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Sheep-Goats posted:meds Also when poo poo does hit the fan, or hopefully just the toilet/hole in the ground repeatedly and you are stuck in some small town w/o any english speaking doctors, just take the drat immodium/loperamid or whatever pill you brought to completely shut down bowel movements and get to the nearest city with a real doctor. Trust me, a week of diarrhea before you give in is not worth it, and your travel insurance cover anything anyway, so just get the most expensive doctor you can find :p And for those that wonder why I was stupid enough to learn this the hard way, I was generally feeling very well all the time so I was sure it would end soon. No fever or pain at all, just had to stay near the toilet. Apparently that is a sign of parasites that the body doesn't realize are doing bad stuff to you so you want fight the infection or something. Go find a doctor asap, you can always backtrack if it was something you wanted to see or do.
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Feb 1, 2010 15:32
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Lrrr posted:Also when poo poo does hit the fan, or hopefully just the toilet/hole in the ground repeatedly and you are stuck in some small town w/o any english speaking doctors, just take the drat immodium/loperamid or whatever pill you brought to completely shut down bowel movements and get to the nearest city with a real doctor. I was guilty of this too. Picked up what I thought was a flu in Malaysia on my first visa run and suffered under it for a month before I went to the pharmacy and bought some loving antibiotics and my symptoms were gone in two days -- I'd picked up some kind of bacterial something down there and didn't do poo poo about it. Also you can go and see a real doctor in a real hospital in Thailand, which will be very nice and the doctor will be very good, and it'll cost you 20 or 40 bucks for most things. Don't hesitate to go in. A few common sense things really help out, too. If you're taking a long bus trip in the morning don't go get thrashed the night before and then have a huge helping of new-to-you streetfood in the morning. raton fucked around with this message at 09:44 on Feb 2, 2010 |
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Feb 1, 2010 21:52
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ziebarf posted:I was pretty freaked out about this issue before I left. After two weeks on doxy, which made me incredibly ill and lobster-face, I decided to stop. So far I have been to many remote locations in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam and have been A-Ok. Many times I even forgot to wear my insect repelent. But anyways, you should be fine if you take even the smallest precautions.  Don't forget your mosquito repellent. Southbound from Laos to Malaysia, we stopped on Koh Phi Phi in Thailand in late 2008, and I picked up dengue fever from there. Also known as breakbone fever or bonecrusher disease because of the intense pain it can cause. Also known as a possibly fatal disease with no vaccine or treatment. Thankfully, my symptoms were very, very mild, I just had a (very) high fever. After a freezing bus ride to Kuala Lumpur from the border I thought I just had picked up a cold, but after five days I decided to go to a hospital. Spent three nights there under observation and hooked to an IV with fluids, and was released with a €600 bill. Went for another check-up a few days later, for about €150. The hospital was recommended by the embassy, and turns out it was a new hospital built by the Petronas oil company in 2007, and I got a private room more luxurious than anything I had seen during the entire trip. Of course travel insurance covers the bills, but even after getting out of the hospital, it took me about a week to feel strong enough to see the sights in just Kuala Lumpur. We switched our flight for an earlier one (and got caught up in the riots at the Bangkok airport for three days, another story), so in total I lost about three weeks which I would've originally spent on KL and then Indonesia's Sumatra. The best part is that my stomach handled the entire three month trip like it was nothing. While statistically it's a tiny, miniscule chance a tourist will get the fever, insect repellent is a small price to pay. Still have Vietnam and Cambodia to see someday. e: \/\/\/\/\/\/ Ironically enough, I never really noticed the mosquitoes while I was there, or their bites. Didn't really itch, either. DanTheFryingPan fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Feb 2, 2010 |
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Feb 1, 2010 22:36
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Ringo R posted:Getting out of Bangkok Airport Summary: If it's your first time in Bangkok, I suggest you just pay for the taxi. DanTheFryingPan posted:While statistically it's a tiny, miniscule chance a tourist will get the fever, insect repellent is a small price to pay.
