Ronin Traveler - Travel Guide

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7 Places To Visit for the Budget Traveler in 2008
2008-01-05 04:59:00
With the continued decline in the US dollar and American economy looking like it is heading toward a recession, where does the budget minded traveler set his sites in 2008 ? There are still plenty of places where an American can still get a bang for his buck. Today, as in the past, one can travel to any number of places in Asia or South America to stretch a dollar and have a heck of a vacation.
More About: Places , Budget , Visit

Night Life in Bangkok
2007-12-30 05:17:00
Last Night in Bangkok - Time for some Fun Well after a long day I headed back to the hotel to nap, shower, shave, and eat. The mission was acomplished by 7pm and I decided to check out the Bangkok night life again after a less than eventful evening a few nights before. I must admit, I'm 34, single, and still love going out at night. I don't go out as hard and as long as I used to, as it takes
More About: Life , Night Life

Jim Thompson House
2007-12-30 04:43:00
Day 3 - Bangkok After falling asleep at 8pm the night before, I awoke early full of energy and ready to go. After checking my daily email, have to keep the family updated, I grabbed a quick bite to eat at the hotel cafe. I grabbed my backpack and headed to the nearby BTS Skytrain Station. The Jim Thompson House was the first stop. I switched trains and got off at the National Stadium Stop.

The Pier and Amulet Market
2007-12-30 04:23:00
After leaving Wat Po I headed across the street towards the pier. There were a few shops selling fresh and what looked liked dry seafood. I hope it didn't come from the the polluted river. I just kept walking toward the river and found the entrance to the pier through one of the buildings. The building was small and had a few restaurants that only about 3 or 4 tables. As I got to the dock
More About: Market , Pier , Amulet

Wat Po and the Reclining Buddha
2007-12-30 03:30:00
After my tour of the Grand Palace, I grabbed a quick rest in the shade of the compounds outer walls. There was a line of about 30 other guests that had the same idea first, so I grabbed my patch of grass at the end of line. After a quick break, a drink of water, and a flip through the guide book, I decided it was time to move on. As I turned the corner and started walking toward Wat Po, I
More About: Buddha , Reclining Buddha

Grand Palace - Changing of the Guard
2007-12-22 03:55:00
After a nice few hours of sightseeing at the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, I decided to head out. As I reached the main gate there was a soldier in OD green blowing his whistle and having the tourists clear the pathway. Unsure what was happening I hopped up onto a raised curb to see what was going on. From the guard house by the front gate came 20 more soldiers dressed in green and armed
More About: Changing , Guard

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew - Cont'd
2007-12-21 20:51:00
The Grand Palace is connected to the Wat and is a huge compound by itself. The have soldiers dressed in formal white outfits guarding the palace. They are similar to the ones at Buckingham Palace where you can have your pictures taken with them and the guards remain expressionless.

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew - More Photos
2007-12-21 20:43:00
A few more photos of Wat Phra Kaew:
More About: Photos , Palace , Grand

Tour Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
2007-12-21 20:24:00
Bangkok Day 2 - continued The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is a must see when you head to Bangkok. It is a huge tourist attraction and rightfully so. The buildings in the compound are so amazing, covered in beautiful cut glass, amazing architecture, and filled with all sorts of Thai artwork and statutes. Here are some pictures from the tour. The entrance to
More About: Tour

Day 2 - Bangkok - Fool me once shame on me, Fool me Twice...well
2007-12-19 04:47:00
I awoke early and was ready to do some sightseeing. I through on a t-shirt and a pair of cargo pants; the temples don't let you in with shorts or sandals, they do have some loaner pants or sarongs to use, but you can't be guaranteed that they'll be available. I grabbed my day pack and headed out for the day. After fueling up on some chicken and egg noodles at the hotel cafe, I decided to grab
More About: Bangkok , Fool , Shame

Bangkok Day 1 - Try Some Night Life
2007-12-19 04:36:00
After a quick nap, I showered and got dressed for the evening. A pair of jeans, a light button down short sleeve shirt, and my hiking shoes would become my uniform during the nights on my trip. It was pleasant weather at night, and wearing jeans was quite comfortable. Although I scouted the restaurants, I decided I would have my meal on the patio of the hotel cafe. I decided to take it easy
More About: Life , Bangkok , Night , Night Life

Bangkok Day 1 - Getting the lay of the Land
2007-12-19 04:24:00
I returned to the hotel and since it was still early, I decided to get the lay of the land. I always feel that if you are in a safe area, the best way to get to know the area is on foot. My hiking shoes were already on so I struck out to explore the neighborhood. I was staying in an area call Sukhumvit, it is in the east part of the city about 20 minutes to the river and the tourist areas of
More About: Bangkok , Land

Day 1 Bangkok - The Adventure Begins
2007-12-19 03:35:00
After Checking my emails and letting everyone know I had arrived safely, I stowed my laptop in suitcase and locked it. Out of sight out of mind. I decided to get a Thai mobile SIM card so I would have a phone number while I was in Thailand. I thought it would be convenient to email family the number if there was an emergency. With the time difference and moving about it would be easier if
More About: Adventure , Bangkok

Day 1 Bangkok - Getting settled
2007-12-17 03:54:00
I got off the plane and followed to the crowd to customs and baggage claim. Suvarnabhumi - Bangkok Airport- was modern and very nice. It has only been open since 2006. They had rows of short lines for the passport check. The computer takes your photo, your passport is stamped, and you are on the way to baggage claim right in front of you. I decided to get some cash at the ATM before

The Long Flight Over
2007-12-17 03:38:00
I boarded the gigantic Airbus A340-500. It is the largest plane I have been on since I was a kid. I booked the Premium Economy Class, which was only a couple of hundred dollars more which I thought was worth it for such a long flight. It was a great investment. I was originally seated next to a very tall gentleman who I chatted with a bit before take off. He had be living in northern
More About: Long , Flight

Taking Off
2007-12-17 03:19:00
Thursday - Thanksgiving and the start of my trip. I got picked up at my house by the airport shuttle with one couple already on board. I was unsure how busy the airport would be, so I made sure I arrived early. It was the most deserted I have ever seen an airport. I made it through check-in and security in twenty minutes. I then sat around for 2 hours waiting for the first leg of my flight
More About: Taking

The Begining - Preparing for Thailand
2007-10-12 05:06:00
This is the start of my travel blog. Whether near or far I will be recounting my travels online for the world to see....whether the world wants to see them, I'm not quite sure. I'm seven weeks away from my first trip to Thailand . I work full time in Software Quality Assurance so my vacation is limited to two weeks per year. This year I decided to combine one weeks vacation with the