I'm finally finished unpacking and guess what I found! 3 pages of notes that I took when I decided to start this blog while I was in Tangier. Well, it's not the first post like I planned on it being, but, hopefully you'll get an idea where I'm coming from and an idea about Tangier too. The day before I started thinking about a blog, Roland and I were wandering around the Tangier medina and kasbah. It was my 10th trip to Morocco, probably my 6th or 7th to Tangier and I didn't recognize much-- a flicker or a glimmer here, a flicker there. And not because it's all changed or something; the memory ain't what it used to be (even though I take this great holistic memory stuff my friend Lou recommended, Juvenon.) Anyway, Roland has a great memory and he navigated us up hills and through passageways. "Don't you remember this (mega hill)"? he demanded.

"Uh... no. Are you sure we went this way last time?" He was-- and we had. (Eventually I recalled; it just takes longer these days.) The hill leads right up into the Place du Kasbah, the place where the kasbah begins with the police station and my friend Absalaam's  little cafe (which I've only seen open exactly one time. It was closed.) Now how the hell are we gonna find Absalaam's house? Roland was undaunted. He even remembered the awesome ancient door. We both had a memory of a small, pastel mosque Matisse had painted a block from Absalaam's. (That's it with me in the photo.)

The first time I came to Tangier it was 1969. I had heard lurid things about the city-- it had a bad reputation back then, a holdover from the International City days-- and I avoided it on the way in by entering via an Algeciras ferry to Ceuta, the bit of Spain that is still left in Morocco. Dull, sleepy place, but we headed south from there and by-passed Tangier. A month later, we did enter the city of sin on the way back to Spain. It didn't impress me but I didn't give it a chance. It wasn't for years that I grew to really like Tangier. But not remembering much is what gave me the idea for starting the blog. I told Roland and he loved the idea-- and he never thinks anything is a good idea.

Allow me a quick detour from Tangier-- as though this really were the first piece in a brand new blog (instead of the seventh in a 5 day old blog)-- and I'll give you a few details about my traveler background. I hit the road for the first time in the mid-60s when I was just a kid. I think I had just turned 15 when I hitchhiked from Brooklyn to Miami Beach to visit my grandparents for Easter-- or tried to hitchhike. I got picked up by the New Jersey Highway Patrol and they made my pissed off father come and pick me up at the police station. In Bumfuck, NJ (which was like Georgia or Virginia as far as I was concerned). I figured I was gonna get a beating but instead he or my mom gave me the busfare to go down to Miami in style the next day; maybe even the same day. I lost my virginity behind the Jacksonville Greyhound terminal. I don't remember much-- a lot of black: big black tires, big black face... and I kind of blacked out when I um... you know (this isn't a porn site, so we'll leave it at that). She was so sweet and cool and friendly and I was such a nerd. I don't know if she told me her name. If I had this blog then, I'd know now.

I only spent 2 nights in Tangier this time. The ferry was like 6 hours late but we were lucky because it hadn't crossed in 3 days because of stormy weather. It only took 90 minutes once we left Algeciras. I always used to love the gradual approach from Europe to Africa, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the feeling of excitement. I didn't really feel it this time. It was drizzly and overcast. We stayed at the place I always stay there, the only decent place, the El Minzah Hotel. Some Scottish aristocrat got it going in 1930, Lord Bute. It's actually gotten quite a bit better since the last time I was there. There's even a business center on the second floor with 2 super-fast Dells ($5/hour, which is really expensive for Morocco but I didn't know that yet). It's a 5-star hotel in a country where stars are very relative; the hotel owner is probably married to a relative of the Minister of Stars. But it is the best hotel in Tangier, which is, after all, a slowly improving but still shabby port at the Northwest tip of Africa, a place of intrigue and desperation where people from Africa (all over the world, actually) come to try to smuggle themselves into Spain and the EU, where the streets are paved in gold (relatively). Some people say it reminds them of Tijuana. I'm sure it seems to some like the whole continent of Africa would like to come in order to cross over to the good life in Europe. And it's a place where the livers of that good life can cross over and have a quick look-see how the other 90% of the world lives. Someone once told me most visitors to Morocco just come for a day and never get beyond Tangier. That's a shame.

