Is being a female solo traveler easy? …Not!

Filed under Inspiration, SOLO TRAVEL by on May 14, 2012 at 8:00 am {19 comments}
solo travel
Is going Solo easy for women? (Ladakh, India)

You are very brave. I could never do what you do– traveling on your own…

[  HAhhh, here we go again…  ]

How do you do it?

[  Well, you think this is a vacation?  ]

No, I need to go with my husband. He always arranges and schedules things. I wouldn’t know what to do if I had to travel on my own…

[  Honey, you'd be surprised what you can do on your own if you had to or really wanted to.   ]

If I didn’t have my husband, I wouldn’t go anywhere.

[   ...or, you could choose that option too.  ]

 

Shweta was an intelligent and forward Indian wife and university professor in her 30′s, vacationing with her husband in Ladakh, India. We were sharing a truck through the icy slopes of Nubra Valley and I was being bombarded with the questions that many females ask about solo travel, when they’re standing on the opposite side of it. As Shweta listened to my answers, her eyes drew a hallowed (more…)

Budget Hotels: How far would I walk to find Mr. Right?

Filed under Cambodia, Phnom Penh by on May 6, 2012 at 5:28 pm {10 comments}
Cambodia fashion gowns
Window shopping in Phnom Penh: How far would you go?

 With budget hotels in Southeast Asia,  you never know what to expect.

Sometimes, you stumble upon a princely palace that’s cute, charming and cheap, all in one.

Other times, a first impression doesn’t always do a place  justice and you can’t always tell a bargain when you see it. 

It’s like that first 15 seconds of surprise, when you meet a blind date in person and discover he’s mildly errr… ugly or just not your type. It kicks your *shock* notch up a little. But maybe after 15 minutes after the initial stun wears off, you warm to him; find he’s actually a nice guy.  But do you dream about a second date?  Not necessarily.

You still need perspective… to shop around a bit.

(more…)

Are you a street-smart traveler or just travel-jaded?

Filed under Cambodia, I Survived! by on April 30, 2012 at 6:04 am {26 comments}
christine kaaloa
Streetwise or travel-jaded?

 Street wise.

Been-there and done-that.

Old hat.

After traveling in Asia over the course of a year,  there were two things I felt I had become proficient at:  haggling and avoiding scams.

If I sensed a scam, my windows rolled up and my auto pilot kicked into a prickly cold shoulder with a ‘Don’t fuck with me‘ attitude.  In a negotiating situation, I’d never trust the first price up front. Assuming the dealer was trying to score a few extra bucks, due to the “tourist” sign blazing on my head, I’d shoot for lower or walk away… and keep walking. 

Did I forget how to have fun at these times? Maybe so. But as a solo female traveler looking out for my own back, I’d learned to cultivate street smarts.

Then again, maybe you’d call me …travel- jaded. (more…)

Top 3 cheap travel insurance carriers for the American traveler

Filed under Trip Planning by on April 20, 2012 at 7:24 pm {18 comments}

tvl

 The following is not a sponsored post.

It sounds like it would be. I wish it were; then I’d be getting paid for advertising. The sad truth is… no. I do have an affiliate link to World Nomads, however. If you choose to go with them, please click on my link to help support what I do.

 Recently, a friend asked my advice on how to find cheap travel insurance. She’ll be on an overseas program for several months, and the program mandates she get travel insurance coverage.

(more…)

Cambodia: Which of these Fear Factor foods would you eat?

Filed under Cambodia, Fear Factor Foods by on April 12, 2012 at 4:34 am {28 comments}
cambodia weird foods
What’s Cambodia’s Fear Factor?

By the time I got to Cambodia, after having visiting much of Southeast Asia, I found there really wasn’t many Fear Factor Foods I haven’t seen.

 ’Same Same’… but not too different.

Still, it excites me to explore cultural differences, even if it makes me squirm a bit.

Here’s a few interesting foods as well as, a couple of players I haven’t yet seen…

  (more…)

STDs in India
Written by Delhi

What are STD shops in India for?

