HKdog
Posted : 4/1/2008 8:14:42 PM
Cool!!! Ive been to all of those, but now live in hong kong, so if you get there drop me a line and I'll treat you to a beer where I work. Forgive me but this is going to be long...
There is some great sights to be seen in all of those places.
Shanghai is an awesome city, great food, and lots to see. It is mainland China so just watch yourself, (keep your wallet in your front pocket, that type of stuff) When you are there go to the Bund area, it's right on the river with lots of restaurants and bars. For shopping it's everywhere!!! If you want new movies that havent been released yet, you can still buy it on dvd, (there is even a whole street just for pirate dvd's!!)
Find a restaurant and EAT Shanghai hairy crabs!!!!
Bangkok is a very polluted busy city, it is fun with lots to do there, If you go in the summer, it will be HOT and very very humid!! And it's the only country in Asia that hasn't been occupied by an Asian, western or European country. They are very proud of that and very nationalistic, insult an image or talk bad about the royal family, and you WILL go to jail or fined or get stabbed or shot, the latter two are more preferable than going to jail there...
I think it would be better if you get out of the city and go to Chang Mai or Hua Hin, more country side city area. If you do go to Bangkok, go to the floating market, and bargain really hard for a normal price for the boats that take you down the river. Don't pay over $700 Baht! Any price they give you knock it down to 30% of that price and work up from there, a good trick is to pretend you are tired of barganing and say you can get cheaper down the road. (you actually can!!, you think you get a good price and then you see the same thing for half of what you paid. So shop around before you buy)
In Vietnam, Thailand, and Shanghai, Eat the street food!! don't be afraid of it or how it looks, it will be some of the best food you will ever get!! you wont get sick. Pho noodles and the crispy little birds in Vietnam, everything is good and spicy in Thailand, the steamed and fried buns in Shanghai....Im a cook so you get the idea what I do on my travels...I've eaten the bugs you will see in thailand, they aren't that bad with a beer, just don't look at them.
The most important thing to remember is its their country, whatever one you go to, please go with an open mind and try not to act like the typical ignorant westerner tourist you will no doubt run into.(im not saying you will but you get my point right?) All of those countries have been around 2000 years longer than the US has so im pretty sure they know what is going on.
Either way, I could write a book about all of this and it's turning into one...Have fun and let us know where you decide to go