Hornstrandir is a nature reserve in northwest Iceland. It is an isolated peninsula once inhabited by humans. Now deserted, it has become a paradise for experienced hikers and the kingdom of Icelandic Arctic foxes. I discovered this nature reserve when I started taking an interest in one of the smallest canids in the world, the Arctic fox. I’m a wildlife photographer. For several years, I’ve been working in the Hornstrandir reserve as a hiking and photo guide. Every year, I organize an Arctic Fox Photo Workshop for wildlife photographers, biologists, and enthusiasts with a small team. But the story I willContinue 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
How to Get a SIM Card in Guinea-Bissau
We traveled in Guinea-Bissau for 12 days in March/April 2025. This is how we got a SIM card in Guinea-Bissau to stay connected and work online from Cacheu, Bissau, and Bubaque Which SIM Card in Guinea-Bissau is Best? Orange. In Guinea-Bissau, the telecom infrastructure is still in its infancy. Orange has the best coverage in the country, but it’s still not reliably great, even in towns. However, when it’s good, it’s great, with 4G or 4G+. However, SIM card shops might not be open when you arrive on a weekend or a holiday, so it’s more important that you takeContinue reading
Getting the Guinea-Bissau Visa in Ziguinchor, Senegal
It’s possible to get your Guinea-Bissau visa in Senegal near the border in Ziguinchor. We acquired ours on the 21st of March, 2025. Research into the Guinea-Bissau Visa My original digging I did into the visa for Guinea-Bissau led me to believe we could get a visa on arrival (VOA) for 90 days, at a cost of €85 per person. Or an eVisa, but no official website link to get it. Once we were on the ground in West Africa, the stories from fellow travelers were wildly different. Some said it was necessary to get it at the embassy inContinue reading
How to Get a Senegalese SIM Card
We entered Senegal in February 2025 and traveled around, with a side quest to the Gambia. Here you’ll find which Senegalese SIM card to buy, how to get one at a shop or from an authorized street vendor, and how to set up an eSIM before you arrive so you’re never offline or lost. Which Senegalese SIM Card is Best? Orange. It has the best coverage in Senegal, with 4G or 4G+ almost everywhere and 5G in the bigger cities, such as Saint-Louis and Dakar. It’s also very easy to obtain this SIM card. Senegalese eSIM Before Arrival When departingContinue reading
How to Get a SIM Card in Mauritania
We traveled a bit around the Islamic Republic of Mauritania in February 2025. To work remotely and stay online while traveling, we got local SIMs. Here’s the process to get your own SIM card in Mauritania. Which SIM Card in Mauritania is the Best? First things first: you might not get a choice in SIM card, even if you try really hard. Mauritania is a country where one might have to lower one’s expectations a few times a day. Also, the rules for everything in Mauritania change very quickly for some reason. If you can, buy Moov by Mauritel. EvenContinue reading
Through the Berm: Mauritania Border Crossing with Western Sahara/Morocco
We entered Mauritania from Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara on the 6th of February, 2025. We took a bus through the Berm (aka the Moroccan Western Sahara Wall) from Dakhla to Nouadhibou. At the Guerguerat border crossing, we used our Mauritanian eVisa to enter. The Guerguerat Border in Short In winter, there’s a one-hour time shift between Morocco and Mauritania. In Mauritania (UTC), it’s one hour later than in Morocco (UTC+1). Unless it’s a few weeks before Ramadan, when Morocco also moves to UTC, until about a week after Ramadan, when it switches back to UTC+1 Depending on the time zone MoroccoContinue reading
How to Get the Mauritanian eVisa Introduced in 2025
In January 2025, Mauritania rolled out its e-visa or eVisa regime for tourists to this West African nation. Here’s the ins and outs of obtaining your Mauritanian eVisa, which is the only way you can enter the Islamic Republic Mauritanian eVisa Changes In early January 2025, the government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania changed its tourist visa policy. Now, all nationals who require a visa to enter Mauritania need to obtain one through their eVisa portal. This is everyone except Algerians, Chadians, Ivorians, Gambians, Libyans, Malians, Nigeriens, Senegalese, and Tunisians. If you didn’t see your nationality in that list,Continue reading
How to Get a Moroccan SIM Card
We entered Morocco in December 2024 to stay a few months to travel around. Here you’ll find which Moroccan SIM card to buy, how to get one at a shop, and how to set up an eSIM before you arrive so you’re never offline or lost. Which SIM Card in Morocco Should I Choose? Inwi. If you’re one person traveling to Morocco, want to get a Moroccan SIM card quickly, and don’t want to deal with too much hassle topping it up, Inwi is the best SIM card. You get a little more data for the same price as theContinue reading
Winter Sunshine: Hitchhiking from Taghazout to Agadir (Morocco)
Though it’s less than 25 kilometers from the surf village of Taghazout to the Ryanair city of Agadir, I decided I wanted to hitchhike. Jonas was on the fence about it. So there was a chance I would do it solo while he’d take the bus. We checked out of our Airbnb in Taghazout at 11:00 and walked down the steep, narrow alley to the msemmen breakfast restaurant we’d visited the previous day. While waiting for our amlou, chocolate, and 2x cheese msemmen (28 Dirhams) to be readied, we talked plans. We decided we’d give hitchhiking a chance—together. At leastContinue reading