Comments on: Tripping Out On The Road: Drugs, Alcohol And Travel http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/ Online travel magazine dedicated to exploring travel in the 21st century. Offering travel news, compelling interviews, online travel tools, and more. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:16:30 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jonathan http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-56932 Jonathan Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:12:05 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-56932 Great article, I love the way you tackled such a bold topic. My tip is stay far away from the mushrooms at the electric bulldog in Amsterdam. Haling from Vancouver, I have taken all different types of mushrooms, but the ones from this café where like nothing I had ever seen before: long stems, very flexible and moist, it seemed as though they were cut fresh that day. My friend and I bought two bags and made a tea out of one of them, we were smart enough not to use both right away. No exaggeration, twenty minutes later the floor board was a rolling wave; 40 minutes later my travel buddy made a mad dash towards the door. I roamed the streets of Amsterdam for 2 hours before I found him sitting out front of the police station. He apparently went in there and told the police that there were lip readers on the roof and an underground organization trying to kidnap him. Luckily, the police in Amsterdam are accustomed to this kind of nonsense. They played along and told him they also had lip readers on the roof and as long as he stayed on the porch out front and didn’t bother anyone; he would be fine. The night didn’t end there, but we survived nonetheless and bordered our plane at 9 in the morning complete sketch bags. My advice is simple, even for the biggest connoisseurs, take it slow on foreign soil; you can always take more later on if necessary. Great article, I love the way you tackled such a bold topic. My tip is stay far away from the mushrooms at the electric bulldog in Amsterdam. Haling from Vancouver, I have taken all different types of mushrooms, but the ones from this café where like nothing I had ever seen before: long stems, very flexible and moist, it seemed as though they were cut fresh that day. My friend and I bought two bags and made a tea out of one of them, we were smart enough not to use both right away. No exaggeration, twenty minutes later the floor board was a rolling wave; 40 minutes later my travel buddy made a mad dash towards the door. I roamed the streets of Amsterdam for 2 hours before I found him sitting out front of the police station. He apparently went in there and told the police that there were lip readers on the roof and an underground organization trying to kidnap him. Luckily, the police in Amsterdam are accustomed to this kind of nonsense. They played along and told him they also had lip readers on the roof and as long as he stayed on the porch out front and didn’t bother anyone; he would be fine. The night didn’t end there, but we survived nonetheless and bordered our plane at 9 in the morning complete sketch bags. My advice is simple, even for the biggest connoisseurs, take it slow on foreign soil; you can always take more later on if necessary.

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]]> By: Aimee Epp http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-48977 Aimee Epp Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:53:58 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-48977 I agree with all said above, but would just like to add - be sure to at least brush up on local laws.. as said in the article - "you would be very foolish to risk lighting up in Taiwan, where laws are much more strict and pot isn’t part of the culture." Drinking is one thing, but drugs like possession of marijuana, magic mushrooms etc etc etc can have very serious repercussions in some countries, including jail time and even WORSE!! (all of us canucks have heard of our fellow country-gal who is in jail for life for a pot possession in Thailand! Yeah it was a lot of weed, but we're talking LIFE IN PRISON people!) If you like to dabble - and there's nothing wrong with that - just do your homework :D I agree with all said above, but would just like to add – be sure to at least brush up on local laws.. as said in the article –
“you would be very foolish to risk lighting up in Taiwan, where laws are much more strict and pot isn’t part of the culture.”
Drinking is one thing, but drugs like possession of marijuana, magic mushrooms etc etc etc can have very serious repercussions in some countries, including jail time and even WORSE!! (all of us canucks have heard of our fellow country-gal who is in jail for life for a pot possession in Thailand! Yeah it was a lot of weed, but we’re talking LIFE IN PRISON people!)
If you like to dabble – and there’s nothing wrong with that – just do your homework :D

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-47626 Tim Patterson Wed, 23 Jan 2008 18:28:42 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-47626 Very true, Noelle, good point. Very true, Noelle, good point.

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]]> By: Noelle http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-47603 Noelle Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:30:47 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-47603 I think you're overlooking the legal ramifications (at least when it comes to having a smoke, not so much for alcohol) - some drugs may be socially acceptable, particularly in the bohemian-expat-backpacker circles, but where's the line between accepted and legal? More importantly (because we'd all be kidding ourselves if we think "legal" is a strong enough of a barrier to stop a party), where's that grey zone of "safe enough"? I think most of us probably take a money-see monkey-do approach, following the when-in-Rome adage... but it's dangerously easy for new travelers (whether they're new at traveling, new to a certain place, or new to a drug) to get a little too relaxed watching others take an extra risk or two... I think you’re overlooking the legal ramifications (at least when it comes to having a smoke, not so much for alcohol) – some drugs may be socially acceptable, particularly in the bohemian-expat-backpacker circles, but where’s the line between accepted and legal? More importantly (because we’d all be kidding ourselves if we think “legal” is a strong enough of a barrier to stop a party), where’s that grey zone of “safe enough”?

