Activity Review, Relationships, South Korea

Hot Sexy Sex in South Korea

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Sex in Korea

Unlike neighboring Japan, sex in Korea is a slightly more reserved affair – but that’s not to say South Korea is a nation of uptight puritans by any stretch of the imagination. Outwardly the country seems torn between traditional ideology and the raw sex that floods into the country from the western world.

But Korea is also a land of startling contradictions when it comes to the horizontal mattress mambo.

It’s a country where it is considered wildly inappropriate to show off your cleavage or your bare shoulders, but where it’s perfectly acceptable for a woman to wear a mini-skirt that barely covers her underpants.

It’s a place where prostitution is technically illegal but where Seoul boasts a ‘hooker hill’ and Busan’s infamous Texas Street is a stretch of sin soaked street to rival any of Amsterdam’s red light district.

‘Love Motels’ offer hourly rates for businessmen and their lovers or cheap accommodation to foreigners not wishing to shell out for a real hotel room. I’ve seen everything from lube to vibrators to dirty hair brushes to stripper poles in these rooms.

I even saw a video camera in one.

Collectible cards showing bare breasts and phone numbers to call for a good time litter suburban streets like some deviant has hosted a ticker tape parade.

Twin barber poles indicate hair-cuts with a little ‘something extra’ and $45 home delivered coffee is more of an added benefit than the main attraction.

It’s a land where pretty Korean girls hanging out in smoky foreigner bars who come home with you to ‘sleep together’ may mean that in the most literal sense of the phrase.

Blue balls abound.

It’s a nation where they don’t believe in homosexuality, yet grown heterosexual men will hug and hold hands with their male friends.

And that’s saying nothing of the existence of the aptly named Homo Hill in Seoul…

The world of Korean sex is a world at odds with itself. For all of its adherence to traditional ideals and typically Asian ideology, Korea finds itself gradually slipping in the direction of the more wanton west.

Sex with Koreans

 

Kissing a Korean girl
I did not sleep with this girl. It's the lovely Sang Young!

I’ll preface this particular section by saying I didn’t indulge in much of the ‘local flavor’ when I was on my Korean tour of duty. It seems my bout of the so-called ‘yellow fever’ decided to hold off until I returned to Australian shores.

It’s just a little frustrating…

So the comments that follow will be based on second hand sources. Guys who have put in the hard yards to woo themselves one of the notoriously hard to impress Korean beauties or girls who have been attracted to the sensitivity or slightly more feminine (read: less hairy and smelly) appearance of the Korean man.

As is typical of many Asian countries, there is a big focus on the woman’s subservience to the man in a relationship, but it’s not always that way.

During courtship it’s not uncommon to see a Korean man dutifully following his girlfriend while she picks through shoes in a crowded Lotte Department Store. But unlike Australia – where similar practices are used to keep girlfriends happy – the process extends as far as actually carrying the girlfriend’s handbag for her.

It’s not at all uncommon to see an otherwise perfectly normal Korean man walking down the street with a fabulous Louis Vutton bag slung over his shoulder. He almost looks comfortable with it.

Almost.

But where this doting behavior seems typical of the pre-marriage period, an almost 180 degree turn is made once the ring is slipped on and the I do’s are said.

Or whatever the Korean equivalent is.

While there does tend to be a changing of the guard on this front as Korean youths adopt more western practises, there is still a focus on the man as provider and leader and the woman as dutiful follower in the Korean marriage.

It wasn’t uncommon for me to be out drinking with one of my Korean bosses and see them flirting with or even fondling a giggling younger woman. Occasionally a co-worker.

Wives ferry their husbands around like chauffeurs and seem resigned to losing their partners to regular fishing trips or drinking on the weekend – leaving them alone to take care of the kids. And if they’re unhappy with this arrangement, they do a good job of bearing their burden in silence. But that may just be the famous Korean pride.

 

What does all of this have to do with sex?

 

Being all seductive and such

Subservient in the home often translates into subservient in the bedroom. I’ve heard precious few tales of wild sexual abandon being displayed in the bedroom from my friends who have dipped their toes into the local talent pool.

Obviously pornography is not an accurate portrayal of how the average person is making their love, but I think you can learn a bit about the overarching cultural perception of sex by watching a little of their X-Rated film.

Korean pornography, by and large, follows the Japanese tradition of male dominance and female submission or embarrassment. Lying in a love motel bed with a girl I was sleeping with and watching a little hardcore porn (as you do) treated us to scene after scene of women being taken against their will and eventually ‘enjoying it’.

