Globe Trekker (1994) s17e05 Episode Script
Isolated Islands: Saint Helena
1 ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER ZAY: I'M LEAVING THE BEAUTIFUL PORT OF CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, ON A 2,000 MILE VOYAGE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
MY DESTINATION IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S REMOTEST INHABITED ISLANDS AS YET WITH NO AIRPOR SO IT'S VERY RARELY VISITED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SPECTACULAR, AND ITS HISTORY IS FASCINATING.
IT'S WHERE NAPOLEON WAS EXILED.
AND IT'S REMARKABLE TO THINK 200 YEARS LATER THIS IS STILL THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE: BY BOAT.
ST.
HELENA ISLAND, HERE I COME! I SHOULD BE THERE IN OH, FIVE DAYS! DOES THIS THING GO ANY FASTER? THE SOUTH ATLANTIC IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEAS TRAVELLED OCEANS, WITH FEW ISLANDS AND VERY LITTLE OCEAN TRAFFIC.
FROM CAPE TOWN, THE 5 DAY 2000 MILE LONG OCEAN VOYAGE ACROSS THE SOUTH ATLANTIC WILL TAKE ME PAST NOT EVEN A SINGLE SPECK OF LAND EN ROUTE TO THE BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF ST.
HELENA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S REMOTEST INHABITED ISLANDS.
THE SHIP TAKING ME FROM CAPE TOWN, THE RMS, OR ROYAL MAIL SHIP, ST.
HELENA, IS THE LAST AUTHENTIC OCEAN-GOING ROYAL MAIL SHIP FROM HUNDREDS THAT ONCE CRISS-CROSSED THE OCEANS TO THE OUTPOSTS OF THE OLD BRITISH EMPIRE.
A DUAL PURPOSE PASSENGER AND CARGO SHIP, IT CARRIES AROUND 50 CREW, 150 PASSENGERS, AND 1,800 TONS OF CARGO.
FOR NOW, THE SHIP IS ST.
HELENA'S SOLE LIFELINE, CARRYING ALMOS ALL ITS VITAL SUPPLIES.
BUT ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
ONCE THE AIRPORT THAT'S NOW BEING BUILT ON ST.
HELENA OPENS, THE SHIPS VOYAGES ARE DUE TO STOP.
ONE THING TRAVELING LIKE THIS DOES, IS IT GIVES YOU A REAL APPRECIATION FOR JUST HOW ISOLATED THIS ISLAND IS.
WE'RE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM SHORE.
HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE BOAT OR A SINGLE PLANE OR A SINGLE LIVING THING OTHER THAN THESE BIRDS.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE, THEY DON'T FLAP, THEY JUST GLIDE AND RIDE.
IT'S JUST THE FIRS OF FIVE LONG DAYS AT SEA, AND WITH ALMOS NOTHING TO SEE OUT THERE IN THE ENDLESS OCEAN, TIME ISN'T GOING TO RUSH BY.
BUT AT LEAST THERE ARE PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE ON BOARD TO PASS THE TIME.
AND YOU'RE NOT COOPED UP WHEN YOU TRAVEL BY PLANE.
HEY, HERE'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO ON AN AIRPLANE TO ST.
HELENA.
HA, THAT'S COLD AND IT'S SALTWATER! YOU WON'T FIND THESE IN FIRST CLASS ON AN AIRPLANE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
NOT A BAD VIEW EITHER.
ANYONE ELSE SEE THE IRONY IN THIS, ME ROWING ON A BOAT? APART FROM ALL THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND SPACE TO ROAM ON THE RMS ST.
HELENA, THE OTHER GREAT ADVANTAGE OF TRAVELING BY SHIP INSTEAD OF BY PLANE IS THAT THE LONG FIVE DAY JOURNEY GIVES YOU PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE CREW AND OTHER PASSENGERS.
ON BOARD ARE A FEW ADVENTUROUS TOURISTS, SOME BRITISH EXPATS, SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS BUILDING THE NEW AIRPORT, AND OF COURSE LOCALS RETURNING HOME TO ST.
HELENA.
MAN: FIVE DAYS ABOARD THE SHIP, YOU MEET A MIX OF PEOPLE.
I MET A LOT OF ST HELENIANS.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GE TO KNOW THE ISLAND BEFORE YOU EVEN ARRIVE.
AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT, IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
WOMAN: YOU'VE GOT TIME TO WIND DOWN AND LEAVE ALL THE PRESSURES BEHIND, AND THEN YOU GET TO ST.
HELENA IN THE ST.
HELENA MOOD.
MAN 2: IT'S JUST THE WAY PEOPLE TRAVELLED IN THE PAST, BY SHIP, YOU KNOW.
SO THERE'S A ROMANCE ABOUT IT, YOU COULD SAY.
WHICH IS NICE, EH? ZAY: OKAY, YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY DO I HAVE A JACKET AND A TIE ON A BOAT, RIGHT? WELL, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A WORKING SHIP, IT ALSO LIKES TO KEEP ALIVE THE ROMANTIC TRADITIONS OF THE OLD TRANSATLANTIC OCEAN LINERS.
AND SO THERE IS A COCKTAIL PARTY TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN FORMALLY INVITED BY THE CAPTAIN.
SO IT SAYS JACKE AND TIE REQUIRED.
THAT'S YOUR REASON, ALRIGHT? SO IF YOU'LL PLEASE KINDLY REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE PREMISES, I HAVE A PARTY TO GET READY FOR.
C'MON, SERIOUSLY.
CREW: EVENING MR.
HARDING.
ZAY: EVENING.
CAPTAIN YEUNG: CAPTAIN YEUNG.
ZAY: CAPTAIN.
CAPTAIN YEUNG: PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
ZAY: PLEASED TO MEET YOU TOO.
THANK YOU, LOVELY SHIP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
SO DOES THIS MEAN ALL THE DRINKS ARE ON YOU? GOOD PARTY HUH? CREW: YES.
ZAY: GOOD TURNOUT.
CREW: YEAH, IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
SOMETIMES, WHEN WE COME DOWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SEASICK AND STUFF.
ZAY: SO WHEN IT'S REALLY ROUGH, NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE TURNOUT.
CREW: NO, NO MANY PEOPLE AT ALL.
ZAY: WHERE ARE YOU FROM? CREW: I'M ACTUALLY FROM ST.
HELENA.
ZAY: AH, SO YOU'RE A SAINT.
AFTER THE AIRPORT COMES, IT'S JUST GONNA BE LIKE ANYWHERE ELSE, AH, YOU CAN JUST FLY THERE.
THE JOURNEY IS PAR OF THE ATTRACTION.
LIFE'S A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION.
YEAH.
AND THIS IS AN AWESOME WAY TO TRAVEL.
AH, OH GOSH.
MMM, FRIED SHRIMP! SO, THE AIRPORT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT WILL KILL THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE, WON'T IT? DOES THAT MAKE YOU SAD? MAN: IT DOES.
BUT FOUR HOURS VERSUS SIX DAYS, FIVE NIGHTS, IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
WOMAN: I ENJOY THE BOAT TO BE HONEST.
IT'S NICE TO GE TO KNOW PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE FIVE DAYS TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, SAINTS, LOCALS AND EXPATS.
I WILL MISS IT.
ZAY: WELL, CHEERS TO YOUR HEALTH! I'M GONNA GO MINGLE, MEET SOME MORE PEOPLE.
WOMAN: GO MINGLE! ZAY: AFTER THE COCKTAIL PARTY, IT'S DINNERTIME.
LIKE EVERY NIGHT, THERE'S FULL WAITER SERVICE, AND EXCELLENT FOOD AND WINE.
UH, LET'S SEE.
THE ROASTED TENDER LOIN OF PORK, PLEASE.
YEAH, NICE.
REMINISCENT OF LIFE ABOARD THE HISTORIC OCEAN LINERS, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THE SOON-TO-BE-LOST LUXURIES OF TRAVEL ON THE RMS WILL BE BADLY MISSED.
AND THE WINE KEEPS FLOWIN'.
MAN: CHEERS! ZAY: CHEERS! GROUP: CHEERS! ZAY: ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY OUT AT SEA.
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED THOUGH.
SAME VIEW AS THE DAY BEFORE AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT.
MAKES FIVE DAYS ON THIS TRIP FEEL LIKE A LONG TIME.
BUT REALLY, IF I PU IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, NAPOLEON WAS ON THIS SHIP FOR TWO MONTHS, AND ALL HE HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO WAS A LIFETIME OF EXILE.
AT LEAST I GOT A GOOD TIME TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
MATTER OF FACT, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THERE.
HAPPILY, WITH JUST ONE DAY AND NIGHT OF THE VOYAGE TO GO, WE'RE ALMOST THERE AT LAST.
WITH LANDFALL DUE TOMORROW MORNING, THE SHIP'S COMPANY PU ON A BARBECUE TO CELEBRATE.
THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS, AND THE COMPANY CONVIVIAL, BUT AFTER FIVE LONG DAYS AT SEA, WE ALL JUST WANT TO GET TO ST.
HELA NOW.
ONLY A FEW HOURS TO GO.
LAND AHOY! FINALLY, AFTER FIVE DAYS OF BEING AT SEA.
WOW, THERE SHE IS.
ST.
HELENA.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
WITH ARRIVAL ONLY POSSIBLE BY SEA, THESE DRAMATIC, FORBIDDING CLIFFS HAVE GREETED ALL TRAVELERS TO ST.
HELENA OVER THE CENTURIES.
MOST FAMOUSLY NAPOLEON, BUT ALSO CHARLES DARWIN, AND LEGENDARY EXPLORERS SUCH AS CAPTAIN COOK.
FORMED BY THE PEAK OF A HUGE, EXTINCT UNDERWATER VOLCANO, MEASURING JUST 10 MILES LONG BY 5 MILES WIDE, ST.
HELENA'S CAPITAL IS TINY JAMESTOWN.
MAN: THAT'S JAMESTOWN THERE, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE BAY KIND OF FORMING.
ZAY: AH, YES.
SO WHERE DO WE ACTUALLY PULL IN? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKEWE CA.
MAN: YOU SEE WHERE ALL THE BOATS ARE MOORED? ZAY: YEAH.
MAN; WE'LL BE MOORING JUST IN FRONT OF THOSE.
ZAY: WITHOUT A PROPER HARBOR, DOCK OR BREAKWATER AT JAMESTOWN, THE RMS SIMPLY HAS TO COME TO A HALT OFFSHORE.
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE DAYS OF NAPOLEON.
STILL GOTTA ANCHOR AND GET FERRIED INTO LAND.
LUCKY THE SEA IS QUITE CALM TODAY OR IT COULD GET PRETTY UGLY.
AND TOUCHDOWN! WE MADE IT! WOW, WHAT A LONG WAY TO GET HERE! WHOO! THE ARRIVAL OF THE RMS HAS BEEN EAGERLY AWAITED FOR WEEKS, AND LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE TURNED UP A THE DOCK TO WELCOME THE ST.
HELENIAN PASSENGERS HOME.
WOMAN: DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TRIP? ZAY: I DID, YES.
LOVELY, LOVELY VOYAGE.
WOMAN: FIRST TIME TO ST.
HELENA? ZAY: FIRST TIME HERE, YEAH.
ALRIGHT, I'VE CLEARED IMMIGRATION.
GOT THROUGH CUSTOMS, GOT MY BAG, NOW I'M GONNA GO FIND MY HOTEL, WHICH IS JUST AROUND THIS CORNER I THINK.
THIS IS FUN, GOT A LITTLE GATEWAY TO GO THROUGH.
AH, THIS IS GREAT! LIKE ENTERING A WHOLE NEW WORLD IN HERE.
CRAMMED BETWEEN THE CLIFFS, VILLAGE-SIZED JAMESTOWN DATES BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY, AND HAS A POPULATION OF FEWER THAN A THOUSAND.
AS THE ISLAND CURRENTLY GETS SO FEW TOURISTS, THERE AREN'T MANY PLACES TO STAY.
BUT HAPPILY, I'M STAYING AT THE GRANDEST OF THEM, THE HISTORIC OLD CONSULATE HOTEL.
HERE WE ARE.
THIS LOOKS CHARMING.
AH, THIS LOOKS NICE.
I LIKE IT, VERY HOMEY.
BIG, NICE, COMFY LOOKING BED.
[EXHALES LOUDLY.]
HUH, ODDLY ENOUGH, NOW THAT I'M LYING DOWN I'M FEELING LIKE I'M BACK ON THE SHIP AGAIN.
THAT ROCKING FEELING.
ANYWAY, I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY TO SLEEP, I'VE GOT A WHOLE ISLAND TO EXPLORE.
THE FIRST THING I DO IS GE A QUICK TOUR OF JAMESTOWN WITH A FEW FELLOW PASSENGERS FROM THE RMS AND LOCAL GUIDE BASIL GEORGE.
BASIL: WELCOME TO ST.
HELENA, NICE TO HAVE YOU VISIT US IN THIS LITTLE BACKWATER PLACE AS I CALL IT.
SO WE'LL START WITH SOME KEY DATES IN OUR HISTORY.
THE PORTUGUESE DISCOVERED IN 1502.
THERE'S BEEN THE MARITIME NATIONS OF EUROPE TRYING TO FIND A TRADE ROUTE TO THE FAR EAST.
BUT IT WAS NEVER SETTLED.
IT WAS SETTLED BY SETTLERS, SOLDIERS AND SLAVES.
AND THIS LAID THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SOCIETY.
SLAVERY, SLAVERY WAS PART OF OUR SOCIETY RIGH FROM THE BEGINNING.
AWFUL HISTORY.
AND SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN THE 1830'S, AND WHAT I FEEL IS VERY INTERESTING ABOUT OUR SOCIETY IS WITHIN A FEW GENERATIONS WE'VE COME TO BE TOTALLY RACIALLY INTEGRATED WITH COMMON ISLAND.
TO ME, THAT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ZAY: THE FEWER THAN 5,000 SAINTS DESCEND FROM A DIVERSE MIX OF ANCESTORS, INCLUDING BRITISH PLANTATION OWNERS, WORKERS AND SOLDIERS, SAILORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AFRICAN SLAVES AND INDENTURED WORKERS FROM ASIA.
TODAY ST.
HELENA IS ONE OF THE LAST REMNANTS OF THE OLD BRITISH EMPIRE.
A SO-CALLED BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY, IT'S OVERSEEN BY A BRITISH GOVERNOR, ALTHOUGH IN SOME RESPECTS THE ISLAND IS SELF-GOVERNING.
BASIL: OKAY FOLKS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME IN.
THIS ROOM DOUBLES ROOM AS BOTH A COURTHOUSE AS WELL AS WHEN OUR PARLIAMENT MEETS IN HERE AS WELL.
JUST IMAGINE ST.
HELENA NOW, WE'VE ONLY GOT 4500 PEOPLE.
IN ANY OF YOUR COUNTRIES IT'D BE LIKE, WHAT, A LARGE VILLAGE.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES THAT A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE.
THIS IS WHERE OUR COUNCIL, WHERE OUR CABINET MEETS.
WE HAD A ROYAL VISIT IN 1947 AND THAT'S ROYAL STANDARD THERE.
THEY GAVE US THE FLAG FROM THE SHIP, THE VANGUARD.
ZAY: IN THE MORE DISTAN PAST, BEFORE THE SUEZ CANAL WAS BUILT IN 1869, UP TO 1000 SHIPS A YEAR ONCE VISITED ST.
HELENA, BUT TODAY THE ISLAND DEPENDS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE ONCE-EVERY-3-WEEK VISITS OF THE RMS.
ALMOST ALL THE ISLAND'S FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIALS ARE BROUGHT IN ITS CARGO CONTAINERS, AND THE RMS, OR ROYAL MAIL SHIP ST.
HELENA, AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, ALSO CARRIES ALL THE ISLAND'S POST.
