Carmen Sandiego Sightings: THAILAND

By:  Brittany S

 

Out of all the countries I have visited, Thailand is my favorite!  From the food to entertainment to general affordability of everything, Thailand is a wonderful place to be!

WHERE:  BANGKOK, THAILAND

agoda.com!  You can find amazing deals... (Amora Hotel)

We couldn't afford the other place soooo...

Our second place...like a 1/3 of the price but in the same neighborhood.

Well I guess THAT idea is out the window... -_-

WHEN:  July 2011, 5 days

WITH:  My Korean-American "little brother!"

WHY:  Well...you've seen "The Hangover 2" right?

HOW:  Cebupacificair.com

WHAT:


This was the second leg of my 3-country trip (Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam).  The original plan was that there are 3 of us traveling 4 countries that we wanted to visit (but my friend lived in the last one), so we each would plan one.  I planned the Philippines, my friend "Ann" was going to plan Thailand, "Cam" Laos, and my friend residing in Vietnam would show us around there.  Well that plan quickly fell apart.

While we were in the Philippines, Ann backed out of the rest of the trip because she was unable to access her money from her Korean bank account.  We were very sorry to hear this and tried our best to accommodate her, but we were unsuccessful.  This forced Cam and I to figure out a new game plan on the spot.  Not only did we have to cancel Laos (because we could no longer afford it with only two people), but Ann didn't have anything mapped out for us to do in Thailand. :-(  So, after Cam and I bought a last minute plane ticket from Thailand to Vietnam (money that wasn't in our original budget), we said goodbye to Ann (who decided to stay in the Philippines a few more days) and headed to Thailand.

While we were at the airport, we made a new friend.  "Brandon" was on his way to Thailand to have a few suits made for his brother's upcoming wedding.  He was quite familiar with Bangkok and helped us to feel a little bit more at ease about going there.  When we arrived in Bangkok, we shared a taxi with Brandon to his hotel.  Unfortunately by now it is after midnight and we don't have a place to stay.  We searched around the area and every place was in the $100s USD or all booked up.  We eventually returned to Amora Hotel and stayed the night.  Brandon told us about agoda.com and he was able to book the room we paid about $80 USD for about $40/night.  What a steal!  But, since we had to pay full price (and now only with two people), we couldn't stay there a second night.

The next morning, Cam and I set out for a PC room so we could search for things to do.  Now that we were not going to Laos, we needed to stay in Thailand for five days.  We spent at least a day of it trying to figure out what to do. :-(

We spent a lot of time walking around our area discovering new things and taking in the sights.

Just walking down the street drinking from a coconut...no biggie.

Near where we were staying...somewhere in downtown.

We eventually found another place to stay that was about 3 minutes (driving) from Amora Hotel but sooooo much cheaper (see top.)  We also figured out the light rail transportation system.

Would you like to have a seat?

My Korean-American friend was mistaken for the locals in EVERY Asian country we visited.

We lucked up and stumbled upon an AMAZING show called "Siam Niramit."  It is by far the best live performance I have seen that did not involve words.  We were able to:

• walk around a traditional Thai Village.
• interact with and ride elephants.
• shop for souvenirs in unique craft stores.
• take pictures with people in costume.
• enjoy a pre-show performance in the courtyard.
• enjoy a 5-star buffet.
• enjoy entertainment during our meal.
• sit in VIP seats.
• and of course, enjoy the show!

All of this was for about $70 USD!  WOW.  I am so glad we found that and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who decides to go to Bangkok.

This elephant kept following me around the facility!  This is WITHOUT zoom.

Just hanging out on an elephant...la la la...

Live entertainment before the show.

5 Star Meal included with my ticket!

More pre-show entertainment.

Mmm...something is strange here.

Our little "Taste of Home" was not so familiar...

 

We shopped at MBK Center and Siam Paragon...with Brandon!  Cam ended up getting a couple of suits made from Brandon's tailor.  We also ended up having a drink and dessert with him and riding in a tuk tuk.  He told us that it is fun to get in two different ones and tuk tuk race.  If you saw the traffic and the size of the tuk tuks, I don't think you would try it.

Riding in a Tuk Tuk!

I love when traditional and modern exist in the same space.

Mango Sticky Rice:  one of the most simplistic and delicious desserts I have had in a long time.

Our new friend recommended this to us!  Thanks!

Thailand is famous for its "LadyBoy" population.  I am sure you can figure out what that name implies.  We attended the "Calypso Ladyboy Show," a late night cabaret. 

Beautiful isn't she?  She is a "Ladyboy"

My fav act of the night...quite the sense of humor.

