Some favourite bits of Europe (2020)

120 pages

A full-size coffee table book printed on the highest quality paper, full of stunning photography and many interesting descriptions.

Some favourite bits of Asia (2020)

120 pages

A full-size coffee table book printed on the highest quality paper, full of stunning photography and many interesting descriptions.

Where on earth? (2016)

166 pages

Like most of us, a good deal of my life was spent hostage to a mortgage. In 2004, at age 47, I realised that there was more to life, got my first passport, and began working hard to fill it up.

One consequence is that nowadays people frequently ask me "So what's your favourite destination?" I find this difficult to answer. The world is such a diverse place. Saint Augustine's famous quote is getting a little hackneyed these days, but it's still just as true: The world is a book, and those who don't travel read only one page.

So rather than just give people a vacant look when they pop the question, I thought I might arm myself with this book, which endeavours to respond in a structured way. It may cause some to come to regret their polite curiosity, but at least it will go some way towards answering the question. Where are the world's friendliest people? Grandest buildings? Best food? Cleanest toilets? It's all here ... and much more.

Itchy Feet (2017)

274 pages

A small paperback book featuring well over a hundred of the author's favourite photographs from the four corners of the world.

Silk & Sand (2011)

80 pages

There have been many remarkable feats of human endurance over the centuries. The early trade routes between the east and the west would undoubtedly rank among them. The network of routes, which linked the Chinese capital city Chang'an (now Xi'an) with the Roman empire and the great cities of Constantinople and Cairo, was referred to by the nineteenth-century German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen as the "Seidenstrasse", or "silk road". And although silk was important, so too was the trade in spices, gemstones, glass, perfumes, incense, gold, ivory, coral, furs, ceramics, and much more. Gunpowder, paper and printing, invented in China, were introduced to the west, and music and religions spread east. The trade routes covered some of the most inhospitable parts of the earth, with searing deserts and blinding sandstorms, to frozen high mountain passes. Camels and horses were suited to different conditions and used over different sections. Settlements along the route often provided caravanserais for shelter, although tents made of felt and wood called yurts would be carried and used where necessary. Often hundreds of men and camels would make up a caravan, the numbers providing some degree of protection from marauders. This lavish coffee table book, full of spectacular photography, is printed on highest quality paper.

Pining for the fjords (2014)

64 pages

Few places on earth are blessed with the natural beauty or the striking contrasts of Scandinavia. Right up toward the North Pole, many places experience several months of the year in cold, perpetual darkness, with frequent visits from the eerie green aurora borealis, or "northern lights". In summer there's the spectacular beauty of the lush green forests, lakes, mountains, gushing waterfalls and fjords.

This large, coffee table book, printed on highest quality paper, is made for those who, like Monty Python's infamous dead parrot, are pining for the fjords!

The coffee table book of Australia & New Zealand (2011)

70 pages

A large (33 by 28 cm) book on special high quality paper, comprising photographs from all over Australia and New Zealand over several decades.

Peregrinations (2013)

238 pages

Can't decide? This book features the very best of all the author's travel books up until December 2013. Lavishly illustrated with over a thousand colour photographs. An ideal gift!

Impressions of Europe (2004)

France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, 158 pages

On a short walk around the village to get our bearings, we noticed about fifty pine tree branches attached to the sides of buildings on the edge of the road, to create three- or four-metre Christmas trees. We remarked how much nicer they would be with some decorations and sure enough, within an hour, a squadron of French children arrived and proceeded to hang silver and gold baubles, tinsel and gifts on every tree.

Ut'll Luft (2005)

New Zealand's South Island, 66 pages

In our three weeks touring New Zealand's South Island, only once did we wake to sunny blue skies. But the Kiwis are an optimistic lot. Whenever, as we checked out of our motels, we mentioned our disappointment, we invariably received the response "Ut'll luft." And often it did ...

Travels in Western Canada (2006)

British Columbia & Alberta, 58 pages

One of the most dramatic walks we undertook climbed from Moraine Lake to Larch Valley and on to Sentinel Pass. The upper sections were still well covered by snow, but we went most of the way, and took a diversion to Eiffel Lake, looking across at dramatic views of the Ten Peaks. Weather changed dramatically from broad areas of blue sky to brief light snow flurries, and on occasions an icy wind whistled up the valleys.

