Have you ever thought about going on holidays to some exotic place?? See other cultures, learn new languages? Break your routine so completely that it seems you are in another world, so different it is from your native place…

Have you ever thought about travelling to Thailand, China, Japan….

It all looks so mysterious, with so many temples, different habits, different food…

This are some of the big reasons to take a trip to the other side of the world!

Is quite common to hear about the legendary patience of Asian people, their spiritual ways, their profound philosophies….

Actually, if you ever go for a short ride in Bali during peak traffic hours, you will see VERY little of this patience, spiritual ways and profound philosophies. You will be immersed in a painful traffic jam with everybody around you pushing to pass, honking, and putting aside all pretenses of civil manners. And this is only an example of how reality can differ from our ideals.

I have lived in Asia for many years, mainly in Thailand and Indonesia, and I have traveled my fair share of Asian countries.

Amazingly, I have found out that, even when different countries have, of course, different cultures, Asia in general has some parameters that applies to most of the Asian countries and nations.

First of all, we need to understand that between occidental and oriental cultures exists a deep abyss that, while not impassable, is still always present, and many times we can just accept it, even when we do not understand it.

To live in a place like Thailand could be very frustrating for the westerner who cannot see that differences will always be there, and we just need to accept them and make the best out of it.

Amazingly, despite chaotic streets, crazy traffic jams, and an apparent lack of rules, Asia tends to leave you with a feeling of peaceful lives, gentle and smiling people, and a desire to come back again.

This book is not pretending to describe Asia as a continent or as their people. This book is just to point out some of the things that you may find in some Asian countries as a traveler.