We recently gave a little presentation on importing goods from the Far East into the UK at the Autumn Fair in Birmingham. Drawing on years of experience both as a Project Manager in a larger business and sourcing products for our very own collection, Joe’s presentation covers many of the basics, from finding suppliers to shipping […]
Hi, I’m Joe, founder of …in a strange land and I am a big fan of noodles. Ever since I first tasted WonTon noodle soup in Wong Kei in London’s Chinatown as a teenager, I have wanted more. I’m pleased to say I have succeeded in this ambition. The perfect breakfast in my humble opinion, […]
Regardless of how you feel about the commercialisation of public and religious holidays in the UK, it can’t be denied that Easter is big business. The link between the death of Christ and the consumption of vast quantities of chocolate delivered by a rabbit are tenuous at best. Cadbury’s are doing their best to distance […]
You may have seen our friend Ross Piper on World’s Weirdest Events recently, on BBC2. He is an expert on insects, but has a passion for the whole natural world. In our interview he discusses the human impact on the planet and on delicate ecosystems the world over:- What started your interest in Zoology and Entomology? […]
Our very first sourcing trip for …in a strange land was memorable for a number of reasons, all of them good! We met some amazing people and visited some incredible places. We also made some wonderful discoveries, not least of which were the beautiful products woven on the Tibetan plateau by an organization called Norlha. […]
Whether you prefer a cup of builders or an exquisite Da Hong Pao, how you prepare it is an oft disputed but nevertheless important aspect of appreciating a decent cup of tea. At …in a strange land we tend to drink Chinese tea and the following guide is recommended for our range of tea from […]
Pretty much everything we buy and consume in ‘developed’ countries today today is made in mass production to fuel the demand from the West. From meat to beauty products and even drinking water. If you take a look at your weekly shop, your clothing and your electrical products you can more or less guarantee that […]
Craft Link is a Fair Trade organisation based in Hanoi, Vietnam. They are perhaps Vietnam’s most well know Fair Trade project and work with 32 ethnic minority groups throughout the country to produce beautiful handcrafted items using both traditional and contemporary techniques and design. Started in 1996, they have been helping the ethnic groups and […]
In Hue, Central Vietnam we visited an organisation which is helping local children have life changing heart surgery. They employ local differently able people to make beautiful handmade gifts using recycled materials with all profits being re-invested in its various projects. Healing the wounded Heart – Hue We were in Hue to […]
We’ve all heard of Muay Thai and possibly Eskrima or Krabi Krabong but there are a whole host of indigenous martial arts practised in South East Asia. Here’s a quick run down of of our Top Five: Bando Thaing– Myanmar Traditional art inspired by the bull, eagle, cobra, panther and monkey. As with Kung […]