When my hosts in Van told me that there’s a Van cat sanctuary, I knew I had to visit. The Van Cat is a special type of cat that hails from this area around Lake Van in Turkey. They have a white coat and often have one blue eye and one green one. This place is like a sanctuary for these cats, which are quite rare in the world and need extra protection. As I understood it, they’re here for protection and local heritage, not breeding. Back on the Isle of Man, I visited the Manx Society for the PreventionContinue 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
Housesitting Checklists: Before, During, and After Catsitting
So you’ve decided to become a catsitter? In this post, I’ve gathered all the housesitting checklists for questions to the pet parents and things to do before, during, and after the catsit. In this way, you’re making sure it will be a streamlined process from start to finish. These housesitting checklists are tickable and it will save your choices in the browser when you come back to this post. But first, let’s make sure you score that first catsit via Trusted Housesitters. Questions to Ask on an Application Call When you’ve scored your first video call for a potential housesitting gig,Continue reading
Why We Started Catsitting + How to Start Housesitting to Travel
It all started with a cat named Monday. At least, that’s what we called her. And after finding a forever home for her, we wanted to have more cats in our lives without the drama and the tears. More happy stories of beloved felines that receive regular veterinary care. Fewer stories of kittens discarded on a hiking trail or born in a colony on a rooftop. Just taking care of cats for a few days or weeks or months and then handing back the responsibility to their pet parents who missed them dearly and are grateful for the help. ThatContinue 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
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
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. Preparations to Travel to Heniches’k Back in Mariupol, I made hitchhiking signs for the rest of the trip through Ukraine. I made one for Melitopol and Kyrylivka, Heniches’k, and Kherson and Odesa. That proved to be smart becauseContinue 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. Expectations Set People praised the shit out of Chiang Mai. For those who don’t know: Chiang Mai is Thailand’s second-biggest city. In recent years, it’s become the biggest hotspot for digital nomads; everyone we met in the scene had beenContinue 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. 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, we arrived in Estonia on a booze cruise. Tartu⭐ Duration: four nights From Tallinn Port, we walked to the train station and took the train first class to Tartu. This is a 2.5-hourContinue reading