Samburu Reserve – a semi-arid region dotted by green riverine duom palms To the north of Nairobi, around 350 kms away, is the small but important Samburu National reserve – which derives its name from the Samburu people who have lived here for ages. A place of endless skies, dust-red plains, open grasslands with clusters of...
I was quite surprised when I heard that name ‘Kashoggi’ during my trip to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. I was visiting the Ol Pejeta house (a Serena property), I learnt that the Ol Pejeta House (within the Conservancy) had some very famous owners and had quite a colourful history. The name Kashoggi would ring...
Where being polite is a way of life, cross talking is a strict NO-NO, where people address each other adding a “san” to the name, where speaking loudly in public doesn’t happen, where being late is not an option… Sounds too good to be true? Well, this happens in Japan… Intrigued? There is more! So how many...
Blush pink candy floss trees stand to greet you as you stroll through Japan during spring transporting you to a fairy land. It’s the time for Cherry Blossom or Sakura Spring in Japan is every photographer’s, artistes or for that matter every one’s dream. The images clicked during Cherry Blossom look like postcard images. Seems too...
Amboseli National Park in Kenya is a bundle of contradictions and truly a unique ecosystem in Kenya or Africa for that matter. With far more numbers and species of mammals than can reasonably be sustained in this small region and with an impressive 400 species of birds, this small park of 392 sq kms is...
The Masai Mara is a savannah grassland – with the picture of vast rolling landscapes dotted with the occasional acacia with the background of the distant bordering hills. You will also find Riverine forests by the many streams and rivers (like the Mara and the Sands river). I had been to Masai Mara in April /...
An African safari is on the bucket list of many travellers especially Kenya. The mesmerising experience of stark, beautiful landscapes – be it the dry arid environment of Samburu in Northern Kenya, the grasslands of Masai Mara / Serengeti or the swampy grasslands of Amboseli - combined with the sheer pleasure of watching animals in...
Fences are considered to be an important tool in the conservation battle. It is thought to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and promoting human development (agriculture) outside the parks while giving a semblance of protection to the park. However, it has been criticized that fences have been ineffective in its primary objective and have in fact given...
Tinos is a Greek island, part of the Cyclades on the Aegean Sea. Its earlier name was Ophiussa (Ophis means Snake in Greece – the island was once infested with a huge number of snakes) and Hydroessa (Hydor is Greek for water and the name came because of the number of springs on the island)....
I visited Heraclea Lynkestis while in Bitola in North Macedonia and was quite impressed by it – in particular, the mosaics. Below is some more information on the mosaics – all the information is courtesy a very helpful gentleman, the in-charge of the architectural site who gave us an impromptu lecture on the site. I...
