This blog is dedicated to all my travels around the world. You will gain insight on my feelings as I visit different places. I will share my preparations and tips for making the best of international travel. I hope that I will inspire you. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section of each post.
"The widely and extensively traveled is wiser and more knowledgeable than the gray haired (who scarcely traveled)."
I am currently sitting at the Delhi train station waiting on a train to Jaipur that is running 45 minutes late. I could deal with the tardiness, but sitting on display to the public is trying my patience. I feel like I'm an animal with 3 heads and green hair the way that people blatantly stare at me here. Men, women, and children are so focused on me that they sometimes run into other people or drop their belongings. I sat down on an empty bench when I learned about the delay. A few minutes later, a group of about 7 men sat across from me and only looked away when I returned their stares. When I turned away and looked back in their direction, they were staring again. An old woman sat on the bench next to me. She looked at me briefly and then turned away to mind her own business. When she left, a man sat down and proceeded to eyeball me until I returned the gesture. He glanced away. I started playing a game on my phone with my shoulders hunched, and I could feel him peering at me over my shoulder. I returned his stare again. For a brief moment, I thought about the benefits of a burqa.
I've only been in India for a week now, and I plan to stay until mid November (after Diwali). My time in the country started off with me waiting at the airport for my boyfriend to arrive. My flight from Kuala Lumpur landed 2 hours before his flight. We left the airport around 3am. It was great having him here with me for my first few days back in India. We visited the Red Fort in Delhi, and the Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, and other points in Agra. We stood out everywhere we went. Some people followed us with their eyes while others actually walked behind us too closely. He thought it was just men being overtly sexual to a woman, and he wanted to go to blows with a few them to protect my honor. I told him it's not just the men and it's not necessarily a sexual thing. Both men and women ogled the both of us. We are aliens to them, and I guess their parents didn't teach them that staring at others is rude. A couple of people said they liked my hair, and he received compliments on his beard. Some wanted to take pictures with us like we were Barack and Michelle. We obliged schoolchildren and families who were polite and asked our permission. Otherwise, it felt like a zoo. (Indian streets provide animal smells free of charge.) It's also hard to determine when people are genuinely being nice and when they are conning you. We received "friendly" advice about local shops from a few different men that were most likely paid by the shopkeepers to send tourists there. Even though it was chaotic, I'm glad I was able to experience Delhi with my boyfriend at least for a few days. We travel well together.
It's hard for me not to be frustated here in India sometimes. The biggest issue happened just a couple of days ago. I stayed at Soul Stay Hostel ($4/night) for a few days after my boyfriend left. It seemed like a really cool place for a hostel. However, I came back from visiting the Lotus Temple and exploring the city to find by bags unzipped and money missing. I immediately reported the theft to the staff. They apologized and told me they would reimburse me and figure out what happened. The next morning, I talked to one of the staff members named Jay about my travel plans and being reimbursed. He said he felt bad because he was on duty when it happened, and he didn't want me to have a negative impression of the hostel. He said he would help me find a train ticket and a room for my trip to Jaipur paid by Soul Stay to make it up to me. I said I wasn't staying in another hostel, so he searched for a hotel room that met my approval. After I confirmed what I wanted, he said he would book everything for me and provide confirmation when I came back that evening. I was satisfied with this solution because it was close to the amount that was stolen. I left for the day and took the Metro train and a bus to the Lodhi Colony to view their public art. I met a young woman at the bus stop, named Rechna, who helped me navigate the bus. She was heading home to Lodhi and she showed me around the neighborhood until we arrived at her street. I wandered around on my own snapping pictures of murals on random buildings, such as the police station, apartments, and storefronts before heading back to my room hours later. Upon my return to the hostel, one of the managers told me they found the thief. Apparently, a guy's phone was stolen on the same day that my money went missing. They did some amateur detective work by calling the number and traced it back to none other than Jay, the one person who seemed to want to help resolve my problem. I told them about the arrangements he said he was making for me, and they said that he did get the train ticket through their agent, and that was all. The value of that ticket was a small fraction of what was stolen. I was not reimbursed. My room was not comped. I asked about it again when I checked out this morning. I also learned before checking out that other people also had money stolen while they were there. The missing money was important, because it was U.S. dollars that I wanted to exchange. However, the bigger problem for me was the invasion of my privacy and the lack of security. The hostel management could have taken better steps to remedy the situation, and they didn't. It's safe to say that I won't be staying at another hostel for awhile, if ever.
