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Explore The Mysteries Of These Amazing Churches

From the Sagrada de Familia in Barcelona to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to the Basilica di San Marco in Venice, I’ve used a lot of churches in my writing.

They’re fascinating buildings, full of religious relics, amazing art, and more than a few conspiracy theories.

Author Jo Frances Penn at St Pauls, London

Since so many are open to the public, you can explore their mysteries for yourself. Let’s start off with the weird things you can see on the outside…

Adventure, Walking, And My Midsummer Morning With Alastair Humphreys

Travel Memoir

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How does a book inspire a journey a generation later? How does an adventurer who loves to travel alone reconcile himself to a life more ordinary?

In today’s interview, I talk to Alastair Humphreys about his walk across Spain in homage to Laurie Lee.

Alastair Humphreys is an adventurer, author, and motivational speaker named as National Geographic adventurer of the year in 2012. He has cycled around the world, walked across India, and The Empty Quarter desert, rowed the Atlantic, and run the Marathon Des Sables, as well as going on many other micro-adventures. His latest book is My Midsummer Morning: Rediscovering a Life of Adventure.

Show Notes

The necessary element of vulnerability in an adventure

The uniqueness of travel when walking

The difference between type-1 and type-2 fun

Which adventures are chosen to be shared as books, and which are not

How photographs and film change the dynamic of a trip

What is ‘truth’ when writing a travel memoir?

Micro-adventures and living adventurously close to home

Finding adventure in seemingly mundane places

You can find Alastair Humphreys at AlastairHumphreys.com and on Instagram @al_humphreys

13 Of The Most Mysterious Places In India

Unusual Places

India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, as well as having a deep cultural history with Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. It is a country of ancient faith, with a rich mythology that mingles with marvelous architecture and incredible food!

I’ve been to India twice – on a cultural tour of the ‘golden triangle’ in the north, from Delhi to Varanasi and back through Agra; and then cycling through the southwest through Karnataka and Kerala. Both times I have longed to return and it’s one of those countries I feel at home in.

The burning ghats of Varanasi feature in the opening scene of ARKANE thriller, Stone of Fire, and I returned to India for Destroyer of Worlds, a story that centers around the Brahmastra, a Hindu relic with the power of a nuclear weapon.

With so many religions rubbing shoulders, India is both a mystical and an unusual place to visit, so I’ve compiled a list of 13 of the most mysterious places in India.

13 Incredible Places To Visit In New Zealand

Unusual Places

Famous for natural beauty, wildlife, and adventure, New Zealand is a long way to travel, but well worth the effort to cross the oceans.

I arrived in New Zealand with my backpack in 2000 and ended up staying for seven years. Here are some of my favorite places for a wonderful trip and some reading recommendations while you enjoy your stay.

(1) Swim with marine mammals in Kaikoura

The depths of the Hikurangi Trench are just offshore at Kaikoura and attract an abundance of sea-life to the area. You can go whale-watching, swim with wild dolphins, kayak with the seals, or just enjoy kai moana (seafood) while gazing out across the ocean. A magical place.

Dolphins in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash

Memento Mori. How Travel Can Help Us Deal With Death And Grief With Dr Karen Wyatt

Dark Travel

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Sometimes we need to get away in order to heal, to take ourselves out of the routine and recognize how short life is, and how precious.

In this episode, Dr Karen Wyatt explains how travel helped her face grief and embrace living well in the face of death.

Dr Karen Wyatt is a hospice physician and best-selling author of books about death, loss, and grief. She’s the host of the End-of-Life University podcast and an inspirational speaker who teaches how to live a life that really matters, by embracing our mortality. Today, we’re talking about how travel, in particular, can help with grief and reflection on our mortality.

Show notes

The personal loss that inspired Karen’s grief travels to Italy, Spain and France
How traveling can help you realize that you are not alone in grief
Why Herculaneum in Italy is such a powerful place
Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris
The difference between cemeteries and death culture in Europe vs the USA
Depictions of death in places of faith, and the European tradition of ossuaries and displaying bones publicly
Why memento mori and being aware of the shortness of life helps us to live more joyfully
Book recommendations for grief travel

You can find Karen at www.karenwyattmd.com and her podcast at www.eoluniversity.com, and on Instagram @kwyattmd

11 Unusual Things To See In Budapest

Unusual Places

From ancient Celtic origins through to pillaging by the Mongols and on to become the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Budapest has a fascinating and complex history astride the River Danube.

Take a walk across the Széchenyi Chain Bridge for some of the best views along the river and up to the castle, and then take a look at the more unusual things to see in Budapest. For a fast-paced thriller set in the city, check out my novel, One Day in Budapest.

1. St. Stephen’s Basilica

The basilica is worth visiting for its grand facade and peaceful nave, but the real surprise is in the Chapel of the Holy Right. Yes, it really is a thousand-year-old mummified hand in a golden box.

(1) Swim with marine mammals in Kaikoura

1. St. Stephen’s Basilica

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