Getting to sleep the other night proved a bit difficult. There was a lot of unfamiliar noises from the pigs and dogs around the house and in addition the villagers had a bar playing music till the early night. The village has a water-powered generator that provides a bit of light after sunset but they […]
Sightseeing
Yesterday I hired a tuk-tuk to have a look at same places near Battambang. I went with an ‘independent’ driver who was recommended to me by the French expats. Independent means that he’s working in the streets like you would expect it and doesn’t hang out in front of the tourist hotels hoping for big […]
Walking and Whisky
Most tourists come to Islay either by car or with their bicycles which is not the worst idea as public transportation is rather scarce. I don’t have either and using a bicycle on a windy island for hours wouldn’t be to my taste anyway. For Sunday I planned a visit to the Bowmore distillery which […]
Muay Thai
In Thailand Muay Thai or Thai boxing has a role similar to that of soccer in South America. It is a way for children from underprivileged families to become famous and earn loads of money. The sport’s Mecca is the Lumpini stadium in Bangkok where the highest prize money is paid and tickets cost up […]
Mekong Cruise
The northern part of Laos is still largely undeveloped and the road network reflects that. Going from Luang Prabang to the Thai border at Houay Xai by bus would mean 14 hours on dirt roads in a vehicle that is old twenty years ago. A more pleasant alternative is to travel on the Mekong. Every […]
Noodle Soup on familiar Turf
It’s 7:20 when we take off from Colombo, en route for the short 3h hop over to Bangkok. Once arrived, it takes a while to clear the long queue at immigration but finally I’m on the train into the centre. Seeing the city approach brings back memories. I’ve only visited Bangkok properly twice (I think) […]