Thailand
My interest for exploration began with my first backpacking trip in Thailand, back in 2016. My brother was having a backpacking trip around Asia, when he and his friend split up. My brother felt alone. And I had no plans. So I flew to Bangkok to meet up and give him some positive energy, to continue forth his plans of exploration. I thought I would just be doing it for my brother. But Thailand, shot my perspective wide open.
I remember stepping out of the airport into the open air, and an instant 20 degrees increase in body temperature. The air felt very hot and very thick. We took the metro into the city, close to where our hostel was. We had to walk the last few hundred meters, over densely crowded motorways, passing homeless people and ladymen and trying to not get seduced by the women screaming "Thai massage". We stayed for a couple days, exploring different areas of Bangkok during the day and going out in the evenings with the people of the hostel. Learned about the tuktuks, a transformed motorbike with a carriage. Learned about their pingpong shows. Learned about their birds in cages. Learned about their red light district. And many other cultural things. But what I enjoyed most, was the street food.
We then planned, or he rather planned everything and I followed, a train across the country to the north. Stopping along the way at Ayyatuya, visiting an abundance of beautiful temple areas. And traveling a day trough the lush natural country, in the sleeping train. Where I met a beautiful soul. My brother and I stepped out in Chiang May, a relaxed town in a beautiful natural environment. We rented a scooter and had great trips all around the mountains. We visited a wildlife farm with exotic animals and an elephant rescue centre, where we played in the mud and the river with two fully grown and a baby elephant. We did a trekking trough the jungles for couple days where we found a tarantula, and visited a village of the Longneck people which was very fascinating. They have all these golden rings around their neck and arms. I was told that originally these rings were used for protection against the tigers. Later it became a symbol of beauty.
In Chiang May itself, we explored some more temples until we got really tired of seeing them. Then started catching Pokemons with the locals at the main square, as Pokemon Go was then a huge hype, and eating many delicious banana pancakes. We then drove high up in the mountains to Pai. A beautiful valley, where we slept in the middle of the rice fields surrounded by mountains. Here we tried a mushroom shake and explored numerous natural places on the scooter.
We then flew to the southern islands. Experienced the famous full moon party in Koh Pang Gang and did our Open Water Diving in Koa Toa, which was a fantastic experience and ultimately have led me to other incredible dives around the world.
My interest for exploration began with my first backpacking trip in Thailand, back in 2016. My brother was having a backpacking trip around Asia, when he and his friend split up. My brother felt alone. And I had no plans. So I flew to Bangkok to meet up and give him some positive energy, to continue forth his plans of exploration. I thought I would just be doing it for my brother. But Thailand, shot my perspective wide open.
I remember stepping out of the airport into the open air, and an instant 20 degrees increase in body temperature. The air felt very hot and very thick. We took the metro into the city, close to where our hostel was. We had to walk the last few hundred meters, over densely crowded motorways, passing homeless people and ladymen and trying to not get seduced by the women screaming "Thai massage". We stayed for a couple days, exploring different areas of Bangkok during the day and going out in the evenings with the people of the hostel. Learned about the tuktuks, a transformed motorbike with a carriage. Learned about their pingpong shows. Learned about their birds in cages. Learned about their red light district. And many other cultural things. But what I enjoyed most, was the street food.
We then planned, or he rather planned everything and I followed, a train across the country to the north. Stopping along the way at Ayyatuya, visiting an abundance of beautiful temple areas. And traveling a day trough the lush natural country, in the sleeping train. Where I met a beautiful soul. My brother and I stepped out in Chiang May, a relaxed town in a beautiful natural environment. We rented a scooter and had great trips all around the mountains. We visited a wildlife farm with exotic animals and an elephant rescue centre, where we played in the mud and the river with two fully grown and a baby elephant. We did a trekking trough the jungles for couple days where we found a tarantula, and visited a village of the Longneck people which was very fascinating. They have all these golden rings around their neck and arms. I was told that originally these rings were used for protection against the tigers. Later it became a symbol of beauty.
In Chiang May itself, we explored some more temples until we got really tired of seeing them. Then started catching Pokemons with the locals at the main square, as Pokemon Go was then a huge hype, and eating many delicious banana pancakes. We then drove high up in the mountains to Pai. A beautiful valley, where we slept in the middle of the rice fields surrounded by mountains. Here we tried a mushroom shake and explored numerous natural places on the scooter.
We then flew to the southern islands. Experienced the famous full moon party in Koh Pang Gang and did our Open Water Diving in Koa Toa, which was a fantastic experience and ultimately have led me to other incredible dives around the world.
Indonesia
With the beautiful soul I met in that sleeping train, I explored the islands of Indonesia in 2018. Starting in Bukit Lawang, a beautiful little village in the middle of the jungle. A wide river running trough the middle. Clear waters. Wooden bridge from one side to the other. Traditional houses built upon the water front. With super friendly people. Here, we started our adventure into the lush jungles of Sumatra. The gateway into the jungle. Sun Gate, as our local guide called Bukit Lawang. He led us deep into the jungles. Embracing the wilderness. Hearing groups of monkeys above. Seeing the tree tops shaking in the distance. Eating passion fruits along the way. When we spotted them. A big male in the tree top. And just a little lower. A female with a baby. Wild orangutans. Observing them from a very close distance. When in the trees, another male started coming. Which big male did not like. He started to make loud noises and swing his arms. Our guide made some hand gestures. Time to go to a safe distance. We ate some more passion fruits and had a coconut. When just meters in front of us, a grown Orangutan came down the bark of a tree. He picked up the left over of our coconut and went back up again. Sitting on a branch, chewing and looking around. Magical experience.
One time, a female Orangutan came so close in our circle. She put her hand around my friend her wrist. Very special and enjoyable. Until she didn't wanted to let go and started walking away, taking her with her! I could see the fear in my friend her eyes. Their grips are incredibly strong and impossible to break. She could easily squish her arm or worse. Quite dangerous. Luckily, our guide was able to get the situation all sorted. What a thrill!
When we arrived arrived at our camp along the river side. A big varanus, laying on the rocks on the other side. Bathing in the last rays of the sun. Another big one, crawling down the rocks, looking around and disappearing in the water. And big these were. Said to be the second largest lizard species, after the Komodo dragons. We ate some fried rise and drank water from the river. Boiled into a tea. It didn't taste very nice. And our stomachs didn't like it much either. We trekked for two days in the lush jungles, seeing an abundance in wildlife from groups of Thomas Leaf monkeys to Maqaques and Gibbons. Coming back to the river. Bamboo made rafts were laying on the shore. And continued our journey across the river. Floating trough the lush jungles, making our way back to the village. It was an incredible jungle experience.
We then visited Lake Toba. A volcanic crater from a big eruption of a super volcano long long time ago. That formed the largest volcanic lake in the world. We ate the best noodle soup, explored its beautiful island and learned about the Batak culture that resides here. With an old place that was dedicated to human sacrifices.
We traveled from Jakarta to Bali, across the island of Java. Exploring cultural and natural sights. Some memorable spots were Borobudur in Yogyakarta. A mysterious temple with many bells. Not too long ago. It was still covered in jungle and volcanic ash. No records about this temple are ever found. The sunrise at the magnificent sight of Mount Bromo, an active volcano surrounded by two other volcanos. Laying in a large crater. With its walls circling around. A vast land filled with sand and ashes. That blows up in the wind when driving over. And hiking up the Ijen Volcano. A vivid blueish lake in the middle. Full of acid. Walking down to the crater. Equipped with a gasmask. Everywhere yellowish rocks. And people carrier large amounts on bamboo up their shoulders. Sulfur mining. Closer to the lake. Smoke gets so thick can hardly breath. Guessers all around. With white gasses blowing out. And magnificent blue flames.
In Bali, we drove around on the scooter. Exploring the south and its temples on its rocky cliffs. The beaches with surfers riding the big waves. The markets and it's Balinese culture. The mountains in the north. To having a half coconut. Filled with seawater. And a small little turtle. I'm putting down before a line. Drawn in the sand, racing against his fellow brother. Towards the vast blue ocean. To creating a comfy bed of blankets. Laid on a wooden plateau against the ocean. Listening to the waves of the ocean. And looking at the stars. To laying in the sun at an infinity pool. When everything began to shake. Thinking to myself "Do we have a massage chair?". When the realisation kicked in that we were in the middle of on earth quake. Stressed out locals with cellphones hold up against the ear. Telling everyone to go to high place. In fear of a tsunami. To dancing barefoot on the beach. And looking at locals doing fire shows. To everyone running around in chaos when another earth quake hit. I enjoyed the north of Bali the most. It has beautiful marine life as well.
With the beautiful soul I met in that sleeping train, I explored the islands of Indonesia in 2018. Starting in Bukit Lawang, a beautiful little village in the middle of the jungle. A wide river running trough the middle. Clear waters. Wooden bridge from one side to the other. Traditional houses built upon the water front. With super friendly people. Here, we started our adventure into the lush jungles of Sumatra. The gateway into the jungle. Sun Gate, as our local guide called Bukit Lawang. He led us deep into the jungles. Embracing the wilderness. Hearing groups of monkeys above. Seeing the tree tops shaking in the distance. Eating passion fruits along the way. When we spotted them. A big male in the tree top. And just a little lower. A female with a baby. Wild orangutans. Observing them from a very close distance. When in the trees, another male started coming. Which big male did not like. He started to make loud noises and swing his arms. Our guide made some hand gestures. Time to go to a safe distance. We ate some more passion fruits and had a coconut. When just meters in front of us, a grown Orangutan came down the bark of a tree. He picked up the left over of our coconut and went back up again. Sitting on a branch, chewing and looking around. Magical experience.
One time, a female Orangutan came so close in our circle. She put her hand around my friend her wrist. Very special and enjoyable. Until she didn't wanted to let go and started walking away, taking her with her! I could see the fear in my friend her eyes. Their grips are incredibly strong and impossible to break. She could easily squish her arm or worse. Quite dangerous. Luckily, our guide was able to get the situation all sorted. What a thrill!
When we arrived arrived at our camp along the river side. A big varanus, laying on the rocks on the other side. Bathing in the last rays of the sun. Another big one, crawling down the rocks, looking around and disappearing in the water. And big these were. Said to be the second largest lizard species, after the Komodo dragons. We ate some fried rise and drank water from the river. Boiled into a tea. It didn't taste very nice. And our stomachs didn't like it much either. We trekked for two days in the lush jungles, seeing an abundance in wildlife from groups of Thomas Leaf monkeys to Maqaques and Gibbons. Coming back to the river. Bamboo made rafts were laying on the shore. And continued our journey across the river. Floating trough the lush jungles, making our way back to the village. It was an incredible jungle experience.
