June 2010

Small and rich.

"Why go to Brunei?" I was frequently asked. Why not? It's not commonly visited, it's a fairly boring country, and the sultan, or ruler, is fantastically rich.

I spent a few days in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, meeting locals and eating rice, and went to some sweaty, muddy beaches on the coast. It's more expensive than Malaysia, but not incredibly wealthy as I had imagined. Muddy slums line the elegant mosques.

I didn't have much of an adventure in Brunei, but enjoyed seeing this exotic little country unbeknownst to most people.