Monkey Wrench

2019 planning

A monkey wrench was thrown into the Granada stop. Appears to be almost impossible to get tix to the Alhambra, which is maybe the premier spot in all of Spain. Too late getting tickets unless we opt for more expensive group tour. I would be perfectly satisfied seeing the Alhambra at a distance, from two sunset vantage points, then doing all the other things Granada has to offer. Then there's Ronda, a place I definitely want to see, but a bit of a logistical mess. Not as easy getting in and out there as it might look. Today I have been really studying up on this, and it has caused me to rethink order of cities. Right now, with a final decision needed, I can see this revised route:

April 28, Sunday, arrive in Malaga, then take first bus to Granada, stay four nights. If unable to tour Alhambra, consider a nice hike in Sierra Nevada. Monday is also a slow day (religious day?), and many things closed. So would mean two full days really in Granada.

May 2, Thursday, Granada to Seville by train, stay five nights.

May 7, Tuesday, take bus to Ronda, stay three nights.

May 10, Friday, return to Seville by bus from Ronda.

May 10 or 11, Seville to Southern Portugal (Algarve) by bus

Once in Portugal, explore Algarve for two full days, then take a train to Lisbon. Spent time there, in Sintra and hopefully Porto.

If we get tired of Seville, can add a day trip to Cordoba and another to Cadiz.

The Arctic

 

I sent this article to a friend in 2014.

Alaska is going to be an even sweeter deal as the Arctic ice melts and gives countries with territorial claims an opportunity to search for oil and gas reserves. Russia has the biggest piece of the pie, Canada second, we're maybe next, then Denmark. The Russkies already have planted a flag on the seabed, and they have arctic military bases and more icebreaker ships than anybody. I think they are also already shipping and receiving goods to/from Asia through the Bering Straight more months out of the year due to the melting ice. It's a faster route that way than going through the Suez canal, which I think has been the main way for decades.  - message to friend in 2020

December 2020

I sent this out in April '22.

With the faster melting of ice, it will open up the region for shorter sea trade routes and mineral exploration. - April '22

Chinese Girls

Harvest Season

Triangle Cushion

source

The Ultimate Guide To Using A Thai Triangle 3-Fold Pillow

Kade and I bought one of these in the Thai riverside town, Nong Khai. We ended up bringing it to Asheville, NC (USA).

Cyril

I checked out a Russian cultural atlas from the library and I'm learning how the Russian Orthodox Church got established.  Way back in 800 or so, two missionaries from the Byzantine empire (modern day Turkey) were called to come to that Slavic part of the world in order to translate scriptures and work on perfecting an alphabet. One missionary was Cyril, which is how the cyrillic alphabet was derived. At the time, the ruler of the Slavic people (pre-Russia) believed that the Byzantines were highly educated and cultured and they had a belief system that would keep the barbaric tribes from warring. - 2009 email

Click here to learn more.

Monument to Cyril and Methodius in Moscow

First Impressions

This is from 2020.

Cheers

Lots of people overreacted. The expats in comments are funny. Bangkok is a mix of many things. Very modern in certain respects, very backwards in others. Cheers. It's why I like it, I suppose.

Urban Rail

Oldest Metros

London

Glasgow

Budapest

Paris

Boston

I was researching this last night.  Under rapid transit, the dates were different than under subway.  London was first in rapid transit (above ground) and underground. then, after London, the dates get confusing, depending on what you mean by metro (above ground, underground).  Paris has been mentioned second in several, in the underground category.  But Paris, Boston, Glasgow and Budapest are all within a year or two of one another.  i think NYC is 1904. - 2009 e-mail

UrbanRail.net

Granada Ideas

- 2019

April 28 (Sun)

Probably will arrive by 6 PM. Since it's six hours ahead in Spain, our bodies and minds will think it's noon. Although we may have jet lag, more than likely we will be pretty energized.  

Check in to our apartments, and rest a bit if we need to.

Go out and find a grocery store to stock up on food and other items we might need.

Buy plenty of drinks, breakfast/light lunch foods and snacks.

Do an evening walking tour (independently or with small group) of Granada that includes stops at tapas bars for dinner.

April 29 (Mon)

Due to time difference and jet lag, likely very tired most of the morning. I suggest we sleep in, then meet for lunch.

After lunch, here are some things to do:

Royal Chapel and Cathedral - see tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella

The Alcaiceria - market

The Albaicin - wander around the old Arab neighborhood and stop in a Moroccan tea house

Sunset at San Nicolas Church - views of the Alhambra

Another evening of tapas

April 30 (Tues)

Plan A: This is the day we try to do The Alhambra. If we're about to figure out a way to do, it likely will take up at least half our day. Might be nice to find another sunset view of the Alhambra, followed by Moroccan for dinner.

