When you drive through the crazy streets and avenidas and motoways of Mexico City, through the heavy smog and pollution, through the ant-piles of vehicles and people, you see mostly a city on the brink of moving to the next level; new metrobus lines, the latest-release cars amongst their older siblings, construction towers and development placards, malls full of imported clothing and an array of fine cuisine and worldclass hospitality. Families at the markets on the weekends buying colourful sweets for their already-sugar-overdosed children. The City and its inhabitants seem comfortable in their boots, at least that's how it feels when you are looking out of the hirecar window on one of the streets on the paths into town. Then, in the middle of the City's city, at 9.30 in the morning, before I have even ... read more

On the Western side of the island, a few hours car trip from the capital, La Habana, we found a sleepy little town of two streets and mountain scenery. As you drive through it, you cannot help but wonder why the Lonely Planet trumpets it up so much; there's really not much there. Horse-and-carts, pigs, young and old Cubans sitting on verandahs watching the world pass or busying themselves with one project or another. As usual, we have to drive slowly through the township as there are people and animals and obstacles all over the road; no one is in any hurry to move out of the way. The main street is lined with little ageing houses, crooked fences and cracked sidewalks. Most residences in the town of Vinales are casas particulares, and they advertise their ... read more

no title It's been four days and four nights now, and i'm not sure that four days and four nights have ever seemed to take this long. This morning I decided to get out of the hotel for the first time, as my temperature has dropped somewhat and I'm feeling a little better. The porter opened the door, and as soon as the warm air hit me, I thought I was going to faint. There's such a feeling of frustration - its hard to describe. I've been listening to Habana for four days out of my window now and I thought i'd be better by now. Yet here I am, back in the lobby, confined by my own body to the sterility of this hotel. The few moments I got outside were great. I wanted to ... read more

La Habana... Three ladies in Cuba, well let me tell you, there is no stortage of attention being paid us here. As we walk through the miserably cold yet colourful streets, there are muchachos on every corner checking us out in no uncertain terms. Kisses, beautiful, blah, blah. At first, very flattering, but after a while it is something like spending the night at any given Irish Pub in Melbourne - seedy. Further, one has to wonder why on earth these men pay us any attention when their own women (who are usually standing right next to them as they whistle after us) are very good looking and extremely sexily dressed. Nevertheless, it is the Aussies they want, and really, who could blame them? : ) If one can look past the young men on every ... read more

(This one is for my mum, who taught me compassion.) “Next month will be cobra festival in Varanasi”, the stick-thin, small indian man, in who's silk shop we sit, says in his broken English. My eyes light up: “Cobra festival? Wow! What a pity we will be gone by then.” His 14 year old nephew, the bright and well-mannered Raj, who has been our unofficial tour guide for the day, sees my excitement, and offers, “You can see a cobra charmer, if you want?” I look from him to Gordon to his uncle, and begin to nod furiously. “Really? Are you sure? Right now?” His uncle smiles a little, “Yes, no problem.” He gets up off the hard mattress on which we sit and snakes out of the dingy little sweltering shop. Raj beckons us, “Come ... read more