STD shops in India help you make cheap calls

April 1, 2012 7
wash-wide_02
Written by India

Mumbai’s Dhobi Ghats reveals India’s remarkable laundry men

Mumbai is an unrelenting and persevering city. Its drives hard to catch up to its pace, but not the modern age. In many ways, I’m glad it hasn’t. It preserves the kind of traditional jobs, which make you respect India’s workforce all the more.

March 28, 2012 9
Hello Kitty Cafe
Written by Cool/Veg Restaurants & Bars

Hello Kitty! What’s up with Korea’s cutesy cafes?

I have the honor to introduce my first guest post. Well, not really… When my mom was visiting me over the holidays, she vigilantly wrote a bunch of emails to my family back home. I’m posting a short excerpt of one of our cafe excursions. ;-) Enjoy!

March 23, 2012 13
teddy bear museum jeju
Written by Jeju Island

Photo Essay: A Teddy Bear Museum on Jeju Island?

At the Teddy Bear Museum on Jeju Island, the teddy bears do more than just sit in glass cases in wait of love. These teddies make art history, play out war enactments, they impersonate famous stars, such as Elvis and Marilyn, they depict Korean history and even act out scenes from popular movies, like Titanic.

March 19, 2012 20
Written by EPISODES

I Want to be a Bollywood Extra!

An inside peek on what it’s like to be a Bollywood extra: My Bollywood addiction started about 3 years ago. For me, nothing can rival the beauty and grandeur of Bollywood films- upbeat song and dance numbers,…

April 28, 2009 3
moroccan tanneries
Written by Morocco

Moroccan Tanneries in Fez & the Unheavenly Scent (Video)

When in a medieval city like Old Fez, one of my “must-dos” was to take a tour of a Moroccan tannery. Guide books will be-cry the relationship between the tanneries and “its smell” as a forewarning…

July 27, 2009 5
ayutthaya
Written by CHALLENGES

The Good, the Bad & the Inevitable of a Beginner Solo Traveler

A summary of the good, bad and inevitable of a beginner solo traveler and leaks of my upcoming Grrrl Traveler challenge.

November 29, 2009 9
diy make your own travel tags
Written by Glam Around the World

Photo Tips: Add Spice to Your Travel Gift Souvenirs

Souvenir gifting is often “a hit or miss” practice.
When a friend brings back a travel souvenir for me (and it’s not edible or chosen with my personality in mind), it can sometimes feel like, well,… junk! Likewise, I know there are times that I can be a “souvenir junk” gifter too! Perhaps I might occasionally nail a person’s personality with a souvenir; but most often, my gift souvenirs are flawed upon purchase. The reason?

February 17, 2010 4
3ceramics
Written by Crazy Korea

10 shocking facts about Korean schools

10 Things you didn’t know about Korean Public Schools – some of them will surprise you!

March 21, 2010 12
Written by Just Show Me Pictures!

Pass the Paper: Experiencing Culture Shock in Korea

So you live in a new country, you’ve got a new job, you’re working out the variables of navigating new food, new work relationships, cultural and communication barriers… so why are you depressed? Welcome to culture shock. Nothing you do can prepare you for what you think you will or won’t experience when you move abroad.

April 26, 2010 5
jjimjilbang korean sex
Written by * Korea tips & stays

Sleeping at a Jjimjilbang (a Korean bathhouse & sauna)

For all you travelers and expats looking to tour Korea on the cheap, a friend once mentioned staying overnight at a jjimjilbang as a way to hurdle hostel and budget hotel costs (which may run anywhere from a low $18-40); since then, the jjimjilbang culture has been a phenomenon to me.

May 3, 2010 11
Written by Glam Around the World

Review: “Dashing Diva: Foot-friendly nail salons in Seoul”

As a traveler trekking all around on foot, there are times you get to feeling like a bit of a rag doll Cinderella. If you’re like me and possess backpacker-explorer mentality, you’re on your tootsies from sunrise to midnight. Your feet probably wears some serious Grrr and looks like it to!

