Author Profile: Emily Plank

What is the first thing you think of when someone says the word ‘Egypt’ or ‘Cairo’? If it’s the pyramids, you certainly wouldn’t be alone (yes, the pyramids are technically in Giza, but that’s still greater Cairo). If you do one thing in Cairo, it obviously has to be the pyramids, and I will be writing a separate blog post on my personal experience there in due course. BUT, if you have more time after ticking the pyramids off your bucket list, here are a few other things I saw, and...   view more

When thinking about things to see in Siem Reap, most people’s minds immediately jump to the obvious choices such as Angkor Wat (it is the 8th Wonder of the World, after all), other incredible Angkor temples like Ta Prohm and Bayon, or the famous Pub Street with its colourful lights and vast array of restaurants and clubs. But if you’re looking to go beyond this and experience what else the beautiful town of Siem Reap has to offer, I’ve got some great recommendations that include artisanal...   view more

‘Azerbai-WHAT?’ Tell most people you’ve chosen to holiday in Baku, Azerbaijan, and you’re likely to be met with glazed eyes or, at best, quizzical looks. While it does resonate with a small handful of Eurovision or Formula 1 fans who have seen the city host those respective events, it’s fair to say it is not on most people’s radar, leave alone travel bucket list. I, on the other hand, had been inexplicably fascinated by this obscure, faraway place for some...   view more

I’d like to preface this by saying that 2 days in Taipei is most certainly not enough to experience everything Taiwan’s vibrant capital has to offer. I had actually planned to have a bit longer there, but unfortunately a flight cancellation out of Australia meant I got there much later than planned and had less time in the city than I would have liked. But I’m using my experience to share some ideas for things you may want to do on a stay in Taipei, especially if you’re short on time, as...   view more

The rise of Qatar Airways over the last decade has seen Doha, the capital of Qatar, become a major Middle Eastern aviation hub. Its state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport is right up there rivalling its Gulf neighbour Dubai International Airport, and even took out the coveted title of ‘World’s Best Airport’ in both 2021 and 2022. Qatar Airways’ expansive network, aided by a home base whose enviable location facilitates numerous non-stop flights to every inhabited continent, means...   view more

Athena, daughter of Zeus, the sky and thunder god in Greek mythology, is indeed widely believed to have got her name from the city itself, rather than the other way around. I, in fact, like to think of them as one and the same – the city as a goddess itself, standing strong and proud, regardless of the trials and tribulations thrown at her. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, having been continuously inhabited for over 3,000 years. It is indeed rightly considered one of the cradles...   view more

‘When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life’, as the saying goes – and it’s hard to argue. The list of main tourist attractions in this city is long enough in itself (see my Classic London post), and these may indeed be all that can be crammed into the itineraries of first-time tourists who are only in town for a few...   view more

Argentina is famous for its meat-loving culture, and what better way to recover from a long flight and jetlag than to top up the reserves with some hearty empanadas (essentially pastry pockets filled with beef) and a slab of juicy Argentinian...   view more

At one point I thought I may not even make it to Beijing, given the debacle we had flying in there. What was supposed to be a 2-hour flight from Shanghai saw us on the plane for 7 hours – 5 of which were spent sitting on the tarmac at Shanghai airport with no idea as to why we weren’t taking off. We were among the few non-Chinese passengers onboard, and announcements were largely only in Chinese (and what English ones there were did little to enlighten us as to what was going...   view more

The first city I ever visited in Japan was Osaka. Unlike for many other people, who usually start their Japan travels in Tokyo, my inaugural taste of the Land of the Rising Sun came in the form of the grittier, more laid-back, yet no less vibrant ‘little’ sister, Osaka. And what a fabulous choice that...   view more

Osaka is one of my favourite cities on earth. I have visited three times now, and, every time I go, I always find new little pockets to explore. Obviously, if it’s your first time there, you’ll want to see all the main sites, like I did – and I absolutely encourage you to do so! But if you still have some time after that, or fancy the odd offbeat interlude between the touristy stuff, here are a few of my recommendations for alternative Osaka districts to discover, based on my own personal...   view more

A leafy city of warm people and spicy food, where cutting-edge futurism meets ancient Buddhism. Where the vibe is a little more chilled, despite its population of ~22 million. And, perhaps most famously, where some of the world’s best work is being done to protect the precious, endangered giant panda and red panda. A veritable treasure trove of diverse experiences. Read on to find out what my recommendations and suggestions are for things to see in Chengdu, based on my own trip there in...   view more

For anyone planning a trip to Cambodia, the nation’s capital may not necessarily be top of your priority list. After all, the main attraction will likely be Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, a 6-hour drive or 1-hour flight away. But if you do find yourself in this emerging tourist destination and are wondering exactly what to see in Phnom Penh during your stay, read on for some recommended...   view more

Shanghai, however, is one of its most advanced, international and ‘Western’ cities, and is a good place to start any first-time visit to this fascinating country. By both day and night, the iconic skyline of its financial district, Pudong, dominated by the Oriental Pearl Tower, glitters like some kind of space-age wonderland on the eastern bank of the Huangpu River. It is a veritable forest of glass skyscrapers. Yet as late as 1987, the area was nothing but nondescript low-rise and farmland...   view more

Nowadays, with the world having got much smaller, many foreign travellers visit Australia every year. And if there’s one city they all visit, it’s Sydney – the nation’s largest and most iconic metropolis (but NOT, as is sometimes assumed, the capital city. That would be Canberra). Of course it is also a popular domestic destination for Australians living in other parts of the country, and I myself have been there numerous times, both as a child and as an...   view more

I have noticed that many non-Americans who visit the USA as tourists tend to stick with the two coasts. They will generally have visited Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas in the west, and New York and Florida in the east. Perhaps even somewhere like New Orleans in the south. But ask them if they’ve been to Chicago – home to blues music, an iconic NBA team and a thriving theatre scene – and most will say no. They’ve heard of it, of course, but it had never really occurred to them...   view more

The first time I visited Kuala Lumpur as a young child from Australia, having only heard the city’s name aurally, I was mystified as to why it it had been (in my thinking) named after a furry, grey, tree-dwelling marsupial native to my homeland. In somewhat of an anticlimax, it turns out ‘Kuala Lumpur’ is actually Tamil for ‘muddy confluence’, presumably in reference to the settlement initially established in 1857 at the point where the Klang and Gombak rivers...   view more

The cool kids these days refer to the city as ‘the 6’, in reference to its area code). Whatever you want to call it, I landed in Toronto for what would be my second trip to Canada in 8 months. And I had once again headed to the country’s far east, but this time to the province of Ontario, where I was looking forward to experiencing Canada’s most populous city – and one of the biggest in North...   view more

For my first ever trip to Canada, I headed straight to its bilingual heart: Montreal, in Quebec Province. At first glance it seems like a pretty standard North American city, with glass high-rises and the typical outdoor fire-escape staircases that cling to the side of buildings – something I noticed was quite prevalent across the north-eastern part of the...   view more

Hong Kong has always been a ‘city of the world’, shaped by both Western (British) and Eastern (Chinese) rule, while also maintaining its own unique character. It is the perfect stopover for intercontinental travellers, but is also a fascinating holiday destination in its own...   view more