Oh, no...

Climbing over a gate topped with spikes... not a good idea.

Starbucks Series 4... Alexandria

My Starbucks Series idea fizzled after only three videos in Korea, but was spontaneously resurrected one afternoon in Alexandria, Egypt.

This time, Andrea and I brought friends and the randomness continued...

Little Men

Whistles, stares, and catcalls... much too young.

Regrets

Sometimes it's easier to leave the baby at home...

What Not to Wear

True: Egypt is hot.

False: You should wear the least amount of clothing possible when visiting Egypt, as well as, other Middle Eastern countries.

As a general rule, it is best to cover most of your arms and legs while traveling throughout the Middle East. This is beneficial in many ways as it shows a level of respect for the culture and wards off unwanted attention. We did our best to abide by this rule, especially while off the beaten path. However, temperatures in Luxor soared to an unbelievably high degree and we sometimes rolled up our pant legs and pushed up our sleeves.

Some people, however, just didn't get the memo. Wearing these outfits in the Middle East is probably, Not a Good Idea...

Well, the hat was a good idea....

It seems as though he came with a shirt, but now it's tucked into his... swimming trunks?

Can't you just feel her sunburn?

He got it half right... at least he's wearing jeans.

Peek-a-boo

Oops!

While driving around Amman and taking in the sites, we rolled up to the US Embassy. Considering it a home away from home, a couple girls decided to take a picture. Why not? We were already photographing everything in sight. So, we pulled the truck over, rolled down the window, aimed the camera.... and came face to face with several guards shoved into an even larger truck topped with a machine gun.

"No pictures! No pictures!" they barked.

"Uh oh...."

The intimidating truck pulled a quick U-Turn and made its way over to our van ready to shoot us full of questions. Where are you from? What are you doing in Jordan? Where is your camera? We handed over the iphone, which posed no problem for the guard as he navigated his way over buttons and through files. After a few minutes, enough time to probably check his e-mail, he handed it back and reminded us that pictures were off limits.

So began the first joke of the trip.... "Are you sure we can take a picture of that?"

Not Natural... Volume 4

New animals... but still Not a Good Idea.

Not Natural... Volume 3

This is Not a Good Idea taken to the next level...

Not Natural... Volume 2

Once again, this video falls under the Not a Good Idea category. It also includes an added element of physical danger...

Not Natural... Volume 1

The first in a series of videos displaying the life of a Thai animal. It's not natural and it's definitely... Not a Good Idea.

Poor monkeys.

Elephant Trekking

Riding an elephant is not like riding a horse, a camel, or a donkey.

It's not like riding a bike, a jet ski, or a go-cart, either.

Riding an elephant is uncomfortable, unstable, and unsafe.

It's also hilarious, fascinating, and exotic.

Some might say, it's Not a Good Idea.

I say, it's worth the risk.

Meow

Tigers and monks.

Typically, the two seem incompatible—monks are calm, tigers are not. But, in Thailand, anything is possible.

Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno Forest Monastery (or, Tiger Temple) in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is a self-proclaimed animal sanctuary for a variety of free-roaming creatures including jungle fowl, peacocks, wild boar, cows, deer, buffalo, goats, and horses. In 1999, the temple received its first tiger cub after its mother was poached along the nearby Thai/Burma border. The Western Forest Complex, stretching along the border, is the largest area of protected land in Asia, and home to what is believed to be the largest tiger population in the region. However, poaching still occurs frequently and the wild tiger population will continue to dwindle without the help of conservationists.

On the downside (and something we were unaware of at the time of our visit), a British conservationist group, Care for the Wild International (CWI), claims the tiger temple is merely masquerading as a sanctuary for rescued animals when, in reality, it operates as an illegal breeding facility involved in the trafficking of tigers to Laos. Today, the CWI continues its investigation and work in moving the tigers to a safer location. In the meantime, the Tiger Temple maintains its innocence and hopes to achieve "tiger harmony."

Regardless of the temple's intent, petting and posing with live tigers is probably...

Not a Good Idea.

