913 Pamukkale, Turkey, 31 July 1999 They plan to set up a fish nursery. For the time being, they're doing tests with a few mini-fish in a small tank fed from a spring. Meanwhile, they live off their land, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, apples and pears, which they sell at the nearby market. Alaattin is very proud of his Russian side-car, which comes in handy for going to the fields, and transporting the harvest or the whole family. 914 Pamukkale, Turkey, 31 July 1999 Osman has a shop selling books and postcards. His wife works as a chambermaid in one of the city's many hotels. Thirteen-year-old Yasemin finished school three years ago and helps her mother in the kitchen. Osman's dream is to buy a tractor, because he also owns a cotton field. 915 Pamukkale, Turkey, 31 July 1999 40 years of marriage, a son with a wife and child, one family living in neighbouring houses and working together. They have been farmers for ever and a day, planting tobacco, aniseed (used to make the national drink raki), maize and vegetables for family consumption. Their idea for the new millennium is: 'You come and live here, and we'll go to France !' 921 Denizli, Turkey, 1 August 1999 Sixteen-year-old Fatih is quite definite : he's going to be a footballer. He already plays better than his father, in the team run by the textile factory where Ali Riza is sales manager. His elder sister Uknur, who's 19, is studying English and planning to open a language school, which is nothing short of a revolution because for generations the family (which includes the grandparents in the photo) has worked in textiles, the region's main industry. 923 Ürgüp, Turkey, 3 August 1999 Mehmet is in a very good mood - he's on his way back from the mill with his tractor laden with 15 sacks of flour, which will feed his family for a whole year. He has 87 acres [35 ha] of vines, fields, a vegetable garden, fruit trees and a cow - all of which go nicely with the flour. Fifteen-year-old Arzu doesn't have much interest in farming. She dreams of being a maths teacher. Mehmet hopes that 'the new millennium will bring Christians and Muslims closer together.' If Allah wills it ... 924 Ürgüp, Turkey, 3 August 1999 Muammer is the village mayor. Like the rest of his constituency, he works in the fields, where he grows onions, potatoes, wheat, vines and fruit trees. He has also imported five Dutch cows, but he's a bit disappointed by their milk yield, which has dropped since they first got here. 'They're probably having trouble adapting to the climate, which isn't very 'Dutch'.' 925 Ürgüp, Turkey, 3 August 1999 Mehmet and Ayse live in a 'house' built in the Ürgüp rock face. He's a baker by night, and by day they both work in their field, where they grow fruit and vegetables for their family. Their only cow and a handful of chickens are kept in a stable, also hewn out of the rock. 926 Hama, Syria, 6 August 1999 They all have something planned for the new millennium - Zein, who's 23, is going to be married. Twenty-seven-year-old Bassi has to decide whether to be a civil engineer, the profession he's trained for, or a goldsmith, the family trade for three generations. Emil and Nawal (who teach philosophy and psychology at university) have the last word: 'We're going to get rid of our children and travel round America, and have a second honeymoon.' Have a good trip! 927 Hama, Syria, 6 August 1999 Dia is a building contractor and owner of stonemason's yard. He's also a very active member of the Orthodox Church. He runs a meeting-place and restaurant, whose profit goes to the Church. Maria (17) paints and studies English literature, while Issa (23) works as a technician installing water pumps. As soon as the photo was taken, the whole family leapt into the water, swimming being their favourite sport. 928 Hama, Syria, 6 August 1999 The Kassren family have been goldsmiths for five generations, and living in Hama for seven. They own 13 jewellery shops in town. Muneer practised as a lawyer before returning to the 'family trade', where he feels happier and 'business is more interesting.' 929 Hama, Syria, 6 August 1999 Barakat once taught sculpture, then became a painter. He dreams of showing his pictures in Paris. Nesree (23) is studying Arabic literature, and sees herself working as a TV journalist. Nadeen (21, seated) is studying to be an agricultural engineer. Fahed, who's 19, is waiting for his school exam results. Twelve-year-old Dima is going to be a professional basketball player, and is showing promise already - she's broken her arm twice! Nuhad, their mother, works as a secretary for the water company. One hobby they all share: family singing, with Nuhad accompanying them on her guitar. 931 Bosra, Syria, 8 August 1999 Atie Mohammed was married at 13, and today he's a happy grandfather. 'I've been mayor of the village for 27 years, I've done my pilgrimage to Mecca, I've got fields, two cows, 60 sheep and two tractors - and all the children in the photo are my grandchildren.' 'When you went to Mecca, were you afraid of flying?' - 'Not at all, it was like on my tractor, only a lot more comfortable.' 932 Bosra, Syria, 8 August 1999 The family are farmers by tradition. It's been a hard year. There's not enough water, and Nasser has had to sell part of his flock of sheep ... but he's still optimistic. 'Next year will be better.' Seventeen-year-old Mohammed is at the hotel-management school, and will be a chef. 'Did your mother teach you how to cook?' He replies with a laugh: 'Not at all! I'm the one who gives her cookery lessons.' 935 Petra, Jordan, 10 August 1999 'My children? They were all born in the tent. My wife is very strong, she eats meat and yoghurt,' Ibrahim the Bedouin tells us, adding: 'Even if you give me a villa, I'll never leave my tent. There's more democracy and peace here than in a house - and I sleep well.' 936 Wadi Musa, Jordan, 10 August 1999 Ahmed Jed Mussa works at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and he's only half-content. 'I can't travel any more because of my six children, and I'm having trouble getting the money together for a new house for my family.' The children for their part already have a vague idea about their future professional careers, including the youngest, who wants to be a dentist. 937 Petra, Jordan, 10 August 1999 Adam, who's eight, and Islam, who's seven, dream of being a pilot and a doctor. After studying in the United States, their father got a job as administrator of the Petra conservation board. His hope for the future is that '2000 will be a good year for the whole earth, not just Jordan.' 938 Palmyra, Syria, 12 August 1999 Their great dream for the new millennium is to have a hotel. 'But it costs a lot, and we don't want money from the bank. We'd rather find the money ourselves,' they tell us. Meanwhile, Jol works in a shop selling souvenirs, Bedouin carpets and rugs, postcards and stamps. Fatme teaches at the primary school. 940 Palmyra, Jordan, 12 August 1999 Both have chemistry degrees, but have ended up being hoteliers ... They'd like to visit the city of their dreams - Paris. 942 Sarikizköyü, Turkey, 16 August 1999 They live in Germany, but the family back in Turkey is sacred. Nothing in the world would keep Emel, a dental assistant and orchid collector, and her husband Zafer, who works for a large cutlery manufacturer, from going back to the village to help their parents with the apricot harvest. 943 Sarikizköyü, Turkey, 16 August 1999 Osman is 90 or thereabouts, with one or maybe two teeth left, but he's in good health. As a farmer, he started out by growing hashish, which has since been banned. Over the years, he tried his luck with wheat, then sheep and goats. He finally settled on apricots, like everybody in these parts. 944 Çamlihemsin, Turkey, 18 August 1999 'We must stop the way things are going. Muslims, Christians, Jews and all the rest must finally understand one another,' 68-year-old Idris tells us. He is a confirmed bachelor and a father by proxy (seen here with his deceased elder brother's wife, his niece and her three children). After spending 30 years exploring Africa and Australia by way of Europe, he returned to his native village, where he opened an inn beside a beautiful mountain river. It is now threatened by a plan to construct a power station - and work on it has already started. 945 Adana, Turkey, 18 August 1999 They are on holiday, and love nature, walking, climbing and the outdoor life in general - as a family. A chemist by training, Baykal heads a factory producing cattle feedstuffs. Ayse is a dentist. Their elder son is about to start a course in tourism and would like 'to live in nature'. As for the new millennium - 'Mythology has it that it will be the golden age!' 946 Çamlihemsin, Turkey, 18 August 1999 The family have come to spend their holidays at Kenan's paternal home. The house can only be reached on foot, as it is far from the bustling capital, high up on a mountain. One day, they would like to have the wherewithal to live in it all year round. 947 Tbilisi, Georgia, 20 August 1999 Tatia, who's 19, is full of optimism: 'Young women find work more easily than men in this country.' She wants to study economics like her father (who, despite his economics degree, could not find work in this field and works as an accountant). In his spare moments, Rezo tends his vineyard, which produces 500 litres of wine a year, and his orchard, which has dozens of fruit trees. And let's not forget the kitchen garden. Plenty to keep his mind off figures. 