How to Get the 1-Year Mauritian Premium Visa – Digital Nomad Special!

This article is about the (elusive) Mauritian Premium Visa, also known as the ‘Digital Nomad Visa’. It is valid for 1 year. You can apply for it before you travel to Mauritius or while you’re already in the country. You can only apply for this visa if you work online—this is not a tourist visa. To read about how to get the maximum days on your Mauritian tourist visa and how to get the 90-day tourist visa extension in Mauritius, visit the dedicated article. Contents1 What is the Premium Visa?2 I’m Sold. How Do I Apply?2.1 1. Apply before comingContinue reading

6 Stories from Hosts + Guests in Lockdown: Hospitality in the Time of Corona

Our world has shrunk a great deal since the globe went on lockdown for the coronavirus. Blindsided by the sudden changes, travelers had to make some tough decisions mid-adventure. Amidst the chaos, I knew there would be some people out there who remained kind and trusting of virtual strangers. People who would keep their doors open when they were told to keep it shut. I’d been thinking about the people showing or experiencing hospitality under such extraordinary circumstances. So I asked around looking for stories from both hosts and guests to share their experiences. Many people responded with their stories,Continue 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

Hello, Dubai?! Leaving Malaysia for the UAE After 339 Days (Semi-Live Blog)

You know I’ve been ruminating on it. But after 339 days, it’s finally time to leave Malaysia. We’re traveling to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a semi-live blog that I’ll update throughout the journey. I’ll edit in photos once I’m back on my laptop. Contents1 The Weeks Before Departure to Dubai2 The Stupidest Problem3 The Problem Increasing Its Stupidity (Anticipated, Yet Unanticipated Fuckery)4 Packing, Planning, Preparing for Dubai5 The Last of Johor Bahru5.1 The COVID-19 PCR Test5.2 Obtaining The Interstate Travel Permit at Balai Polis Sentral6 Final Prep for Dubai7 Travel Day is Here7.1 The BusContinue reading

Collaborations

Please note that Mind of a Hitchhiker is a largely ad-free space. I'm not doing sponsored posts, paid links, or other advertising. If I can genuinely recommend a product or service that offers an affiliate program, I might join that program to earn a small commission of every sale via my links. I will only join affiliate programs that have a benefit to my readers. If you have a travel blog and would like to work with me, send me a message via the contact form below. I'm always open to doing collaborations in the form of guest posts, collaborative posts, freelance writing, and more. Please note that I'm not a travel agent and will not organize your trip for you. However, I can offer consultation calls if you are looking for some personalized travel advice for a planned trip. Who Reads Mind of a Hitchhiker? Mind of a Hitchhiker has a unique set of readers interested in adventures around the… Read more >

Digital Nomads Guides

Since 2016, my partner Jonas and I have been publishing travel guides for people who work and travel at the same time. A few other digital nomads joined the team and wrote their own guides about cities they loved and temporarily lived in. To read more about the guides and perhaps buy one for your own adventure, visit the Digital Nomads Guides website. Guides by Jonas and Iris Cabo Verde Free Mini-Guide A mini version of our regular guides, this extensive article about Cabo Verde will take away all the mysteries around this island nation. Yes, it's possible to travel and work at the same time in Cabo Verde, but it can be very difficult. Luckily, we made it simple. From obtaining your own precious SIM card to traveling between the islands with the ferries and booking accommodation, this guide has you covered on your trip to this African archipelago. If you're looking to buy a different guide, but want… Read more >

Regions

  Watercolor map credit goes to maps.stamen.com. One regions photo comes from Amir Asakeev on Unsplash. Read more >

My University Thesis About Hitchhiking

From February 2018 till January 2019, I had to take a gap year from travel to finish university. The final task at university was to write a thesis. A thesis is a rather long text of some research I’ve done. I did my research about hitchhiking and danger perception. That’s the short version. Since I put in a lot of effort in writing this thesis, I’d like to share it with the world. Perhaps more than five people will read it, which is nice because it’s nearly 18.000 words long and was a lot of work to write. I interviewedContinue reading

Kayak Trip Day 35: Bratislava to the Čunovo Dam

Events in this story happened on Friday the 9th of August, 2019. We paddled our inflatable kayak from Bratislava to the Čunovo Dam in Slovakia. That’s a distance of 17.3 kilometers. At the Čunovo Dam, there’s a water sports center for whitewater canoeing/kayaking. Little did we know that on that day, there would be a sporting event organized by the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Our Stay in Bratislava We stayed in Bratislava for one week. Bratislava was our first stop across the historic West-East division of Europe. Finally, we’re in Eastern Europe! As with Austria, this was Jonas’ first time inContinue reading