I found this place on the northern end of the main street in Vang Vieng, Laos. I guess when you're opening a business in a tourist town where restaurants have menus for drugs—in addition to the standard food and drinks menus—and the majority of visitors are sober for a few hours a day at most, you don't really need to worry about extras like customer service or walls. See my … [Read more...]
How a Billiard Hall in Seoul Almost Made the Game Enjoyable
At this pool hall we went to in Changdong in northern Seoul, they provided customers with these three-fingered gloves. That changed my game forever. I didn't get any better, mind you, and a practice round playing against myself would still last several days (assuming I don't sink the eight ball), but it did give me a better grip on my beer glass, especially when it was covered … [Read more...]
This Bad English Sign Has Saved Many Lives
...and all of those lives were able to read Chinese. This sign was found at Karakul Lake in China's Xinjiang Province and if you're curious what the blind four-year old who was hired to translate it into bad English was actually trying to say, here's the gist of it: "Beware of altitude sickness. Please take it easy." Karakul Lake is beautiful and well worth a visit. This guide … [Read more...]
Goan Death Van in India
Traveling in India, you will likely find yourself on at least one bus so decrepit with a driver so insane, you'll be convinced you won't survive the journey, so I suppose it's only fitting that your last ride ever be on a converted public bus. At least that's what they use in Canacona, Goa. The rest of India, being mostly Hindu or Muslim, is probably different. I've realized I … [Read more...]
Warning: Picture of a Disgusting Chinese Toilet
In hindsight, I don't know what more I could want—it has both a divider for a little privacy and select reading materials strewn about. I found this lovely squat toilet at one of the rest stops our bus made on the way from Lijiang to the Tiger Leaping Gorge in China's Yunnan Province. You'll find useful information on traveling in this area in my guide for Lijiang and … [Read more...]