Two-for-one tours. What’s in it for a traveler? by Marjie Courtis For those who consider themselves travelers rather than tourists, a bus tour can be anathema. But what if the…
Five world heritage sites in five days
From the jungle to 5 World Heritage sites in 5 days Starting at a hotel embedded in the jungle, I was able to travel to five World Heritage sites in…
Out and about in Negombo
By Marjie Courtis Negombo had its beautiful Indian Ocean Beach. I’d been there, when I’d first arrived in Sri Lanka via Sri Lankan Airlines and Bandaranaike International Airport. Negombo is…
A Flying Visit to Flores, Indonesia
The Carnivorous, Cannibalistic Komodo Dragons The gentle, endearing geckos of Bali are hardly an introduction to their relatives, the carnivorous, cannibalistic reptiles of Komodo National Park – the Komodo Dragons….
Inle Lake in Eastern Burma (Myanmar)
Boating activity on Inle Lake, Burma : © Marjie Courtis Inle Lake – Not quite Venice Inle Lake in Burma (Myanmar) is no Venice, but it shares Venice’s proliferation of…
Yangon, Burma (Myanmar)
The former British capital of Rangoon Schwedagon Pagoda –actually an extensive complex. Yangon © Marjie Courtis First impressions of Yangon The official centre of Yangon (formerly Rangoon) is Sule Pagoda,…
The Theatre of Burma (Myanmar)
Sunrise in Bagan : © Marjie Courtis One hour from Yangon (formerly Rangoon) About one hour’s flight north of Burma’s major city of Yangon, lies the Bagan Archaeological Zone, where,…
Ubud Writers and Readers Festival
Writers Festivals as a Travel Experience On the surface I don’t have much in common with DBC Pierre, 2003 Man Booker Prize winner for Vernon God Little. He’s a self-professing…
Travelling Green in Indonesia
In Indonesia, especially in Bali, you can travel in luxury. But you don’t have to – you can go green. In Nusa Dua, Bali, the artificially green manicured lawns of…