Once a flashy tourist destination for Cambodian’s and the French in the 1900’s – 1960’s, Kep and its luxurious mansions were later destroyed by the Khmer Rouge.

Today, Kep is the undeveloped and serene St. Tropez of Cambodia. Small bars stretch along the ocean serving fresh crab and a handful of secluded islands lie in the distance enticing you to spend a day snorkeling and sunbathing.

Shot with a Kodak Zi8

Morgane Veronique Richardson, Writer/Editor

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So, you only have one day in Bangkok before you head south to the beaches. Don’t fret! There is plenty to do to make you feel as though you have seen it all. All you’ll need is a little bit of cash, and your walking shoes!

On Foot For A Day: Itinerary

8am: Breakfast

If you are staying at a hotel/hostel that serves food, grab a quick bite to eat there. If not, start walking towards the Golden Mount and you are bound to find a delicious food stand. Try something… Try anything!

But before you set out, read this: Avoid wearing short sleeve shirts, skirts above the knees or shorts if you plan on visiting temples. This is a sign of disrespect to the Gods and you will be forced to rent or purchase appropriate clothing. If its too hot to wear them, bring a change of clothes in your bag.

9am – 10am: Wat Saket & Golden Mount
Between Th Wora Chak and Th Boriphat, Admission 10b, 8am – 5pm, bus 508, 511 Blong taxi to Tha Phan Fah
The Golden Mound is a small stupa that offers 360 degree views of Bangkok. If you can wake up any earlier, try being here by 8am to watch the sun rise over Bangkok.

11:30a – 1:30p: Lunch, Democracy Monument and Wat Arun
After all the heat, you are bound be hungry and in need of a cool place to sit. Head towards the Grand Palace and the bank of the Mae Nam Chao Phraya. Don’t forget to take a quick snapshot of Democracy Monument along the way. Democracy Monument was erected in 1932 to celebrate Thailand’s transformation from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one.

Head onwards towards Th Maharat, find a restaurant overlooking the water and grab yourself a Pad Thai (notice how much spicier it is then in the states, yum!), a beer Chang and gaze over at Wat Arun. If you have a bigger budget, try The Deck restaurant located on the water (Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Pratu Nok Yung, Th Maharat, dishes 170 – 690bB, river ferry Tha Tien).

Wat Arun is a Khmer style tower situated on Th Arun Amarin (Admission 20b, 9am – 5pm, river ferry Tha Thai Wang). If you are pinched for time or planning (or returning) from a trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, you can afford to see this from a distance.

2:00pm – 3:30pm : Wat Phra Kaew & Grand Palace
Admission 350B; 8:30am – 3:30pm, bus 508, 512, river ferry Tha Chang

Wat Phra Kaew is the name of the compound that contains The Grand Palace, the former residence of the Thai Monarch. The main attraction here is a surprisingly small Emerald Buddha (66 cm).  If you are starting your trip and/or you are not yet sick of all the monuments in Thailand, spend an hour here; I wish I had done it first, the architecture is phenomenal. Crowd Alert: This is the most popular tourist attraction in Bangkok.

4pm – 5pm:  Wat Pho and Wat Pho Traditional Medical and Massage School
Wat Pho: Admission 5ob; Wat Phra Chetuphon, 8am – 5pm, bus 508, 512, river ferry Tha Tien/Wat Pho Traditional Medical and Massage School: Soi Pen Phat, 8am – 10pm
Wat Pho is home of the largest Reclining Buddha, and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. After you take a walk around this impressive golden statue depicting Buddha entering Nirvana, get a 30-minute massage at the national headquarters for the teaching and preservation of traditional Thai massage (220b for one hour massage). They have massage centers within the temple area!

5:30pm – 6:00pm: Amulet Market
On your way home, adjacent to Wat Mahathat and between Maharat Road and the river, you might be able to catch the last of the vendors selling Amulets on the sidewalk. Here you will find monks, collectors, and the like searching through an abundance of amulets to ward off, well… everything!