We then visited Lake Toba. A volcanic crater from a big eruption of a super volcano long long time ago. That formed the largest volcanic lake in the world. We ate the best noodle soup, explored its beautiful island and learned about the Batak culture that resides here. With an old place that was dedicated to human sacrifices.
We traveled from Jakarta to Bali, across the island of Java. Exploring cultural and natural sights. Some memorable spots were Borobudur in Yogyakarta. A mysterious temple with many bells. Not too long ago. It was still covered in jungle and volcanic ash. No records about this temple are ever found. The sunrise at the magnificent sight of Mount Bromo, an active volcano surrounded by two other volcanos. Laying in a large crater. With its walls circling around. A vast land filled with sand and ashes. That blows up in the wind when driving over. And hiking up the Ijen Volcano. A vivid blueish lake in the middle. Full of acid. Walking down to the crater. Equipped with a gasmask. Everywhere yellowish rocks. And people carrier large amounts on bamboo up their shoulders. Sulfur mining. Closer to the lake. Smoke gets so thick can hardly breath. Guessers all around. With white gasses blowing out. And magnificent blue flames.
In Bali, we drove around on the scooter. Exploring the south and its temples on its rocky cliffs. The beaches with surfers riding the big waves. The markets and it's Balinese culture. The mountains in the north. To having a half coconut. Filled with seawater. And a small little turtle. I'm putting down before a line. Drawn in the sand, racing against his fellow brother. Towards the vast blue ocean. To creating a comfy bed of blankets. Laid on a wooden plateau against the ocean. Listening to the waves of the ocean. And looking at the stars. To laying in the sun at an infinity pool. When everything began to shake. Thinking to myself "Do we have a massage chair?". When the realisation kicked in that we were in the middle of on earth quake. Stressed out locals with cellphones hold up against the ear. Telling everyone to go to high place. In fear of a tsunami. To dancing barefoot on the beach. And looking at locals doing fire shows. To everyone running around in chaos when another earth quake hit. I enjoyed the north of Bali the most. It has beautiful marine life as well.
Laos
In 2019, I started solo traveling. Exploring the lesser known country of Lao. Situated above Cambodia. On the right of Thailand. Starting in Luang Prabang. A beautiful town laying at the great Mekong river. Visiting beautiful areas with blue clear waters. Running down a river of steps. An abundance of waterfalls and natural pools. And fish that clean your feet. Who grow quite big. Sometimes doesn't feel like a tickling anymore. And seeing monks, covered in orange robes, walking the streets in the morning. Collecting rice offerings of the local people.
I explored Vang Vien and did its backpackers favourite activity, bar hopping on tubes down the river. Which was really fun. I rented a motorbike and drove the Thakhek Loop. A beautiful three day solo bike trip, through the mountains, the jungles and small remote villages where naked children are jumping in the mud. Full of excitement and joy. Running to touch my skin. I slept at a place along the Mekong River, where they had canoes laying on the shore. These canoes you could take to peddle across the river, where clear blue waters are meeting the brown waters of the Mekong. A hidden lagoon that stretches far into the jungles, where you can see locals clean their bodies and brush their teeth.
I then followed the Mekong river down to the south. Where it turns into multiple streams. Creating countless islands, locally known as the four thousand islands. Don Det is one of such islands, well known among travellers. Here I slept in a beautiful lodge on the waterfront, looking at amazing sunsets high on mushrooms. I explored the island and its friendly locals by bicycle.
In 2019, I started solo traveling. Exploring the lesser known country of Lao. Situated above Cambodia. On the right of Thailand. Starting in Luang Prabang. A beautiful town laying at the great Mekong river. Visiting beautiful areas with blue clear waters. Running down a river of steps. An abundance of waterfalls and natural pools. And fish that clean your feet. Who grow quite big. Sometimes doesn't feel like a tickling anymore. And seeing monks, covered in orange robes, walking the streets in the morning. Collecting rice offerings of the local people.
I explored Vang Vien and did its backpackers favourite activity, bar hopping on tubes down the river. Which was really fun. I rented a motorbike and drove the Thakhek Loop. A beautiful three day solo bike trip, through the mountains, the jungles and small remote villages where naked children are jumping in the mud. Full of excitement and joy. Running to touch my skin. I slept at a place along the Mekong River, where they had canoes laying on the shore. These canoes you could take to peddle across the river, where clear blue waters are meeting the brown waters of the Mekong. A hidden lagoon that stretches far into the jungles, where you can see locals clean their bodies and brush their teeth.
I then followed the Mekong river down to the south. Where it turns into multiple streams. Creating countless islands, locally known as the four thousand islands. Don Det is one of such islands, well known among travellers. Here I slept in a beautiful lodge on the waterfront, looking at amazing sunsets high on mushrooms. I explored the island and its friendly locals by bicycle.
Cambodia
My path continued across the boarder, into Cambodia. Sitting in a van, being shaken up and down and sideways. Zigzagging trough the big holes in the roads. Arriving in Phnom Penh, I visited the Genocidemuseum and the Killing Fields. Two places with a very dark history. I stayed in a hostel at the Mekong River, I think it was called Arcade. Great freaking place. It had Wipeout included. Different kinds of crazy stuff to let you fly off into the Mekong river. Great fun.
Here, I planned for a group hike into the mountains. The next morning, rain pouring down. Raining season is still very hot, so really not a big issue to continue the hike. Driving into the mountains to our starting point. Soon enough, we found ourselves walking up trough heavy rainwater rushing down. And pathways that were turned into rivers. After hiking for some time trough great sceneries, we could hear a waterfall in the far distance. This was our end goal, having a swim in the clear blue waters in front of the waterfall. We would have to cross the river to get here. Easy. Getting closer, we could see the river had turned wild. Looking at a big tree trunk passing by infront. "Hmm". Looking at the waterfall, the one that was presented as majestic with blue waters, was now like a sewerage pipe blasting with a great force. "Hmm". Just when we were discussing to cross the river, we see the wooden hanging bridge disappearing in the river. Coming back to the hostel. The Mekong River had risen meters in height. Drinking a beer at the bar. Seeing a house floating by, with a man on the roof. Like it was the most normal thing. The water kept rising. People were sitting at the bar in canoes. The whole place was floated. We had to evacuate. Even town was floated, so I traveled to the south.
In Sihanoukville, I took a very to Koh Rong Sanloem. Enjoying the island life and learning to catch fish like the locals. It's a very quiet place with many far stretched beaches and nothing but untouched wilderness. Felt like an uninhabited island. My hostel even had it's own beach. I had my first ever bioluminescence experience here, and seen my first ever shooting stars! Also great sunrises and huge geckos, with a bright green or bright blue colour covered with black dots.
Siem Reap was the last place I visited. Located in the northwest. Where I visited the heart of the city, Pub Street. And driving around in a tuktuk, with no sleep and a hangover. Exploring the magical archaeological temple complex. A huge natural area with an abundance in ancient temples. Took me all day to complete. Beautiful though. Especially the massive trees with long roots. Intertwined with the ancient stone structures. Ta Prohm temple, also famously known for the movie of Lara Croft Tomb Raider. Bayon temple, with it's smiling stone faces. And Angkor Wat, the crown jewel. These are stuck in my memory.
My path continued across the boarder, into Cambodia. Sitting in a van, being shaken up and down and sideways. Zigzagging trough the big holes in the roads. Arriving in Phnom Penh, I visited the Genocidemuseum and the Killing Fields. Two places with a very dark history. I stayed in a hostel at the Mekong River, I think it was called Arcade. Great freaking place. It had Wipeout included. Different kinds of crazy stuff to let you fly off into the Mekong river. Great fun.
Here, I planned for a group hike into the mountains. The next morning, rain pouring down. Raining season is still very hot, so really not a big issue to continue the hike. Driving into the mountains to our starting point. Soon enough, we found ourselves walking up trough heavy rainwater rushing down. And pathways that were turned into rivers. After hiking for some time trough great sceneries, we could hear a waterfall in the far distance. This was our end goal, having a swim in the clear blue waters in front of the waterfall. We would have to cross the river to get here. Easy. Getting closer, we could see the river had turned wild. Looking at a big tree trunk passing by infront. "Hmm". Looking at the waterfall, the one that was presented as majestic with blue waters, was now like a sewerage pipe blasting with a great force. "Hmm". Just when we were discussing to cross the river, we see the wooden hanging bridge disappearing in the river. Coming back to the hostel. The Mekong River had risen meters in height. Drinking a beer at the bar. Seeing a house floating by, with a man on the roof. Like it was the most normal thing. The water kept rising. People were sitting at the bar in canoes. The whole place was floated. We had to evacuate. Even town was floated, so I traveled to the south.
In Sihanoukville, I took a very to Koh Rong Sanloem. Enjoying the island life and learning to catch fish like the locals. It's a very quiet place with many far stretched beaches and nothing but untouched wilderness. Felt like an uninhabited island. My hostel even had it's own beach. I had my first ever bioluminescence experience here, and seen my first ever shooting stars! Also great sunrises and huge geckos, with a bright green or bright blue colour covered with black dots.
Siem Reap was the last place I visited. Located in the northwest. Where I visited the heart of the city, Pub Street. And driving around in a tuktuk, with no sleep and a hangover. Exploring the magical archaeological temple complex. A huge natural area with an abundance in ancient temples. Took me all day to complete. Beautiful though. Especially the massive trees with long roots. Intertwined with the ancient stone structures. Ta Prohm temple, also famously known for the movie of Lara Croft Tomb Raider. Bayon temple, with it's smiling stone faces. And Angkor Wat, the crown jewel. These are stuck in my memory.
Curacao & Bonaire
After graduation in 2021, I became a Digital Nomad. Still, during COVID-19 times, and much was in lock down. But traveling here was possible and so I did. Having a little Caribbean break.
I started in Bonaire. An island of the coast of Venezuela, where I rented a scooter and drove around the island. Driving along beautiful coast lines and beaches with clear waters. Trough cactuses with parrots flying above. Having a stop at a big lake, enjoying the sight of flamingos. Further exploration, donkeys crossing the roads. Coming at a point where there are dozens of little structures along the coast. Looking like small huts made of white stone. Nothing inside, just an opening towards the ocean. On the other side, huge pink lakes. And white mountains in a distance. These huts were slave huts, built in the 1850s. This coast was famous for the salt trade. Further on, kites flying heigh in the air. A spectacle, to watch the kite surfers and their heigh jumps above the water. I had lunch at a local markets where I tried locally caught red snapper and explored the mangrove forests. The best memory, was swimming with turtles.
