Java has a useful train network which makes for a great way to get from Jakarta to major cities on the island. [Train at Jakarta Gambir Station] The trains are spacious and comfortable and have a meal service. [Jakarta view from train] After flying and overnight buses the train has been a welcome change. The […]
Singapore Airport Budget Terminal
[Edit: This is a review from my visit in February, 2008. The Budget Terminal has now closed to make way for Terminal 4.] Singapore Changi Airport is world renown for its award-winning facilities. It is the home of Singapore Airlines and it’s a major air travel hub in Asia. Budget airlines though are not interested […]
Orangutans of Sumatra – Gunung Leuser National Park
Orangutans are the worlds largest living arboreal animal and can only be found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia. These two islands have been logged extensively which has endangered the orangutan population. The North of Sumatra has seen less logging and palm oil/rubber plantation development thus has a the largest orangutan population in […]
Penang Hill – Penang Malaysia
Penang Hill is one the most popular attractions on the island of Penang, Malaysia. The peak is reached by a funicular railway and it is a great place to escape the heat of the island. The Penang Hill Railway terminus is in Air Itam, which is easily reached by a local bus from George Town, […]
The Central Market of Kuala Lumpur
My favourite market in Kuala Lumpur is the Central Market, located between China Town and the Colonial District. While there are plenty of markets that are bigger, this market is a manageable size in a heritage building, which is worth visiting for the building alone. The side of the market is bordered by Jalan Hang […]
Spain to Morocco by ferry
I travelled to Morocco from London from which there are many low cost airline flights. I wanted to arrive in Morocco via the classic ferry to Tangier so I opted for a flight to the South of Spain instead. There are numerous airports in Andalucia that you could possibly fly to from London. I chose […]
A self guided tour of Banksy in London
Banksy pieces can be found in several places around London. I used a Banksy Locations Map put together by Art Of The State to track down many of these. They pin the works on google maps and are quick to mark any that have been removed. [Cherub with a bullet proof vest] [One nation under […]
Long Neck Women – Chiang Mai
The long neck women are from Burma/Myanmar, and many live as refugees in Thailand. The long neck women are known as Padaung, a sub-group of the Karen tribe. The Karen tribe villages are near the Thai-Myanmar border, but there are also “villages” near Chiang Mai. I say “villages” as they are really just market stalls […]
Notes on Goa: Matt Damon, hippies, and Portuguese ruins
[Palolem – Goa] Goa is a small state on the west coast of India. It is often referred to as if it is a place. This former Portuguese colony was once one of the happening places on the overland hippy trail in the 1970’s, and ever since then every hippy worth their salt will tell […]
A tour of the slums of Mumbai
At every book stall on the streets of Mumbai there are always the same travel books on sale. The one you see the most here is Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts. The book is a fictionalised retelling of the authors true-life escape from an Australian prison and flight to India, where he ends up living […]
