by Bank Takaeng

Som Tam or raw Papaya salad is a typical Isaan dish. It is a basic “salad” style dish, eaten as a snack.

Ingredients:
Papaya julienned – 1
Birdseye or dynamite chiles (de-stalked, cut in four lengthwise then in half crosswise) – 3-4
Chopped garlic – 8-10 cloves
Sliced tomatoes – 1/4 cup/ 60 ml.
Long beans (cut into 1-inch pieces) – 1/2 cup/ 120 ml.
Salt- 1/2 teaspoon/ 5 ml.
Fish sauce-  2 teaspoons/ 10 ml.
Tamarind juice – 1/4 cup/ 60 ml.
Pickled mud-fish juice – 2 tablespoons/ 30 ml.(optional)

Preparation:

• Sprinkle the julienned papaya with salt and let stand for half an hour or so.
• Squeeze and discard any fluid. add the chili, and pound in a mortar and pestle.
• Add the remaining ingredients except the tomato, and pound until mixed and tender. Add the tomato, and serve with a bowl of sticky rice.

Note: Thais generally eat lettuce or some cabbage related vegetable as a side dish also (the normal way to eat it is to rip a piece of lettuce leaf, and take a mouthful of som tam in the leaf and eat it without knife, fork or spoon).

by Scott Coates

After many trips to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh I wanted to see something really different. Friends and local experts told me the Phnom Penh Dump had to be seen to be believed. A 20 minute ride took me to something that was shocking, but revealed a reality few of us can fathom. People live along the edge of the dump, sifting through refuse as it’s brought in by trucks, for anything of value: bottles, tin and plastic. The catch is that the garbage has already been gone over by people in the city before pick-up, then by the garbage collectors themselves, leaving little of value by the time it reaches the dump. Despite such harsh working/living conditions, smiles were everywhere and these hard working people are truly a testament to the human spirit. Here are some pictures from my visit:

The road leading to the dump

Garbage truck unloads

Hard at work

A friendly face

Sifting

Hauling a load out

A hard worker

See more photos from Cambodia here: http://photos.smilingalbino.com/Cambodia-Photos

by Scott Coates

Smiling Albino launched adventures in Nepal in October 2006. During the development of our first trip there, the Nepal Grand Slam, and subsequent trips like the Nepal Trek and Trail, I’ve been lucky enough to spend about eight months in the country over the last four years.

A nation steeped in tradition, Nepal is a true natural melting pot as the Mongoloid people of the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau have meet, traded and mixed with the Caucasoid people of the lower Indian subcontinent in the Kathmandu Valley (1,350m) for thousands of years. As a result you have a people that are very diverse in their appearance, religion and cuisines. In 1950 the doors to this former kingdom swung open to foreign visitors and with it came an influx of hippie travelers in the 1970s. Foreigners brought with them their love of food from home and today Kathmandu and its Thamel district, home base for most travelers, is a hot bed of food and drink from around the globe.
I never would have dreamed before visiting that my favorite pizza would be found in Kathmandu or that some of the best brownies can be found here too.

Here are some of my favorite spots to eat, snack and drink in Kathmandu:

Snacking
Helena’s: Rooftop patios are a staple in Kathmandu. A wonderful place to get a feeling for the layout of the city, few buildings are more than six stories high and there’s a wide range of patios to chose from. One of my favorites is Helena’s due to it being the highest in the Thamel area at 6.5 stories. You may want to rope-off or use oxygen on your way up the stairs but once you’ve summitted you’re in for a treat. Views of the Kathmandu valley abound, they have a full menu, but it’s cold beer and brownies that with a deck of playing cards that keep me coming back.

The Best Finger Chips: I’m not sure if this is the actual name of the food counter, but it’s the main point you’ll notice on their sign. Located near the Bamboo Restaurant, not so far from the Courtyard Hotel, this little side-of-the-alley-counter is a favorite with locals wanting some fast, fried snacks. Their French Fries are great, with a choice of a dozen neat sauces – my favorite being Devil sauce. Grab a medium bag of fries, cold beer, newspaper and enjoy.

