World of opportunity

After The Monocle Quality of Life Conference concluded in Istanbul in October, we took a crack team of readers on an adventure south. Everyone was a little depleted from a series of too-fun dinners, some dancefloor exuberance and taking in the joys of being in the boisterous city.

The delayed departure of the Istanbul to Bodrum flight wasn’t exactly what we had hoped for. But, secluded in the lounge, people started introducing themselves to one another and began revealing elements of their lives. We were a globally disparate pack – from Dubai, China, the Philippines, the US, Switzerland and the Netherlands – but we were all united by our mission to reach the beach resort of Macakizi. 

Landing at Milas-Bodrum Airport, we were met by a fleet of identical Land Rover Defenders, their drivers a well-turned-out and soothing team. We headed off into a dusky glow, as a bougainvillea-pink sun eased below the horizon. After brief and restorative dives from the jetty into the sea, everyone gathered for dinner at the hotel. By now we were a team, sitting together in the night air as conversations bounced back and forth across the table and laughter echoed. Over the next two days there were boat trips and snoozing, healthy lunches and books devoured. People relaxed. Characters shone. It all flowed from a couple of days spent in a well-run hotel where the luxuries were discreet and the service exemplary. I have been feeding off of that brief sojourn’s warm glow ever since; you can plan a stay too after reading our report.

This is why we travel. Whether your adventure involves driving along the Albanian coast, crisscrossing Greek mountains or finding quiet roads and outposts in remote Australia (all in this magazine), the simple act of setting off on a journey holds the potential to reset your mind, make you feel at ease, fill you with new ideas and introduce you to places and people who might just change your life (or prove to be perfect company after a monocle conference).

While planning this outing of The Escapist, we sought out new perspectives and destinations, lifted the lid on the business of travel and met the hospitality architects changing our hotels for the better. We also interviewed the industry chiefs in attendance at the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes to find out where trends will be taking us and looked at everything from upscale train brands to aircraft design. In short, The Escapist is a bulging suitcase of reports and ideas.

But this isn’t our only deep dive into travel. In monocle, you’ll find The Concierge pages, where we guide you to the best places to stay, dine and visit across the globe. And, very soon, we’ll be unveiling a new world of travel at  monocle.com as we explore how to guide you around the world with ease. But for now, sit back, turn the pages and start dreaming. Life awaits. — L