The Mr and Mrs Smith guides’ people have launched Goldsmith, a “lifestyle travel club” to organise everything from hideaway hotels and car hire to plant waterers and emergency plumbers. There’s an annual £250 fee, but membership gets you this set of guides and CD, and promises guest-list access to VIP parties.
Details: 020-7978 1000, www.mrandmrssmith.com/goldsmith

British binge in Oz

A survey from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales has found that British backpackers drink twice as much Down Under as they do at home. More than 1,000 UK nationals were studied in 2005. “The image of the hard-drinking, hard-playing UK backpacker appears to be reinforced by the results of this research,” said Paul Dillon, one of the co-authors of the report.

Cap that

The Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell was in St Lucia recently, apparently looking to buy property on the island. The footballer, who has made 69 appearances for England, stayed at the Jalousie Plantation (www. thejalousieplantation.com) on the West Coast, which Caribtours (020-7751 0660, www.caribtours.co.uk) offers from £1,203pp for a week.

Latin literati

The Hay Festival (www.hayfestival.com) in Wales has been described as “the Woodstock of the mind” by Bill Clinton. The festival’s sister event in Cartagena, Colombia, starts next Thursday. Journey Latin America (020-8622 8491, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) can get you there for a week from £1,545pp. The better-known Welsh version starts on May 24.

Case closed

Rather like a pair of expensive shoes you don’t want to scuff, you may never want to take this rather beautiful new Leica D-LUX 3 out of its box. However, the 10 megapixel digital camera, with 2.8in display, comes with a protective leather case that should allay any fears.
Details: £490.
Stockists: 01908 256400, www.leica-camera.co.uk.

Moment in the sun

Trainspotters, head east. A new high-speed train on the island of Taiwan links the capital Taipei with Zuoying. The train reaches speeds of up to 300km/h (186mph). See www.thsrc.com.tw for information.

Out in the cold

City slickers who want to celebrate their bonuses should head to the Metropolitan Hotel on Park Lane (www.metropolitan.co.uk), which has created the cognac-based “Met Kult” cocktail to celebrate its tenth anniversary. A snip at £150 a glass. Envious, us?