Small tour operators in off-the-beaten-track locations like rural Laos and Cambodia are perhaps benefitting most from technology. Many of these areas now have robust 3G mobile service, allowing them to reach out directly to potential customers, interact with them and win business they normally never would have been able to acquire without the help of a connected international agent.

The Anantara Golden Triangle’s Director of Elephants, John Roberts, who has spent a good deal of his career working in remote regions of Nepal and Thailand, believes there’s a huge opportunity to be had here, “Empowerment of smaller operators as they become computer literate and more used to checking their email via 3G mobile signal will mean that small operators can take bookings and answer queries from mobile phones.”

You don’t have to be operating out of a small village to reap the potential power of technology to grow your business either explains Jason Williams, founder of bike touring company Grasshopper Adventures. “The ride of the internet has been only a positive for us. There’s no way I feel we could have gotten to the position we are now without the internet and sites like Trip Advisor.” “In the past small companies getting started still had to have a network of agents to sell their trips and market through traditional PR and advertising. Now, if you can build a good website that’s found by the search engines and get some good reviews on Trip Advisor the business can easily take off,” he enthuses. “We went from 30 pax per month before Trip Advisor, to nearly 300 pax per month today. I guess as people are booking their holidays more themselves rather than through an agent that they want more information upfront so that they can check on these details.”

Walk though your city and chances are traditional travel agencies have closed, downsized or gone online, their employees now working from home. While the plethora of online travel information, ability to book hotels and air tickets online will no doubt empower many travelers to strike-out and do it themselves, many industry experts see a trend shifting back to creative travel planners who bring high value to the table.
“The rise of information online allows travelers to find experts who have a niche and do it well and to travel with these tour companies rather than joining with more generalist companies,” says Williams.

Roberts also shares this sentiment, “There will still be a place for imaginative agents who can deliver true insider knowledge. Clever social networking will be key to explaining the difference without spoiling the surprise or killing the feeling. Less imaginative and guest-centric agents may find their place squeezed.”

Few travel planners have done a better job of remaining relevant than New York City-based Absolute Travel. Founder Ken Fish says it’s all about communicating value, “The challenge has been in the market, how we reach our customer, how they interact with us, how we provide them with information and what information they come to us with and how we manage that.” “We have to be able to close a trip, plan and use our expertise. What we do is very much an upfront proposition and we have to help clients understand why it [a trip] costs what it does.”

Fish goes on to explain how the value in certain industries is obvious and what he and his team do to help their clients understand the value proposition they bring to the table. “You have to build up your trust with your clients, there are people who want your expertise and trust your expertise. Here’s an example: someone goes to a very expensive restaurant, they don’t walk in and ask why it’s so much. It’s because it’s an experience. You go to a tailor and buy a fine suit; no one asks why the suit costs $3,000US. In our industry we really have to prove our expertise over and over and sometimes people don’t bother thinking about the expertise in the value, you have to emphasis what you’re offering: experience in planning, execution, a vast network of contacts and we provide unique experiences they can’t do themselves. We’re also on the ground to handle any situation that may arise during the trip itself. Any number of 150 things we deal with on a daily basis, they’re [clients] not prepared to handle those things.”

It’s not just a business’s ability to get online, answer emails and be creative that will ensure success in today’s market. Tim Russell, an Englishman whose Come and Go Travel based in Vietnam, has enjoyed a good deal of success over the last few years due to being online. “As more hotels in the region go online and it becomes easier to book transport tickets or research train/bus timetables online, more people will travel to the region independently. Luxury tour operators, or tour operators who make it easy to book online, will survive, many others won’t.”

But there’s more to the success equation says Russell, “I also think that online one-stop shops, or switched-on tour operators, will become increasingly popular, given the huge diversity of hotel & flight booking sites and the often disparities in rates. It gets tiring trawling through dozens of booking sites & aggregators.”

It’s this abundance of information, confusion with prices, schedules, hidden policies, extra charges and the sheer time of putting a winning trip together that makes informed travel agents appealing to some savvy travelers. Leslie Overton, Senior Travel Planner at Absolute Travel, feels the internet only goes so far. “Technology has opened up airline and hotel bookings to anyone, plus provided reviews of these services, so seemingly you can do away with a trip planner of any kind. But I think we all now know that Trip Advisor reviews can be bought, and what shows on a hotel website is not necessarily what you will find when you arrive at a destination. I think that for a while the trend went towards doing everything online, but now the trend is swinging back to using a travel planner. Booking a hotel in Paris might be one thing, but planning a two-week trip when that is all your vacation time for the whole year, to a destination that is not familiar to your immediate contacts is another thing entirely.”