THE POST OFFICE IS IN FAC ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN JAMESTOWN FOR A TRAVELLER TO BUY A SOUVENIR OF ST.
HELENA.
SINCE THERE ARE SO FEW ISLANDERS, AND LETTERS FROM HERE ARE SO RARE, STAMPS FROM ST.
HELENA ARE A BIG COLLECTOR'S ITEM.
ZAY: HELLO.
VENDOR: GOOD DAY.
ZAY: I WANNA GET SOME STAMPS.
VENDOR: YEAH, WHAT KIND OF STAMPS WOULD YOU LIKE? ZAY: DO YOU HAVE ANY ON THE RMS ST.
HELENA? VENDORYES WE DO.
HOW ABOUT THAT ONE? ZAY: OOH, THOSE ARE NICE.
YUP AND HOW ABOU ANY FIRST DAY COVERS? VENDOR: WHAT TYPE WOULD YOU LIKE? ZAY: THE LATEST ONE.
VENDOR: THE LATEST ONE? THEM ON THE AIRPORT.
ZAY: AH, HA-HA, THE AIRPORT.
LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S COMING, HUH? VENDOR: YES, UH HUH.
BY THE WAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY PARCELS OR PACKAGES TO SEND HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? ZAY: IT'S OCTOBER, CHRISTMAS IS TWO MONTHS AWAY.
VENDOR: I KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY CHANCE YOU HAVE REALLY.
ZAY: AH, I GUESS THE AIRPORT'S NOT A BAD THING AFTER ALL.
VENDOR: NO, IT'S NOT.
ZAY: ISLANDERS NOT ONLY HAVE TO PLAN THEIR CHRISTMAS PARCELS WAY IN ADVANCE, BUT GIVEN THAT ALMOST ALL THE ISLAND'S FOOD IS IMPORTED ON THE RMS, THEIR CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU TOO.
SO, IF YOU DON' ORDER YOUR TURKEY NOW, OVER TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE, YOU DON'T HAVE TURKEY DINNER FOR CHRISTMAS? WOMAN: NO.
ZAY: WOO, YOU LEARN FAST HUH? DON'T MISS THAT DATE.
WOMAN: NO.
ZAY: THE AIRPORT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD THING FOR FOOD, HUH? BRING IN MORE SHIPMENTS MORE OFTEN? WOMAN: FIRST OF ALL.
BUT THE EXCITING PART ABOU IS IT'S GOOD FOR MEDICAL.
SO YOU CAN GET TO CAPE TOWN QUICKER.
ZAY: SO YOU GUYS DON' HAVE A HOSPITAL HERE? WOMAN: WE HAVE A HOSPITAL HERE, YES.
BUT THEY CAN'T DO EMERGENCIES HERE.
SO THEY SEND YOU AWAY TO CAPE TOWN.
ZAY: YEAH? WOMAN: I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT.
ZAY: YOU HAVE PERSONALLY? WOMAN: NOT WITH MYSELF, BUT WITH MY HUSBAND.
YES, WE HAD TO GO TO FOR MEDICAL.
HE WAS ALMOS LIFE AND DEATH FOR HIM.
ZAY: BUT IT'S AN EMERGENCY, IT'S URGENT.
WOMAN: I KNOW.
WOMAN 2: I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT TOO WITH MY DAUGHTER.
ZAY: OH.
SCARY.
WOMAN 2: IT IS SCARY.
ZAY: SO, IN THAT SENSE THE AIRPORT IS GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC THING.
WOMAN 2: YES, OF COURSE IT'LL BE A FANTASTIC THING.
ESPECIALLY FOR MEDICAL.
ZAY: BUT YOU'LL STILL MISS THE RMS? WOMAN 2: DEFINITELY GONNA MISS THE RMS OH YES, WE WILL MISS THE RMS.
GOOD OLD RMS.
IT IS A PART OF OUR ISLAND, AND, YEAH ZAY: WITH JUST 1 SHORT MAIN STREET, IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO LOOK AROUND THE VILLAGE-SIZED CITY OF JAMESTOWN.
THERE AREN'T MANY TOURIST SIGHTS, AND IN FACT ONE OF THE MOS POPULAR THINGS FOR VISITORS TO DO IS SIMPLY TO CLIMB UP AND DOWN THE CLIFF ABOVE.
THIS IS THE ISLAND'S NOTORIOUS JACOB'S LADDER.
BUILT IN 1929 TO TRANSPORT, OF ALL THINGS, HORSE MANURE.
FROM DOWN BELOW, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, TO FERTILIZE THE ISLAND'S FIELDS.
STEP NUMBER ONE.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? THERE ARE 699 OF THESE.
LET'S SEE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY STEPS I'VE DONE SO FAR BUT I LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT 80? 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.
UGH, THIS IS HARD WORK.
CAN YOU IMAGINE RUNNING UP IT? THEY HAVE RACES AND THESE GUYS GET UP IN LIKE SIX AND A HALF MINUTES.
[GRUNTS.]
UGH, THE VIEW GETS BETTER BY THE STEP BUT THERE'S A POIN WHERE YOU JUST STOP CARING ABOUT THE VIEW AND YOU JUS WANT TO GET TO THE TOP.
BEST WAY TO DO THA IS STEP-BY-STEP.
694, 695 696, 697, 698, 699.
WOOOOO! [BREATHING DEEPLY.]
I DID IT! INEVITABLY IT TAKES A LOT OF LEGWORK TO GET UP JACOB'S LADDER, BUT THERE IS A PAIN-FREE WAY TO GET DOWN.
DISCOURAGED TODAY FOR ITS DANGER, IT WAS ONCE A POPULAR DARE AMONGST JAMESTOWN KIDS, AS I FIND OUT FROM NOW GROWN UP DAREDEVIL ALLAN BUCKLEY.
ALLAN: I DON'T IF I COULD DO IT NOW.
IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO.
ZAY: NO, DON'T TRY IT.
ALLAN: I'D LIKE TO TRY IT, BUT ZAY: YOU'D LIKE TO TRY IT? WELL, GO AHEAD, I JUST DON'T OH MY GOD ALLAN: MAYBE I CAN TRY FOR YOU.
MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL WORK.
ZAY: OH MY GOD, I DON' KNOW IF I CAN WATCH THIS.
JUST BE CAREFUL.
ALLAN: YEAH, I'M GONNA BE VERY CAREFUL HERE.
HAVEN'T DONE IT FOR YEARS.
ZAY: UH OH.
OH GOD, I CAN'T WATCH.
OH MY GOSH.
THAT'S, THAT'S CLEAR, I GET IT! YOU STILL GOT IT MAN! ALLAN: ALRIGHT! ZAY: YOU'RE AMAZING.
ALLAN: ALRIGHT, CHEERS.
ZAY: THAT WAS PAINFUL FOR ME TO WATCH.
I KEPT THINKING OH GOD, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
WE'RE OLDER AND WISER NOW, AREN'T WE? ALLAN: YEAH, YEAH, EXACTLY.
ZAY: A LOT MORE SENSIBLE.
WE'RE JUST GONNA WALK DOWN, AREN'T WE? ALLAN: OKAY, ILL GO WITH YOU.
ZAY: JUST MAKE SURE YOU CALL OUT IF YOU DECIDE TO SLIDE.
SO I CAN DUCK.
ALLAN: ALRIGHT, HERE, GO FASTER.
ZAY: NO, NO.
ALLAN: THAT'S TOO SLOW FOR JACOB'S LADDER.
I'LL SHOW HOW I DO IT.
HOW WE WALK DOWN THE LADDER.
ZAY: UGH GOD, YOU'RE RUNNING.
YOU'RE NUTS! I'LL SEE YOU AT THE BOTTOM! MY SECOND DAY ON ST.
HELENA, AND IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ST.
HELENA'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENT, WHO ARRIVED HERE AS A PRISONER ABOARD A BRITISH WARSHIP IN 1815.
NAPOLEON WAS SUCH A WORLD FAMOUS FIGURE; IT VIRTUALLY MADE THE ENTIRE ISLAND COME DOWN TO THE WATERFRON TO SEE HIS ARRIVAL.
IRONICALLY, BECAUSE COMMUNICATION WAS SLOW AND DIFFICULT, THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY READY TO ACCOMMODATE HIM.
SO, ON THE FIRS NIGHT HE WAS HERE, THEY PUT NAPOLEON AND HIS ENTIRE ENTOURAGE, UP IN A BOARDING HOUSE THAT WAS LOCATED JUST HERE.
QUITE A COMEDOWN FOR AN EMPEROR, BUT NOT BAD FOR A PRISONER.
BACK AT MY OWN ACCOMMODATION, THE CONSULATE HOTEL JUST UP THE STREET, THERE ARE MEMENTOS OF NAPOLEON EVERYWHERE INCLUDING A DISPLAY CABINET IN THE LOUNGE, AND LOTS OF PAINTINGS IN THE CAFÃ.
HERE HE IS, IN HIS POMP.
LOOKING TRIUMPHANT.
AND HERE HE IS AFTER HE SURRENDERED TO THE BRITISH, LOOKING DESPONDENT.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
HE WAS NEVER TO SEE FRANCE AGAIN.
ALL HE HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO WAS A LIFE OF EXILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
APART FROM THE OTHER MEMORABILIA OF NAPOLEON IN THE HOTEL, ON THE BALCONY, THEY'VE EVEN GOT THE MAN HIMSELF.
RIGHT THEN, WHAT'RE WE LOOKING AT? OOH, THE UNION JACK FLAG.
THAT'S PRETTY ROUGH.
THAT'S LIKE THEY'RE RUBBING IT IN YOUR FACE, MAKING YOU LOOK A THAT ALL DAY LONG, HUH? GOTTA BE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.
AFTER HIS ONE NIGHT AT THE BOARDING HOUSE IN JAMESTOWN, NAPOLEON WAS MOVED TO MORE SECURE ACCOMMODATION IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.
TO TAKE A TRIP INLAND TO SEE WHERE HE LIVED, AND THE REST OF THE ISLAND'S NAPOLEONIC SITES, I NEED TO FIND MYSELF SOME TRANSPORT.
THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON ST.
HELENA, SO TO GET AROUND YOU EITHER NEED TO RENT A CAR OR HIRE A TAXI.
THERE'S ONE VERY SPECIAL TAXI ON THE ISLAND.
A 1929 CHEVY CHARABANC.
AND HERE SHE IS.
HI COLIN! COLIN: HEY, HOW'RE YOU DOING? ZAY: EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
IT MIGHT SEEM A BIT BIG FOR JUST ME, BUT HEY, I FEEL LIKE TRAVELING IN STYLE.
TAKE HER AWAY, COLIN! THE TINY ROAD WE'RE TRAVELING ON IS THE MAIN ROUTE OUT OF JAMESTOWN INTO THE HILLS.
IN COLIN'S OLD CHARABANC, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE FAST, BUT SINCE THE ENTIRE ISLAND OF ST.
HELENA IS ONLY 10 MILES LONG BY 5 MILES WIDE, THAT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
ONLY A MILE OR TWO OUT OF JAMESTOWN, THE BRIARS PAVILION IS THE FIRST STOP ON MY TOUR OF ST.
HELENA'S NAPOLEONIC SIGHTS.
IT'S WHERE NAPOLEON SPENT HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS, BEFORE MOVING TO LONGWOOD FOR THE RES OF HIS TIME ON THE ISLAND.
UNDER HOUSE ARREST, NAPOLEON'S BRIEF STAY AT THE BRIARS PAVILION WAS HIS HAPPIEST TIME ON ST.
HELENA, ALTHOUGH IT WAS TINY, WITH JUST ONE ROOM.
AS LOCAL GUIDE TREVOR MAGELLAN EXPLAINS, NAPOLEON WAS CHEERED UP BY A NEIGHBOR WHO VISITED OFTEN, A PLAYFUL 13 YEAR-OLD TREVOR: SOMETIMES, HER ANTICS INTRIGUED NAPOLEON.
SHE WOULD CALL HIM "BONY.
" ZAY: BONY, LIKE BONAPARTE? TREVOR: THAT'S IT.
SHE WOULD TAKE HIS SWORD AND SHE WOULD CHASE HIM AROUND THE ROOM.
ZAY: NO! SHE WOULD TAKE HIS SWORD AND CHASE NAPOLEON? TREVOR: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, YEAH! ZAY: NOBODY DOES THAT.
TREVOR: NOBODY DOES THAT.
ZAY: BUT HE WOULD LET HER GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE SHE WAS A CHILD? TREVOR: YEAH, SHE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
ZAY: HMM, LITTLE BETSEY REJUVENATED HIS SPIRIT.
TREVOR: ABSOLUTELY, AND THE AFFECTION YOUNG BETSY SHOWED HIM REALLY TOUCHED HIM.
I THINK FOR A SHORT TIME HE COULD FORGET THAT HE WAS A PRISONER ON THIS REMOTE LITTLE ISLAND.
ZAY: NAPOLEON COULDN' FORGET HE WAS A PRISONER FOR LONG, HOWEVER.
NOT ONLY WERE THERE THOUSANDS OF BRITISH TROOPS ON THE ISLAND GUARDING HIM, BUT MANY OF THEM WERE BASED AT THE ISLAND'S BIGGEST FORT, WHICH DIRECTLY OVERLOOKS BRIARS PAVILION.
COLIN: ON THE TOP OF THAT HILL, THAT'S THE HIGH KNOLL FORT.
ZAY: AH, GOOD SPO FOR A FORT HUH? COLIN: YEAH.
ZAY: HIGH KNOLL FORT DATES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1798, BUT IT WAS GREATLY REINFORCED DURING NAPOLEON'S STAY ON THE ISLAND, IN ORDER TO PREVEN ANY CHANCE OF HIM ESCAPING.
IN FACT, SO MANY EXTRA BRITISH TROOPS CAME HERE TO ST.
HELENA IN 1815 THAT THE ISLAND'S POPULATION DOUBLED.
WOW, LOOK AT THE VIEW! WHAT A PERFECT PLACE TO BUILD A FORT.
WITH A 360 DEGREE VANTAGE POINT, AND WITH ALL THE GUNS AND ALL THE SOLDIERS THEY HAD UP HERE, THE BRITISH REALLY HAD THE DEFENSE OF THIS ISLAND COVERED.
HA, THERE'S THE BRIARS PAVILION RIGHT THERE.
THE FORT COULD NOT BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO KEEP NAPOLEON UNDER TIGHT SURVEILLANCE.
FROM BRIARS PAVILION AND HIGH KNOLL FORT, THE NEXT STOP ON MY CHARABANC TOUR IS LONGWOOD HOUSE, WHERE NAPOLEON SPEN ALL THE REST OF HIS TIME ON THE ISLAND.
BOTH: HI! ZAY: THIS REALLY IS THE BES WAY TO GET OUT AND SEE THE ISLAND EVERYONE GETS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE CHARABANC, THEY COME OU AND THEY'RE WAVING.
I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WAVING AT ME.
IT PUTS ME IN A GOOD MOOD.
OPEN AIR.
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
YOU KNOW? IT FEELS LIKE I'M ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY.
THE WEATHER, HOWEVER, CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY UP IN ST.
HELENA'S HILLS.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR NAPOLEON, LONGWOOD HOUSE, WHERE HE AND HIS ENTOURAGE WERE MOVED FROM THE PLEASAN BUT CRAMPED BRIARS PAVILION, HAS A PARTICULARLY UNPLEASAN MICRO-CLIMATE, AND IS ALL TOO REGULARLY COLD, CLOUDY, WET AND WINDY.
GIVEN TO FRANCE BY QUEEN VICTORIA, LONG AFTER NAPOLEON'S DEATH, TODAY LONGWOOD HOUSE IS LOOKED AFTER BY A FRENCH HONORARY CONSUL, MICHEL DANCOISNE-MARTINEAU.
WEATHER CHANGES.
IT WASN'T LIKE THIS DOWN IN JAMESTOWN.