LOL

Well if you think he's still alive, now you know where to find him.

We visited another spa (sorry I can't remember the name of the spa, but it was wonderful!), but while I was there, I found a few bites on me.  Something about the tropical weather, or sleeping in cheap motels, or SOMETHING.  I got bit and didn't even know.  Oh well.  It wasn't deadly.

Sometimes you find mysterious bites on your back. -_-

We decided to end our trip by spending time at a Jazz Bar for dinner and drinks.

Live jazz!

So I had ONE drink and was giggly.  Darn Blue Hawaii.

WHAT I WISH I HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY:

• Had some type of plan--as I said, my friend bailed and we had nothing.  We spent half the trip trying to map out what to do and how to do it.  I guess if you want to make sure everything is taken care of, you should have your own plans just in case.
• Piggybacking off the previous one, we took tuk tuks and taxis to places (super expensive) that we could have taken the MRT (metro) to instead (super cheap).  Lesson learned.

TRAVELER'S TIPS:

• Make sure that you know if your credit card works in the other country.  Sometimes your cards are only national, regional, or fully international.  DOUBLE CHECK.  Also, let your bank know you will be traveling abroad so they don't lock your card.
• Check the weather.  The last day we were there, it poured down a lot.  The day we left, it flooded.  The same thing happened in the Philippines.  Know what kind of weather to expect and pack/plan accordingly.
• Know how to barter.  A lot of the souvenir purchases (Thai pants, elephants, etc) are sold at stands on the streets or in little booths in malls.  They always mark up the price.  Shop around to different stalls and make them compete against each other.
  

OTHER COUNTRIES VISITED (click the links to read about my journeys):  The Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan (Tokyo), Thailand (Phuket), Singapore, Malaysia, Japan (Okinawa)

When Eating Live Animals Goes Wrong: The Ultimate Crash Diet

By:  Brittany S

Interested in weight loss?  Have a little extra holiday weight you want to lose?  Trying to uncover your summer beach body?  Recently spend 6 weeks in America and gain 7 lbs (Too specific)?

Well I'VE GOT THE SOLUTION FOR YOU!

EAT SANNAKJI!

What is this "Sannakji" you ask?
A "killer" diet, that's what!  It is literally a diet to die for.


Why?
Because aside from being one of the most dangerous foods in the world, it can help you drop the lbs in a matter of DAYS!


"What do I have to do?!"
It's simple really.  Just watch this instructional video below:

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is THAT SIMPLE and it only takes a few SECONDS!


Eat sannakji and your body will flush out waste over the next few days.  Drink plenty of water.


I personally have lost 6 or 7 lbs on this program.  I'm quite happy with the end result.  But don't just take my word for it.  Read some of our testimonals from actual product users:

ACTUAL PRODUCT USERS!

Testimonials:
Ebony--"I lost 4 lbs in one week...just in time for my wedding!"

LaToya--"I lost a few lbs and was able to take a vacation from work!"


Try it for yourself and discover the new you today!

What I discovered wasn't too exciting.

**Disclaimer:  This is not a true diet nor is it advocating for any type of "diet" or weight loss method that causes the body to lose weight in an unnatural way .  Side effects may include:  diarrhea, vomiting, lack of energy, weight, and pride, Yes, it did cause me and the people mentioned in the testimonials to lose weight by causing us to "flush out waste," but that definitely was not by choice!  Sannakji is really one of the most dangerous foods in the world.  It is live octopus.  Each tenticle has its own brain and even though the sannakji we were served was already chopped up, it continued to squirm.  If you do not chew this food quickly and thoroughly, it can cling to the inside of your cheek and/or your throat wall and cause you to choke to death.  This is not "a diet to die for" but it definitely is a "killer."  There are several deaths annually from this food.  If you decide to try this Fear Factor eligible food, please CHEW CHEW CHEW!

Also, I would suggest you learn from our mistake and eat something first.  We didn't eat beforehand and dined on not only raw octopus, but raw oysters as well.  We've decided that the oysters were the real culprit; the more oysters you ate, the sicker you were (out of the 7 of us who went there, 5 of us were extremely sick afterwards).  When I talked to a Korean person about it, he told me a lot of people have been getting the Norovirus from raw seafood lately.  That is definitely what it felt like.  This is definitely NOT a "date food."  I'd eat ribs or something else sloppy on a date before I'd eat this!  You've been warned.

