LifePart2AndBeyond.com Travel Blog
Why I Began Living a Minimalist Lifestyle for Retirement
A Minimalist Lifestyle Allows You to Concentrate on What is Important What it is Like to Begin Living a Minimalist Lifestyle For some people, the notion of a retired person to begin living a minimalist lifestyle may seem counter-intuitive. You have spent your most...
Buddhist Renovation Ceremonial Blessing at Dash Teak House
A few months ago I was invited to a “Tham Boon Keen Baan Mai” or a type of housewarming for some friends who were expanding their business; the superb “Dash Teak House” restaurant in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In the Buddhist tradition no one is allowed to use the new...
Photo: Alms Giving on Don Khong Island, Laos
Ever since my retirement travel adventures have brought me to Southeast Asia I have been fascinated by the Buddhist practice of Alms Giving. This scene took place early one morning on the island of Don Khong, in the 4,000 Islands areas of Southern Laos. I love the way...
CIA Airstrip Lima Site 27 Laos
CIA Airstrip Lima Site 27 in Vang Vieng, Laos If you visit Vang Vieng, Laos there is a large airstrip along Route 13 just as you come into town. Nearly a mile long, probably 200 feet wide, the runway, now crumbling and potholed, is surrounded by residential housing,...
La Folie Lodge, Don Daeng Island, Laos
As you go further south into Laos there is less and less infrastructure. By the time you get to Champasak and Don Daeng Island, the gateway to the 4,000 Islands region, the feeling is palpably relaxed. Largely unperturbed by modernity the island is a glimpse into a...
Traditional Net Pole Fisherman in Viang Veng, Laos
Viang Veng is a beautiful and fascinating place to visit in Laos. In Viang Veng, life is slower. This was the scene about 30 meters from the guesthouse I stayed in. These traditional fishermen use bait thrown on top of the water and lot of patience to lift small fish...
My Biggest Fear and How I Overcame It
Sunrise on the Mekong River I have recently had a number of people tell me that they think I am “brave” for living my retirement years as an adventure, traveling the world and drinking in life as fast as I can. They relay to me dangers that they have heard about on...
Hotel Review: Mekong Riverview Hotel, Luang Prabang, Laos
From the minute we arrived at the Mekong Riverview Hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos we knew we were in for a treat. The hotel is owned by Urban Paulsson, a successful hotelier who, after partnering in two big hotels in Sweden, was drawn to the simpler life and slower pace...
Aerobics Classes on the Mekong River in Laos
Sunset aerobics classes on the promenade overlooking Mekong River are just one of the surprises we found on our adventure in Vientiane, Laos. At 4,000 kip (about 50 US cents) it was quite a bargain. The students here were a good mix of locals, expats, and travelers....
Party Time in Pakbeng, Laos
All boats that cruise down the Mekong River in Northern Laos between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai seem to stop at the tiny town of Pakbeng, but we really didn’t know what to expect when we arrived. Travel guides and other travelers describe it everywhere from being a...
Ceremonial Alms Giving in Luang Prabang, Laos
The giving of alms or alms giving (offering food to monks) is a morning ritual in Theravada Buddhist countries especially Laos and Thailand. The first Buddhist monks were homeless sojourners who begged for all their food - their only possessions being an alms bowl...
Luang Say Lodge on the Mekong in Pakbeng, Laos
After a long day on our Mekong Cruise to Luang Prabang with Luang Say Cruises, we had the opportunity to overnight in style at the Lunag Say Lodge before beginning the next day’s cruise. What a pleasure! While on this retirement adventure I don’t always have the...
Bombies, The Heavy Price of Cluster Bombs in Southeast Asia
I wrote this story about Bombies in a child’s voice because adults continue to prove, over and over again, that they just don’t get it. Bombies are round, about the size of an apple. But, you can’t eat them. On their sides, there are ridges that make them easy to...
Cruising the Mekong River in Northern Laos
There are generally three ways to travel on the Mekong River from Chiang Khong, Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos: Fast Boat – Cheap and fast. So fast in fact that you are literally advised to wear a crash helmet in case you hit one of the thousands of rocks that crown...
Photo: Wat Mahathat UNESCO World Heritage Site
Wat Mahathat, also known as “The Monastery of the Great Relic” was once the main temple in what was the capitol of Siam, Ayutthaya. The temple once served as the religious center of the kingdom but fell into disrepair in the 17th century and was eventually razed by...
Photo: Tree Bound Buddha of Thailand
The Buddha head wrapped in Tree Roots at Wat Mahathat has become one of the most iconic symbols of Thailand. Wat Mahathat was built in the 14th century in what was then the capitol of Siam; Ayutthaya. In 1867 the armies of Burma sacked the city and the temple was...
Photo: Sunrise at Arches National Park
Arches National Park in eastern Utah, United States is known for containing over 2,000 natural sandstone arches including this one the “South Window Arch”. I had been retired less than a month in 2011 when I go out of bed, on a cold June morning in Moab, Utah to...
Tomb of Tu Duc in Hue, Vietnam
Xung Khiem Pavilion on the grounds of Tu Duc’s Royal Tomb The information sign at the Xung Khiem Pavilion on the grounds of Tu Duc’s Royal Tomb in Hue, Vietnam says it was, “requested by the emperor for the enjoyment of fresh air, the scenic view and as a place to...
Wat Phrathat Doi Saket Buddhist Temple near Chiang Mai
Wat Phrathat Doi Saket is another beautiful Buddhist temple that is easy to see while you are traveling on an adventure around Chiang Mai, Thailand. Even though the temple appears to be new the original structures were built in 1112. It is a beautiful place to...
Batu Bolong Temple on Lombok Indonesia
Fisherman at Batu Bolong Temple Local Helping Maintain Batu Bolong Temple Why Visit Batu Bolong Temple on Lombok Batu Bolong Temple is a stunning Hindu temple located on top of a volcanic outcrop into the Balinese Sea on the south end of Senggigi Beach on Lombok...
Jon & Sarah
It seemed almost inevitable that we, Jonathan and Sarah, would one day meet: two independent travellers from different corners of the globe, we shared a bond that many travellers experience, a mutual love of adventure and a belief that the planet is a better place when people leave their comfort zones and discover new lands and cultures. So, when our paths finally