Why do dairy products have a limited geographic range in Asian cuisine? [more inside]
posted by Yiggs on Dec 17, 2009 - 22 answers

I jumped on a super cheap ticket on Air China to Kuala Lumpur next Spring. It'll be my first time in Asia and I have about 10 days. Should I stick to Malaysia & Singapore or is it worth it looking at other locations I can fly to from the airport? [more inside]
posted by gov_moonbeam on Dec 7, 2009 - 9 answers

How blown-up out-of-proportion is the swine flu scare relative to other life-threatening infections/diseases? Is it alarming enough that I need a swine flu shot if I'm going to SE Asia in DEC09/JAN10? [more inside]
posted by gttommy on Dec 7, 2009 - 29 answers

Buying a ticket to Bangkok—is there a dependable online ticket-searching service that is all about getting the truly cheapest fare? Skinflint-In-Coach.com? [more inside]
posted by blueberry on Nov 27, 2009 - 20 answers

Does anyone know a good source for the size of the informal sector by country in Asia and Latin America? [more inside]
posted by andoatnp on Sep 16, 2009 - 1 answer

I've found myself in SE Asia (KL, Malaysia) with a 4-day weekend (because of Raya) and nothing to do. I'm thinking I probably should travel somewhere, but really not sure where. Where is a good place for a solo traveler to go in the area (the area being anywhere in the eastern hemisphere I can get in a reasonable amount of time)? Cheap is good, but not essential.
posted by cosmonaught on Sep 16, 2009 - 8 answers

Safety and budget -wise, should I buy a heavily discounted ticket now to SE Asia in January 2010? More details inside... [more inside]
posted by gttommy on Aug 19, 2009 - 5 answers

Advice on bringing a small quantity of legally prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate) and other prescriptions for personal use into Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, and the Philippines? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 12, 2009 - 7 answers

We're moving to South Korea! We've never been to Asia! Tell us what to expect! More inside! (!!) [more inside]
posted by GilloD on Jul 7, 2009 - 14 answers

Non-U.S. residents: Aside from language issues, what issues can U.S. web designers keep in mind to make their sites ideally usable for you? [more inside]
posted by kalapierson on Jun 23, 2009 - 15 answers

I'm trying to find a book about Islam and intellectualism. I can remember the cover, and the content - but not the title or the author. Gah! [more inside]
posted by divabat on Apr 26, 2009 - 11 answers

Suggestions for traveling cheaply, and (mostly) comfortably *within* Asia? [more inside]
posted by dubitable on Feb 25, 2009 - 14 answers

Anybody have recommendations for good historical fiction/nonfiction books set in China or Southeast Asia? [more inside]
posted by ebeeb on Feb 19, 2009 - 20 answers

South-East-Asia-Fly-Fishing-Filter: Any recommendations for beach resorts in South East Asia that offer guided saltwater fly fishing? [more inside]
posted by roofus on Feb 16, 2009 - 1 answer

What are some of the best Non-Western Pencil & Paper RPGs? I'm interested in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese games, but I'm especially interested in games that originated in India, Africa or the Middle East, if there are any, and ones that have unique settings (ie, not warmed-over D&D/Tolkien).
posted by empath on Feb 5, 2009 - 8 answers

So I'm going to be going over to SE Asia for the first time in a couple weeks and I'd love some advice on where to go and what to do... [more inside]
posted by saul wright on Dec 15, 2008 - 11 answers

CareerFilter: I will be finishing my BS in Computer Science in 2-3 years. What industries will likely offer the best earnings potential and interesting work to a software engineer, and how do I improve my attractiveness as a potential hire to those industries? [more inside]
posted by [user was fined for this post] on Nov 24, 2008 - 6 answers

What do I do with an intern? he shows up next week. [more inside]
posted by priorpark17 on Nov 6, 2008 - 16 answers

Where would I have the most fun for one week -- Cambodia? Viet Nam? Or Laos? [more inside]
posted by bardic on Nov 5, 2008 - 12 answers

What are the must-have objects for a year-long trip in the World's south-east (India, Asia, Australia). [more inside]
posted by XiBe on Sep 18, 2008 - 26 answers

A friend of mine has just returned from Mongolia and was describing roving mad-max style gangs of men using Nazi symbols, with apparently limited understanding of their meaning in the west. Where can I read more about Mongolian Nazis? Is this really prevalent? How did they come to hear about Nazis in the first place? Do they get along with western neo-nazis (despite being ethnically Mongolian)? [more inside]
posted by phrontist on Aug 16, 2008 - 19 answers

Does anyone have suggestions for me regarding my 14 day trip to Vietnam? I am in my late 20s, I am traveling alone, and I have never traveled in a foreign country before. I am flying into Ho Chi Minh City and would like to explore as much of Vietnam as possible. I was considering traveling by train and heading north. How easy/difficult is it to navigate the train system in Vietnam? Please, any suggestions, destinations, tips, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
posted by misterL on Jul 13, 2008 - 13 answers

I'm looking for historical travel journals and books in the public domain. Specifically I'm interested in anything related to Victorian era exploration of the middle east and central Asia. [more inside]
posted by thewalrus on Jul 7, 2008 - 13 answers

My little brother will in a few months embark in a year-long trip around Asia (India, Vietnam, Thailand...), towards Australia as final destination. He asks me to set up a blog for him - easy does it, I'm a WordPress translator. But what about media? And in general, what should I not forgot to make sure we get the best from his experience while not making it hard for him to communicate? [more inside]
posted by XiBe on May 21, 2008 - 10 answers

