no love for Disneyland? :)

thanks for the link!

Hey thanks for the comment on my profile - and the book suggestion! I signed up for this site a couple weeks ago and haven't been back since... big mistake, it seems to be quite a vibrant community....

Know any good ghostwriters?

Tim! I'm traveling! Immersing myself headlong into this crazy city and barely any internet time...its fantastic. How are you?

Oh I do hope the twitter chat goes well. Friday will be the real test so wish us luck! It's a lot of fun though and both Shane and I have been working hard to get the word out.

Crossing our fingers : )

Honor Dargan
Website: http://www.tokyotopia.com/a-taste-of-tokyo.html

Hey, thanks for friending me!

I'm thinking we will head out next May, and be back in the states around May of 2011.

"No matter how long you may walk, no matter how weary you may become or how heavy your burdens may be, keep your faith and keep going. Never let anything stop you from achieving your dreams. Never stop." -Thomas Swift, my father.

Craftsbury! Love it! Are you at Sterling? I used to go to rowing and ski camps in Craftsbury as a kid. It's gorgeous up there! Thanks for the welcome, and I'm psyched to be a part of Matador!

You sold gypsy moths in CT? That's like selling snow to Eskimos, even it was just your grandmother! I remember one year when the gypsy moth caterpillar population became so bloated that you could not ride a bike without squishing at least a few of them (snap! pop!) as they crossed the road. If someone filmed the army of critters at ground level, I'm sure the footage would look like a grade B horror flick.

Do you know what the best schools/companies are for teaching abroad in China or Asia? Thanks!

Yes, it will indeed be epic. Just over a month to wait now until the epicness begins.

i was so excited when i read your comment- at first i thought i had made a mistake and you were actually correcting me, already! :-)
i found that wasn't the case, yet, but thank you for the encouragement anyhow!
yeah and about your stomach buddy, all i have to say is- whoa.

Haha, so what's the first coolest state?

Hey thanks! and no worries, I would never dare to permanently mark anyone with those, no matter what harm they did to me....p.s. I definitely agree with Disneyland but I would also add Disneyworld or Orlando in general to that list.

Thanks Tim :) The yogurt is great indeed. I don't actually know how our guy is doing in Japan...:)

I know tourism has caused a few problems, but I'm going down there for a conservation project so hopefully I can help stop the damage!

aha thanks

Haha thanks! I was trying to look incredulous. I think I wound up looking more like the camels...

Thanks Tim , that's great ! I'm looking forward to working with you guys and joining in the community.
And, very jealous that you're in Laos , have a great trip!

Niamh

Since you think poor vicious is so ugly, i've posted two new...okay okay she is a little plus sized but still cute

Legend has it that he did - in German. During a speech in Berlin he uttered the sentence "Ich bin ein Berliner," which, unfortunately for him, means not "I am a citizen of Berlin," thereby showing solidarity with the German people. Rather, it translates to "I am a jelly doughnut," thereby demonstrating that the person who told him to say that probably shouldn't have.

I posted about 20 seconds too soon:

http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2009/04/27/10-key-destinations-for-the-historical-time-traveler/

Thanks, Tim! Julie should be posting one of my personal favorites - time traveling for leisure - later this week.

I was laughing at your comment on how you're afraid of cars but not of trekking. Being in Asia may make us feel more confident on our feet than in a vehicle, especially on the subcontinent! That said, I have finally mastered driving in Lahore (well except for parking) by thinking of it like a video game where you constantly need to avoid unexpected obstacles. Donkey cart! Vegetable seller man! Motorbike carrying an AC! Watch out!

What a small world...I live off of Begonia...

Tim, thanks for the suggestion. I do have a blog (http://scottworldtour.com), but I never got into it because I always felt I should live in the moment instead of writing about it. But, now that my travels are ending I might just start adding some posts.

Thanks Tim and if you have any questions at all, please let me know . I hope you are enjoying your travels.

Thanks so much for the great advice, Tim! I'm looking forward to exploring, and the Rainbow Lodge looks pretty idyllic.

And I promise to blog my little heart out in Cambodia. There should be some good fodder coming out of this job in Phnom Penh - grassroots social action, Cambdodia style!

Peace,
Hannah

Hey Tim,

Thanks for the feature.