I’m not sure how much they enjoyed it. There’s no dirty talk or urging on. Just pitifully quiet grunting to match each of the man’s fevered thrusts. The female’s enjoyment of the act doesn’t seem to be much of a factor in Korean porn.

I’d imagine that may well bleed into the everyday lives of the average Korean as well. Obviously not to the extent that Korean men are out in forests trolling for hapless women in search of spare tires, but the stories of my female friends don’t paint a picture of attentive lovers.

And we’ll leave the stereotyping of the Asian male organ right out of it. Although where there’s smoke…

And where male dominance in the bedroom can lead to selfish lovers, it can also lead to submissive female partners. The enthusiasm for sex just doesn’t seem to be there. But can you blame them? In a country where man is supreme and where sex is still a dirty word – the image of a liberated woman who just enjoys sex seems completely out-of-place.

Now obviously this isn’t true of all Koreans. Maybe not even most. I’m basing this off my own experiences in the country and the experiences of friends who have shared just a little too much over beers.

I know of at least one female friend who happens to be very satisfied with the performance of her Korean mate. Way to go handsome!

 

But Chris, what about your sex in Korea?

 

No Korean sex makes me a sad panda...

Alas, Korean girls’ tastes tend to run towards the tall and thin for the most part. Being neither tall (5’11”) or particularly thin, I didn’t have much luck with the local girls.

There was one classy lass in a night club bathroom, but that finished short of sex. A toothy bathroom blow-job isn’t exactly the height of romance, but it is perhaps an indication of how the younger Koreans are shaking off the conservative habits of their parents.

Or maybe I just met a bad seed…

Love Land, Jejudo

 

If there’s one monument to the changing view of sex in South Korea, it’s Love Land Park on Jejudo. While it might be more accurately described as ‘Lust Land’, the park’s many sculptures and displays representing a growing love of sex in South Korea. It’s still a heterocentric view of sex, but it’s a step towards a breaking down of the old view of sex to allow room for a healthier appreciation of the carnal.

On a very rainy summer day in 2009 myself, my ex Fallon, and our friends Cody & Desiree paid a visit to Love Land and giggled like children finding their first porno as we perused the collection of erotic displays. And while that may be the reaction that the park draws from the majority of its visitors, at least its getting people to think about and talk about sex. It’s putting it out there and breaking down the taboo that dictates it belongs behind closed doors.

Cody violates some artwork. Typical American...
An Aussie caught with his hand in the cookie jar
Cody and Dez in a less typical Superman/Wonderwoman panel...
That's.... athletic?
A man and his dog. True friends.

Entering Love Land immediately takes you into a garden area in which the sculptures are scattered all over the place. Paths wind their way in and out of the displays with the same rhythmic precision of German love-making. The majority of displays tend towards eroticism and humor, but there are a few that are genuinely artistic as well.

One of the more artistic pieces on display
Thirsty?
Apparently it is true...

 

Once you’re done exploring the grounds there’s a bit of a sex museum, an internal art gallery, and the obligatory gift shop selling a bunch of sex related souvenirs. No porn or dildos for purchase, but lots of quirky little gadgets that you’d expect to find in one of those odds and ends shops.

Super sexy strap on
This wasn't in the gift shop

Once the museum and the gift shop are out of the way, the last port of call is a very cool set of mini exhibits depicting various sexual scenes. I haven’t included them all here, but a few of my favorites are below.

A couple watch on as another couple round second and head for third base.

 

Some students perving on their teacher. This happens a lot to my female friends, but usually not with mirrors.
To the tune of Unchained Melody
A mermaid and a reverse merman. Star-crossed lovers.
An old Korean couple getting it done in a minbak (sleeping room). See the next picture for their unfortunate child's reaction...
Poor kid 🙁
Tiny, tiny penises

A visit to Love Land is more amusing than enlightening, but it’s good to see Koreans depicting sex in a fun way rather than as something inappropriate. While Korea hasn’t yet made the leap of representing other sexual preferences or genders just yet, the existence of Love Land is a sign that at least progress is being made.