From Abyssinia to Arabia: An Interview with Sinke Wesho

By:  eternitysojourner

Credit:  Nashwah Safiyullah

At a recent graduation for the Sultan Qaboos College for Teaching Arabic in Oman, I watched proud students retrieve their certificates after two months of language immersion.  Amidst the largely Australian group, a warm chocolate face stood out amongst them.  Like most of the others, she too is a Deakin University student, but the winding tale of how she ended up studying Arabic in Oman is a bit more colorful than that of her peers.  In this interview, Sinke Wesho shares her experience as an Oromo Ethiopian studying in Oman and the memorable encounters she will not likely forget.

Where’s home for you?

Home for me is different places.  Wherever my siblings are is home for me, and currently, home is Australia.  Kenya is partially my home because I lived there for eight years since I was nine.  Those two places are home, but I’m naturally from Oromia [part of current Ethiopia], which is where most people would call home.

What brings you to Oman?

Learning the Arabic language, and it’s the best thing to ever happen to me.  I enrolled in Arabic classes when I started at my university three years ago, and Arabic was offered as a course.  I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn a second language because International Relations is my major.  I wasn’t sure I would come to Oman until I got my Australian citizenship. 

Would you recommend Oman as a place to study Arabic?  Absolutely.  Maybe because it’s my first experience studying abroad and I haven’t seen any better. Oman is so peaceful and the people are very generous and friendly. It has really changed my perceptions about the Middle East. It's really astounding to have a stable country in the middle of all the chaos that surrounds it.

I think Oman is a really important place to learn Arabic.  I’m not so sure about learning with the society because of their dialect, and we’re studying Modern Standard Arabic at my college.  It’s really brilliant.  The teachers start from the basics and it’s really intense and helpful.  I would definitely recommend it, and Oman’s a great place to live.

Most Ethiopians in Oman are here as domestic workers; how do you feel being here as a university student? 

I feel really privileged.  I appreciate the fact that I’m Oromo Australian because it gives me this appreciation that I’m a student here, and I’m learning someone else’s culture.  But when it comes to being a domestic worker, it’s not that it’s a bad job or not good, suitable, or preferred; it’s just that the way people treat domestic workers in this particular part of the world makes me feel even more privileged than the domestic workers here. I treat any job to be a good job, as long as it's benefitting me or helping me survive, but I do not appreciate how maids are treated in this part of the world due to color and wrongly perceived social status.

How have you been received as a woman of color? 

I don’t really know how to answer this particular question. It’s really hard to know if I’m treated well because I’m Australian or have Australian friends. I am not sure if it is because I am a guest here and Omanis highly regard their guests. However, one day, I was at an occasion; sitting in a group with my Australian friends and some ladies greeted everyone and passed me by. On many occasions, I would be ignored and its difficult to force yourself onto others, so I was happy to be by myself while my friends would be taken aside for photos or contact exchange.  Being distinguished from the rest is not good and such actions did not go well with me. I was not certain if that treatment was because I’m Black or because I’m not Omani. I would be ok if it was a one-time incident but when it’s repeated, I start to question.

I do comprehend that there is a degree of distinction between housemaids and their employers but, if I am not appreciated for what I do and not respected for who I am, then there will be some friction. This is where respect for humanity is breached and I have become a witness to this. Workers and people of color are sometimes considered inferior, much like the Martin Luther King era where being Black meant inferiority. It is so direct that it makes me question how these people survive years of working for their employers in this part of the world. Recently, I made it to Dubai, a beautiful and magnificent space. I had been very curious about the treatment of workers there, particularly the Ethiopians who are housemaids in most households and the stories are the same. However, I met someone who works in the Ethiopian consulate and deals with this issue, and his account is that there is some sort of system that protects the workers in Dubai.

Any tips for other women of color considering travel abroad?

Do it!  Be secure in who you are and be knowledgeable.  It’s important to know what other people think of you but more important to know what you think of yourself and to not let others underestimate you.

Do you have plans for future travel?

Definitely.  Traveling has been one of my wildest dreams since I was a child. 

Credit:  Jack Baldwin

Living the Quiet Life in Nizwa

 by Stephanie McCreary
 March 30, 2013

 I live in Nizwa, Oman, a town with a culture rooted in its former historical significance of being a center for Islamic education. It is in this land where local women are seldom seen walking alone in the evening. Instead, they wait in the car while their husbands make stops in mini-markets and restaurants. Cloaked in black abayas, they always eye me curiously and with a little suspicion, as I go about my own business—stopping to pick up my laundry or to buy water. This is a town where the Muslim culture prohibits a lively arts and social scene. There are very few places for foreign women to go out and have a cup of coffee, cinemas are non-existent and going to a play or to the opera is out of the question. So what does one do without the cultural resources that would thrive if they lived in a big city?

