Dunhuang, China July 8th, 2010 I had been travelling west along parts of the Silk Road and had reached Dunhuang at the eastern end of the Taklamakhan desert. The town has the feel of a ghost town with its wide empty streets, empty cafes and general air of good times gone bad. Even the travel … More Mogao Caves of Dunhuang
In Search of Hidden Gompas Qinghai province, China June 28th, 2010 I was in what used to be the Amdo province of old Tibet but is now called Qinghai, in western China. Someone in Xining told me about little known and less visited monasteries high in the mountains near Xining where incredibly there are still … More In Search of Hidden Gompas
Lake Nasser, January 7, 2010 “Open, open bag” said one of them impatiently, his flashlight flickering over my daypack. When the beam ebbed he muttered under his breath and thumped the flashlight against his palm until it steadied. “Permit?” barked the other one as he looked at the straggly line of people who had got … More Rescued From a Watery Grave
Bagan, Burma Aug 10, 2009 On the banks of the Irrawaddy in Burma, is a vast open area dotted with a multitude of temples and stupas. Built mostly between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, in a Burma that was united under Theravada Buddhism this was once a grand and shining city, reputedly awing Marco Polo … More Faded Glories
Saigon, Vietnam June 21, 2009 I have been trying to see if I could wing it on my own to the much-talked-of Mekong delta and chances are I could possibly make it there but transport back is dicey. In Vietnam, if you are a tourist, you are firmly put in a box labeled “Tourist”, deemed … More The Mekong Delta
Ratanakiri June 15, 2009 I wanted to go trekking in the hills of the north-east. In part because I was beginning to hanker after mountains and in part because this area sees few tourists, especially in the rainy season. It was far enough off the beaten path to suit me. And so began the interminable … More Among the Pnong
Chichicastenango, Guatemala January 11, 2009 Chichicastenango is a town in the highlands of Guatemala. At 2023 meters above sea level, it enjoys crisp weather with a decided nip in the air at this time of the year. There is enough of a nip for the locals to shuffle around under multiple colorful layers and for … More Market Day in the Highlands
Manaus, Brazil July 2008 I had for so long wanted to go into the jungle and live my dream. I wanted to go in for multiple days taking with me no food. I wanted to sleep in hammocks between trees, and eat only what we caught or picked. I wanted to learn about traditional ways … More Into The Jungle
The Hammock that Did Not Sway Belem June 30, 2008 There is this dream I had for a long time – to sail up the Amazon and then go into the jungle, living off what I could find there. And so after meandering my way up the coast from Rio, stopping in various places, I … More The Hammock That Did Not Sway
Pelhorino, Brazil June 10, 2008 After Rio I went up along the coast to Salvador, the capital of Bahia. This is where the famous olodun drums and heart-pounding, throbbing music of Brazil comes from. Although different parts of Brazil each have their own kind of music, Salvador is arguably the musical capital of Brazil. And … More Music of the Oloduns
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 