MICHEL: THAT'S LONGWOOD FOR YOU.
ZAY: IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS? MICHEL: MOST OF THE TIME, YES.
300 DAYS A YEAR.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ZAY: SO WE'RE UP IN THE CLOUDS, I GUESS, WHERE IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS? MICHEL: IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THAT.
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
WAIT TO BE AT 6:00, OOH.
ZAY: COLD AND DAMP.
MICHEL: IT'S MISERABLE, PLEASE COME IN.
ZAY: THANK YOU.
MICHEL: SO HERE WE ARE IN THE HOUSE THA WE ARE RESTORING INTO ITS 1821 ASPECT.
THE EXACT DATE OF HIS DEATH WAS THE 5TH OF MAY 1821.
THE FAME OF THIS HOUSE CAME FROM THE FAC THAT NAPOLEON DIED.
THIS IS ROOM IS CALLED THE BILLIARDS ROOM, BECAUSE IN 1815 THERE WAS A BILLIARD TABLE THAT NAPOLEON USED FOR HIS MAPS.
BECAUSE HE USED THIS ROOM AS A WORKPLACE FOR DICTATING HIS MEMOIRS.
ZAY: SO HE HAD HIS MAPS SPREAD OUT AND HE WOULD REEXAMINE BATTLES FROM HIS MILITARY CAMPAIGN.
MICHEL: YES, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF HE MAY HAVE DONE SOME MISTAKES, WHERE THEY COME FROM AND WHAT THE REASON FOR THAT.
ZAY: LIKE WATERLOO? MICHEL: SO WATERLOO IS ACTUALLY INTERESTING IN THA RESPECT BECAUSE I IS ONE OF THE BATTLES HE SPOKE THE MOST, HERE.
BECAUSE HE LOST IT, SO THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF "IF.
" WHAT WOULD HAPPEN "IF?" ZAY: HE GOT OBSESSED WITH IT? MICHEL: NOT OBSESSED, BECAUSE HE JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I WENT WRONG AND THAT'S IT.
ZAY: HE WAS A VERY STRATEGIC MAN, SO HE DIDN'T JUS CARE ABOUT WINNING, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY HE LOST.
MICHEL: ALSO HOW WE CAN WRAP IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
SO, OF COURSE, LIKE PROPAGANDA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ZAY: HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS LIKE THAT.
HE DICTATED HOW HISTORY WAS GOING TO REMEMBER HIM.
MICHEL: IT'S A GOOD POINT, YES.
HE WAS WRITING HIS OWN FINAL CHAPTER.
WE CAN SPLIT THE EXILE IN TWO PARTS.
THE VERY CREATIVE FIRST THREE YEARS, WHICH WAS DICTATING INTO LIKE A [INAUDIBLE.]
WITH DISCIPLINE OF WORKING HOURS, TO THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WHICH WAS JUST FOCUSING ON HIS SICKNESS, HIS GLOOM, HIS UNHAPPINESS, HIS WAITING FOR HIS DEATH, REALLY.
ZAY: IN HIS MIND, HE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
MICHEL: YES DEFINITELY.
AND THE ONLY CONCERN HE HAD WAS WHERE DOES HE HAVE PAIN TODAY.
ZAY: SOUNDS DEPRESSING AND DARK.
MICHEL: IT IS, LIKE THE WEATHER.
ZAY: YES, PERFECT! THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
LONGWOOD'S FREQUENT WE WEATHER LITERALLY SEEPED INTO THE WALLS OF THE HOUSE, AND AS THE WALLPAPER PEELED OFF IN THE DAMP, IT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH MUSLIN CLOTH.
MICHEL: THE WATER WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING THROUGH THE WALL.
AND THE WOOD FLOOR AND THE RATS WERE CRAWLING ON STAGNAN WATER UNDERNEATH.
ZAY: SOUNDS DISGUSTING.
MICHEL: SO THE HOUSE WAS LITERALLY FALLING APART.
ZAY: SO THEY PUT UP THIS LINEN TO MASK WHA WAS GOING ON BENEATH.
MICHEL: ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE WATER CAN RUN ON THE BACK AND THEN IT WILL HIDE THE MISERY.
BUT IT DIDN'T SORT OU THE PROBLEM OF THE DAMP AND OF COURSE THERE WAS STAGNANT WATER UNDERNEATH WHERE RATS WERE CRAWLING.
ZAY: SO THERE WERE RATS EVERYWHERE? MICHEL: YES, YES.
THEY WERE CRAWLING EVERYWHERE, NOT ONLY UNDER THE FLOOR BU ALSO IN THE FURNITURE.
TRUE ANECDOTE, SOME BRITISH WERE ACTUALLY VISITING NAPOLEON, AND THEY SAW ACTUALLY HIS HAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY LAID ON THE SIDEBOARD, WALKING ON ITS OWN.
ZAY: HA, OH MAN.
SO THERE WAS A RAT INSIDE? MICHEL: SO, AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, THIS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT MAKES HIM EVEN SICKER AND SICKER BY THE DAYS.
AND THAT JUS LED TO HIS DEATH.
ZAY: YEAH, CONTRIBUTED TO IT? MICHEL: YEAH.
ZAY: SOME PEOPLE HAVE EVEN SUGGESTED THAT THE WALLPAPER ITSELF WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF NAPOLEON'S DEATH, AS IT CONTAINED ARSENIC, WHICH COULD HAVE POISONED HIM WHEN DAMP.
BUT NAPOLEON HAD LONG SUFFERED FROM A BADLY PERFORATED STOMACH ULCER AND THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF HIS DEATH, ACCORDING TO HIS DOCTORS, WAS STOMACH CANCER.
MICHEL: AND THIS IS THE ROOM WHERE HE DIED, ON THE FIFTH OF MAY, 1821.
AND OF COURSE HIS LAST WISH THAT HE WROTE ON HIS WILL IS TO BE BURIED IN FRANCE, IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS BELOVED PEOPLE.
BUT OF COURSE THE BRITISH DIDN'T GIVE HIM THAT ULTIMATE PERMISSION.
SO HE WAS BURIED ON THE ISLAND, TO A SPOT HE ALSO DESIGNATED IN CASE.
BUT THE TOMB IS DEFINITELY THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER STORY.
ZAY: NAPOLEON'S TOMB IS SITUATED JUST A SHORT STROLL FROM LONGWOOD HOUSE, IN A PEACEFUL SECLUDED VALLEY THA WAS ONE OF NAPOLEON'S FAVORITE WALKING SPOTS.
WHILE NAPOLEON MIGH HAVE BEEN DENIED HIS WISH TO BURIED IN FRANCE, BUT HE SURE DID PICK A BEAUTIFUL SPOT HERE ON ST.
HELENA FOR HIS TOMB.
THE ODD THING ABOUT THE TOMB IS THERE'S NO NAME ON IT.
THIS IS BECAUSE NAPOLEON WANTED JUST HIS FIRST NAME ON IT, "NAPOLEON," WHICH WAS CUSTOMARY FOR ROYALTY.
BUT THE BRITISH REFUSED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE WAS AN EMPEROR.
THE SAID, "WE'LL PRINT YOUR FULL NAME, 'NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,'" JUST LIKE AN ORDINARY PERSON.
NAPOLEON THOUGHT THIS WAS BENEATH HIS DIGNITY.
SO, THEY HAD TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE, AND THE RESUL WAS NO NAME AT ALL.
NAPOLEON'S BODY, HOWEVER, IS NO LONGER IN THIS TOMB.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, SOME 20 YEARS AFTER HE WAS BURIED HERE, HIS BODY WAS DISINTERRED AND RETURNED TO FRANCE, WHERE HE WAS REBURIED WITH GREAT POMP AND CEREMONY IN PARIS.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
.
THERE IT IS! ALL OF JAMESTOWN PACKED INTO ONE LITTLE VALLEY.
IT'S TINY, REALLY.
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER TOWN THIS BIG FOR OVER A THOUSAND MILES IN ANY DIRECTION.
AND HERE WE ARE, HOME SWEET HOME.
BECAUSE I CAN.
COLIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLIN: OKAY, SIR.
IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU.
ZAY: I HAD A GOOD TIME.
COLIN: THANKS, YOU TOO.
ZAY: THE NEXT DAY, FROM JAMESTOWN I HEAD A COUPLE OF MILES INLAND TO PLANTATION HOUSE, TO MEET THE GOVERNOR OF ST.
HELENA AT HIS OFFICIAL RESIDENCE.
BEFORE MEETING THE GOVERNOR, HOWEVER, I WANT TO SEE THE MOS CELEBRATED RESIDENT OF PLANTATION HOUSE; A FAMOUSLY OLD GIANT TORTOISE NAMED JONATHAN, WHO LIVES ON THE FRONT LAWN TOGETHER WITH A FEW OTHER GIANT TORTOISES.
THIS IS DAVID.
HE'S OLD, BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS OLD AS JONATHAN.
LOOK, HERE HE IS.
THIS IS JONATHAN.
HE'S OUTLIVED OVER 30 GOVERNORS OF ST.
HELENA.
WHEN HE WAS FIRS BROUGHT TO THE ISLAND 1882, HE WAS ALREADY AROUND 50 YEARS OLD.
WHICH MAKES HIM TODAY, OVER 180.
THIS MEANS, HE COULD QUITE POSSIBLY BE THE WORLD'S OLDES LIVING LAND ANIMAL.
ASTOUNDING.
HE'S ALMOST OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN ALIVE A THE SAME TIME AS NAPOLEON.
HOW YOU DOING? TIRED, HUH? NOT EASY BEING THAT OLD.
LOOK HOW SLOW HE MOVES.
YOU MUST HAVE SEEN A LO OF GOOD SUNSETS UP HERE.
MY GOODNESS, THE STORIES YOU COULD TELL.
SO WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR, HUH? THE CURRENT GOVERNOR OF ST.
HELENA, OFFICIALLY TITLED HIS EXCELLENCY MARK CAPES, HAS AGREED TO SHOW ME AROUND HIS HOUSE.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME SEE ME.
MARK: YOU'RE WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE.
ZAY: BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
MARK: YEAH, THIS IS MY HOME BUT IT'S ALSO A VERY BUSY WORKING HOUSE.
IT'S A HOUSE THAT WE USE FOR OFFICIAL ENTERTAINING, FOR RECEPTIONS, FOR DINNERS, FOR FUNDRAISING EVENTS, PRESENTATIONS, YOU NAME IT, WE DO IT HERE.
IT'S A BUSY, BUSY HOUSE.
ZAY: IT'S BEEN THE HOME OF EVERY GOVERNOR, EVER SINCE IT WAS BUILT.
IS THAT TRUE? MARK: YES.
IN 1792 IT WAS PURPOSE BUILT FOR THE GOVERNOR BY THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, WHO THEN RUN THE ISLAND.
AND IT WAS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE ACTUALLY, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IN JAMESTOWN IT CAN GET QUITE STEAMY IN THE SUMMER.
SO THEY BUILT THIS AS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE.
BUT NOW, IT IS THE PERMANENT AND ONLY RESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR.
ZAY: NICE.
MARK: YEAH, COME THROUGH TO THE DINING ROOM.
ZAY: VERY GRAND.
MARK: IT IS, IT'S LOVELY ISN'T IT? THIS IS PROBABLY THE BUSIEST ROOM OF THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE FORMAL DINNERS HERE, RECEPTIONS, AND YEAH, IT'S A LOVELY, WELL-USED ROOM.
ZAY: WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SIT? MARK: I SIT AT THAT END AND MY WIFE SITS AT THAT END.
ZAY: WHO ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ENTERTAIN HERE? MARK: WELL, ANYBODY OF IMPORTANCE WHO PASSES THROUGH, BUT WE USE IT FOR OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS HERE AS WELL.
BUT IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, QUEEN ELIZABETH CAME HERE WHEN SHE WAS PRINCESS ELIZABETH IN 1947, WITH HER PARENTS.
AND SHE VISITED PLANTATION HOUSE AND OF COURSE, THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON PASSED THROUGH HERE ON THE WAY TO INDIA.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON WAS NAPOLEON'S ARCH ENEMY WHO DEFEATED NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO IN 1815.
AND IN FACT, THA CHANDELIER UP THERE IS FROM NAPOLEON'S HOUSE IN LONGWOOD.
ZAY: THIS WAS NAPOLEON'S CHANDELIER? MARK: IT WAS INDEED.
NOW IT HANGS OVER OUR DINING TABLE WHICH IS QUITE SOMETHING, ISN'T IT? ZAY: YEAH, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT.
MARK: NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND SPEAKING OF NAPOLEON, AND THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WE HAVE SOME PORTRAITS OUT HERE WHICH YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE.
ZAY: IS THAT RIGHT? MARK: OKAY, HERE WE ARE.
HERE ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE LORD NELSON, WHO, WITH HIS BRITISH NAVY, DEFEATED THE FRENCH FLEE AT TRAFALGAR IN 1805.
A HUGELY DAMAGING BLOW TO NAPOLEON.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE HERE WE'VE GOT THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WHO FINISHED THE JOB A THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO IN 1815.
OF COURSE, IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE THE GREAT MAN HIMSELF ASTRIDE HIS WHITE STALLION.
ZAY: HE LOOKS GRUMPY.
MARK: YEAH, AND PERHAPS HE HAD GOOD REASON.
BUT IN PERPETUITY NOW, WE HAVE HIS TWO ARCHENEMIES EITHER SIDE OF HIM.
ZAY: IT'S FUNNY.
DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT? MARK: I DID.
I THINK IT'S RATHER GOOD ACTUALLY.
ZAY: YEAH, SQUEEZE HIM IN BETWEEN.
YOU'VE GOT A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.
BEYOND ARRANGING HIS PAINTINGS AMUSINGLY, HOWEVER, THE GOVERNOR'S MAIN TASK OF COURSE IS STEERING ST.
HELENA THROUGH THE MASSIVE CHANGES THAT THE BUILDING OF THE NEW AIRPORT WILL BRING.
WHY SUCH A BIG INVESTMENT? MARK: IT'S TO GIVE THE ISLAND THAT FUTURE IT NEEDS, WITH A VIABLE ECONOMY BASED ON TOURISM.
AND THE KEY TO THAT MAGIC IS GOING TO BE TO MAKE SURE THA WE PRESERVE WHAT MAKES ST.
HELENA SO SPECIAL TODAY.
SO WE DON'T WAN THE COMMERCIALISM, WE DON'T WANT ALL THE THINGS YOU FIND EVERYWHERE ELSE.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE OF THE ISLAND.
DIFFICULT JOB, BU THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
ZAY: IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RMS? MARK: NO, THE RMS IS A WONDERFUL INSTITUTION.
IT'S A FLOATING LITTLE CHUNK OF ST.
HELENA.
THERE'LL BE TEARS SHED WHEN FINALLY SHE ENDS HER SERVICE, BUT THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE AND THE CHANGE IS ABOUT GIVING ST.
HELENA A VIABLE FUTURE.
ZAY: GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.
MARK: THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANKS FOR COMING TO SEE US.
ZAY: THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR HOME.
MARK: THANK YOU.
ZAY: FOUR MILES OR SO FROM PLANTATION HOUSE AND JAMESTOWN, THE AIRPORT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE WINDSWEPT EASTERN EDGE OF THE ISLAND.
THE AIRPORT WILL CERTAINLY BRING THE WIND OF CHANGE TO ST.
HELENA AND IT'S CURIOUSLY SYMBOLIC THAT THE NEW AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER, AT JUST THREE STORIES HIGH, IS NOW THE TALLES BUILDING ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND.
I'M GIVEN AN OVERVIEW OF WORK ON THE AIRPORT RUNWAY BY PROJEC MANAGER ANDREAS HUBER.
ANDREAS: THIS IS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE RUNWAY AND THEN IT GOES TO A DROP OF ABOUT 200 METERS.
