excerpt from Naked In Budapest:travels with a passionate nomad

I’m keen to get to Thailand but I need a few days to relax and get used to the heat so decide to move onto Malaysia [by bus from Singapore] in the morning and prepare for another 12 months of travel. Did I really only get a passport when I was 40-something – I’m really playing catch-up now.

At the bus stop in Malacca I hire a man and a bike to take me to a hotel. My bag is only 14 kilos but Mr Ong, with his skin and bone legs, finds it difficult to get the bike moving. When we reach a small rise I offer to walk but he declines with vigour. He tells me he has been a cyclo for 50 years, he’s now 80 and has postcards from all over the world and will I send him one from New Zealand? (I did)

For over a week I explore, keep out of air-conditioned places and I’m now enjoying the heat; I’ve even stopped my arthritis medication – I’m sure I was meant to be born in a hot climate.

‘Selamat. Hari Raya Aidilfitri.’ I’d not expected to be welcomed with these words at the home of a Malaysian Cabinet Minister. Hari Raya, the celebration at the end of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month, is a time of reflection and thanks for the past year, gaining merits for the next life.

Over the past 10 days I’ve been reading, in the newspapers, the exact time of the beginning and end of each day’s fast that is governed by the time of sunrise and sunset. Yesterday was the last day of fasting and was announced in the newspapers and television by the keeper of the Ruler’s Seal, Engku Datuk Ibrahim Engku Ngah.

The days leading up to Hari Raya have been festive: special songs are blaring from giant speakers; houses are cleaned ready for visits from friends and family; new clothes are worn; festive fare prepared; and advertisements and banners in the streets proclaim ‘Our differences keep us together. Hari Raya Aidilfitri.’

During Hari Raya, Muslims give charity money (zakat fitrah, a moral tax or tithe, usually 2.5% of a person’s income) to the mosque for distribution to the poor and for building and maintaining mosques. ‘What happens if people don’t pay?’ I ask.

‘They will have problems when they die,’ James, the manager of the budget hotel tells me. His Chinese employer will not give him time off work to attend prayers today. ‘I will have a bad year.’

I wonder at the actual depth of the racial harmony that’s proclaimed daily in newspapers and on posters – although I am impressed by the apparent tolerance the different races and religions show each other. I meet Muslims who are Indian, Indonesian, Malay and Chinese. Conversely I also meet the same cultures practising many other religions in this country of numerous races and religions: Muslim is predominant, about 52% and television programmes are interrupted each evening for prayers.

Over the past two days huge crowds have swamped bus and train stations as people return home to celebrate with their family. James tells me to go to an ‘open house.’ ‘Of course you are allowed to go’ he says. ‘Everyone is welcome.’

Catching a bus, to follow his advice, I’m surrounded by brightly dressed people many carrying gaily-wrapped gift hampers. I’m on my way to the home of Deputy Health Minister, Dr Mohammed Ali Rustam even though my western mind is not totally convinced that I, a non-Muslim stranger, can attend the celebration.

Under a huge canvas roof beside the house I meet the Doctor and his wife, who welcome me, saying they enjoyed their trip to New Zealand: I sit opposite Janet and her mother who doesn’t speak English. Janet, an elegant Chinese woman, tells me, ‘I went to New Zealand. I was at Rotorua with the Hash Hound Harriers – the boiling mud and geysers were amazing.’ She’s not Muslim and is one of the few people dressed in western-style clothes.

A delightful young girl willingly tells me about the various foods. It seems the little cookies and cakes are made especially for Hari Raya while redang is a dish of meat cooked slowly in coconut milk, chillies, onions and a mixture of spices and served with lemang – a glutinous rice dish cooked with coconut milk and inside a bamboo stalk. Dozens of dishes are served and Janet’s mother encourages me. ‘Eat, eat,’ she says, giving me delicacies off her plate and to be polite, my usual vegetarian diet goes.

