gshc2020.com

And yet, you know we are here today because I succumbed. Over the decades, I’ve had intrusive thoughts along the lines of whether it might also be an excellent jumping-off point for pumpkin cake, or an apple spice cake. I’ve wondered if it would make a good sheet cake even without the cinnamon or chocolate chips (it does!). But mostly I’ve bitten my tongue/sat on my hands/just tried to leave a good thing as a good thing. “Less is more!” or some other lesson I’ve struggled to learn. And then one day I was short on sour cream and used mashed bananas instead and my family and friends went feral for it. I had to make it again; it also didn’t last. It’s currently the most-requested dessert in my family, and I’ve lost the thread on what I’m fighting.

You, we, need this: everything we obsess over in the classic but even more fragrant, warming, and clairvoyant because it sees those speckled bananas going to waste on your counter, and wants to help.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Cake
• 3 large eggs, separated
• ½ cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (375 grams) mashed bananas
• ⅔ cup (160 grams) sour cream
• 3 cups (400 grams) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Filling and topping
• 2 cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven: To 350°F (175°C). Coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper, or if you have a larger sheet of parchment paper, you can use it to line the bottom and the sides, no spraying needed.

Make the batter: In a large bowl, beat egg whites until they hold firm peaks and set aside. [If you only have one mixer bowl, you can transfer the egg whites to another and use the mixer bowl to make the rest of the cake batter.]

In an empty mixing bowl, beat butter and 1½ cups of the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon, and salt together. Add banana to butter mixture and beat until combined. Add half the flour mixture, the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture, beating each until combined. Fold in the egg whites.

Assemble the cake: Combine remaining ½ cup of the granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread half of batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Dollop remaining cake batter over filling in spoonfuls. Use a rubber or offset spatula to gently spread it over the filling and smooth the top. Sprinkle batter with remaining cinnamon-sugar and remaining chocolate chips.

Bake the cake: For 35 to 40 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan. [Note: This takes less time in my oven than the classic version does, which is usually 40 to 50 minutes.]

To serve: Transfer cake to a cutting board and cut into squares.

Do ahead: My preference is to keep this cake at room temperature and not cover it. I will, however, press a piece of foil or plastic against the cut side. I don’t like to cover the pan or put the cake in an airtight container because it softens the flaky cinnamon-sugar topping, which feels tragic.

Post navigation

There was much to do here but that was the point. You hung out on the beach, read a book, went snorkeling, went back to the beach, drank beers at the one beach bar on the island, rotated meals between the five restaurants there, and went to bed early.

It was paradise – and a place a lot of people got stuck. Days easily turned into weeks here.

If you asked me what the highlight of all my travels was, I would be the time I spent on Ko Lipe. I made incredible friends, lounged around, got to know the locals, learned a bit of Thai, and, overall, lived that idyllic backpacker life we all dream about.

Over the years, I’ve avoided going back to Ko Lipe because the memory of my time there is so strong that I didn’t want to ruin it. Any re-visit would simply be trying to recreated a magic that couldn’t be recreated because the people that it special wouldn’t be there. I’d be chasing travel ghosts. And, since I know my sleepy paradise has been developed greatly over the years, I was also too afraid seeing that would make me sad.

Tourism in Thailand tends toward the unsustainable. No island really develops in a good way. It’s all build, build, build.

And I didn’t want to see my Ko Lipe like that.

But as I was planning my recent trip through Southeast Asia, returning to Ko Lipe made sense. I was heading down the Indian Ocean side of Thailand on my way into Malaysia and I’d pass by it.

And, since I was looking for a lively place for New Year’s Eve, it seemed liked the best choice. I knew there would be travelers there and there were no other nearby islands that would work, especially since Ko Lipe has a boat to Langkawi, which was my next stop.

So, I sucked it up and went.

And I’m sad to report that Ko Lipe took the Ko Phi Phi model of tourism and is now extremely overdeveloped.

Unsustainably so.

Most of the island is now paved over, the old dirt footpaths having become concrete for the cars and construction trucks. Swaths of palm trees are now the sites of high-end resorts with pools (on an island with no natural water supply). Construction of more resorts continues at a fast pace. The coral around the island is dying, a victim of all the boats, anchors, pollution, and overfishing. Beaches are now lined with boats, their exhaust spilling into the ocean, leaving a shiny film you can see as you swim. And the restaurants cater to tourists looking for bad Western food, not great Thai cuisine.

The island’s boom has displaced many locals, who were forced to sell to mainland developers, and much of the island’s workforce is now from the mainland. They see little of the benefits this tourism boom.

So lies Ko Lipe, another victim of Thailand’s all too common overdevelopment and exploitation of limited resources.

I met lots of people there who loved the island. If it’s your first time, I can see why you would love it. After all, the area is postcard perfect, the water is perfectly an azure blue, the sand is a beautiful white, and since you’re surrounded by a national park, a lot of tours take you to some secluded islands.

And, in comparison to Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, or Phuket, it is less developed so I can’t fault someone stepping here for the first time going “wow!”

But, as I reflect on the island and its overdevelopment, I have come to the same conclusion I have about Ko Phi Phi: people shouldn’t visit.

