Pai in the Sky

It was Tet holiday again[Chinese New Year] and Daphne and I were joined on our trip this time by our Welsh friend, Rob, who we've known since the beginning of our stay in Saigon when we took our CELTA together. This time, we had plane tickets bought and ready and flew over to Thailand, Destination: Pai.

Fighting Motion Sickness on the Pai Trail

According to T-shirts sold on Pai's two block long Walking Street, there are 762 curves between Chiang Mai and Pai and only a few options on how to get there. Airplane was out of the question. Fifty dollars for a thirty minute flight? I think not. The funnest option would have been to rent a motorbike and drive the three hour route but I was traveling in a company of three and not all of us were two wheel competent. So that leaves us with bus or minivan. Minivan is the less nausea inducing option of the two and at only 150 Bhat[5USD] very reasonable.

Short Acting Career

A lot of posts from me this month, a good way to start the year I think.

Daphne and I went to a themed potluck on Saturday called Latitudinal Cuisine. It originated in the UK and has spread to our humble Siagon. The basis is that you choose a Latitude or Longitude and everyone brings a dish from one of the countries that lies on the line. This week we did Longitude 15E. Presentations are made, stories are told and then very delicious food is eaten.

Published!

So maybe twenty-four is a little late to get my first photograph published for money, but Murakami was 29 when he wrote his first book, Kurt Vonnegut, 30, so perhaps I'm actually ahead of the game.

You can see this picture:

Not Another Coffee Hole

You don’t need to read a magazine or guidebook to know that Vietnam has a ripe coffee culture. However, if you did you’d probably be reading about its French colonial influence and how it is now the number 2 coffee producing country in the world, second only to Brazil. In the early morning, old men in checkered boxers and white tanks sit cross-legged reading the daily paper at their favourite hole-in-the-wall. As the day goes on, the holes fill up with their usuals who’ve come to get their coffee fix like bees to a flower, or gift card wielding teenagers to a mall.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Renting in Saigon

When renting a house or an apartment laws and expectations vary greatly between countries and, often enough, between cities. Knowing your rights and what to expect can keep you from embarrassment or regret. Nobody wants to sign a one-year lease and find out a month later that they’ve settled for less than they should. That’s why we’re going to cover some basics of the hunt that you’ll need to make your new home in Saigon a happy one from day one.

Nha Trang New Year

Not having been sunburned in far too long,