Blogs from Asia

May 2; Not the best departure we've experienced. It now seems but a distant memory when we planned this foray to the northern hemisphere. Then, we scheduled our departure similarly to others; a flight to an Asian hub, stay a day or 2 and then head west. In this case it was a daytime flight via AirAsia from Coolangatta to Kuala Lumpur . Some months ago we got a message that our flight had been cancelled and replaced a day earlier with a night time flight! As Judy is prone to DVT (blood clots), we try and fly during the day so she can move about the cabin and minimise the risk. On review, there were no daytime departures at all. In other words, AirAsia had altered all flight departures from Coolangatta. Our 'solution' was to ... read more

From MSN Explore: Even as millions of tourists flock to Japan, keep in mind that Japanese people make up the vast majority of those dining at restaurants across the country. According to data from the CIA, a whopping 97.5% of the population is Japanese. Moreover, Japan ranked 87 out of 113 countries in EF's English Proficiency Indexlist, landing in the lower end of the "low proficiency" category. With this in mind, the owners and staff at some establishments may be reluctant to welcome guests they fear might misunderstand them and their culture. Restaurant workers might not have translated menus prepared, and they may not know how to explain their food to people who don't speak Japanese. That was the reason one Okinawa bar owner gave for posting a "Japanese only" sign, according ... read more

Flying into Bhutan on a clear day is a thrilling sight. The view of the Himalayas, peaking above the clouds, is beautiful and awe-inspiring. Then, there’s the landing into one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Fortunately, we were able to land on the first approach. After nearly two years of discussion and planning, Brigitte and I had finally arrived. From the moment we stepped into the airport until the moment we departed we were enchanted with this beautiful country and the gentle, kind-hearted people. Our tour, with Bhutan Travelers, provided us with a guide and a driver. They accompanied us from Jakar, in the east, to Paro and Thimphu, in the west. Our road trip, of 11 days, took us to multiple Dzongs (temple fortresses), monasteries, chortens, museums, a dance festival, valley and ... read more

When I was in grade school, I found sitting on the shelf of an old red bookcase in the basement of our house a book with an alluring cover featuring a vintage airplane and high, snow-capped mountains. The book: Lost Horizon by James Hilton. The short novel chronicled the mysterious Himalayan enclave of Shangri-La, where peace and harmony reigned and people lived to be centuries old. Ever since discovering that book, I have been intrigued by the vast Himalaya, with its spellbinding jagged peaks that form the top of the world. In April 2024, I visited Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha and the realm of soaring mountains. The journey did not disappoint. Kathmandu My first stop in Nepal was its capital Kathmandu, a vast kinetic, chaotic city of narrow lanes and incessant traffic jams. The traffic ... read more

Our last day here was met with some expectation and anticipation. We were excited that no more 5am starts awaited us and equally delighted that our slow roaster would soon ding. But we were excited to see what Wilpattu had to deliver. A quick tea and we were on our way, pleased to be in pole position at the gate. The paperwork was done (in triplicate, again, identically incorrect as yesterday’s) and off we bumped down the road, still holding on to first place. We held our position for a while before another jeep, unencumbered by pesky passengers wanting to stop and look at animals sped past us, only to stop just around the bend ahead and flick its hazards. Apparently the human alarm call for leopard! Sure enough, on the road ahead, a mother and ... read more