Then I pressed on to Curacao, it's neighbouring island. A much busier holiday destination among the Dutch folk. Here I drove around in a car with two other travellers. We did some snorkeling at a shipwreck, visited beautiful beaches with clear blue waters, set foot on some historical monuments, and did a few hikes along the coast lines. I did do diving in Curacao, beautiful. An abundance of life. Huge corals, some old statues and many fish and turtles.
Both islands are spoken Dutch and have their own good things, though I found them quiet dull and not great for solo traveling. It's really a couples, family and honeymoon destination. Curacao does offer much more facilities and thus attract Dutch expats, doing internships.
After graduation in 2021, I became a Digital Nomad. Still, during COVID-19 times, and much was in lock down. But traveling here was possible and so I did. Having a little Caribbean break.
I started in Bonaire. An island of the coast of Venezuela, where I rented a scooter and drove around the island. Driving along beautiful coast lines and beaches with clear waters. Trough cactuses with parrots flying above. Having a stop at a big lake, enjoying the sight of flamingos. Further exploration, donkeys crossing the roads. Coming at a point where there are dozens of little structures along the coast. Looking like small huts made of white stone. Nothing inside, just an opening towards the ocean. On the other side, huge pink lakes. And white mountains in a distance. These huts were slave huts, built in the 1850s. This coast was famous for the salt trade. Further on, kites flying heigh in the air. A spectacle, to watch the kite surfers and their heigh jumps above the water. I had lunch at a local markets where I tried locally caught red snapper and explored the mangrove forests. The best memory, was swimming with turtles.
Then I pressed on to Curacao, it's neighbouring island. A much busier holiday destination among the Dutch folk. Here I drove around in a car with two other travellers. We did some snorkeling at a shipwreck, visited beautiful beaches with clear blue waters, set foot on some historical monuments, and did a few hikes along the coast lines. I did do diving in Curacao, beautiful. An abundance of life. Huge corals, some old statues and many fish and turtles.
Both islands are spoken Dutch and have their own good things, though I found them quiet dull and not great for solo traveling. It's really a couples, family and honeymoon destination. Curacao does offer much more facilities and thus attract Dutch expats, doing internships.
Costa Rica
When talking to someone in Curacao, this person told me Costa Rica is open for tourism. For a person who loves nature and wildlife, this seemed to be the perfect destination.
My journey began in San Jose, the capital. Located in the middle of the country. I shortly explored the cities culture and empanadas, when moving up to La Fortuna. A small town up north, with a magnificent volcano in the background. Here I rented a scooter and drove around its beautiful natural environment. Regularly seeing Coatis coming out of the tropical rain forests and crossing the roads. Small bears, with a long tail up and pointy snouts. Adorable animals. I spotted poisonous frogs and a huge plumed basilisk on a tree trunk. Gorgeous male lizard, it almost reached a meter in length, vivid green colour with a crest on the head, body and tail. Felt like I was walking among dinosaurs.
Monteverde was the next stop. This lays next to La Fortuna, higher in the mountains. They call this the cloud forest. I did here another hike with some travellers, when we came to a strangler tree that was hollow. You could climb it all the way up, quite heigh. They went for it, and I was just enjoying my surrounding on the ground. When the rain forest was moving in the distance and a group of spider monkeys were passing by. I also did my first ever bungee here. Was a fun experience. Two lines stretched over a valley and a chard we stepped on. Could not see where we were going cause of the clouds. Stopping somewhere in the middle, clouds open up and we can see the valley with a small streaming river far beneath us. Thrilling experience, just not hanging upside down trying to catch the swinging line for the guys to pull me back in. Another memorable experience were seeing the Scarlet Macaws flying around wild and free in this area. Iconics tropical birds. Large parrots with red, yellow and blue plumage.
I followed along three amazing travellers I met here. One had rented a car and we started roadtripping. We drove trough incredible landscapes to Tamarindo, a beachtown at the Pacific coast on the northeast, where we did some surfing and ended up at a secret jungle rave. We then drove to the south trough tropical forests, floated roads and little villages. Along the side of the roads, often we found yellow diamond square signs presenting a cat symbol. Beware of jaguars. We got to a point along the coastline where we played football with the locals, a sunset in the background, ocean view, rain forest around and macaws flying around. We then drove further and steep down on sandy roads. Arrived in a small undeveloped village on the coast of the tropical forest. A one street village, with good surfing beaches but very busy with tourists. So shortly after, we drove to Montezuma and I fell in love with this place. Whereas I had to say goodbye to my fellow travellers and stayed here for a while.
It's a small village with little tourists and a very laid back atmosphere. I had a beautiful hostel on the cliffside, with a zen garden overlooking the ocean. We had our local monkey friends jumping around and stealing food, and halloween craps crawling around. Big craps with a tar black shell, blood orange legs and purple claws. At night, it was so peaceful hearing the waves crash on the rocks. The cliff side had natural tidal pools with amazing sunset in the background. The village is located near tropical forests, where I did numerous hikes and visited magnificent waterfalls. I saw the biggest iguana ever, dark green body and massive vivid orange head, pouch under his chin hanging down the ground and orange spikes along the back. Stunning. The village is very relaxed with local markets and live music and a long stretch empty beach, where I saw a big turtle in the sand and helped with hatching season of the little ones and set of their big adventure into the open blue.
I took the ferry to Puntarenas and crocodile bridge, and hitchhiked to Manuel Antonio. Another coastal town more to the south. A beautiful town, good local food and a lot of nature. Spotting squirrel monkeys and slots. Here I met up with a beautiful soul again, I met in Montezuma. We ended up on a local party that the police shut down. We than jumped on a local truck and with a line of dozens of cars behind us. We drove down to the beach, and drove over the sand for miles to started having our very own beach party with the local people. Escaping the police. Was such a magical and pure experience. We had a hike trough the national park, along the beautiful coast line. We spotted quite some wildlife and even a really big snake crawling trough the bush on the side of the path. And on a solo adventure trough the rain forest, with a knife in the pocket for fear of jaguars, we seen wild toucans at a house up in the mountain. Beautiful small tropical birds with their vivid yellow, green and red colours and a moon shaped beak half their size.
We then took a small boat in Sierpe, floating along the river trough the dense rain forest. Birds flying above, crocodiles laying on the shores. We came upon the ocean, jumping over the wild ocean waves, sleeping in a tent in the Corcovado national park. Pacific south of Costa Rica. Here we did a trekking. Walking through heavy rains, an pathway that were now deep rivers. Spotting a group of wild boars and seeing how spider monkeys super fast let themselves fall down heigh trees and capturing themselves on lower levels with their tales magnificently, but sadly we did not see the illusive black jaguars.
When talking to someone in Curacao, this person told me Costa Rica is open for tourism. For a person who loves nature and wildlife, this seemed to be the perfect destination.
My journey began in San Jose, the capital. Located in the middle of the country. I shortly explored the cities culture and empanadas, when moving up to La Fortuna. A small town up north, with a magnificent volcano in the background. Here I rented a scooter and drove around its beautiful natural environment. Regularly seeing Coatis coming out of the tropical rain forests and crossing the roads. Small bears, with a long tail up and pointy snouts. Adorable animals. I spotted poisonous frogs and a huge plumed basilisk on a tree trunk. Gorgeous male lizard, it almost reached a meter in length, vivid green colour with a crest on the head, body and tail. Felt like I was walking among dinosaurs.
Monteverde was the next stop. This lays next to La Fortuna, higher in the mountains. They call this the cloud forest. I did here another hike with some travellers, when we came to a strangler tree that was hollow. You could climb it all the way up, quite heigh. They went for it, and I was just enjoying my surrounding on the ground. When the rain forest was moving in the distance and a group of spider monkeys were passing by. I also did my first ever bungee here. Was a fun experience. Two lines stretched over a valley and a chard we stepped on. Could not see where we were going cause of the clouds. Stopping somewhere in the middle, clouds open up and we can see the valley with a small streaming river far beneath us. Thrilling experience, just not hanging upside down trying to catch the swinging line for the guys to pull me back in. Another memorable experience were seeing the Scarlet Macaws flying around wild and free in this area. Iconics tropical birds. Large parrots with red, yellow and blue plumage.
I followed along three amazing travellers I met here. One had rented a car and we started roadtripping. We drove trough incredible landscapes to Tamarindo, a beachtown at the Pacific coast on the northeast, where we did some surfing and ended up at a secret jungle rave. We then drove to the south trough tropical forests, floated roads and little villages. Along the side of the roads, often we found yellow diamond square signs presenting a cat symbol. Beware of jaguars. We got to a point along the coastline where we played football with the locals, a sunset in the background, ocean view, rain forest around and macaws flying around. We then drove further and steep down on sandy roads. Arrived in a small undeveloped village on the coast of the tropical forest. A one street village, with good surfing beaches but very busy with tourists. So shortly after, we drove to Montezuma and I fell in love with this place. Whereas I had to say goodbye to my fellow travellers and stayed here for a while.
It's a small village with little tourists and a very laid back atmosphere. I had a beautiful hostel on the cliffside, with a zen garden overlooking the ocean. We had our local monkey friends jumping around and stealing food, and halloween craps crawling around. Big craps with a tar black shell, blood orange legs and purple claws. At night, it was so peaceful hearing the waves crash on the rocks. The cliff side had natural tidal pools with amazing sunset in the background. The village is located near tropical forests, where I did numerous hikes and visited magnificent waterfalls. I saw the biggest iguana ever, dark green body and massive vivid orange head, pouch under his chin hanging down the ground and orange spikes along the back. Stunning. The village is very relaxed with local markets and live music and a long stretch empty beach, where I saw a big turtle in the sand and helped with hatching season of the little ones and set of their big adventure into the open blue.
I took the ferry to Puntarenas and crocodile bridge, and hitchhiked to Manuel Antonio. Another coastal town more to the south. A beautiful town, good local food and a lot of nature. Spotting squirrel monkeys and slots. Here I met up with a beautiful soul again, I met in Montezuma. We ended up on a local party that the police shut down. We than jumped on a local truck and with a line of dozens of cars behind us. We drove down to the beach, and drove over the sand for miles to started having our very own beach party with the local people. Escaping the police. Was such a magical and pure experience. We had a hike trough the national park, along the beautiful coast line. We spotted quite some wildlife and even a really big snake crawling trough the bush on the side of the path. And on a solo adventure trough the rain forest, with a knife in the pocket for fear of jaguars, we seen wild toucans at a house up in the mountain. Beautiful small tropical birds with their vivid yellow, green and red colours and a moon shaped beak half their size.
