Author Archives: Sarah
Spring in Japan 23/3-22/4/2026 (4)
Day 8 April 14 Temple 37 At 6 am, we had sitting meditation in a hall facing east. It was a beautiful morning: I could see the sun rising above the horizon in the far distance. After 10-20 minutes, the warm sunray fell on my head with waves of heat permeating my whole body. What … Continue reading
Spring in Japan 23/3-22/4/2026 (3)
Part 3: 14-day Pilgrimage / Retreat in Shikuko (7-20/4/2026) Kobo Daishi and Shikoku Pilgrimage A pilgrimage normally means a long, often challenging journey to a sacred or holy place for spiritual reasons, reflection, or to honour a significant figure or site. It acts as a trans-formative, intentional journey – often on foot- that combines journey … Continue reading
Spring in Japan 23/3-22/4/2026 (2)
Part 2: Journey on a 7-day JR West Train Pass (1-7 April) April 1. I began my solo travel by taking a taxi to the Hakata Station (1,800 yen) to board Shinkanshen at 4:45 pm for Okayama. The journey took about an hour and forty-five minutes. I had enough time for a nice bowl of soba before boarding Yakumo, … Continue reading
Spring in Japan 23/3-22/4/2026 (1)
This main purpose of this journey was to join a 14-day pilgrimage in Shikoku (7-20/2026) organised by the Plum Village. I decided to take this opportunity to visit some Hidden Christian Sites, an UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising a group of 12 properties in Nagasaki and Kumamoto Prefectures. These churches are unique in the sense that each tells … Continue reading
South Pacific (7) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
Day 57 – 60 4 Days in Tonga (GMT + 13) Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country with a surface area of about 750 sq km scattering over an area of 700,000 sq km in the southern Pacific Ocean. It has 171 islands, of which 45 are inhabited by … Continue reading
South Pacific (6) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
D43-45 Rangiro, Tuamotu Islands Rangiroa is the largest atoll of French Polynesia and one of the largest in the world after Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands and Huvadhu in the Maldives. The atoll has a flattened elliptic shape with 80km in length, a width ranging from 5 to 32 km and a circumference totaling up … Continue reading
South Pacific (5) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
D 37 (Jan 4) At Sea D38-41 Four Days in Marquesas Islands Lying about 1,370 km northeast of Tahiti and about 4,800 km southwest of Mexico, Marquesas Islands (Marquesas) is one of the world’s most remote place. It is thought to have been formed by a centre of upwelling magma called the Marquesas hot spot. … Continue reading
South Pacific (4) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
D 30-31 3 Days in Moorea, Society Islands Lying 17 km from Tahiti, Moorea has an area of 134 sq km and a population of less than 20,000. Formed as a shield volcano 1.5 to 2.5 million years ago, the island is an atoll today with Mt Tohivea (1,207m) as its highest point. All the adjacent … Continue reading
South Pacific (3) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
Day 21-24 (Dec 18-21) at Sea 24 Days in French Polynesia (22/12/2025 – 14/1/2026) French Polynesia comprises 121 geographically dispersed islands and atolls stretching over more than 2,000 km in South Pacific Ocean with a land area of 3,521 sq km and a population of 282,596 as of September 2025. It is divided into five … Continue reading
South Pacific (2) 25/11/2025 – 3/2/2026
D13 & 14 (Dec 11 &12) At Sea D15-17 3 Days in Samoa Samoa is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean with a total land area of 2,831 sq km and a population of about 200,000. Located 64km west of American Samoa and 1,152 km northeast of Fiji, Samoa consists of two main … Continue reading