Digital Backpacker 2000

Why am I doing this in the first place?
Lots of people have asked me this. Why not? Life can be more than what I’ve seen till now, I feel my life only will be enrichened by this year out of the working process.

As I quote Rick Steves, author of Europe through the Back Door, “Travel is intensified living – maximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal
adventure.”

I do look forward to the time that no deadlines are awaiting me, that no pressure is put on me, that I can choose the directions life will take me to. I don’t mean to say I’m a freaked out hippie that will be searching for his peace in India. However, I do think that life is more than the rush hour that I seem to be in constantly. After working in two jobs at the same time for a lot of years, I need some rest and time for myself.

I will fly to Bangkok the 14th of July and from there I will start the journey. I will do the travelling overland. The idea is to end up in Tibet after twelve months, but there are many roads leading to Tibet. I will find my own while travelling. After that I will head for another continent.

I will write everything on my Psion 5MX, Palmtop computer, upload it when travelling. It seemed like a dream, by now this dream seems to be getting closer and closer…

Latest Article
January 4th: India
Ben pays a short visit home before flying to India to see if there is a middle ground between love and hate of this country.

Catch Up On The Journey
December 8th: Cabbages and Condoms…
Ben is in Thailand and visits several places within, including a restaurant with a peculiar name.

November 24th: Loy Krathong Festival to Laos
Ben returns to Laos searching for more than what the guidebook offers.

November 10th: The New Light of Myanmar
More examples of the tight government control and Ben visits Taunggyi for the annual ballooning festival.

November 2nd: Twilight over Burma
There is no internet access for anyone but the government of Myanmar. Ben recalls his time there as like visiting another century.

October 8th: Motorbike Repair Shops
Motorcycling around hilltribe villages near Chiang Mai with more than one visit to the repair shop.

October 2nd: Eyes say it all
Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, the Killing Fields and the roads of Cambodia.

September 20th: The Big Mango
Leaving Indonesia for Thailand and spending a few days in Bangkok to wait for Cambodian visa.

September 9th: Senior High School
Going back to school to spend some time with an English conversation class in Padang, Indonesia.

September 1st: Fly to the Moon
Magic mushrooms are another attraction in Tuk Tuk, Indonesia. Every restaurant has them on the menu.

August 19th: Night of the Hungry Ghosts
Penang, Malaysia is a very likeable city where West meets East and a must at least once for every traveller.

August 15th: Paradise Resort
With health costs so cheap, drinking beer really is the worst thing you can do in Thailand!

August 6th: Jam with Sam
Mae Sot is known as the Wild West of Thailand and the black market is booming.

August 1st: The Roads of Laos
Laos was different from my expectations, too many people, too much overcharging, and not the land of one million elephants.

July 22nd: Robbed By Some Monkeys
The first days in Thailand with steady progress towards the Laos border.

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