We then took a small boat in Sierpe, floating along the river trough the dense rain forest. Birds flying above, crocodiles laying on the shores. We came upon the ocean, jumping over the wild ocean waves, sleeping in a tent in the Corcovado national park. Pacific south of Costa Rica. Here we did a trekking. Walking through heavy rains, an pathway that were now deep rivers. Spotting a group of wild boars and seeing how spider monkeys super fast let themselves fall down heigh trees and capturing themselves on lower levels with their tales magnificently, but sadly we did not see the illusive black jaguars.
Panama
I crossed, with the one from Corcovado in Costa Rica, over the boarder into Panama. In a packed minivan sitting on each other between local folk singing. Such a wholesome and pure experience. Late and night, and tired, we got dropped of along the road. Packed with two heavy bags, on the back and on the front, we had to hike up the mountain, towards the Lost and Found jungle hostel in the Reserva Forestal de Fortuna.
A hostel heigh up the mountains of the rain forest, with an amazing sunset view over the far stretch valley and mountain ranges. It was a beautiful hostel where often wildlife visited. I seen a tarantula crawling over the plateau and a Cacomistle, or half-cat or half-mountain lion. A very cute cat like animal, with big eyes and big ears, orange fur and a big fluffy tail with black stripes. In the rain forest we swam in a beautiful clear blue rivers, seeing great waterfalls and hiked over its mountain peaks. Spotted a Tarantula Hawk Wasp, which has a beautiful blue body and red wings and an overall size of my finger. They hunt tarantulas. As they fly they sense the chemicals of the spiders, land, and go into their burrow. The wasp boxes or fights with the tarantula until the tarantula goes up on its hind legs, exposes it fangs, and the tarantula hawk quickly inserts its quarter inch stinger into the tarantula’s abdomen. The tarantula is paralysed, but is still alive. Then the spider wasp takes it back to its burrow and lays an egg on the spider’s belly. The new larvae then eats the still alive and paralysed tarantula for its first meal. A sting from this spider wasp can put you into a state of paralysis of up to 5 minutes and is rated the second most painful insect sting (after the bullet ant).
With the travellers from the hostel, we went to David. To hike the highest point of Panama, Volcan Baru. A night hike of five hours steep up the volcano, under a rain of stars. Often seeing shooting stars flying by. At the summit, we celebrated with tequila and waited for the sun to rise. It was a spectacular sight, the sky was clear enough to see the vast landscapes towards the ocean of the Pacific, all the way to the other ocean of the Caribbean.
We traveled to the island of Bocas Del Toro, on the Caribbean Sea. Beautiful place, shorelines with clear blue waters full of sea starfish, great underwater coral world while snorkelling, great parties and floating bars, many beautiful uninhabited islands. Here I spotted sloths hanging in the mangrove and little red frogs in the forests.
I continued my solo adventure to Santa Catalina, a small fishers village on the Pacific coast. Very cozy and friendly community. Home to a lot of big green parrots too. Played with the locals volleyball on the beach and enjoyed its stunning sunsets. The main reason I came here was for diving in the Pacific and swimming with sharks. Our adventure over the water already was met by dolphins and our first dive we could hear the magnificent sound of humpback whales communicating to one another. Beautiful dives sights, with gorgeous big white tip reef sharks up to one and a half meters, and hawkbill turtles swimming in the blue. We had a break on an island, untouched beach and palm trees as far as you could see. There were tracks in the sands. Salt water crocodile tracks. We walked a little bit into the forest, where there was a clear blue water river. The biggest crocodiles I've ever seen. Would have been amazing to see them swim in the open blue. Last dive sight, is where are hearts beat a little faster. When we swam over the bottom, with heavy current and sands stirring up the waters. When we could see a shadow in the distance and a bull shark coming right towards us. Five bull sharks surrounded us. What a thrill, and such magnificent creatures with lengths up to two and a half meters.
Last stop before flying out was Panama City.
I crossed, with the one from Corcovado in Costa Rica, over the boarder into Panama. In a packed minivan sitting on each other between local folk singing. Such a wholesome and pure experience. Late and night, and tired, we got dropped of along the road. Packed with two heavy bags, on the back and on the front, we had to hike up the mountain, towards the Lost and Found jungle hostel in the Reserva Forestal de Fortuna.
A hostel heigh up the mountains of the rain forest, with an amazing sunset view over the far stretch valley and mountain ranges. It was a beautiful hostel where often wildlife visited. I seen a tarantula crawling over the plateau and a Cacomistle, or half-cat or half-mountain lion. A very cute cat like animal, with big eyes and big ears, orange fur and a big fluffy tail with black stripes. In the rain forest we swam in a beautiful clear blue rivers, seeing great waterfalls and hiked over its mountain peaks. Spotted a Tarantula Hawk Wasp, which has a beautiful blue body and red wings and an overall size of my finger. They hunt tarantulas. As they fly they sense the chemicals of the spiders, land, and go into their burrow. The wasp boxes or fights with the tarantula until the tarantula goes up on its hind legs, exposes it fangs, and the tarantula hawk quickly inserts its quarter inch stinger into the tarantula’s abdomen. The tarantula is paralysed, but is still alive. Then the spider wasp takes it back to its burrow and lays an egg on the spider’s belly. The new larvae then eats the still alive and paralysed tarantula for its first meal. A sting from this spider wasp can put you into a state of paralysis of up to 5 minutes and is rated the second most painful insect sting (after the bullet ant).
With the travellers from the hostel, we went to David. To hike the highest point of Panama, Volcan Baru. A night hike of five hours steep up the volcano, under a rain of stars. Often seeing shooting stars flying by. At the summit, we celebrated with tequila and waited for the sun to rise. It was a spectacular sight, the sky was clear enough to see the vast landscapes towards the ocean of the Pacific, all the way to the other ocean of the Caribbean.
We traveled to the island of Bocas Del Toro, on the Caribbean Sea. Beautiful place, shorelines with clear blue waters full of sea starfish, great underwater coral world while snorkelling, great parties and floating bars, many beautiful uninhabited islands. Here I spotted sloths hanging in the mangrove and little red frogs in the forests.
I continued my solo adventure to Santa Catalina, a small fishers village on the Pacific coast. Very cozy and friendly community. Home to a lot of big green parrots too. Played with the locals volleyball on the beach and enjoyed its stunning sunsets. The main reason I came here was for diving in the Pacific and swimming with sharks. Our adventure over the water already was met by dolphins and our first dive we could hear the magnificent sound of humpback whales communicating to one another. Beautiful dives sights, with gorgeous big white tip reef sharks up to one and a half meters, and hawkbill turtles swimming in the blue. We had a break on an island, untouched beach and palm trees as far as you could see. There were tracks in the sands. Salt water crocodile tracks. We walked a little bit into the forest, where there was a clear blue water river. The biggest crocodiles I've ever seen. Would have been amazing to see them swim in the open blue. Last dive sight, is where are hearts beat a little faster. When we swam over the bottom, with heavy current and sands stirring up the waters. When we could see a shadow in the distance and a bull shark coming right towards us. Five bull sharks surrounded us. What a thrill, and such magnificent creatures with lengths up to two and a half meters.
Last stop before flying out was Panama City.
Morocco
When I was in Peniche, Portugal, I worked from the co-working space of Selina. On the weekend, I met someone who said to me "finally we meet". Funny enough, she was working in the same small co-working. Every day luring at me, and I was paying no attention! But I did that day, and on her last evening we danced the night away. A week later she calls me up and says "you want to come to Morocco?". So that's what I did.
We arrived in a taxi at night in Taghazout. We thought "This looks sketchy!", but oh what great place. Very charming little town on the southwestern coast. People are amazing. We stayed in a coliving called Sun Desk. A place where people live together and work together. It's like a hostel for digital nomads. Everyone has their private rooms, traditionally Moroccan in this case, and working areas and community areas overlooking the beach and the town.
Every morning we had an amazing traditional breakfast with our digital nomad family on the rooftop, with beautiful Moroccan blankets full of patterns and colors. Big and comfy pillows to sit on. A long wooden pallet with on top a variety of food in dozens of small painted bowls. And white sheets above, waving in the wind. Overlooking the village, with in the background the beachfront on the right, and mountains on the left. It was just, bliss.
The town is very lively. Locals are very friendly. Super laid-back village where kids are still playing on the street after midnight. Great beach too, very good for surfing. Apparently, it's a well known spot among surfers. They come from all over the world for this beach break. I believe I tried it here too. Or I may have been burned out from the surfing in Peniche. In any case, beautiful long stretched beach. With many locals enjoying the sun and communing. Often you'll see a group doing exercises on the beach with the sunrise or sundown. The village has its cute narrow streets with white and blue painted little buildings. Colourful fishing boats lined up at the shore, with a lot of small cute terraces along the sea front. Here it is the Islam, so what they drink is mainly their delicious mint tea. With lots of sugar. In the evening you'll find small groups on the beach, having a picknick or making music. Their parties are very special too. From young to old, it's really a place where the community comes together. Every seating on the floor, live bands playing with traditional instruments, others dancing infront or on the tables. An energy I've never experienced before.
In the weekends we explored different surrounding areas. Like the Sahara Desert and staying here overnight in a tent. Doing a hiking trip around the mountains. Road trip to a little village upnorth, called Imsouane. And standing hours stuck in the middle of the desert in traffic, trying to get to Marrakech. Worth it though. We slept in these beautiful so called riyads, a traditional hotel that's square formed and has a small courtyard in the middle. With a pool outside where you can sit in looking at the stars. When you are here, it really doesn't even feel like you are in the middle of a city. Buzzling city.
Out the door, we went trough small allies to get to the market streets. Long small street of old hand sized stones. Sand coloured box shaped buildings. Grey fabric hanging from one side to the other. Underneath, colourful small shops on every side. Locals selling a variety of goods on every corner. Communing and drinking their mint tea. Wooden wagons coming and going. It feels exactly Assasin's Creed, if you know what I mean. Really fascinating place. Zigzagging trough some narrow streets and we discovered an area with all kinds of coloured fabric hanging around and drying. With small colour factories where everything is done by hand. The plaza where they play the flute infront of cobras and have pet monkeys on iron chains and sell a huge variety of street food, especially around evening time. Lively and noisy, yet intriguing culture.
When my friend left, I decided to stay a little longer. I really enjoyed Taghazout.
When I was in Peniche, Portugal, I worked from the co-working space of Selina. On the weekend, I met someone who said to me "finally we meet". Funny enough, she was working in the same small co-working. Every day luring at me, and I was paying no attention! But I did that day, and on her last evening we danced the night away. A week later she calls me up and says "you want to come to Morocco?". So that's what I did.
