The first time I visited Kuala Lumpur was when I was overlanding my way down the Malay Peninsula in 2006. Like most backpackers I ended up in a cheap guesthouse in the Chinatown area of KL. I was amazed that there were so many heritage buildings that had not been restored. There are sections of […]
The changing face of Saigon – 2017 edition
February 23, 2017 By 8 Comments
With around 8.5 million people in Saigon the city will soon join the ranks of the world’s megacities. I wrote about the changing face of Saigon in 2015 which summarised the changes to the city. Much has happened over the last two years so here is an update on the changes – good and bad […]
Cholon Wanders – Visiting Saigon’s historic Chinatown district
February 21, 2016 By 3 Comments
For visitors to Saigon the most popular sites are in a compact area around District 1 and 3. If you have time though I recommend making a visit to Cholon, which is the old Chinatown area, most of which lies in District 5. Cholon used to be a city in itself until it was merged […]
The changing face of Saigon
January 14, 2015 By
[Old and new Saigon: Bitexco Financial Tower and a French colonial-era building.] I’ve been basing myself in Saigon off-and-on for the past two years, and my first visit here was in 2005. In this time I’ve been watching the city transform as it catches up from decades of underinvestment. It’s an interesting time to be […]
In Pictures: Beautiful buildings of Detroit
August 1, 2013 By 24 Comments
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 […]
Ridiculously skinny buildings of Vietnam
January 15, 2013 By 19 Comments
[A tall and skinny building in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.] Spend any amount of time in Vietnam and you will soon notice that there are skinny buildings everywhere. Some are so slender that they barely look like they could fit a double bed across. Don’t ask me how they would get a double bed […]
In Pictures: Downtown Los Angeles
September 20, 2012 By 7 Comments
I have been to Los Angeles a number of times yet I had never been to the downtown area. When I first came to LA, in 1996, the Downtown area was still off the map for tourists. It was the America that you heard on the news, with crime riddled streets and Americas largest skid […]
In Pictures: The Taj Mahal – India
April 20, 2011 By 5 Comments
If there is one building that carries a load of expectation on its shoulders (roof? dome?), that would be the Taj Mahal. Only good is ever spoken of this Wonder of the World, so I naturally wondered if it would live up to its expectations. [First glimpse of the Taj Mahal] Walking through the gate […]
Kellie’s Castle, Batu Gajah – Malaysia
April 8, 2011 By 5 Comments
Not far from the city of Ipoh in Malaysia is a curious building known as Kellie’s Castle. It is actually an unfinished mansion built by Scottish planter, William Kellie Smith. This grand home features Malaysia’s first elevator and imported building material from India. Smith built his first mansion in 1909. With a birth his son […]
Where I’m At: August, 2010 – Essen
August 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
On the trail of artists and architects in Germany From Budapest I took a flight to Weeze in the West of Germany. It worked out much cheaper to do this than to fly directly to Amsterdam, which was my next stop. Flying to Weeze kept my remarkable run of visits to Germany intact, and it […]
Hi, I’m James - welcome to Nomadic Notes. I've been a long-term traveller/digital nomad since 2003. Nomadic Notes is a travel resource featuring travel guides and notes from my travels. 
