It’s a popular misconception that the Maldives can’t be experienced and enjoyed on a budget – it certainly can. Local water taxis to idyllic outlying islands and staying in budget friendly local accommodation will save you a fortune. With a little bit of research, the white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters can be yours…
Ribbons of reds, oranges and yellows slice through the rock, to create a rainbow vista contained only by the contours of the jagged mountain peaks. Acclaimed as one of China's most beautiful landforms, it sits in a class of its own.
Stark and arid, there are few water courses to sustain life. Following the Silk Road east from Ürümqi, I was still skirting the northern reaches of the inhospitable Taklamakan Desert, at the foot of the Tian Shan mountains. Where the occasional stream did emerge, people settled and worked the small flashes of green fertile land.…