Who knows? Maybe someday the assumption that all westerners are sexually depraved child molesters riddled with HIV will pass too…

Activity Review, Australia, Gold Coast
Some zombie girls perform

Fright Night at Movie World

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“You know what I love about Halloween? It’s the one night of the year chicks use to unleash their inner ho-bag. If a girl dresses up as a witch, she’s a slutty witch. If she’s a cat, she’s a slutty cat. If she’s a nurse…” – Barney Stinson

Halloween holds a special place in my heart. It’s a time of year where nerds can celebrate their nerdiness by crafting elaborate costumes and won’t be judged.

It’s a time when couples can come up with obnoxious yet inventive ways to pair their costumes.

A night where, as the great Barney Stinson says, every girl out there seizes the opportunity to flaunt their sexuality a little. And I know I appreciate that.

It is the most magical of holidays.

Halloween in Australia

We don’t really do Halloween in Australia. Oh, there are Halloween parties and kids at school work hard at drawing Jack-o-Lanterns and crafting glitter coated ghosts, but the holiday is a pale comparison of what is a $6 billion dollar industry in the United States.

I’ve had the pleasure of celebrating the holiday in the United States once before. I’ll have to share that story sometime.

But back to Halloween in the Land Downunder. Much like Valentine’s Day, the commercialism that makes Halloween so huge in the United States hasn’t really bled across to us here. It’s as if with each mile it has to pass over the Pacific diminishes its strength somewhat. So where scores of American children are out trick-or-treating while their older siblings bump and grind in their sluttiest outfits, Aussies seem content to make a token effort. A few persistent parents might organize a trick-or-treating run, but they’re destined for disappointment.

Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a home decorated for Hallloween that wasn’t hosting a drunken Halloween house party.

It’s a sad and sorry state of affairs, but that isn’t to say there aren’t some fun Halloween activities still on offer. And it was the opportunity to really celebrate Halloween that drew me to Fright Night at Movie World.

Fright Night

For the month of October, Warner Brothers Movie World on the Gold Coast throws open its doors at night for the big kids to come play.

The 1920s themed streets of Movie World are transformed by clouds of dry ice drifting out from windows and up from the sewers below. Murderers and monsters of Hollywood fame prowl the streets and the park’s most famous thrill rides remain in operation well after the sun has gone down.

A slew of more adult entertainment options take over the usually family friendly theme park. A racy vampire themed burlesque show; a demon fueled bit of acrobatic theatre; and a night club complete with cage dancers and snakes lure in the adults.

I love theme parks, I love horror movies, and I love girls dressed in very little. How could I say no?

Arrival…

I was fresh off an exhaustingly fun day at Dreamworld (read about that real soon) when I stepped off the bus out front of Movie World. The park’s day guests were slowly filtering out as I hunkered down underneath a tree and fought off the urge to call up like a homeless person and catch some Zzzzzs.

I’d been up since 5am having played impromptu babysitter for my friends Mark & Sheree’s adorable son and a day of roller coasters hadn’t done much for my energy levels.

As the regulars filtered out, a crowd of irregulars started to develop.

A pair of mid fifties couples dressed as witches talking raucously about their sex lives.

A mother in full skank attire with her three equally skankily dressed daughters in tow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen FMB’s on a 12 year old before.

Demons and ghouls. Ghosts and monsters. The front gates of Movie World were fully choked with revelers by the time my friends Temissa and Stuart arrived with Temissa’s cousins along for the ride.

Having spent my day on the road I didn’t have a costume on me and damned if I didn’t feel like the odd one out in a park full of vampires, witches, and Ghostbusters.

Temissa, dressed as a female Edward Scissorhands, issued us with our tickets and soon we were on our way. A day in a theme park in Australia will usually run you $70-$80. Fright Nights weighs in at a much more affordable $39.

We fought our way through the crowd and were immediately struck with our first tough decision. Roller coaster or haunted maze?

The line forms for the Psycho 3-D maze. The Spooky Coaster was not nearly as popular.

The younger girls made our choice for us, and soon I found myself standing in line for Scooby Doo’s Spooky Coaster. I’m not really a fan of wild mouse style roller coasters, so my review of this particular one will be brief. It bumped around a lot, it goes backward at one point, and there’s some unintelligible speech from an animatronic Scooby Doo from time to time.

The most scary part of the ride, for me, was a mid forties woman trying to seduce me. Thankfully she was (literally) too big to ride with her. I felt pretty bad for her when they had to inform her she was too large to ride. That can’t be good for your self esteem. I should know – I was denied my chance to parasail in China because I weighed too much. And the Chinese weren’t nearly as subtle as the poor Movie World staff member was.

