Author Archives: Ursula The Sultanate of Oman is a land of forts and castles. Sitting at the southeastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, this Middle Eastern country has always been a centre of regional trade. As early as 120 AD, a branch of Nabataean Arabs arrived in the vast desert interior. By the 1600s, the Omani Sultanate was […]  If you want to knock the long-haul fatigue out of your mind and legs, I can think of no better way than a visit to a Cretan beach. But, I clearly didn’t fully understand the trip description! The fact that I was – by far – the oldest person on the tour bus should have […]  The Inca Trail is a 45 km (26 miles) trek from Piscacucho, a locality 82 km (51 miles) from Cusco, to Machu Picchu. The path follows a small part of the larger UNESCO-listed Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca-built network of roads and tracks through the Andes Mountains. The classic walk is usually done over four days, […]  At a distance, it made me choke up with emotion. Close up, it was simply awe-inspiring! Uluru. Ayers Rock. The heart of Australia. It sits almost dead-centre of a very large land mass, a long way from anywhere else. Formally recognised by UNESCO World Heritage for both its natural and cultural values, it has been […]  The terraced fields of the Kathmandu Valley were bright green and yellow with blooming mustard plants the last time I visited (see: People of the Rice Bowl). I couldn’t help but wonder what it was all being used for! I’ve always thought of mustard as a condiment, designed to add piquancy to an Austrian/Slovenian Kransky […] |
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