the dishonesty in vietnam has to been seen to believed The second you step out of the airport, actually in the airport i had to pay the customs guy $50 to bring in 2 computers - corruption is kind of dishonesty, you get ripped off. I started a goat farm and the workers tried to rip me off, the manager tried to rip me off, the vet tried to rip me off. You do meet the odd honest person, but i found out my own aunty was trying to rip me off too. I think it is because if you have been exploited, bombed , shot , occupied , sprayed with agent orange and generally been treated historically with disrepect by outside powers then being cynical and ripping of outsiders comes easy. I am Vietnamese myself and get ripped off all the time, but i have learnt to live with it and to trust no one.
I was Inspired Hi Ben
After just entering a current blog myself, (April 2013) I somehow got linked to yours which is quite strange really as I followed your blog for ages over the last year of working before I set of with my husband on our own adventure in 2010 - we are still travelling and enjoying every moment - hope that wherever you are you are enjoying life to the full.
I hear ya Just a short comment but I'm visiting the Hawaiin islands at the moment and although they paint the islands as being laid back I have never felt like such a criminal as I have here. I'm a law abiding Scottish citizen yet it seems yo not alowed to do so many things. Like crossing the street. They barely do 25mph where we are. Civil liberties are being eroded across the US which we just travelled across but none more so than here.
Documentary film Here is a another account of crossing the Darien Gap: Crossing the Darién Gap (2013).
That documentary was filmed on March 2013.
Happy travels!
Agree The Vietnamese would have to be the most dishonest culture on Earth. India is a close second, but Indians seem to make dishonesty fun. Vietnamese culture has a dark and violent underbelly, they have exported crime and dishonesty to whichever country they immigrated to after the American war.
This is not so true.
"Dinner was eaten separately for men and women, with the men eating first and the women last. Karen however was allowed to dine with the men. I didn't agree with that (rules are rules after all), but I didn't want to make a big fuss about it at that time. But I made a mental note that from now on she should always eat after me. I shall tell her of my decision soon."
We, the Punan tribe never really had this rule. There's nothing wrong with women eating meals - dinner, lunch - together with men including foreigner. But some women prefer eating meals later - especially if they are hosting guests including foreigners for privacy. Thank for visiting Punan Bah - which is actually one of the oldest longhouses found along Batang Rajang river. Do visit us again in future Ben and don't forget to tag along your friends. You should visit during Gawai Festival (May 31 - June 2). We'll do a lot of "Cheers" over cuppa of "burak" or rice wine.
Inspiring pics and stories. I was in the Philipines four years ago on Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Panay, Guimaras and Camotes, but wanted to go to Palawan. People told us it was dangerous to go there, due to the killing of tourists somewhere around 2001. How is it now?
Well done - nice post Good for you making this website and allowing posts commenting on your findings; everyone is entitled to comment on their experiences. You could have gone deeper and focussed upon the fact that not all Pinay's are the same - it's not all but just a few rotten apples that spoil the good name of the majority wanting to earn for themselves and their families. The majority are decent poor girls but some are dedicated career scammers with real jobs who take space from those who need to work.
The Article is Very Realistic! I agree with your perspectives about Angeles. I have been to the PI many times and now live here. There is a cultural component to the prostitution. It is more accepted in the PI as a normal thing. Most of the people replying to your blog seem easily offended for some reason...oh well. I like living here for the beer, the women, and the cost of living.
THIS IS DISRESPECT OF INDIA I M NOT BLAMING U BUT THE COMMENT U HAVE PUT FOR INDIA AND THE PLACES LIKE VARANASI IS TOTALLY DIS RESPECTIVE FOR OUR RELIGION, AS WELL AS CULTURE IF OUR INDIA IS NOT IN PLACES AND RELIGION WHY U ALL COME HERE AND AS FAR AS UTTARPRADESH IS CONCERNED WE HAVE SOME RELIGIOUS DOING FOROUR DEATH AND U R SAYING IT DIRTY MIND UR LANGUAGE OKK
Love your racist and typically German imperialistic comments! As a Panamanian living in Europe I find your comments insulting and abhorrent; frankly you sound quite ignorant about almost everything...from an economic, social and cultural point of view you really don't know what you're talking about!
woaaaaah!!! I was just showing my student some of the most remote areas in China and voila, I came across your Blog..... i was scare just by looking at the photos but hats off to you.. i read about climbs on Mt. Everest but this is by far the most interesting climb i read....
