Despite the sheer size of China's cities and the millions upon millions that live in them, unlike India, they never feel overcrowded. This can probably be put down to better infrastructure, public transport and cities expanding upwards. But despite the cities' burgeoning population, passing by the beautiful scenery of plentiful farmland on the train ride from Yichang to Zhangjiajie made you remember just how many people here still farm the land. I also saw lots of construction; of more railway bridges, of more apartment blocks, of more everything. You then think about the fact that not long ago, say 20-30 years ago, China was still considered a developing country. Looking around now, you wouldn't think so - the pace of change and improvement has simply been staggering and almost inconceivable for such a big country. Even ... read more

Another early start. Another eight hour bus. Followed by another overnight train. Despite already having covered 1,750km over land in my first five days in China, I had to keep moving fast and far, in order to keep to my schedule and see everything I wanted to. It was a punishing pace; I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. On the way out of Jiuzhaigou, our driver had a go at another bus driver who pulled out in front of him and then got stuck because his turning circle wasn't small enough to complete the turn. The driver at fault then suddenly - and inexplicably - completely lost it and so I witnessed the famous Chinese short fuse. I've seen it so many times; a Chinese person can appear ... read more

It feels like an injustice to write about the two highlights of Vietnam in one post; but alas, that is how things have come to pass. It does however, leave no doubt that I have saved Vietnam's best for last. The first of Vietnam's two blockbusters involved taking a bus-boat-bus - a bit more developed than the jeep-boat-jeep that I took in Costa Rica - to Cat Ba Island, which will soon be just one bus, once a new mega-long bridge is completed that will reduce the journey from Hanoi to a mere two hours. However, it wasn't Cat Ba Island itself that was the main attraction (even if it does have some sights of its own as well as a plethora of activities to try), but the famous archipelago of Ha Long Bay. Most tourists ... read more

Often overlooked as the backwater of Southeast Asia, this sleepy perception might also be part of Laos's charm. I had been told to expect things to be much more laid-back than Vietnam; although truth be told, that isn't hard. I was also told that my overland journey there would be the bus ride from hell on a chicken bus where you're sitting in the aisles upon sacks of rice and manioc flour. Well about half of that description was correct; there definitely seemed to be more stock than people on the bus but at least the people could sleep in sleeper berths. I had my own little space right at the back amongst all the luggage and foodstuffs away from everyone else - sacks of peanuts were stacked like a fort around me. It was nice. ... read more

It is happening again. Of course it happened again. I guess I spoke too soon! I wasn't as drunk in the morning as I was on my journey to Bangkok but running on three hours sleep after one last night out in Ho Chi Minh City, I should've been tired. As it turned out, I was awake for most of the first leg of my 23-hour bus to Hoi An, on board a a sleeper bus the like of which I have never seen before. Three rows of bunks are separated by two aisles barely wide enough to let people through but rather than having a bench to sleep on like you do in India, you instead get a reclinable seat that almost goes all the way down. You have a cubby hole in front of ... read more