The Travel Lodge may be my favorite guest house I've ever stayed at.

Enjoy Laos, as there's nothing like it.

Hey Tim, if you're in Laos, have a look at my blog - I was just there a month ago: http://goplaces.wordpress.com

I bought a boat and drove it down the Mekong from North of Luang Prabang to Savannakhet and I think the boat is still making the journey North and South, passing from person to person. If you have the time, I'd really recommend it - a great trip and a nice way to see the country.

Have fun!

I sure did...Corona del Mar to be more specific. It's not my kinda town either, but it sure is beautiful!

Thanks again, Tim, for the mention on Matador! I really appreciate your write-up - and am brainstorming ideas for a piece for Matador. Saludos y gracias mil,
Layne

dear tim

i'm interested when i knew you will have travelling in SE asia...and i hope indonesia will be your destination soon,,

nice to know you,,

Haven't shot the Iriomote Wildcat, yet, but will when I find the right sponsor! Should be going out to shoot some Inoshishi (Wild Boar) sometime within the month, with a Pentax, of course!

I just realized that we joined Matador within 3 days of eachother... is that some kind of karma?

Tim- Is Muff Richardson the alter ego you've created to unleash your sexist pig? I'm entertained despite myself.

Thanks Tim! The blog site works now.

Tim,

Sorry, but I'm back in China now! I was only gone for a month and couldn't remember my login information, so I'm just not posting about stuff that happened a few weeks ago. You headed back to Laos?

Hi Tim, I hope you find it interesting. Let me know if you need any information. Take care.

Hey Tim, thanks for your comment on my article about Calcutta. Have you ever been to India?

Hey Tim!

First, thanks for the nice comments on my "Alberta at A)ngkor Wat" story. It was an easy one to write - just flowed out - always nice when that happens.

Second, thanks for your message in response to my message to you. We've been coming to the Singing Tree to use their wifi - usually at lunch so we can have a bite to eat as well - as only seems fair! So I picked up your message here! And I would have loved to meet your dad or the other dad, but I'm afraid we're off to Battambang tomorrow, so unless they're headed there, I guess we'll have to take a pass!

We got one week passes to the Angkor Wat group of temples, and were very lucky to find a wonderful tuk-tuk driver (not Zarathustra), who was careful, considerate, helpful and easy-going. Today we got him to take us out to Tonle Sap Lake, which we heard we could not get to unless we went on a tour, or bought a ticket first. We were stopped twice by guys demanding we buy a ticket and telling us we couldn't use the road unless we did, but we just said "no boat, we go on road." And as they were rattling empty sabres, they let us go. Once we got to the river, and realized we wouldn't see the lake unless we did take a boat, I decided maybe that would be o.k. Then we bargained and got a boat for $23 for us and our wonderful tuk-tuk driver. We'd been given a lowest possible price of $30 by the guys on the road.

The best thing of the whole ride was the absolute joy it brought to our tuk-tuk driver. He was like a little kid. That morning we'd just given him some photos we took of him as well. Such a sweet guy!

Oh, and we found a great place here - the Sam So Guest House - in Wat Bo village, about 4 blocks north of the Singing Tree cafe on the street one in from the river. Just across the road from where the Green Town Guest House is. The Sam So is a quiet family-run place. For $8 we got hot water, a fridge, cable t.v., and a thermos of hot water every morning. (We make our own tea and coffee in the morning so we can wake up slowly - that's one of the main ways we show our age!)

Great restaurants around there too - a Thai Place, and a real cheap family place called the Star Shine - great food. Also a good mini-market nearby.

So Siem Reap's been good. Now looking forward to Battambang. Then back to Phnomenal Penh for just enough time to get another Vietnam visa (we're hooked on V-N), then up through northwestern Cambodia (Kratie, Stung Treng and a town further west the name of which I can't remember - to see elephants), and up into southern Laos for a month or so before heading back to Vietnam. Hopefully that will get us to China at the end of April, beginning of May.....

Thanks again for your messages and encouragement.

Best wishes

Jules

Hi Tim
Hello, you are right ... the human is human& that is not related to politics

Thanks man :) Sadly, I think Peru's still a good bit in the future for me -- working on getting a job and keeping up with my rent first -- but I'll definitely get in touch with Quinn and see what words of wisdom he has. Thanks for the recommendation and for welcoming me to the community!

