Starbucks VIA

I’ve been away for 4 weeks and I’m ready to confess.

My 2 guilty pleasures on this trip through Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok and now Bhutan, have been:

1) Streaming KUOW in Seattle (when I have wifi)
2) Starbucks VIA (from Seattle!)

There are worse things, to be sure. But I do feel a tad guilty about these fantastic things that were unavailable to me even just a couple of years ago.

Anyone who has traveled to developing countries, knows that the standard coffee available in hotel rooms is Nescafe (I shudder just typing that out). It seems that Nestle doesn’t make the very best when it comes to coffee but they sure do make the most. Packets of Nescafe have been available at nearly every hotel I’ve stayed in. Along with tea bags (sometimes Lipton), sugar and occasionally a sugar substitute.

I’m a picky coffee drinker and will most often drink tea when only bad coffee is available. Since Starbucks VIA arrived on the scene, I can have a good cuppa any time. The only trick is to ration it enough to last the whole trip!

My other guilty pleasure has been to stream KUOW (my local NPR station in Seattle) whenever I have wifi in the room. I would say this has been about half the time in Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangkok and about a fifth of the time in Bhutan. While some might think this is keeping a bit too close in touch with life at home, I find it far preferable to turning on the TV. Of course the alternative is the street noise, which can sometimes be interesting but at other times annoying (honk honk!)

Another week to go before I’m home and enjoying all that I’m grateful for there. This has been a great trip and, as always, bittersweet to think about it coming to an end.

Related links:
Rough Guides to Asia
Ahoy Hoi An (Vietnam)
Trekking in Mau Chau
Vietnam: Same Same but Different
Photo of the Day: North Vietnam

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