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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

3 weeks 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

3 weeks 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

1 month 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

1 month 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.

2024

1 month ago2 min read

Many New Challenges

It is a New Year, and there are many new challenges to face. As life moves on, so does my age, and therefore, my plans need to adapt more quickly.

Teaching Online English has been a great opportunity for me to earn money whilst living abroad and also provide for my family.

However, now I must look to the future and consider what else I can do as I get older and the time away from regular work has increased.

Old routine, new pastures

I have started to return to the UK a few times a year to do some consulting work from my old business contacts. This offers me the chance to earn some extra cash to help with financing our travelling and also to catch up with family and friends.

I love living in Asia but accept that i cannot commit to living here full time, i have too many ties to the UK and i need to prepare for my family’s future.

My mum is very important to me, and even though at 87 she is fit and healthy, I want to spend as much time as I can with her while we can enjoy time and travel together.

Black and Silver Film Camera on Brown Wooden Surface

Simple Living

Eleanor Harris (American, 1901-1942)







							

		


	



                        
                                                    
                            

		


						
			
		
		

			

				

																					
																                

				
2016
								
1 month 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.