My heart racing and my libido terminated, it was time to indulge in another American tradition – the haunted house.

Movie World boasted four spooky mazes this year. An Arkham Asylum themed one, a zombie outbreak, Psycho 3-D, and a maze based on the movies of the Saw franchise.

Escaping Arkham Asylum

I can’t decide whether this was my favorite maze because it was fun, or simply because it was the first haunted house experience I’d had since visiting a haunted house in the US in 2009.

After queuing for ten or fifteen minutes we were lead into the maze by a manically portrayed Joker who warned us that the inmates had escaped and it wouldn’t be safe for us. With hands on shoulders and the younger girls already screaming at virtually anything that moved, we plunged into the dimly lit halls.

It was your standard haunted house experience. Lots of people jumping out at you and shouting things. For the most part these things were characterful. The Joker continually cackled; Harley Quinn looked hot; Poison Ivy hissed as we passed; and various crazy people rattled bars and begged for freedom.

By the time we emerged the sun had gone down and the streets of Movie World were lit only by flickering lights and the big screen that projected images from classic (Warner Brothers) horror movies out over the street.

Spooky Rating: 7/10

Liked: The attention to detail was quite good. The scares were generic but in keeping with the setting.

Dislikes: Needed more Harley Quinn.

An exercise in frustration

Our next port of call was meant to be a ride. Superman Escape, Batwing Spaceshot, and Lethal Weapon were all meant to be open – but half an hour into our queuing for Superman Escape we were told the ride had to shut down and were hurried out of the line.

The ride kicked into gear again half an hour later.

Our attempts to ride Spaceshot and Lethal Weapon were also thwarted by long lines and early close times. We had to make do with haunted mazes and street performance. But those made up for it.

Spooky Clowns

There was a surprising lack of evil clowns in attendance. I guess Warner Brothers don’t own the rights to It…

But there was a Circus of the Damned performance where the stunt driving show usually takes place. We were greeted as we entered by the impossibly tall ring-master and his chained slave and made our way up into seats for the show.

The ringmaster and his slave
The ringmaster and his slave

The show itself was a lot of fun, although the story behind it was definitely not kid friendly. A dead bride, a man hanging himself, and some kind of fight for his soul which he ultimately lost. Strange.

Some zombie girls perform
Zombie girls performing some acrobatics on the swings. They also did silks later in the show.
The hapless hanged man is dragged to hell by the girls

All told the show was a bit of spectacular fun. In between stunt riding, dancing girls, acrobats, and the world’s most buff gymnast putting all of us to shame, there was some great rock music from the likes of Evanescence, Guns & Roses, and Marilyn Manson to set the tone.

The Saw Maze

The second maze of the evening saw us queuing with my rotund friend from earlier in the evening. Not cool.

The maze itself did its best to draw on the Saw mythology. Jigsaw greeted us as we entered and various scenes of torture from the movies were presented. A girl struggled through a tub of syringes. A man was strapped to an electric chair. And all the while Jigsaw leapt out at us and shouted ‘boo’.

It was a bit underwhelming to be honest, but I’m not sure how a Saw themed maze could be anything else without being brutally realistic or interactive. It’s not particularly scary to walk through a maze full of other people being hurt.

Spooky Rating: 4/10

Likes: Some impressive recreations of scenes from the movies.

Dislikes: No real scares. Too well lit.

BRAAAAIIIIINNNNSSSS

Zombie Apocalypse Maze

If my love of all things zombie wasn’t readily apparent, let me restate it here. Zombies rock my world.

When I’m not Zombie Walking, I’m watching The Walking Dead or playing Dead Island. The walking dead offer me no end of amusement.

The opportunity to explore a mist filled maze packed with the shambling dead was too good a prospect to turn down.

But for fuck’s sake, zombies don’t say ‘boo’ and they don’t run around aimlessly. They shamble! They groan or grunt. They reach desperately and moan.

And they don’t say fucking boo.

It wasn’t all bad. The maze was constructed of the kind of barriers you see surrounding construction sites and the mist made for some spooky moments when shapes loomed up out of the fog. This was used to great effect as occasionally you’d catch a glimpse of another group in the mist and assume it was more of the walking dead.

It was a bit of missed potential really. They could have made it downright terrifying, but seemed to be content to just push for a few cheap thrills.

Spooky Rating: 6.5/10

Likes: Mist made for some more realistic scares. Great use of light. Zombies!

