Author: Astone Miya

  • Camel Safari

    Camel Safari

    Camel safaris draw many visitors to Rajasthan. They allow an insight into otherwise inaccessible desert interiors and a chance to see rural life, desert flora and wildlife.   The ‘safari’ is not a major expedition into the middle of nowhere. Instead, it is often along tracks, stopping off for sightseeing at temples and villages along…

  • Moorish Spain in 5 places

    In AD 711, an Islamic army from North Africa crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and began an invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. That conquest resulted in the creation of Al-Andalus, a domain of the vast Umayyad Caliphate. Though the last Moorish ruler was expelled from Granada by the Christian monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand in 1492,…

  • How to take great photos of festivals

    How to take great photos of festivals

    Improve your photos of festivals with these expert tips from pro travel photographer Steve Davey.   At pretty much any given time, there’s some kind of festival taking place somewhere in the world – and that’s usually the most exciting and atmosphere time to visit that destination. Think of Venice during Carnival time; the tomato-spattered Tomatina…

  • Best of Sri Lanka

    1 Galle Face Green, Colombo Whether it’s sundowners at the Galle Face Hotel or mingling with the masses out on the Green, sunset from this iconic promenade is an essential Colombo experience. Make time to see the atmospheric Gangaramaya Temple and the beautifully restored Dutch Hospital – chock full of shops and restaurants. 2 Wilpattu…

  • What to do in Barbados

    Cricket Cricket is king in Barbados and everybody has an opinion on the state of the game as well as the latest results. Going to watch a cricket match is an entertaining cultural experience and well worth doing, even if you don’t understand the game. Village cricket is played all over the island at weekends;…

  • What to do in Bolivia

    Birdwatching Birdwatching is just getting underway in Bolivia as an organized activity. It offers great potential but requires considerable effort. The country is estimated to have over 1300 bird species, about 40% of the total found in South America, which range from macaws to condors, and hummingbirds to rheas. All national parks have opportunities for…

  • Best of Cuba

    Best of Cuba

    1 La Habana Vieja Fortresses, palaces, churches and mansions frame the grand plazas of this Spanish colonial city which has barely changed since the 19th century. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the main focus for tourists to the capital, with buzzing streetlife and iconic sights. 2 Las Terrazas Part of a Biosphere…

  • Six of the Best Gastro Experiences in Andalucía

    In no country in the world are culture and society as intimately connected with eating and drinking as in Spain, and in Andalucía, the spiritual home of tapas, this is even more the case. Tapas in Sevilla Sevilla has the richest tapas culture, from espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas) to solomillo al whisky (steak…

  • Mount Everest

    Mount Everest

    or 13 years after it was found to be the highest mountain in the world, Peak XV had no European name. In 1865, the then Surveyor General of India suggested that it be named after his predecessor, Sir George Everest (1790-1866), the man responsible for the Great Trigonometrical Survey, completed in 1841, which ultimately determined…

  • Six extreme sports and accessible alternatives

    Sure, you might not want to run across the Sahara or ride colossal waves – so here are ways of experiencing the thrills without the peril in Thailand, Morocco, Bali, Greenland, France, and Sweden   Husky sledding Traverse Alaska in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race… The challenge dubbed ‘the last great race on Earth’…