Travel guides seen through retired eyes

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Since I ER'd I've had both the time and money to travel. Took me a while to change my travel habits, including how to read a guidebook.

"Transit hub" or "Transit town". Before that meant a place to change buses on a long jump between destinations. Now it means a place to rest, be one of the few foreigners on the street, see what the locals eat, edit my photos and get bored just enough to wake up the next day looking forward to the next bus ride.

"There's no reason to stay overnight unless you miss the ferry." Before that meant a boring town with some traveler services and a wasted night. Now it means same as 'Transit hub' plus opportunities to shoot waterfront photos in photographer's favorite light, near sunrise and sunset. Also seems the folks who did miss the ferry are more sociable than usual.

"Hilltop guesthouse" Before = 'A view!', Now = "Can my knees handle the climb?"

"Three minute walk to town" Before and Now = 10 minute walk to town.

 

[warrentalbot]

Hi there, are you still in Thailand? We are currently in Chiang Mai and was not sure if you are still here or not.

I love your points on the travel guides. It took us a bit of time to make the shift as well but now that we've been on the road for a year I cannot remember what I thought the phrases used to mean. So funny what you get used to.

 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Hi there, are you still in Thailand? We are currently in Chiang Mai and was not sure if you are still here or not.

Still living in Thailand but on the road now for 3.5 weeks through Malaysia and Singapore. Will keep an eye out for realizing that I'm translating travel phrases on the fly.

 

[mountaintosea]

So how are the floods affecting you guys? I know Bangkok is partly under water and areas north. I visited in 1993. I loved the place.

 

[warrentalbot]

So how are the floods affecting you guys? I know Bangkok is partly under water and areas north. I visited in 1993. I loved the place.

Thank you for asking. We are in the north and there are no problems here at all. We arrived about 3 weeks ago and did not have any problems at all getting into/out of Bangkok. Since arriving here it has been dry, sunny, and nice. Based on talking to people here all the flooding is not down by Bangkok and the surrounding areas but we are having no issues at all up here.

 

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Guidebook says "a sprawling hilltop temple complex". Before that meant start will a full water bottle. Now it means that plus There. Will. Be. Stairs.

Climbed from where photo was taken to the 10th floor of the white tower on the right, which is high as one can go. Wouldn't you?

 

[warrentalbot]

Guidebook says "a sprawling hilltop temple complex". Before that meant start will a full water bottle. Now it means that plus There. Will. Be. Stairs.

Climbed from where photo was taken to the 10th floor of the white tower on the right, which is high as one can go. Wouldn't you?

Absolutely. Looks like an amazing day and perfect weather for exploring. I could not avoid climbing as much as possible.