Walking around a bend in Palo Santo forest on the remote island of Genovesa, I grind to a halt. A short-eared owl is perched on a wooden bridge barely a yard away, fixing me with beady eyes and clenching its talons.

Yet despite my close proximity, the magnificent creature doesn’t move an inch. That’s the joy of the Galapagos – getting to see nature up close and personal.

Here, in this archipelago of 19 volcanic islands, you are 600 miles from Ecuador, deep in the Pacific Ocean. You are also in a location renowned among zoologists and ornithologists for its amazingly rich abundance of wildlife.

Located on both sides of the Equator, it is here that Charles Darwin landed in 1835 on the Royal Navy sloop HMS Beagle – his observation of species such as the giant tortoise and mockingbird inspiring his theory of evolution.

Now I am following in his footsteps. 

Seeing the short-eared owl is not the only treat in store. Francisco Dousdebes, my guide on Genovesa, says sea lions, boobies, giant tortoises and gulls can all be witnessed up close. As he adds: ‘The Galapagos really changes the mindset of travellers and allows them to immerse themselves in nature.’

My journey begins with a two-hour flight from Ecuador to the island of Baltra, before catching a ferry to Santa Cruz, home to the Charles Darwin Research Station. The temperature is 16C (61F) and there’s a warm breeze, but the landscape is arid, dotted with cacti. Not what I’d expected.

Nature teems in the surroundings. Oblivious to tourists, sea lions loll in the sunshine as pelicans swoop above the harbour wall. I board a bus to the highlands, traversing mangrove coastline towards a reserve to see the famous giant tortoises.

Here, hibiscus, citrus and avocado trees, as well as scalesia – giant daisy trees indigenous to the Galapagos – are found.

The sound of yellow warblers fills the silence, and monarch butterflies flitter as giant tortoises, lumbering around, munch on the vegetation and wallow in shallow pools.

It’s a short bus ride to the island’s main town, Puerto Ayora, where you can join the Galapagos expedition yacht La Pinta for a four-night cruise around the islands.

After welcome bubbles and a buffet dinner I roll into my cabin where I’m lulled to sleep by the rocking of the yacht. At dawn, you can lie in bed and watch the sunrise over the tiny islet of Eden off the north-western coast of Santa Cruz.

The time has come for our first excursion on the Zodiac dinghy – an exploration of the coast of the islet, the remains of a volcanic ash cone.

You cannot land on the island but the wildlife is abundant on the dramatic coastline, dotted with prickly pear and candelabra cacti. Sea lions bask in the sunshine. Great piles of marine iguana lie on top of one another, looking quite content despite the squash. Red rock crabs lurk in crevices, while pelicans sail above the azure-blue sea and blue-footed boobies plunge with precision to catch their prey.

For the more adventurous, the deep blue waters surrounding the island are the perfect playground for kayaking and paddleboarding.

Or you could take a ride in La Pinta’s glass-bottomed boat, a favourite of children aboard the yacht and those who are not such keen snorkellers.

The next stop is Chinese Hat, one of the smallest islands in the archipelago, formed when a volcano on the nearby Santiago Island erupted, spewing lava and rocks into the sea to form a volcanic spatter cone.

Sauntering along a 1,300ft (400m) trail, which begins on the crescent-shaped white sand coral beach, home to a sea lion colony, we step over marine iguanas, spread-eagled like starfish in the sunshine, and more red rock crabs.

But the piece de resistance is snorkelling in the crystal-clear waters amid white-tipped reef sharks and Galapagos penguins. I spot jewel-coloured rainbow wrasse with iridescent pinstripes, silver sergeant major damselfish, bright blue king angelfish and shoals of yellow-tailed surgeonfish.

The following day, it is up at the crack of dawn for a sunrise walk on the island of Bartholomew, named after the naturalist and lifelong friend of Darwin, Sir Bartholomew Sulivan, who was a lieutenant aboard HMS Beagle.

After clambering up the wooden steps to the top of the island – an extinct volcano with red, orange, green and black formations – you come to a jaw-dropping view.

In the foreground is Pinnacle Rock, a volcanic rock that rises out of Sullivan Bay like London’s Gherkin. In the distance you can see the enigmatic outline of Santiago Island, where Darwin spent six days. Santiago is not just one of the best places to swim and snorkel, the island is also a favourite among green turtles for mating and nesting. Then there is the geology.

The trail over a lava field created by a series of 19th Century volcanic eruptions is fascinating. It’s an eerie landscape with lava resembling twisted rope.

Afterwards a dip or a snorkel around the white coral sand beach is highly recommended, though I’ve never seen so many mosquitoes. Insect repellent is a must.

On the final day on La Pinta, we motor to Genovesa, which has become known as ‘Bird Island’ because of its numerous and varied avian species.

It is here, after climbing Prince Philip’s Steps, named for the late Duke of Edinburgh after he visited the Galapagos in 1964, that I first spot the short-eared owl, hidden in the undergrowth. But it’s not the only natural wonder: red-billed tropic birds soar overhead, darting between their nests and the bay as I clamber up the steps to a seabird colony, full of Nazca and red-footed boobies. At the end of the trail, I stand by the edge of a rocky lava plain and watch, entranced, as storm petrels and frigatebirds swoop out to sea.

