Category Archives: Travel
Rock Climbing Gyms in Japan
I’ve begun to gather information on rock climbing gyms in Japan and put them into Google Maps. This map is centered on Tokyo, but I’ll add gyms anywhere in Japan as I come across them. My goal is to provide, … Continue reading
Cambodia: Sexy Time!
So, if you tell people in the US that you’re going to Thailand, they’ll often start wiggling their eyebrows, jab you in the ribs with an elbow, and mutter something about ladyboys. This morning, I was at the Ekkamai bus … Continue reading
Welcome to Cambodia
So, here’s my brief summary of how I got to Angkor Wat from Bangkok, Thailand, by land: Take a government bus from the Eastern or Northern Bangkok bus stations. Leave by 7:30am. You can probably buy your ticket the same … Continue reading
Where the Hell is the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok?
I blew nearly two days just trying to get my Cambodian visa in order to visit Angkor Wat. All this to save, what, a few minutes at the border? So, it turns out that the Cambodian embassy is not in … Continue reading
Thailand: Similan Islands
Having completed my SSI Open Water certification with Princess Divers on Koh Phi Phi, I decided that I couldn’t leave Thailand without diving the Similan Islands. Unfortunately, I couldn’t justify the cost of a live-aboard trip, which could easily be … Continue reading
Thailand: One Thing I Cannot Abide About Thai Culture
Sure, Thailand is full things that seem weird to Westerners. After all, T.I.T. “This is Thailand” is the mantra of expats, uttered to sooth their frayed nerves. But all in all, it’s a fun adventure, and a very old, complex … Continue reading
Thailand: Things to Bring #1 – Sunglasses
Not just any sunglasses, but very dark, or reflective sunglasses. Possibly wrap-around. Maybe even a welding helmet… Yes, the sun can get pretty bright here. But that’s not the reason you NEED sunglasses. No, the real reason is to hide … Continue reading
Mullets
The other evening, I saw what sounded like a young German man sporting a mullet which can only be described as magnificent. This is in addition to several other mullets I’ve spotted on this trip, always on the heads of … Continue reading
Open Water Dives 3 & 4, and Certification
Today, I finished dives three and four in my open water certification. Highlight of dive 1: chasing an octopus. They’re really impressively fast. But then, apparently, they get lazy, and decide to smoosh themselves into gaps in the coral. They’re … Continue reading
SCUBA
After wandering around, talking to three shops, and getting freaked out by the weird high-volume approach of the shops near the pier, I settled on an SSI course at Princess Divers. Prices are all fixed on the island. Ostensibly, this … Continue reading