Myanmar

Although Myanmar is just next to Thailand and I knew there were a lot to see in the country, I somehow didn’t visit Myanmar (except for some daytrips to the border) until I almost visited all the Southeast Asian countries. This was partially because there was no way to enter the main sites in Myanmar from Thailand overland and I was hoping it would be one soon. The recent political developments in both Myanmar and Thailand proved it’s just a dream. So I booked the air tickets and visited this neighbor during the New Year break.

Dec. 30, 2006
Bangkok to Nyaungshwe

Shanxi

I was called to handle some family matters in Beijing. My 5 days stay in China happened to include a weekend. I used this opportunity to travel to Shanxi province with my sister Mandy.

Nov. 18, 2006
Datong, Yingxian and Taiyuan

Pakistan - Xinjiang

I was always amazed by the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in the Pamir Range. Being in Thailand gave me an excellent opportunity to explore both the Karakoram Highway and Xinjiang of China. I planned such a trip 2 years ago but couldn’t implement it due to some unexpected circumstances. This year something suddenly happened to my company and that gave me a chance to travel for 10 days. I made my decision right away and started the trip 2 weeks later.

July 8, 2006
Pakistan

Philippines

The Philippines is usually ignored by most travelers to Southeast Asia due to its relatively isolated location and to certain extent the news coverage of the international networks. Not surprisingly, it’s the last Southeast Asian country (except East Timor) I visited but the charm of the country is definitely not the last.

April 13, 2006
Bangkok to Manila

Tarutao - Trang

The majority of the travelers to Thailand visit the most popular islands like Phuket and Samui. Having been to both islands, I decided to check out some of the less visited islands in Southern Thailand using a long weekend in February.

Feb. 11, 2006
Bangkok to Hat Yai