A while ago we were driving over a long bridge in Bangkok. As we neared the middle, a row of digital emoji faces appeared. Most had a grumpy face on, which indicated the car driving in its lane was going too fast. Realising that if I went below 60kph I’d get a smiley, I slowed…
If you’re remotely interested in literature, you may like this. Cambridge University Press has just released its official coursebook and workbook for IGCSE Literature. And I helped to write it. The books reflect a new course that students will start studying later this year. My role in this was to create the teacher’s resources: the…
The charming French villas, the mighty Mekong river and saffron-clad monks tend to grab the headlines in Luang Prabang. But once you’ve got your Insta-friendly photos, what else do you do in this charming northern Lao town? Many tend to laze in the coffee shops and stroll the streets in their Beer Lao t-sihrts. But…
Luang Prabang may be small, but it’s packed with things to do. Here’s our round-up of the main activities and sights in this stunning Lao town. 1 Volunteering The charming French villas, the mighty Mekong river and saffron-clad monks tend to grab the headlines in Luang Prabang. But once you’ve got your Insta-friendly photos, what…
Meeting the world’s only living goddess requires some luck. The Kumari, as she’s known, lives high in a temple, shielded from modern-day life. There, with a guardian, she remains alone, only occasionally getting to glimpse the bustle of the city beyond her cloistered walls. It sounds like a fairytale but this is 21st century Kathmandu.…
Nepal is one of the world’s most fascinating countries, with stunning natural features (from safaris to the Himalayas) and the warmest of people. It’s also a country that has its own challenges, so based on our own experiences, here’s a guide of what you need to know before visiting Nepal. Getting into Nepal Tribhuvan International…
Traffic jams in Nepal aren’t unusual. However, the cause of this one was odd. As we sat waiting patiently, a rhino walked past. A greater one-horned rhinoceros, to be precise. Ignoring the stares, it turned left into a hotel and headed for some plants. We jumped out of our jeep and followed, watching as it…
My family trips to the beach used to involve jam sandwiches laid out on plastic plates, a Punch and Judy show and, if we were lucky, an ice cream with a Flake stuck in the top. After the food, we would roll our shorts up and wade into the chilly waters of the English North…
Explore Singapore When you visit most airports, the first thing you look for is the exit sign. However, at Changi Airport in Singapore, they’ve come up with some ingenious ways to keep you there. The Jewel, a 5-minute undercover walk from Terminal 1, is home to an enormous collection of gardens, canopies, shops –…
Imagine you want to make a documentary about Thailand. You would, of course, want to mention the culture, massages and food. But what you really need are ratings. So, we’ll give the cultural stuff a sideways glance and head straight to Patpong, Bangkok’s red-light area for tourists. Then we’ll nip over to Soi Cowboy…