           

Many of us fantasize about what we would do if we had more time, or if we didn’t have to work. When I am at home, I look out the window and see mountains. If I wake up on time, I can see the sun rising like a ripe, warm, summer peach from my living room window. But I cannot see crowds of people milling around, going in and out of ethnic restaurants with friends for dinner. I don’t see lights flashing and businesses open for twenty-four hours. There are no distractions, just the whizzing of cars passing by and the call to prayer sounding its foreboding song five times a day from the local mosque. 

                                          

           

It is in this setting that I have realized that there is no excuse for boredom. The problem is that it is human nature to look outside of ourselves for intellectual, creative, and spiritual stimulation, when most of what we need is right inside of us. Before I left to come to Oman, I did some research on where I would be living so I knew that it was going to be quiet and conservative. Soon after I arrived, however, I thought to myself, “What in the hell am I doing here?” I looked around and saw men wearing dishdashas, the long white gown with the tassel at the neck that is the national Omani uniform for men. Many of them wore long scraggly beards that signified their devotion to the practice of the strictest form of Islam.

                                      

 I loved and needed to exercise daily. I quickly learned that the fitness center closest to my apartment was in the Falaj Daris Hotel and cost seventy-five dollars a month. It was outfitted with two; count them, two elliptical machines straight out of the early 1990s. The few times that I went there I had to wait for a turn on one of them. No, that was not going to work. When I first arrived in Nizwa the Sports Complex had a fitness center, but it wasn’t even open to women. I felt stuck and a little bit discouraged. Just before my arrival, I had been working out every day and took public transit to the gym. In Nizwa, public transit was limited to white minivans nicknamed “baisa buses” that picked riders up and dropped them off in random places, for miniscule amounts of money, as the baisa is the smallest unit of Omani currency. However, these buses did not run on a reliable schedule and operated whenever the driver felt like operating them. If one wanted any sense of independence and freedom, one had to have one’s own car.

                                      

           

I did not have my own car and did not plan on getting one. One of the reasons I had chosen Oman was to take advantage of the lucrative, tax-free salary, so I was not keen on making monthly car payments with it. Eventually, I was able to purchase a used elliptical machine from a friend so I could work out at home in the morning before work. I had teaching to occupy my time during the day, but when I came home I would look around for something “to do.” I would make and eat dinner, and then feel the boredom start to creep in. There was the big Lulu’s hypermarket located nearby, but when I was all stocked up on groceries there was no need to go there. The only cafes were set up outside local restaurants and only served the most basic of coffee, Nescafe in small paper cups, not exactly fit for someone who enjoys good, quality coffee.

I had always written, and I thought living in a small, quiet town would be a great place for a writer to concentrate on writing. But at times I found that my outer environment did not provide me with the right kind inspiration to fuel my writing. But what I learned from my experience living in Nizwa, in this quiet place, is that I could use the silence, this peace, to my advantage. I could tune into my inner voice that so often gets drowned out by so many "things to do” and I could answer the question: "What is it that I really want to do with my time?" "What do I want to do in this life?" "What would make me happy or give me a sense of accomplishment?" And I could take steps to answer those questions and accomplish whatever I set out to accomplish.

While living in Nizwa, the opportunity to write on this blog presented itself, thus giving me a way to keep my writing going. I thought of other projects that I could do while here like study Arabic, begin writing a book, and work on photography. I learned that instead of letting the silence distract me and drive me into an imagined state of “boredom” I could be empowered and motivated by it. The best thing to do when you’re living abroad and you find yourself in a situation that is less than ideal is to figure out how to make the best of it. Make things happen because if you’re bored, it’s your fault.

Carmen Sandiego Sightings: THE PHILIPPINES

By:  Brittany S

This has been my desktop photo for years.

On Feb 6, 2013, I "celebrated" my two-year anniversary of living in Korea by trying to force myself to stay awake so I can get over my jet lag a little more easily.  I went home for a little over a month and just returned.  While at the airport, I realized that it is time for me to get more pages added into my passport before I start to travel again, otherwise, I may not have a place for a stamp!  What a wonderful problem to have; I have truly been blessed over the past two years.  I have visited:  The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong.  So I figured I would share my travel stories in a mini-profile series.

When I was younger, I loved the show "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and have always loved to travel.  Ever since my university days, my family and friends have known me to take impromptu trips places and started calling me Carmen Sandiego since none of them knew where I was most days.  It didn't help that I purchased a red trench coat.  So here are my Carmen Sandiego tales, starting with the Philippines.  Enjoy!

WHERE:  MANILA, PHILIPPINES

This is where we stayed.  Great location, service, and facility.

