An occasional blog on topics related to my work. For a behind-the-scenes look, subscribe to my Patreon page.
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My Flight Free 2020 pledge hasnโt come out of nowhere. Call it a rekindling of a long-forgotten conviction that the example I set might actually matter. Because we are all participants, now, in this huge and never-ending conversation we call global society. Our impact is measured in terms of the number of people paying attention […]
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#FlightFree2020: Can Flight-Free Living & Adventure Travel Really Coexist? Letโs Find Out
Today, on this day of New Yearโs Resolutions, I pledge to join the Flight Free UK campaign. Between now and the 1st of January 2021, I will not take a single flight. Iโve joined the campaign because, as a long-time advocate of adventurous travel and exploration, I can no longer ignore my own hypocrisy. I […]
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Five Of Armeniaโs Most Spectacular Monastery Hikes
Many of Armeniaโs most famous Christian monasteries are dramatically situated amid towering cliffs or on precipitous mountainsides with panoramic views across the rugged landscapes of the Lesser Caucasus. In ancient times, accessing these centres of study and worship required the laborious construction of steep footpaths and rock-hewn steps from neighbouring communities, and many such routes […]
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The Gegham Mountains: Exploring Armeniaโs Volcanic Backcountry
The Gegham Mountains are an imposing chain of volcanic domes that bisects Armenia from north to south. For most of the year they are impenetrable due to a thick layer of snow. But come June, as snow starts to melt, the countryโs tent-dwelling Yezidi nomads drive their cattle from lowland plains to graze beneath the […]
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How I Added โGuidebook Authorโ To My List Of So-Called Professions
A quick heads-up that the new Bradt Travel Guide to Armenia, whose 5th edition Iโve co-authored, has arrived in the warehouse and will be shipping from today! Click here to order direct from the publisher at a 10% discount over the cover price. But how did I suddenly manage to add โguidebook authorโ to my […]
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Applications Now Open For 2019’s Fundraising Treks In Armenia & Georgia
A very quick heads-up that places on the Transcaucasian Trail group fundraising hikes in 2019 are now available. Click here for the dates and details and, if the fancy takes you, to register your participation. I’ve been helping design and promote these treks for the last couple of years, and they’ve proved to be a […]
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This Weekend: 50% Off Pre-Orders Of The New Bradt Guide To Armenia
Much of my energy this year has been devoted to a massive overhaul of the Bradt Travel Guide to Armenia. This weekend Bradt are offering a 50% discount on pre-orders of the book if you order direct through their website, so I thought I’d give you a heads-up! Click here to check out the deal. […]
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10 Illustrated Tips For Improving Your Expedition Photography No End
Last weekend I flew to London for the annual Exploreย expedition planning conference at the Royal Geographical Society (the one chance I get to catch up with a lot of people I wish I saw more often). On the Sunday I joined the expedition photography workshopย to share my thoughts on the storytelling medium of the still […]
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5 Ancient Monasteries In Armenia’s Dilijan National Park (& How To Hike To Them)
The experience of exploring Armenia on foot is characterised by three things: an abundance of breath-taking landscapes, being invited in by locals to drink homemade oghi (vodka), and stumbling upon at least one ancient church or monastery per day. Dilijan National Park โ part of the forested northeastern province of Tavush โ is no exception to […]
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Will You Help Crowdfund Dilijan National Park’s Beautiful New Hiking Map?
Today Iโm helping launch a crowdfunding campaign to produce the Republic of Armeniaโs first ever 1:25,000-scale topographical hiking map. Will you chip in in exchange for a copy? Click here to visit the IndieGoGo page and make your pledge โ And hereโs my behind-the-scenes story of how I got involved in the whole thing: A […]