A Snow-capped Sunrise in Sarangkot, Nepal

The sunrise in Sarangkot, Nepal

If you’re travelling to Nepal, chances are you’ll want to see the sun rise over snow covered peaks at least once.  Most people will do this on a trek, but what if trekking isn’t for you? Maybe you’ve been eating too many pizzas and are physically incapable of walking uphill for more than 5 minutes, … Read more

How to not Lose Yourself When You Travel

How to not lose yourself when you travel

Travelling to find yourself seems to be all the rage these days, but unless you’re Kevin Bacon or Christian Slater (They each played invisible men in Hollow man 1 and 2 respectively) you probably never lost yourself in the first place. Instead of finding themselves, a lot of people actually end up losing aspects of their personalities that they’d be better off keeping. Their previous traits get replaced by new ones (often arrogance, laziness, self importance) and they become annoying global citizens who judge other people’s travel habits and plans. Unless you are running away from something awful back home, it’s a good idea not to lose yourself when you travel – and I’m here to show you how.

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The Planet of the Apes: The Monkey Temple in Kathmandu

The monkey temple in Kathmandu, Nepal

It took me 28 years to learn the difference between apes and monkeys. I always thought it was based on size: King Kong > gorillas > apes > monkeys. Apparently I was wrong, and it took a text book for five year old Singaporean children to teach me that. Apes don’t have tails but monkeys do, gorillas … Read more

Luang Prabang: The Land of Temples and Rivers

The palace near the National Museum in Luang Prabang, Laos

Laos is full of lazy river towns where you can lose yourself in hammocks for days. You’ll overhear people moaning about having to leave or frantically cutting out places they’d planned to go just to spend a bit more time away from the bustle of the Southeast Asian tourist trail. Luang Prabang isn’t quite as relaxing as Don Det, Nong Khiaw or Muang Ngoi, but its mix of history, culture and stunning river views makes it one of the nicest (and most popular) towns in Southeast Asia.

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My Predictions for the Future of Travel

My predictions for the future of travel

Selective time travel

It’s always a good thing when destinations are as authentic as possible, so as soon as we invent time travel I’m sure we’ll use it to make tourism reach its full potential. Going back in time sounds great, but who wants to go without modern conveniences like internet and flying cars? Someone will invent a kind of gun or time-mist that can blast a predetermined area into the past, leaving everything else around it in the present (or future for us – this is getting as confusing as most time travel movies). We’ll be able to visit tiny villages untouched by the ravages of time and still be able to use magical food making machines all in the same outing – what could be better?

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Muang Ngoi: An Idyllic Village in Northern Laos

Before my current trip to Laos I’d spent about 6 weeks in the country and hadn’t even come close to seeing everything I wanted.  Muang Ngoi (also known as Muang Ngoi Neua) was one of the towns I reluctantly skipped last time, so I decided to make it the centrepiece of this 2 week trip.

To say Muang Ngoi is laid back is a huge understatement. It’s the very definition of a sleepy Southeast Asian village, complete with playful dogs, roaming chickens and curious kids. I was in Muang Ngoi in September, so it might be a bit busier in high season, but I’m sure you’ll find peace whatever time of year you visit.

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