Southeast Asia: I really enjoyed it despite all the Swedish people

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caberham: Mar 18, 2009; by Smythe; Grimey Drawer

Well at least you are safe, that's good to hear! Got any pictures of the bridge or the city?

# ? Nov 23, 2010 15:49

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# ? May 12, 2024 21:44

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

For the new page:

(They on a bridge)

(They dead)

More pictures

The New York Times posted:

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia �

More than 300 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in a stampede at an annual water festival in Cambodia that the prime minister on Tuesday called the nation�s worst tragedy since the murderous Khmer Rouge regime more than three decades ago.

Witnesses here in the capital said the stampede began Monday night when people panicked in a dense crowd on a small island close to the shore of the Bassac River.

Hundreds of people tried to escape over a short suspension bridge. Many died of suffocation, were crushed underfoot, or were electrocuted by loose wires. Many drowned when they leapt from the suspension bridge into the water.

The night was filled with the constant sound of sirens and, at the scene and in the hospital, with the wailing of people discovering dead friends or relatives.

�This is the biggest tragedy in more than 31 years since the Pol Pot regime,� Prime Minister Hun Sen said in one of several television announcements through the night, referring to the mass killings of the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979.

Millions of people pour into the capital each year and line the river�s shores and islands in densely packed crowds for a boat race that is the climax of the water festival. The last boat race ended early Monday evening, the final night of the holiday, and a concert was being held on the island, called Diamond Island, a long spit of land close to the royal palace on the shore.

There was no confirmation of the cause of the stampede, but Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said it began when what he said were one million people became �scared of something.�

A military police investigator, Sawannara Chendamirie, who was at the hospital said it appeared that the panic began when some people began shouting that the bridge was collapsing.

�I got information that when the incident happened, some people thought the bridge was falling,� he said. �They were so frightened.�

�People were frightened that the bridge would break.�

The police and rescuers had to fight their way through crowds, sometimes beating people with their belts to get through, according to reports from the scene.

Video from the site showed scenes of horror with bodies lying here and there and frantic rescuers rushing among them.

People searched, weeping, through the corridors of the hospital, where bodies lay on the floor wrapped in woven mats or under sarongs. Hospital workers threw white sheets over groups of bodies on the floor. White-coated hospital personnel hurried through rooms jammed with cots.

One survivor, Chhin Chenda, 16, was lying on a cot at the hospital. She said, �At first we were frightened of an electric wire. After that I fell and people ran over me. People were stepping on me. I called out, �Please help me.� �

She said her mother and a cousin died in the stampede. Relatives found the mother�s body at the hospital on Tuesday, but not the cousin�s.

Another survivor, Meoun Ly Heang, 12, said he went to the island with his 22-year-old sister without permission from their parents because he wanted to watch the festival. They came from Kandal Province. When the panic began, he said, �I couldn�t move, my leg was stuck. I couldn�t stand, I couldn�t move. My sister died. She could not breathe. She fell and people stepped on her.�

The boy recalled his sister�s last words, �She was saying, �Please don�t step on me,� � he said.

After the stampede, people staggered from the scene either alone or supported by rescuers. Some sat on the ground, holding their hands to their chests and breathing with difficulty.

Other people carried bodies, both the dead and the badly injured, by their arms and legs; they knelt on the ground fanning those who were still alive or trying to perform CPR; they loaded the dead and badly injured onto flatbed trucks or the backs of motorcycles and packed them into ambulances.

A doctor, Pok Somporn, said when he arrived at the hospital there were about 140 dead people and more than 100 people injured. �This is the first time this many have come to our hospital,� he said. This is the worst time for us.�

Bodies were taken to a temporary tent morgue, outside the hospital. People were reaching through a window in the large tent and lifting sheets inside to search for people who had died.

In the aftermath, the suspension bridge with its delicate fretwork was carpeted with the shoes and bits of clothes of those who had been crushed or fled.

tldr: Buncha people got together for a festival that used to be chill and now is outrageous BS and involves throwing water around. Shoddy wiring for lights plus lots of water = people start getting electrocuted and screaming. The exit to this situation is a narrow bridge. Therefore, crushed Cambodians.

First thought through my head: "It's not loving Songkran yet what are they doing?"

raton fucked around with this message at 04:34 on Nov 24, 2010

# ? Nov 24, 2010 02:41

brendanwor: Sep 7, 2005

Really sad, to say the least.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 02:51

Shampy: Apr 27, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

What's the best theater in Bangkok? I'll be back for a day or two in the coming week and want to see what their movie theaters are like. Any good movies out? It's been a few months now since I went to the movies and the last thing I saw was Buried. Is Harry Potter out? (lol)

# ? Nov 24, 2010 04:19

Pompous Rhombus: Mar 11, 2007

Shampy posted:

What's the best theater in Bangkok? I'll be back for a day or two in the coming week and want to see what their movie theaters are like. Any good movies out? It's been a few months now since I went to the movies and the last thing I saw was Buried. Is Harry Potter out? (lol)

They have VIP theaters that are really nice; reclining sofas and poo poo. They're fairly pricey (for Thailand) though, I want to say it was 500 baht?

