Lee Cobaj
@gooselee.bsky.social
Travel expert, writer, consultant
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
Being silly together is the ultimate test of compatibility. It’s all about who you can be at your most ridiculous, most unhinged with. A laugh partner, if you will.
March 22, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Being silly together is the ultimate test of compatibility. It’s all about who you can be at your most ridiculous, most unhinged with. A laugh partner, if you will.
This needs to go global
Just heard a "switch your phone to silent mode to maintain a quiet environment" announcement on the bus! First time I've ever heard something like that in Hong Kong!
March 22, 2025 at 2:25 PM
This needs to go global
I'm writing about the best boutique hotels in Southeast Asia and aiming to champion some great independently run places. Would love to hear about your favourite affordable but lovely small hotels.
March 20, 2025 at 4:33 AM
I'm writing about the best boutique hotels in Southeast Asia and aiming to champion some great independently run places. Would love to hear about your favourite affordable but lovely small hotels.
What's happening in America isn't Trump being mental, the plan - backed by Thiel and Musk - is to burn it all down. We all need to start convincing everyone we know about this dark new reality. Following @timothysnyder.bsky.social is a good place to start.
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
The Logic of Destruction
And how to resist it
open.substack.com
February 3, 2025 at 5:59 AM
What's happening in America isn't Trump being mental, the plan - backed by Thiel and Musk - is to burn it all down. We all need to start convincing everyone we know about this dark new reality. Following @timothysnyder.bsky.social is a good place to start.
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
“The hard truth is that once overtourism has arrived,” said Rachel Dodds, professor of tourism management at Toronto Metropolitan University, “it’s exceedingly difficult to turn back the clock.” (gift article)
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/t...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/t...
Bans, Fees, Taxes. Can Anything Stop Overtourism? (Gift Article)
Efforts to limit visitors in tourist hot spots have had mixed results, at best. Competing interests have a way of impeding attempts to stem the tide.
www.nytimes.com
February 3, 2025 at 5:44 AM
“The hard truth is that once overtourism has arrived,” said Rachel Dodds, professor of tourism management at Toronto Metropolitan University, “it’s exceedingly difficult to turn back the clock.” (gift article)
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/t...
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/28/t...
Happy New Year, Friends! 🧧🧧🧧
January 29, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Happy New Year, Friends! 🧧🧧🧧
The last time it was legal, exports of sea sand destroyed dozens of Indonesian islands. Now, the ban is being lifted
theconversation.com/the-last-tim...
theconversation.com/the-last-tim...
The last time it was legal, exports of sea sand destroyed dozens of Indonesian islands. Now, the ban is being lifted
The demand for sand is soaring in places like Singapore. But extracting sand from the sea is destructive. It’s worth looking at alternatives
theconversation.com
January 29, 2025 at 8:12 AM
The last time it was legal, exports of sea sand destroyed dozens of Indonesian islands. Now, the ban is being lifted
theconversation.com/the-last-tim...
theconversation.com/the-last-tim...
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
Yet another week in which Hong Kong gets to talk about national security
Hong Kong pollster Robert Chung has been taken in by national security police to assist with an investigation for the second time in two weeks.
In full: https://buff.ly/4hwFt1m
In full: https://buff.ly/4hwFt1m
HK pollster taken in by national security police for 2nd time - reports
Hong Kong pollster Robert Chung has been taken in by national security police to assist with an investigation for the second time in two weeks.
buff.ly
January 27, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Yet another week in which Hong Kong gets to talk about national security
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
Hong Kong conceptual artist Luke Ching Chin Wai fired when he reveals McDonalds paying their staff under minimum wage en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Ch...
January 27, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Hong Kong conceptual artist Luke Ching Chin Wai fired when he reveals McDonalds paying their staff under minimum wage en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Ch...
I wish I could convince everyone I know to read this warning from the brilliant @carolecadwalla.bsky.social The world is heading in a very dark direction, we need to prepare for what's coming. broligarchy.substack.com/p/seig-heil-...
Sieg heil Tesla
Yes, you did see what you think you saw. Here's an idea, let's call a Nazi salute a Nazi salute.
broligarchy.substack.com
January 27, 2025 at 4:34 AM
I wish I could convince everyone I know to read this warning from the brilliant @carolecadwalla.bsky.social The world is heading in a very dark direction, we need to prepare for what's coming. broligarchy.substack.com/p/seig-heil-...
Good morning from Thailand, where the Marriage Equality bill comes into effect today! 🏳️🌈🥰🏳️🌈🥰🏳️🌈 www.bbc.com/news/article...
Why Thailand became a haven for LGBT couples
Thailand is set to legalise same-sex marriage - one of the few places in Asia to do so. Why is it an outlier?
www.bbc.com
January 23, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Good morning from Thailand, where the Marriage Equality bill comes into effect today! 🏳️🌈🥰🏳️🌈🥰🏳️🌈 www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
!["Add oil" is a Hong Kong English expression used as an encouragement and support to a person.[1] Derived from the Chinese phrase Gayau (or Jiayou; Chinese: 加油), the expression is literally translated from the Cantonese phrase.
