I originally started this blog to keep my family updated with my new life away from home, yet over the years blogging has turned into so much more than that.

Firstly, I didn’t expect my writing and photograpghy skills to improve the way they have (both are still very dodgy haha!). Yet more surprising than anything; I didn’t expect the network of friends I would build as a result from the blog – which still to this day I find mind blow-ingly amazing. I have been fortunate enough to meet some of you in person, and that is surely the best thing to come out this adventure.

Most people find it hard to quit things, especially good things, yet I’ve come to the conclusion now is the right time to stop this blogging business. It’s the right time for me. Let’s break down the reasons:

You need something interesting to share

Ironically enough, with limited time, I find updating the blog while on the road a lot easier than updating it when I’m based somewhere. When I’m on the road and have just come back from a great day out, it’s fun to sit down and go through the images I’ve taken, re-size them and write a quick post about the adventure. When I’m based somewhere, enthusiasm goes out of the window; I’m a lot more social in the real world and I’m not so keen on writing about stuff that every-day people get up too.

Content goes stale quickly

I started blogging when I had just opened up my first company and office in Bangkok. Mentally, I was still a kid. I don’t agree with half of the stuff I published back then. Dear I say it, I think I’m a little more grown up and mature now. There’s also a few guides I have written, which are also out of date. This is why travel guides, both online and offline, are so shit; everything changes so quickly.

My focus and priorities have changed

This time last year I was an affiliate marketer who traveled a lot with aspirations of getting into physical goods. Today I’m a guy who has a bunch of affiliate sites, is totally addicted to getting fit, has been shattered from losing 2 of he’s best buddies and is now looking to settle down and build a family. Oh’, and I can’t ignore that I’ve just inherited a telecoms data company that has over 600 staff.

Unexpectedly, you could say I’m now moving into what I’m calling the “next chapter” of my life. And this is why I’m announcing I’m quitting blogging today; I’ve decided to keep the next chapter of my life private.

I will keep semi-active on Twitter, publish foodie photos to my Instagram account from time to time (I love this app!) and may even guest post on other blogs (or start a new non-personal blog) in the future. But as for keeping My Egg Noodles alive, I’m done.

I just want to end this chapter by expressing heart-warmed thanks to everyone who has left a comment or reached out to me since I started this blogging adventure. 85,000 visitors so far this year and 2,269 approved comments – that’s a lot of you to thank!

I’m really excited to announce that I have finalised and confirmed both the venue and the speakers for the first and only Asian Sourcing Event, and tickets are now on sale!

It seems like such a long time ago I was at the Hong Kong Mega Show, thinking to myself how cool it would be to have an event like this that I could personally attend and learn from. It feels great that it’s finally a reality, and I’m happy to announce the following details:

The Speakers

I’m really pleased the 2 speakers I was hoping to speak at the event saw the value and committed straight away. Both have heaps of experience in the sourcing business. They share the same vision as me: that one can learn more in a 2 hour face to face conversation versus reading through hundreds of sourcing blog posts.

Mike Bellamy will cover “The fundamental principles of sourcing in China: Common pitfalls and best practices” and Renaud Anjoran will cover “Quality control tips, tools and templates for audits and inspections”. Head over to the site for more background info on both Mike and Renaud.

The Venue

I visited tens of hotels and meeting rooms while on my inspection trip to Hong Kong earlier this year and got a good feel of what venues were not suitable, ones that would make do and a select few that were perfect.

As I kind of expected, the 3 hotels and function rooms that ended up on my short list were the most expensive, yet it’s never been my aim to skimp and save. I’ve always envisioned this event to be high quality; from the speakers, to the food, networking, learning, service… even to the ambiance.

This is why I chose the Grand Hyatt Hotel – the only hotel attached to the Hong Kong exhibition and convention centre (where the Hong Kong Mega show is held). The decor, food, service and view (oh’ my god – the view over the skyline is mind blowing!) is guaranteed to blow all of the attendees away.

Who should visit

If you want to learn more about the opportunities of sourcing products in China, this event is for you.

If you want to learn from experts in the know and want to network with like minded businessmen people, this event is for you.

If you want a great meal in Hong Kong with unlimited alcoholic beverages for a very reasonable fee, this event is for you.

I really believe that if you operate an online business and have a targeted audience you can sell physical products. The profit margins available on the products showcased at these sourcing fairs are mind blowing. Likewise, if your an affiliate marketer, you already know that the key to growth is being on the other side of the chain; to have hundreds of affiliates promoting your goods and earning a profit from each sale.

