"Short stories and travel reports from my life adventures around the globe".
Psar Leu Market. March 2020. Another Asian city, another colourful, frantic market for the Leighton Travels archives. Siem Reap has a ripe market scene, with most people heading for the Old Market in the heart of town near Pub Street. But if you wanna strip back all the hassle from vendors and their overpriced goods, […]
Read MoreCambodia Landmine Museum. January 2020. Take even a rudimentary look into the history of Cambodia and before long you’ll find yourself entering the tragic world of the landmine. During decades of war, experts say at least six million landmines found their way into Cambodian soil. Moreover, these evil devices have been responsible for the deaths and […]
Read MoreWat Damnak Pagoda. January 2020. There are a number of fine temples and pagodas to enjoy in Siem Reap. My favourite of these is the pretty Wat Damnak Pagoda, SR’s largest Buddhist centre. It lies on the eastern side of The Siem Reap River jus a few minutes from the heart of downtown. Moreover, it was […]
Read MoreArtisans Angkor, Siem Reap. January 2020. A common misconception about Siem Reap is the idea that, aside from The Angkor Temples, “there’s nothing much to see”. I hear this time and time again. Moreover, I remember reading several blogs that claimed 2-3 days is enough to “do Siem Reap”. Mm. We spent seven months in Siem Reap and […]
Read MoreWat Thmey Pagoda, Siem Reap. January 2020. Back in 2015 my old travel buddy Wonderboy and I spent a day in Phnom Penh learning about Cambodia’s harrowing genocide years. First, we spent a few grim hours visiting Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a Khmer Rouge detention and torture centre. Then we headed out to the equally awful […]
Read MoreMiniature Replicas of Angkor, Siem Reap. Following our life-changing adventures in Belgrade, Sladja and I drew up plans for a future together. With her living in China and myself based in The UK, it was all a bit complicated. Nevertheless, we managed to book up what we thought was going to be a 1-month stay in […]
Read MoreChurch of St Sava, Belgrade. August 2019. Belgrade is a city that’s positively blessed with picturesque churches. Among the finest of these structures, I’ve already blogged about the stunning St Mark’s Church. And the exceptionally pretty St Petka’s Chapel and Ruzica Church nestled within Belgrade Fortress. However, if I had to choose the Serbian capital’s […]
Read MoreMuseum of Yugoslavia, Belgrade. August 2019. I hadn’t been aware of it before my visit to the Serbian capital. But actually my general knowledge of modern history and its key world leaders had a large Yugoslavia shaped hole in it. Churchill? Sure, I have a solid overview. Stalin? Yup, I could certainly give you a […]
Read MoreAn Afternoon Exploring Zemun, Belgrade. August 2019. It was yet another sweltering sunny day in Belgrade as Sladja and I rumbled through the city in a bus destined for the neighbourhood of Zemun. For the first time we were leaving downtown behind for a change of scenery and pace. Nestled on and around the right […]
Read MoreNikola Tesla Museum, Belgrade. August 2019. I like to think of myself as a broadly positive traveller. The sort who looks, instinctively, for what a place offers rather than what it lacks. That doesn’t mean ignoring the negatives—just meeting them with a degree of balance, a willingness to understand before judging. But every now and […]
Read MoreExploring Belgrade Fortress, Serbia. August 2019. When I look back on my first visit to the Serbian capital, it doesn’t get any more nostalgic than Belgrade Fortress. This is one of the country’s most iconic and historic sites. A majestic beast of a cultural monument with a killer location perched above the confluence of the […]
Read MoreSt Mark’s Church, Belgrade. August 2019. Sladja and I had had a fantastic few hours exploring the sights of Tasmajdan Park. Now, at last, it was time to head inside its most dominant landmark, St Mark’s Church. This handsome Serbo-Byzantine structure opened in 1940 upon the designs of the Krstić brothers, two of Serbia’s most acclaimed […]
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