A sketch of Mike's

Breakfast
Mike’s Breakfast: Located in the heart of the city in a quiet, walled-compound, Mike’s was started by you guessed it, Mike. He’s no longer with us, but left a great place to relax and enjoy a meal, especially breakfast. Favorites are the breakfast hash and breakfast burrito. Both sure bets to fill your stomach and get the day going. The environment is supremely relaxing, coffee refills abundant and the staff has been there forever. They also have a branch along the lake in Pokhara. Pick up Mike’s cookbook for an interesting history/perspective on the country.

Pizza
The Roadhouse: Thin crust pizza gets no better than at the Roadhouse. Started by a group of Nepalese restaurateurs some years ago, they specialize in western fare and pizzas, freshly baked in their wood-fired oven. They now have four branches in the Kathmandu Valley and I’ve never been disappointed. Their Thamel location is very near Helena’s.
My favorite is pick four toppings: bacon, jalapeños, capsicum and pepperoni.

Chillin’
The Courtyard Hotel: I’m charmed by nice owners and Poujean is one of the country’s best. A dashing Nepalese guy, he was schooled in Seattle and came back to his homeland around 2000 to remodel and run his family’s hotel. Cool rooms make it a great place to stay, but it’s their large courtyard with pillows that provide a perfect escape from bustling Thamel. In the day try a masala tea and bowl of Tukpa soup and in the evening, saunter into the very stylish and homey lounge for a range of top-shelf spirits. They also have free wifi which works here and there (this is Nepal).

Upstairs Bar: Chedup, Upstairs’ owner, is a legend in his own time. The owner of a rafting company as well as Kathmandu’s coolest bar, you’ll see him here most nights – he’s the guy with the long dreadlocks. Sit at picnic tables, on pillows on the floor or for something really interesting have a peak behind the green door. Expats in the know head here for generous pours, friendly conversation, the best Momos (Tibetan dumplings) in the city and good live music on Wednesdays and Fridays. Sting even drops by when he’s in town. You’ll find it in a small alley on Lazimpat Rd.

Sam’s Bar: A locals’ haunt and favorite of world-class climbers in the area, Sam’s is about as laid back, cool and central in Thamel as it gets. You’ll see the sign on the side of the road, then head upstairs to their cool patio. Popcorn is free, service great and there’s always lots of neat people to meet. It’s also one of the latest operating bars in the area. If you show up late and it looks closed, have a quiet wander inside to be sure as they’re pretty stealth but usually still serving.

Indian
Indian curries, Nan bread and other staples can be found almost anywhere in Kathmandu but my favorites are two simple places about 2km from Thamel on Lazimpat Rd.

Tandori Hut: If cheap plastic tables and chairs are your thing, then you’ll love it here. Truly a locals’ pl.ace, there’s nothing fancy here, but the Chicken Tikka Masala curry is to die for and a meal for two with a couple beer will only set you back $10US. I must eat here each and every time I visit the city.

Bahri: Opened in 2008, it’s quickly become a favorite with well-healed

Mike's cookbook

Nepalese and those in the know. Various rooms in a house provide a variety of environments and the food is tops. The Palak Paneer is to die for and the prices very reasonable too. You can’t go wrong here.

Juice
Juice: That’s all the sign says, but they do a great job of it. Located in Thamel, also near the Bamboo restaurant and not far from the Courtyard Hotel, you’ll find this little shop next to an antique shop and there’re lots of fruits to choose from. Pick one or a couple and they’ll blend it into a tasty beverage.

All this typing has got me dying to go back to Kathmandu.
Book a Smiling Albino Nepal adventure and taste for yourself!

by Bank Takaeng

If you are a tea taster type. The unique flavour of Nepali tea is something you shouldn’t miss!

