Category Archives: History & Culture

Seram: In the Indonesian Rainforest – Part 2.

Posted on March 2, 2021 by moselman

This post covers the second part of Operation Raleigh 10F Expedition to the Island of Seram in Indonesia – The Expedition ran from July to October 1987 as part of a global comparative research programme on the diversity of tropical … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Trees & Greenspaces, Wild Places, World | Tagged "alang-alang" grassland, Alfred Russell Wallace, Ambon, Binaiya, biodiversity hotspots, bioluminescence, centipedes, coral reefs, death adders, endemic species, fishing, fogging machine, Gunung Binaiya, Jarkarta, KM Rinjani, Kobipoto Ridge, Manusela National Park, marine resources, mechanised logging, Moluccas Islands, Museum of Natural History, Natural Resources, Operation Raleigh, Pasahari, rainforest ecosystems, rainforest surveys, Sawai Island, Seram, Solea Camp, timber extraction, Transmigration, vegetation transects, Wae Issal, Wallacea, Wandy Swales, Wild Pig project | Leave a comment

Seram: In the Indonesian Rainforest – Part 1.

Posted on February 23, 2021 by moselman

This post covers the first part of Operation Raleigh 10F Expedition to the Island of Seram in Indonesia – The Expedition ran from July to October 1987 as part of a global comparative research programme on the diversity of tropical … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Trees & Greenspaces, Wild Places, World | Tagged agathis, Alifuru, Ambon, arrows, bananas, bioresources, birds, bows, butterflies, Calloa, cassava, cassowary, cloves, comparative rainforest programme, deer, Elimata, Enclave, epiphytes, ethnobotany, exotic bird trade, Expedition 10F, flora and fauna, forest gaps, forest gardens, Gunung Binaiya, Hua Ulu, hunting, hymenoptera, kamane resin, Kanikeh, keladi, KM Rinjani, Kobipoto, lepidoptera, mace, Maluku Province, Manusela, Manusela National Park, mechanised logging, Merkele Ridge, Mt. Binaiya, nutmeg, Operation Raleigh, orchids, parrots, patatas, purple naped lorikeets, sago palm, Salimena, salmon crested cockatoos, Seram, spears, Spice islands, sugarcane, swiddens, Wahai, wild pigs | Leave a comment

By the Rhine – 25 Years On

Posted on February 10, 2021 by moselman

There’s certainly been a Nepal theme of late in these posts, recalling heady days from the 90s spent wandering around the Himalayas as a VSO Forester. Although I’ve now used up my best photos (and written far more words than … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, In Europe | Tagged Bacharach, Reunion Group, Riesling, Upper Middle Rhine, Vineyards, VSO Nepal | Leave a comment

Langtang – Paradise Changed

Posted on February 9, 2021 by moselman

There are some natural events which are on a scale beyond our ability to comprehend. The 2015 earthquake in Nepal was undoubtedly one of these events. The Langtang Valley in Central Nepal, located just 50km to the North of the … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Mountain Treks, Wild Places, World | Tagged 2015 earthquake, Himalayas, Kyanjin Gompa, Lama Hotel, Langsisa Kharka, Langtang Valley, trekking | Leave a comment

Highs and Lows on the Annapurna Circuit

Posted on February 9, 2021 by moselman

Sometimes you just have to grab the opportunities out there when you have the chance. That was very much my mindset when I boarded a less-than-luxurious “tourist” bus from Kathmandu bus bound for Pokhara, in the autumn of 1993 and … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Mountain Treks, Wild Places, World | Tagged Annapurna Circuit, Besisahar, Besisahar-Manang road, Bhakra Monastery, Braga, Chamje, chortens, Dashain, Daulagiri, Ghyaru, Jharkot, Jomosom, Kagbeni, Kali Gandaki, Machapuchare, mani walls, Marsyangdi, Middle Earth, Mring Taal, Muktinath, Mustang, Ngawal, Paungda Danda, Pisang, Pokhara, Poon Hill, porters, Tatopani, Thorung La, Tibet, Tilicho Lake, trekking, Upper Manang | 2 Comments

High Society – Flying Elephants and Calvados

Posted on February 6, 2021 by moselman

During the 1980s as a student at Edinburgh University, I was lucky enough to catch a wonderful and rare glimpse into “high society”. It was a fun and surreal little adventure involving a flying elephant, a chateau in the Normandy … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, In Europe, World | Tagged art collections, Calvados, Capitalist Tools, Chateau de Balleroy, Edinburgh University Hot Air Ballooning Club, flying elephant, Forbes Magazine, France, French culture, Harley Davidson, hot air ballooning, Malcolm Forbes, Normandy, Rassemblement International de Ballons | 2 Comments

Carnival in the Eifel

Posted on February 5, 2021 by moselman

It’s getting close to Carnival time here in Germany – however due to the Corona pandemic festivities will be somewhat muted this year, if virtually non existent. Normally, at this time (around mid February), the whole population goes a bit … Continue reading →

Posted in Aachen & Euregio, History & Culture, In Europe | Tagged Aachen, Blankenheim, Blankenheim Geisterzug, Carnival, cultural heritage, Eifel, germany, Rosenmontag, spirit of place | Leave a comment

In Kathmandu

Posted on February 1, 2021 by moselman

No tour of Nepal would be complete without Kathmandu; what a colourful, chaotic, crazy and fascinating city the Country’s characterful capital really is – no less than an assault on the senses at times ! I was fortunate enough to … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Urbanism, World | Tagged 2015 earthquake, Bagmati River, Bhaktapur, Boudhanath Stupa, Budhanilkantha, Dashain, Dewali, Durbur Square Patan, Ganesh Himalaya, Ghats, Haribondhini Ekadashi Mela, Hinduism, Kathmandu, Kathmandu Durbur Square, Lalitpur, monkeys, Newar, Pashupatineth, Sadhus, Shiva, Shivapuri Hill, Street dogs, Swayambhunath, Teej, Temple restoration, Tibetan Buddhism, Tihar, UNESCO World Heritage, Vishnu, VSO Nepal | Leave a comment

On Top of the World – Two years in Solu Khumbu, Nepal

Posted on January 25, 2021 by moselman

Sometimes it’s the old adventures that are the best ! Having recently got around to scanning some old slides (it only took me 30 years !), I’m now finally able to share some of these journeys from the 80s and … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, Mountain Treks, Trees & Greenspaces, Wild Places, World | Tagged Community Forestry Program, Deforestation, Dudh Kosi, Everest Base Camp, Fuel wood, Gokyo Ri, Gurings, Jiri, Lukla, Mani Rimdu, Mt. Everest, Namche Baazar, nature, Nepal, Phaphlu, Salleri, Sherpas, Solu Khumbu, sustainable development, Tamangs, Tibetan Buddhism, trekking, VSO | 11 Comments

South Tyrol – “Slow tourism” without the crowds:

Posted on March 23, 2020 by moselman

South Tyrol, or Südtirol, is certainly in the news at the moment, but sadly for all the wrong reasons, with Northern Italy particularly suffering the brunt of the corona virus infection. However, last summer we spent a couple of magical … Continue reading →

Posted in History & Culture, In Europe, Mountain Treks, Uncategorized, Wild Places | Tagged alps, Austria, Green Tourism, Italy, Südtirol | Leave a comment