Naypyitaw: A Surreal Planned City for Lovers of Motorcycles, Concrete, and Serenity

We were in Naypyitaw from the 10th till the 14th of January 2020. We worked from our hotel, took a taxi, and rented a motorbike for one day of exploration. Contents1 A Brief History of Naypyitaw – a Planned City2 Day 1: Orienting Ourselves2.1 Naypyitaw’s Hotel Zone2.2 A Lesson in Walkability3 Day 2: Searching for Life3.1 Naypyitaw City Hall3.2 Eating at Thapyagone Night Market4 Day 3: Working from the Vegas Hotel5 Day 4: Renting a Motorbike and Driving it About5.1 Our Semi-Automatic Motorbike on Empty Streets5.2 Uppatasanti Pagoda5.3 20-Lane Highway/Runway5.4 The Hluttaw5.5 Myoma Market5.6 Naypyitaw’s Diplomatic Housing Estate5.7 Handing Back ourContinue reading

Kayak Trip Day 15: Kelheim to Regensburg

This article relates to events that happened on the 13th of June, 2019. Jonas and I paddled our inflatable canoe named Zucchini from Kelheim to Regensburg in Bavaria, south Germany. We covered a distance of about 30 kilometers.  Taking Care of Jonas Jonas had been sick since arriving in Kelheim on the 10th of June. He spent the next two days in bed with a fever and zero appetite. Luckily, we have a big box of paracetamol and unlimited tap water. So those two days we nuked that fever away with a regiment of medicine, a cold wet cloth onContinue reading

Hiking to Farol de Dona Amélia, São Vicente

How to Get There I’d first spotted this lighthouse from the back of a scooter when I visited São Vicente for the first time. I already knew I wanted to dedicate a day to visit the lighthouse upon return to São Vicente after Santo Antão island. The lighthouse is called “Farol de Dona Amélia,” but if you’re in a public vehicle or a taxi in direction of São Pedro, all you need to know is the word Farol – ‘lighthouse’. Everybody knows which one you mean if you’re in the right area. This lighthouse is located on the tip knownContinue reading

Types of Drivers: #2 The Hippie Van Life Folk

The hippie van has become a rarity on the roads of Europe, but on certain trails outside of the EU, these guys are omnipresent like nothing ever changed. There’s a small but noticeable difference between van life and #vanlife. They are some of my favorite people to hitchhike with. Many Levels of Van Life People Sure, they carry a MacBook Pro with them and their views might not be as idealistic anymore, nonetheless, there are still – mostly, but not necessarily – young people hitting the road in preferably a VW minivan. I dig the term ‘Scoobydoo van’. Their van mightContinue reading

Transfăgărășan Highway: Does Jeremy Clarkson Pick Up Hitchhikers?

Now that he’s fired from Top Gear, perhaps Jeremy Clarkson has some free time now to pick up a hitchhiker at the Transfăgărășan Highway in Romania? I mean, he does say that “this is the best road in the world”. I’m also accustomed to hitchhiking with problematic people. So… I basically hitchhiked to the start of the Transfăgărășan Highway just to take this photo (and make this joke). A month ago, Jeremy Clarkson still worked at Top Gear. I’d hoped to put out a little call to action to hitchhike with the crew of Top Gear. It’s a program IContinue reading

Belgradian Sunset—Serbian Spring

This free home in Belgrade has two balconies on opposite sides of the apartment. That makes it perfect for witnessing the Belgradian sunrise as well as a Belgradian sunset, such as this one. People on Instagram call these types of photos #sunsetporn. I’m not sure if I’m doing it right, not being great at photography but having a passion for pretty pictures nonetheless. I’m trying and occasionally improving. Mastering the self-timer is always the most important part of travel photography, methinks. Spring is here on some of the days. I’m all giddy for where I’ll travel once I leave this comfyContinue reading

Dumped Kitten at Mont Limon + Limon Confit Rescue Story

Tuesday, 7th of June 2022. We decided to finish the unknown hiking trail at Mont Limon, the highest peak in Rodrigues. But our plans of having a casual little hike with no trouble were thwarted by the criminal who decided to dump their kitten next to the trail. This is the rescue story of a dumped kitten we (temporarily) named Limon Confit. Contents1 Meows on the Alternative Ascent to Mont Limon2 Freeing a Dumped Kitten3 Walking Down + Contemplating the Next Steps4 Naming the Dumped Kitten5 Pizza + Chicken Spam Time!6 Driving Limon Confit to Mourouk7 Finding a Forever HomeContinue reading

Hitchhiking to Bern from Freiburg im Breisgau—Jonas’ First Time in Switzerland

All this happened on Wednesday the 17th of May, 2023. We kissed Moritz goodbye after catsitting him for two weeks in Freiburg im Breisgau. We walked to a hitchhiking spot to travel from Germany to Switzerland. Jonas hadn’t been to Switzerland before and we were both excited to go hitchhiking to Bern. Doing the Research for Hitchhiking to Bern During our stay in Freiburg, Jonas and I had to decide how to get from the catsit of Moritz in Germany to the one in Switzerland. I really wanted to hitchhike and I really wanted to visit Switzerland’s de facto capitalContinue reading

Travel Light, Shoot Big: Creating Stunning Travel Videos

1468 grams. That’s the combined weight of all my photo and video equipment, accompanying me on every journey. It’s a concise kit, with just three items: iPhone 14 Pro Smartphone Tripod DJI Mini Pro 3 (Drone) I use them to shoot videos like these: Riddersholm, Stockholm, Sweden  Huai Choi Reservoir, Chiang Mai, Thailand  The Evolution of Travel Videography Travel videography, once dominated by hefty equipment, has undergone a major transformation. With these in hand, I’ve revolutionized my approach to travel videography. Gone are the days when I’d be weighed down by heavy gear. Now, I capture the essenceContinue reading