On Loves, optimism reigns, with the marvellous constellation of slides at Sicily’s Città del Mare resort, chosen by AnOther editorial assistant Tish Wrigley, sparking our sunbaked imaginations...
Will we ever be content? A matter of weeks ago, we were all staring out of our rain-flecked windows, shaking our fists at the eternally concrete skies, gloomily pondering whether we’d ever be able to leave our coats at home again. Now, as the temperature hovers just south of 30°C, clouds are nowhere to be found, tube carriages have turned into sweltering caravans of the perennially perspiring, and everywhere the chorus is, “It’s too hot, I can’t cope.” Here at AnOther, despite the office air conditioning being creative rather than effective, we are keeping optimistic, choosing to celebrate sunny lunch breaks rather than bemoan the hotbox indoors. And on Loves, optimism also reigns, with the marvellous constellation of slides at Sicily’s Città del Mare resort, chosen by AnOther editorial assistant Tish Wrigley, sparking our sunbaked imaginations.
At Città del Mare, guests can take a leisurely trip down into the Mediterranean; an exciting, but not perilous experience. However, elsewhere around the world, terror is the name of the game. In Dubai, a new attraction is the Jumeirah Sceirah, where guests are sealed into a glass capsule before the ground opens underneath them, plummeting the victim down a 120m slide at 50 miles an hour. The aptly named Insano in Brazil, currently holding the record for the World’s Tallest Water slide, stands at 135 ft and courageous participants reach speeds of up to 65 miles an hour. And for those who fancy a little bit of extra peril, the Leap of Faith slide on Paradise Island in the Bahamas plunges the rider down a 60 ft drop into a clear tunnel running through a shark filled lagoon.
"Here at AnOther, despite the office air conditioning being creative rather than effective, we are keeping optimistic, choosing to celebrate sunny lunch breaks rather than bemoan the hotbox indoors"
So, with renewed holiday inspiration for the dangerously inclined, we asked Wrigley why she chose to Love this piece of sliding paradise and who would be her dream companions for a holiday there.
Why did you choose to Love CDM?
It came up on a languorous internet trawl, at a moment when I was most in need of visual refreshment. It seemed the perfect antidote to the clammy reality of London.
Who would you take with you on a trip there?
These slides are made for competition, so I'd take my brother and sister, and revert to the full-blown sibling rivalry of the Lagos Slide & Splash, July 2008.
What would be your swimsuit of choice while cruising the slides?
Considering that I will be sliding in deadly earnest, a simple black swimming costume will be best. But I'll make it vintage Chanel so it loses that hellish school swimming gala feel.
From The Talented Mr Ripley to The Godfather, lots of films have been set in Sicily, do you have a favourite and why?
Visconti's The Leopard. It's one of my favourite books, and was only made more magical by its transfer to screen. Visually it's extraordinary, and I also love the weirdness of the multinational casting – Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Claudia Cardinale – and all the incredibly complicated dubbing that was then required.
What’s the most adventurous water sport you’ve ever done?
Surfing is my favourite sport without a doubt, with the only sadness being that I am totally abysmal at it. The highlight of last summer was a stunning moment in Cornwall when I managed to stand up and remain balanced for a matter of seconds. Truly exhilarating, unlikely ever to be repeated and thus entirely adventurous for me.
What’s your favourite summer activity?
I discovered it only last weekend – a small festival in Norfolk that I hope I will be able to go to every summer forever.
What are you excited about this summer?
Zambia next week, Wilderness just after, New York in September.
What’s the last thing you bought?
A vintage Céline bag.
