Istanbul is not a city that can be summed up easily. There was a particular confusion that I felt there, the strange experience of seeing one thing that felt so Western, after seeing another that had felt so Eastern, but being immersed in a place that was very clearly neither. I suppose …read more
My summer plans: Employed in Luang Prabang!
Surprise! I’ve stopped travelling. Well, that’s not completely true. I’ll be back on the road ...
My summer plans: Employed in Luang Prabang!
Surprise! I’ve stopped travelling. Well, that’s not completely true. I’ll be back on the road in September, starting with Vietnam, and hopefully continuing through Cambodia and Southern Thailand (unless I go live on a farm…no joke). But for the hot, Southeast Asian rainy season of June, July and August? I’m settling down, …read more
If you give a kid a camera…: Photos by Lantan kids in Laos
I thought I’d let someone else get behind the viewfinder, this time. Recently, I spent some time in Nam Ha National Protected Area, up in Laos’ far northwestern corner, to go trekking. Though we stayed mostly in secondary, we got to visit some primary jungle and spend time at small villages along …read more
5 things from the West I didn’t know I missed
Don’t get me wrong, Burma was fun. I’m currently in Laos as well, where, though a friend and I were comically robbed (courtesy of a possibly kleptomaniac mother at our guesthouse, remedied by an embarrassed father and daughter) and the daily rain has made everything begin to mildew, I’m still enjoying my …read more
Folk religion in Burma: Nat worship at Mount Popa
Sometimes, Burma feels completely unique. The presence of traditional dress, for one thing: both men and women still wearing longyi, like tight sarongs, in place of jeans or skirts. Swirls of yellow thanaka, a type of sunscreen from tree bark, in patterns on cheeks and chins. Families bathing and doing laundry at …read more
Burma: Believe the Hype
Golden stupas, swirls of yellow thanaka, a distinct dearth of foreign businesses, long bus rides on rough roads, mosques and churches and pagodas and temples all on the same street, teahouse chatter, confusing bureaucracy, beautiful sights with no tourists, and the friendliest, most hospitable people I’ve met so far. (Oh, and really, …read more
Dancing at the base of the mountain: the Shambhala Festival, Thailand
Massive teepees, waist-length dreadlocks, rainbow bunting and mystic dance circles: just one weekend at the Shambhala In Your Heart Festival in Chiang Dao put me up close and personal with a perfect slice of northern Thailand’s hippie scene. Started by a pair of Japanese and Thai friends, Shambhala Festival is an annual …read more
Bright stars and woodsmoke: A week on a farm in Thailand
It doesn’t matter what I do. My hands are still dirty. After a week on a farm in northern Thailand, it’s become difficult to let go (a multitude of soaps be damned). I woke up this morning expecting to be back in the Dome, a big bamboo hut in the yard, to …read more
Swimming in the River Kwai: The joy of ditching plans
I used to have a plan. Actually, many plans. Big, detailed, extensively-thought-out plans. However, since landing in Thailand, equipped with a surplus of time and a vague desire to ‘travel slow,’ all those plans seem so much less pressing. Now, there just remain ideas, musings, and whims. I know where I’m staying …read more
Broken bones, insane travels and life-upheaval: 2012 in review
Well. This is one for the records. Admittedly, I was considering starting this post with a pun about the world not ending in 2012, but still being explosive (harhar), but then thought I’d spare you. We could do with less cheesy hyperboles. But honestly – it’s difficult to explain the immensity of …read more
o hai
I'm Naomi, an occasional expat and permanent nomad celebrating an infatuation with the whole wide world!
In 2010, I left home to pursue travel as a full-time lifestyle...and haven't looked back since.
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What’s up with Tbilisi, Georgia? LOVE IS.
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Swimming in the River Kwai: The joy of ditching plans
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Life at the #BlogHouse: serious intimidation in Besalu, Spain
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Broken bones, insane travels and life-upheaval: 2012 in review
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My summer plans: Employed in Luang Prabang!
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Anne: Hi Naomi! I've always wanted to go to Georgia. I ...
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Bruno: Awesome article! Really touching considering the p...
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Jaryd @ Aus Globetrotter: That is great! I did the same thing in Amritsar In...
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Kirsten: Awe what an awesome post :) I loved Istanbul more ...
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Nicola: I'll miss you in Chiang Mai dear friend, but Luan...