6:30pm – ?:  Dinner, Drinks and Shopping on Khaosan Rd.
Last stop, Khaosan Rd. You have arrived in Backpacker heaven. Anything and everything that you are looking for can be found here: Thai fisherman pants, beer, sex, a boy/girlfriend, jewelery, hair braiding, drugs, cheap hotels and restaurants, and tourists galore. I would recommend some places to eat and drink but only because of the wonderful people (and thus memories) I made in them and not the meals I had. It would be wrong if I stole that experience from you and so, it is up to you to find your favorite spot (among many) on this wild ride. Enjoy!

Morgane Veronique Richardson, Writer/Editor

Source: Prices, hours of operation, address and monument facts taken from Lonely Planet Thailand Guide, 13th Ed.

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I arrived at the Niras Bankoc Boutique Hostel (204-206 Mahachai rd. Samranrach Phra-Nakom, Bangkok) in Bangkok solo. To my surprise I was relieved (and just a little nervous) that I was doing this on my own.

I had heard that Bangkok was an easy place to travel alone as a woman. “Everyone is out to meet new people and, if you want be anti-social, there are enough things to see to keep one occupied.”

Like clockwork,  I was greeted by two fellow solo travelers, Jennifer and John Park at the check-in desk of my hostel. Jennifer was making a reservation and she had brought her friend (they had just met as well) along with her.

They invited me to join their posse on Khaosan Rd. and though I was in a state of delirium after having spent a a few emotionally crazed final days in Cambodia, I immediately agreed.

Khaosan Rd. is the mind-blowing and world famous mecca for new-age frugal travelers. There, you will find everything from cheap (and often dingy) hostels, hair braiding, clothes, jewelery, and an abundance of drinking and dining options. You can easily spend your entire time on this strip.

We ended the night in Soi Cowboy, where I obtained a rude awakening into the distressing world of sex tourism, money and the delicacy of eating cockroaches.

The following morning, I awoke to find an incredibly sick Jennifer in my hostel lobby asking to share the room with me. Despite my initial uneasiness (what if she wanted to steal my identity or put drugs in my bag?! Hello, Brokedown Palace), I let her crash in my room. I figured I would want someone to do the same for me… plus I had already made sure that all my valuables were with me.

Thankfully, I had made plans to see the tourist attractions of Bangkok with John Park that day and so I was distracted by my sudden “paranoid Mother” moment as we took a hilarious journey through the city.

I returned to my room just the way I had left it, but Jennifer was never to be seen again (if you are reading this, I hope you made it home safely!).

I spent the following few days with John Park, meeting fellow travelers, starting a dance party in a disgustingly American, but enormously fun bar on Khaosan Rd., avoiding scams (and getting caught by one, ha!) and pushing away men who reminded me too much of a member my own Posse at Middlebury College.

Despite my fun, there are a few things that all travelers to Bangkok should be aware of:

1. Always ask Taxi drivers to turn on their meters before going anywhere. They tend to rip you off otherwise.

2. Avoid using tuk tuks in Bangkok. They are horrible drivers and they charge a lot more money. If you must, look at tip #1.

3. When visiting temples, the Grand Palace, etc don’t be fouled by people who tell you it’s a holiday and the temples are closed. They are trying to get you to go somewhere else so that they can make a commission.

4. Don’t wear flashy jewelery and clothes. You won’t get robbed (most likely), but someone will assume that you are wealthy and try to exploit that.

5. Avoid telling everyone you meet that you are traveling alone. Be smart, use your instincts.

6. Plan some of your itinerary ahead of time so that you don’t get sidetracked and end up in an uncomfortable situation. However do leave some room for unexpected encounters.

7. Find someone (or multiple people) that you trust and stick with them.

All that being said, flying solo in Bangkok as a woman turned out to be a blast.

Morgane Veronique Richardson, Writer/Editor

“Who am I?” and “What do I want?” are the questions that invade the minds of all the twenty-something’s I know.

After four years of college, we leave with more questions about who we are then when we started. All that defined us slowly shifts and the people we love transform.

