Brunei Darussalam was in 2010 not my natural travel choice. However approaching it by air, coming from Singapore, was an eye-opener: Pure rainforest was unfolding below the wings of our aircraft just before landing. While Brunei is sharing the island of Borneo with Malaysia and Indonesia, it did not follow its neighbours’ habits to convert rainforest into palm plantations, thanks to ample revenue from the largest oilfields in South East Asia. Sojourning in one of the richest countries on earth there were not many other options than staying at the gilded spectacle of a hotel which doubled as guesthouse of the royal family. In Bandar Seri Begawan, probably the capital with most beautiful name, my wife and me visited Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. Locals came to the lagoon surrounding the mosque to be photographed in front of its golden domes (no selfies in those days), to worship, shop and to eat. Later in the afternoon, we took a boat to Kampung Ayer water village. While the sun was dropping gorgeously into the sea, creating the most surreal conditions of light, locals were racing between the stilt houses to their mosque. We raced to a night market, indulging in Beef Rendang and Bamboo Chicken.

I really liked somnolent Brunei where life was revolving about the basic needs: shopping, worshipping and good eating. Guess what I did?