Singapore - the last stop on my Grand Tour of the East - is a city whose name originates from the native Malay name "Singapura," which translates to "Lion City." How appropriate for this powerhouse of a city which continues to go from strength to strength.
Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam (formerly Saigon) - Two days is plenty to acquaint yourself with the highlights and lowlights of this bustling metropolis.
The one thing you can be sure of is that nothing lasts forever - that only change is certain. Hong Kong is a city that demonstrates that fact very well.
The closest country to Japan and so the logical next port of call on my Grand Tour of the East is South Korea. Although separated only by the Korean Strait, South Korea couldn’t be more different from Japan and so has much to offer the inquisitive traveller keen to explore what the West can learn from the East.
Visiting Japan? Here are my tips for the top 10 best buy Japanese souvenirs to help you remember your trip. Searching for them as you travel is half the fun!
Japanese food - there is so much more to it than Ramen and Sushi! Discover my Top 10 "Foodie Firsts" to try on your visit.
Many of my previous posts set out detailed itineraries to inform your own trip planning. The Grand Tour of the East is different. This time, I want to share some of the enlightening lessons I discovered in the East and tempt you to make your own journey there.
Join me on a Modern Day "Grand Tour of the East". So much has changed in the last hundred years and yet still, a Grand Tour of the East remains as enticing to many of as it always has. Even though we can now hold images of far away lands in our hands 24 hours a day, the allure of the Orient endures.
On our first trip to India so we decided to opt for luxury accommodation throughout to ensure we could enjoy the best experience that India was able to offer. We were not disappointed! Read more to discover where we stayed on our 3 week Luxury Kerala Trip.
From the historic port of Kochi, take a 3 week journey of discovery through the Western Ghats, the tea estates of Munnar, the spice plantations of Thekkady and on into Kerala's serene backwaters and sandy beaches ...
India has long been on my trip wish list, but I have been putting off the trip. I could visualise elegant saris, gentle giant elephants, majestic temples, glittering palaces and the thrill of wild tigers. But what about the misery of Delhi-belly , curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner; scenes of heart wrenching poverty and roads so scary they could be endured only with eyes tight shut? Would India be full of the Eastern Promise I dreamed of?