Wanderlust With: James Clark of Nomadic Notes
Sunny days in Saigon catching the sakura in full bloom.
After 15 years as a digital nomad, James Clark still can't sit still.
Travel blogger, digital nomad, Saigon expat and city slicker, James Clark of Nomadic Notes is all this and more. In 2003, he took to the world and since then has not looked back. With Southeast Asia at his fingertips, we turn to the expert expat for an insight into his nomadic life.
Q. What's the last holiday you took?
A: I went to Bangladesh recently which was my first time to the country. I started the trip in Dhaka, which is one of the craziest cities I've ever seen. The old city is a maze of small streets filled with cycle rickshaws and people everywhere. I finished the trip at Cox’s Bazar, which is home to the longest stretch of beach in the world (155km long).
Q: What about the first holiday you took?
A: Technically, it would have been a family road trip to the Gold Coast when I was young. In my adult life, I mark the beginning of my travels when I took a one-week trip to Hawaii. It was my first time overseas, and I caught the travel bug immediately after that.
Q: What's your favourite destination in the world?
A: I don't have a favourite place in the world as each place has worthy merits of its own. It is the proverbial favourite child question. I like the Voltaire quote: “Wherever my travels may lead, paradise is where I am.” Using that maxim, I will nominate where I am based now as my favourite place – Ho Chi Minh City.
Q: What are the top three things you like to do there?
A: The thing with Ho Chi Minh City is that it's a great place to live and be part of the city, but it is light on tourist attractions. That’s one of the things I like about it. My things to do here are:
- Eating street food
- Going cafe hopping
- Meeting interesting people
Q: What are the top three items you can’t leave home without?
Q: Lastly, if you could only pick one – beach, city or mountains which would it be?
A: I’m a city person, so I would have to pick that, but I would be sad not to be able to visit a beach or mountain occasionally. If that was the case, then I should perhaps pick Danang, which is a city on the beach next to mountains.
James' current favourite photo: A street in the old city area of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
finder's Wanderlust With is a monthly series featuring travellers and bloggers from around the world. Check back every 10th of the month to be inspired for your next journey.