Come and Go owner Tim Russell is one such person, “Mobile technology is the big one and Foursquare is the best example of this, being able to switch your phone on and see what places of interest or what deals are available near you.” “As the technology becomes smarter, recommendations will become personalized. For example, on a Saturday night at 10pm I’ll automatically get recommendations on nearby bars showing English Premiership football.”

Bangkok-based travel writer and serial blogger Greg Jorgensen also sees huge value and power in such technologies. “The ability to crowd-source data and information will be very powerful. You can browse the pictures of other travelers to find the best vantage point. Real-time check-in and applications like Foursquare will build insta-communities among the people in a particular place at a particular time.” “The world has shrunk, and it will continue to shrink in the coming years. Detailed information on travel methods, real-time mapping and video chat, augmented reality apps, and the ability to search, review, ask, and book hotels, cars, tours, and trips will make it much easier for people to head somewhere on a moment’s notice.”

While technology makes much possible, Absolute Travel Founder, Ken Fish, feels it’s important to remember to live in the moment and enjoy where you are, “My instinct is to go with the opposite; travel is not virtual. At a certain point you just have to get out and do and that’s what it’s all about.” “For example, people go on safari, they see the lions preying on some other animal in the bush, they take pictures but they’re not going to have that moment, where they’re just gazing in the bush appreciating where they are.”

Travel photography is another area where technology is quickly changing how business is done according to photographer Lester Ledesma. “When covering events, I usually have my smart-phone tuned to a few choice twitter accounts, so I can quickly know if there’s something interesting happening in another part of the location. And I can check Instagram posts to see photos taken from different viewpoints of the same place, taken just seconds ago, that way I’ll have an idea where the best views are.”

Others, like Earth Cubed founder Greg Michaels, see technological positives for travelers of all sorts and standard travel gear changing quickly. “Having a lightweight digital tablet with internet connectivity will soon become an essential travel item. They will become much lighter than today’s iPad and will fold into a pocket. You won’t travel with guidebooks and all the choices you make with guidebooks will be made with the tablet.”

Despite access to travel information increasing quickly, Michaels sees advantages for seasoned explorers too. “All of these technological changes will make travel much easier and attractive to fair-weather travelers. So, as always in this kind of case, there will be a tendency by independent-minded travelers to reach out for other ways to get away from the masses. This ability to get off the beaten path is what I’m personally more interested in. Technology will enable this type of travel too, but it’s less clear how it will manifest itself. In any case it will likely be exciting!”

While he makes his living selling fully-hosted travel experiences around the globe for upper-market teens, Westcoast Connection founder, Mitchell Learner, finds technology an indispensible part of the travel process. “The ability to sit down in front of a computer and complete all pre-trip research; from understanding more about a town or city, to reading honest reviews from other travelers about a hostel, hotel or outfitting company, to, with the click of a button, selecting the date and time you wish, to 20 hours later being around the world, technology has certainly increased the ease with which people travel.”

The Anantara Golden Triangle’s John Roberts on the other hand, sees guides having a tough time adapting to technology and competing, “Tour guides will have a tougher time as technologies develop that allow mobile devices coupled with GPS, to give and interpretive history of buildings and areas merely by being pointed in the right direction and using the right application.” “As communications improve perhaps instant translation of languages will also play a major role.”

An interesting aspect of technology’s reach is its ability not only to inform but help educate potential travelers about areas they’ve never previously considered going explains Charlie Scott, owner of Toronto-based travel company Trufflepig. “I think and hope it will make it more clear to North Americans what SE Asia looks and sounds like. More frequent use of video and peer-to-peer information sharing will help to tell the actual story of Asia. As it is, I think many North Americans just don’t know what to expect.”

We usually think of technology benefitting western travelers but Absolute Travel’s Leslie Overton makes an interesting observation about it often affecting locals before visitors. “One interesting thing about technology and developing nations is that it always leap-frogs over the developed nations. There was a time in Nepal when you would be in mountain villages and there was no phone service or any means of communication, and then a few years later you would be walking around that same village and everyone would have a cell phone. I was in Lhasa in 1996 and there were very, very few cell phones in New York City at the time, but in Lhasa every other person was on their cell phone talking! Technology can move the have-nots beyond the haves very quickly.”

