(*) Thailand, etcetera

As enjoyable as traveling in Southeast Asia is, there are some aspects I could also do without. Of course, “hate” may be worded a little drastically here. Also, much of this is not only limited to Southeast Asia, but also affects other tropical and/or less developed regions.

Be that as it may, here is an alphabetical list of things that can sometimes make traveling a bit tedious.

1) Food

As a vegetarian, it is often surprisingly difficult to find a suitable menu – especially if you also do not eat any eggs. Often, all that is left are stir-fried vegetables. In the long run, this can get a bit boring.

In addition, you must remember: “Cook it, peel it, or forget it!” Even if you follow this rule, you are not immune to food poisoning, as I know from my own experience.

2) Health care

There is even more to health care than just watching what you are eating: Southeast Asia is also an area with malaria and dengue fever (apart from other diseases, such as Japanese encephalitis, for which there are at least vaccinations). Although there are fewer mosquitoes in the dry season, avoiding insect bites is still an important health measure. Since the malaria-carrying mosquitoes are out and about especially at dusk, this often means that you are forced to spray a chemical insect repellent onto your skin immediately after taking a refreshing shower in the late afternoon/early evening.

3) People

Southeast Asia is not really a sparsely populated area. Especially in the cities, this means not only that there are a lot of people on the move, but that there is also a lot of traffice (especially motorcycles). With that comes the associated noise and air pollution. Also, crossing the street may be quite tedious (again, especially in larger cities) – at least as long as you have not gotten used to simply walking through traffic.

4) Pricing

There may be fixed prices in (tourist) restaurants with a menu, but in many places (especially in markets). pricing is a matter of negotiation. Sometimes, there are also “tourist prices” – either “officially” (e.g. at sights where locals pay less than foreign tourists), or “unofficially” (by simply telling a different starting price to a foreign tourist). Some people may enjoy the haggling that ensues to still achieve a price that is fair for both parties. However, I am not very fond of that.

5) Weather

Unfortunately, it can get quite hot and humid in Southeast Asia. This might make tourist activities very tiring, especially in the afternoon (unless it is a visit to the beach). Often, it does not cool down a lot in the evenings or at night, either, which may affect your night’s sleep.