What a Ride! Thank you 2009!
I would be very honest, 2009 wasn’t all that laughter and fun. It wasn’t all partying and crazy stuff. There was also a lot of challenging emotional situations that I’ve been through, so challenging that I thought I wouldn’t be able to see the end of this year. Whatever you’re thinking might be right, yes, I tried to do something stupid to myself.
I tried to maintain my ‘partyphile’ looks and the ‘happy-go-lucky’ guy that everyone loves. I buried my bleeding self under the guise of my adventures. I tried to smile regardless. I’m just so glad it’s over.
The irony is, looking back, I’m also happy that I went through all of those sh*t (excuse my French). I feel that I’m stronger now and wiser. In one way or another, those sh*tty situations helped me to understand myself more and everything around me as well. I learned how to stand on my ground regardless if that means losing things that I thought matter.
I don’t care that much anymore on what people might think about my decisions. I don’t have to live by their Expectations and I don’t have to live by their Rules. I have decided I’m gonna LIVE MY LIFE on my own terms and I won’t let anyone take it away from me.
To all the people that I’ve met, regardless if it’s a good or bad experience, Thank You! In one way or another, I’ve learned something from all of you.
To my family and friends who stood by me and held my hand during my roller coaster ride, Thank You!
No more dramas! No more sh*tty stuff! No more time wasters! Let’s all flush all our sh*ts down the toilet and Welcome 2010 with anticipation and hope.
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30 Things to do before I turn 30
Time flies so fast and before we knew it we’re already rotting on our death bed. I don’t mean to be that gross nor morbid but it’s just a fact of life. I just want to celebrate life as much as I could. Maybe that’s also one reason why I really enjoy traveling. Life is too short to not spend it with the things that you love doing, right?
Here’s my list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30.
30. Visit 30 countries. I’ve only been to 12 countries so far, so 18 more to go!!!
29. Skydiving in Australia
28. Bungee Jumping
27. Kiss someone under the Eiffel Tower
26. Meet Fidel Castro before he dies
25. Step foot on all six continents. I’ve been to three, so three more to go!!! I’m not sure about Antartica though.
24. See the Northern Lights in Finland
23. Try eating live Octopus in Korea or Japan (eeeeewwwe!!!)
22. Hitchhike on my next overland trip
21. Try boat hitchhiking. I’ve heard a lot about this and I wanna try it!
20. Cruise along the Amazon River
19. Swim with Whale Sharks
18. Join the Mile High Club. Do I need to say more? LOL
17. Learn how to surf and surf in Hawaii
16. Scuba dive in Tubattaha
15. Learn Kungfu or at least some basic Martial Arts in Wuhan, China
14. Spend my Christmas volunteering in any NGOs in Asia or Africa
13. Hit the gym and be fit and get crazy in the Rio Carnival
12. Quit smoking before I turn 30
11. Learn alternative ways of living. I’m getting tired of this same old boring life. LOL
10. Be in two places at one time? Hmmm! Turkey?
09. Ride a camel across some desert
08. Learn another language. Spanish or Mandarin
07. Find more ways of earning money. Without working!!!
06. Go to Mt. Everest’s Base Camp
05. Get a huge tattoo on my back
04. Go to a Safari in Africa
03. Work with animals, like volunteer etc
02. Get rich!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha! I don’t know how to do this though!
01. Travel the World for a year or two. Maybe I’ll depart on my 30th birthday!!! Woo hoo!!!
00. Be braver, bolder and crazier!!! And attend the Tomatina Festival!!!
How about you? What’s on your list?
"Where are we going? I don't know... just keep on walking!"
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Top Travel Destinations of 2010
2010 will surely be a great year for travel enthusiasts. A lot of big events will be held in different countries around the world. Flip compiled the top events and destinations for 2010.
Lexington, Kentucky, USA (World Equestrian Games)
For horse lovers and equestrian enthusiasts, why not head to Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Lexington is known as the Horse Capital of the World where you can marvel at thoroughbreds. The 2010 games leave Europe for the first time and come to Kentucky, USA.
Tentative Schedule: September 25-October 10, 2010
For more information, please visit their website at http://www.alltechfeigames.com/
Haridwar, India (Kumbh Mela 2010)
This would definitely be one of the biggest and most interesting event this 2010. The Kumbh Mela is said to be the largest religious gathering in the world and it will take place in India.
Photo taken from Wikipedia
Some facts about the Kumbha Mela by Wikipedia
“The Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Prayag, while the Purna (complete) Kumbh always takes place at Prayag every twelve years. Over 45 days beginning in January 2007, more than 17 million Hindu pilgrims took part in the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Prayag, and on January 15, the most auspicious day of the festival of Makar Sankranti, more than 5 million participated . The Maha Kumbh Mela ('Great' Kumbh Mela) which comes after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas' which is after every 144 years is also held at Allahabad. The 2001, Maha Kumbh Mela was attended by around 60 million people, making it the largest gathering anywhere in the world.”
Schedule: January 14 – April 28, 2010
Check out various internet resources for future updates.
Hanoi, Vietnam (Thang Long or Millennial Anniversary Celebration)
Hanoi has been gearing up towards their anniversary celebration on October 10, 2010. The coming year will also serve as their National Tourism Year. This would definitely be one of the most unforgettable events for Vietnamese and tourists alike.
For more information, please Click Here.
FIFA World Cup (South Africa)
The FIFA World Cup would probably be the most anticipated event of 2010. A lot of tourists will be flying in to South Africa just to support their favorite teams. This will be one heck of a party for all travelers in South Africa.
For more information, please visit their website at http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/
Where will you be this 2010?
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Getting an Indian Visa in Nepal
By the third week of August 2009 I was already in Kathmandu. I was excited because Nepal was part of my dream destination ever since I got bitten by the travel bug. I shared a taxi to Thamel with another guy I met in the airport. As we drove from the airport to the city center, Kathmandu gave me an idea of what India looks like.
A lot of people were wearing colorful Indian clothes. Another thing that I noticed was the facial feature of Nepalese. A lot of them looks like Indians and lot of them looks like Filipinos, tan skin, with small dark brown eyes and dark brown hair.
A lot of people were wearing colorful Indian clothes. Another thing that I noticed was the facial feature of Nepalese. A lot of them looks like Indians and lot of them looks like Filipinos, tan skin, with small dark brown eyes and dark brown hair.
We got off at Thamel and started looking for a cheap guesthouse. I couldn’t remember the exact amount that I paid but I’m sure it’s less than five dollars for a night. The room was big and had two beds that I shared with another traveler to save some money.
The first thing I did when I arrived in Kathmandu was talked to different travel agencies about getting my Indian visa. I was horrified when they said that I might not get it in Kathmandu because I’m a Filipino. The first time I heard it I was almost speechless. I went from one travel agency to another and received the same advice, I felt numb.