According to my guide Francisco, Prince Philip, who visited the Galapagos islands three times, described it as an ‘unfiltered wildlife experience’.

Who am I to disagree?

Canary Islands officials beg residents to lose their ‘tourismphobia’ and warn growing resentment towards holidaymakers such as Brits could see a slump in their crucial tourist economy

• The islands have seen resident protests against holidaymakers this summer

By Christian Oliver

Updated: 21:13 EDT, 31 August 2023

Google ‘driving in Greece‘ and the search results are alarming for holidaymakers in waiting.

Road rage is in the DNA of Greek drivers, says the Internet. No one in Greece has passed their test – they all bribed the examiner, we’re warned.

And red lights? They’re not really red, more ‘dark green‘ for the Greek road user.

And as for driving on the islands, it’s practically anarchy – apparently – with few road signs and perilously narrow and twisty cliffside routes featuring heartstopping drops to the sea – with no safety barriers.

It’s enough to put anyone off hiring a car in Greece.

But I’m here to tell you – don’t be.

In July, I spent a week driving around two Greek islands – Kefalonia and Ithaca – and not only did I survive, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Even when the roads lived up to their perilously narrow and twisty billing.

Said roads on these two islands are among some of the most spectacular in the world and well worth the occasional heartstopping moment.

I travelled to Kefalonia on a Jet2holidays package with my partner and young daughter, diverting across to neighbouring Ithaca via a car ferry for a few days before returning to Kefalonia for a final night and the flight home.

We made our forays around the thoroughfares on these Ionian gems in a Thrifty hire car booked through Jet2 that we picked up at the airport, the keys handed over at the desk by a wonderfully cheerful lady.

And it was a scam-free process, incidentally.

Car-hire firms are notorious for pushing their insurance policies. I had my own insurance though, and braced for a hard sell on buying Thrifty’s – but it never came. My disclosure about already being covered was met with an exclamation of ‘oh, perfect!’

Our car was a Toyota Aygo, which had a piddly sewing-machine engine. And I quickly discovered that it offered no pull at all in second gear up any sort of incline.

And on Kefalonia – there are a lot of inclines.

It’s an extremely mountainous island, dominated by the imperious Mount Ainos to the south of the island, which has a summit 1,628m (5,341ft) above sea level.

We were staying on the west coast at the Electra Kefalonia Hotel & Spa, with vehicular incursions that included journeying over to the town of Sami on the east coast and to the pretty village of Assos on the north-west coast.

How would I sum up the drives? Breathtaking. And full of surprises.

The roads on Kefalonia can go at the drop of a hat from being dual-carriageway-wide to so narrow you have to squeeze past oncoming traffic at walking pace.

And inclines of 20 to 25 per cent on Kefalonia can rear up with no warning whatsoever.

The Greeks seem to view road signage as a luxury optional extra, along with road markings.

There was one irregular four-way junction near our hotel that had no road markings at all – and negotiating it involved saying a little prayer each time.

The first time we drove to Sami we took a detour along a scenic back road that appeared on the map as a seemingly random squiggle.

The views were amazing. For the passengers. My eyes were glued to the road, which was… challenging. Full of switchbacks and manic ups and downs.

At one point, we met a car coming the other way on a very steep single-track section.

The driver of the other car surely had seen me coming when he was some distance away and could easily have pulled over on a reasonably wide section of road.

But no, this was Greece, where the sensible option is often swapped for the silly one.

The driver came barrelling down the road until we met on a single-track section so steep that when he came to a halt inches from my bonnet and I yanked the handbrake on – we still rolled backwards.

Once I’d halted our descent, and with my daughter belting out songs from Matilda the Musical in the back, I took stock.

At first, the driver in front of me indicated that I should reverse… before changing his mind and realising he could inch past on the verge.

Praise be. But that still left me with a brutal hill start.

We eventually hit the main road to Sami, which was glorious – wide and enjoyably sinuous (with plenty of crash barriers on the steep bits).

What’s more, for much of the time we had the road to ourselves, slowing only occasionally for wandering goats.

The drive to Assos was similarly eye-catching, with a dramatic descent from the lofty mountainside main road to the coastal village involving multiple hairpin turns.

All good practice for neighbouring Ithaca, where even the main roads feel like the back of beyond.

My family and I, and the Aygos, arrived on the island via an Ionion Pelagos ferry from Sami, a sailing that lasted just 30 minutes or so.

Then the fun began.

Ithaca is a rugged little number and our explorations involved inching the Aygo through impossibly dinky villages, around full-lock hairpin turns and along cinematic hillside roads from our base of operations – the boutique-y Perantzada Hotel 1811 in the main town, Vathy.

With superyachts anchored in the bays and cicadas in full song landside, we ventured to the impossibly cute coastal villages of Frikes and Kioni and to stunning Filiatro beach, reached from Vathy along a road festooned with mirrors to allow drivers to see what’s coming around the corners.

Want a sneak preview of what’s in store via Google Street View? Not an option. The Google car has yet to board the ferry to Ithaca.

At first, I’d cursed the Aygo and its lack of torque, and came close to taking it back to Mrs Cheerful at Thrifty for an upgrade, but after a few days of sneaking into crowded beach car parks and past oncoming traffic on those slender, serpentined village roads, I had a change of heart. The bigger the better? When it comes to cars on a Greek island, definitely not.

