Vietnam By Motorcycle – The Beginning: Hanoi to Ninh Binh

We woke up around 6:30am with our bags packed and ready to go. We’d bought a map, had helmets that fit, and were ready to hop on our bikes and take to the road. Obviously the day started with a few more delays and we hit the road around 8:30am. We’d decided that we’d travel…

Vietnam by Motorcycle – Finding Your RIde

Whether you land in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City you’ll be painfully aware of the mass use of motorbikes. In major city mecca they literally will crowd every alleyway, every curb, and sometimes every sidewalk. This is because in Vietnam, not only are bikes relatively cheap, but they’re easy to fix, and they run…

It’s Not So ‘Hanoi’ing

Vietnam seems to have an air of intrigue about it – at least, it always has for me. Whether it’s the automatic relation to CCR from growing up with Full Metal Jacket, Good Morning Vietnam, and Platoon, the dream of a relatively unchanged and less-travelled country from a tourist perspective, or the idea of owning…

What’s in Your Backpack? – Las’s Ipod

It’s been quite a pleasure asking people what they find most valuable to travel with in their backpack. I find everything between simple travel essentials to more personal travel pieces that hold a sentimental value. This weeks’ piece is on a beautiful German man named Lassie (or Lasse), either way I couldn’t pronounce it properly…

Tuesdays Travel Tip – Be a ‘Yes’ Man

When travelling to any destination abroad on your own, or as a group, a crucial aspect to your trip will be your ability to meet new people and experience a variety of different foods, cultures, and perspectives. Not only will it make your travel more enjoyable but you’ll find that in places where you’re out…

What’s in Your Backpack – Remi’s Sarong

It seems a common trait that the characters you tend to meet travelling have interesting tales to share, a quirky attitude, or just a different perspective on how they choose to live their life – Remi is no exception to this rule. I have no idea how old he is, but I’m assuming it’s somewhere…

Gili Islands to Sidemen

After finishing up our stint in Kuta, Lombok it was time to see what the rest of the island had to offer. We took the bike for a cruise northbound and spent a night in Senggigi. We really were only there long enough to grab a meal and see the sunset, that we’d heard was…

Scruff – A Little Ginger Goes A Long Way

Being a fellow-ginger bearded man myself I’m quickly likened to any man, or men, that grow out the reddish-orange spectacle of facial hair that is a beard. Let’s begin with Luke (left). Luke’s auburn chin-tickler has been on & off since he was 16. I suppose once he realized that not only does facial hair…

Kuta Come Back For More?

After spending a few more nights than anticipated in Padangbai we decided it was time to continue on, so we packed small daypacks, left out rucksacks in Padangbai and headed over the Pacific to Lombok. Now you have the option of either going with one of the tons of hecklers selling a speedboat trip between…

Foody Friday: Nana’s Kitchen (Kuta Beach, Lombok)

Kuta Beach in Lombok is vastly different from its Balinese counterpart. Although slowly gaining popularity, this little stretch of multiple beaches split up by a few headlands is relatively untouched and not tainted by inflated prices and quiksilver surfing boutiques. In recent years it seems the locals have started to recognize the increased tourist influx,…