We arrived in a taxi at night in Taghazout. We thought "This looks sketchy!", but oh what great place. Very charming little town on the southwestern coast. People are amazing. We stayed in a coliving called Sun Desk. A place where people live together and work together. It's like a hostel for digital nomads. Everyone has their private rooms, traditionally Moroccan in this case, and working areas and community areas overlooking the beach and the town.
Every morning we had an amazing traditional breakfast with our digital nomad family on the rooftop, with beautiful Moroccan blankets full of patterns and colors. Big and comfy pillows to sit on. A long wooden pallet with on top a variety of food in dozens of small painted bowls. And white sheets above, waving in the wind. Overlooking the village, with in the background the beachfront on the right, and mountains on the left. It was just, bliss.
The town is very lively. Locals are very friendly. Super laid-back village where kids are still playing on the street after midnight. Great beach too, very good for surfing. Apparently, it's a well known spot among surfers. They come from all over the world for this beach break. I believe I tried it here too. Or I may have been burned out from the surfing in Peniche. In any case, beautiful long stretched beach. With many locals enjoying the sun and communing. Often you'll see a group doing exercises on the beach with the sunrise or sundown. The village has its cute narrow streets with white and blue painted little buildings. Colourful fishing boats lined up at the shore, with a lot of small cute terraces along the sea front. Here it is the Islam, so what they drink is mainly their delicious mint tea. With lots of sugar. In the evening you'll find small groups on the beach, having a picknick or making music. Their parties are very special too. From young to old, it's really a place where the community comes together. Every seating on the floor, live bands playing with traditional instruments, others dancing infront or on the tables. An energy I've never experienced before.
In the weekends we explored different surrounding areas. Like the Sahara Desert and staying here overnight in a tent. Doing a hiking trip around the mountains. Road trip to a little village upnorth, called Imsouane. And standing hours stuck in the middle of the desert in traffic, trying to get to Marrakech. Worth it though. We slept in these beautiful so called riyads, a traditional hotel that's square formed and has a small courtyard in the middle. With a pool outside where you can sit in looking at the stars. When you are here, it really doesn't even feel like you are in the middle of a city. Buzzling city.
Out the door, we went trough small allies to get to the market streets. Long small street of old hand sized stones. Sand coloured box shaped buildings. Grey fabric hanging from one side to the other. Underneath, colourful small shops on every side. Locals selling a variety of goods on every corner. Communing and drinking their mint tea. Wooden wagons coming and going. It feels exactly Assasin's Creed, if you know what I mean. Really fascinating place. Zigzagging trough some narrow streets and we discovered an area with all kinds of coloured fabric hanging around and drying. With small colour factories where everything is done by hand. The plaza where they play the flute infront of cobras and have pet monkeys on iron chains and sell a huge variety of street food, especially around evening time. Lively and noisy, yet intriguing culture.
When my friend left, I decided to stay a little longer. I really enjoyed Taghazout.
Egypt
I'd always wanted to see the old legends with my very own eyes. So I continued to Egypt. Starting in the bustling city of Cairo, I visited the Egyptian Museum. One of the most important museums in the world, holding an incredible collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza and the nearby Sphinx. And I explored Saqqara, which is part of the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. It is one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites, known primarily for the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is considered the world’s oldest large-scale stone structure. Saqqara contains numerous other pyramids and tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and nobles, spanning many different dynasties. Some of these tombs are adorned with well-preserved hieroglyphics and relief carvings, telling stories of the afterlife and ancient Egyptian beliefs. Stepping foot in a far distant past, an indescribable experience.
I then traveled down the Nile to Luxor, often called the world’s greatest open-air museum. The site of ancient city of Thebes, the religious and political capital of Egypt at the height of its power during the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC). The streets are often still sandy, and horses and carriages are still being used as transport. I stayed on the little island in the Nile, surrounded by dunes and palm trees. Here I visited the incredible Karnak Temple, one of the largest religious complexes ever built, dedicated primarily to the god Amun-Ra. Housing a vast collection of sanctuaries, pylons, and obelisks that were constructed over a span of 2,000 years. I visited the Valley of the Kings, a burial site of many pharaohs of the New Kingdom. It includes the famous Tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as the tombs of Ramses II, Seti I and others. Incredibly well preserved tombs with stunning wall paintings. The tombs are incredibly well preserved, decorated with intricate and colorful hieroglyphs depicting the journey to the afterlife, with scenes from the Book of the Dead. And visited the stunning Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, considered one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements of ancient Egypt. The temple was constructed in honor of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s most successful female pharaoh, who ruled during the 18th Dynasty (around 1479–1458 BC).
I took a Nile Cruise down to Aswan. Along the way visiting more temples, like the Temple of Edfu, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Egypt built during the Ptolemaic period (237–57 BC). Temple of Kom Ombo and its Crocodile Museum, a unusual double temple dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. Ancient Egyptians considered crocodiles sacred to Sobek, the god of fertility, power and protection. Crocodiles were often kept in temple pools and worshiped, and after their death, they were mummified and placed in tombs. Aswan itself is famous for its beautiful Nile views, granite quarries and being the gateway to Nubia. The city was a major trade hub in ancient times and you'll see many feluccas, traditional wooden sialboats with its distinctive triangular sail and no motor, relying solely on wind power to navigate the river’s currents. Here another beautiful site I visited was the Philae Temple complex, dedicated to the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, and was one of the last places in Egypt where the ancient religion was practiced. Lastly, I crossed a remote desert area down to the Sudanese border with military convoy to see one of Egypt’s most impressive temples, carved out of the mountainside. Abu Simbel. Built by Ramses II, one of Egypt’s most powerful and long-reigning pharaohs, during the 19th Dynasty (around 1264 BC). Abu Simbel served as a powerful symbol of Ramses II’s dominance over Nubia, acting as both a temple and a political statement. The temples were built on the southern frontier of ancient Egypt, projecting Egyptian power and culture into Nubia, and they were intended to awe and impress Egypt’s southern neighbors. The reliefs and inscriptions inside the temples depict Ramses II’s military victories, including the famous Battle of Kadesh, and his divine relationship with the gods, further enhancing his image as a god-king.
After this cultural eye opener, I stayed in a Coliving in Sharm El Sheikh. Here I relaxed, worked remotely and did some diving in the Red Sea. Getting my certificate as an Advanced Open Water Diver.
I'd always wanted to see the old legends with my very own eyes. So I continued to Egypt. Starting in the bustling city of Cairo, I visited the Egyptian Museum. One of the most important museums in the world, holding an incredible collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramids of Giza and the nearby Sphinx. And I explored Saqqara, which is part of the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. It is one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites, known primarily for the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is considered the world’s oldest large-scale stone structure. Saqqara contains numerous other pyramids and tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and nobles, spanning many different dynasties. Some of these tombs are adorned with well-preserved hieroglyphics and relief carvings, telling stories of the afterlife and ancient Egyptian beliefs. Stepping foot in a far distant past, an indescribable experience.
I then traveled down the Nile to Luxor, often called the world’s greatest open-air museum. The site of ancient city of Thebes, the religious and political capital of Egypt at the height of its power during the New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC). The streets are often still sandy, and horses and carriages are still being used as transport. I stayed on the little island in the Nile, surrounded by dunes and palm trees. Here I visited the incredible Karnak Temple, one of the largest religious complexes ever built, dedicated primarily to the god Amun-Ra. Housing a vast collection of sanctuaries, pylons, and obelisks that were constructed over a span of 2,000 years. I visited the Valley of the Kings, a burial site of many pharaohs of the New Kingdom. It includes the famous Tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as the tombs of Ramses II, Seti I and others. Incredibly well preserved tombs with stunning wall paintings. The tombs are incredibly well preserved, decorated with intricate and colorful hieroglyphs depicting the journey to the afterlife, with scenes from the Book of the Dead. And visited the stunning Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, considered one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements of ancient Egypt. The temple was constructed in honor of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s most successful female pharaoh, who ruled during the 18th Dynasty (around 1479–1458 BC).
I took a Nile Cruise down to Aswan. Along the way visiting more temples, like the Temple of Edfu, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Egypt built during the Ptolemaic period (237–57 BC). Temple of Kom Ombo and its Crocodile Museum, a unusual double temple dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. Ancient Egyptians considered crocodiles sacred to Sobek, the god of fertility, power and protection. Crocodiles were often kept in temple pools and worshiped, and after their death, they were mummified and placed in tombs. Aswan itself is famous for its beautiful Nile views, granite quarries and being the gateway to Nubia. The city was a major trade hub in ancient times and you'll see many feluccas, traditional wooden sialboats with its distinctive triangular sail and no motor, relying solely on wind power to navigate the river’s currents. Here another beautiful site I visited was the Philae Temple complex, dedicated to the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, and was one of the last places in Egypt where the ancient religion was practiced. Lastly, I crossed a remote desert area down to the Sudanese border with military convoy to see one of Egypt’s most impressive temples, carved out of the mountainside. Abu Simbel. Built by Ramses II, one of Egypt’s most powerful and long-reigning pharaohs, during the 19th Dynasty (around 1264 BC). Abu Simbel served as a powerful symbol of Ramses II’s dominance over Nubia, acting as both a temple and a political statement. The temples were built on the southern frontier of ancient Egypt, projecting Egyptian power and culture into Nubia, and they were intended to awe and impress Egypt’s southern neighbors. The reliefs and inscriptions inside the temples depict Ramses II’s military victories, including the famous Battle of Kadesh, and his divine relationship with the gods, further enhancing his image as a god-king.
After this cultural eye opener, I stayed in a Coliving in Sharm El Sheikh. Here I relaxed, worked remotely and did some diving in the Red Sea. Getting my certificate as an Advanced Open Water Diver.
South Africa
I lived in Cape Town, South Africa, in the beautiful coastal area of Sea Point. First to visit a friend I met Porto, Purtugal. But I fell in love with Cape Town, its located in such a lush environment and it offers everything one could desire. A perfect blend of urban and nature.
The surrounding mountain area of Lions Head, Table Mountain, Twelve Apostles, Signal Hill and Devils Peak offer an unlimited exploration of hiking experiences and stunning sunsets. With some spots offering a fun paragliding experience. The many beautiful white-sandy beaches are great for sundowners and refreshing swims. The water ranged between 6 to 12 degrees celsius. For months, every morning I had a Wim Hofman routine, taking an ice bath before having my coffee. It's good for water activities as well, like kayaking or diving. I experienced the breathtaking natural spectacle of the feeding frenzy, an intense, fast-paced event where hundreds of dolphins can be seen leaping and diving into the water. And this was just before my first dive here! The Kelp Forests of Cape Town is among the most remarkable marine ecosystems in the world, offering a unique underwater environment teeming with biodiversity. These underwater forests sway gently in the currents, creating a magical and serene underwater landscape. I've had the pleasure of playing with seals here as well.