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Feb 1, 2010 23:38
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freebooter posted:This isn't my regular GP, it's a specialist travel doctor I had to go see because his clinic is the only one in my city that can do yellow fever vaccinations (which is for the African leg of my trip, not the Asian one, before anyone pegs me as a hypochondriac). Most of those travel doctors are just out to make money dude. I took a list of injections/medications that my parents (they're both gp's) said were vital & all I'd need for s/e asia & s/america and they tried to fleece me each time for another hundred bucks or so of 'oh BUT THERE'S THIS ONE SPIDER/BUG which may carry this SCARY DISEASE which you need EXPENSIVE SHOT for rah rah rah.' I'd only take the anti-malarials if you're gonna be deep in the amazon in s/america or in the middle of nowhere in asia 
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Feb 2, 2010 02:03
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smackfu posted:Summary: If it's your first time in Bangkok, I suggest you just pay for the taxi. You're right. I will edit my post. Thanks!
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Feb 2, 2010 03:15
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Don't take Doxycycline unless absolutely necessary. It can lead to nasty side effects. Here's my friend after unwisely taking Doxycycline for Bangkok and Koh Tao. He disregarded my advice that it wouldn't be needed.  (click for big) The zoomed portion in the top left is his knee. His entire body (yes, entire - we asked his girlfriend) was covered. It was itchy - we were on a diving trip and he couldn't wear a wet suit comfortably - and ugly. The rash appeared within four days but didn't disappear for over a week. Finch! fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Feb 2, 2010 |
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Feb 2, 2010 05:04
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So how much would one budget for a trip to Thailand? Not including airfare and living reasonably/comfortably (no sleeping on park benches). On a side note, how much would a train ride cost to other cities from Bangkok?
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Feb 2, 2010 05:05
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Here are a few useful links I've put together. I hope other people can add new categories and links and descriptions. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but it should help.Ringo R posted:Steve.: Your last post is now the official link farm of this thread and you must maintain it and keep it up to date, forever. Failure to do so will result in a custom title of a ladyboy ejaculating. You heard the man! If I don't pick up a useful link from this thread, please message it to me. Research and Planning There is a wealth of information strewn around the Internet, on websites and forums. Someone will have been to where you want to go, no matter how remote or unlikely you think it to be. The following are some good places to start finding information and planning your adventure: http://wikitravel.org/en/South_East_Asia - Start here. Summaries and links to each South East Asian country article. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Asia - Here's also a good place. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia http://www.travelfish.org - A fantastic resource, with forums and an assload of information about everything. Here are some pages that contain useful information about staying safe, even though a lot of it is very alarmist: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/ - Maintained by the Australian Government. Contains travel advisories and bulletins. Miscellaneous Links Work in progress! This section will contain links that are of use to the modern adventurer, but which don't really belong anywhere else. http://www.travelmedicine.com.au/ - The home page for the Travel Medicine Alliance in Australia. Find a local travel medicine specialist. http://www.worldnomads.com/ - Travel insurance. Don't travel without insurance Medical expenses aren't cheap - and if you hire a scooter and think you're Valentino Rossi, there's a good chance someone will need to scrape your busted rear end off the road and take you to a hospital. Theft of possessions is also usually covered. There are plenty of other providers around, with varying degrees of cover. Read their product disclosure statements and choose a provider that best fits your needs.http://www.covermore.com.au - A good travel insurance company for Australians, with selectable levels of cover. Transport - Train: http://www.seat61.com - for all your worldwide train needs. The information is usually up to date. Contains prices, routes, photographs, connection details, and an enormous amount of other information. Very useful information, even if your journey isn't by train. Use this site to find links to the various train companies in the region. - Airlines: http://www.airasia.com - Air Asia are a low cost carrier based in Malaysia. They fly pretty much everywhere, for cheap. Also contains information and facilitates bookings for Air Asia X, their long haul airline. New routes are added regularly. Recommended. http://www.tigerairways.com - Tiger Airways are a low cost carrier based in Singapore. Their network is a bit more limited, and focuses on Singapore. A sister operation flies domestically in Australia. http://www.jetstar.com - There are several Jetstar airlines: domestically within Australia, international and domestic through South East Asia, international from Australia, domestically within New Zealand, and domestically within Vietnam. http://www.cebupacificair.com - Operates domestically within The Philippines and has a fairly large international network, but are not really convenient to use for journeys that aren't either terminating in or originating from The Philippines. These low cost carriers may be cheap, but they certainly aren't dangerous. The largest risk is a flight not being on time. This may mean it's early. Most aircraft in all of the above airlines are very new, clean, and