Tiger Canyon

The people in blue shirts are the workers/volunteers who lead you around by hand and literally watch your back.

Tiger Temple claims the cats are not drugged, but "have been regularly handled from a very early age and thus became desensitized to being touched by people." Hmm....

Each personal guide tells visitors exactly where to place their hand and instructs them to use firm pressure when touching the tigers.

The entire tiger-touching experience lasts approximately 5-8 minutes—not enough time to fully realize the ridiculousness of what you're actually doing.

The only time I flinched—when the tiger on the right whipped his head around with an open mouth. I'm still alive.

The above picture from the Tiger Temple brochure was directly under an unrelated warning box that read:

Please do not wear "bright color" (red or orange) on your visit to the Tiger Temple.

Someone isn't setting a very good example...

Seeing Spots

Pad Thai, t-shirts, elephant statues, necklaces, a live baby leopard, paintings, fans, soda, ice cream, photo albums, batteries, and wind chimes. Just a few things you might stumble upon while shopping in Thailand...

One might say (me), this is Not a Good Idea.

The Bridge Over the River Kwai

After Japanese forces seized Burma (now Myanmar) from British control in 1942, they needed a way to traffic supplies from Thailand into their new country. Shipping cargo by sea was considered too dangerous because of possible attacks by Allied submarines so construction plans for a new railway began. Originally, the proposed route through Burma into Thailand was considered too dangerous due to the hilly jungle terrain; but desperate times call for desperate measures and forced laborers began construction at the Thai end on June 22, 1942.

Nearly 180,000 Asian laborers and 60,000 Allied POWs worked in extreme and dangerous conditions. Of these, 106,000 died as a direct result of the project, including Asian, British, Dutch, Australian, American, and Canadian soldiers.

The most famous portion of the railway, Bridge 277; which was immortalized in Pierre Boulle's book, The Bridge On the River Kwai, was completed in 1943. After several attempts by Allies at destroying the bridge, US bombers finally crushed it in 1945.

Today, tourists can take a ride along the Death Railway on a small train or walk across the bridge's precarious tracks. With enough space between some planks to almost fall into the river below, I've decided it's Not A Good Idea.

View from the bridge

What do you do if you're on a bridge, you're afraid of heights, and a train comes down the tracks?

Floating Market

Where: Somewhere just outside of Bangkok, Thailand

What: Damnoen Saduak, a real floating market—not some random guy in a boat with found objects

Why: Because we were so disappointed after Gilligan took us on a 20 second tour

Hordes of tourists, a kaleidoscope of fruit, impossibly tight waterways, nerve-wrackingly flat boats, and one overly enthusiastic man with a python all coagulate into the nucleus of one of Thailand's most famous floating markets. What was once the location for an actual exchange of goods between locals has now become a source of revenue for the tourist industry as people pay a few dollars to ride along the canals, or khlongs, while trying out local foods and picking up last-minute souvenirs.

As you cruise the canal, men and women in various boats slice fresh mango before packaging it for purchase. Want to sip coconut milk?... just hail a boat over. Need some hot soup?... find the boat with a stove. How about a hat?.... there's a boat for that, too. Alongside the canal, stilts support small shops flooded with Thai souvenirs. If you're in need of a large painting, and you would like to purchase it while riding in a tiny boat, then you're in luck.

My favorite stilt-supported "shop" wasn't very fancy and didn't have much pizzazz. What it did have, though, was a man in a lawn chair and a python. Behind him was a sign that read:

Photo Big Snake

(No Dangerous)

... and so begins a series of sightings and experiences throughout my travels I call, Not A Good Idea.

The main stretch of the canal

A very small kitchen!

Notice the pot... on top of the stove... in the boat...

To make sure things are precise, he even as a scale!

My dream boat—bananas, bananas, and more bananas

This boy was washing the dishes in the canal. I decided not to get anything from a bowl after that.

A canal-side store—just float up and point to what you want!

Wave an arm if you need a hat

Looks a little uncomfortable

Do you see the snake across his lap?

Not a good idea.