The feed of updates to Small things, mostly
At a popular meets I run, I get people to share interesting photos they have shot and tell us about what they observed. Why I needed to build an app At these events, most people come just to watch, but they become interested in sharing once they’ve seen a few others talk. The easiest method was to have the newly keen participants email me their photos so I could project them on screen. I always…
Just as I landed in Danang, I had to get some clothes washed. I chose this laundry because not only did it have a smiling girl, she was immensely curious. Packs of coffee spilled out of my bag when I opened it to reach for the clothes. The girl was already planning to paw at one pack. This kid with coffee in her blood would be a hazard, so I offered her a pack of Okinawa snacks that a Japanese bar…
I knew the only shy girl in Saigon. Then I discovered that all I needed to do was to ask about her cat. Her cat was called Bông. It means cotton, though the cat was neither white, nor was it light. But fluffy it was. The girl would be happiest when talking about Bông. Her favourite story was about Bông’s fondness for a bird that always showed up at their windows at the same time of the day. The…
Trang says I will go to anywhere if a smiling person invites me. It is true. Just a small sampling of smiling people who made my day happy. The downstairs neighbour.. Little away was my favourite banh mi place for half a decade. The seated woman was leaving as she was soon going to be a mom. Another of my favorite barista (left) who always shared interesting social research with me. I met her back…
Bangalore has a good number of people from other parts of India, specifically from the Northeast. Here is me trying food from Nagaland. The restaurant owner treated me to rice wine. They had a boutique in the shop that sold Nagaland trinkets. Bought these for my wife and other girls. The seller asked if my wife and friends were “ healthy” to make sure if these would fit. “ Healthy” is an euphemism…
On Sunday night, I stumbled upon a smiling usher at a Japanese cafe. She greeted me in Japanese. Later, while I was eating, she dropped by to chat. She is majoring in Japan studies at a local university. Once I mention my Japanese wife, we ended up discussing how to connect with Japanese people. Every time I meet such indefatigable young people in Vietnam, I remember a blurb that appeared in my…
Updated on 5 August 2026 with new data and photos. The background I am interested in how people study and what challenges they face while focussing/studying. In my travels I drop in on cafes, campuses, and places where learners hang out and observe what’s on the screen, and sometimes talk to people. Some quick observations Video explainers on YouTube are popular across disciplines, though younger…
When I was a kid (some may argue that I still am one), I read a story that has since stayed with me. It was about a Selfish Giant who had a beautiful garden. One day, he saw children playing in it, he got cross, chased them away, and built a tall wall around it. After that, spring never returned to his garden, it stayed frozen. Compare that to Thao’s garden, which is always open for us to show up.…
The Northern girl adjusts her coat and hat and strikes a pose. Southern girls have no time for the iPhone artist. They walk right past. If you are in the North Country, remember me to one who lives there.
We were reading in Benchakitti Park. Congratulations to the facilitators and the participants of the Bangkok Read in the Park initiative. Two hours, no phone, just read and then share. I always feel that the value of a book is enhanced when we hear people’s stories of their life experiences that relate to the content of the book.