"Add oil" can be roughly translated as "Go for it".](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cyyd366g3hrxp5rynixm2mm3/bafkreibll53s5kxwea46y6egwfkbnz37xjw6ihnw3i3kw4h625cqk7bmku@jpeg)
Hong Kong’s baby pandas, which were born at Ocean Park in August, will go on display to the public from 15 February. They are super cute!
January 21, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Hong Kong’s baby pandas, which were born at Ocean Park in August, will go on display to the public from 15 February. They are super cute!
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
The only major international news of the day is that after many years of research, I’ve written a book about penguins
Join Jamie Lafferty on his epic journey to see every species of penguin in this charming biography of the much-loved birds 🐧
AN INCONVENIENCE OF PENGUINS is out in September 2025 – pre-order your copy today! brnw.ch...
#PenguinAwarenessDay @megaheid.bsky.social
AN INCONVENIENCE OF PENGUINS is out in September 2025 – pre-order your copy today! brnw.ch...
#PenguinAwarenessDay @megaheid.bsky.social
January 20, 2025 at 12:56 PM
The only major international news of the day is that after many years of research, I’ve written a book about penguins
Reposted by Lee Cobaj
Oh of course Boris Johnson is there. Of course. The UK Cunt Bingo proceeds apace.
So, Braverman, Fox, Truss, Farage...is there any more of the very worst of Britain in DC for FuckFace's inauguration?
January 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Oh of course Boris Johnson is there. Of course. The UK Cunt Bingo proceeds apace.
I wrote about how Bangkok is owning it at the moment for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...
Move over London and Paris – Bangkok is the definitive city of the 2020s
The Thai capital does hotels better than anywhere else in the world, whilst its food scene is also booming
www.telegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 3:48 AM
I wrote about how Bangkok is owning it at the moment for @telegraphnews.bsky.social
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...
www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...
If you see this, post a bird
January 12, 2025 at 12:01 PM
If you see this, post a bird
Note: Do not watch on my next flight
oh by the way I went to see A Real Pain the other day, didn't mention it because I felt that "Marie thought A Real Pain was a perfect movie" was a bit of a "dog bites man" post, but would say that if you're also a somewhat emotionally fragile extrovert living alone....maybe go see it on a good day
January 12, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Note: Do not watch on my next flight
European airlines are losing out to Chinese carriers which can offer shorter flight times and cheaper fares by flying through Russian airspace - but who's happy to fly over Russia when they have shot TWO passenger jets out of the sky? www.ft.com/content/a3ee...
Chinese airlines rush into Europe as western carriers retreat
Ability to keep flying over Russia helps three big state-owned carriers undercut European rivals
www.ft.com
January 12, 2025 at 9:39 AM
European airlines are losing out to Chinese carriers which can offer shorter flight times and cheaper fares by flying through Russian airspace - but who's happy to fly over Russia when they have shot TWO passenger jets out of the sky? www.ft.com/content/a3ee...
Yay! I can finally switch my electric blanket on!
January 11, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Yay! I can finally switch my electric blanket on!
Grim news from Thailand as around half of Koh Lanta's corals look to have been lost to last year's bleaching event. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_61S...
January 8, 2025 at 5:13 AM
Grim news from Thailand as around half of Koh Lanta's corals look to have been lost to last year's bleaching event. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_61S...
If you're planning a White Lotus-inspired set-jetting trip to Thailand, here are some clues to the filming locations I uncovered for @cntraveller Middle East www.cntravellerme.com/story/the-wh...
‘The White Lotus’ Season 3: all the filming locations that we know (so far)
The HBO Max show is making its way to Thailand for Season 3, here's where the show has been shot
www.cntravellerme.com
January 6, 2025 at 7:13 AM
If you're planning a White Lotus-inspired set-jetting trip to Thailand, here are some clues to the filming locations I uncovered for @cntraveller Middle East www.cntravellerme.com/story/the-wh...
This article encapsulates the HK government's overall lack of imagination. The city has so many cultural attributes and a wealth of creative talent - including the writer of this piece - bursting with good ideas, all of which are stymied by ignorance and bureaucracy. hongkongfp.com/2022/04/18/a...
A lack of imagination could sink Hong Kong’s decrepit Star Ferry – here’s how to fix it
What was charmingly anachronistic a decade ago now looks more like poverty porn. Decaying piers, rotting coils of rope littered with cigarette butts, clouds of black smoke from the diesel stacks an…
hongkongfp.com
January 3, 2025 at 12:28 PM
This article encapsulates the HK government's overall lack of imagination. The city has so many cultural attributes and a wealth of creative talent - including the writer of this piece - bursting with good ideas, all of which are stymied by ignorance and bureaucracy. hongkongfp.com/2022/04/18/a...
The shock of “overtourism” will subside in 2025
Travel trends will return to more normal levels www.economist.com/the-world-ah... @economist.com
Travel trends will return to more normal levels www.economist.com/the-world-ah... @economist.com
The shock of “overtourism” will subside in 2025
Demand for airlines, hotels and cruise lines is waning as overtourism quiets across the world. What does this mean for cities and travellers?
www.economist.com
January 3, 2025 at 10:45 AM
The shock of “overtourism” will subside in 2025
Travel trends will return to more normal levels www.economist.com/the-world-ah... @economist.com
Travel trends will return to more normal levels www.economist.com/the-world-ah... @economist.com