As you’ll know if you’re a regular reader, my goal for 2013 is to become fluent in Farsi (Persian) by the end of the year. A big part of this attempt, I previously wrote, would be done by totally immersing myself in the language on trips to Iran, a country…
I dip in and out of a multitude of blogs these days, in between finishing up my book, writing my own blog and getting ready for Janapar’s release. But there are few which exude the sheer quality and craftsmanship to hold my attention long-term. Here are the best examples I…
Entirely unbeknownst to me, a friend of a friend snapped this fantastic image in early 2008. To me, it represents a fascinating collision between the concerns of a wandering cycle-traveller, consulting a street-map to find the right road out of the city, and a grim moment in a nation’s history —…
Now for something less cringy than a film about myself: another photo round-up from the Middle East. While following the Nile from Cairo to Aswan on my bicycle, I was continually struck by the complete absence of other travellers. I’d always thought Egypt was supposed to be one of the…
I got stoned in Jordan. I also got tomatoed, window-framed, slapped and sworn at. When you’re alone, language-less, and unable to understand why you’re on the receiving end of several daily doses of hurtful xenophobia, it’s pretty tough on morale.
