What dress codes really mean for cabin crew?
What dress codes really mean for cabin crew? do you know what dress codes really mean for the cabin crew? In a medical emergency flying long-haul, former flight attendant, Jade, had a surprising worry beyond helping her sick passenger. “Depending on exactly how the passenger may land, and their position,” she says, “I always questioned […]
The strange power of the ‘evil eye’
The strange power of the Evil eye When it comes to warding off the mystic malevolent forces of the world, there is perhaps no charm more recognised or renowned than the evil eye. Ubiquitous in its use, the striking image of the cobalt-blue eye has appeared not only in the bazaars of Istanbul, but everywhere […]
The secret to never being late?
How i learned to go in circles in Kathmandu The secret to never being late? Circling Boudhanath Stupa each morning at sunrise, I learned to slow down, to stop fretting about ‘lost productivity’ and, instead, go in circles for a while. Circles don’t get much respect. They are the pariahs of geometry; round pegs in […]
A 128 year old dating service
A 128 year old dating service On a chilly afternoon deep in northern Germany’s Dodauer Forest, 100km north-east of Hamburg, a postman wearing a bright yellow uniform was walking alone through the woods. When he reached a clearing, he rummaged through his bag and then slowly climbed a 3m-tall wooden ladder to deliver a purple […]
The world’s most nutritious foods
The 100 most nutritious foods Imagine the ideal food. One that contains all the nutrients necessary to meet, but not exceed, our daily nutrient demands. If such a food existed, consuming it, without eating any other, would provide the optimal nutritional balance for our body. Such a food does not exist. But we can do […]
Why Poland will never have hygge
Why Poland will never have hygge The polish phrase that will help you through tough times Words like ‘hygge’ (Danish), ‘gezelligheid’ (Dutch) and ‘lagom’ (Swedish) have become very popular in recent years. But fans of these fuzzy-sounding concepts often miss the point that Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden are well-off, politically stable countries with excellent […]
The widows who can’t return home
The widows who can’t return home Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide Some of the most conservative Hindus in India believe that a woman whose husband has died should no longer live because she failed to retain his soul. Rejected by their communities and abandoned by their loved ones, thousands of destitute women make their […]
Where afternoon tea really came from
The true story behind England’s tea obsession A stiff upper lip and an almost genetic love of tea are what makes the English English. Except that the latter was actually influenced by a Portuguese woman. Imagine the most English-English person you can think of. Now I’m fairly certain that no matter what picture you just […]
In Indonesia the day tens of millions of people go home
In Indonesia the day tens of millions of people go home Lebaran is one of the largest temporary human migrations globally, as workers return to their hometowns to celebrate with their families and to ask forgiveness from parents and elders. A humbling experienceIn July 2016, I – along with a group of 20 scientists and […]
The country obsessed with accordions
The country obsessed with accordions The surprising origin of Colombian folk music When I landed at Alfonso López Pumarejo airport just south of Valledupar, the capital of the César region in northern Colombia, it was the first time in 12 years that I had been back to my father’s homeland. The intense tropical heat hit […]