist scrutinywith their tight crevices and clad-ding of sickle-bush and camelthorn trees and shimmering,waist-high grasses.

One could easily melt intooblivion here, and this is preciselythe predicament we face as we setout to track one of Africa’s mostelusive animals, the leopard.

Here at Ongos game farmthere are leopards aplenty; atnight their low growls echo off thehillsides, warning off garrulousbaboons. At waterholes they setoff camera traps so that close-upsof their bright yellow eyes androsette-covered pelts are caughton film; come morning, one findsthat they have left behind in thesoft dirt perfect paw prints, callingcards that peter off infuriatinglyinto the enfolding bush.

These are important clues forGerman scientist Kristina Killian,but what she’s really after is aleopard, one that can be inspectedand measured and collared andtracked as part of her PhDresearch into leopard conser-vation in the Khomas Hochlandregion of central Namibia.

Killian has been here for thepast 18 months, studying an ani-mal beloved of safari-goers butmaligned by farmers, whose herdsare vulnerable to big-cat pred-ators. She hopes to identify gamemanagement strategies that willlimit the loss of high-value speciesto these carnivores, and soencourage farmers to be more tol-erant towards them.

‘‘We can go out and tell farmersthat leopards are such beautifulcreatures that we have to protectthem,but that’s a fairytale,’’Killianconcedes. ‘‘We have to educatepeople and open their minds.’’

It’s a formidable task, but shehas on her side Ulf Tubbesing,Namibian veterinarian andco-owner of Ongos, and Bios-phere Expeditions, a European-based organisation that promotessustainable conservation byforging alliances betweenscientists and travellers.

Biosphere Expeditions mem-bers are vital to projects such asthis; without volunteer assistance,Killian wouldn’t be able to gatherthe information she needs to com-plete her study. And the two daysshe and expedition leader JennyKraushaar spend training volun-teers is easily recouped once thegroup is set to work.

With newly acquired skills inoff-road driving, telemetry, GPSusage and game-counting proto-col, our expedition team is readyfor dispatch. We can differentiate

between various tracks and areable to plot their co-ordinates sothat Killian can add them to herdatabase; we know to shakepotential spiders and scorpionsfrom our boots each morning andhave absorbed valuable lessons inanimal behaviour.

‘‘Leopards are fast and fierce,’’saysKraushaar,who’salsoaveter-inarian. ‘‘If you encounter aleopard, whatever you do, don’trun. Face the animal and it’s morelikely to retreat.’’

We envisage a more benignencounter and each new daybrings with it the promise ofsuccess. Sunrise delivers us fromthe impenetrable blackness of theAfrican night and the intensemagnification of its sounds; wak-ing early, we emerge from swad-dling layers of mosquito nettingand the protection of safari tentsset along the curve of a riverbed.

In the lapa we warm ourselves

by a wood fire and tick off a com-prehensive morning inventory:walkie-talkie, range finder, anti-venom kit, GPS, telemetry equip-ment, binoculars, sharpenedpangas, surgical gloves and hunksof raw zebra meat.

We check the Land Rovers forpunctures and climb aboard, des-perate to get out into that shim-mering grass where the leopardslie in wait. Down in a gully we setup a box trap, hacking off foliageand arranging it camouflage-styleabout the bars of the cage.

But it’s wishful thinking, forKillian has trapped and collaredjust two adult leopards in the past18 months and she knows thatother animals will succumb just aseasily to the lure of putrefyingzebra meat: aardvarks, honeybadgers, porcupines, brownhyenas and vultures have beenensnared in these traps. Andthere’s no remedy for the shyness

of leopards. Despite Kraushaar’swarnings of dangerous encoun-ters, we know that even the mostfleeting of contact is unlikely.

And so we spend our days col-lecting excrement, or scat, whichwill be genetically and physicallyexamined; we track Killian’s twocollared leopards using telemetry,theirmovements risingand fallinglike faint heartbeats through theradio static; we check cameratraps and survey residents in theneighbouring township ofKatutura on their attitudestowards the vaccination of pets.

In the evenings we watch as thesun descends like a gold-satin cur-tain, and we imagine the leopardslazing there on the sun-warmedhillsides, watching us with intent,their rosettes a clever illusion thatrenders them invisible to us all.

On my final day at Ongos, wefan out into the bush to conduct agame count on foot. There are

caracals, cheetahs and brownhyenas here, plus giraffes, bluewildebeests, oryxes, red harte-beests and the biggest antelope ofall, the eland.

Less valuable specimens alsoforage about, animals whoseubiquity might just convinceprofit-focused farmers to let theleopards be.

‘‘If we have warthogs and littlegame running around, it’s easierfor the leopards to find food,’’Killian says. ‘‘With some results,we can go to the farmers.’’

Halfway through our 5km trek,Kraushaar’s voice comes over thewalkie-talkie. ‘‘Get to the closestdirt road,’’ she instructs frantically,‘‘and we’ll pick you up there.’’

We wait for her, drenched insweat and weary; while we’ve beenwading through thornbush, log-ging sightings of warthogs andspringboks and elands, Kraushaarand Killian have conducted aroutine check of the four box trapsset out across this vast bushland.

And in one of these, they havediscovered an exquisite, heart-swelling prize — an adult femaleleopard, prowling agitatedlywithin the confines of her prison,furious at having been so quicklytricked by an easy feed.

We race to the dry riverbed andwait out of sight while Tubbesingprepares a dart. The leopard isgrowling with despair; there’s apiercing quality to her cry, anassertion of feral strength and vul-nerability that no image couldadequately capture. Tubbesingsedates her, then carries her fromthe cage and places her gently onthe tray of the Land Rover. Killianand Kraushaar enlist the help of

volunteers and they set to workweighing the leopard, inserting adrip, taking blood and hair sam-ples, measuring her paws andfasteninga collararound herneck.

Silence permeates this placenow, a silence prompted perhapsby the reverence we all have forthis creature lying impotentbefore us, and for the scientistsintent on preserving her species.

Our work finished, we carry theleopardbacktohercage;whensheregains consciousness the doorwill be opened remotely and shewill disappear back into the bush.

It’s a scripted ending to myexpedition. I hitch a ride intoWindhoek with Killian and Krau-shaar, who are headed to the lab-oratorywithvials of leopardbloodand tufts of rosette-scattered hair.

SittingbehindthemintheLandRover, I absorb the reflected joy oftwo scientists and conservation-ists. They turn to each otherbriefly, exchange a high five, thendrive on through the toughlandscape that conceals itsleopards so well.

Catherine Marshall was a guest ofBiosphere Expeditions.

ChecklistBiosphere Expeditions’ 12-nightprograms working with leopards,cheetahs and caracals in Namibiatake place July 29-August 10;August 12-24; September 2-14;September 16-28; September30-October 12; October21-November 2. From about$2670; airfares extra.More: biosphere-expeditions.org/namibia.

Call Travelrite International 1800 630 343 email Balwyn@travelrtie.com.au or www.travelrite.com.au

November 21 to December 5, 2012

A Garden Cruise to Hobart, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, Auckland and the Bay of Islands.

Visiting gardens in all the ports of call

GARDEN TOUR OF NEW ZEALANDWITH HELEN YOUNG, GARDEN COLUMNIST FOR THE AUSTRALIAN

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