Many of us travel around the world in search of the answers only to find them in the most unusual and unexpected places.  Yet we need the chance to step away from our homes in order to pay attention to the solution.

For me, that took flying out to visit a close friend in Cambodia where I realized that I had lost her and gained a better understand of myself in return. What started out as a casual escape, ended in a world of self-discovery.

Letting her go was difficult, but I gained something more. I gained an appreciation of myself and the decisions that I have made.

And so, I boarded the plane for Thailand alone, with butterflies in my stomach, but proud of the decisions we had both made. And let me tell you… Thailand as a twenty-something woman flying solo was breathtaking… but I’ll divulge later (the pictures is a “sneak-peek”).

Oh, and who am I?…

I am a compassionate womyns rights advocate and a queer woman of color who finds pain in staying still and believes in a womyns right to choose (everything).

My host was bitter about the political state of Cambodia (and rightfully so), but also about everything that I had just flown out to inevitably see… from the insurgence of Korean tourists, to the way Cambodians drive and my desire to talk to everyone rather than relax on vacation.

There were very little positive remarks about the place I had flown half way across the world, and spent the remainder of my meager salary, to visit.

Though I have always known her to be a sarcastic and borderline cynical woman, she was my “best-friend.” My host was also incredibly generous, intelligent, remarkably fun and a strong woman whom I respected and enjoyed having in my life.

Oddly enough, I wasn’t expecting this drastic change in my friend.  I knew of and respected her development from the “wife” of Howard Dean to the pro-life, libertarian and (soon-to-be) Orthodox Jewish woman she is today. I was proud that I could maintain a friendship with someone who believed in almost everything I fought against. We were more than our political views…

Yet I was naive and didn’t realize that spending a few weeks with her would be different from having Sunday brunch once in a blue moon.

Were we “best-friends” or simply show-off brunch buddies every five months?

But this is not about my host or our personal relationship. Our interactions only acted as the door that led me something great:

I was slowly starting to realize that I had changed as well.  I had become peppy, overly optimistic, incredibly sensitive and passionate about everything I believed to be right (I don’t use those last adjectives lightly. It has taken me a long time to accept and embrace these characteristics).

As you can imagine, it is difficult to travel and avoid seeing a place through the eyes of your host.

And yet, I tried my best to push aside her negative views and learn about this country and myself, in a positive light.

And I saw it.

I saw the incredible endurance of a people and the possibility for change.

Within myself I found an inner strength to walk away from the pessimism that once allowed me to hide from the nitty gritty truth.

My twenty-something ass grew up in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat, one of the seven man-made travel wonders of the world, is a must-see if you find yourself in Cambodia.

If you are running on a budget but don’t feel like walking or taking a bike, the best way to visit Angkor Wat is via tuck tuck. For $15/day a tuck tuck driver will take you around the temples. If you hit it off, he may even take photos of you and give you a tour.

Visiting with a little extra money? Ask your hotel to set you up with an elephant, hot air balloon or go via helicopter.

To visit Angkor Wat you may purchase a day ticket for $20, three day (consecutive) pass for $40 and a three-day pass (valid for one week) for $60.

TIP: Frugal travelers, I would strongly advise purchasing a day-pass and just spend sunrise to sunset at Angkor Wat. Make sure to make a list of the temples that you would like to see most and cut out those you don’t care about. Though the temples are wonderful, they do become monotonous after a while so you won’t be missing out on much.

If Angkor Wat is on your list, I suggest you end the circuit with this famous temple in order to beat the crowds. In this manner, you will have the luxury of walking with fewer tourists.

If you happen to be traveling alone, a whole day at the temples without talking to anyone can be difficult. I found that listening to my iPod while examining the architecture was a serene way to focus my attention. It also gave me space to think and reflect on my experiences in Cambodia.

Rusted iron beds lay dormant in sterile rooms as contraptions once used to torture millions of people at Tuol Sleng lay quietly on top.

Portraits of those executed line rooms – row after row.