Remember Your Manners (2006)

England, Wales & Scotland, 120 pages

They seem to love the colour red. Red phone boxes abounded, often in groups of two or four on every street corner. Red post boxes, often the cylindrical pillar box type, were also abundant. Guards' uniforms at Buckingham Palace and elsewhere were predominantly red. And then there were the hundreds of red double-decker buses and red mail vans. But the London black cabs were, well, black. Except for the ones that weren't.

The Wild West (2006)

South-west Western Australia, 46 pages

We put our names down for a free wildflower walk in the late afternoon. I was expecting perhaps two or three kilometres, possibly five, and judging by the daypacks and water bottles they arrived with, so were the other twenty or so takers. As a matter of fact, during the two hours of the walk we didn't stray more than twenty or thirty metres from our starting point. If anyone had told me this beforehand I might not have bothered, but our extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic host kept us riveted for the entire time.

Third Time to Tasmania (2007)

56 pages

Two nights at the campground in Cradle Valley was very relaxing. There was time for some extended walks. A powerful thunderstorm was a demanding test for my dear little tent ... it passed with flying colours. There was an abundance of wildlife around the place, and one often wondered as one lay in the tent at night what particular fauna was making the scratching noise just centimetres away.

A Big-Nosed Buddha's Impression of China (2007)

72 pages

There were some Mandarin phrases that we learned very quickly. The first was pronounced "Buyao", and it was used to ward off the hundreds of pedlars we encountered, selling everything from fake Rolex watches to hats, postcards, roller wheels and shawls. And then there was the haggling. In the Beijing silk markets, where we were actually dragged by the arm a number of times, we asked how much a painted artwork was and were told 440 yuan. By the time we walked away, having decided not to buy it, this had dropped to forty.

Destination Vietnam (2008)

86 pages

Had I been born just a few years earlier, my first visit to Vietnam may well have been in a khaki uniform. But in February 2008 I was armed only with a camera, on an organised tour with seventeen other Australians, anxious to see a resilient country looking boldly to the future. Nevertheless, the sight of old helicopters peeping out from the semi-cylindrical concrete hangars at Saigon airport was our first eerie reminder that history will always hang heavily over Vietnam.

Je Ne Sais Quoi (2008)

Paris & rural France, 104 pages

Alsace, in the far north-east is an area of half-timbered houses, wine, storks, Munster cheese and tarte flambee, all with a distinct German feel. We lodged in a flat in the village of Riquewihr, directly over a bakery which, like most bakeries in France, made the most wonderful crusty bread. Then a week in Provence, in a renovated inn in the ancient stone village of Saignon. We were too early for the lavender and sunflowers but saw plenty of poppies, roses, and freshly budding grape vines. There followed a week in a modern cottage in the lush green countryside near Sarlat, in the Dordogne, land of truffles and foie gras, where we were lulled to sleep by the therapeutic sound of crickets and owls. And finally a week in the rugged north-west, at Plougasnou, Brittany. We stayed in a rudimentary wellhouse on a farm, and explored the salty coastline, dining on seafood, artichokes and crepes. Three nights in a bed and breakfast on a farm near Tours in the Loire valley enabled us to do the "chateau circuit", and indulge in the lovely food and wines of this beautiful region, including the plump white asparagus that was in season.

A Change of Direction (2008)

Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia & Finland, 110 pages

Though things have changed and assuredly will change further, it's clear that many people, especially the elderly and middle-aged, still carry a lot of Russian baggage. This really hit me when I stood holding the door open for a succession of about a dozen people at a cathedral in Riga, Latvia. Fresh from a month in France, where a little smile and "Merci" was de rigueur, I noted the silence and stony faces of these unfortunate people. And the grim communist attitude of shop assistants and officials has changed little since the days of ration coupons when hours each day were spent queuing.

Fourteen Megametres (2008)

Northern & central Australia, 80 pages

The earth would go from grey to yellow to dark chocolate, from tans to deep russet, bright red and dark maroon in places, foliage on trees went from steely grey to yellow, vivid orange, lush lime greens, blue greys and browns. Even the barks of eucalypts come in an enormous variety of hues, from vivid white to silver, peaches and reds. There was snowy white grass, bright yellow grass, and various shades of green. There were blossoms every colour of the rainbow, and the native birds put on quite a display as well. All this with a backdrop of deep blue skies and some of the most spectacular sunsets you'd see anywhere. You meet some colourful characters on the road too, when you pull up at a rest area or roadhouse.

The Road to Samarkand (2008)

Western China, Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan, 86 pages

Is it a sign that you've come of age as a traveller when you start visiting places you've never heard of in countries you can't spell? Or is it just an appetite for the smug satisfaction of being a tourist who goes where tourists don't go?