The concierge at the El Minzah told me that almost all their guests stay for one night. There hadn't been any for 3 days because of the ferry. Tangier's not really a destination any more-- at least not for more than a night-- which must be frustrating for the people running the hotel, although they seem to be trying to make the best of it. There's still an underlying seediness about it that you won't find in a real 5-star hotel but at least I don't think they'd steal a $100 travellers check left in the safe behind the reception (the way they did about 20 years ago when I stayed there once). Now they don't even have a safe behind the reception-- and I don't bother with travelers checks anymore anyway. I feel confident enough now, after almost 4 decades of travel, to keep my cash in the pockets of my relatively tight jeans.

A couple months ago when I tried booking our room on the net, the hotel was anything but receptive. Not only did my correspondent have no interest in agreeing on a decent discount, he also said we would have to participate in an extravagant Christmas Eve dinner if we booked a room. I pointed out that Expedia.com was offering much cheaper rates and he claimed they don't honor Expedia's bookings. The El Minzah, 5 stars and all, ain't much, but the drop down to the next level hotel is a far drop indeed. I booked through Expedia-- 1,125 dirhams (like $120) for a double room, breakfast included. They honored the booking and the price.

The pleasant surprise in Tangier was the restaurant scene. It's one of the few cities where there is a Moroccan middle class accustomed to going out to eat enough to support real restaurants that don't just cater to tourists. Tourist restaurants are always horrible-- bland, over-priced, pathetic... all decor and show and never anyone striving for excellence in the kitchen. The guide books all claim that the El Korsan in the El Minzah is the best restaurant in town. It's exactly the kind of place I do my best to avoid. We managed to find two really excellent restaurants we ate in. One was somewhat touristy, but reasonable and definitely oriented towards ala carte ordering, rather than forcing you into a gigantic feast, Raihani's. A little further from the tourist area we found a fish restaurant which catered 100% to Moroccans, the Andalus. It was so delicious-- real salt of the earth kind of place, very friendly and unpretentious and ridiculously cheap. Harira for 5 dirhams, not 60 or 80, for example. Hmmm... I'm drooling just thinking about the fish tagine I had!

Shira Camp (3840m) to Barranco Camp (3950m)

Day 3 on Kilimanjaro is all about acclimatization. You'll get a full taste of the old adage "climb high, sleep low" as you first gain 690 meters, and then descend 580 meters at the end of the day.

Much of Day 3 is spent in the alpine desert of Kilimanjaro. You'll leave the colorful bushes, scrub grasses, and interesting plant life behind, at least for the time being, for the rocky, barren, and dry expanses of the high desert areas. You'll continue to have amazing views throughout the day as well, and the summit will loom over you as you hike, as long as the mists clear long enough for you to see it.

You'll reach the high point of the climb around mid-day, as you approach the Lava Tower, a 300 foot tall formation jutting out of the mountain that ws created by cooling lava at some point in Kili's past. The morning is a steady climb up to this point, and you'll likely have lunch in the shadow of the Tower. After that, you'll turn down hill to make your way towards Barranco Camp. But make no mistake, just because you're going down doesn't mean that the trek is easy. On the contrary, you'll be scrambling over rocks and hiking through loose rock scree that will have you watching your step at every moment. On top of that, you're likely to have tired legs from the previous days climb and the exertion of the morning, making the descent more challenging than you'd like.

There is a reward for the day however, and that's the beautiful scenery as you descend. The alpine desert will once again fall away, and you'll return to the colorful moorlands. More beautiful plants will spring up around you, and as you hike down the valley to Barranco Camp, there are a number of beautiful waterfalls. Definitely take time to look around on this stage of the climb.

Barranco Camp is easily the most scenic on the Machame Route. You'll have some amazing views of Mount Meru, Heim Glacier, and Kibo's south face. When the mist clears at night, you'll also be able to see all the way down theh valley into Moshi Town. Of course, it's not all fun and games, as you won't be able to avoid eyeing up the Barranco Wall, a 1000+ foot rock face you'll be tackling first thing in the morning.

For me, this was a good day on the trail. The morning hike up was definitely challenging and I was ready for a break when we stopped for lunch at the lava tower. The descent was certainly more challenging than I expected, and you had to watch your footing constantly, as the scree was very loose in spots and if you weren't careful, you could easily twist an ankle, or trip and fall. But the views in Shira Garden, as the valley leading to Barranco Camp is known, are quite stunning. Certainly some of the best you'll see on the whole trek.

