The sweet smell of steam: A century old sugar mill in East Java
With a shrill whistle, a cloud of black smoke and much clanking of steel engine No4, Semeru, with it’s one truck load of passengers chuffed through the gates
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Stories
A formula for crossing the road in Hanoi
The hotel I stayed at in Hanoi offered this advice with regard to crossing the road: Be relaxed and confident. Look both ways. Walk slowly. Never step backwards
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Art walking in Penang’s living gallery
One of the joys of exploring Penang’s street art is that new works pop up with no announcement while old works fade or are painted over as buildings are renovated
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Five-foot ways: Straits Settlements style
Five-foot way refers to the covered walkways that are common in many parts of Asia. The upper floor of a building extends outwards supported by pillars at the
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War, subterfuge and a nice cup of tea
Tea arrived in the UK in the early seventeenth century but it had a slow start. It was very expensive and was marketed primarily for its medicinal properties.
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Sunrise over Gunung Bromo and the Tengger Highlands
Sunrise over Gunung Bromo is one of the earth’s great spectacles. I first saw it, in less than perfect weather conditions, over twenty years ago. Back then there
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The Garden of unfulfilled dreams
South Park Street Christian cemetery is an oasis of calm amidst the infernal cacophony of modern Kolkata. But it’s a spooky place, even in the middle of the day
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Climbing Mt Kinabalu via the old Mesilau trail
The name Kinabalu is derived from the words Aki Nabalu which, in the local Kadazan language, means ‘the revered place of the dead.’
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A model business woman
I’d arrived at Ta Prohm early to try and beat the crowds. It opens at 07.30, I had 15 minutes to wait. Of course this left me at the mercy of the souvenir vendors.
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Hiking in Hong Kong: The Tai Tam West Catchwater
A stroll along the Tai Tam West Catchwater and the southern shore of the Intermediate reservoir offers a lovely walk that doesn’t require any hill climbing
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