southeast asia Archives • The Bliss Movement

Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Thailand, Travel, Trinidad and Tobago

The Things I’ve Done For Luck.

If you've traveled anywhere, I can guarantee you have been told that by touching something, swimming in a certain body of water, or doing some odd activity will bring you luck and good fortune. I was thinking about a few things I did on a recent trip to the Caribbean that was supposed to be healing for the body and it reminded me of all the things I have done since beginning my travels in 2010, some silly, some scary, and some just plain gross. So I thought I would compile a list of the moments that stand out for me in terms of doing something because it was consi[...]

Asia, Thailand

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai: Temple on the Hill.

If there is one temple everyone tells you to go to in Chiang Mai it is the one located on Doi Suthep, the mountain just on the edge of the city. After a winding, uphill ride to the base of the temple, you're still not quite there yet. Pass the many stalls offering you an assortment of trinkets to purchase and make your way to the 309 stairs (or take the tram for a small fee). This temple attracts foreign tourists, local Thais, as well as monks and other Thai nationals from other cities. One of the pieces that you will see once you enter the pagoda is a statue of[...]

Asia, Thailand

How To Spend 24 Hours in Chiang Mai

So you’ve found yourself in Chiang Mai, a large city in Northern Thailand. Maybe you were told by friends how great it is or maybe it’s just a random stopover before moving on. Whatever your reason for being here, you might be wondering how best to spend your day. If you’re looking for cheap accommodation filled with young, lively folks like yourself, Little Bird Guesthouse and MD House might be two possibilities. Both located within walking distance from each other in the Old City, these two hostels are right where the action is happening but tucked away[...]

Asia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel, Vietnam

Traveller’s Diarrhea 101: What Is It, How To Prevent It, What To Do When You Get It

You’re walking through a crowded market that lines either side of a narrow street. It’s 40 degrees, hotter than the hottest day back home and vehicles, motorbikes, and humans all weave in and out of one another. And then it hits you. You start sweating, more than you already are, your stomach begins to flip and make the most animalistic noises, and you find yourself clenching your butt cheeks together. You need a bathroom, and you need it NOW. Traveler’s diarrhea (TD); a backpacker’s worst nightmare. My second time back to Southeast Asia, I was hesitant[...]

Ireland, Solo Travel, Travel

On Falling In Love With The World

Three summers ago I fell in love. Not with a man, as expected at my age. That hasn’t quite happened yet. Instead, I fell in love with the world. I dreamed of spending my life living in new countries, exploring the continents, learning new languages, embracing new cultures and meeting new people. Two summers ago, my heart was taken again, by Thailand. Still a part of the world, but a bit more specific. A lot of the young travelers who arrive in Thailand are there for the parties, the cheap prices and the beaches. Throngs of young people migrate to particular a[...]

Thailand

Taste From Heaven: A Vegetarian Restaurant in Chiang Mai.

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. -Luciano Pavarotti Taste From Heaven is a restaurant located in Chiang Mai, Thailand. There are three reasons why it is my favorite restaurant in that city. First of all, and an important reason for people wishing to eat there, is that the food is amazing. Every bite is packed with flavor. I have yet to try a dish from there that I didn’t enjoy. The second reason why I love this place is because it is 100% vegetarian. My[...]

Asia, Vietnam

Photo Journey, Driving from Hoi An to Hue.

I am fascinated by the countryside. It doesn't matter what country I'm in, I always feel a pull to be in the country. Open space, fresh air, sky that isn't blocked by tall buildings. So when my friend and I got to Hue, Vietnam, we quickly jumped on the chance to do a tour of the countryside. While it was a tour open to all, it was just the two of us and our guides on our own private tour. We cruised on the back of motorcycles past fields, temples used by small communities, and saw all that the Hue countryside had to offer. Our guides even showed us to their childh[...]

Asia, Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, Thailand, Travel

Life Lessons from a Monk.

I went to a psychic for the first time when I was sixteen. At the end of the session she gave me her Mary Kay Cosmetics card and I couldn’t believe I had fallen for such a stupid idea. However, that didn’t stop me from going to another and another and to this day I still like going to talk to psychics. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of psychics. Are they real? Are they frauds? I believe some of them know what they’re talking about and I believe others are total scams. My dad thinks it's all a load of B.S and a waste of money. I think it's[...]

Asia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

10 Things You Will Learn After Traveling in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia has a special place in my heart and I think it always will. When I first decided to try out traveling, I told myself I wouldn't return to a place I had visited before until I had gone to all seven continents. Well, this summer I went back to Thailand for a second time. And during that trip I started to try to plan how I could get myself back there next summer. There is just something about that area that draws you back again and again. It could make you stay forever. Southeast Asia has also taught me many things. About myself, life, other cultures.[...]

Asia, Thailand

My Six Week Adventure with Chopsticks

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home." -James Michener Six weeks ago, if I was to get served a meal with chopsticks at home I would shamelessly smile, head high and say 'oh no, could I have a fork please?' and think nothing of it. Growing up I was a picky eater. I detested most of the Western food that filled our fridge, let alone any type of internatinal cuisine. Put something in front of me that smelled funny, looked strange or even had a weird name and I would turn up my nose and re[...]

Cambodia, Travel

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

If I'm being completely honest with you, I get templed out pretty quickly. After a while, all of the temples start to blur together. Last summer when I was in Thailand I was so intent on seeing as many temples as possible but by the fifth one I had had enough. This time around, I saved the temples for Cambodia and I am extremely glad that I did. Angkor Wat is Cambodia's most famous tourist attraction. The largest Khmer temple in the world, Angkor Wat is constantly filled with eager tourists snapping photos at every possible angle. The interesting history about th[...]

Asia, Thailand, Travel

A Lady Named Tip

Chiang Mai is still, without a doubt, one of my favorite cities. After arriving in the city in the early hours of Friday morning, I instantly remembered why I had fallen in love with this place last summer. The atmosphere is relaxed, the locals are friendlier and the travelers kind.. and crazy, which only adds to the fun. Never before have I returned to a city that I travelled in, but Chiang Mai is truly one of a kind. Almost immediately after dropping our bags, I insisted that we must pay a visit to the smoothie lady. When she saw me, her eyes got wide and she ex[...]