In a lagoon north of Mullaitivu is a gold-painted ‘victory monument’. It presides over the area where the ‘Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam’ (LTTE) made their last stand against the Sri Lankan army in 2009.
Riding the Whitewash
It’s hard to know when to visit Sri Lanka. December to April is officially the dry season but the weather conditions are somewhat complex with various monsoon seasons affecting different parts of the island at different times.
Conflicting Stories in Sri Lanka
A couple of chance encounters highlighted the dueling narratives of Sri Lankan history and the tensions that still remain following the end of the civil war.
The Art of Amistics
Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag paints images of suburban Sweden in the 1980s transformed by some unexplained technological breakthrough.
Osaka and the Dekasegi
I met my first talkative local wandering Osaka looking for the famous Umeda Sky building.
Tsukiji Fish Market
You can find a lot of dead sea creatures at Tsukiji Fish Market but you wont find much whale meat.
Pasona 02, Tokyo
Right in the center of the biggest city in the world an experiment in agriculture is being conducted.
Tokyo’s Indestructible Skytree
2015 led me back to Tokyo. This time I spent most of my time in the district of Sumida in Tokyo’s Northeast.
Read more…
Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo
The Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo is a run-down testament to the ambition of some of Japan’s most celebrated post-war architects.
The Dogs and Demons of Joetsu
The small coastal city of Joetsu on Japan’s north coast highlights some of the problems facing modern Japan.
Adrift on Mt Myōkō
Earlier this year I tagged along with the Australian/International off-pissed ski team to the slopes of Myokokogen. Matt chose Myoko because the guidebook gave it four and half snowflakes out of five in the ‘powder’ category. Also because our plan called for us to go from there to Kyoto and then onto Tokyo and we wanted to make sure our itinerary doubled as a tongue twister.
Kyoto, Japan’s Spiritual Capital
The old capital of Kyoto is home to about 1600 temples and countless smaller shrines.
Read more…
China’s Firewall and the Siku Quanshu
The National Library of China holds an artifact that represents what must be the most ambitious attempt to control information in history.
Mt Huashan, China
Huashan is a mountain located about 120 kilometres east of Xi’an- China’s old capital. It’s home to some very dicey walking tracks, a really spectacular set of cable cars, a tea house perched on a cliff face and a photo studio with some genuine occupational health and safety issues.
Chengdu & the Chinese Dream
The entry point for my brief tour of China was the southern Province of Sichuan-famed for its incredibly spicy food and baffling theatrical performances. I flew into the capital Chengdu at the start of October and explored the city between bouts of rain before venturing out into the nearby mountains.
Climbing in Ton Sai, Thailand
When I first decided to visit Ton Sai ten or so years ago I discovered getting there was a little tricky.
Diving with Sharks
On South Africa’s western cape we visited the coastal towns of Kalkbaai, Hermanus and Gaansbai.
Africa’s Charismatic Megafauna
In South Africa, the saying goes, ‘wildlife must pay its way’. It’s not enough to be endangered you have to generate revenue to be conserved.