Have Internet Will Travel Traveling the world, wherever there's WiFi. The adventures of two freelance digital nomads.

We’ve just crossed the 9 month marker of our 1 year journey. Having been through Hong Kong, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, our time abroad is quickly coming to a close. In a few weeks we’ll be heading back to see more of Malaysia’s north coast around Penang and possibly the Perhentian islands for some diving, then on to Borneo for a few more weeks of diving and motorcycling before flying back to Hong Kong to return home to Canada in August.

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While we’re off roaming the globe, our television options can be somewhat limited. Every odd MotoGP Sunday I can wander to an English pub to watch Valentino Rossi win another race, but during the NHL playoffs and Superbowl it was near impossible to see anything more than the highlights. Finding a sports bar with satellite tv open at 5AM can be a challenge.

We often only have three or four channels in English, most of which are news or movie networks. Many of the shows we watch back home aren’t licensed for worldwide distribution until years after they air back in Canada and while networks do broadcast sporting events online they too are often restricted by broadcast licenses, so they geographically restrict who can watch the video streams online. Read More…

Things are back on track and looking up. We finally managed to get some accommodation sorted for our month in Bali, and were able to relax and enjoy our first week here. Our hotel for the first few days was great! A little more than we’ve been spending, but we got a great deal through AsiaRooms.com*, and it was one of the few we found that actually had internet. After a couple of crappy weeks it was a welcome splurge and just what we needed.

Bali is beautiful, and the weather has been great. We spent a few days lounging by the pool and making the most of the swim-up bar. Mike was in heaven, and I’m convinced that’s the reason he picked the hotel. He’s been complaining about the lack of swim-up bars in Asia, so was finally happy. Read More…

For the most part, we’ve avoided talking about the difficulties of long-term travel. There’s sort of an unwritten rule among travelers that you just don’t talk about the bad stuff. Sure, it’s ok to bitch about lost luggage, a missed flight, or being ripped-off by a taxi driver, but no one really wants to hear that traveling can be tedious and stressful. Most people prefer to imagine our lives are nothing but poolside piña coladas, and endless Saturdays. Unfortunately that’s not always the case.

I think for most travelers, there comes a point when the romantic idealism wears off and the reality of long-term travel sets in. For us that point was last week. I can’t really pin it down to a specific moment or event, but rather the culmination of 9 months in Asia. Cultural differences, language barriers, and the challenges of living this type of lifestyle have become more and more apparent, and it’s been a difficult couple of weeks. What’s culturally charming on a two week vacation can become remarkably frustrating after a few months. Read More…

Pantip Plaza Bangkok (The IT Mall) – An entire mall for geeks! Computers, cameras, video games, and everything else in between.

Walking the streets of Koh Samui around Chaweng beach can be a little like running the gauntlet. We’ve been bombarded by tailors trying to coax us into their stores for cheap suits, shirts, shoes and the like. Restaurants handing out drink coupons and herding street traffic towards their tables. Street vendors trying to sell us knockoff t-shirts, soap carvings, statues, jewelry, and a ton of other mass produced stuff. Taxi drivers endlessly asking if you want a ride. It can be a bit much, but is a defining part of the Thailand experience.

Among the cacophony of all this, there are trucks roaming the streets with loud speakers proclaiming the greatness of the evenings scheduled Muay Thai boxing matches. Its always the ‘Fight of the Year’ and every fighter is supposedly a district champion… but 6 years ago I did take in a Muay Thai night and it was a memorable if somewhat shocking experience. Back then, they started with the youngest fighters around 6 years old and progressed to the regional champions who were usually in their mid 20’s. It was strange paying to watch little kids beat each other up, and it did get quite bloody when they got to the later matches. But I’d say it’s a must see if you’re in the neighbourhood since the Thai people are so enthusiastic about the sport and it really is a good time. Read More…