[This post is based on my experience during my first trip to Mandalay, Myanmar in 2005. I went a second time in 2008.] As I was shoveling down yet another accidentally extravagant breakfast in Mandalay, Myanmar, due to a communications mishap with the server, two trishaw (bike taxi) drivers sat…

I’m not gonna lie to you. This was a taxing trip on many levels, despite being a mere five weeks long. Even though all the protests and bombs and airport closures in Thailand never affected me directly, there was a definite feeling in the air, particularly in Bangkok and Chiang…

Yangon Again and Interview With a Myanmar: In which the author returns to Burma’s capital, enjoys a rest day, has the final and mother of all hissy fits, makes an ass of himself, then abruptly transitions into an interview with a local that he conducted at an unnamed location and…

Bagan: In which the author starts to discover the upper limits of ass torture that a human can endure, barely fights off repeated bouts of dehydration, finds himself in the un-amusing position of having less cash than most of the destitute locals, decides to walk through one of the most…

Mandalay: In which the author realizes a new level of over-night bus misery, rents a bicycle, rides said bicycle through an unspeakably filthy, polluted city, becomes perturbed at various authority figures, learns about gold leaf, has the first of several hissy fits, has the second of several hissy fits, rests,…

Inle Lake: In which the author takes a sadistic 18-hour, over-night bus trip to one of Burma’s most fascinating destinations, discusses the state of driving, reflects on incessant misery, encounters his first serious shyster, tours the lake villages, enjoys being the center of attention wherever he goes, considers apprenticeship, marriage,…

Mostly Unfunny, But Necessary Introduction: In which I build up to my epic 2005 travelogue of Burma with a slightly less epic introduction, full of disclaimers, caveats, an abbreviated history and nude photos of myself*. This leads into my arrival in Yangon, where I begin with the incredibly detailed, blow-by-blow…

As my ragtag little group of Twitter followers already know, I am leaving in less than a week for a five week trip through Thailand and Burma. I am not taking this trip for an assignment or for research. This trip is what I believe normal humans refer to as…

My presumably much loved, but rarely commented on series “A Keyhole into Burma” is entering its second week over at Gadling.com. Even the hate mail has been pretty light. If you’re unimpressed, pretend otherwise and leave profound/reverent comments. Grazie.

The first post of my series entitled ‘A Keyhole into Burma’ went up this morning over at Gadling.com. There’ll be one vignette every weekday for the next three weeks, plus a huge, wicked awesome picture gallery. Here’s the RSS feed for the series. That should get me on the Burma…