- Part 5

Two Bars, One Irish

Drinkers West Pub on 19th and chestnut in Philadelphia,PA

The day started off great. We walked to the Drinkers West Pub, the pub was already packed with people. We went right to the bar an ordered 2 shots of Jameson and pickle juice, and 2 green Budlight's for $30. Took the shots followed by the pickle juice. Great! The crowd was amazing. Everyone was dressed in green including us the Black Irish in celebration of St. Patricks day. Rock and roll had everyone dancing and having a good time. You could barely hear yourself talk. Random girl walks up to my boy and starts talking. Looks pretty and something tells me she wants a free drink. She's not getting it from me, is what I'm thinking. After a few more conversations with her, we take tequila shots (suckers). The Dj puts on some R. kelly, more specifically, Ignition and everyone goes wild singing and dancing. At the point the pretty girl from the bar brings over her friend who just happens to be pretty and we start dancing. The girls leave after we get their numbers and two more girls walk up to us and start talking. They love our green drinks. We moved upstairs because downstairs was getting way to crowded. Upstairs had more breathing room for a limited time and another bar. The Atmosphere was still great. Dj was playing some good tunes.

The great part about this place is along the walls near the window they had coat hooks to hook your jacket. Me being a super black Irish, I didn't bring a coat. We went to the bar and the bartemders knew what they were doing. They moved fast to get the drink orders and moved on to the next customer. Job well done fellas. Plus if you are to lazy to head to the bar they, had servers to take drink and food orders. The place was packed. After a few hours of good time and talking to people we decide to head to Moe's Mexican for food. It was time to head out to another bar.

Tavern on Broad located on Broad Street and Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA

We went to a bar that my friend knew called Tavern on Broad. The wait to get in was about 10 to 15 minutes plus a $5 cover.The people coming out of the place were pretty excited. As soon as I stepped inside we understood why that was. There was lots of space. Pretty girls great music. It was time to have fun. A funny dressed kids asked us to punch him in the face and we said no. He was tired and wanted to feel the adrenaline. Michael Bolton is playing and people go nuts. Half the people know the lyrics and half don't. The place is packed but not comfortable because of all the space you are not bumping elbows with other people trying to pass by. As I walk a girl takes my hat to show me a fancy way of putting it on and I master it and we all give each other high fives. After a few hours at the Tavern on Broad, we decided to head back to the condo to rest up for tonight. Today was a great day so far.

First time on Megabus

Over the past year I've heard a lot about the Megabus. Most of what I've heard were good experiences. Fast forward a year later and I'm taking the Megabus from New York to Philadelphia for St. Patrick's day celebration. Go black Irish. I'm no where near Irish blood by the way. The Megabus website is easy to use. Log on to megabus.com choose the city your leaving from and to. Next screen gives you the options of round trip or single ride. At first glance I noticed that the times leaving early in the morning were cheaper and mid day was more expensive by a few dollars. I'm talking about a $3-5 dollar differences. Not bad. Mind you, I'm the type of guy that likes to drive everywhere. I find it more comfortable to use your own vehicle becuase you choose when you want to leave and return. But with gas prices being high, price of tolls, & traffic,aAnd overall not wanting to have to pay for parking in Philadelphia, I figured it's time to try out the Megabus. Especially, since it was $24 round trip. Can't beat that unless you get one of the dollar deals that Megasbus usually offers. Like most transportation organizations, the date that you book affects the prices that you receive. So book early. Needless to say I missed the first bus to Philly by 3 minutes thanks to the LIRR running late. The nice workers of Megabus allowed me to get on the 1:40pm bus to Philly. The line was 1/3 of the way full. So make sure you arrive early because that's what experienced Megabus takers do to get the best seats. Please note that if you miss the bus or decide to take an earlier or later bus, you have to pay $5. As I waited for the bus, I didn't notice any chaos. Everything was nice and orderly. One bus comes everyone's lines up in an orderly fashion and gets on. When you get on the double decker you will notice the funky colored chairs, lots of isle lights, mini tv's, power sockets for every seat. Once the bus start moving, a video will come one telling you all the features of the bus and safety tips such as emergency exits. The bus comes with free Wi-Fi which is a plus. If you are going on a long trip load your laptop, tablets, ipods & other mp3's with a movie, apps, or good books. Overall the seats were comfortable with enough leg room. The Wi-Fi worked twice out of the 2hr ride to philly. Probably do to everyone trying log in at the same time. If you have a 3g/4g phone your should not have a problem with connection as you rise down the highway. As we passed all the stores, skyscrapers, landscapes, etc it made me glad that I wasn't driving because I got to enjoy what I was seeing. Overall my first experience on the Megabus was good. I felt safe, the bus was clean, the passengers were not obnoxious. We didn't hit traffic and the best part about the trip is that I could take a nap. I would defintely ride on the Megabus again. Well I have to to return home.