I'm holding on to my joy and will continue looking for the good in every situation.
Who do you think is the most beloved person in the world - dead or alive? Please share their name in the comments with your name. I'll tell you the answer by the end of the week.
Updated October 22
I'm sorry it took longer than a week for me to get back to this post. I've been busy. In the weeks that passed though, I've seen more evidence to prove who is most loved across the world. Before I reveal who it is, I just want to remind you that I've been in countries where Christianity is the minority. My recent travels have taken me to places where the majority of the populations are Buddhist (Thailand), Muslim (Malaysia, Indonesia), Hindu (India), and religiously diverse and accepting (Singapore). Even before my current journey, I saw signs of the world's love and admiration for this person across religions, languages, economies, generations, and hemispheres for years, but I just recognized the pattern recently. Who is this person that the world admires so much? It's not Michael Jackson or Beyoncé. It's not Barack Obama, Che Guevara, or Tupac, although I've seen their images sporadically.
The most universally loved person is...
Bob Marley
His name and image is (unlicensed) everywhere. I've seen his influence around the globe, including bumper stickers on tuk tuks, clothes, messenger bags, hats, towels, reggae bars and clubs, rugs, posters, jewelry, and more. Even in the most random places where you think people have no idea about Marley, I've heard his music playing in cars and restaurants. People sometimes ask me if I'm Jamaican, or if they don't know English, they point to my hair and say, "Bob Marley", because I wear locs. Bob Marley put the tiny country of Jamaica on the map with his roots music and its universal appeal. He shared a message that still impacts the world regardless of boundaries. His message was simply, Love.
I arrived at the Lombok airport and was immediately
propositioned by taxi drivers as soon as I stepped outside the terminal.They crowded around yelling at me and some
even tried to take my bags.“Miss, miss,
taxi”.I was tired from traveling all
day and I just wanted to shower and go to sleep.The crowd was standing in the way of that
happening.I looked around for a money
changer, and I went back inside where someone told me there was an ATM.I stood at the ATM and laughed when the
screen asked how much money I wanted.I
selected the option for 1,000,000 knowing that it might be the only time I ever
see that many zeros.I’m rich!The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is trading at a
rate of almost 15,000 per USD, which means 1,000,000 was only about $67.
I walked back outside and I was surprised to see a driver
from All Hands and Hearts holding a sign with my name.I had booked a hotel for the night and paid
for a taxi because I wasn’t expecting to check-in to the base until the next
morning.I cancelled the taxi and
followed the driver to the car with my bags.It took nearly 2 hours to drive along the winding coastal road to north
Lombok where the All Hands and Hearts base was located.Even in the dark, I could see that the island
had lush green vegetation and fantastic views of the ocean.I arrived at the base, quietly unloaded my
bags, and setup my bed.The base
observed quiet hours and lights out from 10pm to 6am, so I had to use the
flashlight on my phone to see without disturbing the others.
The next morning, I met everyone and checked out the
surroundings in daylight.We are staying at the
event hall of the Medana Bay Marina Hotel, which accommodated about 30 of us in
1 large room in the beginning.
the patio aka the office aka the meeting room aka the dorm
Scaffolding
Camping on the patio under my mosquito net
tent city
Some
people have tents and others like me just have a mattress and sleeping
bag.The tile floor has color-coded tape
outlining bed spaces and the corresponding evacuation route.Safety is a big priority for all of us.The area is still experiencing frequent
earthquakes, so we have a plan in place to evacuate to our designated meeting
point during an earthquake, have a roll call, and head to higher ground if
there is a tsunami warning.Later, everyone moved outside on the lawn with tents or the patio because the building needed some minor repairs. I helped build the bamboo structure to cover the tents in case of rain. Staying at the marina makes for beautiful views of the water and swimming, but we also must be mindful of the danger the water poses in case of a tsunami. The most important thing I learned the first day was always to carry my go-bag and to bring it with me if we ever evacuated. If we must leave immediately, the go-bag has
all my essentials, including my passport, money, phone and charger, battery
pack, water, change of clothes, etc.I
put my passport and money in my waist pouch and always wear it, even when
sleeping and working.Just in case I
forget or can’t carry my go-bag I always have the most valuable item for a
traveler, my passport.Every single time
I mention my go-bag to my boyfriend, a combat veteran, I hear him tense
up, because he knows very well how critical the bag is.He has his own bag ready and is ready to
alert the A-Team if necessary.
