Another sunny day and it is time to inspect one of the famous Phuket beaches. Since neither of us has any idea where would be most interesting to go we decide more or less on random to choose Patong Beach and find a songthaew to take us there. The countryside road continues out of Phuket town into the hills and starts to slither up a hillside overlooking a valley below, and it reminds me that Phuket island is more than just a conglomerate of beach resorts. The tranquil midday heat is soon overcome by the noise and chaos of traffic and crowds of tourists along the Patong beach road, we've arrived in the middle of it alright. The place is like a gigantic ant colony, the streets lined with shops stacked on top of each other, ... read more

So, I have finally arrived in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanu Kamprasit, the city which so many of my fellow Swedes have already discovered. The flight lands in the early afternoon and the heat can be felt through the airport walls, and what is that strange smell? (The Don Muang air has a very special character that I've since come to appreciate more and more). After passing through immigration my friend Kay picks me up on her way back from the office, which is nearby. She's suggested and reserved a room for me at the Karnmanee Palace (a nice hotel which has since become a favourite stay of mine) where I can dump my bags and take a much ... read more

I was working in Gothenburg at the time when I by blind luck happened to come across a note about a planned visit by the HMS Endeavour. It was announced on the website of the Swedish East Indiaman project, which is tracking the progress of the rebuilding of a replica of the 18th century merchantman Götheborg, a ship that used to ply the trade to South East Asia back in the day. Götheborg met an unfortunate ending when she - after two years of travel - ran aground just outside Gothenburg harbour in 1745, its precious cargo lost in the waves. More than 250 years later a project was started to rebuild a replica of this famous ship. At the time of my visit the ship is slowly nearing completion, and is planned to take a ... read more

There's always been something special about Hong Kong. From its importance in politics ever since the colonial heydays to the frosty relations between today's global superpowers, via the wonders of a thriving economy to its mystical oriental heritage. Virtually every person seems to be a razor sharp salaryman by day only to turn into a wall climbing supernatural kung fu expert at night. The geography of the city itself is just as outlandish and bewildering; islands of needle sharp skyscrapers crowding on the slopes of humid green hills poking out of the water, only to disappear in misty clouds. Its waters are chaotically crowded by all sorts of floating things, container barges, boats, ferries, cruise liners, floating casinos just as the streets themselves tremble under the constant burden of far too many pedestrians, touts, construction workers, ... read more

He finally caught up with me. The great Timur Lenk. Did I really think that I could get away with wandering around his most precious Bukharan jewels without having to answer for it? His point exactly... now it is time to pay. Without using too colourful a language, let's just say that I spend four hours of the night -that I would like to have back- in the bathroom. Fighting fire with fire I prepare for today's excursions by stocking up on loads of tissue paper and devouring a hefty dose of nasty pills, although that deep down I know that they will not help much. I am on Timur's turf now, and I have to play by his rules. His first rule is: You lose. Today's schedule covers the major Bukharan sites we did not ... read more