Alan Ng

Australia has strict biosecurity laws

by Alan Ng August 04, 2018 in Travel with Children, Travelogue 0 comments

The infamous, lackluster Johnny Depp performance alerting the world to Australia’s biosecurity laws is comic, but the underlying message is no laughing matter. Since European settlement of the continent, there is an unfortunate history of introducing plant and animal species and disrupting its unique, natural ecosystems. From rabbits, foxes and cane-toads, to weeds, to bacterial and viral plagues, we have a history of importing pestilence into this isolated southern continent.

On the road again

by Alan Ng July 31, 2018 in Random Thoughts, Travel with Children 1 comments

This is my first update since a hectic few weeks of packing up home, extracting our girls from school, and hitting the pause button on my work for a short time. Looking forward to 3 months of discovery and learning as a family. First observation – how amazing and liberating it feels to be on the road and immersed in nature, especially the vast, open, unpopulated expanses of inland Australia. And how much I’ve missed this feeling of simple, uncluttered freedom. Second observation – how privileged and thankful I feel to have this chance to enjoy the simple pleasures of natural environment with my family. Clear blue skies, fresh air, natural and unique flora and fauna, a sky full of stars at night are all writ large in our own backyard of Western Australia. Third observation – how unique it is in our modern, hyper-connected world to be able to get ‘off the grid’. Within an hour’s drive out of Perth, our mobile phone connectivity was already wavering, and by the end of our first week on the road, we have only had sporadic communication when passing through country towns. Stopped at Karijini national park for the […]

Christmas on the Road

by Alan Ng December 25, 2015 in Random Thoughts, Travelogue 9 comments tags: Christmas, Thailand

Christmas Day 2015. Day 165 since Le Conquet in France. 33 days remaining to reach our destination in Cape Leeuwin, Western Australia. We’re blessed to have made it through 6 months of travel, without major incident, in good health, and without any family breakdowns! We find ourselves in Chiang Mai, Thailand, staying in a beautiful heritage hotel, for some peace, quiet and much needed downtime from our time on the road. Most recently, we have completed our travels in Myanmar, covering some 1500km by road and rail through the countryside and rural villages of this beautiful country. We re-entered Thailand overland via Mae Sot, and fortunately managed to book up some lovely accommodation in Chiang Mai at the last minute, at the height of silly season. After a very hectic (but amazing) past two months, we’ve really been looking forward to put our feet up, to enjoy a quiet Christmas, to regroup, to reflect on the recent phases of our journey, and to think about the final month of travel ahead of us.

Our Month in India

by Alan Ng November 07, 2015 in Travel with Children, Travelogue 0 comments tags: India

Travel notes from our voyage across northern India, soaking up the colour, chaos and charisma of this diverse and ancient country, during the month of October 2015.

Half-way there!

by Alan Ng October 25, 2015 in Lessons Learned, Random Thoughts, Travelogue 0 comments tags: India

Greetings from Agra, India, and the famous Taj Mahal! October 20, 2015 marks the half-way mark of our family odyssey from Europe to Australia.

Dubai – Desert Oasis or Mirage?

by Alan Ng October 15, 2015 in Art & Culture, Random Thoughts, Travel with Children 0 comments tags: Dubai, UAE

While Dubai was not on our original travel plans, when we decided to reroute our voyage after Iran towards India rather than Central Asia (more on that here), then Dubai became a convenient and welcome watering hole on our route eastwards.

Amazing Iran

by Alan Ng September 22, 2015 in Random Thoughts, Travel with Children, Travelogue 0 comments

We have just arrived in Dubai, staying with our dear friends Morgan and Levina, for a restful week and to catch our breath after a spellbinding two weeks travelling through Iran. Cécile and I are left almost speechless after one of our most memorable and original travel experiences.

Kindness of Strangers

by Alan Ng September 14, 2015 in Lessons Learned, Random Thoughts 0 comments

While on the road for 6 months or more, in foreign countries where we do not speak the local language, we are often reliant on the kindness of strangers to help us resolve problems, big or small, and to keep us moving in the right direction.

Gallipoli

by Alan Ng September 10, 2015 in Lessons Learned, Random Thoughts, Travelogue 1 comments tags: Anzac, Gallipoli, Turkey

One of my personal ambitions for this trip was to pay a visit to Gallipoli, in Turkey. It has been long on my travel wishlist and, with our route passing through Turkey in this the centenary year of the original Anzac landings in 1915, it was simply an opportunity I wasn’t going to miss.

Our Wheels Around Europe

by Alan Ng September 02, 2015 in Gear, Planning & Logistics, Random Thoughts 0 comments

I’d originally had a romantic notion of buying a classic 1970’s Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi Van to ferry us around Europe, taking in the sights and sounds of the old world in style and comfort.

EuroAustralis is Live!

by Alan Ng August 31, 2015 in Website notes 1 comments

Only about a month behind schedule(!) but the new website, featuring our travel journals and photo galleries is finally live! Welcome to EuroAustralis – our family odyssey from France to Australia.