The kayaking trip from Nikopol to Svishtov on the Bulgarian Danube happened on the 22nd of June, 2024. At roughly 40 kilometers, it’s one of our shorter paddle days in recent times. Contents1 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee2 The Rock Church of Saint Stephen3 Headwind + Weaving Islands4 Belene Island + Side Quest5 Paddling Around Belene Island6 Svishtov Ferry + Landing in Svishtov7 Our Stay in Svishtov8 Fun read? Consider buying me a cup of tea!9 Sharing this article makes me feel appreciated 💗 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee My alarm went off atContinue reading
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Kayak Trip Day 72: Oryahovo to Nikopol – Summer Solstice + 80 Kilometers
The longest day (so far) of our kayaking trip down the Danube happened on the 20th of June, 2024. We paddled over 80 kilometers in one day on the Bulgarian side of the Danube between the towns of Oryahovo and Nikopol. Contents1 Dawn in Oryahovo2 Sunrise on the Danube3 A Lunch Break in Baikal + Deciding on Nikopol4 The Iskar Confluence + Corabia + Chopped Forests in Bulgaria5 The Failed Shortcut around Calnovăț Island6 Olt Confluene + Approaching Nikopol7 Arriving in Nikopol8 Our Stay in Nikopol9 Enlightening post? Consider buying me a beer!10 Exercise your free will and share thisContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 71: Lom to Oryahovo – of Mouse and Man
This kayaking day happened on Tuesday the 18th of June, 2024. We paddled from Lom to Oryahovo in Bulgaria on the Bulgarian – Romanian border section of the Danube. We had a long lunch break in Kozloduy. Contents1 Departing Lom2 A Boring Start + Over Halfway3 A Tiny Rescue + Meeting a Fellow Paddler4 Extended Lunch in Kozloduy5 Paddling the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant Channel6 The Final Stretch to Oryahovo7 Arriving in Oryahovo8 Our Two-Night Stay in Oryahovo9 Fun read? Consider buying me a bag of cat food!10 Save or share? You’re my favorite person Departing Lom I woke upContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 70: Vidin to Lom – A Broken Kayak Sail
This paddle day happened on Saturday the 15th of June, 2024. We kayaked down the Bulgarian side of the Danube from Vidin to Lom, with Romania to our left. Contents1 Leaving Vidin + Saying Goodbye to Nimi2 Headwind Around Bogdan Island3 A Coffee Break in Ratiaria4 The Great Leap Eastwards to Lom5 Weaving Romanian and Bulgarian River Islands6 A Break in Paradise7 Arriving in Lom8 Our Stay in Lom9 Gained something from this article? Consider buying me a sparkling water!10 Yearning to share this post? I won’t stop you Leaving Vidin + Saying Goodbye to Nimi Our alarm went offContinue 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
Kayak Trip Day 68: Iron Gate II Dam to Wildcamping Calafat – 74 Kilometers by Kayak
This kayak day happened on Friday the 7th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Comoara Istrului on the Gogoșu Branch of the Danube past the Iron Gate II hydroelectric power plant to Calafat. The Iron Gate II (Romanian: Porțile de Fier II – Serbian: Đerdap II) dam is the last (mandatory) Dam on the Danube before the Delta. Though we intended to go camping for one night and then kayak to the Romanian city of Calafat the next day, we ended up doing the whole distance in one go. This was a whopping 74.4 kilometers. Our previous distance record wasContinue reading
Yinj Tan — Hitchhiker Spotlight 🔦
On Fridays, we put a hitchhiker in the *spotlight. This week it’s Yinj Tan! Scroll down to read hitchhiking stories from her journeys. This spotlight first appeared on the 2nd of October 2020 in the NOMADS – Hitchhiking Club About Yinj First hitch: I guess it was 2014, back when I was still working in Singapore. I went to a walk with a friend and a couchsurfer, we got really tired to walk to the bus stop and the couchsurfer saw some other people hitchhiking, so he also tried and a lady driving a Mercedes sports car stopped and gaveContinue reading
Donaueschingen: Danube Kayak Trip Day Zero
Contents1 Mind of a Paddler2 Why the Danube?3 Researching & Planning3.1 Kayak Tours3.2 What Kind of Kayak?3.3 Mapping & Scheduling3.4 Ordering & Booking3.5 Unlucky Planning Jackpot4 Testing & Packing4.1 In the Netherlands4.2 In Germany5 Traveling & Preparing6 Donaueschingen: Origin of the Danube6.1 The Town6.2 The Hike to the Confluence6.3 The Zusammenfluss of the Brigach and Breg6.4 The Source of the Danube6.5 Visiting the Pegel (Water Depth Gauge) in Donaueschingen7 Share This Story on Pinterest! Mind of a Paddler I’ve decided to expand my mode-of-transport horizon beyond hitchhiking. This is because hitchhiking is kind of like my comfort zone by now,Continue reading
Copán to Kapan: A Reflection on Nine Months of Travel
Today is one of those days on the road to reflect on what you’ve done, where you’ve been, and what is ahead of you. Reflection days are the worst and the best, but mainly the worst. Here’s to the last nine months on the road. Since the 29th of December 2013 – minus 10 days in my Passport Nation (PN) – I have been traveling 2,5 continents by anticipated happenstance, sporadic opportunity, and a shameful slice of manipulation. That is already nine months of growth, but it would be silly not to acknowledge the decline as well. Many things and people haveContinue reading