All posts tagged: Asia

India: Bought the ticket, taking the ride

Have you heard? I’m going to flippin India. I’m two parts excited and one part nervous. However, I feel like I’ve been travel-training for this my whole life. The tickets are booked. Greg and I fly to New Delhi on March 3 and back on the 18th. Things I’m really looking forward to: But I’m not going to lie, I’m totally anxious about… So, folks who have travelled to India, I could use any advice or wisdom you want to impart on me. Here’s my itinerary: New Delhi – Agra – Jaipur – Pushkar – Jaisalmer – Varanasi – New Delhi* *Correction: As of 1/23 we’ve decided to go to Jophur and Udaipur instead of Pushkar and Jaisalmer. It just works better for our itinerary. Don’t give me tips for Goa or Mumbai or that awesome little mountain town the Dalai Lama calls home. I ain’t got time for that. Drop a comment below and tell me what I should NOT miss or paste a link you think I’ll find helpful.  

Thailand Travel 101

  Thailand is the ideal jump off point for backpacking through Southeast Asia.  A travel hotspot, the country has well trodden backpacker trails, perfect for first-time travellers or those new to Asia. So you ask, “If the country is so easy to travel, why read a how-to guide?” Setting expectations and arming yourself with insider travel knowledge will save you both time and baht (money). We won’t bore you with details like the exchange rate or which power adapters you’ll need, we’ll give you the real deal type of advice you’d get from someone who has just been. Read on rookie Canadian traveller for tips to not only survive, but thrive in Thailand. What’s with all the… Tuk-Tuks These zippy little vehicles are ubiquitous in Thailand. They operate much like a cab. If you’re in a Thai city (especially in Bangkok’s notorious backpacker ghetto Khao San Road) you may be offered an obscenely cheap fixed price tour. The reason? The driver will make a few pit stops along the way, typically depositing travelers in boutiques owned by vendors they know. In exchange …

How to Barter in Thailand

  Prices in Thailand are rarely fixed (with the exception of food menus). When shopping as a rookie Canadian traveller you’ll already be at a distinct disadvantage – vendors can smell your novice negotiating skills from a mile away. (They do this every day!) Here are some tips: The less emotional you are, the more you will enjoy bartering. Determine in advance how much you are actually willing to pay for an item. If you’re quoted $4 for a t-shirt but want to pay $2, your first offer shouldn’t be $2. Always negotiate bus fares, excursions and hotel accommodation. Traveling with a group? Let the seller know! There always seems to be price discounts for groups of two or more, and the more nights you stay, the greater your discount should be. Etiquette says you should barter in good faith. Don’t haggle if you don’t intend to purchase the item. However, it is perfectly fine to enquire after a price to gauge  affordability. Asking the price does not enter you into a transaction. Don’t haggle aggressively over what amounts to less …

2 Weeks in Thailand – Where Should I Go?

“I only have two weeks in Thailand, where should I go?” I’m a cheerleader for Thailand; what can I say, once upon a time I spent 45 days there. It wasn’t enough. Of all the countries, I’m most frequently asked by friends and family about Thailand. The number one question is, “Where should I go?” It’s an easy enough question to answer…when time and money aren’t a consideration. However, most travellers don’t have that luxury. With precious few weeks of paid annual holiday, we must make concessions. Compromise can be a bitter pill to swallow when the destination is as distant as Thailand. Admittedly, it is disappointing to travel so far and see so little of a destination, but an overzealous itinerary can ruin a trip. To answer the question, here are three itineraries for a two week trip to Thailand. Northern Thailand or Southern Thailand? Most international travellers arrive in Thailand by way of Suvarnabhumi Airport, a.k.a. Bangkok International Airport. Located smack in the middle of the country, it’s practical for traveller on a two week holiday to …

The Great Wall + Observations After 10 Days in Beijing

We’ve since arrived in Bangkok and I’m pleased to have full access to my social media sites once again. One of the hostels we stayed at in Beijing had writing all over it which characterized its ambiance, and if you’re familiar with Tibet’s struggle you will notice the humor in someone writing ‘Free Social Media‘ in the stairwell. Mid last week I seemed to develop a persistent allergy to something in Beijing which rendered me dopey, sleepy and full of snot (which I cheerfully spat onto the street along with all of the other Beijing-ers, much to Greg’s disgust). That came about the morning Greg and I left on a twelve hour day tour to the Jinshanling part of the Great Wall. Pleasant. Six of these hours were spent on a cramped tour bus with ‘air conditioning’. Whatever that means. We arrived to blue skies (a relief from hazy Beijing) and stunning mountains. The wall snaked along the ridges of these mountains and was absolutely stunning. It really is one of the most impressive sites …

Exploring Beijing’s Mystic Forbidden City

Let’s catch up on the past few days. Monday saw us visiting Beijing’s most iconic sites: Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Our hostel is conveniently located roughly 20 minutes walking distance from the two, which are located next to one another. They also happen to mark the ‘geographic centre’ of the city. Following the beaten tourist path we headed past Mao’s mausoleum, through Tiananmen Square and to the Forbidden City. Greg had left me only for a moment before Chinese tourists began to ask for pictures, which I was all too happy to oblige. After all, it was a nice diversion from someone trying to sell you something. Apart from that instance, nothing remarkable happened during our wandering. Following the Forbidden City we decided to make a department store our heading. We ended up shopping on a ten lane highway, flanked by towering department stores. H&M, Adidas, Nike, Only, etc. Everything imaginable. Making our way back to the hostel we made a slight detour through a hutong and quickly realized we were lost. While …