jjaarrvv

London dweller with a penchant for the remoter destinations that the world has to offer. Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute and always on the look out for an unusual tribal festival!

Posts by this author:

Your Guide to the Trans-Gabon Railway

Your Guide to the Trans-Gabon Railway

The epic adventure that is the Trans Gabon Railway crosses the equator, travels through dense jungle and follows the vast Ogooué River to the … View Post
Kongou Falls, Gabon

Kongou Falls, Gabon

When Hollywood producers of the most recent Tarzan blockbuster wanted to film in an achingly exotic land, full of dense equatorial jungle, fast flowing … View Post
Tassi Camp, Loango National Park

Tassi Camp, Loango National Park

A night at the Tassi Camp, ensconced in the wildest depths of Gabon's Loango NP is a must to truly appreciate "Africa's last Eden." View Post
Tracking Western Lowland Gorillas, Gabon

Tracking Western Lowland Gorillas, Gabon

Less polished than its East African peers perhaps, but visiting the lowland gorillas in the unique bio-diversity of Loango National Park, Gabon, is an … View Post
Lowland Gorillas, Loango National Park, Gabon (2 min film)

Lowland Gorillas, Loango National Park, Gabon (2 min film)

Recently habituated, Loango’s lowland gorillas are a rare and little known opportunity to visit these amazing creatures. View Post
Loango National Park – Getting There

Loango National Park – Getting There

Just getting to Gabon's Loango National Park is half the adventure. Read my experiential guide right here... View Post
Loango National Park, Gabon

Loango National Park, Gabon

Equatorial jungle, Lowland gorillas, forest elephants, white sandy beaches and 'surfing' hippos. Gabon's Loango NP is my definition of luxury travel. View Post
Ganvie Stilt Village, Benin

Ganvie Stilt Village, Benin

Built to escape the marauding Fon warriors of the 16th century, today the stilt village of Ganvie, in the middle of Lake Nokoue, still … View Post
Dahomey Palaces, Benin

Dahomey Palaces, Benin

A deadly female guard of "Amazons" once protected the Dahomey King's Palaces. Visiting today is all a lot easier... View Post
In Search of Followers:  Voodoo Festival, Allada

In Search of Followers: Voodoo Festival, Allada

The Allada Voodoo Festival in Benin is a colourful and orchestrated affair... View Post
Voodoo Festival, Benin

Voodoo Festival, Benin

The annual Voodoo Festival held across Benin on 10th January is a spectacle of religion, mysticism and animal sacrifice. View Post
Zhangye Danxia Geopark, China

Zhangye Danxia Geopark, China

Ribbons of reds, oranges and yellows slice through the rock, to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain … View Post
Crescent Lake, Dunhuang, China

Crescent Lake, Dunhuang, China

For the thirsty Silk Road traveller it must have been an extraordinary sight. Small, sparkling like diamonds but more valuable than any gem stone … View Post
Turpan, on the Silk Road, China

Turpan, on the Silk Road, China

Stark and arid, there are few water courses to sustain life. Following the Silk Road east from Ürümqi, I was still skirting the … View Post
Kashgar Sunday Market, China

Kashgar Sunday Market, China

“Even before there was money, there was a Sunday bazaar in Kashgar.” View Post
Dharamsala, India

Dharamsala, India

Dharamsala possesses a raw mountainous and cultural beauty that has touched generations of my family. in 1943 my grandfather wrote... View Post
Embers of Shimla, India

Embers of Shimla, India

A walk down The Mall Road in Shimla is to walk back in time to the colonial era opulence of the British Raj. View Post
Golden Temple, Amritsar

Golden Temple, Amritsar

"Next door was the kitchen where cauldrons the size of hot tubs simmered vegetarian curries and dhaals, stirred by spoons the size of spades. " View Post
Wagah Border Closing Ceremony

Wagah Border Closing Ceremony

Every night, the flag lowering ceremony at the Wagah border post is a flamboyantly patriotic affair between India and Pakistan. View Post
Crossing the Wagah Border

Crossing the Wagah Border

Crossing the Wagah Border demystified and set out foot step by foot step. View Post