by Calvin Sun | Jul 28, 2011 | Bangladesh, How Did You Do That?, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
I may have spoken too song in singing the praises of Bangladesh. Or maybe it’s because I’m a stupid tourist. …but in my defense, nobody mentioned this in the guidebooks: I learned the hard way today that when you arrive in Bangladesh and take money...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 27, 2011 | Bangladesh, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Walking Tours
Headed south today to check out the heart of what makes Bangladesh tick: Old Dhaka. Before I begin, I befriended a fellow Australian traveler named Alex at my hostel. We shared a lot of similarities in our style of traveling save for the fact Alex spends a...
by Stephanie Quan | Jul 26, 2011 | Fail, Myanmar, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
As for the aforementioned goals: Got some cash out and changed them to dollars [check]. Couldn’t get my flight changed to the next day [not check]. (Sorry Annah!!!!) Interesting side story: I told a security guard I was looking for the flight to Burma, and he...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 24, 2011 | Let me tell you a Story..., Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
If this is your first time exploring ruins, Polonnaruwa is a great introduction. But if you’ve already have had your fair share of ruin-rompin’, Polonnaruwa is “meh” at best. Unlike the grandeur of Angkor Wat or the immaculately preserved...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 22, 2011 | How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, Let me tell you a Story..., Public Transportation, Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Walking Tours
Today we took a lazy early afternoon bus from Colombo to Kandy (121 Sri Lankan rupees), which although advertised to be 2.5 hours, actually took 4 hours. It was pretty uneventful, given that by now we’re very used to cramped seats, smog, traffic, and open...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 21, 2011 | Introspection, Let me tell you a Story..., Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
He seemed stern at first. Upright posture, concentrating on the world around him without giving too much away. He is a special forces commando from the Sri Lankan military. “We’re not allowed to talk about what we do, not even to our wives.” I...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 20, 2011 | Epiphanies on the Road, India, Introspection, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Serendipitous!, Sri Lanka, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, The Nightlife
My last few hours in one of my favorite countries has been a riot. It seems fitting that India wouldn’t let me down. Stephanie and I booked a flight out from Chennai to Sri Lanka at 10am the next morning, while Karen was flying out of Chennai to Kochin around...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 19, 2011 | Crisis, India, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings
Madurai at night. Back on the road: literally hit the ground running. Before beginning, we treat ourselves to free access to Amex Platinum’s Lounge Stephanie, having no interest in seeing Madurai, stayed behind Mumbai an extra few hours...
by Stephanie Quan | Jul 19, 2011 | India, Let me tell you a Story..., Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
In an attempt to slow down, I decided to skip out on Calvin and Karen’s Madurai adventure. Instead, I took a flight yesterday to Chennai and then a bus to Pondicherry. Woke up in Pondicherry this morning to a blackout. With no internet and no way to contact...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 17, 2011 | Crisis, India, Introspection, Mythbusters, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Back when I toured the refugee camps of Palestine and Tibet, I pondered the difference between the use of the words “slum” and “refugee camp.” I was told today that in India, the official definition of “slum” is where the land is...
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