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Author Archives: James
Culture: A Bird Song
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Travel Column: Airline Fees
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Hanoi, Vietnam
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Bali
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The Faces of Laos
With no glitzy malls or sparkling beaches to call its own like neighboring Thailand, and without the cache of traveling to Vietnam, Laos just might be one of the most underappreciated countries on what is known as the Banana Pancake Trail. After my recent trip, though, I’m...
Vang Vieng, Laos – Getting Its Groove Back
Part of the allure of travel is losing yourself, both literally and figuratively. Who of us hasn’t relished the challenge of driving on the wrong side of the street or getting hopelessly lost in a market with mental directions like, “Turn left at the spice shop with...
Serendipitous Vientiane: The Anti-Saigon
I’ve been actively avoiding Laos for the past 10 years. Even though I have friends who used to live there and others who live there now, I never got the “wow” vibe from Laos. (Much like the way I feel about India. I know. Blasphemy.) Instead I...
Secret Saigon – What to Do in Ho Chi Minh City
Thanks to the world financial crisis, the skyrocketing cost of fuel and fluctuating currencies of the late 2000’s, the idea of staycations – a holiday close to home – exploded onto the scene. It was suddenly trendy to stay at a quaint little B&B and visit area attractions...
Magic Spaghetti vs Pan-fried Fois Gras with Porcini and Pear Marmalade
Ever since buying a brand new pressure cooker from a friend for the princely sum of US$40, I’ve been doing slightly more cooking lately. By slightly more, I mean once a week. And by cooking, I mean throwing hastily chopped ingredients into the pressure cooker. The one-pot...