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Thanks guys. Looks like live games are out  . I guess I could look into renting somewhere with a broadband connection for a month or so later on and live out my dream as the worlds most busto poker pro, for now I'll just worry about were I'm going to sleep once I land.
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Apr 9, 2010 00:37
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Quite a few poker pros live in Thailand (I know a bunch). Underground gambling definitely does go on, especially in the hiso and elite circles, but unless you know the right people you won't be joining in, which means Poipet is your only option. No issue with accessing online poker sites but you won't be getting a good enough connection at your average Khao San hostel (ie. you'll want to be staying in a proper hotel or a serviced apartment if you want to be able to play).
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Apr 9, 2010 02:48
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I wouldn't get too hung up on booking Air Asia/Jetstar/Tiger/Nok/etc flights weeks in advance. I was still getting stupidly cheap fares a day or two before flying. It's well worth signing up to the low coast carrier email alerts, some of the sales are crazy (free plus tax, for example) and they happen fairly frequently. If the dates work out, it's win/win.
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Apr 9, 2010 03:22
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Alright, so here's the bloody rube asking if he's gonna die: My wife 'n I have a flight to Bangkok on Friday, April 17th from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We'll be landing on Sunday the 19th to meet up with a tour from GAP Adventures heading out of Bangkok on the 20th (or 21st, I'll let the wife worry about the details). The tour is mainly northern Thailand for about two weeks then afterwards we're planning on heading south on our own for a week or so before flying back. She's started to get pretty worried about the whole Red Shirt thing going on right now. Should we be? Any chance anyone in or around Bangkok right now might be willing to PM me to calm her down (and maybe me a little too)? (We're doing the tour company thing mainly because we're somewhat short on time (spending an extra week afterwards on our own) and we just can't be bothered to work out a tight schedule on our own.) (Hurrr... ma gurlfrend!)
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Apr 9, 2010 03:54
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Melraidin: I'm in Bangkok right now and as I'm reading your post an endless stream of red shirts have been driving past my apartment for the last 20 minutes. Yes, there are so many of them they occupy streets for hours whenever they move somewhere. I took these pics yesterday, in the center of Bangkok where all the big shopping malls are. This is usually a busy intersection full of traffic.   But to answer your question, I think you'll be fine. I think the government will do something soon because this has been going on for too long now. Even if things get nasty I find it unlikely they would hurt tourists. And you say you won't be in Bangkok either which is good. If something bad's going to happen it'll probably be in Bangkok. Just make sure you allow some extra time while getting around in Bangkok because the traffic jams are out of this world.
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Apr 9, 2010 06:29
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Ringo R posted:Melraidin: I'm in Bangkok right now and as I'm reading your post an endless stream of red shirts have been driving past my apartment for the last 20 minutes. Yes, there are so many of them they occupy streets for hours whenever they move somewhere. I took these pics yesterday, in the center of Bangkok where all the big shopping malls are. This is usually a busy intersection full of traffic. I'm on the other side of town. How many redshirts have I seen in the past month? 4. The odd thing about these types of things is that they are very confined to specific locations. If you don't go to an area where there is a protest, you will just not be aware of it happening. It's a bit weird in that respect. I can pretty much guarantee that you will both be fine.
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Apr 9, 2010 07:06
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I'm in Bangkok right now although I'm catching a train out of here tonight so I'm killing time as I had to check out of the Hostel at 12pm and the train's not till 22:50. Just going to say the same as has been said before. There are LOTS of red shirts about but you only really notice them if you accidently come accross one of their protests. All the taxi drivers know where they are and will tell you. My hostel reception staff have been good for letting me know each morning where to avoid, you just need to ask. I did accidently walk through a big camp of them Wednesday night and although there weren't any other westerners around I didn't feel too unsafe. I just smiled a lot and walked back out of them pretty quickly! The main problem at the moment is the traffic and the fact that the protesters are clogging up a lot of the tourist spots which is a bit of a ball ache. I'm heading down to Ko Tao tonight via a sleeper train. I booked pretty late so I've only got a reclining seat. One thing I would say about coming out here is make sure you get your shots done in plenty of time, especially if you're from the UK as it can save you money. I didn't organise it soon enough and so had to go privatly for all of them and it cost me about 250GBP, even after spending that I'm not fully covered for rabies and didn't have the ones for Japanese Encephalitis.
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Apr 9, 2010 11:48
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They're actually quite friendly in my experience. The only thing you need to be worried about is being around when something goes down. Like if they decide to bumrush parliament at that moment or if the cops decide to harass them at that moment then things can become unsafe, but by and large they're just regular nice Thai people who happen to be (okay, so maybe not 'happen to be', heh) loving up traffic with their protest. I wouldn't worry about safety at all, like spog said you might not even see the mob unless it happens to be moving which does take forever. The only potential problems will be logistical - traffic and any possible shutdowns of services like BTS or (God forbid) the airport. The airport thing actually was pretty annoying, but I doubt that'll happen again. Yellow shirts definitely made sure no one else will take that place and hold it easily. On a side note, you will go through a LOT of military and police checkpoints if you're outside of the tourist zone after dark. Nothing to worry about at all, but armed soldiers (they have guns now since the SoE) can be scary for non-American Westerners in my experience.
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Apr 9, 2010 12:33
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Is there anywhere in BKK where I can get good deals on flights home (UK). I've only ever booked online, I don't know if there are deals to be had buying in person etc.
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Apr 9, 2010 15:39
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Fox1 posted:Is there anywhere in BKK where I can get good deals on flights home (UK). I've only ever booked online, I don't know if there are deals to be had buying in person etc.