I’m not against growth, but I’m against this kind of growth. It’s not sustainably managed and going there will only tax the island’s limited resources even further. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle and no local is going to say “sure, I’ll stay broke so you can an idealized vision of the world.”

But this is not the way.

And, with so many other islands to visit that are well managed (Ko Lanta, Ko Jum, and Ko Mook, to name three nearby), I think you should skip Ko Lipe.

A visit there will only make things worse.

It pains me to say that, because it was such a beautiful place, and my original visit had a huge impact on my life. But if we’re going to be good stewards and travelers, sometimes you just have to say enough is enough.

And Ko Lipe is a place where enough is enough.

Go somewhere else that is better managed.

Because your choices do have an impact.

Riding elephants in Thailand went away when consumers became more conscious of it. Eco lodges got big because of consumers. Overtourism is talked about by consumers as much as it is by locals.

Maybe if enough people start to do something, Ko Lipe will change.

I doubt it but one can hope.

But, at the very least, by not going you are at least no contributing to the problem.

Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to Thailand!

My detailed 350+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel around Thailand. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.

Planning a Trip to Southeast asia

Get all my best Southeast Asia travel tips & free planning guides sent straight to your inbox

Book Your Trip to Thailand: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (for budget travelers)
• World Nomads (for mid-range travelers)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on Thailand?
Be sure to visit my robust destination guide to Thailand for even more planning tips! %!s()

But Britain's Hodgkinson, who broke the event's indoor world record on Thursday, believes she can surpass Kratochvilova and achieve something that will "cement her place as the greatest of all time".

"It's not an easy feat and there's a reason it has stood for so long, " Hodgkinson told BBC Sport.

"I think this is the closest I've felt near it. I do really believe that we can break it, but a lot of things have got to come together."

Hodgkinson's stunning indoor run in France saw her cross the line in 1:54.87 to smash a world record which had stood since 3 March 2002 - the day the Briton was born.

Her coach, Jenny Meadows, told BBC Sport the athlete's time in Lievin could have been up to one second faster - and Hodgkinson is aiming higher still.

"I've known for weeks I'm capable of breaking it. It's just a matter of getting out on the day," she said.

"We can push it even further in the future, as long as I stay healthy and I think this is hopefully just the beginning."

Victory came after a difficult year for the 23-year-old, who stormed to Olympic gold at the Paris Games in 2024.

Hodgkinson was left unable to train after tearing her hamstring just a few months after that triumph and has been building her way back ever since.

"After winning the Olympics, it really wasn't what I thought was going to happen," she said.

"It makes you stop and strip back everything and think, why is this happening? What are the problems?

"But, we got through it, I became a stronger person, and I think this is now the reward of all of that happening."

Hodgkinson admits a lot of things need to come together for her to break Kratochvilova's record but her recent performances have convinced others in the sport it's only a matter of time.

World Athletics president Lord Coe told the Sunday Times he believes Hodgkinson will achieve the feat this year.

There have been claims that Kratochvilova's performance was assisted by the systematic doping regime that existed in her country at the time - something she has strenuously denied., external

However, her time remains more than a second quicker than Hodgkinson's current personal best of 1:54.61 - a national record she set in London in 2024.

"We're on the right path and we've seen evidence in training that we think that it's possible," Hodgkinson said.

"I think the reason this year has gone so well for me is because I've had my healthiest winter training I've had in years."

While the race Hodgkinson and her team may target for any record attempt may remain a mystery, Hodgkinson says she is always keen to put in a big performance in London.

"My coach did say two years ago that 2026 will be a good year," she said.

"London is very special to me. I would love nothing more than to do something like that in front of a home crowd."

The last 12 months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Hodgkinson.

After numerous injury setbacks, Hodgkinson took world 800m bronze in September, with training partner Georgia Hunter Bell securing silver.

Despite the ups and downs, Hodgkinson still describes 2025 as "my best year".

"I still had a good time - my entire personality is not my job," she said.

"There's so much more outside of life than just what I have going in my career."

During her rehabilitation, Hodgkinson's team mates dubbed her 'Keely 2.0' - a nod to her reinvention and ability to come back stronger.

Coach Trevor Painter bought her a giant Himalayan salt lamp to, as she says, "send happy vibes".

"He says my moods were unpredictable last year" she joked.

"It's meant to calm the energy in the atmosphere.

"It weighs about forty kilograms, so imagine me trying to carry it up the stairs, but I actually think it worked!"

First up, though, will be March's World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland, where Hodgkinson will be the firm favourite for gold.

Outdoors, she will have an exciting new name next to her on the start line.

In October, two-time 400m hurdles world champion Femke Bol announced she will step up to compete in the 800m.

Earlier this month, the Dutch superstar won her debut race in Metz, France, setting a national record of 1:59.07 in the process.

"'Me and Femke are really good friends," Hodgkinson said.

"We've grown up a little bit together over the years. Femke is a very talented woman, but I also know what it takes to run the 800m at these times.

"Just give her some time [and] she'll get there."

When asked if she would consider it a potential rivalry, Hodgkinson said: "I wouldn't call it a rivalry right now, but she's good, and she'll get where she needs to be when she's ready." %!s()