Travelfish correspondent Stuart McDonald

Stuart previously lived in Thailand and Cambodia for around eight years between them, where he worked as an under-paid, under-skilled language teacher, an embassy staffer, a newspaper web-site developer and various other stuff.

Before all those non-travel jobs he authored two travel guides, one to Vietnam and one to Thailand. He still spends a lot of time travelling and can sleep anywhere, anytime - even on the road to Bokor.

His favourite read is The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton.

He spends most of his time in Bali, Indonesia.
Website: http://www.travelfish.org

Posts by Stuart McDonald:

• Photo: Bangkok International Airport

  First published: 30 Nov 2011
  

  Bangkok’s futuristic Suvarnabhumi Airport has been in the news in recent weeks as Thai authorities fought (successfully) to protect it from the floods that ravaged Thailand. Within the sprawling airport though, you’d never know this was going on. A cool lush atmosphere fills the cavernous wings that lunge out to aircraft and, intentionally or not, … read the full post

• Planning around the Bangkok floods

  First published: 27 Oct 2011
  

  The situation in and around Bangkok has deteriorated further with Friday night and Saturday morning suggested as the latest “mega-flood” days. At the same time The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has now advised “against all but essential travel to the city of Bangkok and the 26 provinces in Thailand affected by flooding.” So … read the full post

• Bangkok floods: Don Muang Airport closes

  First published: 25 Oct 2011
  

  About 13:00 Tuesday Thai time, Thai low cost carrier Nok Air announced it was moving all incoming flights effective immediately to Bangkok’s main international gateway Suvarnabhumi Airport. The only other carrier using the airport, Orient Thai Airlines/1-2-Go!, is moving all flights to Suvarnabhumi Airport at 15:00 today. The reason given is that flooding of the … read the full post

• Bangkok floods: Defensive planning

  First published: 23 Oct 2011
  

  Day by day the flood waters seep ever closer to the heart of Bangkok. Tonight we saw photos of minor flooding on the lower sois of Samsen Road, which runs north-south toward Khao San Road. While the flooding was definitely in the scheme of things minor, it is nevertheless concerning to see flooding this close … read the full post

• Floods at Bangkok’s gates but don’t cancel your trip

  First published: 21 Oct 2011
  

  You’re supposed to be arriving in Bangkok in the next few days and all you’ve read in the last week or so has centred on Bangkok’s efforts to reinvent itself as the true Venice of the East. You’re worried and thinking of cancelling your trip. Don’t — here’s why. Update October 25: Due to the … read the full post

• What is a bucket?

  First published: 24 Sep 2011
  

  You know what a bucket is right? Generally plastic, comes in hues of for instance pink, red, blue, green and purple. Little white handle. Useful for sand. Kids like them right? Wrong. Or, well, not quite. Well sure, that’s a bucket, but it’s not a bucket. At least not a Thai island bucket. Buckets were … read the full post

• Ko Phi Phi for kids

  First published: 14 Sep 2011
  

  With its mostly calm waters, long, well-shaded beaches and accommodating places to stay, Ko Phi Phi can be a great destination for travellers with children, though go for accommodation away from Ton Sai village. Accommodation-wise, if you’re in the market for hot-water and air-con, budget for at least 1,500 baht a night. Contact the resorts … read the full post

• Ko Phi Phi on a budget

  First published: 12 Sep 2011
  

  A lot of people show up on Phi Phi ready to spend like drunken sailors, and the prices have been rigged accordingly. One way for budget travellers to save money is to simply not go there. But it’s definitely worth seeing, of course, so we’ve come up with some ways to visit without emptying the … read the full post

• Photo: Streetside curry near Khao San Road

  First published: 12 Jun 2011
  

  Easily one of the cheapest ways to eat in Bangkok, and in Thailand for that matter, is to pull up a chair at a streetside food stall selling ready-made Thai food served either on a plate, or in little plastic bags for takeaway. While you’ll find all manner of Thai food served in this fashion, … read the full post