LIVING A LIFE EXTRAORDINARY
Why is it that almost universally, as you head south in a country, the vibe becomes more mellow, the people generally more friendly? At least that’s been my experience at home in the States, in India, across various European countries, in Vietnam, and now I’m desperately hoping, in Thailand. I didn’t give Bangkok too huge…
Few things in my life will ever be as mesmerizing as the temples around Angkor. My greatest surprise was that Angkor Wat, itself, did not meet my rather high expectations. Sure it’s huge and an extraordinary feat of architecture, but personally, I found the real magic of the temples to be tucked among among the…
Plotting my RTW trip has admittedly been purely selfish; I get to go, see and do what I want – and I’m lucky for it. There’s solid chance that trend would have carried on were it not for my new friend Jeanne, whom we met while in Phnom Penh. While riding in a tuk tuk…
To be fair, this postcard-worthy deserted beach on Koh Kong Island off the coast of Cambodia isn’t specifically the first and only reason why “I left it all behind” to travel to globe – but it certainly counts for something. Seriously, I left to explore, to be changed and learn and grow, and trek to…
I admit it now, a full 3 months into my trip around the world: I don’t actually need the headlamp I packed with all the pride of a novice outdoorswoman. And I’m still not sure what I thought I’d be affixing to my backpack with the2 carabiners now in my possession, but I have yet…
Spending a few days in steamy Phnom Penh gave me the chance to settle and explore a city I imagined I would like, but really started to love. The architecture is gorgeous and otherworldly – the rooftop peaks and curling spires of temples and pagodas and palaces are decorated with gold and colored tiles and…
It’s not appropriate, no. But it is gosh darn delicious. Seen above are the bony remnants of a “blow skin chicken” dinner. According to American expat, food writer and new friend, Richard Sterling, the cook actually blows air (yes, from his mouth – sadly more details are fuzzy) between chicken skin and meat prior to…
I think it’s impossible – at least I hope it is – to be an American traveling through Vietnam and not be periodically overwhelmed with the thoughts, sorrows, guilt, tears, imagined horrors and ultimate futility of the Vietnam War, or as it’s called here, the American War. There are moments when I’ve been in a…
If you’re reading Passenger Conners, you have at least an inkling of what a transformative year 2010 has been for me: I’m traveling the world, unemployed by choice, homeless by plan and living a dream. It’s not been a bad year, I say. But I have no real desire to wax philosophic on my past…
I’ve been no stranger to eating fish here in Mui Ne. Before sexy Russians in small bikinis and, well, travelers like me arrived, the town was a thriving fishing village. The fish are still abundant, with many now digested by yours truly. On the outskirts of Mui Ne’s busy stretch of geared-for-tourists restaurants (which are…
My first night in Hanoi, we sat at a sidewalk bia ho’i, a local hangout favored for drinking lots of home-brewed beers while perched on minuscule plastic stools a mere 6 inches off the ground. We were a bit puzzled by bia ho’i protocol, but decided to roll with it and see how things played…
After a whirlwind trip to a local supermarket on a mission to make merry, Ayaz and I have decorated our bungalow for the holidays. It’s lovely to spend the holidays in a bathing suit, but really I miss my family and friends tremendously, and want to wish you all the merriest of Christmases and the…