Plan B: If we are unable to tour the Alhambra, we can explore some of the same areas we enjoyed the day before, or we could consider an easy to moderate guided hike in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In the evening, for sure another sunset viewing of the Alhambra, followed by Moroccan or tapas dining.

May 1 (Wed)

If we feel like it, we could have a coffee or tea at one of the nearby cafes. The other option is simply just to enjoy our mornings alone, considering that we have to check out at noon anyway. No matter what, we will need to have eaten by the time we check out, so that we can move along to the train or bus station for the almost three hour journey to Seville. The snacks and light lunch items we have remaining in our rooms could suffice for breakfast and lunch.

Slavs

This is an e-mail I shared in 2009. I am no expert and was basically attempting to share what I read.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

Before, I mentioned that missionaries went to the Slav nations during pre-Russian times. Actually, it was at a time that was known as Kiev Rus (Russia). Kiev, Ukraine was once the capital of what we know as Russia today. and, a "replica" of the Byzatine Eastern Orthodix church was built in Kiev and it was there that the alphabet, literature and the empire started growing. in Byzantine (modern Turkey), many years later, Ottaman turks overran the city and Islam gained a foothold that exists to this day. this explains why ancient churches are still in Istanbul. as for Kiev, well, the city of Novgorad, Russia competed with it for power. at some point, the Mongols (Genghis, Khan) sacked these cites and they stopped growing. It was then that Moscow came about. It was not until Ivan the terrible that the Mongols were defeated and their centuries long reign over Russia disappeared. this was 500 years ago. oh, Jeff, the Ukranians and Russians of today are of the same ethic group, the Slavs, and, based on what I've read, have a shared history going back 1200 years.

Maybe

I got this e-mail from great-uncle in 2013.  He passed away in 2013.  He loved traveling and helping make connections.  Kamil is a person we got to know in Central Asia and Russia.

Kamil is going to visit an island near Thailand. Please send me Kade's family phone # and address....just in case if he has time there. I think that would be nice.....maybe.

Take care and good Luck.  

jwv/jim/uncle jim/doc/jimbo

Kamil, would love to help you with some Thailand travel tips and ideas. E-mail me and let me what you need. Thailand is very tourist-friendly, and over 1 million Russians went on holiday there last year. I know a lot about Bangkok, and a considerable amount about cities in the North and cities/beaches in the South. Just let me know how I can help. Good luck planning, and have a fabulous time.

Allen

Peak Season

My former student has a Thai/white daughter, cute as a button. She is in Thailand. She may try durian.  - friend, November e-mail

Not the season for it, but they'll have some.  

Oysters also have seasons. Fall - early winter oysters in Maine are considered much better. Spring and summer, they are smaller. Still good, but not the peak. I would still enjoy them.

Lobsters also have peak seasons. You learn this when you travel to places like Maine: the differences between soft shell and hard shell lobsters. Soft shell lobsters have sweeter, more tender meat and are often better for lobster rolls. It's like eating veal vs an older steer. Young ones taste better. 😋

Malaysia has a definite peak period for durian. June - August possibly. But you can find them other months....just the quality and taste are far less predictable.  

Durian grows better during the hottest months, and with lots of rain. The more miserable the weather, the more they thrive.

Being Aware

The Black Sea fleet lease arrangement with Ukraine will end in 2020.  A new Navy base is being built here in Southern Russia.  - message to a friend in 2013

Russia Plans

- July 2007 message to an Uzbek friend living in Moscow

We are indeed going to be in Russia - for one month. Flying out of North Carolina and heading to Moscow, Volgograd, Moscow again, Novograd and St. Petersburg. My dad will also be in St. Petersburg briefly in August.

I agree with you that Vietnam is a fabulous place. Kade and I enjoyed it. Next time you're in SE Asia, be sure to visit Thailand. 

- His response

Hi Allen,

I live in Moscow city and I often travel to our production cite outside of Moscow about 100 km.

Well, you have quite busy schedule in Russia. I guess it's booked through some agency? As I see, you sure will get a sound impression of lifestyle in Russia and its history. Many of objects in your itinerary are not visited even by myself.

Some of it I can show you myself (free of charge). For example, on July 28th you plan to visit Tsaritsino estate and later Kolomenskoye estate. Well, it's near by part of Moscow where I live. So I can take you by my car to look around, have a picnic etc..

By the way, I couldn't find in your itinerary a day when you plan to visit my home and enjoy some Uzbek hospitality!!!

What else I can offer? I have a small country side house away from Moscow. It's located near small city of Chekhov. There I have real Russian bath called "banya", forest, river, lake, BBQ and open fire rice pilov show with tasting of it's outcomes :))) My father also would like to meet you.

Some other thoughts on your visit to Russia:

- Beware that Moscow is one of the most expensive cities in the world by now. So be ready for huge price tags. In St.Pet, prices are about the same but in Volgograd and N. Novgorod are generally lower.

