LIFE: How to behave in South East Asia

 
1. Dress up decent! It can get really hot here but why should you walk around in your bikini or in hot pants and in belly top? If it looks cheap back home it will aswell in Asia.

2. Beerlao, Chang Beer, Tiger Beer... yes, a cold beer can be refreshing. But there's no need to get drunk and then behave disrespectful towards tourists and especially locals.

3. Take off your shoes before you enter somebody's home. This might also be a rule in private guest houses, shops or super markets.

4. Learn patience! There is no need to rush in Asia and don't ever put others under pressure. Just add min. 4 hours time on top of whatever you plan and you've got the right time.

5. Don't touch a monk if you're female. 

6. If you want to take a picture of monks or other locals always ask for their permission.

7. Try to bargain on street markets when you go shopping. It can get hard sometimes bur try to get down to the half price.

8. But don't bargain on food, in shops, travel agencies, hotels etc. !

9. Illegal drugs are cheap and you get them anywhere in the bigger cities without any problems. But keep your HANDS OFF drugs! Why should you eat a "Bob Marley Pizza" or drink a "Mushroom shake"? - It's expensive, it's unreliable, it makes you crazy, IT'S STUPID!

10. Be aware that you're a foreigner. You're a guest in a foreign country so try to integrate yourself and show your interest in the local culture.

11. If you don't want to adjust to living standards in developing countries and you are not interested in their culture or you are only here to party and get drunk then why the hell do you travel?  Better stay at home in your spoiled, rich country!

12. Greet people in your hostel, in the shops, at a restaurant. There's nothing worse than making other peopel you meet think you're a narrow-minded arrogant traveler.

Behave.

- AJ -

PLACES: Border Crossing - Thailand to Laos

 The most common way to cross the border from Thailand to Laos is either by bus or by slow boat from Chiang Khong, Thailand to Huay Xai, Laos. Most travelers then take the Slow Boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang via Pakbeng. This trip requires two days for traveling with one night in Pakbeng. I'm pretty sure this is the mostly liked way of traveling from Thailand to Laos among backpackers. I recommend to stay in Chiang Khong for 2 nights to have enough spare time discovering this border village before leaving Thailand. Even though you're a foreigner most of the locals don't stare at you like in other Asian villages because this place is known under travelers who come here to just cross the border over land and the  foreigners have become a part of the normal day life of the locals.

When you get through the immigration at the Thai border make sure you've got enough US$ to pay your visa on arrival before you want to cross the Lao border. For EU-citizen the visa-on-arrival for 30 days will cost you 35 US$. Once you've got your departure stamp from Thailand you take a bus to the Lao border where you can fill out your visa-application (it's a really weird application form so don't take all the questions that seriously just fill out the important information that is required). Make sure to bring a pen and a photo. Try not to get annoyed by the crowd of all the other 100 travelers beside you and keep calm while waiting for your visa because this might take up to minimum 1 hour until they call you up to pick up your passport. Be aware that your name might be called up anytime and pick up your passport immediately or else you will make yourself and the other impatient travelers who are already annoyed wait longer. Now you're done with the legal border crossing and you just have to figure out where you want to go. 

- AJ -

ART: Sunday Night Market - Chiang Mai, Thailand

If in case you are planning to stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand on a Sunday you shouldn't miss out the Sunday Night Market. Check out all the arts stands of young Thai artists selling their amazing paintings. Some of the artists are students just trying to earn some money. I really wish I would have the possibilty to bring one of those giant elephant paintings to Berlin!

Stay arty,

- AJ -

 

FOOD: Night market and food again! - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Oooh I know this is ridiculous but it's just a really weird habit of mine. I love taking pictures of food. That's probably also a reason why I really liked the cooking course as you might have noticed on the tons of close-up food pictures. But I like to share all these tempting pictures with you to make you want to come to Asia just to experience the variety of tastes and dishes which sometimes can blow your mind away! But if you plan to come here and stuff yourself with all of these yummy dishes you should also think of doing some sport activities like rock climbing, trekking or cycling. You don't want to look like a fat ugly tourist haha.

