Curious Journeys

01/09/2026

Above the clouds, another Nepal

This morning, flying out of Kathmandu, the Himalayas appeared through the clouds — breathtakingly beautiful, peaceful and seemingly untouched.

For seven days I have been in Nepal. We arrived as the devastating floods struck, yet during our time there we were surrounded by the warmth, kindness and beauty of the Nepalese people. I deliberately did not watch the footage of the flooding while I was there.

Only now, having arrived in Delhi, have I seen the extent of the devastation.

And I find the contrast difficult to comprehend.

At 35,000 feet this morning, nature looked utterly serene. Below those same clouds, that very same nature has caused enormous loss and hardship.

I leave Nepal with an even deeper respect for its people, and with my thoughts very much with everyone who has lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods.

Beautiful Nepal, I hope the days ahead are gentler. 🇳🇵

28/08/2026

Will anybody miss me this afternoon if I stay in my room and bunk all activities.

What a lovely view from the open windows in my room at Hotel Dachi in Bhaktapur.

27/08/2026

27 August ‘26: After resting up to try and get over a wee bit of jet lag, I enjoy my first day of activity in Kathmandu.

We visit Swayambhutan (monkey temple) for the festival procession of Gunla.

Later in the day we take a walk around Kathmandu Durbar square for sightseeing.

Other than feeling the twinges in my lower back from ALL the walking and climbing of many many many steps, everything is good with our group in Nepal

#

23/08/2026

THE BAGS ARE (ALMOST) PACKED…

And I’m off. ✈️

Nepal → India→ Painting Tour → Threads of India.

Several weeks.

A camera.

A sketchbook.

An unreasonable number of chargers.

And probably nowhere near enough space on my phone for what I’m about to photograph. 😂

Over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing little glimpses from the road — mountains and monasteries, textiles and temples, people and places, and all those wonderfully ordinary moments that inevitably catch my eye.

No grand plan.

Just curiosity.

So keep an eye on this page and come travelling with me.

I have a feeling there are plenty of stories waiting for us.

And somewhere along the way, I’ll also be gathering the real-life imagery for the next chapters of The Himalayan Pause.

One journey feeding another.

How lovely is that? 🌿

P.S. The Himalayan Pause now has just one place remaining.

18/08/2026

https://www.curiousjourneys.co.za/the-himalayan-pause-2027

THE PRACTICE

Perhaps slowing down isn’t something we find.

Perhaps it’s something we practise.

A quiet morning.

A walk beside the river.

The simple act of sitting still.

A cup of chai enjoyed without distraction.

In Rishikesh, yoga and meditation have drawn people to the banks of the Ganges for generations. But perhaps practice can mean something much simpler too.

The practice of being present.

Of paying attention.

Of allowing ourselves, occasionally, to do absolutely nothing.

There is no right way to pause.

Only the willingness to make room for it.

🌿 The Himalayan Pause

Yoga, Ayurveda, sacred rivers and the art of slowing down.

SlowTravel

14/08/2026

07/08/2026

FRIDAY PALETTE - Bougainvillea Pink
Sometimes a colour can transform a street scene. Here’s a little collection of moments where pink quietly stole the scene.
Wishing you a colourful weekend .
Each week I share a small visual moment from my travels, I explore the stories behind these moments and how they shape the journey I curate.
I’d love to welcome you to Curious Journeys mailing list, https://mailchi.mp/29de1a787852/connect-with-me

05/08/2026

https://www.curiousjourneys.co.za/the-himalayan-pause-2027

Learning to Notice

The older I become, the less interested I am in collecting landmarks.

Instead, I find myself collecting moments.

Morning light.

A smile exchanged with a stranger.

Steam rising from a cup of chai.

Hands quietly creating something beautiful.

The sound of birds before the world wakes.

These are the memories that stay with me.

Perhaps travel isn’t about seeing more.

Perhaps it’s about learning to notice more.