Does budget dollars mean dingy rooms? From bungalows, boutique hotels, guesthouse resorts and overnight trains… in Thailand you can experience a gamut of chic ways to lay your head or rest on your laurels. Though budget hostels aren’t as cheap as it used to be; the prices are still pretty good and matched with the Thai aspiration to provide first class hospitality, it’s raised my travel standards considerably. And the design? Well, the Thai can be pretty stylish (more…)
magazine
The dark side of Bangkok & its museum of the macabre
Siamese twins babies sharing one set of internal organs.
Photo from: elephantsleg.wordpress.com
What does Bangkok inspire for you?
For me, it’s generally floating markets, monstrously serene Buddhas, assorted hawker food carts of delectable cuisine and throngs of smiling Thai. I don’t exactly think of two-headed babies, the charred corpse of a serial murderer and a display of unusually, large human testicles!
But Bangkok surprised me yet again.
As much as I love Bangkok, I was afraid I might be getting into a traveler’s rut – when a place is no longer shiny and new. My first visit was all about sightseeing: temples, floating markets, the golden palace and elephant rides. My second and third visits, were all about medical tourism and getting amazingly cheap discounts off of dental crowns and travel shots! By my fourth time around, I was scraping the inspiration barrel. I wanted excitement of fall off-the-grid into the local, the seedy, the morbid and well,… creepy.
How far could Bangkok take me?
My narrow escape from Bangkok’s Ping-pong sex show scams
200 baht, 200 baht! I give you deal. Buy one drink and you see all the acts! You not get this kind price from anyone else.
This is what the skinny Thai man quoted, as he whipped out a laminated menu:
1. Pussy shoots ping-pong balls
2. Pussy blows balloons
3. Pussy writes letter
4. Pussy blows out candles
7 Tips on using the Bangkok city bus
- Regular (blue & white) city bus
Getting around Bangkok can feel easy for travelers; as far as transportation options go – the city’s got a diverse range. Until now, I had used just about every Bangkok vehicle I could think of: river boat, motorbike taxis, metros, even elephants! What was left?
I made it my goal to see the real Bangkok via one of the most common carriages westerners can think of, the public bus! You see, not many tourists appear to use the city buses; I wanted to know why. I like buses! It’s like having ringside seats to the action of the city and the daily life of locals. To sum up my city bus excursions: I got lost, got off at wrong stops, boarded the wrong buses and then proceeded to ride them in circles. On a tourist’s idiot-proof level, how did it score? For a gallavanting idiot like me, I’d say, you’d need to have a bit of an I.Q. But give it a few swings and (more…)
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Laos
After writing my Top 5 things to do in Luang Prabang, you’d think I’d be done; but then one of my readers asked me what my Top 5 things to do in Laos were. For a country you don’t often hear about, you can never have too many lists.
The truth is, when I got there, I really wasn’t sure what there was to do and even now, after having had the most wonderful time, I’m still uncertain. So for this post, I’m going to grab a little help from other travelers. You won’t be bowled over by a checklist of itinerary activities to do there; that’s not the point. Laos is largely rural; it has marvelous beauty, nice treks and subtle charm. Simply put, traveling Laos is to get lost and take your time soaking in the experience of it.
(more…)
Glam Around the World
Exploring Beautiful Laos with Trekking
These days I enjoy trekking where it’s possible. Aside from a great workout, I like visiting mountain life, its lush and pristine settings of streams, hills and rice paddy fields and simple, hardworking and content inhabitants
Laos
Photo Essay: Escape to the secret village of Muong Ngoi Neua
Muong Ngoi Neua is a beautiful cove of a village, one hour away from Nong Khieuw on the scenic Nam Ou River, accessible by boat. An authentic Lao village, hidden by towering mountains, it’s a serene haven for frazzled travelers to kick back or launch into trekking.
Laos
Photo Essay: Is Laos still a virginal beauty?
At first, visiting the tourist cities of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, my spirits were a little low. Where was the virgin Laos I’d heard about from others?
Hitting the Laotian countryside, the facades of French colonial architecture melted away. Concrete turned to wood and earth, revealing a Laotian maiden. Small communities of bamboo hut villages, wrapped in the karst landscape that’s fed by the Mekong snake. Rice paddy fields stretch over the land like canvas and locals enjoy the simple unfettered existence of ‘village life’.
Laos
Top 5 things to do in Luang Prabang
At the heart of Northern Laos sits Luang Prabang. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the small city blends old European colonial architecture with a Lao urban structure and has a little bit of everything. So with all there is to see, what should you actually do?
Follow me