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Author - graham

Late Traveller and facilitator looking forward to sharing my travel journey as I backpack around South East Asia and maybe the world.

10 modes of transport to use in Asia

2 months ago3 min read

Travelling Asia

Transport in Asia can sometimes be amazing and entertaining, to say the least. From whole families on scooters and bikes in Cambodia to jeepneys in the Philippines, they provide an essential service to local communities.

Imagine how many buses they would need to provide in a city such as Manila if they did away with the colourful transportation that has become so reliable for 10s of years?

Therefore, my Top Ten modes of transport may surprise most Westerners. Mainly because they don’t include a car, a bus, or even a taxi. And who really needs a plane to get around?

My Top Ten:

  1. The Jeepney. Colourful motorbike with a large trailer with two benches lengthwise. It allows everyone in the Philippines without access to a car a way to move around the local area. All have set routes that allow many people to make a living by providing a service for about 10 PHP pesos per journey.
  2. Tuk-tuks are found in both Thailand and Cambodia, and maybe a few other places. Popular with tourists as a free way to travel. A bike with an axle allowing a carriage of sorts for up to 4 passengers.
  3. Scooter. Easy to rent anywhere in Asia and small enough not to cause too many accidents. Just be aware of scams, particularly in Thailand. (Always take a photo of any dents or marks before leaving the renter) And always remember to lock the bike before leaving for any length of time.
  4. Motorbike. We are talking bikes, not scooters, here. Long-distance is definitely the way to go if you have one of these. Comfy, reliable, and easy to fix anywhere by the side of the road. Just perhaps not a Harley.
  5. Horse. It’s on my bucket list to travel to Mongolia riding one. Whether that experience is a short ride or not, I aim to appreciate the difference from a more controlled and regimented English riding approach.
  6. Buffalo, or more importantly, Water Buffalo. In the past, these amazing animals were used to carry large carts, and in some places, you can actually experience the ride. Normally, two buffaloes are side by side, which lessens the hardship, I guess.
  7. Train. Not the intercity or even the bullet train of Japan. I am talking about slow, steady( well, maybe not that steady), and uncomfortable trains. Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi. Bangkok to Chiang Mai are all very long journeys that should be appreciated with gusto.
  8. Bicycle or mountain bike. Some of the most beautiful scenery is all around you. Taking the time to see it is always the problem. But in Asia, time runs on a different clock.
  9. Canoe or long boat. Borneo, Malay, and Indonesia all have places so far removed from the civilised cities that to experience them, you must travel slightly off the beaten track, as it were. Any city with a river running through it should be first navigated via the waterway to give you a better perspective of what you see. Bangkok is a casing point!
  10. Rickshaw. I mean the traditional pull carts or tricycles. They still have them in Kolkata, India, and Vietnam. But also in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, where they tend to be used by tourists. The pull carts are in decline, but traditional tricycles are still used frequently. I was lucky enough to ride one during my New Year’s visit to Penang, Malaysia, in 2017, and another in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2019. And amazingly, you can also find the odd one in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Batam

2 months ago1 min read

A A 45-minute boat ride from the coast of Singapore takes you to this underrated and somewhat undeveloped island, which is technically part of Indonesia. The island has significant potential and has become a popular getaway for Singaporeans looking for a quick escape from the city while still being close to home.

It has become a haven for Singaporeans who want to get away from the island but stay close enough to get back home.

I loved my weekend visit and found a beautiful resort that wasn’t too crowded, and the staff was very pleasant.

The food was amazing, and the views were quite breathtaking. I highly recommend staying at this resort. The staff was very friendly and always willing to help, but you may need to ask them for assistance at times. This part of Indonesia is not as touristy as Bali or Jakarta.

Once you land at the port, you can easily get a taxi to the resort. It’s best to use a registered Bluebird taxi, as they use meters fairly and ensure a fair price for both parties.

2017

2 months ago2 min read

Switch to leave

After Brexit, I had felt a betrayal of what we knew to be good and right. People like Johnson, Gove and Farage had made this country toxic, and I didn’t like the future.

One day, as I was remonstrating about this with a friend who had voted in favour of leaving, I came to the conclusion that I could keep complaining or I could do something about it.

He had said ” If you don’t like the direction this country is moving in you can always leave”

He was right, of course; I had assumed that my life and future had to remain here in the UK, but did it?

At work, I began wrapping up my business, finding buyers, and securing the future of my loyal employees. I knew this would take time, and I understood that I couldn’t rush anything, or it might lead to problems.

