Things NOT to do

Don't step on them!!!

No seriously, both Armenian and Azerbaijan forces mined the East front of Artsakh heavily in the 1991-1994 conflict. Many areas have since been cleared, but there are still a lot of land that is mined. The safe areas are those with a blue HALO Trust sign saying "cleared", while you want to stay clear of the areas with the red mine sign.

Why anyone would go to a shooting range, especially considering Cambodia's troubled gun-saturated past, is baffling to us... but since this is Cambodia, of course it is possible. When arriving to the shooting range you will be handed a gun menu (which is not allowed to be photographed). Here you find anything from the popular rifles like AK-47, M16 and handguns to the more can-this-be-real hand grenades and rocket launchers... we kid you not. The last two have to be shot in the mountains and not inside the shooting range, duh. In the good old days you could even use live targets like a chicken or a cow (a cow cost 300 USD extra), but apparently that practice has stopped. So knock yourself out, but please visit the killing fields first.

We normally don't encourage travellers to have their picture with captured wild animals, but this is a different - and wicked - story. The crocodiles in the pond in Paga is considered sacred and have an unspoken agreement with the caretaker, that they will get a chicken, if they do not eat the tourists, who pose for photos with them. So besides the entrance fee, you also have to pay for a live chicken, which the caretaker will cycle down to the market to buy. Inside the enclosure the caretaker will lure one of the crocodiles onto dry land. You will then get placed at the back legs of the full size crocodile, while you have your photos taken. The crocodile seems to know the routine, for (thankfully) it doesn't move much. Well, that's until the photo session is over and the crocodile gets its reward. The chicken gets thrown in its direction and with lightning speed catch it and swallow it whole.

It seems that anything that can be shot down with a slingshot is considered a delicacy in Laos. Most local markets in northern Laos have a few vendors selling freshly killed jungle animals, like squirrels, forest rats, mouse-deers and other jungle rodents, along with smoked bats and colourful birds. There might even be a few live animals hidden in a basket somewhere. The hunters normally use either a slingshot or a home-made shotgun that uses ammo made of UXO (unexploded ordnance), war leftovers from the heavy bombing of Laos during the Vietnam War. Though jungle meat is a part of Lao food culture for some ethnic minorities, we strongly discourage you to try it.

Myanmar is one the biggest sources for rubies and sapphires in the world. It is estimated that 90% of the world's rubies come from Myanmar, which is a bit strange since many countries have trading embargo against Myanmar. But the stones just find their way through Thailand, e.g. to Chanthaburi gemstone market. The most precious of them all is the dark red, so-called Pigeon's blood, ruby. Inside Myanmar it is not unusual to get offered gemstones by strangers in the streets. We got offered the gemstones on the picture from an old man on a bicycle. Do we need to tell that we didn't buy any, even though he promised the stones were real and of good quality - "oh, really?".

Hollywood and Leonardo DiCaprio introduced the world to conflict diamonds with the blockbuster "Blood Diamonds" using the phenomenon's less official but more descriptive name. Today, mercenaries, limb-chopping rebels and war have, thankfully, all left Sierra Leone. Diamond smugglers are, however, still around. And while it can be tempting to buy some rough stones to cover a bit of travel expenses, amateurs are most likely to be hustled into buying fake or poor quality stones. Potential fortune hunters should make sure to use a reputable dealer, preferably in Freetown, and make sure to get the necessary export documents and a Kimberley Certification to prove that the gems are not conflict diamonds.

Chanthaburi city is a strange place. What looks like an ordinary Thai city is the capital for Asia's rubies and sapphires trade. The gemstone district is packed with gem dealers where stones get processed, graded, cut and polished. You can even buy your own little gemstone dealer kit with scale and loupe. From Friday to Sunday, gem sellers come in to the big public gemstone market where buyers are waiting. It is not a place for amateurs for the trade is full of dodgy characters with worthless coloured stones. So don't get tempted to make your life's worst investment.

Do not eat shark fin soup... your dick will fall off!!!

No seriously, the shark fishing industry is totally unsustainable, so please just say no.