Considering the cost for a nice meal at a high end restaurant in Hong Kong, I think the rates we have set are very reasonable. I can’t put a price on the networking and education aspect, but would guess the value from not making a critical mistake could potentially save thousands of dollars.

Here’s a $50 discount code!

If you want to attend, use the code myeggnoodles for a $50 discount off the ticket price. There are only a few early bird tickets remaining.Click here to get your ticket now.

Earn 20% commissions

If you have a website or mailing list and think your users would be interested in learning more about the event, sign up for our affiliate program here. We are offering 20% commissions on both the early bird and standard tickets.

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If you have any questions regarding the event, booking tickets or plan to attend, please let me know in the comments below!

The Ubon Candle Festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year here in Ubon and was held yesterday. Features includes huge wax sculptures, a parade, boat race, beautiful traditional Thai dancing, a fair and wax sculptures from teams visiting the festival from out of Thailand; mainly Brazil, France and Nepal.

The Ubon Candle Festival wasn’t as impressive as the Sapporo Snow Festival, yet it was a lot of fun hanging out for the day and I would recommend visiting the festival next year, especially if you are already in Thailand.

I’ve wanted to start a podcast for a while now, and as I’m getting into sourcing products and e-commerce, interviewing those in the know is as good a good place to start.

My first guest is Dan Andrews, co-founder of a product design company based in San Diago. Dan also runs the Topical MBA – a paid internship with a difference, and is the co-host of the Lifestyle Business Podcast.

Listen to learn dan’s views and advice on:

• Designing products to market

• Shipping and packaging products from China

• Marketing products online and offline

Products and services mentioned:

Solid Works - Random Show - Foodzie - Drupal - Ubercart - Paypal - Optimizely - Crazy Egg - Visual website optimizer

Product Design with Dan Andrews by myeggnoodles

I appologise the sound quaility and the strucutre is a little flaky (I didn’t even ask Dan where he could be found online!) – however I hope these will fall into place over time.

While back in England for my dad’s funeral, I woke up one morning and had the sudden urge to escape. Considering the size of Europe, and the fact I could go anywhere, it’s was a pain in the arse trying to decide where to go.

And then all of the sudden I remembered watching Jamie Oliver does Stockholm, and a few minutes later I had bought myself a flight and a booked myself into a posh hotel for a couple of nights.

Stockholm, Sweden is one beautiful city, probably one of the most stunning I have visited in Europe. The girls were equally as beautiful, the food great and Stockholm in general served as a good place to roam the streets while reflecting on life.

My father having fun in Bangkok on our first visit to Thailand.

My father taught me more about life than everyone else combined. I am who I am because of my Dad. He was and always will be my idol. He has always encouraged me to follow my dreams, and it feels so comforting to know he was generally proud of me.

My father always treated everyone the same, always gave and never expected anything in return, and was a great loving father to boot. He will be missed by many, and will forever shape the way I think and behave.

I’m keeping strong, just as he would expect of me.

I have just been told he said this to he’s best friend a while ago:

“When I go it shouldn’t be with a whimper, but slide in sideways with my hair on fire shouting “What a ride!’”

That is so my old man haha

Thanks Dad for all the love, advice, laughs, memories and hugs you’ve gave me. I love you more than words can express.

I love this photo as it really captures how smashed I was for 3 days straight during Songkran.

Inspired by Dan’s excellent wrap up on why he is living in Bali, I thought I’d jot down some notes on why after 29 months of bouncing around Asia, I have decided to call Ubon Ratchathani my home.

We need to go back 2 months; Myself and my ex-girlfriend of 4 years decided to split ways. The split happened suddenly and I was stuck as to where to go. The Thai Songkran festival was just around the corner so I decided to get the bus down to Ubon and celebrate it here, while I decided where I was going to go next. I had no intentions of staying in Ubon long term, yet I’ve now seriously fallen in love with the place and see a future (at least a year or 2) for myself here.

This isn’t a post to connivence you to check out or move to Ubon. In fact, Ubon city is pretty darn ugly and compared to Bali, there’s very few things to do here. There’s also very little infrastructure for foreigners in Ubon – which for most people is essential – yet for me, this is one of the biggest attractions.

There’s also the language issue. Very few people in the North East of Thailand speak English and unless you speak good Thai, you are limited as to who you can meet and hang out with here. Most expats in Thailand seem to hang out with other expats all the time – which I think for most part is due to communication problems (sadly, very few expats in Thailand speak good Thai). However after 5 years of learning to speak Thai, I am very comfortable hanging out and meeting Thai friends. In fact, I prefer to hang out with locals verses most expats; I get their jokes, and they sometimes get mine :) Being able to communicate in Thai is probably the biggest reason Ubon is best suited for me, yet wouldn’t necessarily be the best location for others.

