There were once thousands of caravanserai, staging posts for the weary traveller, dotted throughout Asia, North Africa and the South-Eastern parts of Europe. The Silk Road, an important and extensive trans-continental network of routes, was dotted with them. Many still survive, but more, like the one in the Lut desert of Iran (above) are abandoned and slowly turning to dust.
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Rickshaws appeared in Shanghai and Hong Kong in 1874, in Singapore in 1880, in Beijing in 1886 and then to other parts of Southeast and South Asia and Africa.
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Mecca is important to Muslims for a number of reasons. The Prophet was from Mecca and returned there before his death. The Hira cave, on Jabal al-Nour, is reportedly where the Prophet received his first revelation.
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India’s monsoon season is finally forecast to come to a close on October 10th this year, marking the end of the longest rainy season the country has ever seen.
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One of the most popular attractions in Sri Lanka is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Situated in the Hill Country near Kegalle, it was set up to save abandoned or orphaned wild elephants. They are controlled by their mahouts (keepers), who ensure they are fed at the right times and don’t endanger anyone. Comfortingly however, it is the type of place that if an elephant steps on your foot, you’re likely to walk away with a smile.
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