Last week, I explained why my journey to Southeast Asia began with a chance meeting in a smoky bar in Bali.
Before we set out from Bangkok and begin making our way back to Indonesia, I’d like to give some background to the area of the fascinating area of the world we will be visiting.
When I ask my friends and family what comes to mind when they hear the words Southeast Asia, they usually reply with a familiar collection of images: tropical beaches with turquoise water, temples draped in orange robes, bustling night markets and steaming bowls of noodles, backpackers, elephants and Bali. Maybe also the Vietnam War.
All of those images contain a grain of truth, but I have recently discovered that none of them explains why Southeast Asia exists in the form we know today or why countries separated by only a few hundred kilometres can feel so profoundly different.
The first mistake we make is to think of Southeast Asia merely as a destination, when actually it is the most significant crossroads.
Continue reading “Southeast Asia: The Crossroads of the World”