# ? Nov 24, 2010 04:55

imnotinsane: Jul 19, 2006

Went to the VIP one at the top of MBK, it was something like 500 baht, you get one free drink (some kind of non-alcoholic daiquiri) and a blanket because they only have one setting for air-conditioning and it is freeze your balls off. The coolest thing about the reclining sofas is they take up so much room, so there is hardly any seats in there, feels pretty awesome when there is hardly anyone in there with you. There is 2 more cinemas right next to mbk too.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 09:18

Klogdor: Jul 17, 2007

Pompous Rhombus posted:

They have VIP theaters that are really nice; reclining sofas and poo poo. They're fairly pricey (for Thailand) though, I want to say it was 500 baht?

actually I went to one that charged 5000 baht for the most expensive seats.. left in a hurry.

watched a movie for 200 baht at mbk, but didnt get drinks or a blanket.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 12:37

caberham: Mar 18, 2009; by Smythe; Grimey Drawer

What's the verdict on bringing a laptop? Too poor to afford an ipad :smith:

Ok so I'm guessing it's time for me to skip Poipet since the city is already very depressing itself. Sure room rates and things might be cheaper but Cambodia itself is already cheap enough :smith:

My biggest head ache is not accommodation but the combination of my unhealthy fascination with camera gear and taking bumpy overland route traveling. I just talked to a goon last week and apparently he had quite a few negative experiences of Cambodia from his Cambodian friends. Anecdotal evidence of breakins while being asleep and stealing all the camera gear or hostels suffering security problems. I like to think of things being overblown but I'm a bit worried theft.

I did travel around China and stayed at hostels and was fine but is the rest of SEA really that bad theft wise? Few of my friends told me not to bring a tripod and just a gorilla pod and 1 or 2 lenses to keep weight/portability light. The counter point is that since I'm kind of lonely, might as well just bring more gear to play with...

Traveling with a 48L backpack and a crumpler 7 million dollar home, think most of my belongings will be camera gear instead of clothing. If I run out of clothes I can always buy them and look like a hippie instead of a goon :downs:

Clothing (3 weeks and lots of laundromats) - look like a frumpy American Tourist and save on bringing socks by wearing sandals everyday. I won't be going to a club in BangKok and I suck at picking up chicks or trannies :neckbeard:

4 t-shirts/poloshirt/collared short shirt
1 long sleeved shirt
3 pairs of shorts
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of slacks
Awesome set of Pajamas

And a nice 2 litre camel back

50D
580EXII
85/1.2 ---UGH Heavy, debating if I should leave it home being so pricey and such
EF-S 17-55/2.8
70-200/4 --- UGH Heavy
1.4X teleconverter
Film body 500N
17-40/4
collapsable velbon tripod
intervalometer
crap load of chargers and three 16/8/4GB CF cards.

Not bringing EF-S 30/1.4 (but such an awesome lens at night!), 50/1.8, 12-24/4.

Hostels should have computers and if I can load the memory cards into a usb sticks I should be fine right? And adding a laptop? Only saving grace about it is that I can play EVE Online and train my skills while on vacation :goonsay:

caberham fucked around with this message at 16:24 on Nov 24, 2010

# ? Nov 24, 2010 16:08

Ringo R: Dec 25, 2005; ช่วยแม่เฮ็ดนาแหน่เดัอ

How are you going to enjoy yourself dragging around a 20kg bag? :P I mean c'mon, you're on a holiday. Getting nice pics is just a bonus right?

I'd take:
50D
30/1.4
50/1.8
85/1.2 (for science) OR 70-200/4

...but since you're a massive goony goon I bet you will end up bringing ALL your gear anyway and be THAT GUY on the beach with a 20kg bag looking awkward ^__^

# ? Nov 24, 2010 18:01

Astian: Jun 16, 2001

Sheep-Goats posted:

tldr: Buncha people got together for a festival that used to be chill and now is outrageous BS and involves throwing water around. Shoddy wiring for lights plus lots of water = people start getting electrocuted and screaming. The exit to this situation is a narrow bridge. Therefore, crushed Cambodians.

First thought through my head: "It's not loving Songkran yet what are they doing?"

No one was throwing water around, and the festival is so madly packed and has been for years that most native PPers I've talked to either flee the city or stay inside during it.

The fact that this happened on a brand new bridge covered in gaudy lighting leading to a man-made island with an absolutely obscene development plan literally titled "Elite Town" is rich with metaphor regarding Cambodia's development.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 18:23

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

Shampy posted:

What's the best theater in Bangkok? I'll be back for a day or two in the coming week and want to see what their movie theaters are like. Any good movies out? It's been a few months now since I went to the movies and the last thing I saw was Buried. Is Harry Potter out? (lol)

I used to see almost all of my movies at MBK (except for art movies -- there's some theater in RCA that's great for those), but there are probably newer / posher places than that now.

