Lose yourself on “Old Street” in ancient Tunxi
DAY 31 – Most people pass through Tunxi, China because they're on their way elsewhere. But here's what you find if you stick around and explore Tunxi instead. [keep reading]
Struggling up China’s sacred Huangshan mountains
DAY 26 – Striking out on your own as we did on the Huangshan Mountains in China is much more rewarding than the comfort and stability of package tours. [keep reading]
The secret misty mountain town of Tangkou, China
DAY 24 – Tangkou, China is an obscure mountain town that feels like it was made just for you. Travel should mostly be remarkable destinations such as this. [keep reading]
Laundry service plus vomit: The tale of Hefei
DAY 14 – Hefei is a growing Chinese city that still feels old. We managed to find laundry service on a rural back street and I overcame a spell of throwing up. [keep reading]
Saying “yes” to a Chinese tout was a good choice
DAY 12 – About a tour of Kaifeng, China with a local named "Jason", a.k.a. Golden Phoenix, a great guy who showed us the city on his bicycle rickshaw. [keep reading]
The amazing food stalls of Kaifeng
DAY 7 – The food at Kaifeng, China's nightly market is so good we stayed a few extra days, just to eat more of the cheap, delicious dishes there. [keep reading]
The ancient clay army and the small wild goose
DAY 5 – How travel can show you places you'd only ever dreamed of visiting – like the Terra Cotta Army near Xi'an, China, a real trip across time. [keep reading]
The big grey skies of Xi’an, China
DAY 1 – The grimy air of China can actually enhance the distant, ancient feel of some of its modern cities. That's how we found magnificent Xi'an in central China. [keep reading]
The strange beauty of Sa Pa, Vietnam
DAY 333 – Sa Pa is the best of northern Vietnam in winter: cold, rugged, with nice guesthouses and a mystical feel. Here's how it inspires you to continue traveling. [keep reading]
As Khmer kids in canoes do circles around my motorboat
DAY 228 – Traveling Cambodia by river, like we did today, can be a great way to see local people and the real countryside. As long as your insulin stays cool and dry. [keep reading]
Unexplained dinosaurs and psychedelic statues by the river
DAY 227 – Battambang, Cambodia is a small and sleepy town with a prideful air and some really weird statues and temples. And an English-speaking doctor! [keep reading]
Why nobody stays overnight in Poipet
DAY 218 – Between Thailand and Cambodia lies the town of Poipet, a rough and chaotic place. Most travelers pass right on through but I stuck around to check it out. [keep reading]
Sukhothai’s split but happy personality
DAY 211 – Visit Sukhothai, Thailand to feel the instant and warmly welcoming embrace of 800-year old ruins lying with beautiful inevitability under the golden sun. [keep reading]
Somewhere over the rainbow is Udorn Thani
DAY 206 – How much insulin do you need for chicken feet? I had the chance to explore this dilemma in Udorn Thani, Thailand, but my stomach was having none of it. [keep reading]
Recuperating by the Mekong River: After the hospital
DAY 201 – Out of the hospital and eating more and more, the last week in Nong Khai, Thailand has gotten me over my weird tropical illness. Time to continue the trip! [keep reading]
Emergency ambulance across an international border
DAY 192 – The gory tale of how I got so sick with a mystery illness in Laos that I had to take an ambulance across the border back into Thailand. [keep reading]