Betty Chan
One of Asia’s leading hotel sales persons, Chan has made a career of leading the way in luxury hotel experiences. She’s worked mostly with the Four Seasons group, logging time with them in Hong Kong, Shanghai and is now the Director of Sales with Four Seasons Resorts Thailand, which includes the Four Seasons Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Bangkok and Tented Camp at Golden Triangle.

Aaron Frankel
It all started when Aaron, a longtime Bangkok resident, frustrated cartoonist, and soon-to-be-laid-off advertising creative guy, decided to have a bit of fun producing a hand-drawn cartoon-infested map back in 1996 which became known as Groovy Map. Since then things have grown considerably with Groovy titles spanning Asia and a successful series of road maps for Thailand which keep him writing and drawing long into the night.

Ken Fish
As the president and owner of Absolute Travel, it’s Ken’s personal and professional goal to make clients’ most fantastic travel dreams a reality. He’s a highly regarded spokesperson for the travel industry and is regularly featured in trade and consumer publications. In addition to steering the direction of the company, he travels extensively and has taken nearly 100 overseas trips since 1983. He calls New York City home where he lives with his wife and two children.

Mason Florence
New York-born tourism expert Mason Florence relocated to Thailand in 2002 from Japan, where he worked as a correspondent for The Japan Times newspaper and wrote travel guides for Lonely Planet. He currently publishes Bangkok 101 magazine and the Bangkok Art Map (BAM!). He also serves as Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordination Office, which aims to promote six countries along the Mekong River as a single travel destination. There are few people better connected to travel in SE Asia than Mason.

Greg Jorgensen
Greg hails from a wee town in Canada that’s hard to pronounce and even harder to remember. After coming to Bangkok on a vacation in 2001, he somehow forgot to leave, and has been there ever since. In the ensuing years he’s worked as a teacher, corporate trainer, tour guide, stand-up comedian and peon in the film industry. He regularly contributes pieces about travel to in-flight magazines like Fah Thai, writes for CNNGo.com and maintains a much-followed blog, Greg to Differ.

Lester Ledesma
Travel photojournalist Lester Ledesma has written and photographed Southeast Asia for over ten years, his work appearing in countless international books and magazines. A native of the Philippines, he shoots the region with the familiarity of home, and connects with his subjects on a deeply personal level. He is a two-time winner of the coveted PATA Gold Award for Photography and also the 2006 ATTA Silver Medalist and the 2002 ASEANTA Awardee for Excellence in Travel Photography.

David Lees
An Englishman, David spent most of his professional life selecting the furniture and designing interiors for leading hotels throughout Asia. When it came time for retirement, home became a business as he and his wife converted their gorgeous property, originally built in 1942, into a boutique hotel. Ariyasom Villa has quickly become one of Bangkok’s most popular and praised properties. You can find David most days, elbow-deep in flour, baking in their kitchen.

Mitchell Lerner
A native of Toronto, Mitchell has been the Principal Company Director of Westcoast Connection since 1994. As a leader in experiential student travel with a purpose, he develops community service programs for their trips around the world, heads-up trip development, trains their ground team and is constantly in pursuit of the next big thing.

Greg Michaels
Greg is one of the today’s great explorers. The founder of travel company Earth Cubed, he’s been featured in Outside Magazine for his passion of seeking remote points called ‘confluences’. A former employee of NASA, he speaks Mandarin, Russian, has lived in China, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, Germany, has worked for Imaginative Traveller and is a big fan of technology.

Leslie Overton
As Absolute Travel’s General Manager, Leslie works, breathes and lives her passion each and every day. From their offices in New York City, she not only manages a dynamic team but has been recognized for her work, being named Conde Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialist in Family Travel: Asia, for the last 4 years. She’s also a go-to person for Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Forbes, Market News International, MSNBC Today Travel, and The New York Times when they want the inside scoop on travel.

Trevor Ranges
Raised in Hawaii, mostly on waves, Trevor originally headed to the Far East to teach high-level university entrance exam techniques with the Princeton Review. He then pursued writing seriously, contributing for many years to the Fodor’s Thailand and Laos guidebooks. His love for travel saw him work on the third edition of the National Geographic Traveler Thailand book and head-up the first edition of their Cambodia guidebook. He’s currently working on Cambodia’s first all-digital, interactive guide for mobile devices.

John Roberts
After attaining a Materials Science and Engineering Degree at Bath University in the UK, John decided he needed some real excitement and set out across the world. Working mostly in the outdoors he’s lived and worked in the US state of Texas, northern Australia, with tigers and elephants in Nepal and is now the Director of Elephants for the Anantara Resort in Thailand’s Golden Triangle. You can follow his musings on his official blog Elephant Tails.

