We set off in the early morning sunshine in St Jean to retrace those first steps which I had taken only a few short months ago when embarking on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. This time I was with Alan, Martyn, Richard, Phil, Mike and Chris as we headed out up into the Pyrenees.The first leg is fairly gradual and steep and our first stop was Orisson. From here it was upwards and onwards with spectacular views of the surrounding snow capped mountains. St Jea...

I went online the day before my flight from Kathmandu to change my seat number. The reason is that from the right hand side of the aircraft, you get the most stupendous views of the mighty Himalaya. Up at 38,000 feet, you can see the white mountains and the brown valleys for mile after mile. I sit next to a middle aged Tibetan Buddhist monk in his crimson and saffron robes who stares in silence and a young man dressed in an orange gilet and bright yellow Addidas ...