Author Archives: Sarah
Plum Village Thailand 31/10-7/11/2025
I discovered in end August a week-long retreat at Plum Village International Meditation Practice Centre in Pong Ta Long, Thailand from 31 October to 7 November. This village was founded in 2008 by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) (1926-2022). I was able to join and informed David, a classmate of the HKU Master of Buddhist Counselling … Continue reading
Shuilu Fahui, China 10-19/10/2025
Shuilu Fahui China 10-19 October 2025 The Shuilu Fahui 水陸法會(Water and Land Dharma Assembly) is the most elaborate Buddhist ceremony in Chinese Buddhism. The full name of the ceremony is the Fajie Shengfan Shuilu Pudu Dazhai Shenghui (法界聖凡水陸普度大齋勝會), which translates to “Water and Land Universal Deliverance and Grand Feast Assembly for Saints and Ordinary Sentient Beings in the Dharma Realm”. … Continue reading
Beijing China 26/9 -3/10/2025
I love autumn foliage. In August, I joined a Hong Kong tour to visit Northeast China from 26/9-3/10/25. The tour was canceled. As a result, I decided to spend five days in Tian Zhen Yuan 天真園 (TZY) to experience the Tai Chi 太極culture and two days with friends in Beijing. 26-30/9/2025 Tian Zhen Yuan Tianjin 天津 Catherine and … Continue reading
Xinjiang China 1-20 September 2025
D10 Tashkurgan – Kashi (300km) We set off at 9am and had two nice photo stops to take photos of Mt Muztaga and the grassland. The panorama photo of the snow-capped mountains and the lake was taken with drone by our driver Wang. On our way back to Kashi, we would visit the Oytak Glacier Park 奥依塔克冰川公园 after … Continue reading
Xinjiang China I 1-20 September 2025
Xinjiang China September 1-20, 2025 Xinjiang 新疆 (full name: Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) with an area of approximately 1.66 million km² and a population of 25.85 million (2020), is China’s largest administrative division, covering about one-sixth of the country’s total landmass. It consists of two main regions geographically separated by the Tianshan Mountains天山: Dzungaria to the north and the Tarim Basin to the … Continue reading
Australia 2025 (3): Darwin – Sydney
Darwin – Adelaide on The Ghan 2-5/8/2025 The Ghan is an iconic passenger train taking about 53 hours to travel 2,979 km between Darwin, Northern Territory and Adelaide, South Australia with three stops at Katherine, Alice Springs and Manguri. As early as the 1800s, discussions began around building a rail line stretching from the south to north … Continue reading
Australia 2025 (2): Kimberley Coast
July 22 – 31, 2025 Australia’s Iconic Kimberley onboard Le Soleal Day 1 (22/7) Darwin Boarding at 4pm As boarding would start at 4 pm, Kylie and I spent the day leisurely at the hotel. I continued with my writing. After getting onboard, we were ushered to stateroom 325. As a Grand Amiral member, I … Continue reading
Malaysia & Australia (1) 14/7-18/8/2025
Background I planned to go to Sydney in August to celebrate the birthday of Alan, my elder brother. By chance, I was able to add three side trips including a brief visit to Melaka, Malaysia on my way to Darwin, an expedition to the iconic Kimberley coast on Le Soleal (Darwin-Darwin), and a journey on … Continue reading
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 6- France & UK
May 22 – 29 Bordeaux France Why Bordeaux Again? During my first retreat in Plum Village last winter, I felt at home and wanted to return. When I learned about a hiking retreat from 23 to 30 May 2025, I immediately signed up as I would anyway be in Europe after a 40-day voyage. I know hiking might be … Continue reading
Cape Town to London 2025 Part 5- Portugal & Spain
May 14 day Evora & Monsaraz Elaine and I travelled together in September 2017 from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I tried to find places that we had not visited before. At the end, we booked a small group guided day tour to Evora and Monsaraz. Located about 130km from east of Lisbon, Evora has a … Continue reading