I have been mistaken for a local in Thailand and a Korean in Laos. But me, a Japanese? I got that a lot in Bali, especially at Nusa Lembongan. And I wonder why. I have neither the fair/evenly tanned complexion nor the fashion sensibilities (my unkempt eyebrows are a dead giveaway). It did not matter to the locals I looked more like them than a Chinese/Japanese/Korean, especially after a suntan gone wrong. So long as you are an Asian looking person, you are a Japanese, who apparently is their biggest customer from Asia. The French (or the French-speaking people), it seemed, [View Full Entry]

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It is fashionable to diss Kuta as one would Khao San Road or Bangkok for that matter. Yes, Kuta appears to be the “shit hole” like its harshest critics described. Traffic is busy around the clock. The beach is dirty. The streets and alleys are jam-packed with as many of the usual suspects - guesthouses, restaurants and assorted shops - as they can fit (Then again, what else do you expect?) Desperate taxi drivers honk at anyone who is not in a vehicle and stick their heads out to ask, “Taxi? Where you going?” The equally desperate beach vendors do not [View Full Entry]

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Penang Staying a stone’s throw away from Lebuh Chulia, where cheap and mouthwatering fare is readily available round the clock, had its perks. I decided not to bother with online recommendations by self-professed food connoisseurs and just picked a roadside stall or coffee shop at random. So far, I was not disappointed. After three days of feasting on local delicacies, I gained back every pound I had lost in China and sad to say, more. I did not get a chance to check out the shopping and entertainment scene along Gurney Drive. I did, however, spend a fair amount of time [View Full Entry]

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Armed with a couple of Bill Bryson's books and his usual cynicism, galacticnick headed up north to Penang but not without stopping over at a quaint little town that is Malacca. These are his 10 random musings. 1. Malaccans, if there is even such a word, must be the most intuitive bunch on this planet. How the locals manage to figure out that the verandah outside XYZ minimart is the alighting and boarding point for bus service 123 operated by company ABC never fails to amaze me. No wonder, the tourist guide of Malacca had not bothered to provide any information [View Full Entry]

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After a week of non-stop traveling all over the Sichuan province, we were relieved and happy to stay put in Chengdu, albeit for two more nights before we flew home. The provincial capital was recently voted the tenth happiest city to live in China. (Hangzhou topped the list.) Yang, who moved to the city five years ago, thought the accolade was well deserved. But as he said, we tourists, especially the ones who use Chengdu only as a base for exploring the region (guilty as charged) would not even begin to appreciate what makes this city so alluring. Frankly, I would [View Full Entry]

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On the bedside table in our room at Teddy Bear Hotel (cozy, friendly and highly recommended, by the way) was a copy of a pictorial book on Mount Emei. Flipping through pages of mind-blowing images, there was one particular photo that stood out. It depicted hundreds, if not thousands, of pilgrims prostrating in concentric circles around the gargantuan golden statue of Bodhisattva Puxian on the Golden Summit, some three thousand metres above sea level. I was not expecting to witness such an awe-inspiring sight, which is not likely to happen in winter anyway. Still, I could hardly wait to hit th [View Full Entry]

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When I read (It was written on our bus tickets) that we were taking the luxury coach to Leshan, I was skeptical. But it turned out to be true. I had never sat on a more comfortable bus. It was spotlessly clean and had plush seats, an overhead flat TV screen and an attendant who gave us a brief introduction of Leshan and the Grand Buddha in both Mandarin and English, although we had absolutely no idea what she was saying in English. They even gave every passenger a bottle of mineral water, a packet of nuts and get this, a [View Full Entry]

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After resting for two nights in Chengdu (more about the city in another entry), we embarked on an 11-hour bus journey to the fabled fairytale wonderland that is Jiuzhaigou. Our driver was a road menace. He would honk at every vehicle, pedestrian, yak and chicken for no good reason whatsoever. The Caucasian girl who was sitting in the first row could not take his incessant honking anymore. She lashed out, “It is not his fault. Are you fucking stupid?!” Not understanding a word she had said, the driver and his partner just laughed it off. Morons. And no thanks to his [View Full Entry]

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The ancient town of Lijiang, also known as Dayan, is the proverbial tourist trap. Whoever coined the idiomatic expression was probably inspired by he/she saw in Lijiang. No doubt, Lijiang, with its traditional Naxi houses and cobblestone alleys, is as every bit as picturesque as it is in the photos. And it is even more so at night when the red lanterns hung outside every house are lit. But the town is akin to a beautiful lass who has long relinquished her soul to the devil for unlimited wealth. Lijiang is no town. It is, in essence, a shopping street overrun [View Full Entry]

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Staying overnight at Kunming was originally not part of the plan. But after reading too many horror stories about the etiquettes (or the lack of) of Chinese tourists onboard sleeper buses in China (you know, the usual - smoking, spitting, et cetera), we decided to spend a night in Kunming and fly out to Lijiang the next morning. Kunming is nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring. Thus, one would expect good weather and fresh air. Well, it was sunny all right, but the air was far from pleasant. In fact, we were debating as our plane made its descent whether the [View Full Entry]

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