The night before this stage I probably slept a total of 20-30 minutes. Very light dozing at best, but I still felt good on the trail. My legs were feeling a bit of the strain, but generally still felt good. I remained hopeful that a good night's sleep was just around the corner, and that the acclimatization process was going according to plan. I hadn't suffered any head-aches or nausea, although other groups we encountered certainly were. I remained optimistic.

(Photo courtesy of Colm Donohoe. It's a shot of myself, and our guides, Peter and Zawadi, at the Lava Tower.

I first reported on Dodo Kopold's Double-Double a while back when it was still just a plan, but word has come in that he has completed his quest to summit both Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma in the Spring Season.

However, there is grim news to go along with Dodo's triumph. MountEverest.net is reporting that Dodo's climbing partner, Marek Hudák, is missing, and has been missing since Tuesday. Dodo and Marek were climbing on Shisha Pangma, making their summit bid, when the parted ways. Dodo continued to the top, but Marek retreated down the mountain. When Dodo returned to C2 he found that the camp had been buried in ice and that his friend was missing. The only signs of Marek were an ice axe and a glove. He hasn't been seen since the two separated on four days ago.

Dodo and the Korean team on the South face of Shisha have searched for the missing climber, but so far to no avail. The loss of his friend has put a dark veil over Dodo's accomplishments, as he has claimed the first two 8000m summits of the year. He's not stopping there either, as he plans to travel to Pakistan to summit Nanga Parbat and K2 this Summer. We'll have to wait to see if those plans change following this tragedy.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Marek's friends and family at this time.

Italian adventurer Alex Bellini has accomplished some pretty impressive things in the course of his career. He estimates that he has run more than 23,000 km (14,290 miles), competing in such races as the legendary Marathon des Sables and Alaska Ultra. He has also rowed across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, amongst other challenging journeys. But his next adventure may be his most demanding yet. Bellini plans to spend a year living on an iceberg as it shrinks in size and eventually disappears altogether. He hopes that these efforts will help raise awareness of climate change.

The Adventure Journal had the opportunity to sit down with Alex and ask him about this venture. He says that for the most part, he'll be completely alone on the ice, although he does plan to meet with journalists and bloggers for a time. He also says that he doesn't want to be labeled as an environmentalist, but he remains an explorer instead. Bellini hopes that this adventure will allow him to share the urgent need for us to address climate change as he documents the death of an iceberg first hand.

In the interview, Alex also talks about his inspirations for this adventure, what it was like to row across the Pacific, but run into trouble just 65 miles from the finish line and how he'll select his iceberg. In regards to that last point, he says that the iceberg is still being formed, but that it will exist northwest of Greenland "between 70°N and 74°N."

It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out. Living alone on an iceberg for a year should provide some unique challenges, particularly as the space begins to grow smaller and smaller. You can find out more in the video below and on Alex's website. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter for more updates as well.


Alex Bellini . Adrift. LongVersion ENG from BigRock on Vimeo.

Here was breakfast this morning. No, it wasn't anything special, but I sorely needed to get some food in my belly and I guess that this did it. Note to self: the Legal Sea Foods at Logan Airport features a breakfast menu in the morning, so I guess I can forget about trying out some Boston scrod when I have an early flight.

As much as I try to keep my distance from McDonald's, I was very curious about this Fiery Mala burger that they've been promoting lately, especially given Burger King's attempt at a mala burger many years ago. Frankly, I can hardly remember what BK's version tasted like, but this one turned out to be much spicier than I thought it would be, including a bit of huajiao numbingness. Still, it was also much saltier than I was expecting, and it's not exactly something that I'll want to get again, especially with that chicken patty inside. But at least my curiosity has been satiated with this quick taster today (I only took one bite).

Most outdoor enthusiasts know who The Gear Junkie is, even if they don't know his real name is Stephen Regenold. His columns are syndicated in a number of newspapers and magazines across the country and he has written a number of adventure travel articles for a wide array of publications. As it turns out, the first Gear Junkie article went into the Minneapolis Star Tribune five years ago this month, and to celebrate, Stephen is counting down his favorite gear from the past five years.

Each day this week we'll get two very cool gear items that impressed the Gear Junkie. Today we have, coming in at number 10, ALOKSAK bags from Watchful Eye Designs. In a nutshell, these are water proof, highly durable, ziplock bags for all of our gear that shouldn't get wet. They're great for holding maps during adventure races or for keeping you essential items dry during your next paddling excursion.