I stumble down the wrong staircase and I find myself in an area closed off to the public. I quickly understand why.

In front of me lies a large pile of clothes simmering in the dust and blood of lives violently taken by the Khmer Rouge. Bits of old hair poke through the mass as I retain the desire to vomit.

How could people believe that communism will change the world for the better? I think about the people who have come in and out of my life who ferociously believe in a violent revolution. I fear what they can do with such hatred in their blood.

How do you make them understand? Let them see the thousands of innocent people in Cambodia whose faces have been burnt with acid in the name of the revolution… listen to the stories of those who watched their loved ones die right in front of their eyes.

How do I stop the people who are willing to commit the same crimes today?

On a bus ride to Kep, I sat next to a woman who graciously offered me water and fresh mangoes. Perhaps she was offering so that she could later ask me for anything I had (which she did, even for my Advil pills), but I could feel that her heart was genuine.  When she left to get off the bus I was looking in the other direction… she grabbed my shoulder to get my attention, smiled at me and made sure to wave goodbye.

The history of Cambodia does not seem to overshadow the happiness that its people exert. “These are people who will give you their last grain of rice,” said a recent traveling friend. And he is absolutely correct.

“Mardi Gras? Carnival? Octoberfest? The Running of the Bulls? Been there. Done that. Everyone knows about these parties. They’re great. They’re famous. But most people go to them once and never come back. Let’s talk about parties where the same people return year after year…” Click Here For The Full Story

Finally a comprehensive list of fabulously daring and entertaining parties around the world. I have only ventured into the depths of Holi, and the fierceness of Mardi Gras and so (obviously) this article will provide much more (crucial) information then I could ever. Enjoy!

If you have a party story that you would like to share send us an email at soelsewhere@gmail.com.

Morgane Veronique Richardson, Writer/Editor

Today was one for the record books. School was fun, same as always. My kids are total smart asses and think it’s funny to call me Mom, because they know it creeps me out. I’ve asked them to stop a dozen times, first joking, then not so much, but I need to learn how to get mad at them, because they’re just too fricking cute. It’s all pretty harmless, and when they really act out, I know I’ll be able to bring the hammer down. One of my kids yelled at me for playing ball inside the classroom though, I don’t think I have to be concerned about controlling them.

The past few days my back has really been hurting. Today after work I had about two hours to kill before having dinner with some of my coworkers, so I went for a foot massage. It’s rare to find Khmer massage artists who are strong, and the woman who was doing my feet almost made me cry she was so strong. I was afraid to tell her to ease off, lest she become like the rest of her coworkers. When she finished I realized I still had 40 minutes to kill, so I asked for a half hour back massage. At the end, when she was finally able to crack my back, something I’ve been trying to do for days, I might have told her that I love her. And I might.

Adam and Lucy and I are the vegetarians of JPA, and we’ve been searching for a highly rated vegetarian restaurant that just opened a few months ago. Tonight was our third evening looking for it, and today, with Jam’s help, we finally found it. And it was worth all the searching. The food was amazing. But the best part is: THEY HAVE A SEPARATE NO-ONION NO-GARLIC MENU. I’ve never ever in my whole life seen one. I was still so happy and relaxed after my massage, when I saw this menu, I kid not, my eyes actually teared up. I almost cried. This was the second time I fell in love tonight.

All good things must come to an end, however. Tonight after we came home, our water was not working. I’m not sure what’s wrong, but it’s kaput, hopefully just for tonight. It was trickling at first, so I soaped up, and then, it came to a halt. I had to finish my shower with a bottle of water. Not a big deal, but it reminded me I’m still in Cambodia.

On Friday the school is getting a very special visitor. I’ll write about it then. You can ask me if you’re really that interested, but I just can’t put it out there until after the fact. I’m not trying to be obtuse. Also, I can see who actually reads this still!

This weekend Jam, Adam, Lucy and I are going to go for a bike ride to Western Baray – a temple outside of town that is in the middle of a giant (man-made) lake from the 14th century. I can’t wait!

Bethany Shondark Murphy, Contributor