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One of the candids I had. I had a lot less photos in those interesting areas than I thought, at least clear ones. This was in the outskirts of Thailand in a floating market, the kind you may have seen in Bangkok Dangerous with Nicholas Cage or on Bizarre Foods on the Travel channel. There was a whole lot of that kind of activity going on. Definitely not that man's girlfriend. Maybe I'll share some classier photos later. I have horrible jet lag. I sleep in a split sleeping schedule about 4 hours a time, past midnight and in the early evening. I really need to break out of it.
I've never been to any of the three but have spent a lot of time traveling. Hong Kong and Singapore are just big cities and as far as I'm concerned, all big cities tend to look alike. I could be wrong. I'd prefer Thailand. Leave jewelry and anything easily lifted from your person at home. It's best not looking like a rich tourist although you'll get screwed on taxi rides and the like and there really isn't much to do about it so accept it as the price of travel. Go while you are young. See a real third world country and you will appreciate the US much more (assuming you are from the US).
Well I don' want to go to a country where you have to worry about wha you bring with you. I just want to know where are the ideal tourist spots in Asia, I'm not just talking about the major places like Tokyo, Hong Kong. I'm def. not from the US and I grew up in a third world country so I have a clue of what it might be like in another country besides my own.
I'll try and remember to ask my bro and SIL. They went to all of those places, plus Angkor Wat in Cambodia a few years ago.
BTW, when I was in Kenya, I got a cold first and then amoebic dysentery. And I still had a fabulous time. I just tried to keep my stomach empty and went to bed early, cuz I was sooo tired.
When I finally got back to Nairobi they gave me some giant triple antibiotic pills before I left for home.
BTW, when I was in Kenya, I got a cold first and then amoebic dysentery. And I still had a fabulous time. I just tried to keep my stomach empty and went to bed early, cuz I was sooo tired.
When I finally got back to Nairobi they gave me some giant triple antibiotic pills before I left for home.
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One thing I want to say is that I'm amazed how much of these Asian countries residents know enough words of english to do things like take your order at restaurants. I can't imagine the reverse happening here in the US that often.
I agree with Glenn, all big cities no matter where have a similar feel. I don't know what you are looking for so I'll try to type my short and almpost superficial experience in these countries with some things that have to do with the culture, how modern the locales are and other things that might help you out in your decision. I hope I don't offend anyone on the process :lol:
Singapore is a relatively new country, not even 50 years old. It is a second/first world country with large modern cities and a sprawling transportation system that includes buses and subways. At a glance the area we were at reminded me of Florida or Texas near the coastal areas. It culturally consist of Chinese (both mainland and Hong Kong), Dutch, Indian and Malaysian people so it is a great place to experience unique mix of cuisine. Many people speak 'Standard' English along with 'Singlish' so you'll be able to communicate fairly well with people, although a lot of people where speaking their native languages around me on the subway. It is a strict and clean country, so clean that chewing gum isn't allowed and drug traffickers are given the death penalty fairly quickly (no death row). I felt pretty safe in this country (at least more so than here in the US).
The problem was it way too expensive. People from neighboring countries look like they go there for shopping vacations (Beverly Hills of Asia). A box of ice cream bars cost something around $15 US. There weren't too many culturally historical places to visit besides some mosque and the MerLion statue. It was also very hot and humid and it is like that year long, I didn't drink enough water one day and suffered from a headache and uneasiness.
Thailand was just as humid. In contrast the area to the area I was at in Singapore it was full of jungle plant life and trees along with the way the dense towns were built reminded me of a South American country. Transportation was by bus and pick up trucks modified into Taxis. The specific city we were at was Pattaya and if you've seen the Hangover Part 2 that is what the area I was in was similar to. There were a lot of bars and massage parlors with women calling out at you. I even had a girl working at a sea food tell me she liked me in hopes I would eat there. A lot of men walking around with women (sometimes men or men dressed as women) too dressed up to be their wife or girlfriend. It was an interesting place to observe what was going around you. Food was pretty cheap, I remember paying only a few dollars for meals at some restaurants but forgetting I wasn't in clean and strict Singapore anymore I ordered a drink with ice cubes and from that tap water I caught my e-coli infection. Walking around in that humidity plus not being able to keep food or water down, I ended up losing a good amount of weight on my already slim frame. We also stayed in an area in Bangkok which was more of a modern city with a tram system and malls connected by walkways to the hotels but I was too sick to experience anything else there in the modern side of Thailand.
Hong Kong is culturally different than mainland China. Different language, social attitudes and overall culture due to the 150 year British influence. Very easy to communicate there, people would speak to me in Cantonese and I would respond in English and they would switch up their language. The cities are modern and dense but pretty spread out. People get around there with Octopus Cards. You purchase them at the subway station and load cash onto them. From there you can use it to take the bus, subway, some cabs, pay for items at 7-11 and other business that accept the form of instant payment. Besides the occasional typical big city pick pocket it is fairly safe there, girls ride the bus alone late night without any problems. This part of the trip was more for shopping but things aren't as cheap as they once were due to the overcrowding of people immigrating over from mainland China as well as other areas along with the weakening US dollar. Still there are no taxes on items and I bought a pair of Adidas that you couldn't get in the States unless you imported it for $120. I also noticed that young male population down here is fairly tall. A lot of 5'10 - 6'4 kids walking around, I felt average walking around the shopping malls in contrast to mainland China, which I also visited a few years back. It must be the diet along with living in the only noncommunist part of the country.
