Trail of Ants captures the breathtaking tale of its backpacking author, Ant as he engages in a perpetual journey of astonishment, passion and discovery.
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This week’s LISTENup travel podcast revisits one of Asia’s main hubs, at one of the most turbulent times on The Trail. A city of contrasts, on a continent full of fantasia. Continue reading ‘004 LISTENup: The Sling of Sing’’
I stare at the newspaper. It wasn’t me. I gawp at the television. It wasn’t me. I trawl through the internet. It wasn’t me! I listen to the radio, podcasts, and conversations on the bus. It WASN’T me! At least — I hope it wasn’t me? Continue reading ‘Trails of the Unexpected’
Imagine you watched a big American city elope for a walk. It uprooted its underpins, stretched out its girders, slipped its streets into its subways and polished its double-glazed glasses. It packed its parks into its malls and just wandered off into its own horizon. “Bye, Big City. See you again sometime.” Continue reading ‘The Reprint: ‘Moving Times’’
I’d seen him from a short distance, twelve months previously, he travelled alone aboard a plane to Moscow. He wore a dark tracksuit top zipped over a light t-shirt, and loose pale green shorts covered the knees he cradled by his chest. His hair sprayed out in loose brown curls beneath a khaki cap, highlighted by scribbles of grey. His pale thin lips lined a shallow smile, and his early morning eyes seemed glazed with relief. As his homeland slipped beneath a thin veil of cloud, he lifted his cap and ran his fingers through his hair, his lips parted just once to release his farewell thoughts: Let the journey begin, my friend. Today, he lay upright on the rippled white sheets of a double bed, in a simple, homely room on the island of Bali. Continue reading ‘A Thousand Glorious Times’
A Dutchman turned up from Delhi. The American? He flew, to Kathmandu. The Korean chap went home. A Danish fellow flew to Kuala Lumpar. A German girl chose train, then chose Bangkok. A trinity of Taiwanese picked Melbourne. An Irishman and his Deutschland girlfriend popped up to Penang. The Englishwoman? Chose Malacca. An Indian guy stayed, and got himself a job. The Canadian chose Borneo. The Swedish fellow took a flight to Denver. An American, he came to study. A pair of English cared for Cairns. A Norwegian pounced over to Phnom Peng. The Singaporean girl stayed home. A man from Finland fled for Sydney. A Frenchman landed from Chennai. A twain of Danes, they’re undecided. A Swedish girl is waiting for a friend. A Polish couple just did Perth. The quartet of Japanese, I couldn’t quite comprehend. The English lad? He said he’s headed for Hanoi. Singapore is a place that no tourist stops for long, but when you do, you start to see the real Singapore Sling. Not the infamous cherry brandy cocktail, but the one hurling tourists all over the world. Continue reading ‘The Sling of Sing’’
I remember a bright blue flying saucer, tilting this way and toppling that way between a cluster of shiny, soaring sky scrapers. I remember a cartoon appearing in a fountain, and it telling me ‘Sunshine was her name‘ and ‘friendship is my game‘. I remember seeing temples tucked in unlikely corners, spit-and-sawdust bars and drinking brightly coloured cocktails while fallen stars sank into the still waters of the quay. I remember my head sinking with disappointment after the first mouthful of my first meal and I remember it being so humid I’d wished I’d brought my armbands. I remember knowing I’d be back, and four years later, I am. Continue reading ‘Super Singapore’
I'm currently working my way through Wellington, New Zealand.
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