The bright yellows, greens, reds and other multicoloured robes and scarves make me feel dowdy in my casual back-packer clothes. I’m wearing a T-shirt and fish-covered long cotton pants I’d made two days before I left home. However, with all the laughter, greetings and smiles I feel part of the dozens of guests and I’m asked to pose for many photos – reversing the usual as the traveller becomes the focus. (pages 152-154)

NOTE: my ‘few days’ in Malaysia becomes three months!

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bali, indonesia – away from the bars and cities

“Don’t go in the men’s shower. If you do the water will stop.” Within minutes of arriving at Tirta Gangga, Bali, I’m shown the bathing area and warned.

The day winds down, birds become silent, bats replace swallows swooping over the rice fields, frogs start their nightly chorus, and men and women call to each other as they bathe in communal showers.

The water is from the Tirta Gangga  (Holy water of the Ganges) on the lower slopes of Gunung Agung – the 3142 metre, conical volcano that the Balinese consider the ‘navel of the world.’

Lying on cushions and gazing at the night sky I can understand why locals believe that heaven is paradise and paradise is Bali.

Of course it depends on the Bali you experience. Apart from two days in Ubud and Sanur, my Bali does not include the tourist traps of bars and cockfights – so this little village on the Indonesian archipelago feels like heaven to me.

I relax into the rhythms of the locals: early to bed, early to rise and lots of jalan jalan – walking aimlessly – and around each corner I find new and even better vistas.

My camera clicks its way through the rice fields in the various stages of cultivation: burning, flooding, ploughing, planting, weeding, cutting, threshing, and finally, drying the kernels on the sun-warmed roads. It’s here that photos of sculptured rice fields are taken for the postcards you’ll send your envious friends and family.

Tirta Gangga has grown around the Water Palace, which was built in 1947 by King Karangasem and is his final resting-place. Although the palace and pools were damaged by an eruption of the sacred mountain in 1963, it’s been restored to its past glory.

The water in the pools flows down the mountain in a constant, cool, clear stream, and is the lifeblood of the area. Locals believe swimming in the palace pools washes away their sins and the palace grounds are the centre of activities; I attend a concert there. The extended family – of the owner of my rented bungalow – and I share a picnic of fruit (mangosteen, banana, jackfruit) and nasi campur from the local warung (foodshop) while we listen to traditional and modern music and songs.

Balinese have only four first names, translating as one, two, three, and four, and which are given to both sexes. Wayan, the housekeeper, is a great source of information about customs and language. As in most Pacific islands, the yard is swept twice daily and a layer of dirt is removed along with any stray leaf, stone or blade of grass that dares to grow. Every evening, after she has bathed and changed into a good sarong with the usual temple scarf wrapped around her waist, Wayan, often with flowers in her hair, performs a ceremony. Small offerings or gifts are given to various deities to ensure all is well for us – a combination of thanks, prayers, and pleas for protection. Incense, flowers, and rice are placed at the entrance to the property, the bedrooms and kitchen, on top of the refrigerator, in the dinning room and, of course, in the spirit-house and small temple which every home has.

Each day I walk and each day people ask “Apa kabar? Mau ke mana?” (How are you, where are you going?) Each day I reply, “ Bagus. Jalan jalan” (I’m good and just walking.)

Wandering around these beautiful hills and valley, from one village to the next I see a very different Bali to that of most tourists. I sit and watch women carrying huge loads on their heads; see fields being ploughed and rice threshed; the activity at the market; children walking to and from school and talk with the hairdresser with his bicycle hair-dressing salon on the side of the road. I also see cattle being lovingly bathed, roosters having their feet soaking in the streams to ’strengthen their legs’, and children weeding the fields to feed the pigs.

I become part of a farewell party. Flowers are strewn over the ground, incense is burning, and the men are drinking spirits from Lombok.  Old men lead the singing and laughing exposes their betel-stained teeth.

As the cliché says- the best things in life are free – and so it is in Bali. Orange sunsets, green rice fields, a rich culture and best of all, getting off the well-worn tourist trail is still possible.

