We paddled from Bulgaria to Romania on the Danube on Tuesday, the 9th of July 2024. We started our morning in Silistra on the Bulgarian side where we had checked out of the country the day before. Then we had to cross the Danube to Chiciu in Romania to legally check in per kayak there. This happened a few months before both Bulgaria and Romania fully joined Schengen. But our destination of the day was a small village called Ostrov a little further downstream. Silistra Immigration by Kayak Two days before kayaking back into Romania, we tried to find outContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 76: Tutrakan to Silistra – Broken Kayak Sail + Heatstroke
This kayak day happened on the 5th of July, 2024. After only one night, we left Tutrakan to kayask to Silistra on the final stretch of the Bulgarian Danube shared with Romania. After this, the Danube will flow only through Romania, followed by a quick touch on Moldova and Ukraine before emptying in the Black Sea. Leaving Tutrakan for Silistra Our alarm went off at 5:00. I had the greatest trouble getting up as my body craved more sleep to process the previous day’s paddle from Ruse to Tutrakan. We’ve done two paddle days in a row before from ApatinContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 75: Ruse to Tutrakan – New Kayak Sail + 1000 Kilometers Paddled
This kayak day happened on the 4th of July, 2024. We paddled away from the city Ruse where we had stayed for 10 days. It was more than 60 kilometers to Tutrakan, also in Bulgaria. Though we’d initially planned a two-night stop in Tutrakan, we ended up shortening it to one night because of the weather forecast. Departing Ruse After 10 Days of Rest My alarm went off at 4:40. I was nervous and excited at the same time to get back to kayaking after 10 days of rest. Was it too much? Maybe. But we were waiting for aContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 74: Svishtov to Ruse – the Southernmost Point of the Danube
This paddle day happened on Monday the 24th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Svishtov to Ruse in northern Bulgaria. Nearby Svishtov is the southernmost point of the Danube River. In Bulgaria’s fifth-largest city Ruse, we’ll take more than a week to recover from all the paddling. Departing Svishtov for Ruse I felt like I’d slept pretty well when my alarm went off at 4:38. Getting dressed was a bit more of a hassle than anticipated, but I was almost ready when Jonas’ alarm went off at 5:00 and it was his turn to occupy the bathroom. I just hadContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 73: Nikopol to Svishtov – Headwind to Belene Island + Attempted Side Quest
The kayaking trip from Nikopol to Svishtov on the Bulgarian Danube happened on the 22nd of June, 2024. At roughly 40 kilometers, it’s one of our shorter paddle days in recent times. Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee My alarm went off at 5:00, even though I thought I’d set it for 5:15. Jonas was going to stay in bed till 5:30 as we’d discussed the evening before. A little angry because of the alarm, I started getting dressed for today’s kayaking. There’s about 40 kilometers on the schedule from Nikopol to Svishtov. When Jonas got up, theContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 72: Oryahovo to Nikopol – Summer Solstice + 80 Kilometers
The longest day (so far) of our kayaking trip down the Danube happened on the 20th of June, 2024. We paddled over 80 kilometers in one day on the Bulgarian side of the Danube between the towns of Oryahovo and Nikopol. Dawn in Oryahovo My alarm went off at 4:45. I hadn’t slept much, though the vibrations from trucks driving by off the ferry didn’t bother me as much as they had the night before. I started getting dressed and doing my hair while Jonas only got up at 5:00. He liked it that I got up earlier since someContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 71: Lom to Oryahovo – of Mouse and Man
This kayaking day happened on Tuesday the 18th of June, 2024. We paddled from Lom to Oryahovo in Bulgaria on the Bulgarian – Romanian border section of the Danube. We had a long lunch break in Kozloduy. Departing Lom I woke up with a headache. Our alarm went off at 5:45 and for most of the night, a group of old dudes had been chatting in front of the hotel. Though Jonas and I had both used earplugs, I didn’t sleep well because of the fear to not hear the alarm. Without coffee, we prepared to go out and kayak.Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 70: Vidin to Lom – A Broken Kayak Sail