I think most of us probably take a money-see monkey-do approach, following the when-in-Rome adage… but it’s dangerously easy for new travelers (whether they’re new at traveling, new to a certain place, or new to a drug) to get a little too relaxed watching others take an extra risk or two…

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46812 Tim Patterson Sat, 19 Jan 2008 15:59:38 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46812 I hear you Ian - I had a similar experience with a Happy Pizza in Siam Reap - wrote a story about that trip that I'll probably never publish, because it freaks me out to read it even now! I hear you Ian – I had a similar experience with a Happy Pizza in Siam Reap – wrote a story about that trip that I’ll probably never publish, because it freaks me out to read it even now!

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]]> By: Daniel Harbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46755 Daniel Harbecke Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:23:17 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46755 Ekaterina, you're welcome to share your father's wisdom on vodka. =) It would save Ian from drinking Stolichnaya next time! As for wisdom gleaned from absinthe, it's this: always work with a net. Ekaterina, you’re welcome to share your father’s wisdom on vodka. =) It would save Ian from drinking Stolichnaya next time!

As for wisdom gleaned from absinthe, it’s this: always work with a net.

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]]> By: Ian MacKenzie http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46718 Ian MacKenzie Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:15:57 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46718 I can't help but read this article and think of my afternoon "adventure" in Vang Vieng, Laos. If you've been there, you know Happy Shakes contain a variable amount of magical ingredients - variable depending on the amicable local who's mixing it up behind the beach shack counter. My friend and I polished a shake each...and proceeded to complain that they weren't strong enough to have an effect. Half an hour later it felt like I was in the Yellow Submarine music video. Fun for a bit...but this ride doesn't let you off on your own terms. Rest assured, it wasn't until the next morning that my friend and I felt back to normal. We vowed to stay away from Happy Shakes from then on... I can’t help but read this article and think of my afternoon “adventure” in Vang Vieng, Laos. If you’ve been there, you know Happy Shakes contain a variable amount of magical ingredients – variable depending on the amicable local who’s mixing it up behind the beach shack counter.

My friend and I polished a shake each…and proceeded to complain that they weren’t strong enough to have an effect. Half an hour later it felt like I was in the Yellow Submarine music video. Fun for a bit…but this ride doesn’t let you off on your own terms.

Rest assured, it wasn’t until the next morning that my friend and I felt back to normal. We vowed to stay away from Happy Shakes from then on…

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]]> By: Tim Patterson http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46664 Tim Patterson Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:18:41 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46664 Thanks for the comments everyone! There was one college kid at the campfire last night, drinking vodka. He knocked over the stew-kettle, harassed all the girls he could see and passed out hard, so that people had to stay up and make sure he would be OK. I'm sticking with wine - and the occasional J in the mountains. :) Thanks for the comments everyone!

There was one college kid at the campfire last night, drinking vodka. He knocked over the stew-kettle, harassed all the girls he could see and passed out hard, so that people had to stay up and make sure he would be OK.

I’m sticking with wine – and the occasional J in the mountains.

:)

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]]> By: Ekaterina Petrovna http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46602 Ekaterina Petrovna Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:54:17 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46602 What many people don't know while travelling is the purpose of their travel. They visit places without seeing the place. While living in Amsterdam I was witnessing the same sad picture every day: tourists come to the city mostly to have a wild night out in a coffeeshop or red light district, forgetting that there is also Van Gogh museum and the story of Anne Frank. Coming back to vodka..knowing it from the source gives knowledge. Shall we actually make an article on this site about vodka and knowledge? What many people don’t know while travelling is the purpose of their travel. They visit places without seeing the place. While living in Amsterdam I was witnessing the same sad picture every day: tourists come to the city mostly to have a wild night out in a coffeeshop or red light district, forgetting that there is also Van Gogh museum and the story of Anne Frank.
Coming back to vodka..knowing it from the source gives knowledge. Shall we actually make an article on this site about vodka and knowledge?

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]]> By: Daniel Harbecke http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/comment-page-1/#comment-46600 Daniel Harbecke Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:37:59 +0000 http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/01/18/tripping-out-on-the-road-drugs-alcohol-and-travel/#comment-46600 Hi, Ekaterina, I know YOU know what makes good vodka. What you may not know is that here in the States many people don't know there's a difference, and they should know. I didn't know, until my wife - who knows - let me know. Now everyone knows. You know? =-) Hi, Ekaterina,

I know YOU know what makes good vodka. What you may not know is that here in the States many people don’t know there’s a difference, and they should know. I didn’t know, until my wife – who knows – let me know. Now everyone knows. You know? =-)

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