See the World Differently
We stood on the saddle between Northern Ireland’s two highest peaks in blazing sunshine. Looking back down the valley, we could see the seaside town of Newcastle, where our car was parked. The edge of the Mourne Mountains rose in sharp contrast with the perfectly flat patchwork of fields that filled our view all the […]
With a particularly ear-splitting shrill, the seagull dive bombed, narrowly missing me before it wheeled around to attack again, and again. More seagulls lined the path, their angry screeches building into a deafening cacophony as I advanced. It was clear the seagulls at Inchcolm Island were not fond of visitors. The seagull chicks were another […]
With a shaky clunk the cable car passed the pylon at the apex of the ridge. As the next valley came into view, the lush greenery of Hakone gave way to a scorched landscape of steaming vents, stained yellow and white by minerals dredged up from the bowels of the Earth. In the distance, the […]
Diving with seals in the Farne Islands, we kept our eyes peeled for the ghostly shadows appearing in the distance. Despite our best efforts, our quarry found us first. Feeling a gentle tug on my fin, I turned just in time to catch a flash of grey disappearing behind me. Another tug and I turned […]
Leaving the verdant forest and the warm rain behind, we descended into the cool darkness of the Marble Arch Caves. We followed in the footsteps of Martel and Jameson, the first to explore the cave in the 1800s. They confidently ignored the superstitious locals’ warnings about the devils and demons that dwelled within and were […]
We drove along the clifftop at Ta Cenc, an arid scrubland like much of Gozo. Our friend pulled over and parked at the roadside, instructing us to get out of the car. In the middle of nowhere, with no notable landmarks in sight, we wondered why we had stopped. It was reminiscent of landscapes we’d […]
The first rays of light burst over the horizon, bathing the clouds below in pink, orange and gold. Here and there jagged peaks poked through the sea of clouds, all seeming small and insignificant compared to the lofty heights of Mount Fuji, our sacred perch. The sun finally appeared and still everyone was dumbstruck. We […]
Partway up the hill we came across a small, grassy plateau. A row of people stood in silence, bent double with their heads between their legs. Coloured banners flapped in the breeze, each adorned with a cartoon-like character demonstrating the same inverted pose. We joined the line, turned our backs to the sea and assumed […]
Escaping the chaos of the main street, with its tacky souvenir shops, crowded cafes and taxi traffic jam, we weaved through a restaurant and out onto the steps behind. The silence enveloped us as we stood in awe of the view. Golden rice terraces stretched the length of the valley, as far as the eye […]
With a splash our guide hit the water. The dragons heads turned simultaneously and with a unified hiss they started towards us. Their ungainly doggy paddle was both amusing and unnerving at the same time. We were not expecting them to get this close. Our guide had assured us it would be safe to enter […]