May 30, 2010 13
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Written by * Korea tips & stays

Top 7 Things to Do in Seoul

For a weekend traveler living in Korea, Seoul makes my blood race. Sometimes there’s an ongoing list of things of events taking place or sometimes, I just have to create my own ways of having fun.

March 9, 2011 12
Written by Inspiration

What happens to those travel stories that you don’t write about?

When posting my main travel stories, I realize there are many others which get lost in the shuffle. Unfortunately, sometimes there’s just no place for them in a flow of writing. So what do you do when you come to those moments which feel seemingly sentimental yet brief?

November 1, 2010 5
IMG_0371
Written by Jeju Island

Top 8 Things to Do on Jeju Island

Jeju Island is touted as the Korean Hawaii (and the honeymooning capital of Korea) and being a Hawaii native, I’d say it’s in the running realm of consideration. A tropical climate, beaches, inactive volcanoes and a little bit of a laid back way (compared to mainland Korea), Jeju presents the island way…Korean style.

September 30, 2010 6
plasticfood
Written by Crazy Korea

Fear Factor Korea (Part II: Fresh foods)

It’s all too easy for a foreigner like myself, to point a camera and say, Ewww to foreign foods I’m not culturally raised with nor understand. That’s why in this post, I’d like to applaud Korea for is its proud aspiration towards healthy and FRESH foods. And …to say, Ewww.

September 19, 2011 7
shopng_9_63
Written by Inspiration

5 Daredevil things to try if you’re Solo in Vietnam

You don’t have skydive out of a plane in order to be a daredevil. You don’t have to eat strange bugs or worms to be an adventurist. Sometimes, adventure and danger can fit into the simplest things; and if you’re a solo traveler, occasionally it’s the simplest things that can feel the most dangerous!

October 24, 2010 17
Written by Delhi

Photo Essay: The Human Plows of Chandni Chowk, India

In lieu of my solo travel anniversary with India, here’s some photo faves of a subject I loved discovering…Delhi, India. Dilapidated havelis, winding souk-like streets congested with workers, rickshaws and merchant shops which sell anything imaginable from saris to electrical appliances– Chandi Chowk is the bustling heart of a 16th century Delhi. The “chowk”, reknown as one of the oldest and busiest markets of Delhi, still survives on legacy practices such as the what I call, The Human Plow. Cows, considered sacred in India, laze about as men do the mule work, literally strapped to the yoke transporting mountainous cargo through the streets. As productive as worker bees, each man is a vital player to the demands of commerce–under the promise of a few rupees a day!

October 19, 2010 1
traveler credit cards
Written by Packing Tips

10 things you’ll want to pack in your backpack

When backpacking- I accept that everything will be both, an adventure and culture shock. I want to experience the culture, meet the people and participate in the local lifestyle so I steer clear from big hotels. This means- anti-luxury, anti-porter, anti-hotel-ease. A complete 180 degree turn from my work trips! In addition to my packing list of essentials (read the my Essential list), I am now packing a home within a backpack, knowing there will be times I’m roughing it.

October 20, 2008 2
my korean students
Written by Features Slide

Do you really want to teach English in Korea? (Part I: Q & A)

Well deciding to teach English abroad can feel like ordering a mail order bride. You’ve got a description and a list of hopeful expectations; yet you can’t see what you’ve got until the day arrives. How will you know what you asked for will be what you wanted? Honestly, sometimes even when you’ve crossed over to seeing your prize, things can still seem a bit veiled; but at least you’ve tackled the biggest hurdle… making it happen!

Recently friends and readers have asked me about my experiences in the ESL classroom and how they can teach English abroad too. I’ve decided to make it a three part series. This is general Q&A I’ve gotten.

December 20, 2010 11
motorbike taxis in bangkok
Written by Bangkok

7 Ways to See Bangkok (and love it!)

One of the biggest things I love about Bangkok? It’s never boring. Cheap massages and motorbike taxis to food and fruit vendors on the streets, each day presents a stunning visual array of sights and activities to keep your camera clicking and your wallets opening for budget vacation splurges .

