For liberté, égalité, fraternité

Moving to Paris four years ago turned out to be an unmitigated disaster from which I had to ask my mother to bail me out. (It’s a funny story, maybe I’ll tell it sometime) I have been thinking a lot about the recent attacks and what Paris did for me. All I can say, and …

Where do you want to go today?

I awoke, groggy, in a white washed concrete room. The only window faced a dark corridor. Hot viscous air was buffeted at my face in frequent intervals by a revolving fan. Reaching my limit of permissible heat I dressed and made an exit. The cheeky reception boys were entertaining the last few breakfasters. ‘Good morning!’ …

Thoughts from paradise: Palawan, Philippines

I’ve been struggling to decide what I want to say about the Philippines. I visited two places. Palawan island which is a long strip of jungle fronted by golden sands jutting out to the west, and Manila which is everything an antithesis ought to be. Ever since I built the Philippines into my Asia itinerary, …

My Right to Eat Fried Chicken: A Defense

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia There we were again. Standing at that long intentionally yellowed plastic counter of KFC, staring at a pictograph depiction of the menu offering different multiples of fried chicken and combinations of sides. ‘I only eat street food’ like Dorothy’s mantra, is repeated over and over between the walls of hostel dorms. It’s …

The Return of Ghengis Khan

Arvaheer, Mongolia Sitting here entertaining tarte au chocolat for breakfast (Day 4 of the pastry challenge, and no, I'm not bored yet) thinking about my recent trip to Mongolia, I began to wonder. I know for sure that writing retrospectively has advantages. Clarity of perspective for one. I can't imagine I would have been too forgiving …

The Blue Heart of Siberia

Omsk, Russia Standing outside a pseudo-Italian restaurant I waited for my guide to arrive. Drizzle was settling on my eye lashes and inside my bones. A man across the road stood staring, probably at my clear lack of preparation for Omsk weather. I lit a cigarette. Blowing grey smoke into a comparably grey sky, a …