all are well maintained. Air travel on low cost carriers is often cheaper than other forms of public transport, particularly over long distances. All listed airlines have regular sales, where enormous discounts can be had. Think free + tax. - Flight search engines: http://www.skyscanner.net - Very useful for country to country searches, without needing a specific departure or arrival airport. Recommended. http://www.wego.com http://www.kayak.com http://www.expedia.com .... and all the other usual suspects you know and love. I've found those above to find the lowest listed prices and many flights that other search engines don't find. Very few search engines cover the low cost carriers listed above. - Bus: http://www.plusliner.com - Malaysia. http://transnasional.com.my - Malaysia and Singapore. http://transtar.com.sg - Malaysia and Singapore. I've only used Transtar to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, and it was fine. They're safe, well maintained, clean, and reliable. The service is pretty good, too. - Boat: http://www.pelni.co.id/home.asp?loc=en - Pelni operates throughout Indonesia. http://www.lomprayah.com - Operates buses and ferries to and from Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao in Thailand. Safe, reliable, convenient, and cheap. Offers combination bus/catamaran tickets from Bangkok to Koh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phangan. Sleep Wikitravel is useful here. Otherwise: http://hostelworld.com - Search for hostels, arranged by country and broken down by city. Arrange the results by rating. http://www.hostelbookers.com - As above. http://www.asiarooms.com - Lists accommodation throughout Asia, often at heavy discounts. Properties range from hovels to super-luxury resorts. http://goholiday.airasia.com - Air Asia's holiday website. Can book accommodation separately. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g2-Asia-Vacations.html - Has reviews of places to stay. Useful when combined with Asiarooms so you don't find yourself staying in a tranny brothel masquerading as a legitimate hotel (or to ensure you do stay in a tranny brothel, if that's your thing). Eat Here are a few websites that I regularly visit and use to find new foods, places, and other interesting information. I'm a bit of a food nerd. http://eatingasia.typepad.com/eatingasia - My favourite. Based in Kuala Lumpur but travel widely. Well written and photographed. http://kyspeaks.com - Mostly Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia, occasional visits to places further away.. http://ieatishootipost.sg - Mostly Singapore hawker food. http://jessieandthegiantplate.com - Throughout the region. http://www.what2seeonline.com - Penang, from hawker food to fine dining. http://www.lingzie.com - Penang, as above. Food is normally cheap, plentiful, and delicious. Don't be afraid of eating from a stall by the side of a road. You'll miss out on the best stuff! In the western world food courts are the epitome of all things nasty. In South East Asia, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia, the food court, food centre, and hawker centre is often home to the tastiest dishes at incredibly low prices. Many are air conditioned - locals feel the heat, too. http://www.best-singapore-vacation.com/5-step-guide-to-eating-at-a-singapore-hawker-centre.html - It may sound unnecessary, but here's a guide to eating at hawker centres. It's worth knowing a bit of basic etiquette so as to avoid making oneself look foolish or causing uncomfortable situations. This is also broadly applicable to Malaysia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_centre - All about the hawker centre. Contains names and links to some of the more famous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_tiam - Kopi Tiam more or less translates to "coffee shop" but there is far, far, far more available than merely coffee. http://www.travelfish.org/feature/170 - An illustrated description of ten hawker centres in Singapore. http://www.travelfish.org/feature/172 - The above article continued. The bewildering array of food throughout South East Asia can be daunting. Here are some sites that can help demystify your culinary adventures: http://wikitravel.org/en/Singapore#Eat - Singapore. Also relevant to Malaysia. http://wikitravel.org/en/Malaysia#Eat - Malaysia. Also relevant to Singapore. http://wikitravel.org/en/Thailand#Eat - Thailand. ... and so on for the Wikitravel articles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_cuisine - A more comprehensive list of Malaysian food. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Singapore - As above, but for Singapore. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_Thailand - ... and Thailand. See and Do Work in progress! There's a lot to do in South East Asia, and a lot is unique to that part of the world. This section will contain links to articles about and websites dedicated to things to do. Tours, activities, itineraries, special events, festivals, essential sightseeing, and so on. Please suggest links. If you've done something that you enjoyed and would like others to know about, we want it here! Stay Safe http://www.bikemandan.com/blog/seasia-2009/couchsurfers-and-blackjack-scams - A well written reflection of a widespread card scam. http://www.bangkokscams.com - Stay on top of scams in Bangkok. Help Work in progress! In this section, I'll post links to places where Goons can donate either their time or their money to good causes in the region. Charities, schools, responsible travel, and the like. Please help it grow. Goon Created Content Work in progress! This section will house links to websites, blogs, photo journals, threads, and so on, that have been created by Goons. http://www.bikemandan.com/seasia - dwoloz's excellent blog detailing his adventures: pedalling a bike through Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Check it out. http://tomolson.blogspot.com - rangerscum's blog. Check out his great trip report photo thread here: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3264732 Contribute This post needs you! Message me or post your suggestions and I'll put collate them here.