Also on the list today, at the number 9 spot, DMG BUGrip EXTREME from Icebug. The Gear Junkie sums this item quite well when he describes it as "a winter boot with a running shoe, add carbide spikes on the sole for traction". It's a trail running shoe for extreme snow and ice conditions, with built in gaiters no less.

It should be fun this week to watch the list unfold. I can't wait to see what cool gear, that I probably can't afford, occupy the higher positions on the list. :)

Check Point Zero is reporting that Ian Adamson's 24 Hours of Triathlon is coming to NBC this fall as part of their World of Adventure Sports broadcasts. The race is scheduled to be run on September 1st and the show will air on October 27th.

I first reported on the 24 hours of triathlon back when Ian Adamson announced his retirement from full time adventure racing in December. But now the project looks like it's up and running, and already has a media presence with NBC. The race will be run in Cherry Creek State Park in Boulder, Colorado (where else?) and will consist of both team "relay" legs or solo competition. You can read updates in the Offical Blog and if you'd like to register click here.

More on the event as it gets closer.

I first comment on John Harlin III's new book The Eiger Obsession a week or two back when there was an excerpt from the book on Outside Online. Now, GreatOutdoors.com is getting in on the action with a brief introduction to the book as well as the IMAX film that acts as a companion to it. You'll also find two audio interviews with Harlin as he discusses what The Eiger, and climbing it means to him.

For those who don't know, Harlin's father, John Harlin II, was one of the great climbers in the Alps druing the late 50's and early 60's. He put up new routes on a number of faces, and was as well known for his climbing as his "movie star" good looks. John Harlin II had a fixation on putting up a route on the Eiger that became known ad the Eiger Direct, which was essentially climbing a line straight to the top instead of winding all over the face as the Classic Route does. While attempting just such a route, with climbing legends Dougal Haston and Chris Bonnington no less, he lost his life. The team ultimately completed the climb, but he was not there to see it. Since then, John Harlin III has always had the shadow of the Eiger looming over him, and he knw that eventually he would have to climb it. The book follows him through that climb.

I'm currently reading the book and hope to have a review up within the next week. As I'm currenlty halfway through it however, I can safely say that it's a great read with a nice mix of biography for Harlin's father as well as well as his own struggles on the Eiger as he faces those demons of the mountain that killed his father. Good stuff.

With winter just around the corner I know many of you are looking forward to breaking out the ski and snowboards so you can hit the slopes. To get you ready, checkout this beautifully shot video that features pro snowboarders Travis Rice, Chris Davenport, John Jackson and Lynsey Dyer as they head out into the backcountry in search of the perfect line. Honestly, snowboarding videos don't get much better than this.

Is there a more interesting character from history than Genghis Khan? The Mongol leader managed to unite the legendary horse clans and build the the largest contiguous land empire that the world has ever seen. The Great Khan was a legendary leader, a fearsome warrior and an unrelenting enemy. More than 700 years after his death, he still casts a large shadow over the Mongolian people and his mark on history is undeniable, altering the destiny of two continents.

Of course, the Kahn and his Mongol Horde were able to accomplish great things because they were perhaps the greatest horseman to ever live. It is with that spirit in mind that Australian adventurer Tim Cope set out to accomplish something that hadn't been done since the time of Genghis Kahn himself. With little previous experience in the saddle prior to setting out, Cope launched a 10,000 km (6000 mile) journey starting in Mongolia and ending in Hungry. An expedition that he chronicles in his new book, On The Trail Of Genghis Khan.

Before he ever launched this epic excursion, Cope new he was in for a challenge. After all, he was an inexperienced rider with thousands of miles of open steppe to conquer on his own. The trip began in June of 2004 and would ultimately take him three years to complete. Traveling with a number of horses and his loyal dog Tigon, he faced harsh and difficult climates, wild wolves, horse thieves and a host of other challenges. He also met some incredible people and was continually surprised and humbled by the hospitality and kindness of the strangers he met along the way. Tim's journey was as much about finding himself on the trail while following in the footsteps of a legend.


