Well, that last article I wrote said it was the 2nd half of our trip to Phuket, but I didn’t cover one of the topics I wanted to write about. And that is the Russians. Where the Russians Are One of the first things I noticed about Patong Beach, the part of Phuket where we… Continue reading the red tides of Phuket
Category: Eastern Hemisphere
These posts are related to Beth and Todd’s Eastern Hemisphere trip from September 2015 to January 2016
Phuket, part 2
First, catch up on the first half of our trip to Phuket, Thailand here. The second “half” of the trip was just two days, and then we flew out on the third day. Birding Before Bond Tuesday January 12, we signed up for a private guided tour to James Bond Island and other stops in… Continue reading Phuket, part 2
Phuket, part 1
OK, first of all, Phuket is an island belonging to Thailand, and it’s pronounced “poo-KET”. Most English-speakers think of “ph” as being an “f” sound, but in Thai written using English characters it’s not. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. But “ph” is like “p”. So as you read this post, the little… Continue reading Phuket, part 1
Bangkok exploration and shopping
This time around we stayed in Bangkok 10 nights total. We arrived from India on December 29 and then left by plane for Phuket on January 8. That seems like a long time, but it feels like it flew by. I already wrote about going to see the new Star Wars movie, visiting my favorite… Continue reading Bangkok exploration and shopping
culture shock, but not what you think
After spending a full month in India, coming to Thailand has been a culture shock. This is actually my third time in Bangkok. It feels really, really weird to say that, but it’s true. Six months ago, I’d never set foot in Asia and now I’ve been to Bangkok three times. Admittedly all three of… Continue reading culture shock, but not what you think
FOONG Coffee & Bar
If you’re a friend or a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably noticed I have a thing about coffee. Well, on my previous trip to Bangkok, I discovered a really cool little coffee shop by total accident. I wrote about that back in November 2015. The place is called FOONG Coffee & Bar. After… Continue reading FOONG Coffee & Bar
hello again, Bangkok
On December 29, we arrived back in Bangkok. Six months ago, I’d never been here. Now, this is my third visit. So I’m getting a lot more comfortable getting around and doing stuff, in general. There was a bit of a surprise as we passed through immigration control. They gave us 30-day tourist visas, as… Continue reading hello again, Bangkok
my Thai massage experience
A little over a year ago, there was a massage therapist named Rachel who shared a room in the back of the Pilates studio where I was a member. She specialized in Thai massage, which I’d never had. So as luck would have it, I entered a contest and won a free Thai massage from… Continue reading my Thai massage experience
Indian gender representation in public places
During our one month in India, I noticed a few things related to men and women in public places. As my friend Glenn would rightfully point out, being here as a tourist for a short time doesn’t somehow make me an expert. But I’m an observant person, and I do want to jot down what I… Continue reading Indian gender representation in public places
Christmas in Rishikesh
Christmas Eve Do you remember what you did on Christmas Eve 2015? Well, we spent about six hours of it in a car, going from Chandigarh to Rishikesh. Getting from New Delhi to Rishikesh is really easy. But getting there from Chandigarh is sort of going “across the grain” of transportation. There’s no way to do it… Continue reading Christmas in Rishikesh