Dick Walsh
Travelman56
Sawatdee Krup (Hello),
I am an older world traveler still interested in going the distance. I hope to meet others here to share stories, as well as, to get and receive valuable travel advice. I have grown to love the backpacker lifestyle and hope to continue on with it into middle age. I just love the freedom of it all.
Hope to talk soon,
Dick Walsh
Travel Blog Posts
January 14th 2006
Upon our arrival at the station, we were told by the attendant standing directly in front of the window, that there were no sleeper seats on the train south to Surat Thani. He said, “Would all of these people be waiting around if there were?” (as he pointed to the crowd laying about the station.) Dana’s ADD kicked in at this moment, and said to ask the person with the computer at the counter. That made sense to me, and sure enough there were exactly three seats for the train heading south. Usually you have to book sleeper trains in advance. Without hesitation we booked the train leaving in one hour for the southern route. We dragged our gear to the train, buying some beers just outside the car. Unfortunately, they were selling food and beverages ... read more
January 11th 2006
The next morning we boarded the plane to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Customs was a breeze. Along with our passports, we handed the official twenty dollars and the required extra photos, received our visas and only a half-hour later climbed into a taxi and we’re heading off to our Guest House. I’d been in touch with them earlier and two rooms were a waiting for us on this inner city, dirt road next to a house of prostitution. I must admit a little seedy, but a colorful choice of accommodations still the same. The hotel itself was clean and I kind of liked the way it looked in the photos. It had A/C, but oddly no handle on the toilet. Once we agreed to take the room, someone appeared with the toilet handle and installed ... read more
January 6th 2006
After our third day in the Chiang Mai area, we decided to book a van to the town of Pai up in the mountains to the north. We figured it would be better to do some trekking there. Perhaps it was just a little bit, more remote than Chiang Mai and maybe we would have a more authentic trekking experience. The scenery on route was certainly spectacular, but the mountain passes were at times frightening. It was barely a highway; often the van driver played chicken with on-coming traffic on what was a very narrow, winding road. The drop offs to each side were sometimes thousands of feet. One could never really see what was coming around the bend. Along the way, the driver stopped at a local roadside cafe for a lunch break. Many dishes ... read more
December 27th 2005
Sawatdee Krop, (Hello)! This is my first posting of my 2006 trip, as I prepare for my 2008 journey this year. You can also view past trips of mine at: http://www.salemstate.edu/imc/vietnam We started our sojourn in Bangkok where we saw the Grand Palace (doesn't everyone?), went to Jim Thompson's house (loved it), and ultimately Wat Pho with the world’s largest, reclining Buddha almost to ourselves. As a consequence of the severe jet lag we were experiencing, we were taken advantage of by a fluent, English speaking Thai guy in a white suit (one of those classic scams). He hooked us up with a tuk tuk driver, who supposedly had free gas due to a national holiday that very day (suckers), and proceeded to take us to many destinations. But not the one we wanted! He took ... read more
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