Cope's new book takes readers along for the ride as he wanders across Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea, the Ukraine and finally Hungary. The story is a compelling one for anyone who enjoys a good tale of adventure but Tim's writing style draws readers in even more. It is a wonderful mix of his personal experiences framed against a historical backdrop that gives us a glimpse of what the Kahn experienced when he made a similar ride centuries earlier.

Reading On The Trail, it is impossible to not get swept up in Tim's infectious sense of adventure. His story is an amazing one, but he also approaches it in such a way that you'll think that it might be possible for you to attempt an epic adventure of your own. That's the kind of inspiration that Tim creates through his writing, which is at times very sensitive and thoughtful in its approach. If the writing were less compelling, the 450+ page book could run the risk of feeling as long as Cope's journey across Asia and Europe, but fortunately that isn't the case. It is a real page turner that will leave you staying up later than you intended so you can read "just one more chapter."

On The Trail Of Genghis Kahn is available in bookstores now and is wonderful read for anyone looking for a grand adventure. With the holidays fast approaching, it would also make a great gift for your favorite adventurer or traveler. If you've ever dreamed of escaping to a far off, remote destination with hundreds of miles of open space all to yourself, you'll likely appreciate what Tim has accomplished. His tale is the very definition of the "epic" and by the time you finish reading it, you'll be ready to set out on  your own journey. That's what a great book is all about.

Hore Abbey (also known as St. Mary's Abbey of the Rock) sits both literally and figuratively in the shadow of the mighty Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary. Although the Rock of Cashel is one of the most visited heritage sites in Ireland, very few spend the extra time on a short walk to visit the wonderful Abbey below.

The name Hore Abbey has a number of possible derivations - the first is that the name 'Hore' comes from 'iubhair' Gaelic for Yew Tree. Another theory suggests that the name refers to the dull grey coloured tunics that the monks wore.

Hore Abbey is a Cistercian monastery, and most of the visible remains date to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. You can still see the well preserved remains of a refectory, a large church with nave, chancel, and transepts all in good condition. Each of the transepts has a small chapel, and you can see the remains of an archbishops tomb just north of the chancel.

The cloisters are in a very unusual position, usually the cloister is always positioned to the south of the church - however at Hore Abbey they are positioned to the north. Possibly because the Rock of Cashel is so prominent to the north, they wanted to maximise its impact.

 Local legend has it that the Abbey was given to the Cistercian order in 1270 AD, as the Archbishop of Cashel, MacCearbhaill, had a dream that the Benedictines [who were the original owners of the site] were plotting against him. He drove the Benedictines from Cashel, and invited the Cistercians to take their place.

The last Abbot of Hore Abbey was Patrick Stackpole, he had held the position for several decades, but peacefully surrendered the Abbey to the Crown Forces during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in circa 1540. The lands were granted to the powerful Butler Family, and were eventually transferred again by Queen Elizabeth Ist to Sir Henry Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex.


If you are visiting the wonderful Rock of Cashel, do allow an extra little bit of time to view the wonderful remains of Hore Abbey, as an extra incentive you also get a great view of the Rock from there!

If anyone would like to learn more about the history and legends of the Rock of Cashel and Hore Abbey you can download our audioguide from www.abartaaudioguides.com

Ok, yes, I know, I said I was out of town and wouldn't be updating, but I had some time this afternoon, and decided ten bucks for Internet access in my hotel room was probably worth for me to get back in touch with the world.

I found this article over at National Geographic Adventure to be very interesting and sad at the same time. It tells the tale of Elisa Santry, a 16 year-old girl from Boston who was a member of the Outward Bound Program. She was participating in a 22 day hike across southern Utah when she went missing. After searching for her for hours, the guides and other members of her team found her dead on the trail, her pack still on her back.

Elisa's death opens a lot of questions about the 46 year old program that is amongst the best known youth wilderness training programs in the United States. But how did one of these young people get left behind on the trail? How come no one noticed until they stopped to make camp? And how did she get into a position where her life was threatened while hiking? Were there signs of her struggling on the trail? If so, why were they ignored?

The article notes that this isn't the first death in the Outward Bound Program. In fact there have been 24 fatalities in it's history, despite claims that safety is the number one concern. Of course, this has put the spotlight clearly on the leadership of the organization, and their policies for taking care of the young men and women in their care.

I don't know about you, but for a program that has been around for 46 years, 24 deaths seems like a lot! That's more than 1 every two years over the course of the life of the program, although it should be noted that this is the first death in ten years. Lets hope that some changes are made and good judgement prevails here, but those questions remain, and someone needs to answer them.

