I’ve passed through my fair share of border towns over the years. Many are shabby, filthy encampments that exist on either side of a barren no man’s land where immigration officials with steely gazes extract their pound of flesh. Some, like Poipet at the border between Cambodia and Thailand, feel downright dangerous. As I gradually … Read more
On the day I departed from The Sanctuary Resort on Koh Pha Ngan, the seas were again too heavy for the Koh Samui ferry to pick guests up from the beach, so we climbed into an inflatable rubber boat for the short ride to the larger boat, waiting out in the bay. As if serving … Read more
For my very first trip to Thailand in 2002 I chose a week-long Yoga retreat on Koh Phra Thong, a little-known island in the Andaman Sea off the west coast of the country, and Yoga has been part of every subsequent trip. So as I made plans to return to Thailand for the first time … Read more
I first saw the acrobats on the beach at The Sanctuary Resort on Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand. One of the men was lying on his back on the sand, balancing a diminutive Chinese girl seated on his feet. Using only his feet, he turned the girl around so that she was facing away. She gracefully bent … Read more
As our tour bus drew nearer the Tiger Temple, our guide briefed us on the do’s and dont’s of interacting with the big cats. “Any necklaces must be removed. Red clothing aggravates the tigers so it is not allowed, and because you are visiting a Buddhist monastery, out of respect for the monks who operate … Read more
