Popagandhi

Having very little to contribute to the world wide web of late (I am writing so much and so furiously that by the time I get online, there’s little else I want to say), I will now turn your attention to a few deserving websites. Now that I’m stuck at home in Singapore for months (at the least), I read a variety of blogs and websites to fuel my insatiable wanderlust. Here’re some new finds.

Backpack Storybook (link)
Aussie from Perth moves to Queensland, works there for 4.5 years, catches a travel bug so took a backpack, a daypack, a Nikon D70s and went through Australia, to Southeast Asia, and I am presently having a great time reading about him living in London. Fresh, honest writing that I really enjoy.

Thai Girl: The Exotic Adventures of a Literary Sexagenarian (link)
Andrew Hicks, in his own words: “It’s a funny thing hitting sixty after a career as a corporate lawyer and university professor as I’m now living with my Thai wife Cat who’s hardly half my age.” When I first heard of his book, I thought oh no, another white man with a Thai wife half his age, writing about Thailand… but when I began to read his website, that soon became “since he writes like that on his blog, I’ll probably read his book..”. He lives in Surin, Isaan (in the northeast of Thailand, a.k.a. the land where they love making sausages and papaya salads), and his blog’s been an excellent read.

thewanderingstraycat (link)
It appears to be the blog of another Singaporean, doing exactly the sort of trips I do/will be doing. It always strikes me how different it is to read about the experiences of other Asians “doing Asia”, since the bulk of literature and information about travelling in Asia in the English langauge comes from a Western perspective. Not better, not worse, but at times the shared linguistic, cultural, food perspectives can make one’s experiences dramatically different from the next guy’s — I certainly feel that way all the time — and this is a good example of that. A thoroughly good read.

Asian Insights (link)
I stumbled upon Romana Chapman’s stunning photos while searching for “Nagaland” (a Northeast Indian state, geographically and ethnically closer to Burma than to India) on Flickr and I’m glad I did. Northeast India, and the hilltribes of that area have been a great fascination since I last spent time among the Khasis in Shillong and Cherrapunji writing a feature story (to be published: April ‘07, more updates when I have them) — her gorgeous pictures of Burma and Nagaland ignited a great desire within me to go even further into the remote Northeast of that country I love. Her Asian Insights project run a number of tailor made trips (the lineup for 2007: Mongolia, India’s extreme northwest, Gompa to Gompa in Central Tibet), and they also have some small scale community projects such as the restoration of ancient nunneries, building schools, funding schooling for beggar children, and buying solar panels for yak herders in the world’s highest permanently settled village in Leten, Tibet (5200 metres above sea level! Imagine living there!).. it’s also an excellent place to browse through some beautiful photos. Her story has really inspired me and I can only hope that 25 years from now I can say I have led a life as fulfilled.

Dreaming of Hanoi (link)
I’m a big fan of Preya’s site — she’s half American, half Indian, and grew up in Vietnam (her mother’s that inspiring Cherie Clark). Her post about Airports really struck a chord in me. (And of course, I think she’s cute.)

Places I’m Looking At Going To
Rain Forest Resort, Phitsanulok, Thailand
P. Guesthouse, beautiful beautiful Sangkhlaburi, Thailand
Sangkhlaburi destination guide stunning Karen town, with a cultural mix of Mons, Burmese, other hilltribes, Thais, just 24 km from the Three Pagodas Pass in Burma, it is becoming a serious contender on my “next place to go” list
Tranquility Bay One day, I promise, I will have my 4 bedroom villa in my beloved Koh Chang

Utterly Random Bit Here (read: coerced)
eat sleep art that enigmatic “Ms. Java” continues her blogging adventures about art and design and travel, and insists her site should be written about here, too (and I don’t really have a choice but to agree..)