Ingredients:
Tea leaves (doesn’t need to be fancy tea) – 1 tablespoon/ 50 ml.
Milk – 1 cup/ 240 ml.
Water – 1 cup/ 240 ml.
Sugar – 1-2 tablespoons/ 50-100 ml.
Add spices to taste – Cardamom, Cloves, Ginger, Black pepper
To make it really fancy you can add Aniseed or Cinnamon

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for a minute or so, depending on how strong you like the flavours. Strain into two tea cups and enjoy with a friend!

This is for serving two people.

Note:
Have fun experimenting the mix of spices to find the flavour that suits you. The basic Nepali chiyaa (that people get on the trekking trail with us) is just made from milk, water, tea and lots of sugar. The spices make it extra special! The pepper is best added in winter when it’s cold.

by Scott Coates

October 12, 2009 was a sad day. My favorite Thai restaurant of all time closed and will move location.

The masters, Ton & Elle in front of their cooking station

Ran Ton as it’s known (Ton’s Restaurant) looked like nothing more than a typical side-of-the-road, quick Thai food restaurant, similar to any of the thousands of streets in Bangkok. Typical except for the fact that it had the best Thai food in the kingdom – period.

Whether foreign or Thai friends, everyone who came to the restaurant loved it. They commented on how tasty the dishes were and how they couldn’t believe how much better simple dishes like fried rice were. The secret, I have no idea. What I can tell you is that his fried rice, used as the baseline dish when grading restaurants, was by far the best fried rice I’ve ever had. The same goes for almost every other dish he made.

In early 2000 I moved to my street, Ramkamhang Soi 52/2, and that first night had a plate of noodles at Ran Ton. Little did I know then I would become addicted to Ton’s food and he would become a celebrated chef amongst my inner circle.
Over the years local friends, visiting friends/family and a good number of Smiling Albino (SA) guests had the opportunity to try his food. And over the years almost every single person commented how great that food was. A number of SA guests requested on subsequent trips to have a meal at Ran Ton (not convenient to their hotel) which is really a testament to the fare.

Scott & Ton enjoying a beer together

Ton and his wife Elle, both graduates of Ramkamhang University with a degree in Civil Engineering, opened Ran Ton in early 2000. Despite having degrees, entry level jobs in their field paid poorly and they decided to try making a go of it with their own little restaurant. They quickly attracted a dedicated following and have been going gang-busters since. Married in 2002, they recently got pregnant with Elle due in November 2009. In quest of higher income they decided to move about 10km further east from the old location and open in a village that doesn’t have many eating choices and is home to higher-income families. The idea is to go from selling 30B/plate ($0.90US) dishes to 50B/plate ($1.75US) dishes. At the end of the day the ingredients and labor are the same, so the economics are a no brainer.

Perhaps the reason Ran Ton’s food was so good is that it’s super fresh. He would head to the market every morning, buy just enough for the day and commonly run out of ingredients about 8-9pm. He’d cook to order and never rush a dish. Perhaps there’s something in TLC that makes food taste better. If so, then he threw a tone in.

At the end of the day while personally sad Ran Ton will no longer be my go-to eatery, I’m very happy for this nice couple and their chance to make a better living at a new location. I will (and do) miss their food dearly and will no doubt be making the 10km commute to the new Ran Ton on occasion. Something I’m very proud of, I had the last meal served at Ran Ton – the last customer of an era.

To the success of Ton, Elle and their child to come! I’ll miss you and your food dearly.

by Scott Coates

Here are some neat shots from a journey by bicycle, train and boat to the Mae Khlong area, near the Gulf of Thailand. You can see the full gallery here: http://photos.smilingalbino.com/Thailand-Photos/Floating-Markets/Mae-Khlong-Cycling-Trip/9982091_qtxRJ#682312430_o2bEi

Erika & Greg on the Mae Khlong Route train

Greg crssing a foot bridge over a canal

John finesses a narrow plantation path

Erika at Amphawa Canal

Check out the full gallery: http://photos.smilingalbino.com/Thailand-Photos/Floating-Markets/Mae-Khlong-Cycling-Trip/9982091_qtxRJ#682312430_o2bEi

By Daniel Fraser

On a recent trip to Pattaya I was intrigued enough to to and stay at the very new D2Baraquda.

