Blogs from Brunei, Asia - page 13

Kurze Zwischenstation auf Borneo, bevor es weiter in Richtung Kambodscha geht: Brunei. Ein Land mit rund 300.000 Einwohnern und genuegend Oel, damit sich keine Sorgen ueber irgendwas machen muss. Es gibt keine Steuern, kostenlose Bildung und Gesundheitsfuersorge fuer alle. Das Oberhaupt, der Sultan scheint auch ein netter Kerl zu sein: Er finanziert 1.000 Studenten pro Jahr das Auslandsstudium und laedt die Bevoelkerung waehrend des Rhamadan in seinen Palast ein um mit ihnen zu beten, zu dinieren und um jedem Geldgeschenke zu machen. Nun gut, "die Bevoelkerung" ist vielleicht ein bisschen generell: natuerlich nur die muslimischen Maenner, aber das waeren im Extremfall immernoch 100.000 Menschen, die nach Essen und Geld fragen... Der erste Abend in Brunei beginnt gleich mit einer Ueberraschung. Es ist 23.00, der letzte Bus fuhr vor 5 Stunden (denn in Brunei wird nur bis ... read more

As I flew into Brunei for an overnight stopover, I got to thinking it's been far too long since the last visit to Asia, a region in the world that has long been a personal favourite of mine. But nothing lasts forever, and it's great to have an overnight stay in the Sultanate of Brunei. This small country on the north west coast of Borneo enjoys a very high standard of living, thanks to the oil and gas reserves located just offshore. Somehow it feels familiar to experience a taste of Asian culture again, and the opulence of the capital Bandar Seri Begawan after many years spent travelling in other continents. But let's get the journal up to date then, constant reader. We left off in Liverpool with a Beatles fanatic in seventh heaven. After my ... read more

Let me set a scene for you - there are three of us on this trip and for these two nights we have shared a room with three beds. So far so good! Last ight I slept like a log after travelling for 24 hours with very little sleep, so tonight I assumed I would do the same again. Not a bit of it!! We came in after our meal at the local fast food street market, I chose noodles and sadly some chicken, which turned out to be chickens tails or the Parson's Nose and not being at all fond of them I left them, but really enjoyed the coconut milk which was served in a hacked out coconut. It was clear though, not milky like my previous experiences of the natural drink. Perhaps because ... read more

Yesterday I had to go to work. Today I don't have to. This is what retirement is. Welcome to my Travel Blog! During the last month I've piled in sixteen entries to show a little of Brunei Darussalam, where I've been living for the last five years (deep at the bottom of the pile), and the major holiday trips I've made to different Asian countries. You may have seen some of the material elsewhere. Now I go live! Tomorrow I set out on an erratic journey which will finish in Sydney during October. It will take me first to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo. My goal then is to travel between Thailand and Hong Kong by train and by boat, via Cambodia, Vietnam and Southern China (but only if they agree to give me ... read more

Creatures in Brunei don't seem as menacing as creatures in NSW. The leaf insect in the first two pictures was outside my supermarket. The lizard was up a tree in the forest. I photographed all ll the bugs and moths inside my flat.... read more