‘Sukran’, Arabia! The searing sun basks its golden sunrays, piercing through chunks of cumulus clouds. The silhouettes of camels, embellish the undulating terrain of ups and downs. The oblique cresses adorn these orange waves of sand, like God’s epitaphs. You can hear the susurrus murmurs of traditional Arabian music, creating an ethereal aura, of the … Continued
The sweet scent of freshly baked bread rode a crisp wind to greet me, gently pulling me from my intended path to the train station. Nowhere to be in a hurry, I let the comforting aroma lead me to a nearby bakery. Perfectly uniform pastries lined the inside of the snow-framed window, their appearance as … Continued
Imposing cliffs stand like faithful sentinels all around us, their far-reaching shadows a testament to the many lifetimes they have watched these waters before our arrival today. Turquoise water spreads around our boat, waves stretching for kilometres before ever meeting shore. The sun hangs high above us, its rays drying the sea water on our … Continued
It really is a jungle. Crazy, exotic, and absolutely full of people. During my first couple of weeks, all I could do was focus on their feet. Focus on their movements. There were just so many of them—there still are. I am constantly surrounded. How can there be this many? I can never walk more … Continued
Are You Willing To Give Up Your Life for You? A few years ago my best friend was debilitated by an unrelenting illness and was anticipating a diagnosis that would mean further deterioration. She was a single parent and I routinely traveled the seven hours between us to accompany her to her myriad … Continued
Stepping Off I placed a check mark underneath canopy tour. It sounds so benign. I abruptly walk away, my heart thundering in my chest, a queasy sensation in my stomach. I’m in Costa Rica on a writer’s retreat. I had promised myself before leaving home that I’d zip line, ignoring the cortisol in … Continued
On October 3, 1999, I stood in disarray on the edge of a sidewalk in Singapore and stared at a busy street. I looked up from the small cars and motorcycles rolling over the steaming asphalt to the sixth floor of Singapore General Hospital. How did I end up here? was the only thought … Continued
Not Quite Hi Ho Silver in the USA A grainy Kodachrome slide shows me sharing a saddle with a park ranger somewhere in California. My look of sheer terror tells the whole story. At the age of five, I made a lifelong decision to avoid horses. When I was 12 peer pressure caused me to … Continued
‘Well, if you feel like you should go volunteer in South Africa, then go.’ I starred at the screen of my iPhone, reading the words from my mother over and over again in disbelief. I had been talking about volunteering in South Africa for months, but for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to spend the … Continued
There is a special magic about first times. The first time that I screwed up my courage, took the leap of faith and jumped outside of my comfort zone, I landed in Xalapa, Mexico. Unaccompanied, I traveled to a place where the only person I knew from home was my faculty advisor, Dr Tony Serna. … Continued