ZAY: IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO EDGE OF THE CLIFF? ANDREAS: RIGHT TO THE EDGE.
ZAY: THAT'S EXCITING.
ANDREAS: THE RUNWAY ITSELF IS 1,950 METERS.
ZAY: SO OVER A MILE.
IS THAT LONG ENOUGH FOR ANY AIRPLANE? ANDREAS: IT IS DESIGNED FOR MID-SIZE PLANES.
IT IS SO DESIGNED THA ENOUGH TOURISTS ARE COMING TO THE ISLAND TO BOOST THE ECONOMY, NOT TOO MANY IN ONE RUN.
ZAY: THEY'RE GONNA EASE INTO THE TOURISM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BOMBARD EVERYBODY? IT'S REALLY WINDY HERE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S TOO WINDY OR FOGGY TO LAND? ANDREAS: THE SITUATION OF FOGGY AND WINDY WEATHER CHANGES VERY FAST.
BUT THE FLIGHT PATH IS SO DESIGNED THAT THE PLANE CAN CIRCLE AROUND FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, AND AFTER TWO HOURS THE PILO HAS TO ABANDON THE FLIGHT AND GO EITHER TO NAMIBIA TO ANGOLA.
ZAY: CAN YOU IMAGINE, YOU COME ALL THIS WAY, SO EXCITED TO GET HERE, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN LAND.
YOU'D BETTER HOPE I CLEARS WITHIN THOSE TWO HOURS.
INCREASING TOURISM IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ST.
HELENA'S ECONOMY SINCE THE ISLAND PRODUCES AND EXPORTS SO LITTLE.
ONE OF THE VERY FEW THINGS IT DOES EXPORT IS COFFEE.
ST.
HELENA'S LARGEST COFFEE PLANTATION IS SITUATED JUS BELOW THE ISLAND'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN, DIANA'S PEAK, AT A PLACE CALLED BAMBOO HEDGE.
I MEET UP WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PLANTATION, DEAN OKALI.
PRETTY SPECTACULAR SPO FOR A PLANTATION, HUH? DEAN: YES IT IS.
IT IS, ZAY.
AND VERY NATURAL.
ZAY: THE VARIETY OF COFFEE GROWN HERE IS EXCLUSIVELY GREEN-TIPPED BOURBON ARABICA, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED TO ST.
HELENA AS LONG AGO AS THE 18TH CENTURY.
THIS IS THE SAME VARIETY OF COFFEE TREE THAT NAPOLEON WOULD'VE GOTTEN HIS COFFEE FROM.
DEAN: ABSOLUTELY.
ZAY: AND LEGEND HAS I THAT THE ONLY THING NAPOLEON LIKED ABOUT ST.
HELENA ISLAND WAS ITS COFFEE.
DEAN: I'LL JUS TELL YOU SOMETHING, THE LEGEND ALSO HAS I ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS ABOU TO PASS AWAY, HE ACTUALLY MADE A LAST REQUES FOR ST.
HELENAN COFFEE.
ZAY: HIS DYING WISH.
DEAN: YES, HIS DYING WISH, YOU COULD SAY THAT.
ZAY: I CAN'T WAI TO GET TO TRY IT.
DEAN: UNFORTUNATELY, WE EXPORT EVERYTHING.
ZAY: EVERYTHING? DEAN: THE DEMAND FOR THE COFFEE IS SO HIGH IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE ON THIS PLANTATION WE SEND OUT.
THAT'S THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE PRODUCT, AND THAT MAKES IT ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE IN THE WORLD.
ZAY: YEAH? DEAN: YEAH, SO UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WON' HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE.
ZAY: THAT'S SUCH A SHAME.
I'VE COME ALL OF THIS WAY AND I HAVE GET BACK ON A BOAT TO TRY IT? DEAN: UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S THE CASE NOW.
ZAY: JUST ABOVE THE COFFEE PLANTATION, THE HIGHEST POINT ON THE ISLAND, DIANA'S PEAK, IS AT THE CENTER OF A SMALL NATIONAL PARK PRESERVING A TINY SLICE OF CLOUD FOREST CONTAINING TREES ENDEMIC TO ST.
HELENA IN OTHER WORDS WHICH GROW NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
I'M TAKING A HIKE UP TO THE TOP WITH LOCAL GUIDE AARON LEGG.
TREE FERN, HUH? AARON: YEP.
ZAY: I LIKE THOSE.
I'M HAVING FLASHBACKS OF JACOB'S LADDER.
697, 698 THIS IS A COOL TREE, LOOK AT HOW IT GOES SIDEWAYS.
AARON: YEAH, IT'S CALLED A JELICO.
ZAY: JELICO.
LOOK HOW HARD THA LEAF IS, AND WAXY.
IT LOOKS LIKE LITTLE DAISIES ON TOP.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IT GROWS IN THE WORLD? AARON: YEP.
ZAY: IN THIS TINY LITTLE CLOUD FOREST.
THAT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.
ARE WE ALMOST THERE YET? AARON: YEAH, THE SUMMIT IS JUST THERE.
WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
ZAY: SO MANY STAIRS.
YOU GUYS LOVE STAIRS ON THIS ISLAND, DON'T YOU? AARON: WELL, WE MADE IT, WE'RE HERE! ZAY: WE'RE HERE? AARON: DIANA'S PEAK.
ZAY: WOO-HOO-HOO! AARON: 123 METERS.
ZAY: DIANA'S PEAK.
HIGHEST POINT ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND.
YES! WOW, WELL THE VIEW IS SPECTACULAR ISN'T IT? AARON: WELL, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU GET VIEWS IN EVERY DIRECTION, YOU GOT THE SEA, THE COASTLINE, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
ZAY: I'LL HAVE TO TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
I SEE NOTHING BUT CLOUDS.
IT IS TRULY A CLOUD FOREST.
IT'S AWESOME ACTUALLY, IT'S MAGICAL.
AARON: JUST 100 METERS BELOW IT COULD BE SUNSHINE.
ZAY: SO WHAT ARE WE DOING UP HERE? LET'S GO DOWN THERE AND GET SOME SUN.
WE DID IT! I'M GLAD WE CAN'T SEE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY SHEER DROPS, HUNDREDS OF METERS ON EITHER SIDE.
AARON: HUGE DROPS.
ZAY: IT'S MY LAS DAY ON ST.
HELENA, AND BEFORE BOARDING THE RMS FOR THE LONG VOYAGE BACK TO CAPE TOWN I'VE JUST GOT TIME FOR ONE FINAL ADVENTURE.
THIS SHOULD BE FUN.
I'M HEADING ALONG THE COAST TO GO DOLPHIN-WATCHING WITH LOCAL BOATMAN ANTHONY THOMAS.
ANTHONY: MY NAME IS ANTHONY.
HOP ON THE BOAT, THE BOAT IS SEAHORSE.
ZAY: SEAHORSE? SO WE'RE MARINE-TIME COWBOYS.
ANTHONY: THERE YOU GO! ZAY: FROM JAMESTOWN WE'RE HEADING A COUPLE OF MILES DOWN THE COAST, TO AN AREA KNOWN AS LEMON VALLEY, WHERE THE DOLPHINS REGULARLY CONGREGATE OFFSHORE.
WHEN WE GET THERE, WE'RE IN LUCK.
IN NO TIME A ALL, WE SPOT THEM.
THERE THEY ARE! OH, OH, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK! AH, THERE'S MORE! GOD, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.
THEY'RE ALL AROUND US.
THERE'S GONNA BE ABOUT 400 TO 500 HERE, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GOING TO PUT ON A SHOW, BE AN AMAZING SPECTACLE.
ZAY: THEY'RE HERE ALL THE TIME? ANTHONY: ALL THE TIME.
ALL YEAR ROUND.
IF YOU LOOK FOR THE SPLASHES, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DISTANCE.
YOU'LL SEE AN AMAZING SPECTACLE.
THESE GUYS ARE SMALLER DOLPHINS BUT THEY'RE VERY PLAYFUL.
ZAY: THEY THINK WE'RE A BIG DOLPHIN.
THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, LOOK, I CAN DO THAT.
I LOVE HOW YOU CAN SEE THEM SWIMMING RIGHT UNDER YOU.
ANTHONY: THIS IS WHY I LOVE MY JOB.
SEEING THIS EVERY DAY IS AMAZING.
ZAY: HOW COULD YOU NOT? YEAH, YEAH, LOOK AT THAT! WOO-HOO! LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.
THERE'S SO MANY! IT'S LIKE THEY TAKE THE ADRENALIN OF TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE BOAT AND JUSTWOW.
THIS IS AMAZING, LOOK.
I LIKE WHEN THEY SURFACE BUT I LOVE WHEN THEY JUMP.
ANTHONY: OH, I KNOW.
ZAY: IT'S SO COOL.
[CHEERING.]
OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE THAT?! C'MON UP, GUYS, C'MON UP.
SEEING THE DOLPHINS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, AND OVERALL ST.
HELENA HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
I'D LOVE TO STAY LONGER, BUT IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE.
IF I MISS TODAY'S SAILING OF THE RMS, I'LL HAVE TO WAI ANOTHER THREE WEEKS UNTIL THE NEXT VOYAGE, IN ORDER TO START THE LONG FIVE DAY JOURNEY BACK TO CAPE TOWN, AND EVENTUALLY, HOME.
I'M LOOKING AT THE VIEW NAPOLEON DREAMED OF BUT NEVER GO THE CHANCE TO SEE: ST.
HELENA DISAPPEARING INTO THE DISTANCE.
BUT FOR ME, I'M SAD TO SEE HER GO.
I HAD A GREAT TIME ON THE ISLAND.
THE SCENERY WAS SPECTACULAR, THE HISTORY WAS FASCINATING, AND THE PEOPLE WERE SO FRIENDLY AND WELCOMING.
SOON, AN AIRPORT WILL OPEN UP ST.
HELENA TO THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT UNTIL THEN THE NECESSITY OF TRAVELING BY SHIP, CERTAINLY MAKES YOU APPRECIATE HOW REMOTE AND SPECIAL ST.
HELENA REALLY IS.
ANNOUNCER: STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL GLOBE TREKKER EXTRA.
ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER.
MAN: YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOU THIS SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
PROGRAMS FROM THE GLOBE TREKKER SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD AND NOW ON DEMAND FROM MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD.
YOU CAN ALSO ORDER THE NEW GLOBE TREKKER ANNUAL FEATURING INFORMATION ON FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
TO ORDER GLOBE TREKKER PRODUCTS CALL 1-888-565-0361 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE, ZAY: WITHOUT ADO, I HIRE A HORSE AND EXPLORE THE MOAI OF AHU TAHAI.
THE MOAI ARE CARVED VOLCANIC SCULPTURES WHICH STAND ON STONE PLATFORMS CALLED AHU'S.
THEY'RE WIDELY BELIEVED TO REPRESENT CLAN ANCESTORS WHO RULED IN A WORLD WHERE DECEASED SPIRITS PROTECTED THE LIVING FROM THEIR TRIBAL ENEMIES AND FROM THE THREAT OF FAMINE.
A FAMINE WHICH WAS BROUGH ON BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF TREES.
INCREDIBLE, BEWITCHING AND EVER-MYSTERIOUS.
ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN CONFOUNDED BY THEIR EXISTENCE FOR CENTURIES.
WHAT THEY DO KNOW ABOU THEM IS THAT THEIR PRODUCTION WENT UP DURING A DEPRESSING PERIOD OF DEFORESTATION BETWEEN THE 14TH AND 17TH CENTURIES.
THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND AND WITH THEIR WOODLAND HABITAT GONE FOOD WAS SCARCE.
AND SO CLANS STARTED FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND THEY STARTED TURNING TO THESE ANCESTRAL MOAI TO SAVE THEM.
COME ON.
MAN: I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND EASTER ISLND.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE BUCKET LIS KIND OF PLACES MOST PEOPLE DON' KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT OR WHERE IT IS OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT THE SAAVY TRAVELERS WHOSE ALMOST BEEN EVERYWHERE ELSE, IT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES THEY DEFINITELY WANT TO GO TO IS EASTER ISLAND AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.
ZAY: I MAKE MY WAY TO RANU RARAKU.
THE CRATER IS WHERE THE MOAI WERE CARVED.
IT'S HERE I MEE ARCHEOLOGIST SERGIO RABU AND HE GET'S ME UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME MOAI.
SERGIO: ZAY, THIS IS THE QUARRY OF THE STATUES ON EASTER ISLAND.
ZAY: SO THIS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MOAI? SERGIO: EXACTLY.
ALMOST ALL OF THE MOAI WERE CARVED HERE.
ZAY: AND WHAT YEAR DID THIS PRACTICE START, BUILDING MOAI'S? SERGIO: I THINK FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN THE POLYNESIAN ARRIVED TO THIS ISLAND THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM THE CULTURE OF THE ANCESTOR.
SO THE ANCESTOR ARE REPRESENTED BY THESE STATUES.
IN THE BEGINNING THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STYLE, OF COURSE AND THROUGH TIME THEY'VE CHANGED AND BECAME LIKE WHA WE'RE SEEING HERE.
ZAY: AND HOW WERE THEY MAKING THEM? SERGIO: THEY WERE MAKING WITH A VERY SIMPLE TOOL, YOU KNOW, MADE OU OF STONE LIKE THIS.
DENSE BASALT, [INAUDIBLE.]
BASALT.
THEY WOULD MAKE 100 OF THESE AND BEING USED AND DISCHARGED EVERY TIME THEY PRODUCE A MOAI.
SO HERE IN THE GROUND AND OVER THIS SURFACE WE HAVE THOUSAND AND THOUSAND OF THEM.
ZAY: AND THEY'VE LASTED THAT LONG? SERGIO: OVER A THOUSAND YEARS OF TRADITIONS, YEAH.
ZAY: NOW HOW COULD A STONE-AGE PEOPLE POSSIBLY RAISE UP THE MOAI? SERGIO ILLUMINATES ME.
SERGIO: THIS IS THE MIDDLE SIZED MOAI'S ABOUT 40 TO 50 TONS.
IF IT'S SMALL IT WOULD HAVE A CONE SHAPE LIKE A ROCKING CHAIRS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THE BIGGER MOAI WILL HAVE A CONCAVE BASE THA ALLOW THE STATUES TO BE MOVED BACK AND FORTH AND SIDE TO SIDE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE BASE HAS TO BE INCLINED FORWARD, MAYBE BETWEEN 5 TO 7 DEGREES.
SO WHEN YOU MOVE THIS STATUE, IT'S LIKE MOVING A REFRIGERATOR, TILTING AND PULLING FORWARD.
TO ME, THE MOS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION OF RAPA NUI CULTURE IS ACKNOWLEDGING HUMANITY, IS THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSPOR A STATUE OF 90 TO 100 TONS FAR AWAY FROM THE QUARRY MAYBE 12 TO 15 KILOMETERS AWAY.
MOVING THEM INTO VERTICAL POSITIONS LIKE [INAUDIBLE.]
.
IT IS THE ABILITY TO DO I THAT'S NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD THAT I KNOW OF.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER ZAY: I'M LEAVING THE BEAUTIFUL PORT OF CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, ON A 2,000 MILE VOYAGE INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
MY DESTINATION IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S REMOTEST INHABITED ISLANDS AS YET WITH NO AIRPOR SO IT'S VERY RARELY VISITED.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SPECTACULAR, AND ITS HISTORY IS FASCINATING.
IT'S WHERE NAPOLEON WAS EXILED.
AND IT'S REMARKABLE TO THINK 200 YEARS LATER THIS IS STILL THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE: BY BOAT.
ST.
HELENA ISLAND, HERE I COME! I SHOULD BE THERE IN OH, FIVE DAYS! DOES THIS THING GO ANY FASTER? THE SOUTH ATLANTIC IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEAS TRAVELLED OCEANS, WITH FEW ISLANDS AND VERY LITTLE OCEAN TRAFFIC.
