Hawaii's Beautiful Big Island

I was one of a dozen westerners waiting for the Chiang Mai midnight sleeper, along with 500 uniformed school kids noisily waiting for their train. Their frantic teachers invented amusements like group charades and spelling contests, but still most of the kids wandered around looking for trouble. A dozen 13-year-olds blocked my path. Their bold leader, a chubby pony-tailed girl, demanded to know where I come from. They all giggled and elbowed each other chattering hysterically in Thai after I told them I was from Canada. A fellow passenger, a British woman said (loudly over the din), "These kids were already here when I arrived at 7:30." She looked peevishly at her wristwatch. It was 10 p.m. I had been told Thai rail is usually reliable, so this was not a good sign. I went in search of the station master who spoke just enough English to tell me the entire system was backed-up due to a landslide in the highlands up north, but, "Not to worry all trains still arriving, just a little slow." Two hours later the kids' train to Pai came and went, leaving the platform strangely silent. The midnight train arrived at 1:45 a.m. with my bunk bed ready for me. The car's air conditioning was working—too well. After an attendant gave me a second blanket, I slept soundly, lulled by the swaying of the car and the clacking rhythm of the tracks. I awoke an hour before we reached Chiang Mai. At the end of the corridor several sinks were ready for the passengers' morning ablutions. When I returned to my bunk the rail company's slogan "Service Mind" was demonstrated as an attendant worked with remarkable speed, efficiently converting my bunk bed into a comfortable seat and table. For about $20 (600 baht), I had a Second Class sleeper ticket, but the service was First Class. My berth was aboard a reasonably modern car, pulled by a clean diesel/electric engine. My rail journey had begun at Ubon in Thailand's northeast. At Ayutthuya near Bangkok I had transferred to the night train to the last stop on the Northern Line. Thailand's rail system was launched in 1890, named the Royal State Railways of Siam. The first line was the 71-kilometer span from Bangkok to Ayutthuya. Today it's called State Railways of Thailand, has over 4,000-kilometers of track, and carries 50 million people annually. Here's what you need to know. TICKETSFirst Class tickets are available on most long distance routes. These compartments are air conditioned and include private two-passenger sleeper rooms complete with wash basins (but shared bathrooms). Second Class sleepers have convertible bunks in a dorm arrangement. Privacy is maintained with curtains for each bed. Third Class tickets sometimes have upholstered seats, though on most lines, only wooden benches. There are no sleeping accommodations in Third Class, and no air conditioning, though many trains have fans. POPULAR LINESThere are four principle lines of track in Thailand. The Eastern Line connects Bangkok to Vientiane, Laos, and a second train ends at Nai Mueang near the borders of Laos and Cambodia. The Northern Line starts in Bangkok and terminates in Chiang Mai, near the border of Burma. The North-Eastern Railway ends on the Laotian border at Nong Khai. The Southern Line links Bangkok to Malaysia. This route connects many towns near some of Thailand's most popular beach resorts and terminates at the Sungai Kolok Station on the border. In the past, this train went all to the way into Kuala Lumpur. The line now runs down the Malay Peninsula's eastern shore along the Gulf of Thailand. INTERESTING ROUTESTrue train aficionados shouldn't miss The Death Railway (Thailand-Burma Railway), built by Asian and Allied prisoners of war of the occupying Japanese forces during WWII. Thousands of prisoners died from the brutal forced labor. Along the route is the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, immortalized by the eponymous 1957 film starring Alec Guinness. The Death Railway originates at Thorburi Station in Bangkok and terminates at Lang Suan, no longer reaching Burma. For luxury rail fans, the Eastern and Oriental Express runs through Thailand into Malaysia ending in Singapore. This article was written on behalf of Tucan Travel. Born in The Hague, Andrew Kolasinski arrived in Canada as a small child riding in the luggage rack of a DC-7. Since then he has felt at home anywhere. As the publisher and editor of Island Angler, Andrew spends half the year fishing for salmon and trout, and in the off-season, traveling the world looking for a story.