A weekend in Bali

During my time in Singapore, I went to Bali a few times and it was always a rewarding experience. I suggest you visit Bali if you plan on being in Asia for a while. If you are going to visit Bali and you want to have a lot of fun, the place to be is Denpasar. If you’ve done your research on Bali, you will know that its one of the top 5 islands to visit because of the culture, beaches, and overall experience. The island is filled with restaurants, bars, shops, beautiful women, and of course tourists from all over the world. The landscape of the island has changed much. For the most part the streets are dirt roads; the stores are constructed to withstand hurricanes, tsunamis, etc. But for the most part it has the original island feel to it, which I loved. Once you arrive from the airport and pass through immigration, take an official taxi to your destination. Once it hits 5pm the streets are filled with motorbikes and vehicles. It will be a bumper-to-bumper ride into the heart of Kuta beach. Once you arrive at your destination, depending on the time, shower and get ready for a great time. I decided to meet up with one of my friend from Singapore. He and some people from his school were staying on the island for the weekend. I was excited to be there. Everything about the place was beautiful. We stayed at a hostel a few blocks from the beach and the heart of Kuta. It was raining earlier that day but that didn’t stop us from having a good time. We met up with a few other tourists from Canada, England, Austria, South Africa, and France. The hostel had food service so we all decided to have a few drinks and get to know each other. Some people were backing packing throughout Asia; others were there for school, vacation, and work. It was great getting to know these like-minded individuals. After a few drinks and eating some good local food, we decided to check out the night scene. We ended up at the best place one the whole Island; Sky Garden. If you could think of your dream club, this place is it. The club had 3 floors, filled with people of all ages, tourists and locals. It had a stage for club goers to go show their dance moves. My new friends and I decided to go up there to show what we got. The place was electric. Eye candy was walking all over the place, people were doing shots, and the Dj was playing great hip-hop, house music, some reggae. This was around the time that Jay-Z and Alicia Keys dropped the number single “New York”. When that song came on, regardless of the fact that most of the people have never been to NY started going crazy. Like any good DJ, he lowered the volume so you could hear the crowd singing. This place was definitely the place to be. The drink specials were amazing and the best part was the currency conversion. Sky Garden had its own dancers to entertain the crowd, they had a fire show with dancers, and a lounge area if you wanted to relax and get to know other people. If you are looking for a low-key place, sky garden is not the place for you. After a night of fun, we decided to walk back to our hostel. The next morning, we decided to sit in the lobby of the hostel to check the Internet, watch a little TV and wait for everyone else to get up. We headed to a nearby place to grab some local food and enjoy the area. Around the corner from our hostel was a custom suit and dress store. You can get a customized suite for a 1/3 of the price you would pay in the states. I was more about enjoying the area than getting a suit so I passed. But I did purchase a few tank tops and sarongs for family members. As you walk around, strangers will approach you to rent motorbikes or get taxi rides to the nearest tourist spot. You can negotiate the price of these rides to $1 or $2 depending on your skills.

Visiting Uluwatu (the monkey park)

We decided to check out Uluwatu (the monkey park). Please note that this will take up 2/3’s of your day because of the distance you will travel, road conditions, and the heavy traffic on the way back. Uluwatu (The monkey park) was very interesting; the view of the water was amazing. I still don’t know if the locals trained the monkeys. But once you arrive at Uluwatu (the monkey park), you pay a small fee to get in the park and depending on what you are wearing, you have to cover yourself with a sarong or something similar. The locals wanted us to take pictures with them so we did. As you make your way through the park, you will notice people feeding the monkeys bananas and other types of food. Make sure you secure your hats, keys, cameras, or anything shiny, if not the monkeys will grab it and run away. Depending on what time you arrive, you can pay for the fire show. The show is amazing at sunset; the whole thing lasts about an hour and is well choreographed. If you are going all the way to the monkey park, you should see the show, it is well worth it and entertaining. If you see it during sunset, you get a feel for how beautiful and special Bali truly is. After we got back, we ended up going to sky garden for a second night, the results were the same. It was another great night with great people.