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Apr 9, 2010 15:42
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Fox1 posted:Is there anywhere in BKK where I can get good deals on flights home (UK). I've only ever booked online, I don't know if there are deals to be had buying in person etc. Try the TAT office too, I had to book a flight home last minute and a tuk-tuk driver recommended I go there first. Flight turned out to be cheaper than the original one I'd booked months in advance after shopping around on the internet, and was on a nicer airline (Cathay Pacific).
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Apr 9, 2010 15:48
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Picksure Tiem!   Red shirts vs Police  Red shirts attempt to enter the police hospital but the police manage to hold them back.   Red shirts retreat and send in... monks! Surely the police won't touch the monks.  The police answer with... women!  This is leading nowhere so the leaders meet  And that was that. Well done, Somchai! 
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Apr 9, 2010 20:00
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Oh man, you got pictures of the monk/chick standoff? That's awesome. All I got were a few iPhone shots of the lorring thundel coming down Phaholyothin and having a blast. It's like a Xerg rush when they go on the move. It just keeps coming. I swear to God, Thai people may be the first nationality in history to protest en masse on motorbike, which is fitting because everything else here is done on motorbike. EDIT: I never did figure out why they went after Police Hospital. I thought hospitals had a kind of noncombatant status. I mean I know everyone here hates cops and I know why, but still, heh. EDIT EDIT: Black pajamas, red scarves - oh no, this is not good: EDIT EDIT EDIT: The current rumor, if your Thai friends haven't passed it on yet, is that Thaksin is sick with cancer in Dubai and dying. This country, lacking a free press, thrives on rumor. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 20:22 on Apr 9, 2010 |
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Apr 9, 2010 20:04
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ReindeerF posted:queen scouts get their riot control badge
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Apr 9, 2010 20:33
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Ringo R posted:Picksure Tiem! Dude, those are great shots, especially in sequence like that. (For those of you not in the know, monks cannot touch/be touched by women). Tag the hell out of them, you might get a news outlet looking to license something.
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Apr 9, 2010 21:24
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Fox1 posted:Is there anywhere in BKK where I can get good deals on flights home (UK). I've only ever booked online, I don't know if there are deals to be had buying in person etc. Make sure you go to the legit airline office. When I was in Bangkok and Hanoi trying to arrange flights there were soooooooo many other 'offices' that basically copied the logos. You could get flights, but they were more expensive, and I wasn't too trusting of them. I actually got my flights in the airport in the end as I was only doing a short journey and didn't need it in advance.
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Apr 9, 2010 21:46
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Ringo R posted:Red shirts retreat and send in... monks! Surely the police won't touch the monks. hehe Thailand kicks rear end If Thaksin is indeed sick and croaks then I guess I become a red shirter, sort of. You should watermark some of those action shots. Someone will steal them. raton fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Apr 9, 2010 |
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Apr 9, 2010 23:07
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Fox1 posted:Is there anywhere in BKK where I can get good deals on flights home (UK). I've only ever booked online, I don't know if there are deals to be had buying in person etc. Cheapest flights out of Asia I found were on Air Asia for about £180 from KL. And you can get their easily enough with a train to Satun, Ferry to Langkawi > Penang then bus. Guess it depends how much time you have.
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Apr 10, 2010 00:55
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Yeah Ringo, holy poo poo those are sweet! You should post some in PAD
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Apr 10, 2010 02:26
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I'm more than likely getting laid off in the fall, two weeks after the final space shuttle mission. In October, the lease on my apartment runs out and my roommate will be leaving to move in with his girlfriend. I'll have no debt save for student loans (which I don't pay when I don't have a job) and no wife or kids. I also get a "completion bonus" for when I get laid off for somewhere around $20,000 which I'm gonna guess will be at a minimum of $15,000 after taxes. I thought about bumming around the US for a couple months then maybe going on vacation for a couple weeks, but after reading this thread, I know I'm gonna do. I don't want to spend all of that but I'm assuming I could spend 8 months, maybe more, living cheap for half of that. It's a pity I can't collect $1200 a month in unemployment while I'm over there  It sounds like I should just get a ticket, not plan anything, and just go. I'm fine with that but I'd like to make sure I open up as many doors as I can beforehand. I got a few random questions I'll separate if anyone feels like answering one or two. ________ Visas, I've never been to a country that requires a visa. So Thailand is 30 or 60 days right? If I go over for 8 months or longer, I'm sure that's not going to be enough time. What do I do? Do I just plan to visit a few weeks in a neighboring country (which of course I hope to do anyway) and come to a refreshed 30 or 60 day visa? How long do I have to stay out? I have also heard, in order to get a visa, I have to have a ticket out of the country? Does this mean I have to buy a round trip plane ticket or what? I'd rather just get a one way ticket since I'd have no idea when I'd want to come back. ________ Vaccinations. Looks like I got plenty of time to get this done. Should I just go to my GP and ask about them or is there a special place I should go? I have a feeling my GP is gonna say "thanks for the copay, I'll refer you to another place where they have the shots so you can pay another copay". I'm in the US if you didn't catch it. _________ Photographers. I see a lot of people from dorkroom and I know I've seen some of you post about shooting over there but I forgot. I got a couple questions about gear and security. So what did you bring? I know I'll at least bring my 50D, 17-50, and 70-200 2.8, and 580ex. Maybe pick up a tele extender if I can. That would have me pretty well covered. I guess I might as well bring my 50 1.8 and 85 1.8 too. I can get by without them but I'd hate to be over there and want them when they're really not that big and bulky. I'd hate to add stuff but I'm thinking I should pick up a small, backpackable tripod too. Thoughts? I'd rather not bring it, but since I'm going to be shooting a lot, I think I'm going have to bring my Macbook Pro. I can't imagine dumping several months of photos into aperture then trying to process them all at once. That'd take a long time and I'd like to post photos when I'm over there. If I wasn't a photographer I would be completely cool with out a laptop, however, I don't see a good solution around this. Then again, I might also try to get into online poker again before I leave so a laptop would be needed there too. How dangerous is it to shoot over there (dangerous meaning getting your gear stolen because that's all we care about right??)