I need this photo!!! Hello. This is a picture of me and I would love to have it. I am starting a business and need all the pictures of rafting I can get. If you could send me this picture to my email address that would be great.
jungleriverangel@yahoo.com
There With You! Looking at this photo,for some reason I was immediately transported back in time to our days in Belize. I actually got certified there Scuba diving. And now I can feel the warm salty ocean spray against my face riding on this boat and then jumping in there with you guys into that very crystal clear aqua-marine sea and the abundant colorful fish and coral. How great, and all this from a photo. Like they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words!"
LOL! Just started reading your adventures and already to made me laugh. I am Honduran myself and have done an all around the world long trip as well. You know my country more than myself, but now that I've explored the world, I have started discovering Honduras. I like how you traveled and had no fear of the bad publicity we have regarding security, which I believe is overrated. Blond kids? 3 reasons: yes Spanish presence but centuries ago, plus lack of nutrition (that's what experts say) and add the USA military presence.... Yes we've had a big military base near Comayagua area and rumor has it, the soldiers enjoy the region plenty! :-) Looking forward to reading the rest of your blog.
Around the world Love your travel stories. I have been to kerla back in the 80ties. Wonderfull place.Traveled with the first lonely planet guide of India..Me and my girlfriend are planning "living our dream" adventure. How do you organize your travel tickets? she will be flying out of Paris and I out of New York or Newark , New Jersey. End of Dec. 2011. We want to meet in Mumbai to start. Making our way east from there to Asia etc. , Austraila and ending up in Rio for carnival in March. Back up to New York. How do you arrange your flights. do you buy tickets as you go along? Do you buy multi open tickets?
thanks if you can clue me in on this.
Patricia
Tips hi ben,
presently in australia, i'm planning to leave for japan and bike it for few month. At the end i'd like to do the daisetsuan grand traversee in late june.
I have 1 minut remaining on the cyber so could you give me some advice about this
thank you in advance
arnaud
looking forward to doing this walk Thanks Ben
really enjoyed your blog and it gave me and my friends a good idea of what to expect when we do this walk at the end of January..we are looking forward to the experience....just not sure about the bluff climb....sounds very strenuous!!!!!
best wishes for your future travels
steph m
Ending it On a......... That is an awesome trip and enjoyed reading it! I\'ve been to some of the places you went to and enjoyed another persons perspective on them. I hope you do travel more in the near future loved reading about it!! Until next time.......
Living the Dream - Ben travels around South America - July 2022 until August 2023
In July 2022 - after a two-year, Covid-induced delay - I left on a year-long sabbatical. Starting in Madrid (Spain), my travels took me all across South America. I moved pretty slowly, taking my time to properly explore and roam, before returning home to Berlin (Germany) in August 2023.
I hope you enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy my journey. Any feedback (public comment on any blog entry or a private m... full info
phong
non-member comment
the dishonesty in vietnam has to been seen to believed
The second you step out of the airport, actually in the airport i had to pay the customs guy $50 to bring in 2 computers - corruption is kind of dishonesty, you get ripped off. I started a goat farm and the workers tried to rip me off, the manager tried to rip me off, the vet tried to rip me off. You do meet the odd honest person, but i found out my own aunty was trying to rip me off too. I think it is because if you have been exploited, bombed , shot , occupied , sprayed with agent orange and generally been treated historically with disrepect by outside powers then being cynical and ripping of outsiders comes easy. I am Vietnamese myself and get ripped off all the time, but i have learnt to live with it and to trust no one.