Living on base has been a huge adjustment for me.I’m accustomed to being by myself and socializing
on my own terms, not being surrounded by the same people all day, every day.We are up to around 40 people on base, which
makes sharing the kitchen and bathroom very interesting.You can hear most alarms going off at 6am six
days a week, but some people wake up with the 4:45am call to prayer and can’t
go back to sleep.(Indonesia is the largest
Muslim country in the world.)Our base
is located between 2 mosques on either end of the road.Some days I’m awake before the prayers begin,
and other days I don’t hear them at all.Everyone gets dressed and makes their own breakfast consisting of toast,
eggs, or oatmeal before it’s time to go.We are dressed and ready to load up the cars for work around 7am each
morning and we leave the work sites to return to base before the 3:30 call to
prayer.Two women from the village
prepare fresh delicious lunch and dinner for us every workday.Most of the local dishes they prepare are spicy
and vegetarian friendly, and they always make a chicken or fish dish too. Rice (nasi)After meals, each of us is supposed to wash
and rinse our own dishes before placing them in a bleach solution for
sanitization, and then place them on a rack to dry.Some people’s standard of cleanliness in the
kitchen is severely lacking.That’s all
I’m going to say about that.
Most of the volunteers are women and maybe 20% are men.The women have access to a bathroom with 2
toilet stalls and 1 squatting toilet stall that we use for bucket showers.
After a long day of working in the sun,
covered in dirt and sweat, a shower is all you really want.However, we wait in line to take a cold,
disappointing bucket shower.Honestly,
the bucket shower wouldn’t be bad if the water wasn’t so cold.I think it is a great way to conserve water
and it’s very efficient.You get in and
out when you only have enough water to fill a bucket.On days when I need to relax and feel like
I’m really clean, I go to the beach a few feet away and let the salt water wash
over my skin while I exfoliate with the sand.It’s like being at a spa.Not
really, but it does make me feel better.After an ocean bath, I then take a bucket shower to wash off the salt
water.
When the program started, we worked Monday to Saturday, and later
the organization was asked to change the schedule out of respect for the Muslim
villages where we work.Friday is a
Muslim Holy Day. Most people try to make the most of the rest day by exploring
the island and/or taking a hot shower when possible.I took a boat with a group of people to Gili Trawangan (Gili T) a couple of times.
on the boat to Gili T
It’s
the largest of a group of 3 small islands (gili means small islands in Bahasa
Indonesian) located between Lombok and Bali.The Gilis were also hit hard by the earthquakes in August, and they are
trying to recover as quickly as possible, because they are primarily tourist
islands.There are lots of dive shops
and excursions for exploring the clear blue water around the islands.Gili T is known for being a big place for
parties and nightlife, and you can relax there.I think it just depends on where you choose to stay.I really enjoyed staying at Gili Eden, a
small, quiet hotel with a pool and much coveted hot water.I also enjoyed eating at Kayu Café on
multiple occasions.I sometimes stayed at
Kayu for hours enjoying the calm setting and using their wi-fi.In addition to visiting Gili T, I went to
Mataram a couple of times.Mataram is
the capital city of Lombok, which is about an hour away from our base.The government offices are located there, and
it is the biggest city on Lombok.I
mostly went to Mataram because I could use free wi-fi at Starbucks and conduct
business that I couldn’t do on base without network service.When I lost access to my cash, I went to
Epicentrum Mall thinking I might be able to exchange money there or find a
Western Union, but that wasn’t the case.At least at the mall, I could use my credit card to make purchases.Most other places only accept cash.I had a pedicure at the mall and bought
snacks at the grocery store.Before one
of our breaks, I asked Julia, our local translator if I could ride to Mataram
with her when she went home.I thought I
would just stay at a hotel with free wi-fi for the night, take a hot shower,
and have a nice dinner on my day off.Julia invited me to stay at her home instead.I arrived at her mother’s house and was
greeted in Bahasa.Her mom spoke no
English, but she made me feel welcomed with tasty snacks and a cup of tea. I
was surprised to see a large Hindu shrine encompassing about a quarter of their
outdoor space.I have previously only
seen formal temples, not homes with the ornate statues and carvings.I noticed that some of their neighbors also
had large garden shrines.When I went to
sleep, one of their dogs slept outside my door.Don’t tell Isis another dog was trying to take her place.
