For a country that has a reputation for its cafes, I was surprised at how average coffee in France was when I first arrived. Sure, the cafes are great for people-watching, with rows of chairs lined up in theatre style so you can watch the world go by. As far as the actual coffee goes […]
A day in Paris is better than no day in Paris
Passing through the grim outer suburbs of Paris on the train from CDG Airport I wondered if I made a mistake coming back for just one day. Was Paris as wonderful as I remembered it to be, or was it a trick of the mind that tends to romanticise places long after you have been? […]
Notes on Montevideo
The second leg of my South American trip was to Montevideo, Uruguay. As part of this trip I was flown as a guest with Air France/KLM to a destination in their South American network. I opted to visit Buenos Aires. Being so close to an international border though I couldn’t resist the temptation to visit […]
Tips for staying at the Chungking Mansions – budget accommodation in Hong Kong
Do a search for cheap hotels in Hong Kong and you’ll find a list of accommodation options for the Chungking Mansions. The first time I stayed in Hong Kong I booked a place here not knowing what I was getting myself into. I had a vision of a run-down colonial mansion with high ceilings, a […]
Notes on Buenos Aires
I love wandering around big cities, and one city I’ve always wanted to visit for urban exploration was Buenos Aires. I ended up spending 11 days in BA, and I could have easily spent more time given the chance. I can see how many travellers I’ve met have ended up staying for way longer than […]
Notes on Taipei
My visit to Taipei was also my first time in Taiwan. Rather than rush around and try and visit the whole island I dedicated two weeks to exploring Taipei and decided to visit the rest of the island another time. Two weeks turned out to be a good amount of time to linger and explore […]
Cafes to work from in Taipei
If you are looking for a city in Asia to base yourself as a writer or digital nomad then add Taipei to your consideration list. With 90 day visa on arrival for most western countries and unadulterated internet in Taiwan, Taipei is a good base for location independent types. Taipei is well known for its […]
Metro construction, Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam
I took this photo as a historical reference to the changing face of Ho Chi Minh City. The city is finally getting a sorely needed metro system and there are numerous blocks in district 1 that are now boarded up in preparation for construction. The building in the foreground is the Saigon Tax Trade Centre; […]
Packing List – My travel life in two bags
Whenever I’m about to leave a place I’ve been for a while I like to take stock of my gear and assess what I need and discard what I don’t. I’ve never documented a packing list so when a friend posted what’s in his bags I thought I should do my own. I travel with […]
Is there a better phrase than “digital nomad”?
I call myself a digital nomad for want of a better term. I run a business that doesn’t require me to be at a fixed address so I take advantage of that by working in locations around the world. In my travels I have met many others who are living a similar life, yet they […]
