Travelfish newsletter Issue 280 : Khao San & Georgetown + When the weather turns + volcanic!
Hi everyone,
This week we’re all about "volcanic". We’ve got a review of David Thompson's classic Thai Street Food, and a soapbox on "When the weather turns". More below the fold.
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The week that was
We missed last week’s newsletter as Stuart was stranded in Sapporo, Japan in a typhoon. This week we’re a day late thanks to us needing to prep for a possible volcanic eruption on Bali (where we live). Never a dull moment!
Jokes aside, Gunung Agung, Bali's holiest and tallest peak, is primed for eruption and it could be a very big one. We’re obviously hoping it drifts back off to sleep, but in the event that it does erupt, and badly, travellers to Bali should expect disruptions to their travel plans. For now though, unless you were planning on diving off Tulamben (a small town that has been evacuated) or climbing the volcano (not a good idea), the rest of Bali rolls on as usual.
Please note that there has been some poor reporting by international media on Agung. For solid, on-the-ground advice and reporting, look no further than our friend Rio Helmi who is posting daily updates on Facebook as he travels around the peak. Well done and thank you, Rio!
If you'd like to help the people of Bali from afar, the following organisations are all doing great work on the ground in Bali.
Meanwhile, on the site, we've added complete updates for food in Malaysia's Penang and where to stay around Bangkok's Khao San Road. At one stage, years ago, we listed around 100 places to stay around Khao San Road, all of which we'd checked out in person. We've whittled that down to under 40 now (with more whittling on the way). With SO many places to stay, we think now more than ever it's important to be selective in what we recommend. (It also helps our writers retain some semblance of sanity.)
We’ve also got a huge (80,000 words is huge, right?) rewrite of a large section of the site currently being edited. When we get that online, Travelfish will be that much more useful. Stuart wasn't just eating sushi in Japan you know (ed: ramen too, right?).
You’re able to access all of Travelfish.org's information via our website. But if you'd like another way to support independent, informed coverage of how to travel around and what to see in Southeast Asia, we'd be grateful for you chipping in. It costs a very reasonable A$35 per year to become a premium member (please note: Australian not US dollars!). Membership gives you access to our forum plus more than 200 downloadable guides (231 to be exact) and a special deal with both roundtheworldflights.com and All Points East. We've been covering Southeast Asia since 2004 and we plan on doing so for many years to come.
This week's soapbox is on “When the weather turns”. We've also got a review of David Thompson's classic Thai Street Food and we're highlighting a spectacular drone film covering Java in Indonesia.
Please forward this newsletter on to any friends, family, strangers in bars, bus drivers, som tam ladies or massage men you think might be interested to receive it.
Good travels,
Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish team
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Soapbox
When the weather turns
I'm just back from a week riding the trains (and climbing a volcano) in Japan. It was great—there really is the rest of the world, and Japan.
If you've not been to Japan before, you may not know that while the amazing Shinkansen rail system is very expensive, a pass system makes it more affordable for tourists. Passes come in a few flavours, but I had a seven-day pass.
On the last day of my pass's validity, I walked down to the station to start my final train run—a 1,200km trip from Sapporo to Tokyo. Alas, all the trains were cancelled due to a typhoon. The ticket seller said my pass couldn't be extended; having to pay for the train (when I could get one) was going to cost me hundreds of dollars, plus I'd maybe miss my flight home.
I retreated to a cafe and considered my options. None were great, but the first thing I did (aside from whining on Twitter) was contact World Nomads to find out if I was covered, and what I would need to do. They explained it would be good to get documentary evidence to prove trains had been cancelled. I took photos of the screens (all in Japanese) saying trains were cancelled. I found another staffer, and again asked about extending my pass. “No, sorry” was the answer.
I went to another ticket office and asked about getting a letter to say trains were cancelled “for insurance”. The attendant here said no problem. I mentioned again that my pass ran out that day, would it be possible to extend it?
“Hmmmm,” she said. “Let me ask my boss”.
An hour later I had an extended rail pass and seats booked all the way through to Tokyo.
