The first stop of a long backpacking trip allowed us to get the hang on Southeast Asian birds. Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanic Gardens are mandatory stops in the Lion City.

A full-day stopover in Dubai provided good time to explore the city despite extreme heat. We connect with Indian rollers, purple sunbirds, shikras, and white-cheeked terns within urban Dubai.

A cancelled flight is giving me the chance to explore Mauritius for few days. Île-aux-Aigrettes stands out as the best place to spot local specialties: pink pigeon, Mauritius fody, and day geckos.