Tip #11 to listening better: Get your teeth into this one
Don’t ask me how it happened but on the most recent flight I was on – my 12th I think in 4 weeks, I lost count – a flying headphone hit the top of my mouth. I think I let out an almighty swear word but no one appeared to hear it in the darkness of the cabin.
Headphones, like everything else i [...]
Snow on the hills, sakura on the trees, travel in Japan unearthed
On my last day in Japan, I visited a forest created by a Welshman and tasted tempura made from shitake which had been freshly plucked from the soil.And even though it was late spring, there was still snow in the mountains, sakura on the trees and spring water running down the hills.I also visite [...]
Getai and ghosts breathe life into the new Asia
Believe it or not, I am not going to write about a certain royal wedding that’s taking place this weekend. Instead, I am going to write about ghosts and “getai”.“Getai” is Chinese street opera performed during the Hungry Ghost Month which usually falls around every August. It’s to keep t [...]
From the top, same view but different thinking, I hope
Had lunch at the top of One Raffles Place yesterday, tallest building in Singapore, I am told. Used to be called UOB Centre but now changed to the more fashionable One. Taxi driver moaned on way over, “They always changing names.”The views looking out over the bay are amazing. It still looks lik [...]
Help, I am being stalked but I’ll take the fish head curry anytime
A long time ago, I was stalked. I am sure many of you have had that experience before. That feeling of being watched and followed, getting strange letters and worse, having strange letters about you sent to your boss, your parents, your friends.Well, that feeling’s coming over me again. And the st [...]
Final touches, outrageous requests – are you ready?
Woke up this Friday morning to realise that two Fridays from now, I will be taking an AirAsia flight to Chiang Mai where I will then take a five-hour ride to the Golden Triangle to take a breather in the hills of Northern Thailand.The weather should be superb this time of year and I am looking forwa [...]
I dream of being an irresponsible teenager with money
Each time I attend the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), I find myself wishing I was older and retired – about the only time I wish I was older, I can tell you that for sure.That’s because then I’d be like a “teenager but with money”, as Peter Harbison of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviat [...]
Steve Jobs – he knew me, you know, and he knew you too
I was wondering about doing a blog piece on Apple and the iPhone 4S - struggling with what to write.Then, yesterday - when I first heard the news at 7.45 in the morning (Singapore time) - things changed. And the subject of the piece became clear.I was going to talk about about how a ‘disappoint [...]
Planet Travel thanks you, Steve Jobs
In the wee hours of this morning, I was inspired to write a column about how, to me, the iPad’s been the best thing to happen to travel in a long time. A few hours later, I woke up to an Apple home page that showed a black-and-white photo of Steve Jobs.My throat clenched. My heart sank. For a mome [...]
WIT Charity Auction to help build a school and dormitory for young girls in Laos
I was curious to meet Marie Cammal. I had heard of her work in Cambodia rescuing young children from prostitution, abuse and rape. Her organization, Sok Sabay which means “happiness” in Khmer, has done such good work that in 2004, Time Magazine singled her out as one of 27 European Heroes. Ment [...]