I would really recommend visiting Japan as your first Asian country to visit. When I first visited there I felt like I was in culture shock. The people there were so polite (at least everywhere except Tokyo, probably since it is a typical dense big city) since it is ingrained in their culture. When the group that I was with was lost a man working at the KFC pretty much walked us to the location we needed to get to, which was down the street. No taxes and not having to tip at restaurants was also a nice extra. Culturally there were a lot of interesting places to visit like their videogame districts and historical towns. A nice balance of modern city and historical districts where visited when I went. I'd like to go back there sometime.
No matter where you go just remember that if it is summer it is going to be humid and since your sweat can't evaporate your body won't be able to cool off. Get used to drinking tea (also for the reason to avoid bacteria your stomach isn't used to from the tap water in dirtier areas) and having generally smaller sized food portions, at least compared to the US. When coming back to the US it always feels like my stomach has to get used to the food again. Also I hope you like your Korean drama and Pop music because every where I went they were really into it at this moment. They play it on monitors at the malls and on TV non stop.
I agree with Glenn, all big cities no matter where have a similar feel. I don't know what you are looking for so I'll try to type my short and almpost superficial experience in these countries with some things that have to do with the culture, how modern the locales are and other things that might help you out in your decision. I hope I don't offend anyone on the process :lol:
Singapore is a relatively new country, not even 50 years old. It is a second/first world country with large modern cities and a sprawling transportation system that includes buses and subways. At a glance the area we were at reminded me of Florida or Texas near the coastal areas. It culturally consist of Chinese (both mainland and Hong Kong), Dutch, Indian and Malaysian people so it is a great place to experience unique mix of cuisine. Many people speak 'Standard' English along with 'Singlish' so you'll be able to communicate fairly well with people, although a lot of people where speaking their native languages around me on the subway. It is a strict and clean country, so clean that chewing gum isn't allowed and drug traffickers are given the death penalty fairly quickly (no death row). I felt pretty safe in this country (at least more so than here in the US).
The problem was it way too expensive. People from neighboring countries look like they go there for shopping vacations (Beverly Hills of Asia). A box of ice cream bars cost something around $15 US. There weren't too many culturally historical places to visit besides some mosque and the MerLion statue. It was also very hot and humid and it is like that year long, I didn't drink enough water one day and suffered from a headache and uneasiness.
Thailand was just as humid. In contrast the area to the area I was at in Singapore it was full of jungle plant life and trees along with the way the dense towns were built reminded me of a South American country. Transportation was by bus and pick up trucks modified into Taxis. The specific city we were at was Pattaya and if you've seen the Hangover Part 2 that is what the area I was in was similar to. There were a lot of bars and massage parlors with women calling out at you. I even had a girl working at a sea food tell me she liked me in hopes I would eat there. A lot of men walking around with women (sometimes men or men dressed as women) too dressed up to be their wife or girlfriend. It was an interesting place to observe what was going around you. Food was pretty cheap, I remember paying only a few dollars for meals at some restaurants but forgetting I wasn't in clean and strict Singapore anymore I ordered a drink with ice cubes and from that tap water I caught my e-coli infection. Walking around in that humidity plus not being able to keep food or water down, I ended up losing a good amount of weight on my already slim frame. We also stayed in an area in Bangkok which was more of a modern city with a tram system and malls connected by walkways to the hotels but I was too sick to experience anything else there in the modern side of Thailand.
Hong Kong is culturally different than mainland China. Different language, social attitudes and overall culture due to the 150 year British influence. Very easy to communicate there, people would speak to me in Cantonese and I would respond in English and they would switch up their language. The cities are modern and dense but pretty spread out. People get around there with Octopus Cards. You purchase them at the subway station and load cash onto them. From there you can use it to take the bus, subway, some cabs, pay for items at 7-11 and other business that accept the form of instant payment. Besides the occasional typical big city pick pocket it is fairly safe there, girls ride the bus alone late night without any problems. This part of the trip was more for shopping but things aren't as cheap as they once were due to the overcrowding of people immigrating over from mainland China as well as other areas along with the weakening US dollar. Still there are no taxes on items and I bought a pair of Adidas that you couldn't get in the States unless you imported it for $120. I also noticed that young male population down here is fairly tall. A lot of 5'10 - 6'4 kids walking around, I felt average walking around the shopping malls in contrast to mainland China, which I also visited a few years back. It must be the diet along with living in the only noncommunist part of the country.
