GoMad Nomad Travel

One of the most popular ways to soak up the scenery of Guangxi Province is to take a bamboo raft down the Li River.  Yangdi is the preferred starting place and the new fee structure starting January 1^st, 2012 requires a 118 RMB (US $19) fee which includes a spot on a four-seat bamboo raft. Disappointingly, most of the bamboo rafts have been replaced with bamboo-shaped plastic tubing. Alternatively, one could hike the whole 16 km to Xingping, but there’s no discount on the ticket.

When I visited in early January, most of the hiking trail was closed for repair, but I was able to walk the last six kilometers. Visibility was also poor this time of year, as you can see from my photos. This stretch of the Li River is said to be the most beautiful. It is here that you can see the view of the mountains on the back of the 20 Yuan note.

Another route to take is the bigger river boat all the way from Guilin to Yangshuo. This is more expensive and takes about 4-5 hours.

Cycling around Yangshuo is also a popular way to see the stunning landscape.

The shops are all closed up. There’s hardly any foot traffic or cars on the streets. Red lanterns hung around the city add to the atmosphere. But the most noticeable way to tell it’s the Eve of Chinese New Year is by the excessive and near constant explosions of firecrackers.

Children light them off. So do adults. But it’s the teenagers that are most aggressive. One will ride on the back of a scooter facing backwards lighting a series of firecrackers and dropping them while his or her friend drives away. I saw others having mini-wars; throwing clusters at their friends. Others just set them off near random people and scurry off before being seen.

Some firecrackers are bigger and louder than others. After a long string of big ones, at least one car alarm will get set off. The climax came at midnight, when it seemed like each of the city’s citizens was setting fireworks off at the same time.

I am witnessing all this in the small city of Jianshui, in Yunnan Province, about 200 km south of Kunming. Jianshui is known for its traditional architecture: its huge red gateway arch Chaoyang Lou, its venerable Confucian academy, the traditional Zhu Family Gardens, and the captivating 17-arch Twin Dragon Bridge.

Tomorrow, the 23^rd of January will be New Year’s Day and people will leave their homes to promenade through the old cobbled streets during the afternoon. The shops will all be open; the Taoist temple will be busy, and the street vendors will be cooking up their famous Jianshui barbecue.

The Chinese call this Lunar New Year’s celebration Spring Festival. The Lunar Calendar is observed in much of Asia. Last year I celebrated Lunar New Year in South Korea, which was an incredible cultural experience for me, spending the entire day with a Korean couchsurfer and his family. This year was not as special for me—I’ve just been watching people celebrate in the streets. I wasn’t able to see how any Chinese families celebrated in their homes. Nevertheless, it was fun to see everyone excited and in a festive spirit.

See the photos below of Jianshui preparing for Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year:

Red lanterns for sale in Jianshui, China

Red lanterns hang on the city gate in Jianshui, China

Decorations hung at the traditional Zhu Family Gardens in Jianshui, China

New Year’s decorations at the Confucian Temple in Jianshui, China

Red lanterns hung at the Confucian Temple in Jianshui, China.

Fireworks for sale in Jianshui, China.

Setting up fireworks at a private residence.

After the firecrackers

Exploded fireworks in front of the Linan Inn in Jianshui, China

Shops closed up on New Year’s Eve. Smoke after the firecrackers.

Out with last year’s red lanterns.

I didn’t quite grasp the magnitude of the temples of Angkor until I witnessed them for myself. Guidebooks cannot prepare you enough for the massive scale of which this site encompasses. Before I visited I imagined I would only glance at the most well-known, Angkor Wat, and then be on my way. But Angkor Wat is only one of the many temple complexes and ruins that are spread out over a 400 square km area, comprising the ancient city of Angkor.

Angkor’s sites are atmospherically situated among dense jungle and serene rice paddies. They are part of the landscape. You’ll find locals scouring through the forests around the temples, restoring the stonework, resting on the ruins, and eagerly selling souvenirs to tourists.

Devising a plan to visit Angkor may be overwhelming. Most people divide sightseeing into two classical routes—the Petit Circuit and the Grand Circuit. Some people visit by tour bus and others by hiring a private tuk-tuk for the day. I would recommend taking at least one day to explore the ruins with a bicycle. This will allow you to take however much time you need and encourage riding down random dirt paths and “discovering” ruins of your own. There’s no greater thrill than showing up at an ancient temple with no other tourists in view.

Passes are sold for one-day, three-day, and seven-day. Anything less than the three-day pass is foolish. This was one of humanity’s great civilizations and it deserves your time, effort, and humility. The archaeological park is open daily from 5am to sunset and most visitors arrive for at least one sunrise and one sunset—both equally magical experiences.

Although the temples of Angkor are a sole reason for many travelers coming to Cambodia, there are plenty of other great places to visit. Hitting the beaches around Sihanoukville, visiting the museums of Phnom Penh, and chatting with the friendly folks along the Mekong in northern Cambodia are all worthy destinations as well.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

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Dear GoMad Nomad,

My friends and I are planning to visit Jeju Island in South Korea in March 2012. But I forgot that it is the end of winter! Is it a bad time? My friends and I love beach hopping, so our main goal is to swim. Is this a bad time? We would also love to visit Mount Halla and see the flowers and plants. Will the winter “spoil” the scenery? Is it better to wait for summer (perhaps April)? Thank you very much and looking forward to your response.

