Foiled by Weather!
Jun 30, 2006 in Travel
So, if you’ve been following the weather in Southeast Asia — and, let’s face it, who doesn’t these days? — then you’ve probaby noticed that there was a typhoon in the South China Sea that turned and made its way over to North Vietnam, right where I am. Weather, on a vacation? Who’d’ve thunk it! So right now I’m sitting in my hotel room blogging, thanks to Typhoon Domeng. That means, and you get to learn all about my Typhoon-adjusted travels. Read on…
All Around Hanoi
Jun 28, 2006 in Travel
The lack of Engrish t-shirts in Vietnam is making it hard for me to find funny blog titles, but I do think I hit some sort of Hanoi trifecta today: I saw Uncle Ho’s mausoleum, the Army museum, and had dessert with a hooker. It doesn’t get much better than that! Except for — and I will admit this freely, because sometimes giving bad things a name makes them less bad — it is preposterously hot here.
Read on…
Check Out My Enormous Dong
Jun 26, 2006 in Travel
Hanoi is ridiculously beautiful, although there are a few problems. One is that the street my hotel is on shares a name with two other streets, just the tones vary between the three names. So I tried to meet up w/some people a friend knows who live here, and I texted my address, but since I coudn’t include the accents that specify the tones, they had to track down which of the streets I live on. But we met up, and went out. The other unfortunateness is the Vietnamese currency, named the Dong. Not only is its name a silly schoolyard bad word, but it’s also in cartoon-large bill sizes. The smallest is 1000 dong, and, at 15,000 to the dollar, that’s not much. So I took out just a little money but I have a massive roll in my pocket: Read on…
To Susan on the West Coast Waiting
Jun 25, 2006 in Travel
Today I flew from Bangkok to Hanoi. Coming down from the clouds, Vietnam stretching before me — it was kind of a Charlie Sheen in Platoon moment. But, after an afternoon here, I know I love it. Read on…
The Importance of Keeping Busy
Jun 25, 2006 in Meta
Because two blogs isn’e enough for me, check out what I wrote at my friend’s great Web ‘zine. It’s all about my summer break and shit, yo!… Read on…
Jesus Died For Your Sins Punk Bitch Sucker*
Jun 24, 2006 in Travel
I may perhaps have exaggerated the bad news in the last entry. At any rate, it’s pretty much all been sunshine since. First of all, I finally got to have a tuk-tuk ride. Second, I had really good food (which is what Thailand is known for, after all). Third, I saw great places. Fourth, my back is almost all better. Fifth, I figured out how to get rid of the ubiqutous touts that pester tourists everywhere. And, finally, I’m headed for Hanoi tomorrow!
Read on…
No Tuk-Tuk!
Jun 22, 2006 in Travel
Today started with a wardrobe malfunction, included a language malfunction, included boats and mostly-naked broads, and ended with a back malfunction. Assuming I can get out of bed tomorrow, I’ll count it as a very good day. Read on…
The B Word
Jun 21, 2006 in Travel
Day One in Bangkok started with a torrential downpour; thenceforth, humidity held just below the level required to create spontaneous cloudbursts, although the sky was happy to host intimidating clouds all day long. Perhaps because of this humidity, and the heat — in the 90s — I saw almost no other westerners as I walked around Banglamphu and the region around Khao San road. Read on…
Southeast Asia: Half the Fun is Getting There!
Jun 20, 2006 in Travel
Today was fascinating, not least because it was twenty-eight hours long and also included all of tomorrow. For a day that was almost entirely spent on an airplane, I got a fair dose of excitement. Read on…
Off I Go, Into the Wild Blue-Green Yonder
Jun 18, 2006 in Travel
So in about four hours I will leap out into the unknown and get on one of China Air’s widebodies, headed for Southeast Asia (via Taiwan, with a seven-hour layover — yecch). I’m filled with that mix of excitement and dread that always comes before a big trip, with part of me deeply enthused and the other part wishing for a good night’s sleep in my comfy bed. Seriously, I’m incredibly looking forward to this trip — and glad that I was able to make it an environmentally-sounder “green” trip. Read on…
Entrepreneurial Tool #2: The Business Plan
Jun 17, 2006 in Elsewhere
New on WadeArmstrong.com: what I’ve been writing the last few weeks.
Read on…One (Exceedingly Small) Miracle
Jun 16, 2006 in Food
I have food allergies. For the sake of simplicity, it’s easiest to say that I’m allergic to pretty much everything. If accuracy is a priority, then I’m specifically allergic to corn — whose byproducts are in most everything — and to cow’s milk, whose byproducts are in most everything else. For extra added bonus I’m also allergic to pineapple and dates. None of this fine food will kill me or anything crazy like that, it’ll just make me boring to hang out with, unless your idea of a good time is rifling through my stuff while I’m in the bathroom. So, for years, I’ve avoided anything that most of the readers of this blog would consider “food”. Or, at least, anything that most of the readers of this blog would consider “yay food!” But now, there may be hope — there may be something that we can do about my little excessive histamine response problem. Read on…
The Itinerary
Jun 11, 2006 in Travel
The rumors are true, I am in fact headed out of town soon. For those of you who are following along at home, here’s the details: Read on…
Let's Outsource Fear!
Jun 8, 2006 in Ye Olde Politicks
Well, we finally got Zarqawi, which clearly means that we only have one problem left — Iran and its nukes. Lots of people suggest that we should engage the Iranians in productive dialog, resolving security issues jointly and building a better world. Others say that only pussies engage others and resolve things jointly. Of course, it’s the latter group that’s in power, which is why I feel the need to put forth the following solution, one which is simultaneously macho and engaged. We spend too much of our time worrying about whether or not some crackpot terrorist is going to nuke us; I hereby propose that we outsource our worrying to the Iranians. If they’re spending all their time worrying about whether or not the US gets nuked, they’re unlikely to provide fissile material to people who want to nuke us. Read on…
Please Return Your Seat-backs and Tray Tables to Their Fully-Upright Position Right Now, Bitch!
Jun 2, 2006 in Travel
Travel, of course, brings out the best in other people. Some of our most notable fellow travelers are the people who recline their seats all the way even though they’re seated in Economy Class. I’d like to pass on a big shout-out to all those worthies, because they’re super-special. Yes, you. You! You’re super-special. Yes you are! Read on…
MBA: Worth it or Not?
Jun 2, 2006 in Elsewhere
It’s been two whole weeks since I got that MBA. Do I dig it? Find out on WadeArmstrong.com.
Read on…