People in a city are like “ large experience models” with whom we can engage and learn a great deal. I wanted my learners to try Nepalese food, talk to Nepalese people, and explore the context that led to the recent troubles. We invited the learners to a venue with inexpensive Nepalese food. This is also the gathering space for the Nepalese community on Sundays. Before this learning journey, I…
I hear about people not being interested in books or reading. I think back to my time growing up in different places where I encountered avid readers. These were times and places (1980s Bombay, 1990s Bangalore, 2000s Chengdu) where people were curious. I also felt people juxtaposing life situations with narratives from a book a lot more. If we want people to read more, then as readers, we must…
We braved the impending typhoon and met in Danang to share one photo each from our travels and talk about the stories behind the photos. Our stories included tales of getting kidnapped in Mumbai, hitchhiking in Central Asia, scoring free stays in posh hotels, meeting the cutest bookseller in the world, hiking along the China-Vietnam border and more. “ Small things, mostly” is a “ personal…
I spent a few days traveling with the Daylight DC 1. Mostly I read and I wrote. Previously I read on the base model Kindle. The Daylight is heavier but I managed to finish two books. Reading with the Amber light turned on in the flight. While at cafes, I used the Snap Tablet Stand. Makes it more comfortable for reading and when you want to use it with a keyboard. I also did some writing- updating…
I am testing the popular luggage trackers across multiple cities. In terms of accuracy, the ranking so far is: 1. Apple AirTag, 2. Samsung SmartTag, and 3. Chipolo (running on Google’s Find network). I found the accuracy is proportional to the time the individual networks have been operational with Apple’s AirTag most accurate so far. I expect them to reach parity soon. Though in this particular…
A bevy of Korean tourists sat across from me—impeccably dressed, perfectly mannered. But one stood out, thanks to a single unruly lock of hair. She turned her head left; it swayed right. She turned right; it drifted left. Help! I’m getting hypnotised.
In the 2000s, I used to loiter around Sichuan University. I was a yóu xué shēng—a wayfaring student—someone who enjoyed joining classes without formally enrolling. We would hang out late into the night, discussing physics, minority policies, or some new programming technique. These days, when I see campuses closing their doors to the public, it disappoints me. I feel like sending them a copy of O.…
I was heading to my neighbourhood juice shop when I saw a woman, waiting for her drink, suddenly break into a dance. Curious about the music, I tried to steal a glance at her phone. Then I noticed her earphones dangling from her arm—nice to be able to dance without music. I walked past,not wanting to disturb her. Let the dancer have her moment. I remembered another dancer I met a long time ago in…
In Vietnam, people often contact me for “ love advices” or travel queries. One of my favourite places for such consultations is Ơi Café in the leafy Chu Mạnh Trinh alley. After many years of going there, it was only on this visit that I noticed their tagline. Maybe they are pointing at me. The alley comes alive at night, bustling with the locals..
We had people curious about the cultures, history, and people of North and West Africa join us to talk to Delphine. Delphine is a marketing and consumer behavior educator based in Casablanca, Morocco. She has worked in several countries across Africa. We invited her to share her experiences in Morocco and across the continent. Read more about Delphine here https://www.delphinegw.com We discussed…
I saw a question on Reddit that reminded me of my adventures in Chengdu. In the early 2000s, I was in China almost every month. My first time in Chengdu was on Christmas Eve in 2002, and I saw people hitting each other with inflatable plastic clubs on the main road. I knew right away I would love this city. Once I befriended the cool Chengdu people, I stopped going to other places. There were…
A colorful alley in Hong Kong reminds me of a similar alley in Yangon. Missing Yangon, I buy a new book of short stories set in the city to read on the way to Phnom Penh. One of the stories reminds me of tofu nwe (a warm and creamy breakfast dish made of chickpea flour). This makes me end up in a Burmese café in Phnom Penh. Yangon Days: San Lin Tun - Penguin Random House Southeast Asia I think it…
The cafe below my stay serves Jolof Rice from Nigeria. Like our Mi Goreng that often invites debates between Indonesians, Malaysians and others claiming the best version, Jolof Rice too encourages friendly rivalry in West Africa. The loudest is between Nigeria and Ghana. Sister Deborah, a Ghanaian musician has a video playfully mocking Nigerian Jolof. If you are in Bukit Bintang, do drop in here.…
She comes to pray for a loved one who has moved away to far away land. She leaves a message saying she misses her. The last few times I was here, things were coming together. I could feel it everywhere. People who went away were coming back. Alas, things fell apart.
