Peter Kao http://peterkao.com Adventurer + Entrepreneur + Traveller Sat, 19 May 2012 09:26:12 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 peterkaohttp://feedburner.google.com Weekly Twitter digest for 2012-05-13 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/4iJyCO8q5JQ/ http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13-2/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 20:20:00 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13-2/
  • Holy Batman, the paperwork involved for sending mail here is intense. Filled out 12 forms to send 3 packages http://t.co/SWuqwGIB #
  • Okay…a highway suddenly turned into this http://t.co/m8MhQhTt #
  • Hm my bike is falling apart and I think I'm lost. And just when things was getting boring.. #
  • Holy shit that was so fun and scary crossing this very narrow bridge across the river. So high up! http://t.co/70tiz2I7 #
  • I want to do this so badly! Might try it out in Nepal if they have bushmaster training there http://t.co/xBCqEjEz #
  • :) http://t.co/5ncHU2RY #
  • So many Honda wins here. I feel so unoriginal. #
  • Just bought an original vintage propaganda poster that says, "Help maintain and build our country." Pics coming soon. #
  • Just played a game w/ chopsticks w/ a little Viet girl who invented it. The rules are to throw chopsticks. That's all. Cute girl haha #
  • Staying in Hoi An for 2 days. There's a nice atmosphere here and there are ancient ruins nearby to be seen! #
  • Kids, THIS is how you self pic :D http://t.co/ctknGwoX #
  • Just bought this. Happy Buddha made out of the root of a tree. http://t.co/IBN02Ww5 #
  • If you thought the poster ad for the Canadian Paralympics was impressive, watch this! Go Canadia! http://t.co/Ep3VCWk2 #
  • My office for today (more like for tonight). http://t.co/mXKeDRgq #
  • Good thing I've learned from all of my motorbike accidents to roll when you fall and always wear tough clothing like jeans. #
  • Just rear ended someone who stopped suddenly with no signal or warning at 30+ km/hr. These people value human life differently… #
  • Beautiful http://t.co/u6I8ytyS #
  • Wow just wow. Look at the scenery! http://t.co/pnzfTkte #
  • Look at what I found http://t.co/xK4kw4BK #
  • At the Hue Citadel http://t.co/zI5Ns8Zf #
  • This is the first time my stomach has been feeling sick, and it was after eating KFC. My stomach can't handle fast food anymore. Hooray…? #
  • And I thought I was tough for riding 8 hours today. Just met a Japanese guy and his Vietnamese father-in-law who rode for 12. #
  • Companies like National Geographic are perhaps the only companies I'd happily work for. I would love to have done this: http://t.co/axEXLhpG #

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    ]]>     http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13-2/feed/ 0 http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13-2/     Weekly Twitter digest for 2012-05-13 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/nQ_ZWobG8fE/ http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13/#comments Sun, 13 May 2012 20:20:00 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13/
  • Holy Batman, the paperwork involved for sending mail here is intense. Filled out 12 forms to send 3 packages http://t.co/SWuqwGIB #
  • Okay…a highway suddenly turned into this http://t.co/m8MhQhTt #
  • Hm my bike is falling apart and I think I'm lost. And just when things was getting boring.. #
  • Holy shit that was so fun and scary crossing this very narrow bridge across the river. So high up! http://t.co/70tiz2I7 #
  • I want to do this so badly! Might try it out in Nepal if they have bushmaster training there http://t.co/xBCqEjEz #
  • :) http://t.co/5ncHU2RY #
  • So many Honda wins here. I feel so unoriginal. #
  • Just bought an original vintage propaganda poster that says, "Help maintain and build our country." Pics coming soon. #
  • Just played a game w/ chopsticks w/ a little Viet girl who invented it. The rules are to throw chopsticks. That's all. Cute girl haha #
  • Staying in Hoi An for 2 days. There's a nice atmosphere here and there are ancient ruins nearby to be seen! #
  • Kids, THIS is how you self pic :D http://t.co/ctknGwoX #
  • Just bought this. Happy Buddha made out of the root of a tree. http://t.co/IBN02Ww5 #
  • If you thought the poster ad for the Canadian Paralympics was impressive, watch this! Go Canadia! http://t.co/Ep3VCWk2 #
  • My office for today (more like for tonight). http://t.co/mXKeDRgq #
  • Good thing I've learned from all of my motorbike accidents to roll when you fall and always wear tough clothing like jeans. #
  • Just rear ended someone who stopped suddenly with no signal or warning at 30+ km/hr. These people value human life differently… #
  • Beautiful http://t.co/u6I8ytyS #
  • Wow just wow. Look at the scenery! http://t.co/pnzfTkte #
  • Look at what I found http://t.co/xK4kw4BK #
  • At the Hue Citadel http://t.co/zI5Ns8Zf #
  • This is the first time my stomach has been feeling sick, and it was after eating KFC. My stomach can't handle fast food anymore. Hooray…? #
  • And I thought I was tough for riding 8 hours today. Just met a Japanese guy and his Vietnamese father-in-law who rode for 12. #
  • Companies like National Geographic are perhaps the only companies I'd happily work for. I would love to have done this: http://t.co/axEXLhpG #

