May 17, 2019

The Yangon Post: Issue 1 | Spring/Summer 2019

We've launched a newspaper! Email us at hello@kalinko.com and we'll send you a copy.

May 15, 2019

Globetrotting: Hong Kong

Hong Kong island is only 80 square kilometres. And only 25% of it is built up. So the whole of Hong Kong which isn’t jungle, mountain or beach would fit into 8 Hyde Parks. Buttt 1.3 million people live there. That’s 160,000 per Hyde Park. Mind Blown.

Question: So what’s so great about this teeny island where all these people want to live?

May 08, 2019

From Sophie: A Burmese Day

I often get asked what it’s actually like to live in Burma. The every-day-ness of it. If you read this post about the difference between London and Yangon, you’ll know that every day is unexpected, and never goes as planned. But it always starts in the same way…

May 01, 2019

Your Kalinko: Rattan Ready

The great thing about rattan is that it looks seasonal all year round. So while we patiently wait for summer to arrive, here’s our pick of the ways you’ve been styling our rattan this spring.

Apr 24, 2019

Home Truths: Stellar Spare Rooms

It’s an odd phrase: spare room. It sounds like it’s unloved. While it might be less used than others, there’s no need for it to be bare or boring. Here are some top tips for making your spare room sing, just like the rest of your home.

Apr 19, 2019

Burma Calling: The National Sport... Keepie-Uppie

Did you know that there’s no word for “no” in Burmese? It will therefore come as no surprise that their national sport is entirely non-competitive. Chinlone (“Cane Ball”) is a combination of keepie-uppie and dressage and has been played on every street corner for over 1500 years.

Apr 10, 2019

Kalinko Living: Easter Treats from Around the World

Easter in England is usually an excuse to eat 45 mini eggs at breakfast, don the lovely crayon-adorned straw hat that has come out of nursery, and coo at lambs and daffodils to the dulcet tones of “Christ the lord is risen to-da-ay…”

Well it’s not the same world-over. Here’s our pick of the festivities from other cultures:

Apr 03, 2019

Globetrotting: Toronto

Often described as the love child of New York and London, Toronto has all the fun and culture of its purported parents, but dialled down a notch. It’s notorious for extreme weather on both ends of the spectrum, but hit it right and you’re in for a treat. A foodie heaven, a multicultural hub, and just a short (by Northern American standards) drive from Niagara Falls, if you’re looking for a calm city break, head on over to Hogtown.

Mar 27, 2019

From Sophie: London vs. Yangon

You’d think that living in Yangon would be worlds apart from London. But oddly, it isn’t so different. Monday to Friday, I get up and go to the office. On Saturdays and Sundays I don’t. I have supper with friends. Watch a bit of Netflix. Play squash. Do yoga.

But maybe after four years I've normalised things I used to find unfamiliar. Maybe being woken up by chanting monks isn't the same as being roused by the Today programme, and perhaps hoarding tonic water in case of a city-wide shortage is not my usual behaviour.

On reflection, some things are a bit different. A lot different, actually. For instance...