Dislikes: Zombies acted nothing like zombies.

Spooky killers loom in the street

Psycho 3D

The final maze of the evening was a ‘3-D’ maze, but all I saw was a lot of colored paint forming vague but not particularly scary shapes.

There were lots of pictures of planets and galaxies. I guess that might scare a creationist.

By this point in the evening, with 11pm fast approaching and my day stretched out before me like the miles behind a marathon runner, I was pretty burned out on people shouting ‘boo’ at me. Indeed, with the exception of the girls’ inexplicable inability to remain standing in a completely motioneless hallway, the maze didn’t leave much of an impression on me.

Spooky Rating: 4/10

Likes: Good ambient music.

Dislikes: Having 3-D glasses on to make some ugly pictures leap out is not really a 3-D ‘adventure’.

In Summary

Despite my reviews of the mazes and the disappointment of all of the rides being closed whenever I went to ride them, I still had a good time at Fright Nights. The live shows (special mention to the sexy/violent vampire burlesque show I failed to get a photo of) and the general atmosphere of the whole event were a lot of fun.

The price of admission was worth the four or five hours of entertainment I got, and it would have been more than worth it had I been able to get on any of the three thrill rides open for the affair.

All told, it was a nice change from Halloweens spent at house aprties with people I’ve seen in the same costumes before.

Mist drifts up out of the storm water drain and into the streets of Movie World
I get a shave from the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
I get a shave from the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
The girls eating some fancy hot dogs for dinner
Bite with a Blogger
Jazz City Diner sign

Bite with a Blogger: Wayward Traveller

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It’s been a few weeks between bites but Bite with a Blogger is finally back!

My recent travels have meant I haven’t been in Sydney long enough or often enough to sit down with a fellow blogger, eat some delicious food, and do a little bit of chin-wagging. This one was actually done several weeks ago with the lovely Annie from Wayward Traveller. She’s just been a tad slow in getting her answers back to me >_>

I met Annie the way I seem to have met most Bite with a Blogger participants – on Twitter. But right after we had our bite to eat at Jazz City Diner, she tagged along for all of the fun of the recent Tea Gardens adventure.

But answer she did! So let’s get on with the show.

The Venue

Jazz City Diner sign
It's a bit of a hole in the wall, but Jazz City Diner is well worth a look

You may have recently read a guest post here about Sydney’s vintage scene. One of the locations Michelle suggested was the very cool Jazz City Diner.

Growing up in Australia we’re inundated with images of deliciously frosty root beer floats; decadent hamburgers served with curly fries; and steaming hot apple pie – but it’s remarkably hard to actually get these things in Australia.

You’d think a country as Westernized as Australia would have caught on to the wonder of diner food, but it just hasn’t caught on. Thankfully there are places like Jazz City Diner and Norfolk Hotel (more about this venue soon) catering to those of us who want a more ‘traditional’ American dining experience.

We arrived with rumbling stomachs and immediately faced the age old dilemma of deciding what to order. Did I want the Texas Chili Cheese Burger, the Kansas City style BBQ pork ribs, or the chicken and waffles? Should I drink an old fashioned milkshake, a frosty glass of Dr. Pepper, or a root beer float? And would I have room for a slice of banana cream pie?

First world problems of the most delicious variety.

I eventually settled on the Texas style chili cheese burger and a milkshake. Anne opted for a milkshake of her own and the chicken & waffles.

And away we go!

Annie sipping on her chocolate milkshake
The lovely Annie from Wayward Traveller sipping on a shake

The Questions

 

So, how long have you been travel blogging?

I started blogging for family while I was abroad in Sydney in 2009. And by blogging for family I mean I wrote approximately three posts in five months.

While I was living in Florence, I had nothing better to do so I would write about my daily trials and tribulations while it poured icy rain outside. One day I discovered a couple of self-hosted travel blogs and I was in awe. Then I met some of the bloggers and they encouraged me (and held my hand) as I embarked on creating my very own self-hosted blog.

I guess that answers my ‘Why did you start a travel blog’ question then…

Yeah.

Boredom. Let’s be honest.

What made you choose the Wayward Traveller name?

It just came to me. I used to say that my friend and I in Sydney were Wayward Travelers. I don’t know where it even came from, it just seemed like we were doing things different, even though looking back, we absolutely were not. A star was born.

Chili cheese burger and sweet potato fries
A decadent chili cheese burger with kick-ass sweet potato fries

Where have you been so far?

