Pay it Forward - Temptation to Travel with Triptease

A few months back I was invited to guest blog for Triptease. I was delighted. Triptease had me well and truly seduced for some time, with its sexy images and travel-titillating prose. Anyone who's in the who's-who of the jetset, they're pretty much full-on Tripteasers. It's the travel place to be and be-seen.

My Triptease seduction was instant. There was no stopping me. In fact, I had 100 notches on my ever-changing hotel bed to show for it. I was a Triptease Centurion, immortalised in the blog of fame for my wanderlust (http://triptease.com/blog/?p=275 ...have a nosey).

Well, like most addictions, now I'm hooked. I'm almost half way to my next century run and, everyday, I earn more virtual air miles from the comfort of my sofa, through the experiences of my fellow Tripteasers. Everyday my bucket-list runneth over, into a new bucket.

Triptease makes my dreaming easy. The new Collections feature, launched earlier this month, allows me to me save my best in one easy place and add the best of the rest to my personal lists. 

My Teases might make their way to others' Collections, I can share Collections and I can search Collections. It's genius!

City, beach, photography, hotel, restaurant....take your pick, find your favourite, make your next big tripteased plan. 

I have two. Some local London rooftop dining later, this month, and some far off sand duning in Abu Dhabi. I cannot wait to seek out my Tripteased tips and share my own.

But, don't think Triptease is only for the roamers of the world. Travel doesn't have to always invole your passport. There are as many teases about home as there are about far off shores. I'm now on a mission to bring my best of homegrown Teases from Ireland, to bring the sexy back to the Irish Charm and show travel to and from my own doorstep.

Be daring. Kick off your first rendez-vous at www.triptease.com
This is one affair you can have guilt-free, indulge your inner Tease.

'Til next time, Pandora.

My Highs in the Skies - the best bits of flying business

You may often hear me say how blessed I feel to be able to travel so far afield for work. Travel is an experience, every component of travel plays an important role in how the experience unfolds. We spend so much time shortlisting where we visit and where to spend our holidays, research for weeks on which hotels to stay in and what to do when we arrived but how much time do we take to assess the best experience to get there and home?

After another month of multiple flights from one continent to another, I wonder, how much importance we give to the journey, or is every airline the same as the next?

Flying Business and above is a treat, not something most of us do all the time. Every frequent flyer of business has their preferred airline du choix, for different reasons, many for their miles and perks but, having flown with a number of the most known airlines carriers, I can attest that it is not always the same experience. At different points of the experience, some excel more than others. If I'm about to embark on the trip of a lifetime, I want to be sure I get the best from home to hotel. 

Not being number one doesn't make it a bad experience but, if i consider the end to end journey, this is what my wish list for smooth travel from my most used airlines, this year.

Arriving in style - travel begins from the moment you leave your house. For business there is typically ongoing work and multi tasking as you get to and from airports. For holiday, you want to start the distress as soon as possible. 

1. Etihad Airways,  a great business chauffeur service from home to airport, and optional airport meet and greet, even for transfers. 

2. Virgin Atlantic, another great chauffeur service, although no ongoing airport assistance services.

3. British Airways, oddly no car service in Club World which is a miss by comparison to other airlines.

Checking In with ease - queues can add hours to your pre-flight time, so having dedicated business check in is so convenient. 

1. British Airways, domestic or international the priority queues for executive club and business travel is always efficient and incredibly friendly. 

2. Etihad Airways, fast and friendly in UK and the Abu Dhabi hub, but less amicable at extended country service desks where it's very run of the mill.

3. Singapore Airlines, similar to Etihad, something goes amiss out of country and service varies.

4. Virgin Atlantic, regrettably service is vanilla and, for me, can be very hit and miss for friendliness. Maybe there is a higher expectation for Upper Class, but it falls short to others of this level.

Lounging - I love allowing time to relax over a quiet drink before I board. Lounge access is key when you travel between countries with delays and cancellations. Some are better equipped that others... 

1. Etihad Airways,  dedicated lounges are fantastic. Abu Dhabi can get very busy, but once your rewards status promotes to the First Class lounge it is an oasis of calm and a joy to reach after a long haul flight. Great private dining, food of high end restaurant quality, sleep rooms and the plus of spa treatments and experience showers

2.  Virgin Atlantic, little beats the Clubhouse experience. It's got it all, and then some. Total va va voom, although not all are consistent in style and facilities as Heathrow.

