Steve Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 I want to see it all. Even places where I think I may not enjoy. Definitely want to visit the great wall on the mainland. I love to travel and only lack the time and money to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted August 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 I'm also very keen to see Shanghai, possibly the most modern city on earth. From backwater (in Western terms, anyway) to glistening mega-city in under ten years - incredible stuff. Several years ago, I commented to a work colleague that China would be the next economic superpower, and he pooh-poohed the idea, saying that they had millions still living in abject poverty. Seems that his memo didnt reach the Chinese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted August 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Artiew: we do not see eye-to-eye on many things, but a great statement! Keep this up, SD, and you'll soon be part of that chorus of sycophants who pines for my every keystroke :: If its any consolation, I don't see eye-to-eye with the vast majority of the human race, so you are in good company. Happy trails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belem Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Things on my future agenda: island hopping in Indonesia, especially Manado and Lombok, Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam as well as Halong Bay, Boracay in the PI, and, of course, Myanmar, especially Bagan and the beaches of the Mergui Archepelago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falang Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Been to Thailand :: Laos, Singapore. For Singapore glad have been there but never going there again, very like LAOS want to go back again, still want to visit other region of Thailand and go back again in the Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai region. Thailand and Cambodia for my next February 2005. Want to go to Vietnam, China and maybe a short trip to Hong Kong. Indonesia is on the list but I want to go Vietnam and China before. Coming back from my Singapore trip it make me love Thailand even better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Interesting thread. My 2 bahts' worth of Asian experience, with a big disclaimer that just because I didn't enjoy a place doesn't mean others won't find it to be heaven, and vice-versa: Been to... Japan (all over the shop, lived there many years): beautiful, fucked-up, fascinating, racist, contradictory, maddening, efficient, modern and ancient ? minus one point for birds being unsexy and almost always stupid. 9/10 Vietnam (mainly Ho Chi Minh): fast, smelly, exciting, most annoying touts and beggars, odd old European feel ? bonus points for sexiest birds in Asia. :hubba: 8/10 Singapore (many times, city and countryside islands): anaesthetised, cosmopolitan, expensive, friendly, gems of rural life outside the urban centre, great for a 5-day break ? hotchpotch of sexy birds but a lot of ugly hookers and ladyboys. 7/10 Indonesia (not mainland: Bali plus Lombok/Gili isles): paradisal, laid-back, relaxing, tropical, somewhere a man can think, apart from mosquitoes a perfect holiday ? beautiful graceful women. 9/10 Hong Kong (few times, mainly central): crowded version of Singapore, brusque, noisy, pushiest hookers, lot of ex-pat arseholes ? yappy women with bad teeth. 6/10 South Korea (few times, Seoul only): similar to Japan visually and attitude-wise, somehow negative atmosphere, food disappointing, hard to be white there (or black, no doubt) ? stunningly attractive but unapproachable broads. 5/10 Haven't been to but, from hearing others' reports, would like to go... Cambodia, Laos, China. :: Haven't been to and, having heard others' reports, not really bothered... Malaysia, Phillipines. You must be joking, mate... North Korea jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 >Singapore (many times, city and countryside islands): anaesthetised, cosmopolitan, expensive, friendly, gems of rural life outside the urban centre, great for a 5-day break ? hotchpotch of sexy birds but a lot of ugly hookers and ladyboys. Of the entire Asia, Singapore is probably the easiest and foreigner friendliest place to live. Been there many times. At 1 day notice would evacuate from Tokyo to Singapore with no regrets. And, if I walk past and see the light in the neighbourhood, I can always drop in to Thai, every weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 think_too_mut said:Of the entire Asia, Singapore is probably the easiest and foreigner friendliest place to live... At 1 day notice would evacuate from Tokyo to Singapore with no regrets. I agree, Singapore would be easy to live for everyday stuff and, unlike Japan, everyone seems to understand English. But wouldn't you find the weather there depressing? There are no seasons: it's the same every day. No need for a weather forecast ? "And tomorrow's weather... erm... same as today's folks i.e. hot and humid with perhaps a heavy shower in the afternoon." I'd find that psychologically very stifling, I think. Four distinct seasons help to remind you what time of your life it is. If one had a well-paid job (company car a must, given the expense of buying and running a motor there), though, it would be good to reside in Singapore, I admit. Good ex-pat social scene(s) to suit most people regardless of taste. Good place to bring up kids (safe, and excellent schools). Easy access to other Asian countries a definite plus too. jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
think_too_mut Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 Fiery Jack said: But wouldn't you find the weather there depressing? There are no seasons: it's the same every day. No need for a weather forecast ? "And tomorrow's weather... erm... same as today's folks i.e. hot and humid with perhaps a heavy shower in the afternoon." I'd find that psychologically very stifling, I think. Four distinct seasons help to remind you what time of your life it is. Friends born in Singapore are finding the weather, no seasons and equal length of days and nights all year round depressing too. The city-state is only 134km north of Equator. To me, the weather is pretty much as in Thai, I like that. BTW, it's been 30+ in Tokyo for almost 4 months. Hot and humid, worse than in BKK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted August 18, 2004 Report Share Posted August 18, 2004 <<I can always drop in to Thai>> You mean Thailand!! (I've been wanting to say this for a while now, I cant contain it any longer!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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