As tourism increases in the beauty spots of Asia and development races ahead in a relentless tide of construction, many of the natural wonders that attracted people in the first place are being swallowed up. Beaches become concrete boulevards, primary forest becomes a parking lot and coral reefs simply don’t become. The natural expansion of…
Author: OTRAdmin
Thailand, surviving the tsunami
After consuming a few too many Christmas beers the night before I woke late and it was likely we would miss our boat to Koh Phi Phi today. Left the hotel and wandered down to the beach to see what all of the commotion was about, people were heading inland and cars and bikes were…
Thailand, journeys through the south
[1998 – 2007] Several trips were taken through south Thailand during the decade from 1997 to 2007. From Bangkok down taking in Petchaburi, Cha-am, Hua Hin (where I finally settled in 2000) Prachuabkirikhan, Bangsaphan, Chumphon, Lang Suan, Ranong, Suratthani, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Khao Lak, Phuket, Pha-nga, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Trang, Nakhon Si…
Cambodia, overland to Angkor Wat
[1999] I had been told that the border crossing between Aranya Prathet in Thailand and Poipet in Cambodia had only been open to foreigners for a couple of months and was often closed again due to remnant Khmer Rouge activity in the area. Needless to say I wanted to cross it to have a look…
Up the Mekong through Laos
[1999] Vientiane is a dusty low rise capital city that had no real distinguishing features. A local market was the place to change currency where you’d get a bag full of bank notes in exchange for a few dollars. Due to the French influence the food was good and the wine cheap however I wanted…
Singapore
[1998] After almost six months travelling through Thailand and Malaysia, Singapore came as a bit of a shock to the system. Orderly, regulated, clean, efficient, somewhat characterless … and very expensive – it didn’t feel like Asia at all. The only thing reminding me that I was still in the tropics was the stifling heat…
Malaysia, the peninsular overland
[1998] This journey took approximately two months and started off at the southern Thai border crossing of Sungai Kolok. From there I travelled to Kota Bharu on the Islamic east coast of the Malay peninsula. This town was a little frustrating at times, due to one religious festival or other most of it was closed…
Australia, the long way round
[1997 – 1998] Leaving my homeland, the UK, disgruntled with the routine and treadmill of office life as the biting British winter began to set in, I wanted to get as far away as possible so secured myself a work visa and headed down under for a year. It was my first time on the…