I knew I was going to like Athens even before I went. Apart from being one of the most culturally significant cities in Europe, Athens has a reputation of being a bit rough around the edges. That sounds like my kind of place, and after arriving I was asking myself why I hadn’t visited sooner. […]
Notes on Malta : old knights, planned cities, and EU passports
Malta is the 10th smallest country in the world, and it also qualifies as a microstate. When looking at a full map of Europe, Malta barely registers as a biscuit crumb under the Island of Sicily. This was my first time in Malta, and for this trip, I just stayed on the island of Malta. […]
Taman Negara – the ancient rainforest in the heart of Peninsula Malaysia
Taman Negara is the largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia and one the most famous nature reserves in Southeast Asia. Taman Negara is Malay for “national park”, so there’s no need to say Taman Negara National Park when referring to it. As one of the world’s most ancient rainforests and being the green heart of […]
Jungle Railway in Malaysia – The best train times and most scenic sections
The Jungle Railway The Jungle Railway is one of the great train journeys of Southeast Asia, spanning the length of Peninsula Malaysia through its rugged interior. Officially known as the East Coast Railway Line (ECRL), the Jungle Railway travels from Johor Bahru near the Singapore-Malaysia border in the south, to Tumpat near the Thailand border […]
A day in Hong Kong is better than no day in Hong Kong
Taking a stopover between flights is a good way to get a bonus trip within a trip. Hong kong is one of those places where I’ll build in a stop if I have the time. I figure that a day in Hong Kong is better than no day in Hong Kong. I first used this […]
Notes on Nha Trang – stopover edition
Nha Trang is a provincial capital city of Vietnam that feels like a resort town. Like Danang in central Vietnam, the city is right on the beach. While Danang has been grabbing international headlines with it’s Golden Bridge and listing of top places to visit by the NY Times, Nha Trang has been quietly getting […]
The Aiqun Hotel – A budget hotel in a landmark building of Guangzhou, China
Hotel Name: Aiqun Hotel Address: 113 Yanjiang West Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, China. The Aiqun Hotel is a historic landmark in Guangzhou, which I didn’t know at the time of my booking. I was just looking for somewhere to stay near the river in the old part of the city. The Aiqun (also spelled Oi […]
Flight Review: China Southern Airlines – London to Guangzhou
Flight: China Southern CZ 304 From: London Heathrow (LHR) To: Guangzhou (CAN) I flew with China Southern Airlines from London to Guangzhou. This flight was the first leg of a flight from London to Ho Chi Minh City. After comparing flight options, China Southern was offering the cheapest one-way flight. This flight was $279 USD, […]
Staying in a Blade Runner-esque apartment block in Hong Kong
Edit: Daxiong Hotel is now showing as HAKKAS GUEST House on the booking sites, on a different floor in the same building. Hotel Name: Daxiong Hotel Address: Flat K, 4/F, New Lucky House, 15 Jordan Road, Jordan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. “I’m staying in that building!” I exclaimed to myself as I approached the Daxiong Hotel. […]
Hat Yai to Sungai Kolok – Getting the train in the troubled deep south of Thailand
As a frequent traveller to Thailand I’m familiar with the troubles of the deep south of Thailand, where many countries have advisories to not travel there. As part of my Southeast Asia railway project I took a train through the southern provinces. This is my trip report and what to expect. What this isn’t is […]