? I'd feel like a big target when I pull out a camera worth several months of someone's salary. I plan to keep my camera in a nondescript bag, but is there any other precautions I should take? Cover the canon logo? Get a cover if I get a white L lens? Is it safe to leave gear in a hotel room (or what ever you call the $2 a night shithole I'll be staying in)? Did you guys get scared about getting your gear stolen at any point? I plan to get traveler's insurance but I'd rather not get my poo poo stolen in the first place. Have you guys run into places you can't shoot because it was a bad idea or due to the local laws? I'm just curious of how different it is than over here. What about buying gear over there? I'm sure I'll have all the gear I need before I leave but if something breaks, I might need to replace it. Is stuff more expensive over there or cheaper? I'm always on the lookout for good deals too. _________ Diving, I don't know how to dive and I don't know much about it. I don't know how much or if I will dive over there but I figure I should open up that door. I see that I have to get certified. Should I do it over here or there? I know a guy at work who teaches it out of his swimming pool, so I guess I could get a good discount. I'm a a big dude, will I have problems renting gear over there? _________ Motorcycles. I've never ridden nor know how to shift gears. I'd like to fix that before I get over there. I'm in Florida. Should I just take the Basic Motorcycle Rider Course for my license endorsement? Will that be enough? I don't plan on buying or riding a bike over here. Also would I need an International Driving Permit before I go? _______ Forbidden Lands. It seems like everyone understandably avoids Myanmar, but if I wanted to go? I think it'd be cool to check out some crazy oppressed country. I think an "on rails" tour for a few days would be enough. Is there anything affordable/possible like this? North Korea, has anyone been? I know it's a good ways from Thailand but is there a cheap way to get Beijing? Can I get by for cheap in Beijing for a day or two? I think it'd be cool to go if I could while I'm on that side of the world. _______ Airports. Flying from the US (either Orlando or Atlanta) is it cheapest to just fly into BKK? Or is there another , cheaper place to fly into? I'll have plenty of time on my hands so another jump isn't a big deal. _______ I know that's a lot of questions and I'm sure I'll have more, but thanks.
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Apr 10, 2010 20:09
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Dorkroom reprazent! Definitely bring your primes and a laptop, maybe even invest in a netbook. When you first get there you'll probably haul around your heavy zooms to every temple but once you settle down you'll just slap on a prime and walk around town. Nothing like getting lost in maze-like backstreets with just your nifty fifty. It's also fun going out drinking and taking pictures you won't remember the next day. A suggestion: Rent a place for a month or two somewhere and use it as a base to explore smaller towns. I recently went to Malaysia with just my camera and some clothes, leaving all my other belongings in Thailand. It was awesome to get off the plane and walk around effortlessly looking for a hotel. Other travellers with huge backpacks looked less amused.
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Apr 10, 2010 21:12
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Haggins posted:Visas, What you used to do was stay for two months and then cross a border and come back for another two months. The visa situation changes from time to time though and I don't have current info. If no one else specifically answers your question you should go to the forums at thaivisa.com and they will. Some people in your situation arrange for a business visa even though they're obviously tourists. How they go about doing that I'm not sure, but from the people I met who did that it can't be very hard... quote:I have also heard, in order to get a visa, I have to have a ticket out of the country? Does this mean I have to buy a round trip plane ticket or what? I'd rather just get a one way ticket since I'd have no idea when I'd want to come back. Technically yes, but it's actually something the Thai visa folks usually don't care about. Other countries are more picky. You should buy a round trip ticket anyway. Buy it with a return 364 days from when you leave (airline tickets last for a year's duration) with a major airline, then when you want to come back you call them up, pay a 100 dollar or so "adjustment" fee and go to the airport. One round trip ticket will be cheaper than two one ways and you'll still come out ahead even with the fee, plus this way you have a way to get home no matter how drunk and debauched you get. quote:Vaccinations. Did you read the vaccinations thing I wrote? Go to a clinic. Google for "MY CITY vaccination clinic" or "MY CITY travel clinic." If that doesn't work try calling the health center at a nearby university (you don't have to be a student) and ask them where people go to get cheap vaccinations. If you live in NYC you can also call 311 to get this info. quote:Photographers. I'm not a photographer. There is a risk that someone will see you have nice camera poo poo and steal it. I traveled with a laptop while there and just kept it out of sight in my normal backpack until I was in a room. Apply the same kind of common sense to your camera equipment and you'll be fine -- of course you have to get it out in public to use it, but the chance of getting a really great picture should outweigh any worry you have about losing your equipment. Worse comes to worse it gets stolen and you go pick up a point and shoot for the rest of your trip. Do back your photos up periodically. Any internet cafe will burn DVDs for you, so just take them in and get them burned every two or three weeks. Backing up your photos onto your computer doesn't count, by the way, as a computer is something that might get stolen right along with your gear. I met several people who had had their cameras stolen in the two years I lived in Bangkok and every single one of them, no matter how expensive their gear, was much more upset about losing the pictures than losing the gear. quote:Diving, I don't know how to dive and I don't know much about it. I don't know how much or if I will dive over there but I figure I should open up that door. I see that I have