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You are here: Home / Archives for Destinations / Asia & Oceania

Jungle Treks and Elephants

August 21, 2011 By Guest Blogger

There are jungle treks and then there are jungle treks. In many a place the world over you will find companies that will offer to take you ‘into the wild’ and show you what life is really like. Most of these companies are lying. You will get a chaperoned tour through some trees that you have driven to in a big van; you won’t see any wildlife and you will feel rather cheated.

But not in Thailand, oh no. Thailand is something special.

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This is a place where you can climb onto the back of your elephant from a platform, and start an elephant jungle trek that will last all day. The elephant will lumber down the river valley, wading through the water, and sometimes down steep slopes and from your elevated view, you can gaze out over the lush jungle.

And this is just one day of many. In much the same way that Australia has become synonymous with bushtucker trails and walkabouts, Thailand is carving out a significant chunk of the tourist market with its tailored jungle trekking.

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It has done so by cashing in on the budget traveler market. Places like Australia attract people from all over the world specifically for that one thing, and people pay thousands of pounds for it. Thailand has approached the matter from a different angle, trying to use the vast number of young – yet cash-strapped – backpackers already within its borders.

It is no secret that Thailand is huge with 18-25 scene. You only need to check a multi-airline website like DialAFlight to see that cheap flights to Thailand are now comparable in price to short hops to Europe. The Thai Tourist board has decided that cheap and cheerful is the way to go, and tries to entice the backpackers away from the touristy areas of Bangkok and into the jungles.

Treks can vary from a single day trip to ones that last weeks, but the common denominator for all of them is that they are cheap. Much cheaper in fact than other places in the world that offer jungle treks – the Amazon rainforest for example – and in doing so, they have all but ensured its success.

 

Ironically enough, by trying to attract overseas tourists specifically for jungle treks and focusing instead on those who happen to be there anyway, Thailand now has exactly that reputation. In a country that can be overly touristy or tacky, upon returning home the one thing all backpackers are going to rave about is the jungle treks. Especially if there are elephants involved.


Filed Under: Asia & Oceania, Destinations, Headline, Thailand Tagged With: elephants, tours

Chinese Acupuncture

August 16, 2011 By Sean

Chinese Traditional Medicine is often looked upon as insane by Westerners. When I first moved to China, I would actually get upset at medical professionals when they told me the medicine or procedure I was looking for would not work, instead recommending tea or acupuncture. Eventually I realized I should heed their advice and visit an acupuncturist. After all, many of Asia’s medical practices have been around for over 5000 years, something pointed out to me almost daily.

I took a trip to the doctor and took off my shoes and socks as instructed. Sam, ironically the name of my Chinese doctor, took out a box of needles and made it a point to show me they were sterile before ripping open the package. He asked me where my pain was and was shocked at how many achy spots I had for my age, then he got to work cleaning some skin and then….

Then he STABBED me with a needle.

Ok, it was more like a quick jab followed by a twist. The twist makes it so that the nerves tighten up. A little twist and there is a little bit of pain, so he twisted until the pain went away.

My stomach churned whilst I watched the needles plunge quickly into my skin, but it was over just as it had begun. When I thought we were finished, he walked away without saying a word. A minute later, Sam returned with a machine unfamiliar to me. He explained it was going to send electrical pulses to the needles, which would make the tissue surrounding the needle jump. Sam continued by saying this would not hurt, but in fact relieve the pain because it allowed the tissue to relax and heal itself. All I could think about was how completely unnatural the needles and electrical stimulation felt to my body.

He turned it on slowly so as not to make the pulse too strong. It felt….weird! He had me lay still for a full 20 minutes before he began removing the needles from my body. When he finished, I couldn’t stand up! My muscles were just that relaxed.

Next, Sam offered to cup me, which clearly required further explanation. The procedure required that he take a glass bowl and place a flame inside it so it ate up all the oxygen. With the oxygen gone, Sam would quickly place the bowl on my back so as to suck the toxins from my body while also increasing blood flow to the area….and giving me some serious circular bruises for a few weeks.

The pain of the cups sucking on my skin was much more than I had anticipated and far stronger than the acupuncture had been but I managed to grin and bared it. Twenty minutes later, I was a free man. I shook Sam’s hand and dashed out of the hospital as quickly as I could.

