Asia

Billiken statue in a clown suit, Osaka Japan

What are Billiken – And Why is Osaka Full of Them?

There’s a lot of odd things dotted around Osaka. You’ll find giant pufferfish hanging in the sky, gold turtles climbing up the sides of a building, huge lobster decorating the ceiling of the market – there’s even a giant metal wasp if you know where to look, but among all…
Read more

Statue of a man with pasta for a head, Kokura, Japan

12 Fun and Unusual Things to do in Kokura, Western Japan

If at this point, you’re saying Koka what ra, I don’t blame you. Kokura is not the best-known town on the island of Kyushu in Western Japan. I hadn’t heard of it either until I ended up there for two nights. For that, you can thank the Korean boy band,…
Read more

Three fried spiders on a plate at Romdeng, Cambodia

What Does Tarantula Taste Like? Eating Spiders in Cambodia

Cambodia, land of Angkor Wat, one of the most amazing temples ever discovered, site of the Killing Fields, one of the saddest places you’ll ever visit and home to Kampong Pluk, the fascinating floating village. However, incredible as all of those things were, none of them was the thing I…
Read more

Model of coloured pasta at Wonderfoods Museum, Penang

Wonderfood Museum, Penang – It’s Mad! You’ll Love It.

I’m standing in front of a giant plastic bowl of curry mee. Behind me are tiny miniature people running around a field of broccoli and cauliflower trees and a table containing some pink and blue bananas, multicoloured pasta dish and some green corn. I’ve never taken acid in a supermarket,…
Read more

Fan shaped dessert made of ice with eyes at one of Taipei's cute cafes

17 Must-See Cute and Themed Cafes in Taipei

Not liking coffee and being fussy about tea, cafes are not normally my thing but when they come with desserts with faces, super goth ice creams or fluffy kittens to stroke while you snack, I can make an exception – and Taipei has all of these and more. Here’s my…
Read more

Vending machine shaped like a robot in Fukuoka, Japan

28 Fun and Unusual Things to do in Fukuoka

Fukuoka in Western Japan is Japan’s seventh biggest city, but despite this when you look for suggestions of things to do in Fukuoka not much comes up – yes, there’s the big shiny Fukuoka tower, ruins of a castle and a huge mall, but generally, that’s about all anyone suggests….
Read more

Space, Peace and Meatballs: The Quiet Zone, Air Asia X Reviewed

The man behind me on my Emirates flight from Bangkok to Sydney had had a brilliant trip – I know as he was telling the woman he’d just met all about it. He also had a lot of tips for her on her trip to Sydney – about 20 minutes…
Read more

Cool Things to do in Matsue, Western Japan

It’s home to one of the best castles in Japan. Home to some great modern art and a spectacular sunset. Home to amazing samurai history, delicious food and a short hop from one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens in the world – but when it comes to the average…
Read more

Shrine made of hundred red tori gates on a cliff

Motonosumi Inari Shrine: How To Find This Stunning Shrine in Western Japan

They have good dreams in Japan. Dreams that make things. Things like bright scarlet shrines that balance on the edge of craggy windswept clifftops. Scarlet shrines like the outrageously pretty Motonosumi Inari Shrine near Nagato in Western Japan. It’s a must see if you’re in the areas of Nagato or…
Read more

Traditional ryokan style room with tatami mat floor and a low table

Why a Hot Springs Hotel in Japan is a Brilliant Alternative to a Ryokan.

I have a confession to make. There’s something about Japan that scares me… It’s something thousands of tourists do in the country every week, for some it’s potentially the highlight of their trip – yet, the very idea of it brings me out in a stress rash. I’m talking about…
Read more

If its name and its aim to find the quirky, fun and unusual sights in a destination don’t tell you that this is a different kind of travel blog – the fact that it was born during a visit to a poop-themed restaurant in Taipei tells you pretty much everything else you need to know.
It’s a place to find unusual and off-the-beaten track suggestions for things to eat, see and do – but also a place to find answers to some of the less-obvious questions that come into my head when I travel (and I’m guessing yours as well). I’m having a blast writing it and I hope you’ll have as much fun reading it.