950 Yerevan, Armenia, 22 August 1999 Tina, the grandmother, is a member of the Academy of Sciences, with awards for her work in physics. She is also a freeman of her native city of Tbilisi, Georgia. She teaches physics, is chairwoman of the Georgian community in Armenia, and founder of a centre for handicapped people, established in the wake of the terrible 1988 earthquake. Her daughter Nina, with a degree in nuclear physics, is currently working on a major project. She has set her sights on tourism, and would like 'to put Armenia on the map' of tourist destinations. Nina's daughter Anna, doing modern languages in Geneva, is learning French, Italian and German so that one day she can work for a humanitarian aid organisation. 951 Yerevan, Armenia, 22 August 1999 'Our hope for the new millennium? That my husband finally finishes building our house,' exclaims Marina. But Ashot has a ready excuse: 'I've given up my work as an architect to help my wife in her travel agency, and you can't be everywhere at once.' Hayk is a serious boy who wants to be a lawyer-cum-footballer. Eleven-year-old Armen enjoys helping his mother in the house ... 956 Yerevan, Armenia, 23 August 1999 They are both out of work (like much of the population). He is an actor, she is a qualified engineer and a press journalist. Narine's sister is studying to be a prosthetist. They visit their country as a family, and proudly tell their children about the turbulent history and rich culture of Armenia as they show them all the monuments and churches. 957 Garrni, Armenia, 23 August 1999 Liana is a medical assistant and her husband an agronomist, but they are both out of work. They live from the land that has been allocated to them, as it has to every village family. A cow, vegetables and fruit enable them to survive and to sell the surplus in town. 958 Garrni, Armenia, 23 August 1999 People say of Garnik that he has 'hands of gold'. He was a jeweller, but the jewellery market has collapsed, so he's become a shoemaker. 'I watched other shoemakers at work and looked through catalogues.' He makes shoes with a simple sewing machine and a great deal of talent. Naira teaches Armenian at the secondary school, and she also gives English and French lessons at the primary school. They are very optimistic about the future. 'Will you have any more children?' - 'Yes, of course,' they both answer. They both help their parents, who have retired after 25 years spent working in a nickel factory and now tend a vegetable garden, fruit trees and a few fields, which are their main source of subsistence. 959 Yeghegnadzor, Armenia, 24 August 1999 'Of course we've got something planned for next year. It's to be grandparents,' Mells and Gohar both exclaim. Their future daughter-in-law Christina, who's studying medicine, doesn't seem altogether keen to make their wish come true quite so fast. Gohar is head chef in a restaurant. Her husband works for the region's pension administration. Twenty-three-year-old Margarita studied German for five years but cannot find work as an interpreter… 962 Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, 25 August 1999 'We live in hope. Without hope, there is no life ... We hope that the economic situation in our country will get better.' Harutyun is a hydraulic engineer by training, but works in the maintenance department of a government hotel reserved for the 'country's élite'. 963 Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, 25 August 1999 Vaginak lost his job as manager of the marshalling yard when the railway closed. Since then, he has worked as a security guard at the hotel where his wife has a job as cook. Arman (22) has finished military service and is now studying law, like his 19-year-old sister Aghavni. Anush (18) loves being a hairdresser, and I only escaped an impromptu haircut because she couldn't find any scissors ... They spend their free time at the dacha, where 'there is plenty of work for everybody,' the father remarks. And the new millennium? 'Let it be better than the end of the last one.' 964 Volgograd, Russia, 29 August 1999 These great grandparents, who have been married for 51 years, dote on little six-year-old Ksenia. She helps them to sell the melons that local people deposit with them, in exchange for a commission. Former economist Semjon and librarian Anna are not very optimistic about the future: 'Until there's a change of government, there's no hope.' 965 Gorodice, Russia, 29 August 1999 Jakow works for an airline company in Moscow, but is looking for a job in the area so that he can spend more time with his family. Alla is a teacher and about to become a grandmother, because her elder daughter Olga is married and expecting a baby. Little Svetlana loves animals and dreams of becoming a vet. Meanwhile, she looks after her many friends - two dogs, three cats and six rabbits. 970 Saratov, Russia, 31 August 1999 We were looking for an interpreter and met Vadim. In real life, he teaches computer science and artificial intelligence (robotics) at Saratov University. German has been a family tradition for more than 100 years, and in fact his father was a professor of German. So it's not surprising that ten-year-old Lenchen could recite Goethe's Erlking in the original German for us. 972 Saratov, Russia, 31 August 1999 'How we met? It's straight out of a novel, it'd make a book! We were in love with each other from the age of 16, but they separated us and so I married somebody else. Ten years later, Dimitri practically kidnapped me, and since then we've lived happily ever after.' Fnessa, Dimitri and their children are on holiday with her grandparents. They own a garage which she manages while he runs the workshop. Their 13-year-old son Stanislav wants to work with his parents as soon as he's finished school. 973 Saratov, Russia, 31 August 1999 Alexander drives one of the city's numerous buses while Katerina looks after Diana, so named in remembrance of a certain princess. And the new millennium? 'I would really like to have a son, but Katerina doesn't want to. We'll have to wait a bit.' 974 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 5 September 1999 The parents moved to the former capital [now Astana] to get a better education for their children, who have various ambitions. The eldest wants to be a lawyer like her mother, the next to be a customs inspector, the third an ambassadress (after studying at the Institute of World Languages in Moscow) and the youngest a top model or dancer, or maybe both. The father of these girls is a railway official, and told us about his many trips abroad. 'But that was before, in the Communist era, when everything was easier. Today it's impossible.' 975 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 5 September 1999 Originally from the Xinjinang Uygur region of neighbouring China, they now live in Almaty. Tursun is an unemployed typographer and Naïma is a teacher. But because she has no job, she works as a housekeeper and cook for the First Secretary of the Israeli embassy. Aziz (25) is a mechanic, but he has been out of a job since the workshop where he was employed shut down. Maia (21) has also been jobless since the school where she taught piano closed. She hasn't let this get her down, and keeps up the family morale by singing and playing the piano. The new millennium? 'We don't dream about becoming rich, we just want our children to be able to find work.' 976 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 5 September 1999 Jumakhun and Nurbanum were deported from Xinjiang Uygur (China) in 1958, and during the Communist era worked one for the railways, the other as a knitter. Nowadays they earn a little money selling vegetables. Their son Addushkur is a studio photographer and runs a workshop with four employees. Times are hard: 'Before perestroika there were plenty of customers to take portraits of, but these days everybody's got a disposable camera,' he laments. 977 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 6 September 1999 Vladimir and Irina - he's a bus driver, she's a housewife - love walking and outings to the mountains with their two boys. Ivan, the elder, can't wait to grow up and be a fireman ... 978 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 6 September 1999 They left their native village four years ago to look for work in the capital. Sarlybek has a degree in agronomics but is still jobless, while Aïnagul is a housewife and mother. They make a meagre livelihood selling fruit and vegetables supplied by relatives in the village. 979 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 6 September 1999 Yuri works at a printing press, but his real profession is aviation engineering, where he really hopes to find work soon, even if this means emigrating to Russia. A graduate of the Polytechnic Institute, Vera is looking for work and dreams of having another child, 'but the economic situation is too precarious at the moment.' The new millennium? 'Money is not the be all and end all - what we want is peace.' 982 Talas, Kyrgyzstan, 7 September 1999 Alexander has inherited his father's trade, keeping bees; he has 20 or so hives. He is also a keen sportsman and amateur boxer. Elena takes care of their house and young Anna. 983 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 9 September 1999 The grandparents were deported from Korea in 1937. Their son Viacheslav was born in Almaty and has married Choplan, who is Kazakh. All four have one thing in common: they are acupuncturists, and twelve-year-old Maya has already decided she will carry on the family tradition. 984 Almaty, Kazakhstan, 9 September 1999 'Our dream is to go around the world with our children!' Tauleguen owns a bus, while Rashida is an osteopath. After 15 years of marriage, he says half-seriously: 'Rashida was bowled over by my athletic physique.' Their children like foreign languages and animals. Until they get a bigger house, they are only allowed a little hamster. 