A locals view of Bangkok, Thailand – a heritage tale

Kudee Cheen is an old community famous not only for its desserts, but also for its historical heritage By: By Pichaya Svasti  Published: 12/07/2009 at 12:00 Newspaper section: Brunch

Nestled by the Chao Phraya River and set amidst several canals near the old palace of King Taksin the Great is Kudee Cheen, a closely knitted, multicultural community dating back to the Thon Buri period. It is also a reflection of the former capital, Ayutthaya, in terms of layout and traditions.

Since the construction of the Rama I Bridge in 1932 and the several adjacent roads thereafter, this area has expanded and changed, but not always for the better. Most of the canals have become murky and smelly, and a lot of the alleys look messy. Sadly, once-beautiful wooden houses are run down. Public spaces for local residents and children to relax and enjoy themselves are inadequate.

In a push for sustainable conservation, the Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage has been carrying out work, since 2006, in accordance with a cultural map of the riverside communities at Kudee Cheen and the nearby Ban Bu community.

“The Kudee Cheen area has several layers of historical complexity. Its value will be fulfilled with this cultural map,” says Teeranand Chuangpinit, director of the Thon Buri Historical Information Centre.

Niramon Kulsrisombat, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture who is involved in this cultural mapping project, reveals that the jigsaw was completed by the Fine Arts Department, architects and urban designers, and locals who know their community best.

Initially, opinions were gathered and three cultural maps for the Kudee Cheen area were drafted by three different groups – the Fine Arts Department, architects and urban designers, and local youths. A series of public forums were then held to enable the three parties and local villagers to exchange information and to discuss how to conserve and develop this community.

After that, the three maps were combined into a final draft, based on the findings obtained. The result listed the following landmarks: Kian Un Keng Shrine; Wat Kanlaya and its community; Wat Prayurawongsawat; Wat Buppha Ram; Bang Luang Mosque (Kudee Khao); the former Thon Buri provincial hall; Santa Cruz Church and its school and surrounding areas; and old canals, ancient wooden house, routes and walkways

Located in Thon Buri (at one time known as Venice of the East), the Kudee Cheen area consists of six communities – Wat Kanlaya, Kudee Cheen, Wat Prayurawongsawat, Wat Buppha Ram, Kudee Khao and Rong Khram. This territory stretches from the mouth of khlong Bang Luang to Wat Prayurawongsawat.

“The Kudee Cheen community consists of six sub-communities of three religions and probably seven to eight ethnic groups. Its charm lies in its clusters of old wooden houses, particularly two beautiful houses alongside khlong Bang Luang,” Mr Teeranand, director of the Thon Buri Historical Information Centre, said.

During the Ayutthaya period, the Kudee Cheen community served as a customs checkpoint and an anchorage for ships.

From the late Thon Buri period until the Bangkok period, a large part of the Thon Buri side of the city became the residential zone of royals and bureaucrats. The majority of its residents during the Thon Buri period were Hokkiens. This community was named Kudee Cheen after the local Chinese shrine.

Sarn Somdet, a compilation of letters between Prince Damrong, the founder of the modern Thai education system and an expert on Thai history, and Prince Naris, the father of Thai architecture, relates stories of this area.

“It is called Kudee Cheen and there used to be a real kudee cheen [Chinese shrine]. That shrine must have been built by the Chinese on a curve of the river according to a tradition. It was built sometime when the Chao Phraya River still flowed through Bangkok Yai Canal and when the current location of Wat Kanlayanamitr was part of the river. It was before Bangkok Canal was dug in the reign of King Chairacha. When King Taksin established Thon Buri as the capital, he gathered the war fugitives to settle down in Thon Buri. He allowed the Chinese from Ayutthaya to set up houses north of Kudee Cheen Canal where Wat Kanlayanamitr would be later built. Chao Sua Mun, father of Chao Phraya Nikornbordin, settled there, and Chao Phraya Nikorn-bordin was born there, leading to the construction of Wat Kanlayanamitr in the reign of King Rama III.”

