Cyber Monday backpack and gear sale

In honor of Cyber Monday, Black Friday's confusing little brother, there are some awesome sales going on today. Eastern Mountain Sports, a reputable outdoor gear store in the US, is having some incredible doorbusters,
including 40-50% off some amazing Osprey backpacks, as well as all sorts of camping and general traveling-and-outdoorsy gear. My favorite backpack ever is the Osprey Aura AG 50; as someone with some back problems, it really is the only backpack that I can wear all day without wanting to take it off. Plus it's hella sleek! Some of their other backpacks now have that AG anti-gravity technology (wow! It's like we're in the future!), too. Good backpacks, especially Osprey, are often suuuper expensive, though, so this sale could save you a hundred bucks. Check it out!

Plus, get 20% off one regular and one clearance item with the code CYBER. Wow, what a bargain!

AND there's free shipping on everything!


How much do I wish I was in America right now to get these sweet deals shipped to me?? So much! LET ME LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOU.

Overnight train adventure from Malaysia to Bangkok

Happy Thanksgiving, blogpals! Sorry it's been so long. Things have been a little crazy. For one thing, I just got back from a whirlwind one-and-a-half-day trip to Malaysia!

My job in Bangkok is busiest on weekends, so I end up getting two days off each week, often next to each other, and this month, often Tuesday and Wednesday. I've decided to try to make the most of it and travel each "weekend." A couple couchsurfing buddies were planning to hitchhike to Kuala Lumpur (KL for the cool kids in the know), and I figured maybe I'd be able to meet up with them. We didn't end up meeting up, but I had a great time anyway, and made even more couchsurfing buddies!

Look at all of the monkeys!

Here's how I did it, transportation-wise:

Tuesday, 5:55 AM: Flight from Bangkok to KL ($53, 1-2 hours).
Tuesday, daytime: Explore KL; meet up with couchsurfing host; have LOADS OF FUN!

Wednesday, 7:01 AM: Train towards Bangkok (2 hours), watch the second half of Robocop on the fancy little TV screen at the front of the train car while trying to look at scenery; stop off at Ipoh to explore this heavily-Indian historic town ($7.75, but actually a little less because I didn't end up having enough cash and there was no ATM, so some very kind people chipped in a couple bucks at 6:58 AM).

Freshly made egg roti at a little restaurant in Ipoh + sauces. Cost: 2.20 MYR, or 50 cents

Wednesday, 1 PM: Train from Ipoh up to the border of Thailand (Padang Besar, 2-3 hours, $16), watch Robocop again, the first half this time, still trying to look at scenery. But that's OK because Robocop will loop again, and at this point I have basically seen the whole thing in disjointed, scenic chunks.

Scenery out a slightly grubby window

Wednesday, 4 PM: At the train station, go through Malaysian passport control (quick 'n' easy), then cross the border into Thailand (I guess I was crossing the border? My data plan started working again so that's promising) by going into the next room and going through Thai passport control (somewhat slower 'n' easy).
Wednesday, 5 PM: Turn on my phone's data and enjoy the many hours of Facebooking and flight deals that I have missed out on.
Wednesday, 6:40 PM: Train from the border (Padang Besar) alllll the way to Bangkok, arriving in Bangkok at around noon (scheduled for 10:30 but it's always late). I had a fantastic time on the overnight train, and I plan to take as many Thai overnight trains as possible! More details to come.

Meanwhile, if you want the lowdown on train travel around Thailand and the surrounding countries, and really any country in the world, check out seat61.com. The Thai Railways official website does not have a real English version; you can click the "English" link, but it doesn't really do anything. Seat61 is impressive not only in its scope but in its accuracy as well: the train times were spot-on, down to the minute!

Black Friday travel sales, updated in real time!

It's Black Friday, kids, and you know what that means: GO BUY A LOT OF THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOU WANTED!



But ALSO, it means a lot of planes, trains, 'n' automobiles are having SALES!

Here's the best of the best, updated in real time as the deals go up:

1. London Midland trains in England are 50% off for advanced tickets.

2. Norwegian Airlines is 20-30% off on ALL flights, including flights to the US, Europe, and Bangkok. Sample trip: New York to Stockholm for under 210 euros round trip

2 PM edit: 3. Qatar Airways sale between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia


4 PM edit: 4. $1 1-week car rentals throughout Europe with GoldCar. This is probably going to sell out fast!

WowAir 20% off: all flight between US and Europe

Hi, all! Sorry it's been a while. To make up for it, here's a tip: WowAir is having a great sale, ending November 25 at midnight
(so, I'm guessing they mean when the clock strikes 00:00 on November 24/25): 20% off all flights, January 10 - April 10, between the US, Iceland, and Europe in either direction. Their prices start at just $99 one-way from the US East and West coast to Iceland, so for 20% off, it's an unthinkable bargain. Just use the code WOWPURPLEFRIDAY when you book. Check it out!