985 Zhandasovo, Kazakhstan, 9 September 1999 Bakhytjan 'drives anything that moves' but he also tends to his kitchen garden, his cow and two sheep . His wife and the grandmother will spin the wool and then knit socks for the whole family. Winter is on its way! 986 Zhandasovo, Kazakhstan, 9 September 1999 Liutvi and Siudriat are Georgians whose families were deported from Georgia in 1944. They have two daughters (aged 39 and 40) who live with them and work in the village as an accountant and a school teacher. Siudriat looks after the cows, and makes yoghurt and butter. At this time of year, Liutvi makes hay, which he scythes and turns over with to dry with the machine in the photograph. He says : 'It's thanks to this machine that we can eat.' Their hope for the new millennium is 'peace in the world and no famine ever again.' 987 Zhandasovo, Kazakhstan, 9 September 1999 Valery is an agronomist, but has a job as manager of an industrial bakery. Polina, mother of three girls, looks after the house. They are rather proud of their children, and rightly so: Leila (21) is about to finish her psychology studies, and does translations into Russian and Turkish. Fatima, who is 20, is studying to become an interpreter, while 16-year-old Alina has just won the medal for best student and is going on to study medicine. 990 Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 12 September 1999 'Above all, no more war in the new millennium,' is Raim's hope. He has worked as a driver, joiner and welder, and is currently in charge of maintenance at Bukhara University. Matlab is an archivist for the regional administration and has a great love of sewing. In fact, it is because of her talents as a dressmaker that she met her future husband 15 years ago. 'He came in to order a suit and found the love of his life!' 991 Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 12 September 1999 Kamil was a delegate at the festivities commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Turkish Republic, and proudly wears the medal. He is also chairman of the Turkish community in Uzbekistan. He was deported at the age of six, along with the few remaining members of his family. He has lived in Uzbekistan since then, and says: 'I have two homelands, Turkey and Uzbekistan, and I should like to say to Turks all over the world that we really must get along with one another and make sure our culture lasts.' 993 Arabchona, Uzbekistan, 13 September 1999 Kamal is one of the shepherds who tend the village's 500 sheep. He regularly goes off for several days to take the flock to greener pastures. 994 Arabchona, Uzbekistan, 13 September 1999 Despite being a brilliant student of biology, Narboi has become head of the police brigade. He retains a strong childhood attachment to farming and still works his land, where he grows cotton and has a large vegetable garden. The grandmother, who used to teach in the kindergarten, always lends a helping hand in the fields. 997 Gyami, Turkmenistan, 15 September 1999 '2000 will be a golden year! Our guide and president will lead us to a better life,' says Kurban, professor of Turkmen and Turkmen history. He has been married for 35 years, and is surrounded by three of his seven children and two grandchildren. 999 Mir Daihan, Turkmenistan, 16 September 1999 Mohammed is a teacher like his father, who runs the music school, but also the happy owner of a video camera . He videos all the local weddings and family gatherings. As the proud father of two boys and a four-month-old daughter, he would like another daughter to 'balance the sexes'. 1000 Ashkabad, Turkmenistan, 16 September 1999 We met Ogulkurban, beard blowing in the wind, bicycling back from work. Although he's past retirement age, he still handles the costumes at the Ashkabad Opera, making sure they are in one piece and ready for each performance. His two grown-up sons have come with their families to pose with the parents. 1001 Teheran, Iran, 18 September 1999 Hossin is a station master, so naturally likes taking his family on the train. We met them during the pilgrimage they were making to the tomb of Imam Reza in Mashhad, in the east of the country. 1002 Mashhad, Iran, 18 September 1999 Sixteen-year-old Hossin is going to follow in his father's footsteps and be a railway engineer. His sister is still a bit young but hopes to become a doctor to care for the sick. Their mother is a housewife. 1004 Mashhad, Iran, 18 September 1999 Despite all our efforts and many attempts in several languages, we couldn't find out what Parviz does. Does he work for the government or for the railways? A mystery ... One thing is certain - ten-year-old Naser is going to be a doctor. 1005 Mashhad, Iran, 19 September 1999 'I believe in the future, and in peace and love between peoples, regardless of their origins and religions.' Tahid is a modern man in a somewhat traditionalist society. 'I've named my daughter Venus, after the most beautiful woman in Greek antiquity.' He teaches English at the secondary school, and is an occasional guide and translator. He also breeds ornamental fish and helps his father rear fighting cocks, some 20 of which are housed in the basement of their villa. All this leaves him little free time for his hobbies - reading and ping-pong. His wife Hama, whom he married ten years ago, is a nurse at the children's hospital. For the new millennium they would really quite like a little boy ... 1006 Asadabad, Iran, 19 September 1999 This is the fifth time they have spent their holidays doing the pilgrimage to Mashhad. As a contractor working for the government, he believes the next millennium 'will be the age of peace and communication, thanks to our beloved President.' Mohammad, who's 20, and 18-year-old Maryam are preparing for their university entrance exams - medicine for him, law for her. 1007 Mashhad, Iran, 19 September 1999 Azar is divorced and lives with her two children. She teaches literature and Arabic, and also has a law degree. Her daughter Sara is studying engineering, while her son Alireza has artistic gifts, and can't decide between drawing, graphic design, computers and basketball. 'The new millennium? We must create greater unity among Islamic countries so that our living conditions improve. That's what I want from the future,' Azar tells us. 1010 Boshruyeh, Iran, 19 September 1999 Akbar had a difficult youth - he spent eight years as a prisoner of war in Iraq. He was captured in the early days of the war and was not freed until it was over. Today, he teaches English and also speaks French, two languages he learnt in the POW camps. His wife teaches at the primary school. His wish for the new millennium? 'No more war, ever, obviously.' 1013 Quetta, Pakistan, 3 October 1999 Fazil Mahmed lives with his wife (who stayed out of sight), his children his uncle and his brother in a suburb of Quetta. They are Afghan refugees. His hope is that peace will be restored in Afghanistan, so that he can go back there with his family. 1014 Quetta, Pakistan, 3 October 1999 Mohammed is a police officer in charge of traffic in Quetta. The father of six girls, he has the arduous task of finding their future husbands and providing their dowries. He has managed it twice, but the toughest part still lies ahead. He has kept his good humour, nevertheless: 'I am a happy man, I have six marvellous flowers' The future? 'I believe in God, but friendship is more important.' His hobby? 'I used to play hockey, but now with six girls, what can I do? I watch all the soccer games on television.' 1015 Gujranwala, Pakistan, 4 October 1999 Adjilem is quick with his answers: 'What do I want? A few more children. My family is too small.' And how many? 'God will decide.' He imports clothing from abroad and sells it in his shop. It looks like business is good. A minor detail: Adjilem has been married 31 years and has eight children. 1021 Lahore, Pakistan, 7 October 1999 The mother is a widow, but she can rely on her children. They are highly motivated and enthusiastic, and believe in the future. Muneer has just got married and goes to night classes in computer science so he can soon get a better job in the company where he works. His 'little brother' Shabir is a managerial assistant in the only five-star hotel in Lahore. Their young sister is about to become a school teacher. 1022 Lahore, Pakistan, 8 October 1999 Muhammad knows Pakistan like the back of his hand - he runs the Lahore Tourist Office. His eldest son is a farmer and works on the family farm run by an uncle. He says of his second son: 'My son is very religious. He to become an imam, but finally decided otherwise.' 1023 Lahore, Pakistan, 8 October 1999 'I work all the time. When I do have a free moment, I visit my elderly parents. They worked hard to educate me, and it is my religious and moral duty to look after them,' says Muhammad Ashraf Munir, managing director of a paint factory and a happy father and family man. He has ambitious plans for eleven-year-old Mubashar: 'I want him to be an officer in the air force. He is very bright and hard-working, considering how young he is.' 1024 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 Ashok was struck down by polio at the same time as fourteen other children in the village, and he alone survived. He is physically handicapped, and finds it very hard to move about. He paints miniatures, and also volunteers his time to give classes to disabled children in nearby towns. Despite his handicap, he loves travelling, and visiting the temples and holy places which inspire his miniatures and his daily meditation. 'I work non-stop, and I've passed on the painting bug to my wife and especially my elder daughter, who is very attracted to the profession.' 1025 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 Surtaram is full of optimism. After a variety of different jobs - labourer, tailor and vegetable vendor - he has just opened his own 'shop'. It is a modest and tiny hut filled with combs, sweets, tomatoes, soap and plenty of other indispensable things. 