• London, city of contradictions [16/50]

    London, city of contradictions [16/50]

    London is a city of contradictions, from a copious amount of public transport, to royal chariots for the Queen, from numerous homeless people, to lavish townhouses for Russian oligarchs, from one of the World’s most open and multicultural populations, to European-skepticism and a distaste for the mono-brow and excessively Modern (watch out Perth). London is…

  • Pattaya, city of bodies…[15/50]

    Pattaya, city of bodies…[15/50]

    A good way to make the transition from South Asia back into the (over) developed countries of Europe and the New World is via a stopover in Thailand. This is because Thailand is an easy country to travel within and serves as a segue for other more challenging journeys (well, in reality, Thailand gets 14…

  • Kolkata moments [14/50]

    Kolkata moments [14/50]

    Kolkata in West Bengal, India, is possible one of the most exciting and challenging cities that I have ever visited; nothing quite prepares you for it. I remember when I first came here in the mid-1990s how I felt a combination of fear, excitement, and horror, all at the same time, each emotion competing for…

  • Pokhara [13/50]

    Pokhara [13/50]

    I spent the past week or so in Pokhara, Nepal’s second city after Kathmandu, a fairly relaxed city with a smallish population. It sits on a lake and has sporadic views of the Himalayas, most notably the scary looking Machhapuchhre occasionally sneaks a peak between the clouds. Machhapuchhre, or Fishtail,  has never been climbed,  not…

  • Annapurna says NO! [12/50]

    Annapurna says NO! [12/50]

    I spent the past two weeks hiking to Manang and back on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. It is a spectacular trek; one of the world’s greatest high altitude treks. The village of Manang is at about 4000 meters, well above the snow line and yes, it snowed a lot. I had planned to go…

  • Annapurna Circuit Nepal [11/50]

    Annapurna Circuit Nepal [11/50]

    At the moment, I’m a place called Manang on the Annapurna Circuit in the Nepalese Himalayas. I hiked for six days to get here; it takes about 15-20 days to do the complete Circuit which involves hiking over the Thorung La Pass which at 5400 metres, it perhaps the world’s highest. It has snowed pretty…