Finch! fucked around with this message at 05:02 on Sep 25, 2011 |
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Feb 2, 2010 06:22
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Steve.: Your last post is now the official link farm of this thread and you must maintain it and keep it up to date, forever. Failure to do so will result in a custom title of a ladyboy ejaculating.
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Feb 2, 2010 06:32
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Ha. OK!
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Feb 2, 2010 06:42
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Beasticly posted:Just returned from two months in Thailand/Malaysia... (Lots of good info) I'm a Malaysian and what Beasticly wrote is mostly correct, except calling Chinese and Indian Malaysians, "Chinese Malays" and "Indian Malays". Don't say this to them (I'm a Malay) as it might offend them since "Malay" is an ethnic group, not a nationality (Malaysian). I have some more general info for people interested to visit Malaysia below. Drugs If you want to come to Malaysia or Singapore, don't bring drugs, ever. Don't even think about it or try to get it locally. The punishment is death by hanging if enough drugs are found on you, no ifs and buts. Doesn't matter if you're a "Mat Salleh" (local slang for Caucasians). The jails are not exactly Hiltons either. Alcohol and Medicine You can buy and drink alcohol easily in Malaysia although public drunkeness is taboo, even among non-Muslims. Condoms are also sold openly in 7-11s and convenience stores. Medicines are usually branded and of good quality with many major chains pharmacies and 24 hours private clinics available. Public hospitals are crowded in major cities but less so in smaller towns. You will have to pay international rates if you do go to public hospitals. The standard of medical care is quite good though the bedside manners of the doctors and nurses need some work. You need not fear getting serious deseases if you are planning to go to Malaysia. There is the standard dengue fever and sporadic outbreaks of cholera but nothing too serious. Driving and Getting Around Malaysians drive on the left (was a British colony) and you must have an International Driving Permit to drive. The roads range from the world-class tolled North-South Highway to pot holled untarred jungle roads. Max speed limit is 110 km/h, most roads are 60-80 km/h. If you can avoid it, don't drive in Malaysia as the accident rate is quite high. There are fairly good interstate express buses if you are in a hurry. Low-cost airline Airasia also sells very cheap flights to many Malaysian destinations and also to neighbouring countries (even Australia!). There are also long-range taxis that you can hire to travel to other states. Having said that, most of the major rental car companies are available (Avis etc.) at major airports. Economy/Money Malaysia is on our way to developed status but development is concentrated in the major cities. Most shopping malls and restaurants in major towns accept major credit cards. Some bank's ATMs might allow you to use your credit card to get cash. Shops in smaller towns and small mom and pop stores only accept cash. Only Malaysian Ringgits are accepted except near the Singaporean border where the Singaporean Dollar are also accepted. The exchange rates are quite good if you are from the US or Europe. Since the cost of living is quite low, your money will go a long way, especially for food. Politics/security Malaysia is generally a peaceful country though there are some religious flare-ups quite recently (the Malaysian Catholic Church uses the name "Allah" for Jesus, yes, go figure, and the Malays don't like it). As mentioned there are three major races in Malaysia, the Malays, Chinese and Indians. Grouped along with the Malays are the many indigenous tribes of Sabah and Sarawak. Malays are by definition, Muslims. We practice the Shafiee school of sunni Islam and are generally quite tolerant of other faiths (except the above mentioned flare-up). Malaysians of all races generally get along just fine at the personal and community level but less-so on the political level. Most Chinese are Buddhists/Taoists with a sprinkling of Christians. Indians are mostly Hindus with a significant amount of Christians and Muslims as well. Whenever you are in Malaysia, DON'T talk about religion and race as these are very sensitive issues. Avoid talking about politics too. You very easily risk