I spent a few days among the Kachin. Not in their native lands in northern Burma, but in Kuala Lumpur. There is some Kachin food in the Bukit Bintang neighborhood, and the people assemble here. This cart has become the meeting place of Kachin people. The woman and another man preparing the food came sometimes to chat with me. They showed me their place on a Google map. We talked of the snowy…
I frequently travel between Southeast Asia and Japan, using my iPad Pro for work and leisure. I travel light, with a small cabin backpack for the iPad and some clothes. After receiving my Vision Pro in July, I flew between Singapore, Saigon, Phnom Penh, and Osaka, and rode the Shinkansen in Japan. I used the Vision Pro on these flights and trains. Initially, I used a cheap third-party carrying…
The shoe fixing man (Vietnam) Saigon has many such men who walk around with a box of tools in tow looking to fix and clean sneakers. I met one such man while crossing the street for my coffee. He glanced down, and sighed in disappointment as I was in sandals. But we chatted a bit as we walked along a common stretch. I asked him what brand of sneakers rarely needs fixing. Without any pause, he…
Locals often use PP as an abbreviation for Phnom Penh. PP is one of my favorite weekend destinations. I like to go there and do nothing much - just stay put at some cafe and write something or just chat with people. Also eat interesting stuff. Sometimes I go to the new “ Chinatown” and pretend that I am back in time. If you want to meet people from all over the world, go to Bangkok. If you want to…
The Indomie that I got for my lunch near Singapore’s Arab Street was a good companion for the short stories book that I bought in Jakarta a few weeks back. I find short fiction a great help in understanding a city. The book is a collection of short stories set in Jakarta. I found a note from the booksellers hiding in the book. I like it when people leave handwritten notes for me to find. A decade…
While preparing for a class on information design, I remembered a travel book titled Asia Overland. Though it has been out of print since 2002, Asia Overland remains my favorite travel book. Unlike the detailed information provided by the likes of Lonely Planet, this book approached destinations from the perspective of an explorer. All the maps were hand-drawn, and it offered tips on hitchhiking…
Back in 2015, I still sometimes stayed in the backpacker enclave of Pham Ngu Lau in Saigon - they were a bit more flexible with check-in and check-out times compared to hotels in other parts. One evening I was checking out of a hotel. The serious girl at the reception said I owe them some money. Puzzled, I replied that I had paid in advance when I had checked in the previous night. The girl said…
I was back at my favorite Tibetan restaurant in Bangkok, and this time they had Tibetan tea on the menu. I always order it when I see it, but I never finish it. The tea, made with yak butter and salt, is an acquired taste. As I took a sip, I went back in time. The first memory was from the 1980s when I first read about Tibetan tea in my school textbook. I used to make my own version by dropping a…
Always love the girl with the fixed lens camera. She will hold your hand and take you close to the things that intrigue her. Most fixed lens camera people, I see them in Thailand. But there is one in Vietnam too. And this one fixed lens camera woman, I spotted in Singapore just below where I am staying.
I was at a cafe, just below my stay near the Russian Market in Phnom Penh. This cafe has a classic 1960s decor and it features photos of Cambodian singers from the golden period of Khmer music on its walls. The large windows allow you to see the small alleys around. A staff, a young woman, brought my Havana Coffee. I pointed to the photos of the singers and asked if they ever played older Khmer…
The trusty travel companion I recently became a victim of theft, my first such experience in 20 years of travel. My travel bag was stolen. More than the contents, I was sad about losing the bag itself. The bag is made by Hinomoto Hanpu, a Japanese canvas bag maker with a couple of small shops around Japan. This bag has accompanied me on most of my travels over the last eight years. I like its…
I love my Joo Chiat street in Singapore. I’m waiting for my take out banh mi when I notice a new shop next door. It’s a Vietnamese-style hair salon. The staff, three women, are gathered around a table out front, laughing and chatting. A chair appears out of nowhere, and I’m invited to join. The woman next to me slides a plate of chicken wings before me. One by one, they start telling me their…
I am interested in cities. Mainly because cities are always evolving. More so cities like Bangkok that see so much international traffic. I stayed for a few days at the original backpacker hangout in Bangkok - the Malaysia Hotel in the Sathorn area. This hotel started off as a mid range place during the early tourist boom in the 1960s. It became the home of US military personnel during the various…
At the recent “ Small things, mostly” in Saigon, Huynh shared a story from her travels in Sri Lanka.. An elderly Sri Lankan gent she met on the flight to Colombo drew maps for some destinations complete with bus routes and things to see on the way. Huynh found the hand drawn map less distracting compared to google map. She also enjoyed not having to look up her phone frequently. Huynh still keeps…
At airports, we shout into our phones and linger at the café selfishly long after finishing our drinks. And still, we strike up conversations with strangers, intrigued by the colors of their passports or the airport codes on their luggage tags. We let them use our phone chargers. We offer to hold the baby for a frazzled mother traveling alone who needs a moment to sort her things. I love airports.
