“One shop in particular, I’m told, is a clearinghouse for drugs. Armed with the proper introduction, in I went. In lieu of a traditional greeting, the owner simply asks me what I’m looking for, and how much of it I’ll need. “And, yes, we have cocaine,” he adds as an afterthought…”
From the category archives:
Destinations
Southern Laos is generally skipped by backpackers and instead they heads straight for Four Thousand Islands and onto Cambodia or up to Vientiane. With it’s countless waterfalls, many swimming opportunities, tribal villages, local cuisine, and having children run up to you screaming Sabaai-dii (Hello in Lao) as you drive on the dirt roads – why would anyone want to skip this?
After a month of World Cup 2010 mania, the winner is Spain; who beat The Netherlands after what seemed to be the longest game ever. With such a dynamic match up, its easy to understand why the game remained scoreless for 90 minutes. But, there is only one winner and the Spaniards are ecstatic after their first World Cup win. I’ve visited Spain on multiple occasions and everyone should as well
On the left I’d like you to meet Yuan Da, born August 3rd, 2006 and raised in Chengdu Panda Base. It seemed a sin to travel all the way to China and not see a panda. It was my sole purpose for visiting the city of Chengdu.
A visit to China isn’t complete without tasting Baijiu. Unofficially, it’s the national drink. The beverage is a Chinese distilled alcohol. The clear color can easily be mistaken for water (I’ve done that mistake before). At about 80 to 120 proof, or 40-60% alcohol by volume, it burns right through and you will feel every drop it going down.
I’m on a sleeper train ride from Chengdu to Kunming with three other backpackers for over eighteen hours. Were casually playing card games near our beds when suddenly a group of five Chinese men approach us. Clueless as to what they want, they take a camera out and in hand gestures politely ask for pictures with us
Tiger Leaping Gorge is considered one of the deepest gorges in the world going as far down as 62 miles (100 kilometers) and is just a few hours away from the city of Lijiang in the Yunnan Province. It’s part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend has it that a tiger had leaped across the river to the other side, hence the name. The gap across the river is fairly large for any animal to make across. It’s also well known for it’s intensive hike to catch some stunning views.
One of my favorite guilty pleasures besides traveling is a travel reality show called “The Amazing Race.” If you haven’t heard of it, its a somewhat glamorized version of reality backpacking. Adventure seekers travel around the globe in a race to win a million dollars. Most of our journeys end in life goals being accomplished; which is just as rewarding as a million bucks.
While bloggers continue to suffer from post Tbex depression, many of us try to relive happy Tbex memories by uploading photographs, having post Tbex meetups in New York or writing posts about why Tbexers love this growing travel conference.