In time I grew to love acupuncture. Although I still hate the process, it actually makes me feel better. I’ve gone back nine times since that first trip and can’t wait for my next treatment.

IF YOU GO: Acupuncturists in China are like lawyers in America, they’re everywhere! The procedure is affordable for everyone. If you go to China and want to give this a shot be sure to ask around for recommendations. The first time you do something like this you’ll want it to be a bit ‘gentler’ and if you don’t speak the language you’ll either need a translator to help you through it or you’ll need to find an English-speaking doctor.

Filed Under: Asia & Oceania, China, Destinations, Headline Tagged With: acupuncture, alternative medicine, asia, China, eastern, medical, medicine, needles, therapy

Rail Holidays – The Jewels of India

August 14, 2011 By Guest Blogger

Imagine being buried in a pile of penny sweets wearing a suit made from feathers surrounded by the cast from West Side Story in full chorus. This kind of sensory overload is equal to that which you will experience on a trip to India. However the India trip, of course, will also be much more rewarding, enjoyable and less like a Lady Ga Ga video. One way to remove a bit of unnecessary intensity from an Indian adventure is to let somebody else take care of the plans, which is why I decided to go with rail holidays. With the worries of destinations and transport taken care of, I was free to soak up the experience.

Delhi

First was the chaotic cocktail that is Delhi. What a magically intoxicating mix: throw in a handful of languages, a generous portion of New Delhi sophistication, mix in a few drops of ancient magic and blend in a bumper pack of Crayola. This is a city shared by medieval markets and cosmopolitan coffee shops; where tours of ancient monuments can be followed by a round of Mojitos. My highlight had to be the Red Fort: towering arches and auburn splendour hewn from sandstone in the 1600’s; the first of many architectural masterpieces to come.

Agra

Of course, nothing could quite prepare you for the Taj Mahal, the jewel in Agra’s crown. No matter the level of hype or hyperbole, this palace more than lives up to it. A fleet of 1000 elephants carried the dazzling slabs of white marble 200 miles to construct it; surely the most extravagant gift ever made to a lover. Inspired, I tried a similar feat with hamsters and Mini Cheddars when I got home. Apparently it’s not a good idea to use an edible building material.

Beyond the Palace of Winds, Fort Amber looms over the Maota lake. This really is the stuff that legends are made of. Whilst the Palace is a ghostly ruin, sand blowing beneath high arches, the Fort’s facade resembles a princess’ jewellery box.

Ranthambore National Park

If anything grapples with this incredible architecture to be the icon of northern India, then it has to be the elusive tiger. Our next destination, Ranthambore National Park is a haven for them, as well as a plethora of other animals including leopards, mongoose and crocodiles. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the safari, and we even caught a glimpse of the majestic tiger, lapping from the edge of a nearby lake.

Udaipur

Udaipur is another watery wonderland, rippling reflections of towers and temples decorating the surface of Lake Pichola. The floating palace at the water’s centre is positively dreamy, and our tour was lucky enough to arrive when the waters allowed a visit.

To round off are the ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples known as The Ellora Caves. Never before had I seen anything even remotely like this: an architectural wonder calved straight into a basalt cliff face. Statues, balconies and pillars stand frozen in time, expertly crafted over 1000 years ago.

Author: Sophie McGovern is an avid traveler who enjoys the challenge of travel. She still hops a train from time to time.

Filed Under: Destinations, Headline, India Tagged With: trains, travel

Bathing in Japan

August 9, 2011 By Guest Blogger

I still remember my disgust when I read the section on bathing that came with my study abroad packet: ‘In Japan, bathwater is shared by family members.’  Ewwwww!  What I’d come to find out over my 6 + years living there, however, is that far from gross, the Japanese have perfected the art of bathing and cleanliness.

 

To the Japanese, bathing is more than just cleaning the body; it is a purification ritual preformed for the gods of Shinto.  Cleanliness (think: taking off your shoes at the entrance to avoid bringing in outside dirt) is a way to honor the gods and thus a dirty house, unkempt clothing, and of course, a dirty body (like smelly feet!) are in a very real sense signs of ungodliness and disrespect.  A historian noted that when the Americans finally entered Japan’s borders in 1853 all we saw was an ‘uncivilized society’ of men wearing sandals and still fighting with swords, while the Japanese saw us as nothing more than ‘filthy barbarians’ because of our poor hygiene.