3. Cathay Pacific, 1 haven't found the same experience as many others with Cathay business service, by comparison to other airlines, but their lounges and dining in Hong Kong are spectacular. 

4. British Airways, really good lounges with fab champagne bars. Buffet dining is good, a la carte is a nice surprise. They cater as lounges for large volumes of pass through passengers though and so lack a personal touch to prevent it feeling so transit-like. Smaller lounges have limited catering and tends to be sweet and snacks.

5. Singapore Airlines, like BA they are designed for transit and the lounges are maybe  not reflective of the in-flight service.

Where it matters most, at 30,000 feet!

1. Etihad Airways, when you are greeted at the door by name, you know things have just got personal. Friendliness and one on one care is non stop for the duration if your flight. By far Etihad also have the best concept for in-flight dining, with dine anytime. You are in control of when and what you eat, no restrictions. Business cabins are spacious and comfortable with padded duvets and good flatbeds. Dining is silver service and food is as good as you'll find on terra firma. Take it up another notch whn you travel in First with private cabins and a chef service to bespoke your meal and free inflight wifi.

2. Singapore Air, definitely the winner for space with double person width seats that transform to wide flat beds. Silver service dining, although it doesnt have the Etihad flexibility on anytime dining. 

3. VirginAmerica, first class cabin is like a space odyssey.  Just a few so service is attentive. Add mood lighting, white leather, reclining and free inflight wifi, this feels like a nightclub in the sky!

4. British Airways, clubworld design is a little invasive on privacy, as the seat dividers are raised and dropped for every query and meal serving. Not good when seated beside a stranger who also has to step over you to get to the aisle. Dining falls short of expectation. Menu choice is limited and first come first served, until stock is gone. Dining is at a fixed time, and self serve snacks disappear quickly.  

5. Cathay Pacific, least impressive and a little tired

6. Virgin Atlantic, upper class might have led the field in its hey day, and 5years ago been closer to my number one. But other airlines are as good, and better, today. Crew service skills is the let down, not attentive regardless of the class you travel in.

Like everything, if you could package up the best bits there would be a perfect travel experience. Or maybe there is, and I just haven't found it yet!? I'm sure I will have plenty if opportunity.

'Til next time, Pandora

Made in Manila

 Any frequent traveller to Asia knows what to expect when it comes to food. Breakfast to midnight snacks, the obvious choice is the endless array of rice, noodles, sushi and sashimi, dim sum....the list goes on, but the authenticity of the eastern staple will stop you in your tracks with taste.

Manila is no exception for all of the above. Filipino food, as a rule, is good also, but for the untamed palate it can be heavy and greasy - Adobo, pancit, sisig. If you're very brave, you can try the local delicacy of  balut.

Manila is as western as it comes and, as much as I like to eat (at least try) local, there are so many incredibly good global-gastro restaurants and eateries not to try. Variety is the spice of life, after all?

So, if  unhatched duck embryo is not your canapé du jour, Manila is one of the most cosmopolitan cities you will visit, so don't think you will be limited in your choice.

The heart of lifestyle dining starts in glitzy Makati. Some of my favourites include Sala, which is owned unexpectedly by a Scottish chef and offers amazing Eurasian fusion, not east with incredibly good pineapple mojitos. Same owner, a floor above is People's Palace, renown by the expat community as the best Thai restaurant in the city, once more followed with a deluge of dessert prowess. Mesa, is modern Filipino and has a great menu of fish and seafood. No visit to Manila is complete without one meal of Lapu-Lapu.

Steak, another surprise hit, is a Kobe guarantee. Wagu, for hot perfection to order, only you can ruin this meal or, in Rockwell a fabulous and less busy alternative is Bistecca - every cut of beef, cooked to perfection and the best truffle fries in APAC.

A Spanish heritage gives way to a good effort at tapas and paella. Barcino might push it too far with local flamenco, but the food is good.

If there is one thing the Filipino people do best, is sweet. Low key patisserie and brunch pitstops are plentiful, but I have my personal favourite in the candy coloured Cafe 1771 in Ortigas, or Soho-esque Chelsea  Market, in Serendra.

The crème de la crème for me is the fantastic foodie fix in Aubergine. With a kitchen of the next international protégées of cuisine, the result is something else. Degustation menus at a pat with big ticket restaurants in London, New York and beyond, this s a real special occasion visit in the city.

