What a pleasant surprise Malacca was! This small port town was once one of the most important and busy stops in the spice trade. Malacca had already achieved worldwide fame back when Singapore was nothing more than a fishing village. When Europeans showed up to fight over it, specifically the Portuguese, Dutch and eventually the English, the city went into a decline from which it never quite recovered. Today it's a cool, photogenic, little tourist town with great...

When I booked my flight to the Philippines, I had no idea if I would enjoy the country or not. My original plan was to see it all with the 30 day tourist visa I received on arrival. Turns out I like it here and with over 7000 islands, there's A LOT more to see and do. 30 days is not even close to enough time. So I have to go back. Word on the street is that the Philippines require you have your exit flight to leave the country already booked before you arrive. S...