Astian posted:

No one was throwing water around, and the festival is so madly packed and has been for years that most native PPers I've talked to either flee the city or stay inside during it.

The fact that this happened on a brand new bridge covered in gaudy lighting leading to a man-made island with an absolutely obscene development plan literally titled "Elite Town" is rich with metaphor regarding Cambodia's development.

Really? But everybody's head / clothes are soaked in that picture.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 18:25

Astian: Jun 16, 2001

Imagine the temperature generated by thousands of people smashed together in the tropical night. It's enough to make you sweat a little.

Authorities also poured bottled water on trapped victims while they worked on digging them out, in attempts to keep them conscious/alive, but most of what you're seeing is pure human sweat.

Edit: Oh yeah, 3 confirmed dead from my university so far :-/

# ? Nov 24, 2010 18:33

Pompous Rhombus: Mar 11, 2007

Breakin' this up because I'm on my crappy lo-res netbook, too lazy to keep scrolling:

caberham posted:

What's the verdict on bringing a laptop? Too poor to afford an ipad

Personally I wouldn't bring an iPad as a photographer: they suck for offloading photos and you need one of those keyboard things to make journaling/long e-mails not a pain in the rear end. I don't really do much idle web browsing or gaming when I'm traveling though. I used a 12" Dell in years past (about 4 pounds), now I use a 10" netbook. Having a motorcycle was awesome because you can load it down like a pack mule if you want.

quote:

My biggest head ache is not accommodation but the combination of my unhealthy fascination with camera gear and taking bumpy overland route traveling. I just talked to a goon last week and apparently he had quite a few negative experiences of Cambodia from his Cambodian friends. Anecdotal evidence of breakins while being asleep and stealing all the camera gear or hostels suffering security problems. I like to think of things being overblown but I'm a bit worried theft.

I did travel around China and stayed at hostels and was fine but is the rest of SEA really that bad theft wise? Few of my friends told me not to bring a tripod and just a gorilla pod and 1 or 2 lenses to keep weight/portability light. The counter point is that since I'm kind of lonely, might as well just bring more gear to play with...

That's really overblown, I've spent over six months traveling in SEA traveling and the only time I had something stolen was some kid snatching a half-drank Coke off my table at a lovely, very obviously seedy town in Malaysia. (The restaurant owner chased him down and got the Coke back, I honestly just felt bad for the kid.) I know full well that theft does happen, but just keeping a close eye on your bag in public places makes a huge difference. It's really not much different from China in terms of danger of being robbed.

You can leave items with the guesthouse desk, who will put it in a back room for you. Whether this is more secure than your own room is up for debate, but I'd say if it's a reputable place it's probably safer. In my room, I usually put valuables inside my bag of dirty laundry, itself inside my nondescript military surplus dufflebag, which was locked. When I had a film SLR, I left it out a "decoy" :v:

Obviously, make sure your equipment is insured against theft. If it does get stolen, you'll need to file a police report in the district where the theft occurred to give to your insurance company. In Thailand I think the Tourist Police can handle that for you, if you have to deal with regular police bring someone from your guesthouse to translate. It's pretty routine, but dress nice and treat it seriously. If the cop thinks you're trying to scam your insurance company they can get pretty uncooperative.

quote:

Traveling with a 48L backpack and a crumpler 7 million dollar home, think most of my belongings will be camera gear instead of clothing. If I run out of clothes I can always buy them and look like a hippie instead of a goon

Clothing (3 weeks and lots of laundromats) - look like a frumpy American Tourist and save on bringing socks by wearing sandals everyday. I won't be going to a club in BangKok and I suck at picking up chicks or trannies

4 t-shirts/poloshirt/collared short shirt

1 long sleeved shirt

3 pairs of shorts

1 pair of jeans

1 pair of slacks

Awesome set of Pajamas

And a nice 2 litre camel back

50D

580EXII

85/1.2 ---UGH Heavy, debating if I should leave it home being so pricey and such

EF-S 17-55/2.8

70-200/4 --- UGH Heavy

1.4X teleconverter

Film body 500N

17-40/4

collapsable velbon tripod

intervalometer

crap load of chargers and three 16/8/4GB CF cards.

Not bringing EF-S 30/1.4 (but such an awesome lens at night!), 50/1.8, 12-24/4.

Hostels should have computers and if I can load the memory cards into a usb sticks I should be fine right? And adding a laptop? Only saving grace about it is that I can play EVE Online and train my skills while on vacation

Wearing sandals everywhere is a bad idea, I've met so many people who have busted their toe on a curb or got cut up on some broken glass or something because they weren't wearing real shoes. Socks take up very little space, and you can wash them in the sink at night if you want to (get the thin kind that dry quickly if you want to do that). Lose the PJ's, sleep in your underwear or a pair of shorts. I'd bring either the jeans or the slacks, but probably not both.

