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A Road to Mandalay
Come you back to Mandalay Where the old Flotilla lay: Can’t you ‘ear their paddles chunkin’ from Rangoon to Mandalay? On the road to Mandalay – from The Road to Mandalay by Rudyard Kipling
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The Wonders of Lake Inle in Myanmar
I was woken by the murmur of the long-tailed boats from the lake beyond the gardens of our luxurious hotel, Amata Garden Hotel. The smell of rose petals lingered in the air around me but not from the bushes in the flower beds – they were floating in my bath. Due to an over-booking situation I had…
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Yangon and a Trio of Temples
Despite a constant ebb and flow of visitors Shwedagon Paya in Yangon was a place of peace and serenity. Clusters of individuals worshipped in silence around the many small shrines offering up beautiful fresh flowers and fabulous foil decorations.
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A Carnival in Venice
As I emerged from the confinement of the Arrivals Hall into the fresh air a frisson of excitement rolled through me - ahead of me the vast expanse of the Lido glistened under the rays of a bright winter sun and beside me the water slapped against the wooden jetty. The engine of our water taxi…
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Galapagos Island Adventures
As my chair slid across the deck at great speed I grabbed the side of the boat to arrest my flight but it came away in my hands – it was the small table that had been set up for lunch and then stored behind my chair. I finally came to rest on the other side of the boat ...
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Pottering Around Puerto Ayora in the Galapagos Islands
Getting to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz one of the Galapagos Islands was an adventure in itself and more so due to the vagaries of the airline Tame ...
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A Fruitful Visit to Otavalo in Ecuador
Ecuador Highway 35 between Quito and Otavalo passes through some of the most spectacular scenery in Ecuador. On one side the land drops away into the valley and on the other side peaks of the Andes tower above. Workmen balanced on these heights repairing the ravages of recent landslides and…
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Oh Little Town of Dimaro
I was on my way to the bus stop in Dimaro to catch the ski bus when I felt someone was watching me. I stopped and turned round to see a life-size Mary with Josef standing by the village water trough ...
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An Intrigue of Iguanas in Guayaquil, Ecuador
When we drove into the city of Guayaquil my first thought was thank goodness we are only staying here for one night. Three hours later I felt very differently about the largest city in Ecuador ...
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An Inca Trail to Cuenca, Ecuador
A line of mist shrouded figures marched across the horizon above me towards a round stone structure that dominated the surrounding countryside. Were they ghosts of the Cañari or the Incas both of whom had lived and worshipped here?
