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Calypso Island Chronicles
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Adventures, misadventures and reflections of traveling in the tropics.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'travel'
If it’s Monday, it must be NAN; if it’s Tuesday, it must be Taiping
Shortly after midnight, I will be embarking on My Annual Odyssey to Southeast Asia. My itinerary, November 18 – December 30, includes three countries – Thailand (29 nights), Singapore (3 nights) and Malaysia (10 nights). During my grueling 42...
Travel Photo of the Week - The Great Mormon Butterfly
The Great Mormon Butterfly (Papilio memnon), a member of the Swallowtail Family (Papilionidae) is one of most spectacular and largest butterflies that I’ve encountered in Thailand. The female of the species is this week’s featured travel photo &#...
Photo of the Week - The Morgan Lewis Windmill in Barbados
Overlooking the rugged Atlantic Coast in the hills of Barbados is the Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill, the largest existing windmill in Barbados. This historical monument is this week’s featured travel photo. Built in 1727, the Morgan Lewis Sugar Mil...
A cursory look at Online Travel Forums and Travel Communities
Let’s face it – While Travel Guide Books can be a good resource or very handy reference when you’re traveling, unfortunately most of the information is not up to date. If you want current and in depth information on specific destinations includ...
The vistas from Mae Fah Luang Arboretum are unforgettable
One of my favorite vistas in Thailand is the featured Travel Photo of the Week. Located about 5,000 feet above sea level in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Rai province is Mae Fah Luang Arboretum. Located in the center of the arboretum, there is a large...
Trip Planning 101 - Make your plans as far in advance as possible
Having been in the travel business for many years, I have a pretty good acumen for trip planning as well as understanding the psyche of the traveler. The best advice I can give to a prospective traveler would be – Make sure you plan your vacati...
Passport Follies - adding extra visa pages is a real hassle
I had taken care all of my travel arrangements over 2 months ago for my upcoming odyssey to Southeast Asia, November 18-December 30, where in a 42-day period I will be visiting Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. However there was one very small loose ...
Bridge Over River Kwai - featured Travel Photo of the Week
Located near the city of Kanchanaburi in Western Thailand, The Bridge over River Kwai is our featured travel photo of the week. The Japanese occupied Thailand and Burma during WW2 – the famous bridge was built by Allied Prisoners of War under...
The fascinating Spirit Houses of Thailand
If you have traveled around Thailand, I’m sure you’ve come across the Spirit House (in Thai, Phra Phum), an ornate dollhouse-like structure which sits on top of a pole or pedestal. Spirit houses can be found everywhere in Thailand. In...
The Fundamentals of Touring according to the Traveler
I’ve been on many tours and sightseeing excursions (in addition to conducting my own tours) during my many years as a traveler, so I have a pretty good feeling of how a tour should be properly conducted. The most common sightseeing excursion is the...
Travel Photo of the Week - Thai Pussy Napping (Meow Meow)
This week’s travel photo of the week is appropriately named THAI PUSSY NAPPING. Many of you who have arrived at this blog were expecting to see some naked Thai girl rather than some ordinary Thai pussycat. If so, I am very sorry to have mislead you...
Travel Photo of the Week - Malaysian Children on a Plane
Continuing with the theme of children, this week’s travel photo of the week features some Malaysian children that I met on my Air Asia flight between Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur in November 2008. I was admiring their beautiful T-shirts with the sty...
Air Asia’s No Refund Policy
Air Asia, a regional carrier that specializes in budget air travel within Southeast Asia, has an unusual way of dealing with air ticket refunds. About a week ago, I booked a RSVNS on Air Asia and purchased a one-way ticket online from Hat Yai, Thai...
Travel Photo of the Week - Children from Northern Thailand
This installment of the Travel Photo of the Week feature continues with the theme of children. I’ve have stated previously that children are great subjects for photography. Unlike adults, they don’t have any hang-ups or issues about a stranger ta...
Vote for the Seven Wonders of Thailand!
I’m sure you’ve heard of the “New 7 Wonders of the World”, an annual contest that is held to determine the most beautiful landscapes on this planet. To be honest with you, this poll is more or less a popularity contest as the more glamorous a...