When I miss the world, I go to Bangkok. Bangkok has the widest range of budget international food in Asia. You can find Afghan, Ethiopian, Yemeni, Peruvian,Tibetan along with more mainstream Japanese, Korean, Sichuanese etc. Thanks to liberal visas, the sheer number of international connections, and somewhat neutral stance (Bangkok airport is the only place in SE Asia where you spot an Israeli and…
Apple shops in Cambodia have such cute names.
I hadn’t planned on returning to northern Thailand anytime soon, but being in Vientiane late last year made me miss Chiang Mai. There’s something about Vientiane that feels so much like Chiang Mai—like wandering through its little alleys and unexpectedly stumbling upon a charming café or hotel. And, of course, the weather . The Yesterday Hotel has a bar outside with large windows framed by…
(Updated May, 2026) Earlier today, we gathered at the library to talk about Tokyo neighborhoods. In addition to the spots we discussed, I’ve included several understated neighborhoods that my wife introduced to me during the time we lived there and throughout my many visits. Neighborhoods list by Geographic Zone West Tokyo — Chuo Line Corridor Koenji — Punk/alternative vibe, vintage and thrift…
The young chef in Hanoi’s Japanese area spoke good Japanese. She said she had lived in Tokyo previously. I asked her what neighborhood. With a momentary forlorn look, she replied “ Takadanobaba.” I asked her about her Burmese lover. Her face lit up, she was curious about how I figured it out. I said the Burmese part was easy, as Takadanobaba has many people from Burma. I used to go there for…
On New Year’s Day, we visit the neighborhood shrine to seek blessings for the new year. People come to the shrine to draw their fortunes. Though I am not a big fan of fortune-telling, I like to see people’s reactions when they read their fortunes. For me, the bigger attraction is the family lunch later in the day. Earlier at Choshi, I met the “ waiting room” cat. The waiting room cat wants to…
I am writing postcards in Lao PDR . The postcards feature elephants. The stamp features the new high-speed train. In school, we learnt about Lao as the land of million elephants (Lan Xang: Million Elephants). Now I know Lao as the place with the fastest train in Southeast Asia.
The neighbor always greeted me with a “ hello, teacher” and a smile. I was her ChatGPT as she always had questions for me— about travel, and sometimes about Japanese and Korean politics. The neighbor and her friends run the little bars in the Japanese town. They like to have interesting topics to discuss with their patrons who are mostly Japanese, Korean, or Taiwanese businessmen or factory…
In 2001, when I walked down a small alley in Laos, the children paused their play and walked with me till the end of the alley, all the time asking many questions about where I came from and what I did, etc. 21 years later, I am back in Vientiane. The same thing happened, but the kids this time were dressed in superhero costumes. I wonder if these kids are the children of the kids I met in 2001.
Some of my favorite places to hang out in Hanoi: Click on the names for the Google map location. Xofa cafe : Not too far from the downtown tourist area, a good place to observe what the local young folks are up to. There are other pretty cafes along the lane. The Slavic Tea House : Located near the touristy area adjacent to the larger Hồ Tây (West Lake). They serve Eastern European desserts. My…
We started running hybrid meets in the 2000s. Initially it was to bring people far away to share with us, Now it is mostly for accessibility - I want anyone who is interested in the topic to join in. After experimenting with various gadgets and workflows,, I have settled on Rode Wireless II Go to make any venue a hybrid venue. You can also use similar solution by DJI , (but I have not tested it as…