This paddle day happened on Saturday the 15th of June, 2024. We kayaked down the Bulgarian side of the Danube from Vidin to Lom, with Romania to our left. Leaving Vidin + Saying Goodbye to Nimi Our alarm went off at 5:30. That’s 30 minutes earlier than normal for a kayak day, but we’re anticipating to paddle a little less than 50 kilometers today. The sun rises at 5:45 in Vidin and we need about one hour and 15 minutes to drink coffee, finish packing, and walk out the door these days. But today is still a little special, becauseContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 69: Calafat to Vidin – Border Crossing from Romania to Bulgaria by River
This kayak day happened on Sunday the 9th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Calafat in Romania to Vidin in Bulgaria on the Danube River. Though both countries are in the EU, they weren’t completely part of Schengen at the time. That’s why we needed to deal with bureaucracy and get a new ship manifest for Zucchini. Leaving Romania by Boat: Lazy Saturday in Calafat The day after we kayaked more than 70 kilometers down the Danube, we wanted to see if we can leave Romania via the Danube. Calafat also has a road-rail bridge to Vidin, but the border controlsContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 68: Iron Gate II Dam to Wildcamping Calafat – 74 Kilometers by Kayak
This kayak day happened on Friday the 7th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Comoara Istrului on the Gogoșu Branch of the Danube past the Iron Gate II hydroelectric power plant to Calafat. The Iron Gate II (Romanian: Porțile de Fier II – Serbian: Đerdap II) dam is the last (mandatory) Dam on the Danube before the Delta. Though we intended to go camping for one night and then kayak to the Romanian city of Calafat the next day, we ended up doing the whole distance in one go. This was a whopping 74.4 kilometers. Our previous distance record wasContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 67: Crivina to Comoara Istrului – Iron Gate II Dam + Danube Gogoșu Branch
This kayak day happened on Wednesday the 5th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Crivina to the touristic complex of Comoara Istrului nearby the Gogoșu branch of the Danube at the Iron Gate II dam (Romanian: Porțile de Fier II – Serbian: Đerdap II). Why Bypass the Iron Gate II Locks? Short reason: I don’t think we can get lucky twice. We might have to wait hours in our kayak without shadow for a companion ship to arrive to go through the lock and descend the ~12 meters. Or we might arrive there and the lock operators aren’t fond ofContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 66: Drobeta-Turnu Severin to Crivina – Șimian Island + Strong Currents
On the 3rd of June, 2024, we kayaked down the Danube from Drobeta-Turnu Severin to Crivina on the Romanian side. We also made a quick stop on Șimian island. Departing Drobeta-Turnu Severin + Șimian Island Stopover Without our usual morning coffee, we departed the Airbnb in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. I’d hoped we’d be ready and out the door 35 minutes after the alarm, but it all took a bit longer. We were walking past the unvisited Severin Fortress a little before 7:00 and crossed the train tracks to the launch spot next to restaurant Marinaru. We didn’t see Mafia the cat,Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 65: Orșova to Drobeta-Turnu Severin – Iron Gate I Locks Unlocked!
This kayak trip happened on Monday the 27th of May, 2024. We paddled from Orșova to Drobeta-Turnu Severin on the Romanian side of the Danube in the border area shared with Serbia. We also had to pass through the Iron Gates I dam (Romanian: Porțile de Fier I – Serbian: Đerdap I). Portaging is not feasible, so we had to go through the lock with the big ships! Kayaking Through Locks: Research + Stress The Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station is the 53rd obstacle on the Danube for us since 2019, but it’s the first one in 2024. SoContinue reading
Bahrain Visa Guide: Visa on Arrival or eVisa?