Visiting Ubud

On the final day in Bali we decided to check out one of the nearby cities, which is a much slower part of the island, people can relax and enjoy a less crowded experience. Our driver suggested that we check out the local restaurants and the biggest shopping outlet in the area. The shopping outlet was nice, lots of cool items that you could purchase, such as jewelry, bottle openers, lighters, paintings, clothing. As you walk by, you will see flowery substances on the floor. For the locals, it’s religious and good fortune for the day. Be sure not to kick it around or try to clean it up. It started pouring rain, which made for great pictures. Once the rain stopped we all went and got foot massages, and ate dinner at a local restaurant. The restaurant was beautiful and the food was amazing. Once we were done, our driver drove us back to Kuta Beach, and we all chilled at the lobby drinking a few beers and just chatting.

International Checklist

1. Passport (with more than 6 months left until it expires). Some countries will not let you visit if your passport is about to expire. Make copies of your I.D, passport, bank records, travel schedule, etc. and leave one copy with an emergency contact and take the other with you if you lose your information. 2. Visa (some countries require a visa before you can enter) others give you a visa on arrival. 3. Register with your embassy. When you register with you embassy it gives them a count of how many of their citizens are abroad in case of a natural disaster or attacks on foreigners. 4. Tickets (train, plane, boat) 5. A small travel bag that has toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, nail clippers 6. Pocket size card of medical records in case you require special care 7. A backpack so you can carry items in your bag without people knowing what you have. I suggest you get a shoulder messenger bag in order to keep your eye on it at all times. When you carry a backpack, it’s hard to see whose walking behind you or if your backpack is being unzipped without your knowledge. A common trick of thieves is to have one person bump into you while the other thief unzips or rips your backpack with a knife (these thieves are very good at what they do) but if you have a messenger bag, you can keep your hands on your bag the entire time. 8. Emergency numbers of police, ambulance, or your embassy 9. A voltage converter. Most countries outside of the United States of America use 220V or higher. U.S.A uses 110v & 120v. A voltage converter allows you to change the voltage from 220v to 110v or 120v. This is a called a step down converter. You can also change the voltage from 110v to 220v. This is called a step up converter. When you purchase a converter, it usually has the step up and step down options. A voltage converter is necessary because if the wrong voltage is inputted or outputted, your electronic device may overheat and blow up. In some cases, you can cause a fire.

10. Wall outlet converter. Wall outlets are different depending on the country you are visiting. It is important to carry a universal adapter in your travel bag so you can plug-in your device to any outlet. A voltage converter is different from an adapter because an adapter merely allows you to plug-in our device. It does not affect the voltage power of your device.

11. A way to contact your loved ones (Skype, Google Voice, Social media, international phone, magic jack, what’s app (App that allows you to contact anyone in any country that has the app. All you need is to download the app and the country code of the telephone number you want to reach. App works with 3G or higher and Wi-Fi) 12. Open an account with bank that has no international or domestic bank fee’s (Schwab, ally bank) are two that I know of far and they great customer service. I remember losing my card in Singapore and they sent me a new one within 3 days. 13. Notify your bank that you will be traveling abroad so they don’t cancel your purchases or freeze your account. Some banks may have agreements with ATM companies and as a result you will not get charged. Check the back of your bank cards for names such as Interlink, Plus, or Cirrus. Some ATM’s will be marked with those common names, if so; your bank might have an agreement with those ATM companies. Check with your bank, most of this information can be found at the bank website. 14. Notify your insurance company that you will be traveling abroad. Get a list of what they will cover for health reasons. Some insurance companies will not cover you if you get hurt overseas. 15. A packed suitcase or carry-on bag 16. A travel log on a notepad 17. A net book computer or tablet with Wi-Fi (better to travel light) 18. A smart phone with Wi-Fi 19. International drivers license (AAA usually offers an international license for a small price) 20. Get ready to have a great time! Listed above are a few items that I thought were important to do or have. If you know of anything else that I should put on the list, please let me know and I will update this article. Pictures in this article were taken from Bing and Google.com. Featured picture is from a trip to Bali Indonesia. Follow this blog and pass it on to your friends.

