A GLANCE AT "REAL" CAMBODIA "DAY IN THE LIFE OF A RURAL FAMILY", was the main reason why I stayed at "The Villa at Siem Reap". Australian onwers Anthony and Fiona found an amazing way to give back to the community.They organize tours to very poor villages, where the tourist get to spend a day with a family, helping them with they daily work, food preaparation, etc, besides visitng other sites on the countryside. Of the $32 per tour, $25 goes to the village, and that's a lot in a country where the average salary is $30/month. The 700 families of the village I visited have benefited greatly from the "project", receiving, among other things, 12 water filters, crucial for disease prevention and children's survival. But much more is needed, and tourists with a heart are ... read more

So, I leave BKK: - Impressed by the number of simple street stalls, selling everything but primarily fresh food, and by the fact that vendors weren't pushy at all. Food is everywhere. - With the colors gold, yellow and orange ingraved on my eyes, from the temples, the number of people wearing the color of the monarchy and of the Monks' robes. Buddhism and the Monarchy are sacred to the Thai people without a doubt. - Amazed by how the Thai adore their King, who have been on the throne for more than 60 years! - Without seeing the red-light district or sings of the shameful sex tourist industry, as I planned. - Fascinated by the fresh flowers being turned into garland for offerings. - Disappointed to learn that some Thai monks have engaged in very ... read more

My travel mode is switched on long before the "T-day" (travel day). Booking a free, travel-award ticket nowadays requires reservation at least 6 months in advance and to tailor a 100% personalized, travel agent free trip, sure takes even more time and commitment. Too much trouble? Not for me. The process is an informative journey in itself. Yeap! It does takes many hours on-line and reading travel books, but that's when the adventure actually begins to shape up. Learning about places and imagining being in that culture, changing destinations as I discover a more fascinating one, has become an energizing hobby. Hussle of air traveling: yes, it's an inconvenient reality we can't escape and must endure, thanks to Bin Laden and affiliates of terrorism. So, to still enjoy my trips, I've made Rule #1 for fun ... read more

Hi there: After 4 incredible days exploring St Pete, mostly in the great company of my 2 new British friends, I can recommend it as a great destination, particularly for those who enjoy walking while exploring incredibly beautiful buidings, churches, and canals. Lot's of Russian history on the streets and museums. MOSCOW: Beautiful metropolis, fascinating churches, with fairly unfriendly people, very high prices and horrible traffic jams. That's a simplified descripition of the capital I have extensively explored on foot for 3 days. From the still enigmatic Kremlin, the sight of Lenin's body, which has been preserved since he died in 1924, to the beautiful metro underground, you are reminded of the soviet era. However, the contrasting sight of very exclusive shops, the unbelievable number of very expensive cars, and the innumerous elegant cafes/restaurants, ma ... read more

Zdrah'stvooite! No, I am not insulting you. That's how we'd say HELLO in Russian. If you guessed that I have been saying "hello" instead, you were right! I can manange "da" (yes) and "nyet" (no), and "spasee'ba" (thanks). The 10 hr flight from Atlanta to Moscow was okay. I read my "travel bible" (lonely planet) to get a refresher on Russian history, from Ivan the Terrible, to Peter the Great, to Lenin, Stalin, ... and all the way to president Putin. Than... the American by me started to talk (yeap! I was not the one talking, believe me). He happened to be working on building a facility to destroy Russian chemical weapons!!! US brings personnel and money for the plant, and contributes with other projects like hospital, orphanage, etc. According to him, the new cold war ... read more