I am sure it could be said that my postings are infrequent and when they do appear are distinctly lacking in words. The truth is I’ve never really got with the blogging thing. And the reason is simple; I work for a living. I have always considered irrepressible blogging to be a sure sign that someone has too much time on their hands.

The reason for the scarcity of postings is that for the last few months I have been travelling the length and breadth of Laos, Thailand and Cambodia taking pics for books. Well, the fruits of my labours, words and images, are soon to surface in a bookshop near you…and on the web.

The books were commissioned by John Beaufoy Publishing in the UK as part of the ‘Enchanting Asia’ series. The hardback Thai edition will be co-published with Asia Books.

This brand new ‘Enchanting Asia’ series are pictorial visitor guides showing many of the main cultural attractions that a tourist visiting for a week or so might expect to see. The 190 images in each book are accompanied by an introductory text  with an overview of the history, geography, culture, festivals, food and so on. The second section is of images with extended captions.

Here’s an overview from my forthcoming book, ‘Enchanting Laos’.

‘Few countries conjure up such a sense of mystery and intrigue in the traveller’s mind as mountainous, landlocked Laos. Regarded as Southeast Asia’s sleepy backwater for many years, Laos’ communist government ensured that the country remained closed to the outside world. Unconcerned by neighbouring Thailand’s dash for modernity, Laos resolutely moved at its own pace. When the door was finally eased open for travellers in the early 90s, it revealed a beautiful country with a fascinating culture and an ethnically diverse population. Today, Laos is well and truly awakening from its slumber. The capital, Vientiane, bustles with renewed energy, but many of Laos’ attractions lie beyond the capital, where the rural population still ekes out an existence as subsistence farmers, fishermen, market traders and merchants. For many in the countryside, little has changed, and that is part of Laos’ enduring appeal for visitors.’

Here in Asia the books will be available in Asia Books throughout Thailand and Monument Books in Laos, Cambodia and Mynamar from November 4^th 2011. Of course they will also be available in Europe and the USA at all good bookshops. You can also order online at Amazon. They are the perfect Christmas gift!

I am currently working on Enchanting Myanmar, a project that I am particularly excited about as it is the most fascinating country in Southeast Asia.

It’s all very well having a photo blog but actually getting round to posting is another issue altogether. I realise I have been pretty lax of late but a punishing work schedule means it is all writing and photography but no time to post.  So, time to hurriedly get something up before heading off to Chiang Mai for a few days. Or should that be daze. It’s all becoming a bit of a blur.

I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Cambodia, spending a couple of nights in Phnom Penh before heading down to Kampot on the coast.

On my first day in Phnom Penh the sky was white and lifeless; not what my client wanted so I spent a bit of time playing around with silhouettes at sunset in front of the National Museum, a rather striking building in the heart of the city.

The beautiful red building of the National Museum houses a wonderful collection of over 5,000 ancient Khmer works of art and sculptures.  Due to the increase in visiotrs to the country recent years have seen a blossoming of Khmer arts and crafts and the are many boutiques clustered on Street 240 and a host of art galleries close to the National Museum on Street 178, commonly referred to as Art Street.

Fortunately the sky was a gloriously blue for the rest of my trip and I got some acceptable shots in Kampot and upon returning to Phnom Penh. I’ll try and post a few more soon.

City, town, or village, one of the first things I do when I arrive is find out the location of the fresh markets. Most places will have one in the morning and evening. These can be held at the same site or different parts of the town. Typically, morning markets open at before daybreak and fizzle out about 10 a.m. Evening markets kick off about 4 p.m. and often trade until late at night but in smaller towns and villages they wind down after dark.

Wholesale markets such as Talad Pak Klong in Bangkok are open 24 hours a day. Some, like a small Laotian market in a rural village have little to offer but are still fertile ground for the photographer.

In Phnom Penh there are many sprawling markets to explore. Colourful, chaotic and not for the squeamish, they are the heart of the city. In Khmer, the word for market is phsar.

If you are in Phnom Penh check out the old market, Phsar Chas, which is open throughout the day and in the evening, and Phsar Kandal which is great in the morning. Head over Monivong Bridge and you’ll discover the wonderful Phsar Chhbar Ampoeu.

Walk down any street in Phnom Penh and the chances are it won’t be long before you stumble across a shop, stall or mobile vendor selling noodles.

The mainstay of the Khmer diet, noodles provide a quick, nutritious and cheap meal, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Made from wheat or rice flour, they are blanched, fried and fermented to create an overwhelming choice of noodle dishes.

The origin of the humble noodle is of course Chinese, not Khmer, arriving in the country at the beginning of the last century with a wave of immigrants. Many of the noodle shops are still run by descendents of the original Chinese who settled there.

A sizeable Vietnamese population in Cambodia also serves up pho – pronounced fur – their own particular type of beef noodle soup.

I’ve been based in Thailand for the past 13 years and have travelled extensively in the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia. There are many similarities in culture, cuisine and lifestyle. And, of course, to someone has lived in and explored the region for so long, it has all become extremely commonplace. Don’t get me wrong, the colour and chaos still excites and inspires, and is fertile ground for a photographer but it seldom surprises any more. 

As a writer and a visual artist, I often find myself focusing on detail – picking up on small differences in what is a strikingly familiar environment.  On the surface, a walk through a market in Cambodia has much in common with a market in Laos.

Look closer, however, and the details surface; the way in which Khmer women selling startling red chillies bind them together in small bunches, how they tend to carry a wad of cash in their hand rather than in a purse, or place an offering of a lotus flower and a crisp bill in the hands of a Buddha image at the temple.

The technique for counting money can also vary from country to country. It’s the idiosyncrasies – the subtle cultural accent – that enliven my day as I amble through a market or explore a temple.