This book also says: “The Portuguese from Ayutthaya were allowed to settle down by the river, south of Kudee Cheen, and were called farang kudee cheen. The words ‘farang kudee cheen’ indicate that the Portuguese moved in after the Chinese since the words ‘kudee cheen’ were already widely in use …”

READ THE REST OF THE BANGKOK POST ARTICLE HERE

top tips to avoid tourist traps in thailand

Found this in BootsNall travel stories.As someone who goes to Thailand a lot, i can reccomend these tips to get off the tourist trail … which some thai tourist operators  try and keep you on. for me, Thailand is fabulous when you get away from the pancake trail, eat REAL Thai food, meet real Thai people and expericnce real Thai events and sites> just as if you are in New Zealand you need to see more than Auckland, Rorotua and Queenstown: sure thay are all part of New Zealand: but NZ , like Thailand, is more than these places  .. lots of these tips can be used in every where you travel. So well done Steve. a great piece .. will check out more of your writing

This kiwitravelwriter blog has many pieces on Thailand … check the categories to read more from the ‘land of smiles’ as the country is often called.

Thailand’s “Banana Pancake Trail” and 5 Insider Tips for Escaping it

By: Steve Bramucci

1 – Ask the right questions

Guidebooks like the Lonely Planet make a habit of recommending that you ask locals for up-to-date advice. But in a country that sees as much foot traffic as Thailand, this question becomes skewed. The friendly Thai people are quick to name spots where they think you might be happy, places where the other tourists seem to visit. When asked, they’ll usually refer you to locales firmly on the beaten track: Khao San Road in Bangkok or the islands of Ko Phi Phi and Ko Pha Ngan.

The right question in this case is not “where should I visit? Eat? Stay? Etc.” it’s “Where would you visit? Eat? Stay? Etc.” One of my favorite places in Thailand is a tiered waterfall called Ti Lor Su. Tourism officials at the waterfall told me that it gets ten-thousand visitors annually but that more than nine thousand of those are Thai citizens. No offense to the Wheeler’s, but I’d rather to put my faith in a statistic like that than a book when deciding where to visit. Three days after hearing backpackers complain about the prevalence of other backpackers in Bangkok I spent an entire day cliff jumping at Ti Lor Su and never saw another soul.

2 – Be intrepid

Here’s a secret: every single one of Thailand’s National Marine Parks (and there are 22 of them) allow camping. I once considered sharing that tip to be a crime, like giving away how Houdini did the Water Torture Trick. But like Houdini’s escapes, a bold spirit is required for making use of any good travel secret. Thailand is full of remote corners and beautiful sites just waiting to be uncovered. Anyone who has traveled the country thoroughly will rave about places that get little mention in the Lonely Planet. In 2006 I spent two-weeks camped with a handful of friends on an empty beach less than an hour by boat from some of Thailand’s most overrun tourist traps. We paid seventy-five cents a night.

3 – Learn the value of a good map

I first learned about the usefulness of real topographical maps from my surf buddies. It’s common for surf-vagabonds to study maps with burning intensity. By comparing the layout of well-known breaks to the position of unexplored beaches and reefs they have found hundreds of previously unknown waves.

Thailand is a great place to apply this sort of thinking: you want to see the far north but don’t want to be at a place as clogged with tourists as Chang Rai? Check a map to find someplace geographically similar but smaller. The people will inevitably be less burnt out on visitors and the cost of living will be significantly cheaper.

4 – The Fibonacci Spiral – Think concentric circles

A Fibonacci Spiral constantly increases in diameter as it expands outward. This is exactly how I recommend traveling through Thailand’s tourist mainstays. Here’s an example: because of their guaranteed customer base, the food near Khao San Road (Bangkok’s ground-zero for backpackers) has seen a huge drop in quality. Even if you’re staying in this area try walking a Fibonacci spiral away from your hotel when looking for some place to eat. The further you get the fresher the ingredients will be, the richer the flavors, the friendlier the service and the more authentic the experience.

When making your spiral be sure not to avoid residential neighborhoods. The best meal I ever had in Bangkok was at a small restaurant built into someone’s garage with two plastic tables, a matron who didn’t speak a word of English and a clientele of locals from the neighborhood. It wasn’t just my best meal because of the cultural realism either. The food was better and less expensive by a power of two.

