It's the little things you remember ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty years ago today I was trekking in the Himalayas and stopped at a hostel that had a short-wave radio. On the BBC World Service news that evening, I heard that the 'Desert Storm' Gulf War had started.

"I can't believe it," I said. "That's my friend, reading the news!" And so it was. My pal, who now works for the Financial Times, was the newsreader that fateful day in January '91. Doesn't sound so special now but, back then, to hear my friend's voice when I was half-way up a mountain range in Nepal was amazing.

By 1992 I was in New Hampshire, where I photographed this 'Desert Storm' train set in a shop window.

It's the little things you remember ..

 

 

Nepal ..

I wanted to show you another of my travel shots from Nepal. One day when I was trekking near Pokhara I heard the cutest chorus of voices singing the most charming little song, and couldn't resist going to find them to take a photograph. With me I had a top-end Sony Walkman - remember them? - which was special in that it had a recording facility on it, so I asked them if they'd sing their song for me again, this time into my microphone. By sheer coincidence I was listening to that recording last week - I do wish I could find a way to let you hear it - and I said to Lesley "I wonder what became of those kids!"

My God, I'm certainly wondering that now .. 

The flip of a coin ..

What awful news has been the earthquake in Nepal. My heart goes out to all the lovely people of the country. I was lucky enough to spend time in Kathmandu and Pokhara - both severely affected by the disaster - and I really hope that all the people I met and photographed there are safe..

Hearing of the boat disasters in the Mediterranean also brings a shudder. I once covered a story in Libya and, to get there, I made a God-awful 14 hour ferry crossing from Malta to Tripoli - and back again! Shocking to think these are the very waters that are taking people to their deaths. By the same reasoning, I suppose, I've been to the top of the World Trade Centre at least three times and, like everyone else, have trusted my life to pilots I've never met or will ever know.. 

Life is just a flip of a coin, isn't it? Pure luck decrees where you live, how healthy you are, what abilities you are given and what will happen to you on any given day. Today, with my thoughts going out to all those poor people, I'm just appreciating how lucky I am. I hope you do the same..