The Tranquilo Traveler
The Tranquilo Traveler is a celebration of voluntourism, slow travel, and other interesting ways to see the world. Travel writer and award- winning Moon Handbooks author Joshua Berman created The Tranquilo Travel as a resource for world trippers and international volunteers, a window to the author’s travels in Nicaragua, Belize, and beyond, and an update of his books and articles.
Places we’re going; change in plans
By Joshua | February 4th, 2006 | 
5 Comments » We didn’t plan on staying five straight weeks in Chiang Mai, but here we are, fast approaching the expiration of yet another 30-day visitor’s pass in The Kingdom.
We have worked and studied here; we have lived in the Blue House; we have made friends (mostly couples, from the U.S., Ireland, and elsewhere). We have barely traveled beyond the old city moat (except for Tay’s massage school and a few temple and shopping excursions); in fact, we have barely strayed much farther from Guest House row. Our neighborhood is one of Chiang Mai’s many farang-focused chunks of real estate and though it is quite comfortable, it is not necessarily representative of the ancient East.
But this is fine. Plenty of bush time awaits, especially in the new destinations we’ve chosen. This is one of the other things we’ve done in Chiang Mai: completely re-planned, re-routed, and extended the remainder of our trip.
More on this later, but I’ll give you a hint: Laos, Sri Lanka, Africa.
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5 Responses to “Places we’re going; change in plans”
We totally dropped the ball on the Thai visa. Didn’t even realize it until the day after New Year’s, when our first pass was about to expire, and we had to get ripped off in Bangkok Immigration. We’ll plan better on our next round-the-world trip, I promise.
Actually, I traded your old Moon Handbook for a pair of counterfeit Birkenstocks and two squid-on-a-sticks. It was a tough bargain.
You did well with the trade, as I thought you would only get the squid-stick offer.
Hey Josh,
It’s been a long time since I’ve given you a shout out, I’m totally amazed at your itinerary and you just keep going strong.
This is my 2nd winter in Fairbanks, I guess I’m starting to grow a little moss…such is life.
Could you tell me more about the ten day meditation retreat you did in India? I did a similar thing in Nepal, and I’m curious about your thoughts on it.
Hope to see you some day Josh.
James
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Josh,
I know you are an experienced traveler, but I’ve got a shake my head when you go on about your 30 day visitor woes, when everyone knows that 60 day tourist visas are available from the Thai Embassy in New Delhi. And you can easily extend them for an additional 30 days.
Are you just trying to make your life rougher than it already is? Anyway, probably too late for any changes, but you’re gonna love Luang Prabang and Hikkadua.
Bring your surf board!
P.S. Don’t know that place on Moon Muang Road, but try to get out of town. Do you still have my guidebook or did you sell it on Khao San Road for ha sip baht?