Why Ubon? Why settle down?

I guess I’m at that stage of my life where I’m ready to settle down and have some routine, and Ubon is great for that. I work in the mornings, I exercise in the afternoons and I socialise with friends during the evenings. I will still continue to travel regularly – yet I now really like having my own base (I absolutely love my own wardrobe hahaha!).

Anyway… that’s enough rambling on… let’s get into some pictures that I hope will paint a bit of a picture of what my life in Ubon is like…

This is my bachelor pad. It’s a small studio apartment in the center of town that costs $120 per month. Cheap as chips!

My Honda Click – I love this machine and rely on it daily to get myself around town.

The swimming pool I visit daily. I often hook up with friends here and we talk for hours.

The first gym I actually enjoy visiting. The staff here are amazing and it’s like I’ve got 2 personal trainers who are always teaching me how to lift weights properly. Membership for the pool and gym is only $90 for 3 months.

Although Ubon city is ugly, 10 minutes in any direction outside of town and your blessed with beautiful countryside.

Although now it’s the rainy season… and I’m often getting caught out in the rain!

There are some excellent restaurants in Ubon, and this is a late night fav of mine as it’s open until 5am.

There are also a few bamboo floating restaurants that make for a nice change of scenery.

Roasted isaan style fish at the bamboo place. This was to die for… hmmmm :)

Not all food in Isaan is equal. This guy is selling BBQ toads!

I never used to like working in Coffee Shops, yet this coffee shop is different. The owner and all of the staff are like my second family now, and I average 40+ hours per week here.

While we are on the subject of food, let me introduce some dishes I have on a regular basis. The first is my high protein breakfast consisting of chicken with garlic and eggs.

For lunch I normally dine at Fuji the Japanese restaurant or MK – a Suki style place. Above is the beef salad at Fuji and is delicious!

I am currently on the Slow Carb diet (I’ve lost 10kg already and I’m now building muscle – more on that on another post). I get one day off per week where I can eat carbs, and I never miss having this home-made burger.

Ubon is blessed to have one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve ever dinned at, and I always come here on my cheat day. Franco, the guy above, is the friendly owner.

The smoked salmon and home made bread at Spagos is amazing!

And the best thing about living in Ubon…. are my friends. After years of moving around on a regular basis, it feels great to finally start building meaningful long-term relationships with friends.

John and Callum – 2 solid friends who enjoy a party!

My usual crew. We always have a great time.

My girls.

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Anyway… I hope this gives you some insight as to why I’m now basing myself here in Ubon :)

Photo Friday is back!

This is one of my favourite pictures I’ve taken this year. It was taken in Laos beside a tyre repair shop while I was waiting for a guy to fix my puncture. Although Laos is normally very hot, it was cold that day…. cold enough to get the fire going.

Last week I recieved the following email and thought this would make a great opportunity to get back into writing again…

I’m looking to getting started in affiliated marketing. I know this is a pretty broad/cliche question but, how did you get started? How many sites did you begin with? What would influence the products you chose to promote? I just feel like there is an information overload out there on how to get things off the ground and I just don’t want to spin my wheels and/or get caught up in a scam. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thx Chris

Let’s break this down…

How I got into affiliate marketing

I personally got started with affiliate marketing by working for a telephony company who built the infestrcuture to handle telephony payments. The company also built services (think ringtones, compeitions  etc.), and offered a nice percentage of the per minute premium fee to companies who had routes to market these services. I was asked to look after the web based clients, as at the time this was the smallest pie (compapred to TV, Print and Radio). This has since changed, with internet clients providing the most revenue for the company nowadays.

When I visited my clients I would ask hundreds of questions… way more than I should have. As I was on a commision, I knew that if I could find out the traffic building strategies that worked for one client, I could then go and tell my other clients who would then go on to create more sales, resulting in a higher commission check for me every month. A bit dirty, I know.

It didn’t take long to realiase that I needed to get building websites myself, so I could recoup the full payouts instead of the commissions I gained. Lucky, the company agreed I could work on building my own traffic in my spare time. Not knowing how to build web sites, I found some guys in India who could build them for me… and that’s what I’ve been doing since.

Getting started with affiliate marketing

Getting into affiliate marketing from the out-set is a tough nut to crack… most people normally fall into it by accident, having spent years building a web property which they later monitize with affiliate marketing.

