The writer was fortunate to join the BMW EuroStyle Tour to Germany in September. It began with a spectacular Frankfurt Motor Show and continued in Munich and its environs, encompassing an extravaganza of high-end design in various fields; BMW being a believer that a mélange of cutting-edge elements from various sectors benefit the overall result.

When considering holidays, chances are that thoughts concentrate on the romantic capitals of Europe before thinking of Africa. Yet, this continent has much to offer, as Fraser and Karla Dodge discovered on a visit to Lamu Island off the north- east Kenyan coast.

Habitat‘s Linda Ransome visited Beirut in late September 2010. Voted the No.1 destination of 2009 by the New York Times, it followed suit that Umberto Cino, MD of Maserati Middle East chose Beirut as centre stage for a Lebanon Maserati ride and drive event. Her impressions follow:

Born in England, publisher / managing editor Colin Sharp came to South Africa in 1968 and launched Habitat in 1973. He retains a distant – if reluctant – admiration for his homeland, preferring to recall it in the ‘50s, ‘60s and 70’s. During five days in mid-September he visited London and West Sussex as part of the 2010 BMW South Africa EuroStyle tour.

In arranging a design discussion – held at Villa Erba, on Lake Como, Italy in late April – BMW Group assembled a panel of renowned experts to discuss sustainable design.

En route to the Greek Islands, aboard the Costa Romantica, I watched the Roman battlements of Emperor Trajan’s old port of Civitavecchia fade into the horizon. I awoke to a bright new day in the straits of Messina, slipping between the boot of Italy and Sicily, passing the volcanic island of Stromboli and the mountainous coast of Calabria.