I was afraid that I might do a re-route to Bangkok just to get an Indian visa which would definitely hurt my so called budget. I talked to the guesthouse owner as well and he said that the reason behind that rule was the bad reputation that Filipinos have in Nepal.
I asked if there would be a chance that I might get it. He took a peek at my passport and examined the entry and exit dates in al stamps and said that I might because of the credibility of the passport and the existence of visas from US and Europe.
I repeatedly went back to the Indian Embassy and applied it myself. After waiting for a couple of hours I was finally called. I was told that I could only get three months instead of the six months that I was asking for.
I pleaded, “Could you please give me six months?”
The officer said, “No!”
“Five months?”
“No!”
“Four?”
“No!”
I conceded, “I’m ok with three!”
After a few visits to the embassy, I got my Indian Visa. Wheeeeeeeeew! I finally could leave Thamel after staying there for ten days.
P.S.
Check Indian Embassy Online for some updates. The process might change from time to time.
Here are some of the pictures I took while waiting in Kathmandu.
P.S.
Check Indian Embassy Online for some updates. The process might change from time to time.
Here are some of the pictures I took while waiting in Kathmandu.
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Christmas in the Philippines
Philippines would probably be the only country in the world where people starts playing Christmas songs as early as September, begins the Christmas shopping by October, gift-giving (including the most awaited Christmas bonus) by November, and non stop eating, drinking and partying by December. It continues until January for the New Year and extends to February for the Three Kings celebration.
For me, our Christmas means meeting all my relatives and spending the day with them. This Christmas is just as the same as the other years that passed by. I realized that as I grew older, it becomes less extravagant for most families. It becomes less significant to my life, or maybe it’s just me.
It’s just like an ordinary day with more food and some gifts. But maybe just for some families but not for all.
As we travel from my home to our relatives house, I couldn’t help but notice everything that we passed by. A lot of people are still on the streets. Children were singing Christmas carols hoping to be given a few pesos. Some vendors were still working on the streets, selling anything from cheap toys to candies, cigarettes and bottled water.
Maybe for most people in my homeland, Christmas is just like an ordinary day at work.
According to SWS, “The September 2009 survey also found that 41% of Filipino families (est. 7.5 million) consider themselves as Food-Poor, 35% put themselves on the Food-Borderline, and 24% consider themselves as Not Food-Poor.”
One thing that I admire the most though is the resiliency of the Filipino spirit. Despite the fact that most of us have been living on or below the poverty line for decades, despite the fact that we’ve just been battered by typhoons and was technically under water a few months ago, despite the fact that Mayon volcano is on the verge of eruption, you could still see and feel the warmth of a Filipino’s smile.
How about you? What is Christmas like in your place?
P.S.
I drank too much brandy... blame it to my cousins and uncle. I promised myself (after throwing up everything that I ate and drank yesterday) I won't drink again!!! (hohum!!! maybe I'll break this promise too together with my New Year's resolution)
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How to Survive a Long Flight
Can’t sleep in a long haul flight? Everyone dreads a long flight especially if it exceeds more than five hours. Flip doesn’t like it too. I usually drink some liquor before I board a flight so I could sleep through it. But sometimes, I wake up and couldn’t go back to sleep.
Here are my Top 10 creative ways on how to kill time on a long flight. I’m not suggesting you to follow any of this though. This is purely just for fun.
Try to Learn another Language: Are you sitting beside a Japanese or a Chinese or maybe another nationality? Why not ask him or her to teach you some basics? Or better yet listen to a foreign radio stations and try to decipher what they’re saying.
Let your Creativity Flow: Go to the bathroom and draw a funny face on the mirror using toothpaste. It wouldn’t aggravate anyone I guess because toothpaste is so easy to clean. Who knows, you might be making someone smile, especially if that someone was having a diarrhea explosion on a long haul flight.
Talk to your Seatmate: Bored? Why not initiate a conversation with your seatmate? Get to know where they are from and where they’re heading to. Share some travel tips about their destination if you can.
Get Infatuated: Walk around the cabin and find the most attractive person onboard. Introduce yourself and get to know them. Just don’t wake them up if they’re sleeping. Who knows, you might be starting a wonderful love story in doing this.
Read a Book: This seems to be not creative at all, right? So why not read a book that is not yours. Borrow whatever your seatmate is reading and read it.
Talk to Yourself: Ok, this might sound crazy. Do not talk to yourself out loud, everyone might think you’re a lunatic onboard. Talk to yourself by writing yourself a letter. And don’t forget to mail it to your own address as soon as you land. It would be very interesting to receive and read that letter after a few days.
Become the next J.K. Rowling: Yeah, you heard that right, be creative and write a very good fictional short story. To make it more exciting, observe your fellow passengers and include them in your story. Did you see a grumpy looking old lady? Why not cast her as the witch in your story. (LOL)
Make a Movie Review: Tired of watching the same old movies over and over again? Why not make a review out of it and post it in your blog after. Who knows, this might be your next career.
Are there only eight on the list? Why not add more? Feel free to post your ideas on how to creatively survive a long flight.
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An Hour in Tibet
I left Chengdu around 4AM and headed to the airport. I was ecstatic although I was quite sleepy at the same time. The reason for my excitement was the connecting flight to Kathmandu. I had a one hour layover in Lhasa, Tibet.
Tibet has always been part of my dream destination list. I tried to look for a cheap way to go there when I was still in Chengdu last August 2009, but the cheapest I found was around $200 including the Tibetan Permit. I think it’s already cheap because most Tibet tours that I saw online were more than a thousand bucks.
Some facts about Tibet from Wikipedia
“Tibet is a plateau region in Asia and disputed territory, north of the Himalayas. It is home to the indigenous Tibetan people, and to some other ethnic groups such as Monpas and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han Chinese people. Tibet is the highest region on earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft). It is sometimes referred to as the roof of the world.”
One thing that did not appeal to me was the itinerary. I’m not sure if I have to follow that or what. I was never fond of booking a tour with any travel agencies and following their itineraries. I love having my own freedom of going when I want to. I’ve read though in some forums that it’s just for formality, no one really follows it.
As soon as we arrived in Lhasa, we were welcomed with smiling airport staff. Even the Immigration officers were happy compared to other airports were you’ll find a lot of grumpy Immigration officers. I wasn’t sure if it has to do with the altitude of the airport (LOL) maybe it’s the altitude sickness that makes them happy.
I was still sleepy and I headed straight to the smoking area to kill some time. I was amazed with the view of the smoking area. This is so far, the most breathtaking view that I’ve seen while in a smoking area. I saw the mountains and some clouds that were just hovering over the airport. It’s like you could almost touch them. And no, I don’t think I was hallucinating because of the altitude.
