Tag Archives: Travel

A Taste of the Expat Life in Penang, Malaysia

Posted on August 29, 2015 by laurapattara

The housekeeper walks in, takes one quick glance at the living room, declares the whole apartment ‘sparkly clean’ and proceeds to unpack two bags full of groceries. Apparently, we’re cooking curry today…and who’d dare argue with that? Sanra is not … Continue reading →

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Travel Etiquette: How NOT to Make Enemies and Offend People When Travelling

Posted on August 13, 2015 by laurapattara

Contrary to what you may think, I’m not immune to the odd travel faux pas here and there, despite my many years of practice. My bouts of foot-in-mouth disease may have decreased in the last few years yet try as … Continue reading →

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Hipmunk City Love: How to Survive a Visit to Bangkok’s Grand Palace

Posted on August 11, 2015 by laurapattara

The Grand Palace is, to Bangkok, what the Colosseum is to Rome: the epitome symbol of its ancient civilization. A visit is an absolute must, although  it could be chaotic, tiring and quite overwhelming, Crowds here are phenomenal, especially in … Continue reading →

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Hipmunk City Love: Top 3 Culinary Secrets of Siem Reap, Cambodia

Posted on August 8, 2015 by laurapattara

Siem Reap is the undisputed tourist-queen of Cambodia and home to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park, once the heart and soul of the ancient Khmer Empire. You would expect that such a popular, special place would be brimming with amazing … Continue reading →

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Overlanding in Low Season?! You bet!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by laurapattara

We’re currently travelling through Southeast Asia at a time of year when many fellow travellers are keeping well away. The weather is crap, the heat unbearable and humidity stifling. As most overlanders know, the trick to keeping up this luxurious … Continue reading →

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Thailand: Land of Smiles and Friendliness. You sure about that?

Posted on June 28, 2015 by laurapattara

25th June: Krabi “Would you like a coffee?” The custom officer politely asks as he takes the papers from our hands. “Coffee??!!” Chris and I answer in unison, with what can only appear, to an outsider, as utterly idiotic expressions. … Continue reading →

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OVERLANDING CHINA: SELF-DRIVE AND WITHOUT A GUIDE…IT’S NOW POSSIBLE!

Posted on October 22, 2014 by laurapattara

EDIT March 2015: please refer to the latest blog post about agencies helping overlanders cross through China unguided, after reading this! After our unforgettable and blissfully unguided self-drive traverse of China (and countless requests for more details from fellow travellers) … Continue reading →

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Crossing China’s Xinjiang province: Our Most Unorthodox Beginning

Posted on August 27, 2014 by laurapattara

Crossing into China’s westernmost province, from Kyrgyzstan, was never going to be a simple affair. Due to ongoing ethnic tensions there, and recent surge in sporadic violence between government forces and the Uighur Muslim minority, regulations state that foreigners driving … Continue reading →

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Kyrgyzstan: Where Central Asia Revealed Her Soul

Posted on August 13, 2014 by laurapattara

Kyrgyzstan is a land of unexpected surprises. One certainly wouldn’t know it by just looking at it on a map or by basing one’s assumptions on visits to any of the other Stans in Central Asia. Everything from the culture, … Continue reading →

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‘Things I Would Tell My 20 Year Old Self’ (but question is…would she listen?)

Posted on August 8, 2014 by laurapattara

Here I am, back online. I know I’ve been rather quiet on the writing front these last two months but let me assure you that all is as fine as can be.  Chris and I have taken a hiatus from the … Continue reading →

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