From old world and dilapidated to freshly modern, you may be partially confused as to which way the city leans. The city juggles a persevering history of old wats, floating markets, a loving devotion to the king and a gateway into the future of modern convenience!

March 19, 2011 6
Secret-Garden-Hyun-Bin-and-Ha-Ji-Won-Wallpaper1
Written by * Korea tips & stays

How to make your own K-drama film tour

Fortunately for avid K-drama fans, you don’t have to waddle up the steep cash for a tour guide. The Korean Tourism Organization helps Korean drama addicts connect to the film locations of their favorite show.

February 17, 2011 8
SAM_2317
Written by * Korea tips & stays

6 Western-friendly stores in Korea

Korea has one-stop shopping giants, similar to Target and Kmart…
with one major difference– Korea knows how to make shopping an experience!

February 24, 2011 4
indian flag
Written by India

5 Travel Must-Haves for India

If anyone thinks tromping through India will be like traveling any other country, think again. Here are some things I found useful on my trip. Here are 5 Travel Must-Haves for India:

July 23, 2011 7
IMG_5267
Written by Great Outdoors

Exploring Beautiful Laos with Trekking

These days I enjoy trekking where it’s possible. Aside from a great workout, I like visiting mountain life, its lush and pristine settings of streams, hills and rice paddy fields and simple, hardworking and content inhabitants

November 28, 2011 4
VT-doll.jpg
Written by Laos tips & stays

48 hours: Winging it Solo in Vientiane

My first impression of Vientiane?

Dust. Dirt. Dry.

I had just a restless night on an uncomfortable train, crossing from Thailand into Laos. I was wanting to be impressed.

When I arrived in the Laotian capital, I was still waiting…

July 28, 2011 4
Gokarna
Written by India

Where to lay your head in budget India?

I’ll be honest– finding a place to crash is one of my ugh parts of traveling solo in India. It’s literally draining.
Budget cradles here spell the need for an open-mind, with a crowbar of willpower and let’s face it– India is not as cheap as it used to be and the room you get doesn’t always match the higher rupee you’re paying!

Obviously, the rules of the game and standards of house-keeping are different here.

May 29, 2011 13
rm 1
Written by Dharamsala

Yoga TTC & Volunteering: Dharamsala with a purpose

Finally, rooted to a month of purpose!

I’ve been in Dharamsala for the past week, hiking, learning to cook Tibetan food, meeting people, exploring the Dalai Lama’s temple and my surroundings; but today, I got to drop my bags!

I have my own “apartment”. I like to call it that.

For the next month of my Yoga Teacher Training Certification program, I’ll have a room with a mini kitchen, a spacious bedroom with a TV and dressers, a lounge area and an outdoor balcony. It’s quite a swank pad!
Best of all, I finally get to root down!

April 7, 2011 13
fear-me
Written by Fear Factor Foods

Fear Factor Foods in Laos

As an American, I’ve lived most of my life in a shiny glass bubble…

So for me, traveling is my time to experience bold new adventures and broaden the glossy sheen of my bubble. One of the greatest thrills for me in visiting Asian/Southeast Asian countries, is encountering the unique culture shock or Fear Factor (see my Korea post here) of its different cuisines.

August 22, 2011 9
water bottle
Written by India

Buying bottled water in India: is it an exercise in blind faith?

In India, purchasing bottled water doesn’t always ensure safety.

When I entered a guesthouse cafe in Hampi it was filled with fellow travelers. Food-wise, I felt a little safe. I walked past an employee sitting off to the side, with a line of empty water bottles and what did I see?… He was filling the bottles with tap water and recapping them!

April 14, 2011 7
IMG_3193
Written by Dharamsala

Getting Sick in India

“Amoebic Dysentry”.

