Five countries I want to travel to. Right now.

The planning portion of our summer adventure to Thailand is pretty much over, as is the planning for our Chuseok trip to Japan. What's a boy to do? I really think that every hour you spend planning a trip counts as part of the trip, even the hours you spend just dreaming about where you want to go next. We have but one vacation period left during our time here in Korea, and the wheels in my head (and in my fiancee's head, as she gets just as much input as I do into these decisions) are already turning. Here's a list of five countries that I want to go to right now.

1. Vietnam is number one on my list. Is it because of my morbid curiosity about seeing an embalmed communist leader? Is it because I want to crawl through the tunnels that the Viet Cong used during the Vietnam conflict? Well, no, not really. I mean, I do want to see Ho Chi Minh's grave (and embalmed body). I do have some curiousity about the Vietnamese perspective on the war, and I'm ashamed to admit that I want to film myself attempting to surf in Vietnam so I can create a YouTube video called "Charlie don't surf." None of the reasons as outlined above are the thing that I think of when I hear Vietnam. What I think of is a sandwich. I want to eat banh mi sandwiches. Lots of them. What's a banh mi, you ask?

Photo by  jeffreyw on Flickr

Wikipedia says:
"Bánh mì or bánh mỳ (/ˈbʌn ˌmiː/; Vietnamese pronunciation: [ɓǎɲ mî]) is a Vietnamese term for all kinds of bread. Bread, or more specifically the baguette, was introduced by the French during its colonial period. The bread most commonly found in Vietnam is single serve and resembles a torpedo, therefore the term bánh mì is synonymous with this type of bread. The bánh mì is usually more airy than its western counterpart, so as a result, has a thinner crust."

Sounds like a tasty reason to visit to me!

Photo by jjcb on flickr

2. Singapore, from what I gather, is the cleanest big city in the world. I want to see that. The streets aren't clogged with cars, there's no graffiti, and there is Peranakan food. What is Peranakan food, you ask? Well, to my understanding it's the mixture of food that results from the cultural mixture of Malay, Chinese, and Indian people in places like Singapore. Also, there's a Chinatown and a Little India, so you can get whatever food your heart and stomach desire. Aside from that, Singapore simply has a sexy, sexy skyline. I'm a sucker for tall buildings, and I think Singapore would certainly give me my fill of them.

Photo by Arian Zwegers on flickr

3. Cambodia is a country I don't know much about, but it's got Angkor Wat, and I want some of that action. Angkor Wat is a Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim temple situated in the Cambodian jungle, and looks like it's big enough to explore for days. Combine such an awesome sight to see with the way dollars tend to go really, really far in southeast Asia, and you have my entire reasoning for wanting to visit Cambodia.

4. Malaysia makes the list because although I've had my passport stamped there, I haven't had a chance to go to Penang yet. Penang is apparently the "pearl of the orient" and filled with delicious street food. Given the opportunity right now, I'd let someone jab me in the arm to refresh my Hepatitis A vaccine and hop the next flight to Penang. Air Asia flies straight to Penang, and as it's one of my favorite airlines this trip might be possible. Alas, they don't offer that flight from Seoul.

Photo by Arian Zwegers on flickr

5. India looks like it would be one heck of an intense travel experience. Intense in the sense that the poverty, hawking, staring, being followed, filth and grime would be unpleasant but also color your memories in a way that is more vivid than travel to a more developed place. I imagine the mysticism that I was bewildered by in Bali would be present to a huge degree, along with a good amount of new sights, smells, and sounds. All of my friends that have been to India loved the experience, and they have all remarked on how intense it was. Also, Indian food is one my favorite cuisines, and I think that's a good enough reason to go on its own merit.

So, these are the five countries I would go to right now. Leave a comment here or on the Ever Evolving Primate facebook page, and tell me which five countries you would drop everything and fly to this very moment.