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    ]]>     http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13/feed/ 0 http://peterkao.com/2012/05/13/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-13/     Weekly Twitter digest for 2012-05-06 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/HkfbpZ5eQMY/ http://peterkao.com/2012/05/06/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-06/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 20:20:00 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/2012/05/06/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-05-06/
  • Introversion – http://t.co/VYRSZzPG #
  • Mapping Stereotypes: Satirical world and regional maps http://t.co/9a6hGHxO #
  • Continuing my travels tomorrow. Can't wait! It's supposed to be the most scenic ride in Vietnam for the next couple of days. #
  • Worldwide Cost of Living WIKI – Eardex http://t.co/8Rd16Dtm #
  • I think I've just found my next water bottle – http://t.co/EH9aodru #
  • On the road again. It feels good to be back! The holiday here forced me to stop for 3 days. http://t.co/VeebeD1E #
  • Here's a better picture. Getting the oil replaced and fixing the stand. http://t.co/XfXn9FnF #
  • This place is absolutely perfect for kitesurfing! Can't wait, but first diving tomorrow! http://t.co/sstLBjEG #
  • Also whale shark whale shark whale shark. Spotted yesterday! I hope I see one tomorrow. As a diver, it'll be a dream come true :) #
  • On June 5 – 6, I'll be staring at the sun for Venus: http://t.co/sV0oKfoL Also, read more here: http://t.co/R9LESwNh #
  • Where is my Rescue Diver Card? Noooooooooooooo :( #
  • No whale shark today, but I did spot the biggest nudibranch I've ever seen. More than 7 inches long. I had no idea they grow to that big. #
  • I guess I'm staying in bed today. I'm sick and have a headache. No more windsurfing for me :( #
  • Wicked photo from NASA. Two crescents: Venus and the Moon http://t.co/78YS4EM3 #
  • Well, I'm done with Path. It doesn't auto update location and it doesn't grab GPS coords. Not what I was looking for. Bye #
  • I stopped @ a billiards/cafe stall & was greeted by newly weds & their fmly. The mom made advnces @ me & wanted me to stay for the night :/ #
  • At one of the thousands of cafes here. Live music <3 http://t.co/kpfq0na5 #
  • Sometimes when you travel you pass by touching moments: Riding through a village, in the mountains, in the forest – with 100s of butterflies #
  • I don't know if it's because of the weather or the lack of scenery, but I'm starting to get tired of biking. #
  • The main reason for taking this room: It has a bath tub! Haven't taken 1 in ages. Going to get all wrinkly tonight http://t.co/NRXAMW0F #
  • Hey! They even have a hairdryer here. So fancy! :o http://t.co/ZNT32eCu #
  • Fascinating and well-researched article about the diamond cartel. Highly recommended read! http://t.co/dUAtpebN #