Tim Russell
Originally from England, Tim has always had the travel bug. He’s worked all over the globe in a myriad of industries. He was France’s first-ever English postman, worked with JAC Travel – one of the UK’s leading inbound tour operators, spent time with an IT firm, 4-star hotel, and is now the founder and creative brains behind Come & Go Vietnam’s products, marketing and web presence. A passionate advocate of tourism in Vietnam, he also serves on the Vietnam Business Forum’s Tourism Working Group.

Alexis Suriname
Born an expat, Alexis grew up and lived mostly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He originally found his way to Cambodia with Pharmacists Without Borders, then went to Burma with Doctors of the World. His first foray in the tourism industry was Elsewhere, a hip poolside lounge which he launched in Phnom Penh in 2004. Since then he’s gone on to open a series of charming boutique hotels, the Pavilion, Kabiki, Blue Lime, 240, the Plantation and a wine bar, the Chinese House.

Jason Williams
The founder of bicycle tour company Grasshopper Adventures, Jason has a long association with cycling, having fallen off his first bike at age four. It wasn’t until after university he finally managed to leave his homeland of Australia to explore the world on two wheels. He’s since ridden tens of thousands of kilometers, mostly in Asia, the place he now calls home.

The author in Hawaii

Following is a paper I produced in Fall 2011 about how technology is shaping the travel industry. It was published in 10 parts in Travel Daily Asia. I’ll add a new part or two each week. Enjoy!:

Welcome to The Digitization of Travel, a special report on the future of the industry. Over the coming pages we’ll explore what’s possibly in story in the coming decade in travel, specifically focusing on the role technology has and will continue to have on our business.

I’m Scott Coates, co-founder of Smiling Albino, an innovative travel company based in Bangkok, providing highly-customized travel experiences in Southeast Asia and Nepal. While on sabbatical, studying at the East West Center in Honolulu, HI, taking part in their Asia Pacific Leadership Program, I had the opportunity to reflect on my industry and began marveling at how technology has radically changed our business over the last decade. Then I began to ponder where the coming decade may take us?

I emailed a contact that’s in the map business about how traditional paper maps are losing their place when traveling and gleaned his expert thoughts on how people would use maps while traveling in the future. This led me to get in touch with a guidebook writer who is working on a new digital/mobile guide for Cambodia, and glean his thoughts about the roll electronic guides will play in the coming years. You get the picture, I fired-off emails to industry leaders and experts in various areas of the travel business, asked their thoughts on where the industry is heading and the pages ahead are the result of interviews with 15 highly unique and talented individuals. From world-class travel planners to guidebook writers, bloggers, hotel owners, explorers and guides, the gambit’s been covered.

While no one can predict the future, I hope you’ll enjoy the pages ahead, learn a bit, perhaps confirm some suspicions you’ve had, disagree with some points and share this others. This report would not be possible without the generous time that so many gave, sharing their opinions, expertise and insight. Thank you very much!

Here’s toasting to a fun, lucrative, always exciting and ever-changing future for all of us that work in one of the world’s most exciting and satisfying businesses.
Happy Trails…

Scott Coates

My friend Aaron Frankel is the owner and Groovy Map, a company that specializes in fun travel guide maps of regional destinations and needed someone to update their Laos edition. As a freelance writer that dabbles in photography I jumped at the opportunity, did some research, talked with friends living/working in the country for tips to include and jumped a flight to the capital Vientiane.

‘Sleepy’ is a word I continually saw in print while preparing for my trip, describing not just the entire county but also its capital Vientiane and it’s a very accurate choice. This indeed is a slower, sleepier place than its two major neighbors Thailand and Vietnam. Life is slower and the numbers of people occupying the streets is much less as Laos has a small population of just 6.5 million. Thais are famous and their smiles and friendly nature and I was immediately struck at how smiley and friendly Laotians also are which was a treat.

Strolling Vientiane’s streets was a pleasure with little traffic and what was there moved slowly. Bikes are abundant and the lack of high-speed motor vehicles made it safe and comfortable to take pictures along the sides of streets. The subject matter for pictures is very rich in the capital and easy to get to on push bike. Just a couple kilometers out of town I photographed people at a forest sauna, then rode a short distance and was shooting colonial buildings then traditional temples. Abundance was all within a pedal.

