…ee predominantly Muslim countries located in the region. They also legally practice freedom of religion. With three essentially Islamic countries and scattered Muslim communities throughout the area, you’ll find plenty of beautiful mosques while traveling through SE Asia. Architecture, detailing, color, ornamentation and scale vary tremendously. Large, stately ornate mosques grace many cities and towns while small modest mosques often serve villag…
…while I’m there. Others are communal toilets in hostels or other budget accommodation. Many are public toilets – at bus stations, airports, markets, museums, parks and restaurants. common bathrooms at budget hotel I don’t mind a bit. As long as I have a place to do ‘my business’ I’m a happy camper. But I have met a lot of travelers who are just loathe to use public toilets, especially men for some odd reason. (maybe they just prefer to pee outsid…
…o far? Why do you love them so much? My most favourite place is Brazil, no competition. They are warm, friendly, open, musical, hygienic, beautiful, easy-going, relaxed and yet intelligent, interesting, fun, hard working, advanced and efficient in many ways. After that I also really like Spain! Spaniards visited my hometown for the summer to learn English when I was a teenager. I never learned Spanish from them, but I did hang out with them a lot…
…ering inside vast churches and visiting a few museums. If possible, join a Free Walking Tour of the area. The guides point out a lot of intriguing details on the streets and buildings that you probably wouldn’t even notice on your own, let alone know their historic details. 6. Visit Ancient Pyramids in the center of Lima When the Spanish invaded this part of South America, they established their capital city at Lima, directly on top of previous ci…
…h the mangrove river system at Kilim River, part of Langkawi GeoPark, on a guided tour. Guides will teach you about the birds, monkeys, snakes and other mangrove creatures as well as the mangrove eco-system itself. You might sight Langkawi’s famous Sea Eagles and visit caves. Kayaking is a fantastic, quiet, ecologically-sound way to visit the mangrove rivers. Alternately, you can rent a sea kayak at Cenang Beach and at several resorts to paddle al…
…ok review coming soon) Since I’m in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the city has become my practice grounds. This photo gallery of vibrant scenes around KL is the ‘premier’ of my newly found photo skills, all thanks to Beth. No doubt I’ll be improving by leaps and bounds, but these are a great start. For now, I’m pleased to present these colorful sunrises, night scenes, temples and architecture, along with other miscellaneous vibrant shots. Hope you enjoy…
…D GAME Happy New Year! Japan rings in the new year with the rather unusual practice of an annual New Year’s card game. Modern versions are played all over Japan in people’s homes. Kyoto presents to the public a much more elaborate version at Yasuka Shrine, where players dress in spectacular period silk kimono and compete in an outdoor temple pavillion. I watched the festive games one winter while living in Kyoto. Enjoy these colorful scenes. SEE F…
…n Ubud, Bali’s ‘cultural heart’, almost nightly dance drama performances accompanied by live gamelan are performed for tourists. In Ubud you can also watch dynamic rehearsals and even occasional gamelan competitions. elaborately carved and gilded design on an Ubud gamelan ‘marimba’ Upscale hotels and restaurants in Bali’s major tourist areas also present regular dance/ drama/ gamelan performances during dinner. In addition many shops, restaurants…
…mean we can eat out when we want, go diving, etc. etc. There’s an immense freedom there that’s quite hard to comprehend until you’re actually doing it. It’s also giving Z an amazing education. He’s confident interacting with nomadic hunter-gatherers in the depths of the jungle, successful Western adults in upscale restaurants, and at the same time of being a very normal little boy with other kids. His knowledge of history, religion, geography, li…
…ice. Whatever the reason, the obnoxious noise, chaos and poor service that comes with budget travel life sometimes leaves me feeling quite perplexed, annoyed or exasperated. landscaped garden So, when budget life becomes too overwhelming I resort to my favorite ‘secret’ travel hobby. I seek out a luxury hotel or resort, where I can escape to serenity, calm and impeccable service. Stayed tuned next week when I present: Budget Travelers’ Guide to Ad…
Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. Iām passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
