http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7 My BootsnAll Travel Blog Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:36:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The first thing I noticed about China (I do NOT recognize China’s claim to Tibet) was upon awakening in the morning on the train from Lhasa to drab, dreary, mud colored shacks of the Chinese rural population. This was in direct contrast to the colorful houses I had been accustomed ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/not-so-nice-china.html Firstly I want to bring my readers up to date on the status of my mother, my children took charge & rescued her from incarceration in the bowels of Brockville General Hospital where she was serving time in purgatory due to Ontario’s UNcaring Health UNcare system. Any one without mega ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/tibet-an-occupied-land.html So the busman arrives in Beijing after a 48 hr train ride on the piece of crap Bombardier built train from Lhasa at 08:30 (rush hour on a Monday morning) with no hotel reservation. As warned, practically no one in Beijing speaks English, not the hotel info guys or the ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/guardian-angels-great-kids.html Just to let all know that I am in Lhasa Tibet & won't be updating blog until I leave China also can't access facebook here. http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/no-updates-for-a-while.html Those words from Laxmi, my guide at The Jungle Lodge pretty much sum up the Bharatpur district of Nepal which encompasses Chitwan National Park or as an American with a house near there said on the bus ride down from KTM (Kathmandu) “Nepal is a laid back India”! The Hotel Jungle ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/no-hurry-no-worry-have-some-more-chicken-curry.html For the fourth time so far this trip my Capitol One Master Card that I carry as a backup saved the day when my fancy new BMO chip credit & debit cards “that work at any ATM in the world with the Cirrus logo” or so said my rep at ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/thank-you-capitol-one.html The biggest day is apparently today with some streets blocked off & others nearly impassible but the whole city having a grand party & they really love their fire crackers. However some are still working as I managed to submit my visa application for Tibet & China, arrange a 3 ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/festival.html OK once again my preconceived North American views on India proved completely erroneous!! Firstly one can not judge India by North American standards & get an accurate reading on the country. Sure you can go staying at the 5* hotels in the area of the government offices & headquarters ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/india.html As I expected Japan does not have the same atmosphere I experienced in Korea, as soon as you stepped off the ferry you could feel a different vibe. In the couple days I spent there it seems the major difference is Japan has become more westernized while Korea has retained ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/on-to-japan.html My gamble paid off, got on the 11 am bus to Busan no problem then the subway leaves from the Express Bus Station & 21 stops later get off & only a 10 min walk to the International Ferry Terminal where there were plenty of berths on tonight's sailing. So as ... http://blogs.bootsnall.com/busman7/reflections.html