The next day, I explored Mataram and Sengiggi
on the back of a motorbike with Julia.We
went up the hills and saw great views of the city and the beaches down below
and had lunch on the beach.We also went
to a spa where I had a massage, body scrub, and pedicure for 200,000 IDR, which
is less than $15.I’m so glad I said yes
to experiencing Lombok with Julia.
view of Sengiggi
I have tried to keep up my fitness routine while in
Indonesia, which includes running 5 miles a week, 75 daily squats, and 300
pushups each week.It was extremely hard
considering the physical nature of the daily work.I skipped the pushups the first couple of
weeks because my body was adjusting to moving rubble all day.My runs usually started outside of the hotel
gate running through the village before turning on what might be the quietest
road on Lombok right behind our base.There are a few luxury hotels and cows along the hilly road, which made
it very peaceful.I felt like Muhammad
Ali in Zaire when I ran through the village as the children and some adults waved
and yelled out “Hello” as I passed.On
my last run, a couple of ladies wanted a picture with me.I was hot and sweaty and near the end of my
run, but I obliged their request.
There are a couple of ladies in the village who have a
laundry business located right outside our base.They charge 5000/kilo (around 33 cents) to wash, dry, iron, and fold the laundry. I wish I had them at home. Their business has grown exponentially with our
group using their services now.The
first time I went there, I was surprised because they didn’t write my name on
my clothes and I didn’t receive a ticket to retrieve my items.I was concerned that my clothes might be lost.When I went back the next day to pick up my
laundry, the lady immediately went to the bag with my clothes.That happened every single time I went there,
which was about once a week.I told
Julia about my experience, and she said, “No one else looks like you.They all know you.”I thought I was the only black person on
Lombok until another black volunteer came to the base this week.I told her it was just us on the island.I saw 3 other black people on Gili T on one
of my excursions a couple of weeks before that I think were African.I saw 2 more black women on Lombok yesterday
in Kuta, which is another beach area in southern Lombok.Most of the volunteers I’ve seen with the
various aid organizations are white.The
pictures and videos show white faces helping the poor colored people of the
world.I think it’s great that people
have the heart to help others that they don’t know.I just would like to see more people of color
on the other side though giving aid.I am aware of
government-sponsored assistance and local organizations that help.I’m not sure if there are international organizations
that are led by people of color or groups that keep that in mind when recruiting
volunteers. I guess I should investigate that.
"flower power"
French connection
volunteers and staff from UK, USx4, Belgium, Malaysia, and France
I fulfilled my volunteer commitment to All Hands and Hearts, and I
left the base a couple of days ago having met some really amazing people with big hearts.I’m currently spending a few days relaxing in Kuta before leaving Indonesia.Immigration allows tourists to stay for 30 days without a visa. The southern part of Lombok was not impacted by the earthquakes, and there are no piles of rubble like North Lombok. The Indonesian island of Sulawesi was rocked by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami just a few days ago. It was 500 miles away, and didn't impact Lombok.At least a thousand people have died so far, and many are missing. Indonesia is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and now they are facing a long recovery from 2 devastating disasters. If you want to help, please consider making a donation on my fundraising page: https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/fundraiser/1623359 I’m
so glad I had the opportunity to help with the earthquake recovery in
Lombok.It was also a real growth
experience for me living with so many different people.There were many challenges that I had to
overcome, and I wanted to leave several times, but I stuck it out. I appreciate every prayer and word of encouragement.I’m heading to one of my favorite destinations
next.Can you guess where it is?Hint: It’s the world’s largest democracy.
I have been volunteering with people from around the world who took time away from their families, their jobs, and their lives to help people recover from the devastating earthquakes in Indonesia. Many of them have worked on previous projects elsewhere in the world with All Hands and Hearts and they continue to volunteer their time and resources when they can.
There's a team that helps prepare hot food for villages where people can no longer cook, which is my favorite job. It mostly entails cleaning and chopping produce, like pounds and pounds of onions and garlic for the cooks. We also have teams that are helping families demolish what remains of their homes. Other teams are removing rubble from homes that were previously demolished.
When rubbling, I wear steel toe boots, a hard hat, work gloves, eye protection, and a face mask as I shovel bricks and concrete into wheelbarrows to be relocated. We work for hours in the sun, bending and digging to get the job done. We drink lots of water, but we sweat so much that there's no need to pee. I have never worked so hard in my life, and I have never been so dirty. I sometimes just walk to the beach after work for an ocean bath so I can immerse my whole body and feel clean. I really hate the physical work. I have to reframe my thinking though. I could focus on what I don't like, but I have to remember why I'm here. I am a reflection of God's love, and the work I'm doing is as unto the Lord.
