There’s a ton of information and resources out there about traveling in Southeast Asia, butI tend to find a lot of it generic or outdated. Whenever I’m traveling around Thailand or the rest of the region however, I always consult these websites and resources because I know they will be helpful and and accurate as […]

This past weekend marked my three year anniversary of leaving Seattle and moving to Southeast Asia. Though at the time I didn’t really think of it as ‘moving’, more like I was leaving for an extended trip, I’ve now used Chiang Mai as a home base for longer than anywhere else I’ve lived after high […]

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 […]

The last two weeks have been a blur of islands, temples, mountains, markets, motorbike rides, boat trips and festivals… Having visitors always gives you the opportunity to show off your favorite spots and do things you wouldn’t do otherwise, like spend a week in nice hotels, go on impractical day trips instead of working and […]

Traveling around countries where English is not spoken, you often see various signs, information pamphlets and menus employing some interesting uses of the English language.  Sometimes silly, sometimes poetic, sometimes confusing and sometimes downright nonsense – funny English signs in Asia rarely fail to amuse. My favorite menu item that I’ve seen so far was […]

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 […]

Unexpected mini trips, Christmas, computer problems…the past few weeks have kind of been odd and now I need to get back on the blogging bandwagon and figure out what I’m doing and where I’m going in 2013.  A quick look about what’s been going on lately… Northern Thailand is filled with mountains and jungles – […]

I’ve always appreciated the old and natural over the new and plastic.  I like old buildings, old cars, old clothes.  I majored in history and have often felt like I should be living in a different decade.  I prefer making things with my hands than working online.  I don’t have a smartphone. When I first […]

When I first came to Thailand I thought I might be gone for about a year – teach a little bit and travel around SE Asia, then head to Australia and New Zealand, and ideally make my way home via Europe.  That was in May 2011. Instead, I haven’t even managed to get out of […]