And what about that famous Greek road rage?

I didn’t witness any, but did see lots of impatient drivers.

For instance, I was beeped from behind by a car that couldn’t get past me on one occasion – because I was driving slowly in the middle of the road through a small village, simply being mindful of groups of pedestrians walking along both roadsides.

Oh, and Greek drivers tend to approach in the middle of the road and course correct at the last second. Which is slightly unnerving.

But drive carefully, keep your eyes on the road and not the views to the side, and your ego in check – and you’ll be just fine.

In fact, it’s likely you’ll have the drive of your life.

Love Island is set to have its first black winner, to the delight of ITV bosses who have faced years of accusations that the dating show is racist.

Whitney Adebayo is favourite to be awarded the £50,000 prize during Monday’s final, which executives would consider a ‘big win’ for the under-fire network.

Although the reality show has had mixed-race winners before, it has been dogged by accusations of bias.

Black contestants are often the last to be chosen when islanders pick who they want to couple up with at the start of each series, and several cast members have spoken openly about prejudice after leaving the TV villa.

Yewande Biala, who appeared on the fifth series, wrote an open letter in which she spoke about ‘microaggressions’ and called out co-star Lucie Donlan for repeatedly mispronouncing her name, which she said, ‘is just another form of racism’.

Amber Gill, who is mixed race with Trinidadian heritage, won that series with Greg O’Shea. 

And earlier this year Sanam Harrinanan and Kai Fagan, of Indo-Trinidadian and Jamaican heritage respectively, became the first non-white couple to win after starring in the show’s winter series.

Now TV insiders predict that entrepreneur Whitney, 25, will be crowned Love Island 2023 winner alongside her partner Lochan Nowacki, also 25.

A source said: ‘Whitney has won over the nation and ITV bosses could not be happier. 

‘She has topped the public vote time and time again so the prediction is that she will go all the way and be crowned champion. Although she will be winning as part of a couple, it is Whitney who is the favourite among viewers.’

When Sanam won, she said: ‘I’ve had a lot of brown girls from the Asian community come up to me and say I saw you on TV, we never get any representation.’

Unlike any other summer season, this year’s Love Island, hosted by Maya Jama, has managed to avoid major controversies, and no contestants have quit early.

Love Island winners: Where are they now? From marriage and babies to bitter splits and shunning the spotlight… how our favourite couples got on AFTER the show ended

The 10th series of Love Island is about to kick off, with 10 sexy singletons gearing up to enter the famous villa. 

They may all be competing for a £50,000 cash prize but the winners can expect to start a whole new life after the show ends. 

From landing giant sponsorship deals to walking down the aisle and having children, some winners have stood the test of time.  

Sadly not every couple have remained together and while some have gone on to great success, others have faded from the celebrity scene. 

Now MailOnline takes a look what happened to the winners of the last nine seasons.

Season One (2015): Jess Hayes and Max Morley 

Jess Hayes and Max Morlye, both 30 years of age, found themselves on the surprise hit of the summer when they signed up for the first ever series of Love Island in 2015. 

Although the contestants became stars, the reality show wasn’t quite the guaranteed star-maker it is today. 

The couple walked away with the prize money, pipping favourites Hannah Elizabeth and Jonathan Clark to the top spot.

However their showmance didn’t last long and the pair split just six weeks after the cameras stopped rolling. 

Max was quick to dust himself off and dated a string of other reality TV beauties including fellow former Love Islanders Zara Holland (series two) and Laura Anderson (series five). 

He also appeared on Ex on the Beach in 2017 and had a fling with Charlotte Crosby. 

Since then he has faded from the limelight and is thought to be working as a recruiter.

He rarely posts on social media and has not revealed who his partner is but they had a baby boy called Brooklyn in November 2021.

Jess has also experienced the joys of parenthood. 

The social media star, who boasts almost 400,000 followers on Instagram, fell in love with mechanic Dan Lawry in 2018. 

The couple welcomed a baby boy, Presley, the following year and her Instagram account is testament to the love and devotion she has for her son. 

She and Dan were engaged after Presley was born but broke up in May 2021 and now co-parent their son.

In April Jess tragically suffered a second miscarriage and has been praised by fans for helping other women by speaking about her experience. 

Season Two (2016): Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey

Cara De La Hoyde, 32, and Nathan Massey, 30, didn’t have a typical life after Love Island but they still managed to make their romance work.

After he left the villa Nathan had to go back to working on a building site within six months.

The carpenter admitted he was embarrassed to return to work so soon but he is now happily married to Cara and the pair are one of the only winning couples remaining together.

Cara and Nathan tied the knot in June 2019 and have two children together – daughter Delilah, four, and son Freddie, two.

The couple have remained in the public eye and Cara has often spoken about her struggles with depression, anxiety and OCD.

Since she was 16 she has been on various medication to deal with her mental health issues.

The star has been very open about her troubles and has accepted she may always have bouts of depression.

Season Three (2017): Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay

Amber Davies, 26, and Kem Cetinay, 27, stormed to victory in season three but it was just four months before the fan favourites broke up.

Despite this, since the couple took the Love Island crown in 2017, both Amber and Kem have had successful careers on and off the screen.

Amber has made appearances in reality shows such as And They’re Off! as well as documentaries including Amber & Dolly: 9 to 5 and When Reality TV Goes Horribly Wrong.

