Whatever claim you make about India the opposite will also be true.

This makes it a pretty difficult country to write about. But by my own logic, it also makes it a very easy country to write about.

And yes, there is tons to report after a mere few days in the country. The problem is that few of it would go beyond the most cliché.

Declining food in Singapore is as productive as asking a computer to hurry up. Insisting is just as foolish.

It is how Singaporeans express affection. It is how they honour guests. It is what they know best.

The challenge of the foreigner is to convert frustration into flattery.

A tragicomedy in three acts.

1. The floor beneath your table is a perfectly good rubbish bin.

2. Pigeons are very, very tasty.

3. Beer with ice is tolerable if consumed quickly.

And more lessons from the land of phở and conical hats.

When we first arrived in Asia – through Indonesia in July – our bewilderment was complete. We thoughtlessly gave and received items with our left hand and wondered why locals looked at us funny.

Today we’re as comfortable here as we are at home. Here’s why it’s time to move on.

The Highlands of Papua New Guinea is where you can see the most colourful variety of tribal ceremonies. Though the country is embracing Western ways, they keep old rituals alive for the festivals.

Click to watch.

When I crossed from Cambodia to Vietnam, the culture shock was far greater than when I crossed the other way.

There are two ways to explain this. Like many things, the answer is blend of both.

Tana Toraja is a region of Indonesia where death is the greatest cause for celebration. To usher souls to the afterlife, the locals organize massive funerals that last days. And they sacrifice lots of buffalo on the way.

Click to watch video.

In the town of Koh Kong, near the border with Thailand, there’s a Buddhist spiritual retreat with a bizarre collection of sculptures by its riverfront.

In the photos below you’ll see sadistic-looking sculptures dressed in KR uniform killing people with the heads of animals. You’ll see a man being sawed in half while being pecked by a garuda, a bird of Buddhist mythology.

See full article for photo gallery.

Coming from the country of soccer is wonderful. From Zimbabwe to Vanuatu, you can be sure that your nationality will be instantly recognized – even loved – by the people you talk to. And that admiration will be instantly transferred to you.

Coming from the country of soccer is horrible. Especially if the wounds of defeat are still gushing blood. Or if, like me, you understand piddles about sport.

We asked a local to show us how to chew betel nut, enjoyed and spat out by people everywhere in Papua New Guinea. The experience was little more intense than we expected.