Author Archives: Sarah
Cape Town to London 31 April – 1 June 2025
March 31-April 2 Cape Town
India 2 February 8 – 22, 2025
Footsteps of the Buddha with Plum Village My first pilgrimage to India and Nepal (November 10 to 19, 2017) was organised by the Buddhist Charity of Hong Kong. In seven days, I visited Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Gridhakuta Hill (Vulture Peak), Venuvana (Bamboo Forest), ruins of Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar and Lumbini. I am keen to go on … Continue reading
India (1) 28/1-22/2/2025
Why India? Pilgrimage is the primary purpose of this trip: I have joined “The Footsteps of the Buddha” organised by the Plum Village from 9 to 22 February. Though I was in Ladakh from August 5 to 22, 2013 visiting Leh and Alchi, and taking a 10-day trekking tour from Chilling to Stok, I decide … Continue reading
Saudi Arabia 17/12/24 -3/1/25 (2)
Day 7: 26 December -Dadan & Jabal Ikmah – Medina We had an early start at 6:30 am and arrived at the visitor centre at Dadan to join a group guided tour by 8 am. Dadan was therefore the capital city of the Kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan. Some 2,600 years ago, the oasis in … Continue reading
Saudi Arabia 17/12/24 -3/1/25 (1)
Why Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia which has been open to foreign tourists since 2019, was one of the few Islamic countries that I had not visited in the Middle East. I joined a 13-day Saudia Arabia Explore (20/12/2024 to 1/1/2025) offered by Exodus Travel that I have travelled with many times. I flew from Bergen, … Continue reading
Tromso – Bergen Norway December 7 – 16, 24
Why Arctic Norway? After a 2-week retreat at Plum Village Bordeaux, I flew to Tromso looking for Northern Lights. Though I was passing through Tromso a few times, I had never visited it. As solar activities have been very strong in 2024 resulting in spectacular display of Northern and Southern Lights on numerous occasions, I … Continue reading
Bordeaux France 21 November – 6 December 2024
Plum Village Rain Retreat 22/11 – 6/12/2-24 I first heard of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) (fondly called by his followers as Thay) and the Plum Village when I attended a dharma talk given by the Venerable at the Coliseum in Hong Kong in May 2013. I later met two nuns from the Plum … Continue reading
Peru & Chile
Day 11 November 10: Callo (Lima), Peru We were glad to step ashore after two sea days. Passengers were offered three excursions and I took a 6-hour tour to Huaca Pucllana in the district of Miraflores and Larco Herrera. Huaca Pucllana is an impressive archaeological site belonging to the Lima culture of regional developments. Evidence … Continue reading
Costa Rica to Chile 26/1–18/11/2024
My Third Expedition in 2024 While on Silver Cloud travelling from Puerto Williams to Namibia in March, I signed up for an expedition from Costa Rica to Chile on the recommendation of Peter Harrison. I invited my brother Lawrence and his wife Sally to join. Then Sally’s sister Sylvia and her husband Chu Sir and … Continue reading
Shikoku Bekkaku 20 Sacred Sites 9 -14 October 2024
After having completed the 88-Temple Pilgrimage last November, I decided to join a pilgrimage to visit 20 sacred sites associated with Kukai, Kobo Daishi (774-835). This 20 sacred site pilgrimage route celebrated its 50 anniversary this year. We had a small group led by MY with 14 participants. covering over 1000km in four days in … Continue reading