Measuring slightly more than 2000 km² in land size, with a population of approximately 200,000 people, Sandakan is the second largest town in Sabah, after its capital city of Kota Kinabalu. Tucked away in the Sandakan Peninsula in the Land Below the Wind, Sandakan was previously known as Elopura. It may not be as popular as ... continue reading »

An opportunity was presented to me to travel to Nepal for ten days, and of course, I snapped it up. Frankly, Nepal, the Switzerland of Asia, was never on my list of countries to visit, somehow. Now that I have got to know Nepal slightly better after spending ten days there in total, 3 in ... continue reading »

One of the National Central Cities in China, Zhengzhou, located in east-central China, is the capital of Henan Province. Situated along the southern bank of China's famed Yellow River, Zhengzhou is the birthplace of the Yellow Emperor. As capital city of the Land of the Red Dragon, for a thousand years since the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 ... continue reading »

Taipei 101 (台北101), once the world's tallest building, is naturally what comes to mind at the mere mention of Taiwan. However, the country is so much more than this iconic skyscraper of 101 floors. Taiwan is dominated by rugged mountain ranges on a good two thirds of the island country, parallel to the east coast. Therefore, ... continue reading »

One of the four municipalities in China since 1997, alongside Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, Chongqing boasts the largest population in southwestern China. Strategically located at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, it is the gateway to the Three Gorges, the starting point for a promising scenic boat cruise downstream Yangtze through the Three Gorges ... continue reading »

Picturesque, serene, historic.... these are but three adjectives used to describe Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in Central China. Wuhan is the amalgamation of three smaller cities of Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang on 1st January, 1927. In the same year, Wuhan became the capital of China, albeit for only six short months. Due to its strategic ... continue reading »

Observed in some countries in the West annually on 31st October, Halloween originated from a Celtic festival some 2000 years ago, called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The day, also New Year's eve, marked the end of the summer harvesting season and the transition to a harsh winter. The Celts believed that this was a day when the ... continue reading »