Every chain and franchise form US east to west coast is in Manila. If you feel the need to be lovin' it, go right ahead but you are missing out. What is nice, and needy, in a city that never stops is the 24 hour Starbucks.

So, in brief, you are what you eat. The choice is yours. Bon apetit. 

'Til next time, Pandora

Dublin - A City of Two Tales

Sometimes you can travel so much, you miss what is under your nose, on your own doorstep. June saw me traversing between the north and south of Ireland, a mix of timeout from a busy work schedule and true downtime with visiting friends, both giving me a double sided view of what's to be found in Dublin.

Dublin is as stereotypical as it gets. March 17th sees the largest in take of tourism of the full year, 2013 boasting almost 250,000 global visitors to the Fair City. Everyone is a little Irish on St Patricks Day. Many are a lot. 

But there are 364 other days of the year where the Irish Craic keeps rolling in Dublin. A student hub with the prestigious Trinity College, a weekend Mecca for hen and stag parties and any other excuse to celebrate rugby, see a gig or just hang out. Just follow the signs to Temple Bar. Doorway upon doorway of traditional Irish song, great seafood and the mandatory flow of the Black Stuff, Guinness. Morning to evening, there is always Craic.

But there is more to Dublin than just the melody of Van Morrisson and the tapping of Riverdance. Above the cobbled streets of sneaker wearing tourists there is a peppering of rooftop bars and eateries, draped in designer dress and high heels. More Jo Malone than Molly Malone. 

Dublin has a chic side. Start your day at the top of Grafton Street and meander through boutiques and trendy coffee shops. Get lost in labels as luxurious as London's big 3, in Brown Thomas, before a break for brunch in Powers Court or decadent drinks at the Vintage Cocktail Club. 

As the evening calls, there is a wealth of opulent sleeperies, if you know where to go. My favourites are the Dylan, the John Rocha palette of the Morrisson has just had a makeover, and my recent retreat in the velveteen luxe of the Fitzwilliam. Relax, unwind, party....or all 3.

But don't be afraid to blend the traditional with the modern. My first trip to the Guinness Storehouse has certified me in the secret pouring of the perfect pint of Guinness, a visit well worth making. A walk over halfpenny bridge will add the needed tourist snaps to your photo book. There is no shortage of all round authentic Irish hospitality to make you feel at home, whichever of the two tales you choose of the city so, explore it wisely.

'Til next time, Pandora.

Who Kildares, Wins

I'm not a lover of outlet stores. I mean, everyone loves a bargain, but there is just too must mayhem and disorder during sale time for me to enjoy it. Anyway, if something hasn't given me the calling at the start of the season, the chances that I really need or want it are probably slim.

So, I have avoided the call of the outlet village. Despite my draw to designer, I have preconceived images of out of date factory shops, glorified jumble sales. Not for me. 

Well, not until these recent weeks. My begrudging scepticism headed south of Ireland, to Kildare. A family break, that just so happened to have little nearby except Kildare Village, the irish contingent to the Chic Outlet Shopping® Villages by Value Retail, peppered across Europe's chicest cities. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and all that...

I was surprised. Pleasantly so. I hadn't imagined New England-esque shop fronts, with floral displays and roomy sidewalks lined with luxury brands.

Last season, yes, but perfectly merchandised in size order, colour coded accessories and proper changing rooms. This was shopping with style. A step up from the average High Street, just marked down. 

Even dining was upmarket - forget the high street burger bar, Kildare Starbucks your coffee stop and wines and dines you, Italian-style, in the very cool L'Offcina.

Kildare had real potential, the proof would be in the purchasing, rather than the pudding. Let the shopping begin....

Nicole Fahri tailoring, shirts by Pink, summer dressing by French Connection. and perfect accessories by Anya Hindmarch. Even home got a makeover with new Nespresso and Le Creuset, and threadcount refresh from Sanderson.

I think the technical term is reformed retail character. I take back my outlet snobbery - Who Kildares, definitely wins. Big sister, Bicester, might be next. With the amount I saved on my designer decadence, I can indulge some more!

'Til next time, Pandora

Seduced in Seville

It's ironic that it has taken until now for me to explore Seville. I mean, I studied and lived in Málaga for a few years, blessed with the good fortune of the sun and sand of the Andalusian Costas as my back-yard. Yet never had i reached Seville. This trip was a long time coming.

