Editorial Writing

Here are a some links to a few examples of features I have written (and photographed, actually). They have been published in various magazines and are now under my copyright.

The Men Who Make Celluloid Dreams

"The curved blade of the vicious looking axe flashes as the scowling monk brings it down in a scythe-like sweep towards his opponent's head. But with a swift side-step the tall Chinese swordsman avoids the blow; whirling round, he slashes his attacker across the stomach, causing him to fall groaning to the ground, his lifeblood gushing out into the dust.  Immediately, five other monks hurl themselves upon the victor, and pandemonium reigns as weapons clash, feet smash into faces and cries of agony fill the air. Soon the tall man, bloodied but unbowed, is surrounded by the gory corpses of his erstwhile would-be killers. Five minutes later, they do the whole thing all over again - another Shaw Brothers costume epic is on its way to completion."

The Greatest Canadian Train Journey

"At one minute to midnight, 'The Canadian" stirs itself, lurches forward a little, then - barely perceptibly at first - begins to move ponderously out of Toronto's Union Station. Four nights, three days and 3045 miles later, God willing and the creek don't rise. I'll be aboard her as she trundles into Vancouver Main Street, a continent's breadth away."

Swayambunath, Kathmandu's Famous Monkey Temple

"Climb up to the top of the nine-storey high Besantapur Tower in Kathmandu's Royal Palace and you can see the ever-watchful eyes of Swayambunath's famous stupa gazing at you from across the valley. The all-seeing eyes painted on the four faces of the central tower are supposed to be looking out for good deeds, but their piercing glance and slightly forbidding aspect always makes me feel that they rarely miss bad ones either."

Jump For Joy, or, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Skydiving But Were Too Smart Too Ask...

"It was when the pilot flipped the door open at 12,000 feet I really began to have my doubts. As I was kneeling by the gaping hole without a parachute at the time this was not surprising.
"OK, let's get together". Inaudible in the roar of the engine and the wind, Debbie Harper mouthed the words, beckoning to me from across the plane. Now when an attractive blonde asks you to get tightly strapped to her in what would on other occasions be an intimate embrace, you don't refuse, especially when you're perilously close to a 12,000 foot drop and she's got the only parachute. Even when she's married to the pilot. "