This article was written by Megan Eileen McDonough, Founder of Bohemian Trails. Despite being Europe's richest city, Hamburg's humble neighborhoods don't show off, but rather, showcase both old and new influences in true style. From alternative Sternschanze and lively St. Pauli to modern HafenCity, these five neighborhoods showcase the many faces of Hamburg. The next time you find yourself in the Baltic Sea Region, head straight to Hamburg and rent a bike for the best city views. SternschanzePerhaps one of Hamburg's best examples of gentrification, Sternschanze, or simply "Schanze," is Hamburg's hippest neighborhood of the moment. The graffiti-covered buildings and walls give the area a charming grungy appeal while the high-end restaurants, trendy cafes and fashion boutiques provide a stark contrast. Due to an increase in rents, many families and couples have flocked to the area but it's still a cultural playground for all residents. HafenCityEven from a distance, HafenCity looks completely different than anywhere else in Hamburg. This brown development project, when completed, will affect a total of ten neighborhoods of different sizes. In a nutshell, the entire area is undergoing a serious revamp, with hotels, offices, shops, buildings and residential spaces replacing old port warehouses. From an architectural standpoint, it's impressive to say the least and easy to get around by bike. St. PauliSt. Pauli might be better known as Hamburg's "red-light district," but there's also a bit of Beatles' history here. The Reeperbahn is the main street and serves as an unofficial divider between day and night attractions. On one side there are galleries and on the other, a slew of nightclubs. Things generally pick up around 11pm and it can get rather crowded, so keep an eye out for traffic. Swing by INDRA, the music venue where the Beatles first performed. KarolinenviertelAlthough technically the northern part of St. Pauli, Karolinenviertel has a distinct look and feel that deserves just as much attention. Park your bike near Marktstraße and and wander in and out of the shops. This area has experienced quite a bit of gentrification as well yet there are still remnants of what it looked liked years before. Fashionistas should head to Maison Suneve and those on the hunt for home goods with a twist will appreciate Lockengeloet. AltonaAn independent city until 1937, Altona is now part of Hamburg and an emerging one at that. The Altona Museum gives a great crash course into the area while Ottensen is the main street for shopping as well as bars, cafes and restaurants. Since Altona is more west than the other neighborhoods on this list, biking is a quick and easy way to experience everything from the architecture to the bohemian atmosphere and multicultural flair. 

This article was written by Sia Ling Xin, who travels and writes about it for Asiarooms.com, a blog and online community focused on travelling in Asia. You can also find her on Twitter. Thailand is famous for many things: her street food, shopping, and sunny islands among others. What many do not realise is the Land of Smiles also has mouth-watering desserts up for offer. Fresh back home from a trip to Thailand, I find myself plagued by insatiable sweet-tooth cravings night after night. I would gladly return to Thailand simply to feast on the wide array of sweet treats available there. If you are lucky enough to be heading there soon, here are five delicious desserts you have to try. Tub Tim Grob (Red Ruby)Crunchy bits of water chestnut, coated with gelatinous tapioca flour and dyed red, resembles the namesake of this dessert. Those sweet, vividly coloured ruby balls are served in a drink of cold coconut milk. The result is a velvety broth and delightfully chewy morsels with every slurp. This dessert feels impossibly decadent and refreshing at the same time. It can be found at most restaurants or food courts. Foi Thong (Golden Egg Yolk String)Egg yolk and sugar are forced into a thin, stringy form, and rapidly boiled in syrup flavoured with rose water or jasmine flower essence. A mix of chicken and duck eggs may be used. It is recognised for its impossibly bright orange-yellow colour, and is commonly served at weddings or other important occasions for luck. The thin strands of yolk, infused with the fragrance of the rose water, tastes striking yet delicate. This classy, intricate item can be found in most restaurants. If you are visiting street food markets, you may even spot a skilled Foi Thong lady making it fresh. Some grocery or convenient stores may stock it in the chilled section. Khao Niaow Ma Muang (Mango sticky rice)Mangoes are aplenty in Thailand, and those travelling to Thailand should be glad, for you are bound to fall in love with this sweet tropical fruit with its silky smooth flesh. Mango sticky rice sees a whole mango fruit, skinned and pitted, cut into bite-sized portions, and served atop chewy glutinous rice. Rice kripsies, peanuts or other crunchy toppings, alongside coconut milk, may be poured over the dessert. The magic that pulls it all together is the impossible sweetness of the normally tart mango—it's impossible to replicate the ripeness and taste of the Thai mango. This dessert can be pretty filling, and is worth saving some stomach space for. Mango sticky rice is the quintessential Thai dessert, and can be found anywhere from street food carts to high-end restaurants. Thai pancakeAnyone who has pounded the streets of Thailand would have passed by a pancake stall. A dozen of them can easily be found along any single tourist street. Crispy, greasy, and highly addictive, this pancake tastes like a cross between a sweet biscuit and a fire-baked uber-thin pizza. The pancake seller usually prepares little lumps of dough, which she will toss and stretch and throw onto a hot grill with sizzling margarine. On its own, it's quite savoury. You can opt for a variety of toppings, from condensed milk to Nutella to tuna. They all taste delicious! Coconut ice creamNot easy to find despite being so popular, so if you stumble upon a vendor who sells coconut ice-cream, go ahead and treat yourself to a cone. The Thais love their coconuts, and nothing is quite as refreshing on a sweltering day in the tropics as this dessert. It is creamy, mild, and tastes so light you may associate it more with sorbet than ice cream. Sometimes served on a hollowed out shell of a young coconut, it may come topped with nuts or sweet corn. This simple, homely ice cream puts complicated, new-fangled flavours to shame. The best thing is, it tastes as good as it looks.