The Southern Ridges: Off The Tourist Track in Singapore
* I’d been to Singapore three times before but always, it seemed, in the company of first-time visitors. For that reason my previous routes were almost always a combination of the usual stops: Orchard Road, the Merlion, Singapore Zoo, Chinatown, Sentosa. On this, my fourth visit, I was determined to go somewhere I hadn’t been […]
Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay
Singapore is one of those places you can never really tick off your bucket list. Sure, you’ve taken a photo with the Merlion, gone on the Night Safari, shopped in Orchard, frolicked in Sentosa, and gazed in fascination at the unearthly form of the Marina Bay Sands. But have you been to Gardens by […]
7 countries in 18 days: A sample European itinerary
What do you do if you’ve got 18 days in Europe and want to see a little bit of everything? See a little bit of everything! 7 countries, 9 cities in 18 days. (Well, it’s actually 5 countries, 1 city-state, and 1 principality, but the latter two are technically countries, and “7 countries” somehow makes it […]
5 Things I Always Wish I Remembered to Do Every Sinulog
Every time I go home after Sinulog, there are always things I wish I’d done that would have made my Sinulog experience even better. I finally remembered them this year (though not quite in time for #4). This counts as my advice to Sinulog newbies too! Book a hotel along the parade route. Nearby roads […]
#Illridewithyou, Not #Jesuischarlie: Drawing Lines
It’s a question that probably has no answer but I’m going to ask it anyway: why can’t we just be kind to each other? I condemn in the strongest terms the Charlie Hebdo attack. I condemn it because it was cold-blooded murder; an act of terror, merciless and misguided. When I first heard of the shootings, […]
10 days in Europe: A sample itinerary for France and Italy
Over 3 years ago, my sister and I found ourselves in Europe for the very first time. This was our itinerary. Looking back on it now, I don’t think I would change anything! We did spend too little time in Nice — just enough to catch the breathtaking view (no, really: it made me […]