FROM CAPE TOWN, THE 5 DAY 2000 MILE LONG OCEAN VOYAGE ACROSS THE SOUTH ATLANTIC WILL TAKE ME PAST NOT EVEN A SINGLE SPECK OF LAND EN ROUTE TO THE BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF ST.
HELENA, ONE OF THE WORLD'S REMOTEST INHABITED ISLANDS.
THE SHIP TAKING ME FROM CAPE TOWN, THE RMS, OR ROYAL MAIL SHIP, ST.
HELENA, IS THE LAST AUTHENTIC OCEAN-GOING ROYAL MAIL SHIP FROM HUNDREDS THAT ONCE CRISS-CROSSED THE OCEANS TO THE OUTPOSTS OF THE OLD BRITISH EMPIRE.
A DUAL PURPOSE PASSENGER AND CARGO SHIP, IT CARRIES AROUND 50 CREW, 150 PASSENGERS, AND 1,800 TONS OF CARGO.
FOR NOW, THE SHIP IS ST.
HELENA'S SOLE LIFELINE, CARRYING ALMOS ALL ITS VITAL SUPPLIES.
BUT ITS DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
ONCE THE AIRPORT THAT'S NOW BEING BUILT ON ST.
HELENA OPENS, THE SHIPS VOYAGES ARE DUE TO STOP.
ONE THING TRAVELING LIKE THIS DOES, IS IT GIVES YOU A REAL APPRECIATION FOR JUST HOW ISOLATED THIS ISLAND IS.
WE'RE HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM SHORE.
HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE BOAT OR A SINGLE PLANE OR A SINGLE LIVING THING OTHER THAN THESE BIRDS.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE, THEY DON'T FLAP, THEY JUST GLIDE AND RIDE.
IT'S JUST THE FIRS OF FIVE LONG DAYS AT SEA, AND WITH ALMOS NOTHING TO SEE OUT THERE IN THE ENDLESS OCEAN, TIME ISN'T GOING TO RUSH BY.
BUT AT LEAST THERE ARE PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE ON BOARD TO PASS THE TIME.
AND YOU'RE NOT COOPED UP WHEN YOU TRAVEL BY PLANE.
HEY, HERE'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO ON AN AIRPLANE TO ST.
HELENA.
HA, THAT'S COLD AND IT'S SALTWATER! YOU WON'T FIND THESE IN FIRST CLASS ON AN AIRPLANE, THAT'S FOR SURE.
NOT A BAD VIEW EITHER.
ANYONE ELSE SEE THE IRONY IN THIS, ME ROWING ON A BOAT? APART FROM ALL THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AND SPACE TO ROAM ON THE RMS ST.
HELENA, THE OTHER GREAT ADVANTAGE OF TRAVELING BY SHIP INSTEAD OF BY PLANE IS THAT THE LONG FIVE DAY JOURNEY GIVES YOU PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE CREW AND OTHER PASSENGERS.
ON BOARD ARE A FEW ADVENTUROUS TOURISTS, SOME BRITISH EXPATS, SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS BUILDING THE NEW AIRPORT, AND OF COURSE LOCALS RETURNING HOME TO ST.
HELENA.
MAN: FIVE DAYS ABOARD THE SHIP, YOU MEET A MIX OF PEOPLE.
I MET A LOT OF ST HELENIANS.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GE TO KNOW THE ISLAND BEFORE YOU EVEN ARRIVE.
AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT, IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE.
WOMAN: YOU'VE GOT TIME TO WIND DOWN AND LEAVE ALL THE PRESSURES BEHIND, AND THEN YOU GET TO ST.
HELENA IN THE ST.
HELENA MOOD.
MAN 2: IT'S JUST THE WAY PEOPLE TRAVELLED IN THE PAST, BY SHIP, YOU KNOW.
SO THERE'S A ROMANCE ABOUT IT, YOU COULD SAY.
WHICH IS NICE, EH? ZAY: OKAY, YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY DO I HAVE A JACKET AND A TIE ON A BOAT, RIGHT? WELL, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A WORKING SHIP, IT ALSO LIKES TO KEEP ALIVE THE ROMANTIC TRADITIONS OF THE OLD TRANSATLANTIC OCEAN LINERS.
AND SO THERE IS A COCKTAIL PARTY TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN FORMALLY INVITED BY THE CAPTAIN.
SO IT SAYS JACKE AND TIE REQUIRED.
THAT'S YOUR REASON, ALRIGHT? SO IF YOU'LL PLEASE KINDLY REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE PREMISES, I HAVE A PARTY TO GET READY FOR.
C'MON, SERIOUSLY.
CREW: EVENING MR.
HARDING.
ZAY: EVENING.
CAPTAIN YEUNG: CAPTAIN YEUNG.
ZAY: CAPTAIN.
CAPTAIN YEUNG: PLEASED TO MEET YOU.
ZAY: PLEASED TO MEET YOU TOO.
THANK YOU, LOVELY SHIP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
SO DOES THIS MEAN ALL THE DRINKS ARE ON YOU? GOOD PARTY HUH? CREW: YES.
ZAY: GOOD TURNOUT.
CREW: YEAH, IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
SOMETIMES, WHEN WE COME DOWN, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SEASICK AND STUFF.
ZAY: SO WHEN IT'S REALLY ROUGH, NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE TURNOUT.
CREW: NO, NO MANY PEOPLE AT ALL.
ZAY: WHERE ARE YOU FROM? CREW: I'M ACTUALLY FROM ST.
HELENA.
ZAY: AH, SO YOU'RE A SAINT.
AFTER THE AIRPORT COMES, IT'S JUST GONNA BE LIKE ANYWHERE ELSE, AH, YOU CAN JUST FLY THERE.
THE JOURNEY IS PAR OF THE ATTRACTION.
LIFE'S A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION.
YEAH.
AND THIS IS AN AWESOME WAY TO TRAVEL.
AH, OH GOSH.
MMM, FRIED SHRIMP! SO, THE AIRPORT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT IT WILL KILL THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE, WON'T IT? DOES THAT MAKE YOU SAD? MAN: IT DOES.
BUT FOUR HOURS VERSUS SIX DAYS, FIVE NIGHTS, IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
WOMAN: I ENJOY THE BOAT TO BE HONEST.
IT'S NICE TO GE TO KNOW PEOPLE.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE FIVE DAYS TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE, SAINTS, LOCALS AND EXPATS.
I WILL MISS IT.
ZAY: WELL, CHEERS TO YOUR HEALTH! I'M GONNA GO MINGLE, MEET SOME MORE PEOPLE.
WOMAN: GO MINGLE! ZAY: AFTER THE COCKTAIL PARTY, IT'S DINNERTIME.
LIKE EVERY NIGHT, THERE'S FULL WAITER SERVICE, AND EXCELLENT FOOD AND WINE.
UH, LET'S SEE.
THE ROASTED TENDER LOIN OF PORK, PLEASE.
YEAH, NICE.
REMINISCENT OF LIFE ABOARD THE HISTORIC OCEAN LINERS, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THE SOON-TO-BE-LOST LUXURIES OF TRAVEL ON THE RMS WILL BE BADLY MISSED.
AND THE WINE KEEPS FLOWIN'.
MAN: CHEERS! ZAY: CHEERS! GROUP: CHEERS! ZAY: ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY OUT AT SEA.
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED THOUGH.
SAME VIEW AS THE DAY BEFORE AND THE DAY BEFORE THAT.
MAKES FIVE DAYS ON THIS TRIP FEEL LIKE A LONG TIME.
BUT REALLY, IF I PU IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, NAPOLEON WAS ON THIS SHIP FOR TWO MONTHS, AND ALL HE HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO WAS A LIFETIME OF EXILE.
AT LEAST I GOT A GOOD TIME TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
MATTER OF FACT, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THERE.
HAPPILY, WITH JUST ONE DAY AND NIGHT OF THE VOYAGE TO GO, WE'RE ALMOST THERE AT LAST.
WITH LANDFALL DUE TOMORROW MORNING, THE SHIP'S COMPANY PU ON A BARBECUE TO CELEBRATE.
THE FOOD IS DELICIOUS, AND THE COMPANY CONVIVIAL, BUT AFTER FIVE LONG DAYS AT SEA, WE ALL JUST WANT TO GET TO ST.
HELA NOW.
ONLY A FEW HOURS TO GO.
LAND AHOY! FINALLY, AFTER FIVE DAYS OF BEING AT SEA.
WOW, THERE SHE IS.
ST.
HELENA.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.
WITH ARRIVAL ONLY POSSIBLE BY SEA, THESE DRAMATIC, FORBIDDING CLIFFS HAVE GREETED ALL TRAVELERS TO ST.
HELENA OVER THE CENTURIES.
MOST FAMOUSLY NAPOLEON, BUT ALSO CHARLES DARWIN, AND LEGENDARY EXPLORERS SUCH AS CAPTAIN COOK.
FORMED BY THE PEAK OF A HUGE, EXTINCT UNDERWATER VOLCANO, MEASURING JUST 10 MILES LONG BY 5 MILES WIDE, ST.
HELENA'S CAPITAL IS TINY JAMESTOWN.
MAN: THAT'S JAMESTOWN THERE, YOU CAN JUST SEE THE BAY KIND OF FORMING.
ZAY: AH, YES.
SO WHERE DO WE ACTUALLY PULL IN? IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKEWE CA.
MAN: YOU SEE WHERE ALL THE BOATS ARE MOORED? ZAY: YEAH.
MAN; WE'LL BE MOORING JUST IN FRONT OF THOSE.
ZAY: WITHOUT A PROPER HARBOR, DOCK OR BREAKWATER AT JAMESTOWN, THE RMS SIMPLY HAS TO COME TO A HALT OFFSHORE.
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE DAYS OF NAPOLEON.
STILL GOTTA ANCHOR AND GET FERRIED INTO LAND.
LUCKY THE SEA IS QUITE CALM TODAY OR IT COULD GET PRETTY UGLY.
AND TOUCHDOWN! WE MADE IT! WOW, WHAT A LONG WAY TO GET HERE! WHOO! THE ARRIVAL OF THE RMS HAS BEEN EAGERLY AWAITED FOR WEEKS, AND LOTS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE TURNED UP A THE DOCK TO WELCOME THE ST.
HELENIAN PASSENGERS HOME.
WOMAN: DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TRIP? ZAY: I DID, YES.
LOVELY, LOVELY VOYAGE.
WOMAN: FIRST TIME TO ST.
HELENA? ZAY: FIRST TIME HERE, YEAH.
ALRIGHT, I'VE CLEARED IMMIGRATION.
GOT THROUGH CUSTOMS, GOT MY BAG, NOW I'M GONNA GO FIND MY HOTEL, WHICH IS JUST AROUND THIS CORNER I THINK.
THIS IS FUN, GOT A LITTLE GATEWAY TO GO THROUGH.
AH, THIS IS GREAT! LIKE ENTERING A WHOLE NEW WORLD IN HERE.
CRAMMED BETWEEN THE CLIFFS, VILLAGE-SIZED JAMESTOWN DATES BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY, AND HAS A POPULATION OF FEWER THAN A THOUSAND.
AS THE ISLAND CURRENTLY GETS SO FEW TOURISTS, THERE AREN'T MANY PLACES TO STAY.
BUT HAPPILY, I'M STAYING AT THE GRANDEST OF THEM, THE HISTORIC OLD CONSULATE HOTEL.
HERE WE ARE.
THIS LOOKS CHARMING.
AH, THIS LOOKS NICE.
I LIKE IT, VERY HOMEY.
BIG, NICE, COMFY LOOKING BED.
[EXHALES LOUDLY.]
HUH, ODDLY ENOUGH, NOW THAT I'M LYING DOWN I'M FEELING LIKE I'M BACK ON THE SHIP AGAIN.
THAT ROCKING FEELING.
ANYWAY, I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY TO SLEEP, I'VE GOT A WHOLE ISLAND TO EXPLORE.
THE FIRST THING I DO IS GE A QUICK TOUR OF JAMESTOWN WITH A FEW FELLOW PASSENGERS FROM THE RMS AND LOCAL GUIDE BASIL GEORGE.
BASIL: WELCOME TO ST.
HELENA, NICE TO HAVE YOU VISIT US IN THIS LITTLE BACKWATER PLACE AS I CALL IT.
SO WE'LL START WITH SOME KEY DATES IN OUR HISTORY.
THE PORTUGUESE DISCOVERED IN 1502.
THERE'S BEEN THE MARITIME NATIONS OF EUROPE TRYING TO FIND A TRADE ROUTE TO THE FAR EAST.
BUT IT WAS NEVER SETTLED.
IT WAS SETTLED BY SETTLERS, SOLDIERS AND SLAVES.
AND THIS LAID THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SOCIETY.
SLAVERY, SLAVERY WAS PART OF OUR SOCIETY RIGH FROM THE BEGINNING.
AWFUL HISTORY.
AND SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN THE 1830'S, AND WHAT I FEEL IS VERY INTERESTING ABOUT OUR SOCIETY IS WITHIN A FEW GENERATIONS WE'VE COME TO BE TOTALLY RACIALLY INTEGRATED WITH COMMON ISLAND.
TO ME, THAT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL.
ZAY: THE FEWER THAN 5,000 SAINTS DESCEND FROM A DIVERSE MIX OF ANCESTORS, INCLUDING BRITISH PLANTATION OWNERS, WORKERS AND SOLDIERS, SAILORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AFRICAN SLAVES AND INDENTURED WORKERS FROM ASIA.
TODAY ST.
HELENA IS ONE OF THE LAST REMNANTS OF THE OLD BRITISH EMPIRE.
A SO-CALLED BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORY, IT'S OVERSEEN BY A BRITISH GOVERNOR, ALTHOUGH IN SOME RESPECTS THE ISLAND IS SELF-GOVERNING.
BASIL: OKAY FOLKS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME IN.
THIS ROOM DOUBLES ROOM AS BOTH A COURTHOUSE AS WELL AS WHEN OUR PARLIAMENT MEETS IN HERE AS WELL.
JUST IMAGINE ST.
HELENA NOW, WE'VE ONLY GOT 4500 PEOPLE.
IN ANY OF YOUR COUNTRIES IT'D BE LIKE, WHAT, A LARGE VILLAGE.
AND WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES THAT A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE.
THIS IS WHERE OUR COUNCIL, WHERE OUR CABINET MEETS.
WE HAD A ROYAL VISIT IN 1947 AND THAT'S ROYAL STANDARD THERE.
THEY GAVE US THE FLAG FROM THE SHIP, THE VANGUARD.
ZAY: IN THE MORE DISTAN PAST, BEFORE THE SUEZ CANAL WAS BUILT IN 1869, UP TO 1000 SHIPS A YEAR ONCE VISITED ST.
HELENA, BUT TODAY THE ISLAND DEPENDS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE ONCE-EVERY-3-WEEK VISITS OF THE RMS.
ALMOST ALL THE ISLAND'S FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIALS ARE BROUGHT IN ITS CARGO CONTAINERS, AND THE RMS, OR ROYAL MAIL SHIP ST.
HELENA, AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, ALSO CARRIES ALL THE ISLAND'S POST.
THE POST OFFICE IS IN FAC ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN JAMESTOWN FOR A TRAVELLER TO BUY A SOUVENIR OF ST.
HELENA.
SINCE THERE ARE SO FEW ISLANDERS, AND LETTERS FROM HERE ARE SO RARE, STAMPS FROM ST.
HELENA ARE A BIG COLLECTOR'S ITEM.
ZAY: HELLO.
VENDOR: GOOD DAY.
ZAY: I WANNA GET SOME STAMPS.
VENDOR: YEAH, WHAT KIND OF STAMPS WOULD YOU LIKE? ZAY: DO YOU HAVE ANY ON THE RMS ST.
