Tag: Adventure

A Trip to Nepal

May 7, 2025

I had wanted to visit Nepal for some time. Given my love of ancient cities and big mountains, it seemed like a place that I should have been to already, but it was only recently that I first journeyed there. My trip wasn’t part of a work-related writing assignment; it was the result of a plan I had started making with an old friend a few years ago. The Mardi Himal trek is quieter than many others in the Annapurna region. It involves hiking through picturesque villages and verdant forests before ascending a spectacular ridge to a 4,500-metre viewpoint. … More A Trip to Nepal

Adventurous Artists of Antiquity

December 28, 2024

One of the themes that connects a lot of my writing is that of the challenging but rewarding journey. I often think about the topic in the context of the present day, but I am also interested in historical stories of adventure involving travel to distant or exotic places. Nineteenth-century artists David Roberts and Frederick Catherwood were two travellers who played crucial roles in educating the public about the history, culture and architecture of the ancient Egyptians and Maya. … More Adventurous Artists of Antiquity

Red Mountain – An Autumnal Antidote

December 15, 2023

Japan’s summer is very hot. It is also extremely humid. The discomfort begins in June, when rising temperatures coincide with the onslaught of the rainy season. By the time the one-month mini-monsoon wraps up in July, Tokyo has been transformed into a torturous concrete cauldron that bakes and broils its inhabitants as they scurry from one air-conditioned refuge to another. 2023 was the hottest summer on record and led to one of the highest amounts of heatstroke-related deaths in recent years. … More Red Mountain – An Autumnal Antidote

Clearing the Wall

April 30, 2022

There it stands, solemn and resolute, towering towards the sky. . . . Welcome to the wall! It’s this image that comes to mind when I think about any big challenge that must be overcome during a journey towards a personal goal. Perhaps a different mental picture forms during your testing times; you might imagine yourself at the bottom of a deep pit or faced with some other equally formidable obstruction. Whatever shape they take, such impasses are often places where the flickering flames of aspiration and hope are extinguished—never to be relit. … More Clearing the Wall

Magical Moments

February 28, 2022

As a writer based in the world’s most populous urban conurbation, occasionally, I find my clarity of thought overwhelmed by a variety of superfluous sensory stimuli that pollute both the environment and my mind. Fortunately, Tokyo provides easy access to some fantastic national parks and natural habitats that serve as refuges from the chaotic miasma. It is to these places that I regularly try to escape, not only for a quick fix of adventure but also to refocus and seek out moments of balance, comprehension and insight. … More Magical Moments

Humanity’s Legacy

September 30, 2021

The individual journeys we make during our time on Earth are short when compared to the path our species has been on, which extends over millennia. The outstanding monumental remains of various ancient civilisations that are spread across the globe attest to its length. Perennial targets of past and present explorers, they emit an alluring call to people from all over the world—beckoning with the promise of adventure and possibilities yet unrealised. Having withstood the ravages of time, they also hint at the knowledge and skills of our ancestors. … More Humanity’s Legacy

First Light, Last Light

September 12, 2021

Every morning is marked by the appearance of the sun when it climbs out of the darkness of the preceding night and up over the horizon. It radiates warmth, providing all living things with energy. It has been a symbol of birth and renewal for civilisations since as far back as we know, and without it, there would be no life at all. Rising in a silent and stately manner, it carries all the possibilities of a new day. As its power intensifies, we continue ahead on our personal journeys—taking on challenges, surmounting obstacles and striving for our goals. … More First Light, Last Light

Inspiring Scenery

September 3, 2021

Earth is a remarkable place. The planet we live on is unique, and the scope of scenic showpieces it offers is so vast that no one can experience them all during their lifetime. . . . If we don’t have the desire to get up, get out and get away from our usual daily routines, we can expect to see very little at all. However, with sufficient willpower, opportunity and the all-important variable of luck, we might be able to visit enough places to gain a firm firsthand grasp of just what it is that makes our home so extraordinary. … More Inspiring Scenery

The Natural World

August 30, 2021

Despite our variety, we are just one of the species that inhabit this amazing planet. Other living organisms can give us a renewed appreciation for the vast amount of biological diversity we share Earth with. Different parts of the world have different climates, habitats, flora and fauna. We might already be familiar with some of the animals and plant life we encounter during our travels. Others will be new to us and, in certain cases, seem exotic or downright strange. Observing and interacting with the other species that make up the natural world sometimes teaches us important lessons. … More The Natural World

Local Life

August 13, 2021

On the path of adventure, we veer away from what we have always regarded as normal. Seeing and experiencing something different can result in both positive and negative reactions, but regardless of this, new encounters help us to develop and grow. One thing that makes any journey interesting is observing how the communities we come across live. Learning about local culture through traditions, customs, dress, food, drink and typical lifestyle practices leads to more empathy, knowledge and broader cultural horizons. … More Local Life

Pathways

July 27, 2021

Every journey and every adventure begins with a single step along some kind of path. We may not know where they will take us or what trials and rewards they will present us with, but we can be certain that starting out along one of them will open up a myriad of possibilities. Some of them are solitary and straight, heading off into the distance on their determined lonely course. Some are winding and carry the traveller around corners to hidden things, while others lead to unexpected destinations via serendipitous intersections. … More Pathways

Sources of Inspiration – Natural & Built Heritage

March 28, 2021

Heritage can be described as anything that has been left to us, whether intentionally or not, by our predecessors or by the past. It can be quite local and might only seem relevant to particular groups, cultures or communities. However, as it all represents some aspect of humanity or the planet we share, we are all the receivers of this legacy. We may even think of it as a global inheritance that encompasses a broad range of items and concepts—archaeological remains, works of art, landscapes, habitats and more. … More Sources of Inspiration – Natural & Built Heritage

Sources of Inspiration – Adventure Stories

February 28, 2021

The need for escapism has been a constant throughout all ages of recorded human history. Adventure stories cater to this by serving as vehicles that allow us to make enjoyable mental forays into the mysterious and exciting unknown. Some of the oldest myths and folk tales we are aware of have been passed down over centuries or, in some cases, millennia. One can imagine the children of ancient Egypt gazing at the stars while they listened to elders recount the myth of Osiris. … More Sources of Inspiration – Adventure Stories