Hi Tim!
We're now in Cambodia. Went from Phu Quoc Island over to Ha Tien and crossed the border there. Managed to get a delightful guy with a tuk tuk to drive us to the Cambodian border. He brought his whole family with him. It was quite an event!
Spent 4 days in Kep - at a lovely bungalow (Vanna) up on the hill. Pampered ourselves for a bit (after a hard time of reading and relaxing on Phu Quoc! - seems I'm getting 'used' to just lying around...).
Now in Phnom Phen. Had to miss Kampot and Sihanookville as needed to see a doctor here in PP. Oh well... .
Am amazed by the number of Lexus 4WD vehicles here and by the number of foreigners sitting around drinking and eating at expensive hotels. I gather this is where a lot of our foreign aid dollars are going. It's all the more distressing when you see - everywhere - the poverty in this country.
Tomorrow to Siem Reap.
Just getting my feet wet here in Cambodia so far - it's certainly a different place from Vietnam!
Best regards
Jules

Hi Tim!
We're now in Cambodia. Went from Phu Quoc Island over to Ha Tien and crossed the border there. Managed to get a delightful guy with a tuk tuk to drive us to the Cambodian border. He brought his whole family with him. It was quite an event!
Spent 4 days in Kep - at a lovely bungalow (Vanna) up on the hill. Pampered ourselves for a bit (after a hard time of reading and relaxing on Phu Quoc! - seems I'm getting 'used' to just lying around...).
Now in Phnom Phen. Had to miss Kampot and Sihanookville as needed to see a doctor here in PP. Oh well... .
Am amazed by the number of Lexus 4WD vehicles here and by the number of foreigners sitting around drinking and eating at expensive hotels. I gather this is where a lot of our foreign aid dollars are going. It's all the more distressing when you see - everywhere - the poverty in this country.
Tomorrow to Siem Reap.
Just getting my feet wet here in Cambodia so far - it's certainly a different place from Vietnam!
Best regards
Jules

Thanks for the comment.

hey thanks for checkin out the blog....

dude you were hanging there for 7 hours... man and i thought i was scared haha....at least ya made it out of the cave to tell about it..

take care

--bones

Thank-you thank-you Tim. Yes, I did apply and had the interview...now let's HOPE I get the job. Would love to be on the Laos adventure. I hope you guys got ahold of Patrick for a reference. He's busy busy these days...and had a wee squabble with my friend Nate, who I HOPE still wrote a good refs. for me...hmmm, we'll see. It would be great to finally meet you.

I am just new here at Matador and I was not very sure about it until I came across your name and said, "this is the guy who writes "great!" One who would give invaluable travel advice" I am sure I will have a great time and will learn a lot from fellow travels here especially you. Your blogs will be a great source of informations. Thanks!

Sure. Here is one I wrote about my life in Aix en Provence:
http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22296/40945-here--aix-en-provence
Thanks for reaching out x

Tim -
Again, this seems the only way to reply to your message. Weird.
Anyway, yes we're still in Vietnam. We extended our visas for another month - we really like it here.
Finally got out of Saigon (just can't call it HCMC when none of the locals/nationals seem to), and seem to have left the rain behind - for now.
Right now in Can Tho, just about to go up to Chau Doc. Then down along the border and over to Phu Quoc for a while, and then yes, crossing the border at whatever that small town is called to get to Kampot and Kep. We hope to be in Kep (on advice from you and others who liked it) for Tet (or whatever it's called in Cambodia).
Hoping to read your coal article today.
I'm amazed at how many messages you manage to send and how well you keep in touch. Busy boy!
Thanks again for your interest and encouragement. People like you truly 'make the world go round!'
Cheers
Jules

Funabashi is a city in Chiba about halfway between Narita and Tokyo.
Yamanashi is so beautiful. Some amazing canyoning around there, you're very lucky to have lived there!

Thanks for the welcome.

Hey Tim!

Glad we're connected here. I've always liked your stuff on WH, too.

Terry

Hi there Tim,

Thanks for your comment and timely encouragement.

