I’ve indulged myself by picking twelve of my favourite photos I’ve taken while travelling, and appending some short explanations of why I like them. I’m not a real photographer, so although I kinda like the composition of some, it’s more about how the subject matter, and the experience of where i was, coincide to make meaning for me. But take a look, and let me know if you like any. The pics’ captions are at the bottom of the shots.

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As part of the US State Dept Foreign Press tour I’ve just been on – one focussed on social media – we visited the News Museum in Washington. Inspiring stuff, surprisingly. We forget how many journalists do great work, and sometimes get killed doing so.

Here are a few pics of the place.

The food in Lebanon is startlingly good. Try the Fattoush, a salad of toasted pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickweed, and mint, the Baba ghanouj (which you won’t need described), and the Fuul, slow cooked mash of brown beans and red lentils dressed with lemon olive oil and cumin. (Descriptions courtesy wikipedia).

Worth a little mortal fear, any day.

Monument created out old tanks

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Visited Nieu Bethesda in December, to see the Owl House. Crazy, strangely tragic place. Back story for those who might not know it, is that Helen Martins spent from 1945 to 1976 decorating her house with strange statues of cement, and colourful crushed glass. She was joined by Koos Malgas in 1964, and he sculpted most of the statues.

People theorise that this was Helen’s response to parental abuse as a child. According to Wikipedia. “Her lifelong exposure to the fine crushed glass she used to decorate her walls and ceilings caused her eyesight to start failing in 1976. She committed suicide on August 8, 1976 by ingesting caustic soda, aged 78.”

Disturbing place. You should visit, if you’re in SA and interested in outsider art.

I’ve always wanted to go to L. Ron Hubbard’s house in Johannesburg, and I finally got my chance when we went to make a video about Scientology in South Africa.

As a science fiction fan, I was fascinated by the collection of magazines and books from the Golden Age of Sci Fi, the 30s and onwards. Say what you will about L. Ron, he could write some bodice ripping alien stuff with the best of them.

And the house is beautiful, a perfect 50s split level house. Could be in the hills of LA.

As to the religion itself – take a look at the video we made about the house, and including an interview with the head of Scientology in SA.

Watch it HERE on the M&G.

I had the privilege of driving across Pakistan last year. These images include the amazing truck-modifying workshop outside (I think) Islamabad.