to get certified. There's a whole industry in Thailand that will teach you how to scuba dive. Your first day is usually in a pool, and on the second day you're out in the ocean. It would be insane to get certified before going over. Don't worry about gear -- you're a big guy, sure, but Thailand gets tons of tourists and someone will have stuff that fits you. If you knew you were going to become Mr. Diver Man maybe you would want to buy gear, but knowing what you know now just go over and use the rental stuff. It'll be fine. Also, you'll be booking dive trips anyway as most of the sites are a ways off shore and you need a boat to get out there so it's not like not having your own stuff is going to hamper your ability to see what you want to see -- you're going to have to make a connection with a local anyway to get out there. That same guy will rent gear. quote:Motorcycles. I've never ridden nor know how to shift gears. I'd like to fix that before I get over there. I'm in Florida. Should I just take the Basic Motorcycle Rider Course for my license endorsement? Will that be enough? I don't plan on buying or riding a bike over here. Most of the bikes you rent in Thailand don't have a real clutch. They have a little pedal you stomp on to gear up, and pull on (or stomp on the back part of the lever) to gear down. Many are also "semi automatic" and will try to shift for you but you can override them by stomping. It's easier than shifting gears on a bicycle. That being said, there's nothing wrong with taking a motorcycle safety course in Florida before you go over. An endorsement is unnecessary as a "ticket" is going to be a 500B bribe for the cop no matter if you're papered or not in Thailand, but the course is still a good idea for sake of you saving skin. When starting out on your first bike just start it in third gear instead of first and you'll be going slowly enough to not do anything stupid. If you're a huge fat guy or going up a hill use second. quote:Also would I need an International Driving Permit before I go? The only time I drove in Bangkok was when I was taking some blasted girl home in her BMW, and again, if you get pulled over big deal, the cop will just want his bribe anyway. Those permits also expire three months after you get them, and your first three are the least likely ones for you to be behind a wheel, so it's not worth the even minimal effort it takes to get one IMO. In Bangkok there are taxis everywhere and it's hard to pay more than five bucks to get where you want to go. Outside of Bangkok there isn't much of a reason to try to rent a car instead of a motorbike. All in all it's just really unlikely that you'll be driving anything with more than two wheels (or three if you bribe a tuk tuk guy because you want to see what it's like) while in SE Asia. quote:Forbidden Lands. It seems like everyone understandably avoids Myanmar, but if I wanted to go? I think it'd be cool to check out some crazy oppressed country. I think an "on rails" tour for a few days would be enough. Is there anything affordable/possible like this? Not everyone avoids it, and in fact I'm the only person in this thread as far as I can tell that is very vocal about not going unless you can do it responsibly. Fly into Rangoon on a non-Burmese airline (if possible) and see how far you can get while staying off the government's grid if you're going to do it. You have to fly in and out of Burma, there aren't really roads connecting most of the country to any other country. quote:North Korea, has anyone been? I know it's a good ways from Thailand but is there a cheap way to get Beijing? Can I get by for cheap in Beijing for a day or two? I think it'd be cool to go if I could while I'm on that side of the world. That's an entirely separate trip. Beijing is quite a ways away from Thailand, maybe about like flying from Florida to London. I've not been to North Korea so that's about as much as I can say. You could def. do it with the time / money you have, jet fuel is going to be the biggest expense. Personally I'd rather do my bigger excursion to India / Nepal / Tibet than to Beijing / North Korea, but that's a taste thing. quote:Airports. Flying from the US (either Orlando or Atlanta) is it cheapest to just fly into BKK? Or is there another , cheaper place to fly into? I'll have plenty of time on my hands so another jump isn't a big deal. Go to Kayak.com and ask it. BKK is one of the world's major flight hubs though and trying to save a few dollars by flying to Malaysia instead is madness if Thailand is where you want to go. For the distance you're traveling BKK is probably going to be your cheapest option anyway. If you want a cheap ticket just do what I did the first time I went over and book a flight that has two 18 hour layovers 
raton fucked around with this message at 02:28 on Apr 11, 2010 |
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Apr 10, 2010 21:43
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Haggins posted:I'm more than likely getting laid off in the fall, two weeks after the final space shuttle mission. Depending on what you have to do with the space shuttle, going to North Korea might be a really, really bad idea. Have you thought this through?
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Apr 10, 2010 23:23
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I don't know anything about cameras but that sounds like a lot of stuff. Keep in mind you are only going to have a backpack to hold your entire life. You put like 9 camera pieces in there and a macbook and you are half filled up already. That being said I am so jealous, I hope to head over sometime in the summer or fall depending on if I have the balls to quit my job
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Apr 11, 2010 02:32
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I'm in a slightly different scenario in that I'm here on a job and have a secure home base (corporate hotel) where I can safely leave extra lenses/photo gear. When I go on trips around the region, I'm with Ringo, primes are where it's at. I currently have a 50/1.8 and 85/1.8 but I'm hoping to pick up a 35/2 this weekend. Camera body, 35/2 and 85/1.8 is pretty small (and not white). I'd nix the tripod, I brought one and it sits in the hotel. As a photog, I understand the need for a computer. Is yours a 13"? If so, I'd bring it as well. I'd leave the flash at home, if you're worried about sticking out with your slr, imagine adding a big huge flash on top of that too... I also agree with the idea that less is more. I've seen some people lugging around huge 80L packs and they look miserable. Simply not being able to move around sucks so bad. Always bumping into people and poo poo. Plus I feel like the bigger the pack, the less likely I am to notice someone stealing something while I'm standing in a crowded area because people are bumping into me anyway. I have a simple northface computer backpack that I travel with. I believe it's called the Surge. Stuff some clothes in the bottom, put camera and extra lens near the top, good to go. Easy access, inconspicuous, can wrap the extra lens in a shirt. I could not imagine carrying 4 lenses around on top of all my clothes.
