i haven't been out of Indonesia/Singapore/Malaysia for some years. does anyone have any suggestions as to where in East Asia i could go for a quick 10-day visit? i was thinking sometime in Sept over the idul fitri break.

acording to the reports from Dilligaf I would suggest Brunei kuku. You arent a drinker so wont miss the lack of bars ... reports suggest Brunei is maintaining is natural wonders and has very good food. Could be worth a visit to explore

i sorta figured someone would suggest that ... i was actually thinking of somewhere out of my comfort zone; a place where i am at a linguistic disadvantage.

vietnam has some awsome little places to get lost in

yes, i have been considering hanoi. anyone actually been there?

or if its a real linguistic disadvantage you are after may i suggest scotland

Cheeky Bar steward,... will discuss your wit, (or lack of it) with you tomorrow at EP.... Mr Chew

Poznan is quite sweet at this time of year, though the dry weather can cause an excess of gravel into one's galonka.

Hehehe, I'd say stay in Jakarta, but you are fair to middling as it goes - come to jogja and sample the delights of inggil, or come further east and practice your madya or nggoko , assuming of course that the proper national language of jawa is not beneath you, or indeed beyond you.

I was there in February this year. I can't say that Vietnam will be on my list of places to visit again, but that just may be because I had 'flu while I was out there.

here's my list of possiblities:

* Phnom Penh

* Hanoi

* Taipei

* Tokyo

* Seoul

remember, i only have 10 days, and would prefer to stay in one place to get to know it a little.

any comments?

Phnom Penh definitely

that's actually one thing that puts me off going to Phnom Penh ... as if i didn't have enough sleaze in my life already ...

If you are thinking of Tokyo then let me know kuku .. awsome city and i can certainly tell you where you should go and what you should investigate --- best city in the world !

certainly thinking about tokyo ... the only thing that scares me is the cost!! as is well known, i am a complete skinflint, and paying out mega-yen for accommodation is not my idea of a good time! please tell me that there's a place like jaksa in tokyo!!

also, tokyo sounds like the kind of place you would need at least a few months to get to know. is there some sort of cheap, small microcosm of tokyo that i could go to?

You will probably find some good deals on hotels in these "tough economic times" so now could be a great time to go for a skin flint. While Tokyo can be a very expensive city you dont have to spend a fortune. There are a lot of very good and very reasonable salary men places that won't break the Okusi bank!

While there is a hell of a lot to do and see in Tokyo with some good planning you should see enough of the place to give you a good feel for the place. The public transport system is awsome so getting from one place to another is quick and simple. It's a shame you are a non drinker kkkc as you will be missing out on some fantastic bars - I shall try and dig around for a few good websites for you to have a look through

Seoul or Taipei - well they are both OK as places to work or to spend a coule of days, but for a holiday destination?

After you have done Taipei 101 then really the only left is 9 days of chicken arsehole kebabs - something the Taiwanese do very well.

As for Korea, after a visit to the DMZ then you have 9 days of Kimchi munching.

Both cities however are at least as expensive as London.