In modern day Japan, the religious aspect of bathing is all but lost; however, the importance of and special regard for bathing remain the same.  Up until the economic boom of the 1980s, many Japanese homes did not have a bath and thus people would visit the local public bath or sento regularly.  At only a few coins a visit, this gave people not only the opportunity to get a nice scrub, but also a chance to chat with their neighbors and catch up on the latest gossip.  Sento were traditionally unisex, although nowadays most (but not all!) are divided by sex.

Of course, nearly every home in Japan today has a bath.  Whereas Westerners often feel the kitchen is the heart of the home, most Japanese families feel this way about their bath or ofuro.  Parents often bathe with their young children, and any young children in the house, including visitors, will often bathe together.  I was even asked by a dear friend’s 4-year old daughter to take a bath together.  I gave in and was quickly humbled by the young child’s honesty of my less-than-Japanese-ideal body size.  But she had a wonderful time squirting water at me and playing with her toys (I eventually got her to actually bathe!), I had a great time as we ‘studied’ Japanese together using the bath letter stickers, and of course her parents were so pleased that I was willing to become ‘part of the family’ by sharing this intimate time.

One thing to keep in mind is that sharing bathtime is much easier because of the Japanese-style bath itself.  Unlike our tubs and/or showers, the Japanese bath is an entire room.  In one corner will be the actual bath, a deep tub that allows the user to sink all the way up to their neck in the water, and the rest of the room will have at least a small, low, bucket-style chair and most likely some kind of scooper.  Traditionally, you fill the bath with hot water (typically over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), use the scooper to scoop the water and bathe outside the tub, and when you’re clean and rinsed off, then finally you submerge into the hot bath.  Because the body is already clean, the bath water can be used by many people and in many cases, for more than one day (by just reheating it).  The key is bathing and rinsing outside the bath, something many foreigners often aren’t aware of and thus end up ruining perfectly good bathwater.

Bathing is typically done before bed and is the perfect way to not only wind down after a demanding day, but also to warm the body to endure the cold heater-less nights (as most Japanese do).  It’s not uncommon for Japanese people to spend 30 minutes to an hour soaking, and recently, many TV makers have been producing bath TVs just for this purpose.  Bath salts are common additions to baths and come in every scent and ‘health benefit’ imaginable (a popular one is for weight loss), including summer ones that claim to cool the body, even in the hot bath.

One cannot discuss bathing in Japan without mentioning a favorite of mine and of most foreigners I know (and of the Japanese), the onsen or hot springs!  As Japan is made up of volcanic islands, it’s only natural that hot springs can be found all over the country.  The iconic image of the monkeys bathing in the snowy hills comes to mind.  I personally never went to any northern onsen and thus never had the opportunity to have my clothes stolen by some Japanese monkeys, but I did enjoy my town’s local onsen on a regular basis and it is by far one of the things I miss most.  Onsen come in all forms, from fancy spa-like ones, to the more traditional and humble ones you can find out in the countryside, but they should never be mistaken for the above-mentioned sento as unlike sento, which are just simple tap water baths, onsen baths are full of natural minerals, supposedly good for all kinds of ailments.  Many onsen offer various types of baths, including Jacuzzi-style ones, cold ones (for cooling down after the sauna), and of course my favorite, outdoor ones.  My local onsen had nine different types of baths, plus a dry and wet sauna, and only cost $8 for as long as I wanted to stay.  After enjoying the baths, we would often don the provided yukata or cotton robes, exit the bath and join the boys for some food and drinks at the onsen’s restaurant.  After filling up we may leave or get back into the baths, making sure we went back into our correct side.  (One of the guy’s fantasies of entering the women’s side was crushed when he accidentally did just that one day and to his utter disappointment, found it full of obaachan or grandmothers, as is typical!)

If you go to Japan, you will have the opportunity to experience a Japanese-style bath pretty much anywhere you stay.  Many of the cheaper places, including cheap hotels, capsule hotels and hostels, will only offer a large public bath (nearly all are divided by sex).  Private baths can be found in rooms but will be ‘Western-style’ due to the size constraints.  Japanese-style inns or ryokan may offer private baths, but expect to pay for that luxury.  Many others have onsen in the actual inn- be sure to ask when you make reservations.  If you’re interested in onsen there are several famous onsen towns around the country, including Hakone, Beppu, and Arima.  You can stay here and wear your yukata around town as you ‘onsen hop.’  One thing to note, because tattoos are generally associated with the yakuza or Japanese mafia, be sure to cover yours up with a large bandage or you may not be allowed to enter.

