Eddie Wong's blog - Jasper Alberta

Welcome!

I'm a thinking that this page will be my blog page where I should keep you up to date on what is happening with my life here in Jasper and when I am traveling abroad.

February 18, 2009

Sorting out the travel plans for the rest of the Asia tour is my main goal this week. I'll be heading to Malaysia for two weeks starting at March 02, 2009 till the 15th, then back to BKK for a month, then off to Hong Kong for two weeks. Home bound by May 2009. the month in BKK will consist of friends visits and the water festival that happens at Ko San Road.

February 17, 2009

I guess it has been a long time since I have updated this page. So here I am in Thailand, having a base to return to is quite nice. having traveled to Cambodia, Loas and even stepped over the border of Myamar. Thailand has it's pros and cons, mainly pros.

The scenery is definitely a different one from western life. The beaches are the top of the list when traveling in Asia. The people in most part are friendly and genuinely nice, on that note I must say that the ones that want to gain money and that thinks just because you are a foreigner, you come from wealth are the ones that ruins it for me in my travels.

I try to avoid the ones that are pushy and in your face, like tuk tuk drivers, vendors on the beach and dvd sales guys. Lets face it, if I want something, I rather just go and find it, not spoon fed everywhere I go.

The main reason for traveling for me is that I like meeting new people and their culture and their way of life. You can easlily fall into a routine here, so I have to focus on why I am here. Having join the Hash House Harriers, I have met a network of "Ferangs" (foreigners) that has adapted life in Asia, and most of them will not return to their former live abroad. This can lure you into staying also, i know I have been thinking about it. Life can be so easy here, with the right job, anything is possible.

I think writing this update today gave me a feeling of homesick, missing cooking for myself and drinking water out of the tap, turning on the TV and understanding the language, not having to take the skytrain or taxi to visit a friend.

Well, off plannng for the Bike hash this weekend near the National Park of Hua Hin...

December 2008

So I get to travel again, this time is to Laos where I was told is the easiest place to get a visa, but it does cost money, mainly due to Laos charging for their visa $42 usd, why is it that the Canadians have to pay more to attain a visa for Laos?? Is out government not helping out Canadian travelers? I've seen this before in my previous travels, as yes, Bolivia! They charged $40 usd and my traveling companion whom held a British passport did not even get charged?! Go figure.

Anyhoo, Laos was amazingly my kind of place to travel, get away, chilled town of Vientainne and Vang Vieng...did not go up to Luang Prabang, will be planning to visit with Melissa, perhaps on my next trip.

November 2008

Thailand rules of immigration. What is the driving factor of the visa situation? Well, they want you to visit, but not too long, drop your money and go is the message I get. It is such a big issue here as it is a money generator for the government or is it? Sometimes, if you are lucky you get stamped for 90days right off the get go, then some times you get the 30days. So you are left with having to do border runs and stamp you passport to renew for another 30 days. i personally found this as not a chore, but it lets me visit other country in the process. I kinda got screwed when i first came into the country, I was blessed with the 90day visa, but after going to Cambodia on my first month, and when I crossed the border to return to Thailand, they only stamp my passport for 30 days! Boy, that sucked. So, i figured I might as well see what Thailand has to offer for 30 days.

Got in a routine of hauling my laptop to the Internet cafe on Sukhumvit "JJ Kitchen". Pay my 80bahts for two hours, since my laptop last that amount of time. Then to fill the day, i venture into the core of Bangkok (BKK), mainly testing out the street vendor food and getting prices for my future purchases. Boy, BKK is filthy! They have areas that is clean, due to the upper class people living in those areas. i knew if I was going to get any photos of beautiful areas, it would not be in BKK.

So the Visa runs are blessing and a curse, if it runs into dates that you plan with frinds in BKK.

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