offending Malaysians this way. There are unfortunately a significant level of crime in the big cities, though tourists getting mugged/hurt are relatively rare. Pickpockets are a nuisance at crowded places so keep your wallets hidden. Photocopy you passport and keep it in a safe at your hotel. In general, exercise common sense and avoid dark alleys etc. Communications Most GSM phones could be used provided you have global roaming. You could also buy prepaid sim-cards for GSM phones. Mobile phone (called handphones in Malaysia) coverage varies and could be very weak in rural and hilly areas. Land lines are quite good and there are many Internet cafes around. Most major hotels have Internet access though you probably have to pay extra for it. Internet speeds are quite slow, usually dial-up with broadband slowly gaining ground. SKY tv is very popular and is available almost everywhere. Maps are useful only for the major roads since Malaysians like to build and modify roads. New junctions can literally be constructed overnight. Ideally, you should find a local to show you around. History Malaysians have been exposed to Europeans since the Portugese invaded in 1511, then the Dutch, then the British, then the Japanese and then the British again. So, you will not be seen as Martians though people are alwasy curious of foreigners, in a good way. Of all the invaders, the British left the most impression though many words in Malay are of Portugese origin (keju = cheese, bendera = flag, sekolah = school). The national language is Bahasa Malaysia which is similar to Indonesian but it is compulsory to learn the English language at school and the medium of instruction in universities is also English. You can get by with English just fine though don't expect to have long conversations in the rural areas. The Malays were originally seafearers from what is now southern Taiwan and has the same ancestors as the people who continued to sail further south to New Zealand (Maoris) and east to Hawaii. The Chinese and Indians were mostly brought to Malaysia by the British to work the mines and plantations. Due to the divide and conquer strategy of the British colonials, Malaysia has inherited racial tensions among the major races to this day. Would You Like to Visit? Traditionally, tourists come to Malaysia to laze on beaches and to experience local culture. If you are looking for some easy sex, booze and drugs, you're better off going to Thailand. If however, you are into exploring million years-old rain forests, go snorkeling and scuba diving and then zip off to five-storey mega-shopping centres, then Malaysia is for you. Malaysians are naturally reserved (but friendly if you take the effort) and non-pushy as well. If you are a foodie, then Malaysia could be heaven for you. The national pastime is eating. We are like Hobbits. We like to have many-many small meals from morning until midnight. Malaysian food is a blend of Indian, Chinese, Arabic, European and indigenous influences. You can find people selling food everywhere though always check the hygiene first. You could probably stay for a week and not eat the same thing for every meal. Most visitors to Malaysia usually will comment on this contrast of ancient and new. Useful phrases/words and misc. tips
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Feb 2, 2010 07:57
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So you have a long layover in Hong Kong Airport... Sleeping: There are really cool "Resting Lounge" areas with basic recliners and dimmed lights, tucked behind some of the shops. Check the airport maps, otherwise you'll never find them. There are also couches on the 2nd floor dining area, but the lights are brighter and there's more traffic. Shower: There is a nice public lounge with $20 or so showers. It's on the 2nd floor with the other lounges. Totally worth it. Power Plugs: There are tons. In addition to the proper charging stations, every wall in the long concourses has one buried at the bottom for the cleaners. You do need a UK power adapter. (I screwed up this last part.) WiFi: Free.
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Feb 2, 2010 17:14
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I've been following the other SE Asia thread for a long time, and it even inspired me to go travel around Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, though I don't think I ever posted. Just wanted to say, great thread to Ringo and all contributors. Also, not enough love for the Philippines in here!
