Tag Archives: travel Kumbh Melas are among the largest religious gatherings in the world. According to the BBC News, which published pictures of the 2001 Allahabad Kumbh Mela taken from space, that particular mela was “probably the largest human gathering in history”. The more recent mela in Allahabad (Prayagraj) in 2013 attracted an estimated 120 million devotees over […]  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 […]  “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 […]  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 […]  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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