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Story
Why I Returned to Timor Leste
The flight from Darwin to Dili takes barely an hour and a half. Cabin service starts before the seatbelt light’s switched off and descent is announced as I'm extracting the last flakes of a margarine-greasy apple turnover from its in-flight plastic wrapper. A bump-bump landing and we're the only plane on the runway for the…
September 23, 2019
Story
Secret Diary Of An Au Pair
Screaming, crying, cursing, and shouting. Dried up shit in the toilet, on the loo roll, and on the walls. Toys everywhere. This was my life now. This beautiful Bondi beach house had become my own personal punishment, a jail cell, complete with four kids under the age of 10 who, quite simply, hated me. I…
September 17, 2019
Story
Yet Still You Wander
“Another trip, then?” “Yep.” “How long’s this one?” “Not sure yet—three months, maybe.” “I can’t get you scripts that’ll cover you for more than two; you’re also going to need another suitcase just for medical.” “I know.” “It’ll be uncomfortable—there’ll likely be fatigue, headaches and joint inflammation in those last weeks. And that’s a best…
September 9, 2019
Japan Story
Night Fishing in Tokyo
The Sumida river flows through Tokyo the way the memory of Fisherman Yoru (night in Japanese) will course through my head, reminding me about the joys of being alive. Months ago, back in Singapore, I met someone who introduced me to a world of illegal fishing. Something about rivers in the dead of the night…
August 27, 2019
Story
The Indo-Japan Driver Exchange
Prologue Two lanky gentlemen are standing in a visa application line at the Japanese consulate in Delhi. Mr Sajjan: “Mr. Sharma, remind me again why we're exporting Indian drivers, of all things? Mr Sharma: Sajjan Ji, it's just another ploy by the opposition to trick the ruling government into embarrassing themselves. A conspiracy, I tell…
June 28, 2019
Story
Journey to the Auckland Islands
“One hand for the ship, one hand for yourself… or two hands for the ship. That’s even better,” the voice boomed through the walls. God, is that you? I thought, and then remembered I’m an atheist. I guess I’ll put my faith in the ship instead, which used to be a Russian research vessel, crashing…
June 19, 2019
Story
Teremoking in Saint Petersburg
It’s a glorious spring day in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and the bright restaurant is over half full. Yuri Milokovich pulls a chair out from an unoccupied table, motions to his companion to sit, and queues up in the short line for service. “Come on, don’t be a snob,” he says over his shoulder. “This is…
June 17, 2019

Astray is a storytelling project centred on travel, community, identity and liberation.

We’re based out of Lenapehoking / New York City: the homeland of the Lenape. Specifically, we’re in Manhattan: a name that comes from Mannahatta, meaning “island of many hills”. As grateful guests in this city, we recognize the strength and resilience of the Lenape, and extend our reverence to all Indigenous peoples everywhere. This acknowledgement comes from our commitment to working against the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.