With hundreds of islands to choose from, it quickly becomes overwhelming trying to decide what the best Thai island to go to is. Heck, after three years living in the country and becoming more familiar with all the different options, it’s still difficult for me to choose and organize a trip. (And then I just give […]

Every trip has its own set of packing requirements. For short weekend trips it’s easy to throw stuff in a bag last minute, long backpacking treks require more planning ahead and items that can serve different duties, and moving to a new country is too overwhelming to to think about. How can you pack for […]

There’s no right or wrong way to travel…but there are a few things everyone should keep in mind while on the road. 1. Be patient Things will go wrong, planes will be delayed, the weather won’t cooperate and you’ll forget to charge your camera battery. In the end, it probably won’t matter too much. Just relax […]

I’m not a very particular packer.  I don’t use packing wedges, I don’t obsess about forgetting things and often I don’t even make lists of what to bring.  However, whether I’m backpacking around Southeast Asia, going away for the weekend or heading out on a road trip, there are a handful of random of things […]

Everyone knows the Land of Smiles is filled with sunshine, lady boys, cheap eats and tuk tuks…but there are several things, especially when it comes to what is actually legal or illegal, that may surprise you.  Here’s what you don’t know about Thailand:

Last week I wrote about how much money I made teaching in Thailand and monthly break down of my expenses here.  Today, I want to call out some money sucks of living and traveling in Thailand. While it’s incredibly affordable to live and travel here, I’ve still heard many people complain that they’re spending a […]

So doing my taxes, I realized how much money I actually made teaching in Thailand for 2012…it’s laughable.  Ready? $6,000 After I had a minor freak out (I made more money when I was a teenager!) I took a step back to look at how I could still be so comfortable after making such a […]

It’s no secret that I love all the Buddhist temples or wats.  I go to new ones every week, can’t stop taking photos of the same ones over and over, and have even gone on a 7-hour motorbike ride to visit one that’s supposedly special for my birthday.  On New Year’s Day I spent the […]

Despite my last post being a little…questioning…I love Chiang Mai – I mean, I’ve stayed here about a year longer than I initially expected.  I’m kind of a fan.  But the town it itself can be…dingy.  There are some really charming, even beautiful, spots and the city is relatively clean, but there are also a […]

I have an issue with taking pictures of people when traveling. In the past year and half going through Thailand, India, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam I’ve come across several situations of travelers snapping away at locals.  Sometimes it’s in a situation that I find okay – like, say, with a tour guide who really makes […]