A-One Inn has been my main spot to stay in Bangkok for a number of reasons: The location is ideal and straight in Siam-Ratchadamri, the main shopping district of the city a.k.a. within walking distance of Siam Discovery, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, Siam Center, Central World, Platinum Fashion Mall, Pratunam (wholesale district), MBK and a large Tesco Lotus. It is also a short walk from National Stadium BTS (public transit stop). The rooms are economically priced for the area. The rooms are clean. The staff are always incredibly friendly, helpful and in short, just really cool people. … [Read more...]
THAILAND
The Thailand traditional travel guides overlook. I spent 2.5 years living in Buriram. The last time I checked, my Lonely Planet guide had a few paragraphs that essentially said, skip it. Read travel stories and advice from others who experience The Land Of Smiles the same way.
Hotel Review: THE REGENT SUVARNABHUMI, BANGKOK, THAILAND
Arriving at The Regent Svarnabhumi in Latkrabang, Bangkok after a three week roaming tour of Thailand was an immense treat. Unlike most rooms in Thailand, The Regent Svarnabhumi offered a couch, workstation and a kitchen (with an electric kettle and refrigerator) in addition to: Aircon Hot shower Airport shuttle to and from the airport Free WiFi, computer stations and books Large screen television English speaking staff. The Room Clean and beautiful with absolutely no trace of the smell of mould (the latter is something one often gets used to at this … [Read more...]
Hotel Review: THE DUENSHINE RESORT, KANCHANABURI, THAILAND
Upon setting foot at The Duenshine Resort, my initial impression was, WTF? Someone embellished online. Although technically within Kanchanaburi City limits, the hotel was by no means anywhere near what I would call city life and comparing the reality of the aesthetics with what was viewed online.....perhaps the photos were either over a decade old, or someone was either a great photographer or pretty swift with Photoshop. The main reason I stayed by the time I got there was, I was exhausted and just wanted a bed. That being said, I stayed four days/three nights and completely enjoyed it in that tumbleweed (very quiet and nearly empty), laid back, away … [Read more...]
Notes From The Road: From Mukdahan To Nekromantix, Buriram
Transcript Hey People, On a short stop back to Buriram. Got kicked off the bus on the way here after six hours. Bought the ticket in Mukdahan, which is the starting point for the trip. The woman made a typo on my ticket, so essentially I had a no seat ticket despite buying the ticket 24 hours in advance (when few were sold) and paying full fare. To make a long story short - told to skip = me contesting and showing all other info on the ticket, people waiting, waiting - I go to be left at night in a town and told to wait for the next available bus, could be a couple of hours, could be many hours. Driver still had my ticket, which … [Read more...]
Notes From The Road: From Thailand To Laos And Back
Transcript Hello Pig!!(Gies), Buriram - Mukdahan - Over The Friendship Bridge - Hello Savannakhet, Laos. - Mukdahan. Savannakhet is a mellow little place and is the only place, other than cities within close proximity, (i.e. Surin) that remind me of Buriram. I wonder if this is similar to what Buriram looked like 5+ years ago?? To Note: Upon arriving at the hotel in Mukdahan, the guy working laughed while speaking to me. Apparently I was speaking Isaan. This further puts things together as I thought I was speaking Thai.?? Let's see what happens when I get out of Isaan … [Read more...]
Notes From The Road: On The Bus
Transcript Get on the 16:30 bus after agreeing to buy a ticket to sit on the floor until a seat be made available (fingers crossed on would prior to my destination which online is 4 hours away, the guy I tried to buy a ticket off earlier today (but couldn't - he just told me to show up) said it was 5. And the women who actually got me on the bus said it was at least 6 or 7. As I'm illiterate, I'm assuming I'm on the right bus, although it is practically empty. Read the next memoir, From Thailand To Laos And Back, here. Read the last memoir, The Beauty Of Sickness, The Grandeur Of Silence, … [Read more...]
DON’T KNOW WHERE I’M GOING, only know where i’ve been
By the time you're reading this, I'll be somewhere I have yet to know of while writing this. I'm taking off for at about a month. Two countries, including this one. But I'm up for surprises. I've got loads of content set up for you already. But I'll get more. You'll get notes from me along my way. In the meantime... Enjoy....................................... Shabazz Palaces - Belhaven Meridian from WHAT MATTERS MOST on Vimeo. For notes from this trip, Thailand hotel reviews, travel information and tips, check out Backpacking Thailand, my free Thailand … [Read more...]
The Beauty Of Sickness. The Grandeur Of Silence.
One week of illness. The body's reaction to medication I had mistaken for an antihistamine. Eczema, perhaps psiriosis covered thighs made walking painful. The rubbing caused the affliction to spread, my thighs to bleed. My face. Back. Neck. Hands. Few places were spared. Then a fever of some genus arrived. Nineteen hours of sleep one night. A forgotten amount the next. And the next. Small pieces of verbal exchange during the week. Buying calamine and antihistamines early in the week. Answering my phone to inform someone I wasn't available. My nightly walk to the lobby to purchase that which I've been sustaining myself on since I … [Read more...]
Sex and Dating in Thailand (Including a Single White Girl Trying to Understand Her Place in It All)
I realized after my post Racism in Thailand - A Day in The Life of a White Woman in Buriram went live, that a peek into Thai public and private life between the sexes, as I know it, may be in order. It will give that piece, in addition to many of the pieces here on MBSB some context. When I speak of Thailand in the piece I'm currently writing you, it is the Thailand I know, the Thailand that is more culturally conservative from, my understanding of, the tourist areas and the culture presented by those Thai nationals who either are literate in a foreign, more specifically Western culture / language and those who have studied overseas. Perhaps when I speak of Thailand and Thai nationals in … [Read more...]
Racism in Thailand – a Day in the Life of a White Woman in Buriram
There is racism that is intended and there is the innocent racism that arises out of ignorance. Let me give you an example of the latter... Hmm....scratch that first draft. I'm conjuring numerous instances of racism I've faced in Thailand, most notably in Buriram, and with each instance that currently comes to mind, there is the ever pervasive thought....I don't know if that's innocent, but I do know it wasn't intended to harm, at least not overtly (in the way many of us Westerners have come to expect of racist remarks and/or actions). Rather, the intent was to remind me of my place. In the Thailand I know, someone in a position of esteem and/or power reminding someone … [Read more...]
KO’d At Sitmonchai
The intent was to make the seven plus hour trip to Sitmonchai Gym, Thamaka, Kanchanaburi to hook up with friends, write a review of the gym and pick up on Sitmonchai's style of delivering devastating punches and low kicks. Low kicks score minimal points in Thailand. As a result a number of gyms pay them little mind. For example, I had the habit of annoying a past trainer by delivering low kicks during our pad sessions. He kept telling me they were ugly. Not mine particularly, just in general. Sitmonchai fighters in contrast are known to utilize low kicks to disable their opponents by KO. Ironically, one sentence into this post and I received a text that … [Read more...]
OUTTA HERE………
Hello MBSB readers. Just a note to let you all know that I'm off to Thamaka in Kanchanaburi. One week? Two? Not quite sure. Good internet connection? Great internet connection? Not quite sure. I have some content set up for when I'm gone. I'm hoping to post while away, but can't promise I will. I can promise that I'll try to bring back some interesting content. Adios, ldf View Larger Map … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- Next Page »