She soon began a career in musical theatre, starring as Judy Bernly in 9 to 5: The Musical, Campbell Davies in Bring It On: The Musical and is currently playing Lorraine Bains in Back To The Future: The Musical.

In December she revealed she’d found love at work, confirming she is dating her Back to the Future co-star Ben Joyce.  

Meanwhile, Kem released a single with fellow Islander Chris Hughes that peaked at 15th in the UK music charts.

He also began co-presenting the podcast Love Island: The Morning After with Arielle Free in 2018 but the pair were replaced by Sam Thompson and Indiyah Polack this year. 

Kem also owns a restaurant in Romford called Array, a move that came as a shock to fans as he failed to impress on Celebrity Masterchef. 

Season Four (2018): Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham

Jack Fincham, 32, and Dani Dyer, 26, took the season four crown after being a fan favourites from day one.

They famously refrained from having sex in the Love Island villa and went on to win the nation’s hearts as Jack sweetly asked her to be his girlfriend.

Days after leaving, Jack told The Sun: ‘We’re getting married next year, 100 per cent. Like my mum said to me so many times, “When you know about someone, you just know.” And now I know what she’s talking about. I just know that that’s what we want to do.’

However, the romance wasn’t to last and even though they moved into their own flat the couple broke up after five months.

Dani has made several TV appearances, including as Jeanette in EastEnders last year alongside her father Danny.

She welcomed son Santiago with ex-boyfriend Sammy Kimmence only for him to be jailed for three years in 2021 for scamming pensioners out of £34,000.

In May she welcomed twin daughters with her West Ham forward boyfriend Jarrod Bowen, naming the newborns Summer and Star. 

Meanwhile, Jack shares a baby daughter called Blossom with one-time fling Casey Ranger.

Jack has struggled to find success after leaving the villa and has even had a brush with the law.

The TV star was spotted by police in January 2021 in his £30,000 Mercedes near his home in Swanley.

Prosecutors said he was found to have high levels of cocaine by-product, as well as Valium, in his blood, but his lawyers argued that the blood test taken was a ‘false positive’.

Jack later had his drug-driving charges dropped after a lack of ‘reliable evidence’.

Season Five (2019): Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea

Amber Gill, 25, and Greg O’Shea, 28, swooped in to beat favourites Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury in 2019 despite Greg only entering the show two weeks before the final.

However, their short-lived romance wasn’t sustainable outside of the villa, with Greg dumping Amber ‘by text’ just 39 days later – a claim he denies.  

Since her skyrocket to fame, Amber has been inundated with brand sponsorship deals and was the face of clothing brand, MissPap, in a deal that was reportedly worth £1 million.

She also made a string of guest TV appearances since her shock win and has also released a romance novel and appeared on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins last year.

But with greater popularity comes greater pressure, and the Love Island winner revealed she was struggling to find her perfect match and worried that she attracts men for the wrong reasons. 

Last year she confirmed that she was dating footballer Jen Beattie after revealing she dates both men and women. 

Meanwhile, Greg O’Shea returned to Ireland to carry on his rugby sevens career.

He famously turned down big money deals in favour of training for the Tokyo Olympics, where he and his teammates came tenth in the rugby sevens.

Season Six (2020): Finn Tapp and Paige Turley

Paige Turley, 25, and Finley Tapp, 23, won the first-ever winter edition of Love Island in early 2020 as the pair were crowned champions in South Africa.

The couple quickly moved in together and were able to stay happily together throughout the Covid pandemic.

Finn later credited lockdown with helping their relationship, saying: ‘I think lockdown helped in a way whereby you didn’t need to come out [of the villa] and then get pulled from pillar to post everywhere and stuff like that. 

‘It was nice to actually just have a little bit of time. I didn’t really want all of that time that we ended up having because of lockdown. 

‘But it was nice having that little bit of time to continue to work on Paige and I and it just sort of grew from strength to strength.’

However they called it a day in April after three years together, with the pair said  to have realised they ‘weren’t forever’. 

Insiders claimed: ‘Paige and Finn had a really good run, but they are still super young and decided it wasn’t forever in the end.’

Adding that they are now living separately, they continued: ‘Paige is spending some time back in Scotland while she works out what she wants to do next.’

Paige, who used to date popstar Lewis Capaldi, has since suggested she wants to launch a singing career, having previously appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.

Season Seven (2021): Millie Court and Liam Reardon

Millie Court, 26, and Liam Reardon, 23, managed to win season seven despite struggling through a tough period when Liam’s head was turned in Casa Amor.

The couple lasted for a year before splitting the following July amid rumours Liam had been unfaithful, claims the pair strongly denied. 

Addressing the split, Millie shared with fans: ‘It’s been a tough decision and I am gutted but it’s ultimately what is best for us right now. Thank you to every single one of you for supporting our relationship.’

Liam echoed her sentiments and penned: ‘Nothing will ever take away from the amazing experience we shared in Love Island and the past year we’ve been so lucky to both come into each other’s lives.’ 

Their tale had a happy ending, however as the pair reconciled in April . 

Season Eight (2022): Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti 

Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 28, and Davide Sanclimenti, 27, had a bumpy ride in the villa but won the nation’s hearts with their real yet rocky romance.

