juggernaut

Singapore in many ways set the tone for my travels. Hong Kong was my first stop but Singapore held a special place for me. I arrived in Singapore for the first time on March 21st. If you can recall my old roommate Chris from college was there to greet me in the terminal. We spent three great days together in Singapore, I started to really feel like I was traveling, we ate terrific food, met some great people, and had an unforgettable time. If was my springboard to the rest of my travels. Now, almost three months later, on June 12th, my Mom and I boarded a plane from Bali to Singapore. For my last 4 days in Asia I’ll be staying at the Robertson Quay Hotel in the heart of downtown Singapore. I have four ... read more

You've seen it on television. They show pictures of it in magazines. You then dream of going to a place like it. Maybe at this point you have been fortunate enough in your life to find that special place... paradise. Paradise can mean so many different things for different people. It could be a quiet place in your home, a peaceful view from the top of Mt. Tam, a quiet dinner in a unique part of the city.... but the paradise I'm talking about here is the stereotypical white sandy beach, quiet, isolated, amazing sunset, inspiring sunrise, banyan trees, coconut groves, water that gives you a new appreciation of the blue spectrum of color... paradise. ____________________________________ May 26th - 7:30am (Laying in a Hammock on the front porch of my cottage) The soft light wakes me ... read more

One last stop before I head down to Indonesia. I have heard mixed reviews on Vientiane. Most backpackers said it was not that great. Nothing to do. I say to hell with what the other backpackers say about this place. I'm me... I create the journey.... We'll see if I can find some redeeming qualities to this "not so great" stop on the Laos trail. ________ I’m learning so much about writing while on this trip. My strengths in school for many years were always in the math and sciences. I was always able to learn and adapt in my courses outside the realms of math and science to a point that was acceptable and often times high quality. But the truth of the matter is I feared writing and never allowed myself to enjoy the ... read more

Leaving Luang Prabang to go explore the far Northern reaches of Laos was more difficult than I imagined it would be. For the last couple weeks I have been wanting to get away from the cities and find some more remote areas of Asia. On my first real opportunity to do that I have decided to go North from Luang Prabang rather than a more typical Southern backpacker route. However getting on the bus this morning, and leaving the comforts of the city, has sent my emotions and energy in a spin. Journal Entry - May 1st Hop aboard the local bus to Luang Nam Tha, a small city surrounded by spectacular landscape well known for its preserved nature, remote villages, and real Lao cultural experiences. This is to say, there aint much going on in ... read more

For my last week in Thailand I have ventured North to the lovely city of Chiang Mai. This northern city has a very different feel to it than any other place I have been to in Thailand. There is a blend of Bangkoks modernism, with an oldtown feel. There are the comforts of city life and just hours away you will find yourself in remote hills trekking amongst hill tribes. The cuisine has some unique characteristics and Chiang Mai is a fabulous place to learn some culinary skills. So for my last week in Thailand I'm going to indulge in all of the above. I'm taking a cooking class, I'm going trekking to visit some hill tribes, and I'm going to take in the delights of this city, which include but are not limited to, a ... read more