Do you want me to list each city individually? Don’t mind if I do.

I guess to be fair I first traveled internationally to Canada, a nice three hour drive across the border. I was introduced to the world outside of the U.S. and it looked shockingly similar. In Canada I’ve seen Vancouver, Whistler and Kimberley. Lots of ski trips in high school and drinking trips in college.

My third year in college I embarked on the cliched Mexican Spring Break in Puetra Vallarta. That was good fun.

Then I boarded my first (real) international flight, and freaked out to my brother about getting lost in the international wing of the Seattle Airport as I boarded a giant plane to Sydney. While here the first time around I saw most of the east coast (backpackers destinations anyway) as well as Christchurch and Queenstown in New Zealand and some of the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji.

In the States I have seen the least ten or eleven states. I have so much left to see there (and so much that is not worth seeing). We’ll have to put more quality time into it sometime in the future.

In Europe I was lucky to have a job that allowed me to travel for free. I saw some of the most famous cities as well as having the freedom to see some of what the company didn’t offer in my spare time. I’ve been to parts of Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, England, Ireland, Greece, and the Netherlands.

That’s quite a list. So where to next?

I plan on sticking around here for a while. I’ll do some small trips before planning something bigger. I have my eyes set on the Northern Territory, the West Coast, and Tassie.

Chicken and waffles
Chicken and waffles!

What has been your most memorable travel experience?

The entire five months I was in Sydney are pretty memorable (thanks to the photos, otherwise I might not remember anything!). I met some amazing friends from all over the world and we generally just lived the most care-free life possible. Sydney was the perfect setting for that life.

What’s the scariest/most exciting thing you’ve done while traveling?

I’ll have to go with the typical answer and say it was bungy-jumping. I know at this point, everyone’s done it but I wasn’t planning on it. I like to think that I’m adventurous but actually I can be a bit of a wimp. I did it because my friends told me that they had already paid and I had no choice.

Some friends huh?

It was one of the best experiences of my life, even though I still get butterflies in my stomach watching the video.

Had any travel romances? Share a story!

My life is a travel romance!

When I was in Sydney, I was busy scoping out the Aussie surfers while my friend’s roommate had his eyes on more attainable goals; me.

As fate would have it, spending every day with someone who has most of the qualities you like in a person means that you’ll inevitably get together. Nearly, three years later and here we are, we’ve traveled most of Europe and the States together and we’re back in Sydney to see if we want to stay a while.

Go Read!

Our bellies full and my lactose intolerance already grumbling at me for drinking a milkshake and eating a cheese burger, it was time to go our separate ways. Thus ends the third installment of Bite with a Blogger.

So, go read Annie’s tales over at Wayward Traveller!

 

Annie and the waitress
Annie and the waitress at Jazz City Diner

 

Jazz City Diner offers up traditional American diner fare at good prices. It is located at 238 Crown Street in Darlinghurst, just off of Oxford Street in King’s Cross.

Recommended Reads

Friday’s Recommended Reads – November 11th

 9 Comments

We’re Ba-ack!

After a two week travel enforced hiatus, the Recommended Reads are back! I do apologize for missing out on the past two weeks worth of great reads out there.

If I’ve missed something that you feel absolutely must be here, let me know!

Where have I been? I’ve been everywhere!

I still have plenty to write about from my ten day trip through Queensland including five days and nights at beautiful Tangalooma on Moreton Island; a day exploring Dreamworld; Fright Night at Movie World; and my experiences exploring Brisbane’s hippie suburb of West End.

This past weekend saw me back on my old stomping grounds for my ten year high school reunion. Beers were had, tall tales were told, and I emerged from the weekend with a lot to think about. I’ll not only discuss the event and my feelings coming out of it later, but I’ll also put together a post about the 10 Things I Learned Planning a Reunion. Stay tuned!

And now for something completely different…

For a while now I’ve toyed with the idea of doing a Recommended Reads feature that included people that I’d never highlighted before. Over the months you might have noticed that blogs such as yTravel Blog, Man on the Lam, Man vs Clock, and Nomadic Matt feature here pretty regularly.

I’ve clearly got my favorites.

But another thing I’m learning each week is that there is no shortage of talented writers out there sharing their adventures. A week doesn’t go by without me adding another 10-20 blogs to my Google Reader.

This week I’ve decided to go ahead and showcase ten blogs that haven’t featured in these pages before. Enjoy!

