The city of Phnom Penh sits on the convergence of two rivers, the Tonle Sap and the mighty Mekong. Ruthless history hangs thick like dust, over a city that has been decimated by one of the worst, yet least talked about dictatorships of the 20th century. Though the younger generations seem blissfully unaffected, those over
We entered Malaysia on Dec 28, by bus. First, we bid our luxurious hotel room in Singapore farewell, and enjoyed one final breakfast buffet bonanza in the dining room. I snuck a few extra treats into a bag when the staff weren't looking. Then we headed to the bus stop. We missed our bus by
The holiday season means different things for different people, but for most, it's a time to be with family. For the past 28 years of my life I've spent Christmas surrounded by the traditions of my family, and the people I love. In early December we set up the tree and hang a lifetime of
If the world is an oyster, the island of Singapore sits like a shiny pearl, surrounded by it's developing neighbours. The lucky citizens of Singapore live in first-world bliss, with plenty of third-world destinations at their fingertips. Sleek skyscrapers rise majestically from clean and well thought out landscapes. The architecture is modern but mature, showing
We arrived in Puerto Princesa a few days ago, which was our introduction to rugged and breathtaking Palawan island. The city is quite beautiful, and has a lot to teach most other Philippine cities with it's modern architecture, laid-back vintage feel and suprising anti-litter laws. As a result, there isn't a bargain to be found,
Leaving friends for a second time is even more difficult than the first. After spending time on tiny Apo island, we decided to head back to Siquijor for another five days, before leaving the Visays altogether. Apo and Siquijor are both accessible from Dumaguete, a transitioning city we've ended up spending a number of nights
Apo island is 17 hectares in size, and home to a youthful, vibrant population of about 800. The village is quaint, with well-kept nipa huts dotting the single walking path that is the island's main road. The cement path is about a metre wide, and is often filled with kids playing jump rope, women doing
Yup, this is a long one! We’ve just arrived back in Dumaguete after 14 glorious days on Siquijor island. Leaving behind new friends was harder than we’d expected. On a bright Monday morning, after successfully withdrawing 20,000 pesos (about $450 CAD) from the island’s only foreign card-accepting ATM, we headed to the tiny village of
We’re now on Siquijor island, in a place called Lorena, and our original plan was to stay on the island for up to a month. But as we’re quickly learning, around here, even loosely made plans can be difficult to stick to. And this glitch has come in the form of another bank issue. We
Getting around the Philippines by any mode of transportation other than air is not for the faint of heart, or faint of stomach. But it’s a lot cheaper than flying! We’ve spent the last two days traveling from Boracay to Sipalay, and it wasn’t difficult, but it took a good sense of humour, some teamwork,
