The night after I returned from my first visit to China, from labyrinthine Beijing, charming Xi’an, and neurotic Chongqing, I went for a drink with Matt. I told him about…

This should come with the important caveat that I’ve only spent limited amounts of time in China, and that I haven’t seen the whole country. Nonetheless, I’d like to share…

Long before I ever made it to Thailand, I visited the North-African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. The latter was a blast, accompanied by my Arabic speaking friend Marnix,…

After living in Japan for a year, it was very difficult not to see it constantly when travelling to Seoul. From the food, architecture, and music, strong connections are everywhere….

I tread the five longest escalators I’ve ever descended on my way from the metro’s entrance to its far-off platform. But after a mere minute in the monorail, the carriage…

Twelve hours on a night train and between hundreds of Chinese travellers to Xi’an, I am the only foreigner. I don’t mind, in fact, it’s part of why I’m here….

To be totally honest with you, Beijing cuisine didn’t blow me away. It’s made up of beans, grease, and a distinct muteness of flavour. After a tiring day, even the…

Up until about 1870 Japan lived in a state of relative isolation. After centuries of bloody civil war, the military Tokugawa government ensured the unification of Japan, bringing peace and…

I’ll have to be honest. Renting a car to explore the Japanese Alps two days after Mom arrived might not have been my best idea ever. She felt exhausted by…

Sometimes it’s my birthday. This year, though I’d rather have lost a year and gone back to 21, I turned 23. Mom came to visit me in Tokyo, and we…