Guesthouses on the lower end (even a lot of midrange ones) don't have computers, few have wifi. This will probably change as stuff like iPads and netbooks get more ubiquitous with travelers (and local broadband infrastructure improves), but I don't really bank on it when I'm staying at a place. Internet cafes are where you can get pictures burned to a DVD, but if you're serious about photos I recommend bringing your own laptop/netbook. I hate spending more time in cybercafes than I have to; for one I'm on holiday and don't want to spend it on the internet, and they're usually filled with either local kids playing videogames at full blast or backpackers making noisy Skype phone calls home. If you've got one of those 15 or 17 inch desktop replacements leave that at home though.

As far as gear, I definitely wouldn't bring the 17-40L when I already have the 17-55 f/2.8 IS (hell, I wouldn't even own it). I'd probably leave the 12-24 at home along with the 85L, but that's based more on my shooting style. You might as well bring the primes; they don't take up much space/weight and they're nice to throw on your camera and run around with at night. Also, what the hell, the 70-200 f/4 is pretty drat light for what it is (not to mention has awesome image quality).

Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Nov 24, 2010

# ? Nov 24, 2010 20:05

Ribsauce: Jul 29, 2006; Blacks in the back.

Pompous Rhombus I remembered you saying the sandals thing before and I disagree with it. I wore sandals every day for 3 months with no problems.

caberham I understand you love photography but goddamn dude, are you bringing a u-haul?
Also this

quote:

Few of my friends told me not to bring a tripod and just a gorilla pod and 1 or 2 lenses to keep weight/portability light. The counter point is that since I'm kind of lonely, might as well just bring more gear to play with...

what do you mean kinda lonely? You are going to be traveling solo (I assume) in a place where thousands of people are also traveling solo. Everyone is lonely which means everyone wants to hang out.

# ? Nov 24, 2010 21:39

chockomonkey: Oct 14, 2004

Ribsauce posted:

Pompous Rhombus I remembered you saying the sandals thing before and I disagree with it. I wore sandals every day for 3 months with no problems.

what do you mean kinda lonely? You are going to be traveling solo (I assume) in a place where thousands of people are also traveling solo. Everyone is lonely which means everyone wants to hang out.

I also wore mostly sandals for 5 months, brought shoes of course for long motorbike trips or treks into the jungle, but sandals treated my feet just fine--though they get real dirty, which is gross.

If you're the lonely kinda person like i am (that is, more on the shy side)... i spent about 2/3 of my time alone. So, one-third of my time was filled with traveling with other backpackers, and these were traveling buddies that fell into my lap (see above where i'm shy). If you're willing to start conversations with everyone, i'm sure you could cut that alone time down quite a bit.

I found encounters with locals a lot easier and more entertaining if you're not traveling with a group of people.

Oh, and I would advise steering clear of that USB stick idea for storing photos. I lost the first 2 months of my trip due to a USB drive virus.

chockomonkey fucked around with this message at 01:07 on Nov 25, 2010

# ? Nov 25, 2010 00:59

Shah Rukh Khan: Dec 23, 2008

paperwind posted:

Tomorrow I will be finally paying for my airline tickets into Vietnam. I'll be coming into Hanoi from Tokyo on Dec 25th, and flying back to Tokyo from HCMC on January 8th. Two weeks isn't a ton of time but I will find a way to make it work. Gonna work back through the thread to find the person who recommended a hotel to me in Hanoi so I will have a place lined up for my arrival, but if anyone can recommend some good hostels/hotels along the spine of the country so I have some ideas of where I can safely stay this will put my mind at great ease.

This will be my first time visiting another country that isn't Japan.

Hey I'm teaching in HCMC and if you want somebody to show you around/drink with let me know.

# ? Nov 25, 2010 09:16

Lyndon LaRouche: Sep 5, 2006; by Azathoth

Shah Rukh Khan posted:

Hey I'm teaching in HCMC and if you want somebody to show you around/drink with let me know.

Sure thing. I should be getting into HCMC sometime on Jan 7, and I'll have the whole day on Jan 8 since I am taking a red eye flight back to Japan.

I shouldn't have too much trouble booking overnight train tickets once I get to Hanoi, I hope. The longest stretch is definitely going to be Hanoi to Hue; how long does that leg usually take to cover?

# ? Nov 25, 2010 09:47

caberham: Mar 18, 2009; by Smythe; Grimey Drawer

Wow I love tiger airways and China Southern! Now I'm tempted to change my itinerary. Instead of spending USD $200 from Ho Chi Minh City --> Singapore --- > Hong Kong, I'm tempted by China Southern's cheap airfare of everything inclusive $USD 90 from Kunming ---> Shenzhen. Being in Kunming means I can sneak a trip to Dali and then come back to Hong Kong. It's cheaper than flying to the tropics but I'm more worried about not having the right clothing and the colder weather.

So which route would you guys take from HCMC, north to Hanoi,Kunming,Dali or South to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur?

Shah Rukh Khan posted:

Hey I'm teaching in HCMC and if you want somebody to show you around/drink with let me know.

