In the crowded streets of Hong Kong, one always finds street vendors serving delicious noodles, roasted ducks hanging in the windows of restaurants, fish tanks full of tonight’s dinner, and trendy eateries next to decades-old dim sum establishments. Smells of rice, fried chicken, and noodles fill the air as you move from restaurant to restaurant. Food is […]
Hong Kong Itinerary: 4 Days In Hong Kong
Hong Kong. Its name inspires visions of a chaotic, unkam-packed city with soaring skyscrapers, thick smog, endless noodle stands, big finance, and wild nights out. It’s one of my top five favorite cities in the world, and I relish any chance to visit. The fast pace creates a sense of permanent change, and the crowds, […]
6 Lessons Learned from 3 Months in China
China is a fascinating and rapidly changing country. Old customs and habits hang on as modern skyscrapers go up every second, the country becomes more of a global powerhouse, and people from around the world move there. Last year, my friend Scott Young, best known as a learning hacker who learned MIT’s entire computer science […]
Ko Lanta: The Thai Island That Remains Paradise
It all started with two French girls. It was 2006, and I was five months into my first round-the-world trip. I’d arrived in Thailand two weeks before, run into a friend, and jetted off to Ko Phi Phi, a place I didn’t enjoy. Another friend emailed me about a beautiful, out-of-the-way, hidden island near the […]
How to Play, Feed, Bathe, and Protect the Elephants in Thailand
Elephants have long been important in Thailand, where they are a symbol of religion, history, royalty, and power. According to Buddhist legend, Queen Maya of Sakya, Lord Buddha’s mother, dreamed that a divine Bodhisattva on a white elephant touched her side. She later became pregnant, and since then, elephants have had a strong connection to […]
How to Spend a Week in the Maldives for Less Than One Night in a Resort
I’ve always wanted to visit the Maldives (edit: I finally did!). I’ve often dreamed of those over-water bungalows and white sand beaches. But those dreams turned into nightmares when I realized how much those bungalows actually cost. Luckily, changes in the way tourism is done in the country have allowed for a small but growing […]