The pair went on to land their own TV show, where they travelled to their hometowns in Italy and Turkey to meet each other’s families.

Ekin-Su also experienced more reality TV as she signed up for Dancing On Ice shortly after leaving the villa.  

But the couple announced they had split last month following an 11 month romance.

Ekin-Su returned to Instagram last week after her split and wrote: ‘Hi everyone, I thought it was time to come back online to thank you so much for all of your messages over the past 2-weeks.

‘It has shown me what a kind, supportive, strong community I have behind me. I took some much needed time away with my family which has been really special but now it’s time to realign & get back to work.

‘I have such an exciting year ahead & I want to fully focus on that. I really appreciate your ongoing support. Thank you for cheering me on. Ekin x’

Season Nine (2023): Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan

Kai Fagan, 24, and Sanam Harrinanan, 24, made history with their win in season nine as it’s the first time a Casa Amor bombshell has been victorious. 

The down to earth couple won over fans with their laidback attitude and have not chased after the spotlight since leaving the villa.  

Sanam worked as a social worker before the show, and in a new interview she had admitted her decision to appear on Love Island has put a halt to her previous career.

‘I can’t go into social work again, I don’t think I’ll be able to,’ she admitted to heat Magazine.

She added though that she has plans to use her new platform to help her local community.

‘I’ve got a meeting about it this week with my social work manager because I want to be able to use this platform to help children locally,’ she explained.

She previously revealed she plans to use some of the £50,000 prize money to support her mum – who he is on her own after her dad passed away – as well as potentially invest in projects to help children. 

P.E. and science teacher Kai meanwhile has said he hopes to continue working with kids but knows his career path will most likely have to change.

NAME: Tyrique Hyde

AGE: 24

FROM: Essex

OCCUPATION: Footballer 

WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE VILLA? I’ll bring vibes, confidence, good energy and honesty. I don’t sit on the fence, if I have an opinion I will speak up. I’m also not afraid to go after what I want 

CLAIM T0 FAME? Toby Aromolaran is one of my best friends, we grew up together and were in the same class at school 

NAME: Catherine Agbaje

AGE: 22

FROM: Dublin 

OCCUPATION: Commercial Real Estate Agent

HOW WOULD FAMILY AND FRIENDS DESCRIBE YOU? Someone who is fun and a loving character. They know I have so much love to give. 

I’m always smiling, I’m always happy, I’m always laughing. You’ll always see me with a smile on my face.

NAME: Mehdi Edno

AGE: 26

FROM: Bordeaux/London

OCCUPATION: Communications Manager/Model 

ARE YOU READY TO FIND THE ONE? Yes. I’ve been busy for the last few years with work, and doing my Masters degree but now I’m done with the busy schedule, and ready to find love. 

THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO HAVE IN A PARTNER?  Looks are important but they aren’t everything, a good sense of humour and someone who is outgoing and up for an adventure is what I’m looking for.

NAME: Ella Thomas

AGE: 23

FROM: Glasgow 

OCCUPATION: Model 

WHAT’S YOUR CLAIM TO FAME? I’ve been in a Headie One and Burna Burna Boy music video and I was once an extra in World War Z. I was 12 years old when I filmed it and got to meet Brad Pitt which was cool.

WHY SHOULD SOMEBODY DATE YOU? I’m the whole package, I know what I want in life and I’ve got a big heart. 

NAME: Mitchel Taylor

AGE: 26

FROM: Sheffield 

OCCUPATION: Gas engineer 

WHY SHOULD SOMEBODY DATE YOU? I thrive on being a gentleman. I’ll shower you with flowers, I’ll take you on dates, I’ll fill your bedside drawer with your favourite sweets and chocolate. I’ve been single, I’ve had my fun and now I want to settle down. 

WHY ARE YOU SINGLE? I’m just really picky. I’ve got to find the girl that I want to marry and have kids with. I’m nearly 27, I don’t want to play the field anymore, I want to find the one. 

NAME: Jess Harding

AGE: 22

FROM: London

OCCUPATION: Aesthetics Practitioner

WHY ARE YOU SINGLE? Because every boy is giving me the ick at the moment. I feel like it’s fate because I’m saving myself for Mr Right in the Villa!

WHAT GIVES YOU THE ICK? When a guy stunts for money, that’s an ick. Showing off all their designer clothes because most of the time they’re probably fake anyway! Another one is when a boy runs for the train and the train goes without him. Lunch Boxes also – just go to Tesco and get a meal deal! 

NAME: Zachariah Noble

AGE: 25

FROM: South East London

OCCUPATION: Personal trainer and basketball player

WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE VILLA? I’m a very chilled out guy and I’m completely myself 100% of the time. I’m quite straightforward and never struggle making friends, I like to look after people.

WHAT GIVES YOU THE ICK? I’ve got two and they’re both really stupid; Bad handwriting – I’ve got terrible handwriting so they’d need to have better handwriting than me and twerking, I really don’t like twerking! 

NAME: Whitney Adebayo

AGE: 25

FROM: London

OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur

WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE VILLA? Good vibes, I can be really silly and funny but I can also get deep. It depends on the person and the situation but I am a very adaptable person, I know how to read the room.

DO YOU FALL IN LOVE QUICKLY? Real love, no. I can fall in lust but I don’t fall in love quickly. My big thing is trust, I’ve got to trust you fully before I can give you my heart. I won’t give you my heart for free, you’ve got to earn it.

