Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar There’s a plummy quote from Thoreau’s Walden that must open this discussion: “Not till we are lost ... not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves … Henry David was centering on getting lost in nature there, and thus freed of some of the day-to-day material constraints and pressures, but the message applies well to writers, and to the value of getting “lost” in travel. Value sometimes in getting … [Read more...]
A Grape Grows in Myanmar
The vines of Burgundy, Tuscany and Napa Valley produce some of the world’s most polished pours. While you can use many superlatives to describe these oenophile’s Disneyland, it’s a stretch of the imagination to describe any of these famed wine-producing regions as undiscovered. While Myanmar is no threat to Bordeaux as the next global grape deity, I was surprised that any wine at all is being produced here. The pagoda-laden landscape may not … [Read more...]
Nature Tour of Bangkok? You’ve Got to be Kidding, Right?!
When I first signed up for the Follow Me Siam Sawan 'Jungle Tour' I cursorily glanced at the itinerary and assumed this would be an urban jungle tour - especially since their office is located in Sathorn, right in Bangkok's Financial District. I also assumed it would be a sweaty tour with rivulets of water running off of us after just a few minutes in the saddle and also traffic would be terrible (a Monday morning). Unbelievably neither of … [Read more...]
3 Epic Days Hiking in the Mountains of Nikko
I’m Jacob Laukaitis, a 21-year-old digital nomad who’s already been to more than 35 countries in the past nearly three years. I enjoy creating travel videos and sharing them with the world. Here’s my newest one from my hike in Nikko, Japan. Nikko is located a few hundred kilometers north of Tokyo next to a National Park of the same name. Nikko National Park is geographically located in a range of mountains, some of which reach higher than … [Read more...]
A Treasured Stay, Ritz Carlton Reserve, Phulay Bay Thailand
One enters this refined state of opulence through a grand entrance - reserved for quiet of which there is plenty of on this property - and a place to decompress once you arrive. Stone tiles line a reflecting pond culminating in a pavilion and some welcome shade. Everyone can use a refreshing chilled towel infused with some pleasing exotic aroma on hot humid days; this along with an invigorating drink are served upon your arrival. If you are … [Read more...]
Experience the Epic Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan
I am Jacob Laukaitis, a 21 year old digital nomad, who’s already been to more than 30 countries in the last 2 years. I love making videos of places I visit so here’s one from my last trip to the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, Japan. The shrine predates the year 794 when the capital of Japan was moved to Kyoto. This shrine sprawls entirely around the mountain featuring hundreds of small shrines, thousands of sculptures and more than 10,000 … [Read more...]
The Pottery Village in the Mountains of Japan
In the final months of my last year at university, I took a trip to Hogsback, a small village in the Eastern Cape, to meet a potter named Anton. He agreed to be the subject of a soundslide I was producing for my portfolio and was kind enough to let me shadow him for a day. Tucked away in the forests of the Amatole Mountains, his studio overlooked a carpet of tree tops and was filled with the chirping of the forest’s louder residents. There … [Read more...]
Three Reasons to Visit Bandung, Indonesia
In anticipation of my trip to Indonesia, I was told by the trip organizers that I wouldn’t be able to visit Borneo during my visit. Subsequently, I was disappointed - my first thoughts were purely selfish. I had long nurtured a dream of going to this 'ultimate jungle' to view orangutans in their native habitats. But then I started feeling a different level of sorrow: Borneo is burning! The forest is being destroyed, the animals are dying, … [Read more...]
A Quick Guide to Tokyo’s Book Town
The ever-so distinctive smell of old books is a Floo powder that transports me to my childhood: the water heater in primary school that I spent most winter mornings propped up against, chasing like a second Timmy after Julian, Dick, Anne and George through hidden coves and mysterious lighthouses; my grandmother's couch, where I lost entire Saturdays exploring the Enchanted Wood and the Faraway Tree; the back seat of our family's car, where I … [Read more...]
Travels in Myanmar, with Buddha Behind the Wheel
If the Buddha was driving in heavy urban traffic, would he honk? Much as that sounds like some wisecracking riddle, it’s a thought that occurred to me while my taxi’s driver was navigating the maelstrom of traffic in Yangon, Myanmar. Yangon has over five million people, and at times during my days in the city, it seemed that most of them were behind the wheel. Yet, though traffic surged, darted and inched, drivers seemed patient, and honks—if you … [Read more...]
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