-Jo

Dear Jo,

I don’t think March is a bad time; however it’s less than ideal for swimming. Although tourists visit Jeju Island year-round, March is still a slower tourist season than the summer (when beachgoers flock to Jeju) and autumn (when newlywed usually visit). However, there are always advantages to visiting places in the off-season (think cheaper accommodation and fewer tourists).

It would take a very hardy soul (Jeju’s women divers, for example), or a wetsuit to swim in Jeju’s waters in March. It might be pleasant enough to sit on the beach. The average high temperature in March is 13°C (55°F).

I taught English on Jeju island in January and February of this year and it was quite cold, mostly due to the strong winds that batter the north side of the island. The southern shore is more protected from the cruel winds and rain.

I certainly wouldn’t say that the scenery is “spoiled” in winter. It is arguably more beautiful, with snow dusting Mt. Halla, creating a truly serene atmosphere. But it’s unlikely you’ll see plants and flowers. I climbed Mt. Halla in February and trudged through some deep snow to get to the top. Despite the fact that it was winter, there were still a lot of hikers, but it was, nevertheless, an unforgettable experience.

As a Korean friend of mine is very quick to point out, there is more to see in Jeju than Mt. Halla. Be sure to visit some of the oreum of Jeju. There are plenty of tourist traps and kitsch on the island, but Jeju is a legitimate cultural and geologic treasure of Korea. I also wouldn’t leave the island without checking out some of the best examples of lava tubes on earth.

If you’re still curious to research more things to see and do on Jeju-do, read my “South Korea” archive on my personal travel blog: Bohemian Traveler.

-Stephen

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This week’s Photo of the Week come to us from Berit Renser who blogs at avantourists.com

It was in October of 2010 when Merapi of Central Java, Indonesia, erupted again, this time bigger than it had in over 100 years. Now the danger zone has been removed and the villages are welcoming for a visit. Small boys open the bamboo gates and let us go up five km from the crater in exchange for a coin in their donation box.

The view that opens from the slopes of the mountain can most precisely be described as moonscape. The lines of the destruction are so well cut, that if on one side of the road villagers are handling their everyday lives, the other side still rests under a thick layer of mud and ashes. In some places one can hardly imagine where the houses used to stand, in other places one can blow away the ashes from a doorknob and enter a house which is frozen in time.

Some villages, where tourists are more often seen and the donation box is getting heavier, people have started to put their lives together again. Between the burnt ground and trees, between the gray houses, one can find colorful clothes drying in sun, an old lady washing her windows and her grandson cleaning carpets. There is no time for mourning.

Some other families are not doing so well. An old grandmother who we meet on the road has lost her house indefinitely. “All gone!“ she is shaking her head looking towards her ex-house, but still coming back to the village, because selling food to the tourists is her only income now. When the sun sets, the woman returns to her siblings in a safer place. And so do we.

Photos and Text by Berit Renser

Berit Renser is also writing for the  blog www.avantourists.com . She is an anthropologist/traveller/writer from Estonia who is currently living in Indonesia.

These photos were taken in December 2010, and by now the situation has probably changed slightly, the most famous village turning more into a tourist spot where one can see all the broken houses and the way of the lava. The other villages probably continuing their normal lives in the houses which were not completely destroyed my mud and ashes. Many have moved, but there are still many who refuse to move.

A man makes the bamboo pieces for a fishing trap on Koh Trong Island, Cambodia

A short ferry ride from the small city of Kratie lies one of Cambodia’s best kept secrets. What looks like the far shore is actually a narrow island in the middle of the Mekong River dotted with rice fields, a few houses, and some of the friendliest people I’ve met in all of southeast Asia.

Everyone I stopped to talk to was willing to chat with me even though we shared no common language. They still smiled and temporarily stopped what they were doing to share the nature of their craft with me. Some were fishermen back from their catch, others were constructing fishing traps or plowing their fields with oxen. I’ve never meet such hardworking people that were simultaneously so laid-back.

The island is called Koh Trong and it was my favorite place in all of Cambodia. All I did was ride my bicycle around the island and chat with locals. And that was enough. That’s the magic of communities along the Mekong.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

Stephen has just returned from three months in southeast Asia. He blogs at Bohemian Traveler.

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

Dear GoMad Nomad,

My wife and I have been retired for a few years and have done a bit of traveling in Europe and South America. Our sights have now turned towards Asia and thinking about places where healthy retirees could go far on savings.  My wife has always been interested in India, but from what I’ve heard, that just sounds like a difficult place to travel.

Serving up snacks at a street stall in Little India in Penang, Malaysia

I’ve read your article on Malaysia and have been advocating this destination as an alternative. We’re now at a bit of an impasse, and I’d like to hear your ideas about the pros and cons of both countries.

-Baxter from Oak Ridge, TN

Dear Baxter,

Malaysia and India are both very worthy travel destinations that meet your lower-budget requirements, but they are very different beasts.

You’re right, India can be a difficult place to travel: physically taxing for travelers of any age. But it can also afford plenty of luxuries, it all depends on your travel style and budget. But more noteworthy, India can be mentally exhausting. India rearranges everything you thought was normal in our world. You will witness the extremes of humanity. It requires a very open mind and non-judgmental attitude.

There really is no place like India. Its diversity of peoples, languages, cultures is unparalleled. It is intensely spiritual: the birthplace of four of the world’s great religions.

