Borobudur is an ancient Buddhist monument in the Muslim country. Located just outside Yogyakarta in Central Java, Borobudur was built in the 9th century and then abandoned in the 14th with the rise of Islam in the region. Raffles, the famous British ruler of Java, brought it out of obscurity in 1814 and it is now …
Monthly Archives: March 2012
No Plan Is The Best Plan
I’ve found when traveling that having everything scheduled and worked out in the finest detail simply makes for a poor travel experience. If you have everything planned out then there is no opportunity of the unexpected to happen, which is where most of the excitement from travel come from. Or, if it does happen, you …
Komodo National Park: There Be Dragons Here
One of the most exciting trips I did was visiting Komodo and Rinca islands in Indonesia. They are famous, of course, for the Komodo dragons that live on them.These giant monitor lizards roam around the islands and tend to hang out near the ranger stations (where they smell the food that is cooking). A visit …
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Weekly Photo: Monkey at Koh Phi Phi Beach
Koh Phi Phi is the island chain made famous by the movie The Beach staring Leonardo DiCaprio. This photo was of a monkey on Koh Phi Phi Don, the largest island in the chain. We were watching a storm coming in an the monkey just decided to join us. By the way, Phi Phi is …
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Weekly Photo: Leaning Tower of Pisa
I visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy in the Spring of 2008. There were so many people running around it was like a zoo! I got tickets to go up the tower, but had to wait nearly two hours before I could go up. They don’t allow many people up at a time—only …
A Day Trip to Ayutthaya, Thailand
Not far from Bangkok—about an hour by car—is the former capital of the Kingdom of Siam, the city of Ayutthaya. Now the UNESCO recognized Ayutthaya Historical Park, Ayutthaya played a major role in Thai history. Ayutthaya was the seat of 5 dynasties and 33 kings, and also was involved in over 70 wars (mostly with the Khmer …
How to Get a Myanmar (Burma) Visa in Bangkok, Thailand
Applying for a Myanmar visa in Bangkok, Thailand is really easy. A simple form is required, two passport size photos, 810 baht, and some time to wait in line is all you need to get your visa. I’ve been in Thailand for a couple weeks now and decided instead of doing a visa run I …
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Weekly Photo: China Town, Bangkok, Thailand
China Town in Bangkok is an eclectic mix of Thai and Chinese cultures. Much of it reminds me of parts of Hong Kong and Taiwan, yet it’s very unique in the way it is all fused together with Thai. One of the great things here is the seafood—it’s available everywhere in China Town!
Weekly Photo: Palolem Beach, Goa
Palolem Beach is far more relaxed that many of the other beaches in Goa. Hoards of tourists flock to Goan beaches every year, but Palolem seems to avoid that mad rush. Of course, it gets it fair share of kids drinking and smoking pot on the beach, though there is a far more geratic and …