Nothing says Thailand more like a spectacular, jaw-dropping temple. Thailand was a country that had always been on my bucket list. I remember watching documentaries and history shows on television with my dad when I was younger and being in total awe at how different the country was to mines. One of the main elements that caught my eye was the history and grandeur of temples and Buddha statues.
I contemplated not writing this post. Then I thought about why the The Killing Fields is actually open to the public, yes maybe it brings in tourists and generates revenue for the country, but it also keeps the memories alive of those affected my the Khmer Rouge, and to remind the world the effect such a group had on society in the 1970’s.
I’ve made a few fair mistakes in my travels (here), but this one takes the biscuit.
The furthest I had travelled without my parents was New York, but it was pretty straight forward, we booked wtih a travel agent and we filled out our visa on the plane 30 minutes before landing. Easy Peasy. But no, not in Asia.
Passenger got it right with this one.
I’ve only been blogging for about four months now, but already I’ve noticed that blogs are showing the transparency that outlets such as Instagram seek to manipulate. With a strong interest in travel, it’s no surprise I see a lot of Instagram accounts showcasing idyllic, picture-perfect locations that are cropped, filtered and optimised to evoke the viewers jealousy; but that’s not what travel is about. Yes, a lot of my posts have images of stunning foreign environments, but if you read the words, you will see that everything isn’t hunky-dory all the time. Traveling is tough: bags are heavy, money dwindles, you share your living space with strangers and sometimes you just take it all out on your other half.
Before heading across to Cambodia we had a whirlwind tour of the Phi Pi Islands just a short boat journey from Phuket. One of the most amazing things we did was go snorkeling in the crystal clear waters just off of the Island – breathtaking views and colourful fish swimming around you, what more could you want?!
As part of our journey through Singapore and Malaysia we thought it was a great idea to squeeze in a weekend of sport and attend the Grand Prix in Sepang.
I love Thailand, and once again it delivered! Visiting Bangkok Zoo wasn’t originally on our Thailand itinerary but we had a few hours to spare before catching a quick flight down to Phuket, so rather than sitting in the hotel relaxing on the rooftop pool we thought we would make the most of the day and head to the zoo!
Often dubbed a ‘fine’ country, and that it is. The Singapore streets are well-known for being clean and tidy, I even remember telling family when I returned “It’s like New York but cleaner.” And the reason for its flawlessness is the many laws that are enforced on a daily basis, ones that you might not even consider and hence get you into trouble.
For my first post of 2016, I thought I would share a first experience: hosteling. Up until 2012 I had never stayed in a hostel before, and quite frankly never really knew what it involved, the etiquette, prices, room/sleeping arrangements etc. All I knew (or thought I knew) was that I was going to share a bedroom with some strangers and possibly get mugged or worse, murdered in my sleep. I can confirm it was far from that.
If you’re planning a trip to Thailand I’m pretty sure you’ve researched the hell out of your destination, whether it be Bangkok, Phuket or somewhere up north like Chiang Mai, then you probably already know what excursions you’re going on, what hostel you’re staying at or even a few favourite bars that people have recommended. But what a lonely planet book won’t tell you is to be vigilant of scams, tricks etc. Now Thais were one of the most polite and friendly people I met on my travels, even the police stopped us to give some advice on the best mode of transport to get to our hotel from the train station! But despite all the positives, there are always negatives, just like any country you visit. So I’ve written five things that will hopefully allow you to have a smooth and happy holiday!