After an hour of waiting, it was boarding time at last. I only spent an hour inside Tibet. I’ll make sure that I won’t miss this controversial land on my next trip.
And by the way, when you take the Chengdu to Kathmandu (via Lhasa flight), there's a big chance that you'll also see Mt. Everest (if it's not too cloudy).
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Flip's New Year's Resolution
I can’t remember the last time I made a New Year's resolution. I used to do this when I was younger but I grew tired of writing a new one every year and breaking them over and over again. But I guess this time I want to stick with it. I realized that I’m more focus now with my goals and I hope to achieve all of them.
Planning is good, but if you can’t execute them well, what’s the point right? So’ I’m going to kick myself every morning and remind myself about the following things:
Read and finish one book at least once a month.
I’m not really into novels and other fiction books, although I enjoyed reading some of them. I’m more inclined in reading inspiring and exciting real life adventures and business books (boring!). Yeah, I’m a person of great contradictions.
Let Go Bad Memories
I know this is an old cliché but most of us find it really hard to forget things. And as we spend our time sulking or remembering the bad memories that happened to our lives, it’s like wasting those precious times that could have been used for more productive or fun activities. Acceptance is the key and affirmation that ‘tomorrow will be a better day’ might help you and Flip achieve this
I had a very nice chat with my closest friend and she shared that we should top off bad memories with good ones. So, we’re going to retrace places or situations that gave us a not-so-good-experience and will cover them with happy moments.
Bye Bye Medicority
Flip’s been a good boy and an achiever in his own little way. But he realized that he could still push his limits further to achieve bigger things for himself and for his family. As what Steve Jobs have said in one of his speeches, “Do not settle for anything else. And struggle every time you wake up to find your passion.”
Luckily for Flip, he knows what he loves, and Flip loves to travel. He’ll work harder to be able to put himself back on the road.
Health is Wealth
Flip’s been very bad when it comes to staying fit and healthy. He smokes a lot and drinks a lot. Flip does not exercise as well and he often sleeps late. 2010 will be ‘the’ year of a new healthy lifestyle for Flip.
Hmmm, I have a feeling that this will be the first resolution that Flip would break.
Show me the Money
Flip hates money and the idea of money, maybe because he doesn’t have any. LOL! However, Flip knows that the reality is, we need money to survive in this material world. Flip started blogging and hopefully earn from it and in the future Flip would also like to venture into investments.
Flip will also cut down on some expenses like overpriced coffee, phone bills, and other unnecessary stuff. He'll try to avoid the malls especially during a big sale.
Flip will also cut down on some expenses like overpriced coffee, phone bills, and other unnecessary stuff. He'll try to avoid the malls especially during a big sale.
Nurture True and Lasting Relationships
Flip has a lot of friends from everywhere. But Flip knows that he only has a handful of real, true friends and he had forsaken them in a way. Flip will work in improving his relationships with all of them including his family.
True friends are indeed hard to find, Flip has been blessed with some and he’s really grateful.
And lastly,
Travel More
Do I still need to elaborate on this one? hehehe
Ten days from now the world will be celebrating as we all enter 2010. The New Year brings new hopes, new dreams and new challenges. Flip wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and an exciting New Year!!!
How about you? What’s your New Year’s resolution?
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Great Gift Ideas for Travelers
Are you looking for some great gift ideas for your traveling friend or perhaps for yourself? Flip found ten great gift items that any backpacker or traveler would definitely love. This is also Flip’s personal wishlist for himself for 2010.
Check out for some cool products.
This super cool looking sandals is not just a sandals, it’s also your miniature safety vault where you can keep your cash, credit cards and your hostel room key. Whoever invented Reef Stash is definitely a genius. Just make sure you don’t lose them as well. Interested?
photo from Amazon
Sigg Water BottleAre you tired of drinking from a plastic water bottle? Flip is, and also Flip’s tired of throwing one plastic bottle after the other. Sigg water container will not just help the environment, it will also help travelers save money from consistently buying bottled water. Just go to a water refilling station and ask for a refill for a small amount. Interested?
photo from Amazon
This is one thing I got to have for my next travel. Steripen uses ultraviolet light to kill waterborne microbes to keep your drinking water safe. I haven’t seen it myself but I’ve read a lot of good reviews about it. It could definitely save me a lot of money on the road. Interested?
photo from Amazon
Pentax Optio W60
photo from Amazon
Although the name might sound funny, Light My Fire Titanium Spork is a serious product. It’s lightweight and durable spoon, fork and knife combo will surely come in handy during your travels. Interested?
photo from Amazon
Orikaso Foldable Plate, Mug and Bowl
photo from Amazon
Now this one is what I would probably buy as soon as I get some money. My hero or rather HTC Hero will surely keep you connected wherever you are, plus it will keep you entertained as well during those long bus rides. Interested?
photo from Amazon
Flip used to have one but he lost it unfortunately. This is a must have for mid or long term travelers out there. Victorinox offer quality and pocketable Swiss Knives for the travelers out there. Interested?
photo from Amazon
TNF has been one of the major manufacturers of quality outdoor gears including backpacks. TNF provides good value for your money since the products are really of good quality. I’m definitely gonna get this daypack for my future travel. Interested?
photo from Amazon
For those who couldn’t stay away from their Facebook and Twitter account, here’s a product that will keep you connected with the online world. Dell Inspiron Mini netbook is light and easy to carry and wifi enabled that you will surely love. Interested?
Are you looking for more products? Check out ! Thanks!
For those who want to give Flip a gift this Christmas, check out my . hehehe Thanks!!!
P.S.
Flip does't own any of these products and their trademarks are registered with their respective companies. Flip only likes these products he saw from his Amazon store and just sharing it with you.
P.S.
Flip does't own any of these products and their trademarks are registered with their respective companies. Flip only likes these products he saw from his Amazon store and just sharing it with you.
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Promote your Blog and Hometown
Are you thinking of what to write? What about:
1. Your hometown's history
2. Fiesta or unique celebration
3. Culture
4. Special cuisines
5. Landmarks, architectures or famous areas in your hometown
and the list goes on...
Flip will be running a section about your hometown. If you're interested to share something special about your hometown, please send it to iamflip(at)flipnomad(dot)com.
Specification:
1. Maximum length: Article length equivalent to two (2) MS Word Page
2. Please send one original corresponding picture to your article with your (or your blog's) signature on it
3. Include a one paragraph description of yourself
4. Include your blog's link. I will hyperlink your blog to your name
Thanks!!! Looking forward to your articles.
I'll post one hometown article per day. This will help promote your hometown for possible tourism and this will serve as a link to your blog as well.
P.S.
