Alvin Lee

Writer's Biography

Mid-lifer Alvin Lee is an avid folding bicycle evangelist. He studied Finance & Marketing at the University of Oregon, Eugene and has a Masters in Business from University of Notre Dame, Australia. His passion is anything with wheels, preferably fuel-efficient/non-polluting vehicles and is a certified automotive mechanic.

He travels extensively in Asia and enjoys learning and experiencing the history, culture, people and food of each country. Presently, he writes travel adventure articles for bicycle companies and is happiest on a familiar saddle in exotic places. A firm believer in MAD (making a difference), Alvin serves as a volunteer English Teacher in Cambodia and enjoys helping out at COSI Orphanage in Phnom Penh.

The ultimate dream adventure would be a long ride from China through Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and ending in Singapore where he currently lives. He welcomes any creative suggestions on how to take 6 months leave of adventure from the family to do this.

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Featured Travel Stories in Oriental Tales Magazine

Vientiane, Laos: Vientiane on bended knees - Story by Alvin Lee
- 8th Online Issue

You know the old saying; “There’s more than meets the eye”? Well, for Laos, this rings so true. The World Bank rated Lao PDR the poorest and least developed among all the Indochinese countries. Laotians even earn 20% less than the struggling Cambodians! Geographically, Lao is landlocked save for the Mekong River. Yet, many travelers have voted Laos the best country to visit in Asia. Compared to its rich and busy neighbours such as Vietnam and Thailand, Laos is still unscathed from the tsunami of globalisation and the dark side of capitalism. Called “The Land in Slow Motion” by Asiaweek, the “PDR” could very well stand for “Please Don’t Rush”.

Vientiane, the capital, was spared from destruction by US bombs during the Vietnam War. Many of its old French colonial buildings still remain intact. Scrape away the fading communist varnish – and you will find it is an undiscovered city steeped in cultural heritage and elegance, with warm and friendly people. Thus, the urge to experience the romance of one of the world’s few remaining Leninist countries was a compelling one. This was made a reality with the advent of Tiger Airways’ new route to Udon Thani from Singapore, in northeastern Thailand.

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