Happy New Year and Soup Joumou

The New Year is a time to start fresh, reflect on your past, and recognize the opportunities for the future. Some people celebrate the New Year by going to a party or hanging with family. It’s really a fresh start on life no matter how you look at it. It’s time to rejoice and be thankful that you survived another year living on this beautiful planet. For many Haitians, it’s a day of celebrating our Independence from the French. Haiti, or Aiyiti as many know it, gained its independence on January 1^st, 1804 and became the first black independent country in the Western Hemisphere and continues to be one the oldest black republic countries.

The Significance of Soup Joumou

During the days of slavery, the French used to drink soup and not allow the slaves to do so. It was a way to symbolize the French’s power over the slaves. The soup for them, represented high-class society and a way to keep them different from the people they enslaved. When the Haitian slaves fought and won their independence from France, they celebrated by drinking soup Joumou. The soup symbolizes that everyone is equal and it was a chance to add insult to injury after gaining freedom from their masters. Soup Joumou , also known as Pumpkin Soup or Squash soup is a traditional soup made by Haitian families around the globe on January 1^st of every year for Haitian Independence day. The soup is made differently at every doorstep, but you are bound to taste Soup Joumou with a variety of spices, meats, and vegetables. Soup Joumou has a wonderful characteristic of always providing your mouth with a tingling tangy feeling that usually happens after giving your taste buds something so delicious that the flavor cannot be registered right away. It's all about comfort. Soup Joumou is about celebrating with family and friends. If you ask any Haitian, they will tell you whom they saved soup for or how many people they brought soup to at work because that person wasn't able to get any. Soup Joumou brings Haitian people together for at least one day. As a Haitian, if you are lucky enough to have grandparents or great grand parents, they will share stories about their childhood and how the country has changed. At my house, Kompa music is played all day, friends and family come visit and eat, some bring food from their homes, cousins are running around the house and playing, all types of alcohol is being served. What better way to start the year than by eating good food with family and friends?

When Soup Joumou is prepared

My aunt starts preparing the night before. Some items that are unique to her recipe for making the soup are prepared the night before. These include special beef, dumplings, pasta, and chopped up vegetables. Around 7am my aunt begins to cook the soup, all the ingredients are added and cooked over the stove. Now I can’t tell you exactly how she puts it together, but just know that the end result is utter bliss. The house is taken over by the smell of soup. The senses are going crazy and your mouth starts watering with anticipation.

The morning of new years day/independence day feels like Christmas. My friends and I talk about the soup as if we are about to unwrap gifts. Friends and coworkers remind me to save them some. By the time I wake my phone has several voice mails and text messages saying happy New Year and Haitian Independence Day. I respond to all of them. My uncle is blasting good Kompa music from popular artists such as Sweet Mickey, T-Vice, Zen, Carimi, System Band, Tropicana, and many more artists.

How it connects to me

I was fortunate enough to grow up in Haiti and in the United States. From what I can remember, I didn’t truly understand the true meaning behind the New Year, Soup Joumou, and Independence Day. It wasn’t till I had experience a few 4^th of July Celebrations and met a few like minded Haitians that made me want to dig deeper into the meaning and want to find out about my own background and what it means to be Haitian. All I knew, was we drank soup every year but didn’t understand why nor did I ever ask. I decided to look it up on the internet and became fascinated with the history. The more I read, the more I wanted to learn how to make the soup and pass on to my little cousins, friends, family, about the true meaning behind the Soup Joumou. The more I learned about the history of Haiti, the prouder I became.

