Vietnam

I was on one of those three-day tours from Hanoi that guaranteed a true Hmong experience. It was my first time to Southeast Asia, and I had arrived from Japan on holiday for a few weeks. The trip was booked on a whim, a necessary break from the months teaching in classrooms, a chance for my skin to finally see the sun again. The taxi from the airport hurtled down the highway – I had never seen such chaos. Motorbikes were laden with whole families, their pigs strapped to the sides; bandana-covered faces stared at me through slats in trucks, men off to try to make a few dollars for a day’s work.

Popayan, Colombia That’s a photo of me and my new friend Pie, from Amsterdam. We met in Cali, although, after talking about our past travels, we realised we were also in Medellin…

Koh Phi Phi, Thailand I am seriously addicted to cheap massages/spa treatments when I travel. When I was in Southeast Asia, I got spa treatments a few times a month (or even…

Hoi An, Vietnam Here’s the thing – I’m actually on a beach in Thailand right now, most likely on the island of Koh Phi Phi. I’m scheduling this post for today just…

On the train from Hanoi to Sapa, VietnamHere’s the thing: I’m actually writing this on October 4th, sitting in my hotel room in Tokyo. This will pop up on my blog on…

(photo taken by another traveller whose name I have now forgotten) People of Sapa Part Three (and me) Sapa, Vietnam