1026 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 Tolsaram is a respected man. He has managed to land a 'government job' in the department of archaeology, which gives him a certain prestige among his neighbours. He poses here with his wife and his grandson, whose mother could not be in the photo because, out of respect for her father-in-law, she has to remain veiled in his presence. 1027 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 So he could take part in the family photo, Patana was a good hour late for work at the municipal offices - but this didn't bother him at all. Of rural origin, he has remained in touch with his family, who 'provide him with farm produce.' 1028 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 Adert feeds his family with the help of his camel and cart, which he hires out by the hour for any kind of transport over any distance. 1029 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 'My family have been blacksmiths for 100 years or so. My boys are already working with me, apart from the youngest, who is at school and will I hope find a job - otherwise he'll be a blacksmith like his brothers,' says Deepa. The whole family works under a simple tarpaulin. His wife works the bellows, his children take it in turns with the hammer and he fashions all the different farm and household tools. 1030 Jaisalmer, India, 13 October 1999 In good months Taron and Indra can earn 2,000 rupees (c. $50), less the cost of raw materials and taxes they have to pay for their premises in the blacksmiths' street. He makes knives and tools, while she looks after the sales side and the family finances. 1031 Jaisalmer, India, 14 October 1999 Kumbharam has worked in the tourist office since 1974. He recalls: 'There wasn't a single hotel in Jaisalmer then, but today we have more than 100.' His six children go to school, and he has big plans for his son: 'I'll do all I can to make sure he studies and gets a good job in the civil service, but if he doesn't work hard, he'll be a peasant on the family farm.' 1032 Rupsi, India, 14 October 1999 Prema Ram teaches drawing as well as subjects ranging from art, English and maths to science. He is also keen on sports, and still does well in competitions among teachers. He tells us that when he was a pupil he 'won a 100-metre race in eight seconds (!), the fastest time in all Rajasthan.' 'Three of my four children go to school, but we can't do anything with my eldest daughter, she doesn't like school at all,' he says regretfully. 1035 Delvada, India, 20 October 1999 Surrounded by his four girls, his mother and his wife, Ramhira is a highly respected farmer, with one of the largest groundnut plantations in the village. He also owns twelve cows and two buffaloes, and speaks a few words of English learnt as a child from a book he used to leaf through as he watched the cows. He is very religious, and tells us of his pilgrimages to Hindu holy places in northern India and Nepal. 1036 Delvada, India, 20 Octobre 1999 Devgi spent 40 years sailing all the world's oceans. He has retired from the merchant navy, and lives surrounded by his family, wife, sons, daughters, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. His son has gone into a more sedentary profession - he is a tailor. 1038 Diu, India, 21 October 1999 Ramesh has chosen a life of prayer. He works at the village temple, and at set times every summons the faithful to prayers day with the help of an electric drum. He lives with his family in the temple compound. 1040 Diu, India, 21 October 1999 That isn't the latest fashion in motorcycling gear Vishvesh is wearing, but his uniform - he is one of the town's 18 firemen. He plays football, volleyball and of course cricket 'in this large stadium, which holds 12,000 spectators,' he explains, pointing at a large meadow with a few cows. His wife Vanita is a trader. Every morning she is at the market selling fish she buys from fishermen. 1042 Udaipur, India, 24 October 1999 The two brothers have gone into traditional crafts together, making wooden furniture covered all over in silver. The furniture is mainly for export, but sometimes the Maharani of Udaipur borrows a few beautiful pieces to add to the splendour of her palace for a wedding or some other festivity. 1043 Udaipur, India, 24 October 1999 Nainda and Tamu are about 60, peasants and well contented. Their three children are married and have all found work - the first is a teacher, the second a farmer like his father, and the third a milk vendor at the market. 1044 Udaipur, India, 24 October 1999 Grandpa has 'green fingers'. He is a retired director of the Ministry of Agriculture who now works as an unpaid consultant in gardening, horticulture and pest control. He advises private individuals, companies and the city council about what plants to use in their gardens and parks. In keeping with the Jain tradition, the family live together permanently, four generations side by side, all of them great nature and plant lovers. 'Plants are like children. You have to look after them all the time,' says Grandpa by way of conclusion. 1045 Udaipur, India, 25 October 1999 Originally from the extreme south of India, Kevi has been working in a zinc mine near Udaipur for 20 years. His wife is a shorthand typist at the local radio station, and their seven-year-old daughter Deepa knows already that she's going to be a doctor ... 1047 Udaipur, India, 26 October 1999 ''Every family in the world should live together like us. It's the best way of living happily and keeping the country's tradition and culture going.' That is the message from the head of the family, who is also the head priest at Udaipur palace. As required by custom, he lives surrounded by his sons and their families. 1050 Udaipur, India, 26 October 1999 'My husband is the James Bond of India! He works in the Federal Investigation Department, and sometimes I am very afraid for him. I would really like to work too, but I have to look after Mini, who's five months old. And then we'd like to have another baby, that way we each have our own,' Yasmeen tells us with a broad smile. 1051 Udaipur, India, 26 October 1999 The Bedlas have been connected with the Maharajas of Udaipur for many generations. This doesn't stop them being highly reputed amateur cooks. For a number of years they have also been much sought-after guests at India's grand hotels, where they unveil their recipes to a gourmet public. Their children have the same passion and help their parents whenever their studies and cricket permit. 1053 Bhoniyawala, India, 29 October 1999 They prefer the camel to the tractor - 'it's less expensive and doesn't have mechanical problems.' Recently widowed Ram Phool lives surrounded by her nearest and dearest - her brother, sisters and children. They grow rice and vegetables and live in the former hunting grounds of the Maharadjas of Udaipur, where many tigers have been shot in the past… 1054 Mohandora, India, 29 October 1999 Bansi, who is roughly 85, is all skin and bones, but full of serenity. 'This will be my last photo, as I'll be off soon ... It'll be a memento for my children.' A groundnut planter, he remembers the time when the land was a game reserve belonging to the last maharaja, and he remembers the maharaja's visits. 'He was very kind, and when we had drought problems, he came and helped us.' 1055 Delhi, India, 31 October 1999 Birbal has retired from the Indian army and found a job as assistant to the head of security in a luxury hotel. He has two daughters and a son. The girl on his right is his sister. He tells us: 'In India, you know, it's the parents who decide the future of their children, and my daughters will be officers in the police or army. It's a family tradition with us.' And little Vikas? 'Oh him, all he thinks about is cricket.' 1056 Delhi, India, 31 October 1999 They all go to the same school. Umesh teaches maths, his wife is the head mistress and the children go to classes. The whole family has a weakness for ice cream. 1057 Delhi, India, 31 October 1999 Twelve-year-old 'Lucky' is impatient - as from next year he will wear a turban. What's more, he'll be in the school cricket team as well. Seven-year-old Binny is quite tempted by a career as a popular singer. Their father is a self-employed driver, and has an auto-rickshaw and a mini-bus for transporting his passengers. Asked about the pollution in Delhi he answers: 'Well, it's nasty, but we'll see later if it's harmful.' 1058 Alwar, India, 8 November 1999 My ambition is to have a third child next year - it doesn't matter whether it's a boy or a girl,' says Ambika, whose wedding to Jitendra in 1994 in Delhi gained wide coverage in the celebrity magazines. Jitendra is an MP in the Rajasthan parliament, and has many strings to his bow. He likes photography and flying, motorbikes and tinkering with machines (he has his own workshop), nature and of course all the cars inherited from his grandfather, the Maharaja of Alwar himself. 1059 Bardia, Nepal, 11 November 1999 Narbahadur retired from the army after 20 years of service, and now farms. The family shares the task of looking after the livestock (buffaloes, cows and goats), the paddy field and the vegetable garden. 1060 Bardia, Nepal, 11 November 1999 Narendra used to be a farmer, but is now a forest ranger in the Bardia Game Reserve. Every day he happily roams this huge national park on foot and enjoys being in the forest, where there are no houses. From a prudent distance, he keeps an eye on the elephants, tigers, deer and other species in the reserve. He no longer has time to farm, but does keep a few goats for fresh milk. 1062 Bardia, Nepal, 11 November 1999 A traditional farming family, Balkrishnia inherited his land from his parents. Like them, he grows rice and works the paddy fields with his two buffaloes. His biggest problem : Elephants who destroy the rice fields at night. He remembers a herd of 13 who annihilated last year's crops. 