Cambodia Rocks!

I decided with less than 2 weeks notice to visit Thailand, Vietnam, and -- you can't go all that way and not see Angkor Wat -- Cambodia. Thailand: no visa required, cool! Vietnam: visa required, but I live in SF and can get one at the consulate in 2 days, fine; Cambodia: visa required, no SF consulate, zut! ... but wait, I can get an e-visa.

All I had to do was fill out a web-form, upload a digital pic (check out how my soccer team photo becomes a visa!), and pay. I get a .pdf back to print & carry with my passport ... &, oh yeah, did I mention they take paypal?

Choices, Choices

I am taking a nice long vacation -- to relax. And, of course, I shall want to remember -- and share -- a few of the highlights. And, I'll want to forget -- but also share -- a few of the lowlights. So, I think "Hmm... isn't that what the web is for ...Al?"

Turns out that, yes, the primary purpose of the Internet is chatting with friends ... either because they are far away or because actually meeting up with them is such a bother. (I couldn't reach Al, but a semantic-services version of Tim Berners Lee confirmed this for me, automatically as I was typing.) But it also turns out that every site on the web is now a "social network," so I can memorialize my trip in Facebook but also in Yelp or Flickr ... and even, I think, at NYTimes.com.

Oh yeah, there is also TravelPod, a dedicated travel blogging site. How to choose? (And do I really need any more planning details on top of visas, planes, trains, hotels, and those funny overseas plugs?)

Lacking time to figure which is really the best option, I decided "go with Google." At least this blog will still be up when I get back!