On Religion and Interfaith Harmony

I see a swami talking to an indigenous man in colourful regalia—a Christian priest shaking hands with a Sikh—a rabbi talking about the need to overcome the ongoing Islamophobia—and a Muslim scholar condemning the recent terrorist attack on a synagogue. Hundreds of people sit together on the floor of the Langar Hall and share communal … Read more

On Being Alone!

People often ask me, “don’t you sometimes feel lonely on a long journey like this when you are always on your own?” Sometimes I get astonished by this question as loneliness has never occurred to me on the road. When I am out on the road I am always absorbed by something—the landscape, reflections of … Read more

Banff and Jasper National Parks, Canada

Little did I know, when I left Calgary two weeks ago, that summer was over in Alberta. Two days later, I found myself cycling in the rain and cold wind in Banff National Park. On the fourth day, I was stuck in Mosquito Creek for two days because of the heavy snow. Later, the weather … Read more

Mohkintsis Camp

Some 2,000 years after the Blackfoot people first inhabited the Calgary area, one of their descendants has set up a Mohkinstsis Camp in the Calgary downtown, right next to the largest court facility in Canada.   The modern history of Calgary begins in the 19th century when John Glenn became the first European to settle … Read more

Being Alpha—On Photography And Purpose Of Life!

What does it mean to “be alpha”? How did a personal journey turn into a way of life? Does photography have the power to redefine the purpose of someone’s life? And why is it important to have a purpose in life after all? A cyclist photographer takes a look back and connects the dots in … Read more

Blackfeet People

The Blackfeet American Indians, or Siksikaitsitapi people, have lived in the Glacier National Park for thousands of years—since the time when the continental ice sheets melted from the region. They were the strongest and one of the fiercest tribes on the northwestern plains.     They Blackfeet people believe that the Sun which they call … Read more

Why Do We Travel?

Our foraging ancestors were constantly on the move in search of food and lived life as nomads migrating from one place to another. So migration and exploration are in our genes but after the agricultural revolution, humans began to settle down in permanent homes. Back in the time, travel served a specific purpose — mainly … Read more

Grass Dancer

This particular drum I have here is made out of a buffalo. We never harm an animal to make our instruments. We never harm an animal to make our outfits. We never take feathers from a bird that’s alive unless it comes off a nest and falls to the ground. Then we put down tobacco … Read more

Goodbye US, Hello Canada!

July 21. It was my birthday. I was heading to the border of Canada. I could have stayed in Glacier National Park, Montana for a few more days. It was beautiful out there. The weather was great, the campgrounds were cheap and I loved swimming in the cold lakes. There was no need to rush. … Read more

Swimming In The Grinnell Glacier

After a long pause, I opened my eyes again. A panoramic view of the Grinnell Glacier was in front of me. The glacier was melting and had a turquoise pool in which small icebergs floated quietly. In the background, a vertical cliff overlooked the glacier. It appeared as if nature had sculpted a giant Batman … Read more

Hola de El Salvador

Hola de El Salvador! Today I entered my next country El Salvador along the route. It is the 39th country I am travelling by bicycle. At the eastern border of El Salvador, the Goascoran River divides the country from Honduras. A bridge over the river connects the two countries at Amatillo. Crossing the border was a … Read more

A Journey of Laawaris

(اُردو میں پڑھنے کیلئے نیچے سکرول کریں) There was a time when a tyre puncture was 5 Rupees and air refill used to cost 1 Rupee. I was in school. During the school holidays, dad used to bring me to our shop “Quetta Tyres” where I would work together with other employees—washing old tyres in … Read more