Shafik Meghji
@shafikmeghji.bsky.social
3.7K followers 2K following 380 posts
Journalist, travel writer, author 📖 Small Earthquakes (out now ⬇️), Crossed Off the Map ✍🏽 BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller, Wanderlust, Lonely Planet, DK, Geographical 🌎 Latin America / Ex-porteño https://linktr.ee/ShafikMeghji
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shafikmeghji.bsky.social
🚨Delighted to say my new book #SmallEarthquakes is published today by @hurstpublishers.bsky.social.

Blending travel writing, history & reportage, it uncovers Britain’s lost connections with South America, from the Atacama to Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island to South Georgia.

➡️ tinyurl.com/2wy8j9df
A gif featuring photos from and reviews of the new book Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
hurstpublishers.bsky.social
Congratulations @shafikmeghji.bsky.social!

Small Earthquakes has been shortlisted for the @travwriters.bsky.social Travel Narrative Book of the Year! ⛰️✈️

➡️ tinyurl.com/yw4nkaza
A mock-up of Small Earthquakes by Shafik Meghji. The book cover has an illustration of a path through mountains, and orange, blue and red colouring, including white and orange text. There is also a sentence at the top of the image that reads 'Shortlisted for the BGTW Travel Narrative Book of the Year' next to the BGTW logo.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
amnestyuk.bsky.social
Amnesty UK condemns the horrific attack on the East Sussex Mosque this weekend.

We offer solidarity to Muslim communities who will be shaken by this act of violence.

🧵1/4
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Thrilled to hear #SmallEarthquakes has been shortlisted for Travel Narrative Book of the Year at the @travwriters.bsky.social awards, alongside some brilliant titles 🎉

📖 @hurstpublishers.bsky.social

bgtw.org/awards/membe...
A graphic with the shortlist for the Travel Narrative Book of the Year.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
unrwa.org
For two years too long, people in #Gaza have been going through forced displacement.

No place is safe in Gaza.

#CeasefireNow
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Thanks Shebs, congrats to you too - look forward to catching up at the awards night!
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Also delighted to be up for the @travwriters.bsky.social Celebrating Diversity Through Storytelling award for my @runnymedetrust.bsky.social feature on London’s South Asian history.

Congratulations to my fellow finalists, the brilliant @annahrichards.bsky.social and @shebsthewanderer.bsky.social 🎉
A graphic with the shortlist for the Celebrating Diversity Through Storytelling award.
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Thrilled to hear #SmallEarthquakes has been shortlisted for Travel Narrative Book of the Year at the @travwriters.bsky.social awards, alongside some brilliant titles 🎉

📖 @hurstpublishers.bsky.social

bgtw.org/awards/membe...
A graphic with the shortlist for the Travel Narrative Book of the Year.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
runnymedetrust.bsky.social
We send our deepest condolences and love to Jewish communities across the country in the wake of this morning’s horrifying attack.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
‘Through a journalistic lens that focuses on unexpected, startling and sometimes shocking narratives, [Meghji] makes it all fascinating and worth telling.’

Great to see #SmallEarthquakes reviewed so positively in The Prisma.

📖 @hurstpublishers.bsky.social

theprisma.co.uk/2025/09/29/h...
An image of The Prisma’s review of Shafik Meghji’s new book Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
aslear.bsky.social
‘A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.’
- Samuel Jackson

Some of the best I have finished this year! Just brilliant!!
Make sure you have them on your reading list 🤗📚📖

@stanfordstravel.bsky.social
@shafikmeghji.bsky.social
@edentravels.bsky.social
@noosarowiwa.bsky.social
2025 Books !!
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Thanks Alison - a great selection 📚
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
‘Through a journalistic lens that focuses on unexpected, startling and sometimes shocking narratives, [Meghji] makes it all fascinating and worth telling.’

Great to see #SmallEarthquakes reviewed so positively in The Prisma.

📖 @hurstpublishers.bsky.social

theprisma.co.uk/2025/09/29/h...
An image of The Prisma’s review of Shafik Meghji’s new book Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
robgoss.bsky.social
Back in Tokyo, back to writing, and back to doing these online chats about travel writing/feature writing. I have time to fit in a few more this month, if anyone is interested. Details in the post below. #writingcommunity
robgoss.bsky.social
I'm opening my travel writing sessions again from October. Details in screenshots and link below. Briefly: one-to-one sessions in return for a donation to a good cause, whether that's related to Palestine, Sudan, Ukraine, or something in your own community. www.tokyofreelance.com/first-friday....
Screenshot of a page of text. The text reads: 

What are the travel writing mentoring sessions like?