If you are mentally and physically prepared and open to the challenges that India presents, it can be a very worthwhile and rewarding destination to travel.

After a recent to Malaysia, I left the country pleasantly surprised. I liked Malaysia because of its fusion of Asian cultures: Malay, Chinese, and Indian, as well as the distinct and very delicious cuisines that come from each of those cultures.

Malaysia is a rapidly modernizing country, and transportation is quite comfortable and easy to get around with air-conditioned coaches zipping from city to city.

Similar to India, Malaysians speak English well enough to facilitate everyday necessities and allow for conversations with locals to make your trip more meaningful.

Prices do vary, from region to region, but overall Malaysia is very affordable and what I call a good-value destination, meaning it’s not super cheap, but you get good quality service and products for inexpensive prices. Read my post on Malaysia: What it Costs.

Plus, there are some great things to see in Malaysia: world-class beaches, jungle trekking, wildlife viewing, diving/snorkeling, hill-stations, and the rich history and architecture of colonial settlements.

I really don’t have any negatives to tell you about Malaysia, except that the rapid modernization might leave you feeling that it’s not as exotic as you expected.

Hope this helps in your decision making process.

-Stephen

Have any retirees traveled to either India or Malaysia?  Leave your comments below…

When I posted my Vientiane images to my Flickr album, my father commented to me by email that “Vientiane was often in the news in my college days, but there were never pictures.” Well, Dad, here are some pictures. None are spectacular, but my point is to give you some visuals so you have a sense of what the city is like.

If I had to chose one word to distinguish Vientiane from other world capitals, I would say: quiet. There’s very little traffic and not much in general happens there. It lacks the hustle, bustle, and motorbike buzz of nearby capitals Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City. And besides the Arch de Triomphe-like Patouxai, the architecture is not all that captivating. This is mostly due to the fact that the city has been razed several times by the Burmese, Chinese, and most completely by the Siamese in 1828, when the whole of the city was flattened.

When the French had arrived in 1867, what once was Vientiane was nearly reclaimed by jungle. Today, the few crumbling colonial building that remain were constructed by the French from 1899 to 1945 when they rebuilt the city and laid out a system of roads.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

Stephen has just returned from three months in southeast Asia. Check out his blog: Bohemian Traveler.

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

That Luang, Laos’ most important religious site

Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane’s Champs Elysees

At Vientiane’s night market

Monk’s laundry

Grilled frogs at the Vientiane night market

After crossing the border from Thailand we immediately boarded the slow boat bound for Luang Prabang. Riding a slow boat in Laos is one of those things you don’t want to miss while traveling in this land-locked country with over 4,600 miles of navigable waterways.

Because slow boats are the traditional form of transportation in Laos, I was initially disappointed by how touristy our boat was. Of the hundred or so passengers, only two were Laotians! But I slowly forgot while falling into a trance as lush forests, tiny villages, and ancient mountains drifted past.

Photo and text by Stephen Bugno

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

Chiang Mai is a city of temples—over 300 can be found in and around the city in a variety of architectural styles.

Chiang Mai is the center of northern Thailand’s tourism industry, rich with culture and tradition and plenty of tours leaving for the rest of the north and attractions surrounding the city. But you just might prefer to stay in town and enjoy strolling around from temple to temple, participating in one of the more interesting programs on offer like the monk chat at Wat Chedi Luang, or even a Thai cooking or language course.

For a large city it has an extremely relaxed atmosphere, which is probably the reason many people remain longer than they intended. Traditional wooden houses and quiet, leafy gardens fill much of the old city. I stayed for five days, using Chiang Mai as a temporary place to work remotely. It was pleasant and affordable enough that I plan to return to use the city again for the same reason.

This photo is from Wat Pan Tao, a beautiful teak temple from the late 14^th century.

View my Flickr gallery of Chiang Mai.

Photo and text by Stephen Bugno

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

By Stephen Bugno

I am definitely not a mall person. You might even be able to classify me as a mall hater. Here are five reasons I didn’t fight malls when I visited Singapore.

5) A National Obsession

To understand Singapore without eating at or entering a mall is like trying to understand Ireland without entering a pub. Singaporeans are obsessed with shopping. The temples they’ve built to worship this infatuation with consumerism, are malls. They are big, they are beautiful, and they are here to stay. My conclusion: understanding malls equals understanding Singaporean society.

4) Nice to Look at

These are some of the nicest, most well-designed buildings I’ve seen. I spent much of my time in Singapore just walking through the malls admiring the interior design, the grand open spaces, the escalators. Not to mention all the beautiful people. Singaporeans look good! In fact, they are the best dressed people I have ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, Londoners and New Yorkers are dressed well, but in those cities there’s at least one person poorly dressed for each one that is well dressed. In Singapore, it’s just beautiful person after beautiful person. Even if they’re not good looking, they still look good.

3) I didn’t ask to visit this mall

How did I end up in a mall? Get used to it, malls are everywhere in Singapore. And they’re almost impossible to avoid. If you exit the MRT (mass rapid transit), you may end up inside a mall. It’s nearly impossible to escape. I tried once for 20 minutes to get to street level and failed. Luckily there are good information desks helping you plot your way out. So you may not have a choice about visiting malls while in the city. Accept the mall. Be one with commercialism. Smile, you love shopping.

2) It’s freeeezing in here

A mall in Singapore.

