I recently returned from a trip to Southeast Asia -- and I learned and saw so many things. Some made me happy. Some made me sad. And some... were kind of amusing.

For example, the observation that about 1 in 7 white guys had his arm in a sling...

Another day, another adventure -- this time, in Sigriya, Sri Lanka. After two weeks at Elsewhere Surf Camp (when I arrived, I'd only planned on staying for one -- go figure :P), I did an elephant safari before heading up north to the Cultural Triangle.

Someone on Quora recently asked, Why do guys stare at me when I wear a sheer top? There's a reasonable possibility that it was a troll, given the question details ("guys have no right to go crazy over my sheer tops and beautiful pink bras")... But it's still an interesting topic that I think is worth discussing. 

“The Thai culture is very polite.”

I read and heard this from several sources before embarking upon my Southeast Asia trip. It didn’t take long to see why. Between the head bowing, the wais, and the clear order of heirarchy in every restaurant and hotel you visit, it’s hard to miss the culture’s politeness.

I came to Southeast Asia for two reasons: surfing, and scuba diving. But, totally unexpectedly, the highlight of my trip so far has been a two-day slow boat cruise down the Mekong River, from Thailand to the center of Laos.

I recently did my first dive trip in the Similan Islands, which are consistently rated among the top five dive destinations in the world. I’d be lying if I said it completely lived up to expectations -- between climate change and illegal and unregulated/illegal fishing, there is no dive spot in the world that looks like it did five years ago.

Travel is magical... but it can also be stressful, riddled with logistics, decision overload, and long flights.

Which is why so many international travelers with long layovers choose to remain in the airport, rather than spend three, or five, or eight hours in a bustling new city. Luckily, South Korea's Incheon International Airport has tackled that problem with its free transit tours.

Guys, I'm, like, soooo vaccinated right now!

​In just a few days, I'm headed to Thailand. Then Sri Lanka. Then Vietnam. Then... who knows? And, at the last minute, I decided to do the responsible thing and get my vaccines.

Yesterday, while sipping a honey-lavender latte at Bliss Cafe, I got to talking with the most gorgeous woman. And I don't just mean her face -- her whole soul was radiant with joy. When the topic shifted to one that is dear to me, travel, she said something fascinating:

"One week of travel produces a year's worth of memories."