 

The Reads

 

Adventures in Depression by Hyperbole and a Half

Let’s face it – you’ve all read Hyperbole and a Half before. It’s hands down one of the funniest and most well written blogs out there. And while it’s not technically about travel, I do include it amongst my absolute must reads every time there is an update. The pictures alone make it worthwhile.

It’s been a few months between drinks on the blog though, and this rather more sober entry explains why.

As somebody who has battled depression for the past fifteen years of his life, I felt my heart break and then heal just a little as I read about Allie’s struggles with the black dog. A must read for anybody who has dealt with depression in their lives.

Why It’s Important to be Flexible as  Traveler by 25 Travels

I’ve spoken in the past about being flexible while traveling and have highlighted a few blogs that have done the same. Maybe I’m labouring the point, but I do love to read about people who can take it as it comes and still enjoy it.

In this post Jerick talks about how the recent flooding in Thailand threatened to ruin his holiday and the sense of perspective he gained when looking at his disappointment juxtaposed against the suffering of the Thai people. Go read!

Adventure in Angthong Marine National Park by Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler

Travel bloggers don’t come much more bodacious than the Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler. To be perfectly honest, I’d read the blog solely for the many pictures of Alexandra rocking her bikini around the world – but there’s a bit more than eye candy to the blog.

Take this post, for example. Alexandra’s picture packed review of a visit to the Ang Thong Marine National Park in Thailand gives you one of those why have I never heard of this place!? feelings. The bucket list just keeps on growing…

Travel and a Broken Heart – How They Changed My Life Forever by Latin Abroad

I’m no stranger to heartbreak on the road. Earlier this year I said my goodbyes to a girl I at times thought I’d marry someday. Much like Maria’s experience, mine was for the best – but that didn’t stop me choking up just a little as I read the blow by blow aftermath of Maria having to part ways with somebody who mattered a lot to her.

I owe a lot of who I am today to travel, but I also owe a lot to the people I’ve traveled with. Maria does a heart-wrenching job of paying tribute to the two great influences in her (and my) life.

Tech Trippin’ by GQ Trippin’

I’ve only recently had my attention drawn to this couple blogging duo and I’m glad I did. As if I didn’t need more motivation to find myself a writing partner/squeeze and turn Aussie on the Road into a couple blog…

This week the dynamic duo highlight a few of the electrical ‘must haves’ they take with them when they’re traveling. What needs to be in your pack when you set off?

The 5 Most Expensive Destinations I Have to Visit by Living the Dream

We’ve all got our lists of places we’d like to visit and places we like to tell people about. Jeremy and Annie from Living the Dream have been to quite a few places, and they take the time this week to list off five places they’d love to visit if only they could afford to.

From mysterious Bhutan to the sun-soaked tropics of the Atlantic, there’s an eclectic and daydream inspiring mix here.

Photo Essay: Yee Peng Floating Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai by Neverending Voyage

I have a more than sneaking suspicion that I’ve included Simon and Erin before, but I couldn’t see these beautiful photos and not share them with the world.

Festivals are something I have a real thirst to experience more of, and learning a little about Yee Peng has only added to that desire. Go look and be amazed.

Thoughts on a Heart-Pumping Kayak Ride in Tarlac by We Are Sole Sisters

I’ve been reading the works of the ‘Sole Sisters’ for a while now, so it’s hard to believe that I haven’t already featured this vibrant Pinay pair – Chichi and Lois.

This is a really well written description of a white water kayak ride complete with pictures and plenty of commentary. These two have an infectious love of travel and you’ll see that as you read.

Manage Your Travel Money Without Going Insane by Twenty Something Travel

I’ve taken to this whole ‘budgeting’ thing with vigor this week. Maybe because I’ve got to somehow make $150 last a full fortnight in expensive Sydney.

Or maybe because my ten days of travel only reminded me how much I detest leading an ordinary life.

Whatever the cause, Stephanie’s post about budgeting this week was a welcome read. There’s lots of common sense tips in here, but there are also a few extras that you might have missed. A definite must read if you’re on the road on a shoestring or just pinching pennies to make it happen.

Things to do on Long Plane Trips by Seriously Whimsical

I’m lucky enough to know Jennifer in real life, although I don’t get to see her nearly as much as a sane man should. A fellow writing fanatic, Jennifer’s blog tends towards more political themes than mine – but it’s all well written and packed with the kind of wit and sarcasm that I do enjoy.

