Feature
The Pharaoh's Lesson
The wisdom hidden inside Egypt's tombs
Travelogue
Say there was an eternal afterlife – what would you choose to take to the other side? Your house? Car? Gourmet food and wine? Maybe some favourite clothes, jewellery, makeup and shoes? What about some underwear?
Pharaohs packed all this and more. The reason we know this is because of the infamous discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, the most complete and spectacular unplundered royal tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings.
Most other notable tombs, whether it be in the pyramids or dug into the arid cliffs at the Valley of the Kings, were robbed way back in antiquity. The only reason King Tut's tomb remained undisturbed was because of the unusual circumstance surrounding his death.
Welcome to Vitalis
Vitalis is a new literary, lifestyle, culture & current affairs magazine. Born out of nostalgia, we are reviving the tradition of publishing serialised novels, short stories, long form editorial essays and illustrated magazine covers. Vitalis is designed to be an interactive, multimedia experience, free from algorithmic feeds–you choose what you want to read, listen or view. From profiling wholesome local eateries to sharing thoughtful travelogues, we cover the topics that add to the joie de vivre, whilst constructively critiquing culture, business and politics.
An examined life is a well-lived life. Join us in the exploration.
Lifestyle
Harissa makes everything better
A condiment birthed through history
Food Diary
Feeling down? Have some harissa.
A bit stressed? Take some harissa.
Broken hearted? Eat some extra harissa …
Harissa makes everything better. I first encountered Harissa in the Medina of Tunis in May 2026. How I had managed to spend 3 and 40 years on this planet without indulging in this most beautiful of condiments, I do not know.
Food Diary
Where to eat in Coogee
Confession: I originally wrote this guide for guests staying at my home while I am away travelling. To the extent it helps others discover great cafés and restaurants in Coogee, that is a welcome bonus. For those who are new to Australia I start with a short history of how Coogee's food scene has evolved and provide an overview of Australia's unique dining out culture. Aussies can skip directly to my recommendations!
Travel Tips
The Reality of Budget Travel
What possesses us to leave behind a comfortable home and head off into the unknown? I am not referring to luxury travel or the sort of travel one does with organised tour companies either. Rather, I am talking about the self-directed, budget-conscious journeys that intrepid souls embark upon through distant lands. As adventurous as such a form of travel may sound, it is not without its trials.
Travelogue
The Pharaohs' Lesson
Say there was an eternal afterlife – what would you choose to take to the other side? Your house? Car? Gourmet food and wine? Maybe some favourite clothes, jewellery, makeup and shoes? What about some underwear? Pharaohs packed all this and more. The reason we know this is because of the infamous discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, the most complete and spectacular unplundered royal tomb discovered in the Valley of the Kings.
Literature
Anachronistic Memoir
Serialised Novel . Published Monthly
Discover 21st century travel with 19th century wit
Prologue:
Caught in a Time Loop!
"Having departed in my carriage for Town in the year 1815, I arrived somewhat abruptly in a place known as Rendlesham Forest. The year was 2025; two centuries and a decade had passed.
Culture
Is a Picture Still Worth a Thousand Words?
A dialogue on contemporary art & the Venice Biennale
Fine Art
A picture is worth a thousand words: this well-known adage established the superiority of the visual art form over the written word, implying that complex ideas or deep emotions can be conveyed much more quickly and effectively through a single image than by reading or writing lengthy prose.
While most of us will accept this on its face value, a cursory visit to any contemporary art exhibition will quickly challenge even the most ardent believer.
It has become near-impossible to fathom contemporary art without reading a thousand-word preamble first.
Artist Life
Practicing art in obscurity: The last of the Creatives are closing shop
I accompanied my partner to an opening at an art gallery late last year; one of his old friends was exhibiting his latest paintings. At one point in the evening I found myself at the edge of the crowd, looking on at the artist with his posse of friends. Like him, they’ve all had careers as creatives. A sober realisation dawned: This will be the last generation to make a living from the Arts.
Movies
Are we alone? Spielberg does not think so
This piece is less a critique of Disclosure Day, the new UFO movie by Spielberg, and more of a discussion on why Spielberg made Disclosure Day. If the interviews the legendary director has been giving are anything to go by, the man is a true believer–perhaps he always was. What has become clear is that he caught the same bug I did back in 2017. The difference is that I moved on while Spielberg made a blockbuster movie about it …
Lived Wisdom
If you must dwell, dwell on the positive
If you had to pick one word to describe the current state of the world, what would you say? I'd hasten a guess that no one opted for calm, peaceful or indeed, uplifting. Perhaps it was fitting then, that for the final Willow the Wonderer book in the series I left the external world behind and delved instead into the worlds that lie within—our inner worlds, after all, are places we can condition and control.
Current Affairs
Being a billionaire is no longer cool
The remedy to regain public trust is deceptively simple
Sociopolitical
20th of January, 2025: On a freezing winter's day in Washington, Trump was sworn in as the President of the United States of America for the second time. The chill captured the mood of at least half the nation and perhaps, most of the world, as the mad king was once again handed the reins to the most armed nation in the world.
Michelle Obama broke tradition and did not attend the inauguration. She did not put forward some fake excuse either; her absence was a silent protest that spoke volumes. All other dignitaries, accustomed to the machiavellian nature of politics took their allocated seats, dressed in the appropriate expression for the occasion.
Amongst them was a surprising new addition; a skulk of tech executives, sitting unabashedly in the front row. It set the tone for what was to come.
Public Policy
Have governments figured out how to regulate tech and tax law?
It happened with social media.
It is happening with capital gains.
It may happen with AI.
Governments around the world are adopting the 'fast follower' strategy to close glaring regulatory loopholes. This is the fastest governments have ever moved to legislate uniform laws. For those of us looking for the 'light' in the world of politics, this may be it.
Book Business
The problems with self publishing on Amazon
Amazon has long been hailed as the saviour for self-publishing authors, providing access to not only a huge marketplace to sell books but also to a complete range of publishing, printing and logistics services. It was only we delved into the 'economics' of it all that it felt more akin to daylight robbery.
Artificial Intelligence
Don't let Big Tech ruin AI
Once upon a time, we lived in a world where the we could not get enough of tech. We would line up for hours to await the release of shiny gadgets, squeal with delight at sleek new UXs, and applaud cheap subscriptions. Silicon Valley aroused religious fervour. That tide has turned: As greed took over, the veneer of innovation and idealism that long kept Silicon Valley in the public's good graces wore off. The challenge now is to stop Big Tech from ruining AI.
Literature
Speculative Fiction
Short Stories . Published Quarterly
Imagining a Post-AGI world
A Tale About Undying
Love
Ramma insisted that she prepare dinner that evening; she liked being useful. Smells from Sandhya's childhood soon filled the room. Ramma was cooking a familiar meal–dahl, bhaat and bhaji. This used to be mum's favourite. 'Perhaps it misses her too.' It was a passing thought but enough to remind Sandhya of her grief.
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“ An unexamined life is not worth living ”