- Be ready for huge traffic jams in Moscow. For example, it takes 1.5 hour for me to travel to my city office and 1 hour out to our production (100 km away from Moscow). 

- Boat trip along Moscow river you going to have on July 28th right? I recommend it.

Cremation Day

May 7, 2019

See Kade? That's durian with sticky rice and coconut cream in one of the images. They also eat mango in the same way...as desserts. Kade said they had two viewings of the body for family - once when she arrived for the water pouring ceremony, and the second just before cremation. A monk also cracked open a coconut and poured it over her dad's corpse. Truly. In Asheville, it would be a craft beer. In John's case, squid ink. Kade will bring some ashes back to Asheville.  - May 9, 2019 e-mail

Kade has sent some very nice photos of the services for her dad, and I was able to view the coffin, temple set-up (like sister's two years ago) via video call, plus talk with Kade, her mom and brother. Kade is very sad, of course, but knows they were very close, and that they loved each other, which is what matters. The father was the youngest of eight children, and the last one to die. He was 73, and died the evening before Kade's departure. Kade only learned of this when she arrived. Since his death ended a generation line, his funeral was a little grander than most. It started with a water pouring ceremony, then five consecutive evenings of chantings by monks. On May 7, he will be cremated. The stoppage between the chanting and cremation was caused by the coronation of the new Thai king, a three-day celebration that will pretty much shut down all other activities. It's the first time in 70 years a royal coronation has taken place in Thailand.  - May 5, 2019 e-mail

Shifting

You have changed a lot - before you were very religious. Of course, the capital of Russian Muslims is Kazan and there are a lot of mosques in this city. There is one in Grozny (Chechnya), the largest in Russia. My family traditionally adheres to Muslim traditions, but not very religious. My father and many in the family were communists, and they are generally atheists. We adhere to the traditions in weddings in funerals in general, but not so much in day to day life. - Uzbek friend

My change was pretty gradual, and it took traveling and lots of questioning, and eventually being willing to shift my views a bit. - me

2015

Scratching the Surface

Peterhof Palace

Catherine Palace

The Hermitage was amazing. So was the Peterhof (summer palace) and the Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was poisoned. We also ate beef stroganoff in the restaurant at the Stroganoff Palace. St Petersburg, as you know, has countless palaces. Although we were there 9 full days, we barely scratched the surface. I wish we had toured the Catherine Palace and whichever one has the Amber Room.

Here are things we did: took trams and metro, toured the Dostoyevsky apt, visited Pushkin's apt, took a bus tour of the city, walked around the Peter and Paul fortress, saw tombs of Catherine the Great, Peter the Great, the Romanovs, joined a canal tour, ate some really good food, spent a day at Peterhof, explored the Hermitage, walked up and down Nevsky Prospect, etc..   

We were pretty tired after three weeks in Moscow, a pretty amazing city itself. Moscow is not as easy to figure out as St. Pete. Was more challenging.  

- e-mail to friend in 2020

Great Options

We had a great time in Chile and Argentina.  I can see visiting Peru one day.  

My Uber driver yesterday was from Uruguay.  He had lived in New York and different places - now Asheville.  He's nearing retirement, and is trying to talk his wife into moving to Buenos Aires, which is far cheaper than here, and cheaper than Uruguay.  But since it borders Uruguay, he felt it would be a great chance to live out his years closer to his extended family.  Oh, and he asked about Thailand.  He said that would be a great option, too.  He had heard that it attracted retirees.

He also said Argentinians with money buy beach condos in Uruguay, since the beaches there are considered to be more beautiful.

- 2022 message to friend 

Victory Park

source

Kade and I, in 2007, when we were touring a WW2 memorial museum in Moscow, walked by an auditorium filled with older men.  I got curious, and as they were adjourning the meeting, I saw name badges.  They were American names with states where they were from, underneath.  As it turns out, they were veterans of WW2 and were there with their Soviet/Russian counterparts.  We were allies during the war, of course.  This gathering was a chance to exchange stories and celebrate their victory over the AXIS powers. I actually talked with a nice gentleman from Maine.

Bangkok - Things To Do

In 2022, I helped out an Asheville friend who was going to Bangkok.  She had been on a short trip before.

1. Rooftop Bars

If you do all these, you will get the best overall views of the city. Be sure to add Mahanakhon (rooftop and skywalk) to complete this.

Char, Belga, Octave or Tichuca, Vanilla Sky These are all on Sukvumvit Rd and close to the BTS. 

HI-SO, Vertigo & Moon Bar - these would give you a vantage point of the river, plus a view back towards your hotel.

2. Benjakitti Forest Park

Considering its location, I would combine it with a stop for lunch at Terminal 21 mall or at the food market, Ruam Sab.

3. Dancing

Bangkok is well-known for its club scene, plus like in any major international city, you can find music of all types. You will need to do your own research.