5 – Plan for a Festival

Southeast Asia on a Shoestring makes passing mention of festivals and national holidays but backpackers rarely let such things dictate their plans. This is incredibly convenient for the rest of us, because Thailand boasts some of the world’s best festivals at times that don’t line up with the Commonwealth of Nations’ school holidays.

Try to set your trip for Loy Krathong, held on the full moon in November, and make your way to Chang Mai. There you will witness the waterways filled with floating Krathong (banana leaf rafts lit with candles) and the night-sky speckled with flying lanterns. It’s truly a stunning sight.

If you’re visiting in the spring shoot for Songkran, one of the world’s most unusual, fascinating and brilliantly chaotic festivals. Songkran marks the Thai New Year and spans from April 13th-15h. During the celebration businesses throughout the country shut down (particularly in Bangkok and Chang Mai) and citizens partake in a national water fight. The streets are filled with revelers signing, spreading mud paste on each other’s faces and dumping water on each other. It challenges Spain’s famous Tomatina Festival for both messiness and enjoyment. Both Loy Krathong and Songkran offer excellent opportunities to connect with locals.

At the end of the day, finding a way off the Banana Pancake Trail is simple—all it takes is a spirit for adventure, a thirst for something new and a willingness to split from the pack. The only downside is you might have to try a new dish for breakfast. I’d say it’s certainly worth the trade-off.

Additional photo credits:
Pancake by soma-samui.com on Flickr, Songkran Festival by Wyndham on Flickr, All other photos by Steve Bramucci

read all about guide books and banana pancakes here

great resort in thailand

Indigo Pearl. Nai Yang Beach and National Park Phuket

I stayed here in February – an experience as rare as an indigo pearl which is evidently very very rare!

The architecture and the ‘found art’ is inspired by Phukets’ mining past and built in an old tin mining area.

Attention to detail stunning: tooth picks in a bolt shaped container, blackened stainless steel and brass rivets; metal tables or metal covered in the ‘tin mine’ restaurant with cutlery open ended spanners, staff aprons like blacksmiths one

my breakfast is being prepared -- yummy

Large open walled restaurant and no matter how many in it seemed spacious with lots of seating areas off the ‘main’ one  different theme each night as well as the usual fare

The pools are salt water, a great conservation on an island that has little fresh water.

more details from  www.indigo-pearl.com

http://www.tourismthailand.org/

www.thaiair.com/

Just posted this piece this morning and now six /eight hours later I recieved this information from Indigo Pearl so passing it on for you

Phuket’s Indigo Pearl Launches Six Amazing Package Offers

Six Packages Have Something for Everyone – Romance, Adventure, Relaxation, Shopping

Award-winning Indigo Pearl, a distinctive luxury resort inspired by the tin mining history of Phuket, has announced a fantastic choice of six holiday packages designed to suit any personality, style and interest. From the free-spirited to the adventurous, the romantic to the stressed out, these packages give you a dream luxury holiday, while providing great reductions on rooms, food and drinks and a choice of action, relaxation or something in between.

“The current tough economy sees people working harder and managing more stress, and so more in need of a holiday than ever. Given that, we have come up with six holiday options providing great savings, while still offering the beauty, luxury and fun that is unique to Indigo Pearl. The six packages provide lots of choice, from the number of days, to room types, to a whole range of experiences, including shopping, sports, art and culture.” said Mr. Arnaud Girodon, General Manager of Indigo Pearl.

Each of the packages offers guests a more personalized experience, providing flexibility if they’re travelling alone, with friends, or with the love of their life. For example, romantics can choose the Lovers Escape, a two night, three day getaway that includes everything you need to celebrate love – a bottle of sparkling wine, an hour long massage for two, dinner and wine at the Rivet Grill, and a late afternoon check-out.

For the stressed out, chose the Simply Exhale or the Zen, both designed to strip the stress away, relaxing and rejuvenating your weary bones, through a gorgeous dinner, massage, yoga or stretching, or even shopping. Speaking of shopping, the Retail Therapy Package will delight the shopaholic, delivering lots of discounts at Indigo Pearl, as well as transport to and guaranteed discounts at a range of large and small retailers; discover the hidden shopping treasures of Phuket Town.

