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You have to admire a country of people whose national hero is a poet. There is a saying in Iran that every household should have at least 2 books at home- the holy Koran text of Islam and a handbook …

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When my guide for the day asked me if I knew anyone else who had been to Latvia I thought for a moment then replied no. Apparently that’s the usual response so it feels like I now belong to an …

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A conference in Amsterdam has been the impetus for my latest exploration – a few late summer days wandering the old town and its maze of canals. Amsterdam came about as a settlement of seafaring traders in the Middle Ages. …

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I visited Samoa for a short sojourn- to scratch my scuba diving itch again. It is another slice of Pacific Paradise captured in a few words.. Neat gardens, tidy towns Everyone wearing white walking home from church on Sunday Sultry …

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The Tata in Togo, February 2023

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The final chapter of this journey is set in northern Togo – a small country on the West African coast sandwiched between Ghana & Benin. While many West Africans live in big cities attracted by the prospect of jobs, a …

 

How Do You Voodoo? Benin, February 2023

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  When the West African slaves arrived in the Americas they were forbidden from practising their religious beliefs. The practice of Voodoo has nevertheless survived and thrived with its original birthplace considered to be Benin. It is a religion that …

 

Of Warrior Women and Enemy Heads, Benin, February 2023

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The next part of my journey has taken me to the Republic of Benin. From the 1600s a sprawling complex of palaces were built for the successive dynasty of Kings who ruled the Dahomey Kingdom in current day Benin. The …

 

The Slave Coast, Ghana, February 2023

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According to an African proverb “Unless the lion gets to tell his story the hunter will always be the hero”. And so it is for much of Africa with its history told by the conquerors. So feet on the ground …

 

Christmas in the South Pacific, Vanuatu, December 2022

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I have opted for a week of downtime scuba diving in Vanuatu to see out the year. A warm bath full of colourful fish, brown smiling faces, tropical fruit for breakfast, languid days, learning to stroll slowly, sultry air that …

 

From the Punjab to Peshawar, Pakistan, December 2022

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You only ever hear bad things about Pakistan- a fertile breeding ground for terrorists. I first had the idea to explore Pakistan for myself after reading Michael Palin’s book ‘Himalaya’. Then my Afghan guide filled my head with stories of …