After debating the pros and cons of slum tourism in my previous post we decided to go ahead with a tour of the Dharavi slum in Mumbai by Reality Tours & Travel. At 8.30am we journeyed from Colaba to Dharavi and prepared to enter one of the most densely populated places on the planet. Continue reading
For many years I’ve been a big fan of Indian literature. Some of my very favourite novels are by Salman Rushdie, Rohinton Mistry, Vikram Seth, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai. The slums of India often feature in these books and I’ve long been fascinated by the microcosmic worlds of these cities-within-cities. Continue reading
Our time in Myanmar is at an end. I haven’t always loved it, to be honest, but we’ve had some good times. Here’s my best & worst. Continue reading
There is an assumption that Buddhism is rational, modern and liberal in matters of gender, especially in comparison with Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. But is it? I think not. Here’s why. Continue reading
We have spent just over three months in southeast Asia. Here they arguably make the most beautiful and impressive places of buddhist worship, whether they are called wats, payas, temples or pagodas. During these months I couldn’t help but become a bit of a wat connoisseur (or wat snob) myself. Continue reading
For the last 4 days of our Myanmar trip we’re staying at The Strand in Yangon, a historic hotel that has been frequented by George Orwell, Rudyard Kipling, Orson Welles and (most impressively) Mick Jagger. Continue reading
I’m an atheist. I believe that when we die it’s lights out, game over. Continue reading
This is the first country we’ve visited where locals want to have their photos taken with us. In Cambodia 20 years ago that happened all the time but now westerners are a dime a dozen there. Continue reading
Since Myanmar began to encourage tourism a few years ago, it’s become the “place to go” with many travel journalists advising to “go now” while it’s relatively unspoiled by hordes of tourists in the way that Thailand has been. Continue reading
I felt a touch of homesickness today for the first time on this trip. Not bad going, I thought, since we’ve now been away for 3 months. Continue reading