If you’re seeking the fun and sun, the Adventure Package lets you choose anything from bungee jumping to Thai boxing, and sea canoeing or snorkeling. Finally, you’re in luck if you are a Thai citizen or resident, because you’re entitled to unbeatable discounts, providing nearly 50% off your room choice.

All six packages are available from now to 31^st October 2009. Prices range from THB6900 to THB24,500 (USD 203 to USD 720), depending on the room type, number of nights and single or twin occupancy.

All six packages come with a choice of four room types – Kelly Quarters, Plantation Villas, Pearl Bed Suites or Private Pool Pavilions – daily breakfast for two at Tin Mine Restaurant, Phuket Airport transfers, your choice of a wide range of recreational activities, 20% discount on all food and beverages, 4pm late checkout, and twice daily shuttles to and from Phuket Town and Patong.

For more information on Indigo Pearl and the various packages please visit

www.indigo-pearl.com.

Six Great Packages

Simply Exhale – 3 days/2 nights

If you are looking for a getaway to simply unwind and recharge yourself then Simply Exhale promises to provide an experience that will be worth the stay! It includes complimentary breakfast for two at Tin Mine Restaurant and a set dinner for two with two glasses of wine at Black Ginger Restaurant. Rates for single occupancy are between THB 6,900 and THB 11,400. Twin occupancy rates are between THB 7,900 and THB 12,400.

Zen Package – 4 days/3 nights

The Zen package is for those interested in a more meditative experience, offering a choice of Yoga, Tai Chi and Stretching classes. It also allows you to indulge in two relaxing massages to relieve stress and soothe one’s senses, incorporating unique and traditional healing qualities of Thai massage. It also comes with daily breakfast for two at Tin Mine Restaurant. Single occupancy, rates are between THB 12, 590 and THB 17,850. Twin occupancy rates are between THB 14,900 and 19,400.

Adventure Package – 4 days/3 nights

If you are a looking for an adventure styled holiday, then this package will definitely give you the adrenaline rush you desire! Lots of activities await you after your complementary daily breakfast at Tin Mine Restaurant. Room rates are between THB 16, 400 and THB 20,900 for single occupancy and for Twin, THB 20, 000 to THB 24,500.

Lovers Escapade Package – 3 days/2 nights

The Lovers Escapade Package is perfect for couples looking for a romantic getaway. This package includes wine upon arrival, daily breakfast at Tin Mine Restaurant and one dinner at Rivet Grill, as well as an hours’ Spa Treatment at the exquisite IN-DI-GO Spa. Couples can opt to experience the recreational activities together and then get some shopping and sightseeing done at Phuket Town and Patong; the perfect means to bond with your love while experiencing the tantalizing and soothing ambience that is Indigo Pearl. Room rates are between THB 12,900 and THB 17, 400.

Retail Therapy Package

Want to sooth your shopping needs, or looking for the best bargains and discounts while on holiday? Then experience the Retail Therapy Package. Specially catered to suit anyone seeking the most exotic Thai crafts, antiques, souvenirs and shops, this package will give you all that you bargain for! With offers in participating shops and retail outlets and transport services to and from Phuket Town, you will find a shopping experience like never before.

Thai Residents Getaway

This package is ideal for Thai Residents and nationals looking for a great deal. It includes daily breakfast for two and an option of the Private Garden Pavilion, not offered in other packages! Simply show your proof of Thai residence or ID upon check in and enjoy your privileges!

About Indigo Pearl:

The distinctive Indigo Pearl resort is a fusion of modern architecture and Thai tin-mining heritage next to Nai Yang Beach, just 10 minutes from Phuket International Airport.

Indigo Pearl was recently awarded ‘’Best Design Concept Hotel/Resort in South East Asia’’ at the HAPA (Hospitality Asia) Awards 2008 – 2010. The resort was also voted among Asia’s Top 25 Best Leisure Hotels and Resorts in the Smart Travel Asia ‘Best in Travel Poll 2008’.

