I have just returned from Auckland again; this time, I was attending the Auckland Writers Festival. But that’s not all. Because I had the luxury of picking and choosing the sessions I wanted to participate in, I had some unplanned…
A road trip through southern Luang Prabang left us spellbound by its varied beauty and the simplicity of life in rural and mountainous northern Laos. We had already fallen in love with the country. This short day-long trip cemented our…
Kuang Si Waterfalls are an approximate 45-minute drive south of Luang Prabang. They are situated on the Si River, flowing majestically down 60 metres into the limestone jungle highlands of northern Laos. Getting there: Arranging a ride to these famous…
Busy with other plans, we had no intention of sightseeing or being tourists in Sydney. However, thanks to several flight delays, we were given an extra 12 hours to explore this beautiful Australian city at our leisure. Staying in Darling…
An especially enjoyable Labour Weekend in Auckland inspired me to share my recent experience with you. Auckland offers lots of “getaway” options, and because many locals head either South or North for their long weekend break, Auckland becomes a haven…
To complete a special birthday odyssey in Malaysia, we chose Penang. Why? Penang, a tropical island off the Northwest coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, offers all the ingredients for an indulgent R&R stint—and it was a special birthday, after all.…
Of course, this ancient Hindu-Buddhist temple complex is a “must-see” – it’s a world-famous UNESCO attraction outside Siem Reap in Cambodia. But more than that, it is just plain magnificent, gob-smacking, and humbling. When planning our trip, visiting Angkor Wat…
Once a booming tin mining town until the 1970s. Todays Ipoh has morphed into a busy, vibrant, cultural, culinary, and architectural hub. With a ton of charm. We visited Ipoh in December 2023. The word “Ipoh” has been a part…
A small city of approximately, 250,000 people, the Siem Reap River splits this delightful town into two halves. Travelling through the middle, the river was created by the ancient kings of the Khmer Empire to provide water to the city.…
I am writing this having recently returned from a “full immersion” South East Asian trip. Malaysia was the impetus for this extended sojourn. I hankered to revisit because I was born in Malaysia, in a small inland township called Kamunting,…
Having recently travelled the length and breadth of Southeast Asia on various transport; including an overnight sleeper train, a long-haul bus, and a river ferry, the choice to travel our next leg, the length of Cambodia, by road, definitely fitted…
(Before reading this story, to provide context, I suggest you read Phnom Penh-City Tour ). Silk Island is locally known as Koch Dach Early the following day, Sorya picked us up in his Tuk Tuk. We traveled for 10 minutes…