You are the first to welcome me to the Matador Travel Community. For an angsty moment there I thought I was writing all on my lonesome. Not the case. Appreciate the icebreaker.

As to my location, no sadly I am not in Cambodia. I am in Melbourne, that leafy city they tacked on the bottom of this most isolated continent on earth, or as that wordsmith Bryson puts it;

"...the driest, flattest, hottest, most infertile and climatically aggressive of all the inhabited continents..."

Possibly heading there again later this year though. Need to firstly charm my way onboard a friend of a friend's yacht leaving Australian waters in March. Any words of wisdom on how best to go about this? [possible blog theme here? Hmm]

Thanks once again for your contact Tim. In all sincerity, you deserve some credit and praise for your quality communication with the folk on this site. Inspiring.

Happy New Year ... and travel safe out there.

C

Tim - Not sure if this is where I'm meant to reply to your message, but yes, we are heading to Cambodia next. At the moment we seem to be well and truly stuck in Hue. We're in a great hotel, and I'm taking advantage of internet connection in the room to write and to edit and organize some of my writings. When I was looking for travel magazines that I might submit some of my stuff to, I came upon an article that strongly recommended I get a blog going. The rest is history. As you can see, I've been busy putting up a number of things I've written.

But sooner or later we will leave Hue, and head south to Hoi An, Nhatrang, Saigon, etc. Then Cambodia. So I'd appreciate any recommendations you might have to share. I'll read your blogs and check out your guides as well. You've certainly been a busy guy!

Thanks also for the info about the article on forestry in Laos. I'll definitely check it out.

And thanks for your encouragement. It's very nice to hear positive feedback!

Cheers

Jules

Hey I just read your how to travel the world for free article, and I just wanted to say thank you for using my picture! I'm glad you liked it!

If you are after a classic bit of reading check out Shantaram. I imagine you have heard of it if not read it, but damn man, I can't put the thing down. Its especially good if you are into India.

Thanks for the tip about dogs- that is really unfortunate and will be hard for me :(

One more question! I'm really into running but I heard that people don't really run for exercise there, do they? If not then what do people do to stay in shape?

Hey Tim-

Stu told me that you were traveling in Thailand now. I'm going to be traveling there in January. Do you have any tips/tricks/advice especially about what things to bring from the states :-) I'll be in the Phuket area.

Thanks!
Tracy

Nice website brother, great stories.

My Travel Plans: Wyoming, Jackson Hole, leaving in 3 days.

Need an update, dude! Whats going on with you?!

-MOJO
"Live simply, so that others may simply live."

Hi Tim,

I noticed that you've done some Patagonia travel--any tips for places to stay and things to see around the Parque Faunistica Peninsula Valdes and Punta Tombo? Unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to get much further South than that, since I only have about 10 days around Christmas (I'll be coming from Montevideo).
One other quick question: do you happen to know if hostels, parks etc. are closed for long during the holidays? That's something that doesn't get mentioned in the Lonely Planet guides, and I don't know anyone who's actually been down there yet.

Thanks for any info you have!
Colleen

Thanks for welcoming me to Matador Tim!

"want" is definitely the operative word in the category "places I want to travel." I'm mainly going to focus on Argentina, but I'll keep a lookout for Matador Friends wherever I land!

Ha ha ha... hey Tim! Thanks for checking out the video. I tried to post it right into the blog. I ever edited the html code and it showed up in the editing screen, but when I clicked "preview" or "submit" it wasn't there so I was forced to hyperlink it.

The headstand was easy... the hard part was getting the camera to balance on the ground, pointed at the rock, and then setting the timer and running back into the shot and getting into position before the the shutter snapped.

Wouldn't it be great if every travel could bring their own personal photographer with them?

-MOJO
"Live simply, so that others may simply live."

Cool cool. I'll keep my ears open for any live music that might be happening that night - CM is full of talented musicians. Beyond that, I'd say the Rooftop Bar is always a good call, if for no other reason than the view. I'll be in Laos for the next week, but I'll be sure to be thinking of good plans in the meantime.

hey man, we get into BKK sunday, then our general plan is to go through Chiang Rai up to Laos, do the gibbon x, and then we'll be getting to Chiang Mai on Saturday, Oct. 18th. See you then.