Tourism is increasing in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, but for now they are largely untouched by McModernism, retaining a lot of their original flavour from their long history as a crossroads on the great Silk Road. Camel caravans took silk, satin, rubies, musk, diamonds and pearls on a network of routes between the South China Sea and Constantinople, and even as far as Venice and Rome.

Travels with Mummy (2009)

Egypt & Jordan, 74 pages

You don't have to be particularly interested in history and archaeology to appreciate a trip to Egypt and Jordan, but it helps. You don't just go to these places for the scenery. After a week or two, your head will be bursting with pharaohs, hieroglyphs, obelisks, hypostyles and cartouches. By the end of your tour it's hard not to be in awe of the mighty accomplishments and perseverance of these ancient civilisations.

Land of the Thunder Dragon (2009)

Sikkim & Bhutan, 90 pages

Bhutan has only had schools for half a century, roads for about the same time, and television for just a decade. Cigarettes and plastic bags are illegal, giant penises are painted on the sides of houses, men wear tunics to work, and Gross National Happiness is considered more important than Gross National Product. And the King of Bhutan is just 29.

My Holiday in Ruins (2009)

Greece & Turkey, 120 pages

Which brings me to Santorini. Not a ruin in sight. And beautiful Mediterranean spring sunshine. Sales of white paint around here must be astronomical, followed closely by blue. Santorini is the most visited of the Greek islands, probably because it's arguably the most attractive. It does feel enormously good to perch yourself in an al fresco restaurant on the top of a cliff and enjoy a moussaka and a local wine, while savouring a gentle zephyr and watching the cruise boats way below.

Uniquely India (2010)

132 pages

How can a nation with such alarming levels of poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition have one of the world's leading space research organisations or be one of the fastest growing economies in the world? How can its richest man be building a billion dollar house? How could so many of the women who live in a nation of filth and squalor dress so beautifully and colourfully, and send their kids to school in the most immaculately pressed British-style school uniforms? Why is almost everyone you meet so charming and affable? And why do people of my acquaintance who travel widely keep returning to India, believing it to be one of their favourite destinations? The best way to figure it all out was to throw myself in at the deep end, and do a four-week organised tour encompassing most of the country.

Silk Turnstiles (2010)

The Silk Road through China, 92 pages

There have been many remarkable feats of human endurance over the centuries. The early trade routes between the east and the west would undoubtedly rank among them. They covered some of the most inhospitable parts of the earth, with searing deserts and blinding sandstorms, to frozen high mountain passes.

That was then. This is now. In 2010 there is a four-lane divided highway most of the way from Xi'an to Kashgar. The few bits that don't have it soon will. Tourists step out of air-conditioned buses through turnstiles into theme parks that in some cases are beginning to resemble Disneyland, with everything from concrete camels to coloured lights, and the inevitable souvenir shops. There were times that I wished I'd done this trip twenty years ago.

Tangos & Sambas (2010)

Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, 112 pages

Apparently the best way to provoke a heated argument between a Chilean and a Peruvian is to raise the matter of the pisco sour. Both nations claim it to be their national drink. Pisco is derived from distilled fermented grapes, and has an alcohol content around forty percent. Pisco sour results from a mix of half pisco, a quarter sugar syrup and a quarter lemon juice ... or so we were told in Chile. The pisco sours we had in Peru, later in the tour, also had egg whites and a dash of bitters, and to our palates were rather nicer. By the time we'd finished our trip, we'd developed quite a liking for the beverage, regardless of who claimed ownership of it, as we were frequently offered it as a welcome at accommodation places and restaurants.

A Taste of Thailand (2010)

96 pages

A lot of guidebooks are written by naysayers who advise against eating any street food in Asian countries. The advice may be well intentioned and judicious, but it also means forgoing what can be one of travel's delights. Our guide on this tour constantly bought us all sorts of unfamiliar street foods to sample - hot foods, fruits, sweets - and this greatly enhanced our Thailand experience. And no one died.

From Paella to Couscous (2011)

Spain & Morocco, 110 pages

Of course, you can't go to Spain and not attend a bullfight. Can you? Mixed feelings on this, both among tourists and Spaniards. We were assured that a bull suffers less in a bullfight than in an abattoir. Bullfighters train for seven years. At the end of the fight the bull must be killed swiftly and relatively painlessly. The bull's dignity and respect must be maintained. But this didn't gel with what we saw.