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Feb 2, 2010 18:40
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drat you Pompous Rhombus, I'm ready to quit my job tomorrow, get on a plane, buy a Minsk, and ride around asia for 6 months. Its been over 3 years since I last went. hmm, maybe I should just quit and go
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Feb 3, 2010 02:57
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Hey, anybody entered Thailand overland recently? I'm planning to fly into KL and take the train north, but I've heard that an overland entry (rather than a plane entry) cuts your visa length down to 15 days, which would suck.
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Feb 3, 2010 03:09
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Yeah, that is the case. You could arrange a 60 day Thai tourist visa in advance, though. I think you need to do this in your home country rather than a neighbouring country.
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Feb 3, 2010 05:00
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Hantu posted:Malaysia is generally a peaceful country though there are some religious flare-ups quite recently (the Malaysian Catholic Church uses the name "Allah" for Jesus, yes, go figure, and the Malays don't like it). 
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Feb 3, 2010 06:09
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smackfu posted:So you have a long layover in Hong Kong Airport... I had a 11 hour layover in hongkong from bangkok. The airport is probably nice as you say, but if you have a couple hours of time, get the hell out of there and get into the city. It was nighttime when I got there and the views are just amazing. Don't forget to take the boats, its ridiculously cheap and the views are even better. Also did the "Avenue of Stars", the HK version of the hollywood walk of fame (jackie chan star, yey). After that I found a nice bar with belgian beer where I stayed till the early morning to get back to the airport. I did some of the stuff in this guide: http://www.12hk.com/tours/Tour12hr.html . And used a free map I picked up at the airport.
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Feb 3, 2010 09:54
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A friend of mine would like to pay us an impromptu visit in Bangkok and wants to save on cost. Does anyone have experience with getting vaccines in the Bangkok hospital system? Was it relatively painless? I suppose if I uncover anything in my research I will report it to this thread. I see no Cambodia write-up, so I suppose I will get on that one in the next few days. Insofar, Cambodia has been my favorite country in SE Asia!
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Feb 3, 2010 13:36
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We, (The T&T forum) should make our own Wiki....
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Feb 3, 2010 16:50
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ziebarf: Looking forward to read about Cambodia. freebooter: Yes, I entered from Laos. However, I knew about the bullshit 15 days before so I got a Thai tourist visa the day before. It takes just one day to process and they are free at the moment. Fiskenbob: I quite liked the Philippines too, but didn't stay long enough to write a decent write-up. Feel free to write something like in the second post if you want/know enough. smackfu: HK airport is my favorite airport Pompous: Great motorcycle write-up! Some things I'd like to add: When riding a motorcycle, always keep in mind that you're invisible. Drivers are just too retarded to see you. Don't think that the idiot in the SUV merging to your lane will notice that you're in his way. My experience with car drivers in Thailand is that they're complete assholes, looking down on you because you're on a bike and can't afford a car, so they always have right of way and you should just get the gently caress out of their way. And you should, because you can't win against a car. And the car won't stop if it knocks you over. There's no such thing as insurance. Lose the bike and you'll have to pay for it. This happened to me once. My bike was gone and I was devastated. Talked with the owner and he said I could either pay him in cash or buy a similar bike. He was quite nice about it and I thought it was fair because I knew when I signed the papers that there was no insurance. However, the following day I found the bike. I had just forgotten where I parked it... and I wasn't even drunk.
