Nov 5th, 2009 at 2:00PM: "You're going where?!" my father asked when I told him of my plans to go to Colombia. The Colombia he knows of, the one from the 1980's, is filled with cocaine, street violence, and Pablo Escobar's thugs. The country's days as a dangerous destination are gone, but its stigma still remains.
Colombia isn't the only now-safe country still considered by the masses to be too dangerous to visit. ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Laos posts
Not-so Dangerous Destinations
Nov 5th, 2009 at 2:00PM: "You're going where?!" my father asked when I told him of my plans to go to Colombia. The Colombia he knows of, the one from the 1980's, is filled with cocaine, street violence, and Pablo Escobar's thugs. The country's days as a dangerous destination are gone, but its stigma still remains.
Colombia isn't the only now-safe country still considered by the masses to be too dangerous to visit. ...Drug tourism and cocaine bars
Aug 21st, 2009 at 6:00PM: What fun is travel without a little excitement? Rest and relaxation is a given, but excitement? That you have to look for, and it appears excitement for many is found in drugs.
I came across an article yesterday that made me cringe. The world's first cocaine bar, it read. And while I have to admit it picqued my interest, I must also say the thought of sitting in a bar with nearly everyone high on ...Three travel ideas from the ITB Berlin Travel Show
May 11th, 2009 at 4:00PM:
More than 11,000 exhibitors from 187 countries tried to make their mark at the 2009 ITB Berlin Travel Show. They showcased wines, highlighted unique local attractions and generally tried to show that they are the best places in the world for tourists to spend their hard-earned cash. Travel+Leisure tried to describe the industry's hottest trends, but the article really came across as "here are a ...Photo of the Day (2-4-09)
Feb 4th, 2009 at 5:00PM:
The woman in the photo was sorting rice in Luang Nam Tha, Laos back in February 2008. I would venture to say that the same woman is still sorting rice in this careful, quiet way of doing work that sustains people. This is the type of work that is never quite done, but remains important year after year.
Whenever I have watched women like the one in this photo by Laura Itzokowitz, I am struck by ...Laos to ban Tuk Tuks?
Nov 2nd, 2007 at 7:37PM: Going to southeast Asia, I was excited to take Tuk Tuks everywhere. But I soon changed my tune -- they're hot, stinky and the drivers are usually shady. After a few unauthorized visits to a driver's friends' jewelery/dress/art shop, I quickly vowed to take either public transit or real taxis everywhere. And yet, I couldn't imagine Thailand or Laos without them -- they're a fun part of the scenery, ...Eco-tourism in Laos
Jul 12th, 2007 at 3:40PM: According to the Lonely Planet, tourism in Laos is set to soar to all-time highs. I suspect this has to do with the popularity of Thailand as a tourist destination, as people tend to reason that if they're going all that way they should do the whole shebang. I don't know if anyone travels across the ocean for the sole purpose of visiting Laos, but it sure is worthy of it's own trip -- which you ...Laos: Tough Bus Rides, Beautiful Scenery
Motoring Through Indochina
Sep 18th, 2006 at 3:00PM: A friend recommended an adventure that I'm dying to do: a week motorcycling throughout Vietnam. He's done it two years in a row, and recommends an outfit called Explore Indochina. The outfit is apparently run an Aussie and a Brit that act as tour guides and speak fluent Vietnamese.
They host a couple of rides each month, and cover different areas of the country (as well as Laos and Cambodia). ...