I would only link your blog if it's not:
1. Porn Related
2. Drug Related
3. Alcohol Related
Yeah I know this sucks, but we have young readers and Flip doesn't want to promote porn and drugs. 'hope you understand. :-)
:-) Flip ( iamflip(at)flipnomad(dot)com)
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Chengdu: City of Panda
It was around the third week of August 2009 when I was in Kangding. I remember that I was contemplating if I’m going to retrace my route to Litang or head on to Chengdu. I allotted almost two weeks for my “Kunming to Chengdu Overland Adventure” trip before heading on to Nepal. I realized that I was actually five days ahead of my schedule.
However, I’m running out of money as well, so I decided to head on to Chengdu to stay with a friend. I got a generous offer to stay to Dhane’s house and it would be a big help to my dwindling budget. And besides, I figured that I missed seeing an urban jungle.
I left my hostel early in the morning and waited in the bus station for almost an hour. We boarded and after a few hours I started seeing traces of the concrete jungle. And then after a couple more hours, buildings started to rose from the horizon.
I was kind of excited. I’ve only been to a few quite cities (Guilin, Hong Kong, Macau and Kunming) and I didn’t spend much time. I’ve had almost a week to spend in Chengdu, enough time to get to know the city.
Some facts about Chengdu from Wikipedia
“Chengdu is located in southwest People's Republic of China, is the capital of Sichuan province and a sub-provincial city. Chengdu is also one of the most important economic centers, transportation and communication hubs in Southwestern China. According to the 2007 Public Appraisal for Best Chinese Cities for Investment, Chengdu was chosen as one of the top ten cities to invest in out of a total of 280 urban centers in China.”
I stayed in a hostel on my first day. The hostel was in a very good location in respect to the tourism business. Just right across the road was one of the most visited tourist spots, the reconstructed Jinli Street.
The 350 meter Jinli Street looks like a historic town. You could see buildings in old Chinese site. Historically, Jinli Street came about in the Qing Dynasty and was known as the “First Street of the Shu Kingdom.”
Now the street is full of modern shops enclosed in traditional buildings that give the visitors the ambiance of Old China with the convenience of the modern world.
Aside from the Jinli Street, I also visited numerous temples though I couldn’t remember their names. Whenever I go to a new place, I always make sure that I go to their markets. I go there to shop, but most of the time, just to observe the local life.
I went to one of their dry markets and it’s massive. I was walking down the street and I saw a guy selling a tiger paw. WTF!!! I thought tigers are endangered. LOL!
I also went to their commercial shopping district and man, the goods and overflowing. There’re shoppers everywhere, it’s like there was no recession at all in that area.
The market that I enjoyed the most was the Antique Market. You would see that in your Chengdu Map. It was full of old and interesting Chinese relics and some old books. There were few shoppers though, maybe consumers would rather have modern day stuff.
After doing my usual temple and market hopping activities, I’ve decided that it’s about time to see the Pandas. I love animals and seeing the Panda would be like the cherry on top of my traveling ice cream.
I checked the price of the Panda tour and it was way beyond my budget. I asked the hostel receptionist if they have anything cheaper than that. And then she said that I could buy the Panda Card for only 1 Yuan and then go there myself. I could save 50 Yuan ($7) for the entrance, plus I could go to other tourist sites as well for free.
Wow! My eyes widened!!! I went back to Dhane’s place and invited his two other guests to see the Panda the next day.
Due to sheer laziness or perhaps just plain stupidity, I couldn't figure out how to add a video on this blog so I'll just post the Youtube link here. Click Here to view the video.
Some Travel Tips in Chengdu
1. Get the Panda Card in the supermarket across Jinli Street. It could save you a lot of money.
2. Utilize the buses, Chengdu has an efficient network of buses that could take you anywhere in the city for a cheap price (1-2 Yuan).
3. If you’re interested to buy some travel gears or electronics, Chengdu has a lot of cheap stores that you could check. You can find them also on your tourist maps.
4. For those who are traveling from the Philippines, you could fly direct via Philippine Airlines to Chengdu.
5. Alternatively, you could fly from Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia to Chengdu
6. There are water dispensers in most hostels, and you could save some money by just refilling your water containers.
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Hell Bus from Xiangcheng to Kangding
I woke up around 4AM and checked out of the hostel. The ticket booth didn’t sell us any ticket the day before and asked us to buy it that morning. It was really cold and dark. I walked straight to the small house of the ticket seller with my backpack. It wasn’t open yet. All the other backpackers that were on the same bus were also waiting there, as well as some Chinese locals.
It opened after almost an hour and to our surprised, they started selling it out to local people first, regardless if we’re the first one on queue. A lot of travelers were aggravated by the act, but what could you do right? There were no other ticket sellers in Xiangcheng and there would probably be just one or two buses going to Kangding.
After waiting for almost half an hour, I got my ticket and headed down to where the bus was parked. It was already full except for one window seat at the back. I went up quietly and settled down at the back together with some old Chinese guys. Two other tourists went up and they were asked to go down the bus, they were also boarding Chinese people first. Good thing I look like Chinese.
After noticing it, I didn’t bother to speak at all. I didn’t know if there were any other buses going to Kangding that day and I took my chance to stay on the bus even if I was the only tourist.
The bus left after a few minutes and we started the worst bus experience I’ve ever had.
The windows were closed to shield the passengers from the cold winds. The old guys that I’m sitting with decided to smoke inside the bus. Uugggh! I do smoke myself but not in a small, cramped space like a bus. They also spit from time to time on the floor. Sometimes they open the window to spit, and some spit particles go to my face.
Good thing I was wearing a hoodie. It was meant to protect me from the chilly winds but I figured that it could also protect me from some spit particles flying in the air. They took turns in spitting and I was literally stepping on a floor full of green, slimy spit from different people.
The road was bumpy as well and I was sitting on the worst part of the bus. Every time we encounter a big bump, it was like we’re flying off our chairs. I couldn’t count how many times I bumped my head on the overhead thingy of the bus.
It was halfway when I thought that I wanted to get off the bus. I just couldn’t take it anymore. However, I didn’t want to waste the money that I paid and at the same time, there’s a big chance that there would be no bus.
I’ve read in some internet articles that it’s dangerous to just wander off in the mountains and grasslands in that area because of the presence of some wild animals. I’m really not sure if that’s true but I didn’t take my chance. I stayed inside the bus for almost ten hours.
The only thing that kept me sane during the whole trip was the view. It was utterly incredible. As I’ve mention in my previous post, seeing Southwestern China is like watching National Geographic live.
I’ve seen rolling green grasslands, huge mountains of rocks, huge boulders, hundreds or thousands of yaks, some Tibetan kids running playfully on jagged slopes of the mountain. I’ve also seen small Tibetan villages and a couple of Tibetan monasteries.