Sitting in Dr. Marwah’s office, a stone’s throw from the Dalai Lama’s estate I stared at the picture he drew before me This was my diagnosis. I had a parasite in me– no wonder I’d been feeling like I was eating for two people!

May 17, 2011 12
DH-dlposters
Written by GAP YEAR TRAVEL

Getting my Yoga Teacher Training Certification (YTTC) in India

After a month long yoga bootcamp at Himalaya Yoga Valley in Dharamsala, I finally graduated. Woot! Muscles aching, belly battling waterborne parasites, while hurdling through two asana classes a day and intensive schedule of studies and teaching practicums… It was a lot! Along the way, you accept your body’s shape-shifting as your foreign environment molds you– injury happens, bad diets take form (carb-loading cause you can’t eat veggies), India initiates you with horrible toilet habits.

But good things come from it as well…

June 12, 2011 7
SV-sunset
Written by India

A Peek Inside an Indian Yoga Ashram

At 6 AM. the morning fog was lifting off the lake. Devotional music poured joyously over the loudspeaker of a neighboring temple and echoed eerily, as fly-by birds bore life to the serene setting. Sitting in silence I felt the sun spreading it’s rays across my body with an exquisite orange and gold. I inhaled….OM.

June 2, 2011 19
chiaki-portrt
Written by Features Slide

How to travel solo in India: Interview with Chiaki Nakashima

What does the idea of “a solo woman traveling in India” surface for you?

When I met Chiaki, we were both, waiting for the local bus to our yoga ashram. A Japanese waif of gentle yogic smiles, she challenged my notions about what it is to be a solo female traveler in India. Chiaki didn’t boast the extensive list of a world traveler nor was she avoiding the challenges of navigating the local terrain in the way a native would; yet, she was tackling India solo doing it in calm stride.

How the hell was she doing it?

June 26, 2011 9
IMG_5841
Written by Chiang Mai

Maesa’s Art Stars: Thai Elephants that paint

Can elephants paint?

A year ago, a friend showed me a funky abstract painting she had bought at a charity fundraiser in New York City. She told me the artist was an elephant. What?! Since when were elephants art stars?

October 16, 2011 6
torn Inbill
Written by India

Dealing with Indian currency and a torn rupee

There are times dealing with currency in India made me want to bark and growl with feverish frustration. It’s urked me so much I decided doing a post might relieve me and toss a head’s up to fellow travelers.
Here are 3 annoying ways India deals with money…

September 5, 2011 4
thail girl chicken
Written by Cambodia

Love Letters #16-25: Where have I been in the past 7 months?

I’ve cheated you, my dear readers. I haven’t been good at taking you with me on my travels. Sorry. So here’s an update on my travels: Where have I been after India? Without giving away all my stories just yet, here’s a summary of highlights and places I’ve been to.

September 29, 2011 3
IMG_8132
Written by * Korea tips & stays

Kimbap restaurants: the healthy fast food joints in Korea

Living in Korea, it often feels like you’ll never see a fat Korean (…okay, they are exceptions; but it’s rare)! Obesity is not a chronic problem in Korea as it is in the west. One big theory is how healthy Koreans are when it comes to what they eat. Koreans do however, occasionally like their meals served simple, cheap and pali! pali (fast)!

September 12, 2011 16
ipod touch 4
Written by Reviews

Is the Apple iPod Touch a traveler’s best companion?

Before I moved to Korea, I couldn’t imagine how much the today-me would want to congratulate myself for getting an Apple iPod Touch. Flash forward to a year abroad and nine countries later and I believe, it’s the only hand-held choice for a traveler.

October 6, 2011 9
recommended microfiber travel towels
Written by Packing Tips

Packing Tips: Should you pack a travel towel?

o you’re on the road and your luggage is loaded with spanking new travel gear. Now is the time to see if what you bought really works! Will you revise your load if it doesn’t work the way you imagined? One of the items I least care to pack is a towel.