A session isn’t one size fits all. It isn’t a fixed class. Each one runs for about an hour and the focus is up to the participant. Some people have wanted to discuss their freelance business plans or talk about how/what/who to pitch. Others have wanted to discuss specific pitches or get feedback on a writing sample. Some have wanted help building a strategy for transitioning from teaching to writing (like I did), or for going from writing for Japan-based media to writing for markets overseas (like I do). A few have wanted to share the frustrations they’ve encountered and then get some advice.

When a participant isn’t entirely sure what they want to focus on, I often send them this blogpost about freelancing, and then we can hone in on some of the points it covers. With a few emails or DMs prior to a session, we can find something to structure a session around.

When and how are the sessions conducted?

Each session is conducted via Zoom. They are one-on-one and last about 60 minutes. I’m based in Tokyo (GMT+9) and (when not travelling) can schedule sessions on weekdays between 8am and 5pm my time. You don’t have to be in Japan – people have done sessions from Australia, the UK, and the US. Screenshot of a page of text. The text reads:

How much do you need to donate and to who?

When I started doing these sessions, the deal was for participants to donate a fee of their choice to a specific cause (directly, not via me). The first sessions were related to humanitarian aid in Ukraine, the second group of sessions the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake. Now that the sessions are monthly, you can donate to any charity you like (well, nothing MAGA related…this is about spreading positivity not hate). I can suggest a charity if you aren’t sure. How much? There is no fixed amount. If you can afford $100, that’s incredible. If $10 is a stretch right now, do $5. And it doesn’t have to be money. Last time, one participant decided to donate a few hours of volunteer work in their community.

All that said, donations aren’t essential for everyone. Not all aspiring travel writers have wealthy parents who can support them through unpaid internships or provide a financial safety net during the early years of a career. Nor do we all have country club contacts who can fast-track a media career or a trust fund with which to launch our own indie magazine. So, if you aren’t from a financially privileged background or aren’t able to spare any extra cash, don’t worry about the donation. There’ll be plenty of opportunities down the line for you to do something positive for someone else in return.

How to get in touch?

You can DM me on Instagram or email me (see the contact page). It really helps me to sieve out the spam if you send a message with a bit of detail – just a sentence or two about your writing goals, for example, or your writing background (if any) so far.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
🚨 Get 35% off #SmallEarthquakes in @hurstpublishers.bsky.social’s flash sale 👇🏽
hurstpublishers.bsky.social
📢 Back to Uni Flash Sale 🌟

Get 35% off all Hurst books until midnight on Friday 3rd October!

Discount will be applied at the checkout automatically.

Browse the full list ➡️ hurstpublishers.com
Powder blue sale sign with the words 'Back to Uni Sale, 35% off, ends 3rd Oct' visible.
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
🚨 Get 35% off #SmallEarthquakes in @hurstpublishers.bsky.social’s flash sale 👇🏽
hurstpublishers.bsky.social
📢 Back to Uni Flash Sale 🌟

Get 35% off all Hurst books until midnight on Friday 3rd October!

Discount will be applied at the checkout automatically.

Browse the full list ➡️ hurstpublishers.com
Powder blue sale sign with the words 'Back to Uni Sale, 35% off, ends 3rd Oct' visible.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
Last chance for sign up for the @natgeotraveluk.bsky.social travel writing masterclasses tonight 🎙️

🎟️ www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-master...
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
mountains-magazine.com
Mountains Magazine Issue 1 snapshot: Wild and Welcoming: British Columbia's Mountains for Everyone by @mattdennistravels.bsky.social. Buy your copy from £2.99 here: www.mountains-magazine.com/shop
Snapshot of magazine pages showing a double-page spread with large mountain photo and pages with text
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
mountains-magazine.com
Have you got your copy yet? Here's a list of all the shops across the UK and Northern Ireland from which to buy Issue 1 of Mountains Magazine: mountains-magazine.com/Shop-Locations
Shop Locations
Shop Locations
mountains-magazine.com
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
shafikmeghji.bsky.social
In the new issue of @geographical.co.uk, I reviewed two brilliant books:

Moonlight Express by @monisharajesh.bsky.social, a sharp, perceptive and evocative exploration of night trains.

Cádiz by Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart, an engaging history of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city.
A review of Monisha Rajesh’s new book Moonlight Express. A review of Helen Crisp and Jules Stewart’s new book Cádiz.
Reposted by Shafik Meghji
zoejardiniere.bsky.social
Ok. They’ve pissed me off.

I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards:

1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.