When I started this site over 6 years ago, I hadn’t even been to Asia. Now, I’ve been to over 10 Asian countries and lived in 2 of them. I love Asia. There is so much to see and do, so many attractions for travelers. The culture is incredibly unique from country to country. There was a time I thought Vietnam and China were similar. Not even close. If you are looking for an alternate view of Asia, this collection of tips and articles will help you plan a trip, or learn about the largest and most populous continent in the world.
The largest major Chinese city to Tibet is Chengdu. Its population consists of about 60,000 Tibetans, many of them living in an area just south of Wuhou Temple. This is the Tibetan quarters; sometimes referred to as Little Lhasa. The area is vibrant with Tibetan culture including shops, food, and a whole lot of that beautiful bright orange.
One of the most interesting places to visit while in Chengdu is the first public park in the city and the largest green space downtown, the People’s Park (人民公园). Located only 1 kilometer west of Tianfu Square, it’s a menagerie of sights. The place should be called the People-watching Park. You’ll see lots of locals doing interesting things, and some just relaxing with friends and family, playing games like mahjong, jianzi (Chinese hacky sack), badminton, cards, and chess.
I always do my research before traveling. As much as I enjoy spontaneity, it’s better to be prepared so I can maximize the often-brief time I have in a country.
For my first trip to Myanmar, a country that was in the midst of change, I relied on an exchange of emails with some friends that had recently been there. One particular piece of advice stuck with me: “These people will blow you away! Spend your money there. ”
My intrigue grew from not knowing exactly what this statement meant. How will the people blow me away? How does that relate to me spending money there? A few days in the country and it all started to make sense. The friendliness of the Burmese people was extraordinary, and I was happy to open up my wallet for them.
In 2005, construction began on what will eventually be the administrative capital of Binh Duong. I’ve watched, over the past 2 years, as new restaurants, hotels, and apartment buildings have popped up. The heart of the city is the huge administrative building along with the convention center next to it. These new and modern buildings are an unusual sight in Vietnam.
We are seasoned travelers. We’ve been to over 30 countries. We’ve taken beat-up buses through dangerous switchbacks. We’ve shared rooms with snakes, rats, and who knows what else. We’ve spewed liquid out of both ends in both hemispheres. And to be honest, I kind of like that aspect of travel. Unpredictability makes life exciting.
And then there’s India.
I tried something new for this trip. I shot one video per day, and posted them day-by-day for my entire 28-days in India.
The results give you a pretty good look into what it’s like to travel for 30 days in India. Both the good and the bad.
Because I was shooting and editing every day, I didn’t have time to record the details (mainly costs) that I do with other guides (see my incredibly thorough $20/day Guide to Vietnam), but I do offer an authentic India itinerary that will have you in cool coastal towns, amazing mountain tea areas, mind-blowing temples, and real gritty India cities.
Coffee isn’t just a drink. People rearrange their lives to get that morning cup of wake-up juice. One time, I killed a lady who was slow at ordering in my local cafe. Or maybe that was a pre-coffee day dream.
At any rate, when I moved to Vietnam I was very excited about getting my taste-buds on some traditional Vietnamese coffee. Coffee in Vietnam is so chocolatey and rich. An iced coffee with milk, or ca phe sua da, is a dessert that you drink even before breakfast. Instead of milk, sweetened condensed milk is used. It’s amazing.
Living in Vietnam is awesome.
Everyone knows about the amazing travel opportunities. From deltas, to mountains, to bustling cities – lined with a 3,260 km coastline!
And of course there’s the incredible food with its fresh ingredients, and its blending of tastes and textures.
But what I’m going to miss most about Vietnam isn’t the pho. I actually got a little tired of it after the first 4 months.
The best things about living in Vietnam are the little things that I started doing regularly. Things that I couldn’t do in North America, but I really enjoyed doing here.