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Feb 3, 2010 17:14
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I'll leave it to someone else to write a segment about the Philippines. Like you, I don't feel I visited enough of the country to write a decent piece. I spent my time mainly in Negros Occidental. (And Boracay, which was fun, but could have been anywhere)
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Feb 3, 2010 21:44
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Ringo R posted:My experience with car drivers in Thailand is that they're complete assholes, looking down on you because you're on a bike and can't afford a car, so they always have right of way and you should just get the gently caress out of their way. I personally feel it's better to just think of right of way rules being different in Thailand as then my ego doesn't get involved. I remember one time riding around on Phangan (don't ride your bike anywhere near Haad Rin, the roads are deathtraps down there, the rest of the island is okay) a big truck had his right turn signal on (they drive on the left in Thailand so that's the equivalent of a left turn) and girl on the back of my bike freaked out that I didn't stop to let him cross my lane and turn. When I looked in my mirror all the traffic behind me had stopped, so it's more than just them getting away with what they can get away with (which is how right of way actually works in China). Also, FWIW, your average Thai driver is better about seeing motorcycles than drivers in US are and I acutally feel safer surrounded by Thai drivers when I'm on a bike than I do bleached blond Jersey mothers in their Kindertanks yaaking away on their phones. Doesn't mean you're safe in Thailand -- whenever you're on a bike in either country you're going to have to dodge getting hit eventually even when it's not your fault. One good rule about you and motorcycles and Thailand is that if you plow into a car Thai law apparently never makes the motorcycle fiscally responsible for the crash. Of course, my barometer for knowing that is word of mouth from Thais and long term farang residents, which means it may or may not be true. Fiskenbob posted:I'll leave it to someone else to write a segment about the Philippines. Like you, I don't feel I visited enough of the country to write a decent piece. Something's better than nothing. You'll probably get a link instead of a quote, but that'll get other people started on the rest. raton fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Feb 3, 2010 |
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Feb 3, 2010 22:47
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I'm most likely going to be taking an extremely last minute trip to Kuala Lumpur with a friend of mine later this month. I've looked a bit through wiki travel/lonely planet poo poo so I have a basic idea of some of the bigger sites to see, but for people that have been there/live there, what are some must see/do things in the city? We're also willing to venture outside the city a bit as well, but we only have a week there. edit: any big markets (not shopping malls)? i always love walking around those
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Feb 4, 2010 23:54
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Anyone got some recommendations for things to do in Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh other than the war museums/reunification palace/Notre Dame cathedral and Killing Fields/Genocide museum/Sisowath Quay respectively? Also, do I really need to exchange for dong in Vietnam or will I get by okay on USD?
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Feb 5, 2010 03:05
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brendanwor posted:Anyone got some recommendations for things to do in Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh other than the war museums/reunification palace/Notre Dame cathedral and Killing Fields/Genocide museum/Sisowath Quay respectively? Just go to an ATM and take out 2 million or so. Much easier than dealing with dollars. People will accept USD, but prices are in VND. As far as Saigon is concerned, are you looking for cheap things to do or do you have a good amount of money? The Zoo is pretty nice from what I hear, and I spend a night on the rooftop of the Rex Hotel. Overprices, yes. But it had a lot of good atmosphere and they set the mood as if it was 1965. Make sure to head out of Cu Chi if you have the time.
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Feb 5, 2010 03:23
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brendanwor posted:Anyone got some recommendations for things to do in Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh other than the war museums/reunification palace/Notre Dame cathedral and Killing Fields/Genocide museum/Sisowath Quay respectively? Phnom Penh: For debauchery, go to the Heart of Darkness. They have 5 year old techno and a interesting mix of people. If smoking is your thing, there are bars off of the river front known as girly bars. I believe the Red Fox was the name of the best one. Just go in and order a drink and a "mixed". There is a casino there as well, which I never stepped foot in. If you aren't American, the shooting ranges might entice you, but they are also very expensive Non-debauchery, the Cambodian cooking class run by the Frizz restaurant is a great deal. It is 20$ and you cook awesome food all day. There is a nature reserve outside of town which is pretty nice and has some loose safety standards. If you are feeling giving, go on a food run to a local village with the Choice charity guys. They hang out at the Chivas Shack guesthouse all day and go on runs on Sundays. Speaking of which, the Chivas Shack rules. Its pretty cheap, clean, right off the riverside and is an awesome place to meet people. Food-wise Pnomh Penh is alright. Pops cafe on the river is really good Italian. In general all of the riverfront stuff is not that great and expensive. Friends restaurant was good for some Tapas but kind of expensive. The Vicious Cycle is good for Khmer food and western food. Plus the waiter, Da, is the man. Remember they will eat anything in Cambodia, so suspect meat is pretty common Well I can't think of anything else but that should cover a day and a night and a hangover...
