Photo of the Week is a few days late this round, thanks to the hectic process of choosing a dive school, finding a place to rent and generally settling into my new island. But first, I had to hop from the Philippines to Indonesia via a 24-hour layover in Singapore. Phew! I had planned to head…

… to change her mind. That’s how the saying goes, right? I sure hope so, because not too long ago I declared that I was moving on from Koh Tao — that I was forging ahead to find my next piece of paradise. And yet just around six weeks later, I felt that familiar siren song…

Southeast Asia has long been reigned by the simple guesthouse or the luxurious five-star resort — something for the backpackers, and something for the jetsetters. But a new class of flashpacking traveler has emerged — a backpacker at heart but on a budget with wiggle room; someone willing to splurge a bit in the name of…

One of my favorite things to do in Bangkok is visit the vibrant marketplaces — and you guys love to read about it! Some of my most popular posts are on Chatuchak Market, the Vespa Market, and the nighttime Flower Market. I was pretty crestfallen to learn that the Vespa Market is at least temporarily closed…

On my most recent journey on the long and well-worn path between Chiang Mai and Bangkok, I decided to pay a visit to Thailand’s first ancient capital city. Last year, on the same route, I stopped in the charming cities of Ayutthaya and Lopburi. Those remain cherished memories for me and I hoped to be similarly…

If you asked me friends to describe me I would like to think they might mention my fierce loyalty, or my thoughtful gift giving skills. But in reality, they probably get in a jab about my creative driving or, more infamously, my total lack of skill when it comes to matters of the kitchen. This reputation…