Would You Recommend Rai Lei? Hiya Nomad,
I'm heading to Krabi in 6 weeks. Would you recommend heading to Rai lei? By the sound of it, you werent all that happy about the amount of people. Are there any places instead of Rai Lei (from Krabi) that you would recommend?
I'm Anti-Tourist and it scares me.
Cheers k!
www.kateonthego.blogspot.com
Great!! Thanks for such a captivating story!! You kept me going with your fascinating story. I hope you get to spend some more time in the capital Dhaka the next time you visit(hope you do!). Bangladesh, as a country, has a long way to go in terms of attracting tourists and visitors. Thanks for such a captivating blog!
Writing Loved the blog. Not only have you inspired me to pay the Burmese a visit someday, but also wanted to ask: are you, or have you considered writing? Your work is fantastic.
Your pictures are amazing. They remind me of the time I spent in South India almost a year before your trip. Seeing these pictures make me more remeniscent than looking at my own, which contain many of the same images.
Great read... Really enjoyed reading this journal. I agree, Aung San Suu Kyi would be better off raising awarness from the west. I think the impact of China and the masses of cheap chinese goods being imported from the north will have a greater affect than sanctions - there were more DVD players on sale in Yangon than on Tottenham Court Rd. I wonder what affect the Hollywood propaganda machine will be having on the youth of Burma and how that will change tomorrow...
Your blog is fantastic and some of these comments ain't bad either. I had a blast during my short stay in East Europe despite (because of?) "The Yugo Is The Best Automobile Ever Made and The United States is The Asshole of The Universe" brigade.
Delhi Totally relate to your comments about Delhi it was hideous...I was two weeks in Nepal and everyone insisted I go to Agra to see the Taj and I'm glad i did but the poverty and stench and pressure from rip-offs was amazing...the best part of the trip was a visit to the Golden Triangle--Jafra (not sure on the spelling) but the poverty and stench was never ending.
Interesting read, if a little bit depressing. I can understand your points, still I enjoyed myself thoroughly in most places in Uzbekistan. Perhaps the money mining has increased a bit in recent years; the only places I remember being harassed by organized sellers or beggars were around the Kalon mosque in Bukhara and the Registan in Samarkand, and I have yet to get a shakedown form the militsiya. As for touristification I do remember my fellow travellers on the first tour sneering at the quality of the local restoration works and making remarks along the line of "What a shame they make the girls wear those skimpy skirts" (Don't ask...) etc.
Of course it is somewhat disheartening to see souvenir trading taking the place of the original customs, yet I take it as a sign of the times and if people can find a better life in selling cute little Timur keychains than asking the gods for favour then so be it. Similarily, a walk down Stockholm old town in summer will greet you with armadas of ugly overpriced troll figures and cheap trinkets decorated with the famous elk from our road signs (Mastercard accepted).
From a traveller's perspective, as immersive as a living, breathing Islamic world may be, it is not so sure we would even gain access to the holy places of Bukhara etc. had they been open for business. In Qom for example we were not welcome and had to make do with our telescopic lenses peeking in through the main gates of the Agha Bozorg complex from a nearby hill.
I guess if you want the real experience of travelling the Silk Road, you could certainly do worse than a flick on Discovery. These days it seems the trick for finding the authentic experience is to take a new look at your present surroundings. Ever talk to the bored shopkeepers about where they get their trinkets made? The annoying taxi drivers of today may be the sorely missed culture of tomorrow.
Something to compare With 200Eur I can suvive in Macedonia for example in Swiss I can't with 2000Eur at least not the live as I am used to. Going out have a beer etc.
Another Macedonian I am very glad that you liked Macedonia - Generaly because its nice place with much fun more fun when I compare with other European countries, also people are more frendlier here. However your story contained a lot of crap. Economy is much lower than what it used to be in Socializam/Komunizam much less work but coffie/Bier bars, are full all the time - so people have more money than they say - (money from the past). About girls - they are much more konzervative about sex than in other countries
but they look much better. Story about 20K or your passport just sucks. I dont belive that you had any situation like that just stories.Also Education and Culture is on higher level in here. When our student goes to study abroad in 99% of cases he is succesfull. Its very easy to study abroad.Not everyone like to go abroad, I travel a lot but I always think that Macedonia is a best place to leave despite everything that is going on. Soo finally keep to your opinion - you can't see the things in a very short time.
Also do come again on longer time to see the things better you might stay to live here:))
Loving your work! Nice pics too although didnt enjoy the image of you naked on the beach enjoying the storms "full force." I'm back in India come January so if you're planning to go back at any point let me know,
Sam
Also in Inle Lake Just thought I would add that I was in Inle Lake for the festival in October '05. It was great fun and the boat races in town were exciting.
Kate
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Would You Recommend Rai Lei?
Hiya Nomad, I'm heading to Krabi in 6 weeks. Would you recommend heading to Rai lei? By the sound of it, you werent all that happy about the amount of people. Are there any places instead of Rai Lei (from Krabi) that you would recommend? I'm Anti-Tourist and it scares me. Cheers k! www.kateonthego.blogspot.com