We arrived in Bahrain from Kuwait on the 7th of January, 2026 and stayed for 11 days. We chose to opt for a Bahraini visa on arrival (VOA) instead of an eVisa. Here’s what the process is like, what documents you need to bring, and whether you should choose an eVisa or the VOA. In early 2026, the tourist visa costs between 5 BHD and 25 BHD, depending on your length of stay Bahrain Visa Online Research For most nationalities, Bahrain has two options to enter as a tourist: the eVisa or the visa on arrival (VOA). The eVisa hasContinue reading
Accommodation in Bahrain: Airbnb in Al Fateh + Manama City Hotels
Congratulations! You are in the minority of travelers considering a visit to Bahrain for more than a day trip. Here’s where we stayed for 10 nights in the capital city Manama, alternative hotels under €100 per night, and what to expect of accommodation in Bahrain as a digital nomad Al Fateh: Airbnb Close to Food Truck Heaven Duration: 11 nights (12 paid) at about €60 per night Our final choice was a spacious Airbnb in the Al-Fateh neighborhood of Manama in Bahrain. Bahrain had far more suitable Airbnb options than Kuwait. So we chose this one based on its goodContinue reading
How to Get a SIM Card in Bahrain: eSIM Options + Batelco, Zain, and STC
We traveled to Bahrain for about 10 days in January 2026. To stay online as a tourist, Jonas used his Global eSIM and I bought a physical SIM card in Bahrain at the airport. Here’s what your options are, starting with the cheapest First Choice: Global eSIM or Bahraini eSIM Just like in nearby Kuwait and the UAE, getting a physical SIM card in Bahrain is on the expensive side. Luckily, eSIM technology has come a long way. If your phone is eSIM compatible, this should be your first choice. Within eSIMs, there’s still two ways to go about it:Continue reading
Tourist Visa on Arrival in Kuwait: Our Experience + Advice (Get the eVisa)
We entered Kuwait a couple of days before New Year’s 2025–2026. On December 22nd 2025, the government of Kuwait increased its visa fees from 3 KWD to 10 KWD. This applies to both visa on arrival (VOA) and the Kuwaiti eVisa. Here’s our experience getting the visa on arrival in Kuwait Late 2025 Visa Costs Increase in Kuwait When Jonas and I reunited in the Netherlands after Christmas on the 26th of December, we rechecked the visa situation in Kuwait. I’d written down the cost of the Kuwaiti eVisa and VOA in our spreadsheet as roughly €10 per person. JonasContinue reading
Accommodation in Kuwait: Al Salmiya Apartment + City Hotels
I visited Kuwait for 10 days in late 2025 and early 2026. This is what to expect of accommodation in Kuwait as a digital nomad + some hotel recommendations in Kuwait City Al Salmiya: Lavan One Serviced Apartment We chose this condo in Al Salmiya neighborhood close to the coast and one of the places where the ferry to Failaka goes. There was one other contender, but that apartment was next to Winter Wonderland Kuwait. The reviews said that place was noisy into the night. Also, this apartment didn’t say it required proof of marriage for people to stay here.Continue reading
Staying Online in Kuwait: eSIM Options + Kuwaiti SIM Card
Going to Kuwait for more than a few days and don’t have the option to have an eSIM? Here’s what Kuwaiti SIM card to get, where to get it, and what to expect. First Choice: Get a Kuwaiti eSIM! For some reason, getting a real SIM card in Kuwait is quite expensive. That’s why your first option should be to get an eSIM. If you’ve never used this technology before, now is the time to try. Within the world of eSIMs, there are two approaches: the Global eSIM and a Kuwaiti eSIM. If you don’t use much data, are onlyContinue reading
Faroe Islands eSIM Options: Don’t Get Screwed, the Faroes ≠ in the EU!
Traveling to the Faroe Islands? Cool, but don’t forget to turn off roaming on your phone. The Faroes are not in the EU or EEA, despite being a country under the rule of Denmark. These are your options for staying online while traveling in the Faroe Islands: eSIM, (expensive) physical SIM card, or the secret third option How did we get here? The Faroe Islands are Danish, but not EU You might be taking a trip to Denmark or Iceland and think, why not do a side quest to the Faroe Islands? They’re an incredible destination with amazing nature, distinctContinue reading
Accommodation in the Faroe Islands: Vágar, Suðuroy, Tórshavn + Smyril Line
What to expect from accommodation in the Faroe Islands as a digital nomad? We booked these places during a nine an eight-day trip to this Atlantic archipelago. We were in the Faroes between the 9th and the 17th of October, 2025. Then we took the ferry from the Faroese capital Tórshavn to Hirtshals in Denmark and had a cabin aboard the Smyril Line. Here’s where we stayed on the islands of Vágar, Suðuroy, and Streymoy, plus tips on how to avoid the booking mistakes we made! Miðvágur, Vágar: Wonderful Apartment Overlooking the Fjord ⭐ Duration: two nights We had originallyContinue reading
Accommodation in Iceland: Reykjavík + Around the Ring Road
What to expect of accommodation in Iceland on an organized tour or as a digital nomad? These are the places we stayed at during a tour around Iceland’s ring road, and the places we booked ourselves. We were in Iceland between the 21st of September and the 9th of October, 2025. Iceland is an expensive destination, so I’m also giving advice on how to cut costs on a tour while staying healthy and well-fed. Reykjavík I: Old Town Reykjavík Duration: one night. Book this well-located guesthouse here After arriving in Iceland from Denmark with one of the last PLAY flights,Continue reading