Singapore is hot. Walking around the city, you’ll think it’s the hottest, most humid place you’ve ever been. Enter shopping malls. They are cold, very cold. And to most people this feels good. Feeling good goes hand in hand with spending a lot of money. There you have the secret to happiness in Singapore. Unfortunately, to the weak (myself included), this shuffling into the ice cold mall and out into the hot street can cause headaches. Why not stay inside the mall all day?

1) 1 +1 = 3

Shopping malls combine shopping with Singaporean’s second obsession: eating. This city is both eater’s and shopper’s paradise. Malls have food courts. These are not the disgusting and dirty food courts that you are used to back home. This is good food. And lots of it. A diverse range of independent stalls offer an array of sophisticated food choices at reasonable prices. Char kway teow (fried broad noodles) with cockles, lemon pepper beef rice, fish ball and wan tan soup, chicken rice, turnip and mushroom dumplings, kaya (coconut jam) toast and coffee,  just to name a few that I tried. The mall food court is the place to get good food at good prices. If you think Singaporeans have fashion sense, they have even better food sense.

There you have it. Malls rule Singapore. The next time you’re here, just try to avoid malls. I dare you.

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One of the most lively and interesting places in Singapore is Little India. Vastly different from the rest of the island, Little India is a neighborhood of shops spilling onto the sidewalks. Saris, flowers, CDs, trinkets, spices, vegetables are all being sold. Not only are the colors striking, but so are the sights and smells. A different incense is wafting out of each shop and from some, a Bollywood soundtrack is blasting.

In Little India there are a multitude of restaurants and cafes in between the shops. Men sit drinking Tiger beer in the evening, with their eyes glued to a film or football or cricket. There are plenty of construction jobs in Singapore that are filled with Indians, Sri Lankans, and Bangladeshis on two-year contracts. The permanent population of Indians makes about 9% of Singapore’s total 4.8 million.

Although still much cleaner and organized than the mother country, Singapore’s Little India is the closest you can come to chaos in this squeaky clean island country.

Check out my Flickr album for more photos of Singapore’s Little India.

Text and photos by Stephen Bugno

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

By Beau Miller

To tell somebody you are traveling to Oman is often met with confusion.

The corniche at Muttrah Port,Oman

“What are you doing in Amman?” is a typical response. “Where is that, exactly?” might be another. For those who hear correctly and know where Oman is, a feeling of befuddlement may give rise to such self-reflecting as to consider what there is to do in Oman or why they have not thought of visiting it before.

During the descent into Muscat, Oman’s landscape looks other-worldly, moonlike and jagged. For those with prior experience traveling in the Middle East, prepare for the comparatively well-oiled machine that is Oman. From customs, make for the taxi stands, where courteous drivers wait patiently for their turn to shuttle tourists to their hotels for the clearly-displayed fixed rates noted on a board at a dispatcher’s station.

For those who have risked their lives in traffic in the likes of Egypt or Lebanon, the cruise from the airport to a hotel along Oman’s well-marked and well-manicured highways could be startling, as it defies the stereotypes of Arab rules of the road. The rules being, there are no rules. Drivers here navigate within the dashed boundaries of their lanes and use turn signals to indicate their intention of changing lanes.

Shake off jet lag in Muttrah

Giant incense burner in Muttrah, Oman

Get your start in Oman in the port of Muttrah,  the home of Sultan Qiboos’ royal yacht, and the nearly un-navigable but beautiful Muttrah Suq. Here, the narrow alleyways of Muttrah, separate the blue waters of the Gulf of Oman and coarse, brown mountains and their perching fortresses. These fortresses, long-abandoned, seem to be the oldest buildings left in Oman, as the structures that once surrounded them have been replaced by Omani versions of the McMansion or more modern-looking hotels. A day or two in Muttrah is enough to shake any jet lag, familiarize oneself with their surroundings and plan next moves.

More than Muscat

Muscat is a fascinating introduction to Oman, but naturally doesn’t tell the country’s full story. Two of Oman’s biggest tourist draws lie at the extreme north and extreme south of the country. Musandam, separated from the bulk of Oman by part of UAE, is a diverse region of culture and commerce, and its shoreline combines dramatic cliffs dropping steeply and suddenly into pristine beaches.

Salalah, in the south is a popular tourist destination during the summer monsoon season thanks to its festivals and jungles. While airplane (or ferry in the case of Musandam) is recommended to reach Salalah or Musandam, look into acquiring some wheels in order to explore what lies between (i.e. the bulk of Oman).

Exploring Oman with 4-wheel drive

In order to ensure access to the best Oman has to offer, shell out for a four-wheel drive vehicle, a lesson which would later haunt me and my wallet. If you don’t have a guide book, get one, but don’t rely on being able to find one in Oman. A road map will also be essential.

The pools of Wadi Bani Khalid, Oman

Heading southwest from Muscat, one has the option of continuing on to the mountains of Jebel Akdhar and the Nizwa suq, or striking south through Sharqiya and the Wahibi Sands for Sur and the coast of the Arabian Sea. Timing is everything in both places. Jebel Akdhar boasts beautiful scenery and orchards heavy with different fruits and nuts, as well as a prosperous rose-water trade, at all times in the year besides what Lonely Planet insists is peak tourist season (November to March, in their estimation). Visit the area in September and October to get a better glimpse of village life and fuller experience of the region.

