Diwali - the Festival of Lights - coincided with the last day of our holiday. We were expecting fireworks but in Goa, celebrations were rather muted, perhaps because of the sizeable Christian community remaining from the Portuguese colonial influence. Instead, dinner at The Royal Afghan complete with cocktails and a hotel singer, made for a … Continue reading Happy Diwali! →

With the white sand and the warm waters of Arabian Sea, the beaches of South Goa are immaculate, more so that those in North Goa. In comparison to North Goa generally, South Goa is entirely focused on the tourist trade We spent the last couple of nights at the ITC Grand Goa, a huge and … Continue reading Only in India… →

The distinctive dawn chorus in the Tropics, reminds me, in a positive way, that I am very far from home. It’s one of those sounds that evokes a multitude of memories of the many beautiful places that we have visited together. Coco Shambhala is just one of those places. However, if you want to catch … Continue reading In his natural habitat →

The sense of relief that we felt that we arrived in Goa was palpable. It’s been an emotional trip to Delhi: we were made so welcome by Ashaji but Chris’ dad’s absence was deeply felt. We are staying in a villa at Coco Shambala, where nothing is too much trouble. The Goan way of life … Continue reading Goaaaaahh! →

The Ganges is like nowhere I had ever visited before. It doesn’t distinguish between the rich and the poor, only between the dead and the living. Chris’ father died 18 months’ ago. He attended the burial ceremony at the Ganges at the time, but we all wanted to visit the site with my step-mother-in-law, and … Continue reading Paying Our Respects →

I wanted to dedicate the first post of this trip to our beautiful Milo, who was sadly snatched from us too early yesterday. Like us, Milo loved to travel. He spent his days exploring the fields before curling up on the bed at home as and when it suited him, always sleeping on Sophia’s bed … Continue reading Our Free Spirit →

Ho Chi Minh City was a revelation. We stayed at The Reverie (imagine The Ritz on steroids) in District 1, home to global businesses, boulevards lined with designer boutiques, and coffee shops. Everywhere. This is a seriously well caffeinated city. In parallel to the main street runs the market, ironically crammed with fakes of the … Continue reading Goodnight Saigon →

There isn’t a whole lot to do in Can Thô, so we didn’t feel too guilty about maxing out at The Azerie, an exotic resort on a private island, which takes luxury to a whole new level. Happily the rain stopped on our arrival, and remained stunning for the next two days, leaving us to … Continue reading Can Tho’ Lux →

Our five day trip to Hoi An was dominated by retail therapy, and rain. The former, in large part, a consequence of the latter. Choosing a tailor in Hoi An is a bit of a lottery. We had a recommendation, but also used Tûong Tailor - consistently highly ranked on the internet - and didn’t … Continue reading Made in Hoi An →

During our Hoi An stop, we probably encountered more of today’s Vietnam. In contrast to Hue, Hoi An is not a city dominated by monuments and temples, although tourism is big business - both rural and commercial. On the hottest day in Hoi An we took a 20km guided cycle tour into the countryside, which … Continue reading Hoi An On The Wild Side →