1063 Bardia, Nepal, 11 November 1999 Pusparat returned home at nightfall with his elephant laden with fire wood for the kitchen and long grasses for the roof. He started his apprenticeship as a mahout at the age of 14, and got 'his' elephant six years later. He is in charge of it day and night, and lives and works in an elephant camp belonging to the Bardia National Park. 1066 Pokhara, Nepal, 13 November 1999 Mother and daughter have the same problem - their husbands have taken other wives and no longer look after them. To survive, Sita has opened a snack stall in her tiny roadside hutwhere she sells beer, tea and a few snacks. 1067 Naundand, Nepal, 13 November 1999 Tek Prasad has managed to diversify his business: a farmer by profession, he has opened a fabric shop and employs an inhouse tailor who makes dresses and suits from the fabrics sold ... Another feature attracting potential customers is the fact that the shop has the only public telephone for miles around. His large family - five children and already one grandchild - help him work the fields. 1068 Pokhara, Nepal, 13 November 1999 Tikaram is a retired civil servant turned farmer. His wife Padma weaves baskets, and the two of them often look after their grandchildren. Their three sons are married and are respectively a politician, a social worker and a farmer. 1070 Pokhara, Nepal, 14 November 1999 They knew each other as children, and their marriage was planned a long time ago. 'We are a modern family, and one child is enough for us,' says Maniprasad. They don't work, and they live in the father's house. 1071 Pokhara, Nepal, 14 November 1999 Ram Chandra and Santi have been married for 13 years, have five daughters and have finally given up any hope of having a boy. He is a construction worker, while she looks after the house and their girls. 1072 Pokhara, Nepal, 14 November 1999 'They are a very rich family,' our guide tells us, 'they own this pottery shop, a large house in town and a lot of farmland. But their way of life hasn't changed, they are very traditional.' They have been selling domestic pottery for 30 years, ' ... but these days women usually buy plastic and metal, and our business is dwindling,' explains Krishna (32), who also earns a living as a mini-bus driver. 1073 Pokhara, Nepal, 15 November 1999 'Since 1959 we've only had political refugee status, and we've been living in the same camp since then,' explains Tashi, who comes from Tibet like his wife, whom he met in this refugee camp. 'Our dream is to go back to Tibet and enjoy a freedom we don't have here.' Meanwhile, the family still lives in the traditional Tibetan way. 1074 Pokhara, Nepal, 15 November 1999 'I fled from Tibet in 1959 with my parents. My wife was born in this refugee camp, where we've been living since we've been exiled. We all keep hoping that we can go back home one day. In spite of everything, life in Nepal isn't bad, we all have work, the children go to school, and they're learning Nepalese, English and Tibetan, in the hope that the latter language will come in useful one day.' 1076 Darjeeling, India, 18 November 1999 Kusume met her future husband at an international athletics meeting in Nepal, where they were both competing. They have set up home on a tea plantation, where he works and she runs a tasting shop for this internationally famous and sought-after tea. 1077 Darjeeling, India, 18 November 1999 Lakpa Sherpa is Nepalese-born, but has been living in Darjeeling for 40 years. As a porter, he has been on mountaineering expeditions from all over the world - or did at least until he was 58. His two sons are continuing the mountaineering tradition, but what makes him proudest of all is that his daughter has become an experienced mountaineer. We photographed him with his two daughters-in-law and the youngest child. 1078 Darjeeling, India, 19 November 1999 'We're the Romeo and Juliet of Darjeeling,' Namgyal tells us, 'we got married before we finished school, and our parents were rather against it.' Prerna is still studying for her teacher's diploma, and Namgyal, who was once the youngest instructor at the Himalaya Mountain Climbing Institute, has become a guide for tourists and mountaineers. He's already thinking about Marin's future, and she's only one. 'I'm hoping she'll become a police officer.' 1080 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 'I walked for seven days with my yak to reach Sikkim,' recounts Phupo, who emigrated from Nepal on foot. Fifteen years later, he is a contented father and happy owner of three yaks, which he rents out as 'porters' to all the mountain lovers who come and trek in the region. 1081 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 Manbahadur works for the electricity company, but what terrifies him most is leeches! He is responsible for power line maintenance, and the lines run through leech-infested fields. Gathered around him is his 'reassembled family' - his mother, sisters, brothers, wife and everybody's children. 1082 Tashiding, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 Phurba is headmaster of the local school. He has been a Buddhist monk since the age of 15, but this doesn't stop him having two wives. 1083 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 He is head cook at the Yuksom hospital, but readily admits that his wife cooks 'a little bit better' than he does. They met during a harvest of the local speciality, cardamom, and have been together ever since. 1084 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 Phebras and his wife belong to the Lepcha tribe (Sikkim's original inhabitants). They live from their fields, where they grow maize, cabbages and sweet potatoes. Their two daughters don't go to school, and help their parents by working in the fields and babysitting - like the younger daughter who is carrying a small cousin. 1085 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 Buddhiman lives with his wife, his sister and their children (three each). They gather cardamom, and complain a lot about the leeches and snakes which make harvesting dangerous. What's cardamom used for? 'We sell it, but we don't know what people do with it,' he admits. 1086 Yuksom, Sikkim, India, 20 November 1999 Bahadur, who is 70, is pictured here with his two daughters-in-law and their children. He doesn't work in the fields any more: 'They take very good care of me and the fields,' he says proudly. 1087 Lethang, Sikkim, India, 21 November 1999 Tamzang works as a day-labourer on nearby farms. He also plants vegetables to feed his family on his own plot of land. They belong to the original inhabitants of Sikkim, the Lepchas. 1088 Tashiding, Sikkim, India, 21 November 1999 Harikumar has set up shop with his sewing machine outdoors beside the track that runs through the village. Originally from Nepal, he has come to live here with his wife and children, to make clothes for the townspeople. 1089 Tashiding, Sikkim, India, 21 November 1999 Palden teaches Lepcha, the original language of Sikkim, to the 237 local children. He and his wife have six, and reckon that that's enough. When they have any spare time, they tend their fields, where they grow maize and millet. 1091 Chawang, Sikkim, India, 22 November 1999 'It's my wife who makes the traditional beer, but it's me who drinks it,' we are told by Norzang, a planter of cardamom, which grows beneath the forest trees and is harvested for its seeds once a year. They insisted on wearing their traditional Lepcha clothes, which they only get out of the trunk for grand occasions like weddings, for example. 1092 Chawang, Sikkim, India, 22 November 1999 They are both teachers - he teaches Lepcha and she teaches everything. They spend their free time growing maize, millet and cardamom, to help make ends meet. 1093 Bandarbans, Bangladesh, 26 November 1999 Apon grows bananas and vegetables to make daily life a little better. By profession he is secretary of the regional livestock office. 'Two children is definitely enough,' they agree. 1094 Bandarbans, Bangladesh, 26 November 1999 Bisharat is an assistant in the district surveyor's office, and lives in a quite rural setting. Needless to say, he has his own kitchen garden, where he grows vegetables with his wife's help. 1095 Bandarbans, Bangladesh, 26 November 1999 Rabindra, here with family and father, owns a 'baby taxi', an extremely polluting tricycle manufactured in India, which is temporarily out of order because of a broken engine. But he remains confident: 'I'm a good driver but an even better mechanic, so in a couple of days my 'baby' will be back on the road.' As you can see, lip-stick is no longer a taboo in Bangladesh, even for small girls! 1097 Chittagong, Bangladesh, 27 November 1999 He swears that one son will be enough and there won't be any baby sisters and brothers ... He has been in the Bangladesh naval military police for ten years, and still has two years to go before his 'retirement'. 'After that, I hope to find a better paid job than in the navy,' he says. His father, who teaches at the secondary school in a neighbouring district, is making his Sunday visit. 1098 Gopalgong, Bangladesh, 27 November 1999 Two brothers and two very close-knit families - they each have one child and hope that's the way it will stay. One has a building materials business, the other is a military engineer, and they spend their free time with their families, apart from rare times when they have a cricket match on. 1099 Kaligram, Bangladesh, 27 November 1999 A military electrician and recently married, Mohammed is making the most of his leave to take a walk with his wife and mother. He insisted on carrying his baby for the photo. 