Ni Hao once again from China, still the world's most populous country. I had forgotten since my last tour here which ended just 9 months ago that it may also be the world's loudest and dirtiest at times. Which is not to say it's all bad. Only the areas with too many people are. The trick is getting to those rare places without swarming masses as I finally did a week into my stay here. Hong Kong Phooey: Not that it's all that bad, I just liked … [Read more...]
A Glimpse of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is the quintessentially remote Central Asian land and arguably the worlds least known country. It is situated in the southeastern part of Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, China to the east, China and Tadjikistan to the south, and Uzbekistan to the west. It is about 900 km long from east to west and 425 km from south to north. The area of the country (198.5 thousand sq. km) is comparable with such countries as … [Read more...]
Wacky Packi Northern Pakistan
The mere notion of coming to this country might send shudders up ones spine. But after my 2 months in Pakistan, the chills would be be because I'm so excited about the prospect of returning to one of the most beautiful countries one Earth. The initial excitement of entering the country via the dramatic Karakoram Highway subsides eventually, but a contentedness of being amidst the cool climes, stunning geography & welcoming locals sets in. … [Read more...]
My Time in Vietnam
Part I Vietnam Hanoi September 24 Bob left Hanoi right away on the train for Sapa near the Chinese border to do some trekking among the colorful minority villages and then to spend three days in Halang Bay learning to kayak. It is probably not surprising that the relationship has taken a beating on this trip so we are traveling separately until we join a friend in Hong Kong on November 20 when the three of us will spend two months in … [Read more...]
Las Vegas, NV – Casinos
There are so many casinos in Las Vegas; one could spend months just visiting, gambling and viewing all of their other attractions. Many of the Casinos, especially located along Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) are considered Super Casinos. There are only a few destinations on the planet where you will find a Super Casino - Las Vegas is one of these cities. A Super Casino is like an entire city contained within one giant mega entertainment … [Read more...]
Vang Vieng, Laos – Food
There are many many restaurants in this town - most catering to the backpackers. One restaurant I found serves only authentic Lao food and is not known by the tourists at all. I had about 6 meals here and never once saw another tourist. Not having been able to determine the name of this restaurant a location description will have to do. From the Bus station located along the gravel airstrip walk west toward the town of Vang Vieng. Almost … [Read more...]
Vang Vieng, Laos – More Information
The following is general information to be aware of when traveling in Vang Vieng. These are arranged in no particular order - they are just some insights Dave wants to pass on from his experience traveling in Vang Vieng. MoneyThe Lao "Kip" is the unit of currency for Laos. The kip fluctuates tremendously from week to week. The largest bill in circulation was a 10,000 kip note which is valued at slightly more then 1 USD. As a souvenir to give … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Temples & Shrines
Bangkok is home to hundreds of gleaming golden temples - many of which are centered around the old part of town and along the banks of the Chao Praya River or along other waterways within the city. Buddhists believe that monks should be ordained on or near water. Some are more memorable than others for a variety of reasons (size, architecture, unique artifacts, unique Buddha statues, location etc). Some of our favorites are indicated by the … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Attractions & Activities
Bangkok may not be for everyone. The high heat, humidity, congestion and air pollution may be too much to take for some people. There are so many attractions, including Wats, that a tourist could spend several weeks in Bangkok and still not see everything. It is hard to define the allure of Bangkok. At first glance it is a busy chaotic, polluted city - that is true; it is all of these things. However, once one delves into the history, attractions … [Read more...]
Bangkok, Thailand – Museums
Bangkok is many things to many people, but it is not necessarily a museum town. A number of the museums are fairly dated and fail to provide a fun, educational, modern and engaging atmosphere. However with that said, there are still plenty of good museums to keep one occupied for at least a week if not longer including some rather intriguing, esoteric and hidden away ones. We have visited and reviewed the following 50+ museums in Bangkok. And … [Read more...]