Oddly, however, despite my proximity I didn't expect to find and feel what I did.
A city hopper, practically by trade, there are a number of iconic must-see cities that make up the magnets of every refrigerator door - Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona. Seville, possibly not. But it should be. This is a city you need on this list.

Seville totally seduced me like a secret love affair. A brief rendez-vous, in my already smitten Andalucía, every twist and turn of the city captured my heart and wooed me.

It's a city to get lost in - metaphorically it is mesmerisingly beautiful but, geographically, it is complex and vast. This is a trip to plan in advance, otherwise you risk missing some if the incredible sites to be discovered. With leisure, a minimum of five days and prepare to walk. Travel light, walking shoes, a sun hat and spf.

The architecture, whilst totally different, is as impressive as the Gaudí of Barcelona. 

Institutional landmarks, churches, cathedrals and simple streets span from Christian to Arabic to Gothic and the Jewish quarter, la Judaria, is a labyrinth of flamenco, crafts and the most amazing tapas hideaways. In fact, el tapeo is a cultural heritage that explores the best of Spanish and Andalusian cuisine, remarkably light on the wallet. You need 2-3 hours daily to interweave this into any one day's plans.

Lodgings are vast, from pensiones to paradores and designer hotels, there is something for everyone, and a few still house the original Arabic and Turkish baths and spas. I sought out el Gran Meliá Colón, recently refurbed and now a famous retreat for football teams and bull fighting legends. It didn't disappoint. Located in the heart of the city centre, equipped with the obligatory city view roof terrace and decadently appointed with layers of designer icons for Phillipe Starck.

Modern is at home in Seville. It reaches its extreme in the Setas, the controversial architecture that resides footsteps from the casa de la Duquesa de Alba. But bars, restaurants, hotels alternate between traditional rusticity to modern minimalism and the blend is stylish and chic - terracotta floors and hanging jamones on the ground, through to the sun strewn roof terrace of Eme, in touching distance of la Giralda.

For me, the creme de la creme of the sevillian sights, La Plaza de España - another unexpected mastery that carved a place in my heart, alongside la Sagrada Familia or Le palais de Versailles.

Tourism is booming, but without the tackiness of the Costas. Even the former Expo village has been developed to a new local living quarter that is an expression of modern Seville, just outside the city itself.

Seville is alive, vibrant, friendly, exciting. It was worth the wait, but it will definitely need a return.

'Til next time, Pandora

Belgrade - A Box of Tricks

I've been a number of times to Belgrade, but it's always coincided with winter. Rain at best, snow mostly. And not the snow that we Brits typically complain about. No, Serbian snow falls by the foot, not inches - beautiful to fly into, scary to taxi-speed drive through and cold. Very cold. It's not a time of year for outdoor exploring, not without layers.

This trip, however, included sunshine and was such a delight to enjoy the beauty of Belgrade in warmer climes and bright evenings. Sunglasses were on, but my eyes were truly opened. Working in Neo Beograd and playing in the old city, it's a game of two very distinct halves, but a surprising box of tricks. 

Hotels in Belgrade are great. Keen rates for significant luxury. In New Belgrade they are popping up with frequency and, like their neighbouring architecture, they are creating a skyline of poured concrete high rise and finished with a millennium shine. The Hyatt Regency a stunning five star marbled pleasure, but I guess it could be a hotel in any city, simply from its same shine. The IN hotel, four star,  offers ample rooms and modern facilities but has down to earth Serbian charm.

Across the Ada bridge greyness is being restored to grandeur. Post iron curtain history is being redeveloped and is holding on to its cultural roots. This trip I visited the newly refurbished Metropol Palace, formerly the The Belgrade City Hotel, and a great of example of upcycling the best assets.

The old city is slowly regenerating. For every refurb there is a crumbling tower around the corner and you can sense the climb. Yet it has so many a hidden gems, unexpected and brilliant, every one.

Wining is outstanding. Watch this space, Serbian wine is the next big thing on your table. Dining is fantastic, from the kooky Kakalamba with its weird interiors and Serb cuisine to slick modern eateries. Best menu choices are the meat dishes, but vine leaves and paprika do not come more flavourfully stuffed and spiced than here! 

One of my favourites is the Kalemegdanska Terassa in Kalemegdan Fortress - stone walled prowess inside the surviving lookout that governed an ever-changing occupancy rule, on the confluence of the beautiful Danube and Save Rivers.

