It is with much trepidation that I set out to spend the long weekend at the Gal Oya Wildlife Department’s Ekgal Aru bungalow. More than the long drive, it is the supposed state of the bungalow that worries me, having been warned of its dilapidated condition. The route from Colombo to Gal Oya takes me…
Category: Asia
Secrets. Surprises. Sites. Kaduruketha Sri Lanka
From soft linen to Spa Ceylon toiletries, Jetwing Kaduruketha is much more than I expected. Having travelled 223 kms from Colombo in just about four hours, I am ready to plant my feet on the ground. Jetwing Kaduruketha is located about 4.3 kms off the main Colombo Batticaloa highway (A4) and 3.5 kms from the…
Climbing Bible Rock. Aranayake Sri Lanka
Pre departure plans were somewhat skewed. Ashan Seneviratne, the man behind Little Adventures was trying his utmost to get us to focus on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of the upcoming climb. We seem to be more interested in what comes next…celebrations atop the rock. Is there ice? Who’s bringing the vodka? Wet wipes? Bites? Oh…what…
The Past and Present. Siem Reap Cambodia
It’s day nine of my journey already! And sadly, it’s also the last day of this epic journey. Time surely does fly when having fun. For all its beauty and historical value, Cambodia has had a terrible and troubled past. In 1432, the Thai’s sacked Angkor and in 1863, the French invaded this country. During…
Stunning Sunrise and Sublime Faces. Angkor Wat Cambodia
It’s a very, very early morning wake up call. Bundled up against the morning chill, I am at the west side of the famous Angkor Wat temple beside the manmade lake at the foreground. It’s still too dark to see much, but an indistinct silhouette of this temple. The crowds keep trailing in and soon…
Ancient Beauty and Local Culture. Siem Reap Cambodia
As I reluctantly say goodbye to Saigon and Vietnam, I am excited to be seeing Cambodia. The Angkor Wat temple has been on my bucket list for too long and it’s time to make this dream come true. Having heard of the many stories of corruption at Cambodia’s immigration, I am somewhat nervous. But, with…
Chugging Down the Mekong Delta. Ben Are Vietnam
Today is our last day in Vietnam. We spend the day on the muddy waters of the Mekong Delta. We arrive at My Tho, a market town on the north bank of the Mekong River’s northernmost strand, the Tien Giang, or Upper River. According to history, after the collapse of the Ming dynasty, Chinese immigrants…
Sophistication. Saigon Vietnam
It was hard to leave Hanoi, but I am ready to see Saigon, the capital of Vietnam. True, that it is now called Ho Chi Minh City in honour of Vietnam’s first president and national hero, but somehow I love the name Saigon, which was adopted over 300 years ago and changed since July 1976….
Grotto de la Surprise. Hanoi Vietnam
It’s another chilly day. Thankfully my cabin is warm and I’m glad for my recent purchase of a warm ‘hoodie’ in Hanoi. After breakfast, we sail on to Bo Hon Island and join a multitude of other eager tourists. Bo Hon Island or Soap-Berry Tree Island, is one of the larger islands to be found…
A Mountain Dragon. Ha Long Bay Vietnam
“You’ve got to see Ha Long Bay,” said everyone who’s been there before. So it was finally our turn. We leave Hanoi after breakfast and head east towards Ha Long Bay. It is also a great opportunity to get out of Hanoi and see Vietnam’s countryside. Maybe I slept through some of the ride but…
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