My passion for travel began when I was 16, with a long summer trip to Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Turkey, igniting an interest in the histories, cultures and spiritual traditions of Asia. I earned degrees in history and religious studies and made several more trips to India, Bhutan, Cambodia and Thailand to study the region’s Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
Since then, I’ve taught, traveled and studied extensively throughout Asia, including excursions through Tibet, Korea and Japan, but Southeast Asia, with its unique combination of natural beauty, cultural vibrance, intriguing histories and mouthwatering cuisines continues to bring me back.
While in the US, I’ve found a few ways to immerse myself in Southeast Asian cultures, including language study, visits to temples and restaurants, and the study of traditional kickboxing and culture under the guidance of a Cambodian monk.
I happily await chances to share the beauty of this region with future guests.
Q&A with David
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
Before visiting Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, I'd never had the opportunity to taste the regional specialty “Khao Soi”, which is a red coconut milk curry soup with both egg and fried noodles and varieties meat or veggie options from chicken and beef to eggs and sausage. It’s usually served with a wedge of lime and can be had in varying degrees of spice intensity (but is far more interesting as hot as you can take it). For some reason khao soi is uncommon in Thai restaurants all over the world, so is best enjoyed in Chiang Mai.
What's your most vivid travel moment?
I was alone and experienced the sunrise from within the 12th century Bayon temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Slowly reaching over the tops of the forest canopy, the sun’s rays slowly illuminated the temple’s carvings, while the rich scent of dew combined with the sounds of distant tropical birds and the chirping of bats nestled high in the temple’s ceiling. At this early hour, a cool breeze prevailed over the inevitable heat of the approaching day. Sitting on the cool hand-carved stones and taking it all in was an experience of timeless perfection. While hundreds of tourists visit the rightly infamous Angkor Wat temple nearby for sunrise each day, choosing this lesser known but no less beautiful testament to Khmer spiritual artistry ensured a deeply peaceful, contemplative and transcendent moment in perfect solitude.
Where would you love to travel next?
Though currently under a strong State Department advisory against traveling there, I hope that the tense political situation in Myanmar will subside and it will be a safer destination in the near future, as it has an amazingly rich collection of cultures, cuisines, fascinating history and amazing architecture. As Myanmar (previously Burma) played such a monumental role in the overall history of Southeast Asia, becoming more familiar with the country would bring greater depth to my knowledge and understanding of the region as a whole.