Just 20 mins from the city centre a self made pebble beach that boasts some of the cleanest swimming waters, lined with cool bars and restaurants and hot weather for locals to soak up the sun, nudist colony included!

Shopping is expensive, Serbia is not yet in the euro but it is not short of new shiny malls and there is a vast capacity for conferencing and concerts. The real strength of the city, the people. Incredible optimism, true sense of family, limitlessly accommodating and humble from a history of knocks that gives them a fighting spirit to get right back up and start again. I love Belgrade, I hope to go further to Montenegro and beyond. There is so much to give here and more people should enjoy it.



'Til next time, Pandora

Costa del Authentic

Summer season in Spain...rows of beach loving tourists by day, bars of beer loving tourists by night. It's still there, if you want it, but I highly recommend a deeper delve into life by the Costas for an authentic and more fulfilling experience of Spain.

The affluent times of Costa tourism for the Costa del Sol have long gone. Beach loungers are empty 10 months of the year, street menus have dog-eared corners and hotel offers are a sad reflection the partial occupancy levels. City life, conversely, has got it's sexy back. And it's hot. 

Málaga, now a major cruise hub, is bustling with visitors. It's grown up, learned how to appreciate word of mouth and holiday wallets, and is giving the modern holiday maker what it needs.

In a country struggling to stay above the economic recession, Málaga has cleaned up its act. 

Gone are the days of peddling gitanos and stalking guitarists. Instead, al fresco coffee shops are more chic, staff multi-lingual, eateries have accomplished a blend of rustic Andalusian tradition with minimalist design and hotels have joined the cool-set of rooftop pool bars, boutique chic and chill out music. The good old piña colada of the eighties has been replaced with Mojito mixology, no umbrella. 

My chic sleep, loyally luxurious at Molina Lario, where all the above apply. The new kid in town, five star Vincci del Posada, is also getting tremendously good feedback and still with great introductory rates.

If you need a beach over a pool, the city has this but you are only ever 20 mins to the coast, if you get the calling.

Off the beaten track, visit the Caves of Nerja and overnight in Hotel el Carabeo, for a taste of tourism without the buffet dinner for the masses.

Inland, go to Ronda, eat tapas, visit the bull ring, eat more tapas and bask in mountainside sunshine. This is a taster, you'll already be thirsty for more. And more there is, in abundance.

I could write on southern Spain forever. It won my heart many years ago. It's time to let ooh la Paloma Blanca fly, discover the modern and stylish side to authentic Spain.

'Til next time, Pandora

Photos: Pandora Skies, Molina Lario

Hong Kong High

My first visit to Hong Kong took me to new heights. My second and third visit, I soared. This city gives me a high, the shopping leaves me on a high, the nightlife transports me to the high life. Hong Kong was, and still is, my New York rival. Pound for pound, or rather dollar for dollar, this is a championship fight.

I won't ramble about Manhattan. There is so much great going on there, it is a blog onto itself (...watch this space). This will always be a tale of two cities, each equally amazing for different reasons. There is no need for East to meet West, when you can have so much excitement from travelling between them both.

First impressions, driving into Hong Kong island over the Tsing Ma bridge - how many golden 'Made in' stickers have travelled from the tower toppling containers. Hong Kong means business, even before you've reached the city. 

My latest visit included a luxurious stay in the Island ShangriLa, welcomed like a princess and risen to highest happiness in a luxurious harbour view room, 56 floors up. There is a single eagle that soars around the harbour and I shared his outlook, swooping over Kowloon. Indoors, the Shangrila boasts the largest silk painting in their lobby, 16 storeys long, The Great Motherland of China drops down through the atrium into a Chinese garden, my personal art gallery from a glass elevator every morning and evening.

If you're not on an elevator in Hong Kong, you're on an escalator. The city is non-stop, and it is built to help you keep moving with it. Day to night, the escalators in the city centre move you from bar to bar, restaurant to restaurant, store to store like a video game. And there is plenty of treasure to collect along the way, with every new level you reach.

Shopping. Hong Kong knows how to shop. It's like the recession just forgot to visit here. Designer stores from home have gone extra-large. Über glitzy, luxuriously decadent, impossible to ignore. Collect, win, next level....

