Angela Carson

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Angela Carson

👩🏼‍💻 Branding, Social Media & Website (28 yrs. exp)
🐪 Pakistan Travel Planner
❤️ Writer & Vlogger
📍 Life in Batam Island, Indonesia

03/03/2026

Batam, Indonesia ❤️ I stayed at this lovely hotel recently when I was in the city centre for meetings and had the BEST time. Grand Eska Hotel feels more like a resort than a hotel, with an incredible LUXURY SPA (best facial I've had in years), a Starbucks inside, and a piano bar that serves perfectly shaken cocktails.

OH and the lift has the cutest doors I've ever seen, you'll see what I mean 😉

Loved it, 100% recommend it for your next stay in Batam.

28/02/2026

Bangalore Mates … flashback to 2012 🤘🏻 Shots from the VIP tent are at the end of the video and so many of you are there (I’ve tagged everyone I could find, I miss you!) ❤️

I shot this video when I toured with Guns N’ Roses around India in December 2012. It was a 2-month contract to manage their PR, promotions & online marketing.

This was such a fun night, concert one was in my city — Bangalore — so loads of friends were there. My daughter and all her friends were there, too (plus a few teachers she asked for free tickets for 😉).

It was a lot of work but such an amazing experience. Travelling with the band was fantastic.

And the DRAMA! There was drama with Axl. Drama with corrupt politicians forcing their way into VIP with their whole family and eating and drinking everything before the paying guests arrived. Drama with corrupt police who forced the organisers to pay bribes in order for goods to be released from storage warehouses… D-R-A-M-A!!!!!

21/02/2026

A Story for Ramadan 🌙 I made my 1st Muslim friend in 2011 when I moved to India. She was a co-worker who helped me see the truth of her beautiful religion, and helped me to realign decades of misinformation I had in my head.

You see, in the U.S., even in southern California where I was raised, we are often taught that Muslim women are brainwashed to wear hijabs. Muslims (especially in the Middle East) were also definitely vilified as terrorists in the cinema back in the 20th century before I moved away.

EDUCATING ME!!
You know they say “There is no greater education than travel”? Well, that is most definitely true. Although, I was living in India, not travelling … but still.

I asked my co-worker if she’s help me learn about hijabs and burqas. She graciously said yes and took me to an Islamic boutique. There the staff taught me how to pin a hijab. I tried on manner of apparel, too.

Best of all, THEY EDUCATED ME because I was curious enough ask questions. The ladies in the shop shared stories. I heard first-hand how they view the outward symbolisms of their religion. I definitely learned they weren’t brainwashed!!! And I felt their love and kindness.

Since then I have lived in three other Muslim-majority countries, places I feel MUCH SAFER than in my native USA. The warmth and generocity and acceptance I’ve felt in those places has been a gift in my life.

I don’t know why I thought about that co-worker today but I’m still grateful to her. It was a moment of growth in my life I am truly grateful for.

SOOOOO … to all my fabulous and wonderful friends out there CELEBRATING RAMADAN for the next 27 days, I wish you a beautiful month!

And to my friends in PAKISTAN especially … wish I could be there with you ❤️

📍 Batam Island, Indonesia — SOUND ON for the call-to-prayer

20/02/2026

Fab Hotel in Batam, Indonesia ❤️ It’s been ages since I’ve recommended a budget hotel but Eska Hotel is something SPECIAL!

There’s a cool area on the island called Sukajadi, home to some of my favourite cafes here, and this hotel sits right in the heart of all that … just behind the brand new K Square Mall, which was fun to walk over to for some shopping and lunch in their massive food court.

Eska Hotel has a rooftop bar and restaurant that serves up amazing sunsets and perfect cocktails. The spa is amazing, too! I went for a 1-hour foot spa massage but forgot to shoot video I was so relaxed! Both the hotel and spa are run by the same group famous on the island for their spas so of course it was great.

And the rooms! I was in love with the moody / minimalist vibe and AWESOME BATHTUB 🛁

I love this boutique hotel and the neighbourhood. 100% recommend it!

19/11/2025

Historical Village in Punjab ❤️ Padhana Haveli is one of my favourite heritage hidden gems in Pakistan, located just one hour from Lahore. I need to go back again one day as I was sweating soooooo much that I didn't do a proper shoot when I visited 😉

Big hugs and thanks again to my lovely friend for sharing it with me. And to for the wonderful tour and chai

18/11/2025

USA Political/Culture Shock 🇺🇸 T-minus 10 days ‘til my 27-hour journey to visit Mom in Florida. The last time I went was 2021, also my first time in Florida. I had been living 364 days in Pakistan when I rolled up … to what is the single WHITEST PLACE I have ever personally visited.

When I was 21 I moved from Newport Beach, California to Mexico, to Spain at 22, and at 40 I moved from Europe to Asia. Since then I’ve bounced from India, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

That 1st trip to Florida, REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK was the roughest of my life. The place itself is lovely, a planned retirement community built on 57 square miles of pretty farmland, where everyone lives on a golf course, drives a buggy, and there’s lots to see & do every day. But it wasn’t until the 3rd day that I saw a black or brown person. It was someone who stuck JUST LIKE ME the last 364 days in Pakistan.

Me pointing that out didn’t go well (it was made clear we don’t point out that we’re in a white-majority community). It did set the tone, though. Sort of speed-tracking my learning curve and helping me to adapt faster.