Avoid being scammed on Airbnb

Twas the week before New Year’s and the consensus was out “we’re not doing the bar crawl madness lets rent us a house!” no pushing, no shoving, no potential bar fights. No cramped crowded spaces just some close friends and I. What better way to ring in the New Year than a prime view of the ball drop from a penthouse overlooking the NYC skyline. Imagine with me if you will; champagne, confetti, Ciroc and sexy people just being sexy people, the kinda party you see in commercials and think man I want to fly out on my private jet and sip a tasty beverage underneath a palm tree having irreverent fun …but since I’m not P.Diddy and I don’t have that bank roll, I settled for an upscale yet affordable apartment I found on Airbnb.com. About a month ago I discovered Airbnb.com though an associate of mine, who raved about the great alternative to hotels. Well this week I decided to explore the site and I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued to see the great options and affordable prices. After conferring with my friends and some debate we all settled on a, for lack of a better term, perfect unit entitled “COMFORT OF HIGH END AWAIT YOU HERE”. We looked over the pictures read the landlord policy we decided that this was a great fit, close to Times Square and other fun attractions we decide to contact the host and book this steal! Well this is where things got a little bit sticky. After emailing the host through the Airbnb site she requested that we exchange personal emails, which I did since this was my first time on this site and I figured maybe this is how it works. She then proceeded to tell me the rates and etc. The deal was almost sealed but a red flag was flown when she wanted me to use Money Gram or Western Union as opposed to a credit card or PayPal service to pay the fees. After closer review a few more red flags popped up.

The warning signs on Airbnb

The place was being rented out for $200 a night, which was not too bad
They didn’t care about extra guest, like no limit if this was my house I would care
The pictures on the site did not look like a typical New York City skyline try to have an idea of what the area looks like…Google the address just to be safe
The pictures looked like a computerized 3D model or something from an architectural design used to sell to potential clients
The pixels on the images looked fake (even cheap point and shoot cameras take better pictures
The host had no reviews or friends
The host wanted us to send money via Money gram or Western Union
The host wanted to do business outside of the Airbnb site which is against Airbnb policy

Let’s just say we are a bit more trusting because it’s the holiday season and couldn’t fathom someone trying to rip us off, so we went against our better judgment and put a hold on the apartment. That’s when the host wanted our contact information and a $600 deposit to be sent via Money Gram or Western Union. For those of you who’ve done business online, most places use PayPal, credit card, debit card, and other certified online payments. Never send cash! You want to use certified payments because those can be easily tracked by your bank or Credit Card Company and if a transaction goes south getting a refund is much easier. In case you need to file a police report; you can show evidence that you actually made payments to that person or organization. When doing business online, it’s best to use a credit card.

Below is the message we received from the host on Airbnb:

Hi Jane Doe, Okay here is the basic information about the apartment that you should know………. The Address of the Apartment is xxx West 4xrd Street, New York, NY, the apartment is on the 5th floor of elevator building with 24/7 concierge and doorman service. The apartment is available for your desire dates Dec 30 – Jan 01? The rental fee for 2nights is $400 (@200 a night) Wi-Fi with free internet wireless is provided. The unit also have laundry facilities, washer and dryer ready for use, all other utilities such electricity, water and others has been included in the rental fee. 1) Living room couch which includes a pull out sofa for sleep. 2) 2 bedrooms, sleeps maximum of seven people Bedroom 1 – 1 queen, Bedroom 2 – queen . Bed sheets are provided. Bedroom 3 has two twin beds which can be made into a queen size upon your request. 3) 2 bathroom(s) , Bathroom 1 – Toilet, Combination Tub/Shower, Bathroom 2 – Toilet, Shower. Towels and linens provided 4) New kitchen includes microwave, full size oven, toaster, coffee maker and cooking utensils to satisfy the most discriminating gourmet chef. Elegant living and dining area appointed with large flat-screen TV and excellent music system, including dining area, seating for 6 people. If you are contented with the amenities of the apartment you can contact us to book the apartment now. Below is the requirement for securing the apartment, The rental fee = $400 Damage security deposit = $200 (Fully Refundable on your Departure day) You are to Pay = $600 To affirmed your booking reservation dates in advance… Payment Method Via: Secure Money Gram OR Western Union Transfer.. Kindly get back to us for the booking rental agreement form if you are able to meet the requirement of reserving this awesome home away from home apartment. The apartment is centrally located. Nearby you’ll find the Hudson Theater, Foxwoods Theater, Times square, Bryant park, Central park, Empire Building, , world class Restaurants and the best bookstores and coffee shops in all of New York . The wonderful thing about Manhattan its history and the world class amenities in it for pleasuring travelers. You can walk to many attractions as you wishes. Best Regards, Sandra and Stephen.