In my time living here, I went on numerous road trips to explore different areas. Some memorable ones were driving up to Franschhoek, seeing magnificent landscapes and it's wine fields. The scenic route of Chapman's Peak along the coastline. The most southern point of Cape of Good Hope and the pinguins at Boulders Beach. The Garden Route and Tsitsikamma National Park, seeing the magnificent rhinos and other wildlife. Taking on one of the worlds highest bungee jumps above the Bloukransriver. And whalewatching and cage diving at Gansbaai, where you have the possibility to come face to face with a great white. We found many copper sharks, yet we didn't see her sadly. They say there are not a lot of great whites on the south african coast any longer, the killer whales have dominated the area. I did see the beautiful sight of a southern right whale while taking the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner.
Overall, Cape Town highly recommended place to visit. Most areas are quite safe, especially where I lived in the coliving of Neighbourgood, still you'll find a great segregation in living situations and color. There are many homeless people around the centre and you'll find huge areas of townships. The general rule its to avoid township areas, as these have high crime rates and aren't suitable for tourists. Still I took the opportunity to go with a local into a township that was known to be more safe, as I wanted to see this culture. I had some interesting experiences here and interactions, leading me to see various sides of their living situations.
I lived in Cape Town, South Africa, in the beautiful coastal area of Sea Point. First to visit a friend I met Porto, Purtugal. But I fell in love with Cape Town, its located in such a lush environment and it offers everything one could desire. A perfect blend of urban and nature.
The surrounding mountain area of Lions Head, Table Mountain, Twelve Apostles, Signal Hill and Devils Peak offer an unlimited exploration of hiking experiences and stunning sunsets. With some spots offering a fun paragliding experience. The many beautiful white-sandy beaches are great for sundowners and refreshing swims. The water ranged between 6 to 12 degrees celsius. For months, every morning I had a Wim Hofman routine, taking an ice bath before having my coffee. It's good for water activities as well, like kayaking or diving. I experienced the breathtaking natural spectacle of the feeding frenzy, an intense, fast-paced event where hundreds of dolphins can be seen leaping and diving into the water. And this was just before my first dive here! The Kelp Forests of Cape Town is among the most remarkable marine ecosystems in the world, offering a unique underwater environment teeming with biodiversity. These underwater forests sway gently in the currents, creating a magical and serene underwater landscape. I've had the pleasure of playing with seals here as well.
In my time living here, I went on numerous road trips to explore different areas. Some memorable ones were driving up to Franschhoek, seeing magnificent landscapes and it's wine fields. The scenic route of Chapman's Peak along the coastline. The most southern point of Cape of Good Hope and the pinguins at Boulders Beach. The Garden Route and Tsitsikamma National Park, seeing the magnificent rhinos and other wildlife. Taking on one of the worlds highest bungee jumps above the Bloukransriver. And whalewatching and cage diving at Gansbaai, where you have the possibility to come face to face with a great white. We found many copper sharks, yet we didn't see her sadly. They say there are not a lot of great whites on the south african coast any longer, the killer whales have dominated the area. I did see the beautiful sight of a southern right whale while taking the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner.
Overall, Cape Town highly recommended place to visit. Most areas are quite safe, especially where I lived in the coliving of Neighbourgood, still you'll find a great segregation in living situations and color. There are many homeless people around the centre and you'll find huge areas of townships. The general rule its to avoid township areas, as these have high crime rates and aren't suitable for tourists. Still I took the opportunity to go with a local into a township that was known to be more safe, as I wanted to see this culture. I had some interesting experiences here and interactions, leading me to see various sides of their living situations.
Kenya
I lived in Kenya, at the coast of the Indian Ocean in Kilifi. A super relaxed town with a vibrant community, rich in Swahili culture. I had a beautiful small wooden house in the forest, part of an eco-lodge, and worked remotely from this area. The area was gorgeous, had good wifi connection, good working spaces and friendly blue monkeys running around. Located just a short barefoot stroll away from the Kilifi Creek. A creek that holds an abundance of mangrove and plankton, where in the evenings you can experience the magnificent blue magic of bioluminescence. Also has really good sunsets and has its friendly locals that take a pleasure of sharing their coconut wine. Kilifi town itself also has good places to go, but on the streets is where the action is. Its always super lively and offers a variety of street food with a blend of African, Arab and Indian influences. Then hopping on the back of a bike, the friendly fellow will take you to the white sandy beaches. Where you can enjoy eating locally caught fish, dancing at the beach bar or do water activities like kitesurfing.
Another laid-back coastal town is Watamu. Which I visited a music and arts festival, called Kaleidoscope. This is an eco-conscious event that celebrates creativity by bringing together local and international artists. Organised at a stunning location with creative stages and art decors built on the beaches, in the forests and on the waters. Fantastic blend of music, art and sustainability in a vibrant festival-like atmosphere. Most definitely one of my favorite music events I ever attended.
Another mentionable experience was safari, in the Tsavo National Park. This is the largest national park in Kenya at 22.000 km² and one of the largest in the world. Together with a great guy from the coliving, I went roadtripping in the East part of this park. Driving deep into the savannah landscapes. Seeing an abundance in wildlife like zebras, gazelle, wildebeest, hartebeest, waterbuck, baboons. Seeing huge herds of the great African elephants and experiencing them crossing just in front of us. Coming face to face with lion packs and experiencing the raw nature of the hunt and devouring of prey. Seeing the beautiful wild hyenas and experiencing the sight of giraffes running in the face of danger. Seeing dusty landscapes with rising eagles and dining vultures. Seeing the magnificent leopard relaxing on a tree branch, completing my list of the big five. As well as seeing hippos bathing. Safari was an unforgettable experience and fulfilment of a lifelong desired dream. I would recommend Tsavo to anyone wanting to go on safari.
Next to this, I had the opportunity to visit a nearby village of the Maasai. Learning about their way of life. Many have their frontal lower teeth removed as a symbol of beauty and identity, though the youngsters today have more saying in it. Still, the woman are the hard workers and the men are relaxing and communing. Maybe deciding who else they can marry, as they can have as many wives as they want. The men used to be the warriors and hunters, but those days are over. They can jump quite heigh though, that seems to be their signature. They used to be nomads and always on the move, these days however, the way of life has become easier. The village they live in, did have one stone building, a gifted elementary classroom.
I lived in Kenya, at the coast of the Indian Ocean in Kilifi. A super relaxed town with a vibrant community, rich in Swahili culture. I had a beautiful small wooden house in the forest, part of an eco-lodge, and worked remotely from this area. The area was gorgeous, had good wifi connection, good working spaces and friendly blue monkeys running around. Located just a short barefoot stroll away from the Kilifi Creek. A creek that holds an abundance of mangrove and plankton, where in the evenings you can experience the magnificent blue magic of bioluminescence. Also has really good sunsets and has its friendly locals that take a pleasure of sharing their coconut wine. Kilifi town itself also has good places to go, but on the streets is where the action is. Its always super lively and offers a variety of street food with a blend of African, Arab and Indian influences. Then hopping on the back of a bike, the friendly fellow will take you to the white sandy beaches. Where you can enjoy eating locally caught fish, dancing at the beach bar or do water activities like kitesurfing.
Another laid-back coastal town is Watamu. Which I visited a music and arts festival, called Kaleidoscope. This is an eco-conscious event that celebrates creativity by bringing together local and international artists. Organised at a stunning location with creative stages and art decors built on the beaches, in the forests and on the waters. Fantastic blend of music, art and sustainability in a vibrant festival-like atmosphere. Most definitely one of my favorite music events I ever attended.
Another mentionable experience was safari, in the Tsavo National Park. This is the largest national park in Kenya at 22.000 km² and one of the largest in the world. Together with a great guy from the coliving, I went roadtripping in the East part of this park. Driving deep into the savannah landscapes. Seeing an abundance in wildlife like zebras, gazelle, wildebeest, hartebeest, waterbuck, baboons. Seeing huge herds of the great African elephants and experiencing them crossing just in front of us. Coming face to face with lion packs and experiencing the raw nature of the hunt and devouring of prey. Seeing the beautiful wild hyenas and experiencing the sight of giraffes running in the face of danger. Seeing dusty landscapes with rising eagles and dining vultures. Seeing the magnificent leopard relaxing on a tree branch, completing my list of the big five. As well as seeing hippos bathing. Safari was an unforgettable experience and fulfilment of a lifelong desired dream. I would recommend Tsavo to anyone wanting to go on safari.
Next to this, I had the opportunity to visit a nearby village of the Maasai. Learning about their way of life. Many have their frontal lower teeth removed as a symbol of beauty and identity, though the youngsters today have more saying in it. Still, the woman are the hard workers and the men are relaxing and communing. Maybe deciding who else they can marry, as they can have as many wives as they want. The men used to be the warriors and hunters, but those days are over. They can jump quite heigh though, that seems to be their signature. They used to be nomads and always on the move, these days however, the way of life has become easier. The village they live in, did have one stone building, a gifted elementary classroom.
Vietnam
I started my exploration in Hoi An, a historical town with its lantern-lit streets, charming Old Town and tailor shops. Working from a beautiful place in the middle of the rice fields. It's a very cozy town where I got to know some amazing locals and explored the delicious Vietnamese kitchen. The evenings were especially romantic, with dozens of traditional boats called sampans floating across the river with it's light up lanterns. Imagine that scene where the students are going for it's first time to Hogwarts. It was something like that. It was a bit too touristic for my taste, however. And I wanted to see mountains.
So I drove up north to Tam Coc in Ninh Bình, a breathtaking area. Here I did some hiking to ancient temples heigh up the limestone karst formations and took a boat tour that takes you through these stunning landscapes, tranquil rivers and to more remote ancient temples. While staying here, I found a really good connection and we decided to do the famous Ha Giang Loop together. This is a scenic motorbike route in the far north of Vietnam, known for its stunning landscapes, deep valleys, terraced rice fields and ethnic minority villages. The loop stretches around 350 kilometers and offers an adventurous journey through winding mountain roads. The loop took us 3 days. Some memorable stops along the way were Dong Van, Meo Vac and the Ma Pi Leng Pass, where we found an incredible lodge on the mountain side with insane views. It was the most scenic and outer-world motorbike experience. Just the last day was a bit tough, driving trough clouds and roads that were turned into mud and heavy heavy rainfall navigating our way back in the dark.
