I had been back in Bangkok for just over a week. I needed some alone time to take care of a little business and to ponder where I wanted to travel next. Bangkok can be fun but after several days the noise, traffic, pollution and high population density can become overwhelming for me. […]
I never planned to go to Koh Lipe. I was going to visit Koh Tarutao and Koh Adang, two undeveloped islands in the Tarutao National Park. There I would rent a tent from the park service and camp on the beach for a week or more. I had read that you could dive from there and rent kayaks […]
Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia in Photographs The entire town of Georgetown, located in the northeast corner of Penang, an island in the Strait of Malaka off the coast of mainland Malaysia is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, the influences of British colonialism, Indians both Muslim and Hindu, Chinese, Arabs, Achehnese, Siamese, Burmese and Malays […]
I always knew I would love diving. I always knew I would love diving. For years, as a young man, I had this recurring dream. In it, I was swimming effortlessly through the deep ocean, breathing as you or I would on dry land without effort. I would have this dream anywhere from two to […]
SUKHOTHAI: THE FIRST KINGDOM OF SIAM The Sukhothai Kingdom was the first kingdom of Siam existing as such from 1238 to 1438 AD. Prior to that it was part of the Khmer Empire. The ruins are encompassed within a large historical park. They have been partially restored and the entire Sukhothai Historical Park and adjacent sites […]
When I leave Chiang Mai in two days I will have spent three months and a day here. I never plannned to be here this long, but you never know how travel plans can change. I have really enjoyed the city and its culture and people. I can get around easily on foot and there […]
THE RETURN TO MANDALAY or BYE BYE BURMA 28 Day Expense Report Included at the End I am outside Mr. Kid’s Hsipaw guesthouse at 5:30 am and the bus is right on time. The bus trip is surprisingly fast. I sleep the first 2 hours. We arrive in Mandalay at 10:30 am, earlier than […]
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN HSIPAW With one day to spare before heading back to Mandalay and a flight to Thailand, I want to spend it in and around Hsipaw. A larger town than Kyaukme, it is also a jumping off point for many treks into the surrounding Shan hill tribe area. The 6:30 am bus […]
TREKKING WITH NINE-NINE After meeting Nine-Nine, hearing his incredible story and sharing a meal with his family, I am feeling good about my choice to hire him for my final trek in Myanmar. My only regret is that the trek will only be two days with an overnight in a Shan village. Following an […]
TODAY IS EARTH DAY! Updated: April 22, 2019 For 49 years on April 22, more than one billion people take part in Earth Day. Earth Day now includes events in more than 193 countries, which are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network. Individuals, communities, organizations, and governments acknowledge the amazing planet we call […]