Reading yesterday’s Tales of the City post, I got to wondering: are there any books set in Southeast Asian locations that “sell” their settings the way Tales of the City does for San Francisco, or The Number One Ladies Detective Agency does for Botswana? [more inside]
posted by micketymoc on May 4, 2008 - 7 answers

Help me pack for Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam for 2.5 weeks! [more inside]
posted by Black_Umbrella on Apr 9, 2008 - 8 answers

Help me to figure out a budget for some fairly extravagant backpacking travel. [more inside]
posted by Planet F on Apr 6, 2008 - 8 answers

I want to make easy and tasty international recipes [more inside]
posted by reenum on Mar 31, 2008 - 14 answers

Which country, and preferably area, in Southeast Asia is best to get tailored clothing? As in, "Here is a picture from a movie. Please make the suit therein and charge me a very low price." [more inside]
posted by jne1813 on Feb 11, 2008 - 7 answers

Vegetarian seeks advice for traveling in Korea and China. [more inside]
posted by bassjump on Jan 29, 2008 - 22 answers

I wish to travel the world, learning about renewable energy. Discuss. [more inside]
posted by laughinglikemad on Dec 11, 2007 - 13 answers

Which European artists and writers visited Asia between 1900 and 1950? [more inside]
posted by arcadia on Dec 7, 2007 - 6 answers

Our office is setting up a satellite office in Hong Kong. We've always had trouble sending our large 5GB files to Asia. But our office in HK with have a 100Mb internet connection. We have a DS3 in San Francisco. We'll be using a proprietary third-party app to do the heavy lifting. Realistically, what does the hive-mind think we will experience in transfer speeds?
posted by roderashe on Dec 4, 2007 - 6 answers

BackpackingFilter: What items are must-takes for South East Asia (or generally)? [more inside]
posted by UbuRoivas on Nov 28, 2007 - 40 answers

I'm planning 3 weeks this summer to travel with some friends (just out of college) to East Asia. Ideally, we'd like to fly from NY to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok (in the cheapest possible order/arrangement). Any suggestions on attractions/lodgings/things-you-have-to-see at each destination (for the budget-conscious?) Spending approximately 4-5 days at each destination, hopefully spending a little time in the city and a little time exploring outside (i.e. I heard the beaches in Puket, near Bangkok, are very beautiful, so thats definitely planned).
posted by superwillis on Nov 28, 2007 - 9 answers

Traveling in Asia in January. What are some good places to go for a week? [more inside]
posted by rsk on Nov 12, 2007 - 7 answers

I'm looking for gifted children or 'child prodigies' in Asia that I could possibly get in touch with and interview but it's proving to be a little tough locating these whiz kids. Anybody got any leads?
posted by mordecai on Nov 5, 2007 - 10 answers

I'd like to read some blogs and websites in Japanese. [more inside]
posted by dead_ on Oct 23, 2007 - 3 answers

Do cruise prices fluctuate in the crazy fashion that airline tickets do? Or do they just get more expensive as it gets closer to the departure date? [more inside]
posted by Jimmie on Oct 9, 2007 - 9 answers

Can anyone recommend any martial arts learning opportunities (camps, workshops, lessons, etc) in Asia that an 18 year old would enjoy? My nephew in the US is a karate brown belt and he would like to travel to Asia when he graduates from high school this year. I am trying to help him find some interesting travel opportunities which relate to karate. He loves karate and has been searching for something to do in Japan or India for Summer 2008 but we haven't found anything yet. Thanks for any tips.
posted by RoadTripPlanner on Sep 25, 2007 - 6 answers

Can anyone explain the apparent internet traffic problems my client's customers are seeing in Asia? [more inside]
posted by mragreeable on Sep 11, 2007 - 3 answers

I would like to ship a gift from North America to Southeast Asia. Shipping costs from Amazon are very high - >= the cost of the item (a hardcover book). Would it be best to ship from Amazon, buy it locally and ship from here, or find an online retailer in Southeast Asia that stocks the item I'm looking for (would need suggestions here as well!)? I need 3-4 weeks shipping time max. Also, would I generally need to worry about customs if I ship this as a gift?
posted by mebibyte on Sep 3, 2007 - 9 answers

Make me want to go to Asia. [more inside]
posted by djstig on Sep 3, 2007 - 22 answers

Cheap flights between Ho Chi Minh and Hong Kong, one-way only. Leaving around September 16th. Any recommendations? So far the cheapest found is £199 ($407) from expedia. Are there any other cheaper airlines?
posted by oh_do_shutup on Jul 28, 2007 - 8 answers

How can I access/acquire more funds for my upcoming trip to Asia? [more inside]
posted by ageispolis on Jul 5, 2007 - 5 answers

Hello All! I'm under the impression that computer hardware is quite cheap in Asia compared to here in Australia. My question is: are there any good online retailers, who are based online, based in Asia, willing to ship to Australia and accepts Paypal? Good prices a must! Thanks everyone.
posted by Jimmeh on Jun 23, 2007 - 6 answers

It looks like I'll be spending 1 or 2 weeks in Manila next month, and I've got lots of questions. [more inside]
posted by buildmyworld on Apr 15, 2007 - 8 answers

What are the must-read books on international relations? [more inside]
posted by dead_ on Apr 11, 2007 - 11 answers

I would like to visit Thailand, Cambodia, Bali, and Singapore during a month I have off this summer. Can anyone recommend an efficient, possibly inexpensive way to get to all the places inbetween here? [more inside]
posted by skepticallypleased on Mar 27, 2007 - 19 answers

What country should I visit in Asia? My brother is currently teaching English in South Korea, so I'm going to fly there and spend a few days, and then he is able to take 5 days off. [more inside]
posted by hazyspring on Mar 11, 2007 - 22 answers