Out on the open deck, I watch gleaming shorelines and isolated rock formations come into view in contrast with a striking blue seascape. Time, unhurried, seems to match the ferry’s speed as we make a slow, deliberate approach to Koh Phi Phi island. Slipping off the ferry, I walk along the shoreline and towards a […]
Read more "Between Sand and Sea: Phi Phi Islands, Thailand"
As the cab pulls up to Siamese Cookery House, the noise of Bangkok’s bustling streets fizzles into silence. Tucked into a side street, the building is nearly obscured by green majesty palm trees. A sweet scent of lemongrass fills the air. I inhale slowly, relaxing for the first time that day. Inside, I take off my […]
Read more "The One with a Thai Chef in Bangkok"
I watch morning arrive from the balcony of our rented apartment; soft yellow sunlight that filters through Bangkok’s persistent fog, illuminating her skyline. I’m dressed in a satin kimono that once belonged to my mom, a black dress whose hem stops just below my knees, and a pair of weathered white Converse sneakers. I’ve picked […]
Read more "Good Morning, From Bangkok"
Luang Prabang’s cool mountain air is a welcome change from Vientiane’s heavy heat, but the things that make this city quintessentially Lao are unchanged – tuk-tuk’s and motorcycles weave around cars on narrow roads, coffee shops are ubiquitous, as are street-side food carts selling staples like Lao sausage and spicy papaya salad. Every day before […]
Read more "A Bridge over Still Water: Luang Prabang, Laos"
“Would you like one”? AD asks holding out an open tin of white mints towards me. “No, thank you”, I decline politely if a bit prematurely -I do want one. But it’s too late. I’m not retracting my response. He turns to the driver and repeats the question. When the driver picks out three mints, […]
Read more "An Afternoon at Kuang Si Falls, Luang Prabang"
At the altar, incense sticks burn a familiar scent into the air. I recognize it as one that my dad has burned several times in our living room- a scent I often found overwhelming. In this temple, thousands of miles away from our living room, I still feel overwhelmed; though not by the scent itself, only […]
Read more "My Weekend in Vientiane, Laos: Part 2"
From the moment I was asked if I would be available and willing to travel to Laos to when I touched down in Vientiane, I was both stressed and enthusiastic. In one breath I was participating on a team call and in the next, I was planning to go on an assignment for said team. […]
Read more "My Weekend in Vientiane, Laos: Part 1"