Published in Human Parts·Jul 17, 2019Member-onlyHow I Crowdsourced My Travel NotebookThere was nowhere to go but everywhere — The air had a rhythm to it at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. Gently buoyed by the earth beneath, I watched trails of smoke dance through the air above. …Travel12 min readTravel12 min read
Jun 5, 2019Member-onlyConservationists Are Electric Shocking Thailand’s Coral Reefs Back to LifeScientists have known for years that the coral reef systems of the world are in decline. Beautiful and delicate, while they only cover less than 1% of the sea floor, they’re home to more than a quarter of all marine life and produce half of the oxygen we breathe. Fighting…Climate Change4 min readClimate Change4 min read
Jun 4, 2019Member-onlyBabies for Sale: Inside Thailand’s Baby FactoriesSoutheast Asia’s longtime reign as an international destination has launched many niche industries aimed at attracting visitors of every kind. These range from the robust medical tourism industry, through which people travel for low-cost procedures or ones not available in their home country, to the many eco and volun-tourism programs…Health5 min readHealth5 min read
Jun 3, 2019Is Cave Diving Safe?“If someone questions the dangers of cave diving, they’re fully unprepared to meet the challenge.” In this statement, Chris Haslam, an expert RAID technical diving instructor, neatly echoed the sentiments of the diving community of southern Thailand, from where several expert cave divers traveled last year to assist with the…Travel6 min readTravel6 min read
Jun 1, 2019Member-onlyParadise Lost: Can Southeast Asia’s Beaches Cope with Overtourism?Bali, Indonesia. Boracay Island, The Philippines. Maya Bay, Thailand. One by one, these paradise destinations are being closed off to the public by government mandates — an 11th-hour effort to stop fragile ecosystems from collapsing under the pressure of years of unmanaged tourism. According to experts in South East Asia…Climate Change6 min readClimate Change6 min read
Published in Human Parts·Apr 8, 2015But What About the Clouds君勇 林 It’s the early hours of morning and I’m watching small wisps of clouds race by in the sky, somewhere in some hemisphere. A Google search reveals these are scattered cumulus clouds, and I’m oddly captivated by their velocity. …Expat4 min readExpat4 min read
Published in Human Parts·Jan 7, 2015The Emotional Complexities of Returning HomeSitting on the porch of my $140 a month bungalow (suck it, NYC rent), I passed the evening (and a bottle of whisky) waiting out yet another island-wide blackout. Bodies were strewn under the awning, us all hiding from the unrelenting onslaught of monsoon rains. I thought about this random…6 min read6 min read
Published in Human Parts·Dec 24, 2014Member-onlyHow to Live On an Island ParadiseAs the ferry slows its speed, aisles of seasick tourists slacked against their seats with faces of disheveled relief, feel a certain superiority. Feel everything. Be sure of everything. The boat docks with a thud like the last train pulling into Grand Central Station, like a vessel to your own…7 min read7 min read