Havana Social - If you do Havana Social, you can first stop off at the rooftop bar Above Eleven, which is very close. They serve Japanese/Peruvian cuisine. Remind me to tell you about my experience.

Flamenco

4. Malls

These five are along Sukhumvit Rd and are likely ones you might visit. Besides air-conditioning, these malls are great places to go to look around. They are also great places for food courts and nice restaurants. If you are tired, malls can be an easy way to grab a coffee, meal and rest. These malls also have supermarkets that rival (and surpass ours). So if you are looking for items for your room, you can do some light shopping.

Emquartier - vertical garden, waterfall, rooftop garden

Emporium

Central Embassy

Siam Paragon

Terminal 21

Iconsiam - the newest, most luxurious one along the river, and one you will see from atop Mahanakhon bldg. You could reach iconsiam by BTS, but it's a little tricky. I would not make this mall top priority.

5. Two excellent night markets

I would do both of these - two separate nights. Arrive at 5 pm or so and walk around. Snack, eat and wait for crowds to arrive by 7 pm. These will amaze you. Reachable by BTS. If you only choose one, go with Jodd Fairs.

Jodd Fairs & One Ratchada

6. Mahanakhon Skywalk

I would arrive at the skyscraper BTS station stop a full two hours before sunset. Buy tickets and get on up to the top so that you can for sure be up on the rooftop one hour before sunset. You can get drinks up there. As soon as the sun sets, I would go back to my hotel via BTS and order room service food, or already have foods and snacks waiting there for you, for dinner. And before getting to Mahanakhon, I would make sure to have already had a nice lunch and some afternoon snacks so that you are not hungry when you arrive. More on this later.

7. Oriental Hotel

Get pre-dinner drinks at Bamboo Bar (arrive as soon as they open) and dinner on riverside patio (make reservation for dinner). I think the restaurant is called Verandah. You could always return to Bamboo Bar after dinner to get another drink and enjoy piano music.

8. Temples

Wat Traimit in Chinatown - home of the world's largest solid gold Buddha

Wat Bowonniwet Vihara - near Khao San rd, where at least two kings were monks

Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen - biggest outdoor Buddha in Bangkok

9. Restaurant experiences

Ruam Sab (Asoke Montri Rd) for weekday lunch. I would get there by 10:45 to be ready to order at a food stall by 11 AM. Office workers will pour in by noon. Worth the food and the spectacle.

Food courts - Terminal 21 mall has a great one. I would arrive early to beat the crowd. All malls will have food courts. Great-tasting. Tremendous variety.

Japanese - I would try the great ones that the Japanese expat community enjoy. I can help you come up with possibilities that work best with other things you're doing. You will see lots of chains that are popular with Thais. Still good, but just not the best. There's a great Japanese restaurant near Vanilla Sky Rooftop. I would recommend going to rooftop first, and staying till sunset. When done, exit and walk next door to the Japanese restaurant.

Even though you have been to the Jim Thompson House Museum, I would consider having lunch there on the garden patio. 

For a really good restaurant that is easy to reach off of Sukhumvit Rd, I recommend Sabai Jai. You can exit BTS Ekimai, then walk Soi Ekimai until you reach it. They serve Northeastern thai cuisine, specializing in grilled meats and papaya salads. However, they have everything you'd want in a Thai restaurant. Very popular with locals and expats. The idea is to order 4, 5 or 6 or more plates to share with somebody. I recommend grilled chicken, grilled pork, sticky rice, larb and somtam (maybe regular and fruit). Always good to carry wet ones to clean hands.

10. Khao San Rd and Soi Rambutri

Consider going. I may have to talk with you about this one.

11. Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza for go-go bars. Skip Patpong, since you saw last time. Plus i read that it is being torn down.

12. Massage

Your hotel will likely have a spa with massage. Not going to be the "extras" kind, but will be very good if you're desiring a relaxing vacay. 

Outside the hotel, pretty much anywhere along Sukhumvit, there will be a wide range of massage places, where you can get similar to your hotel massages and other less expensive kinds, plus those with "extras." But even those that offer "extras" doesn't mean you have to get them. These ladies will give amazing massages, with extras or not. I know the massage side of life there, and can give more detailed insight in-person.

13. Klong (canal) boat tour

You could easily do one of these by yourselves, and you would be treated to an interesting part of life in Bangkok. A good tour and boat captain can take you by some amazing temples and markets along the klongs. Keep in mind, this is different than the floating market tour, which i personally would skip. Too touristy and artificial. I can explain more in-person.

Avoid + things you did last time

Lumpini Park

Patpong

Grand Palace

Reclining Buddha

Asiatique

Wat Arun

Temple of Golden Mount

Cinema Paradiso

I was in Tokyo when I first saw this movie.  I had never even heard of it.  Anyway, a cousin and I watched it together.  I tell you: That movie further motivated me to keep on keeping on.

