The events in this story happened on Tuesday, the 2nd of April, 2024. We paddled our inflatable canoe Zucchini from Apatin in Serbia to Erdut in Croatia. This was our second kayaking day down the Danube of 2024 and the 51st in total. Since Croatia is in the EU and Schengen and Serbia isn’t, we had to deal with immigration—on one side of the river… Contents1 Preparing to Cross Back to Schengen2 Starting to Erdut from Apatin3 A Beachy Break in Croatia4 The Confluence with the Drava5 Aljmaš + Kayak Sailing Around the Bend6 Croatian Police Boat + Arriving inContinue reading
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Arriving in Porto – Kitten Rescue in Portugal, Part I
Part I: What’s Supposed to be Enjoyable This series of posts is mostly a way for me to process the trauma of going through this. If you’re expecting happy travel content, this ain’t it. This story is number 1 in a series of 5. Here you can find the subsequent stories about rescuing a kitten in Porto, Portugal: Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V. Coming to Porto, Portugal I had agreed to come to Porto in northern Portugal with my partner. He participated in a Digital Nomad conference by the German language ‘Citizen Circle’ that week, andContinue 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. Contents1 Leaving Romania by Boat: Lazy Saturday in Calafat2 Kayaking from Calafat to Vidin3 Arriving in Vidin: Baba Vida + City Beach + Cat!4 Bulgarian Water Police: Welcome to Vidin!5 Packing Up Zucchini + Meeting a Small Cat6 Six Days in Vidin7 Useful read?Continue 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. Contents1 Reykjavík I: Old Town Reykjavík2 Iceland’s South Coast: Hotel Drangslið Inn ⭐3 East of Vík: Hotel Hrífunes ⭐4 Höfn: Hótel Höfn5 Egilsstaðir: Hótel Valaskjálf6 Akureyri: HótelContinue reading
Biryuchiy to Heniches’k: A Hitchhiking Detour to the Watermelon State (Ukraine)
After seven days on Biryuchiy Island (actually a peninsula), we left for Heniches’k. Both of these towns are in Kherson Oblast, but to get from one to the other, one must travel through Zaporizhzhia Oblast around the Utlyutsky estuary. The whole route is quite a detour as you can see on the map below. This happened on Thursday the 30th of September, 2021. Contents1 Preparations to Travel to Heniches’k2 The Neighbor Drives us from Biryuchiy Kyrylivka3 Kyrylivka to the Deer Statue4 This Never Rarely Happens5 Tire Change6 The Last Ride to Heniches’k7 Heading into Heniches’k8 Thanks for reading! A share meansContinue 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
Accommodation in Estonia: Booking Homes in Tartu, Tallinn, and Kärdla
What to expect of accommodation in Estonia as a digital nomad? We stayed in Estonia from the 9th of October till the 25th of October, 2023. These are the places we booked to both work online from and have fun day trips. Contents1 Cruiseferry from Mariehamn to Tallinn2 Tartu⭐3 Tallinn: Metropol Hotel4 Tallinn (Catsit)5 Kärdla, Hiiumaa Island⭐6 Unlock the Prices of Accommodation in Estonia7 Wish to share this article? That’s totally fine with me Cruiseferry from Mariehamn to Tallinn Since this bit already appeared in the accommodation in the Åland Islands article, I tucked this one away. But yes, weContinue reading
Books I Love
When I'm not talking to people or sleeping, I'm most likely reading a book in a park. If the weather allows that. Here's an incomplete list of books I've enjoyed while on the road. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa During a catsit in the Netherlands, I picked up this strategically placed book from the shelf. I read it over the following weeks between sessions of building a cardboard cat castle. It's partially written from the perspective of a cat named Nana, the successor of a cat named Hachi to the owner Satoru's first cat from childhood. As adults, Satoru and Nana go on a road trip through Japan from Tokyo and Mount Fuji to Fukuoka in the south and Hokkaido in the far north. Nana loves the journey through Japan and meets Satoru's friends from school till college, as well as their pets. Without saying too much, it's a bittersweet story that left me sobbing at several points.… Read more >
Kayaking the Agger, Sieg, and Rhine – Zucchini’s Recertification River Trials for the Danube
We kayaked the Agger, Sieg, and a bit of the Rhine rivers on Thursday, the 29th of February, 2024. Besides having fun, this was also an important test for our inflatable kayak Zucchini, which had been in storage for over 4 years since paddling the Morava River. Will she float? If she passes her shakedown cruise on these three rapid rivers, we shall take her to Mohács to kayak the rest of the Danube River this year. Contents1 Four Years, Four Months, and Twenty-Nine Days of Slumber2 Inflating Zucchini + Testing for Leaks3 Planning the Agger Trip4 Zucchini’s Shakedown Cruise5Continue reading