Return of the adventurer

This year, as I dive deeper into Asia, I feel like I’ve discovered a hidden treasure that I want to keep to myself. Thanks to my experiences from last year and my desire to explore a new world and lifestyle beyond what we consider the norm, I realise that the possibilities are truly endless.

I have the freedom to live in any country; I can work remotely, volunteer in exchange for food and lodging, take on freelance work, or work at a fixed location for as long as I desire.

I decided to start by revisiting each country, but this time in different places—two return visits to Asia and one trip to Europe with a friend. I wanted to contrast these two continents and see if travelling alone remains the best option for me.

One of many meals saying goodbye to staff and friends who have been with me for many years.

2025

2 months ago1 min read

Travel, work and new countries

This year has lots of potential for an amazing time. I am going back to the UK early this month to prep for some work that could keep me in Blighty for quite a few months this time. But it also gives me the opportunity to bring my family over to visit for the first time and to meet my family, ideally around Christmas time.

It will be hard being away from my son for longer than i want but seeing his face when he can see England will be worth it i hope.

2016

2 months ago5 min read

The Start of a new chapter in my life

Some suggest having a plan that changes or updates every five years. In other words, we should evaluate our lives, current situations, and course-correct where necessary. This evaluation could include jobs, career paths, homes, families, and dreams.

Brexit

A very controversial topic that has been discussed for over a decade in pubs and offices across the UK is the Brexit referendum. Did it work? Was it an unmitigated disaster? Does anyone accept responsibility for the outcome?

Did it work? Was it an unmitigated disaster? Does anyone accept responsibility?

The PM at the time, David Cameron, offered a simple but effective solution to an age-old problem of Europe, or so we thought.

A referendum for the people to decide, but there is a reason why we have a Government to make big decisions, and why consultation and deliberation are among the key steps to consider before making a momentous decision that will affect 50-plus million people and fundamentally change the way we live, work and plan our lives forever.

Instead, he offered an easy choice: stay or leave- vote – no understanding of what repercussions there were going to be or why we should vote one way or another, no margin to achieve, no limit to meet to ensure what we do doesn’t cost the country billions of pounds and years of hardship on the back of effectively one percentage point of voters.

Common sense says we needed to be sure that a majority, and by majority I mean big enough to make the change necessary.

Instead, with a vote of 51.89% to 48.11% we decided to forego all that we had known for over 40 years and implement a huge legal, financial and social change that would take 2 years to extract us from Europe at a cost of untold billions in payments, charges, and lost revenue.

In essence, a disaster the likes of which we haven’t seen since the 2008 banking crisis- do we ever learn?

In my opinion, David Cameron is one of the worst Prime Ministers in recent history. When you consider others like Liz Truss and Boris Johnson in that group, it takes a lot to be considered worse than them.

The US elections

Let me start by saying that, given the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, I would have voted for Trump. However, that doesn’t mean I agree with what he represents.

The United States has become increasingly divided, and the situation seems even more pronounced today. But what caused this split?

I believe that, despite the progress he made, Barack Obama’s reluctance to collaborate closely with Republicans laid the groundwork for this division. Typically, presidents need to work with the opposition to find common ground that satisfies both the House and Senate—and, ultimately, the American people. Joe Biden summed it up well in his inaugural speech in 2021.

I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days. I know the forces that divide us are deep, and they are real, but I also know they are not new. 

Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address, 20th January 2021

More importantly, he went on to say:

I will be a president for all Americans—all Americans—and I promise you I will fight as hard for those who did not support me as for those who did.

Joe Biden’s Inaugural Address, 20th January 2021

I don’t believe Obama anticipated what would unfold later on. The Republicans were angered, and in choosing Trump as their nominee, they saw an opportunity for revenge—to undermine the opposition due to their fear of what he might do.

It remains uncertain whether those who sought revenge could have predicted that ten years later, the political landscape would change dramatically and that the gloves would come off.

I want to believe that leaders of countries and territories genuinely aim to do well by their citizens, considering how their decisions impact everyone living there. However, I feel that this intention has diminished in recent times.

Today, we inhabit a world where the powerful are more focused on consolidating their power and wealth. They seem to believe they can act with impunity.

How do we stop this? The world is in turmoil; wars are being waged over land that may hold no value in a hundred years unless we address the effects of climate change. Yet individuals like Musk, Trump, and Putin continue to amass wealth and power for what purpose?

I don’t have the answers, but I, like millions of people in this world, care about this planet and hope we can save it before it’s too late.

