I came expecting a dull, drive-through prairie city. I was wrong. Most visitors know “Fargo” from the 1996 movie and TV series about crime and weirdness. I also need to add that I watched a second, much less well-known 2014 movie, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, very loosely based on a tragic real-life Japanese visitor to the area. They added to some of the intrigue. Fargo Quick Facts: Location: Fargo sits in the southeastern corner of North Dakota, USA, right where the prairie meets the Minnesota state line on the Red River, at about 46.88° N…
Why Working From Cafés Around the World Reveals So Much About Culture
I just spent two hours in a café in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam, and ended up observing how differently cafés work here compared to other places. People were happily shouting to each other across the room, kids running and dancing and playing games or videos on their phones. One group took over a bunch of tables, dressed up in Japanese-style cosplay in the store, added makeup in full view, and then paraded around the café to show off. In most local cafés in Vietnam, including Đà Nẵng, it’s common for things to be noisy and crowded,…
My ATM Rules to Keep You and Your Money Safe
At an ATM, distraction is all it takes. Last week, I was coming out of a metro station, when I noticed two European backpackers staring at an ATM. As I rode down the long escalator behind them, I could see they were squinting at the screen, unsure about fees or how much to withdraw. They didn’t notice that two men watching them until it was almost too late. These men were clearly watching the two young women and the very large numbers in local currency flashing up, as the girls earnestly discussed their options. Out…
I Finally Did It: All 50 US States
My first trip to the USA was my second time overseas as a (very young adult). I boarded a Continental Airlines flight for Honolulu. I had no idea that I would return many, many times to the USA and end up visiting every state. For a long time, I thought the option of going to all 50 was basically impossible. In 2005, 21 years ago, two American friends challenged me to see who would be first. I beat them by one! Every one of the 50 US states, ticked off one trip, one detour, one…
Navigating the world’s best airport: a flawless experience.
Changi, Singapore. Everything you need to know. Stunning takeoff out of Singapore Changi (SIN) after a transit between my flight from Sydney and to Asia. I have been through this airport 82 times flawlessly. There are few airports where anyone can say that about. The others that follow it in my personal rankings are Doha, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Copenhagen and Zurich. At the other end of the spectrum are the airports I am totally underwhelmed by and in fact dread: LAX, London Heathrow, Colombo and Lagos. What are your best and worst airports? During…
Ode to Paris: My Favourite Things. With tips!
Paris does something to me that no other city quite manages. The city moves me every time I arrive (and I have been here 30 times). The smells, the tower, the croissants, the hot chocolate, the coffee, the Seine, the packed brasseries, the art galleries, the markets, the parks. The transport. All beautiful. That’s the thing about the best cities. Paris has been perfecting itself for centuries. 1 The Architecture: Those magnificent, organised avenues: the tree-lined boulevards that glow at night. Throw in the consistent height limits that keep the city human, and the hidden…
Cities I Love
A series for travellers, dreamers, and anyone who has ever fallen for a place. It’s a crazy time right now, isn’t it? In the midst of everything, I’ve been reminiscing about how lucky I’ve been to spend time in some of the most extraordinary cities on earth. Not just passing through but really being in them. Walking their streets at odd hours, eating where the locals eat, getting lost on purpose, and coming back again and again until a place starts to feel like a second home. I have been doing some more reminiscing. This…
Explore Asia’s best city with me!
If you’ve never been, let me tell you why Taipei should be next on your list. This city offers so much to love. The food is extraordinary, the transport is amazing, the streets are safe, and the people are genuinely kind. There is enough history, culture, and night market chaos to keep one busy for weeks. It is also, for a city of its size and quality, remarkably affordable. “Taipei” literally means “North Taiwan,” indicating its location on the island. The city sits in a low-lying basin where three rivers meet. It’s dense urban neighbourhoods…
Surviving Sakura Cherry Blossom – 12 Practical Tips
I always said I’d never visit Japan in peak sakura season.Too busy, too expensive, too intense.And then I did. I described my 12 marvellous days yesterday. It was beautiful.It was also crowded, overloaded, and at times exhausting.Here are a few things I did that helped, and that I’d do again. 1. Book way ahead: Sakura season is the busiest time of year in Japan, and flights and hotels fill up quickly. I started searching as soon as I had decided on dates. I found and snapped up an amazing ANA business-class ticket from Australia to…
Twelve Marvellous Days in Japan with Travel Tips and Tasty Things
It is a bit of a grim world right now, so I thought I would share a positive, beautiful, and delicious 1000-mile journey through one of my favourite countries in Sakura (Cherry blossom). Despite it being insanely busy, I enjoyed the landscapes, food, museums, shopping, temples, parks, and, of course, for this train nerd: railways! Tomorrow I will give some tips on travelling in busy Japan, and I have also included some general Japan tips garnered over multiple trips to the country. In the meantime, some adventures… Started in Yokohama, one of Japan’s most underrated…
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