That's great! I will be coming from Cambodia to HCMC from the Dec 7 - around Dec 10. It would be cool if we can meet up. Is there a duty free along the way? If there is, would you like me to get you any cigarettes or alcohol? you can email me [HANDLE NAME] {DBRB} [Gmail]

# ? Nov 25, 2010 13:14

fist4jesus: Nov 24, 2002

Sheep-Goats posted:

I used to see almost all of my movies at MBK (except for art movies -- there's some theater in RCA that's great for those), but there are probably newer / posher places than that now.

My last trip was in september. I've been a bunch of times and hiding in the aircon watching cheap movies is my go to activity when tired or hungover.

This time though...the only movies in english were Wallstreet and resident evil, same everywhere else I tried

# ? Nov 25, 2010 18:46

lightpole: Jun 4, 2004; I think that MBAs are useful, in case you are looking for an answer to the question of "Is lightpole a total fucking idiot".

Pompous Rhombus posted:

Wearing sandals everywhere is a bad idea, I've met so many people who have busted their toe on a curb or got cut up on some broken glass or something because they weren't wearing real shoes. Socks take up very little space, and you can wash them in the sink at night if you want to (get the thin kind that dry quickly if you want to do that). Lose the PJ's, sleep in your underwear or a pair of shorts. I'd bring either the jeans or the slacks, but probably not both.

Ive had this experience as well as the fact that constant movement everywhere in sandals just wasnt comfortable for me so now I also bring a really lightwieght pair of tennis shoes.

# ? Nov 25, 2010 21:10

superwofl: Apr 22, 2008

I wear flip flops probably 80% of the time in SE Asia, including when I'm trekking etc. My flip flops are Teva Mush, they're made of very lightweight but tough foam. Not as fashionable as ipanema/havaianas or whatever but I like it cos it doesn't make me stand out. Compared to your usual rubber flip flops they're way comfier and lighter, the cloth strap doesn't chafe/rub on my feet/in between my toes like rubber ones do. I really notice the difference after wearing heavy rubber flip flops, they're so light you don't really notice they're on your feet or in your pack. The foam sorta moulds to your feet after a while and they grip onto rocks and stuff pretty good. Last forever too! When I was trekking in Sumatra wearing these things we had to do a river crossing and my guide wanted to carry my flip flops across the river for me. Dude slipped and dropped one and it floated downriver never to be seen again. Had to wear terrible heavy flip flops for the next 2 weeks til I got back to KL and bought a new pair straight away.

On my 1st trip I brought New Balance cross trainers with me and really didn't wear them much. They were a pain to carry round as they take up a lot of room in my bad, stink a lot, so I'd tie them to the outside of my bag. They also didn't look "smart" at all and aren't good for dressing nice.

On my 2nd and 3rd trips I took an Australian shoe, the Dunlop Volley, with me. These things cost about $20 from Kmart in Australia, they are classic canvas Tennis shoes with very good grip - good for gripping slippery rocks etc. Very lightweight, take up no room in the bag, don't stink, dry fast. Plus they can look quite smart, sorta like a less neat looking but more practical pair of Converse chucks. I found doing a lot of walking though my feet would get sore just wearing these or flip flops because there's not much support - very thin soles.

[I got 2 pairs, one navy and one brown, white ones show the dirt a little much]

I recently got some Nike trainers in brown leather, they're super comfy and fine for playing basketball and poo poo in, yet don't have your usual trainer look and look pretty smart. Shouldn't show dirtyness so easy either being brown. I think I'll bring these and my flip flops with me on my next trip to SE Asia.

superwofl fucked around with this message at 21:00 on Nov 27, 2010

# ? Nov 27, 2010 20:55

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

fist4jesus posted:

My last trip was in september. I've been a bunch of times and hiding in the aircon watching cheap movies is my go to activity when tired or hungover.

This time though...the only movies in english were Wallstreet and resident evil, same everywhere else I tried

That happens sometimes. When it does: http://houserama.exteen.com/

This is the theater I briefly mentioned that's on RCA (Royal City Avenue, you take the subway to one of the stops -- I think Phra Rham 9, I remember that because that's the same station I'd use to go to Ratachada Soi 4 to see the little live bands and such, there was also an awesome Thai BBQ place on the way there on the left hand side of T. Petchaburi where you paid like 80B for unlimited meat and got a little grill with charcoal you Thailand guys know exactly what I'm talking about, of course I don't know if that place is still there or not but I bet it is, there are actually two and the good one has a big pink pig sign). They play a lot of arty movies and stuff that doesn't get shown in local Thai cinemas (including, very shamefully, a lot of Apichat Weerasukelyeluelwhatever's stuff). I also saw a really awesome Cornelius show there one time, which is a Japanese guy who makes electronic music and mixes video while he does it and sells out stadiums in Japan and I saw him in the hallway of a Thai movie theater with about 100 other people and paid like 400B to do so.

Also there are a lot of hipstery Thai girls running around in there plus if you get bored hey you are on RCA...

