Travelfish #432:What goes up must come down

On a cosmonaut and other stuff

Hi all,

What goes up must come down right? Even cosmonauts. So with that in mind, the photos this week are of a sunrise and a sunset. Do let me know if you can figure out where.

Three things stand out in this week’s collection of stuff worth a look, see or listen to. First and foremost is the new Netflix documentary Downfall: The Case Against Boeing—if you fly (or used to!) it is close to a must-watch. Also in my new “Random other stuff” section, is a podcast interview with an author who has penned a new book on Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. It is surprisingly funny in places and plain whacky in others, but, well, the first man in space qualifies him for inclusion in a travel newsletter I reckon! Last but not least, the top-lining story this week, is an interview with the trainman—aka the Man in Seat 51. Oh, and don’t miss the old pics from Cambodia! Enjoy.

Cheers

Stuart

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Sunrise

Photo: Stuart McDonald

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Vaccinations snapshot

The following chart is per capita—not total numbers. The dark green bar is the one that matters—it represents the percentage of the eligible population that are fully vaccinated. You can see a full-size and interactive version of the chart here.

Source: Our World in Data

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Travel summary

So where is open and where is closed? This chart by Hannah Pearson at Pear Anderson summarises the state of play in the region as of Sunday, February 20, 2021. If you’re after a detailed weekly report on the region, Hannah’s report is the absolute business.

To receive Hannah’s report in your email mailbox every Sunday you can sign up here (it is free!). This is my go-to reportfor where things are at in the region. If you have any queries or suggestions about how the chart could be improved, please drop her a line via the Pear Anderson website here.

Source: The Impact of Covid-19 on the Southeast Asian Tourism Industry (PDF)

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⭐️ Story of the week 

The Man Who Knows the Way From Anywhere to Everywhere by Train from 5 Media

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🇲🇲 Burma

• An NGO Worker’s Perspective: Fighting for Human Rights as Democracy Dies from Tea Circle

• Omicron Wave Threatens to Overwhelm Myanmar’s Health System from Frontier Myanmar

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Cambodia in 1989 from John Vink

• Last Irrawaddy Dolphin in Northeastern Cambodia Dies from Radio Free Asia

• Victims Allege Sihanoukville Precincts With Ties to Major Businesses Are Sites of Scams, Torture, Detention from VOD English

Environment

• Dam Reservoir Releases Could Raise Mekong River Water Levels from SEA Globe

• No More Plastics in Southeast Asia Paradise from Le Monde Diplomatique (May 2021)

• Red Seas and No Fish: Nickel Mining Takes Its Toll on Indonesia’s Spice Islands from MongaBay

• That Organic Cotton T-shirt May Not Be as Organic as You Think from The New York Times

• ‘We Are Afraid’: Erin Brockovich Pollutant Linked to Global Electric Car Boom from The Guardian

🇮🇩 Indonesia

• A New Indonesian Capital City: Conflict Pending from New Mandala

• Bali, Where Are You Heading? from Inside Indonesia

• Dutch PM Apologizes for Atrocities Committed During Indonesian Independence War from The Diplomat

• Morning of the Earth Was Once Seen as a Gamble from ABC News

• The Island for the Dogs from Inside Indonesia

🇱🇦 Laos

• Bats in Laos Host Closest Relative to Covid Virus from The Laotian Times

• Lao Authorities Rescue Women Trapped in Chinese-run Economic Zone from Radio Free Asia

🇲🇾 Malaysia

• History and Progress Face Off in a Malaysian Square from SEA Globe

🇸🇬 Singapore

• From Underground Gangster to Healer of Bodies from Rice Media (Video)

• Lift-less in Singapore: To Move or Not to Move, That Is the Question from Rice Media

🇹🇭 Thailand

• ‘Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok)’ Is the Best/Worst Thing to Happen from Coconuts Bangkok

• Sri Panwa Owner Threatens Negative Reviewer With Legal Action, Lese Majeste Law from Thai Enquirer

• The Hidden Tale of a 3-legged Tiger from The Bangkok Post

🇻🇳 Vietnam

• Girl’s Fatal Beating Spotlights Child Abuse in Vietnam from SEA Globe

• Phan Xích Long là ai? from Connla Stokes

• Tasting the Future of Coffee in Vietnam from NikkeiAsia

• We Are Stripping Vietnam of Its '‘Hidden Charms’ from VNExpress

Random other stuff

• Downfall: The Case Against Boeing from Netflix

• What Was the TED Talk? from The Drift Mag

• Yuri Gagarin, Cold War Cosmonaut  from ABC Conversations

Couchfish (Free-to-read, from the week before last)

• Baby Steps

• Couchfish: Don’t Leave the Lights on

• Couchfish: Tourism’s Bloody Shin

Couchfish (Paid subscribers only)

• Couchfish Day 284: Aniseed’s Ears

• Couchfish Day 285: A frog, an elephant and a pig walk into a bar ...

Sunset

Photo: Stuart McDonald

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See you next week!

So that’s the wrap. I hope you are all in good health and weathering Covid19 as well as possible.

See you next week,

Stuart