Colours of Cambodia & Laos (2011)

92 pages

Each of the nations in Asia's southeast has its own distinctive character, its own flavour. Landlocked Laos and Cambodia are not as wealthy or as visited as their nearest neighbours, but in 2011 I was pleased to be able to fulfil a long-held desire to visit, and to discover some wonderfully friendly people, lovely scenery and beautiful cuisine, all still relatively unspoilt by tourism.

Prints of Persia (2011)

Iran, 110 pages

"Hello, where you from?" is a familiar line to international tourists the world over. Often it's a prelude to a carefully rehearsed and well worn routine by pedlars or pickpockets, but in Iran, relatively unspoilt by tourism (and with virtually no pedlars or beggars), it's meant more sincerely. People enquire out of curiosity, delight in starting a conversation, then wish you a pleasant holiday when you eventually move on. In a bazaar in Isfahan I told my two interlocutors that in many places in the world I'd feel uncomfortable walking alone with my large, expensive camera, but here I felt remarkably safe. "Yes, it is very safe," they concurred.

On Safari in Namibia & Botswana (2012)

72 pages

Some tour operators subscribe to the view that you haven't experienced the "real" Africa unless you've spent a day or two "roughing it". And so we headed off in a 1976 International four-wheel-drive vehicle on to rough sandy trails to a remote campsite in the Moremi game reserve. These campsites are set up from scratch at a number of locations, and have no running water or electricity. The only concession to comfort is a stretcher with a mattress on it. There were portable toilets and showers in their own separate tents, the showers supplied by buckets of heated water hanging in trees. You wet yourself, soap yourself down, then use a little extra water to rinse off. If you run out, tough luck.

From Bohemia to the Balkans (2012)

Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, 114 pages

Cliches such as "the pearl of the Adriatic" have been used to describe Dubrovnik. George Bernard Shaw once said "those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik and find it". Thankfully its walled old town and port on the seaside were relatively unscathed during the city's siege and war of independence in the early nineties, and remain beautifully preserved as a world heritage site.

Impressions of Mexico & Cuba (2012)

116 pages

I grew up with the Warner Brothers Speedy Gonzales cartoons, but other than those stereotypes I had little idea what to expect in Mexico. I kind of expected they'd do Mexican food well, such as tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, tamales, burritos, beans, mole, salsa, chicken itza ...

No, hang on, I'm getting confused. That should be Chichen Itza, something entirely inedible and rather large that we saw later in our trip. It was built by the Maya people, who incidentally had confidently predicted that the world would end soon after we got home (convenient, as I don't think our travel insurance would have covered it!).

Scandinavia in White (2013)

Sweden & Norway, 68 pages

January 2013 had seen record heat in much of Australia, including 46 degrees Celsius in Sydney. At the time, I was packing gear for a February trip to the frozen Arctic, where temperatures could be expected to be up to eighty degrees colder. (And they were!)

On arriving in Lulea, Sweden, we set off into the night during a particularly beautiful fall of large-flaked snow. Cottages along the roadside had little lamps and other decorations in the windows, which cast long shadows onto the metre-deep snow outside. It was as though we were in a fairytale snow dome that someone had just given a particularly vigorous shake.

High Altitude Europe (2013)

Switzerland, Slovenia & Austria, 116 pages

Somehow on my previous trips to Europe I'd always seemed to avoid two of its most beautiful countries, Switzerland and Slovenia. So in 2013 I set out to make amends.

A bite of Ethiopia (2013)

100 pages

A lot of people think Ethiopia is dry, brown and flat. True, much of it is, but other parts are green, rugged and scenic. And there are wonderful old churches to see, many hewn from solid rock, and often containing beautifully colourful murals. See why Ethiopia is an emerging tourist destination.

Sakura ... in search of cherry blossoms (2014)

Japan, 50 pages

There are two special times to visit Japan: cherry blossom time and autumn colours. Both are very ephemeral, but especially the cherry blossoms, or sakura. They're at their best for only a few days, before the petals begin to flutter away in the wind like confetti, or light, flaky snow. Through poetry, music and art, the Japanese associate their beauty and brief life with human mortality.

Scandinavia in Green (2014)

Denmark, Norway, Finland & Sweden, 100 pages

I was rather rapt in Scandinavia when I visited in February 2013, in the depths of winter. This time it was summer, most of the snow was gone, and I was looking forward to seeing many of the bits I hadn't seen last time, including four capital cities, colourful Bergen and the fjords of southwestern Norway. And the far north: about as close as most of us will ever get to the North Pole.

