8,471 miles and Counting

The state of Penang is located in northwestern Malaysia, one half sits on the mainland with the other on an island just off the coast. Most well known on the island is the UNESCO heritage city of George Town. Established in 1786 as a trading post on the Straits of Malacca and named after King George III, today it's a nice place to wander, eat, and explore. George Town's cuisine alone is worthy of a visit and could fill a dissertation. My hostel host sat me down with a brochure full of all the famous local street food and where to find each. It's almost overwhelming, and even fruitless to chase down every single one; I found it hard to go wrong at any place with a decent crowd. I paid a visit to Little India, tucked into fresh seafood, raided the dim sum cart under a ceiling of Chinese lanterns, and savored street fare from vendors who were just a joy to watch. One rainy day just meant we got a little wet hopping from one meal to the next. One of the most u...

This is Lao PDR, the People's Democratic Republic--but it may as well stand for Please Don't Rush. And you hardly could if you tried. It's a long country where slow travel prevails. While there aren't as many "attractions" in Laos as its neighbors, some historic places and natural beauty mean there are lots of stops worth visiting, and they're all spread out. After enjoying my first couple spots at a leisurely pace, I wasn't rushed, but I did have to do some creative planning to fit everything else in my visa window. From the 4,000 Islands I did a boat-bus-bus-boat routine up to Champassak to see Wat Phu. Built on the side of a mountain, the views from the top were as impressive as the Angkor-era ruins. A lovely Belgian family let me tag along for the day in the relative luxury of a private chartered minivan before dropping me in Pakse. After half a day wandering and eating around town, I grabbed a five hour night bus up to Thakek. With a f...

Laos is a beautiful country, full of lovely people, and the favorite stop of many a southeast Asia backpacker. But all is not well here, as I quickly learned something was lurking beneath the vegetation that continues to take the lives of villagers every year, and keeps the others living in fear. The “Secret War” waged by the US from 1964 to 1973 was conducted without the authorization of Congress, without the knowledge of the American public, and in violation of the Geneva Accords. While no longer secret, I guess I missed this in history class, because it was a shock to me. It's resulted in masses of unexploded ordnances (UXOs) that continue to kill and maim over forty years after the war. Laos holds the grim title of the most bombed country, per capita, in history. Why all the bombs? The Ho Chi Minh Trail ran from north Vietnam, into Laos, and then back into south Vietnam. The jungle trail was used for moving north Vietnamese troops, supplies, and artillery into south...

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the food in Thailand. I loved it. But I hardly put down my chopsticks since landing in Vietnam. It's all just so good and fresh, and I did miss bread in Thailand where's it not especially common. Shortly after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, I saw signs for "pho" everywhere. The hot broth was full of flavor, and I see why it's so popular. Pho may be Vietnam's best known dish, but I just couldn't stop eating banh mi, a sandwich (typically pork) on a baguette. There are different variations and many were standouts. One was in Qui Nhon, from a little sidewalk stall that put it together right in front of you, then tossed it on a charcoal grill to lightly toast it. I took a bite and immediately ordered a second. It came wrapped in some math homework. Forty-five cents each. As good as I thought the baguette bread was, three French travellers informed me it's actually quite terrible compared to what they get...