After we decided to channel Sherlock Holmes and not inspector gadget; we contacted Airbnb and they sent us this beautiful reply:

Marie E, Dec 21 08:21 (PST): Hello Jane Doe, Thanks again for calling Airbnb. It was my pleasure to assist you today. I have retracted your reservation request with Sandra L.We have released the hold on your visa for 224.00, and the funds will be available shortly. I would advise you not to contact this host again, or any other host that asks you to send them money directly, or contact them offsite.Our guidelines for using Airbnb: We require all contact between hosts and potential guests to be handled on the site before a reservation has taken place to maintain your privacy, help provide customer support,and adhere to the Airbnb Terms of Use. This means that you should not exchange addresses, websites, email addresses, or telephone numbers before having an accepted reservation. Read more about why it’s necessary to keep your communication and transactions on our site: www.airbnb.com/help/question/209 For your convenience, you can take advantage of our Voice Connect feature, which enables a host to call potential guests directly through the website without revealing personal contact information to either party. Look for it in our FAQs! If you have any more questions, let us know. Best regards, Marie E So in closing If at any time, you do not feel comfortable booking online, please contact the company who’s offering the services to make sure their postings are legitimate. Do not get caught up in the moment of having a beautiful place to hang out with a few friends just to end up being a victim of a scam or potential scam. Take everything you see online with a grain of salt. Protect yourself and remember all that glitters is not always for rent. I would like to thank Airbnb for their quick response and making sure that their customers are satisfied. Airbnb has specific guidelines to help its hosts and customers protect themselves. Please familiarize yourself with them. This incident did not deter us from using Airbnb. Fraudulent people are everywhere, the purpose of this article is to teach you some warning signs, for you to learn to trust your instincts and always ask questions.

The best time to travel!

The best time to travel is now! Like right now! Read my article on the international checklist and drive to the nearest airport and get on the next international flight. Be spontaneous! Well at least once you are done reading this article you can go on your merry way. There are many reasons why people don’t get out of their comfort zone and see the world or even the next state. But the worse excuse is “I’m Busy.” The last time I checked, we only had one life to live, so why waste that time being busy and not taking the time to explore this beautiful world? Now, I’m not saying you use every bit of your time traveling the world (but if you have the money for it, do it) but for the rest of us who are working a 9am-5pm or longer, ask yourself this question? When was the last time you took the time to go visit an aunt, uncle, cousin, sister, or best friend in the next town or the next country? When was the last time you and your spouse went somewhere together and just enjoyed where you are? No work deadlines, no annoying family members, insert any distraction in that sentence. The point is, when was the last time you took a break? Some of us go through life thinking that we have an abundance of time and tomorrow is promised. When in actuality, it’s not promised. From the time you were born, your time on Earth started ticking till the day you meet your maker. I am not trying to be dramatic. Just putting things in perspective. As a society, we need to learn to take mini vacations. You don’t have to wait till you’re retired to enjoy the good life. Enjoy it as you go. You don’t need to go around the board once to collect $200. Traveling gives you a different perspective on life that you can’t get behind a cash register or working in a cubicle. I’ve made it a personal goal to visit at least one new country every year. So far I’ve traveled to many parts of South East Asia and China and that in it’s self is a life changing experience.

A weekend in Bangkok

If you plan on visiting Bangkok, do not go on a weekend of an election. 95% of clubs, bars, etc. are closed for fear of violence depending on which party wins the election. No one is allowed to sell alcohol that weekend.

