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Asia

An Itchy Feet on the Cheap Takeover

When I started this site over 6 years ago, I hadn’t even been to Asia. Now, I’ve been to over 10 Asian countries and lived in 2 of them. I love Asia. There is so much to see and do, so many attractions for travelers. The culture is incredibly unique from country to country. There was a time I thought Vietnam and China were similar. Not even close. If you are looking for an alternate view of Asia, this collection of tips and articles will help you plan a trip, or learn about the largest and most populous continent in the world.

The Wide and Narrow Alleys of Chengdu: Preservation or Profitization?

Kuan-Zhai Xiangzi – The Wide and Narrow Alleys of Chengdu, China

Wide and Narrow Alleys | This is Chengdu, China

The Wide-Narrow Alleys (Kuanzhai Xiangzi – 宽窄巷子) are a set of lanes that have been preserved by the local government in Chengdu. About 60% of the buildings have been rebuilt, and 40% were renovated in their original architectural style. The rebuilt buildings took some liberties, adding some touches that would help them be more commercially appealing – for example, French style windows. This gives the alleys a feeling that I would describe as chic-ancient. Nonetheless, they’re a very popular tourist destination in Chengdu. As the sun comes down, people swarm the streets to shop and eat. They’re not there for the historic value. If they are, they’ll be walking away disappointed.
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Jin Li Ancient Street // This is Chengdu, China

Jin Li Street – Chengdu’s throw-back to ancient China’s commercial streets

Jin Li Ancient Street | This is Chengdu, China

Walking around Chengdu, you’d think it was a fairly new city – with all the modern buildings and its crisp look – but Chengdu has an amazing history. It was on both the Tea Horse Road and the Silk Road, which made it a trader’s paradise. Eighteen hundred years ago, Jin Li Street was the aorta of Chengdu’s commercial area. It was packed with shops, lined with lanterns, and bustled with pedestrians. In that sense, not much has changed, but the street obviously holds a different purpose now. It’s one of Chengdu’s greatest tourist attractions. The 400 meter pedestrian lane has that new Chengdu crispness, but the buildings are all decorated to look like ancient China. They’re beautiful, and the people flock to the street to absorb that beauty, and to buy a lot of panda souvenirs.
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The People’s Park // This is Chengdu, China

The People’s Park: Get your Ears Cleaned in Chengdu, China

People's Park | This is Chengdu, China

One of the most interesting places to visit while in Chengdu is the first public park in the city and the largest green space downtown, the People’s Park (人民公园). Located only 1 kilometer west of Tianfu Square, it’s a menagerie of sights. The place should be called the People-watching Park. You’ll see lots of locals doing interesting things, and some just relaxing with friends and family, playing games like mahjong, jianzi (Chinese hacky sack), badminton, cards, and chess.
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Myanmar: The Friendliest People in the World?

Fisherman posing while putting out a net onInle Lake, Myanmar
I always do my research before traveling. As much as I enjoy spontaneity, it’s better to be prepared so I can maximize the often-brief time I have in a country.

For my first trip to Myanmar, a country that was in the midst of change, I relied on an exchange of emails with some friends that had recently been there. One particular piece of advice stuck with me: “These people will blow you away! Spend your money there. ”

My intrigue grew from not knowing exactly what this statement meant. How will the people blow me away? How does that relate to me spending money there? A few days in the country and it all started to make sense. The friendliness of the Burmese people was extraordinary, and I was happy to open up my wallet for them.
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Qingyang Palace // This is Chengdu, China

Qingyang Palace: Chengdu’s Taoist Temple

Qingyang Palace | This is Chengdu, China

The Taoist religion goes back – way way back. No one really knows for sure when it was created, but it’s thought to have developed from prehistoric folk religions in China. Worldwide it isn’t that popular, but in China about 30% of people practice the religion.
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Binh Duong New City – Vietnam’s Shiny New City

Exploring Vietnam: Binh Duong New City

Binh Duong New City | Exploring Vietnam

In 2005, construction began on what will eventually be the administrative capital of Binh Duong. I’ve watched, over the past 2 years, as new restaurants, hotels, and apartment buildings have popped up. The heart of the city is the huge administrative building along with the convention center next to it. These new and modern buildings are an unusual sight in Vietnam.
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28 Days Later: The Dirt on Traveling India

We are seasoned travelers. We’ve been to over 30 countries. We’ve taken beat-up buses through dangerous switchbacks. We’ve shared rooms with snakes, rats, and who knows what else. We’ve spewed liquid out of both ends in both hemispheres. And to be honest, I kind of like that aspect of travel. Unpredictability makes life exciting.

And then there’s India.

Ryan in India looking like crap.
What you look like after traveliing India for 15 days.

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The India Chronicles: 1 Month in Southern India

India Travel Videos - 28 days, 28 videos

This is more than just a 1 month guide to Southern India

I tried something new for this trip. I shot one video per day, and posted them day-by-day for my entire 28-days in India.

The results give you a pretty good look into what it’s like to travel for 30 days in India. Both the good and the bad.

Because I was shooting and editing every day, I didn’t have time to record the details (mainly costs) that I do with other guides (see my incredibly thorough $20/day Guide to Vietnam), but I do offer an authentic India itinerary that will have you in cool coastal towns, amazing mountain tea areas, mind-blowing temples, and real gritty India cities.
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An Analysis of Coffee in Vietnam: Beans, Brews, and Roasts

Everything About Coffee in Vietnam

The Truth About Coffee in Vietnam

Coffee isn’t just a drink. People rearrange their lives to get that morning cup of wake-up juice. One time, I killed a lady who was slow at ordering in my local cafe. Or maybe that was a pre-coffee day dream.

At any rate, when I moved to Vietnam I was very excited about getting my taste-buds on some traditional Vietnamese coffee. Coffee in Vietnam is so chocolatey and rich. An iced coffee with milk, or ca phe sua da, is a dessert that you drink even before breakfast. Instead of milk, sweetened condensed milk is used. It’s amazing.
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The Top 5 Things That I Will Miss Most About Living in Vietnam

Top 5 Things About Living in Vietnam

Living in Vietnam is awesome.

Everyone knows about the amazing travel opportunities. From deltas, to mountains, to bustling cities – lined with a 3,260 km coastline!

And of course there’s the incredible food with its fresh ingredients, and its blending of tastes and textures.

But what I’m going to miss most about Vietnam isn’t the pho. I actually got a little tired of it after the first 4 months.

The best things about living in Vietnam are the little things that I started doing regularly. Things that I couldn’t do in North America, but I really enjoyed doing here.
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Conquering the Roads of Vietnam: How to Drive in Vietnam

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How to Drive in Vietnam: Tips on Driving a Motorbike

How to Drive in Vietnam: Tips on Driving a Motorbike

One of my favorite things about living in Vietnam is the madness that runs wild in the streets. I’m talking about scooters, motorbikes, motorcycles, and electric bikes. I love to be able to jump on my motorbike and zoom to the market. It’s easy, quick, and great on petrol. Oh yeah, and it’s a ton of fun.
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Vietnam Road Trip Part 3: Dalat to Saigon via the Coast

Road Trip Vietnam: Chaos & Calmness

For our last trip in Vietnam, we decided to do a road trip up into the highlands to Dalat. Getting to Dalat, we took the QL20. You can see that route – and get all the information about where we stopped, what we saw, tips on driving, and more – by going to this link: Vietnam Road Trip Part 1: Driving to Dalat. If you’re looking for part 2 of the video, you can find it here: Dalat, Vietnam.

In this post, I am going to outline the route we took back to Saigon.
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