Southeast Asia Travel Specialist

Chiang Mai Thailand

I stumbled into becoming an expert on Asia.

I never set out to be one, I have always been known for my knowledge of Europe, especially Italy where my father’s family comes from.

I had a client interested in visiting Myanmar, a country I had never heard of other than by it’s former name Burma, (from the TV show Seinfeld).

Never one to walk away from a challenge I started reading and researching, a love affair soon emerged. I was astonished by the beauty I saw online of the temples and stupas, they were not like anything I had seen in my travels before and I knew I would have to head East myself for a first-hand look.

My first trip to Asia started off in with three nights Bangkok Thailand to recuperate from the long flight and do some sightseeing before continuing on to Myanmar. I selected Monograms as my private tour guide and concierge.  It could not have worked out better, our guide took us to all of the main sites with VIP skip the line entry and also checked in on us daily.  Bangkok itself is a festival for your eyes. The detailing and adornments on the temples were almost surreal, absolutely stunning!

Myanmar was frozen in time, there were very few cars, people traveled about in ox carts, or, as I went further down the river, via small sampan boats. Giant golden stupas dotted the countryside.  The people lived far differently than I, but, at the very core we were the same. All it took was a smile and we could communicate.

Leaving Myanmar I headed over to Beijing to visit the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City and Summer Palace which was a world away from Southeast Asia! Although it was modern city the antiquity of the places I visited still had a big impact. Artistically it was mesmerizing.

The following year I set off to Cambodia to join Avalon Waterways Mekong River Cruise.  We began with three nights in Siem Reap exploring the amazing Temples of Angkor. Avalon's ship was fantastic only 18 cabins, all suites where the bed faces a wall open up creating an open air balcony. There were just 20 of us on the cruise, it felt like a private luxury yacht!

I have journeyed to Northern Thailand taking care of my own elephant for the day, visited the triangular boarders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar which used to be the drug smuggling capital of Asia due to the poppy plants. I’ve chatted with women in a Padaung tribe who wear brass coils around their necks, learning that they consider it a symbol of beauty not something they are forced to endure and was blessed by a Tibetan monk.

This past December India was my destination, visiting the Golden Triangle and then sailing Ganges River followed by several days in Kathmandu Nepal.

Although I sold Asia trips before my own journey began, I feel, now that I have collectively spent about four months in Asia I have such a better understanding of how things work in the East.

From my travels I know the unwritten rules as to what could get you in trouble (like stepping on a coin in Bangkok) and what you want to do to keep yourself healthy while there.

It is one thing to read about a location, actually having been there gives me tools to draw upon when recommending locations and itineraries.

I am an avid photographer and filmmaker, let me share my personal experiences in a way that will help picture yourself in the destinations you are considering.