Planting a Seed

I once told a young lady, "No matter what, with English as your native language, so long as you complete your college studies, you can virtually go anywhere overseas and teach English for a year and break even. So don't let money stop you." Then she had that I-doubt-that-could-ever-happen-to-me-look. I just said, "Well, I am from a small Alabama town, and if I can do it, you can." I told her how I had met people overseas who had super thick Southern accents and even were rednecks and hicks, but they found a way. They were learning about themselves, and they had jobs teaching English. Incidentally, this girl had no obvious accent or anything...just had the pressures and doubts that life can cast on you without your consent. Who knows where it will lead? During my travels or early days before I ever really traveled, there were encounters with others that planted a seed. You have to start somewhere.

Trip 2 Hanoi

Here, I was talking with a family friend about former US presidents and trips to Warm Springs, GA (USA) and Hanoi, Vietnam.

LBJ also had a depressive streak, and would sink into long periods of self-loathing and doubt. Apparently his last years in Texas were very melancholic. FDR, on the other hand, was with his lovely mistress in Warm Springs when his days ended. I enjoyed Warm Springs, btw. interestingly enough, while on a trip to Hanoi with my wife in 2006, I saw Ho Chi Minh's home retreat. Although Asian decor, it reminded me in some ways of FDR's Warm Spring house and grounds. I went through Headland public schools and Samford, yet never even knew Ho Chi Minh was a name, much less a human being. Had no idea. Funny how history gets suppressed.  - 2020 e-mail

Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House

Quite an Adventure

1959

Notice name of hotel in London, the stop in Oxford, the train journey from Moscow to Kiev. It was quite an adventure for my grandfather, Major Espy, who would have been 52 at the time.

Sweet & Warm

Timour & his grandparents

Timour (end of table), his grandmother (next to me)

I miss you mom and your grandparents. As I shared before, on my return trip to Uzbekistan in 1998, one of my students went with me to visit your grandmother. As he interpreted and translated, your grandmother sat there and held my hand as she reminisced about your time in the USA and my early visit and extended stay in Tashkent. She was so sweet and warm, in her facial expressions and her words!

- message to Timour in 2013

Experiences

This is an e-mail reply I made to a friend who has a lot of unique travel experiences.  We were talking about the pressure to make money and the forfeiture of living well as a result of pursuing the almighty dollar. 

We all need money...up to a point.  But there are a lot of people accumulating much, following the herd and seemingly not enjoying life.  There's a price to pay for pursuit of riches.  It may be a lack of sleep, job you don't like, long commute, family that hates you, etc..  but walking around Tokyo or sleeping in a yurt in Mongolia, all the money won't make that happen if people don't have the time or sense of adventure.  And those experiences surpass all the excess possessions in my book.

Didn't Materialize

This is a message I sent to a friend describing my travel plans for the following year.  I get really into planning!  Although I ended up altering the plans quite significantly, I do like this idea.

We're actually returning a year from now rather than wait a year and a half. In fact, my Alabama cousin, my age, hopes to meet me in Singapore. We will spend several days there, then work our way north through Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands (where Jim Thompson went missing) and Penang. These Malaysian stops will be to try durian, which will be in peak season then. I hope to try many varieties. After two weeks in Singapore and Malaysia, we will go to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan for another week, just to relax. Once done there, we will take the train to the new Bang Sue Grand station in Bangkok. I will meet Kade there, and will stay another 3-4 weeks.   

Tashkent Earthquake of 1966

Exploring

Hotel National - Moscow

This is the hotel where Granddad Major stayed in 1959 - view looking out at Red Square. Kremlin is to the right. The glass domes you see along pavement are skylights for a huge underground mall. We enjoyed exploring it. Ate in the food court. If you and I go one day, we could fly to St. Petersburg, tour it some, then take a high speed or overnight train to Moscow, tour it a bit, then jump on the trans-mongolian railway for Beijing, China.  

- message to my cousin in Jan. 2021

King of Rooftop Bars

I shared this statement with a few people yesterday, regarding rooftop bars in Bangkok:

"And the # of rooftop bars is growing.  Several years ago, when the rooftop bar concept was taking off worldwide, Bangkok stepped up and said, "We're going to be tops."  There are other megacity skylines that are bigger and more impressive, but Bangkok has a large land area and the skyline spreads out, making potentially any highrise rooftop an ideal spot for amazing views.  Then there's that iconic river and those glistening temples down below. I have only been to 5 or 6 rooftop bars in Bangkok, but certainly plan on going to more. Who wants to join? 

- e-mail to a friend in July 2019

Since 2019, my Bangkok rooftop bar # has skyrocketed to 89.  And this year, 2026, I will get to 100.