It was a scene that I could only imagine before.
We arrived in Kangding at night time and I couldn’t believe that after a trip through the wild side of China, I would see a cluster of what seemed to be a very developed and commercialized city.
Kangding has hotels, clubs, shops and of course some local Tibetan stores. Kangding is the capital of the Garze Tibetan Autonomous prefecture in the province of Sichuan. It seems to be the gateway to Tibetan tourism if you’re coming from Chengdu.
I checked myself in a cheap hostel and bought some instant noodles for dinner.
As I was relieving myself from hunger, I couldn’t help but smile as my mind wanders off through the magnificent landscape that I saw and the adventure that I’ve had on my “Kunming to Chengdu Backdoor Overland” plan.
I would definitely go back again to Southwestern China and spend more time in the Tibetan Villages.
It opened after almost an hour and to our surprised, they started selling it out to local people first, regardless if we’re the first one on queue. A lot of travelers were aggravated by the act, but what could you do right? There were no other ticket sellers in Xiangcheng and there would probably be just one or two buses going to Kangding.
After waiting for almost half an hour, I got my ticket and headed down to where the bus was parked. It was already full except for one window seat at the back. I went up quietly and settled down at the back together with some old Chinese guys. Two other tourists went up and they were asked to go down the bus, they were also boarding Chinese people first. Good thing I look like Chinese.
After noticing it, I didn’t bother to speak at all. I didn’t know if there were any other buses going to Kangding that day and I took my chance to stay on the bus even if I was the only tourist.
The bus left after a few minutes and we started the worst bus experience I’ve ever had.
The windows were closed to shield the passengers from the cold winds. The old guys that I’m sitting with decided to smoke inside the bus. Uugggh! I do smoke myself but not in a small, cramped space like a bus. They also spit from time to time on the floor. Sometimes they open the window to spit, and some spit particles go to my face.
Good thing I was wearing a hoodie. It was meant to protect me from the chilly winds but I figured that it could also protect me from some spit particles flying in the air. They took turns in spitting and I was literally stepping on a floor full of green, slimy spit from different people.
The road was bumpy as well and I was sitting on the worst part of the bus. Every time we encounter a big bump, it was like we’re flying off our chairs. I couldn’t count how many times I bumped my head on the overhead thingy of the bus.
It was halfway when I thought that I wanted to get off the bus. I just couldn’t take it anymore. However, I didn’t want to waste the money that I paid and at the same time, there’s a big chance that there would be no bus.
I’ve read in some internet articles that it’s dangerous to just wander off in the mountains and grasslands in that area because of the presence of some wild animals. I’m really not sure if that’s true but I didn’t take my chance. I stayed inside the bus for almost ten hours.
The only thing that kept me sane during the whole trip was the view. It was utterly incredible. As I’ve mention in my previous post, seeing Southwestern China is like watching National Geographic live.
I’ve seen rolling green grasslands, huge mountains of rocks, huge boulders, hundreds or thousands of yaks, some Tibetan kids running playfully on jagged slopes of the mountain. I’ve also seen small Tibetan villages and a couple of Tibetan monasteries.
It was a scene that I could only imagine before.
We arrived in Kangding at night time and I couldn’t believe that after a trip through the wild side of China, I would see a cluster of what seemed to be a very developed and commercialized city.
Kangding has hotels, clubs, shops and of course some local Tibetan stores. Kangding is the capital of the Garze Tibetan Autonomous prefecture in the province of Sichuan. It seems to be the gateway to Tibetan tourism if you’re coming from Chengdu.
I checked myself in a cheap hostel and bought some instant noodles for dinner.
As I was relieving myself from hunger, I couldn’t help but smile as my mind wanders off through the magnificent landscape that I saw and the adventure that I’ve had on my “Kunming to Chengdu Backdoor Overland” plan.
I would definitely go back again to Southwestern China and spend more time in the Tibetan Villages.
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Lessons from the Road
I was trying to get some sleep but I just couldn’t dodge the thoughts that suddenly bombarded my mind. I got up and turned on the computer and in a few minutes from now, you’ll see this post on my blog.
I’ve been a traveler ever since I was a little boy. My parents used to take me to Luneta Park every Sunday morning. They believed that the sea breeze would cure my asthma (Manila Bay doesn’t stink during that time). And maybe it did.
When I went to high school and college I started traveling outside the city with my friends. Usually to some resorts and I joined a lot of out of town excursions organized by the school. And when I started working, I started traveling farther. I started going to places that I used to see on TV and in some pictures in my books.
Along the way, I picked up some lessons that I would never forget. Lessons I’ve learned from the people I’ve met and from the experiences that they’ve shared with me.
Lesson 1: Time
Time doesn’t care if you’re late or not. It’s inanimate. You can’t turn it back nor wind it forward. You could do it to your watch if you want, but it wouldn’t have any effect on time. The only time is NOW.
The past is just a mere collection of thoughts you chose to hold on to. The future hasn’t happened yet. The best way to predict your future is to be good in whatever you’re presently doing.
Lesson 2: Choice
This is one thing that I used to overlook. I used to think that I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t choose to be born in a poor family, then why do I belong to one. But as I grew up I realize I could change it. I studied hard, work hard and played harder. I’m still not rich but I could say I’m not that poor anymore. Maybe I was able to alleviate myself at least one notch higher.
But what if I would be diagnosed with cancer, would I still have a choice? Yes, you could either deny the fact or accept it. You could either live your remaining days in anguish and despair or live your remaining days happily and cherish it with your love ones.
Lesson 3: Emotion
It’s too overrated and we tend to let it run our lives. We have forgotten that our emotion is just a part of our life. It’s not our entire life. Emotion changes and it gets triggered by thoughts associated with people and situations. Try to think of happy moments and try to think of traumatizing moments, what did you feel?
I’ve learned that I may not be able to control my environment. It often pushes me to my limits a lot. But I could always control my reaction which is related to my emotions. Emotion is also related to how you see yourself.
Lesson 4: Know and Love Thy Self
Knowing yourself is not related to the tags and labels that our society has given us. I’m not talking about your gender, age, profession, societal affiliation, achievements, failures, relationships etc. Do you really believe that words could define your being?
Think about this: If you throw away all your material things, discard all your relationships, forget all your dreams, achievements and failures, who are you?
Knowing and loving yourself is quintessential to forging a meaningful and lasting relationship to people around you. This should be our main priority.
Lesson 5: Life and Death
Life is like the beginning of a sentence and death is the period. Life is the Yin and death is the Yang. Death completes the cycle of life. We all know that everyone dies right? Living and dying is part of our nature and yet we’re so afraid of it that we tend to keep ourselves inside a relatively safe box.
Would you rather live on the edge and enjoy every single millisecond of it? Or would you rather live an agonizing life securely inside a box.
