Visiting King Power Mahanakhon
Visiting King Power Mahanakhon. It is not an obsession, but I definitely enjoy visiting the tallest buildings when visiting a new city. I have admired the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Petronas Towers in KL, the Taipei 101 obviously in Taipei, the Willis Tower (formally the Sears Tower) in Chicago, and the Bitexco Financial Tower in Saigon. (I was a guest of Mahanakhon.) While being a parttime resident of Bangkok I finally visited the King Power Mahanakhon in 2020 after several years of procrastination. I attended the official unveiling in August of 2016 as I perched myself on a nearby rooftop restaurant. My camera rested on my tripod as I watched drones zip by as I admired the laser and light show christening the new building. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6kUDwvB6Z8 At the time of the Mahanakhon unveiling, this was the tallest building in Thailand, topping out at 314 meters (1,030 feet). In 2018, Mahanakhon lost its crown to the Magnolias Waterfront Residences, which added on measly three meters. This glass tower with an intriguing cubical pattern which cascades down tops [...]
Graham Hughes … Three Hobbits Named Mohammed
Graham Hughes Counting Countries has traveled to every country in the world A fleeting tweet recently connected me to Graham Hughes and paved the way for this podcast. I had reached out to him years ago, but my email ended up in a spam folder. So for those who say nothing good comes of Twitter, you now stand corrected. Thanks to my patrons William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. And a warm welcome to our new patron, Simen Flotvik Mathisen from Norway. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com/CountingCountries. My patrons will hear 30 more minutes of my conversation with Graham. Untamed Borders is the sponsor of this podcast and we will be hearing a few words from James Willcox, the co-founder, on how to manage safety and security when traveling. Graham is no stranger to the extreme traveler community. He completed his quest to travel to every country in the world in 2013. He claimed [...]
Very Hungry Nomads … On Their Reverse Retirement
Very Hungry Nomads have traveled to 185 countries I had the opportunity to speak with world travelers Martina Sebova and Rachel Davey, who comprise the Very Hungry Nomads. This was my first outing of attempting to interview two people at the same time. Marty and Rach did an excellent job of moderating the answers. It has been a frustrating time for most extreme travelers as we shelter in place around the globe. There does not seem to be an end in sight when travel will go back to normal. I hope everyone is well and keeping safe. Thanks to my patrons William Schelling, Steph Rowe, Ted Nims, Bisa Myles, Stephen Rothwell, and Adam Hickman for supporting Counting Countries. And William, if you are listening, please reach out to me. They help pay for the production of this podcast. You can support this podcast by going to Patreon.com. My patrons will hear an extra interview with Marty and Rach which is exclusive to them. Untamed Borders is our sponsor and they want to remind you that Covid-19 travel [...]
Visiting Kamphaeng Phet and Si Satchanalai
Visiting Kamphaeng Phet and Si Satchanalai. The Sukhothai Kingdom reigned in current northern Thailand for 200 years starting in 1238. Sukhothai Kingdom was at one time part of the Khmer/Angkor Kingdom, the predecessor of modern-day Cambodia. Sukhothai is considered to be the first capital of Thailand, followed by Ayutthaya, Thonburi, and with present-day Bangkok. Sukhothai has been designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns. Did you note that title includes “Associated Historic Towns”. This UNESCO site also includes Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park and Si Satchanalai Historical Park. Si Satchanalai is located approximately hour north of Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet about an hour south. Sukhothai is a very worthwhile visit in Thailand but of course it is not as prominent on a visitor’s lists such as a Phuket, Chiang Mai, or Bangkok. I strongly encourage visits to Sukhothai which has a plethora of temples, but I equally encourage visits to both Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park and Si Satchanalai Historical Park. Si Satchanalai Historical Park I left Sukhothai in the morning and drove [...]
Visiting Grand Palace Bangkok
Visiting Grand Palace Bangkok. The Grand Palace complex in Bangkok is by no means an off-the-beaten-path monument, but it is a positively a must-see masterpiece. It is the 4th ranked Thing To Do in Bangkok on TripAdvisor with over 16,000 reviews. The Grand Palace complex is the official residence of the King of Thailand (formally Siam). The king departed in 1925, but the complex is still used today for official events. In fact, I visited the palace for the funeral of the much-admired King Rama IX in 2016. This complex dates back to the latter part of the 18th century and is located near the banks of the Chao Phraya. Within the complex is Wat Phra Kaew known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. This is the holiest of holiest sites in Bangkok as it is considered at the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. Construction of the temple began in 1783 under the orders of King Rama I, the first king of the current ruling dynasty. Over the generations, the temple complex has expanded and [...]
Chris Sutherland … Striking Out On His Own
Chris has traveled to 193 countries. Chris Sutherland Counting Countries. It was back in February and I was preparing for several months of non-stop travel. That meant I had to record and prepare five podcasts prior to my trip so I could publish them once my travels began. And randomly I got an email from Chris Sutherland sharing that he was swinging through Bangkok for a couple of days. I know Chris from FB and being fellow moderators in Every Passport Stamp. This was a great opportunity to sit down with him and hear his story in person. In a perfect world, I would like to do all of my interviews in person. Technically it is much better and it is also easier to get to know my guest. It has been a frustrating time for most extreme travelers as we shelter in place around the globe. There does not seem to be any end in sight when travel will go back to normal. I hope everyone is well and keeping in safe. Thanks to my patrons, [...]