THE PEOPLE
Like most anywhere in the world, the people I met were all extremely kind and welcoming. I 100% LOVE their ability to throw a cocktail bar into most any event, morning, noon or night! They check in on each other so my single mother never felt alone, which I also loved. I genuinely have only wonderful things to say about all of Mom’s friends.

But they had been advised that I’m a liberal democrat, and they are (mostly) conservative Trump supporters, which made them want to goad and bait me. I love debate so I genuinely didn’t mind the fun banter back then. Today, though, I feel like things are different. Too much has changed, and in the wrong direction for my heart & soul 💔

So this time, I’m not preparing to transition from being a minority immigrant in Asia to just another white person. I’m gearing up for the polarising political landscape and Trump talk that I fear will be much stronger than it was in 2021.

17/11/2025

On My 2026 Bucket List ❤️ Thanks to Irfan, who runs one of my favourite Balochistan accounts , Kharan Fort is now #1 on my list of places to visit when I’m back in January (located just 4’ish hours from Quetta). He also has the account .kharan to promote that district, be sure to show some love and follow it, please 🐪

Big thanks to my friend Saif for letting me share his wonderful drone shots and the first 60 seconds of his Kharan Fort guide video. If you don’t know his YouTube channel ‘Balochistan: Land of Beauty’ you should visit. It is the most comprehensive channel, covering the whole of Balochistan.

16/11/2025

Pakistan Guide for 1st-Timers 🐪 Have questions about where to visit, getting around, alcohol, safety or what to wear? I hope this helps ❤️

CONTACT FOR PONY TREK
Hindukush Holidays

CONTACT FOR MOTORBIKE TOUR
Pakistan Bikers , run by Haris Ali Shah, founder of Adventure Planners .planners

PAKISTAN TRAVEL PLANNING
If you’d love to explore Pakistan, I offer Travel Planning services for anyone looking to experience their perfect Pakistan adventure, including Balochistan and luxury travel.

HOW IT WORKS
1. We’ll speak so I can fully understand your style of travel, expectations, what’s on your bucket list, desired trip length, etc.
2. I will create a day-by-day custom, bespoke itinerary just for you. No 2 plans are ever the same.
3. Your plan will list in detail amazing local guides, the best hotels to suit your budget, how to efficiently get around, dining options, and the best sightseeing.

PRICE 🌴
• Price is US$200 for me to create your perfect, bespoke itinerary for up to 14 days

ABOUT ME
• Lived in Pakistan 2x, for over 2 years
• Spent 1 year exploring Paksitan full-time, including reviewing every 5-star hotel outside of the North in 2021
• Travelled 41 countries & resided in Mexico, Spain, India, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia & Pakistan
• Contributor to Condé Nast Traveller, Esquire, Travel+Leisure, MAXIM
• Passion for UNESCO

12/11/2025

What is wrong with Pakistanis? I mean it in the sweetest way possible but … seriously!

Before you hate on me, please know that I love Pakistan. I’ve lived there twice, have a company there, and am heading back in Jan.

But I HAVE SOME FEEDBACK borne out of honest frustration.

As a liberal Californian, you might have some ideas brewing but I promise you can’t guess this. It’s something that EVERY visitor to Pakistan experiences. It’s been a point of frustration since MONTHS before my 1st trip. And it follows me today.

Since I was 21, I’ve lived in 8 countries: MX, ES, IN, CN, HK, MY, ID & PK. I’m no spring chicken when it comes to cultural shock or accepting other cultural ideologies.

But Pakistan is singular.

My angst started before my 2020 trip when I shared a simple social media post, “I’m going to Pakistan for 8 weeks, where should I visit?” EVERY SINGLE PAKISTANI replied: “Go to the north.”

THOSE COMMENTS made me feel like I’d be a sheep and made me not want to go to the North. They sent me on a Google search that, happily, led me to discover the beauty of Sindh, Punjab & Balochistan (seen here in my photos). My first 8 weeks, I reviewed all 5-star hotels outside of the North + I chose to shine a light on lesser-known destinations, so not the North. Everyone goes to the North, their tourism economy didn’t need me anyway.

AND HERE LIES MY FRUSTRATION
Last week I launched a new tour in Punjab & Sindh with .planners. Can you guess what I have to delete from the comments most? Yep! “Must go to North” 😡

Yes, the North is pretty but why do Punjabis & Sindhis tell people “go to North” when their region deserves a visit? I needed real tips for exploring ALL of Pakistan but that was an impossible thing to crowd-source from locals.

I am sure I’ll get hate for this but I wish locals remembered there’s way more to Pakistan than its mountains!

FINAL THOUGHT
I owe the commenters a lot 😉 I might not have found all those Punjab & Sindh heritage sites. I definitely wouldn’t have found Balochistan without them and I’ve now explored Balochistan 72 days (10 districts!), the longest of any foreigner since 9/11.

Address

Bangalore

Website

https://linktr.ee/angelacarson

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Vlogger, Podcaster, Blogger & Travel Writer

Come travel & explore life in Asia with me, Angela Carson. I share a weekly podcast ALWAYS GET LOST. Since 2012, I also upload destination guides, reviews of Asia's top hotels, restaurants, lounges, and travel experiences + vlogs about life as an expat in Southeast Asia on YouTube.

🎥 YouTube & Instagram!

🎧 Podcast ALWAYS GET LOST on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Asia travel blog Luxury Bucket List & personal blog about life in Asia ExpatAngela.com