Just a quick note to let you all know I’m OK…I made it to Bangkok, after 36 hours of travel hell in India. I now understand why the Delhi airport is crawling with soldiers, armed with rifles and submachine guns: after 36 hours of dealing with double-dealing taxi drivers, extortionate bus drivers, and clamoring beggars, [...]
(Apologies in advance for the volume of emails, today and tomorrow–I’m trying to get the Akha trip written up before I leave for India, and I’ve only got a day and a half. I’m going to try getting the Akha photos up on the website, too–probably tomorrow.) ———————————- Sometime in the afternoon, I asked how [...]
Well. I now have the world’s best drop spindle. Laceweight, perfectly balanced, gorgeously decorated, spins forever–oh yes, and solid silver. 97%, a bit higher than sterling.
I arrived at the silversmith’s in the early morning, along with Asaw, my new guide. (Chatree, my guide from the previous day, was off with another tour group that [...]
Well. I have now eaten dog.
It was sort of inevitable, really; I walked into the village in the middle of a ceremonial…no, wait, I’d better tell the story in sequence.
I got to the silversmith’s late this morning because I lost some electronics and spent the morning searching for it. We haggled for awhile, discussing lessons [...]
Well, it turns out I didn’t go to Akha Hill House, after all…which is a good thing, since I’ve since been told that it’s a notorious drug hangout. I freely confess to a vivid curiosity about opium growth/production, but since I’m not even slightly interested in trying the stuff, I’m just as happy to skip [...]
Just arrived in Chiang Rai, and will probably spend the next day or so writing up the last couple days of rafting trip…which were highly amusing. First, however, I’m taking care of the necessities of life: hot shower, laundry, ATM, hair conditioner, foot massage, gay bar, and email, not necessarily in that order. (If you [...]
Well, in the latest bizarre turn on events, Richard called me up yesterday and asked how I’d feel about being on the cover of Farang magazine (a Thai travel magazine targeted at backpackers)…they want me for the cover of their January issue (!). Needless to say, I said yes…so he’s put together a sample to [...]
So, I’ve been spending a few quiet days in Bangkok taking care of little stuff before heading out on the Grand Tour…two weeks Cambodia, two weeks Vietnam, two weeks Laos, two weeks on the Burmese border working with at-risk hilltribe daughters, then to Chiang Mai and back down to Bangkok, thence to India. At least, [...]
So, after two months in Thailand, I’m getting ready for the grand tour of Southeast Asia: crossing to Cambodia through the land border at Poipet, two weeks in Cambodia, two weeks in Vietnam, two weeks in Laos, then back to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and two weeks of volunteer work on the Burmese border. Then I’ll [...]
Okay, so you want to hear about the shower now, right? How I finally discovered the secret of getting hot water in Bangkok? No? Sheesh. Silly people. If you ever come to Thailand, you’ll regret not listening…but OK, fine. Have it your way…
Coming in from Chiang Mai: I arrived on the overnight train, [...]