Heat exhaustion and one jumbo bed will do this to you.

WHEN:  July 2011, 3 days

WITH:  Two awesome people that I miss dearly!

My travel crew--the Power Rangers.

WHY:  Pfff!  Why not?!

HOW:  Cebupacificair.com

All jokes aside, apparently this is a big problem here.

I researched "Things to do in Manila" and found this to be extremely helpful in planning.


WHAT:

Even though we were only there 3 short days, we had a full itinerary!  We planned to and actually did:
dine at one of the famous restaurants.
pamper ourselves at a really nice spa.
shop til we dropped at the largest mall in Asia.
tour the historical ruins of Intramuros.
play in the water in some way.
try ice cream made with alcohol.
try a liquid nitrogen drink.
ride a Jeepney.

We planned to dine in a really famous restaurant but by the time we figured out where it was and realized it was super far away from everything else we chose to do, we passed.  Instead, we decided to eat at a restaurant across the street from our spa. It was REALLY cheap and A LOT of food! 

So good it'll bring out your inner "Animal Planet."

After we finished eating an entire bird, we moved over to Wensha Spa Center for our pampering.  I received an hour-long aromatherapy massage, a manicure and pedicure (in really comfortable chairs with personal TVs attached), and all the free shabu shabu I could eat for a little less than $100 USD.  A-MAZ-ING.  I was tempted to get another treatment simply because of the price but decided not to overdo it.  The service was excellent.  There were places to lounge and do other free spa things (like sauna, etc) but we had to move on.

From there we visited the Mall of Asia, the largest mall in Asia.  It was sooooooo big!  Can you believe the only thing I ended up buying from there was something to eat?!  I think if I actually lived there I would shop there often.  But given the fact that this was the first leg of a 3 country trip, I didn't want to just make unnecessary purchases.  So, I just walked around and saw what it had to offer.

"Mall of Asia"...my eyes lit up! SO MANY STORES!

It's not real love unless your outfits and bath towels match.

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there was something about this place that I found uninviting.

Fashion can leave you hanging?

WARNING: This section contains a picture you may deem inappropriate.

There were some ummm...really interesting stores around town, too.

Yep...these are actual cakes you can order.

From there we toured Intramuros, a historical district with ancient ruins.

We took a tour in a horse drawn carriage that waited as we went inside each place.

We rode in one of these around a historical district.

San Augustin Church

Students leaving school.

MORAL: Sell enough chicken, come up on real estate.

Next we headed to Manila Ocean Park for the "Aquanaut Voyage."  

Little did we know there were other things to do there as well.

SOOO much fun here.  "So many ACTIVITIES!"

Giant Roach-mobile!? EWWWW...

Trick Eye Museum

We attended a brief orientation, were given wet suits, then went underwater with everything from fish to eels to rays.  It was pretty cool having all of them just swim by and even brush up against us.

Getting ready to have a 30lbs helmet dropped on my shoulders...

Underwater adventures!

We spent a bit more time here, eating pancakes and watching the sun set on the waterfront.

It was a perfect way to end an adventure filled day.

We also were able to track down "elfav," a place that is famous for making ice cream with alcohol in it.  You could try ice cream with anything from kahlua to vodka or tequila in it, just make sure you bring your ID! :-)  It was pretty tasty!

You can get carded here!  Alcoholic ice cream!

We still had other objectives on our list, but some of them we just couldn't do.  When we tried to find the nitrogen drink, the place was closed!  It was no longer in business.  That was completely out of the way and very difficult to find, and we still didn't get one.  Oh well.  You live and you learn while traveling.  While we were on our search we saw plenty of Jeepneys.  It wasn't until the last night of our trip that we started to figure out how to actually use one.  Better luck next time.  We stuck with the taxi.

I mean seriously, who wouldn't wanna pray the driver doesn't slam on brakes?

Overall, we all thoroughly enjoyed our trip and were able to do everything we wanted for about $300 each (not including plane tickets).  It was definitely worth the trip!

WHAT I WISH I HAD DONE DIFFERENTLY:
I didn't find out there was a light rail public transportation system until after we left.  We took taxis EVERYWHERE.  Perhaps for at least one of those places (like the airport) we could have used the light rail.


TRAVELER'S TIPS:

• Map out all the places you are trying to go relative to where you will be staying.  Go to places/activities relatively in the same area as each other each day to cut down on taxi costs and commute time.
• Try not to convert your money to too much of their currency.  Some places will not exchange pesos for anything so you will be stuck with them.
• Make sure you save about $25USD worth of pesos for the airport!  You will need to pay a fee at the airport when you get ready to leave the Philippines.

Good times...