Sur is a convenient place from which to reach the Raz al-Jinz turtle reserve, which sees endangered sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs, primarily in the month of July. Outside the turtle nesting season, the city is largely devoid of tourists and no reason for them to be there at all. Use this to your advantage by negotiating a good price with hotels and comparing prices. A cheap bed for the night is a figurative diamond in the rough in Oman.

Experiencing the desert at Wahibi Sands

Like its neighbors, Oman has discovered that traditional lifestyles are a tourist attraction in and of themselves. This explains the success of Omani Berbers in converting the purpose of their tents from accommodating their families and livestock to accommodating those seeking out a bit of cultural tourism. These campgrounds are primarily in the Wahibi sands, and this is one place where four-wheel drive is necessary. A night in these camps can range in price from 20-40 Omani Riyals ($52-104 US) per person, hardly the Omani equivalent to a backpacker’s hostel. But beware! Those who go to Wahibi sands without a four-wheel drive vehicle will be subject to a 25 riyal transportation fee, which is often not advertised on the few websites advertising these. However, these camps offer a variety of activities, such as live traditional music, henna tattoos, and delicious food. Camel rides and cruises out into the desert to watch the sunset are commonly available (for an extra fee), and some campgrounds even offer you the chance to fire off a few rounds in the desert (as long as you pay for the bullets).

Entrance to Wahibi Sands campsite, Oman

If you’re not looking to burn away your intricately-designed riyals, avoid gimmicky activities and negotiate a rate of just a basic camping experience with your host. The serenity of the desert, the peace and stillness of being away from human settlements, and the spectacular night skies unfurled above these Berber camps are without comparison, and reason enough to make a visit to Wahibi Sands.

Located not far from the sands is the road toward another natural (and free) attraction, the pools of Wadi Bani Khaleid. Follow the signs and winding roads toward the pools and the Muqal cave. While the pools make for a refreshing dip any time of year, the trick is to go early. Tourist season or not, the wadi will be swarming with tour groups by mid-morning. Your best option is to get up with the sun from your campsite in Wahiba Sands, and make straight for Wadi Bani Khalid, whose entrance is approximately 15 kilometers away from that of Wahiba Sands.

The Pools of Wadi Bani Khalid

Follow the road until its end, and then start walking along paved trails to the first of the emerald-colored pools. Continue to follow the path along the water and the graffiti sprayed onto the walls of stone toward the Muqal cave. The pools feel much better after some spelunking rather than the other way around. The entrance to the cave is a 15-20 minute hike from the parking lot and is located after a concrete staircase going up on the right-side of the wall. Graffiti and discarded water bottles will mark the entrance. For those brave enough to enter the pitch-black world of bats and pancake-sized spiders, a head lamp or flashlight is a necessity. Watch your step and be sure to be aware of the direction you came from once inside the caves, though most likely, thoughts of splashing into the clear waters of the pools and the squeaking of bats inside the cave will dissuade you from venturing too deeply.

Dusk at Wahibi Sands, Oman

Finish your time in Wadi Bani Khalid by jumping from rock formations into the warm waters of the wadi. Though one might feel that they could remain in the warm, clear waters for an entire day, the minnow-like fish that subtly nibble on your toes will serve as a symbolic reminder of the need to keep moving in Oman.

Political unrest in the region

Recent regional unrest did not spare Oman, though it was far less widespread and intense than in neighboring Yemen.  Overall, many Omanis express support for the government and the development seen under the reign of Sultan Qaboos. The hospitality inherent in the conservative nature of Omanis is being institutionalized into a tourist economy. Globalization and petro-dollars are fueling the shift toward a culture of consumerism, and as a country of great contrasts, Oman presents a fascinating example of another country racing to redefine itself in the face of a changing world.

Beau Miller is the Executive Director of Helambu Project USA and a graduate of Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs. He is spiritually polygamous, a dog person, and, despite his vegetarianism, believes barbecue is America’s greatest contribution to the world.

By Stephen Bugno

I want to give independent travelers an idea of costs for traveling in Malaysia because it can be really helpful when planning your budget. I hear a lot of travelers complain that Malaysia is more expensive than Thailand. That may be true in some cases, but I noticed that very touristic places in Thailand, such as beach resorts like Ko Phi Phi, can be more expensive than the average place in Malaysia.

Laksa, a typical breakfast dish in Malaysia

Typically, prices in West Malaysia (peninsular Malaysia) are a bit cheaper than Borneo. Additionally, with the abundance of adventure tourism in Borneo, greater expenses can add up quite quickly. Especially when you factor in flying to and from Mulu National Park, which can easily add an extra $150 US to your trip.

Here is an example of the cost of an average day traveling in Malaysia.

A day’s expenses in Malaysia

Approximately 3 Malaysian Ringget = 1 US dollar.

Breakfast: dim sum, kaya bun (baked), and tea at a Chinese bakery:  5 RM

Local bus to bus station: 1.50 RM

Bus from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan (about 6 ½ hours): 25 RM (bargained down from 30)

Lunch: Beef rendang with veggies, rice and tea at rest area:  6.50 RM

Local bus into city:  .90 RM

Hotel (shared double room at 38 RM): 19 RM

Afternoon tea with banana fritters: 2 RM

Dinner on the waterfront: 7 RM

Lime juice on ice at bar (for free wifi): 2 RM

Total:  68.9 RM = $23.16 US

A fishmonger in Kota Kinabalu's might market

Meals, accommodation, and transport

When I did multi-day treks in the National Park or wildlife sightseeing tours, expenses averaged  $40-50 US per day. Most travelers in Borneo do one or more of these trips, so factor that into your budget.