Travel Photo of the Week - The Little Girl from Mindo, Ecuador
I have taken many photographs of children during my many years of travel. With their natural innocence and curiosity, children make wonderful subjects for photography. This week’s featured travel photo is the Little Girl from Mindo, Ecuador. I...
Travel Photo of the Week - The Buddha overlooking Nan Valley
Many Buddhist temples in Thailand are located either on a hilltop or the hillside of a mountain, and the views are often quite remarkable. Wat Phra That Khao Noi, a hilltop temple in Nan in Northern Thailand, is no exception. Located a couple of ki...
Travel Photo of the Week - Mt. Imbabura in the Ecuadorian Andes
For the 3rd consecutive week in a row, my travel photo of the week features some dramatic mountainous scenery in the tropics. This photo of Mount Imbabura was taken from my hotel in Otavalo, a colonial town located in the highlands of Ecuador. Otav...
My search for the most eco-friendly beach destination in Thailand
Believe it or not, my search for the the most eco-friendly beach destination in THAILAND has uncovered a place I haven’t been to yet, and that is Koh Libong! I am sure most travelers have never heard of this relatively obscure island as well. Koh...
Travel Photo of the Week - Machu Picchu shrouded in the mist
Remember last week, where I remarked that Doi Chiang Dao reminded me somewhat of the spectacular mountainous scenery that surrounds the sacred Incan site of Machu Picchu? Now you will be able to see the comparison as I am posting my very best photogr...
Travel Photo of the Week - Doi Chiang Dao
This edition of TRAVEL PHOTO OF THE WEEK features a digitally rendered watercolor of Doi Chiang Dao in Northern Thailand. Rising dramatically above the rural countryside and the town of Chiang Dao to a height of 2186 meters (7174 feet), Doi Chiang Da...
Beach destinations in Thailand are not very eco-friendly
In the last several days, I have done some extensive research in an effort to identify the most the eco-friendly beach destination in Thailand. To be honest with you, it is a lot easier for me to rattle off a list of beach destinations/island resorts...
Travel Photo of the Week - Roadside Wine Shops in Thailand
This installment of Travel Photo of the Week captures a unique countryside scene in Thailand. On my first trip to Northern Province of Chiang Rai in 2003, I had my driver take me to the town of Mae Sai at the Thailand/Myanmar border. About 10KM from ...
Are the French the worst Tourists in the World?
According to a new survey conducted by Expedia, the French were determined to be the worst tourists in the world, coming across as poor tippers, tight with their money, arrogant and bad-mannered as well as having terrible facility with foreign langua...
Travel Photo of the Week - Ring the Bell
On my first visit to Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2003, I explored the magnificent Doi Suthep Temple, one of the most revered temples in Thailand. Located just outside the city, Doi Suthep Temple is situated on the top of Mount Suthep. Overlooking the smo...
Costa Rica is the happiest place in the world!
According to a recent study by the New Economics Foundation, an organization based in England, COSTA RICA was accorded the distinction of being the happiest place in the world. The organization ranked 143 nations using the Happy Planet Index, an ind...
Travel Photo of the Week - Lotus Pond at Luang Prabang
Calypso Island Chronicles introduces a new feature – Travel Photo of the Week. Every Friday, I will be publishing a special Travel Photo – the photo will be selected from my vast library of images from my worldwide travels to such places as T...
A Profile of four new Hotels in Northern Thailand
Many new hotels have recently opened their doors in Northern Thailand during the last year or so. These new hotels range from Banilah, a budget boutique hotel in Chiang Mai to the deluxe Four Seasons Tented Camp in Chiang Rai Province, a resort model...
Fun & adventure with celebrities in the rainforests of Costa Rica
Have you spent the last three weeks watching I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of here, the wildly popular (and absurd) reality show which took place in the rainforests of Costa Rica? I admit that curiosity got the better of me and even I watched a hand...
Discover Nirvana at a Meditation Retreat in Northern Thailand
I have a friend by the name of Lek in Northern Thailand who hosts a meditation retreat on her large sprawling estate in Chiang Dao, a small rural community located about 75 minutes north of Chiang Mai, a major tourist hub. With the majestic Doi Chia...