Shoot me a message/email when you know where people will be congregating in Chiang Mai.

Look forward to it.

Stu

Don't know if I'll be there the morning of the 18th or on the 17th. I just arrived in Luang Prabang , and Ill be working my way there from here. I can definately make it out to the Pun Pun farm for a couple of days, I checked out there site and it looks pretty sweet.

See you there, and let me know when you have a better idea about the time of lunch on the 18th.

Hey man- Getting fired up for Thailand. Have you earmarked any good rooftop bars for the Matador get together on the 18th in Chiang Mai?? I'll be getting into Chiang Mai in the early afternoon on the 18th. Might stay with a friend who's living there, but if not, what hotel/hostel are you thinking of staying at?? Ok too many questions. See you in a week. Later, Stu

Hi Tim

Nice to meet you. Would happily tour Cambodia, but maybe we should start with Vermont?:-)

don't forget about that Theroux book. it would be SO GOOD for you right now. i hope you are well and you've survived the land of tofu (nnothing wrong with tofu mind you.......)

Thank you for the kind words on my Profile Page, Tim!

My images are a constant reminder of great and not-so-great experiences as we travel this world.

Thanks for adding me to your big, wonderful travel network. I look forward to being an active member of Matador!!!

Wow man, this site is awesome. I really want to get involved. What would you suggest i start out with, being that i am in school right now and can't really go anywhere... or CAN i? hmm

Hey Tim! Yes leading these students is really amazing! I have checked out the org you mentioned many times and LOVE what they do. I've been doing this going on 4 years and each year my heart only grows more swollen for these precious students.. it's a pretty awesome responsiblity :)

Hope you are well and thanks for saying hello!

Cheers,
Kyle

Hey Tim,

Chiang Mai sounds great next month, I will definitely be there with you guys.

ok, i'm gonna go to this Matt Gross thing now. Way to blog me into it.

Thanks for the invite to Matador, Tim. This is a cool place. Glad to be a part of it now.

Quite frankly Tim I don't see what's so darn funny about my answer to what I want to do before I die.

Thanks Tim...great to be here. Cheers to the solution! (of course, not Hitler's solution)

Hey Tim. It's great to hear from you. I hope you're enjoying Vietnam. Are you swinging by Bangkok on your way down south? Let me know what you have planned and maybe I can catch you for a drink. I had a feature on Lao run a few weeks ago in Texas and a Thailand piece is coming up. I'll post them on here when I get a few minutes, and I'll send you the pdfs. That might be easier since you're traveling. My day job has kept me from submitting much lately. You looking for anything in particular?

Hey Tim,

the "The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Hitchhiking" was an awesome read. I have always wanted to thumb from Anchorage Ak to Cape Horn Argentina.. prolly always be just a pipe dream, but I'll hold onto it.

thanks again.

Thanks Deef! Keep that dream alive.

Hey Tim,

Check out some of my articles. About to go to NY this weekend. Covering a fashion show. Any interest in me doing a piece let me know.

K

hello
Tim, keep it up
love your jobs

much care
jolina

Tim,

With your suggestion on Eva's Global Food industry post I read McKibben's Deep Economy. His example that Cuba was forced out of the global food economy and now is better off and much more self-sufficient really got your point across. Thanks for the suggestion.

Nashville? Sweet! What's bringing you to Music City USA?

Thanks for the blog comment. I'm new to the site, but I'll definitely explore some of the writing opportunities. I look forward to being in touch with you. Happy travels.

Hey thanks for the advice.
I just got into Cork yesterday, and I'm really happy to be out of the big city of Dublin. It's much nicer here, but I'd see like to see more of the country side.
I've heard some great things about the western areas like Ring of Kerry and Cliffs of Moher, so I think that maybe I'll do some biking/WWOOFing there... I haven't anything sorted out yet, but we'll see what I can do. Ciao-

Yup still in junior foreign diplomacy training but anxiously waiting for next september....then i'll know where my first post will be.....i'll be blogging....

Thanks for the welcome. I got a few days on the Trinity in N. Cal in Feb. It snowed feet, but the fishing was fantastic.

Yeah, we get "steelhead" runs in Vermont each April but the fish aren't nowhere near that big.