=====

The great flipflop debate: I wore them on errands and when doucheing around but probably most of the time I had on shoes and socks. No glass in my toes if I ended up going out, plus Thai mosquitoes are horribly lazy and rarely fly more than a foot off the ground so if you have on shoes and socks you're good. Some of the movie theaters have mosquitoes but if you wear shoes and socks you never get bitten. Plus your feet don't freeze. The key to this is getting good socks -- that means lightweight wool socks. Wool is like a loving magic sock material -- it's cool when it's hot, it's hot when its cool, it wicks moisture, it's naturally antimicrobial and keeps the foot stench well at bay, etc. Smartwool is the best sock I know, and while they're pricey they're every bit worth it.

These, IMO, are the overall best travel shoe for Asia: http://www.shoesforcrews.com/sfc3/index.cfm?changeWebsite=US_en&route=c_store.viewDetailsOfProduct&partnumber=8024 . Suitable for a club, okay for work, sole is good enough for casual hiking around on a mountain (but if you're going on an actual trek buy actual hiking shoes) and they're slip offs. At 55 bucks it's hard to argue with them, the only two problems are that you need to buy them at least two weeks early to break in the elastic (or I do, I have pretty high arches) and the material at the back of the heel wears off pretty quickly but this doesn't make them uncomfortable like you think it would. Edit: oh hey it's being discontinued. Here's the upmarket kindred: http://www.endless.com/dp/B002MXYSA...ASIN=B002MXYSAG (I have these too but the soles squeak a lot :argh:

) And here's another SFC option: http://www.shoesforcrews.com/sfc3/index.cfm?changeWebsite=US_en&route=c_store.viewDetailsOfProduct&partnumber=8027

raton fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Nov 28, 2010

# ? Nov 28, 2010 02:32

brendanwor: Sep 7, 2005

Honestly I think it's kind of weird and OCD that you guys buy different shoes just to go travelling in different locations. I just wear the same shoes I would wear at home - I mean unless you're specifically travelling in unique conditions like thick snow or jungle or whatever, surely you don't need a different pair of shoes to walk on a sidewalk in BKK than you would to walk on a sidewalk in the US or Europe or Australia?

# ? Nov 28, 2010 08:44

sleepy gary: Jan 11, 2006

Does anyone have recommendations for places to learn SCUBA diving from accredited schools? I have literally no experience and would consider getting the basic certifications if it was affordable enough. I have heard that East Timor is THE place for this.

# ? Nov 28, 2010 09:02

dwoloz: Oct 20, 2004; Uh uh fool, step back

Almost two years now since I started my last trip and I can feel the itch coming on to get back
Thinking about another mid January several month trip.

Airline tickets - Im not so concerned about dates, origin or destination (roughly Western US to East Asia); any advice on scoring the cheapest tickets?

Cheapest so far I found is Hainan Air flying Seattle to Beijing for $550 plus taxes, fees, first born

dwoloz fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Nov 29, 2010

# ? Nov 28, 2010 09:26

lightpole: Jun 4, 2004; I think that MBAs are useful, in case you are looking for an answer to the question of "Is lightpole a total fucking idiot".

brendanwor posted:

Honestly I think it's kind of weird and OCD that you guys buy different shoes just to go travelling in different locations. I just wear the same shoes I would wear at home - I mean unless you're specifically travelling in unique conditions like thick snow or jungle or whatever, surely you don't need a different pair of shoes to walk on a sidewalk in BKK than you would to walk on a sidewalk in the US or Europe or Australia?

If you move from an environment such as NY in the winter to Jebel Ali and then to Singapore you need different shoes. If you plan on doing any real hiking you probably want to bring hiking shoes of some kind. I usually wear some Adidas running shoes around because they dont show much dirt/mud, dont look too bad and are nice and light. I cant wear them in a colder, wet environment. I also wouldnt hike with them. I like having comfortable feet, especially when foot problems can ruin you for just about anything.

# ? Nov 28, 2010 11:11

Finch!: Sep 11, 2001; Spatial Awareness?

[ ] Whaleshark

404 Not Found

DNova posted:

Does anyone have recommendations for places to learn SCUBA diving from accredited schools? I have literally no experience and would consider getting the basic certifications if it was affordable enough. I have heard that East Timor is THE place for this.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Koh_Tao

Apparently diving in East Timor is pretty good, but the industry infrastructure isn't developed.

# ? Nov 28, 2010 12:15

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

brendanwor posted:

surely you don't need a different pair of shoes to walk on a sidewalk in BKK than you would to walk on a sidewalk in the US or Europe or Australia?

I like slipons in Asia not for the sidewalk but for when I go in and out of houses and people want me taking off my shoes all the drat time :keke:

. Also for someone traveling overseas an appropriate pair of shoes isn't an unreasonable purchase if they were going to bring two pairs of shoes instead. So long as your normal shoes are suitable for also going to a nightclub then you can also wear your normal shoes traveling, but for a lot of Americans that isn't the case (people here won't stop wearing running shoes all the time).

Never could bring myself to just do the Thai thing and walk on the back of my shoes like they were clogs.

DNova posted:

Does anyone have recommendations for places to learn SCUBA diving from accredited schools? I have literally no experience and would consider getting the basic certifications if it was affordable enough. I have heard that East Timor is THE place for this.

