It is impossible to visit Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, and not notice the police presence. There is at least one member of the constabulary on every block, usually busying themselves waving down cars. Those who drove the Hyundai police vehicles never used the siren or lights if they needed an unimpeded passage through the traffic, but instead, strangely pronounced their coming through loudspeakers. The law in Central Asia has a poor reputation for corruption, but I saw nothing untoward in Almaty. However, parts of Tajikistan ensured that this reputation remains strong. Dushanbe's main thoroughfare, Radaki, was a pleasant tree-lined street whose residential buildings, though of weary appearance, were visually appealing in their mostly pastel colours that bore a resemblance to edifices in Eastern Europe. There were some larger public structures and these were palatial in ... read more

There are two experiences that compare to the excitement of travel. Researching, budgeting and planning itineraries can be just as exciting as the journey itself, whilst the other recently discovered experience is presenting speeches about travel to an international audience numbering in the hundreds. Last year provided my introduction into the world of speaking at international fora , where I was most impressed by the hospitality and professionalism on display at the Malaysia International Tourism Bloggers Conference & Awards (MITBCA). Not only was I invited to return to MITBCA in 2013, but this invite extended to its sister event, Malaysia Social Media Week (MSMW). I arrived a few days prior to MSMW in order to adjust to the time zone and prepare my presentation, “From Dang... read more

In the Middle East, the visitor is seen as a gift from God. But like any gift, the reaction to its receipt is related to its frequency; the more regular the gift, the less enthusiastic the response. The Middle East bestows the most hospitable of welcomes on visitors, and since I never met or saw any other foreign tourist during my ten days in the Kurdish region of Iraq, it meant that all latent hospitality was poured upon me. As is usual with my first day in any location, I approach it through the eyes of someone observing, rather than immersing. Despite this cautious approach, the response was remarkable. On the second day, I removed that last veneer of caution and strode forth; the reaction was extraordinary. Returning to the Qaysari Bazaar I searched for Erbil’s ... read more

It was an opportunity too good to refuse. There have plenty of Travelblog meetings for dinners and drinks, and sometimes two bloggers have travelled together, but this was perhaps the first time a group of three or more had met with the specific purpose of travelling. Upon arriving at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City, I quickly passed through immigration and customs and eagerly exited the building. Towering above the crowd was Nick () (the host for this gathering) and beside him I could espy the black hat of Dave () (the instigator of this event). Even though they had only met 15 minutes prior, the two of them were already conversing like old friends. It took a moment or two of disbelief to actually realise that both Dave and Nick, whose blogs I have ... read more

Tales of unique religious practices have emanated from Tanna Island for decades, a place where seemingly mortal humans are accorded divine status. There is the Prince Philip movement, which worships the Duke of Edinburgh, but far more popular is the John Frum movement, where their figure of veneration is a US Marine. Since I am drawn to observing different religions, it was inevitable that my journey to Tanna would seek out one of these faiths. The village where I stayed possessed an extraordinary sense of community, as evidenced by the story of a husband and wife unable to have children, so when the husband’s brother fathered twins, he gave one to the infertile couple to raise as a child of their own. Another expression of this communal spirit was the Sunday morning church service at the ... read more