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Apr 11, 2010 02:49
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Haggins posted:Visas, I've never been to a country that requires a visa. So Thailand is 30 or 60 days right? If I go over for 8 months or longer, I'm sure that's not going to be enough time. What do I do? Do I just plan to visit a few weeks in a neighboring country (which of course I hope to do anyway) and come to a refreshed 30 or 60 day visa? How long do I have to stay out? If the situation has changed in the past few months then this information will be incorrect. Otherwise... it's more or less accurate. If you were to just show up at the border at an airport as a tourist, you'll probably be given a 30 day entry permit. This is not a visa - don't go to the "visa on arrival" office. If arriving by land, this period will be 15 days. Thankfully, it's easy and cheap to enter Thailand by air from nearby countries: one example could be to travel south, by train, to Malaysia, and fly from Penang to Bangkok on Air Asia for about $70, or Penang to Phuket on Firefly for about $50, or Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok for $20. You don't need to stay out for very long - enough time to get in to another country and leave it again. It's possible to get a 60 day multiple entry tourist visa before entering Thailand, but this is fairly restrictive and a bit of a pain in the arse and doesn't really lend itself well to travelling without a plan. quote:I have also heard, in order to get a visa, I have to have a ticket out of the country? Does this mean I have to buy a round trip plane ticket or what? I'd rather just get a one way ticket since I'd have no idea when I'd want to come back. If you're applying for a visa in advance then you definitely do need to send proof of onward or return travel along with your visa application. It's a crucial requirement. If you're just showing up and using the visa free entry period, you've got a 50/50 chance of the immigration dudes asking to see proof of onward or return travel. I have not been asked. However, because the airline on which you're travelling has to pay to get you out of there if Thailand won't let you in, and an entry requirement is to have onward or return travel and you may be refused entry if there is no proof of this, most airlines check for proof of onward or return travel when you're checking into your flight to Thailand. I have been asked for this prior to every flight to Thailand I've ever taken, from Australia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. Just buy a return ticket with date flexibility. It'll cost a bit more than a restrictive return ticket but it'll make life a lot easier. quote:Vaccinations. Find a travel medicine specialist. They're everywhere in Australia so I imagine they would be fairly widespread in the US, too. I've had shots for rabies, hepatitis B, flu, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera, and who knows what else. I get a flu booster before I go somewhere, and a cholera booster that has the added effect of helping to reduce the likelihood of getting traveller's diarrhea. quote:So what did you bring? I know I'll at least bring my 50D, 17-50, and 70-200 2.8, and 580ex. I took a lovely old Sony Alpha 100 and a couple of cheap lenses. Then again, I'm not much of a photographer... If I were to buy a bunch more gear I'd seriously look into one of the tiny Olympus or Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cameras with a 20mm lens. It's a really small package, not too big/bulky. Of course other lenses would be useful too, but there are a few of them around. Something to look at, anyway. After seeing how small the cameras are I'm more or less sold and just waiting to get the $$ together. I take a camera that is water and shock resistant, too. I have an Olympus point and shoot that'll do 10m underwater, handle fairly rough treatment, and still work. Image quality isn't fantastic but it's certainly adequate. quote:I'd rather not bring it, but since I'm going to be shooting a lot, I think I'm going have to bring my Macbook Pro. If it's small enough, I wouldn't hesitate to take one. I travel with a netbook, but a full feature laptop would be even more useful provided it's not too big or heavy. It's possible to find wireless Internet all over the place, and I'm far more comfortable banking or booking stuff on a known secure laptop than I am using some random Internet cafe computer. quote:Did you guys get scared about getting your gear stolen at any point? I plan to get traveler's insurance but I'd rather not get my poo poo stolen in the first place. Travel insurance is a must. To travel without it is fairly foolish - good to see you're on the right track and planning to get it, not just asking if you really need it  . Regarding safety, I've never been concerned in South East Asia. I pack things well, hide bits and pieces I think are valuable in dirty laundry, and if I don't like the feel of a place or the look of the other travellers, I don't stay there. I didn't have a problem leaving my laptop and camera(s) in my room.quote:Diving, I don't know how to dive and I don't know much about it. I don't know how much or if I will dive over there but I figure I should open up that door. I see that I have to get certified. Should I do it over here or there? I know a guy at work who teaches it out of his swimming pool, so I guess I could get a good discount. I'm a a big dude, will I have problems renting gear over there? Learn to dive in Thailand or Malaysia. It's cheap, safe, and fun. The favourite location is Koh Tao in Thailand, but there are dozens of other places to learn to dive. When I was in Thailand in 2008, I got on a boat to Koh Phangan to meet up with some people I'd been rafting with a few weeks earlier in the north. There was a full moon party coming up, and the people on the boat pissed me off, and I ended up going on to Koh Tao with two dudes I sat next to on the dock. I'd never dived before and really had no intention of diving, but I loved it. I went back to Koh Tao in 2009 for ten days, and took 7 friends. They all loved it. I'm going back late this year to do a dive master course. It's awesome. Anyway, some more thoughts: Don't skip Malaysia. It's like Thailand: cheap, friendly, beautiful, and delicious. The visa free period for most visitors is 90 days, and there's a hell of a lot to see and do. Go to Borneo, see orang utans in the wild before there are none left. Check out Laos (I haven't been but will spend two weeks there before diving later this year), Vietnam, Cambodia, and so on. Don't be afraid of changing your plans completely if something comes up (like if you find $10 fares from Bangkok to Taipei, go to Taipei because Taiwan is awesome). Want to visit Australia? We're only about $250 away from Bangkok, and even cheaper from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Finch! fucked around with this message at 04:19 on Apr 11, 2010 |
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Apr 11, 2010 04:03