Last year it was named one of the best new hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveler (US) in its ‘2007 Hot List’ of top new resorts, spas, restaurants and nightclubs, after only 6 months of operation.

Indigo Pearl was nominated as “Most Stylish Hotel” by ELLE magazine, Singapore, and ranked among the “TOP 50 Dream Resorts” by Honeymoon and Travel magazine.

It was also named as one of Asia’s best new hotels in a newly released book, “Tablet 10 Top Ten New Hotels: Asia & Africa”, highlighting Asia and Africa’s ten most unique and exciting new hotels. Indigo Pearl is the only hotel featured in Thailand and is one of only two beach resorts in the entire book.

Admitted as a member of HIP Hotels, the distinctive 5-star resort was furthered selected to join the Kiwi Collection’s exclusive list of the top 1,500 hotels in the world, and partner the world’s leading private members’ club and concierge, Quintessentially.

For reservations, please email\reservations@indigo-pearl.com.

Please visit our website www.indigo-pearl.com.

food in foreign places? vegetarian? no problems really

only 12% of westerners like durian - I am one of them

Notwithstanding having a kitchen the size of a yacht galley, I love food.

Living alone, I whip up very few culinary delights. This is despite watching the occasional TV chef, attending a cooking school in Thailand, managing a cafe in Athens, and working as an entree chef in Wales! (In an Italian restaurant, under a temperamental French Chef)

However this experience has qualified me, like people at an art gallery, to know what I like – and what I miss when I travel.

Usually simple things like good bread, vegemite,  good cheese, seafood, and poached eggs on toast. However it all depends on the country I am in, how long I have been on the road and my state of mind.

When all is well I am happy with the local food no matter what it may be, although a snack of sun-dried caterpillar in a Zimbabwean food market was hard to swallow because of its dryness.

When I was vegetarian it was difficult to be sure no chicken had sat in the soup water despite having learnt to say ‘I don’t eat meat’ in a dozen different languages. “Vegetarian meal? No problem, here is chicken, fish or pork.” As long as it is not red meat some assume that it must be vegetarian. “No – no meat, no chicken no pork, just rice please. No. No soup on it” I say as they would carefully scoop up some liquid and leave the chicken pieces floating in the fatty cauldron.

Some countries are easier to travel in when you don’t eat meat however even some Buddhist eat meat. The best place in the world for vegetarian meals is a small suburb in Georgetown. (Malaysia) If you are going there, write out these directions.

Go to the reclining Buddha, (walk or bus from town) then cross the road to visit the peaceful Burmese Buddhist temple and when you have finished looking, go out the front gate – turn left, walk a kilometre down the road to a t intersection, turn left and stop at any food shop. I guarantee it will be fantastic. I also know you will ask, as I did, “Are you sure this is vegetarian? No meat?”

They are amused. Yes, no meat. They have developed creative and tasty ways of using tofu in its many forms. Menus are varied, the food delicious and I went back, and back to sample the lot.

Many British people I met had become vegetarian for their travels, they wanted to reduce the chances of gastric problems and maybe it helps. I certainly ate everything I wanted, everywhere, and apart from the occasional quick trips to the toilet it seems my stomach could handle anything.

A young British GP I met in Harare said she always eats the local yoghurt for a day or two when she goes anywhere new – a gentle way introduce her stomach to the local bug culture- sounds feasible – I have no idea if it works but she swore by it.

I finally gave up being a strict vegetarian so I could join with locals and try cultural delicacies such as crocodile, haggis and in Cairo, pigeon stuffed with green rice. My stomach continued its cast-iron behaviour. I put it down to the earthworms I told my parents I had eaten when I was a very young child. True? I have no idea!