D2 is the new hi-touch, design hotel fleet of the celebrated Dusit group from Thailand. Branded as chic and refreshingly hip, D2 Pattaya is a nice change of pace in Pattaya. The city itself is going through a bit of a subtle face-lift, with some sleek new bars, restaurants and hotels competing with the voluminous buffet of mediocrity which has made the town famous since the last days of the Vietnam War.

D2 Baraquda Pattaya is a nice slice of this new wave of goodness splashing into Pattaya. Located on the 2nd road from the beach right in the heart of town, D2 is withing walking distance to walking street and all of the other bright, shiny objects that compete for our attention in town.

As soon as you walk in to the high-ceiling, airy lobby, you feel as if you’ve been delivered from the commercial grime of coastal Thailand into a energized wellness chamber. D2′s GM Mr Paolo, or ‘Guru’ as his business card reads, has a swift an efficient operation run by enthusiastic and pleasant staff.  Small touches like a welcome cappuccino or latte in the cool and airy corner of the lobby made for a pleasant welcome. Rooms are hip and spacious and overall they do a great job of making limited spaces seem very large with giant windows and gargantuan mirrors, curved lines, glass panels and wave-inspired fashionable furnishings. The Deluxe Rooms feature a glassed in bathroom area with rain showers and intelligent places to hang things like towels and shower kits. These bathrooms are designed by people who understand good bathrooms.

Very large mirrors feature Deluxe Rooms beside them

Settling in, I ordered a club sandwich – my initial gold standard of how even the most basic food from the kitchen is. It was outstanding. A gourmet Club2 sandwich made by people who clearly understand what a good sandwich is (maybe sourced by the same company who sourced the shower people above).

Seeing who is staying at the hotel is also a barometer of what kind of place it is. It was nice to see a broad cross-section from young Thai families, healthy western couples, fashionable gay travelers and respectable-looking city folk. This was a nice jolt of comfort in Thailand’s coastal city of neon and beer bars.

it was so groovy i expected dolphins to join my swim....

The other facilities, like swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center and spa all work together nicely. They are functional and practical, and though neither of them win a category award on their own, there is an undeniable freshness and good value vibe in every corner of the hotel. I had a work-out, massage treatment, a good meal, and a nice swim with a little sundeck time and a book while feeling a million miles from Bangkok, and the cluster of Pattaya itself, for that matter.

The Deep Bar, located upstairs on the 3rd floor, is definitely among the hippest lounges in town. It felt a little like a coastal Bed Supperclub with an aquarium-like cool twist. Good drinks, hi-tech touches and trendy staff make it an excellent meeting place before or after a night on the town. Further up, the cool open-air lounge on top has great views of the rest of the town while giving you the luxury of being away from it, with zen-like music and breezy cocktails keeping you occupied. I arrived late, but assume it to be a fantastic sunset lounge.

chilling out in style in D2's Deep Bar

After a late check-in and a nice night in D2, I woke up feeling rather effervescent. In my 10 years in Thailand I can’t recall feeling quite like that in Pattaya before.  On an upcoming motorcycle trip across Thailand we will be using D2Baraquda for a final night before our group departs. Great choice.

Conclusion: How refreshing! While it is possible to lose your soul in Pattaya, refreshingly hip places like D2 give it a nice space to breathe.

by Scott Coates

The world first saw bungy jumping (can also be spelled bungee) courtesy of Sir David Attenborough when he and a film crew visited Pentecost Island, Vanuatu, in 1950. They captured young men hurling themselves from a crude tower with vines tied around their ankles. The idea was to survive and prove one’s bravery, passing into manhood.
Fast forward 50 years or so and there are jumping platforms around the world. Every couple of years a new one opens as the highest, longest, from the highest helicopter, staking its claim in the record books for a couple years.