- AJ -

tom kha kai

pork sausage

crepes

fruit salad

turkish pizza, isn't that weird

rice cake

FASHION: Vintage shops - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is not how you expect Thailand would be. This town is something special and has a certain urban athmosphere due to it's high percentage of young citizens and students who make you feel like in a Thai urban artistic university town. There are stylish bars and cafés everywhere but still you can find typical Thai markets and local food stands.

If you're looking for vintage and style then you should come here and go fashion hunting. I discovered two amazing vintage shops. There are both similar: a lot of colors and differebt patterns of 60s to 80s-looking pieces which are all very unique. Mix up your own outfit, take your time to look for the perfect dress or some real vintage New Balance sneakers or an old faded leather bag from the 60s. There is so much beauty to discover in these fashion stores and even the background hipster-music and the vintage interior will make you think you're shopping in Berlin's Neukölln or in Brooklyn, New York. It's amazing that all youngsters, no matter if we are European or Asian have the same kind of taste of Fashion.

Visit these vintage shops if you're up for fashion hunting in Chiang Mai, Thailand:

Love 70s

Near Horpra School,
Sri Phum, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Kaber
Inthawarorot Road
Chian Mai, Thailand

Phone:

+66 85 037 9824+66 85 037 9824

Keep cool,

- AJ -

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FOOD: Cooking course - Chiang Mai, Thailand

If ever you"ve wanted to do a cooking course then it's your chance if you come to South East Asia. There are a lot of cooking courses here which offer half or whole day cooking courses in town or on the farm. I recommend doing a whole day cooking course on the farm because you get to cook about 5 dishes you can chose from their programm and you get to learn where the main ingredients actually come from. So if you love Thai food you should definitely visit one of Chiang Mai's cooking schools. The whole day cooking course on the farm cost 1000 THB and you get a cooking book written by the school at the end of your lessen. I did the one of Smart Cooking in Chiang Mai. I was picked up by mini van (this is so typical in Thailand) at my hostel in the morning at around 8am and then we picked up the other cooking students. When we were complete we were a group of 11 which was just right. We met our cooking teacher at a local food market where she explained us the main Thai ingredients they use cooking. Afterwards we took the train to the cooking school which was about 15 minutes from the Old City where she showed us where they actual grom the vegetables. Then she introduced us to the dishes we were going to cook. We had to choose one dish each from the 5 categotries - main dish, soup, curry paste, appetizer and desert. Don't worry of not finishing eating your food you cook because you cook small portions. It wasn't as difficult as I was expecting and you learn that cooking is actually easy. You just have to know what goes well together and which spices you use.
So at the end I was very surprised how tasty the food was I cooked and could hardly imagine that it was made by me.
These are the dishes I chose:

- vegetable coconut soup with chicken
- stir fried chicken with cashew and rice
- green curry paste in coconut chicken soup
- papaya salad
- boiled banana in coconut milk

Enjoy cooking!

- AJ -

vegetable coconut soup with chicken

stir fried chicken with cashew and rice

green curry paste

green curry paste in coconut chicken soup

ART: Street art in New Sokhuthai, Thailand

PHOTO Impressions - Old Sukhothai, Thailand

PLACES: Ko Phi Phi and around

Take a speedboat and discover Ko Phi Phi Don, go snorkeling, have a pick nick at Maya Bay, take pictures of Monkeys at Monkey Island and pass by the tiny Islands around and be astonished by the scenery of enormous rocks.

-AJ-

PEOPLE: Rah, Ko Lanta

Rah (38) barkeeper at Tree House and waiter at Funky Fish. Ko Lanta, Thailand

Why do you live here?
- I came here about 10 years ago to work for my uncle. I stayed here a week and always came back to work for him. I liked it so much that I decided to stay on Ko Lanta.

What do you like the most about Ko Lanta?
- The beach and nature.

What don't you like on Ko Lanta?
- That there are many young Thai people and travelers here who are involved in drug consume.

What are the three most important things in your life?
- Thai boxing, friends and nature.

What do you advise travelers to do on Ko Lanta?
- Enjoy the beach and eat a lot of sea food.

 Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
- I have no plan. No complain, no worries and just enjoy each day. 

Thank you!

PHOTO: Ko Lanta - Impressions

Funky Fish. Tree House, Clazy House, beach, sun set