NAME: Sammy Root

AGE: 22

FROM: Kent

OCCUPATION: Project Manager

WHAT WILL YOU BRING TO THE VILLA? I’ll be the energy in the villa, lots of guys have pretty faces and nice bodies, which I have too, but I’ve also got the bubbly personality, I’m a bit of a firework

HOW WOULD FRIENDS/FAMILY DESCRIBE YOU? Funny, bubbly and good to be around. I’m a bit cheeky too.’

NAME: Leah Taylor

AGE: 27

FROM: Manchester

OCCUPATION: Business Owner (Social Media Marketing)

DO YOU FALL IN LOVE QUICKLY? This is difficult because I would have said that I was a slow-burner, but I think that’s because I’ve been more closed off in the past. In all honesty, I’m such a hopeless romantic and now because I know what I want, I can’t wait to be in love again.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CLAIMS TO FAME?  When I was a dancer, I actually danced at the EMAs and danced for Rita Ora and Camila Cabello. Maura Higgins is one of my best friends and we watched her best bits together one night and couldn’t stop laughing, she’s hilarious.

———————————————————————————————————

NAME: Scott Van Der Sluis

AGE: 22

FROM: Connah’s Quay, north Wales

OCCUPATION: Footballer 

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BRING TO THE VILLA? Energy. I’ll bring a bit of banter, be cheeky, and I’m a flirt! very, very strong personality so if I see anything I don’t agree with, there’ll definitely be fireworks!

WHAT GIVES YOU THE ‘ICK? Someone who gets too clingy too quickly. I don’t like too many calls and too many texts. I’m not a fan of someone wearing Nike Air Force 1 trainers with a dress on a night out either or waking up with someone and seeing patchy fake tan in the morning. 

NAME: Mal Nicol

AGE: 25

FROM: Edinburgh, lives in London

OCCUPATION: Picture researcher

WHAT KIND OF BOMBSHELL ARE YOU GOING TO BE? I don’t have a game plan and I have never been one to be smooth with flirting. I know I can’t flirt, I can’t dance and I can’t sing, but I can guarantee I’ll be able to laugh them into my bed.

WHY ARE YOU GOING ON LOVE ISLAND? Since I moved to London, having the balance of seeing friends, work and gym, it’s really difficult to date at the same time. It’s quite exhausting to date in the real world.

NAME: Montel McKenzie

AGE: 25,

FROM: East London

OCCUPATION: Job: Account Manager and semi-professional footballer

WHICH ISLANDERS HAVE YOU GOT YOUR EYE ON? My top three right now would be Catherine, Leah and Ella. Ella for me is generally my type, Catherine carries herself well and seems like a classy girl. Leah seems very chilled and that’s the kind of person I am.

WHAT MESSAGE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE ISLANDERS? Watch your girls because the guy that gets all of the girls is coming into the Love Island Villa.

Maya Jama put on a show-stopping display as she sizzled in a stunning designer figure-hugging dress for the Love Island’s Aftersun on Sunday evening.

The host, 28, looked nothing short than sensational as she slipped into a £5,500 pale orange dress from Jean Paul Gaultier.

The stunning vintage garment boosted her ample assets with a busty corset, and featured a silk panel on the front.

The bombshell wore a glamorous  ‘Cone Bust’ Blush Peach Corset Dress which perfectly flaunted her jaw-dropping physique.

Before sizzling on the first spin-off episode of Love Island’s season 10 – Maya took to her TikTok account as she showcased her stunning moves while dancing to J Hus. 

Maya wore her raven locks loose in waves with a centre parting, framing her sensational looks.

She donned a flawless glamorous make up palette, with a rouge lipgloss and rosy blush. 

‘Aftersun first show tonight live at 10pm ITV2,’ she penned the clip.

The first episode of Love Island: After Sun saw Paige Turner admitting lockdown contributed to the end of her three-year relationship with Finley Tapp.

The Scottish singer, 25, who won the first ever Winter series of the show in South Africa back in 2020 with her Recruitment Consultant ex Finn, 23, reflected on their separation during the first episode of the series.

Paige, who looked incredible in a black cut out dress for the ITV2 appearance, insisted the pair are ‘still good friends’.

Speaking to Maya, she said: ‘We’re still really good friends. I think we drifted apart. We did lockdown together and any and every struggle we could have faced we were faced with.’

Paige insisted: ‘We are still good friends’.

Maya went on to ask the blonde beauty if she is looking for a new partner yet, the singer added: ‘No, no, not for a while’.

Paige appeared on the spin-off show alongside former co-star Shaughna Phillips who joked ‘she’s the new bombshell’ heading into the villa.

Paige replied: ‘No I’m not but if he [Finn] goes in there he will be in trouble, we’re not having an Adam Collard bombshell again’.

Previously the couple explained that the Covid-19 restrictions actually benefited them during a chat with MailOnline earlier this year.

‘Covid helped us because we got to spend that time together without being pulled from pillar to post. We had a mad three weeks when we came out before lockdown and the quality time that you spend with each other is quite limited,’ shared Finn.

Continuing: ‘So, I think a good bit of advice is to try and make sure everything that is happening around you doesn’t affect you getting that quality time with whoever you come out with’.