All smiles at the kitchen
Removing rubble one brick at a time
Enjoying delicious coconut water after rubbling
The people in the village say thank you or "terima kasih" as they see our purple shirts pass, even if we're not working on their house at that moment. The families that we help sometimes offer us coffee or tea or the ultimate reward, a fresh coconut. Sometimes they can offer nothing but a smile. Those smiles remind me of why I'm doing hard labor without payment. Because of our work, they can build a temporary shelter for their family or start rebuilding the foundation of their home.
Yesterday, one of our volunteers on a demolition site was severely injured and carried to the road on a door turned stretcher. All work stopped so that she could be rushed to the hospital. She has been stabilized since then and is on the road to recovery. The people of the village helped the volunteers as best they could. It was a reminder that the work we are doing, while helpful, is also dangerous.
Please continue to pray for the people of Indonesia and the All Hands and Hearts volunteers in Lombok. You can contribute to the disaster recovery work by donating here: https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/fundraiser/1623359
I had 2 objectives that I wanted to achieve in the course of my journey around the world. The beginning of my journey was mostly personal - letting go and working on going with the flow, which is still a work in progress. The current part of my journey involves helping others. I'm in Lombok, Indonesia volunteering with All Hands and Hearts.
The island of Lombok was struck by several earthquakes with the strongest occurring on August 5th. Almost half a million people were impacted when their homes were destroyed and many lives were lost. The island is still experiencing tremors on a regular basis. (We had 2 just this morning.) The projects in Lombok include providing meals for more than 3000 families, demolishing hazardous structures, and removing rubble so that families can begin rebuilding.
AH&H has several projects around the globe where they support communities impacted by natural disasters. I first learned of the program in Houston, because they have a team there working on recovery from Hurricane Harvey. They enlist the support of volunteers from around the world for whom they provide room and board at no cost to the volunteers as long as they can get to the site on their own. It takes a lot of resources to support the communities and volunteers. I've seen the work of AH&H firsthand, and I know that whatever we can do makes a big impact on the people who lost their homes and livelihoods after the earthquakes.
I am grateful for this view from Gili Island, Indonesia right now.
I've had some frustrating things happen in the last 24 hours that could have a huge impact on my journey. I dropped my phone in water last night, and it is not fully functional just yet after sitting in rice all night. I also lost access to cash with 2 debit cards - one was deactivated by the bank for fraudulent activities, so they sent a new card to my home even though I told them I wouldn't have access to it since I'm out of the country. I forgot the PIN for my backup card, because I rarely use it for cash, and it was confiscated by the ATM after too many failed attempts. Thankfully, I'll be based in Indonesia volunteering until the end of the month and will be able to receive mail at my location. I'll post more details about my time in Indonesia very soon.
As an American traveling overseas, several people have asked me about the state of our union. "Is it really as bad as what we see on BBC?" "Are people really mad about the way the country is going?" "We heard rhetoric like that in Yugoslavia too." I'm proud to be the unofficial American ambassador to the world. I'm showing them that we're not all crazy.
The country is in the throes of the midterm elections, and I'm excited to perform my civic duties. I submitted my application for my absentee ballot, and I'll be voting by email this fall. I didn't even know email was an option until a few weeks ago.
I hope that everyone who reads this is registered to vote and that you are actively engaged in your local community. You can also support issues that are important to you by contributing to causes and candidates across the country.
I've been in Kuala Lumpur for almost 2 weeks, and I have not felt physically normal for most of that time.
I wake up sometimes with a scratchy throat and congestion from sleeping under 2 mini fans blowing dust. It's too hot to sleep without the fans.
My body felt achy a couple of days last week.
My sleep pattern has been totally off. Some nights I don't feel sleepy, and I stay up until 1, 2, 3 am and sleep until almost noon. I'm now 13 hours ahead of home instead of 12. That 1 hour should not have made an impact at all. When I was in Thailand, I typically fell asleep between 10:30 and midnight, and woke up around 7 or 8 am. I could not go to sleep at all last night even after trying different tactics. I decided around 7am that I would just get dressed and go running, which would make me tired. I looked out the window before leaving and saw that it was pouring down rain. I retreated to the bed and finally after lying there for what felt like an eternity, I drifted to sleep. I was awakened a couple of hours later by a phone call.
