Unearthing bits of the UAE’s past in Al Qattara Oasis
It is already four years since I last visited the archaeological site in Al Qattara, one of the oases that stretch in the plains of Al Ain. Al Ain, part…
A scrapbook full of sunsets
No matter how many sunsets I have seen, I always scramble on a rock, peak, or headland to admire the next one. I pause in awe. I sigh. I quiver…
Why you should add Kilimanjaro to your bucket list
Mountaineering is not for everyone; and, yet, some unique mountains transmit a special signal to the world, inviting, like magnets, even those who may not be interested in summiting any…
My top 5 memories from Vietnam
Despite the hordes of tourists that land on Vietnam every year, the country has managed to maintain its exotic flair – a cloak of mystery and romantic elegance – that…
Dhayah Fort: The Last Point of Resistance
Since the dawn of human history, geography has determined, to a large extent, the fate of nations, and has frequently been the science on which further evolution was based. More…
Masirah in Sharqiya: The Jewel in the crown of Oman
The first time I set sail for Masirah was in June 2004. As the ferry boat approached the jetty at the port, amidst waves that raged all around us in…
India: The Golden Triangle and Uttarakhand
"India will beat the restlessness out of any living creature". Although this quote from the “Life of Pi” – an all-time favorite book and movie of mine – had already…
Suzanne's Top 10 Memories from Mongolia
The rugged land of Mongolia – an area that gave birth to some of the most relentless warriors of the human race, bred tribes that changed the course of history,…
Sweden's Secret Food
Walking through the tundra lands of Swedish Lapland, the region’s respect and reverence for nature is evident. Swedes abide by the tenet of “Freedom to Roam” — the freedom for all…
Autumnal Symphony
By the end of October, time seems to have slowed down – maybe because the nights have already gotten longer. The prelude of an ending wafts in the air; it…
On pathways
On the Inca Trail Our lives are frequently elated by the presence of a new pathway: the beginning of a new strand that unfolds unannounced, when least expected, catching…
The Blue Desert
It was on the 9th day of our hiking pilgrimage through the Sinai Peninsula, finally entering the territory of the Jebalaya tribe and, hence, approaching Mt. Moses and the St. Catherine…
Twilight Prayers by the Tomb of Hāfez
Pigeons flying over Shiraz at sunset time By the time we left our lodging in the old neighbourhood of Shiraz, the sun had already been tucked away by the…
Folklore stories and friendly encounters on the island of Moni
Small boat in the Aegina port advertising the trips to Moni island. It seems almost surreal that there would be an island close to Aegina, just one hour away…
Stories from the Amazon Rainforest
Deep into the Amazon Rainforest Act I – Night Our boat glided through the darkness on the large surface of Tambopata, the Amazon tributary in the Madre de Dios region.…
