Planning a cycling trip? Learn why I chose to bike across Canada and the UK and discover some of the benefits associated with touring a country by bike.
Matti
Couch Surfing – How To Sleep For Free And Make Local Friends
If you’re reading this blog, there’s a fairly high chance that you’ve heard of the website Couch Surfing. I was introduced to this service in 2012 when I cycled across Canada with a friend, and was blown away by the openness and generosity shown by its members. Note: While the following may […]
Visiting Angkor Wat – 6 Things You Didn’t Know
Ah, Angkor Wat – Cambodia’s pride and jewel. While Southeast Asia is home to thousands of awe inspiring temples, there arguably none so enchanted as as the impressive Angkor Wat temple grounds in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Temple tourism gets exhausting, and can often be underwhelming as [despite their varied histories] only […]
Egg & Poop Coffee – Examining Asian Coffee (and Tea!)
Examining the wild coffee and tea styles of Southeast Asia…
Sri Lanka: A Backpacker’s Guide Part 1 – Hidden Gems Amongst the Chaos
About a year ago, I designed a lemon-mango Kolsch beer for my good friend Sanjay. He was preparing to leave Canada to work for an NGO in Sri Lanka – where he was born – and was hosting a going away party. Sara helped with the label design which featured […]
Enjoying Pirate Beer With Malaysian Elders
Whereas Papa Yong hails from the bustling city Kuala Lumpur, Momma Yong grew up much quieter town of Kota Kinabalu. There’s an unending rivalry between the two cities between them, so it’s dangerous for me to pick a favourite. When we arrived in Kota Kinabalu it was early evening. We […]
The Progression of Eating Durian
What on God’s green earth is this monstrosity of a fruit, and who decided that humanity would be better off eating it?
Alcoholic Monkey Forest, Bali
Prior to even stepping foot into the Alcoholic Monkey Forest, an aggressive alpha male threw himself onto my back, and swung from one arm to the next in a desperate, alcohol induced attempt to steal my Bali Hai Lager for himself. Little did he know that I too am an […]
The Volcano That Erupted Garbage
How to hike a beautiful volcano of garbage, with an amazing view…
Not Your Father’s Shadow Puppets…
During my years as an undergraduate at University of Guelph, I enrolled in a course entitled Theatre Cultures (THST 3540). In it we examined a really fascinating form of shadow puppet theatre called Wayang Kulit (translated literally as: puppets made from [buffalo] skin). This form of ancient puppetry originated in […]