dtravelsround

Hip and hot: LA’s Hotel Wilshire

Travel always exhausts me. So, when I had a chance to break up my trip from Maryland to Las Vegas to Los Angeles to Narita to Bangkok to Chiang Mai courtesy of some weird overnight stop over in LA, I jumped at spending the night in luxury. After flying across the country to Las Vegas,Continue reading “Hip and hot: LA’s Hotel Wilshire”

The seedy side of Bangkok: Nana Plaza

The girls stand around poles, clad in tiny bikinis, looking entirely uninterested at the crowd of mostly expats (and sexpats) who sit around the stage, sipping watered down drinks and gawking. Daniel and I were unsure about going to the Nana Plaza complex, a part of Bangkok’s red light district, but after a bottle ofContinue reading “The seedy side of Bangkok: Nana Plaza”

To rescue elephants

It is pitch black when Lek knocks on the door of my room at the guest house. “Ok, we go,” she says softly through the wood. “The elephants are ready.” I’m up. Today — this morning — we are on a mission: to rescue two female elephants from their lives of work and deliver themContinue reading “To rescue elephants”

Daily Wanderlust: The other side of Las Vegas

From 2005 until 2012, I lived mostly in a place that is known for gambling, amazing food and late, late nights resulting in questioning the activities the following morning. Whenever people ask me about what it was like to live in Las Vegas, I always tell them there is much more to the desert townContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: The other side of Las Vegas”

Daily Wanderlust: Paper Lanterns for Buddha

The best time of year to visit Korea, in my opinion, is May. This is when Buddha’s birthday is celebrated, and the entire country is decorated in colorful paper lanterns to mark the big occasion. They hang in the temples, line the sidewalks, and dot the storefronts. It’s a beautiful sight to behold and youContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Paper Lanterns for Buddha”

Fact vs. Fiction: the Thailand Sex Industry

The sex industry in Thailand is a vast and complex organism — something that cannot be defined in concrete terms. Also, the concept of ‘pay-to-play’ relations in regards to morality is subjective to the individual and their social and cultural background. For the purpose of this — a post examining the ins and outs of the sex industry (and a topic that is nearly impossible to fit into one concise piece) it is more prudent and beneficial to give a holistic description of Thailand’s industry.

Escape of the Week: Udawalawae National Park, Sri Lanka

The sunrise in Sri Lanka casts a pink and orange glow across the peach dirt, warming me despite the slight chill in the air. In front of the guest house we’ve stayed at, there are two larger-than-life Jeeps, with their sides and roof ripped off and rows of plastic benches replacing the normal seats. We’reContinue reading “Escape of the Week: Udawalawae National Park, Sri Lanka”

Daily Wanderlust: Dublin’s Liberator Statue

There are gorgeous statues dotting the streets of Dublin, Ireland. One of the most well-known is the Liberator Statue (also known as the O’Connell Statue) on O’Connell Street. The bronze statue depicts Daniel O’Connell, an Irish political leader from the 1800s. When I wasn’t celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland and making my liver hateContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Dublin’s Liberator Statue”

Daily Wanderlust: Buckingham Palace

London always makes me feel like I’ve stepped back in time, even if its residents are ridiculously fashion-forward and uber chic. Strolling down the cobblestone streets, passing by gorgeous old structures, just makes me feel like I should be back in a different century where corsets were the norm. I feel this way particularly whenContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Buckingham Palace”

Daily Wanderlust: Alleyway graffiti in Zagreb

Before I officially hit my 30-Life-Crisis, I headed to Croatia for a holiday. My first stop in the magical and life-changing country was Zagreb, the capital of the country. I’m a bit unconventional in terms of what I desire out of visits to foreign places (I’m so churched out!), so I popped in my headphonesContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Alleyway graffiti in Zagreb”