There are tons of spots like that in Thailand too. Koh Tao is, of course, diving central in Thailand. I'm sure most semi-developed countries in SE Asia have dive schools. Don't worry about accreditation or not, just check out the reputation if you can (forums at Lonely Planet maybe, guidebooks), every school I've ever seen will give you some kind of certificate, it's mostly just if you go diving with Mr. Chu who happens to have equipment that you don't get something like that.

raton fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Nov 28, 2010

# ? Nov 28, 2010 17:43

drinkingthesun: Mar 26, 2005; amateur ninja

Dear Gooniest Goons,

At the end of January I'll be completing my time in Seoul, which has been endlessly delicious. After this I take a flight to Shanghai and then have a month in China, including a visit to the northwest to celebrate the new year with a friend, then down to Sichuan, and then further south � all the way to Indochina by the end of February. I plan on having about four weeks in Southeast Asia, probably Vietnam, before heading to Nepal.

I'm attempting to do my best to put my journalism degree to work and become a real living travel journalist. Some of my favorite places to write about are emerging cities, such as Seoul, especially the cultural neighborhoods that are springing up within them (read: hipster development theory), such as Hongdae, which has been my home for this year, and is analogous to Williamsburg, Wicker Park, Brick Lane, whatever.

I feel drawn to Saigon. It seems to have the right factors: emerging middle class, cafe culture, among other media-filtered images forming an ill-informed collage in my head.

So, my request to you is this: what neighborhoods/towns should I consider in SEA?

# ? Nov 30, 2010 06:05

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

drinkingthesun posted:

Some of my favorite places to write about are emerging cities, such as Seoul

It's hilarious that you consider Seoul "emerging." Maybe 50 years ago you could have said that with a straight face. Seoul is as emerged as any city short of something like New York or Paris gets.

I feel like your plan to go to hipster neighborhoods the world over is a bit specious -- I guess what I want to know is what about your trip is going to make that journalism instead of tourism with a subtext?

# ? Dec 1, 2010 02:14

Ringo R: Dec 25, 2005; ช่วยแม่เฮ็ดนาแหน่เดัอ

caberham (on the phone) posted:

I.. met.. a.. ~~*GiRL*~~!!!11

In SE Asia, even goons can meet girls ;-*

VV - Will report back after I see "her"...

Ringo R fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Dec 1, 2010

# ? Dec 1, 2010 04:18

Pompous Rhombus: Mar 11, 2007

Ringo R posted:

In SE Asia, even goons can meet girls

*Make sure it's actually a girl.

# ? Dec 1, 2010 04:46

sleepy gary: Jan 11, 2006

Thanks for the SCUBA recommendations. Looks like an open water certification should cost around $300-400 on Koh Tao, which seems pretty good. I'll probably just snorkel though.

Unrelatedly, I want to look a little bit less scuzzy than the average backpacker. Are polos decent enough to attain that? I'll have a button-down or two as well but I don't want to wear those all the time. Also, are short-sleeve button-downs ok? What about for temples, etc?

I'm not leaving for like 6 months but I am just so goddamned excited already.

# ? Dec 1, 2010 04:53

Finch!: Sep 11, 2001; Spatial Awareness?

[ ] Whaleshark

404 Not Found

DNova posted:

Thanks for the SCUBA recommendations. Looks like an open water certification should cost around $300-400 on Koh Tao, which seems pretty good. I'll probably just snorkel though.

Unrelatedly, I want to look a little bit less scuzzy than the average backpacker. Are polos decent enough to attain that? I'll have a button-down or two as well but I don't want to wear those all the time. Also, are short-sleeve button-downs ok? What about for temples, etc?

I'm not leaving for like 6 months but I am just so goddamned excited already.

Snorkelling on Koh Tao is alright, but it's mostly a dive island - most of the really cool stuff to see is too deep for snorkellers. You could do a free diving course, though - that could be fun

With regards to polo shirts, they're fine and are definitely a change from the standard "I WENT TUBING IN THE VANG VIENG" wife beaters beloved by some many... people.

If you can find some that don't look too retarded and aren't too pricey, shirts like the Nike Dri-fit golf polo shirts are great - they're light weight and made of a moisture wicking, non-smelly, fast drying fabric that's perfect for travel in South East Asia. Nike and various other companies make them, and it's possible to find them in solid colours or patterned, without stupid logos. I'm taking 5 with me (but not red :v:

) to Thailand in a few days.

Temples usually require elbows and knees to be covered - a polo with elbow length sleeves should be OK.

# ? Dec 1, 2010 07:15

lightpole: Jun 4, 2004; I think that MBAs are useful, in case you are looking for an answer to the question of "Is lightpole a total fucking idiot".

DNova posted:

Thanks for the SCUBA recommendations. Looks like an open water certification should cost around $300-400 on Koh Tao, which seems pretty good. I'll probably just snorkel though.

Unrelatedly, I want to look a little bit less scuzzy than the average backpacker. Are polos decent enough to attain that? I'll have a button-down or two as well but I don't want to wear those all the time. Also, are short-sleeve button-downs ok? What about for temples, etc?

