Hampi, India. 2010


In Britain we tend to over- develop some of our historic sites. Not so in Hampi, India. There's no audio guides, no gift shop, and if you want to walk too close to the edge of a precipice, nobody's going to stop you.

Homing Camel

Ras Abu Galum, Egypt. 2009


We hired this camel to carry our stuff on a 5 mile walk from a village to the nearest town. 500m out of the village the owners decided they couldn't be bothered to accompany us any further and just instructed us to carry on and let it go when we'd finished with it.

Piran, Slovenia. 2011

A tiny man with his average sized dog.

Goa, India. 2010


I don't think I actually understood anything this guy said during the half hour he was talking to us. But it was very kind of him to invite us round to his Banyan tree anyway.

Beijing, China. 2011


Even when the temperature starts to plummet, Chinese people keep smiling. But the local furry animals start to panic.

Sari, no photographs

Mysore, India. 2010


This blog post should be a lot better than this. I would love to show you the staggeringly photogenic workings of the silk factory that these men were guarding. The pictures would definitely have been award winning. But you'll have to take my word for it because no amount of charm or bribery would persuade them to let me take my camera in.

Painting and Decorating

Porec, Croatia. 2011


This shop is a great place to peruse if you're not looking to buy any good quality art.

Chongli, China. 2011


As soon as we walked into this restaurant I suspected it might become my favourite restaurant in the world. It was warm (at least 0C; outside was -20), tastefully decorated (velvet teddy bear cushions adorned the seats) and hygienic (there were not that many plasters or fag ends on the floor). But it had the world's smiliest staff and truly delicious food at obscenely low prices, and the best part was when, after eating there several times, I didn't get ill. Five stars.

Bicycle made for one

Mirissa, Sri Lanka. 2006


Let's hope these chaps have agreed on where they're going. Because they don't seem to have agreed who's steering.

Conical headgear

I want to make it quite clear that I would never further the crude stereotype that all Vietnamese people wear pointy hats. Anyway, please enjoy the following pictures:

Various locations, Vietnam. 2006

West End production

London, England. 2011

Notting Hill Carnival. Not to be confused with Notting Hill: The Musical

When in Rome...

Chiang Mai Province, Thailand


We all had electric torches, but the guides on this trek insisted on reverting to stone age lighting technology when inside the caves.

Health and Safety gone mad II

Haikou, China. 2011


A scarecrow after an unfortunate roofing accident.

Health and Safety gone mad

Gokarna, India. 2010


If you're thinking this looks a bit dangerous, don't worry. The mum sits on the back.

Marketing

Kemer, Turkey. 2011

Worried that selling spuds doesn't fit your rock n' roll image? Try sitting ON the potatoes and smoking a fag. Concerned that your embroidery stall makes you look a bit gay? Sailor hat should solve that one.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 2006


These monks have only one set of clothes that's right for anything. The brolly is a shield either from burning tropical sun or torrential tropical rain, while the garish orange garments make it much safer crossing the road.

Fast food

Cairo/ Dahab, Egypt. 2009


Ramadan started today. For Muslims that means no more eating or drinking anything during daylight hours for a month. Bad times. But anyone who's still alive by the end of each sweltering day (I'm not at all sure I would be) can look forward to Iftah- 'breakfast'- a feast/ street party that starts at sunset and goes on into the early hours. Good times.

Training grounds

Palolem/ Madikeri/  Hampi, India. 2010


Perhaps if India had been playing England on the beach, in the woods or among the ruins of a UNESCO world heritage site instead of Lord's, they would have won.

Goat team

Hampi/ Kochi, India. 2010


Goats survive anywhere because they can eat things that humans would only consider using for clothing or building materials.