I was confined to the apartment for 2 days this week with diarrhea and vomiting. I thought I was over it and returned to normal activities yesterday. My stomach seems to be revolting again this morning. I don't know if it was something I ate or drank. Was it ice? Did I eat something cooked in meat fat or stock? I've heard horror stories about people who ate pork after not having it for a while. Surely, restaurants in a Muslim majority country wouldn't cook with lard. Maybe the real culprit is the smokey haze that covers the city.
I bought a bottle of apple cider vinegar (ACV) last week at the grocery store and have been drinking it with purified water everyday like I did at home to maintain general health and immunity. I tried using my NetiPot for the congestion, and I just couldn't do it. I try to avoid medication as much as possible, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I took something for my stomach after spending the first day shuffling between the bathroom and the bed. I also sent a message to my doctor for a Cipro prescription to handle future issues, and it was quickly filled. I've received diagnoses from a couple of unlicensed WebMD junkies. One suggested I ground myself (connect to the earth barefooted) to realign my sleep. Another said that I was physically manifesting home sickness, and the only cure was to come home immediately.
I just want to feel normal again. I'm in Kuala Lumpur for 1 more day before heading to Singapore. I know I should make the most of my last day and a half, but my body won't let me be great right now. I'm going to try anyway.
No, they didn't actually kick me out, but I had to leave within 30 days, otherwise I would have overstayed my (free) tourist entry. By the way, the clock starts on the day of your initial flight, not the day you land in Thailand. I could apply for a visa to stay longer or leave the country and reenter for another 30-day period, but that's not what I want to do at this point. I am now in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Thai time:
13 nights in Chiang Mai (flight from Houston)
3 nights in Pai (bus from Chiang Mai)
1 more night in Chiang Mai before flying to Bangkok (bus from Pai)
3 nights in Bangkok (flight from Chiang Mai)
9 nights in Ao Nang/Krabi (flight from Bangkok; started out as 3 nights and I extended my stay)
I loved Thailand! It was an awesome place to begin my journey, and I plan to go back at some point. Here are my observations about Thailand:
Watermelon has seeds
Orange juice is really Tang (or a knockoff)
Lots of stray dogs roam around and some look like strays but they have collars, which makes me think they have a home somewhere
Dogs enjoying the view
Dogs resting at the beach
Dogs at the temple
Chinese tourists have a reputation for being very loud
Motorbikes are everywhere!
Don't disrespect the king and the royal family
If the sign says "massage by pretty girls, 18+" or the women are sitting outside applying makeup, that place specializes in "happy endings". Keep on walking.
Don't pay more than 500 baht for a massage, unless it's a super fancy hotel spa. You can find plenty of great options for less than 300/hour.
Snap, crackle, pop
A Thai massage is what I imagine a sports massage to be. It's very deep tissue combined with stretching and a chiropractic adjustment. Choose an oil massage if you just want to relax.
Thai massage = full body workout for the giver and the receiver
Take off your shoes before entering a home, temple, or anywhere else with a posted sign
Skin products seem to have whitening/lightening by default
No part of an animal is wasted. They eat cracklin', pigs' feet, and everything else.
It's not unusual to see a whole family on a scooter.
Definitely not ADA compliant
No set side for walking on a sidewalk or street. Should I stay on the right or left? It doesn't matter.
Vehicles stay in their lanes, except for motorbikes that create their own path. Sometimes they break the law and ride on sidewalks.
Bargain/negotiate whenever possible
Time is fluid. The sign might say they open at 10, but it should really say "10ish".
Cameras are everywhere
Police stop motorbikes to shake down tourists
7-11 stores are on every corner and in the middle of each block
ALL food has sugar
Everyone must stand for the king's anthem before a movie
Humidity is a constant factor. Accept the sweat.
Central a/c does not exist
Hot water is only found in showers. Sometimes.
It's against the law to disrespect Buddha.
Cats are all around. Should all cats in Thailand be called Siamese?
"We are Siamese if you please..."
Chiang Mai is the least expensive city compared to Pai, Bangkok, and Krabi. Buy your souvenirs and other items in Chiang Mai.
Go to northern Thailand if you want to see temples
There were no shower curtains at the hotels, so water sprayed all over the bathroom floor.