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  • Off the beaten track I go. Riding through Vietnam on the Ho Chi Minh trail, dirt and mountainous roads. See ya #
  • Nearly got into so many accidents already. Ho Chi Minh is a death trap for motorists. At least I'm out now! http://t.co/WZS20D7A #
  • Lost my water bottle. The one that has accompanied me on all of my trips so far. Oops :( #
  • People in Can Tho are so much nicer than those in HCMC. They still try to rip you off though, but at least they smile back at you. http://yf #
  • No other foreigners in sight since I got here. Also, found this little lake in the middle of the city. http://t.co/3MC8vcQg #
  • This is a typical reststop in Vietnam. http://t.co/AuISIzll #
  • A twn whre theres only 1 or 2 hotel is a plce few trvlrs go. Ppl here don't speak a word of English & all the bttr http://t.co/SVRrGcHC #
  • Damn. I can't take my motorbike across the Vietnam-China border. Also, here's a rough plan for my Vietnam mototrip – http://t.co/oWtvYpIB #
  • I've been eating Pho for almost every meal since I've gotten here. That includes breakfast. I can't get enough. http://t.co/7wh8lIxi #
  • I've never seen so much blood in my life. Eery how many scenes of a road accident here always has blood on the concrete and one lone slipper #
  • Go to the Ben Duoc instead of Ben Dinh for the Cu Chi tunnels if you want to go where the locals go. No foreigners in sight! #
  • Well then, I'm a complete ditz. Lost one of my leather gloves today when riding. #
  • Suddenly there's a thunderstorm and I'm stuck sitting inside a convenience store waiting it out. I can see how these places flood so easily. #
  • Here's a photo of the thunderstorm. http://t.co/nxfTM5Ed #
  • I need all of my clothes to be quick dry. http://t.co/cSSQ3oxF #
  • Great feeling waking up, going to a nearby street stall & drink great coffee to prepare u for the rest of the day http://t.co/Cu3f8YTV #
  • It's an incredible feeling riding through a road cut through the forest where the temperature sways +/- 10 degrees in a split second. #
  • Well it started pouring rain. Forced to stop at a restaurant. Hope the rain stops soon… http://t.co/rvjC5e7s #
  • Also, stopping early today. I can see thunderclouds slowly creeping by. Too bad! Crocodile Lake will have to wait. http://t.co/biaTDXdq #
  • So I just realize the insect I saw in the Ho Chi Minh under passage is a whip scorpion. Good thing it's not dangerous though it sprays acid. #
  • Just signed up for a wikitravel account. I think I'll finally contribute to it! #
  • Omg, first time eating green veggies since I got to Vietnam. So happy :) http://t.co/EiJ24Adm #
  • Holy crap this is some good rice! /meaningless_update #
  • I can't wait until we have more commercialized nanotech. Stuff like this will change the world http://t.co/e8mUcARg #
  • Going downhill on a mountain is not when I want my brakes to stop working! The nearest town is still a ways ahead. http://t.co/iwZZ5f8V #
  • Today did not go smoothly. Had to get my rear brakes replaced and my route hasn't been built yet! Lost at least 2 hours with the detour. #
  • Another beautiful and quaint city in Vietnam. I really like the city planning in this country. http://t.co/C9VLo7GZ #
  • I'm eating vegetarian food today! http://t.co/WqDjdQy1 #
  • Vietnamese people in general have some serious difficulty in extrapolating meaning behind my hand gestures. They always ignore the context! #
  • About half of them uses the turn signal to signal the opposite direction of where they actually intend to go http://t.co/OkTHZus2 #
  • I like Vietnam but I dislike the people. There's a disproportionate amount of greedy, lazy and rude people. http://t.co/GHpFLfqU #
  • "thx so much for your email.hihihihi.you right.welcome to your hotel every time.have a nice trip.see you my friend hihihihi.see you later." #
  • That was the email sent to me by a Vietnamese hotel staff in response to me asking for my mail to be delivered to their address. hihihihi #

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    ]]>     http://peterkao.com/2012/04/29/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-29/feed/ 0 http://peterkao.com/2012/04/29/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-29/     Motorbiking the Ho Chi Minh Trail/Highway – First Day http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/HXgpX6mnQb4/ http://peterkao.com/2012/04/26/motorbiking-the-ho-chi-minh-trailhighway-first-day/#comments Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:57:07 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/?p=962 Today was such an adventurous day that I had to put it in writing. I’ve been riding my newly purchased motorbike for 3 days now, having traveled from Ho Chi Minh –> Can Tho –> Tan An –> Cu Chi –> Tay Ninh –> Dong Xoai.

    The traveling has been good, but today marks the first day being on the Ho Chi Minh Highway – a newly constructed highway that roughly coincides with the Ho Chi Minh Trail during the Vietnam War. And, today was absolutely incredible.

    Here’s a recap:

    - Broke a new record for distance traveled in one day on my beloved Honda Win. I rode fast today so I could make it in time for the Cao Dai ceremony in Tay Ninh. I barely made it in time!

    P1050654

    - A semi-truck overtook me on the road with its exposed wheels roaring near my face about 1 foot away.

    - The person right in front of me (I was going to overtake him) lost his helmet to the wind and it came rumbling towards my front wheel. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to dodge it within a split second.

    - I thought it was incredibly unnerving when a semi-truck came towards me (on the opposite lane) to pass another truck on a tiny 2-lane highway dirt road. BUT…

    - It is even more unnerving when a full-sized truck was on my lane heading straight towards me to overtake another truck AND RAN ME OUT OF THE ROAD. I couldn’t stop the bike in time so I had to go on the dirt path beside the highway. What was this guy thinking!

    - To my dismay, the beginning part of the Ho Chi Minh Highway is unpaved. It was covered in gravel in some parts and mounds of dirt in others. Not to mention there was an unfinished bridge across a river I needed to cross. This lead me to wander around and find a bridge. This was in the middle of nowhere and I’ve only seen two other bikers. One of them was carrying a rifle while wearing army attire.