I'm not leaving for like 6 months but I am just so goddamned excited already.

I have some long sleeved button down travel shirts from REI that are very light and really nice especially in the heat. I dont remember sleeve length being a problem as long as you actually have them. Just remember its hot and humid so find something that looks good if you sweat or that wont make you sweat too much and you will be fine.

Im fairly well attuned to the cold though so Im not sure how much the heat affects others. As much as I loathe the heat and turn into a sweaty mess outside of 60F I keep ending up in Asia.

# ? Dec 1, 2010 10:19

Finch!: Sep 11, 2001; Spatial Awareness?

[ ] Whaleshark

404 Not Found

lightpole posted:

As much as I loathe the heat and turn into a sweaty mess outside of 60F I keep ending up in Asia.

You just described me... I hate heat, despise humidity, but can't stay away from Asia.

# ? Dec 1, 2010 11:27

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

Steve. posted:

You just described goons... They hate heat, despise humidity, but can't stay away from Asia.

fnar fnar

# ? Dec 1, 2010 21:15

raton: Jul 28, 2003; by FactsAreUseless

DNova posted:

Unrelatedly, I want to look a little bit less scuzzy than the average backpacker. Are polos decent enough to attain that? I'll have a button-down or two as well but I don't want to wear those all the time. Also, are short-sleeve button-downs ok? What about for temples, etc?

Yeah, a polo will do it, but I actually just recommend going with "wrinkle free" long sleeved button up shirts for the most part (and one T-shirt for when you know you're just going to be on a bus all day). Reasons for this:

-Look better, and locals in SE Asia will definitely treat you a bit differently when you're not dressed like a landscaper
-You can roll up the sleeves if it's hot or roll them down if it's too sunny or there are mosquitoes, plus you can open a few buttons if it's hot, making button up shirts actually cooler in the heat than T-shirts.
-If you decide you want T-shirts you'll be able to buy them there all over the place for like 2 bucks a shirt and they'll have a funny design or something on there so they can double as a souvenir. Finding button ups that fit once you're over there, conversely, is much more difficult not only because they're less available but also because the market for them is mostly locals and Asians are small.
-You don't need to slaver suntan lotion all over yourself if you go scuba diving, just wear your shirt and put a little lotion on the backs of your hands / neck

Much of my travel time in Thailand was spent in a button up (from my tailor -- I lived there for two years) with the sleeves rolled up.

Shorts, on the other hand, are cooler than pants (temperature wise) however I wouldn't pack but one pair of swimmable shorts with me when going to SE Asia. I'd bring these and just deal with the little bit of extra heat. DO NOT BRING JEANS. Jeans are horrible travel gear, they're hot, bulky, heavy, fill up with sweat and dry slowly, and don't even make you look sharp. The pants I just linked do don't exactly look like an Armani suit, but they'll pass as slacks in a dark nightclub, they have an extra couple of thigh pockets without being cargo pants, they're made of quick drying well-wicking nylon (which is what you want for pants), etc. Also, the mosquitoes in SE Asia are loving lazy as hell, rarely fly more than a foot off of the ground, and therefore if you're wearing pants (and shoes and socks) you really don't need bug spray 95% of the time.

Most temples don't mind you walking through in shorts and a T-shirt but you won't exactly be dressed for where you are. Some temples are more formal about this, but that formality will be more about pants than shirts (eg: pants and an okay shirt and you'll get in, shorts and a button up and you probably won't).

(oops double post)

caberham on the phone posted:

I met GIRLSSSYS

When is the wedding?

raton fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Dec 1, 2010

# ? Dec 1, 2010 21:28

sleepy gary: Jan 11, 2006

Sheep-Goats posted:

plus you can open a few buttons if it's hot, making button up shirts actually cooler in the heat than T-shirts.

I have a hairy chest and I don't want to look like a guido

# ? Dec 1, 2010 23:15

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# ? May 12, 2024 21:44

brendanwor: Sep 7, 2005

Sheep-Goats posted:

Much of my travel time in Thailand was spent in a button up (from my tailor -- I lived there for two years)

Was his name rajah? :haw:

Sheep-Goats posted:

DO NOT BRING JEANS. Jeans are horrible travel gear, they're hot, bulky, heavy, fill up with sweat and dry slowly, and don't even make you look sharp. The pants I just linked do don't exactly look like an Armani suit, but they'll pass as slacks in a dark nightclub, they have an extra couple of thigh pockets without being cargo pants, they're made of quick drying well-wicking nylon (which is what you want for pants), etc.

Disagree, a good pair of jeans (not cheap poo poo from kmart or walmart or whatever) will go down far better if you're out clubbing or at a bar etc., unless you're middle aged. And ya it's kind of hot in jeans but not really that bad.

brendanwor fucked around with this message at 01:48 on Dec 2, 2010

# ? Dec 2, 2010 01:42

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tourism & Travel > Southeast Asia: I really enjoyed it despite all the Swedish people

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