Most of us in the Philippines believe that there’s a second life. But no one is really sure about it. I wouldn’t waste my first, because this maybe my last shot to life.
P.S.
Flip is just thinking out loud and decided to share his thoughts. Some of you may have similar or different views about the topics discussed above. Feel free to share it in the comments field below.
Live and enjoy life… regardless.
-Flip
I’ve been a traveler ever since I was a little boy. My parents used to take me to Luneta Park every Sunday morning. They believed that the sea breeze would cure my asthma (Manila Bay doesn’t stink during that time). And maybe it did.
When I went to high school and college I started traveling outside the city with my friends. Usually to some resorts and I joined a lot of out of town excursions organized by the school. And when I started working, I started traveling farther. I started going to places that I used to see on TV and in some pictures in my books.
Along the way, I picked up some lessons that I would never forget. Lessons I’ve learned from the people I’ve met and from the experiences that they’ve shared with me.
Lesson 1: Time
Time doesn’t care if you’re late or not. It’s inanimate. You can’t turn it back nor wind it forward. You could do it to your watch if you want, but it wouldn’t have any effect on time. The only time is NOW.
The past is just a mere collection of thoughts you chose to hold on to. The future hasn’t happened yet. The best way to predict your future is to be good in whatever you’re presently doing.
Lesson 2: Choice
This is one thing that I used to overlook. I used to think that I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t choose to be born in a poor family, then why do I belong to one. But as I grew up I realize I could change it. I studied hard, work hard and played harder. I’m still not rich but I could say I’m not that poor anymore. Maybe I was able to alleviate myself at least one notch higher.
But what if I would be diagnosed with cancer, would I still have a choice? Yes, you could either deny the fact or accept it. You could either live your remaining days in anguish and despair or live your remaining days happily and cherish it with your love ones.
Lesson 3: Emotion
It’s too overrated and we tend to let it run our lives. We have forgotten that our emotion is just a part of our life. It’s not our entire life. Emotion changes and it gets triggered by thoughts associated with people and situations. Try to think of happy moments and try to think of traumatizing moments, what did you feel?
I’ve learned that I may not be able to control my environment. It often pushes me to my limits a lot. But I could always control my reaction which is related to my emotions. Emotion is also related to how you see yourself.
Lesson 4: Know and Love Thy Self
Knowing yourself is not related to the tags and labels that our society has given us. I’m not talking about your gender, age, profession, societal affiliation, achievements, failures, relationships etc. Do you really believe that words could define your being?
Think about this: If you throw away all your material things, discard all your relationships, forget all your dreams, achievements and failures, who are you?
Knowing and loving yourself is quintessential to forging a meaningful and lasting relationship to people around you. This should be our main priority.
Lesson 5: Life and Death
Life is like the beginning of a sentence and death is the period. Life is the Yin and death is the Yang. Death completes the cycle of life. We all know that everyone dies right? Living and dying is part of our nature and yet we’re so afraid of it that we tend to keep ourselves inside a relatively safe box.
Would you rather live on the edge and enjoy every single millisecond of it? Or would you rather live an agonizing life securely inside a box.
Most of us in the Philippines believe that there’s a second life. But no one is really sure about it. I wouldn’t waste my first, because this maybe my last shot to life.
P.S.
Flip is just thinking out loud and decided to share his thoughts. Some of you may have similar or different views about the topics discussed above. Feel free to share it in the comments field below.
Live and enjoy life… regardless.
-Flip
> > > > >
Bus from Shangri-La to Xiangcheng
I left my room around 4AM and waited for another 30 minutes before the caretaker opened the door. The wind was cold and it was still dark. I was deciding if I’m going to walk from my hostel to the bus station or not which was a bit far. I took a taxi instead and I arrived at the bus station around 5AM. There were a few backpackers at that time lounging around the waiting area.
I waited for a couple more hours and we were finally called to board the bus. I was afraid that I might be the only tourist inside the bus but I was wrong. Half of the bus was occupied by backpackers from different countries.
We stopped after a couple of hours for a bathroom break. The bus didn’t have any portable toilet inside. I went out the bus and I was surprised. I just saw the most amazing landscape that I’ve ever seen in my life. China is the most beautiful country that I have ever seen in my life. Seeing China’s Southwestern area was like watching National Geographic live.
After the break we went on again, as we crisscrossed different mountains, I couldn’t help but smile. The world is really beautiful and I feel so lucky that I could travel. I felt that this was the best decision that I’ve ever made in my life.
After two or three hours we stopped again. I looked outside the window to check what’s going on. It seemed that there were a couple more local buses in front of us. Some of the passengers got off to check what’s going on. Curious as I was, I also went down.
A small bus got stuck in the mud. Everyone’s helping to dug up the bus and pulled it to a more stable ground. After half an hour, they were able to pull the bus out. Our bus overtook the two local buses and drove thru the muddy dirt road.
And it got stuck as well. The piled stones that were used to help the other bus were no use to our bus, maybe because our bus is bigger and heavier.
Most of us helped to dig the bus out of the mud. We were all gathering stones and throwing it to the dirt road so that the bus’s tires could have something solid to grasp on. It was a funny and tiring moment. After almost an hour, the bus was able to pass by. Everyone who helped was full of dirt, mud and small debris.
It was funny inside the bus. The local Tibetans and Chinese were teasing us because we’re full of mud and dirt. And we were all laughing. It was surreal because no one was using the same language and yet we could understand what’s going on. It was another perfect moment of human harmony, I was thinking. The language barrier didn’t block us from communicating what we felt. The smiles and laughter made the experience very memorable.
It was almost dark when we arrived in Xiangcheng. The town is like a city in the making. Even though it’s pretty inaccessible due to remoteness, there were a lot of new buildings already. The road inside the county is paved and there were commercial shops and banks.
We all checked in the same hostel. I found out that all backpackers inside the bus were heading to Chengdu, same as my itinerary. But we’re stopping to some Tibetan villages along the way for some tourist sightseeing.
This Chinese road trip was turning out to be a very good experience.
Here are some pictures from my bus trip from Shangri-La to Xiangcheng
I waited for a couple more hours and we were finally called to board the bus. I was afraid that I might be the only tourist inside the bus but I was wrong. Half of the bus was occupied by backpackers from different countries.
We stopped after a couple of hours for a bathroom break. The bus didn’t have any portable toilet inside. I went out the bus and I was surprised. I just saw the most amazing landscape that I’ve ever seen in my life. China is the most beautiful country that I have ever seen in my life. Seeing China’s Southwestern area was like watching National Geographic live.
After the break we went on again, as we crisscrossed different mountains, I couldn’t help but smile. The world is really beautiful and I feel so lucky that I could travel. I felt that this was the best decision that I’ve ever made in my life.
