Home for the Elderly: Brand new website!

I'm pleased to announce that the brand new website for the charity 'Home for the Elderly' is now online. Please visit our website for information how you can help support us and how you can make a donation or sponsoring a nursing bed.

http://www.homefortheelderly.org

Notes:
Pashupati Briddhshram ("Old Home") is the largest old people's home in Kathmandu, Nepal - Home to 238 residents, but only 9 care workers.

These neglected souls live in appalling, inhumane conditions. Some are blind, mentally ill or physically disabled, with many requiring constant medical attention and care.

Due to a lack of funding the home is marred by an acute shortage of everything, from a basic water supply, electricity and care workers.

Home for the Elderly was established to help fund essential criteria of the "Old Home" including nursing beds, heating, electricity generators and medical supplies.

http://www.homefortheelderly.org

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode two

The second episode - Part 2/8 - The Far East
In this episode of the series, Pete encounters the exotic and inscrutable religions of the Far East, from anarchic Buddhist Naked Man and Shinto Fire festivals in Japan to enlightening Taoist monks in the mountains of China.

He visits an obscure Shamanic sect in South Korea, and finds out how war helped to create the biggest church in the world. In Buddhist Thailand he explores the meaning of non-attachment, and in Vietnam he comes under the spell of a divine eye, before giving money away to a mother goddess.

It is a six-part series is on BBC Two, Tuesday's at 9pm.
In case you missed the second episode, you can watch it below, split into ten minute segments for easy viewing.

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 3/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 4/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 5/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 6/6

Scenes from the Gaza Strip

Scenes from the Gaza Strip - View more of an incredibly powerful collection of photographs from the Gaza Strip featured on 'The Big Picture' on Boston.com. Gallery>

Around the World in 80 Faiths - BBC Series

Another fabulous travel series from the BBC has started this week, they really should be applauded for some great travel related TV in the last few years.
The latest one - Around the World in 80 Faiths where Anglican vicar Pete Owen Jones presents the definitive guide to faith on earth, with eighty rituals across six continents in the space of a year. It is a six-part series is on BBC Two, Tuesday's at 9pm.
In case you missed the first episode, you can watch it below, split into ten minute segments for easy viewing.

Episode 1 of 6 - Part 1/8 - Australasia and the Pacific Ring of Fire
Pete travels to Australasia to find out how tribal faiths have survived into the 21st century. He goes into the Australian outback in search of the meaning of aboriginal dreaming, to Indonesia for the elaborate funeral of a woman who died 20 years ago; to Sydney to witness the survival of ancient persecuted faiths like the Iraqi Mandeans and witchcraft, and to the remote volcanic islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific ring of fire to unravel the mystery of the cargo cult.

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 1/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 3/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 4/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 5/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode One- Part 6/6

Berlin Marathon fundraising update: Painting day for Orphans in Cambodia

"Team Runny Honney" - A small band of merry-men including myself and 11 foolish "athletes" where put together to run the Berlin Marathon and in doing so raise money for the Cambodia Trust, an organisation our intrepid leader John Honney works for in the warmth of Phenom Penh.
A quite staggering final amount raised is in the region of £20,000. I can't thank the good people who sponsored my personal efforts in participating in the marathon and helping towards the tremendous amount of money raised.

In a heart warming email from John is details on how some of the money has been spent on organising a painting day for local Orphans in Phenom Penh, Cambodia.

The photo above along with the following note from John pinged into my inbox this week:

Hi All,
A long story, but on Saturday just gone, I organised a painting day, originally for 40 orphans, but by the end of the day we must have had double that splishing and splashing all over the place.
I will do a fuller account in due course, but for now, a few piccies are attached for a little 'ahhh' moment.

Cheers

JH

The Backpacking Years Photo Gallery - Part Three

The Backpacking Years: View the complete gallery

In the third part of "The Backpacking Years" photo gallery, here are photos 9-12 with a description/background on each of the shots.

After 12 days trekking, Everest Base Camp is only one more day away. Before the final day is an afternoon climb to the top of Kalla Pattar which is covered in prayer flags for the best view of Mount Everest and the Himalayas.

A favourite Kiwi past-time - enjoying a "tinny" at the rugby, Otago versus the British Lions at Carisbrook Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Thumbs up from a novice monk at Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang, Laos.

A backpacking highlight from New Zealand - a Whale watching excursion from Kaikora, South island.

The Backpacking Years: View the complete gallery