Prepared meals, transportation, and accommodation are quite inexpensive in Malaysia, although maybe not as cheap as in neighboring countries like Indonesia and Thailand. But if you are careful about spending and stay at the simplest guesthouses or hostels, eat at local kopitiam (“coffee shop” hawker stalls), and use public transportation, you could budget between $20-30 per day. Add additional for above mentioned tours.

Air Asia, Malaysia's budget airline

In my experience, dorm beds have run from 15–40 RM and basic doubles with shared bath from 35-70 RM. Meals at street stalls and hawker centers range from about 1.50 RM for “economy” noodles to 6 RM for a nice bowl of laksa. Long distance buses are a good value as well. The 5 ½ hour trip from Penang to Kuala Lumpur is about 30 RM on a spacious, air-conditioned bus.

Malaysia is NOT one of the world’s great beer drinking nations, so I have almost eliminated beer out of my routine. The cheapest you can find beer is 5 or 6 RM per 330ml can. In bars it is much more expensive (8-20 RM). Being a Muslim-majority nation, you’ll have to search out bars or Chinese owned eating establishments to get a drink. My advice is to save your beer drinking for Vietnam!

Stephen Bugno is currently on a three month tour throughout southeast Asia including Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. He edits the GoMad Nomad Travel Mag and blogs at BohemianTraveler.com

By Stephen Bugno

Out on the Streets

The scene on the streets of Bangkok depends entirely on the neighborhood you are in, but expect to find plenty of activity. Lots of street food carts, makeshift souvenir stands, and markets filling the side streets. Avenues are crammed with cars, motorbikes, and the ubiquitous three-wheeled tuk-tuks. It’s moderately noisy and the air smells of exhaust most everywhere. The traffic situation is much better than it used to be before the BTS above-ground light rail and underground subway were built. Unfortunately, the before mentioned modes of transport are too expensive for the common person, and most city folk ride in buses without air-conditioning.

Some part of the business district are very modern but there remain residential neighborhoods tucked into back streets where you could feel as if you are in a small town or village.

Street Food

One cannot imagine Bangkok without the thought of street food. Not only snacks, but full meals can be had almost anywhere. Bowls of chicken, pork, and beef noodle soup are popular, stir frys, pad Thai, and buffet style trays where you can select your dish to go with rice. Seating is on low plastic stools around tables.

Food in Bangkok

Pineapple, papaya, melon, and both sweet and sour mango depending on the time of year, can be found anywhere. And don’t forget the banana pancakes—crepes folded into squares with a sliced banana and egg inside, then fried and smothered in sweetened condensed milk.

Costs

When your fee at the ATM machine is more expensive than your accommodation, you know you’re in an odd place. There is cheap accommodation to be had, but not usually as extreme as I got. I paid 120 baht ($4 US) for a single with shared bath at a little mom and pop guesthouse. You can get simple but adequate doubles for $15-30 US. Dorm beds are even cheaper.

A bowl of noodle soup on the street runs about a dollar. Pad Thai nearly the same, maybe a little more. Half a pineapple from a street vendor—about forty cents. Coffee from a street vendor, $1; in a western-style coffee shop, maybe $3. Dishes in a restaurant start at about $5-6.

A view from Chong Nonsi BTS station.

An hour-long massage will set you back $8—Thai massage, foot massage, oil massage, whatever you like. Taxis are cheap. The meter starts at  little over a dollar. Tuk-tuks can be more expensive depending on how you negotiate. The currency is the Thai Baht and 29 of them currently make one US dollar.

Peculiarities

Like it or not, sex tourism is part of the fabric of Bangkok and it has been ever since before US GIs used this city for R&R from the War in Vietnam. There are two main areas to go for this: Phat Phong and Nana. Even though prostitution is technically illegal, sex is big business and it’s here to stay.

Walking through either area some evening, men can expect to be attempted to be lured into every strip club and go-go bar by “bar girls” standing outside each of the bars. This is the closest men will come to being sexually harassed.

Medical Tourism is also part of modern Bangkok. Top-notch medical care can be found for low prices at three big hospitals in the city. In fact, my first trip to Bangkok in 2003 was for surgery. Many are flying from overseas to get both necessary and elective medical procedures done.

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) at night

Ladyboys are another phenomenon in Bangkok. Not only is homosexuality accepted here, but open transsexuality is as well. Some are cross-dressers, some transgender, and others transsexual—and there are plenty of hospitals in Bangkok that offer procedures to transform these men into women.

Sites

There’s enough in Bangkok to keep the tourist happily sightseeing for a few days. The National Museum, the Grand Palace, Wat Pho (temple with reclining Budda), all located in close proximity to the Chao Phraya River. Across the river is Wat Arun, or Temple of Dawn, a serene Khmer-style temple.

Chinatown is great for shopping, eating and walking around, as is the gigantic Chatuchak weekend market. Another good quickie is the Jim Thompson House.

Something of a site to witness is that of Khao San Road—Bangkok’s backpacker ghetto. It’s something of a cross between beach boardwalk debauchery and frat party gone wild. It’s the area of town with much of the cheap accommodation and bars, restaurants, and shops have sprung up accordingly to cater to backpacker needs and wants.