After two or three hours we stopped again. I looked outside the window to check what’s going on. It seemed that there were a couple more local buses in front of us. Some of the passengers got off to check what’s going on. Curious as I was, I also went down.
A small bus got stuck in the mud. Everyone’s helping to dug up the bus and pulled it to a more stable ground. After half an hour, they were able to pull the bus out. Our bus overtook the two local buses and drove thru the muddy dirt road.
And it got stuck as well. The piled stones that were used to help the other bus were no use to our bus, maybe because our bus is bigger and heavier.
Most of us helped to dig the bus out of the mud. We were all gathering stones and throwing it to the dirt road so that the bus’s tires could have something solid to grasp on. It was a funny and tiring moment. After almost an hour, the bus was able to pass by. Everyone who helped was full of dirt, mud and small debris.
It was funny inside the bus. The local Tibetans and Chinese were teasing us because we’re full of mud and dirt. And we were all laughing. It was surreal because no one was using the same language and yet we could understand what’s going on. It was another perfect moment of human harmony, I was thinking. The language barrier didn’t block us from communicating what we felt. The smiles and laughter made the experience very memorable.
It was almost dark when we arrived in Xiangcheng. The town is like a city in the making. Even though it’s pretty inaccessible due to remoteness, there were a lot of new buildings already. The road inside the county is paved and there were commercial shops and banks.
We all checked in the same hostel. I found out that all backpackers inside the bus were heading to Chengdu, same as my itinerary. But we’re stopping to some Tibetan villages along the way for some tourist sightseeing.
This Chinese road trip was turning out to be a very good experience.
Here are some pictures from my bus trip from Shangri-La to Xiangcheng
> > > > >
Dreaming of Shangri-La
It was raining when I arrived in Kunming around mid August of this year. I immediately checked myself in a cheap backpacker’s hostel together with an Israeli couple that I met on the bus. The hostel was great, the staff were all English speaking and there’s a lot of useful travel books and brochures that you can borrow regarding traveling in Yunnan and Sichuan province.
Kunming is an average size city. I spent a couple of days walking around the city, hopping from one bus to another while deciding if I would go to Lijiang or to Shangri-La. Yes, you heard it right, Shangri-La. It used to be just a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton. But now China has adapted the name, maybe for tourism purposes.
Some facts about Shangri-La from Wikipedia
“Shangri-La County is primarily Tibetan county in northwestern Yunnan Province in southwest China and the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomus Prefecture. The town was formerly known as Zhongdian County.”
After a couple of days of lounging around the laidback city of Kunming, I had decided that Shangri-La would be my next stop. I’ve always wanted to go to Tibet but since I wouldn’t be able to afford it, I might as well go to other Tibetan villages which wouldn’t require the highly sought after Tibetan permit.
I took an overnight bus from Kunming to Shangri-La. I couldn’t remember how much I paid though but I’m sure it wouldn’t break your bank. There are several ways to go to Shangri-La. You can either fly directly or take a bus from Kunming, Lijiang, Dali or Deqin.
I met two other tourists from Switzerland inside the bus. Both of them already had a reserved hostel in Shangri-La which made me worried a bit. I didn’t have a place to stay yet. But what the heck! I thought I would just figure it out when I arrive there.
As soon as we arrived, we immediately went out and were surprised with how cold it is. I really don’t like cold places but it didn’t stop me from being excited in experiencing Shangri-La.
We shared a wagon like vehicle which brought us to the old town. The old town is primarily inhabited by Tibetans and it’s also the backpackers’ area in that town. It seemed like Shangri-La is divided into two areas, one is inhabited by Han Chinese and the other by Tibetans.
The county center seems to be gearing towards modern development. You’ll see a lot of new buildings, modern shops like laptop and mobile phone stores and some other stuff. The interesting thing was, you would see Tibetans dressed in their local clothes using modern technology like mobile phones.
I found a very cheap hostel which cost me only 30 Yuan or approximately $4. There were two beds inside the room, and it could have been cheaper if I found someone to share the room with. What a waste right?
The old town is full of souvenir shops. I was shocked to see some stores selling fur. I thought they were prohibited already. There’re cheap food stalls that served barbequed food in the middle of the city center too. I personally like the grilled wild mushrooms, the vendor in her limited English words told me that it came from the mountains. It was awesome!!! I couldn’t describe how it tasted but it’s really delicious and cheap.
There’re some tourist agencies as well offering trips to Lhasa or camping excursion to the Tibetan wilderness. It could have been great if Flip could afford it. But Flip couldn’t.
I stayed up until nightfall in the center of the old town doing what a usual traveler does, people watching. And then they started playing some Tibetan folk songs. They cleared the center from all the vendors, and the locals started dancing.
The act attracted a lot of tourists as well. After a few minutes, the center was filled with people dancing to the Tibetan hymn.
I couldn’t explain the emotion that I felt while watching them dance. Their faces were happy and calm. No trace of worries for the inevitable future. It’s a face of contentment and happiness that we’ve all been dreaming about.
I wanted to join them dance but I was glued on my seat. They danced maybe for an hour or more. As they were enjoying the rhythm of their folk music, I was enjoying observing everything.
And there it was, a perfect moment. For once in my life, I felt I was present. For once in my life, I felt I was not living in my past or future thoughts.
For once in my life, I felt free and alive. And it all happened just by listening to their hymns and watching their movements.
Weird, yeah I think. Surreal, definitely! Though I would give up everything just to feel that calmness and serenity again.
The following day, I took a bus and headed up north to see and experience more Tibetan culture.
Kunming is an average size city. I spent a couple of days walking around the city, hopping from one bus to another while deciding if I would go to Lijiang or to Shangri-La. Yes, you heard it right, Shangri-La. It used to be just a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by James Hilton. But now China has adapted the name, maybe for tourism purposes.
Some facts about Shangri-La from Wikipedia
“Shangri-La County is primarily Tibetan county in northwestern Yunnan Province in southwest China and the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomus Prefecture. The town was formerly known as Zhongdian County.”
After a couple of days of lounging around the laidback city of Kunming, I had decided that Shangri-La would be my next stop. I’ve always wanted to go to Tibet but since I wouldn’t be able to afford it, I might as well go to other Tibetan villages which wouldn’t require the highly sought after Tibetan permit.
I took an overnight bus from Kunming to Shangri-La. I couldn’t remember how much I paid though but I’m sure it wouldn’t break your bank. There are several ways to go to Shangri-La. You can either fly directly or take a bus from Kunming, Lijiang, Dali or Deqin.
I met two other tourists from Switzerland inside the bus. Both of them already had a reserved hostel in Shangri-La which made me worried a bit. I didn’t have a place to stay yet. But what the heck! I thought I would just figure it out when I arrive there.
