On December 26, 2004, two giant tsunami waves smashed into the tiny island of Ko Phi Phi from opposite sides, meeting in the middle and killing an estimated four thousand locals and tourists.
Five years later, there are now “Tsunami Evacuation Route” signs and a Tsunami Memorial. But the main thing you notice about the island is its exploding tourism: specifically of the drunk and stumbling type.
For some folks this is heaven, [...Read More!]
Dengue fever is also known as “Bone Break Fever”. There is no prevention for it except to avoid mosquito bites, and there is no cure for it except to sleep.
As I excused myself from dinner with new friends on Ko Phi Phi last night and passed out on my dorm bed at nine pm, I was pretty sure I had a case of dengue, and bad.
But back up: how did this [...Read More!]
Thrilling changes are blossoming in “Around the World” World!
The first set of shifts comes in the realm of this “Around the World” website itself, and the second takes place within the actual global itinerary.
Take a look at this latest update, while simultaneously gazing at photos from Bangkok’s nutso-to-the-max Kaohsan Road!
Change Set #1: This site now has a fancy new name: AroundTheWorldL.com !
Q: Stupendous! But… why the name change?
A: Turns out [...Read More!]
I sincerely hope, as you read the title of this article, that you pictured a wee virus wearing a tiny coat lined with silver sequins.
Watch him prance around flamboyantly in his flashy outfit! Cute little guy.
That image just about sums up the series of snags and their silver sequin linings that occurred over my past twenty-four hours. Here’s an account of what happened.
Snag #1: Hanoi gave my computer diseases!
Last [...Read More!]
In “Some Like it Hot”, the 1959 comedy ranked the #1 funniest movie of the past 100 years, Marilyn Monroe and her fellow busty “girl band” members have a rollicking party in the top bunk of a sleeper train.
Minute by minute, more ladies squeeze into the minuscule space, each hauling with them another batch of bootleg hooch and maraschino cherries. Poor Jack Lemmon is not only stuck in drag, but [...Read More!]
“Bye, Miss!!!!! Bye, Mister!!!!” students always holler at the end of each school year, throwing themselves on us teachers with melodramatic bear hugs.
“Not ‘Goodbye’!” I always scream, grabbing each student by the shoulders and looking them in the eye. “You never, ever need to lose touch with people you care about nowadays. I’ll stalk you forever on Facebook if you want!”
And I do. From Thailand, to Japan, [...Read More!]
There’s a heck of a lot of squid for sale on the streets of Chiang Mai. But never fear! Other delicacies abound as well.
Here’s one you can even make home.
Boil fresh corn on the cob, inhaling its summer fragrance. When the corn is cooked, hoist a dripping cob out of the water and balance it end-up on a cutting board. Lift a gleaming silver knife and slice off the bright [...Read More!]
We passed our Level Two final massage exams! This means that with 60 hours of training under our belts, we are now official graduates of Level One and Two Thai Massage school at ITM. Woooo hooo!!
“So what does this mean, practically?” you ask as visions of co-opting my friendship into long hours of forced massage labor dance through your head. Easy now, cowboy! Read on…
Here is what [...Read More!]
“Yaaaay!” I typed to Paul, “You’re gonna have the best root canal ever!!!!”
Several weeks ago, my friend Paul was informed by his Manhattan dentist that he needs three root canals, seven crowns, and “various other stuff”. Total projected cost: over TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Although Paul is a semi-famous politician, like most of us he does not have ten thousand dollars to fling towards one square inch of artificial tooth polymers. [...Read More!]
I received a lovely email from an American backpacker in Mexico recently, requesting tips on finding pals while traveling. This article is a response. Keep those emails zinging my way, readers! I like them.
(Note: the photos in this article are street scenes from Chiang Mai, Thailand. What a livable, enjoyable place! Look at how pretty the disco ball temple walls look in the glow of night traffic!)
Before [...Read More!]