Simon Reeve, the first UK snow sports festival, and why you should renew your passports now: Travel agenda
Where to go and what to know
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Your support makes all the difference.In the groove
The first UK snow sports festival will be held in Aviemore, in the Scottish Highlands, next year. Groove CairnGorm takes place from 11-13 March, coinciding with the Scottish Freestyle Championships. The festival will feature snow sports and entertainment on CairnGorm Mountain during the day, followed by après-ski courtesy of DJ headliners such as Grandmaster Flash, Hot Chip and DJ Yoda. Day tickets cost £55; full weekend passes £140.
What a chap
A museum dedicated to Charlie Chaplin will open next April in the star's former home in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland. The Modern Times Museum, set in the house where Chaplin spent the last 25 years of his life before his death in 1977, will feature exhibitions and films of the actor and film-maker, as well an outdoor stage which will host other cinematic and cultural activities. The nearby Modern Times Hotel will open in February.
Picture this
Mara Magic is the title of a striking new collection of wildlife photographs by Paul Goldstein and Kyriakos Kaziras, which covers a day in the Kenyan plains – “the most prolific wildlife area in the world” – from pre-dawn to deep night. The book is published by Vito, and signed hardback copies are available for £35 plus P&P.
Truffle shuffle
HF Holidays is introducing a range of new itineraries for 2016, including a trip to Croatia's Buzet Truffle Festival in September. The annual event, which offers music and dancing as well as food, will also feature the world's biggest truffle omelette. The seven-night guided walking holiday to Buzet in Istria includes hikes to hill towns and through wine country. The price starts at £699pp with half-board accommodation but excluding flights.
Travel talk
Adventurer and broadcaster Simon Reeve will be speaking at the Adventure Travel Show next year. The event will be held at Olympia London from 23 to 24 January, with Reeve discussing his travel experiences in the Adventure Auditorium on 24 January at 10.30am, with a question and answer session afterwards. The talk is included in the ticket price: £8 in advance or £10 on the door. Other speakers include mountaineer Rebecca Stephens and explorer Benedict Allen.
Slope style
Bergans of Norway has launched its new ski wear collection, designed with help from professional mountain guides. The range includes a selection of light, waterproof and windproof jackets and salopettes in a selection of bright colours. Also available are 100 per cent Merino wool beanies, which are suitable for wearing underneath a ski helmet. Prices for the new collection start at £160 for jackets and salopettes and £35 for beanies.
Health divide
For decades Russia and the other former Soviet republics have had a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK. This ends on New Year's Day – affecting travellers to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, as well as the world's biggest country.
Fast passport
Early December is an excellent time to renew a British passport. One reader, Jane Hunt, this week received her replacement document just five days after applying, even with a weekend intervening. Bear in mind that HM Passport Office gives full credit for up to nine months of unexpired time. For example, if you renew now a passport expiring on 4 August 2016, the replacement will be valid until 4 August 2026.
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