http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/nomad1979/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from nomad1979 en-us Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:48:59 +0000 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:48:59 +0000 Video above Thai dancing during Loy Kratong and Loy Krathong Parade excerpt turn the volume downUnless you have a particular interest in the text just CLICK on the video frame above then scroll through the photos below The first week of October I used my Aeroplan miles to fly from Toronto to Bangkok.From Toronto to Tokyo I flew an Air Canada 777 then from Tokyo to Bangkok wit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-444307.html Miami BeachAll extremes of people are to be seen on the streets of Miami Beach. Paris Hilton wannabees include both skinny girls and football player sized guys. Shirtless studs looking at each other and shirtless bigbellied vacationers just looking cool. Lots of mentally handicapped and still stoned hippies f http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-421118.html Another Road TripI arrived back in Toronto from Thailand around the second week of May and after some necessary paperwork I decided to take a short version of the roadtrip I did last summer. My camera had been damaged by one of those electromagnetic wands searching for weapons when goinginto a bar in Phnom Pehn and I didn't feel like purchasing another so this blog has no photos.I headed to Niag http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-421863.html Cambodia PastThe first time I was in Cambodia 1998 I could go to the Russian market and see piles of marijuana available for farmers to sedate their pigs when they strapped them over the back of their motorbikes. Laced brownies were on the bars like peanuts are nowadays. It was easy to go to target shoot with an AK47 M16 or even to shoot a cow with a bazooka if you wanted to pay 100.The ex http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-381900.html Another Visa Run to Cambodia The Thai tourist numbers are down for the year yet they still haven't relaxed the requirements for foreigners to stay any length of time. Many long term expats stay in Cambodia because they aren't interested in dealing with the bureaucracy to stay in Thailand.Myself I'm heading to Cambodia from Chiang Mai to get another tourist visa.I wanted to catch the early morn http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/blog-348917.html TURN OFF audio for video bottomcentre of video panel above Even though volume control was at lowest during recording because of the proximity to the speakers audio is terrible Chiang Mai February is one of the more comfortable months weather wise. This is when strawberries are abundant and strawberry shakes are available on Sunday walking street for 10 baht 30 cents. Chiang Mai prov http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-368982.html Things To Do Things About Chiang Mai Re Photo 1 Chiang Mai literally walled new was founded in 1296 by King Mengrai.Its seven hundred km north of Bangkok and about 1000 feet above sea level soit's a little cooler.Chiang Mai's a Good Place To Learn a New Language I attended a Thai language school last year but because I forgot everything I'm back.It's not so easy.Even the animal http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-360311.html Turn Down Volume before playing bottom of video screen right of centre New Year Entertainment at Night MarketsChiang Mai and Chiang RaiBangkok..ChiangMaiclick on photo to enlargeI flew out of Toronto Thursday November 20 2008 at 830 amand arrived in Bangkok at Friday midnight Thailand time. Although I can get better accommodation for the price they ask around the backpacker's Kao Sarn Rd ar http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-348144.html .Salt Lake CityI arrived here Saturday September 27 2008 from RenoOne especially attractive feature of this city is the wide streets. It's said that Brigham Young had asked the architects to make the streets wideenough that an ox cart would be able to turn around comfortably.It was still warm there and I intended to see the number one attraction of SLC Temple Square which I only saw superfic http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-330288.html .San Diego was great.From there I drove north along the coast to visit a cousin who had relocated from wintery North Bay Canada and had settled into the California life quite comfortably it seemed.Los AngelesTuesday September 16thI arrived at a cheap North Hollywood hostel which didn't have as many backpackers as therewere guys from LA who were doing projects from sound engineering script wri http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/blog-326929.html Leaving Las Vegas I didn't leave Las Vegas or Lost Wages as a friend calls it until late afternoon. I rarely feel like rushing. Like Kwai Chang Caine on the series KungFu said The oxen move slow but the earth will wait .Finally I got started around 2pm then I missed a highway exit sign and saw I was heading to Boulder City's Hoover Dam so I just continued. I didn't expect it would ha http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/blog-321686.html Viva Las Vegas August 11 2008 I drove from Salt Lake City across the tip of Arizona into Nevada. In the border town of Mesquite I got a great room with some gambling money and that made me stay a few days. The towns near the state borders offer enticements to encourage participation in the legal gambling trade. But it's hard to get used to the heat and unlike Utah it doesn't cool down at nigh http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-313256.html Salt Lake City Utah We went up on Bill's roof to check if his swamp cooler was working. What the hell is a swamp coolerIt's an alternative to air conditioners that can be used in dry climates.Swamp coolers sit on the roof and evaporate the water off of a cooler pad of straw. When water evaporates it absorbs heat and cools the air down. Outside the temperature is 100F while insideit's 80F . http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Salt-Lake-City/blog-308759.html I've been back in Canada for over a month now.A friend of mine from a trip in 1979 came to see me in Panama a few years ago.Now I've decided to make a trip to the USA and drop in to Utah on the way.My car is 20 years ago and causes me a little consternation whether it'll getthere and back. Nevertheless if not now whenWednesday July 23 2008 Toronto to ChicagoI left Toronto after fiddling arou http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-302948.html To play the video above first... I'm sorry but you'll have to turn down the poor audio see control at bottom of video centre.Coming from Cambodia into ThailandThe Thai immigration offers a 30 day nonvisa entry but you must be careful because it's really only for 29 days and then they'll fine you 15 per day for overstaying.From the border I took a minibus to Trat Thailand. A four dollar http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Eastern-Thailand/blog-271826.html Photo Above Ochheuteal Beach Sihanoukville CambodiaPhnom PenhOne thing you notice here is the traffic chaos. Motor Bikes come at you from all directions. It doesn't matter if it's a oneway street if it's a double lane expressway or even if it's a sidewalk. A visitor here is more likely to suffer from a traffic accident than a mugging although Phnom Penh has a reputation for that as well e http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/South/Phnom-Penh/blog-265681.html Market in Battambang CambodiaChiang Mai to Bangkok to CambodiaIt's getting that time I have to do another visa run. I had planned it so that I would not be in Chiang Mai for Songkran The Water Festival. as it is euphemistically known. Actually its a freeforall water fight from morning to night led by young drunken backpackers. And they don't hesitate using the filthy water from the moat of th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/North/Battambang/blog-249940.html Living in Chiang Mai ramblingsposted March 10 2008Minimum daily wage in Thailand is 144 Baht 5 per day about 4320 Baht 150 per month. Some families only have one wage earner. In India 40 per cent of the population earn about 1 a day. In Burma urban professionals earn about 1 per day. BKK Post Feb 2708 Of course meals and accommodations are priced proportionally. If a foreigner http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/North-West-Thailand/Chiang-Mai/blog-239910.html Kuala LumpurI took the ferry from Georgetown to Butterworth. At the dock is the railway station and the bus station. It's not really a bus station just a conglomeration of kiosks with buses alongside. I jumped on one of the constantly leaving buses to Kuala Lumpur K.L..K.L. exhibits modern architecture although each unit looks like it was selected and gathered up to suit the developers taste w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Wilayah-Persekutuan/Kuala-Lumpur/blog-238931.html Train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to Hat Yai then bus to Penang MalaysiaThe train ride from Chiang Mai is a nice change from the overnight bus trip to Bangkok. At about 8 pm a steward comes around to make your bed with clean white sheets and tells you to get in. In the morning he wakes you up about 6 am and tells you to get out. The sleeping car had lots of foreigners. Arriving in Bangkok I bo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/Penang/blog-236116.html