Lalibela | Faith | In Lalibela, I am moved by the devotion and faith of pilgrims who have walked for weeks, and hundreds of miles across the country, 

jan - Fernwayer Travel Stories & Experiences

Ethiopia

In Lalibela, I am moved by the devotion and faith of pilgrims who have walked for weeks, and hundreds of miles across the country, to celebrate Genna - Ethiopia’s Christmas - on January 7. Here, the year is 2011, since Ethiopia still observes a pre-Julian calendar. I am immediately taken in by the idea of being 7 years younger, albeit for a fleeting moment.

Pilgrims arrive early - between midnight to 5 am -  to get a prized standing spot inside the tiny but iconic Biete Gyorgis. As I watch pilgrims read from their bibles, often from inside their shroud, using a candle or torch, I realize I’ve never seen such fervor in worship. 

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By 6:30 am, Biete Giyorgis, the iconic rock-hewn church of Lalibela, has no more standing space, so these pilgrims huddle outside and around trees and pray from their copies of the Bible, guided by the chanting from the church, that fills the air with spirituality. It’s poetic and beautiful.

Faith

United States

Iceland

This being a ‘chill trip’, we did not want to hike 10 hours on a glacier. Instead we trek on the Vatnajokull glacier looking for ice caves with wind on our face and ice under our feet.

Earlier, we woke up at 7 and drive in cold and windy January to Skaftafell National Park to meet Einar, our guide. 

This cave... like others ... started forming In August but you are never sure it will be stable to explore till later. In September, the loose ceiling collapsed  and this brilliant cave was formed.

These fragile and transitory structure require constant maintenance from falling rock and melting icicles. Einer enters the cave and spots a few boulders on the roof. He removes them to prevent harm to the cave and us. 

As we move around, the cave looks different as our viewing angle and the sunlight outside changes.

We are in complete awe ... and hungry. Luckily a steaming meal of lamb and potatoes is close by.

Ice Caving

Spain

If you are interested in rare natural phenomena and want to learn more about marine life, you should head to Mexico's Pacific coast. One of the best spectacles is the annual whale migration, where you can catch unique glimpses of humpback whales. 

The largest mammals on earth have earned their reputation as the most beautiful, intelligent, and impressive creatures. If you watch the ocean at migration time (either from the shore or on a boat tour), you'll see baby whales leaping and maybe even hear mother whales calling their families together. The baby-whale season is from January until the end of April.

But the Pacific coast is not only known for whales. It's just as beautiful to watch sea turtles hatch. If you come at the right time, you can witness mother turtles laying hundreds of eggs overnight in the soft sand on the coast, and much later, those hundreds of babies hatch and crawl toward the sea. Come between late August to early October.

Witnessing whale migration

Svalbard & Jan Mayen

On a rainy day, at 78°N, M/S Polar Girl sets out from Longyearbyen to Pyramiden. Even in dreary weather, there is joy in watching the puffins swimming alongside the boat.

Then we step on to the most surreal of ghost towns, Pyramiden, a Russian mining settlement with the northern-most statue of Lenin. 

The decision to abandon in the 90s was sudden. People were given just hours to leave. Signs of a hasty departure are everywhere. Dried up plants. Rusted playground swings. Utensils and stoves left in disarray. Hand-drawn artwork taped on the walls. 

The guide points out the men’s and women’s dorm buildings, euphemistically called London and Paris. Everything is trapped in a 1970s time-warp. A blast from the Soviet past. 

Trust Arktikugol (Arctic Coal), a Russian state owned coal mining company, continues to run this, now as a tourist destination. Perfect for filming a James Bond movie.

Back on the boat, we have views of the glacier and freshly barbequed burgers to cheer us up.

Mining the Past

We arrive by RIB boat from Longyearbyen, dressed in survival suits, across a choppy Arctic Sea, with puffins and seals for company.

Isfjord Radio on Cape Linné, is an abandoned strategic communications station, with a decidedly interesting past, now converted into a stylish expedition lodge. 

Nothing could have prepared me for the extreme sense of isolation and wilderness. 

Imagine sitting all alone at latitude 79 degrees north and watching polar bears prowling outside the kitchen window. Two days ago, that is exactly what the staff at Isfjord Radio did.  After all, Svalbard’s travel slogan reads: “3000 polar bears, 2500 humans”. 

Hiking into the middle of nowhere, or along the coast looking for 1500-kilo walruses, is done with licensed guides, a couple of mandatory rifles for protection and huskies for company. It is a beautiful, stark landscape, filled with mystery and a sense of the unknown. 

Which direction should we head? Anywhere you want to go, comes the reply.

Ethiopia

Amhara

Faith

Iceland

Eastern Region

Ice Caving

Spain

Community of Madrid

Witnessing whale migration

Svalbard & Jan Mayen

Svalbard

Mining the Past

Extreme Wilderness