 You can find a few more images in the Cambodia Gallery.

It is impossible to mention Cambodia without calling to mind the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge. Two of the most visited places in Phnom Penh are Camp Cheoung Ek, one of many infamous Killing Fields sites, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former high school that became a torture centre known as S-21.

This is the second time I have visited these two places. The experience is deeply disturbing but essential if one is to gain insight into Cambodia’s terrible past.  Camp Cheoung Ek lies 15 kilometres southwest of the city and was the burial site for those tortured and killed in S-21. In 1980, 129 mass graves were found here and 8,985 corpses unearthed. Today, a large stupa contains the bones and remnants of clothing as a memorial to the victims.

A visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a harrowing experience. Located in a suburb of Phnom Penh, the school building is thought to have seen 20,000 citizens pass through its doors to be tortured and murdered by the Khmer Rouge.

On the ground floor, rooms with a single bed and leg irons where torture was carried out now envelop visitors in an eerie silence; on the upper floors claustrophobic numbered cells are stained with blood.

 In the courtyard, a makeshift gallows still stands.

One of the most haunting experiences, however, is looking at the thousands of black and white images of victims displayed on boards throughout the building. Like all regimes that have committed genocide, the Khmer Rouge was meticulous in documenting those it killed.

 More images can be seen in the Cambodia Gallery.

I have recently returned from a few days in Phnom Penh, the first visit since I was researching my book, the Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia. That was about six years ago, and the city has changed massively. The red dirt roads that once dissected Phnom Penh have been topped with asphalt, the skyline now includes several high-rise buildings, and the population has increased dramatically with rural poor descending on the city in search of work. One of the most striking changes is the huge increase in traffic.

The streets of Phnom Penh are buzzing with swarms of motorcycles, tuk-tuks, brand new four-wheel drives, and the occasional Hummer and Ferrari.

In recent years a small percentage of the population has clearly made a lot of money very quickly, but there is an enormous divide between rich and poor.  

I spent three days exploring the city, revisiting a few sights such as the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and wandering around vibrant markets, and peaceful temples. Over the next few days there’ll be images on all of the aforementioned topics.

With all the upheaval going on in Bangkok, perhaps it’s time to dig out a few images of happier times. A few years ago I travelled to Siem Reap with my all-time favourite travelling companion to visit the temples of Angkor.

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Siem Reap may get overrun with tourists but a visit to Angkor is still essential.Many travelers to Cambodia find the visit to Siem Reap to be so inspiring that two days is simply not enough. It is certainly possible to spend five or six enjoyable days exploring the area.

A good way to start your Angkor adventure is at the recently completed Angkor National Museum. It’s a worthwhile experience that explains the history of Angkor in a clear and concise manner and is a great precursor to visiting the actual sites. The museum also includes a stunning collection of over 1,000 Buddha images. Entrance fee is $12. www.angkornationalmuseum.com

The key to enjoying Angkor itself is to get up early while the weather is cooler. By 11 a.m. wandering around the ruins becomes uncomfortably hot and tiring. Rising early, however, doesn’t mean you’ll beat the crowds as everyone else has the same idea. Park hours are 5 a.m. until 6.30 p.m. daily. Entry to the park is $20 a day or $40 for a three-day pass.

Angkor encompasses more than 30 temples and ancient buildings spread over a vast area. If you have limited time or don’t want to spend your entire visit to Siem Reap at Angkor, concentrate on a few highlights.

Angkor Wat covers an area of one square kilometre and comprising of three levels and a central tower. The entranceway is particularly impressive and is the site of the early morning pilgrimage for the obligatory sunrise photo shoot. Inside the confines of the temple the inner and outer walls are covered with exquisite bas reliefs. If you want to get a detailed explanation of what you are looking at, you can hire an official guide at the entrance to the site.

Angkor Thom dates from the 12^th and 13^th centuries and was the last capital of the Angkor Empire. Enclosed by a moat and a three kilometre wall, the area is entered through an impressive gateway. At the heart of the complex is Bayon with 37 towers, most of which feature four massive carved faces. The temple is particularly popular with visitors but the inner area is small and can get very crowded.

Ta Phrom is sprawling temple complex is the site for some of Angkor’s most memorable imagery. The main temple was lost to jungle for centuries. When the site was reclaimed the massive trees that straddled the walls were left in place. It is a fascinating temple to explore and great for photography. Bayon and Ta Prohm were used as sets in the film Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie.

There are several fine temples beyond Angkor, one of the best being Banteay Srei. It is worth taking the 38 kilometre ride out here, if only to enjoy a drive through the beautiful. The temple is constructed of sandstone that has a pinkish tinge and its delicate bas-reliefs are in excellent condition. Due to looting, the sculptures at the site are replicas. The remaining originals can be seen at the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

You will need transport to get from temple to temple, either a romuak, a motorbike with a trailer for two, or a driver with car. The romuak are an excellent way to get around, and preferable to the confines of a car. You can hire a romuak and driver for between $12- 15 a day for running around town and Angkor. For longer trips out to places such Bantaey Srei, expect the fee to rise to $25. Drivers usually wait around near hotels and the concierge should be able to assist with negotiations.

Siem Reap itself is well worth exploring. It has excellent restaurants, bars, boutiques, and markets to discover.

Places to stay

Set within beautifully landscaped gardens on the outskirts of Siem Reap, the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is an excellent choice for any visit to Angkor. The colonial style hotel features 238 superb rooms, a swimming pool, spa, five restaurants and an 18-hole golf course located 20 kilometres away. Service at the hotel is exceptional, as is the standard of the rooms. www.sofitel.com