Greetings from Saigon!
Three months ago, I committed to a year of travel. 12 months, 12 locations. I’m finishing up #3 Vietnam, then going to #4 South Africa in December next. A few notes:
I’m quite comfortable solo-traveling long-term. It may seem hectic to some, but I’m fine with the pace
Will probably work soon (debating between CS tutoring, full-time writing, Virtual Assistant), to fund my travels
Here’s what I wanted to share:
Hoi An is my 2nd favorite city, behind Saigon. Lantern boats, yellow plastered buildings, and Cao Lau noodles — a beautiful town. On a silk production tour, I learned how brocades were made, from silkworms to looms.
Noir is a unique fine dining experience. You sit in complete darkness, no phones allowed — like a movie theater, without the movie. After blind-tasting 10-15 dishes, you guess what you ate, before one big reveal. Their sister restaurant, Blanc, is serviced entirely by deaf people, and is sign-language only.
Best Things I Read
Montaigne's Essays. The word “essay” came from Montaigne, who wrote a series of musings, from liars to books to cowardice. I recommend Of the Education of Children. Anyway, the word essay means "trial, attempt, endeavor," To write an essay is to attempt to explain a subject. As a writer, I’m writing a few. You can read my first one, On Tradition, here.
The Singularity. Early AI pioneers envisioned 4 forms of general AI. (1) Make a super smart human, eg. via rapid genetic selection (2) become a cyborg, through brain-computer interfaces. (3) Simulate the whole brain, with artificial neurons. (4) Form a cybernetic system (eg. Twitter), that’s too hard for humans to understand. Read Vernor Vinge’s original paper here.
Shantaram. A novel by Australian prison-breaker Gregory David Roberts, known as Lin. This book is fantastic — Excellent descriptions, pacing and foreshadowing. Highlights life in 1980s Bombay. Great for fiction-lovers and adventure-seekers.
Have a wonderful week!
Leo A
I’ve heard so many good things about Shantaram
See you soon Leo! Great description of Shantaram.