Momentum

We have been in Bangkok 11 full days. But since I stayed in 4 days due to sinus infection, I have only been out doing things 7 days. So, 7 full days, 15 rooftop bars + 55th floor coffee bar and a sky beach club bar. Two massages. 15 mocktails. Two alcoholic drinks. 

- e-mail from August '24

Street Interviews

He's on Khao San Rd in Bangkok, talking with people from Chile, France, Hungary, Australia, USA and Italy.  I like the first man, and the solo female traveler from Chile.  Wow.  Great advice.

Egg Tarts

These are Portuguese egg tarts.  Believe it or not, we tried some in Bangkok, in a multi-story Japanese dept store (Isetan).  One floor had a bakery that served these tarts.  As it turns out, the custard tarts originated in Portugal, and they made it to Thailand via Portuguese merchants, missionaries and gov't officials.  Macau (today, part of China) was one of their Asian colonies, and so also likely the Chinese brought these recipes south to Thailand, which has a very sizable (and wealthy) ethnic Chinese population.  When I was last in Bangkok, I found at least one stand-alone bakery specializing in these treats. Globalization has pretty much always been around.  - 2019 e-mail

Miss Universe 1988

Things I Picked Up

I was telling someone once that one of the keys to life, if you travel a lot, is to incorporate what you can into your life back home.  If you see something intriguing or fascinating, ask yourself if it's possible to make that part of your everyday life once you return.  

Shoes off at door - Asia

Matcha - Japan

Espresso machine - Italy

Massage - Europe & Asia 

Chopsticks - Asia

Artwork - all over

Use of one car - many places

Squat toilet - Asia

Hang-drying clothes - Asia

Massage - Asia

Sauna - Europe & Asia

Authentic Meals - many places

Peaks

Highest peak - 8400 feet

Highest peak around Asheville, NC - 6500 feet

 

Can't Do All

Hey Allen,

Don’t know if this is on your agenda but it's listed as one of the 25 most beautiful places on earth: Torres Del Paine National Park-Chile.

Enjoy,

Rimson

That is a lovely area, and we had considered going down there and even to Easter Island, which is five hours out in the Pacific. In the end, though, we decided to add on Buenos Aires instead. Truly, to cover just Chile in just a decent way, including a short trip to Southern Patagonia (in your photo), you would need a month. And for serious outdoor folks, you could spend two weeks just in Southern Patagonia. I had researched a few of the hikes way down there, but they were too advanced. But while we're skipping Torres Del Paine National Park, we are doing some really interesting outdoor activities. Today we're hiking 9 miles (total) in a national park two hours east of Santiago, where we will see a glacier in the Andes Mtns. Then in a couple of days, we are flying south to Lakes District, which is in Northern Patagonia. Besides lakes, there are four or five volcanoes, waterfalls and islands where penguins nest. Should be fun, but doable for us!! We are tired merely from using the metro! - 2/10/16

Bangkok - Base

Back in 2010, I reached out to a favorite travel companion, my great-uncle, to see if he wanted to visit Asia again.  He was already 80, yet still had desires to travel overseas.  He didn't go on this trip after all.  My advice to people is to do what you can, when you can.

source

Uncle Jim, study map. 

My plan: 

Fly to Bangkok, stay one week, then fly to Sri Lanka, stay one week. then, fly to Myanmar (Burma) and stay one week. Bangkok will be my hub. I will fly from Bangkok to Sri Lanka roundtrip and Bangkok to Burma roundtrip. Be thinking about it. I may tack on another week in Bangkok after Burma. Call me for questions. 

If you want additional time and trips, the thing to do would be to make Bangkok your base, then use travel agents there to arrange flights to Australia, Bali or Nepal - anywhere you want to go really. 

Allen

Budget for Asia

These numbers show a high-side budget for modest but very comfortable living, plus days at each destination. The budget includes all airfare and travel expenses. You'd also have a day or two built in to each destination for a chance to do nothing but relax and recover. Just something to be thinking over the next year. You may discover other Asian destinations or other places in Thailand that appeal, as you research. But this is very good first approach.

4 weeks (5k)

Chiang Mai (8), Bangkok (8), Southern Thai islands (8) + Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo (6)

6 weeks (7k)

Chiang Mai (10), Bangkok (10), Southern Thai islands (10) + Hong Kong (7) + Tokyo (7)

7 weeks (8k)

Chiang Mai (10), Bangkok (10), Southern Thai islands (10) + Singapore (7) + Hong Kong (7) + Tokyo (7).

If you choose a more backpacker lifestyle on the road, you could could easily shave off 1 or even 2k.

- I made these estimates in 2022 to help a first-time traveler to Asia.

Tapas & More

Tapas I've tried: fried cod fillet, tomato salad, artichoke and tuna salad, cured ham, potato salad with garlic mayo, spicy tomatoes, sirloin in cream sauce, bull's tail with fries, seafood croquettes, grilled octopus in olive oil, chicken livers, green olives, tuna fish egg salad, grilled mushrooms with aioli sauce, grilled salmon with salad, sliced sirloin on bread.  Drinks: sangria, sherry, vermouth and beer - all Spanish faves.

