For me, one of the highlights of travelling in Asia is seeing history embodied in elaborate ancient temples and ruins. Here are some of my favourite temples and ruins in Asia, including Angkor Wat, the erotic temples of Khajuraho and the ancient city of Ayutthaya. Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) Do you watch romantic comedies and think … Read more
Laos probably isn’t the first place you think of when planning a trip to Southeast Asia. There is no world famous cuisine, exotic beaches or crazy nightlife, but the stunning mountain scenery and laid back attitude of the locals make it my favourite country in the region. Backpacking in Laos is a far more relaxing … Read more
Vientiane wasn’t always the laid back, family friendly Lao capital you see today. For a period in the 1960’s and 70’s it was a town where anything went, where foreign spies mixed with prostitutes in city bars; a place you probably wouldn’t take your wife and kids to. The same can be said for Robert … Read more
Sri Lanka occupies a strange space in the backpacking world. People say backpacking in Sri Lanka isn’t as exotic, chaotic, cheap or challenging as in India, and it’s a long way from the Southeast Asia backpacking trail that it’s probably better suited to. While travelling through Sri Lanka I saw similarities with Laos and Myanmar (2 of … Read more
From outside my window I could hear a covers band murdering an Arctic Monkeys song, I could see 4 western style restaurants, and every conversation I had with the staff at my guesthouse was fully understood in perfect English. Is Dali Old Town still in China, or had I travelled through a wormhole back to … Read more