18 March 2008
Rosario, Argentina

Tim,
From one travel logjam to the next, I've made it here and even have a bed every night until I depart for someplace yet to be determined when the beds run out on Saturday.

Thanks for responding. Tonight I'm off to the Bob Dylan (Bawb Dillawn)concert. Context should make the experience something like Bob barely remembers from his '67 days.

While writing this, I think I hear the beach on your end of the email.
Chau,
Steven

Uruguay! You lucky dog! Now, if you could just transport some baklava from here it would be exactly paradise...

Yes, I am trapped in a concrete jungle, with Byzantine architechture. Yes, not so bad.

Anyways I haven't had any time to write, or have been submitting total crap to people, because I am working forty plus hours a week. Loving Istanbul except for that, but looking forward to nearing the slower summer season when I have a chance to be a writer again.

Anyways, I'll let you know when I'm taking that train. I give it 50 years. Keep me posted on your adventures. Take care!

Hey man, I replied to you by message but perhaps it's more social to reply by comment.

Ponte del Diablo, I came close but didn't stop there. I stayed in a crazy national-park/military-base/campsite nearby called Parque Santa Teresa. That was one of the most relaxed places I've ever been to, with good surf too.

Yeah I'm definately up for writing a surf spots guide. I've surfed in 6 different states along the coast of Brazil so have plenty to input. How do we go about this and how will you pay me? Peace

tim,

thanks for the welcome, although i am a bit jealous of your current location. i have never been, made it to argentina but never crossed over. how is it? i am sure your drinking plenty of mate, that was one of my favorite parts. anyways, enjoy the waves and people and thanks for the note. i hope our paths cross too.

matt

I thought maybe a few folks might add it to StumpleUpon, but wow!. Thanks for adding the links to the people's names as well. Must have been equally as time-consuming. Keep enjoying Uruguay.

Thanks. I've enjoyed reading your blogs and articles too. The way my trip is structured, I don't really have much free time to wander around, other than a couple of afternoons/nights in Montevideo and one afternoon at Punta del Este. Is that near Punta del Diablo?

unfortunately i've already moved on. but i think we should all take your lead and always write Cambodia! with an exclamation mark. just the mention of the word makes me smile and yearn to go back. when i do, i'll follow your suggestions. thanks.

Thanks for the post. That's really cool that you're working at a hostel now. I always thought it'd be a sweet job. I'm actually going to Uruguay in three weeks to do some volunteer work during my spring break in Montevideo. Are you out of Argentina for good now?

Alright, I'm in. :)

Thanks for the welcome and encouraging words! Love to hear more.

I love it too. Thanks for commenting. Jo

Rude!

...kidding

Where did you go to school?

Hi Tim!
Interesting to note that every time I'm moved/persuaded/inflamed to leave a comment on a Brave New Traveler article you're the author!

What's UP with that?

Hope your time in Patagonia is swell. I'm gearing up for Belize in every way.

Laura
----
La Bohemiac

Hi Tim !

Thanx for your comment and support!

Make sure you drop us a line if you ever come to Peru...

y Comete un corderito patagonico en nuestro nombre che!

elKuraka

Hi,
Got your comment - I live in Buenos Aires and should be headed to Mendoza next month. I'm interested in writing about it - for BNT, I'm guessing? Examples here: www.argentinastravel.com, argentina-eve.blogspot.com
Cheers,
Eve

Hey hey--thanks for the note. I've been loving your articles and blogs, particularly your piece about the Hokkaido Mountain Huts. Just saw that you'll be in the Rocky Mts in July. Whereabouts exactly? I've been staying with my folks, who live near Ridgway (close to Telluride, southwest corner of CO). Any chance we could meet up, do a little writing/adventuring?

There's a great hut-to-hut system from Ouray to Telluride, which offers lots of backcountry snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Might be interesting to compare with Hokkaido...

Peace,
Jenny

Wind River Range: right on. I did a NOLS mountaineering course there in 2001. We ended up not making it up Gannett because one of the guys on the trip got some kind of stomach funk, but it was still an amazing place.

If you make it to Nepal, check out Mt. Kanchenjunga in the north east corner. Third tallest mountain in the world, and no one's ever heard of it.

hey thanks for reading!

