Southeast Asia Takeaways

In the grand tradition of Top Ten lists, here's what we think you should know about Southeast Asia, and maybe a little bit about life in general:

10. Just eat it. Many fruits in Asia are very unfamiliar to what you may be used to. Don't bother to ask what it is...just try it. More than likely it's delicious. And besides, why do you need to know the name of what you won't find at home? It'll only be disappointing.

9. There is a system - you just can't see it. Our many interactions with airport employees, hotel staff, restaurant servers, tour guides, etc. taught us to just trust in their competence (something we're not used to doing at home). Even when it appears that no one knows what's going on, you'll find that it all works out...in the end. Don't freak out and pull the andon cord.

8. You can try, but you'll never understand the Japanese. God bless em, but we encountered Japanese tourists everywhere we went, and they never failed to baffle us. From the incessant photo-taking, mask-wearing, inefficient health screening, peace-sign posing, sun-avoiding, to the readily apparent repression, we're still just very confused.

7. Have a "vacation strategy." Wisam did an amazing job of segmenting our journey into sufficient amounts of what Arianne calls "active time" and "ass time." Play and rest, then play and rest some more. You don't want to be burned out, do you?

6. Thermal scanners are worthless. Truly. Look at Japan, and see #8.

5. Don't take it personally. Besides the US, it is perfectly acceptable everywhere else in the world to stare. Unabashedly. Join in - it's pretty fun.

4. Don't judge a person by their size. Small people can be a lot stronger than they look. Cases in point: the small Thai women that kicked our asses on the massage table, and Daht, our Sa Pa tour guide who basically ran up a mountain.

3. Take a culinary tour. Sampling the regional and national food (and drink!) is just as important, if not more than, the sightseeing part of the trip. Don't worry about the after effects...it's nothing a little Cipro can't handle :)

2. Listen to your instincts. The most rewarding adventures often have objectors at the outset. Both of our families questioned our ambitious trek, but we went ahead anyway and had an amazing time.

1. A friend you can travel with (and not want to kill by the end) is a rare treasure indeed. These are relationships worth tending and nurturing.


If you're headed to Southeast Asia, let us know! We have lots of opinions and recommendations!