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Haggins posted:Visas Malaysia and Singapore are 90 day visas free on arrival. There's some weirdness involving Sarawak and Sabah (the semi-autonomous states in Borneo) and you get separate stamps for them. Laos has some visas on arrival at the borders, but I think they might be 15 day. You can apply for a 30 day Lao tourist visa in advance at most major cities in the region. Vietnam you need to apply in advance and also specify the date you plan to enter Vietnam. If you're arriving by air you can do this online through a company and pick the visa up at the airport, otherwise go through a Vietnamese embassy or consulate. Getting a bogus business visa is very difficult for Thailand these days unless you know the right people, I think. You can get an educational visa for a year through a Thai language school, the tuition for the minimum number of classes is under $1000, I think. In Cambodia you can outright buy a business visa, and in Vietnam I had no problems getting a 3 month multi-entry business visa through a travel company online, despite having no "business" there. Laos is kind of mysterious, I think it's one of those "knowing the right people" things. As Sheep-Goats said, just get an RT ticket, put the return date as far in advance as you can (STA Travel is good for having low fees on changing dates, as well as free stopovers for up to 90 days), and adjust as needed. The validity of the tickets is usually 364 days but I found nobody could actually book that far in advance, it was more like 8-9 months. quote:Photographers. I see a lot of people from dorkroom and I know I've seen some of you post about shooting over there but I forgot. I got a couple questions about gear and security.  Danger of having your gear jacked when shooting: probably lower than in most of the United States. Violent crime, especially against foreigners, is quite rare. It's more likely to be stolen when you're not paying attention. When traveling, I bring my camera bag with me rather than leaving it in the hold under the bus (so people getting off before me can't just walk off with it), and when I leave my room I usually put my laptop inside a bag of dirty laundry, which is then put inside my locked, nondescript military surplus dufflebag. My camera bag was usually with me, although if I was leaving it I'd either put it in with the laptop, or leave it with the desk. Most places will let you leave bags with them for safekeeping, I dunno how "safe" it is, but probably better than your room. Personally, I still think you're more likely to lose something setting it down and turning away, or not being attentive at a cafe than from your room, but it can happen. Buy all your gear before you go, gear over there is almost always more expensive due to taxes and the like. Singapore can have OK prices, Hong Kong might approach US norms, but you kind of have to look/haggle for those kinds of deals I think. Little things like filters and stuff aren't so bad, IIRC. I actually don't like primes for travel, I find them too limiting for the variety of situations you often find yourself in. I'd still recommend bringing at least the 50mm, and maybe picking up a beater EOS film SLR for it. I had an Elan with ISO 1600 film in it as my night-time beater that worked great, was made out of plastic and could take punishing. You might also consider a Nikonos, which is tough as nails and can be taken underwater (although if you're diving I think you usually want underwater strobes, which is probably a bit much to carry around Southeast Asia). Don't bother covering the Canon logo, white lens, or anything like that. I don't think it makes a huge deal whether your bag looks like a camera bag or not, from the reactions I got from normal people when I used it, I think my Tamrac Adventure 9 probably would have confused a thief trying to rifle through it for valuables. If you want to shoot a soldier or cop, try and make eye contact and do an "is this okay?" sort of face/gesture with your camera. There are also temples where photography is forbidden but they're usually pretty good about having signs. If you don't want to ask, just roll up with your camera really visible, and if taking pictures is a problem someone will generally tell you. It's not like they'll feed you to the sun god if you take a picture in the wrong room or anything, but it's common courtesy. quote:Motorcycles. I've never ridden nor know how to shift gears. I'd like to fix that before I get over there. I'm in Florida. Should I just take the Basic Motorcycle Rider Course for my license endorsement? Will that be enough? I don't plan on buying or riding a bike over here. I've never been hassled for a license before, and I don't think a motorcycle endorsement would make a huge deal to the average cop who had a problem with you (they would have a really hard time puzzling out a US license). That said, I think you should definitely take the MSF. I was signed up for it next week and they just cancelled the class on me, so don't leave it for the last minute. If you plan on doing some extended riding, you should consider bringing your own gear from the States. The selection in Southeast Asia is pretty bad already, worse if you're not 5'6" and skinny. Helmets are kinda okay though. quote:Forbidden Lands. It seems like everyone understandably avoids Myanmar, but if I wanted to go? I think it'd be cool to check out some crazy oppressed country. I think an "on rails" tour for a few days would be enough. Is there anything affordable/possible like this? Don't go to North Korea. Yeah it sounds cool to tell people you've been there and it's a crazy 1984 wonderland you won't find anywhere else, but 100% of the money you spend is going straight into the piece of poo poo government's pocket, and you will see absolutely nothing there that hasn't been pre-approved and sanitized by Dear Leader. Westerners indulging their morbid sense of curiosity are directly contributing to the North Korean government's repressive regime and are doing nothing to help the North Korean people, who their "tour guide" won't let them anywhere near. There's no such thing as an "off rails" tour in North Korea unless you sneak in. Myanmar is a little different, as the money you spend can actually go to the local people, and you have the chance to talk with them, bring news from the outside, that sort of thing. At the same time, visiting legitimizes the military government and I think the democracy leader's stance was they preferred you didn't visit (I can't remember if she changed it from that, or to it). Large swaths of the country are off-limits to foreigners, with some isolated pockets you have to fly in to in order to skip over the closed parts. It's kind of your call, I think the reason a lot of backpackers didn't go was more because they didn't want to have to pay $100 for the flight from Bangkok rather than having an informed political opinion on it. My personal opinion is that there are plenty of other, less political-controversial countries in the region where it's easier to get around, so no big rush to go to Burma. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Apr 11, 2010 |
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Apr 11, 2010 04:52
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Don't go to North Korea. It's also apparently kinda boring. http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/vice-guide-to-north-korea-1-of-3
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Apr 11, 2010 06:17
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I have to make this short, but it's easy to get into Burma by car if you have a friend in the country. Easier than finding a plane to take you.
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Apr 11, 2010 08:13
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TheElectronicOne posted:Easier than finding a plane to take you. What do you mean? There are something like 15 airlines flying internationally to Yangon International Airport, from around 7 different countries.
