Learning to scuba dive in Phuket is a truly idyllic place to learn how to scuba dive. In this story, the reader will meet a Canadian dive instructor named Larry, who invented Larry’s Rule: “For each diving sin committed, you owe him a beer.” “For each sin committed…” My diving instructor was a red-headed Canadian…
Raja Ampat Homestay – What’s not to Love for $28 a day!
LIVEABOARD BOAT, RESORT OR HOMESTAY About a year ago, I was looking at my longtime friend, Mark Strickland’s Bluewater Travel’s website, when I first read about Raja Ampat. Since I travel to Thailand about twice a year, I am always looking for destinations via Bangkok – and Raja Ampat, Indonesia sounded amazing! Sadly, I couldn’t…
Following the Jaguar’s Tale to Belize
“If the world had any ends, British Honduras would surely be one of them.” ~ Aldous Huxley 1939 ~ I have to admit, I had never heard of British Honduras (the former name of Belize) until I read about its independence in 1981, while flying from Denver to the small Central American country. I was…
A Five Minute Walk To Heaven
The World is Full of Wonders, Don’t Get Lost in the Chaos. It’s hard to believe that as a longtime Colorado resident, that it took me so long to finally take the five minute walk to the Maroon Bells, a destination that had been on my bucket list for over two decades. But what made…
36 Hours in Chiang Rai
From eating field rats to discovering a sacred belly button – Chiang Rai offers travelers a taste of authentic Thailand. Far from Bangkok’s chaotic pulse, Chiang Rai, with its glistening rice fields, quaint city streets and golden spires, promises an escape into the distant past of a bygone era. Upcountry, time has a different quality…
Kingdom of a Million Elephants
Prisana Pipatpan finds plenty to appreciate and ponder over as she visits the Plain of Jars and the old Laotian capital of Luang Prabang. This article was first published in The Bangkok Post on April 25, 1993. The moment I arrived at Hualampong Railway Station, I knew I had made a mistake. I stepped into…
Underwater Rock Stars
Thailand offers divers rare encounters with whale sharks, manta rays and giant eels. Author’s Note: This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post in 1996. I was just about to ascend when I saw John Williams, co-founder of Siam Diving Center, frantically pointing into the dark blue depths. Scanning the water below, I knew…
Zen Paddling down the Lifeline of Chiang Mai
Aidan Schmer in front of Chiang Dao Mountain Chiang Mai is undoubtedly one of the best places in Northern Thailand to launch a trip out into the wild. For paddling enthusiasts, Prisana and Eric Nuechterlein, kayaking down the Mae Ping River during low water conditions turned out to be a bit more exciting than they…
Underneath a Manta’s Wing; Diving in the Big Island
By Prisana Nuechterlein Kailua-Kona, Hawaii — I am diving only a short distance from Kona’s volcanic coast. In less than ten minutes, I have seen two manta rays and now my husband is pointing out a third one! Searching the blue expanse, I look in vain for the swirling motions of a manta ray —…
Borobudur: A Sprint to Nirvana
A serene Buddha Image on the upper terrace of Borobudur. Borobudur was once described by French Scholar Albert Foucher as a “badly risen cake, of which the extent of its failure to rise is matched only by the over embellishment of its decoration.” Today the world’s largest Buddhist monument continues to rise out of the…