The point to this story is, to quote Douglas Adams, “Don’t panic!” Stay calm, keep your head, find out what you need to do, stay polite and don’t get upset. Keep asking and hopefully, eventually, someone will be able to help.
Good travels
Stuart
Featured
Eating in Georgetown
You’ll find chillies piled high as a volcano in Georgetown’s produce markets.
What we're watching
Java island from above 4K
"This short video was made during a week spent in Java, Indonesia, driving on my motorbike in east and central Java." Film by AntonGanja.
What we're reading
Thai Street Food by David Thompson
Part recipe book, part coffee-table art, Thai Street Food is a wonderful celebration of, well, Thailand’s street food. And it’s even more than a pretty recipe book: Chef and Thai food expert David Thompson also includes plenty of interesting history and reportage about the street food of the kingdom.
Notes from the road
BURMA: Mount Popa
If you’ve had your fill of ancient stupas on a dusty plain, then how about a volcano-top monastery surrounded by forest instead? We reckon a half-day side trip to spectacular Mount Popa is a good reason to stay another day in Bagan.
CAMBODIA: Yak Lom Lake
The primary attraction around town is Yak Loam Lake, a volcanic crater filled with freshwater and surrounded by an easily navigated trail that can be walked in less than an hour.
INDONESIA: Rinjani
From all aspects Rinjani is a volcano which dominates Lombok’s landscape, and from the summit you can see west to Agung on Bali and east to Tambora on Sumbawa. The ascent is a popular activity for both foreign and domestic travellers.
ISLANDS: Agung
This is the holiest volcano on Bali. Treat it with the respect it deserves—just about every house and building on the island has a shrine for daily offerings to magnificent Agung.
LAOS: Motorbiking the Bolaven Plateau
An expanse of highland formed from an ancient volcano, the Bolaven Plateau is one of southern Laos’ most attractive destinations. Rich with waterfalls, lush jungles, farmland, ethnic diversity and miles of excellent roads, one of the best ways to cover it all is by two-wheels.
MALAYSIA: Tawau
If you want to check out Malaysia's only volcanic peak, you'll pass through Tawau, Sabah’s largest town in the east. (We don't cover the peak, but it's an hour or so drive away.
SINGAPORE: Zi char: The hearty food of Singapore's kopitiams
If you can't climb a volcano in Singapore–there aren't any–we reckon eating is the next best thing. Here's how to navigate Singapore's zi char kitchens.
THAILAND: Prasat Phanom Rung
One of the most famous Angkor-period temples in Thailand, Prasat Phanom Rung crowns an extinct volcano in the remote southern reaches of Buriram province. It was never completely ruined, overtaken by jungle or defaced by battles, and consequently it remained in relatively good condition before a Thai Fine Arts Department makeover began in 1944 and restored it to the near-pristine state seen today.
VIETNAM: Ly Son Island
Standing atop of Ly Son’s highest peak gives visitors a literal and figurative snapshot of why it’s known as garlic island: every inch of useable land grows garlic, shallots and onions, a neat patchwork of greens and beige blanketing the ground, engulfing houses, tombs and any other obstacle. Renowned for its quality and mild taste, Ly Son garlic is grown in tidy rows with a layer of sand on top of the volcanic soil.
Travelfish partners
We work with a number of partners on a commission basis and this helps keep us in business. Please consider using the following links to make any reservations as a commission may end up being paid to us, with no impact on what you pay. Thank you!
Flights: roundtheworldflights.com
Places to stay: Agoda, Booking
Tours and activities: TourRadar, GetYourGuide
Ground transport: 12Go Asia
Travel insurance: World Nomads
News from the region
BURMA I: Who is selling weapons to Myanmar?
"In 2012, as the country underwent a so-called democratic transition some of these sanctions were eased, though an EU arms embargo is still in effect."
BURMA II: The Limits to History
"More urgently, right now in Myanmar it is contributing to an ongoing ethnic cleansing of a people who today identify as Rohingya, irrespective of what we may or may not know of the past."