Thanks for the tip on this one Ryan!

So you live in Colorado, and the weather is starting to turn for the better, and you've decided that this year, you're going to climb at least one of the 54 fourteeners in your state. (That's mountains of 14,000 feet or better for those just joining us) Well, The Denver Post is here to help with some great tips on preparing for a high altitude hike.

They recommend making a number of smaller hikes first if you are not an experienced hiker or use to spending time on the trail. Going from 5000 feet to 14,000 feet in one day can be dangerous the article warns, and you never know for sure what how your body will react to altitude. They also suggest stretching, doing yoga, lifting weights, and a good cardiovascular workout in preparation for your climb.

Other tips include waiting until mid-June to avoid snow and sudden bad weather, which can be common in the mountains. Bring the right gear for the day and know how much water, food, and other items you'll need to take with you. And finally, don't be afraid to turn back. Altitude can do odd things to you, and the weather can change very quickly, so play it safe and don't risk injury or worse. Finally, they also list their "Ten Essentials" of gear that should always be in your pack. Good advice all around.

Thanks Tom!

Last year a team of paddlers kayaked the length of the Amazon River, source to sea, covering 4200+ miles (6760 km ) in the process. The expedition was called The Amazon Express and we followed it very closely here on the Adventure Blog as the paddlers made their way through some incredibly difficult and challenging areas on their way to making history. It was the first time that anyone had managed to kayak the entire length of the river before.

Now, the team is hoping to produce a documentary about their adventure and they've launched a Kickstarter campaign to help raise funds to do so. Unfortunately, I only just learned about their efforts in the past few days and since I've still been digging out from my travels over the weekend, I hadn't had a chance to post about this sooner. As I write this, there are only a few hours left on the clock for this to get kickstarted and they are well below the funding they were seeking. Perhaps they'll give it another go, but at the moment it looks like that barring a miracle of some kind, this documentary won't getting made. Still, the video below gives you an idea of what they have in mind. Hopefully they'll find the funding they need. I'd definitely like to see this film at some point and I can't be the only one.

It was good that food from the Salt Lick was being served for lunch today, as I haven't eaten from these guys in a very long time. And I'd totally forgotten about how much I loved that coleslaw with those celery seeds. Franklin definitely still has the upper hand on the brisket though.

My original impetus for starting the Around The World Blog was that I wanted to write a restaurant guide of Bangkok. I still haven't gotten to Thailand, but, of course, I haven't forgotten. I was thinking I'd finish up on the series I'm doing on Bali and then get to Thailand after that. But this morning I got an e-mail from a friend in Thailand, T., and it... shall I say inspired me to write something about one of my favorite places on earth. I can't believe that the first thing I'm going to write about Thailand, a place I've been to a dozen times, is going to be something negative. Not just something negative but something that barely even impacts on tourists in any way at all-- at least not directly.

If you've been following this blog at all, you may have noticed that I rarely mention the politics of any of the countries. I save that kind of stuff for Down With Tyranny, my political blog. But T's letter got me thinking. I was in Thailand several times when Thaksin Shinawatra, the current prime minister, was running for office. He's a Thai version of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi, the richest man in the country, a populist who thinks rules and laws are for other people, not for him. His elections, particularly his re-election one year ago, were rife with fraud.

T. wrote that "In Thailand the PM spent the past two years re-shuffling the army [he put in his less than qualified cousin as commander-in-chief], destabilizing the courts, bribe-packing the senate, rushing through odd loopholes; and now, he just sold the national satellite, phone company and BBC to Singapore-- All profits in his pocket, all legally within the newly minted laws. And no chance of a last minute coup or even election to put it all right."

