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Travelogue
Full Moon Parties with the Hounds from Hell - 05 November 2012
Ko Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand is known as the land of coconut trees. The name of the island is derived from the local word for ‘sand bar’ of which the island has many. For years Ko Pha Ngan was a favourite with Thai royalty, especially Rama V, a moderniser and fifth king of Siam under the House of Chakri, whose portrait dominates many a guesthouse.There are various ways to get to Ko Pha Ngan. Basically, you head to Ko Samui or Surat Thani. From Bangkok, you can get to Surat Thani by train from Hua Lamphong, Bangkok’s main train station, a magnificent structure designed by two Italians and built in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style. There are night buses from Khao San road, the main backpacker area in Bangkok, which is altogether less magnificent. Government buses run from Bangkok’s southern bus terminal to Na Dan ferry piers and are cheaper than those from KSR, and more interesting.For those in a hurry or without the requisite stamina you can fly to Ko Samui. Bangkok Airways have a monopoly on the route from Suvarnabhumi Airport, and charges accordingly. Air Asia and smaller operators go via Surat Thani. The journey takes longer, costs less and gives another option to being fleeced by BA or enduring hours on buses and trains. From Malaysia minibuses run from Georgetown on the island of Penang.Beware the buses from KSR. The air-conditioning would chill beer and its widely rumoured bags in the luggage compartments are gone through en route. The sleeper trains
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Treasure Island, Pirates and the Bitch from Hell - Ko Samet - 05 October 2012
Ko Samet is rumoured to once have been the den of pirates, and to this day it’s believed there’s hidden treasure on the island. It has gained a reputation as a laid back paradise where the emphasis is on spending as much time as possible doing as little as possible.Ko Samet (also Koh Samed) lies three hours drive east of the Thai capital
The Beautiful Game in the Kingdom of Wonder - 20 September 2012
Football in Cambodia, the self-styled Kingdom of Wonder, doesn’t scale the heights of the Beautiful Game in other countries. There are no huge stadiums, well, there’s one old one, no large crowds “doing the Poznan” and singing en masse or waving scarves and flags, no massive pay cheques on offer or transfer fees, and no superstars. A few people
The Road Most Travelled - The Expats Guide to Cambodia (Part II) - 20 August 2012
The road most travelled in Cambodia work wise for expats is the world of foreign language teaching mainly English, but also as a former colony French, and these days to a lesser extent Korean and no doubt, Chinese. But most plunge into the world of English language teaching in a plethora of institutions, some functional and some not so
Working in the Kingdom of Wonder - the Expats Guide to Cambodia - 1 August 2012
For expats working in Cambodia can be a fascinating experience one, however, that comes with a few pitfalls which can affect foreigners and locals alike. Over time, I’ve chosen to stay and work in the self-styled Kingdom of Wonder for a number of reasons. After visiting neighbouring countries, I found Cambodian people amongst the most friendly
In The Ghetto - 14 July 2012
Khao San Road (pronounced “Cow sarn”) is the main backpacker mecca for foreigners in Bangkok, Sukhumvit being another. The road itself is located in Banglamphu or Farang-Lam-Phu, as it’s jokingly referred to after the Thai word for foreigner.The more cynical call it “Khao Shit Road” and it has been described as the perfect example of a
Where The Streets Have No Names - 25 June 2012
Phnom Penh is a city where the streets have numbers rather than names save for the main thoroughfares, though some have both. As someone once commented, “the thing about Phnom Penh street names is that they are fun for every purpose except the obvious – identifying where you are or where you are going.”Some street names have changed over time
You'll Never Ride Alone - Traffic in the Pearl of Asia - 20 June 2012
Road traffic in Cambodia is a wonder laced with danger. More than mere transport, for the expat observer it can provide hours of entertainment and at times, sheer amazement in a country where the mere mundane can be both fascinating and photogenic. It provides the pulse of life, a hive of activity, the sheer energy that is life in the country
Great Walls of Glass - 9 June 2012
Changi International Airport at Singapore is much like the city itself; neat, ordered, clean almost sterile, and almost wholly without character, though to be fair the city has Little India and Chinatown.Changi is an airport like many others but run with all that efficiency synonymous with the island state. Singapore has two great qualities