1100 Chittagong, Bangladesh, 27 November 1999 Police officer Biswazit has been married since he was 19, and is very happy with his two children. He loves singing, and has already made a record and been on national TV. No wonder, he is the most popular policeman in his district… 1101 Chittagong, Bangladesh, 27 November 1999 Shahazada is a machine operator working in a textile factory. His wife works in a tea factory that packages tea harvested in northern Bangladesh. 1102 Bali, Indonesia, 10 December 1999 I Made always carves and paints the same type of masks, and grows rice. His wife sells the masks, and is expecting a daughter. This will give them the ideal Indonesian family - two children, a girl and a boy. 1103 Bali, Indonesia, 10 December 1999 'We'd like another child in the new millennium,' they both say. Komang can hardly wait for the weekend - he's going to the cock fights and And hopefully comes home with a substantial win. 1105 Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 10 December 1999 They are both painters and met during traditional painting classes. They are hoping to show their work in a forthcoming exhibition. Despite his T-shirt, I Made says: '2000 will be a year like any other, but 31st December 1999 is our seventh wedding anniversary.' 1107 Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia, 11 December 1999 Nyoman is a farmer and works in his rice plantations. He is also a wood carver, which helps him to make ends meet. His wife and his mother look after the children and the home, and help a lot with the rice harvest. 1110 Bali, Indonesia, 13 December 1999 We met Ratna, her husband Putra, their two children, uncle and aunt as they were going to a wedding ceremony. The new millennium? 'I and my husband would like another child, a boy, it's very important in our culture ... and my parents would be so happy.' 1111 Bali, Indonesia, 14 December 1999 They met in the restaurant where Wayan was a waitress. Fifteen years and four children later, they plant anything that grows - oranges, mandarins, lemons, bananas, potatoes, cabbages, beans ... The bulk of the harvest is sold at the village market. 1112 Kintamani, Bali, Indonesia, 14 December 1999 Rice-based 'Balinese cakes' are Wayan's speciality, and she sells them to neighbours and villagers. Her husband Ketut has two trades: he plants rice for family consumption, and makes bricks which he sells to building firms. Ketut junior dreams of becoming a policeman and wearing a nice uniform. His sister Made is drawn toward education, and is thinking of becoming a school teacher. 1113 Bali, Indonesia, 14 December 1999 They are respectively a farmer, and housewife and shop assistant. The cocks in the baskets are earmarked either as offerings for fighting or for the pot, as circumstances dictate. 1115 Bali, Indonesia, 15 December 1999 I Wayan works in the tourist office and is a happy man - he has a job with a future, a wife, two children, and a garden where they spend their free time growing vegetables and flowers. 1116 Bali, Indonesia, 15 December 1999 Made was widowed nine years ago and works her banana and sweet potato fields by herself. She sells what she grows, which enables her to bring up her children. Her son Putu (14) would like to study and become a teacher. 1117 Bali, Indonesia, 15 December 1999 Made Sudi is a day labourer, but also owns a vegetable garden and a few banana trees. He also has a pig, and some cocks for use at the funeral ceremony of his two deceased children. 1118 Bali, Indonesia, 15 December 1999 Putu sets off on his own, with his line and a tiny boat, to fish for tuna. On good days he brings back up to 20 fish, which his wife sells at the market. 1130 Kampung Ayer, Brunei, 24 December 1999 Policeman Mohammed and mother and housewife Zainab are agreed: 'If we were sure that it will be a girl, we'd like a third child.' 1132 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, 25 December 1999 'He's very talented,' says Jasmin about her husband and his hobby - painting. He is an engineer in the national oil company, and spends his spare time at the easel. Jasmin recently gave up work, and is happy that she can spend more time on her children's education and tending the vegetable and flower garden. 1133 Bandar Ser Begawan, Brunei, 25 December 1999 Ismail teaches at the primary school, and proudly wears the football shirt of his favourite team Tottenham. His second passion is fishing. His wife Nordianah, a translator, says of him: 'My husband seems to be a better footballer than fisherman, he never brings a fish home!' 1135 Muara, Brunei, 25 December 1999 They are both office workers in the same company, which is where they met. They have four children and may have some more - they like big families. 1137 Miri, Malaysia, 27 December 1999 'For us, the new millennium means having our own house and a second baby,' say Zakaria and Emy. Zakaria is an engineer in an oil company and Emy looks after their small child. 1138 Miri, Malaysia, 27 December 1999 'As a modern couple, we don't want to overpopulate Malaysia, so three children is enough. The youngest should have been born in 2000 and the 'year of the dragon', but she arrived a bit too soon.' Dominic and Doreen are proud of their Chinese origins, but like it a lot in their adopted country and are decidedly optimistic about the future. 1139 Miri, Malaysia, 28 December 1999 Affendi is in charge of feeding the 2,000 or so crocodiles at a nearby crocodile farm. Salina takes care of their two children, and tells us that they will probably have more, if money permits. They like to go fishing in their spare time. 1141 Miri, Malaysia, 28 December 1999 They both say: 'The new millennium? Keep going in peace.' They are a very busy family - the father is a contractor, the mother runs a kindergarten, the three sons are engineers and a future businessman, and the daughter is going to be an accountant. A perfect set-up for a family business. 1146 Melaka, Malaysia, 2 January 2000 The two elder daughters already see themselves as a lawyer and teacher. Subramaniam is a truck driver, the mother looks after the children and the home. They like badminton and swimming, and go to the beach whenever they can. 1147 Seremban , Malaysia, 2 January 2000 They are not identical twins, but the two of them are agreed about their future - they will be scientists. For the time being they enjoy helping their mother in the kitchen. Their sister Shantana Dewi is just as serious: 'I'm going to be a doctor later on, but at the moment I love drawing, and sometimes I help my mother.' Lucky parents! 1148 Melaka, Malaysia, 2 January 2000 'Sometimes I cover 60 miles [100 km] a day, but I like my job, it enables me to meet lots of foreigners,' explains Samburi, a rickshaw driver by trade. Hamidah is expecting a second baby, 'and that will do for now,' she says. 1150 Beserah, Malaysia, 5 January 2000 Pictured here with her three children and two nephews, widow Noriha teaches religion at the Koranic school. Her children are inspired by their mother and see themselves in very serious professions - professor of Arabic, professor of religion and lawyer. 1151 Beserah, Malaysia, 5 January 2000 Retired soldier Ahmad has set himself up as a fisherman of barracuda and dolphins, which he sells to restaurants in town. His wife works at the immigration office. Their grown-up son would like to be a policeman. 1153 Pekan, Malaysia, 6 January 2000 For the past 15 years, Deraoh Bin Samad has been the elected head of an Orang Asli community, an aboriginal Malaysian tribe. He takes his three older boys off into the forest (the youngest boy being still too small) to gather rattan, which is much sought-after for making furniture. Adi (on the right) didn't want to pose without his motorbike, his biggest investment, which took a lot of saving up for. 1154 Tasik Chini, Malaysia, 6 January 2000 Samah owns twelve acres [5 ha] planted with hevea trees, which provide the raw material for rubber. He removes the latex from them every morning. Here we see the parents, children and grandchildren - everybody lives in the paternal home in the aboriginal village. 1155 Tasik Chini, Malaysia, 6 January 2000 'Mixed marriages are sometimes very difficult, but we're trying,' says Nor Bt Sema. 'I am an aborigine and Yusuf is a Muslim Malay - our parents had a lot of trouble accepting our marriage.' Ten-year-old Nadia Devi already speaks very good English, and would like to become a tour guide. 1156 Tasik Chini, Malaysia, 6 January 2000 'Before the road was built, I used to take the villagers to town in a boat I made. Today my son uses it for fishing,' says the grandfather, surrounded by his wife, his children and grandchildren. 1157 Surat Thani, Thailand, 9 January 2000 Their profession? They run a fuel supply business for fishing boats. They all have their jobs: the father is in charge of sales, the mother does the accounts and the son delivers the precious fuel by van. 1159 Surat Thani, Thailande, 9 January 2000 When Phatoomsak is not working on one of the countless road construction sites in the south of the country, he spends his time training fighting cocks. This is a national form of entertainment, which makes a nice addition to his salary when his warriors win. 1162 Hua Hin, Thailand, 11 January 2000 Samart and Kannika, respectively 25 and 22, have been married for six years and dream of having a boy. They work together in their pineapple fields. 'And what do you do with your free time?' - 'What's free time?' 1165 Chiang Mai, Thailand, 16 January 2000 Arnon met his future wife at the market, where she sold him his favourite drink every day - soya milk. Nowadays they work together in their clothing shop. Their little girl is eight months old. 