Beneath Walsh’s defensive reflexes lie the unresolved heart and guilty soul of the lapsed Catholic and he feels most affinity
Posted in General on 26. Aug, 2010
Beneath Walsh’s defensive reflexes lie the unresolved heart and guilty soul of the lapsed Catholic, and he feels most affinity with the other divorcees on the arduous Knock coach trip. Lourdes appears defiled by its relationship with Mammon, while at Medjugorje, in Croatia, he is disturbed at the pilgrims’ determination to avoid the very recent murderous history of the region A visit to Mostar is particularly powerful. Nothing untoward occurs, yet the unsettling disturbance he feels places the pilgrimage in relief.Like a sermon, this spiritual journey closes on a serious note, with his acceptance that it’s OK to be an inbetweenie Catholic by upbringing, but faithless. Faithful Departures remains an immaculate concept, even though imperfectly delivered. Faithful Departures by Stephen Walsh (Viking, £10.99, 274pp)Trail of Feathers by Tahir Shah (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, £25, 273pp)Continental Drifter by Tim Moore (Abacus, £10.99, 374pp).
BARGAIN: Delhi WARNING: Tourists targeted in European capitals
Bargain of the week: Delhi
Round-the-world flights using a single aircraft resume tomorrow, when United Airlines flights 1 and 2 take off from Los Angeles to girdle the globe. UA1 heads west via Hong Kong, Delhi, London and Washington DC; UA2 goes east through the same cities, in reverse order. United is trying to fill up some of the emptier legs, like the one from Heathrow to the Indian capital. Through the discount agent, Trailfinders (020-7938 3939), a London-Delhi return costs £432 if you book by 12 April, travel out by the end of June, and stay a maximum of a month.Warning of the week: Tourists targeted in European capitalsForeign governments have strengthened warnings about thefts from tourists in cities.On Amsterdam, the US State Department warned this week that “The train from Schiphol airport to Amsterdam Central Station is plagued by thieves, who often work in pairs. One thief distracts the victim, often by asking for directions, while an accomplice moves in.”"Within Amsterdam, thieves are very active in and around the Central Train Station, the red light district, in restaurants, hotels, and on public transportation, especially trams 1, 2, and 5 between the Central Station and the Museum District.”In Rome, the Foreign Office warns, visitors should take particular care around the main railway station, Termini, and on the number 64 bus serving St Peter’s Square. “Visitors should be particularly wary of groups of children (mainly girls) who may try to distract your attention while you are being robbed.
“People flying to Paris are warned of thefts at Charles de Gaulle airport, and on the rail link into the French capital.. Q. I would like to take my 13-year-old daughter to India for the first time. We are both proficient riders and adventurous travellers, and so I was thinking of pony trekking in the Himalayas. Could we go in August, and what is the best way to organise it?
Q. I would like to take my 13-year-old daughter to India for the first time.
We are both proficient riders and adventurous travellers, and so I was thinking of pony trekking in the Himalayas. Could we go in August, and what is the best way to organise it?
Lynn Coates, EdinburghA. To start on a negative note, the first thing to consider when planning a horseriding holiday abroad is the safety issue. It’s important that you don’t embark on this kind of trip without being fully aware of the possible risks. Generally, pony-trekking companies around the world do not live up to the stringent standards we have come to expect in the UK from approved riding schools and trekking centres For instance, most do not supply hard hats. The British Horse Society ( www.bhs .uk) emphasises the importance of always taking your own.
Once there, you should also take a good look at the tack before setting off, particularly the girth and bridle, to see if they are worn or cracked If they are, then you should ask to have them changed. If the ponies seem too frisky don’t be afraid of asking to swap. This said, pony trekking in the Himalayas, on mountain ponies once highly prized by the British army, could well be a truly memorable experience.If you definitely want to travel in August, then your best option is Himachal Pradesh where you will be protected from the worst of the monsoon in the rainshadow area. Summer is the only time when many of the high mountain passes are open, enabling you to camp out at hot springs and visit Tibetan nomad camps at 14,000ft to 18,000ft.