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Tag: history

Hiking to Abuna Yemata | The sacred landscape of Tigray

Hiking to Abuna Yemata | The sacred landscape of Tigray

Often known as the birth place of Christianity, Ethiopia has some of the highest concentration of ancient churches. While the monolithic churches of Lalibela have gained mainstream fame and UNESCO protection, there are more than a hundred incredible lesser known rock-hewn churches in the craggy cliffs of Tigray – all at an altitude between 2,000 to 3000 meters. Most of these churches are still active, hold morning masses, and are incredibly difficult to reach. With many of these churches connected…

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Sailing into the heart of an active caldera | Deception Island, Antarctica

Sailing into the heart of an active caldera | Deception Island, Antarctica

Home to the largest cemetery and the largest colony of chinstrap penguins, Deception island defies all stereotypes about Antarctica. Set in South Shetlands, this horse-shoe shaped island is the only volcano where you can sail right into the heart of its caldera, soak your feet at the geothermal beaches, and visit an old whaling station. First discovered in 1820 by the British, this island has always been of geo-political interest to the international community – from the Chilean, Argentinian and…

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Coming across an off-the-grid community in Belize

Coming across an off-the-grid community in Belize

I have always enjoyed traveling without much planning and seeing where the proverbial journey takes me. Belize is a very small country, so I wanted to get out of the tourist trail and go somewhere off the grid. While exploring the map of Belize,  this place called Little Belize caught my fancy. Couple of reasons: the name itself, and its setting by a lagoon. An unpaved road from the town of Orange Walk seemed to lead right to little Belize….

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Hiking Ciudad Perdida | The Lost City in Colombia

Hiking Ciudad Perdida | The Lost City in Colombia

46 Kilometres in 4 days – that seems very doable quipped a few hikers in our group as Abraham slowly translated after Melkis had explained the hike briefly. Tall and lanky, Melkis had a very calm demeanor. Abraham, an ex-army man, was our young and suave sous-guide and translator for those without the gift of Spanish jab. We had made a rocky 2 and half hour journey from the city of Santa Marta, located at the north-western tip of Colombia, to the base-village,…

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A pleasant Balinese village of White Herons

A pleasant Balinese village of White Herons

About 20 kms odd from the wellness hub of Ubud in Bali lies the small village of Petulu. Ubud makes a great base for exploring the beautiful countryside set in the central foothills of Bali – the ever smiling people, the relaxed lifestyle, the spirituality which lingers in most parts of Bali. I hired a scooter from Ubud to escape from the scores of people who arrive in Ubud and never seem to leave. That is when I chanced upon…

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