Colourful Canyons (2014)

Utah & Arizona, USA, 66 pages

We saved the best for last. Grand Canyon is the world's biggest, up to 1.6 kilometres deep in places and 446 kilometres long. Nothing prepares you for the sheer immensity. The carving of the canyon by the Colorado River over the last six million years is only the most recent chapter, a mere blink of an eye, in a long story which includes rock nearly two billion years old at the canyon's very bottom. That's half the life of the planet.

The Golden Land (2015)

Burma, 84 pages

If you're hankering to see Buddhist temples and Buddha images, this is the place to go. There are lots, and I mean lots. An abundance of monks too of course, along with longyi-wearing, betel-spitting men and plenty of folk with off-white or yellow thanaka on their faces.

South from Rome (2015)

Southern Italy, Sicily, Malta, 86 pages

A tour through the "boot" of Italy, the island of Sicily and the tiny nation of Malta. Pizzas, trulli, cannoli and muxrabija (what are they?!) ... they're all here.

Back Roads of Romania (2015)

110 pages

I had a brief squiz at Romania in 2012, at the end of an organised tour through twelve countries. A few nights in Brasov and Bucharest, just enough to whet my appetite. I loved the forests, the castles, the architecture ... I wanted to come back for more. But this time on my own with a hire car. So in 2015 I did just that.

So this is Sri Lanka (2015)

64 pages

On my last couple of trips I saw very few smiles. I was beginning to think perhaps it was just me, but thankfully Sri Lanka changed all that. What a friendly lot they are. Almost everyone you meet, or even pass on the road, will give you a broad smile. School kids will race up to greet you. There are friendly waves from people passing in cars and tuk-tuks. And there's their dear little wiggle of the head - like one of those dashboard dogs - that I first encountered in India. The national greeting is Ayubowan - "may you live long", with the gesture of palms together, like the Indians' Namaste.

Gingerbread and Mulled Wine (2015)

Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands, 146 pages

Some time early in 2015, I sat down with an atlas and marked all the cities in Germany that I hadn't already seen but wanted to see. I also threw in Amsterdam, Bruges and Brussels for good measure. Then I joined the dots. When to go? One thing that the Germans seem to do better than most is Christmas markets. So I plumped for the month before Christmas, when I could look forward to savouring warm mugs of mulled wine alongside snowy Christmas trees and enthusiastic choristers singing Stille Nacht.

Vodka on the Volga (2016)

Russia, 78 pages

With a heritage of madcap tsars, wild cossacks, prolific poets and stirring music, there's nothing else in the world quite like Russia's towering kremlins and crenellations, golden and multi-coloured onion domes, or quaint wooden churches with bejewelled icons.

Reflecting on Ireland (2016)

90 pages

I've eaten more potatoes in a fortnight than I probably would in a year back home. I've even had the odd black pudding, despite my vow upon first trying the congealed pigs' blood in England a decade earlier never to touch them again. I've lodged in some charming Irish B&Bs with real character. I've enjoyed plenty of craic on the odd pub crawl and tapped my foot to traditional jigs, reels and ballads involving Celtic harps, fiddles, flutes, tin whistles, accordions, drums ... and let's not forget, a hurdy gurdy in Galway. I've even ridden in a Belfast black cab.

Falling for New England (2016)

Eastern Canada & USA, 108 pages

I grew up in New England, Australia. One fond memory I have is the annual changing of the leaves with the coming of autumn. There are quite a few deciduous trees around the place, but these pale in comparison to other parts of the globe where they are native, in particular North America, which has by far the greatest number of species. In 2016 I decided it was time to go check them out, so I planned a visit to USA's New England, renowned for its colourful autumns. And while I was at it, I thought I might as well throw in the four major cities of eastern Canada, along with Niagara Falls, and New York City where I began.

Drums & Dragons (2017)

Tribes & festivals of southern China, 58 pages

In February 2017, during Chinese new year, I was a member of a group of seventeen that spent a fortnight in the Guizhou province, where China's colourful Miao ethnic minorities are most heavily concentrated. And what a fabulous tour it was. Not only did we see a number of spectacular festivals, we actually participated in one, which even resulted in our appearance on television and in newspapers!

