Tag Archives: travel

I feel most happy when I’m walking amid green woods, listening to white waters and bird song. One of the things I missed most when I moved from Western Canada to East Coast Australia was the green: that lush green that comes with tall conifers that have grown up through decades (and even centuries) of […]

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“Development” in Papua New Guinea is a double-edge sword. It is hard to imagine how the country could be more diverse! This rugged land of rivers teeming with crocodiles and jungle-clad, mosquito-infested mountains, is home to about 8.5 million people. Predominantly Papuans and Austronesians, the population also includes Negritos, Micronesians, and Polynesians. Papua New Guinea only gained […]

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Birds are captivating creatures. With their diverse and colourful plumage, their wide-ranging shapes and behaviours, and the improbability of their flight, they are magical to watch. I’ve commented before that I have neither the patience nor the equipment to be a proper birdwatcher. But, watch them I do. Whether it is when I’m just sitting […]

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The Mursi people of Ethiopia’s Omo Valley have been called “one of the most fascinating tribes in Africa.” A pastoralist group originating in the Nile Valley, the roughly 7,500 Nilo-Saharan Mursi live in an isolated corner of southwestern Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan. Even today with improved roadways, their villages are remote: I was on […]

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My idea of a great New Year’s party is a trip into nature. The bonus of being “down under” is that the New Year break falls in the height of summer. I escape to Kosciuszko National Park to enjoy fresh air, summer alpine flowers, and some quiet contemplation. I have my favourite walking tracks that I return to regularly […]

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