A short flight and Luang Prabang was at my feet. This incredibly charming UNESCO World Heritage Site is a photographer’s dream. Monks stroll the streets, old colonial buildings (or ones that are built to look that way) line the lanes and traditional villages are just opposite the town’s main peninsula. One feels like you’ve stepped back in time here and while much of it is created to feel so it’s a charming environment unlike any other I’ve encountered in SE Asia.

Luang Prabang is perhaps the best place a traveler of any photographic ability can hone their skills and have a lot of fun doing so. It’s almost impossible to go home without a decent catalogue of exotic pictures. Within walking distance there are a variety of subjects, scenes and magic around every corner.

See some photo galleries from my trip.

Sak Yan

The author of more than 30 books and arguably one of Thailand’s foremost experts, Cummings shares insights of Sak Yan on a recent edition of Planet Asia Podcast (PA) which is now available for free download on iTunes. From the mysticism that surrounds these tattoos and their protective powers to the ajarn (master) who inked Angelina Jolie’s now famous body art, Cummings dove deep into this fascinating topic with me during a March 2012 interview at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in Bangkok.

The conversation is one of many I’ve had with the author over years, who’s extremely generous with his time, and passionate about each of his projects. This latest book is a collection of stunning photographs shot by Dan White and revealing text by Cummings. Unlike other tattoo books that have hit the market over the past year, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand not only features rich images but dives into deep detail about their power and history in a highly digestible manner. Have a listen to our conversation.

Diamond Dave reconciled with his band mates a few years back, they went on a hugely successful North American tour in 2010 and by most reviews were on top of their game. Original bassist Michael Anthony was replaced by none other than Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang on that tour having split years prior in favor of a friendship with Hagar (this would make a great reality show!). The legendary guitarist’s son is in the lineup again for the band’s first release with lead singer David Lee Roth since 1983’s massive 1984, and while it’s still not the original lineup there are now three actual Van Halens in the band. So, what does A Different Kind of Truth sound like?

After hearing the first single Tattoo I was even more fearful. At first listen it sounded lame, underpowered and like a band reaching for their glorious past. Online comments by Hagar suggested the band had not written any new material, rather relying on an archive of unreleased tracks to fill-out a CD. At first I thought this was a bad thing but after indulging and purchasing a copy of  on release day (the kid in me couldn’t resist), turning up the volume and giving a couple of listens I quickly came around and was transported back in time. Turns out Truth sounds exactly like you’d imagine 1984’s follow-up to sound like had Roth not left the band to pursue a solo career. And it’s no surprise since the songs are all from that era.

Lets be clear, this isn’t a new sound or current one. You have to be a fan of Van Halen with Roth back in the day and if that’s the case then this is a solid effort. The musicianship is crisp, Diamond Dave is as vibrant as ever and Eddie’s guitar riffs howl. While there’s likely no mainstream radio singles here there are a handful of tunes worthy of heavy classic rock station rotation.

The album’s stand-out track is easily Stay Frosty, a fun, bluesy-meets-rock number that reminds of Ice Cream Man from the first Van Halen release way back in 1977. There’s been a buzz about the song with Foo Fighter’s Dave Grohl seemingly tipping his hat to it at the end of a recent blog post.

Other noteworthy tunes include the pounding She’s the Woman and Big River; both groove and sound much like Top Jimmy and Drop Dead Legs from 1984 and take the listener back to the days when Van Halen ruled the airwaves, pants were shiny and much tighter. After a few listens Tattoo even grows on you, providing a good intro to the new release with Roth dipping to lower octaves and seductively talking like few front-men can.

A Different Kind of Truth ends in great fashion with Beats Workin’, a big, unashamed, wailing tune. It rocks and oozes fun good times, what Van Halen was and is all about.

8/10

Our comfy table

I’d never even heard of a champagne dinner let alone work through one until last night. The Dusit Thani Bangkok’s Trudy Cook treated a handful of invited guests to a fabulous evening at D’Sens restaurant with the main focus being Billecart-Salmon champagnes. Perched on the 21st floor of the Dusit’s flagship property in downtown Bangkok, D’Sens offers sweeping panoramic views of Lumphini Park and and served as the perfect venue to learn about fine champagne, sip and eat. As a co-founder of Smiling Albino I’m always checking out new places and trying to keep my fingers on the pulse of the areas we operate in and this was a perfect opportunity to expand the pulse.

We were seated at a private round table, full of champagne glasses, a custom menu and the bubbly quickly started flowing. We started with Billecart-Salmon Reserve which tasted nice, but like a typical upper-market champagne. I managed to get down a couple glasses along with the Saumon Fume served with to-die-for bread.

