Forests and wildlife, gardens, mountains, rivers and the sea: encounters with the living world, taken from Wayne’s diaries.
35 diaries · Nature Diaries
7 September 2025
Ghana: Aburi. The visit to a cacao farm was fascinating, showing us how cacao is grown, the fruit harvested, and the beans fermented and dried.…
Trees & Forests
15 May 2025
Mauritius. [Name] and I arrived in Mauritius on Tuesday morning. We are staying until Sunday at Villa Harmonie on the small peninsula Îlot Fortier near…
Trees & Forests
28 July 2017
Malaysia: Taman Negara. Wednesday was a sightseeing day for us. We left at 5.30 am and drove about 4 hours to Taman Negara, a 130…
Trees & Forests
23 October 2016
Malaysia: Borneo. While it is always disturbing to see rainforest being cleared, it is not old growth, virgin forest (i.e. it has been logged numerous…
Trees & Forests
10 February 2013
South Africa: Garden Route. It is always good to be back in South Africa, like coming home – and all the more so in Cape…
Trees & Forests
8 August 2008
Canada: Vancouver. I started in Vancouver, where I interviewed Joel Bakan (author of The Corporation). I ended up having lunch and a walk along the…
Trees & Forests
1 January 2000
South Africa: Cape Town. Towards sunset, we ceremonially dedicated a Millennium Tree, chosen to symbolise the “tree of life” and planted as a gift to…
Trees & Forests
2 April 1999
South Africa: Hogsback. The enchantment of this forested hilltop community takes only a short while to unveil itself. This morning, as we drove from East…
Trees & Forests
8 April 2024
India: Ranthambore. Our safari drive in Ranthambore National Park on Friday afternoon (5th) took place in sight of the eponymous hilltop fort, which encloses 102…
Wildlife
24 July 2022
Uganda. Day 1. 5.30 am start. We drove to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and went on a one-hour walking safari to track the rhinos. We were…
Wildlife
24 December 2019
Thailand: Khao Yai. We did an overnight trip to Khao Yai national forest park, taking a surprisingly comfortable, air-conditioned train to Pak Chong. Our package…
Wildlife
20 June 2019
South Africa: Phelwana. It’s nearly sunset and [name] and I are sitting on the wooden deck in front of our safari tent in Phelwana Game…
Wildlife
26 June 2016
South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal. On Thursday 23 June we flew to Durban where we met Mom and Dad and drove to our eco-lodge near Hluhluwe. It…
Wildlife
25 January 2016
South Africa: Western Cape. As I write, I am seated at a beautiful rough wooden table, in a Bush Villa at Botlierskop in the Western…
Wildlife
4 April 2014
Madagascar. This morning we woke late (9 am) and went to meet our guide at the National Park. He took us to one of the…
Wildlife
3 October 2011
Ecuador: Galápagos. A day of sun, surf & snorkelling off one of the newest Galapagos islands. Climbed my 1st volcano & saw my 1st sting…
Wildlife
28 August 2011
South Africa: Western and Eastern Cape. On our second day in Cape Town, we went up Signal Hill and Table Mountain (the weather was windy…
Wildlife
2 February 2011
Australia: Great Ocean Road. Amazing trip down the coast. Swam in the sea, sunrise on the beach; even saw koala bears in the wild &…
Wildlife
30 August 2007
Botswana: Okavango Delta. This is serenity; this is bliss. Lying in the shade of a copse of African trees, a gentle breeze blowing, birds calling.…
Wildlife
27 June 1997
South Africa: Johannesburg. Thoughts for the day, inspired by a leisurely visit to Zoo Lake park in Johannesburg: I have been focussing too much on…
Wildlife
24 April 1990
Zimbabwe. Well, here I am aboard the Trans-Karoo on my way home after 2 weeks away. I’ve been in Zimbabwe attending an AIESEC environmental conference…
Wildlife
18 August 2019
England: Norfolk. We also discovered Thetford Garden Centre. Inspired, yesterday we spent most of the day gardening: trimming the beech hedge, pruning bushes along the…
Gardens & Home Ground
29 August 2015
Singapore: Gardens by the Bay. In the evening, we visited the Gardens by the Bay, including their Flower and Cloud Forest bio-domes – with beautiful…
Gardens & Home Ground
1 July 2005
England. Apart from the sport, we did get out one weekend to visit The Herb Garden at Hardstoft in Derbyshire, a truly delightful little place.…
Gardens & Home Ground
12 April 2003
England: Nottingham. Spring is springing here. We’ve had a month of daffodils and crocuses, and now the tulips are starting to blossom. It is such…
Gardens & Home Ground
1 October 1995
Scotland: Lauriston Hall. Having spent 2 days here, Lauriston Hall seems to be a most fine example of sustainable community. The 30 or so residents…
Gardens & Home Ground
23 June 2024
Kosovo. Spending time at our Koshutan Mountain Cabin, with its spectacular views and surround-sound bird song. The wild flowers in the mountains – and on…
Mountains, Rivers & Landscapes
28 July 2016
Albania: The Great Highlands. I am in a cosy 3-bed room, looking out on a gathering mist over pine-forested slopes. We are in a wooden…
Mountains, Rivers & Landscapes
23 July 2016
Kosovo: Rugova. I have woken to a breathtaking vista of pine forest covered mountains. A cock is crowing and a cow bell is clanging. We…
Mountains, Rivers & Landscapes
10 April 2015
Kosovo: Accursed Mountains. Yesterday, we took a drive through the spectacular gorge of the Accursed mountains of Peja. It truly is scenery to fall in…
Mountains, Rivers & Landscapes
29 September 1996
South Africa: The Karoo. Our drive back to Cape Town from Joburg was pleasant and somewhat like crossing the threshold to arriving back home. The…
Mountains, Rivers & Landscapes
12 January 2023
New Zealand. I had hoped to be able to write about swimming with wild dolphins, but it didn’t quite work out. Cyclone Hale has been…
Sea, Sky & Seasons
13 May 2021
Kosovo: Rugova. Eid. Scenic drive across the Dukagjini plains, stopping to photograph a wild field of crimson clover, with a late lunch at Trofta e…
Sea, Sky & Seasons
12 February 2014
South Africa: Swellendam. In the afternoon, we drove across to Bontebok National Park, where we swam in the river. The water was warm and the…
Sea, Sky & Seasons
21 July 2013
Greece: Corfu. The island is much greener and more mountainous than I expected. Our villa is about 750 metres up a steep winding road from…
Sea, Sky & Seasons