While food, accommodation and transportation costs in China have been creeping upward and admission fees to popular attractions are reaching astronomical levels, it is still very possible to travel the country quite cheaply. That said, it is also possible to spend ridiculous amounts of money and get very little in return. I've written plenty on traveling cheaply, so I figure … [Read more...]
Funny Bad English on a Japanese Notebook
Going through my bags recently, I found this notebook I bought a few years ago in Osaka during my last visit to Japan and I thought the little saying was hilarious. As is usually the case, it is unintentionally hilarious due to a bad English translation. In this case it's only slightly off. Let me state right off the bat that I could be very wrong, but I would have translated … [Read more...]
Braving the Jungles of Koh Phangan to Discover a Secluded Beach
Koh Phangan in Thailand is famous mainly for the full moon party and by extension Haad Rin, the beach on the southern tip of the island where the party takes place every month. And justifiably so. The party is huge and chaotic and well worth a trip to the island on its own. It's not all Koh Phangan has to offer though and if you're looking for some peace and quiet after the … [Read more...]
Winter Themed Japanese Smoking Manners Posters
Fellow blogger Erica Jordan recently brought an article to my attention about a new strategy being adopted by the anti-smoking organization "Legacy". Rather than focus on the health consequences of smoking as they've been doing, they are now attacking cigarettes as litter. My immediate thought was: "That's not new!"That sign is one of almost 80 in a long-running smoking … [Read more...]
Oh What a Fun Shenzhen Visa Run!
Chinese visa policy changes on a seemingly weekly basis, but one aspect that remains constant is the frustration—frustration with the bureaucracy, frustration with the inefficiency, but mostly frustration that a country as large as China only allows visitors to stay long enough to see about one percent of it. I felt that frustration again on my most recent trip to the … [Read more...]