HELENA? VENDORYES WE DO.
HOW ABOUT THAT ONE? ZAY: OOH, THOSE ARE NICE.
YUP AND HOW ABOU ANY FIRST DAY COVERS? VENDOR: WHAT TYPE WOULD YOU LIKE? ZAY: THE LATEST ONE.
VENDOR: THE LATEST ONE? THEM ON THE AIRPORT.
ZAY: AH, HA-HA, THE AIRPORT.
LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S COMING, HUH? VENDOR: YES, UH HUH.
BY THE WAY, DO YOU HAVE ANY PARCELS OR PACKAGES TO SEND HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? ZAY: IT'S OCTOBER, CHRISTMAS IS TWO MONTHS AWAY.
VENDOR: I KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY CHANCE YOU HAVE REALLY.
ZAY: AH, I GUESS THE AIRPORT'S NOT A BAD THING AFTER ALL.
VENDOR: NO, IT'S NOT.
ZAY: ISLANDERS NOT ONLY HAVE TO PLAN THEIR CHRISTMAS PARCELS WAY IN ADVANCE, BUT GIVEN THAT ALMOST ALL THE ISLAND'S FOOD IS IMPORTED ON THE RMS, THEIR CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU TOO.
SO, IF YOU DON' ORDER YOUR TURKEY NOW, OVER TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE, YOU DON'T HAVE TURKEY DINNER FOR CHRISTMAS? WOMAN: NO.
ZAY: WOO, YOU LEARN FAST HUH? DON'T MISS THAT DATE.
WOMAN: NO.
ZAY: THE AIRPORT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD THING FOR FOOD, HUH? BRING IN MORE SHIPMENTS MORE OFTEN? WOMAN: FIRST OF ALL.
BUT THE EXCITING PART ABOU IS IT'S GOOD FOR MEDICAL.
SO YOU CAN GET TO CAPE TOWN QUICKER.
ZAY: SO YOU GUYS DON' HAVE A HOSPITAL HERE? WOMAN: WE HAVE A HOSPITAL HERE, YES.
BUT THEY CAN'T DO EMERGENCIES HERE.
SO THEY SEND YOU AWAY TO CAPE TOWN.
ZAY: YEAH? WOMAN: I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT.
ZAY: YOU HAVE PERSONALLY? WOMAN: NOT WITH MYSELF, BUT WITH MY HUSBAND.
YES, WE HAD TO GO TO FOR MEDICAL.
HE WAS ALMOS LIFE AND DEATH FOR HIM.
ZAY: BUT IT'S AN EMERGENCY, IT'S URGENT.
WOMAN: I KNOW.
WOMAN 2: I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT TOO WITH MY DAUGHTER.
ZAY: OH.
SCARY.
WOMAN 2: IT IS SCARY.
ZAY: SO, IN THAT SENSE THE AIRPORT IS GOING TO BE A FANTASTIC THING.
WOMAN 2: YES, OF COURSE IT'LL BE A FANTASTIC THING.
ESPECIALLY FOR MEDICAL.
ZAY: BUT YOU'LL STILL MISS THE RMS? WOMAN 2: DEFINITELY GONNA MISS THE RMS OH YES, WE WILL MISS THE RMS.
GOOD OLD RMS.
IT IS A PART OF OUR ISLAND, AND, YEAH ZAY: WITH JUST 1 SHORT MAIN STREET, IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO LOOK AROUND THE VILLAGE-SIZED CITY OF JAMESTOWN.
THERE AREN'T MANY TOURIST SIGHTS, AND IN FACT ONE OF THE MOS POPULAR THINGS FOR VISITORS TO DO IS SIMPLY TO CLIMB UP AND DOWN THE CLIFF ABOVE.
THIS IS THE ISLAND'S NOTORIOUS JACOB'S LADDER.
BUILT IN 1929 TO TRANSPORT, OF ALL THINGS, HORSE MANURE.
FROM DOWN BELOW, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, TO FERTILIZE THE ISLAND'S FIELDS.
STEP NUMBER ONE.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? THERE ARE 699 OF THESE.
LET'S SEE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY STEPS I'VE DONE SO FAR BUT I LOOKS LIKE IT'S ABOUT 80? 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100.
UGH, THIS IS HARD WORK.
CAN YOU IMAGINE RUNNING UP IT? THEY HAVE RACES AND THESE GUYS GET UP IN LIKE SIX AND A HALF MINUTES.
[GRUNTS.]
UGH, THE VIEW GETS BETTER BY THE STEP BUT THERE'S A POIN WHERE YOU JUST STOP CARING ABOUT THE VIEW AND YOU JUS WANT TO GET TO THE TOP.
BEST WAY TO DO THA IS STEP-BY-STEP.
694, 695 696, 697, 698, 699.
WOOOOO! [BREATHING DEEPLY.]
I DID IT! INEVITABLY IT TAKES A LOT OF LEGWORK TO GET UP JACOB'S LADDER, BUT THERE IS A PAIN-FREE WAY TO GET DOWN.
DISCOURAGED TODAY FOR ITS DANGER, IT WAS ONCE A POPULAR DARE AMONGST JAMESTOWN KIDS, AS I FIND OUT FROM NOW GROWN UP DAREDEVIL ALLAN BUCKLEY.
ALLAN: I DON'T IF I COULD DO IT NOW.
IT WAS MANY YEARS AGO.
ZAY: NO, DON'T TRY IT.
ALLAN: I'D LIKE TO TRY IT, BUT ZAY: YOU'D LIKE TO TRY IT? WELL, GO AHEAD, I JUST DON'T OH MY GOD ALLAN: MAYBE I CAN TRY FOR YOU.
MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL WORK.
ZAY: OH MY GOD, I DON' KNOW IF I CAN WATCH THIS.
JUST BE CAREFUL.
ALLAN: YEAH, I'M GONNA BE VERY CAREFUL HERE.
HAVEN'T DONE IT FOR YEARS.
ZAY: UH OH.
OH GOD, I CAN'T WATCH.
OH MY GOSH.
THAT'S, THAT'S CLEAR, I GET IT! YOU STILL GOT IT MAN! ALLAN: ALRIGHT! ZAY: YOU'RE AMAZING.
ALLAN: ALRIGHT, CHEERS.
ZAY: THAT WAS PAINFUL FOR ME TO WATCH.
I KEPT THINKING OH GOD, SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN.
WE'RE OLDER AND WISER NOW, AREN'T WE? ALLAN: YEAH, YEAH, EXACTLY.
ZAY: A LOT MORE SENSIBLE.
WE'RE JUST GONNA WALK DOWN, AREN'T WE? ALLAN: OKAY, ILL GO WITH YOU.
ZAY: JUST MAKE SURE YOU CALL OUT IF YOU DECIDE TO SLIDE.
SO I CAN DUCK.
ALLAN: ALRIGHT, HERE, GO FASTER.
ZAY: NO, NO.
ALLAN: THAT'S TOO SLOW FOR JACOB'S LADDER.
I'LL SHOW HOW I DO IT.
HOW WE WALK DOWN THE LADDER.
ZAY: UGH GOD, YOU'RE RUNNING.
YOU'RE NUTS! I'LL SEE YOU AT THE BOTTOM! MY SECOND DAY ON ST.
HELENA, AND IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ST.
HELENA'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENT, WHO ARRIVED HERE AS A PRISONER ABOARD A BRITISH WARSHIP IN 1815.
NAPOLEON WAS SUCH A WORLD FAMOUS FIGURE; IT VIRTUALLY MADE THE ENTIRE ISLAND COME DOWN TO THE WATERFRON TO SEE HIS ARRIVAL.
IRONICALLY, BECAUSE COMMUNICATION WAS SLOW AND DIFFICULT, THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY READY TO ACCOMMODATE HIM.
SO, ON THE FIRS NIGHT HE WAS HERE, THEY PUT NAPOLEON AND HIS ENTIRE ENTOURAGE, UP IN A BOARDING HOUSE THAT WAS LOCATED JUST HERE.
QUITE A COMEDOWN FOR AN EMPEROR, BUT NOT BAD FOR A PRISONER.
BACK AT MY OWN ACCOMMODATION, THE CONSULATE HOTEL JUST UP THE STREET, THERE ARE MEMENTOS OF NAPOLEON EVERYWHERE INCLUDING A DISPLAY CABINET IN THE LOUNGE, AND LOTS OF PAINTINGS IN THE CAFÃ.
HERE HE IS, IN HIS POMP.
LOOKING TRIUMPHANT.
AND HERE HE IS AFTER HE SURRENDERED TO THE BRITISH, LOOKING DESPONDENT.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
HE WAS NEVER TO SEE FRANCE AGAIN.
ALL HE HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO WAS A LIFE OF EXILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN.
APART FROM THE OTHER MEMORABILIA OF NAPOLEON IN THE HOTEL, ON THE BALCONY, THEY'VE EVEN GOT THE MAN HIMSELF.
RIGHT THEN, WHAT'RE WE LOOKING AT? OOH, THE UNION JACK FLAG.
THAT'S PRETTY ROUGH.
THAT'S LIKE THEY'RE RUBBING IT IN YOUR FACE, MAKING YOU LOOK A THAT ALL DAY LONG, HUH? GOTTA BE YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE.
AFTER HIS ONE NIGHT AT THE BOARDING HOUSE IN JAMESTOWN, NAPOLEON WAS MOVED TO MORE SECURE ACCOMMODATION IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.
TO TAKE A TRIP INLAND TO SEE WHERE HE LIVED, AND THE REST OF THE ISLAND'S NAPOLEONIC SITES, I NEED TO FIND MYSELF SOME TRANSPORT.
THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON ST.
HELENA, SO TO GET AROUND YOU EITHER NEED TO RENT A CAR OR HIRE A TAXI.
THERE'S ONE VERY SPECIAL TAXI ON THE ISLAND.
A 1929 CHEVY CHARABANC.
AND HERE SHE IS.
HI COLIN! COLIN: HEY, HOW'RE YOU DOING? ZAY: EXCELLENT, THANK YOU.
IT MIGHT SEEM A BIT BIG FOR JUST ME, BUT HEY, I FEEL LIKE TRAVELING IN STYLE.
TAKE HER AWAY, COLIN! THE TINY ROAD WE'RE TRAVELING ON IS THE MAIN ROUTE OUT OF JAMESTOWN INTO THE HILLS.
IN COLIN'S OLD CHARABANC, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE FAST, BUT SINCE THE ENTIRE ISLAND OF ST.
HELENA IS ONLY 10 MILES LONG BY 5 MILES WIDE, THAT'S NO PROBLEM AT ALL.
ONLY A MILE OR TWO OUT OF JAMESTOWN, THE BRIARS PAVILION IS THE FIRST STOP ON MY TOUR OF ST.
HELENA'S NAPOLEONIC SIGHTS.
IT'S WHERE NAPOLEON SPENT HIS FIRST TWO MONTHS, BEFORE MOVING TO LONGWOOD FOR THE RES OF HIS TIME ON THE ISLAND.
UNDER HOUSE ARREST, NAPOLEON'S BRIEF STAY AT THE BRIARS PAVILION WAS HIS HAPPIEST TIME ON ST.
HELENA, ALTHOUGH IT WAS TINY, WITH JUST ONE ROOM.
AS LOCAL GUIDE TREVOR MAGELLAN EXPLAINS, NAPOLEON WAS CHEERED UP BY A NEIGHBOR WHO VISITED OFTEN, A PLAYFUL 13 YEAR-OLD TREVOR: SOMETIMES, HER ANTICS INTRIGUED NAPOLEON.
SHE WOULD CALL HIM "BONY.
" ZAY: BONY, LIKE BONAPARTE? TREVOR: THAT'S IT.
SHE WOULD TAKE HIS SWORD AND SHE WOULD CHASE HIM AROUND THE ROOM.
ZAY: NO! SHE WOULD TAKE HIS SWORD AND CHASE NAPOLEON? TREVOR: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, YEAH! ZAY: NOBODY DOES THAT.
TREVOR: NOBODY DOES THAT.
ZAY: BUT HE WOULD LET HER GET AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE SHE WAS A CHILD? TREVOR: YEAH, SHE COULD GET AWAY WITH IT.
ZAY: HMM, LITTLE BETSEY REJUVENATED HIS SPIRIT.
TREVOR: ABSOLUTELY, AND THE AFFECTION YOUNG BETSY SHOWED HIM REALLY TOUCHED HIM.
I THINK FOR A SHORT TIME HE COULD FORGET THAT HE WAS A PRISONER ON THIS REMOTE LITTLE ISLAND.
ZAY: NAPOLEON COULDN' FORGET HE WAS A PRISONER FOR LONG, HOWEVER.
NOT ONLY WERE THERE THOUSANDS OF BRITISH TROOPS ON THE ISLAND GUARDING HIM, BUT MANY OF THEM WERE BASED AT THE ISLAND'S BIGGEST FORT, WHICH DIRECTLY OVERLOOKS BRIARS PAVILION.
COLIN: ON THE TOP OF THAT HILL, THAT'S THE HIGH KNOLL FORT.
ZAY: AH, GOOD SPO FOR A FORT HUH? COLIN: YEAH.
ZAY: HIGH KNOLL FORT DATES ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1798, BUT IT WAS GREATLY REINFORCED DURING NAPOLEON'S STAY ON THE ISLAND, IN ORDER TO PREVEN ANY CHANCE OF HIM ESCAPING.
IN FACT, SO MANY EXTRA BRITISH TROOPS CAME HERE TO ST.
HELENA IN 1815 THAT THE ISLAND'S POPULATION DOUBLED.
WOW, LOOK AT THE VIEW! WHAT A PERFECT PLACE TO BUILD A FORT.
WITH A 360 DEGREE VANTAGE POINT, AND WITH ALL THE GUNS AND ALL THE SOLDIERS THEY HAD UP HERE, THE BRITISH REALLY HAD THE DEFENSE OF THIS ISLAND COVERED.
HA, THERE'S THE BRIARS PAVILION RIGHT THERE.
THE FORT COULD NOT BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO KEEP NAPOLEON UNDER TIGHT SURVEILLANCE.
FROM BRIARS PAVILION AND HIGH KNOLL FORT, THE NEXT STOP ON MY CHARABANC TOUR IS LONGWOOD HOUSE, WHERE NAPOLEON SPEN ALL THE REST OF HIS TIME ON THE ISLAND.
BOTH: HI! ZAY: THIS REALLY IS THE BES WAY TO GET OUT AND SEE THE ISLAND EVERYONE GETS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE CHARABANC, THEY COME OU AND THEY'RE WAVING.
I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WAVING AT ME.
IT PUTS ME IN A GOOD MOOD.
OPEN AIR.
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
YOU KNOW? IT FEELS LIKE I'M ON A SUMMER HOLIDAY.
THE WEATHER, HOWEVER, CAN CHANGE RAPIDLY UP IN ST.
HELENA'S HILLS.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR NAPOLEON, LONGWOOD HOUSE, WHERE HE AND HIS ENTOURAGE WERE MOVED FROM THE PLEASAN BUT CRAMPED BRIARS PAVILION, HAS A PARTICULARLY UNPLEASAN MICRO-CLIMATE, AND IS ALL TOO REGULARLY COLD, CLOUDY, WET AND WINDY.
GIVEN TO FRANCE BY QUEEN VICTORIA, LONG AFTER NAPOLEON'S DEATH, TODAY LONGWOOD HOUSE IS LOOKED AFTER BY A FRENCH HONORARY CONSUL, MICHEL DANCOISNE-MARTINEAU.
WEATHER CHANGES.
IT WASN'T LIKE THIS DOWN IN JAMESTOWN.
MICHEL: THAT'S LONGWOOD FOR YOU.
ZAY: IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS? MICHEL: MOST OF THE TIME, YES.
300 DAYS A YEAR.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ZAY: SO WE'RE UP IN THE CLOUDS, I GUESS, WHERE IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS? MICHEL: IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THAT.