'One child is enough for us - times are too hard,' they say. 1167 Chiang Mai, Thailand, 16 January 2000 'Every weekend we go and picnic somewhere,' says former soldier Chamras, the proud owner of a small self-service store where he works with his wife. Ratavit (15) has more artistic aspirations - he wants to be a painter or musician. 1170 Muang, Thailand, 17 January 2000 A small population of 'giraffe women' live in northern Thailand. Having fled neighbouring Burma 20 years ago, they now reside in small village camps, earning a living from tourism. Mother Mulo is responsible for fixing the rings (actually a spiral) on the necks of her daughters. 1171 Muang, Thailand, 17 January 2000 They still dream of a hypothetical return to their native land Burma, where part of their family still live. Pending that day, their situation is precarious, as they don't have papers allowing them to move freely about within Thailand. They have become a real tourist attraction, and live in an enclosed area where the women still wear traditional dress, the men having adopted peg-top trousers and the ubiquitous T-shirts. 1172 Chiang Dao, Thailand, 19 January 2000 The grandparents, shown here with their daughters and daughters-in-law, have 'retired' and left their fields to their sons, who have taken over feeding the family with the rice and maize they grow. 1173 Chiang Dao, Thailand, 19 January 2000 Palong means 'bird of paradise', and is also the name of their tribe. The reason is easy to see when you look at the women's colourful clothing. Grandfather (right) on the other hand closely follows the latest fashion. The three generations live off their own farm produce - rice, maize, soya, beans and various other vegetables, plus chickens, ducks and pigs. 1174 Chiang Dao, Thailand, 19 January 2000 They live by farming, and share their large house with the whole family - their four children, some of them married, and their children's children. Originally from Burma, they have reconstructed their traditional village in Thailand, and lead an autonomous life. 1175 Chiang Mai, Thailand, 19 January 2000 Siriput has a degree from the arts faculty in Bangkok, and is a painter, sculptor and potter. He is also a venturesome businessman - he and his wife Prakai have set up an industrial pottery which exports the objects he designs all over the world. This year they are travelling to Europe, where they hope to be able to pursue their respective hobbies - painting for Siriput and shopping for Prakai. 1176 Chiang Mai, Thaïlande, 22 Janury 2000 Siti Chai is only six, but he already knows what he wants to do later on: 'I shall shop and play football.' His father is a driver, his mother a housewife and a very good cook. She makes a small business with her excellent noodle soup, which she sells from home. 1177 Chiang Mai, Thailand, 22 January 2000 'My father is totally unique! He has 117 elephants and a Mercedes,' announces Anchalee. A former gardener who loves animals and plants, Choochart had the idea 22 years ago of setting up an elephant park. Today it is a family business with 300 employees and 750 acres [300 ha] of fodder crops - grass, bananas and sugar cane. And hundreds of visitors a day come to see a training show and have elephant rides in the jungle. 1179 Pakse, Laos, 29 January 2000 Koune is a day labourer on the Mekong bridge construction site. He goes home to the village every weekend to help his wife weave. 1180 Champasak, Laos, 29 January 2000 Som insisted on introducing us to his 'Laotian tractor'. 'It is very smart and understands left, right, and straight ahead. He helps my wife and children in the paddy field. I'm a blacksmith, and I make knives,' he concludes proudly. 1181 Champasak, Laos, 29 January 2000 As his T-shirt clearly shows, Khone loves football. 'I play every day with the village team,' he says. He owns a pineapple field and is a carpenter, cutting planks from tree trunks which he himself fells in the forest. Meng cuts grass for roofs, selling it by the roadside. They have been married for just one month, and have very clear family plans - 'four children. Two boys, two girls, and that's that!' 1182 Pakse, Laos, 29 January 2000 Udone spent ten years as a monk in the Buddhist temple. 'I left so that I could get married,' he says. Today he is a farmer, translator and guide. He lives with his wife, his children and his parents in a small encampment outside the town, where his wife makes roofs with grasses gathered in the forest. 1183 Champasak, Laos, 29 January 2000 Sue and her sister were tattooed at the age of 13. 'It's a tradition that has disappeared,' she says, 'and look at our ears, we used to wear very heavy ivory earrings, but we had to sell them to make a little money.' Her son is in the army and feeds the whole family from his pay. They plant coffee and short-grained rice for family consumption, but grandma has to buy the tobacco she needs for her pipe. 1185 Pakse, Laos, 29 January 2000 Four generations of the Say family. He is a blacksmith in the Pakse region, selling what he makes mainly to 'wholesalers', itinerant merchants travelling by bicycle to the remotest villages in the area to sell their wares. 1186 Keit Ngog, Laos, 30 January 2000 Boun is highly esteemed as village headman, having been re-elected three times by the 134 families in this little village of farmers. The only snag is that Boun and Suem haven't had any children, so for the photo they quickly borrowed a great-nephew. 1187 Keit Ngong, Laos, 30 January 2000 Boun Sene is one of the wealthiest and happiest men in the village - six very beautiful daughters (two of them already married), a grocery shop, a buffalo, paddy fields, and an elephant 'that's gone off to the forest for lunch,' he adds. 1188 Keit Ngog, Laos, 30 January 2000 Phon and Khon are completely self-sufficient. They live on their rice, fishing, chickens, ducks and pigs. For their three children they are hoping for an 'easier life, as office workers in town.' Their eldest son, who is 13, is away - he is a novice in a Buddhist monastery. 1190 Pakomphone, Laos, 30 January 2000 We took the photo quickly so that we could drop Dorchane, the eldest daughter, at a beauty contest in a nearby village! Mother and father are small farmers, planting mainly short-grained rice, the staple dish in Laos. Needless to say, they have an elephant like all the other villagers. 1190 Pakomphone, Laos, 30 January 2000 We took the photo quickly so that we could drop Dorchane, the eldest daughter, at a beauty contest in a nearby village! Mother and father are small farmers, planting mainly short-grained rice, the staple dish in Laos. Needless to say, they have an elephant like all the other villagers. 1191 Ban Ban, Laos, 30 January 2000 Vien Van Long started a tea and coffee plantation in 1992 at the age of 63. Today, his daughters and his son-in-law have taken over from him, and he just tends his precious durian, a hedgehog-like fruit tasting like 'onion ice cream', which Asians are crazy about. 1192 Tad Soung, Laos, 30 January 2000 Bananas, papayas, peppers, short-grained rice - this is the 'garden' harvest of Thong Say, but his main activity is making 'Laotian whisky'. The hanging balls made of sticky rice and herbs are a major ingredient for this 'explosive' beverage. 1193 Tad Soung, Laos, 30 January 2000 Nang, shown here with her five children and son-in-law, is the village headman's widow. The children stopped going to school when their father died, with no money for fees, and Nang ekes out a meagre existence thanks to her vegetable garden. 1195 Hue, Vietnam, 3 February 2000 Father is a builder, Mother cultivates her kitchen garden, the son is a day labourer and the daughter makes incense sticks (up to 1,000 a day). With the Vietnamese New Year just days away there is great demand, and she is working night and day. 1197 Hue, Vietnam, 3 February 2000 His father, a political prisoner who died in prison, told him: 'You are my only son, so do not become a lawyer or a soldier, but a doctor ... you will be useful to the people.' Tong followed his advice, and has become a respected doctor in Hue. The new millennium? 'I would like to spend three months in France with my wife taking a refresher course in the Emergency Medical Service. It would be our honeymoon. It's never too late to do the right thing.' Grandma (81) is an expert on football. She watches every match on TV and knows all the results. Her enthusiasm has skipped a generation, and her 15-year-old grandson plays football and wants to be a gym teacher. 1198 Hue, Vietnam, 3 February 2000 The barge serves as their home, as a sightseeing boat for tourists eager to discover the city from the river, and for transporting sand, which they dredge from the bottom of the river and sell to building contractors. 1199 Hue, Vietnam, 4 February 2000 Phan is a victim of his own success - his restaurant is recommended in every guide, which leaves him little time for his real passion of photography. Self-taught, he scours the Hue region on his scooter with his Minolta looking for images of everyday life. He dreams of travelling to Europe one day. 'But it's difficult, there's too much to do here. My wife runs the kitchen, and my two daughters don't help her so much since they got married. So we'll have to see about the travelling later.' 1201 Hoi An, Vietnam, 5 February 2000 Eighteen-year-old Dung dreams of becoming a guide 'so I can visit every part of Vietnam.' Meanwhile she is following her father's footsteps (he teaches Vietnamese at Hoi An's secondary school) and studying to be a teacher. Once a dressmaker, her mother has opened a restaurant, where the whole family gives a helping hand. 1202 Hoi An, Vietnam, 5 February 2000 Tran is a fisherman who enjoys his work. When bad weather stops him going out to sea, he tends the lettuces, tomatoes and onions in his garden. His wife Ho Thi sells the fish at the Hoi An market. 1203 Hoi An, Vietnam, 5 February 2000 The Tien family has brought out the national flag to mark the Vietnamese New Year. 