# Rubies and Rucksacks > A travel memoir > In Burma, warriors believed that rubies would make them invincible, and according to folklore, they would implant them in their skin before battle. In China, these jewels, the colour of pigeon blood, also provided the owner with good fortune, success, and protection from evil. The plan was to spend a year in Southeast Asia, China, and Japan, in search of life, love, and meaning. But with hustlers, mercenaries, jailors, and a Brotherhood of Nigerians in the way, the search took much longer—and it required going further afield. --- ## Pages - [Cookie Policy](https://flyingcormorant.com/cookie-policy/): This page provides comprehensive information about how we use cookies on our website to enhance your browsing experience, improve website... - [Annotated Bibliography](https://flyingcormorant.com/selected-bibliography/): Araki, Horihiko. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. First serialised by Shueisha in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump: 1987. The series started with Phantom... - [Glossary](https://flyingcormorant.com/glossary/): Types of transportation, foods, greetings, terms and clarifications: 8888 Uprising: The name given to the mass protests across Burma scheduled... - [Description](https://flyingcormorant.com/description/): Frustrated with his job and contrary to the naysayers telling him to stay, Aren Manoukian (Առէն Մանուկեան) Ren Manoukian, the son of... - [Table of Contents](https://flyingcormorant.com/table-of-contents/): The book is separated into three parts, each with a distinct pattern of travel. Please go to the About page... - [Privacy Policy](https://flyingcormorant.com/privacy-policy/): Who we are Our website address is: https://flyingcormorant. com/. What personal data we collect and why we collect it Comments... - [About](https://flyingcormorant.com/about/): In 1987 I travelled east for the first time, towards Asia. At the start, Beijing had one budget hotel, Myanmar... - [Travel is in the blood](https://flyingcormorant.com/): Rubies and Rucksacks An Asian Odyssey by Mel Christie William M Christie In Burma, warriors believed that rubies would make... --- ## Posts - [One Night in Shibuya](https://flyingcormorant.com/shibuya/): 会ひたくて逢ひたくて踏む薄氷I want to seeAnd to meet youStepping on the thin ice– Madoka Mayuzumi Countdown Music pulsed from the speakers, people... - [Introduction](https://flyingcormorant.com/prologue/): Travel was always in my blood, even though I did not realise it. - [Tujuh. The Boat and the Brothel](https://flyingcormorant.com/boat-and-the-brothel/): Off the beaten track in Malaysia and Thailand. - [Epilogue](https://flyingcormorant.com/epilogue/): Two months later, weird Ted Bucco and I moved into a single-story white cinder block hut at the top of... - [สอง. Rubies and Rucksacks](https://flyingcormorant.com/thai-rubies/): We came alongside a tuk-tuk containing a large Western man. He lay limp in the back. A woman was screaming.... - [Enam. Escape to Singapore](https://flyingcormorant.com/singapore-escape/): I had been warned how dangerous Jakarta was, but after six months of travel I had become complacent. - [Fifteen. The Language Divides](https://flyingcormorant.com/usa-washington-dc/): The deaths peaked in 1991 when almost five hundred died that year out of a population of 606,901. - [十八. Handover](https://flyingcormorant.com/hong-kong-handover/): I know in my heart of hearts that it’s me blocking myself, not a bossman on the other side. - [Mười bảy. The Good, the Bad, and the Blind](https://flyingcormorant.com/vietnam/): Loneliness and self-doubt in Vietnam. - [Bonus. Girlfriends and Sisters](https://flyingcormorant.com/morocco-essouira/): Haroun was of a naturally nervous disposition. Already self-conscious and clumsy, this also made him appear stupid in other people's... - [じゅうよん. One Night in Shibuya](https://flyingcormorant.com/japan-shibuya/): I removed her jacket like a gentleman, spread it across the coarse stone steps so that we could sit down... - [Тринадцать. The Mule](https://flyingcormorant.com/ussr-moscow-mule/): Jed took hold of the dried lizards, I grabbed the bong, and together, we ran to the train. - [Bonus. The Mao Cap](https://flyingcormorant.com/china-mao-cap/): While I had a mild cold and a case of the runs, Ben had full on dysentery. - [བཅུ་གཉིས. No Limits](https://flyingcormorant.com/china-musou-zha/): Marlboros, magazines and the matriarchy. - [ဆယ့်တစ်. Reporting from Rangoon Part 2](https://flyingcormorant.com/burma-report-part-2/): Riots in Prome, curfew in Taunggyi, demonstrations in Rangoon, the base of the Shwedagon pagoda covered with anti-government banners. - [ဆယ်. Reporting from Rangoon Part 1](https://flyingcormorant.com/burma-report-part-1/): One carton of Triple Fives, one bottle of Johnny Walker Red, and a Jeep for hire. - [สิบหก. A Blossom in the House](https://flyingcormorant.com/a-blossom-in-the-house/): An usher had shown me to a secluded area, behind a trellis screen away from the stage, and I was... - [เก้า. Our Selfish War Part 2](https://flyingcormorant.com/thailand-three-pagodas/): The war spills over. - [แปด. Our Selfish War Part 1](https://flyingcormorant.com/thailand-songklaburi/): An interlude on the smuggling route between Thailand and Burma. - [Bonus. The Dance of the Moonlight Swordsman](https://flyingcormorant.com/indonesia/): A bonus story set in Bali. Submitted for publication. - [Lima. Life in Paradise Part 3](https://flyingcormorant.com/philippines-manila/): Life and love in the Philippines - The denouement. - [Apat. Life in Paradise Part 2](https://flyingcormorant.com/philippines-beach/): Life and love in the Philippines - Payback. - [Tatlo. Life in Paradise Part 1](https://flyingcormorant.com/philippines-bontoc/): Life and love in the Philippines. - [一. Hong Kong, a Love Story](https://flyingcormorant.com/hong-kong-love-story/): An ode to Hong Kong. Originally published in the Winter 2026 issue of the University of Chicago affiliated Euphony Journal. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ## Posts - Categories: Bonus, Uncategorized --- - Categories: Uncategorized Travel was always in my blood, even though I did not realise it. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Journal - Tags: Exotic Locations, Malaysia, Thailand Off the beaten track in Malaysia and Thailand. --- - Categories: Journal, Uncategorized - Tags: Home Two months later, weird Ted Bucco and I moved into a single-story white cinder block hut at the top of the hill. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Journal, Photo Collection, Photos - Tags: Exotic Cities, Thailand We came alongside a tuk-tuk containing a large Western man. He lay limp in the back. A woman was screaming. (Originally published in the Dec 2025 edition of Five on the Fifth magazine) --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Journal - Tags: Exotic Cities, Indonesia, Singapore I had been warned how dangerous Jakarta was, but after six months of travel I had become complacent. --- - Categories: Dream, Feature Photo, Journal, Photos - Tags: North America, USA The deaths peaked in 1991 when almost five hundred died that year out of a population of 606,901. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Journal - Tags: East Asia, England, Exotic Cities, Fabulous Islands, Hong Kong, Remote Villages I know in my heart of hearts that it’s me blocking myself, not a bossman on the other side. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Journal, Photo Collection - Tags: Cambodia, Laos, Long Journeys, Vietnam Loneliness and self-doubt in Vietnam. --- - Categories: Bonus, Feature Photo, Photo Collection, Story, Uncategorized - Tags: Africa, Morocco Haroun was of a naturally nervous disposition. Already self-conscious and clumsy, this also made him appear stupid in other people's eyes which then exaggerated his already scattered behaviour. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Story - Tags: East Asia, Japan I removed her jacket like a gentleman, spread it across the coarse stone steps so that we could sit down in comfort, hidden in the darkness, our small personal haven. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: China, Europe, Long Journeys, Russia, USSR Jed took hold of the dried lizards, I grabbed the bong, and together, we ran to the train. --- - Categories: Bonus, Feature Photo, Story, Uncategorized - Tags: China, East Asia While I had a mild cold and a case of the runs, Ben had full on dysentery. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: China, East Asia, Exotic Locations, Remote Villages, Tall Mountains, Tibet Marlboros, magazines and the matriarchy. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: Burma, Exotic Cities, Remote Villages Riots in Prome, curfew in Taunggyi, demonstrations in Rangoon, the base of the Shwedagon pagoda covered with anti-government banners. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photo Collection, Photos, Story - Tags: Burma, Exotic Cities, Long Journeys, Remote Villages One carton of Triple Fives, one bottle of Johnny Walker Red, and a Jeep for hire. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Story - Tags: Exotic Locations, Thailand An usher had shown me to a secluded area, behind a trellis screen away from the stage, and I was seated at a bar top table, when the manager walked over. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: Burma, Exotic Locations, Thailand The war spills over. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: Burma, Remote Villages, Thailand An interlude on the smuggling route between Thailand and Burma. --- - Categories: Bonus, Feature Photo, Photos, Story, Uncategorized - Tags: Fabulous Islands, Indonesia, Tall Mountains A bonus story set in Bali. Submitted for publication. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Story - Tags: Exotic Cities, Philippines Life and love in the Philippines - The denouement. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Story - Tags: Beautiful Beaches, Fabulous Islands, Philippines Life and love in the Philippines - Payback. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photo Collection, Story - Tags: Long Journeys, Philippines, Remote Villages, Tall Mountains Life and love in the Philippines. --- - Categories: Feature Photo, Photos, Story - Tags: East Asia, Exotic Cities, Hong Kong An ode to Hong Kong. Originally published in the Winter 2026 issue of the University of Chicago affiliated Euphony Journal. --- ---