Business class error fare: Prague to Bangkok for 476 euros

If you have ever flown economy class from Europe to Asia, you know what a miserable experience it can be. Now, with this error fare, you only have to have a 50% miserable experience! Prague to Bangkok is business class; Bangkok to Prague is economy. Or you could pay a few hundred more and get business both ways, if you want to be fancy. Check it out!

Koh Chang: Thailand's cheap-as-chips paradise island

Thailand has some gorgeous beaches...and a whole lot of overdeveloped, polluted, party zones. If you're into parties, you have to check out the legendary monthly Full Moon Parties on Koh Phangan. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a super-cheap island getaway to relax on the beach, look at monkeys, and feel transported to a tropical paradise, Koh Chang is perfect.

Monkeys! An entire family of monkeys! So many monkeys! Baby monkeys! Grown monkeys! All kinds.

Pristine beaches with perfect waves, friendly locals, tons of cute bungalows tucked away throughout the island, and even some partying to be had at the bars in town. I hope Koh Chang never falls prey to the developers and their huge hotels; at the moment, the island seems to be proof that tourism can bring a place up, not down.

Look at these two cat friends!

It's a few hours from Bangkok - allegedly six hours by bus, and 4.5-5 by taxi - and then about 45 minutes by ferry. The bus ride is just $8ish, and you can also fly on a sweet fancy propeller plane with Bangkok Airways for a flat $76 one-way every day during the rainy season. (Looks like they raise it to $94 in the nicer cool season.) They're a "boutique airline," and what that means is that the plane is adorable and they give you a lot of snacks considering it's a precisely one hour flight.

View from the ferry

When I went, I flew there because my friend hates buses, and I ended up getting a private taxi home for about $20, because the the taxi driver lived in Bangkok anyway and was heading home for the evening. To keep it budget, I would take the bus instead of flying next time, as it hardly saves any time at all when you consider how far away the airports are.

Eh, could be worse

Now on to the good stuff. We pre-booked a room in a lovely-looking bungalow on AirBnB for like $17 a night. Do not make our mistake. It was waaaay up a huge hill, more like a mountain, really, and our room was COVERED IN ANTS. Like, we napped on the bed, and were picking ants off us the rest of the day. They did give us a different room after we complained a lot, and it did not have many ants. They were like, "Oh yeah, that room tends to get ants in the rainy season." It was one of those moments, let me tell you. Like...hm...OK...it is the rainy season. Maybe spray for ants before renting out the ant room? But anyway, so our place was OK but for around $5-20/night (depending on the type of room), we randomly found a gorgeous beachside resort with a great restaurant and the friendliest of dogs. The bungalows looked much nicer - more glamping than camping - and the beach was beautiful.

Hammocks are awesome

My recommendation is, especially if it's not high season, just show up and wander around until you find a good place to stay. For a beachside non-air-conditioned bungalow (sort of like the cabins back in summer camp), I'd expect to pay $5-10, depending on where you are on the island. Maaaybe $15, if it's a really nice place and you want air conditioning. Lack of AC isn't too bad on the island, though; even though it must be roughly the same temperature as Bangkok, it feels breezy and pleasant; it's beach weather!

The places online are higher-priced and overall no better - if not worse - than the places not online. That said, our place wasn't exactly terrible, just comparatively overpriced and inconvenient. When we went down the island maybe 20 miles, it seemed like every little restaurant or shop offered simple rooms for 150 thb (about $4-5) a night. Pretty cool! You can really live down on the island for dirt cheap.

Note: I visited during the rainy season, which is the off-season for tourism. Rooms may be harder to come by and more expensive during high season.

Trump wins: massive list of one-way flights out of the US to anywhere else

Secretflying, one of my favorite up-to-the-minute flight deal sites, has just released a master list of one-way flights from the US to anywhere else, departing in November. Remember that time you posted on Facebook that if Trump won, you were going to move to Switzerland? Make good on your word. Now's your chance.

New WowAir destination: Pittsburgh

You can now fly WowAir from Pittsburgh to Iceland and Europe! Flights start at $99 one-way to Iceland and $149 to such classic hits as Paris, London, Amsterdam, and many more. Check it out!

Traveling around Thailand: To bus, or not to bus?

That is the question.

