Tag: adventure

Every journey begins with the first step.

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P1100700

So my friends, how did I get to writing about travel, memories, and my experiences around the world? The answer is in the famous quote from St Augustine: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

I’ve always felt that life becomes even more beautiful when it’s driven by curiosity, creativity, and a touch of wonder. Whether I’m jotting down ideas in a notebook or simply watching the clouds drifting by, I truly enjoy dreaming about what’s possible and finding magic in everyday moments. Travel means the world to me—I love discovering new places, meeting interesting people, and gaining thoughts on how different cultures celebrate life in their own special ways.

I’ve been amazed, delighted, and yes, on occasion, frightened at what I’ve found. Yet I continue to peek around corners and into things that seem interesting to me anywhere and everywhere. Every single experience has been memorable. I’ve met people from every walk of life, tasted food that I loved and hated, traveled luxuriously on Concorde, Cunard, and my all-time favorite, Pan Am’s 747 services. 

While I love to roam, my heart always circles back to what matters most: the people I care about. I cherish meaningful conversations, shared laughter, and quiet moments with those I love. Life is an open book—and I’m grateful for every chapter written with good company. Truth be told, I know I never want to reach the end of the line.

Let’s take the 8AM train to Laos today?

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While awaiting our Thai permanent residence permits, we left Thailand every 90 days and returned as tourists, then waited another 90 days for a new visitor visa. Everyone knew this process well. The Thai railway was ideal, with a daily 0800 train from Bangkok to Nong Khai, arriving in the afternoon. The same train left Nong Khai hours later, allowing us to cross the Mekong River to Laos for passport stamping.

Once we got to the Laotian side, we climbed into one of several small taxis and sputtered off to Vientiane, where we arrived at the Lang Xang Hotel for lunch. Vientiane was once a French Colonial city, and even then, most people in the shops and the hotel spoke French. Everything about the restaurant, including the menus and food, was straight from a dusty Asian version of the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The food was always great, and we washed it all down with cans of Beaujolais. Who knew?

After lunch, we took a taxi to the river, crossed into Thailand, visited the ramshackle immigration booth, and received a new entry stamp to stay 90 more days. We then reboarded the train and returned to Bangkok after 12 hours. We repeated this process several times until we got our permanent visa. We also took the Thai railway from Bangkok to Butterworth, stopping at Batu Ferringhi and the Lone Pine Hotel, and visiting the E&O Hotel in Malaysia. These trips were among many fantastic experiences. We were very lucky.

Hey, do you want to see the Bridge on the River Kwai?

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River Kwai

Our family spent the first week in Bangkok, staying at the Siam Intercontinental Hotel until we found a home. One Saturday by the pool, I read in The Bangkok Post about places near Bangkok. I asked my wife if she wanted to see the bridge on the River Kwai. She mentioned she’d seen it in San Francisco in the movie, but I explained the real bridge was in Thailand near Kanchanaburi. She agreed, and we set off in our small car with a local driver.

After about 3 hours of our rocket ride, we arrived at the town near the River Kwai. We were thrilled to get out of the car, and when we looked around, we saw a small, very well-kept war Cemetery and parts of the original bridge built by the prisoners of war. We were the only people there, and we stood in the sunshine trying to visualize how that all came about and what happened to the men who built the bridge. We saw grave markers stretching into the distance and later learned more than 7,000 prisoners were buried there.

At that moment, we realized we were looking at something very, very powerful, and it was a long way away from the movie that played when we were at home. For the first time, we all understood we were living in Thailand, halfway around the world from San Francisco, and that we weren’t tourists in another country; we were in our new home, anxious, excited, and ready for the adventures ahead.

Every journey begins with the first step

~ globalwhiz@protonmail.com ~ Leave a comment
P1100700

So my friends, how did I get to writing about travel, memories, and my experiences around the world? The answer is in the famous quote from St Augustine: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

In April of 1966, I began my first overseas job. I’ve always believed that life is richer when fueled by curiosity, creativity, and a sense of wonder. Whether I’m scribbling ideas in a notebook or watching the clouds roll by, I find joy in imagining what’s possible and chasing after the magic in everyday moments. Travel is one of my greatest passions. I love exploring new places, meeting new people, and learning about the diverse ways different cultures celebrate life.

I’ve been amazed, delighted, and yes, on occasion, frightened at what I’ve found. Yet I continue to peek around corners and into things that seem interesting to me anywhere and everywhere. Every single experience has been memorable. I’ve met people from every walk of life, tasted food that I loved and hated, traveled luxuriously on Concorde, Cunard, and my all-time favorite, Pan Am’s 747 services. 

While I love to roam, my heart always circles back to what matters most: the people I care about. I cherish meaningful conversations, shared laughter, and quiet moments with those I love. Life is an open book—and I’m grateful for every chapter written with good company. Travel is one of my greatest passions. I love exploring new places, meeting new people, and learning how different cultures celebrate life. Truth be told, I know I never want to reach the end of the line.