Been averaging about 7 miles of walking a day. Yesterday was 9.25 miles. Does not seem tiring because Sevilla is so seductive, and there's so much to see, from Flamenco performers to tapas bars to beautiful cathedrals and parks. And if you need a break, there's plenty of gelato.

- 2019 trip to Andalucia

One Week - Chiang Mai

This is an itinerary I created in '23 for somebody planning to go with me.  We ended up doing ten days.  But if you only have a week, this is pretty good.

One full week. Don’t forget some quality sneakers and Ultrastrength Bengay. 😆 🤣 Again, put massages every day....but up to you. If you opt not to do a massage, that's a three-hour block of time to do whatever you want: rest, temples, coffee shops, hiking, King Cobra wrangling, waterfalls, etc.. We'll do one week in Bangkok, then take overnight train to Chiang Mai. After that, durian in Malaysia should be calling. 😆 

One day (weekday)

*Four temples

*Lunch - the best bowl of Khao Soi

*Massage

*Chiang Mai Night Bazaar (CMNB)

One day (weekday)

*Explore Warorot Market (Kad Luang), near river, sample food

*lunch - the best laap we can find

*massage

*Explore smaller night markets near CMNB: Anusarn Night Market, Pavillion Night Market, Kalare Night Bazaar and Ploen Ruedee Night Market. Chill Square food court at Anusarn Night Market is a nice place for dinner. Kalare also has a great food center.

One day (weekday)

*Monk Hiking Trail to jungle temple Wat Pha Lat and back (1.8 miles rt 600+ feet elevation gain)

*Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai's most famous temple

*massage

*Kad Kongkao Walking Street market (Friday only)

*Bar Scene

One day (weekday)

*Doi Ithanon National Park - highest peak in Thailand and a few waterfalls

*Massage

*Langmor Night Market (near Chiang Mai University)

One day (weekday)

*Four more temples

*Lunch

*Massage

*Chang Puak Gate Night Market (dinner served by Cowboy Hat Lady - featured in many documentaries and on Anthony Bourdain)

One day (weekend)

*San Patong Buffalo Market (Sat only, right at sunrise)

*Mae Hia Fresh Market - brunch/lunch

*Massage

*Chiang Mai Gate Market (south gate) - briefly look it over before and after Wua Lai Walking Street

*Wua Lai Walking Street (Saturday only) - walk, eat and shop, plus tour Wat Sri Suphan (silver temple)

One day (weekend)

*Ton Phayom Food Market

*Wander around the Old City

*Massage

*Thae Pae Sunday Walking Street - eat in courtyard of Wat Muen Lan

Some foods we will try:

Khao Soi

Nam Phrik Num

Pork Rinds

Laap (several types)

Mixed grilled meats

Northern Thai sausage (Sai Ua)

Nam Ngiao

Gai Neung

Aeb Pla

Tandoori pork belly

Other possibilities:

Nimman night market

Kad Luang Market

Elephant sanctuary

South America

source

2016 e-mail to a friend about plans:

I've been thinking a lot about our Chile/Argentina trip, and reading lots of websites, studying reviews on Trip Advisor, and watching a number of YouTube videos of the destinations I was considering. We're going to do a full day trip to Valparaiso, Vina Del Mar and maybe that nude beach (just north of Vina). But that's going to be it for beach excursions! Day-trips to the Andes and interesting Santiago city tours will take precedence. And then also we're going to add a flight down to the Lakes District, where we can see volcanoes, lounge by lakes, take a ferry to Chiloe island, and perhaps see some penguins and other wildlife. When we finish there, we're off to Argentina for 9 days, staying in BA mostly, but perhaps including a day trip out into the countryside and to a winery. We also hope to one of the easy full-day tours to Uruguay, where we can walk around a world heritage city.

*Santiago, 5 nights

highlights - city walking tour, culinary tour, Andes Mountains hike (all day), winery + Val + Vina + nude beach (all day), one day freelance

*Fly to Puerto Montt, 5 nights in region (Lakes district)

highlights - stay in city Puerto Varas, see volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls and tour islands

*Fly to Buenos Aires, 8 nights

highlights - not sure yet, but for sure a day trip to Uruguay, maybe a winery, lots of eating

*Fly back to Santiago for one more full day.

*Depart for Asheville

New Place, Different Perspective

Funny the stuff that would annoy me here, suddenly is almost forgotten about while in Thailand. The reason: There's a lot in life than can make you happy or miserable. We have bigger homes and yards here, but over there the street life is more interesting and fruits are better. And maybe like you said, attitudes are a bit more relaxed. When you are getting a massage over there, do you have to worry about being set up by the police?! 😂 

That's the beauty of traveling: You learn to appreciate and respect the virtues of your own home while at the same marveling at different ways of living in other places.

