CHASING WONDER
A Postcard from the Future
There is something very futuristic about Dubai.
The Burj Khalifa, the Palm Jumeirah, the searing heat...
But that’s not all.
It’s also home to the Museum of the Future – a place that describes itself as a ‘home for optimistic imagination’.
It’s a fascinating place.
But I must admit... there was one exhibit that didn’t fill me with optimism.
It’s called ‘The Vault of Life’.
An archive of over 2,400 laser-etched crystal glass specimens of animals, plants, fungi and marine life, it is a testament to the incredible biodiversity of Planet Earth.
Walking through the vault was deeply poignant, especially given that some of the species on display are already extinct.
And yet it was also a timely reminder of how wonder-full our world is – and how important it is that we take care of it.
🇦🇪 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 2025
A Postcard from Agra
I feel a bit awkward saying this.
When I visited the Taj Mahal, I didn’t experience a whole lot of wonder. I mean, it’s literally one of the (New) Seven Wonders of the World.
And it’s very impressive. Spectacular, even. But I wasn’t exactly blown away.
After spending a few hours exploring the Taj Mahal, I visited the ‘Baby Taj’. Nicknamed the ‘jewel box’, it’s widely regarded as the inspiration for the Taj Mahal itself. But unlike the majestic splendour of the Taj Mahal, the Baby Taj is more detailed, more intimate and more charming.
What they have in common is that they are both a tribute to the enduring wonder of love.
While the Taj Mahal is famously associated with love of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Baby Taj (officially Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb) was commissioned by Shah Jahan’s stepmother, Empress Nur Jahan, as a mausoleum for her father.
And it was there that I happened to witness a moment of love between two strangers — in Agra, the City of Love.
🇮🇳 Agra, India, January 2023
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