Tag: Nature

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

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

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

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

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