Blogs from Northern Thailand, Thailand, Asia

Our plan for today is not too strenuous, for a change. We started the day with a visit to a local temple, Wat Si Khom Kham, on the lake shore. There are actually two temples side by side here, in the same complex, each with large golden Buddhas in beautifully decorated buildings. One of the temples is built on stilts in a small artificial bay. All very nice, but the interesting thing about the place isn't the temples themselves but the gardens in the complex. One of them in particular. In one small area of the temple grounds are a collection of sculptures that depict a very graphic and gruesome version of Hell, complete with demons, tortured people being beheaded or boiled in a pot, creatures attacking people who are trying to escape by climbing thorny ... read more

My trip to Phrae, Thailand with Mam was amazing. Besides the serene environment and welcoming people, we had time to bond and catch up on old times. From the food, scenarios, cultural heritage to hospitality Phraehas grown in tips and bounds. Below are some of the areas we visited. Pay attention to the detail in Thai culture and heritage. Wat Phra Non We visited the Wat Phra Non temple. It is revered due to its mythical connotation of a lying god. Besides the social ideology, the architecture and design of the temple are second to none. Mam was excited as we snapped the day away in traditional Thai colours. What really captivated us was the clusters of art on the building; Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Chiangsaen. One couldn’t he... read more

Thailand is a beautiful country in which to live and work. I had an American friend who visited Thailand a few years ago during her vacations, and she found the country intriguing. When she found out teaching English as a second language in Thailand was a possibility, she start researching what she'd have to do to get certified. After listening to what information she found out, I decided to write this handy guide for people who want to know what they need if they're interested in English teaching jobs in Thailand, my beloved home country. What Is TEFL TEFL is instruction in English for non-native speakers or Teaching English as a Foreign Language. TEFL is also called: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - TESOL English as a Second Language - ESL English Lan... read more

Hanoi, crazy and noisy but if you like city buzz that is the place to be. I had one day and night in Hanoi (8th April) after the group and had originally planned to stay in the hotel that the tour used. However as it was the worst hotel of the Vietnam trip I cancelled and splashed out on La Siesta Central hotel and spa. I got up early and decided to visit the Temple of Literature which was described as a quiet oasis. It was about a 1.5k walk but as I approached I could see a mass of coaches and groups of schoolchildren. I went in anyway and it was moderately interesting, it was the first university of Vietnam and was established to test potential mandarins. Vietnam was under Chinese control at the time ... read more

That’s what it feels like -precious grains of time slipping through my fingers. And they slip through faster as I get closer to the end of the trip. There are so many new places to discover and familiar places to re-visit and so many interesting people to talk to. The icing on the cake is that I’m responsible only to myself and each day is a ‘jolly’! So on Tuesday morning I set off to the acupuncture clinic. I asked the acupuncturist how my pulse was performing and he said was about half, so I replied that I’d like 100% please. He was very amused by this so I’d like to know why. I’m still contemplating whether to go for a medical check up at one of the Chiangmai hospitals while I’m here.It seems like a ... read more