This one just so happens to be travel related. I’m sure she’d appreciate you contributing a few of your own long flight entertainment tips too.

~FIN~

There you have it! Another week’s worth of awesome reads for you to enjoy! Did I miss somebody? Let me know so I can add them to my Reader and include them in future editions of the column.

And now it’s back to work for me! Fiji won’t pay for itself.

Australia, Brisbane
A mana potion and a Wii controller

Geeking Out at Mana Bar, Brisbane

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Long before I turned my eye to travel and travel blogging, my first passion was considerably less ‘cool’. Hell, even in a time where shows like Big Bang Theory are making it ok to be just a little bit geeky – I was flying the nerd flag and letting the world know that I had no intention of ever touching a woman.

Thank God that changed…

 

Before Aussie on the Road there was ‘The Known World’, a painful to look at shrine to all things nerdy. I’m loathe to share this with you lest you duct-tape me to a power pole and draw penises on my forehead in magic marker, but you can see this monument over here.

I won’t lie and say my D&Ding and video gaming are in my past. Hell, right before I headed off to Queensland I received a new D&D manual in the same mail order that brought the underwater video camera I didn’t get a chance to use.

Mana potions at Mana Bar in Brisbane
The iconic 'Mana Potion' being prepared

To Mana Bar!

When I first told my cousin David and his wife that I would be in Brisbane for a few nights as part of my Queensland Odyssey, Vanessa was quick to suggest we hit up Mana Bar together. A quick Google was all it took to convince me. Fruity cocktails, nerdy collectibles, and video games?

Be still my beating heart.

 

Mana Bar, located in Brisbane’s trendy Fortitude Valley, won my heart almost as soon as I walked through the door. Set up in a tiny shop front – the bar boasts six big screen televisions with consoles connected, a wall of nerd relics, and a cocktail menu which draws its inspiration from classic video game motifs and memes.

Our first port of call upon arrival was the amusingly named Come at me Bro, a passionfruit infused cocktail that wore a tempting $10 price tag that made it our go to drink for the evening.

Cocktails at the venue are typically priced – with the majority sitting around $14.

 

With ice cold drinks in hand we made a bee line towards the sole free console. It just so happened to be playing Mario Kart Wii, so David and I took it upon ourselves to school poor Vanessa in the fine art of power sliding, banana hurling, and Bob-omb dodging.

I’d love to give a blow by blow review of each of the cocktails we tried, but my evening (as you would expected) degenerated into something of a haze as more cocktails were consumed. A brief run-down is below:

  • Come at me Bro – Great tasting, passion-fruit based drink. Highly recommended.
  • Ocarina of Lime – Mojito. Delicious.
  • Mana Potion – One of the bar’s signature drinks. Vodka, white wine, Curacao, and apple puree make it quite sweet.
  • Cerebral Bore – We totally ordered that because it listed ‘acid’ amongst its ingredients. Inoffensive taste. Nothing to write home about.
  • Elixir of Fortitude – Apple and cinnamon based. I didn’t much like the after taste.
We also had an extra deuce of the Come at me Bro in amongst the list above, so you can probably gather that it was our favorite drink on the menu.
A mana potion and a Wii controller
Being a bit artsy and posing a cocktail glass alongside a Wii controller
It wasn’t just drinks though. We also tried our hands at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Tekken, and the very awesome (and locally made) Raskulls. This last game was a personal favorite of mine. It’s available on xBox Live Arcade and well worth a look.
Some patrons at Mana Bar playing Call of Duty
Some patrons at Mana Bar playing Call of Duty

The drinks and the games weren’t the venue’s sole selling point for me. There was a delightfully geeky crowd in attendance. I guess that can be expected when the dress code bans shorts but allows and encourages cosplay.

I know Vanessa was particularly happy about being the best looking girl in attendance. I personally enjoyed the random geekette coming up to me to compliment my glasses as part of her flirtations.

As a starting point for an evening in Fortitude Valley, Mana Bar is a pretty good option. The cost of drinks might mean it won’t make a great watering hole for an extended period of time, but high school or college Chris can think of few ways to get your pre-drink on that are better than colorful cocktails and video games.

 

Mana Bar is located at 420 Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley. It’s just a short walk from popular Brisbane night spots such as Cloudland Bar and perilously close to the very awesome New York Slice chain. Why isn’t this in New South Wales yet?