- 2022 message to friend

New Experiences

Overall, the experience in Central Asia....the mosques, markets and subway....were very, very pleasant!  Much beauty to see there, too. As a young American boy at the time, I was quite naive and knew little about your culture....in fact, I don't know that I was very knowledgeable even of my own culture!!! As we age and mature, and if we're open to learning, our perspectives change. Anyway, happy that I had an uncle who was also open to new experiences!!!!!! And, also, you and Ulugbek, just being your friends, not just helped you.....helped me!!!!! 

- message to an Uzbek friend in 2013

with my great-uncle, Jim Vann

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (90s)

Chao Phraya River

We'll be walking alongside it, ferrying across it and possibly taking a long-tail boat down it to access some of the neighborhood klongs (canals).  Just think, the Portuguese arrived via the Chao Phraya with their custard tart recipe.  😆 🤣  

- message to somebody who was going to travel with me in 2023

Click here to learn more about Bangkok's legendary river.

Car City

When Kade's brother met us at the airport in Bangkok and walked us to his car, I noticed countless parking violations that would easily get you a ticket or towed in the US: double parking, blocking walking areas, etc.. And they allow way beyond capacity into the garages. Craziness. Driving or riding along with somebody can age the fuck out of you. Plus, who wants to waste that much time? I would choose a studio apt near the BTS rather than drive an hour into the city.  We know people with nice, modern homes...they drive long distances to those semi or fully-gated communities. No thank you.

They Know

The best thing about traveling is trying all the world's foods. Kade loved the Uzbek restaurants in Moscow, and we ate some Georgian food in St. Petersburg. Even Russian cuisine, which I didn't think would be delicious, actually was. The key thing is to try many things and eat like the locals. They know. In Southeast Asia, especially somewhere like Thailand, the food is unmatched in variety, freshness and flavors. It was like heaven on earth, and foods I grew up on were suddenly a bit boring. - message to an Uzbek friend in 2020

Bangkok Positives

I could add plenty more, but these stand out.  The question might be: Would these be enough to make it worthwhile to return back and live there?

• durian & fruits in general

• food in general (taste, variety, availability)
• MRT & BTS, and various modes of travel
• night markets (food options, again)
• the heat and humidity and what it does to maintaining a healthy body weight and sleeping well at the end of the day
• eye candy everywhere
• stimulation from the buzz of street life
• temples and other cultural aspects unfamiliar to Westerners
• cost of living

• massages
• rooftop bars
• proximity to other Asian countries and the ease of traveling to them

I could add more, and it's worth brainstorming over beer.

Walking

Arrived safely to Bangkok.  Believe it or not, got up this AM at 8 o'clock and walked 6 miles around the city.  Probably will walk 4 more before the day is over.

and the next day

Central World had a fabulous Japanese festival today. Sushi being sliced (off a fresh fish) and boxed right in front of my eyes! Walked another 6 miles today. Legs are aching and longing for R&R!

- These bits are from e-mails to my dad and friend (Kyoko).  It was late January 2011.  I have always been full of energy upon arrival in Bangkok.  The jet lag really throws me off.  The antidote: walking as much as possible.

 

What We Did

Day 1 (Sat)

Walk Polanca (5 hours)

Take metro there - station Polanca 

See website route

Eno - breakfast

Parque Lincoln - food festival, The Aviary 

Back to Airbnb to rest

Walk Southern portion of Roma Sur 

Dinner at Serenna Cafe

Day 2 (Sun)

Walk rest of Roma Sur

Mercado El Farmers Market

Lamb tacos for lunch

Rest at Airbnb

Walk Roma Norte

Tacos or seafood for dinner

Day 3 (Mon)

Walk Condesa 

Lunch in Condesa

Rest

Return to spots in Roma Sur and Roma Norte

Day 4 (Tues)

Anthropology Museum (w/ guide)

9 AM opens

2-3 hours

Lunch at museum

More Anthropology museum

Rest

Day 5 (Wed)

Walk Historic Center

Zocalo, Metropolitan Cathedral (1 hour), National Palace (murals, go early, take passports), Templo Mayor museum (3 hours)

Back to rest or

Palacio de Bellas Artes

Alameda Central

Day 6 (Thurs)

Teotihuacan tour

Day 7 (Fri)

Walk Coyoacán

Breakfast

Trotsky Museum 10:00 AM

Lunch

Walk

Frida Museum 3:15 PM (2 hours)

Dinner

Day 8 (Sat)

Chapultepec Castle - 2-3 hours

Buy tickets at base at 9 AM, then walk up

Lunch

Rest

Day 9 (Sun)

Day 10 (Mon)

Day 11 (Fly home)