"Short stories and travel reports from my life adventures around the globe".
Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc. Hue, Vietnam. April 2018. The city of Hue really is a goldmine for those looking to wade deep into Vietnam’s historical waters. At the very least most visitors spend a half day exploring The Imperial City, once home to the country’s Nguyen emperors. If that doesn’t quite quench the thirst, […]
Read MoreThe National School, Hue, Vietnam. April 2018. It was my second full day in the Vietnamese city of Hue and I was felling a little run down. By this point I’d been on the road for several weeks. And my legs were feeling the effects of the previous day’s efforts exploring the majestic remains of […]
Read MoreThe Imperial City, Hue, Vietnam. April 2018. Following my adventures in Hanoi, Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay, Dong Hoi and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, I finally arrived in the pretty river town of Hue. Home, among other delights, to Vietnam’s wondrous Imperial City. As one of the country’s historical highlights, I couldn’t wait to […]
Read MoreParadise Cave & Phong Nha Cave, Vietnam. April 2018. After a few relaxing days in the understated outpost of Dong Hoi, it was time for my much-anticipated day trip to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Home to tropical forests, underground rivers, UNESCO caves and Asia’s oldest karst mountains, I could have easily based myself here for […]
Read MoreDong Hoi, Vietnam. April 2018. When on a cross country adventure, I always love stopping for a few days in some nowhere town deemed unworthy by the masses. In fact, these off the beaten track locales often throw up some of my favourite travel memories. The Vietnamese coastal city of Dong Hoi isn’t exactly off […]
Read MoreHalong Bay Cruise, Vietnam. April 2018. Cat Ba Island had served up an amazing four days of adventure. In fact, with its pretty harbour and beach, World War II Cannon Fort, Vietnam War Hospital Cave and stunning national park, I’d been left nonplussed by how few people actually bother to go there. Now, at the […]
Read MoreCat Ba Island. April 2018. It was a hot and humid overcast day in Vietnam when I finally left Hanoi for four nights on Cat Ba Island. I’d had a wonderful time in the Vietnamese capital, but it had all been a bit full-on. Now, I figured, it was time for a little rest and […]
Read MoreCool Spots Around Hanoi. April 2018. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to read my eight feature length articles from the Vietnamese capital. Now, wrapping the series up, here’s the best of the rest with some Cool Spots Around Hanoi. If you’ve only got time for one of Hanoi’s three lakes, it simply has […]
Read MoreHanoi Train Street. April 2018. I was starting to think that I would never find Hanoi Train Street. With no official listing on any online map app, I’d been relying on written directions from a blog article. Directions that turned out be… if I’m charitable… patchy. And so unfolded a frustrating hour of walking around […]
Read MoreTemple of Literature. Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. No matter where I go, I aways seem to bump into my old buddy Confucius. Indeed I’ve been to perhaps a dozen temples across the world dedicated to the famous philosopher. I’ve also photographed statues of the celebrated old sage in Thailand. And visited Hyanggyo School, constructed in his […]
Read MoreThang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cover photo courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra. April 2018. I’d never seen a water puppet performance before. In fact, I hadn’t been aware it was even a thing until I started planning my trip to Vietnam. The more I read, the more I realised seeing a water puppet show […]
Read MoreHoa Lo Prison, Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. If you’re visiting Hanoi and have the means to treat yourself to a luxurious stay, one might consider the Hilton Hanoi Opera. I’m sure you can picture the place, without even looking. Rooms feature elegantly handcrafted traditional Vietnamese furniture. Moreover, there’s a giant swimming pool, a full range of […]
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