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.
WAIT TO BE AT 6:00, OOH.
ZAY: COLD AND DAMP.
MICHEL: IT'S MISERABLE, PLEASE COME IN.
ZAY: THANK YOU.
MICHEL: SO HERE WE ARE IN THE HOUSE THA WE ARE RESTORING INTO ITS 1821 ASPECT.
THE EXACT DATE OF HIS DEATH WAS THE 5TH OF MAY 1821.
THE FAME OF THIS HOUSE CAME FROM THE FAC THAT NAPOLEON DIED.
THIS IS ROOM IS CALLED THE BILLIARDS ROOM, BECAUSE IN 1815 THERE WAS A BILLIARD TABLE THAT NAPOLEON USED FOR HIS MAPS.
BECAUSE HE USED THIS ROOM AS A WORKPLACE FOR DICTATING HIS MEMOIRS.
ZAY: SO HE HAD HIS MAPS SPREAD OUT AND HE WOULD REEXAMINE BATTLES FROM HIS MILITARY CAMPAIGN.
MICHEL: YES, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IF HE MAY HAVE DONE SOME MISTAKES, WHERE THEY COME FROM AND WHAT THE REASON FOR THAT.
ZAY: LIKE WATERLOO? MICHEL: SO WATERLOO IS ACTUALLY INTERESTING IN THA RESPECT BECAUSE I IS ONE OF THE BATTLES HE SPOKE THE MOST, HERE.
BECAUSE HE LOST IT, SO THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF "IF.
" WHAT WOULD HAPPEN "IF?" ZAY: HE GOT OBSESSED WITH IT? MICHEL: NOT OBSESSED, BECAUSE HE JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I WENT WRONG AND THAT'S IT.
ZAY: HE WAS A VERY STRATEGIC MAN, SO HE DIDN'T JUS CARE ABOUT WINNING, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY HE LOST.
MICHEL: ALSO HOW WE CAN WRAP IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.
SO, OF COURSE, LIKE PROPAGANDA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
ZAY: HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS LIKE THAT.
HE DICTATED HOW HISTORY WAS GOING TO REMEMBER HIM.
MICHEL: IT'S A GOOD POINT, YES.
HE WAS WRITING HIS OWN FINAL CHAPTER.
WE CAN SPLIT THE EXILE IN TWO PARTS.
THE VERY CREATIVE FIRST THREE YEARS, WHICH WAS DICTATING INTO LIKE A [INAUDIBLE.]
WITH DISCIPLINE OF WORKING HOURS, TO THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WHICH WAS JUST FOCUSING ON HIS SICKNESS, HIS GLOOM, HIS UNHAPPINESS, HIS WAITING FOR HIS DEATH, REALLY.
ZAY: IN HIS MIND, HE WAS ALREADY DEAD.
MICHEL: YES DEFINITELY.
AND THE ONLY CONCERN HE HAD WAS WHERE DOES HE HAVE PAIN TODAY.
ZAY: SOUNDS DEPRESSING AND DARK.
MICHEL: IT IS, LIKE THE WEATHER.
ZAY: YES, PERFECT! THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
LONGWOOD'S FREQUENT WE WEATHER LITERALLY SEEPED INTO THE WALLS OF THE HOUSE, AND AS THE WALLPAPER PEELED OFF IN THE DAMP, IT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH MUSLIN CLOTH.
MICHEL: THE WATER WAS ACTUALLY RUNNING THROUGH THE WALL.
AND THE WOOD FLOOR AND THE RATS WERE CRAWLING ON STAGNAN WATER UNDERNEATH.
ZAY: SOUNDS DISGUSTING.
MICHEL: SO THE HOUSE WAS LITERALLY FALLING APART.
ZAY: SO THEY PUT UP THIS LINEN TO MASK WHA WAS GOING ON BENEATH.
MICHEL: ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE WATER CAN RUN ON THE BACK AND THEN IT WILL HIDE THE MISERY.
BUT IT DIDN'T SORT OU THE PROBLEM OF THE DAMP AND OF COURSE THERE WAS STAGNANT WATER UNDERNEATH WHERE RATS WERE CRAWLING.
ZAY: SO THERE WERE RATS EVERYWHERE? MICHEL: YES, YES.
THEY WERE CRAWLING EVERYWHERE, NOT ONLY UNDER THE FLOOR BU ALSO IN THE FURNITURE.
TRUE ANECDOTE, SOME BRITISH WERE ACTUALLY VISITING NAPOLEON, AND THEY SAW ACTUALLY HIS HAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY LAID ON THE SIDEBOARD, WALKING ON ITS OWN.
ZAY: HA, OH MAN.
SO THERE WAS A RAT INSIDE? MICHEL: SO, AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, THIS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY ENVIRONMENT MAKES HIM EVEN SICKER AND SICKER BY THE DAYS.
AND THAT JUS LED TO HIS DEATH.
ZAY: YEAH, CONTRIBUTED TO IT? MICHEL: YEAH.
ZAY: SOME PEOPLE HAVE EVEN SUGGESTED THAT THE WALLPAPER ITSELF WAS THE MAIN CAUSE OF NAPOLEON'S DEATH, AS IT CONTAINED ARSENIC, WHICH COULD HAVE POISONED HIM WHEN DAMP.
BUT NAPOLEON HAD LONG SUFFERED FROM A BADLY PERFORATED STOMACH ULCER AND THE OFFICIAL CAUSE OF HIS DEATH, ACCORDING TO HIS DOCTORS, WAS STOMACH CANCER.
MICHEL: AND THIS IS THE ROOM WHERE HE DIED, ON THE FIFTH OF MAY, 1821.
AND OF COURSE HIS LAST WISH THAT HE WROTE ON HIS WILL IS TO BE BURIED IN FRANCE, IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS BELOVED PEOPLE.
BUT OF COURSE THE BRITISH DIDN'T GIVE HIM THAT ULTIMATE PERMISSION.
SO HE WAS BURIED ON THE ISLAND, TO A SPOT HE ALSO DESIGNATED IN CASE.
BUT THE TOMB IS DEFINITELY THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER STORY.
ZAY: NAPOLEON'S TOMB IS SITUATED JUST A SHORT STROLL FROM LONGWOOD HOUSE, IN A PEACEFUL SECLUDED VALLEY THA WAS ONE OF NAPOLEON'S FAVORITE WALKING SPOTS.
WHILE NAPOLEON MIGH HAVE BEEN DENIED HIS WISH TO BURIED IN FRANCE, BUT HE SURE DID PICK A BEAUTIFUL SPOT HERE ON ST.
HELENA FOR HIS TOMB.
THE ODD THING ABOUT THE TOMB IS THERE'S NO NAME ON IT.
THIS IS BECAUSE NAPOLEON WANTED JUST HIS FIRST NAME ON IT, "NAPOLEON," WHICH WAS CUSTOMARY FOR ROYALTY.
BUT THE BRITISH REFUSED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE WAS AN EMPEROR.
THE SAID, "WE'LL PRINT YOUR FULL NAME, 'NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,'" JUST LIKE AN ORDINARY PERSON.
NAPOLEON THOUGHT THIS WAS BENEATH HIS DIGNITY.
SO, THEY HAD TO COME UP WITH A COMPROMISE, AND THE RESUL WAS NO NAME AT ALL.
NAPOLEON'S BODY, HOWEVER, IS NO LONGER IN THIS TOMB.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT, SOME 20 YEARS AFTER HE WAS BURIED HERE, HIS BODY WAS DISINTERRED AND RETURNED TO FRANCE, WHERE HE WAS REBURIED WITH GREAT POMP AND CEREMONY IN PARIS.
[CAR HORN HONKS.]
.
THERE IT IS! ALL OF JAMESTOWN PACKED INTO ONE LITTLE VALLEY.
IT'S TINY, REALLY.
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S NOT ANOTHER TOWN THIS BIG FOR OVER A THOUSAND MILES IN ANY DIRECTION.
AND HERE WE ARE, HOME SWEET HOME.
BECAUSE I CAN.
COLIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COLIN: OKAY, SIR.
IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU.
ZAY: I HAD A GOOD TIME.
COLIN: THANKS, YOU TOO.
ZAY: THE NEXT DAY, FROM JAMESTOWN I HEAD A COUPLE OF MILES INLAND TO PLANTATION HOUSE, TO MEET THE GOVERNOR OF ST.
HELENA AT HIS OFFICIAL RESIDENCE.
BEFORE MEETING THE GOVERNOR, HOWEVER, I WANT TO SEE THE MOS CELEBRATED RESIDENT OF PLANTATION HOUSE; A FAMOUSLY OLD GIANT TORTOISE NAMED JONATHAN, WHO LIVES ON THE FRONT LAWN TOGETHER WITH A FEW OTHER GIANT TORTOISES.
THIS IS DAVID.
HE'S OLD, BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS OLD AS JONATHAN.
LOOK, HERE HE IS.
THIS IS JONATHAN.
HE'S OUTLIVED OVER 30 GOVERNORS OF ST.
HELENA.
WHEN HE WAS FIRS BROUGHT TO THE ISLAND 1882, HE WAS ALREADY AROUND 50 YEARS OLD.
WHICH MAKES HIM TODAY, OVER 180.
THIS MEANS, HE COULD QUITE POSSIBLY BE THE WORLD'S OLDES LIVING LAND ANIMAL.
ASTOUNDING.
HE'S ALMOST OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN ALIVE A THE SAME TIME AS NAPOLEON.
HOW YOU DOING? TIRED, HUH? NOT EASY BEING THAT OLD.
LOOK HOW SLOW HE MOVES.
YOU MUST HAVE SEEN A LO OF GOOD SUNSETS UP HERE.
MY GOODNESS, THE STORIES YOU COULD TELL.
SO WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR, HUH? THE CURRENT GOVERNOR OF ST.
HELENA, OFFICIALLY TITLED HIS EXCELLENCY MARK CAPES, HAS AGREED TO SHOW ME AROUND HIS HOUSE.
THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME SEE ME.
MARK: YOU'RE WELCOME.
GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE.
ZAY: BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
MARK: YEAH, THIS IS MY HOME BUT IT'S ALSO A VERY BUSY WORKING HOUSE.
IT'S A HOUSE THAT WE USE FOR OFFICIAL ENTERTAINING, FOR RECEPTIONS, FOR DINNERS, FOR FUNDRAISING EVENTS, PRESENTATIONS, YOU NAME IT, WE DO IT HERE.
IT'S A BUSY, BUSY HOUSE.
ZAY: IT'S BEEN THE HOME OF EVERY GOVERNOR, EVER SINCE IT WAS BUILT.
IS THAT TRUE? MARK: YES.
IN 1792 IT WAS PURPOSE BUILT FOR THE GOVERNOR BY THE EAST INDIA COMPANY, WHO THEN RUN THE ISLAND.
AND IT WAS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE ACTUALLY, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IN JAMESTOWN IT CAN GET QUITE STEAMY IN THE SUMMER.
SO THEY BUILT THIS AS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE.
BUT NOW, IT IS THE PERMANENT AND ONLY RESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR.
ZAY: NICE.
MARK: YEAH, COME THROUGH TO THE DINING ROOM.
ZAY: VERY GRAND.
MARK: IT IS, IT'S LOVELY ISN'T IT? THIS IS PROBABLY THE BUSIEST ROOM OF THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE FORMAL DINNERS HERE, RECEPTIONS, AND YEAH, IT'S A LOVELY, WELL-USED ROOM.
ZAY: WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SIT? MARK: I SIT AT THAT END AND MY WIFE SITS AT THAT END.
ZAY: WHO ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ENTERTAIN HERE? MARK: WELL, ANYBODY OF IMPORTANCE WHO PASSES THROUGH, BUT WE USE IT FOR OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS HERE AS WELL.
BUT IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, QUEEN ELIZABETH CAME HERE WHEN SHE WAS PRINCESS ELIZABETH IN 1947, WITH HER PARENTS.
AND SHE VISITED PLANTATION HOUSE AND OF COURSE, THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON PASSED THROUGH HERE ON THE WAY TO INDIA.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON WAS NAPOLEON'S ARCH ENEMY WHO DEFEATED NAPOLEON AT WATERLOO IN 1815.
AND IN FACT, THA CHANDELIER UP THERE IS FROM NAPOLEON'S HOUSE IN LONGWOOD.
ZAY: THIS WAS NAPOLEON'S CHANDELIER? MARK: IT WAS INDEED.
NOW IT HANGS OVER OUR DINING TABLE WHICH IS QUITE SOMETHING, ISN'T IT? ZAY: YEAH, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT.
MARK: NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
AND SPEAKING OF NAPOLEON, AND THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WE HAVE SOME PORTRAITS OUT HERE WHICH YOU MIGHT LIKE TO SEE.
ZAY: IS THAT RIGHT? MARK: OKAY, HERE WE ARE.
HERE ON THE RIGHT WE HAVE LORD NELSON, WHO, WITH HIS BRITISH NAVY, DEFEATED THE FRENCH FLEE AT TRAFALGAR IN 1805.
A HUGELY DAMAGING BLOW TO NAPOLEON.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE HERE WE'VE GOT THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, WHO FINISHED THE JOB A THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO IN 1815.
OF COURSE, IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE THE GREAT MAN HIMSELF ASTRIDE HIS WHITE STALLION.
ZAY: HE LOOKS GRUMPY.
MARK: YEAH, AND PERHAPS HE HAD GOOD REASON.
BUT IN PERPETUITY NOW, WE HAVE HIS TWO ARCHENEMIES EITHER SIDE OF HIM.
ZAY: IT'S FUNNY.
DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT? MARK: I DID.
I THINK IT'S RATHER GOOD ACTUALLY.
ZAY: YEAH, SQUEEZE HIM IN BETWEEN.
YOU'VE GOT A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.
BEYOND ARRANGING HIS PAINTINGS AMUSINGLY, HOWEVER, THE GOVERNOR'S MAIN TASK OF COURSE IS STEERING ST.
HELENA THROUGH THE MASSIVE CHANGES THAT THE BUILDING OF THE NEW AIRPORT WILL BRING.
WHY SUCH A BIG INVESTMENT? MARK: IT'S TO GIVE THE ISLAND THAT FUTURE IT NEEDS, WITH A VIABLE ECONOMY BASED ON TOURISM.
AND THE KEY TO THAT MAGIC IS GOING TO BE TO MAKE SURE THA WE PRESERVE WHAT MAKES ST.
HELENA SO SPECIAL TODAY.
SO WE DON'T WAN THE COMMERCIALISM, WE DON'T WANT ALL THE THINGS YOU FIND EVERYWHERE ELSE.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE SPECIAL ATMOSPHERE OF THE ISLAND.
DIFFICULT JOB, BU THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
ZAY: IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RMS? MARK: NO, THE RMS IS A WONDERFUL INSTITUTION.
IT'S A FLOATING LITTLE CHUNK OF ST.
HELENA.
THERE'LL BE TEARS SHED WHEN FINALLY SHE ENDS HER SERVICE, BUT THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE AND THE CHANGE IS ABOUT GIVING ST.
HELENA A VIABLE FUTURE.
ZAY: GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING.
MARK: THANKS VERY MUCH.
THANKS FOR COMING TO SEE US.
ZAY: THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR HOME.
MARK: THANK YOU.
ZAY: FOUR MILES OR SO FROM PLANTATION HOUSE AND JAMESTOWN, THE AIRPORT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE WINDSWEPT EASTERN EDGE OF THE ISLAND.
THE AIRPORT WILL CERTAINLY BRING THE WIND OF CHANGE TO ST.
HELENA AND IT'S CURIOUSLY SYMBOLIC THAT THE NEW AIRPORT CONTROL TOWER, AT JUST THREE STORIES HIGH, IS NOW THE TALLES BUILDING ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND.