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Feb 5, 2010 05:27
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ziebarf posted:Phnom Penh: I went there when I was in Phnom Penh too and it's pretty small, usually dead, and apparently the only reason to go in there is to potentially get harassed / assaulted / killed by the local mafia-wannabes that (very) occasionally show up. Sharky (lol they've got a website) is where people often end up. Full of whores, of course, but this is Phnom Penh we're talking about. Martini Bar is pretty much the same thing. If you want to avoid the whores and the sexpats (link is p.  you've been warned) stick to the smaller operations along the river.Random Phnom Penh list:
Of course if you go to PP and don't visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng you're doing yourself a disservice. raton fucked around with this message at 10:18 on Feb 5, 2010 |
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Feb 5, 2010 09:55
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Cheesemaster200 posted:We, (The T&T forum) should make our own Wiki.... tiptips.in/yourcityname which I thought was cute but yeah if anyone wants to I was looking at deki wiki just seemed like it would be a lot of work to start with I was really pumped up just to have really loving good info no bullshit
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Feb 5, 2010 15:44
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Hey look a new thread I did a bike tour (the pedal variety) January 09 to May through Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia, had a phenomenal time, fell in love each day, wrote about it and posted it online here: http://bikemandan.com/seasia Big thanks to Pompous Rhombus who followed the blog and helped me along the way My last post in the blog has some recommendations I thought useful and as already stated, being careful of scams is unfortunately necessary, I got caught up in some weird "blackjack" scam in Kuala Lumpur
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Feb 6, 2010 08:11
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I had a couple of guys try to rope me into pretty much the exact same poo poo in Bangkok in my first week there. I went along with it out of pure curiosity (I realized what it was long before we got to his house) and even ended up playing the part of the shill in the game with OMG Houseguest. My host had "loaned" me 200 bucks and we were making 100 dollar bets. After the second win (with ridiculous overblown prompts from the dealer, my "buddy," as to when I surely could not lose) the bet mystically quadrupled to 800 which I couldn't cover with the host's money so I just shrugged and said "oh well guess you win" to the houseguest. Cue about a full minute of my supposed co-conspirators faux-whispering at me that "It's a sure thing!!!" while our supposed mark pretended to not listen. Utterly ridiculous. I faux-apologized later and asked them to please write down their address so I could get more money for next time (I planned to give it to the cops) which they wouldn't do. Went out, got in a taxi, went back to my hostel. About a year later I was on Ko Phangan and behind me in a restaurant was a Thai guy in his 40s telling these two white kids about all the money he was making and how cool it was. And hey, if they wanted they could stop by his hotel room later and he'd let them in on how he did it. After he left I turned around and told them "Don't play any card games with that guy." raton fucked around with this message at 10:32 on Feb 6, 2010 |
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Feb 6, 2010 10:21
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dwoloz posted:Hey look a new thread this was a really cool blog, thanks for sharing
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Feb 7, 2010 23:05
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edit: sorry I hit the wrong button
Ringo R fucked around with this message at 03:44 on Feb 8, 2010 |
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Feb 8, 2010 03:40
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I just got back from a relatively short trip in Thailand - 9 days. Just posted a photo trip report here. My blog, which I updated frequently during the trip, can be found here.
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Feb 8, 2010 07:18
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I've been quickly skimming through your blog and I'm slightly concerned about your obsessions with "trannies"... 
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Feb 8, 2010 08:41
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Ringo R posted:I've been quickly skimming through your blog and I'm slightly concerned about your obsessions with "trannies"... Hahaha, I couldn't help it- I found them interesting and they made me laugh! I'll probably be the first person to say I kept my dick dry the whole trip.
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Feb 8, 2010 13:37
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RangerScum posted:I just got back from a relatively short trip in Thailand - 9 days. from Chicago???  That is a long trip for that amount of time.
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Feb 8, 2010 15:47
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Cheesemaster200 posted:from Chicago??? Agreed, but I only get so much vacation per year. Going to go somewhere a little closer next time, or save up every possible vacation day and take a 15 day trip or something.
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Feb 8, 2010 17:30
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RangerScum posted:Agreed, but I only get so much vacation per year. Going to go somewhere a little closer next time, or save up every possible vacation day and take a 15 day trip or something. I can't be one to talk though, I am in the same situation where I don't have much vacation time and I want to go to all these far off places...
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Feb 8, 2010 18:11
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