Regardless of your comfort level with nudity, be sure to enjoy at least one Japanese-style bath if you visit this country.  And no, if you see them point and talk about you, they’re not talking about your thighs, they’re talking about your not being Japanese!!  Give them a smile, and sit back and enjoy the warm bliss- this is the REAL JAPAN!

Author: Mellissa is originally from a suburb of Atlanta. After studying Japanese by chance in college, she headed to the Land of the Rising Sun on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program where her intentions to stay three years soon changed after she fell in love with a native son.  Now married, Kazushi (Kaz) and Mellissa are living back in her hometown with their adorable pugs, planning our next big move.  “My experiences have shown me that while travelling will show you the ‘what’ and ‘where’, living abroad, and especially international marriage, will expose you to the ‘how’ and ‘why’.”

Filed Under: Headline, Japan, Journey, Travel Reflections Tagged With: culture, rituals

Unusual things to do in Shanghai

June 5, 2011 By Guest Blogger

It may be a surprise to learn that in Shanghai, the world’s most populous city, there can be found both a lake and a mountain.

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Silver Shovel Lake and Iron Arm Mountain are man-made features of the parkland to the west of the city, and have been designed to transplant nature into the cityscape. They are part of Changfeng Park. Designed in 1958, it boasts a tranquil cherry blossom garden, ornate lily ponds, a fragrant Chinese Rose Garden and examples of significant contemporary sculpture. The Changfeng Ocean Aquarium, a fairly recent addition in 1999 homes over 10,000 species in its sapphire waters. Beluga Whales from the icy oceans of the Arctic and sleek river otters from mainland Asia are just a couple of its vast variety of species. Most notable, however, is its shark tank.

Changfeng is home to the largest collection of sharks in the world, with over 100 animals in total, including huge razor-jawed tiger sharks and aggressive white-tip reef sharks that look as though they’ve mistakenly dipped the very top edge of their dorsal fins in emulsion. If viewing the sharks isn’t a sufficient thrill, it’s possible to participate in the toe-curling Changfeng shark diving program. It must be booked two days in advance, and includes a tour of the aquarium, shark feeding, an exhilarating scuba dive among the giant predators with a qualified instructor, and even the opportunity to find and keep natural shark teeth from the habitat as fearsome mementos. (Editors note: too adventurous or right up your alley?)

Changfeng Diving

The psychedelic tunnel in Shanghai is another experience which can’t easily be replicated. At least, not without the special effects team from an 80’s film and a fistful of hallucinogens. A glass car transports you through an underwater tunnel from Bund in Puxi to the base of the Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong. The walls of the tunnel are illuminated by strobing lasers, rainbow phosphorescence and shadow projections, all accompanied by an ambient soundtrack and quirky audio commentary. It costs around 50Rmb ($7.50) , but as a one-off is essential.

Jinjiang Amusement Park opens its gates in late July and runs to September, from 8am until 9pm, daily Admission is a humble 70Rmb ($10.50), and travel links to Xuhui in the southwest of Shanghai are exemplary, after all, it is the transportation hub of the city, served by the expressway, railway and over 20 main bus routes. The park has many traditional rides such as bumper cars and a rollercoaster, along with a 108 metre high Ferris wheel with giant colourful lamps illuminating its colossal spokes to resemble a spinning star of glow sticks at night. More modern attractions include the thrilling Space Shot, the Spinning Coaster and Log Flume. For smaller children, rides such as the magical Joyland and the charming ornamental merry-go-round are sure to make them feel spoiled. The stunning parkland includes cafés and restaurants serving refreshing cups of tea or cooling drinks around which to wrap your whitened knuckles at the end of the day.

So, what unusual things would you do in Shanghai?

 

Author: Thanks to Iain Miller for today’s post.  If you’re an adventurous traveler interested in writing for IShouldLogOff, contact us at info [at] ishouldlogoff.com or check our submission guidelines.

 

Photo Credits: Diving picture from Expat Shanghai, Neon signs from Netflights.

Filed Under: Asia & Oceania, China, Destinations, Headline Tagged With: activities, adventures

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