Meet Nathan
Nathan once called Thailand home, and teaching in a small town outside Bangkok kick-started his love affair with Asia. 18 years later, it’s still going strong!
Getting out into nature has always been key to Nathan’s travels, leading to some epic treks, including one in Nepal which took in the Gokyo lakes and Everest base camp, fuelling a need to return and summit Mera Peak, followed by treks in Ladakh and the Torres Del Paine ‘W Circuit’ in Chile. His walking boots are always on standby! Having studied ancient history at university, the great temples of Angkor Wat and Bagan have always appealed to Nathan, but it’s the region’s smaller temple complexes, such as Takeo in Cambodia, that really hold his interest.
Aside from temples and trekking, the local life and culture of Asia have been the focus of Nathan’s adventures, including an unforgettable overland journey across the roof of South-East Asia, following the Mekong down through Laos via dense jungles and rippling rice fields.
Having now made a home in Yorkshire with his lovely wife and dog, he’s always ready to return to Asia, with Pakistan the top of his list.
In his words
"It’s always tempting to rush through a country to get to the next place, but I’m a firm believer in slowing things down, making the most of the journey, and seeing the bits in between. Overlanding offers this in abundance, and immersing yourself in one location can make for some unforgettable experiences."
As someone who loves food and cooking, I can't help but return to Asia time and time again - the cuisine throughout the region is just phenomenal. I can often be found in my kitchen with my trustee wok, pestle and mortar, along with an array of spices, making Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese or Laos dishes from scratch.
"A cooking class with Chef Mai in Hanoi was a particular treat, even more so for my dad who did none of the cooking but most of the eating!"
The people and culture in every part of South-East Asia always lead me back to explore more. Going that bit further means I’ve been lucky enough to experience incredible events, such as stunning ceremonies in South Sulawesi, and meet some really interesting people, including members of the hill tribe communities in Pu Luong in Vietnam, and experience the breadth of fishing culture along the many, mighty Asian rivers.
I believe that a mixture of culture, nature, cuisine and spontaneous experiences makes for the best journeys. Be it trekking in Nepal, meeting the Gurkha communities and seeing wildlife in the national parks, visiting the extraordinary Angkor-era temples and inspiring elephant sanctuaries in Cambodia, or staying in a locally-run homestay, Asia offers this in abundance.
Q&A
Countries visited in Asia
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Borneo, Singapore, Nepal, India
Favourite experience in Asia?
Trekking through the Danum Valley in Borneo and coming eye to eye with pygmy elephants, along with seeing the rare western tarsiers and, of course, the famous orangutans.
Favourite Asian food?
Somtam Thai (spicy papaya salad) is my absolute favourite dish. There are restaurants throughout Bangkok that only sell this, and people queue around the block. Forget about pizza on your way home from a night out, the locals eat this, and the standard question is "five or six chillis?"!
Favourite conservation project in Asia?
I love the Nam Nern Night Safari, an amazing project in a far-flung part of Laos that provides employment for local people, and has greatly reduced poaching in the region. The journey traversing the river in search of wildlife is epic.