My sense of spirituality waxes and wanes, as I suspect it does for many people. Sometimes my soul needs a refreshing drink, or even a kick in the pants. In my day-to-day, it can become easy to take things for granted and difficult to feel present and awake. Going somewhere otherworldly often helps me reconnect with the divine.

Namibia’s Hoanib Valley is the first example that comes to mind. At night, above our tiny torch-lit camp and the surrounding weather-weary mountains, countless stars burned in the sky, making the vastness of creation feel almost palpable.

In an old mountaintop monastery in Bhutan, I encountered a Buddhist ceremony in an ornate perfumed temple. I didn’t understand the guttural chants, accompanied by drums and cymbals, but their strangeness captivated me, and prayer/meditation flowed naturally.