In some ways, London was more of a culture shock than South East Asia.
Instead of dodging speeding motorbikes on the tangled streets, you try to weave into the hurried crosshatch of people as they rush through the tube stations. On the tube, you try not to make eye contact, even when you're practically crammed into someone's armpit during the morning crush, and any sort of laughter or smiling elicits a strange look. 

But the city has an understated beauty which lies in its h...

“Go with Su Su.” That’s what two different groups of travellers said to me when I was looking to doing a trek through the hill tribe villages in Sapa. They talked about her as if she was a legend. “You’ll have the time of your life,” one English guy said. “She was amazing,” said my American friend, Elizabeth. 

They passed on a number on a ripped piece of paper and I called Su Su up to arrange to meet the next day. Su Su gets most of her business like this; wo...