Short answer: It depends on your budget and on how far you're going.

a typical minibus

Pros of busing and minibusing

1. Price. For about $8, you can get a bus from Bangkok down to the Koh Chang tropical paradise island maybe 5-6 hours away, no reservation necessary. (The ferry across is another couple dollars.) Minibuses generally cost about the same, maybe a tiny bit more.
2. Convenience. Unless you're staying way out of the city, there's going to be a bus or minibus station nearer than the airports. There's a huge minibus hub at Victory Monument (relocating to Ekkamai soon) with basically large minivans that go all over the country, but there are bus stations and minibuses around the city, too.
3. Stress-free. Getting to the airport early, going through security, blah blah blah...instead of worrying about missing your flight, just show up at the bus station and get the next available ticket. If it's not a holiday or weekend, you're probably fine, provided it won't kill you to wait an hour or two.
4. Time...sometimes. Buses tend to run all day until late (you can find out specifics online or at the station). The trains are generally less frequent and slower. 
5. Air conditioning! Almost everything is air conditioned. Buses can vary, though, so you can ask at the station.

a typical long-distance bus

Cons of busing and minibusing

1. Slow for long distances. Sure, you can take that 12-hour overnight bus for like $10. You can also fly for $20-50, depending on the day.
2. There isn't always a bathroom. They make bathroom and snack stops, though. BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper).
3. Safety. There have been a number of bus crashes, although when I've taken the long-distance bus and minibus in the daytime, the driver wasn't noticeably reckless. 
4. Traffic!!! Bangkok traffic is horrible. Do not get stuck in it. When my partner and I took the bus back in the evening, we had to get off in the suburbs and take the BTS train the rest of the way home.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the buses and minibuses. You can get pretty much anywhere for very little money, and it's convenient and relaxed. I haven't taken the scenic slow trains yet, and I will most certainly report back when I do.

Pattaya: Bangkok's disgusting beach getaway (and how to make it awesome)

Ah, Pattaya. What is it about Pattaya that is so appealing? The sweet smell of exhaust from countless boats as I walk along the trash-strewn beach? The tiny strip of sand between the vendors and the water? The hundreds of dead, washed-up jellyfish? The constant calls and grabbing hands of locals trying to sell me overpriced touristy gimmicks I don't want?

No, really. What is it about Pattaya that is so appealing?


Pattaya is primarily known for two things: its beach and its red light district. I walked along a good portion of the beach - including the so-called "nicer" Jomtien Beach - and found it shockingly gross. There are a million people trying to take you jet-skiing, speedboating, parasailing (maybe?) and all sorts of things, but that kind of uncontrolled touristy stuff has polluted the beach to high heaven, and there must be nicer places to do those activities in a less eco-toxic way. So, I guess it's really famous for the red light district.

If you've never been to a sandy beach before, I guess going to Pattaya could be fun; if you've ever been to the beach before, I can't imagine how you would have fun on the beach. There are beaches a bit further south in Rayong that are supposedly nice, and the island of Koh Chang, a few hours south, is positively paradisical. (Paradisaical? Paradisial?)

That said, if you feel you just have to check it out, here's my guide to having a heck of a time in Pattaya, off the beach.

1. Hop off the bus and walk or taxi a couple km down the highway to Mini Siam, tourist attraction extraordinaire! Pose with the crappy plastic Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, and London Bridge! Then actually go to the good part, which is a positively inspired miniature version of all the landmarks in Thailand.

Cost for non-Thais: 300 thb

2. Walk over to Tea Village and sample all the teas. Chill in their back-room tearoom or buy some delicious teas! I'm not a tea person, but these were top-notch. Many of these are from Thai tea plantations in the North of the country, which is pretty cool.

3. Put on your fancy clothes and take a taxi or bus down for a fancy dinner at Cafe des Amis. This place is so fancy, they even put your napkin in your lap for you. When you get up, they put the napkin over your chair arm. And entrees only cost like $15. They even brought us a free appetizer, and it was some kind of mussel with creamy cheesy sauce; I usually hate seafood, but this was insaaaanely good. Do not miss this restaurant! It's absurdly cheap for this type of place.

4. If it's within your budget, stay at the Green Park Resort. It's near the beach, and is rated as one of the best hotels for your money. A room is $35 (a couple dollars more breakfast, which is a pretty reasonable buffet), and the place is lovely. It has a private jungle that you walk through to get to your bungalow or building. We passed a monkey on our way to the pool. It was chill. We were chill. If that isn't about as legit as it gets, I don't know what is. The pool is also gorgeous. It has a swim-up bar! You can go to the bar in the pool. I didn't know I could be in love with a pool, but I sure am. This is the kind of resort people pay hundreds of dollars a night for, and it's way better than the beach.

Aaand that's it! I'd say Cafe des Amis alone is worth the trip down to Pattaya, so have fun!