One of the greatest things about traveling in India is the abundance of cheap, yet tasty food. Even the lowest priced dishes from the filthiest street carts rarely taste bad and for a few more rupees, you can get some pretty amazing meals. Nevertheless, every western visitor will eventually crave some western food; and you can be sure that giving in to those cravings will … [Read more...]
Fake Cop “Helps” With ATM in Jaipur
Getting cash in India can be quite an adventure at times. Finding a functional ATM is not always easy, even in the big cities. Finding a functional ATM that also has cash is even more difficult. On top of that, most visitors seem to prefer a cash machine that actually accepts whatever card they may have, narrowing their options down to about one machine per large … [Read more...]
Yangon’s Black Market Money Changers
When I went to Myanmar in 2011, the official government exchange rate was around 7 kyats per US dollar. A bottle of water went for 200 to 300 kyats and a cheap restaurant meal was around 1000 to 2000. That would make this the most expensive country on earth. Luckily, I read up on Myanmar before going and knew not to exchange my money at banks or at the airport (avoiding … [Read more...]
Poipet Rhymes with Toilet for a Reason
Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Poipet before—you're one of the lucky ones. A Cambodian town on the border with Thailand, Poipet has become a miniature exhibition of sorts, displaying everything that's wrong with Southeast Asia in one convenient location. Many visitors to Cambodia avoid 'the toilet' altogether by flying into the country. The rest of us take a bus … [Read more...]
5 Easy Ways to Spot a Scam
If you travel, they will scam. It's unavoidable. Wherever you go, you will encounter people doing their best to separate you from your money. And if you stay on the tourist loops, especially in countries like Thailand or India, you will be hard pressed to have an encounter with a local who doesn't have an ulterior motive, a motive we English speakers call "your … [Read more...]