Fashion extends to food in Hong Kong, too. Which makes sense. You've just draped yourself in the latest season, accessorised with the latest bag, it makes sense to indulge in some haute-couture cocktails. And, in true Hong Kong high-life, the best wining and dining in the city are located double digit floors up from the ground, with roof terraces to make sure your hypnosis remains unbroken.

Armani prive, an opulent velvet cushion of red and tangerine surrounded in mirrors. The dark and seductive has a stairway to al fresco loungerino -cool music and even cooler exclusive collections of Moët and Bollinger.

Sevva, the hottest rooftop in the city, tucked above Charter Road and nestled in the middle of the financial power houses. Refreshing by day, enticing by night as the HK light show takes off around you, like a city-sized discotheque. Inside is even more eclectic - walls of foliage, Mad Hatter tea rooms, candle-lit sushi zens and gallery-worthy cake counters. This is social life as it should be lived, and it's addictive.

Across the harbour in Kowloon, look for the best seat in town to take in the infamous symphony of lights at Aqua. Three floors of glass, from cocktail bar to fine dining restaurant, is all that separates your from cinematic views of the skyline as it dances to the musical light show at 8pm.

There is so much to see in the city. Everything is sky-rise and the best way to appreciate it all is just like our eagle friend. Join the tourists at the Peak, ride the practically vertical tram to the top, and take in Hong Kong from its prime vantage point. The all-time high, top of the world in Hong Kong.

New York may never sleep but, in Hong Kong, you will never stop dreaming.

'Til next time, Pandora

Photos: Pandora Skies, Island Shangrila, Sevva

One Night in Bangkok and the World's your Oyster...

...three nights, and it's a fine line between being saint or sinner. There is everything in Bangkok, just like the movies show you, so what becomes of you really does depend on what you're after. I am the first to declare my undying love for Bradley Cooper but, flying home with a face tattoo wasn't the Bangkok I was looking to see. But you can. In fact, there is a Hangover II tour, designed to give you that very cultural enrichment, if you so desire.

No, not I. As obviously touristy as my path may follow, one cannot visit Bangkok without doing the rounds of the Buddhas and temples. They are exquisite, each and every one more magnificent than the next, from the holiness of the tiny but precious Emerald Buddha to the 46m-long gold-covered Reclining Wat Pho.

My show stopping moment of the tourist trek was the Grand Palace. Golden, glittering, glamourous, godly and gracious. I was wowed into silence. The reverence consumes you, you really do find yourself in a deeper state of contemplation.

How do you top that? Halfway through day one, and surrounded by street sellers trading human teeth, I was afraid I might soon be resorting to the back street block buster tour bus. 

But I had my own palace to return to, the Shangrila Bangkok, like a real-life palace for mere mortals. Just as much bling, layers of luxury, incredible service.

Breakfast by the Chao Phraya river to start your day, watching Bangkok come to a commuting life on boats and barges. Relax pool-side for spa and massage, or cool down as dusk drops with a moonlit dip in the infinity pool, to a backdrop of the impressive city skyline.

After dark, take to the rooftops. Yes, Bangkok has grown up and is playing with the cool kids. There is rooftop cocktail scene to challenge Manhattan, restaurants that will blow you away - Sky bar at Sirocco hangs 63 floors above Bangkok and is the world's tallest bar. It's so cool, its hot, but humidity hot, so think about your wardrobe to stay chic in the heat.

By day, step out of the city. A tour guide can coordinate some great cultural sightseeing. My favourites, the floating market at Damnoen Saduak. 

This is Thailand as you see on travel shows and it's exciting and enticing. Ok, its gridlocked with boats of floating tourists, but it's unashamedly great and you can really get your barter on.

Next stop, the tiger sanctuary. This left me forlorn. I can't quite get to grips with the fact (or fiction) that there is no sedation here. How can I really hand stroke fully grown carnivores? I can only hope the buddhist monk carers are doing this for the right reasons, but I'm not convinced the amazing photo opps don't have a slightly less spectacular story.

Lastly, my trip into history. Ride the train around Death Railway - phenomenal views of the stunning countryside and such an experience winding over Hellfire Pass. This and walking across the bridge over the river Kwai - these are moments that will stay with you, and to be just a few hours outside of Bangkok you really get to see more of the Thai countryside and people.

A amazing city, better than I might have given it credit for. A city of many shades, one night in Bangkok is just not going to be enough to be your oyster.

'Til next time, Pandora

Photos: Pandora Skies and Sirocco