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Apr 11, 2010 08:51
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I have heard that it can be difficult to get visas for Myanmar - the embassy is badly organised and the rules change on a daily basis - so you are better off paying a travel agency to get it for you, despite the cost.
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Apr 11, 2010 09:41
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spog posted:I have heard that it can be difficult to get visas for Myanmar - the embassy is badly organised and the rules change on a daily basis - so you are better off paying a travel agency to get it for you, despite the cost.
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Apr 11, 2010 14:35
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Anyone in Chiang Mai for Songkran? I met a man from the internet for the first time a few days ago (Ted Ed Fred) and it went well, so if anyone's around and wants to meet, hit me up at uncle.ivan.sa at gmail. I'm here until the 16th at least.
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Apr 11, 2010 16:39
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Ok, yeah, avoid the protest zones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztF6hUryt88 And don't do what the guy four minutes into this video does, heh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8X1rRxHjtE ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 17:08 on Apr 11, 2010 |
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Apr 11, 2010 16:55
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I don't think live rifle rounds were fired into the crowd. The first guy (in the second video) that brought up the bullet and the supposed impact point on his cane was making stories up -- that bullet would have punched right through the cane and would have been deformed after the impact. It's more likely he brought the bullet himself and pulled the tip out with pliers to show to the farang. It's likely that the army had live rounds with them but the ones that were fired were probably the shotgun looking ones you see some of, which are usually what's used to shoot rubber bullets. The army shouldn't be shooting at all, mind you, but you can't just go in with what people wearing red shirts are telling you. I've also heard stories of rogue protestors dressing up like red shirts and shooting their own and stuff like that to make the government look bad, but this is just unconfirmed Thai speculation.
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Apr 11, 2010 18:45
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Yeah, I thought the blogger dude was a little silly saying that "Oh hey look this is what they fired." I'm fully open to believing that some soldiers did something dumb like used a live magazine when they were supposed to use blanks while firing into the air and I can imagine a ricochet hitting someone without penetrating (this happened to a Danish woman last night), but some of these more serious protesters probably walk around with evidence ready to go for such an event. Still, the guy did go to pains for the first half to say that they might be firing rubber bullets and that he didn't know what was really going on (the guy writes a Thailand FAQ blog basically heh), so given that he's not a reporter that's about as much as I expect. In another video I posted there are what appear to be red guard walking around with M-16s at the same area and a number of people were shot and killed, so whoever shot and killed whomever there were shots fired, but they weren't the military emptying their guns into the crowd as the guy points out because they'd all be dead. The first video ends pretty tragically, but the second video is nonstop comedy from about 3 minutes on, really. I think it's nice, though, because it's the first full footage I've seen from inside one of these events. You can see, like the guy emphasizes, just how quickly the ice cream can turn to poo poo.
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Apr 11, 2010 19:01
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Sheep-Goats posted:Did you read the vaccinations thing I wrote? Go to a clinic. Google for "MY CITY vaccination clinic" or "MY CITY travel clinic." If that doesn't work try calling the health center at a nearby university (you don't have to be a student) and ask them where people go to get cheap vaccinations. If you live in NYC you can also call 311 to get this info. Opps I read the whole thread but I missed that part. I'll schedule something in the next couple of weeks. quote:Do back your photos up periodically. Any internet cafe will burn DVDs for you, so just take them in and get them burned every two or three weeks. Backing up your photos onto your computer doesn't count, by the way, as a computer is something that might get stolen right along with your gear. I met several people who had had their cameras stolen in the two years I lived in Bangkok and every single one of them, no matter how expensive their gear, was much more upset about losing the pictures than losing the gear. Yeah that's very true. I got a thing that backups up my computer to the cloud while I'm on the net, but adding the DVDs to that sounds like a good idea. How much is it to mail stuff to the US? I was thinking I could probably periodically mail them back for safe keeping. Also probably good to know if I want to mail something back home. I'm sure someone will want me to send something back. While I'm thinking about it, is there a way to get things sent to me over there? Can I just stay somewhere and it mailed to the hotel? I don't plan on getting regular mail over there but it'd be nice to know if I really needed something I could have it mailed over. quote:Personally I'd rather do my bigger excursion to India / Nepal / Tibet... I meant to ask about that too. Is it easy to go to those places on the cheap? Maybe I'll take a week or two vacation from my vacation haha. spf3million posted:As a photog, I understand the need for a computer. Is yours a 13"? If so, I'd bring it as well. I'd leave the flash at home, if you're worried about sticking out with your slr, imagine adding a big huge flash on top of that too... Mine is a 15 inch. It'll be pushing two years by the time I go. I might consider selling it (probably can get something like 500-700 for it) and upgrading to a 13 before I go. I don't have any problem editing in Aperture on my 15 and I'm sure I can get by on a 13. I've been thinking about the gear. Photography is going to the most important part of the trip for me, just to be able to go and shoot with no time restrictions or boundaries. I know I don't want or need to lug everything with me at all times, but I could see myself making kits depending on what type of shooting I plan on doing for that day/week/whatever. If I wanted get on a bike and ride around I would probably just take the camera and a zoom or two. Maybe spend a night shooting concerts? Bring the camera with the flash and my primes. Go spend a week shooting landscapes? Just the camera, 17-50 and a small tripod. That seems like it'd be pretty manageable. I got to thinking, what about just getting a self storage unit in Bangkok or some where? I'd really need is to store a bag of stuff I don't need to carry around with me everywhere but would eventually want access to. Some googling said I could get a bag sized unit for $12 a month in Bangkok, which wouldn't be bad at all. Would something like that be possible? I really need to start thinking about gear now while I have a job and can still buy