I was last in Shanghai three years ago and I spent about a month in the city. When I came here in 2010 I was actually considering moving to Shanghai – that is how much I liked it. As it turned out I could only get a tourist visa that required leaving the country every […]
Notes on Chongqing: the megacity of Southwest China
I first visited Chongqing in 2010 where I made a stopover on my way from Xi’an to Chengdu, and I recall having to look it up to see where it was. Turns out that Chongqing is technically the largest city in China (if ranked by administrative area). [Chongqing – one enormous city!] Is Chongqing the […]
Notes on Jaipur: forts and palaces
I came to Jaipur in 2011 and I had Delhi belly (I had just come from Delhi and got sick when I arrived, so I’m calling it Delhi). As a result, I didn’t see much of Jaipur the first time around, so now I had the chance to see what I missed. Forts and Palaces […]
Notes on Mamallapuram
My first time to India was in 2007 where I visited Mumbai and some of the southern states. I was told that the south is so more relaxed than the north, but having never been to the north I had no way of comparing. I came back to India again in 2011, this time flying […]
Notes on Davao: business and beaches in the south of the Philippines
Where is Davao anyway? I don’t recall knowing of Davao until a couple of years ago. I think I knew it was in the Philippines but I definitely had to look on the map. For me, Davao was put on the map by Justin and Joe from the Empire Flippers (then known as Adsense Flippers); […]
Best cafes in Hanoi
Following up on my guide to cafes in Ho Chi Minh City I now present my guide to cafes in Hanoi. In my previous cafe reports I have usually had at least a month to try out the cafes of each city. My trip to Hanoi was for one week, so this meant I had […]
Notes on Caye Caulker
Escape from Belize City Belize was my first foray in Central America, and after a month of travel in North America, it was good to be back in the tropics and visiting a new country. To get to Caye Caulker I had to go via Belize City. Everyone I’ve met who has ever been to […]
In Pictures: Beautiful buildings of Detroit
Detroit?! You’re going to Detroit?! Why? This was the most common reaction I heard when detailing my US travel plans to Americans. Occasionally I would meet someone more curious who thought it was a good idea, but they were few and far between. They wanted to go for the same reason I did: ruin porn […]
The Big Durian: Why first-timers to Durians and Jakarta should be with supervision
Jakarta is the city known as The Big Durian. Just like its fruity namesake, Jakarta has the ability to repulse first-time tasters and have them running, swearing never to return. I have tried durian a couple of times and I still haven’t acquired a taste for it. The last time I tried it made me […]
Kopi Joss – The charcoal coffee of Yogyakarta
When I’m on the road I’m always on the lookout for interesting cafes and new coffee experiences. On my trip to Yogyakarta I found an unusual brew called Jopi Joss: charcoal coffee. [Kopi Joss – it tastes better than it looks.] Kopi Joss preparation starts off in the usual Javanese style, with loose coffee grinds […]