Greg takes the plunge at The Last Resort

I first jumped from the original commercial bungy at Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand back in 1992. At 43m high it was a mind bender and for whatever reason (I was young and stupid I think) I did it naked on a dare. Boy was my mom impressed!
Two days later a jump at the 102m Pipeline really blew me away. I grew up a bit and avoided long plunges for a number of years until living in Thailand in 2002 I was offered a free jump by one of our guides who was working at a bungy jump in Chiang Mai. I wasn’t interested (scared) but couldn’t say “no” to an employee. Many years went by and I found myself in Nepal after cycling through Tibet and Mt. Everest in 2006. We were cycling south from the Tibet-Nepal border and our guide mentioned we would see a bridge in 10km, to cross it and we would find our tented camp at The Last Resort. What he didn’t mention was that the bridge is a major suspension bridge, crossable only by foot and is 160m above a raging river. Talk about an interesting entrance to your lodgings. And the kicker – there’s a bungy jump from it.

Student using The Last Resort's bridge to return home

That evening we gazed at the bridge, contemplated the 140m plunge and one of our group of four committed to doing it the next morning. Having previously bungeed I thought I had a perfectly good out. I encouraged those who’d never done it to give it a go, truly believing that doing it from an outdoor structure in a beautiful setting was the way to go. Over breakfast the next morning my friend (not sure after this) informed me that he’d already paid for me to jump too. He wasn’t going to jump alone. I was terrified. You’d think after doing it once you wouldn’t be scared but that wasn’t the case. If anything I’ve been more scared each time I’ve taken the plunge (six times now). Just walking across the bridge is terrifying. Strapped in, double-checking with the Bungy Master (what a job title) that everything was good to go, I inched out onto the jumping platform. He started to chat with me, talking about how the countdown would work and all I wanted to do was get off that platform. Walking out on to it was very scary and once I was there I wanted it to be over – off I went. What a long fall. There’s time to think about things as you fall, dropping for almost three seconds before the cord kicks in. I’m told I screamed the entire way down.

The author contemplating life before a jump in Nepal

I’ve been lucky enough to return to The Last Resort a number of times while leading trips in Nepal and one evening chatted with the jump’s designer David. Back in 1999 he constructed the bridge for roughly $100,000US, truly an awesome feat, paving (or bridging) the way to his tented camp. It also had a great benefit for locals whose commute across was reduced from five hours to 30 seconds. David, co-developer Bishnu and some others built, tested, dropped weighted items from the bridge until it was time for a human to try…and David was that human. He survived and thousands have since taken the plunge, including a good number of Smiling Albino guests who’ve stayed at The Last Resort during the Nepal Trek & Trail.

While bungy jumping isn’t for everyone and I’m not sure I will do it again (it’s really scary), it is something every adventurous soul should try once. It will never get easier to throw yourself off a perfectly good bridge with a large rubber band around your ankles, but the rush is something that can’t be duplicated. The Last Resort’s bungy is without a doubt the highest I’ve been off and by far in the most beautiful setting. Let Smiling Albino take you there!

by Bank Takaeng.

This salad is very easy to make, combines the sour, sweet and salty flavors typical of Thai cuisine. However, It can be mixed to your own flavors.

Ingredients:

Glass Noodle – 100 gm.
Minced pork – 50gm.
Fresh shrimp – 8-10
Fresh mushroom – 50 gm.
Large onion sliced – 2 tbsp./ 30 ml.
Coriander leaf – 3 stalk
Chopped Shallot – 2 tbsp./ 15 ml.
Fish sauce – 1 tbsp./ 15 ml.
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp./ 15 ml.
Sugar – 1 tsp./ 5 ml.
Chili – 6-7
Roasted chili paste(option) – 1 tbsp./ 15 ml.

