I’m sitting in a little village in Borneo, dangling my legs over the sea in a settlement built entirely over the water. At first glance, Malaysia might seem a world away from Oman, but scratch the surface and you will see commonalities: tribal backgrounds, royalty, religion and the little details that bring us all closer.

There are lessons to be learnt from travel, and the most important might involve people, not scenery. These cannot be taught – that might be missing the point. Rather, they are best experienced first hand. You will find directions and pointers throughout this issue, from the open spaces of Ras al Jebel to the damp corners of Sabah.

The lessons, if any, we leave to you to draw. And that just might be what travel is all about.

Pinaki Chakravarty
pinaki@apexstuff.com