Yearly Archives: 2021

(Click for: Ganga Aarti : Sacred Hindu Chants) It is said that Lord Shiva, one of the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity, created the city of Kashi (Varanasi) with his hands. That is why Varanasi, one of India’s seven holy cities, is said to be the country’s spiritual capital. The holiest parts of this sacred city […]

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In these days of rolling lockdowns and seriously curtailed travel, flying feels like a thing of the past. But, last year in October, I managed to get on not one, but two different airplanes in the space of a few days. Like most travellers with international itineraries, I was flattened in 2020 when Covid-19 pulled […]

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Life in for the semi-nomadic Kara (Karo) people in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley is simple – simple, but not easy. There is no electricity and no running water. The people live in dark, circular huts made from sticks and grass. Tradition dictates one’s place and ritual determines one’s behaviour. Every day, the women grind sorghum on […]

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It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic location for a most picturesque city! Surrounded by steep, snowcapped mountains with glaciers tucked within them, and sliced by deep fjords and fast-running rivers, historic Bergen has long Viking roots and rich Hanseatic heritage. The iconic medieval harbour district Bryggen is immediately recognisable with its colourful collection of […]

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When I’m travelling, I love to get out onto the water – or better yet, into the air – to get a different perspective on a new landscape or cityscape. After a day of exploring Muscat at ground level (see: Sacred Spaces and Between the Past and the Future), I had the chance to take […]

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