I'M GIVEN AN OVERVIEW OF WORK ON THE AIRPORT RUNWAY BY PROJEC MANAGER ANDREAS HUBER.
ANDREAS: THIS IS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE RUNWAY AND THEN IT GOES TO A DROP OF ABOUT 200 METERS.
ZAY: IT GOES ALL THE WAY TO EDGE OF THE CLIFF? ANDREAS: RIGHT TO THE EDGE.
ZAY: THAT'S EXCITING.
ANDREAS: THE RUNWAY ITSELF IS 1,950 METERS.
ZAY: SO OVER A MILE.
IS THAT LONG ENOUGH FOR ANY AIRPLANE? ANDREAS: IT IS DESIGNED FOR MID-SIZE PLANES.
IT IS SO DESIGNED THA ENOUGH TOURISTS ARE COMING TO THE ISLAND TO BOOST THE ECONOMY, NOT TOO MANY IN ONE RUN.
ZAY: THEY'RE GONNA EASE INTO THE TOURISM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BOMBARD EVERYBODY? IT'S REALLY WINDY HERE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S TOO WINDY OR FOGGY TO LAND? ANDREAS: THE SITUATION OF FOGGY AND WINDY WEATHER CHANGES VERY FAST.
BUT THE FLIGHT PATH IS SO DESIGNED THAT THE PLANE CAN CIRCLE AROUND FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS, AND AFTER TWO HOURS THE PILO HAS TO ABANDON THE FLIGHT AND GO EITHER TO NAMIBIA TO ANGOLA.
ZAY: CAN YOU IMAGINE, YOU COME ALL THIS WAY, SO EXCITED TO GET HERE, AND YOU CAN'T EVEN LAND.
YOU'D BETTER HOPE I CLEARS WITHIN THOSE TWO HOURS.
INCREASING TOURISM IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ST.
HELENA'S ECONOMY SINCE THE ISLAND PRODUCES AND EXPORTS SO LITTLE.
ONE OF THE VERY FEW THINGS IT DOES EXPORT IS COFFEE.
ST.
HELENA'S LARGEST COFFEE PLANTATION IS SITUATED JUS BELOW THE ISLAND'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN, DIANA'S PEAK, AT A PLACE CALLED BAMBOO HEDGE.
I MEET UP WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PLANTATION, DEAN OKALI.
PRETTY SPECTACULAR SPO FOR A PLANTATION, HUH? DEAN: YES IT IS.
IT IS, ZAY.
AND VERY NATURAL.
ZAY: THE VARIETY OF COFFEE GROWN HERE IS EXCLUSIVELY GREEN-TIPPED BOURBON ARABICA, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED TO ST.
HELENA AS LONG AGO AS THE 18TH CENTURY.
THIS IS THE SAME VARIETY OF COFFEE TREE THAT NAPOLEON WOULD'VE GOTTEN HIS COFFEE FROM.
DEAN: ABSOLUTELY.
ZAY: AND LEGEND HAS I THAT THE ONLY THING NAPOLEON LIKED ABOUT ST.
HELENA ISLAND WAS ITS COFFEE.
DEAN: I'LL JUS TELL YOU SOMETHING, THE LEGEND ALSO HAS I ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS ABOU TO PASS AWAY, HE ACTUALLY MADE A LAST REQUES FOR ST.
HELENAN COFFEE.
ZAY: HIS DYING WISH.
DEAN: YES, HIS DYING WISH, YOU COULD SAY THAT.
ZAY: I CAN'T WAI TO GET TO TRY IT.
DEAN: UNFORTUNATELY, WE EXPORT EVERYTHING.
ZAY: EVERYTHING? DEAN: THE DEMAND FOR THE COFFEE IS SO HIGH IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE ON THIS PLANTATION WE SEND OUT.
THAT'S THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE PRODUCT, AND THAT MAKES IT ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE IN THE WORLD.
ZAY: YEAH? DEAN: YEAH, SO UNFORTUNATELY, YOU WON' HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE.
ZAY: THAT'S SUCH A SHAME.
I'VE COME ALL OF THIS WAY AND I HAVE GET BACK ON A BOAT TO TRY IT? DEAN: UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S THE CASE NOW.
ZAY: JUST ABOVE THE COFFEE PLANTATION, THE HIGHEST POINT ON THE ISLAND, DIANA'S PEAK, IS AT THE CENTER OF A SMALL NATIONAL PARK PRESERVING A TINY SLICE OF CLOUD FOREST CONTAINING TREES ENDEMIC TO ST.
HELENA IN OTHER WORDS WHICH GROW NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
I'M TAKING A HIKE UP TO THE TOP WITH LOCAL GUIDE AARON LEGG.
TREE FERN, HUH? AARON: YEP.
ZAY: I LIKE THOSE.
I'M HAVING FLASHBACKS OF JACOB'S LADDER.
697, 698 THIS IS A COOL TREE, LOOK AT HOW IT GOES SIDEWAYS.
AARON: YEAH, IT'S CALLED A JELICO.
ZAY: JELICO.
LOOK HOW HARD THA LEAF IS, AND WAXY.
IT LOOKS LIKE LITTLE DAISIES ON TOP.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IT GROWS IN THE WORLD? AARON: YEP.
ZAY: IN THIS TINY LITTLE CLOUD FOREST.
THAT'S PRETTY SPECIAL.
ARE WE ALMOST THERE YET? AARON: YEAH, THE SUMMIT IS JUST THERE.
WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
ZAY: SO MANY STAIRS.
YOU GUYS LOVE STAIRS ON THIS ISLAND, DON'T YOU? AARON: WELL, WE MADE IT, WE'RE HERE! ZAY: WE'RE HERE? AARON: DIANA'S PEAK.
ZAY: WOO-HOO-HOO! AARON: 123 METERS.
ZAY: DIANA'S PEAK.
HIGHEST POINT ON ST.
HELENA ISLAND.
YES! WOW, WELL THE VIEW IS SPECTACULAR ISN'T IT? AARON: WELL, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU GET VIEWS IN EVERY DIRECTION, YOU GOT THE SEA, THE COASTLINE, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
ZAY: I'LL HAVE TO TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
I SEE NOTHING BUT CLOUDS.
IT IS TRULY A CLOUD FOREST.
IT'S AWESOME ACTUALLY, IT'S MAGICAL.
AARON: JUST 100 METERS BELOW IT COULD BE SUNSHINE.
ZAY: SO WHAT ARE WE DOING UP HERE? LET'S GO DOWN THERE AND GET SOME SUN.
WE DID IT! I'M GLAD WE CAN'T SEE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY SHEER DROPS, HUNDREDS OF METERS ON EITHER SIDE.
AARON: HUGE DROPS.
ZAY: IT'S MY LAS DAY ON ST.
HELENA, AND BEFORE BOARDING THE RMS FOR THE LONG VOYAGE BACK TO CAPE TOWN I'VE JUST GOT TIME FOR ONE FINAL ADVENTURE.
THIS SHOULD BE FUN.
I'M HEADING ALONG THE COAST TO GO DOLPHIN-WATCHING WITH LOCAL BOATMAN ANTHONY THOMAS.
ANTHONY: MY NAME IS ANTHONY.
HOP ON THE BOAT, THE BOAT IS SEAHORSE.
ZAY: SEAHORSE? SO WE'RE MARINE-TIME COWBOYS.
ANTHONY: THERE YOU GO! ZAY: FROM JAMESTOWN WE'RE HEADING A COUPLE OF MILES DOWN THE COAST, TO AN AREA KNOWN AS LEMON VALLEY, WHERE THE DOLPHINS REGULARLY CONGREGATE OFFSHORE.
WHEN WE GET THERE, WE'RE IN LUCK.
IN NO TIME A ALL, WE SPOT THEM.
THERE THEY ARE! OH, OH, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK! AH, THERE'S MORE! GOD, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.
THEY'RE ALL AROUND US.
THERE'S GONNA BE ABOUT 400 TO 500 HERE, SO HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GOING TO PUT ON A SHOW, BE AN AMAZING SPECTACLE.
ZAY: THEY'RE HERE ALL THE TIME? ANTHONY: ALL THE TIME.
ALL YEAR ROUND.
IF YOU LOOK FOR THE SPLASHES, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DISTANCE.
YOU'LL SEE AN AMAZING SPECTACLE.
THESE GUYS ARE SMALLER DOLPHINS BUT THEY'RE VERY PLAYFUL.
ZAY: THEY THINK WE'RE A BIG DOLPHIN.
THEY'RE LIKE, HEY, LOOK, I CAN DO THAT.
I LOVE HOW YOU CAN SEE THEM SWIMMING RIGHT UNDER YOU.
ANTHONY: THIS IS WHY I LOVE MY JOB.
SEEING THIS EVERY DAY IS AMAZING.
ZAY: HOW COULD YOU NOT? YEAH, YEAH, LOOK AT THAT! WOO-HOO! LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.
THERE'S SO MANY! IT'S LIKE THEY TAKE THE ADRENALIN OF TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE BOAT AND JUSTWOW.
THIS IS AMAZING, LOOK.
I LIKE WHEN THEY SURFACE BUT I LOVE WHEN THEY JUMP.
ANTHONY: OH, I KNOW.
ZAY: IT'S SO COOL.
[CHEERING.]
OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE THAT?! C'MON UP, GUYS, C'MON UP.
SEEING THE DOLPHINS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, AND OVERALL ST.
HELENA HAS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
I'D LOVE TO STAY LONGER, BUT IT'S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE.
IF I MISS TODAY'S SAILING OF THE RMS, I'LL HAVE TO WAI ANOTHER THREE WEEKS UNTIL THE NEXT VOYAGE, IN ORDER TO START THE LONG FIVE DAY JOURNEY BACK TO CAPE TOWN, AND EVENTUALLY, HOME.
I'M LOOKING AT THE VIEW NAPOLEON DREAMED OF BUT NEVER GO THE CHANCE TO SEE: ST.
HELENA DISAPPEARING INTO THE DISTANCE.
BUT FOR ME, I'M SAD TO SEE HER GO.
I HAD A GREAT TIME ON THE ISLAND.
THE SCENERY WAS SPECTACULAR, THE HISTORY WAS FASCINATING, AND THE PEOPLE WERE SO FRIENDLY AND WELCOMING.
SOON, AN AIRPORT WILL OPEN UP ST.
HELENA TO THE WHOLE WORLD, BUT UNTIL THEN THE NECESSITY OF TRAVELING BY SHIP, CERTAINLY MAKES YOU APPRECIATE HOW REMOTE AND SPECIAL ST.
HELENA REALLY IS.
ANNOUNCER: STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL GLOBE TREKKER EXTRA.
ANNOUNCER: FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
WOMAN: AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK.
WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE.
FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU A PROUD SPONSOR OF GLOBE TREKKER.
MAN: YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOU THIS SERIES ON OUR WEBSITE.
PROGRAMS FROM THE GLOBE TREKKER SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD AND NOW ON DEMAND FROM MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD.
YOU CAN ALSO ORDER THE NEW GLOBE TREKKER ANNUAL FEATURING INFORMATION ON FESTIVALS, EVENTS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
TO ORDER GLOBE TREKKER PRODUCTS CALL 1-888-565-0361 OR VISIT THE WEBSITE, ZAY: WITHOUT ADO, I HIRE A HORSE AND EXPLORE THE MOAI OF AHU TAHAI.
THE MOAI ARE CARVED VOLCANIC SCULPTURES WHICH STAND ON STONE PLATFORMS CALLED AHU'S.
THEY'RE WIDELY BELIEVED TO REPRESENT CLAN ANCESTORS WHO RULED IN A WORLD WHERE DECEASED SPIRITS PROTECTED THE LIVING FROM THEIR TRIBAL ENEMIES AND FROM THE THREAT OF FAMINE.
A FAMINE WHICH WAS BROUGH ON BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF TREES.
INCREDIBLE, BEWITCHING AND EVER-MYSTERIOUS.
ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE BEEN CONFOUNDED BY THEIR EXISTENCE FOR CENTURIES.
WHAT THEY DO KNOW ABOU THEM IS THAT THEIR PRODUCTION WENT UP DURING A DEPRESSING PERIOD OF DEFORESTATION BETWEEN THE 14TH AND 17TH CENTURIES.
THERE WERE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND AND WITH THEIR WOODLAND HABITAT GONE FOOD WAS SCARCE.
AND SO CLANS STARTED FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND THEY STARTED TURNING TO THESE ANCESTRAL MOAI TO SAVE THEM.
COME ON.
MAN: I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND EASTER ISLND.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE BUCKET LIS KIND OF PLACES MOST PEOPLE DON' KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT OR WHERE IT IS OR ANYTHING ELSE, BUT THE SAAVY TRAVELERS WHOSE ALMOST BEEN EVERYWHERE ELSE, IT'S ONE OF THOSE PLACES THEY DEFINITELY WANT TO GO TO IS EASTER ISLAND AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.
ZAY: I MAKE MY WAY TO RANU RARAKU.
THE CRATER IS WHERE THE MOAI WERE CARVED.
IT'S HERE I MEE ARCHEOLOGIST SERGIO RABU AND HE GET'S ME UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME MOAI.
SERGIO: ZAY, THIS IS THE QUARRY OF THE STATUES ON EASTER ISLAND.
ZAY: SO THIS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MOAI? SERGIO: EXACTLY.
ALMOST ALL OF THE MOAI WERE CARVED HERE.
ZAY: AND WHAT YEAR DID THIS PRACTICE START, BUILDING MOAI'S? SERGIO: I THINK FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN THE POLYNESIAN ARRIVED TO THIS ISLAND THEY BROUGHT WITH THEM THE CULTURE OF THE ANCESTOR.
SO THE ANCESTOR ARE REPRESENTED BY THESE STATUES.
IN THE BEGINNING THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STYLE, OF COURSE AND THROUGH TIME THEY'VE CHANGED AND BECAME LIKE WHA WE'RE SEEING HERE.
ZAY: AND HOW WERE THEY MAKING THEM? SERGIO: THEY WERE MAKING WITH A VERY SIMPLE TOOL, YOU KNOW, MADE OU OF STONE LIKE THIS.
DENSE BASALT, [INAUDIBLE.]
BASALT.
THEY WOULD MAKE 100 OF THESE AND BEING USED AND DISCHARGED EVERY TIME THEY PRODUCE A MOAI.
SO HERE IN THE GROUND AND OVER THIS SURFACE WE HAVE THOUSAND AND THOUSAND OF THEM.
ZAY: AND THEY'VE LASTED THAT LONG? SERGIO: OVER A THOUSAND YEARS OF TRADITIONS, YEAH.
ZAY: NOW HOW COULD A STONE-AGE PEOPLE POSSIBLY RAISE UP THE MOAI? SERGIO ILLUMINATES ME.
SERGIO: THIS IS THE MIDDLE SIZED MOAI'S ABOUT 40 TO 50 TONS.
IF IT'S SMALL IT WOULD HAVE A CONE SHAPE LIKE A ROCKING CHAIRS.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THE BIGGER MOAI WILL HAVE A CONCAVE BASE THA ALLOW THE STATUES TO BE MOVED BACK AND FORTH AND SIDE TO SIDE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE BASE HAS TO BE INCLINED FORWARD, MAYBE BETWEEN 5 TO 7 DEGREES.
SO WHEN YOU MOVE THIS STATUE, IT'S LIKE MOVING A REFRIGERATOR, TILTING AND PULLING FORWARD.
TO ME, THE MOS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION OF RAPA NUI CULTURE IS ACKNOWLEDGING HUMANITY, IS THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSPOR A STATUE OF 90 TO 100 TONS FAR AWAY FROM THE QUARRY MAYBE 12 TO 15 KILOMETERS AWAY.
MOVING THEM INTO VERTICAL POSITIONS LIKE [INAUDIBLE.]
.
IT IS THE ABILITY TO DO I THAT'S NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD THAT I KNOW OF.