First Taste – Accra, Ghana, West Africa

Ahhh Accra. Like a pie in the face, it hits you with some serious humidity not dissimilar to Bangkok. I challenged myself to go to West Africa, and despite reservations (mostly revolving around diet) I ended up getting there for the first time in 2006. I’ve been back to the region twice since and back …

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First Taste – Delhi, India

Welcome to another ‘first taste’ post, which have proven, thus far, to be quite popular! (Thanks readers!) Today I want to recount my first taste of India, back in 1999. Even for the traveller who’s been to a few places, India can be a bit of a shock when you first arrive. For me, I …

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Culture Shock: Part Three – Returning Home.

Today, I am writing about the inevitable reality that almost all travellers face, unless they are travelling professionally that is and when they come home it’s only to say hello, and pack for the next trip. Coming home can be a serious ‘culture’ shock that is not easy to deal with, and I am facing …

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Culture Shock Part Two: First Experiences in West Africa

When I went to India, I was a very green traveller. It was my first solo trip, the first time I had travelled alone. When I went to West Africa in 2006, I couldn’t claim the same. I had been to India three times, I had visited Bangladesh twice and been through Pakistan and Iran …

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Culture Shock Part One: India

I’ve been working on Short Journeys: India lately (due out in April) and thinking of some of the experiences I’ve had there and thought that ‘Culture Shock’ would be a good topic to write a blog on. This will be a three part article over three weeks (check on Sundays for the next part!) with …

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