With that being said, my friend and I decided to visit Bangkok on the weekend of an election in 2011. We did not know that on that Saturday most places would be closed. Before I go on any trips I do my research on the area. This means, I check out the crime rate, crime against tourists, local laws, popular backpacking locations, hostel locations, and tourists reviews. I print out a map of the area and I never wear my best clothing. Although you are on vacation, you have to be aware of where you are and not make yourself a target for thieves. Once, you arrive at your destination, take your time to recognize landmarks and nearby streets. Depending on your country of citizenship, you can get a visa on arrival in Thailand. Which means, once you land, you stand on the immigration line till it’s your turn, and the agent views your passport and stamps it. You are now officially a tourist. Thailand is known for its shopping, full moon parties, food, the lady boys (cross dressers), beautiful beaches, tuk-tuks, temples, massages, beautiful women, and a few other things. Depending on the time of year and when you purchase your tickets, you can find round-trip tickets from Singapore to Bangkok for $230USD -$330. When you arrive at the airport grab a free tourist map and a map of the train. Friday Our flight arrived 8pm from Singapore. From the airport you can take the train to the heart of Bangkok. However, there are no trains near Khao Son Road. This means you get to practice your negotiating skills with the cab drivers. Once the cab drivers realize that you are a tourists, they will turn off the meter and you will have to negotiate a good deal with them. Make sure you have a printout of the currency rate between the Thai Baht and the U.S dollar to make sure you are not overpaying. You should not pay more than $10USD to get from the nearest train station to Khao San Road. Once we checked into our hotel around 10pm. The streets were already filled with tourists from all over the world. The music was bumping from every club, people were shouting, restaurants were packed, people were having a great time. Around 3am-4am, the scene starts to die down as all the places start closing down and people start making their way to their hotel/hostels for the night. Saturday We decided to walk around the near by streets to get an idea of what’s around Khao son Road. What we saw were lots of shopping centers, street vendors, taxi, markets, and small shops. When traveling, it is a great idea to get to know your area. Khao Son Road If you are a backpacker or traveling alone, you will want to stay on Khao Son Road. It’s a street packed with tourists, locals, and backpackers. Hostels on Khao Son Road are between $17-$45 a night depending on the hostel and what type of room you get. Plus you get to split between you and your roommate/s.

On Khao Son Road, you can find local vendors selling shirts, paintings, electronics, and tailored suites. Since, this is a small concentrated area, you will not receive the best value for your money. What you will find on Khaosan Road

Tailors (for custom made suits, dresses, etc.)
Restaurants
Clubs
Bars
Hotels
Hostels
Clothing stores
Lady boys
Call girls and other words that fall in the same category
Tuk-tuks
Taxi’s
Massage parlors
Handmade crafts
Tour guides

The place is an international tourist haven. As it popularity continues to grow, I am sure you will be to find anything on that street. On different nights, local entertainers will come out and do a show for the crowd. When I was there, a few of the break-dancers came down to do some acts. They were incredible. It was some of the best break dancing that I’ve ever seen. The street performers reminded me of being in New York City.

The Sites Golden Buddha located at Wat Traimit Temple in the Chinatown area It is currently the world’s largest gold statue. The temple is kept in great condition. You will find a lot of tourists snapping pictures of the Golden Buddha. If you are in Bangkok is it a must see. Please know that it is a temple and therefor people will be worshiping through out the day. Respect the religion and the temple. As a tourist you represent tourists all over the world and your home country. Don’t ruin it for everyone by being rude and disorderly.

The Grand Palace If you plan on visiting the Grand Palace, please sure to dress appropriately, this means long pants and no tanks tops for men and women. Wear sneakers or sandals with socks. You have to buy a ticket at the ticket booth inside the palace to enter. Beware of locals trying to sell tickets outside the Palace. Only purchase tickets at the official ticket booth. Once, you purchase your ticket, if the staff feels that you are not dressed appropriately, they provide pants and other clothing for you to wear. I know because I was there a wearing shorts and I had to change.

Out of all the sites there is to see in Bangkok Thailand, The Palace was my favorite. The palace is huge, so make sure you leave enough time to see the beauty that is the palace. They still have guards working in the area. You will notice many tours going on. If you walk closely to the tours you can listen in to the history of the place. Otherwise walk at you leisure. The Palace has many buildings, some of which are not open to tourists.

The Temple of Emerald Buddha is located within the palace walls. Although, this is a main tourist attraction, people come from all over the world to worship at the temple. Resist the urge to take pictures and respect where you are. Sunday Shopping Thailand is known for its mega shopping centers, from the walls, to the weekend market. People travel to Thailand from all parts of the world to shop. You can purchase a lot for a little. I bought a few shirts and of course my favorite, Thailand Fisherman Pants! They are as comfortable as pajamas but cool enough to wear out in public. Make sure to get the ones with the pockets. Read my article on negotiating in Asia to get great deals on everything. The markets are filled with great food, entertainers, concerts, and people from all over the world speaking different languages. It is truly a melting pot. If you plan on shopping at the weekend market or any of the mega shopping centers, please make sure you bring lots of cash because there are no ATMS at the outdoor markets but the malls do have ATM’s (this might have changed since the last time I was there).