The duo are said to have realised they ‘weren’t forever’, according to claims last month, and had allegedly already moved out of their shared Manchester home, with Paige heading back to Scotland while Finn spends time travelling.

The news came from The Sun, with insiders claiming: ‘Paige and Finn had a really good run, but they are still super young and decided it wasn’t forever in the end.’

Adding that they are living separately, they continued: ‘Paige is spending some time back in Scotland while she works out what she wants to do next.’

MailOnline contacted representatives of Paige and Finn for comment at the time.

In April, Paige shared snaps from Scotland as she attended a horse racing event at Ayr Racecourse – with it being unclear whether she was just visiting or has relocated.

While Finn shared snaps from West Hollywood as he spent time visiting the US.

In March, they enjoyed a skiing holiday together, with the last grid Instagram post of the pair together coming on March 20 from Finn.

They met in South Africa during the first ever installment of Love Island’s winter series, going on to win the show and bag a £50,000 cash prize.

But interrupted by the spread of Covid-19, they were plunged into life in lockdown upon leaving the villa – spending time in Paige’s home county of West Lothian.

They later relocated to Manchester and lived in the city since, sharing a lavish apartment together.

Love Island’s Antigoni Buxton displays her toned abs in skimpy pink bikini top and matching mini skirt as she attends launch party in London

By Summer Goodkind For Mailonline

Published: 20:54 EDT, 8 June 2023 | Updated: 20:57 EDT, 8 June 2023

There’s nothing like traffic to spoil the serenity of a long-awaited holiday.

Whether it’s the impatient honk of an overheated taxi driver or fellow tourists clogging up the roads as they tussle with their satnavs.

And that’s aside from the fumes, the dust and all the other environmental horrors thrown up by modern road travel.

So a visit to a car-free island could – save for the odd donkey – be the perfect place to have a truly tranquil break. Here’s a tempting selection…

PEACE IN GREECE

With its sugar almond-coloured houses and a horseshoe-shaped harbour bristling with tavernas and chi-chi boutiques, Hydra is one of the quaintest of the Greek islands.

As for getting around, donkeys provide the main source of transport (not even cyclists get a look in here). Otherwise, visitors need to summon water taxis to visit quiet coves and beaches.

Beloved by Athens’ boho set – Leonard Cohen once lived here – you can also follow trails up Mount Eros, Hydra’s highest point.

Getting there: Ferries leave Piraeus port up to five times per day, taking two hours (ferryhopper.com). Gatwick-Athens return flights from £95 (wizzair.com).

Where to stay: Five-star Mandraki Beach Resort – in the historic bay where ships were launched in the 1800s to protect the Greek seas against the Ottomans – costs from £447 a night (mandrakibeachresort.com).

CAPTIVATING CROATIA 

A seven-mile boat trip from Dubrovnik will spirit you over to the island of Lopud, one of the largest in Croatia’s Elaphiti archipelago. Lopud’s natural beauty – long stretches of sand and the sparkling waters of the Adriatic – makes it a magnet for a drop-and-flop break.

The main attraction on the island is the 15th Century Franciscan monastery, part of which was transformed into the opulent boutique hotel Lopud 1483, sleeping just ten guests.

The monastery is off-limits, but St Mary of the Cave Church is regularly open to the public. You can also cycle through pine-shaded paths or take a leisurely hike up to Polacica, which rises about 700ft above the water.

Getting there: Croatia Ferries (croatiaferries.com) runs a regular service from Dubrovnik to Lopud with a journey time of 55 minutes. Luton-Dubrovnik return flights from around £100 (wizzair.com).

Where to stay: Lopud 1483 (lopud1483.com), prices on request. A week at RMH Lopud Lafodia resort from £1,500 for a superior double room (lafodiahotel.com).

SILENCE IN SARK

The smallest of the Channel Islands – a weeny three miles by a mile and a half – Sark is a place for walkers, cyclists and horse-drawn carriage tours (the island’s family-run horse and carriage attraction dates back to the late 1700s).

Thanks to clear skies free from light pollution, Sark is ideal for stargazing, either from the island’s observatory, where visitors study constellations and track the Milky Way, or at ground level, where all you have to do is look up.

Getting there: The Isle of Sark Shipping Company (sarkshipping.gg) runs a 55-minute ferry from Guernsey. Gatwick-Guernsey return flights from £150 (aurigny.com).

Where to stay: La Sablonnerie Hotel, a former 16th Century farmhouse, is a two-minute walk from the popular sea swimming area, Adonis Pool, and has doubles from £98 per night (sablonneriehotel.gg).

NORTH WALES WILDLIFE

Once a Christian pilgrimage site back in the Middle Ages, these days Bardsey Island, which sits two miles off Wales’s Llyn Peninsula, is a wildlife haven.

If you’re fired up by David Attenborough, you’ll love looking out for the colony of about 200 Atlantic grey seals which dawdle around Bardsey’s coves.

This island is a place of true escape – there are only nine properties to rent. Other than visit its 30m lighthouse (built in 1821 and the tallest square-towered lighthouse in the UK) there are not many ‘attractions’ and no grocery shop, making it perfect for those seeking quiet. But there is the Ty Pellaf farm and cafe where dinner and breakfast can be booked in advance.

Getting there: Bardsey is open for visits from March until October. Day trips are available (bardseyboattrips.com/product/boat-trips), taking about 30 minutes from Porth Meudwy.