BURMA III: These people don’t have the time to mourn
"To flee from mindless violence, to seek safety in a boat, to have the boat capsize and then to mourn one child and be thankful, at the same time, that at least one child is still with you. "
CAMBODIA I: Cambodian orphanages scam Western children and hurt locals
"As tough as this is for Australian parents to accept, many of the orphanages in the Third World aren’t real. They’ve been set up like zoos, specifically to enable your cherished teenager to visit. The kids aren’t even orphans. They have parents, they’re just not allowed to see them. They have to smile and dance for delighted Western volunteers instead."
CAMBODIA II: Cambodia's Crumbling Democracy
"From Phnom Penh’s perspective, this seems like yet another example of American double standards, and it breeds the sort of conspiratorial thinking that has led Hun Sen to believe a U.S.-backed opposition is plotting to overthrow him. One of the reasons that China has made advances in Cambodia is that it is willing to offer Hun Sen something that he has craved throughout his career: legitimacy and the status of a nominal equal."
CAMBODIA III: Cambodia’s Crackdown: What Happens When an Autocrat Shutters a Newspaper
"Hun Sen has spent the past 32 years methodically consolidating power, first eliminating rival warring factions, then wiping the floor with the royalist opposition of the 1990s, then getting rid of challengers within his own party, often using the law itself as a weapon. Now, finally, he is turning to the remnants of the democratic opposition and the foreign presence that has lingered since the days of UNTAC."
INDONESIA I: Child brides: Why underage girls are marrying in Indonesia
""I went to my grandmother's house and hid under the bed. My grandfather rooted me out. After that I put up my hands and said 'I surrender'." A week later the couple was married."
INDONESIA II: Asia’s Toughest Jobs: The fire and brimstone miners of Ijen Crater
"“It hurts my eyes and my nose. You will cough instantly. If it hurts really badly, you can end up vomiting. It also causes a pain in the chest,” he said."
INDONESIA III: Bali volcano: This is why experts think Mount Agung will erupt soon
""Seventy to 80 per cent within days, probably 90 per cent within weeks to months, but I'm reserving that 10 per cent in case it doesn't happen — so the odds are on, but whether it proceeds to an eruption or not is still uncertain," he said."
THAILAND I: Thailand draws 3.1 million tourists in August, a record for the month
THAILAND II: Thailand’s tourism numbers continue to soar
"Once known to the world as the Land of a Thousand Smiles Thailand’s probably more accurately known these days as the Land of a Thousand 7/11s."
VIETNAM I: The Forgotten Victims of Agent Orange
"But the legacy of Agent Orange is not about science or economics. It’s about human decency. Americans created Agent Orange here in a laboratory, shipped it overseas and dumped it with abandon, where it continues to shatter thousands of people’s lives."
VIETNAM II: Traffic initiative backfires on first day of trial in Ho Chi Minh City
Travel writing
INDONESIA: Poverty in paradise: The dark side of Indonesia's new tourism hope
"But on a palm-fringed island about two hours boat ride from Raja Ampat's capital Waisai, villagers still live in simple huts that lack electricity and clean water, while the nearest high school is scores of kilometres away."
THAILAND I: On ending particles
"For instance, to express contempt, anger, and unpleasant surprises, wa, wei, woi, woey, hoey, or woey hoey are added to the sentence, such as “Ma thummai woey hoey?” (Why the heck do you come here?). However, these are more informal and considered impolite or rude to use."
THAILAND II: Everything you need to know about the Funeral of King Bhumibol in October
"Many foreign tourists and expats have asked me how the funeral will affect their holiday in Thailand. What I will be doing on this page is giving you all of the latest information as and when it comes in."
VIETNAM: Three new caves to open to tourists at Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang
"Dai A Cave, previously known as Tiger Cave, stretches 1,616 meters in length and reaches as deep as 46 meters from its opening, which measures over 50 meters in diameter."
Interesting site
Gunung Bagging
With a volcano theme, how could we recommend anything but Indonesia's leading volcano climbing website?
Travel shot
Ile Api: To get to the top, just keep walking. Photo: Stuart McDonald
Till next time
That's it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site's new additions and drop us a line if there's something in particular you'd like us to cover in Southeast Asia.
Travel light!
Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team
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