Feature

Viña Del Mar, Chile Being dive bombed by a pelican was not something I expected but dive bombed I was this morning. I am on the outskirts of Viña Del Mar, one of Chile’s upmarket seaside resorts, and a hair’s breadth from historic Valparaiso. It takes forever to reach this land if you happen to be a Brit but, when you reach it you realise our two countries have so much in common. Not pelicans, for sure, nor driving - they drive right, we drive left - but definitely we are both[...]

Jebel Akhdar, Oman It is, or rather was, 1986. I was Heaven knows where and Lady Di was sat atop an Omani mountain. Prince Charles was apparently painting while she was taking in the view. They had been married five years. Their chosen spot was the Saiq Plateau of the Jebel Akhdar, 2000 metres above sea level. That is exactly where I find myself now. I may feel at the top of the world but even the Saiq Plateau is low when the highest mountain of the range, Jebel Shams, rockets up[...]

Munich, Germany How Munich has changed and in less than two years. This normally structured and organised city has become…what is the correct word? I know, I will call it haphazard. I am here on a biannual pilgrimage, well almost a pilgrimage, a professional course with my name attached that I have helped run for more than a decade. And apart from so long an association reminding me that the ageing process is something from which none of us escapes, Munich has always been refreshing, inviting, civilised, rejuvenating and fun. But now?[...]

Hij, Oman Disappointed is the right word, rather than upset, as I now realise that however hard we work, whatever we do for Mankind, bar very few exceptions the waters obscure you the moment you fade from public view. Good Heavens, a short while ago a British Prime Minister resigned. Now what was his name? You see what I mean even though when he was in post I recall thinking he was a very decent bloke. Nowhere has driven that home further, to me at least, than the Southern Wahiba Sands of[...]

Ras Al Hadd, Oman Normally I would blame Hamed as, like the rest of Mankind, whenever I make an error it is always someone else’s fault. However, on this occasion, the error was clearly mine. Mine because, quite simply, I have not tried harder to become proficient in Arabic. It was well after dark and at Ras Al Hadd, the most easterly tip of the Middle East, where the sun rises first in all of Arabia. Hamed, my local Omani guide had said, “No problem. When I find turtle you come onto[...]

Assiut, Egypt Somehow I do not think I am a talented self-marketeer. I know I write a lot, talk a lot and travel the world like crazy. But I have missed out on the one item that others seem to proffer at any opportunity - the business card. Big ones, small ones, muticoloured and traditional monochrome. Egypt is full of them. “Here is my card”, “Can I have your card?”, “Can I send you an email?” or even “Can I visit you in England?”. I have lost count of the number of[...]