StickyMangoRice

A three day trek in the mountains of Chiang Mai, through rain clouds and bamboo forests

July 20, 2012

The trek begins We were in the mountains surrounding Chiang Mai in Thailand’s north. C had returned from a short stint in Malaysia, joining me in Thailand for another adventure. The first day’s hike was not for the faint of heart, and as the thin path reached up into the mountains, our knowledgeable, resourceful, and occasionally … More A three day trek in the mountains of Chiang Mai, through rain clouds and bamboo forests

Sketch of a monk with an umbrella in Myanmar's streets

Visiting Myanmar in 2012, newly opened to the world

July 7, 2012

It’s not very often you feel like you’ve stepped into a new world. Myanmar is the official name for the country most people know as Burma. This isolated place secretly hugs the shoulder of Thailand, touches the eastern point of India. In a region dominated by sunny Thai resorts, Vietnamese food and Singaporean skyscrapers, this … More Visiting Myanmar in 2012, newly opened to the world

Drawing of an American tank used in the Vietnam War

Crawling through underground tunnels and firing a gun in Saigon

June 17, 2012

It was a hulking monster, the dark grey of a brooding storm, 45 tons of heavy steel, it’s hard unsmiling face festooned with a big white star. A war machine, angular, menacing, fearsome. It was an American tank, on display in front of Saigon’s War Remnants Museum.

a bullet ridden concrete bunker at bunker hill hue

Cycling Hue

June 8, 2012

It was hot in Hue. Really hot. Beads of sweat collected on my forehead. And yet here we were, choosing not to lie in air conditioned comfort with a cheap bottle of local beer, choosing instead to ride bicycles to explore the outskirts of the ancient town.

Motorcycles: The best way to see Sapa

May 28, 2012

J and I sat at the long, wooden table, set with chopsticks, chilli sauces and pieces of raw meat and bamboo shoots. I smiled at the H’mong tribeswoman sitting next to me, and she smiled back. To our right was the fruit and vegetable markets, trading piles of fresh produce beneath canopies of tin and tarpolean. To … More Motorcycles: The best way to see Sapa

Hiking the caves, rivers and waterfalls of Mulu National Park

May 20, 2012

Kuching means ‘cat’ in Malay, and you don’t have to look very far to find evidence of it’s association. Stone statues of cat families and sculptures of proud bronze felines overlook many of the city’s roundabouts, and adorn it’s manhole covers.

Drawing of a green tree snake in malaysia

Solo backpacking in Bako National Park

May 14, 2012

“Enjoy it, man”, T said as I walked past, a backpacker from Liverpool who was travelling with his New Zealander girlfriend, S. “Will do”, I replied, as I set off into the jungle. I had met them days earlier in Kuching, capital city of Sarawak, on the West Coast of Borneo.

Borneo

May 9, 2012

The door swings open and Mark stands in the doorway of the humid jungle bar, khaki clad, dabbing beads of sweat off his neck with a handkerchief. The jungle mist rolls past his feet, and the sound of insects invades the room, drowning out the beat of the fan.

Travelling too far in one day is a waste of time

May 5, 2012

I woke up yesterday in Melaka, 2-3 hours south of KL. ‘Historic Melaka’ is a mix of the various colonial rules that have fought for control over the town over hundreds of years. The end result was a charming, colourful town, dotted with Portugese forts, Dutch churches with British renovations, Chinese temples and Indian cuisine.

Feeling at home in a backpacker hostel

May 1, 2012

It’s true that you meet a lot of new people when travelling. Especially when staying in backpacker’s guesthouses. I checked into my hostel last night and within a few hours had gone in thirds with a Dutchman and a German in a bottle of vodka, and after finishing it with the help of a few … More Feeling at home in a backpacker hostel

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