Before leaving Vietnam, I stayed a bit in Cát Bà Island in Halong Bay. Where I did some solo hiking trough the lush forests of its National Park, which covers most of the island. Visited the endangered Cát Bà langur, one of the rarest primates in the world. Also perhaps better known as the golden-head langur. Took some boat trips trough Halong Bay. Explored its fishing villages. And did some kayaking in Lan Ha Bay.
I started my exploration in Hoi An, a historical town with its lantern-lit streets, charming Old Town and tailor shops. Working from a beautiful place in the middle of the rice fields. It's a very cozy town where I got to know some amazing locals and explored the delicious Vietnamese kitchen. The evenings were especially romantic, with dozens of traditional boats called sampans floating across the river with it's light up lanterns. Imagine that scene where the students are going for it's first time to Hogwarts. It was something like that. It was a bit too touristic for my taste, however. And I wanted to see mountains.
So I drove up north to Tam Coc in Ninh Bình, a breathtaking area. Here I did some hiking to ancient temples heigh up the limestone karst formations and took a boat tour that takes you through these stunning landscapes, tranquil rivers and to more remote ancient temples. While staying here, I found a really good connection and we decided to do the famous Ha Giang Loop together. This is a scenic motorbike route in the far north of Vietnam, known for its stunning landscapes, deep valleys, terraced rice fields and ethnic minority villages. The loop stretches around 350 kilometers and offers an adventurous journey through winding mountain roads. The loop took us 3 days. Some memorable stops along the way were Dong Van, Meo Vac and the Ma Pi Leng Pass, where we found an incredible lodge on the mountain side with insane views. It was the most scenic and outer-world motorbike experience. Just the last day was a bit tough, driving trough clouds and roads that were turned into mud and heavy heavy rainfall navigating our way back in the dark.
Before leaving Vietnam, I stayed a bit in Cát Bà Island in Halong Bay. Where I did some solo hiking trough the lush forests of its National Park, which covers most of the island. Visited the endangered Cát Bà langur, one of the rarest primates in the world. Also perhaps better known as the golden-head langur. Took some boat trips trough Halong Bay. Explored its fishing villages. And did some kayaking in Lan Ha Bay.
Philippines
On recommendation of my biker buddy in Vietnam, I decided to explore the Philippines. My trip here started in Moalboal, a coastal town located in the southwestern part of Cebu that's famous for its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters and exceptional diving spots. Here, I learned the warmness of this culture and tried things such as their interesting delicacy balut, an egg which has a 14 to 21 days incubated duck embryo inside. This is a pure nutrition snack they eat raw with a bit a vinegar and chili. Not a very pleasant snack, as you feel the beak and bones cracking between your teeth. Apparently, some Philippinos told me that it can cause heart failures because of the high cholesterol. Could have used that information beforehand.
I did a tour to the other side of the island, to fulfil a dream I had ever since starting my diving journey. Whale sharks. Never was I lucky enough to see these magnificent creatures. Yet in Oslob, a very small coastal town, the villagers here have managed to call the biggest fish in the world to their front door. Every morning they go out on their traditional Filipino outrigger canoes called bangkas and feed these gentle giants with krill. Of course this is for tourism, but the villagers do keep it very sustainable and animal friendly. So I decided to dive here. I cannot describe what a feeling it was to be in the presence of these giants. On the way back, we went into the lush jungle of Badian to canyoneer in the turquoise-blue waters of the multi tiered waterfall of Kawasan Falls. Back in Moalboal I stayed for a week or two, to relax and dive. One of most memorable dives was the Sardine Run, a natural phenomenon where millions of sardines gather in massive schools just off the shore of Panagsama Beach. It's one of the most accessible sardine runs in the world.
Together with a fantastic guy I met while diving, we traveled to Malapascua Island. A small island in the north of Cebu, famous for being one of the few places in the world where thresher sharks are frequently sighted. A unique species known for its long, whip-like tail, which it uses to stun prey such as fish and squid. These sharks are elusive and typically deep-sea dwellers, which you can notice for their large eyes. But they come to shallow waters (30 meter) for cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin. When on the boat, you can even see one jumping high out of the water. Again, an incredible dive experience. The island itself has it's own friendly locals, laid-back atmosphere and beautiful beaches. We played basketball with the local kids and seen sabong, the less pretty side. A traditional and popular activity of cockfighting where two roosters fight until one is either killed or severely injured. All over the island you see arenas and roosters, bred and trained for this single purpose.
I also spent some time in Palawan, specifically El Nido and Coron. Exploring it's beautiful rock formations, crystal clear waters and floating fishing villages. Coron is also well known for it's abundance in ship wrecks of World War II. So of course I did more diving, experiencing the thrill of deep sea wreck diving while getting bitten by piranhas.
On recommendation of my biker buddy in Vietnam, I decided to explore the Philippines. My trip here started in Moalboal, a coastal town located in the southwestern part of Cebu that's famous for its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters and exceptional diving spots. Here, I learned the warmness of this culture and tried things such as their interesting delicacy balut, an egg which has a 14 to 21 days incubated duck embryo inside. This is a pure nutrition snack they eat raw with a bit a vinegar and chili. Not a very pleasant snack, as you feel the beak and bones cracking between your teeth. Apparently, some Philippinos told me that it can cause heart failures because of the high cholesterol. Could have used that information beforehand.
I did a tour to the other side of the island, to fulfil a dream I had ever since starting my diving journey. Whale sharks. Never was I lucky enough to see these magnificent creatures. Yet in Oslob, a very small coastal town, the villagers here have managed to call the biggest fish in the world to their front door. Every morning they go out on their traditional Filipino outrigger canoes called bangkas and feed these gentle giants with krill. Of course this is for tourism, but the villagers do keep it very sustainable and animal friendly. So I decided to dive here. I cannot describe what a feeling it was to be in the presence of these giants. On the way back, we went into the lush jungle of Badian to canyoneer in the turquoise-blue waters of the multi tiered waterfall of Kawasan Falls. Back in Moalboal I stayed for a week or two, to relax and dive. One of most memorable dives was the Sardine Run, a natural phenomenon where millions of sardines gather in massive schools just off the shore of Panagsama Beach. It's one of the most accessible sardine runs in the world.
Together with a fantastic guy I met while diving, we traveled to Malapascua Island. A small island in the north of Cebu, famous for being one of the few places in the world where thresher sharks are frequently sighted. A unique species known for its long, whip-like tail, which it uses to stun prey such as fish and squid. These sharks are elusive and typically deep-sea dwellers, which you can notice for their large eyes. But they come to shallow waters (30 meter) for cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin. When on the boat, you can even see one jumping high out of the water. Again, an incredible dive experience. The island itself has it's own friendly locals, laid-back atmosphere and beautiful beaches. We played basketball with the local kids and seen sabong, the less pretty side. A traditional and popular activity of cockfighting where two roosters fight until one is either killed or severely injured. All over the island you see arenas and roosters, bred and trained for this single purpose.
I also spent some time in Palawan, specifically El Nido and Coron. Exploring it's beautiful rock formations, crystal clear waters and floating fishing villages. Coron is also well known for it's abundance in ship wrecks of World War II. So of course I did more diving, experiencing the thrill of deep sea wreck diving while getting bitten by piranhas.
Japan
My brother really wanted to visit Japan, and because I was quite close by, we decided to meet in Tokyo. A very vibrant city. Staying for two weeks, some memorable things for me in Tokyo were Golden Gai Shinjuku, known for it's vintage and post-war look with tiny bars that fit just a handful of people. A very charming, unique and historic bar culture in contrast to the modern city around it. Here we sat chatting in a small pub with locals, drinking from a bottle filled with sake and a poisonous dead snake inside. Takashita Street was another unique area where creativity flourishes, a place full of street fashion and subcultures. I've seen here the most intriguing outfits on the streets. And Omoide Yokocho also known as Memory Lane with it's red lanterns, filled with tiny restaurants and izakayas, Japanese pubs. Where we sat at a small restaurant, having a delicious Japanese-style barbecue. And seeing the anime girls on the streets,
Mount Fuji, a volcano you can see laying in the distance of Tokyo. It's the highest point in Japan, and we wanted to climb it. We booked our basecamp on the second to last day of climbing season. The day arrived, with really bad weather conditions. We decided to drive to the town at the foot of the volcano and see. Arriving, they told us there was a hurricane happening on the volcano. My brother did not feel good about it. But I knew myself. And the one thing I'm not afraid of, is nature. I thought to myself "if I don't do it now, I will probably never do it". So I rented some proper gear and decided to hike solo. People thought I was crazy and no one recommended me climbing, especially solo of course. Nonetheless, my mind was set. First hours were very peaceful, with the sun coming through now and then and a handful daredevils I passed along the way. Somewhere mid height the skies got greyer, the wind got stronger and the fog got thicker. And I knew, I'm walking into the hurricane now. First basecamp came in sight. It looked like a death wasteland, winds blowing with so much speed the cabins just barely stood tall. A sight to behold. I still had to good climb to go, as I booked the highest basecamp. With heavy steps forward, force of the wind against me, rain hurting my face and sands rushing before my eyes. It was definitely a thrill. A very warm welcome, when I arrived at my basecamp. Time for tea and a dry bed. Early in the morning, it was time to summit. And the weather was perfect. Under a sea of stars, with occasional ones shooting by, I hiked to the summit. When above the clouds, looking at the sun rising. It was a fantastic experience.
The last weeks in Japan, we spend in the ancient city Kyoto. Visiting places such as Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of bright red torii gates that form paths through the forest, hiking trough the serene bamboo forest of Arashiyama up to the monkeys in the mountains, the famous Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu-dera with a panoramic view of Kyoto, Gion the geisha district known for its traditional wooden machiya houses and tea houses.
I spend a few days in Nara, which is home to more than 1,000 Sika deer, which are considered sacred in Shintoism and believed to be messengers of the gods. The deer are super friendly and walk around everywhere from town to the beautiful park where one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world assigns, Todai-ji Temple. Quite a scary feeling walking in the evenings when it's very dark you're surrounded by hundreds of deer. One evening, I was having a cigaret in the small street of traditional little Japanese houses. Infront of my machiya, typical Japanese house with sliding paper doors, tatami mat flooring and harmoniously blend with a zen garden in the middle. I saw a Masked musang or masked palm civet passing me by. Beautiful big cat like animal, with a beautiful long black tail and point snout searching for a snack. I spend a few days in Osaka to experience it's culture here, and looking behind every door in large buildings where you never know what you find behind it and ended up at a super fun small local bar where they were playing live music and all singing, and visiting Universal Studios with my brother ending the trip.