*This post is part of the What it’s like in series featuring snapshots into selected world places.

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My first afternoon in Bangkok I wandered around the back streets of Chinatown. Here Bangkok looks much as it did 100 years ago. Markets abound in the side streets and alleyways in between and around the two main parallel boulevards of Yaowarat and Charoen Krung. In Chinatown you’ll find everything from herbalists and gold dealers to restaurants serving specialties such as bird’s nest and shark fin soup.

Meet some of vendors of Chinatown in my photos below.  See the complete set of Bankok Chinatown photos in my Flickr album.

Text and images by Stephen Bugno

Submit your photo of the week to be featured at GoMad Nomad with a link back to your blog!  Send a photo with a paragraph or two describing the photo or your experience to gomadnomadtravelmag [@] gmail.com

Away from the crowds Yoyogi Park.

Editors note: At first I hesitated in publishing an article with “party” in the title after such a short period of time since the devastating tsunami, but this post is part of the #JapanLife and #Blog4Japan which aims to bring attention to Japan from bloggers around the world.

Before publication, author Tom Shuttleworth assured me that the “recent terrible events in the north of Japan have reverberated as far as Tokyo. Yet despite reports of a capital in crisis, Tokyoites are a resilient bunch and are getting out and getting on with life. This year’s hanami (cherry blossom parties) will go ahead and will offer the city a chance to reflect and kick start the rebuilding of a damaged, but not defeated, nation.”

By Tom Shuttleworth

Tokyo is unlikely to be competitive in any list of the world’s most aesthetically pleasing cities.  Yet, at the end of March/early April, when the cherry blossoms bloom, the ashtray grays and prefab designs of the urban sprawl only serve to highlight the delicate beauty of this ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ flirtation with stunning nature.

Sakura (cherry blossom) draws the city’s residents out in their droves to set up camp under the trees for a picnic and a party.  If you want chaos, contemplation, romance or a personal photo worthy of any coffee table publication, this is the time to come to Tokyo.

So, where’s the party at?

Ueno Park

Not the best place for a quiet nap Ueno Park.

Ueno used to be the big hitter in Tokyo.  That was until the more important transport links (and thus all the money) moved to Shinjuku and Marunouchi.  Its last remaining glory is its park.  Whilst the rest of the area begins to resemble a back street of Bangkok’s Khao San Road area, the park brags about having the highest concentration of world class museums on the planet, and a whole load of cherry blossom trees to boot.  This idle boast keeps Ueno firmly on the tourist map.  Indeed, what could be more civilized than strolling around a park littered with Rodin’s sculptures framed by the fragile beauty of cherry blossom?

Well, not quite.  Ueno’s beat streets have always crept into the park.  It has a large homeless community, student layabouts from nearby Tokyo University and a smattering of budget backpackers looking to kill time in a free museum.

The park has no grass (a bit odd for a park) which makes comfy seating tricky.  Space under cherry blossom trees during weekends is at a premium and sheets of tarpaulin are laid down under the best trees earlier than a German holidaymaker’s towel on a sun lounger.  That said, the robust, no frills Ueno character makes for a hearty atmosphere, with everyone enjoying the simple pleasures of beer, the outdoors and the company of friends.  Plus, if staring at flowers for hours on end is likely to induce boredom then there are those world class galleries and museums to break up the day.

Elbows out! - Main sakura avenue, Ueno Park

Shinjuku Gyoen

Whilst most visitors to Shinjuku are siphoned out of the chaos of the world’s busiest train station into tower blocks and strip clubs, Shinjuku Gyoen remains a stately oasis of calm.  In fact, with so much hallucinatory neon in Shinjuku, it’s easy to forget that it’s here at all.  Strange then, that it should be so arrogant as to have ticket gates and an entrance fee.  It must be trying to keep out the riff raff.

This is a park that frowns upon frivolity and unchecked fun.  Breaking out the Frisbee or football on its inviting swathes of manicured grass is forbidden and be sure not to leave behind beer cans and cigarette butts.

The landscape here has been thought about.  Everything has its place, its design and it affords plenty of romantic views through trees to towering skyscrapers.  What it lacks in party atmosphere it makes up for in aesthetic appeal and abundant space.  The photo opportunities couldn’t get more Japanese unless you moved the whole set-up to the base of Mt. Fuji.

Shinjuku Gyoen is a place to enjoy the serenity of sakura rather than it being an excuse to get drunk outdoors.

Yoyogi Park

Away from the crowds Yoyogi Park.

Yoyogi during cherry blossom season (everything is a season in Japan, even two weeks) is a toned down version of your favorite summer music festival, with petals.  No surprise really, given its proximity to the ‘I’m hipper than you are’ districts of Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando.  So, expect lots of funky young hipsters, groups of students and Western guys ogling the local talent.  All of which comes replete with a turntable trance soundtrack and the lingering whiff of empty beers cans.

Away from the main areas, however, Yoyogi is welcoming to all with plenty of space to breathe and do, well, anything you want – play sports, jog, strum your guitar, rehearse your one man art show or smooch with a lover.  In a way, Yoyogi is like McDonalds, a leveler of society.  Whoever you are, however much money you have, no one cares.  Just hang loose and do your thing.

Yoyogi comes highly recommended.  Just don’t come with your parents, you square!

Marunouchi

Time for a little romance Marunouchi.

