As the big global election year of 2024 winds down, it has become apparent that media literacy skills worldwide are failing. Most of the places that had their big elections blew it. Misinformation and disinformation are issues we must reckon with to salvage things. I started writing a post titled ” The anti-imperialist-imperialist” earlier this…
Author: The space cadet
The Space Cadet’s Guide to Siem Reap
Siem Reap completely surprised me! I was unsure I’d get the hype, even with Angkor Wat as its main attraction. Don’t get me wrong, Angkor Wat is stunning and a must-see, but I was worried it might be full of the type of tourists I don’t like to see, like how Bali can sometimes feel….
Should Americans upset with Trump move to Europe?
I am interrupting my travel stories to address a key issue of the week on which I have some insight. Due to Trump’s tragic victory ( in my eyes), many US Americans are looking at how to move to Europe. I have mixed opinions about it. On the one hand, I would like to see…
All aboard Battambang: Something about a bamboo train
My next stop was Battambang, located in Cambodia’s northwest corner, offering a more pleasant experience for my senses outside the capital. Its history stretches back to the 11th century during the Khmer Empire, and over time, it has been under both Thai and French control. Like the rest of Cambodia, Battambang suffered greatly during the…
It’s a holiday in Cambodia!
Since being a punk fan in my early teens, Cambodia has been on my wishlist because of the Dead Kennedy’s song ” Holiday in Cambodia’. Actually, no, not really. If you know the song, it satirically makes fun of American college kids jaded with the West and how they should go to Cambodia to experience…
Awaiting the Dragon in Ho Chi Minh City
Happy Spring, cadets! Happy Nowruz to my Kurdistan, Iran, Central Asia cadets, and elsewhere. Also, a very belated happy Lunar New Year to those other cadets. I just finished my yearly ” F off February tradition.” For those new readers, my ” F off February” is when I take my big trip of the year….
Silk Road destinations: Meeting the Tajiks for the first time in Khujand, Tajikistan
So, my take on Tajikistan has been a little chaotic. Khjuand was the first place I went to in Tajikistan. We took a Marhsutka from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which isn’t that far over the border. It’s about 3 hours nonstop from Tashkent, but this doesn’t count the passport control between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Also, if you…
Unusual capital city spotting: Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
A few years ago, I wrote about the weirdest capital city I’ve ever been to, Astana, Kazakhstan. Yeah, that one might now be Dushanbe, Tajikistan. I have to revisit Astana to compare notes. We went to Dushanbe after visiting Khujand, Tajikistan. We decided to skip the 8-10 hour marshrutka through the mountains and save that…
Happy New Year from the space cadet!
Happy New Year, y’all! Another year, the same cadet! The bad 2023 was a geopolitical mess and has shown us that media literacy, critical thinking skills, and international cooperation are needed more than ever. I posted my two cents about Israel-Palestine a couple of years ago. My points remain very firm on this. This has…
Silk Road Stops: How to visit the Seven Lakes in Tajikistan
Alright, so change of scenery. Last spring, I spent a few weeks in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, visiting some of the main Silk Road sites. I went to Central Asia for the first time in 2017 but didn’t make it to Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. Today, I’ll write about one of my favourite places: the Seven Lakes…