As soon as we arrived, we immediately went out and were surprised with how cold it is. I really don’t like cold places but it didn’t stop me from being excited in experiencing Shangri-La.
We shared a wagon like vehicle which brought us to the old town. The old town is primarily inhabited by Tibetans and it’s also the backpackers’ area in that town. It seemed like Shangri-La is divided into two areas, one is inhabited by Han Chinese and the other by Tibetans.
The county center seems to be gearing towards modern development. You’ll see a lot of new buildings, modern shops like laptop and mobile phone stores and some other stuff. The interesting thing was, you would see Tibetans dressed in their local clothes using modern technology like mobile phones.
I found a very cheap hostel which cost me only 30 Yuan or approximately $4. There were two beds inside the room, and it could have been cheaper if I found someone to share the room with. What a waste right?
The old town is full of souvenir shops. I was shocked to see some stores selling fur. I thought they were prohibited already. There’re cheap food stalls that served barbequed food in the middle of the city center too. I personally like the grilled wild mushrooms, the vendor in her limited English words told me that it came from the mountains. It was awesome!!! I couldn’t describe how it tasted but it’s really delicious and cheap.
There’re some tourist agencies as well offering trips to Lhasa or camping excursion to the Tibetan wilderness. It could have been great if Flip could afford it. But Flip couldn’t.
I stayed up until nightfall in the center of the old town doing what a usual traveler does, people watching. And then they started playing some Tibetan folk songs. They cleared the center from all the vendors, and the locals started dancing.
The act attracted a lot of tourists as well. After a few minutes, the center was filled with people dancing to the Tibetan hymn.
I couldn’t explain the emotion that I felt while watching them dance. Their faces were happy and calm. No trace of worries for the inevitable future. It’s a face of contentment and happiness that we’ve all been dreaming about.
I wanted to join them dance but I was glued on my seat. They danced maybe for an hour or more. As they were enjoying the rhythm of their folk music, I was enjoying observing everything.
And there it was, a perfect moment. For once in my life, I felt I was present. For once in my life, I felt I was not living in my past or future thoughts.
For once in my life, I felt free and alive. And it all happened just by listening to their hymns and watching their movements.
Weird, yeah I think. Surreal, definitely! Though I would give up everything just to feel that calmness and serenity again.
The following day, I took a bus and headed up north to see and experience more Tibetan culture.
> > > > >
Flip’s Top 10 Misadventures
10. Flip never got anything stolen from him in his travels, but he forgot a lot of his stuff in hostels.
9. Flip organized a Boracay trip with his friends and got left by the ferry in Manila Port Area. Flip bought an air ticket and flew instead. It was Flip’s first plane ride.
8. Flip got sick for almost two weeks in Kathmandu during the H1N1 scare. Flip got paranoid that he has H1N1. Luckily, it’s just an ordinary Flu.
7. Flip went to Bolinao with his friends with almost no money. Flip almost pawned his watch just to be able to buy a bus ticket back to Manila.
6. Flip ate peanut butter sandwich for almost three weeks while traveling in Southwest China due to lack of money.
5. Flip got drunk in Hanoi once and slept on the streets because the hostel was closed and no one opened the door no matter how hard he knocked.
4. Flip rode a bike in Nha Trang side by side with huge trucks. Flip prayed so hard.
3. Flip woke up with a broken bone (smallest toe finger) and he didn’t know why and how it happened.
2. Flip got lost while biking in Northern Thailand and ended up in a National Park. Flip got scared of a possible encounter with a wild tiger.
1. Flip was held in the Chinese Immigration Office for three hours trying to prove that he’s a Filipino. They were insisting that Flip’s a Chinese citizen with a fake Filipino passport.
If Flip is not traveling, Flip is dreaming about it.
Do you want to share your misadventures? Be Flip's guest writer. Email Flip at iamflip(at)flipnomad(dot)com
Do you want to share your misadventures? Be Flip's guest writer. Email Flip at iamflip(at)flipnomad(dot)com
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Things You'll Love About Bangkok
Bangkok is definitely my favorite city in Asia. It’s strategically located in the center of Indochina which makes traveling to neighboring countries really easy. It also hosts a lot of cheap airlines including Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. Traveling in this vibrant city is easy, relax and definitely affordable.
Here’s my list of the things that you shouldn’t miss doing when you go to Bangkok.
Shopping
The word Bangkok is almost synonymous to shopping. Loads of shopping markets and malls are scattered all over the city. For some cheap but quality digs, go to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes because the place is massive, when I say massive, its massive baby! It covers 35 acres of land with more than 15,000 stalls. Now, that is extreme shopping if you ask me.
If you still aren’t tired after a full day of shopping, go to Suan Lum Night Bazaar. And do more shopping. This place hosts a lot of young independent Thai designers and you might find a unique piece that suits your personality.
Temple Hopping
There are hundreds if not thousands of temples that surrounds Bangkok. Here are some of the must see:
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is where you will find the Emerald Buddha, which is actually not emerald but jade. But they still call it emerald though.
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) is not a movie title but a temple located at the west bank of the Chao Phraya River.
Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) is where you’ll find a beautiful golden reclining Buddha (one of the thousands Buddha figures). The figure measures 46 meters long and it’s covered in gold leaf. The Buddha’s feet is 3 meters and decorated in mother of pearl illustrations. It’s a sight to behold.
Wat Mahathat is the headquarters of Thailand’s largest monastic order and it’s also a Vipassana Meditation center. If you wanna learn some meditation practices, this is a must place to visit.
If you're still not tired of seeing temples, check your maps for more.
Food Tripping
Thai food would probably be one of the most famous cuisines in this world. The food is just awesome. For some cheap but delicious Pad Thai, go to Khao San road. It will only cost you maybe around 15-20 baht. And, don’t forget to try the Chocolate Banana Crepe which cost around 10-20 baht maybe. If you have some bucks to spare, by all means go to some specialty restaurants. Pick up a free Bangkok guidebook and check out restaurants around town.
Partying and Meeting New Friends
Thailand is the center of party universe in Southeast Asia. And Bangkok hosts a lot of tourists (including you, yes you) and chances are, you’ll meet great new friends as you travel around this vibrant city. Relax and throw away your shyness and groove to the music with your new found BFFs. And if it leads to something else, don’t forget to practice, you know. Stay safe!
River Cruising
After a long day of shopping, eating, temple hopping and partying, head to the river banks and board one of the river boats. Relax and savor your last day cruising Bangkok’s majestic Chao Phraya River. Throw away your worries, shed your tears of goodbye and think about your next destination. Keep on traveling my friends.
I love Bangkok!!! Here are some interesting pictures around Bangkok.
How about you? What do you love about Bangkok?
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