The Bornean Frog Race
Question: When is a frog race not a frog race? Answer: When it’s not frogs, but human beings that have to race to the finish line. I’ve never had any real opinions on frogs....
Author: Anis
A day on the Cape Peninsula
In front of me was a long sliver of land, a crooked finger that pointed to the South Pole. It was a clear day and I could see a footpath leading right to...
The case for disconnecting
It was the sound of flapping that woke me up that night. Wings, somewhere in the dark. It wasn’t anything large, for that would have been terrifying. It was a small insect, but...
Sand and dust
I’ll be honest. It would be easier for me to write my stories on Africa with a list of things to do in each country I went to, in the order that I visited...
Number Five
Two weeks from now, I’m going to be reaching a milestone- my fifth continent. I’ve been thinking about Africa for a long, long time. It’s not a cheap destination, whichever country you choose...
A weekend at a Malaysian homestay: Looking at stars
The last time I spent the night in a kampung or village with my family was decades ago. I don’t even remember how old I was. We were at my paternal grandmother’s house and...
On keeping up appearances, or staying sane at home
Life is a series of decisions. I’m not quite sure who said that, but it sounds intellectual enough for a first line. Everything is a choice- how you react when things go...
Notes on the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2013
This year I attended the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, but since it happened in October and it’s already close to the end of the year, I’m sure I’m the last person...
Beijing, late afternoon
I arrived in China by train from Mongolia at the end of September last year. I found the weather a bit strange then; it was surprisingly warm for autumn and on a day...
Fireflies in Cherating
It’s pitch black. The only sound we can hear is the buzz of the motorboat, which seems a little too loud for what we are about to do. The trees on the riverbank...