it. Steve. posted:I take a camera that is water and shock resistant, too. I have an Olympus point and shoot that'll do 10m underwater, handle fairly rough treatment, and still work. Image quality isn't fantastic but it's certainly adequate. I'm definitly going to pick up a pocketable point and shoot before I go. I plan to have one on person at all times. I'm probably going to go with a Canon S90 though. They make underwater housing for them which I may buy. quote:Anyway, some more thoughts: Don't skip Malaysia. It's like Thailand: cheap, friendly, beautiful, and delicious. The visa free period for most visitors is 90 days, and there's a hell of a lot to see and do. Go to Borneo, see orang utans in the wild before there are none left. I'd love to visit as many countries as I can and that sounds awesome. I read an article in Nat Geo awhile ago about Borneo and it really sparked my interest. I remember thinking I'd probably never be able to go there when reading it. Sheep-Goats posted:It's also apparently kinda boring. That makes me want to go even more! Watched the whole thing, really interesting. Cacto posted:Depending on what you have to do with the space shuttle, going to North Korea might be a really, really bad idea. Have you thought this through? No I haven't thought anything through, just been thinking of possibilities. As it stands now, being employed, I have to ask permission to go to a foreign country. I can imagine if they so no to anywhere it'd be North Korea. However if I were unemployed, I don't see anything that could stop me. There is really nothing classified about the shuttle now a days and I specialize in ground operations safety which I doubt they would give a gently caress about. They'd learn more about launching rockets by surfing the internet than what I could tell them. I don't know if the US government would have a problem with me going or not, but when the Department of State gives you advice on visiting, it makes me think not. Also, it'd be funny if I got another government job and had to fill out the form of what countries I've visited. I can imaging how much fun Homeland Security would have with that one. With that said, what it's going to come down to is money. I don't know how much it would cost but I could imagine I'd spend over $1000 getting there, getting in, and getting back to SEA. Probably more. If that same money could be used to stay in SEA for a couple more months, it's not going to be worth it. I'll probably save it for a future vacation when I have more money than time. ________ Thanks everyone for spending all the time answering my questions, it's all very helpful.
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Apr 12, 2010 00:33
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Haggins posted:Yeah that's very true. I got a thing that backups up my computer to the cloud while I'm on the net, but adding the DVDs to that sounds like a good idea. If you have cloud backup that's good enough, don't need to double back stuff up. quote:How much is it to mail stuff to the US? I was thinking I could probably periodically mail them back for safe keeping. Also probably good to know if I want to mail something back home. I'm sure someone will want me to send something back. Ten to twenty bucks for a shoeboxed sized package in my experience, depending on the weight. Airmail. If you send it by boat it can take literally two or three months to get back home (but usually takes one). quote:While I'm thinking about it, is there a way to get things sent to me over there? This is called Post Restante (French term that is the international default) or, in the US, General Delivery. You write "Post Restante" at the top, then the person's name, then the address of a post office instead of a house, then the city zip and country and stuff. I don't know if it would work in Thailand -- I had a normal address most of the time I was living there and the security guard would always hand me my packages from overseas when I walked in. I assume a hotel could do the same for you. Be aware, though, that customs gets worked up over random poo poo and will inspect / hold for months certain things -- some of which you wouldn't expect like new (as in, not used) books or packets of kool-aid. Also I've never actually used Post Restante in Thailand, so I can't attest at all to its reliability or even if it exists. I certainly wouldn't rely on it given the fact that you're dealing with what's probably a foreign concept, government workers, and mai pen rai all at once. Have someone from back home send you a test package once you get there (or send one to Ringo or Reindeer F or whomever yourself now I guess) to test it out and let us know how it goes. quote:I meant to ask about that too. Is it easy to go to those places on the cheap? Maybe I'll take a week or two vacation from my vacation haha. A lot easier than North Korea anyway. Short plane ride from Bangkok. With Tibet and/or Nepal a visa might be a bit of a headache so have a travel agency do the footwork for you on that. Travel in India is cheap. Travel in the other two varies in expense depending on how much hassle you're willing to plow through yourself vs. how much you plan to rely on a guide or whatever. Be aware the India can be really crowded, overwhelming and nasty. Also many people get sick while traveling through there. It's a pretty unique experience though. Also, if you liked that North Korea piece from VBS.tv check out the Liberia series. raton fucked around with this message at 01:49 on Apr 12, 2010 |
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Apr 12, 2010 01:44
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Ah crap; so you guys think Thailand is a no-go right now because of the violence?
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Apr 12, 2010 03:06
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quote:While I'm thinking about it, is there a way to get things sent to me over there? The Lonely Planet's I've had have all mentioned Post Restante, and like Sheep-Goats I have no experience with using it. I'm personally a little cagey about having a package sitting at a local post office for who knows how long, I would try getting it sent to a co-operative friend/goon, guesethouse or other business. I got a spare duffelbag mailed to the bike shop in Hanoi I was friendly with and it arrived no problem... after sitting in Vietnamese customs for a loving month. Anecdotally that happens often in Vietnam, I always got my packages in Thailand on time though. If it's a direct commercial thing like some camera gear you may have to pay duty. In that case, you can try bouncing it off a friend or relative in the US and have them repackage it as a gift. Doesn't mean Customs won't open it anyways though, seems random. Broohaha posted:Ah crap; so you guys think Thailand is a no-go right now because of the violence? Not really, just stay out of Bangkok and you should be fine. Even in Bangkok, I don't think it would devolve into a situation that's very harmful for tourists minding their own business. On the flip side, you guys might want to try hitting up travel agents or contacting some of the nicer resorts directly to see what kind of special rates/packages they might be offering. I imagine this poo poo is causing a lot of people to cancel their holiday plans for Thailand, and things weren't great over there in the tourism sector lately to begin with. Might be some nice bargains to be had if the higher end places are hurting.
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Apr 12, 2010 03:22
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