Firstly, you must understand there are 2 types of affiliate marketing; promoting products/services or gain commissions through getting people to take an action (called CPA – cost per action). These are very different bowls of fish, as CPA normally involves buying traffic and spending most of your time tweaking the conversion rates (on both the landing page and the ad campaign). The former, which I’m personally involved with, normally involves creating sites that are loaded with information on a particular topic and relying on Social media, links and organic search results for traffic.

Before you start looking into which direction you take, I recommend newbies just set out to spend a thousand dollars setting up 5 sites to just learn the the ropes. You’ll learn the basics such as buying a domain, setting up hosting, getting a logo designed, setting the site up, playing with some basic SEO etc…. these are things every affiliate marketer must know inside out, before going on to optimize conversions.

Also, it’s worth pointing out that as in all areas of life, opportunities will present themselves while you build momentum (trust me on this one, you’ll just fall into a niche or come across a campaign that works really well). The key is just to start, and that’s exactly why I recommend setting up 5 sites around 5 subjects or hobbies you are interested in – with no aim of recouping the costs. See this as your tuition costs.

Everyone should be able to come up with 5 hobbies… these can be anything… for me, I would pick Thai food, Wine, Tea, Sailing and the Kindle. Still unsure? Think of your favourite car, your favourite food, favourite sport, favorite drink and favourite brand.

How to set up your first 5 sites

For each of these hobbies, go and do some basic keyword research on Google Adwords keyword tool (there are more advanced tools out there, but let’s keep it simple for now) to find some keyword phrases that have searches (i.e demand), yet little competition. Once you’ve got 20 keyword phrases for each hobby/site, you’ll need to chose a domain name from the list. It’s better if you include the keyword phrase in the domain name if you can. I buy my domain names from Name Cheap and highly recommend them.

The next step is to get some good hosting. Don’t be cheap here – $200 for a year plan on Media Temple is worth the extra bucks from the headaches you may incur later on with a cheap host. Once you have your welcome email from Media Temple, update the NameServer info on each of your domains in your Name Cheap account (this basically points the domains to the server).

The next thing you’ll want to do is set up a content management system on your sites. I’m a huge fan of WordPress, as the community is huge and there are heaps of free plugins and themes you can use. If you don’t know how to instal WordPress (Media Temple has a one click install by the way), have a search on YouTube – I’m always pleasantly surprised how good the user generated turterials on YouTube are.

It’s now time to get a WordPress theme. Chose a simple theme over a complicated one. You’ll want a theme that allows you to have links on every page (called site-wide links) and make sure the navigation is clear. If you don’t find anything via a Google Search, check out the themes on Theme Forest. Install your chosen theme. File Zilla is my preferred FTP client, which allows you to upload/download files to your server. If you don’t know how any of this stuff works, return to YouTube for a tutorial.

Create the pages you want (from the keyword research), get some articles up and get yourself a $5 logo made up. I personally outsource all of this, and Fiverr is a great place to checkout if you want an introduction to outsourcing.

Before you know it, you’ll have 5 sites up and running and you would have learned heaps in the process. Remember: it’s all about getting your hands dirty and building momentum. Once the sites are up, you can then go out and find an affiliate program for a product or service that matches your site niche. Affiliate programs can easily be found via searching Google for “[niche name] affiliate program” or signing up to an affiliate network that has multiple companies you can work with. Add the adds they provide to your site and wolla, your an affiliate marketer :)

…okay, there’s a little more to it than that – But if you do complete the above, you’ll be 50% there. Spend the next year creating other sites, test different affiliate programs, copy and artwork… look at all the different ways you can get traffic…. monitor everything, test everything. If you live this day in, day out, you’ll be well on your way.

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I guess the key to getting started with affiliate marketing is to just get started.

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If you’re involved with affiliate marketing, I would love to hear the tips you give newbies in the comments below. I’m also open to questions for the newbies out there :)

My adorable Thai buddies who really care about the local community.

A few Thai friends of mine invited me to a school that looks after homeless kids, kids with HIV and kids with down syndrome in Ubon over the weekend. This is the first time I have volunteered to do something like this, and was over the moon that the kids had as much fun as I did. We donated coconut ice-cream with sweet sticky rice, and had enough to feed all 250 kids! Great fun :)

I have 2 pictures of this kid. The first he didn’t smile, then I asked him to smile and I got this beauty!

Me and Pe’ Nit posing!

Kids counting from 1 to 20 in Thai and English.

Pe’ Oam

He was up for it! lol

This guy was on the case trying to get my female friends phone numbers. He came out with some wicked one liners and had us all laughing our heads off!