So eschew the international fast food places and tourist restaurants that will deliver the same meal as you get at home, and vegetarian or carnivore, go visit the local markets and give your taste buds a scrumptious surprise.

silkworms and book worms

Silkworms for bookworms
If you are frustrated trying to find some interesting reading before your trip to Southeast Asia look no further than Silkworm publishing house based in Chiang Mai. Known to publish books because no one else will if they don’t, they have gained a reputable reputation on their informative and well-researched titles. Some suggestions for visitors from the publisher include a coffee table book on Laos Royalty, a travel guide to Cambodia and for the history buffs, there are a series of history books on several Asian countries. Whether you are interested in Buddhism or a work of fiction, Silkworm has an interesting title to match your interest.

top ten rooftop bars in the world – bangkok tops the list

Worlds top ten rooftop bars –  and I have eaten at one of them  - the number one, one, Sirocco, Bangkok Thailand. what great taste I have

And, check out these websites for more infomation about Thailand and Thai Airways

http://www.tourismthailand.org/ www.thaiair.com/

Read what another travel writer Martin Sykes wrote about Sirroco the night we were there in February this year

photo by simonparisphotograph y

1. Sirocco

Bangkok, Thailand

No night out in Bangkok is complete without a couple cocktails at Sirocco. Perched on top of The Dome at State Tower, 64th floors above the hectic streets of Bangkok, this sexy rooftop bar boasts 360 degree views of the city with city lights in every direction, as far as the eye can see. If you’re looking for a picturesque place to dine, they also serve dinner.

The Dome at State Tower 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500

jane hates ugly americans … how to avoid being one

Jane hates ugly americans. Read the whole peice here

. . . Later that day in Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondent’s Club (the other FCC), a few Americans joined me, where I blurted out the story of my run-in with the aforementioned creep from California. We talked about how horrible a representative he is for our country and how we can work to dispel the image of the prototypical American abroad.

Following are some notes from that discussion at the FCC about how to get along in another country without coming off as brash, gauche, or overbearing:

1. Include everyone around you in every conversation. Language barriers or not, it is bad form to exclude another person in your party simply because you do not possess the same vocabulary. Instead, find a way to get everyone involved, even if that means finding a bilingual person to join you.

2. When visiting another country, try hard to learn at least a few words of the home language, no matter how difficult. I always attempt the translations for “please,” “thank you” and “goodbye” even if my accent and pronunciation are barely recognizable. It has always earned me extra points among the my foreign cohorts and put me in better stead with myself, too. Trying out the language allows me to interact with others on a deeper level.

3. When you are first introduced to someone from another county, don’t start off by cracking a joke. Humor just doesn’t travel well. Most likely, the joke will be either misunderstood or not understood at all.

4. Be open-minded. If you are asked to participate in a custom you do not find appealing, do not complain. Instead, cooperate as best you can because that is a big part of the job of getting along in a foreign country.

5. When in doubt, smile. It will stop you from being perceived as unpleasant in the most trying of circumstances.

read more from Jane Lasky

free walking tour in tokyo — how great!

Free Walking Tour Every Saturday!

As part of our volunteer, we offer foreign visitors a free walking tour in Tokyo. The tour started on the 28th of June 2008 and is held every Saturday. We hope that in the future we are able to offer this free walking tour every day and once we have made the necessary preparations for this to happen we will announce it on our website. All the necessary details about this free walking tour you can find on our website (see below) and with a single click you can join the tour if you are in Tokyo.
Tour details
We took some pictures in this free walking tour the other day.
When you watch some scene, you put your pointer on that above picture with a single click. It was made on Flash.

Why are we offering this free walking tour?
Firstly, since Japanese people don’t speak English very well we think that this tour could provide them with the opportunity to encounter English speaking tourists and would be able to practice it.
Secondly, the number of tourists who come and visit Japan are growing steadily and we think that some of them might find it hard to understand Japanese culture and customs as it differs very from the Western way of life. At least, we think, Westerners need some hints and knowledge about Japan when they come and visit and we would feel confident to help you with this.
The reason why we are able to offer foreign visitors a free tour guide is that the Japanese government has put into force a law which says that tour guides need a qualification to guide in Japan and we were handed this necessary permission as volunteer by the Japan National Tourism Organization under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
We would like a feedback from you about this offer and would be delighted to read your opinion and would like you to join this tour when you come to Japan.

Please email us at:
freewalkingtour@gmail.com