Spring in the Balkans (2017)

Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 100 pages

It was only a matter of time before I returned to these parts. Five years earlier I'd done a "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" trip in a group of forty that visited twelve countries in twenty-four days. Several times on that trip I thought I'd like to return and explore a bit further, so in 2017 I hired a car for three weeks and did precisely that.

Seeing South Africa (2017)

82 pages

A small-group tour from Kruger to Cape Town in July-August 2017. Everything from meerkats to whales, lions, penguins, giraffes and polar bears. Oh, all right, I made up the polar bears.

Wholly Holy (2018)

Israel & Jordan, 76 pages

Whether you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim or none of the above, there's a lot of history crammed into here, not all of it pleasant. If nothing else, a visit to the Holy Land will confirm (should you have any doubts) that we humans, supposedly the most intelligent of animals, are remarkably good at persecuting and killing one another.

Exploring the Caucasus (2018)

Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan, 100 pages

Let's face it, this isn't one of the best-known bits of the world. But that didn't bother me. On the contrary, when so much of the world these days is being overwhelmed by rapacious globetrotters, it's rewarding to find places where the tourism cancer hasn't metastasised. And what a place it is!

Running into Poles (2018)

Poland, 50 pages

Poor Poland. Wedged between Germany and Russia, her history has been particularly bloody. I was reminded of this during a tour of the Baltic states in 2008 when I visited Warsaw, a city that was virtually wiped off the map during the Second World War. This time I began in the former capital till 1596, Krakow, which had survived rather better.

Lights over Iceland (2018)

46 pages

The northern lights are magical, but of course there are plenty of other things to see in Iceland. It has an abundance of powerful and dramatic waterfalls, various geysers and gloopy mud pools, massive glaciers and even a parade of blue, white and black icebergs at Jokulsarlon on the south coast. Scenery changes from barren moonscapes to mossy lava fields, and occasional deciduous forests that in September were showing off their fiery autumn colours. There are the uniquely Icelandic horses that never seem to get around to getting a haircut. And even if they see and do little else, tourists flock to the Blue Lagoon, near the capital Reykjavik, keen to exfoliate and revitalise the skin, in the hope of shedding a few years.

Twelve Days in Portugal (2018)

80 pages

Lisbon is an interesting city to explore. A lofty fortress presides over a maze of hilly streets overlooking the Tagus River, the longest in the Iberian peninsula, just before it drains into the Atlantic. There are grand plazas, Roman and Moorish ruins, interesting churches and white-domed cathedrals, countless statues of important people, narrow cobblestone lanes and a fleet of busy trams. Oh and lots and lots of tiles, or azulejos as the Portuguese seem to call them.

Nice with Ice (2019)

Harbin Ice Festival, China, 64 pages

Harbin's snow and ice festival is the biggest in the world, attracting twenty million visitors annually and raising thirty billion yuan (around six billion Aussie dollars). The main event costs around AU$60 to enter, and is a village of ice and snow sculptures colourfully illuminated at night, including some of the largest in the world. Every year is different. For the 35th annual event in 2019, 110 thousand cubic metres of ice and 120 thousand cubic metres of compacted snow were used. Ice is taken from the Songhua River, using swing saws.

Exploring Belarus & Ukraine (2019)

118 pages

A look at two eastern European countries that so far haven't been overwhelmed with tourists, two countries still working through issues from their relatively recent independence from the Soviet Union. But in many ways they're not what one might expect.

The Land of the Great Blue Sky (2019)

Mongolia, 50 pages

If you'd asked me a decade earlier why I hadn't been to Mongolia, I'd have said that I was disinclined to spend long days on rough tracks or off-road seeing things that were barely worth seeing. But in 2019 I went anyway. I was right about the rough roads. For most of our two and a half weeks we were thrown about like those little balls in the Lotto machine, often for six or more hours a day. But I'll leave you to decide after you've looked through this book whether things were barely worth seeing. Our trip concentrated on the central and southern areas, including Gobi, then finished by flying to the far west to witness the shenanigans of an annual eagle festival.

A Week in Taiwan (2019)

40 pages

Taiwan's pretty tiny. Two Taiwans would fit into Tasmania. So a week is probably enough. We started at the capital, Taipei, in the north, then drove down the west coast and up the east. The western third of the country is the most densely settled, with wall-to-wall suburbia in many parts, while the east is more rugged, more scenic, more unspoiled, with cleaner air.

Salt Lakes to Glaciers (2020)

Chile, 38 pages

I'd looked forward to returning to South America to see some of the bits I missed a decade earlier.

That is, until coronavirus took hold ...