I would really recommend visiting Japan as your first Asian country to visit. When I first visited there I felt like I was in culture shock. The people there were so polite (at least everywhere except Tokyo, probably since it is a typical dense big city) since it is ingrained in their culture. When the group that I was with was lost a man working at the KFC pretty much walked us to the location we needed to get to, which was down the street. No taxes and not having to tip at restaurants was also a nice extra. Culturally there were a lot of interesting places to visit like their videogame districts and historical towns. A nice balance of modern city and historical districts where visited when I went. I'd like to go back there sometime.
No matter where you go just remember that if it is summer it is going to be humid and since your sweat can't evaporate your body won't be able to cool off. Get used to drinking tea (also for the reason to avoid bacteria your stomach isn't used to from the tap water in dirtier areas) and having generally smaller sized food portions, at least compared to the US. When coming back to the US it always feels like my stomach has to get used to the food again. Also I hope you like your Korean drama and Pop music because every where I went they were really into it at this moment. They play it on monitors at the malls and on TV non stop.
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The problem with water is that each area of the world has its own type of bacteria and you could suffer the consequences. Your system will not be ready for a foreign strain - foreign to your stomach. I always bought bottled water or simply sodas.
I would like to return to Japan and most specifically, Kyoto. I am interested in the culture of the people and as Kyoto used to be the capital and every Buddhist sect (?) had its prime temple in Kyoto, you almost get overdosed on history and culture. There are so many temples that you can get "templed out" so picking the ones you want to see in advance is advisable. There are also unbelievable places where the emperor would stay. I spent a week in Kyoto and would like to spend another week there. It is amazing to be in a modern city, turn a corner, go through a gate, and be transformed to 16th century Japan.
Yes, the people are polite and if you get lost, find a teenager. Most will bust their butt trying to help you. They all know a little English as they are taught English from 7th grade on. Speak slowly.
I also might add that learning a small amount of the language will buy you a lot of good will.
I would like to return to Japan and most specifically, Kyoto. I am interested in the culture of the people and as Kyoto used to be the capital and every Buddhist sect (?) had its prime temple in Kyoto, you almost get overdosed on history and culture. There are so many temples that you can get "templed out" so picking the ones you want to see in advance is advisable. There are also unbelievable places where the emperor would stay. I spent a week in Kyoto and would like to spend another week there. It is amazing to be in a modern city, turn a corner, go through a gate, and be transformed to 16th century Japan.
Yes, the people are polite and if you get lost, find a teenager. Most will bust their butt trying to help you. They all know a little English as they are taught English from 7th grade on. Speak slowly.
I also might add that learning a small amount of the language will buy you a lot of good will.
I just stumbled onto this little video and loved it. The northern most tip of Norway (and Europe) at midsummer...
http://www.frequency.com/video/nordkapp-midnight-sun-north-cape/558927
http://www.frequency.com/video/nordkapp-midnight-sun-north-cape/558927
http://www.chooseup2u.com/
Interesting marketing website for mentos gum. Split screen short films, like super hero or super model.
Interesting marketing website for mentos gum. Split screen short films, like super hero or super model.
Car accident. My fault. I couldn't quite stop in time on a wet road and rear-ended an old pick-up stopped at a stop sign. Thank goodness, they had only minor damage to their bumper/truck bed and neither one of the couple were hurt. Score one for good old, heavy-built, American pick-ups. Score zero for my 2006 Kia Spectra. It was totaled. 
I don't know if it was the airbag that broke my sternum or if I actually hit the steering column. They told me in emergency that it takes quite an impact to break a sternum. When I called and told my son about it, he freaked himself out by looking it up on the internet and finding out that about a quarter to a third of broken sternums are fatal.
They did bring in the on-call cardiologst to do an internal echocardiogram, because they were a little worried about a possible aortic transection after the CT scan. Turned out the on-call cardiologist was my regular cardiologist (he's great) and he cleared me on that.
So I feel pretty darn lucky! It's been over a month, though and I'm a little disappointed at how slowly I seem to be healing. I really can't overdo activity, without really paying for it with a fair amount of pain.
I'm off work until at least Nov. 28th. Amazingly, I'm not missing the work! It would be hell to have to sit completely upright for 8+ hours right now, though.
My advice....don't break your sternum.
I don't know if it was the airbag that broke my sternum or if I actually hit the steering column. They told me in emergency that it takes quite an impact to break a sternum. When I called and told my son about it, he freaked himself out by looking it up on the internet and finding out that about a quarter to a third of broken sternums are fatal.
They did bring in the on-call cardiologst to do an internal echocardiogram, because they were a little worried about a possible aortic transection after the CT scan. Turned out the on-call cardiologist was my regular cardiologist (he's great) and he cleared me on that.
So I feel pretty darn lucky! It's been over a month, though and I'm a little disappointed at how slowly I seem to be healing. I really can't overdo activity, without really paying for it with a fair amount of pain.
I'm off work until at least Nov. 28th. Amazingly, I'm not missing the work!
It would be hell to have to sit completely upright for 8+ hours right now, though.My advice....don't break your sternum.
