Category Archives: Uncategorized

I bought hiking boots today in an expensive Castle Douglas shoe store. Meinl, Made in Germany, £115. Beautiful green leather and seriously elegant, not at all like the hiking boots that resemble moon landing craft. So I decided to give … Continue reading →

I don’t use maps. Left, right, straight ahead, are confusing terms — too dependent on the direction you are facing or how you hold the map. And, anyway, I typically confuse left and right, one spin, from 12 o’clock to … Continue reading →

The Telegraph, July 22nd 2014 carried an article by historian Tim Stanley.  He wrote about war crimes against Christians in Iraq.  He  focussed  particularly on the fact that atrocities  perpetrated on Christians seemed to be of little concern to the western … Continue reading →

Apologies to my huge international following for neglecting to post my Nepal travel notes chronologically and on time. September 28/13 Kathmandu — Thamel In a foreign place, the first thing to hit me is the smell . . . .  . … Continue reading →

The Holy Child is an Elephant Ganesh,  the beloved son, suckled at Parvati’s breast,  suffered death and by a miracle (so it came to pass) was gloriously  resurrected. In this story there is no stable, star, shepherds, nor magi but … Continue reading →

The Mist Hangs Like a Soiled Dhoti   Bina  yells, Annie sister!  Tea! The Nepali god of winter shudders. The sun is hiding behind  a hill.  Feet, in anticipation of grit, a sprinkling of rat shit, the toe-staining, withered marigold … Continue reading →

Photographing Pashupatinath Their feet are laved with holy water. They receive from mourners’ cupped hands a last drink from the sacred river. They lie, wrapped in white and saffron, under Indra’s blue heaven. Gods, priests and loved ones cluster round … Continue reading →

Three days ago I returned to a life of luxury  after a two months stay in Nepal.  Luxury is   mattress, sheets and pillows, a bath, hot water,  as much food  as I want, when I want it, a flush toilet, … Continue reading →

If I’d needed to make a living from my poetry, I would have starved to death a month or so after beginning my career.  One month, or however long it takes to die when you don’t eat. My first collection … Continue reading →