My brother really wanted to visit Japan, and because I was quite close by, we decided to meet in Tokyo. A very vibrant city. Staying for two weeks, some memorable things for me in Tokyo were Golden Gai Shinjuku, known for it's vintage and post-war look with tiny bars that fit just a handful of people. A very charming, unique and historic bar culture in contrast to the modern city around it. Here we sat chatting in a small pub with locals, drinking from a bottle filled with sake and a poisonous dead snake inside. Takashita Street was another unique area where creativity flourishes, a place full of street fashion and subcultures. I've seen here the most intriguing outfits on the streets. And Omoide Yokocho also known as Memory Lane with it's red lanterns, filled with tiny restaurants and izakayas, Japanese pubs. Where we sat at a small restaurant, having a delicious Japanese-style barbecue. And seeing the anime girls on the streets,
Mount Fuji, a volcano you can see laying in the distance of Tokyo. It's the highest point in Japan, and we wanted to climb it. We booked our basecamp on the second to last day of climbing season. The day arrived, with really bad weather conditions. We decided to drive to the town at the foot of the volcano and see. Arriving, they told us there was a hurricane happening on the volcano. My brother did not feel good about it. But I knew myself. And the one thing I'm not afraid of, is nature. I thought to myself "if I don't do it now, I will probably never do it". So I rented some proper gear and decided to hike solo. People thought I was crazy and no one recommended me climbing, especially solo of course. Nonetheless, my mind was set. First hours were very peaceful, with the sun coming through now and then and a handful daredevils I passed along the way. Somewhere mid height the skies got greyer, the wind got stronger and the fog got thicker. And I knew, I'm walking into the hurricane now. First basecamp came in sight. It looked like a death wasteland, winds blowing with so much speed the cabins just barely stood tall. A sight to behold. I still had to good climb to go, as I booked the highest basecamp. With heavy steps forward, force of the wind against me, rain hurting my face and sands rushing before my eyes. It was definitely a thrill. A very warm welcome, when I arrived at my basecamp. Time for tea and a dry bed. Early in the morning, it was time to summit. And the weather was perfect. Under a sea of stars, with occasional ones shooting by, I hiked to the summit. When above the clouds, looking at the sun rising. It was a fantastic experience.
The last weeks in Japan, we spend in the ancient city Kyoto. Visiting places such as Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of bright red torii gates that form paths through the forest, hiking trough the serene bamboo forest of Arashiyama up to the monkeys in the mountains, the famous Buddhist temple of Kiyomizu-dera with a panoramic view of Kyoto, Gion the geisha district known for its traditional wooden machiya houses and tea houses.
I spend a few days in Nara, which is home to more than 1,000 Sika deer, which are considered sacred in Shintoism and believed to be messengers of the gods. The deer are super friendly and walk around everywhere from town to the beautiful park where one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in the world assigns, Todai-ji Temple. Quite a scary feeling walking in the evenings when it's very dark you're surrounded by hundreds of deer. One evening, I was having a cigaret in the small street of traditional little Japanese houses. Infront of my machiya, typical Japanese house with sliding paper doors, tatami mat flooring and harmoniously blend with a zen garden in the middle. I saw a Masked musang or masked palm civet passing me by. Beautiful big cat like animal, with a beautiful long black tail and point snout searching for a snack. I spend a few days in Osaka to experience it's culture here, and looking behind every door in large buildings where you never know what you find behind it and ended up at a super fun small local bar where they were playing live music and all singing, and visiting Universal Studios with my brother ending the trip.
Mexico
I started my time in Mexico with a family trip. Starting in the Yucatan Peninsula, we visited Playa del Carmen. Beautiful beaches and a lively pedestrian street of 5th Avenue filled with restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries. Yet very very touristic. A highlight for me was a trip to the off-shore Caribbean island of Cozumel, where we swam with the enchanting rays.
Valladolid started to become more cultural and less touristic. A colonial town with a rich history, cute buildings and old bumpy roads. From here we did a day-trip to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Chichén Itzá. A major center of the Mayan civilization, flourishing between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. It served as a religious, political and economic hub for the region. The site reflects a blend of Mayan and Toltec architectural styles, suggesting influences from other Mesoamerican cultures. It was an important site for Mayan astronomy, and many of its structures were aligned with celestial events, reflecting the Maya’s advanced understanding of the cosmos. Then into Merida the capital of Yucatan, we did some shopping, further cuisine tasting, explore various sites such as the Plaza Grande with its stunning cathedral and the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya. This museum showcases a extensive history of the Mayan culture.
We then stayed in Palenque, a small town in the lush natural environment of Chiapas. A beautiful area, where we explored various parts of the jungles for it's nature, wildlife and Mayan culture. We visited incredible waterfalls, including the incredible Aqua Azul, visiting an exotic animal rescue centre where I took the opportunity to feet manatee and seen the magnificent black panther and the fascinating archeological site of Mayan ruins where a civilisation of millions once lived and is still for most of its part undiscovered and covered by jungle. A very memorable place. Our last stop was Tulum, a hippie town, or at least what it used to be. It's very expensive for Mexico, as is Playa, and just developed towards a more fancy place of hotels, resorts, beachclubs and restaurants. We did see some fascinating nearby Cenotes, natural sinkholes with crystal-clear freshwater, and attended a Mayan ceremony at one. Where we got cleansed. I felt very peacefull afterwards.
Hereafter, I lived in Puerto Escondido, a very relaxed and undeveloped town on the Pacific coast in Oaxaca. Famous for its good surfing, great sunsets and laid back vibes. I lived in a great coliving space, Osa Mariposa, close to La Punta and just off the beach. La Punta has a very friendly community and lots of sandy roads, so walking barefoot was pretty common. Great live music bars and restaurants. I started my spiritual journey here, creating a deep awareness through yoga, meditation and cacao ceremonies. The only thing to be aware of is the cartel and corrupt policemen when the sun goes down. Surrounding areas offer more beautiful coastal towns, beaches and bioluminescent lakes.
I started my time in Mexico with a family trip. Starting in the Yucatan Peninsula, we visited Playa del Carmen. Beautiful beaches and a lively pedestrian street of 5th Avenue filled with restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries. Yet very very touristic. A highlight for me was a trip to the off-shore Caribbean island of Cozumel, where we swam with the enchanting rays.
Valladolid started to become more cultural and less touristic. A colonial town with a rich history, cute buildings and old bumpy roads. From here we did a day-trip to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Chichén Itzá. A major center of the Mayan civilization, flourishing between the 7th and 10th centuries AD. It served as a religious, political and economic hub for the region. The site reflects a blend of Mayan and Toltec architectural styles, suggesting influences from other Mesoamerican cultures. It was an important site for Mayan astronomy, and many of its structures were aligned with celestial events, reflecting the Maya’s advanced understanding of the cosmos. Then into Merida the capital of Yucatan, we did some shopping, further cuisine tasting, explore various sites such as the Plaza Grande with its stunning cathedral and the Gran Museo del Mundo Maya. This museum showcases a extensive history of the Mayan culture.
We then stayed in Palenque, a small town in the lush natural environment of Chiapas. A beautiful area, where we explored various parts of the jungles for it's nature, wildlife and Mayan culture. We visited incredible waterfalls, including the incredible Aqua Azul, visiting an exotic animal rescue centre where I took the opportunity to feet manatee and seen the magnificent black panther and the fascinating archeological site of Mayan ruins where a civilisation of millions once lived and is still for most of its part undiscovered and covered by jungle. A very memorable place. Our last stop was Tulum, a hippie town, or at least what it used to be. It's very expensive for Mexico, as is Playa, and just developed towards a more fancy place of hotels, resorts, beachclubs and restaurants. We did see some fascinating nearby Cenotes, natural sinkholes with crystal-clear freshwater, and attended a Mayan ceremony at one. Where we got cleansed. I felt very peacefull afterwards.
Hereafter, I lived in Puerto Escondido, a very relaxed and undeveloped town on the Pacific coast in Oaxaca. Famous for its good surfing, great sunsets and laid back vibes. I lived in a great coliving space, Osa Mariposa, close to La Punta and just off the beach. La Punta has a very friendly community and lots of sandy roads, so walking barefoot was pretty common. Great live music bars and restaurants. I started my spiritual journey here, creating a deep awareness through yoga, meditation and cacao ceremonies. The only thing to be aware of is the cartel and corrupt policemen when the sun goes down. Surrounding areas offer more beautiful coastal towns, beaches and bioluminescent lakes.
Guatemala
I spend a little while in Antigua, a very loving community surrounded by volcanoes. The reason for coming was Volcán de Fuego. Ever since my first time coming to Central America, I heard travellers fondly talk about this active volcano. It's known as one of Central America's most active and dangerous volcanoes, famous for it's frequent eruptions. With lava explosions! And of course, as I was very close by, I needed to see the power of Mother Earth in all it's glory with my own eyes.
Hiking up to base camp on Volcán Acatenango, where we had a perfect viewpoint. In the evening, with a small group of daredevils, we hiked back down and up Volcán de Fuego to come as close to the crater eruptions as possible. A very dangerous endeavour, but to come face to face with the force of nature's power is up until this day one of the most impactful experiences I've ever had. It was a very tough hike, and we just barely made it back to basecamp. No strength left in our legs. We had a good cabin to rest, but much sleeping we didn't do. As for the whole night, it was just jaw-dropping every 20 minutes. If it would not have been for raining season, I would have explored more of Guatemala. The landscapes and most of all, the Guatemalan people, really touched my heart.
I spend a little while in Antigua, a very loving community surrounded by volcanoes. The reason for coming was Volcán de Fuego. Ever since my first time coming to Central America, I heard travellers fondly talk about this active volcano. It's known as one of Central America's most active and dangerous volcanoes, famous for it's frequent eruptions. With lava explosions! And of course, as I was very close by, I needed to see the power of Mother Earth in all it's glory with my own eyes.
Hiking up to base camp on Volcán Acatenango, where we had a perfect viewpoint. In the evening, with a small group of daredevils, we hiked back down and up Volcán de Fuego to come as close to the crater eruptions as possible. A very dangerous endeavour, but to come face to face with the force of nature's power is up until this day one of the most impactful experiences I've ever had. It was a very tough hike, and we just barely made it back to basecamp. No strength left in our legs. We had a good cabin to rest, but much sleeping we didn't do. As for the whole night, it was just jaw-dropping every 20 minutes. If it would not have been for raining season, I would have explored more of Guatemala. The landscapes and most of all, the Guatemalan people, really touched my heart.