'In the new millennium, we'll carry on working very hard to improve our lot. Six years ago we didn't even have a house, but today we have our own home.' Tran is very proud of this, and has confidence in the future. He has a stake in a fishing vessel, and shares the catch with the other owners. 1204 Hoi An, Vietnam, 5 February 2000 Than Tam and his family have one major worry - the frequent and destructive floods which regularly inundate his fields, his vegetable garden and the ground floor of his house. His family is forced to retreat to the upper floor until the water goes down. 1205 Hoi An, Vietnam, 5 February 2000 Tran and Thai have ten children and so far 15 grandchildren (the number is constantly rising). Tran is a retired policeman and 'a very good husband,' adds Thai. He enjoys his children's regular visits and hopes 'to see a lot more new grandchildren.' 1206 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 'Two wheels' are the favourite means of transport in Vietnam. So Ngo has set up a rental service for motorbikes for tourists and locals alike. His wife helps him and business is very good. Phue (19) would like to study abroad to perfect his English, and Due, who is 13, dreams of becoming a school teacher. 1207 Hoi An Vietnam, 6 February 2000 They make a happy couple. He owns a motorbike repair shop and is very optimistic about the future. She is a dressmaker and contented mother. Their ambition is 'to visit Canada.' We point out that it's cold there. 'Precisely!' they reply. 1209 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 'There's one thing we lack - a little boy. But three children is enough.' Pham and Nguyen have a small workshop where they work together making metal parts. They think the new millennium will be 'very good.' 1210 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 They are very happy. They have just moved to a new neighbourhood well away from the fearsome flooding of the river, and are no longer worried about finding their living room under water. Nguyen owns two Japanese motorbikes which he rents out by the day, and his wife cooks and has a stall selling noodle soup, the national speciality. flooding of the river, and are no longer worried about finding their living-room under water. Nguyen 1211 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 Tran, who is 80, worked all his life in his brick kiln, originally put in by his father. Today the family business is in the hands of his children. Tran is very proud of looking like Uncle Ho [Ho Chi Minh] and of his very big ears, which 'guarantee him a long life, to 100 at least ... ' We hope he's right. 1212 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 Ninety-one-year-old Ngo, a former farm employee, was lucky enough to attend the French school and become a policeman. Now retired, he enjoys the visits from his many children and grandchildren. On this particular day, it was the turn of his youngest son with his wife and their little daughter. 1213 Hoi An, Vietnam, 6 February 2000 Do runs a slaughterhouse for pigs, pork being the most widely used meat in Vietnamese cooking, which his wife Ngo sells in her shop. The children are happier studying, and the two eldest ones already know pretty well what they want to be - the boy a doctor, the girl a teacher. 1216 Kontum, Vietnam, 9 February 2000 Nguyen sets off every morning for the market on his bicycle laden with reeds (for making brooms and brushes), bananas and bush meat. He comes back home with goods to sell in his shop - salt, cigarettes, sweets, detergents ... 1217 Kon Tum, Vietnam, 9 February 2000 They live frugally off their plot of land, where they harvest bananas, sugar cane, and a few vegetables for their family meals. 1219 Kon Tum, Vietnam, 9 February 2000 Le Minh is happy. 'We have two and a half children, and this one will be a boy - the doctor told us so.' Once a builder, Le Minh is now a trader. He buys fruit and vegetables in faraway villages, which his wife then sells at Kon Tum market. Fourteen-year-old Le Thi would very much like to go to university. 1220 Kon tum, Vietnam, 9 February 2000 Dr. Lê Thûy, nicknamed 'Tiger', is depressed. 'I used to be a millionaire, but now I'm broke!' His life is like a novel - a master degree in economics from Princeton University, a fighter pilot during the Viet Nam War, six attempts to escape from Communist Viet Nam by boat and six failures. Today he is a travel agent, guide, translator and interpreter, and also gives English lessons. The family also lives partly from his wife's work, which involves assembling chairs in a furniture factory. 1221 Kyoto, Japan, 24 February 2000 Masami, a priest in a Taoist temple, has two hopes for the new millennium - more visitors to the temple and a little sister for his only son. Toshiko is a piano teacher, and her greatest pleasure is to play traditional Japanese music and accompany her husband on the flute. 1223 Kyoto, Japan, 24 February 2000 As an architect and interior designer they complement one another to perfection. Twelve-year-old Rina dreams of being a flight attendant 'so I can see the world,' and despite his love for guitar and piano, Hideaki (17) will be following his father as an architect. Their common hobby is watching American films on video. 1224 Kyoto, Japan, 24 February 2000 Young Eri, who's eleven, hates family photos, preferring the piano and studying. Her elder brother works in a traditional pottery studio, while his parents are eager to visit Europe. See you soon! 1226 Kyoto, Japan, 26 February 2000 We met them playing with their sleds, but they have quite different plans. 'This summer we want to go deep sea diving,' insist Kenichi and Mari's daughters. He works for a telephone company, while she teaches music and piano. Their hobbies are tennis and golf. 1228 Kyoto, Japan, 27 February 2000 For a male Japanese, Takashi's is a 'dream job' - he works on a golf course. 'Unfortunately, I'm on the management side and I hardly have time to play,' he says regretfully. 'What we plan in the new millennium? A little girl.' 1230 Otsu, Japan, 27 February 2000 Jun is a fireman and Miho teaches piano. Their hobbies? 'For me, shopping, cooking and housekeeping,' replies Miho with a laugh, ' ... and my husband goes fishing and comes back with tiny fish which are only big enough for a sashimi.' Their eleven-year-old twins are inseparable from 'Lucky', their grandmother. She was in the middle of gardening and didn't even put down her secateurs, which she kept hidden behind her back. 1231 Guiyang district, China, 2 March 2000 These peasants of Miao origin live by growing rice, and are the proud owners of a buffalo. Chang Chang, the mother, and the two grandmothers make the daughters' traditional costumes, which they wear for important ceremonies. 1232 Guiyang district, China, 2 March 2000 Chung and Chen Zhi were betrothed to each other by their parents at a very young age. They've been married for 40 years, and have had six children. Here we see their youngest daughter, who still lives with them, and one of their grandchildren. 1233 Guiyang district, China, 2 March 2000 Chang Peng has plenty to be proud of - since 1988 he has been village headman, a position to which he has been re-elected three times. Like most of the villagers, he has a buffalo, a pig, a few chickens and ducks, and a paddy field to meet the needs of his family. 1234 Guiyang district, China, 2 March 2000 The 72-year-old grandparents were born in the village, have never left the area, were married at the age of 17, and live with their two sons, their daughter-in-law and her child. The younger people run the small family farm and a carpentry shop which supplies the planks needed for building village houses and furniture. 1235 Guiyang district, China, 3 March 2000 Grandfather is a widower who lives with his daughters and grandchildren. He still works in a coal mine, where his son was killed in a gas explosion in 1999. He also grows lettuces, white cabbages, and carrots to make his family's daily meals a little tastier. 1237 Guiyang district, China, 3 March 2000 They can't remember the date of their wedding. 'It was so long ago,' Wu Chiu says, apologetically. Their only son is in prison and their daughter-in-law dead, so they are bringing up their three grandchildren. 1239 Guiyang, China, 4 March 2000 Zhun Yu is an honourable capitalist - as a bus owner, he makes his living renting out his vehicle complete with driver. His wife and their eleven-year-old daughter love fashion, and devour every kind of women's magazine looking for the latest trends. 1240 Guiyang , China, 4 March 2000 Zhing Kuen and his wife are tailors. They have their shop in town where they sell made-to-measure clothes. We met them at a Sunday picnic, and they invited us to sample a speciality - the claws of fortune, steamed chicken legs, thought to bring good luck and money. 1243 Guiyang, China, 5 March 2000 A very busy family : Mother loves to follow the stock exchange on TV. Father likes to photograph monuments, landscapes andeven more… his wife. The whole family enjoys Karaoke singing, they have a least 100 CDsand a professional sound system. Liu Bao is the managing director of an import company, and Wang is the financial manager of a car franchise. Their 24-year-old daughter Chin Zing is a journalist at the local television station. 1245 Guiyang, China, 5 March 2000 Liu Fa was recently promoted head of an anti-corruption bureau. His wife is a journalist on the very influential Quizhou provincial newspaper. Little Liu Che, who is nine, is mad about stars and planets and wants to be a scientist. 1247 Guiyang, China, 5 March 2000 This couple work in the same bicycle factory and spend Sundays with their children in the fairground with all its merry-go-rounds, shooting stalls and horse rides.