Belgium has famous neighbours. France to the south with its art galleries, cuisine and national scarf obsession, The Netherlands in the north, windmills, cheese and funny smelling ‘coffee shops’, Germany to the east, where a sausage and a beer is a great meal. It’s no wonder this small lowlands country enjoys a quiet, peaceful life. … More Belgium for beginners
“He is down this way, last cell on the left”, the officer slurred in a thick Parisian accent, as he gestured toward a row of prison cells. Matt followed curiously. They walked briskly down a long hallway, the iron bars shining darkly in the dim basement light. The officer was dressed in dark police blues, … More Paris
The fresh morning air and cool rays of light poured through the trees like gold, illuminating the smooth stone walls of cream, painting shadows of iron lattice balconies over the flourishing flowers adorning every balcony. Shadows of leaves echoed onto the pavement in grey blowing pointillism paintings.
I laced my boots in my hotel room in Kathmandu, and stood up. My feet felt indestructible. They were rentals from a trekking shop in Thamel, bulky leather constructions that looked antique. Today, I was going to hike the formidable Langtang Trek in Nepal.
My first time backpacking in South East Asia made me analyze two standout countries. Part adventure, part relaxation, but mostly just sheer fun, here are some of the best and worst of Malaysia and Vietnam! Malaysia Monkeys A monkey approached me cautiously. While I waited for the boat, I held a plastic bag containing 3 … More The best (and worst) things about Malaysia and Vietnam
Matt squinted as he shielded his eyes from the snow, ice pick in hand. He had lifted his goggles to survey the climb ahead, but the world was a blur of white. Mount Everest seemed to climb ahead endlessly. The swirling blizzard had suffocated the air with snow and shards of ice, reducing visibility to … More Nepal
They were building the train before our eyes. A bamboo tray as big as a queen size bed, four steel train wheels, and a simple motor that might have belonged on a motorbike. In less than a minute, our ride was ready. This was going to be insane… We boarded and sat in the tray. … More Riding the bamboo train in Cambodia
Stone sentinels stood on guard, their watch lasting nearly a thousand years. They growled with fierce monkey heads, armed with swords, helmeted and armoured in stone scales. Apsara, Angkor dancers, added their watch over the temples.
The slow boat collided softly with the tyres bound to the ferry port at Luang Prabang, and the tourist horde disembarked, stretching and yawning. Caramel waves chased each other down the Mekong like energetic children playing tag. It was nice to have finally arrived.
I once met a German in Thailand, settled into the life of a long term traveller, lingering in his hotel, in no rush to do anything. He declared that his goal for the day was to cut his toenails; he never got around to it. When asked why, he replied “hurry makes worry”.
StickyMangoRice 