Comments on: Backpacking

By: Timothy

Timothy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:06:31 +0000

Margaret – When I was in Darjeeling a couple of years ago I found a tatty first edition of LP India on a guesthouse bookshelf and ended up spending about 2 days sat on a balcony leafing through its fascinating pages. All those lovely hand-drawn maps and brilliant advice on ‘hidden gems’ like Anjuna beach in Goa, which it described as very hard to find, with no where to stay, no where to eat, but well worth a look if you bring your own food and don’t mind sleeping on the beach! Also plenty of dubious information on where to go to purchase various illicit substances throughout India… something they appear to have omitted in the later editions!

I’m very envious of your pre-1980 traveling. I was still at school then with little or no idea of what lay out there in the big wide world. The changes I’ve seen in the last 10 years alone are astonishing. It really is unbelievable how quickly things are changing on our planet these days.

Angelique – I miss pre-email traveling that is for sure. A lot of the magical feelings I used to feel knowing that I was lost in an unfamiliar culture on the other side of the world are no longer there in this day and age, but I agree that change is good and inevitable and it just means that you must accept the new experience the way it is and appreciate the good in that. Mind you, saying that I’ve just had a brilliant two days in Bangkok on the way back from Laos, just hanging out on the street eating noodle soup and watching the monsoon pour down. It could have been 1990 for all I knew or cared!

Thank you both for sharing your experiences.

By: Angelique

Angelique — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:33:23 +0000

I loved it, what you wrote down. It is so true!
The first time I went to Bangkok with my husband was in 1990. Travelling was so different, back then. No internet, a telephone call every 2/3 weeks.
Exchanging info with other travellers, post-restante, changing traveller cheques. (which took for ever in India)
In 2 weeks I will go to Thailand for the 6.th time with my husband en daughter, 7 years.
And I think the changes are good and it is much easier to travel now.
But I feel lucky to have experienced the other way.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:59:12 +0000

I bought my second hand copy of South-East Asia on a Shoestring from a book stall in Simla in 1978. It was the only reference book I had to get me from Bangkok to Singapore via Malaysia and Sumatra.My journey involved overnight buses,ferries and some hitch hiking-sometimes on my own.From this book I found places to stay ,sights to see and fellow travellers using the same yellow book. It was the source of all the info I needed!
When I returned to South East Asia for a month’s holiday in 1982 clutching my yellow book-so much had changed in those 4 years that it was of little use to me.However I will always keep my tatty copy of this book for sentimental reasons and happy memories of travel in S.E.Asia.
Margaret

By: Timothy

Timothy — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:17:14 +0000

Yani, bad luck! It could happen to anyone. I hope it didn’t put you off Bangkok. Next time you are stuck for a place to stay, try heading down to the end of Rambutri… its at the eastern end of Kaosan Road, much quieter and less crowded – you can always find a nice room there with friendly people.

Yes, I know Jalan Jaksa very well.. I lived in Indonesia for a couple of years when I was younger. In fact, in just over 4 weeks time I’ll be back in Eastern Indonesia for a ‘Human Planet’ shoot. I can’t wait… its been over 5 years since I’ve been to your lovely country.

Timothy

By: Yani

Yani — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:30:14 +0000

Hi Timothy,

I’ve been in Bangkok last week on my backpacking. Unfortunatelly all guesthouses recommended by the Yellow Bible are full so I moved to Little Arabia .
The 2nd unfortunate is that my husband n I trapped in a scam mafia. Beware of tuk tuk that offering you 20 Baht/hour!

However we really enjoyed staying in Thailand for several days, especially in Krabi n Phi Phi island!

Regards,
yani.widianto.com
Jakarta, Indonesia

ps: The Kaosan road of Jakarta is jalan Jaksa (Jaksa street)

By: Diego

Diego — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:47:03 +0000

Timothy,

Woohoo that’s fantastic to hear! Can’t wait!

Diego

By: Timothy

Timothy — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:24:15 +0000

Hi Diego,

I’ve never been to the Philippines before, but we will be traveling there in a few months time to shoot one story for the ‘Oceans’ program of ‘Human Planet’, so keep your eye on the blog and I’ll post some pictures when I get some.

Timothy

By: Diego

Diego — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:15:20 +0000

I hope to visit Bangkok for the first time sometime this year. What a cool idea on the wedding photos

I’m wondering though, have you ever been to the Philippines? It would be great to see your vision of our country in 2 dimensions.

Regards from the Philippines,
Diego
http://diegojosephoto.com