Inspiring others to live a life less ordinary. Or something along those lines… Live Less Ordinary started back in 2012 as a place to share my personal experiences as a newly relocated ex-pat living in Bangkok. A story which quickly expanded into exciting adventures through Asia with lots of regular travels in Thailand and beyond. It’s also a blog aimed not to promote or inspire others to do similar. But to live a life of their own choosing. Screw the expectations of social norms and the hype of influencers… Anyway, here are some of our more exciting adventures. Welcome to Live Less Ordinary, by Allan and Fanfan Wilson.
It’s hard to say these days that anywhere is an off-the-beaten-track Bali destination. But there are …
My name is Allan Wilson, and below is me at my happiest, chowing down on all …
To date, through 5 separate road trips in Northern Thailand, we have now covered all 9 …
We arrive to Osaka’s Kansai airport at night-time, when I find myself somewhat mesmerized by the …
Note, this is a long journal so there’s an easier, downloadable eBook option over there on the …
A New Life in Thailand!
This blog follows my somewhat reckless decision to ditch the conventional life back ‘home’ in the U.K. and to follow my own aspirations with a new life in Bangkok, Thailand. A move which inevitably gave me a foothold for travel in Asia. But it did come with years of sacrifice, and wasn’t some whimsical “jump on the next flight out of here”, YOLO adventure etc, just hoping for the best. Instead I planned and invested in a long-term lifestyle change, with a permanent home in Bangkok, and now 10-plus years later I’m still living and loving life in Asia, with my amazing wife and travel partner Fanfan (we married in Bali in 2013).
It is amazing to still find people claiming to live like VIPs on seemingly tiny budgets …
Most western tourists will be able to arrive to Thailand without a visa, and will be …
Chiang Mai has never really appealed to me in the past and, given the choice, I …
Recently we made the seemingly backward decision to move from our happy home in Bangkok, to …
Buying a condo in Bangkok is the second best decision I’ve made in my life. The …
A World of Food!
As with pretty much everyone in Thailand and Asia, we are both seriously food-obsessed, where food shapes both our daily lives as well as plans and itineraries for travel. There’s rarely a day in life that doesn’t revolve around food. And the spicier the food the better. We even brought this passion to Northern Ireland recently during a stint in lockdown when we opened a Thai food delivery service (Fanfan’s Kitchen: Proper Thai Food) selling authentic street food, Thailand’s regional staples, and authentic homecooked Thai food and recipes… Offering people the opportunity to travel through food when they literally could not travel. Although our passion will always be more in the eating!
This was not so much about me sharing the sweet custardy delight of durian …
My name is Allan Wilson, and below is me at my happiest, chowing down …
One of my sincerest obsessions in Asian cuisine would undoubtedly be the Sichuan Mala …
Isaan sausages, or sausages as they’re called in Isaan (Saigrok ไส้กรอกอีสาน in Thai) are easily one …
With its unique Portuguese heritage Macau does host its own cuisine called Macanese foods …
This list is bit of a mixed bunch as there was quite a bit of compromise …
The most exciting part of travel for me is turning up to a brand …
First off, I really should apologize for the lack of posts this year in …
Hi, I’m Allan, the grumbly looking fella, eating all sorts of weirdness while wearing …
For most visitors to Malaysia, ethnic Malay food will only be part of the …
Location: the remote island of Perhentian Besar, South China Sea, religiously Muslim and alcohol …
I admit on travelling to Myanmar (Burma) we were a little apprehensive of Burmese …
Our travels to China were in the winter months when temperatures sit in constant …
We arrive to Xian with little expectations for eating, leaving Xian it is one …
In honesty I am not a big soup fan and if I had the …
If visiting Laos you are likely to arrive from neighbouring borders, Vietnam on the …
Love soup, noodles or noodle soup? Then Vietnam is where you want to be. …
Northern Thai Food (Lanna food) is a unique food set which presides in the …
Himalayan food is a diverse and unique cuisine which covers all ends of the …
Ant egg salads, street food counters lined with entrails, carts filled with bugs. I …
Destination Hotels!
An early interest with us here at Live Less Ordinary, inspired partly by Fanfan’s studies in Applied Arts at University (a fancy term for interior design), was our mutual love for unique and boutique travel experiences. Something that was relatively new at the time. So instead of following the notorious backpacker trails of Southeast Asia, we would instead seek out the ‘less ordinary’ experiences of new tourism in the region, which came mostly in accommodation and hotels. Instead of just looking for a bed for a night, the hotel would also be the destination, offering something new and exciting to the otherwise stale and unexciting backdrop of tourism and hospitality at the time.
Our arrival to the shores of Sanur was not a comfortable one, as we are dumped from our boat from Nusa Penida …
It does feel almost like routine now, to jump into a taxi north from Denpasar airport, and then don’t stop until reaching …
Krabi, without a doubt, is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes the world over, including such iconic destinations as “The …
Our short visit to the Perhentian Islands began as one of the most stressful travel experiences to date, when we arrived to Kuala …
I don’t feel I need to sell Ireland’s iconic coastlines, as the backdrops of massive movie franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, …
The one experience not to be missed in Japan, for me, is the traditional ryokan experience, which is more than just your …
Our stay at Ulu Ulu Resort, in Temburong National Park, threw us far out from our usual comfort zone, as part of a …
When constantly moving, chasing budgets and schedules, and documenting everything along the way, we do consider travel to be work these days. So …
This week we made an escape from the relentless heats of Thailand’s lower lands, with a stay in Khao Yai, a region …
It is often a worry with hotel reviews that we may fail to find more to add to past experiences, almost expecting …
After touch down at Osaka’s Kansai International Airport, we connect direct by train to the JR Tennoji Station, to find ourselves on …
The journey to Vang Vieng was easier than anticipated and, while we did choose the wrong mode of transport, it wasn’t so …
For affordable Ryokan hotels at Mount Fuji, the best area would have to be Kawaguchiko Lake (fujikawaguchiko) found in the Fuji Five …
This would be our fifth visit to Rayong, although before now, we have always failed to see further than the pier at …
You could say we are well-versed with the typical tourist protocol in Kuala Lumpur, only in the past we have often followed …
Siem Reap no doubt spoils for choice when it comes to hotels but it can also be a strenuous task to filter …
On our escape to Koh Yao Yai we stay at a number of resorts and without a doubt Santhiya Koh Yao Yai …
Despite being well travelled in Thailand this was our first visit to Phuket. The reason? We can’t afford it. A visit to …