I'm just getting started but the positive reinforcement definitely helps :P

good luck in your travels – i'll make sure to read up on your adventures :P

Thanks for reading my blog! I liked your blog about the bus breaking down in the Andes. You worked at Verbatim? I used to spend a lot of time hanging out there reading when I was a kid. One of my most memorable Christmas presents was a $40 gift certificate to Verbatim. I felt like I'd hit the jackpot when I got it!

I am just waiting to get the OK for an extra 2 weeks addition to my vacation and then...Im out to Panya. Very excited, saw your blog about it and it just got more pumped! A little building here, designing there...cannot wait.

Hey, wow, you're like my idol now! Seriously though, impressive resume there, really nice job. Perseverance really pays off, doesn't it? I'm a writer as well but haven't quite moved to the position that best fits me. Yet. I have had many interesting and fulfilling experiences so far though. Maybe I'll have to try my hand at a submission for BNT someday. Great site.

The beauty of life, to me, is the connection made between people with similar hearts and souls. What's that Buddhist saying? 'Have much and be confused'....well, it's true. Simplicity, in many ways, is one of the keys on the keychain of true happiness. I'm glad I inspired you and in turn, you inspired me too :) xo

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."-Dalai Lama

Thanks for the comment. Hope you are enjoying B-A.

G'day Tim. Thanks for the early friend request.

hello!
too bad we won't be able to travel patagonia with you. we'd love to go there, only by bicycle, so it'll take us a while to get there. we decided to postpone our pedaling south until spring, and we're visiting family & volunteering at an urban organic farm in Boise in the meantime.
will you be going to peru? i definitely recommend it.
safe travels!
the earthworms

Thanks for reading the mooncake bicycle bit. That's one of those entries that I haven't reread since I posted it, and it cracked me up a bit to revisit it. I've had a good friend from home visiting for the past two weeks and she leaves this afternoon. Having a visitor here who speaks no Chinese really challenged me and stretched me, mostly to good effects. Tomorrow, however, I look forward to a long, long snooze!

And you're off to South America. Rad! I'll head down there one of those days. We have a new housemate from the Canary Islands, and my Spanish is slowly coming back, though now I speak a bizarre blend of Span-ese.

Yup, I'm planning on visiting Panya--so excited to LEAVE already. :) I was actually going to ask you about hostels/guesthouses in Luang Prabang. Any recommendations?

If only I remembered the name...a sweet family with a wooden house about 300 meters downstream from the main docks on the Mekong...$4 for a big upstairs room, free bananas and cold water, a semi-hot shower downstairs...it might be in one of my old destination guide...

Hey Tim,

I'll see if I can think of any potential article ideas and hit you up when I get the chance. Thanks!

-Justin

Hey Tim. Was planning on pinging you closer to leaving for Cambodia. First point of entry is Phnom Penh. Thats all I know at this point. Travelling as a photojournalist for an NGO so my movements may be limited to their project locations, etc :( Once I find out more, I'm definitely gonna bug you for info!!

ace you will remain because of the great things you are doing out there keep it up.

I have lightning feet and I will embarrass Mr. kessler.

Thanks for the kind words about the Yellowstone article - wish I had more time to check out your profiles and get back to you - but need to find a camp spot before dark!

Just read your Yellowstone article in Traverse. What an amazing adventure! I was especially impressed by the way you described the sounds of your solo fishing trip. Only hearing the water and the fish biting must be such a rush! And thanks for adding the "how to" portion at the end; it made me feel like I can go catch a cutthroat! -Les

AWESOME writing...just read about Yellowstone and I'm hooked!

Howdy Tim,

Thanks for the message on the blog and who knows, maybe we could trade some tips on South Asia's least explored....

I'll be watching your writing.

Cheers,
-M

----
Mikey Leung, Freelance Journalist and Photographer
http://www.mikeyleung.ca

Thanks. Check the flickr link under my profile; there are more pictures of those two islands.

Mate, good to see that Get Lost took your pitch...the only way now is up.

One life. No plan. Many adventures.

PS: do I still have something of yours that needs posting on TheTravelrag.com? If so can you resend pl?! :)

Chris
www.thetravelrag.com
www.chrisord.com

I do what I can. It would have saved me from the wandering polar bears knocking at my hut.

