I’ve tested a lot of eSIM providers over the years. From airport SIM card kiosks in Bangkok to fumbling with a physical SIM card swap on a train through Switzerland, staying connected abroad has always been one of those travel headaches I just accepted. Then I discovered eSIM technology and more recently, Roambit, and my approach to mobile data while traveling changed completely. What Is an eSIM and Why Does It Matter for Travelers? For anyone still relying on a physical sim, here’s the short version: an eSIM card is […]

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Originally published via Armageddon Safari: “Horrendous” also applies here, but I didn’t want to oversaturate the headline with adjectives. (Tucker Carlson’s “more verbs, less adjectives” mantra is the best writing advice perhaps ever dispensed.) Often, in East and Southeast Asia, picking out the Chinese based on purely physical features is more of an art than a science. Related: My Gold-Standard Expat Memoir: Back and Better Than Ever With the Second Edition While it’s true that, as a rule of thumb, compared to their Southeast Asian peers, Chinamen tend to have lighter […]

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The morning sun cast golden rays across the waters of the Basilan Strait as our ferry approached Zamboanga City’s port. Known as Asia’s Latin City, this historic settlement on the southwestern tip of Mindanao held the promise of a unique cultural tapestry woven from Spanish, Muslim, and indigenous influences. My journey began at the iconic Paseo del Mar, where the salty breeze carried whispers of the city’s maritime heritage. Local families strolled along the waterfront promenade, their conversations a melodic blend of Chavacano – the only Spanish-based creole language in […]

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New flagship joins the luxury carrier’s all-Airbus fleet as STARLUX Chairman pilots delivery flight, supporting future growth in North America and Europe Taipei, Los Angeles, and Toulouse, January 6, 2026—Marking a major transcontinental milestone, Taiwan-based luxury carrier STARLUX Airlines today took delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 wide-body aircraft, becoming the first Taiwanese airline to operate the aircraft type. The aircraft, registration B-58551, was officially handed over at Airbus’s Toulouse headquarters and flown nonstop to Taipei by STARLUX Chairman K.W. Chang. Upon arrival at Taoyuan International Airport early this morning, […]

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Ross Clarkson is a cinematographer and director, best known for action-packed hits like Undisputed II: Last Man Standing and Undisputed III: Redemption. With more than 30 years in the film industry, he has brought his lens to projects across the globe—shooting in Hong Kong, Thailand, throughout Europe and in Hollywood. Q. Most of your cinematography work is in action films. What is it about that genre that appeals to you? It’s exciting and a lot of pressure, it gets the adrenaline pumping. I started working at a TV station in […]

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From Celebrity Chef-studded Signature Events to Exclusive Collab Dinners and Hands-on Classes, the 2026 Festival Features Greater Fort Lauderdale’s Creativity, Craftsmanship, and Ever-growing Reputation as a Culinary Destination FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA — The Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival (VLFWF) returns January 19–25, 2026, for its seventh annual celebration of culinary excellence in Greater Fort Lauderdale. This year’s festival brings together Michelin-recognized restaurants, James Beard–nominated chefs, and nationally acclaimed talent for seven days of exceptional dining, enticing local flavors, and food-and-drink-focused fun. Recognized as one of Florida’s premier epicurean events, […]

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Chris Guillebeau is an American author, traveler, and entrepreneur best known for visiting every country in the world and writing best selling books like the $100 Startup and The Art of Non-Conformity. Q. You set the goal of visiting all 193 countries and you did it before 35. Was this mission your way of challenging the status quo and living a life of non-conformity? Not at first. Looking back, it became a kind of statement, but that wasn’t the intention. I did about half of the countries before social media […]

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Originally published via Armageddon Safari: I recently stumbled upon a true gem of an X post from @kunley_drukpa — not necessarily a ringing endorsement of expat life in India, but an expert treatise on the “low trust society” that rings all too true for anyone with experience in the Third World. A small excerpt: “A few years ago now I spent some time in India. One of the more lasting impressions I have from that period was the degree to which the low trust environment there (of a kind) wore me down mentally and transformed […]

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Jake Needham is an American-born novelist and former screenwriter who has lived in Asia—mainly Thailand and Singapore—since the early 1980s. He has published 18 books and has been nominated for the Barry Award three times. His seventh book in the Inspector Tay series — Who the Hell Is Harry Black? — won the Barry Award for Best Paperback Mystery of 2024. Q. You are originally from Houston, Texas, but you have been living in Asia since the 80s. That is a long time in Asia. Tell us what first drew you […]

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Originally published via Armageddon Safari: Sometimes stereotypes hold true. Case in point: Asian men do indeed, as a rule of thumb, as anyone who has watched Japanese pornography may have noticed, tend to have smaller-than-average packages compared to those of the European persuasion and definitely pitted against the Africans. (I discuss issues related to the phallus in the context of living in East Asia as an expat extensively in my top-selling memoir, Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile.) Accordingly, the Asian market is rife with all manner of pills and potions to […]

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Originally published via Armageddon Safari: At the Thailand Cultural Center MRT, recently, next to the standard no-durian infographic — the king of fruit’s smell comes off as obscene to many people and is therefore banned from public transport and hotel rooms — there sat a new addition to the list of prohibited substances and activities on the subway: upskirt pics, later to be uploaded and monetized on some shady dark corner of the web. The posted official anti-upskirt warning from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority The upskirt video/image industry has […]

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Finding ourselves in Seattle midweek, we opted for two distinctly Seattle and Washington activities; a Harbor Cruise in Seattle on Argosy Cruises and blueberry picking (and grazing) at several U-pick blueberry farms near Everitt. Departures for the Argosy cruises are from Pier 54 along Seattle’s waterfront. You will want to arrive at least 30 minutes early to guarantee a good seat, weather permitting on the top deck. As you board, you will pass a number of signed trivia questions about Seattle, such as what movie featured Tom Hanks and Meg […]

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Originally published via PJ Media: What follows is a (mostly) unedited excerpt from my critically acclaimed, gold-standard expat travel memoir/existentialist treatise, “Broken English Teacher: Notes From Exile”: The degenerate felon with whom I had come to briefly reside in South Georgia in 2006 through a series of unfortunate events, in my younger years, asked me for a cigarette. Tyrone had none because he refused to buy any. Inhaling deeply the smoke he hadn’t paid for, Tyrone once said to me: “Get it how you live.” For sure. November 12, 2018: Me and […]

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Introduction Amsterdam was not meant to change everything. For most business travellers and expats, it is just another European city on the itinerary—a convenient spot for meetings, conferences, or short-term projects. The plan is always simple: arrive, work, explore a little, and leave with some nice memories and a few photos. But Amsterdam has different ideas. Beneath the picture-perfect canals and tourist-friendly surface lies something more powerful: a place where temporary visitors accidentally discover what they’ve been missing. It’s not the museums or nightlife that hooks them—it’s the morning bike […]

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The Annapurna Circuit is one of the world’s most iconic trekking routes, winding through the majestic Himalayas, remote villages, and stunning landscapes of Nepal. This is our epic journey offering a unique blend of natural beauty, rich culture, and adventure – starting for us at Dharapani. ❓ Quick Facts About the Annapurna Circuit 🛤️ Distance: Approximately 160-230 km (100-143 miles), depending on your chosen start point and route ⏳ Duration: Typically 10-14 days, depending on trekking pace 🏔️ Highest Point: Thorong La Pass at 5,416 m (17,769 ft) 🌸 Best […]

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