Strangers

I’ve been thinking about opening a section for other travelers to write in for a while. Lots of adventurers begin writing about their experience, but then don’t have a space to put their stories. Sharing it on Facebook can give you a lot of likes for a few days, but after those days nobody will see your post ever again. Starting a blog can be a real hassle and too much responsibility when you don’t even know yet if you like blogging. That’s why I’d like to invite fellow nomads I’ve never met to immortalize their stories in the formatContinue reading

Ayasofya Mosque Visit in 2021: from Museum to Mosque—Foggy vs Sunny Day

These events happened on the 5th and 21st of November 2021. Jonas and I visited the Ayasofya (aka Hagia Sophia) on a rather spontaneous basis. This was my second visit to the Ayasofya and my first visit since it became a mosque in July 2020. Click here to read about my Istanbul and Hagia Sophia experiences from March/April 2013. There’s also a breakdown of Hagia Sophia as a ‘wonder’ in the videogame Age of Empires II down below. Contents1 A Change of Plans2 Our Experience Visiting the Ayasofya as a Mosque in 20212.1 Can non-Muslims still enter the Hagia Sophia/AyasofyaContinue reading

Should You Flush the Toilet Paper? A Flowchart

I made a little something after encountering a clogged-up toilet and a hostel cleaner who looked frustrated. Perhaps you never even considered your toilet paper’s destiny… but should you flush the toilet paper? I made a cool flowchart to help you determine whether to bin it or flush it! Follow these easy steps: But really. Clogged toilets and sewage systems are a huge problem in many parts of the world – and the traveler isn’t helping the cause. I’ve met a few travelers who were proud to announce they would straight up refuse to bin their used toilet paper whenContinue reading

Urban Exploring at the Abandoned Airport of Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan

We stayed in Cholpon-Ata in late May, 2021. Watch the vlog to see me do some urban exploring at the abandoned airport of this town with fantastic vistas of Issyk-Kul Lake. This post contains additional information regarding the questions I had while walking around the abandoned terminal. Cholpon-Ata Airport’s History (Post-)Soviet Airport: Glory Times, Abandonment, Replacement (As any good article starts:) According to Wikipedia, Cholpon-Ata Airport was built somewhere in the 1930s. But it was even less glamorous then than how it was during my visit because it was merely a landing strip. The terminal building and other auxiliary buildingsContinue reading

My 60-Day Stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand (I Just Don’t Get It)

I entered  Chiang Mai, Thailand by plane from China on the 5th of November, 2019. Jonas and I received a 30-day entry stamp initially, which we needed to extend. I wrote this piece partially during my stay in Chiang Mai and partially afterward. Months later I’m still puzzled by this city and its appeal to other foreigners. An unsolved mystery. Contents1 Expectations Set2 Arriving in Thailand3 Ecoviolence: the Yi Peng/Loi Krathong Festival4 Ill in Chiang Mai: Welcome to Foodpanda5 A Slow Recovery with Delivery Food6 Traffic Troubles7 Yoga and Swimming8 Socializing, but Actually Networking9 The Visa Extension9.1 Medellín vs. ChiangContinue reading

71 Reasons to Visit South America in 2017

Whether you’re a hitchhiker, a digital nomad, or a holidaymaker, South America is absolutely phenomenal. Let’s not hold off on that long-desired trip to the southern hemisphere any longer! Without further ado, here’s your randomly ordered justification to go ahead and get south the coming year: 1. Firstly, pick up fifty shades of Spanish! As a result of colonialism, South America is quite homogeneous language-wise, with Spanish and Portuguese being the most spoken. Or mix ’em up and you get “Portuñol“. Learn just enough Portuguese to make your trip to Brazil easy-peasy with Duolingo or Memrise. So instead you want toContinue reading

Hitchhiking Greece: The Adventurous Side of Losing a Phone

Our Phone is Gone We wave at the car until he drives out of our sight, looking at each other and smiling, grateful for this nice ride. We are enjoying the Greek climate somewhere out in nowhere. I see him touching his pockets nervously. “Flow…do you have it?” “I’ve got my wallet, yes, but… fuck! Where is my phone?” We check everywhere in our backpacks, our jackets, our pants, our bags and again in our backpacks, our jackets, our pants and our bags… but nothing. I ring Flow’s phone obsessively, without any answer. “It must have fallen somewhere under theContinue reading

Eat, Pray, Plov: Trying (+ Failing) to Be a Vegetarian in Uzbekistan

Jonas and I spent 30 days in Uzbekistan. Though since April 2020 I consider myself mostly a vegetarian, he’s more flexible and sometimes eats meat and fish. But this is about my eating habits and struggles to be a vegetarian in Uzbekistan. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan and have been to Uzbekistan, I’d love to hear your experiences and tips if you found something that worked for you. You can comment at the bottom of this article. Other vegetarians and vegans can then read your replies. Trigger Warning: there will be pictures of food with meat in this articleContinue reading

Ranong to Ao Nang: My First Time Hitchhiking in Thailand

Events narrated in this article happened on Thursday the 5th of February, 2020. Jonas and I hitchhiked from Ranong to Ao Nang in Southern Thailand. Despite us having been in Chiang Mai for 60 days before, we had never gone hitchhiking in Thailand – yet! Read about our hitchhiking day and check out the cool map and the comparison between hitchhiking and taking public transport. Preparations After returning to Thailand from Myanmar via the Kawthaung – Ranong border crossing at the river mouth of the Kraburi River, we made plans to travel southward. We spent five nights in Ranong (ระนอง) building differentContinue reading