Thaksin always gets compared to Berlusconi-- a whiff of fascism-- but lately people are also seeing a resemblance to George W. Bush. Like Bush's Republican Party, Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party once again proved Stalin's famous dictum: "It isn't who votes that matters, it's who counts the votes." And in 2005 Thailand had an awful lot in common with Florida and Ohio, with plenty of Katherine Harrises and Ken Blackwells. Last year even as mild-manner a bunch as CNN accused him of being a dictator and in July the very establishmentarian ECONOMIST wrote "THAKSIN SHINAWATRA'S shrillest critics have long depicted him as a dictator and a bully. Now the Thai prime minister has the legal powers to live up to the insults. An emergency decree signed into law on July 17th allows him to detain suspects without trial, tap phones, ban public gatherings, expel foreigners and censor media reports that could adversely affect state security, peace or public morality.…"

Bush's catastrophic (non)-response to Hurricane Katrina, the grotesque incompetence of the lackeys and cronies around him, was also something that everyone compared to Thaksin's response to the tsunami that devastated so much of southern Thailand. The American Prospect talks about how Thailand's corrupt and incompetent dictatorship really has impacted on the lives of its citizens. The writer, Josh Kurlantzick talks about a recent trip to Thailand
"when the country was threatened by a major outbreak of avian (bird) flu, which was spreading across Asia at the time. As with the tsunamis-- and with the previous SARS epidemic in 2003-- Thailand’s increasingly authoritarian government, run by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, initially denied that anything was wrong. Thailand’s neutered press and civil society, threatened by the government and co-opted by Thaksin, whose family has bought into important media outlets, essentially played along with the bird-flu cover-up. Civil servants also said little, even as the crisis worsened. (Over the last four years, Thaksin has replaced or retired most independent thinkers in the government.) And even when the government began to admit the scope of the virus (after several Thai children had already died), Thaksin had created such a culture of top-down rule that important officials seemed paralyzed, unable to decisively launch a cull of potentially infected birds."

Everyone who goes to Thailand who I ever met come away thinking about the Thai people as the sweetest, kindest, most polite and accommodating people they've ever met-- and with good reason. So it's difficult ti imagine these smiling, gentle, peaceful, easy-going Buddhists as having anything to do with fascism. It's a juxtaposition that doesn't compute. But it's a very rich country with an awful lot of very poor people-- and not a whole lot of very, very rich ones. Thaksin represents the interests of the latter and has been very adapt at placating the former with empty verbiage. The unique Thai social contract is fraying around the edges a bit.

OK, that's it for politics and Thailand for me (although I just did find this really interesting post from a Thai website called Fringer on which Mr. Fringer has also been very viscerally struck by the rather unpleasant similarities between Thaksin and Bush and their authoritarian propensities). From now on I'll just be reporting on how much I love Phuket, how much I used to love Koh Samui (pre-airport), how much I love Bangkok, Chiang Mai and every single place I've ever been in Thailand.


APRIL 4th UPDATE: THAKSIN STEPPING DOWN!

Last night the odious Tom DeLay said he would resign from the U.S. House of Representatives. Now it turns out the equally corrupt Thai Prime Minister is also bowing to public pressure and leaving office. Sunday's elections-- even as rigged as they were-- dealt Thaksin a stunning blow. If only George Bush would follow suit!

For those who are hard-core fans of South East Asian photojournalism, OPEN-i hosted a live webinar a few months ago which featured work from photographers living and working in South East Asia, and who discussed the challenges and rewards of working in that region.

The webinar (moderated by Paul Lowe) is unusually long (about 105 minutes), and the acoustics are not great, but it offers insight into the work and working conditions of 4 photographers/photojournalists.

Jack Picone - Thailand
Justin Mott - Vietnam
Veejay Villafranca - Philippines
Rony Zakaria - Indonesia

OPEN-i is a global online community of practice for the professional photojournalism industry where members can discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in live webinars and online forums.

I grabbed this from the breakfast spread at the hotel this morning, all of which were things that one is pretty much told not to eat, including biscuits with gravy, eggs with chorizo, sausages, and hash browns. I figured that maybe I'd just take a couple of bites of each just to taste it, and then leave the rest. But somehow I just could not stop eating it, and before I knew it, I had nearly cleared the entire plate. I'd better go work out tonight.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks bad, I've been contributing travel related stories at the new FlightNetwork.com blog. Here's a sampling of some of the more interesting things that the team has been posting there.

• Snow Report: Major Ski Resorts Ready For Thanksgiving
• Gear Review: booq Boa Squeeze Laptop Bag
• Travel in a Minute - South African Safari
• National Geographic Traveler Announces Best Trips 2014
• A Unique Museum: The Four Seasons Serengeti Safari Lodge

There are plenty of other interesting travel stories to read on the blog beyond these, but this is a good example of the kinds of articles that are being written there. If you have some time, we'd love for you to stop by and check us out.