November 18, 2011 14
siriraj museum of medical anamolies
Written by Bangkok

Two-headed babies? Bangkok’s dark side & its museum of the macabre

What does Bangkok inspire for you? For me, it’s generally floating markets, monstrously serene Buddhas, assorted hawker food carts of delectable cuisine and throngs of smiling Thai. I don’t exactly think of two-headed cyclops babies, the corpses of infamous murderers and a display case of unusually, large human testicles.

December 13, 2011 16
Train from Hat Yai to Bangkok
Written by Thailand

World’s Worst Toilet: Thai Train

I have to admit, I love the Thai train! Compared to India, the bathrooms aren’t nearly as scary. However, I don’t like train bathrooms in general, for obvious purposes. It’s not about horrific appearances as it is horrific smells. As clean as the Thai try to be there’s almost always a tinge of smell or drips of urine lingering from the after effects of sudden jerks, shakes and rattling stops.

December 25, 2011 13
thai bus
Written by Bangkok

7 Ways to Get Lost on a Bangkok bus

On this past trip, I made it my goal to see the city via one of the simplest and archaic carriages westerners can think of, the public bus! To sum up my city bus excursions in Bangkok: I got lost, got off at wrong stops, took the wrong bus and rode it in circles; at times, I even jumped on buses to see where they’d take me. In essence, I had a fabulous time!

7 important things to know about taking a bus in Bangkok:

December 2, 2011 7
sukhnothai
Written by Photo Essays

Why Thai Buddhist temples never bore me

How many times can I look at Buddhas and temples?

Ordinarily, my tolerance isn’t high for seeing the same things over and over.

Variation is key.

January 26, 2012 12
girl on Skytrain
Written by Bangkok

10 Fun Ways to Get to Know Bangkok

In Bangkok, all roads may not lead to Rome, but you’ll have many ways to get there.

One of my favorite things about Bangkok is its transportation. Skytrain, city bus, taxi, motorbike taxi, ferry boat,… each presents a unique way for getting around the city, while also presenting angles of Bangkok life.

December 23, 2011 3
luang prabang main street
Written by Laos

Top 5 things to do in Luang Prabang

At the heart of Northern Laos sits Luang Prabang. As a UNESCO World Heritage site, the small city blends old European colonial architecture with a Lao urban structure and has a little bit of everything. So with all there is to see, what should you actually do?

October 31, 2011 8
Fez 2007
Written by Accommodations

White Sheets Review: What is a Moroccan riad?

The Dar Seffarine. What was it like to stay at a Moroccan riad?

June 2, 2009 0
Fez Markets
Written by Morocco

Photo Essay: Travel Memoirs & the 10 Great Wonders of Fez

There’s a secret to Morocco and I’m convinced it speaks through its spices! From scented oils, city-wide prayer calls and intricate Arabic/Berber craft work designs to maze-like streets bustling with the traffic of crowded souks and taxi-ing donkeys,..

December 31, 2011 12
henna morocco
Written by Glam Around the World

Why we got an illegal guide and Mendhi in Fez

When in Morocco, why not try mendhi?

June 5, 2009 0
fes cafe
Written by Morocco

What I learned about Fez and Moroccan culture

Thought I’d share some of the things I learned about Moroccan culture. They’re really some random facts I picked up from my guide at the time and it’s helped shape my appreciation for the culture and lifestyle.

January 4, 2012 4
Hawaii-Five-0-promo
Written by CHALLENGES

Travel Bucket List 2012: Booking a role on Hawaii Five-O (Part I)

Okay, some of you asked to see the competition…

Still wondering what some of those alternate plans for 2012 were, twerking with that university job in Korea? Here’s my hinted confession to one of those alternate things…

February 15, 2012 20
siloam spa seoul
Written by * Korea tips & stays

Is Siloam Sauna the best jjimjilbang in Seoul?

So, I’ve promised some of you the inside tip on the best jjimjilbang in Seoul… After the disappointment of Seoul’s much hyped Dragon Hill Spa, I was reluctant to return for another night of overnight non-thrill on a hard wood floor. Fortunately, a friend offered me an alternative suggestion…

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