Preparation:

This recipe will serve 1-2 people.

by Scott Coates

Tipping is one of those things that’s very personal. In theory it’s not to be expected, yet in many parts of the world it’s very much expected. In fact, a friend of mine was literally chased out of a New York diner last year after he tipped the server 12% on a simple quick lunch- apparently not enough.
So, when to tip, when not to tip and how much? This varies greatly depending on where in the world you are and the service you are receiving. While reading a story on tipping while traveling internationally it got me thinking about how complex tipping is and also the stress and wasted time it causes when you should be enjoying your trip.

Tipping (in my mind at least) is an extra, a sign of appreciation for good or great service. I worked as a bartender/waiter/DJ for many years in Canada while attending university. I depended on tips and paid my way through school using them. As a result I consider myself a fairly conscious and generous tipper, when service warrants it. I dislike the practice of 10% (or more sometimes) being automatically added to bills. This insinuates that the owner of the establishment demands you compensate their staffs’ poor wages. I tend to not leave anything more when 10% is automatically added to a bill. I just find it offensive. And what if the service is poor? You don’t get 10% taken of the bill. So, when service is great and not added to the bill, I commonly add 15% and around 20% when it’s great and my experience has been made extra special by the server.

Back to tipping when traveling, and specifically when traveling in Asia. Each country differs but the western custom of tipping, unknown in the east until foreign travelers brought the custom along with them (which locals love), it’s now more or less expected at most hotels, bars, restaurants, with bellboys, etc. My recommendation is tip when you feel service has been good to great and made your experience better and special. If you don’t feel the service was good, don’t tip. There’s no tried and true formula that’s correct or the best, as again, tipping is a very personal thing.

We give Smiling Albino guests a personalized Adventure Handbook during their adventure, which outlines the details of their trip along with tips on language, cultural items and on…tipping. Here’s what Smiling Albino says:

How does tipping work?
Tipping is something relatively new to Thailand. It’s tough to know how it works. Here are some tips:
Restaurants: If you are dining at a simple street side stand or food shop, you generally don’t tip. If you are at a casual sit-down restaurant 10% will do it. If you are eating at an upper-market establishment check the bill as a 10% service charge often added. Leaving extra is up to you, but you don’t need to leave a lot.

Hotels: If you’re pleased with the cleanliness of your room and the maid service, leave 50-100B per day you stay on the bedside table each day. Staff earnings are relatively low and tips are much appreciated….it also helps lubricate great service.

Guides: Your Smiling Albino native guides have been chosen because of their unique character, attention to customer service and knowledge. Our guides are paid a higher than average industry daily wage and do not accept commissions or kickbacks from vendors. Mediocre service certainly does not warrant a tip, but extraordinary service does. A general guideline would be between $5US-$10US per person, per day. A family doing a multi-day trip for example, would be recommended to chose the lower number per person, such as $5US per person, per day. Tipping is certainly at your discretion and should be done only if you are legitimately impressed with your guide’s standard of service and care.

Drivers: Our drivers are dedicated to their job, make sure they’ve had a good sleep before serving you, drive cautiously (getting their fast is not the objective), create a relaxing environment (soft music) and keep the vehicle stocked with drinks, cool towels and of course very clean. If you formed a relationship with your driver, feel they achieved all the above mentioned items then you may wish to consider tipping him or her $5-$10US/day.

Something to note is that Smiling Albino pays all our guides/hosts/drivers more than going industry rates. They make a fair living on the wages they are paid, so tipping is not needed to ensure they have food on their plates and a roof over their heads. That said, they are the best in the business, spend a lot of time behind the scenes preparing for your trip, adjusting trip elements during your trip and train year-round to be the best. If they make your experience great, they will always appreciate a financial token of that appreciation.

Something I find handy is to always leave home with about 10, $1US bills in my wallet, ready to thank people along the way that make my arrival in a new country special, during that awkward period when you have no local currency or only large bills – truly a life saver in a country like Cambodia. US cash is still king around the region.

So don’t let tipping stress you out. Do it when it naturally presents itself, when it’s warranted and certainly not when you’re made to feel it’s expected. Remember, you’re traveling to have fun and enjoy yourself, first and foremost.