Next came Billecart-Salmon Rose which was quite interesting and tasty. Just a bit sweeter than the first bottle of Reserve, it was a bit softer and really hit the spot (or perhaps it was just the fact I was now on my third glass). They paired this with a crayfish and smoked salmon duo with green asparagus coulis which was very satisfying and left me wanting a bit more. With my bowl empty I opted for another glass of Rose instead.

Bring on my favorite of the evening: the gorgeous Billecart-Salmon Brut Vintage 2004. I won’t pretend to know my champagnes but this one was the tastiest I’ve ever had. Very dry, crisp and delicious, it went down smooth and quickly. Pretty sure I had about three glasses and good thing as word circulated that it usually sells for a bit over 10,000THB ($350US) per bottle. Steamed cod fish with espellette pepper, eggplant and caviar went so-so with the Brut, but then again with this bottle I think few people were focused on the food.

Another glass please...

Our fourth and final bottle was the best according to the resident expert, Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart 1998. Again this one was very crisp, light and dry, but by this point I can’t truthfully say if I liked it more than the Vintage. To be sure I had two glasses. Quail in a glazed red wine reduction complimented this pour very nicely and I only wish there had been a larger piece of this tasty bird.

A small raspberry/champagne desert rounded-out the evening, a top-up for a final glass and one guest treated us to two acapella songs songs which she belted out like a pro. Oh hang on, she is a professional singer (must be that champagne clouding my memory).

D’Sens is a very nice room worthy of a visit with someone special to gaze at the sprawling city, soak in the relaxed cool vibe and of course tap a bottle of bubbly and snack on tasty French treats. Thanks to Trudy and the Dusit’s team for a very nice evening.

was tasty

Really??

Few things during a trip to Thailand cause as much apprehension, excitement and uncertainty as a visit to the toilet. What’s it going to look like? Will it be dirty? Will I be able to use it? Just what’s behind that door anyway?

There’s definitely no substitute for one’s personal ‘throne,’ and most of us acknowledge this. Who gets excited or is even willing to use a public toilet when one is at home, let alone in a foreign country and traveling well off the beaten path? This is one daily activity that ideally requires the utmost cleanliness, familiarity, and personal space. But, as travelers we forgo this luxury in exchange for the exotic and interesting: an opportunity to see life on the other side of the door.

Read the entire blog here: http://www.smilingalbino.com/planetasiatravelchannel/2012/02/how-to-use-a-thai-toilet/

Read, set, action!!

I first went to U Smile about two-and-a-half years ago with my girlfriend Erika. Despite dating on and off for about four years at that time we had very few photos together. I had seen U Smile in The Mall Bangkapi during some visits there but had never gone in. I popped-in to see what the story was and was knocked out. Starting at 399B ($13US) you can have a private photo session with a variety of fun backdrops. You get a set number of prints of various sizes, can upgrade your package, buy more photos, use them to make coffee mugs, calendars, key chains, etc. Our photo session together in October 2009 was a lot of fun and the shots turned out great.

My parents are currently here in Thailand, I had been wanting to get a nice family shot and some again with Erika. Time for another visit to U Smile! My parents were a bit apprehensive and shy at first, took their shoes off slowly, snuck into the studio and were pretty rigid for the first few shots. Things quickly changed as you’re in such a ridiculous environment, being shot and directed by a photographer who barely speaks English, being asked to hold teddy bears and the words “new action!” regularly being exclaimed by the shooter. Twenty-five minutes later the 40 shots were finished, we were laughing, smiling and had the time of our lives.

Good family fun

So on to the shots. Cheesy – yes! Strange – yes! Some winners – absolutely. It’s amazing after such a short time, having so many laughs, that you can end up with not just one or two good shots but at least a dozen great ones. We bought a ton more pictures: small, large and had them put on a CD too. The final bill for about 25 pictures of various sizes and the studio time? – 889B ($29US). While getting photos is the main goal, the U Smile Experience brings people closer together and is a very fun outing in itself.

Next time you’re in need of some good pictures, head to U Smile Photo in The Mall Bangkapi. It’s located on the 2nd floor, behind the waterfall (02-734-0291). There’s another U Smile in downtown Bangkok but it’s not affiliated (this is Thailand!).

Have a blast!

Here are a few more shots to enjoy:

Sharon & Don having fun

Mom deserves a kiss

A quick visit to Europe

Scott & Erika

It's all good!!