Singapore

So after seeing what was unfolding and looking at a rather bleak future, I decided a new start was needed.

Almost 7000 miles away from the UK was a place I came to call home: Asia, and for a while Singapore in particular.

I felt tired and needed a new focus. This goes back to the 5-year plan of readjusting and planning.

What a Journey I was about to embark on… One that would keep me away from home for many years and open my eyes to what this world has to offer, meeting friends from the Americas, Africa, Europe and all across Asia.

To see real kindness from people who had little, and to see that friendships would still be strong 10 years later.

The Tracks of my years

April 19, 20235 min read

Ken Bruce

Anyone familiar with BBC Radio 2 will realise the significance of the title of this post.

Legendary DJ Ken Bruce, a stalwart of Radio 2, has presented the mid-morning slot for as long as I can remember. Every weekday from 9.30 am until 12 noon, he has entertained us with his dry Scottish wit.

He introduces excellent music, a classic quiz in PopMaster, and every week a celebrity comes on to introduce the tracks of their years.

Songs that mean something to them, iconic or obscure, but generally with a story that somehow impacted their lives.

I was in Cambodia at the time, and I sometimes like to listen to Ken on catch-up. What came next was a shock.

With the news last month that after nearly 31 years doing the same show, Ken Bruce will move on and leave Radio 2 in March 2023, I figured it was high time to list my own songs.

On his show, they introduce two songs per day for a week. 10 in total. How hard can it be? I asked myself.

So, here we go. I will put a YouTube link to the songs in case anyone has never heard them!

I struggled to limit it to 10 songs as my life has many memorable moments in some way, good or bad. But below are the final ones, with an understandably added bonus track because of its powerful meaning and impact.

My tracks.

“Galveston” by Glen Campbell. This song is one of the first I ever remember hearing. Every Sunday morning, my parents wouldn’t be working, and together we would listen to records; artists like ABBA, Neil Diamond, Glen Campbell, Elvis, and Neil Sedaka, among many others, were blasting out of the stereo. This one has stuck with me for a long time and has become a memorable song from my childhood.

“St. Elmos Fire” by John Parr, this song was at the start of my teenage years and one of 4 records I first purchased with my pocket money. All 7-inch singles were the popular choice. I didn’t realise at the time it was from a film of the same name starring most of the Brat Pack from Hollywood. After learning about it a few years later, it became a firm favourite movie growing up during those troubled teenage years we all face.

“Something Inside So Strong” by Labi Siffre was my first understanding of a bigger world and the destruction people can do to each other. Used as a symbol against apartheid in South Africa, it made me want to learn and understand more about what was happening in the world. Still, to this day, I feel emotional when I hear this track.

“Wicked Game” by Chris Issac was my first song related to love. My first (what I thought was true love) and first heartbreak. Now I listen and understand the lyrics, but at the time I never did.

“Om Shanti Om” by Gandharvas. The song and the film, for me, are among the best Bollywood can produce. Shah Rukh Khan is excellent, and Deepika Padukone is a beauty to behold. It always makes me want to dance and sing at the top of my voice (when I am alone)

“Anyone Who Knows Love” by Irma Thomas. I discovered this song whilst watching a fictional series about life in Singapore in the 1960s. The catchy love theme has become one of my favourite easy-listening songs. What a woman Irma Thomas was.

“Momma’s Prayers” by JP Cooper (feat. Stormzy) has amazing vocals and a great collaboration between two very talented singer-songwriters.

“The Good Part” by AJR was given to me by a volunteer on the farm where I worked whilst in Cambodia, and I loved not only the lyrics but also the band’s style.

“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon will be my wedding song for sure. It reminds me of my beautiful girlfriend, who I love dearly, and we always smile when this comes on the radio. I need to teach her the dance moves!

“Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis (feat Luke Bryan) is a fantastic country song that certainly resonates with my time in life. Travelling has been a pleasure, and I didn’t think I would want to stop doing it alone. However, finding that special person and having a child will change your perspective every time. This is a favourite that my son and I like to listen to together.

Bonus Track

Whilst that is the ten I have chosen, I couldn’t ignore this one as well. Back in the 80s, it made such an impact not only on my life but on the world. Helped pave the way for celebrities to get involved and help charities and people around the world suffering.

To this day, it is played everywhere at Christmas and should be remembered for the much-needed help it gave to the famine in Africa. Can you remember where you were when Live Aid was aired?

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid. In my opinion, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote a masterpiece and organised one of the biggest and best concerts in music history.