Haha, I couldn't *not* buy those! Thanks for the comment! :)

Thanks, first time blogger, took me longer to post than it did tip topping!... lemme know if they need accomodation advice.
Kim

Excellent blog! Thank you also for your wonderful comments. As someone who feels almost desperate to live this sort of "unconventional traveller's life" (for reasons still unknown), your notes on being a travel writer and exploring the world are truly inspirational. In your interview, I especially like the line:

"...can hike 5 miles through the jungle on a pack of ramen and some coconut milk, but I can't pet my cat without wondering if I should settle down and plant a garden and go to law school. Funny, isn't it. On the road, I'm just on the damn road, and life is wonderful."

I can relate completely. Im often torn between wanting some sort of stability and life on the road. Fortunately or unfortunately (depends on how you look at it),life on the road always seems to win.

Although I dont have a cat, I've always felt a pang of envy when I see people walking their dogs or what not. Its been my personal symbol of "success" I suppose. Do you know how people buy cars or big houses when they feel as though they have finally "made it"? Well, mine has always been a dog. Silly as it may sound, but a dog has always seemed to represent something solid, a point where Ive finally felt like Ive finally made a career for myself as a writer, a stable place to live, somewhere to call home.

Well, sorry if this ended up being quite long. Anyway, congratulations and keep up the inspirational work!

Actually I was talking about it today. There is a great architecture school in Valparaiso. Let me know more about your plans.

M.

Hey, thanks for the tip, and the welcome! You Matador people are a friendly bunch, I'm loving it so far.

The Quebec/Maritimes bike trip (is it the same trip?) sounds great - have you been to Canada's east coast before? I spent four years in Halifax and still think of it as home, really. Let me know if need any tips before you go - it's Happy Hour every hour somewhere in Hali, and I've given most of them a test run...

I also thought your Rolf Potts interview! Keep up the work!

Loved your interview of Rolf Potts on www.BraveNewTraveler.com. Keep up the good work, Tim. I could see you following in that guy's footsteps.

Hey bud,
Thanks for the good words, I'll keep working to earn that Peter Hessler comparison though! Really enjoying the Matador community, and loving your work.

Best,
Pete

Ciao Tim
I read your piece One Angry Hour in Cambodia translated in Italian.
I couldn't agree with you more. It also reads beautifully in Italian.
Bravo. aspetto un altro pezzo tradotto!

Oh I know, those chairs were ridiculous, but very amusing, especially when witnessing twelve-foot tall 300 pound Australian men try to precariously balance on one of them. I'm not even sure why they bother with those chairs since everyone in Asia is so good at squatting anyway. What does the chair really do to break the squat?

Thanks for the Australia/NZ tips. Fortunately I don't have enough money left to do any of the exxxtreme sports, so I can use that as my excuse. Are you still thinking you'll go to India soon? DO IT. It's such an amazing place.

You checked out TC? Damn...linking it in my signature works better than I thought.

I'm essentially the (technological) muscle for my wife's ideas. At the end of the day, she's more of a traveler than me but lacks any kind of HTML/PHP/CSS/etc. experience.

As it develops, I hope to at least mirror the blogs that I end up putting on Matador. If you've read the "getting started", you'll note its focused on the "first time" traveler and--if we're lucky--the ads will get used enough to fund another year of 1/gb per-month web hosting ($30)

BTW, I made the mistake of checking out your photos while the nude iceberg one's were up. Like a bad car wreck, I was simultaneously horrifying and transfixed. I'm not sure I want to hear the story behind them. :)

Thanks for checking out TC!

-JB

thanks for tip. get lost looks good.

Yo Matador!

Did you go on the Gibbon? Where are you now?

Go to Vang Viene. Tube the river. Jump the cliff jumps. Hit the zip lines. Burn one a the bend in the river. And watch the simpsons at a resturant in town.

Vien Tiene. Not to interesting.

Luang Prabang. Temple on the hill. Night mrkt. Cheap food at mrkt, load up a plate at the veggie spot.

In bang kok got to the sarfari world/marine park. its cool. feed the giraffs.

Have fun brah! Let me know what you did!

Go Matador!

Ciao Tim,
Yah tt was eerie, but I guess that's why I liked it. This is a great site. Thanks!