Monasteries near Leh
There is a fair amount to see and do in Leh itself, but the real highlights of the Leh Valley are the many monasteries between 10km and 20km from town.…
Author: jontycrane
Leh
Capital of the Ladakh region, the northernmost part of India, bordering China, Leh is an enjoyably relaxed town set in a quite surreal landscape of contrasts. Leh comes to life…
Sarchu to Leh
Final of three days travelling to Leh on the Leh-Manali Highway. A real roller coaster of a day with snow, sunshine, road closures, uncertainty whether we would even make it,…
Manali to Sarchu
Opened in 1989, the Leh-Manali Highway runs for 473km through some spectacular mountain scenery, and over one of the highest driveable passes in the world. This post covers the first…
Manali
Named after Manu, the Hindu version of Noah (of Ark fame), Manali is a popular tourist spot in northern Himachal Pradesh, and the start of the memorable Manali to Leh…
McLeod Ganj
McLeod Ganj is the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. After escaping from the Chinese in 1959 the Indian government offered sanctuary and land in…
Shimla
The summer capital of India during British rule, used between March and October, Shimla is a classic Indian hill station in the foothills of the Himalaya. It’s filled with colonial…
Old Delhi
Compared with the planned streets of parts of New Delhi, Old Delhi seems more typically Indian, packed with people, traffic, and noise, a much livelier experience. A rickshaw ride was…
New Delhi
One of the largest cities on the planet, home to 25 million people, a fraction of India’s 1.3 billion, Delhi doesn’t feel like it to a visitor. It’s almost entirely…
Sussex and a bit of Kent
A rather lengthy post covering nearly a week based in the small village of Brede in Sussex, exploring the heritage, gardens, and coastline of the surrounding area, mostly in Sussex…
Things I’ve learnt about travel / how to travel better
As this blog illustrates I’ve done a fair bit of travel, particularly over the past six years. Along the way I think I’ve gotten better at the mechanics of travel.…
Travel Sketching – 2019
After five years and over 160 drawings I filled my first pocket sized sketchbook this year, and started another. I suspect this one might take even longer to fill but…
Most and least popular posts of 2019
I published 143 posts on this blog in 2019, a little under three a week due to a pause in October when I was completely off the grid for a…
Best of 2019 – Hiking overseas
For the first time I did more hiking overseas than in New Zealand this year, walking in the Himalayas, Asia, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Europe. Looking back on the…
Best of 2019 – Tramping in New Zealand
I did most of my hiking overseas this year, in Australia, Switzerland and Bhutan, but walked some great tracks in New Zealand as warm ups for those longer trips. The…
Best of 2019 – Books
Travelling for nearly half the year allowed plenty of time for reading, mostly relating to the places I visited, but also plenty of other topics. I read some fiction but…
Best of 2019 – Places I’ve stayed
I’ve stayed in some memorable places this year during my travels. Here are the ones that stood out. Desert Himalaya Resort, Nubra Valley, LadakhFull on glamping in the northern most…
Best of 2019 – Travels
I didn’t think I’d be able to top 2018 for overseas travel but taking five months off work allowed me to visit some incredible places in 2019, though I was…
Lisbon churches, monasteries and cemeteries
There are some wonderful churches in Lisbon, even for someone who has visited rather a lot over the years. The first I visited blew me away, Igreja de São Domingos…
Sintra
The westernmost point of Europe, Sintra is an understandably popular day trip from Lisbon, only 40 minutes away by train. The climate is cooler than Lisbon, which attracted Portuguese royalty…