Travel
Karachi Chronicles Chapter 14
When travelling overseas, one of the things that I get the most pleasure from is visiting local convenience stores and supermarkets. Mainly because it’s an easy introduction to local snacks, drinks and vices. Although it may be slightly materialistic and safe, beyond this, I find it an interesting window into the day-to-day life of local citizens. This fascination probably stems from my time living in Japan, where konbinis† are quite literally on every corner. To be clear, I’m talking about a world before Facebook and where every Aussie with a passport hadn’t yet “discovered” the Karaage-kun and dollar chuhais at Lawson.
By S. J. Leahy3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Special Agent Mia | Part VI of VI
From a young age, I was enthralled by the exhilarating exploits of special agents in movies like James Bond, Mission Impossible, and Salt. Naturally, I found myself daydreaming about stepping into the shoes of a special agent myself. Little did I know that fate would grant me the opportunity to live out this fantasy, though in an unofficial capacity.
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
Karachi Chronicles Chapter 13
Although we didn’t have a license to free roam, there were plenty of establishments in the hotel to keep us fed. Each morning, for breakfast we had the expansive Marco Polo buffet. In the evenings, there was a traditional Pakistani buffet for a local flavour. As for Eastern Asian flavours, we had Taipan yum cha and the “best restaurant in Pakistan,” Sakura Japanese. Catering to the Western palate, you had the Steakhouse or executive lounge. Room service, a café in the lobby and the Kwikimart† rounded out the plethora of options at our immediate disposal.
By S. J. Leahy3 months ago in Chapters
The Man, The Mountain, and The Climb
". . .He keeps climbing because stopping would mean surrendering everything he has built, every promise he swore to keep. The air thins as he ascends, and though he’s given everything—strength, time, conviction—the mountain gives little back. Once, it felt sacred to climb.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | The Charming Hotel Housekeeper | Part V of VI
An official trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina took an amusing turn when a determined hotel housekeeper, with her rapid Spanish and swift cleaning skills, transformed a routine moment into a memorable encounter!
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Challenges in Jet Lag | Part V of VI
This was my first official journey to the continent of Africa. The direct overnight flight from Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, lasted an exhausting eight hours. I landed in Paris at 7:00 AM, facing a six-hour layover before boarding an Air Afrique flight to Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan. The flight to West Africa added another eight hours to my travel time, and I finally arrived at 9 PM in West Africa. I was completely worn out from the lengthy trip and feeling quite irritable, and the native airport staff didn’t make matters any better. As a result, they witnessed a side of me that wasn’t very friendly.
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
Whispers Beyond the Clouds
The clouds had descended low that morning, curling around the emerald slopes like soft white scarves. The valley of Noorghar was half-hidden beneath them, a dreamlike place where the mountains seemed to breathe and the forests whispered stories older than time itself. To most people, Noorghar was just another name on an old traveler’s map, a forgotten corner in the folds of the Himalayas. But for Ayaan, it was a promise—one left behind by his grandfather, a man whose heart had belonged to these misty heights.
By Shahzada Luqman3 months ago in Chapters
Memoir | Beauty Mark | Part V of VI
As I waited at the airport in Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan (West Africa), for an Air Afrique flight to Accra, Ghana, where I had a day of work ahead, I spotted a woman whose face was beautifully marked with intricate and stunning designs.
By Mia Z. Edwards3 months ago in Chapters