    This was the bridge that’s supposed to be built:

    P1050708

    And this was the bridge I had found after biking through a private rubber plantation field:

    P1050711P1050698

    Needless to say, I was thrilled when I found it.

    - Another thing, I have a fear for riding on gravel after my motorbike accident in Phuket, Thailand. These rocks shredded my knee and I had to be sent to the Emergency Room to get 9 stitches! I was worried when I realize I had to follow this gravel road where the safest part to ride is a trail made by other motorists. The trail is about the same thickness as my tires:

    P1050706

    I hadn’t concentrated so hard in so long, but it felt great after I got the hang of it and was able to increase my speed by a fair bit.

    - Then, I ran to some more trouble. It appears that some parts of the Ho Chi Minh Highway doesn’t even exist. So, I had to wander through villages and this random market:

    P1050712

    Here are some other shots from today:

     

    P1050696P1050703

    P1050682P1050646P1050651P1050652P1050648P1050649

    It’s been a great trip so far. And it feels like it’s been longer than 3 days! The scenery along the highway is supposed to be beautiful.

    I can hardly wait :)

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    ]]>     http://peterkao.com/2012/04/26/motorbiking-the-ho-chi-minh-trailhighway-first-day/feed/ 0 http://peterkao.com/2012/04/26/motorbiking-the-ho-chi-minh-trailhighway-first-day/     Weekly Twitter digest for 2012-04-22 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/FzoJXkhrM04/ http://peterkao.com/2012/04/22/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-22/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:20:00 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/2012/04/22/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-22/
  • Living with a Laos family during Songkran has opened my eyes to their culture. The behavior of young adults here is the most surprising. #
  • I’ve been drunk every night for the past 3 days now. Laos people during Songkran are nuts. I actually enjoyed dancing with the locals! #
  • I can eat beef rice noodle all day long. Aw yeah. I don't think I can get sick of eating this stuff! #
  • This is the most planning I've ever done for a trip. For once, it doesn't feel like a chore. This is going to be an epic +2 months. #

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    ]]>     http://peterkao.com/2012/04/22/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-22/feed/ 0 http://peterkao.com/2012/04/22/weekly-twitter-digest-for-2012-04-22/     The Water (Songkran) Festival, and Belle http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/peterkao/~3/fvxt65dhJfM/ http://peterkao.com/2012/04/16/the-water-songkran-festival-and-belle/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:13:06 +0000 Peter Kao http://peterkao.com/?p=890 I updated my Facebook status to the following, “Living with a Laos family during Songkran has opened my eyes to their culture. The behavior of young adults here is the most surprising,” and was asked to give an example by a friend. Here it is:

    There’s this girl named Belle. Although she doesn’t know it, her name is appropriate for her looks. Wherever she goes, there are men – young and old – who’d love to have her. She’s known this ever since she’s developed a woman’s figure. The attention has helped her overcome the lack of it from her own family. She likes to dance and often is at the center stage. If she isn’t at the time, she will be. She’ll move the crate of beer from the sidewalk to the middle of the street and dance there – all while splashing water onto herself from the hose she holds so familiarly in her wet palms. She’ll also be groped by a family friend who’s a married man of 19 with his wife looking on. At the peak of everybody’s drunkenness, Belle prowls the streets. She walks to one end of the street, turns around, and then back again. She’s looking for something. She finally comes to a stop at a dark alleyway, enters and only reappear after 20 or so minutes. There’s some doubt about what Belle was doing in the dark alley as it could have been a coincidence that she came out of it with two young boys of her age or a couple of years younger. It could also have been a coincidence that one of the two boys was adjusting his zipper as he was coming out and that Belle, herself, was holding what seemed to be her belt. As she walks back towards our table, our eyes met and we exchanged smiles. My smile slowly fades away as I realize her smile would become a wink in a couple of years and then maybe traded for something else beyond that. But like I said, it wasn’t clear what happened in that alley.

    She’s walked passed me now, sitting on a motorbike facing towards our table. She has an almost dejected look on her face. She’s swinging her belt around and one of her friends come by to talk to her. No smiles between them. Then I realize she’s holding a strong looking stick that would make a good weapon. Was she holding it when she came out of the alley? I don’t know. What I do know is that when it was time for bed, she disappeared into the night like she did in the alley – this time up the stairs of the same building as the married man from before. It could be another coincidence that they were family friends.

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  • Finally got my mail from Canada and Singapore. I can leave mosquito capital, Nong Khai, now! One week anywhere is too long. #

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  • New record for cheapest non-free place I've stayed at. 5k kip, which is about .65 cents. #
  • Solo once again. That was easily one of the most unforgettable weeks I've had. Truly a bitter sweet ending. #

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  • http://t.co/gSI636Na #
  • Laos bound #

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