Going To Miami It wasn’t my original plan to visit Miami on this trip to the USA. I was planning to road trip from Chicago back to Newport, RI, where I have based myself. It turns out that there is hardly a hostel between Chicago and Newport, so my accommodation budget was facing a blowout […]
The Bangkok 9 Wats in One Day Challenge
Bangkok’s reputation as a traffic clogged megalopolis overshadows the fact that Bangkok has more temples than any capital in Southeast Asia. Bangkok is the seat of Thai Buddhism, and the grandest wats in Thailand are in the capital. A popular way to visit the wats is to visit 9 temples in one day. In Thai […]
Flight Review: Firefly – Singapore to Subang (KL) Malaysia
Firefly is a regional airline based in Subang, Malaysia. Before coming to Malaysia I had not heard of Firefly, though they are owned by Malaysia Airlines, which anyone who has been to an airport has heard of. Firefly operate to destinations in Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra), Thailand and Singapore. I took a flight with Firefly from […]
Maeklong market railway, Thailand – The train that goes through a market
One of the more interesting train journeys in Southeast Asia I’ve had is riding through the Maeklong market railway in Thailand. Even if you’ve never heard of the town, you’ve probably seen a youtube video of a train going through a tightly-packed market, where market stalls are set up on the rails. The train barely […]
Notes on Vang Vieng: The one with all the Friends Bars
It’s official. I’m old. 38 years old. Ancient really. I was born at a young age, but I’ve got to say that in all of my life I have never been this old before. I was reflecting on my age while staying in Vang Vieng, Laos. Vang Vieng is set in an incredibly beautiful location. […]
The world’s best airport names
Nepal have announced plans to name an airport after Sir Edmund Hillary and his climbing partner, Tenzing Norgay. Lukla airport will become Tenzing-Hillary airport. It is a common tradition worldwide to name an airport after a local hero. Here is a list of some of the best airport names in the world. UK – Liverpool […]
When can you say you’ve been to a country?
When can you say you’ve been to a country? Can you say you have been to a country if you only spent a few hours in one of its cities? Changing planes at international airports doesn’t count (of course), but what about a weekend or day trip to one place? Technically you can, but do […]
Holland or the Netherlands?
[Map of the Netherlands with Holland highlighted] It seems that some people and media institutions still don’t understand the Holland/Netherlands relationship. Technically Holland is a region within the Netherlands made up of the two provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland. Saying Holland when you mean the Netherlands is like saying England when you mean Great Britain. […]
Tour Review: Classic Mini Tours of London
I have lived in London for two years of my life and I visit once a year for work. In all that time I have never been on a tour. The idea of getting on one of those big buses has never appealed to me. So when I was contacted by smallcarBIGCITY and offered a […]
Notes on Belgrade: A curious mix of Classical and Commie Europe
Visiting Belgrade When I was growing up Belgrade was one of those cities that I had only heard of on the news. Just like the other Bel -Belfast – whenever you would hear about Belgrade it was always for all the wrong reasons. Belgrade has emerged from the troubled breakup of Yugoslavia and is now […]
