About
Thanks for dropping by!
I'm a solo backpacker - yes, that's me in the photo above with my funky hippie trousers on - and I've been living and travelling in Southeast Asia for over two years. I decided to create this blog to share my experiences in the region. With a particular focus on Thailand, Gone Travelling Again is designed to help and inspire you to plan your trip to Asia. The site is still under construction, so bear with me while I get it finished. If you're thinking of venturing a little further from Southeast Asia, then I've got you covered; I'll be writing about my time in China, Hong Kong, Nepal, Taiwan, and more, so stay tuned for the updates! I've written blogs and travel tips to help motivate and inspire you to travel to one of my favourite regions of the world.
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I've been visiting Asia since 2010, and decided to create this site to share some of my stories whilst backpacking. My first trip in 2010 followed the typical south-to-north trail many backpackers take, starting in Singapore and working my way up to northern Vietnam before flying back to London. After that, my trips ventured outside of the typical routes, and include visiting every country in Southeast Asia except Brunei and Timor Leste.
Most of my trips have been solo, although it's rare to be alone for the entire trip because it's so easy to meet people. I tend to stay in a mixture of hostels and hotels, and poshtels which are becoming more popular. Throughout this site, I will share with you an honest and unfiltered view of my experiences that I hope will make you want to travel to the region too! If you have any questions about planning your trip to Southeast Asia, or what to do when you're there, or anything else to do with backpacking in Asia, feel free to send me a message below, or contact me on Instagram.
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Stay safe and keep travelling.
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Ben
A Quick Question....
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What's your favourite country in Asia?
Thailand.
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If you could live anywhere in Thailand, where would it be?
Somewhere in the north - Chiang Rai, Nan or Phayao.
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What tips do you have for those visiting Thailand?
Try local foods, attend at least one Thai boxing session, be respectful when visiting temples, learn some basic Thai phrases, take a long distance train journey and if you can ride a motorbike, rent one and explore the mountains in the north.
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Noodles or sticky rice?
Sticky rice. ​
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What's your most overrated travel experience?
The monkey sanctuary in Ubud, Bali.
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Any packing tips?
Pack half of what you think you need. If you end up needing more when you're away you can buy it there. But whatever you do, stay away from the human-size rucksacks. A small torch, padlock, USD and pens always come in handy.
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Best and worst food or drink you had whilst backpacking in the region?
Most foods in Thailand are delicious, my favourites being pad krapow and Panang curry. They have a street food savoury pancake too called khanom Tokyo - I always stop to buy them when I see them. I had some really nice speciality coffee served with condensed milk and salt in Hue, Vietnam. The worst thing I've eaten is durian; second worst is probably balut in the Philippines.
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Aisle or window seat?
Depends if it's a long haul flight; if not, a window seat is fine.
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What's your favourite way to travel around the countries you visit?
I always try to find a scooter or a motorbike and explore the area that way. You can plan your itinerary much more efficiently, and you won't be impacted by the delays in public transport.​ The downside is you have less interaction with locals, so I try to make up for this when visiting local restaurants and markets.​
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What do you miss the most when you're backpacking?​
Bacon sandwiches and liquorice.
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If you could give advice to someone planning a solo trip for the first time in Southeast Asia, what would you say?
Don't plan too much. Get your flight booked sooner than later, and roll with it.