Marunouchi occupies the geographical heart of Tokyo.  It’s an area of wealthy business and national politics.  The Tokyoites around here wear Italian made leather shoes and shop for hardback books on business plans and economic futures.  No one would dream of Shinjuku’s sleaze or Shibuya’s pop trash.  Hell, there isn’t a ‘red light’ establishment to be seen.  And, for Japan, that is unusual.

The centerpiece for this civility is the residence of the Imperial family, an unseen palace surrounded by cherry blossom trees, imposing grassy banks and a network of moats.  At one point, this was the site of the largest castle in the world, hence the moats.  The castle no longer stands but the pathways that circulate the area make for a pleasant stroll through some beautiful avenues of sakura.

Seating in this area is limited and thus very crowded.  However, setting up camp misses the point here.  This a place to walk arm in arm with a partner or stretch your legs whilst setting the world to rights with a good mate.  Along the route (maps are available but not needed) there are some great places to get that quintessential ‘Japanese’ photo—branches of cherry blossom reaching out to the water, framed by the exotic curl of a temple roof.

If you want a hassle free, fluid viewing experience, this is the place to come.

Yasukuni Shrine

Despite any controversy Yasukini Shrine remains a popular place to see the cherry blossom.

For anyone in the know, Yasukuni might seem an odd place to enjoy the casual frivolity of a sakura party.  This is a shrine that houses the spirits of Japan’s war dead along with some Class A war criminals.  Annual visits by leading politicians draw understandable anger from neighboring Korea and China whilst draconian, right-wing, lunatics often use it as back drop for their brain hemorrhage inducing diatribe.

The shrine and its grounds are a juxtaposition of the imposing and the fragile, perhaps befitting of its purpose.  There are authoritarian pillars and delicate gardens, a mighty looking tori (gate) and of course, lots of cherry blossom.

When it blooms, Yasukini becomes inexplicably popular.  The long avenue that leads to the shrine plays temporary home to myriad of stalls and BBQ’s.  Tables and chairs are laid out under the blossoming trees and the robust food is washed down with plenty of cheep beer.  Things here really kick off late afternoon/ early evening when the office workers clock off.  You’ll be sharing space with business types who don’t want to get their suits dirty by sitting on the ground and giggle like school children when the breeze causes an impromptu shower of nature’s confetti.

Is having fun in such a somber, controversial place inappropriate?  Is it a sign of remembrance infused with a desire to look forward positively?  Or, is it simply the nearest place to catch some cherry blossom after work?

Do some research and decide for yourself.

Tom Shuttleworth is a keen traveler, having backpacked on five continents and currently lives in Tokyo where he has been working for three years. This is his first article for GoMad Nomad.

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Dear GoMad Nomad,

My fiancé and I are looking into trying to teach English in Asia –our short list at the moment is Japan, China, and Korea. This is a new and exciting idea that just popped up a few days ago, so I don’t know a lot. I know that we would want to leave this summer or fall. We would like to go for a year. We want to live in a big city.

My students and I at school in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

What are your experiences – where have you gone? How did you set them up? Would you recommend them?

I found a couple programs online that help you get the TEFL certification; they set up a job for you, set up your housing, visa, and provide insurance. They have an upfront program fee, but then you also get paid through the contract they set up with the school. It kind of seems like it might be an easy option, but I wonder if it’s easy enough to set up by yourself.

Also, what do you think about getting the TEFL or CELTA certification? Is it necessary to get a job?

-Carolyn in Arizona

Dear Carolyn,

I’ve taught at a private academy in Spain, short-term contracts in Korea, a school year in Mongolia, in Palestine, and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uzbekistan.

I never got any certification because I came out of the Peace Corps with two years experience and got my following jobs based on that experience.

Some jobs require you to have a TEFL or CELTA certificate, but many do not. Often you might get a few hundred dollars more each month if you have the certificate, but basic requirement for teaching English in Asia are simply to be a native speaker and hold a bachelor’s degree. Any education or work experience beyond this and you just increase the quality of your working conditions and salary.

As far as looking for job openings, Dave Sperling’s ESL Café is my goto site.

I have organized all my teaching contracts myself—either directly with the school or through a recruiter.  So I don’t have experience with any programs that help you get the TEFL certification, set up a job for you and handle all the logistics. I don’t think it’s especially difficult to set everything up independently, but it is more work than going through a program. You just need to know what the norms are for pay, teaching hours, and work conditions so you aren’t taken advantage of.

I’ll try to sum up and generalize theses Asian countries for teaching:

Japan: Good salary, but high cost of living = not much money saved up. I’ve never been to Japan, but nearly everyone I’ve talk to loves it there.

South Korea: Decent working conditions, good pay, reasonable cost of living, fun place to live = happy ESL teachers with money in their pocket after contract finishes. And there is an abundance of jobs.

China:  Lower salaries but low cost of living (outside Beijing and Shanghai anyway). Teach in China for the experience of living in China and a chance to learn some Chinese. Lots of job opportunities.

Taiwan: I’ve never been to Taiwan, but from what I hear, it falls somewhere in middle between China and Korea in terms of earnings and cost of living.

If you want to teach this fall, it’s a good idea to get started because South Korea, I know, has new requirements for their visa. Now you need a federal criminal background check which takes up to three months to complete. So you might want to get started in the process earlier, rather than later, no matter where you are planning to teach.

-Stephen

Have you taught English in Asia? Please comment below to add to the discussion.