A walk around Samarkand
Some shots from a few days walking around the capital of the Timurid Empire.
Travelling the Silk Road: From London to Beijing - a talk
Over a period of four months in 2019, I travelled 40,000km overland by car, bus, train, ferry, horse and camel from London to Beijing traversing sixteen countries.
In this talk, I share my experiences of the varied people, places and cultures I encountered and speak about the work of the Aga Khan Development Network along this most celebrated of trade routes.
The Muslim Quarter of Xi’an
Over the centuries, many Muslims travelled eastwards and ended up settling in Xi’an creating the Muslim Quarter. This area contains numerous eateries serving Central Asia food and is visited by both locals and tourists alike. It’s also home to China’s oldest mosque.
‘The Silk Road: A Living History’ exhibition
An open-air exhibition documenting my 40,000km journey along the world’s most celebrated trade route. 8 April - 16 June, Granary Square, King’s Cross, London.
The gift of photography
I was so happy this morning to receive a WhatsApp from my friend and colleague Aisuluu Kozhomkulova with some heart-warming news.
The train from Podgorica to Belgrade
A couple of years ago an intrepid friend of mine spoke of a train journey through the Balkans that sounded like no other. She described a line that connected Podgorica in Montenegro to Belgrade in Serbia crossing a spectacular mountain range. In, 2019, I had a chance to travel it.
Kashgar, ancient Silk Road trading hub
A selection of photographs from the ancient Silk Road trading hub in the westernmost corner of China’s Xinjiang Province known to the Uyghur community who live there as the Republic of East Turkestan.
Ceilings of Iran
Images of the spectacular ceilings that can be found in Iran and the mosques, mausolea, madrasahs and palaces they belong to.
Colours and culture in Stone Town, Zanzibar (National Geographic)
Ruled for centuries by the Sultanate of Oman, Tanzania’s laid-back archipelago is home to a vibrant blend of African, Islamic and Portuguese architectural and artistic styles.
A feature for National Geographic Traveller UK.
London to Beijing along the old Silk Road
Dear friends, in two weeks I will be embarking on the most ambitious trip of my life, the trip I always dreamed of. I will be travelling from London to Beijing by land crossing 17 countries and 40,000km over four months.
Teekam Chand, Jaipur's original street photographer
On one of Jaipur’s main streets, near the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), Teekam Chand is setting up his World War I era box camera to take his next portrait and is directing his subject. Me.
Boat builders of Zanzibar
About four kilometres outside of Stone Town, Zanzibar, near the ruins of the 19th century Arab Sultan Barghash’s palace lies Maruhubi fishing village. Quiet during the afternoons, the village comes alive in the evenings when fishermen set out for 12 hour shifts at sea returning exhausted at around 6 o’clock in the morning.