LP Pathfinders: what have you Instagrammed this month? [December]

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOfG5qBBNPp/
Destination: Vulcano Solfatara, Campi Flagrei, Naples, Italy
Context: The photo is of the 'bocca grande' volcanic opening. This supervolcano has recently awakened and moved into a 'critical stage' with a huge gaseous eruption now possible... but nobody knows when. We came to visit and smelled the bad eggs of the sulphur, see the boiling mud and feel the heat coming from the earth.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOg47CDBwi7/
Destination: Lungo Mare, Via Partenope, Naples, Italy
Context: Crowds gather for a Boxing Day walk along Via Partenope in Naples. The street looks onto Mount Vesuvius, Castel dell'ovo and the Bay of Naples. 'La passeggiata' is a lovely ritual in Italy where families and friends gather together to walk along the streets, enjoy their local town and build up an appetite for a big family meal.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNikM7ZBoG_/?taken-by=flatearthnomad
Destination: Volcán Maderas, Isla De Ometepe, Lago De Nicaragua
Context: Sunset on the veranda of a cabaña at Totoco Ecolodge on Isla de Ometepe, looking towards a shrouded Volcán Concepción. Totoco Ecolodge is situated one and a half kilometres inland and up the cool slopes of Volcán Maderas on Ometepe Island’s southerly section. A three-night splurge was welcome after we shared our first two nights on the island with battalions of mosquitoes and ant brigades along the Lago de Nicaragua shoreline. Totoco rests amidst a lush landscape, complete with howler monkeys occupying nearby branches and an assortment of beetles, spiders, centipedes and flying insects. Within a colourful flower-filled yard, each octagonal cabana has a veranda offering unobstructed views of Volcán Concepción, complete with hammock, swing chair and rocking chairs. Just bliss!

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOZliHGByVv/?taken-by=flatearthnomad
Destination: Lemaire Channel, Antarctica
Context: This day, we were navigating icebergs while sailing through 'Kodak Gap' (65°S). Lemaire Channel - a body of water that cuts a path between the continental Antarctic mainland on the east and Booth Island in the west - is close to 11 kilometres long and renowned for its spectacular scenery, with near-vertical peaks plunging deep into the dark, but crystal clear waters. On this fine morning, we had blue skies accentuated by a rising polar sun amid a smattering of clouds. Pack ice parted as we plowed through the dark waters. The occasional submerged 'growler' clawed at the vessel for effect, these chunks of ice so named for the screeching sound that they make when tasting the hull of a ship.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOfg2PbBIt6/?taken-by=flatearthnomad
Destination: Borobudur, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia
Context: Borobudur has been on our radar for some time, notably for it being a magnificent Buddhist temple, drawing such praise as being a worthy rival to Angkor Wat in Cambodia or Bagan in Myanmar. It did not disappoint. Built circa 780 - 833 AD, Candi Borobudur is in the form of a stepped, truncated pyramid consisting of nine superimposed terraces that diminish in size as one moves to the higher terraces, mimicking the climb to a state of enlightenment.

We wandered through the corridors while hearing the call to prayer far off in the distance, walking in isolation past carvings that cover approximately 2,500 metres of stone - including 1,460 panels of narrative reliefs and 1,212 decorative panels - depicting sacred stories chronicling the biography of Buddha, his descent from heaven until his enlightenment and the beginning of his teachings.

The galleries of the lower terraces convey a feeling of enclosure as the lower galleries have high balustrades that hide the view to the outside world, which dissipates when the pilgrim enters the open circular terraces at the top of the monument. This photo at dawn is on the penultimate level known as the "Realm of Timeless Meditation", where the high walls of the balustrades fall away granting a panoramic view of perforated bell-shaped stupas against a hazy backdrop of the surrounding countryside. Enlightenment indeed!

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOVBVkWDdA2/

Destination: Taj Mahal. Agra, India.
Context: The Taj Mahal, the undisputed jewel in India's crown, sees over 10,000 daily visitors from all over the world. We had it all to ourselves after making sure that we were the first through the Eastern Gate at sunrise. There was very little time until the crowd of people joined the frame, but thankfully they held of long enough to catch the reflections perfectly.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BOP32MAjhI
Destination: Jama Masjid. Old Delhi, India.

Context: Our first attempt at visiting Jama Masjid, one of India's largest Mosques, was thwarted by sunset prayer so we made our way back first thing in the morning. The famous mosque is possibly one of the few peaceful places in the midst of Old Delhi's mayhem, offering a respite break for the senses.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNw57s3jojS/
Destination: Alappuzha (Alleppey). Kerala, India.
Context: Having a lazy day on the beautiful backwaters of India was the perfect break after a tough few weeks in Northern India after the Governments demonetisation of 85% of it's currency.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNg3jdtAIe2/?taken-by=bruno_mb
Destination: Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Context: We visited the ancient Vietnamese capital of Hoa Lu during the golden hour. Everything was calm and quiet and we could appreciate the surroundings much more. More than the ruins of the temples inside, it was this entrance that lingered in my memory when I got back home.

URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/BNbmvSYA2hI/?taken-by=bruno_mb
Destination: Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Context: We were driving back home on a motorbike when I looked to the side and saw this stunning scenery. We stopped the bike and watched the buffalos crossing the lake with the karst cliffs on the background, all in silence. It was magical. Definitely one of my favorite visual memories of Asia.