A few hours before we boarded out plane back to Clark in Pampanga, we took a final walk along the streets of Kota Kinabalu and came across this remnant of an old building, covered with eye popping graffiti. To say that it was Andy Warhol-isque is a bit of an understatement. I am always fascinated with street arts, especially graffiti which if done with fine taste, would always present a welcome appeasement to the eyes.

I'm not much of a food adventurer that I must admit. You will find me most of the time ordering the usual dishes at the office cafeteria, the tortang talong at the nearby Jollijeep and on rare occasions delighting on KFC, McDonalds and Jollibee. During my travels though, I try to become more driven to sample cuisines that are popular in places I visit. Sometimes I do get to try and more than a few times, due to budget constraints I let the opportunity pass me by. Not so, during my recent trip to Kota Kinabalu. I figured the chances of coming back would be more expensive, considering travel taxes and the lack of airfare promos alike. I'm already there so might as well try to get my taste buds say hello to the dishes that are relatively served around the city.

As a region so diverse in its history, culture and landscapes, it’d be disingenuous to define Asia in any broad terms. Even though I live in the Philippines, my fellow Asian nations are so different that I can only think of one word that applies to all of the places I've visited here: fascinating. 

From modern metropolises filled beyond capacity to serene villages stuck in time, it can feel impossible to decide where to visit – even if you’ve settled on a city break or urban holiday, how you choose between Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai, Jakarta, Macau, Manila… and the list goes on. Smart research can help you compare holiday prices across the region and fit multiple destinations into your Asian adventure, whether Asia is the Far East to you or in your own back yard.

I've been planning a long arduous, but a necessary and a madness staving off trip in Asia for the last couple of years. I've penciled out the later part of 2012 or early 2013 for it. However, I could not wait not to make a trip right now. With my work in between and rolling on a dire budget, I consider this upcoming November trips of mine to the cities of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia), Bangkok and Chiang Mai (Thailand) as only a precursor to the big bang that is bound to happen either in 2012 or 2013.  

Since I cannot afford to be on the road for a long time (YET), I've divided these incursions into two legs. The first part will consist of Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap and the other half will be Bangkok - Chiang Mai.

Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap

In Norse Mythology, there is a God named Heimdall, who sits at the edge of heaven and guards Asgard, which was among the "Nine Worlds" in Norse cosmology. The Cagsawa Ruins, with its bell tower sticking out from the ground where it once mightily stood, unbreakable, strong and invisible, is at the edge of an invisible boundary of a world inhabited by the majestic Mayon Volcano.