Author Archives: MountainTraveler

One day in Swaziland

SWAZILAND, OCTOBER 2000 - Arriving in South-Africa, especially when landing in Johannesburg, seems like arriving in a major airport of  the USA.  You see the same high-rise buildings, the modern airport buidings with parking lots, taxi-spaces and rental cars… But what … Continue reading

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Chased by an elephant

KRUGER PARK, OCTOBER 2000 -  A travel to Africa is not complete without a safari tour.  That’s what they say… So I went on a safari tour.  I had no big expectations to begin with.  “We’ve seen it all on National Geographic … Continue reading

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Climbing Mt. Sinai

DAHAB – SINAI, OCTOBER 2004 - We were staying for 5 days in Dahab in Sinai, on the Red Sea coast.  From Dahab I made a trip to Sinai mountain, which is an hour or so away, and climbed this holy … Continue reading

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Ras Abu Gallum

DAHAB – RED SEA, OCTOBER 2004 - We were staying for 5 days in Dahab in Sinai, on the Red Sea coast.  This place is often referred to as the Ibiza of Egypt.  But we found it a very relaxing place, … Continue reading

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The people of Tibet

TIBET, MAY-JUNE 2001 -   What makes Tibet so special ?  Its people.  This story tells the tale of the people of Tibet I’ve encountered on my travels through this amazing part of the world, and is meant as a tribute to … Continue reading

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Mount Kailash Kora – continued

KAILASH, JUNE 2001 - continued… Day two The big hiking day ! Today we had to cross the highest point on the kora, Drölma-la, about 5600 metres.  I woke up and the cold I had been developing the last couple of days, was … Continue reading

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Mount Kailash Kora

KAILASH, JUNE 2001 - After a bouncing drive of several days on the high planes of Tibet, after having crossed numerous high passes, after more than a week without a shower, we finally arrived on the sacred place of  Mount Kailash.  In … Continue reading

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Saga Dawa, moments of magic

TARBOCHE (KAILASH), JUNE 2001 - This is the story about one of the most impressive moments I’ve ever witnessed anywhere.  Still now that I’m “back with my feet on the ground” for some months already, I sometimes wonder if I was really … Continue reading

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Destruction and reconstruction

GANDEN, MAY 2001 - The Chinese occupation of Tibet has destroyed a lot in past times, and in present times this destruction of Tibetan heritage and culture still goes on.  This is a rather sad story, but it’s a story I … Continue reading

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A visit to the nunnery in Lhasa

LHASA, MAY 2001 - Lhasa, the spiritual centre of Tibet… The former residence of the Dalai Lama is now a deserted museum and isolated from the old Tibetan part of town, which is the Barkhor area surrounding the  heart of Tibetan budhism, the Jokhang … Continue reading

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