Hola from Guatemala, A walk up an active volcano in Guatemala set a cat among the worried pigeons of my family. “For goodness sake. Haven’t you heard of White Island?” came one reply. After the uneventful excursion and after reassurances had reached their destinations (“Greg, answer us!”), one sedentary sister asked a desultory question: “Was …Read More
Hola from the Amazon jungle in Peru, Picture the scene, a very long way from the Amazon: a classroom in Dubai. All of the students are Arabs from the arid Middle East. They’re used to desert landscapes and they’re used to coping with the vicissitudes of such places. They’re not only used to deserts, they’re …Read More
Hola from the Amazon jungle in Peru, What a shame that it seems we have to perceive something as an economic asset before we value it. It all presupposes human primacy on a planet that we share with other life. The jungle in the Amazon is worth keeping, and not just for its economic value. …Read More
Hola from Peru, All zoo enclosures are too small. No matter how the zoo increases the size with a view to accommodate the needs of the sensate being captured within, it will always be a tiny fraction of the natural habitat. The condor in captivity is a crime. San Diego Zoo has condors on show …Read More
สวัสดี from Bangkok, A former student of mine, from a privileged background, once opined in a Business Management class that workers smile because they enjoy their job, and that they therefore were satisfied with their lot. It was an arresting statement for someone from an egalitarian bent like me. There was an easy answer. They …Read More
Marhaba from Dubai, The more we go without and the less we complain, the more likely we are to succeed. The four million Indians living and working in Dubai are here to capitalise on the commercial chances on offer here. They’re not living in poverty but their cricket is conducted on the barest of assets. …Read More
Marhaba from Dubai, A hilarious telephone call from the chap at reception, where I’d left a bag of clothes for laundry that morning: Was I aware that some of the socks and undies had holes in them? Should they proceed to launder them? After a moment: “yes, go ahead”, I chortled. Perhaps I’m unusual in …Read More
Selam from Addis Ababa, A visit to the Fistula Hospital was the main reason I travelled all the way to Addis Ababa. When I arrived in the taxi, the cautious guards politely advised that there was no entry without a prior appointment. “Hmmm, I’ve come a long way,” I said, worried that the journey had …Read More
ጤና ይስጥልኝ from Ethiopia, The devastating famine in Ethiopia in 1984 is etched in the memories of people who witnessed it from afar as well as those who were close. In Ethiopia itself, the need to drought-proof the country has become a national programme. The results – always likely to be a work in progress …Read More
Halló from Iceland It’s comforting to know that the puffins on Iceland are safe from encroachment of human development. Their saviour is the fact that they want land (steep cliff faces) that humans don’t. The increases in tourists to Iceland in recent decades have placed immense – and growing – pressure on most resources in …Read More