Chatuchak Weekend Market Shopping at the weekend market is experience that I can’t fully describe in words. You have to be there in person to fully appreciate the place. You need a full day to shop at the weekend market if you are a true shopper; this is not a task that can be done in a 1 or 2 hours. There is a skill and an art to being there and purchasing. Your communication skills have to be at the top of its game. I enjoy negotiating for the best price, it’s a skill that you have to develop and will surely help you in other aspects of life. You can find a variety of products at the market, from toys, to electronics, clothing, pots and pans, paintings, maps, you name it and they have it. You have to be patient in quest. The market gets over 1000,000 visitors per day. You might be thinking that its overcrowded, however, the market is so big that you don’t even notice all the people around you. If you get tired of walking around, there are a lot of fine local restaurants where you can stop and enjoy a quick bite to eat. Don’t forget to try the world famous Thai Tea. The street food at the weekend market is nothing short of incredible. As I am writing this article my mouth is watering, I want to go back right now. Tuk-tuks For those of you who may not be familiar with Asian culture. Let me introduce you to the tuk-tuk. If you have an opportunity to ride in one of these vehicles, please do so. It’s is a lot of fun. When you are stuck in heavy traffic, they are easy to maneuver around. Did I mention they were a lot of fun? On our last day in Bangkok, we took one the nearest train station from Khao Son Road to the airport. We were zipping in and out of lanes, I felt like I was in a chase scene in a Hollywood movie. The tuk-tuk driver must have had a special license, the moves that he was making in the tuk-tuk was straight out of a James Bond movie. The people The people of Thailand were very nice and respectful. I had a great time interacting with everyone I met with the exception of the cab drivers. I love traveling to different cities to see what sets them apart. For the most part, it’s the people. On one block, you might find someone begging for food, on another, you will find a group of people practicing hip hop moves. During my visit there, I was able to interact with locals that at one time or another either studied in Singapore or the States for a semester or so. I met a friend in Bangkok that I continue to talk to. I hope one day soon I can go back for a longer period of stay.

Must have communication tools

Buy a phone that takes sim cards. I suggest a blackberry or Nokia or any unlocked phone with Wi-Fi capability. You can purchase a sim card to use once you land at your destination for $8-$20USD depending on what you need. This will give you access to a local number. It’s also good to know the country code when dialing in or out. When I was traveling throughout Asia, I used an old Nokia (blackberry look a like) and an unlocked IPhone 3GS. I used the same sim card interchangeably. The battery on the Nokia lasted longer because it was a smart phone, so I would switch the sim cards. The iPhone was good for free Wi-Fi and downloading apps. Magic Jack Magic Jack is another great technology that allows you to utilize a land-line phone or your computer to make phone calls at reasonable price. The Internet Internet café’s are all over the place no matter where you travel. You can use these places for a small fee to book flights, hotels, hostels, and to print. For example, Singapore has free public WiFi throughout most parts of the country, so if your device has WiFi capabilities, you can pick up the internet. When I was in Vietnam, the internet would come in and out, that’s because sometimes the government shuts it down for periods of times. Most hostels and hotels have free wi-fi or a lobby that has the internet. You can find the internet pretty much anywhere. That should be the least of your worries. If you plan on backpacking throughout any part of the world or living there for a few months, I suggest you get a local plan and not try to use your phone from back home as your main service. Unless you have the money or you have a company paying for your expenses, using your phone abroad is expensive and a waste of funds. Skype, Ovoo, Google Voice, and other video services You can sign up to any of these tools to make phone calls and video-conferences to your friends, family, and co-workers. Read the terms of use because this technology tools might be restricted to just the U.S.A and affiliate countries.

Budget Airlines

Throughout my 6 months in Singapore. I mainly used budget airlines to travel between the southeast countries. It’s the best and cheapest way to fly around Asia. Many of the major airlines such as Singapore Airlines; which is a world-class airline company are building their own budget airline to try in get into the market. That’s how wildly used and profitable the business is. Below is a list of the most widely used budget airlines in the region

Tiger airways
Fireflyz
AirAsia
Jetstar
Scoot

Out of the list above, I used Air Asia and Tiger airways. They had the best deals for my travel destinations. You can sign up on their website to get great deals. I bought a round trip ticket from Singapore to Vietnam for $50USD.