Where to stay: Weekly stays in a range of accommodation can be booked with the Bardsey Island Trust (bardsey.org), with prices from about £400.

A FRENCH SECRET 

Forget the splashy Cote D’Azur, the private island of Ile de Cavallo, located between Corsica and Sardinia, is probably the most secluded hideaway in the South of France.

Little wonder it’s sometimes referred to as the Med’s answer to Mustique. It’s also part of the International Marine Park of the Bonifacio Strait – the largest marine natural reserve in mainland France. Mindful of its pristine heritage, boats aren’t allowed to moor in its coves. If you want to explore the island’s dirt tracks, you can do so on foot or in a golf buggy.

Getting there: Take a 15-minute ferry from Bonifacio on Corsica (cavalloisland.com). Gatwick-Figari return flights from about £95 (easyjet.com).

Where to stay: The boutique Hotel & Spa des Pecheurs (hoteldespecheurs.com) has two-night stays from £816.

SWEDISH SERENITY

The southernmost inhabited island in Sweden’s Southern Gothenburg Archipelago, Vrango is a place where people come to swim, eat seafood and enjoy nature – with plants such as wild asparagus sprouting on the beaches.

The vibe is New England – weather-beaten clapboard houses, sea views and the fact the main interests for the 400 or so locals are fishing and boats. The average summer temperature is 21C (70F) – so sunny without being scorching.

Getting there: The ferry from Gothenburg to Vrango takes 35 minutes (vasttrafik.se). Stansted-Gothenburg return flights from about £95 (ryanair.com).

Where to stay: Kajkanten Vrango (kajkantenvrango.se) is a complex of 11 boathouse apartments with a wood-fired floating sauna and hot tub – costs from £1,400 for a week in a studio apartment.

A Chinese language uncrewed fight plane has flown round Taiwan, the island’s defence ministry stated, showcasing Beijing’s capacity to assault its fall-back east coast bases, as a U.S. maritime patrol plane transited the Taiwan Strait.

China, which views democratically ruled Taiwan as its personal territory, has elevated army stress on the island over the previous three years because it tries to drive Taipei to simply accept its sovereignty declare.

This month, China staged conflict video games round Taiwan after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met U.S. Home of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Taiwan’s defence ministry, in an early Friday replace of Chinese language army actions over the earlier 24 hours, stated 38 army plane had entered the island’s air defence identification zone.

A type of was a TB-001 drone, nicknamed the twin-tailed scorpion, which flew round Taiwan, first crossing the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines, then up the east of Taiwan earlier than crossing again towards the Chinese language coast, based on a map supplied by the ministry.

It was noticed between 6 am (1000 GMT) Thursday and 6 am Friday.

Chieh Chung, a army researcher at Taiwan’s Nationwide Coverage Basis suppose tank, stated that in a conflict, China was prone to ship the TB-001 to identify targets on the island’s east coast, the place Taiwan would shelter reserve forces, as bases there don’t face China.

‘It should enable the communist’s army’s naval and air forces within the Western Pacific, together with air drive strike teams or service battle teams, to launch assaults’ on the east coast, he stated.

He added that it was not the primary time a Chinese language drone has flown round Taiwan, however was most probably to first time it did so fully inside Taiwan’s air defence zone.

Chinese language state media has referred to the TB-001 because the ‘twin-tailed scorpion’ and has proven footage of it carrying missiles, saying it’s able to high-altitude, long-range missions.

China’s air drive has flown what it calls ‘island encirclement’ missions with the crewed, nuclear-capable H-6 bomber.

The tensions round Taiwan have alarmed Washington and its allies, which have repeatedly expressed concern at China’s behaviour and known as for no pressured change in the established order.

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane flew by way of the Taiwan Strait on Friday, and a senior French lawmaker confirmed a warship from his nation had lately transited the delicate waterway.

The US, and sometimes its allies, have routinely despatched warships and plane by way of the Taiwan Strait lately.

The U.S. Navy’s seventh Fleet stated the Poseidon flew in worldwide airspace.

‘By working throughout the Taiwan Strait in accordance with worldwide legislation, the USA upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations,’ it stated in a press release. ‘The plane’s transit of the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the USA’ dedication to a free and open Indo-Pacific.’

China’s army stated it monitored the plane, and accused the USA of provocative behaviour within the strait.

China stated final 12 months that it has sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Taiwan Strait, and stated it was ‘a false declare’ to check with the strait as worldwide waters.

The US and Taiwan each say China’s place isn’t right.

Assembly Tsai at her workplace in Taipei on Friday, a French lawmaker and former defence minister stated sending a warship by way of the strait confirmed his nation’s dedication to safety.

‘I wish to inform you that our parliament’s view is that the safety of Taiwan is a vital concern for us and we’re encouraging our authorities to remain alert on safety within the Strait, because the latest passage of our warship has once more demonstrated,’ French Senate Vice President Alain Richard stated.

He didn’t say when the crusing occurred, and neither the French nor Taiwanese governments has formally confirmed particulars. Taiwan’s defence ministry stated this month it was conscious of the transit.

French President Emmanuel Macron lately warned in opposition to being drawn right into a disaster over Taiwan pushed by an ‘American rhythm and a Chinese language overreaction’.