BucketListly

US · July 14, 2024 2:53pm

Living with the Mentawai Tribe in Sumatra

Hey, —! I just got back from a one-month epic backpacking trip around Sumatra, Indonesia, and let me tell you, it was WILD! I went jungle trekking to find orangutans, snorkeling in Mentawai, and living with a tribe in the jungle for 5 days! It was one of the wildest and most memorable experiences I have had in a while, and I'm here to tell you about it! When I first got on a plane to Sumatra, I had no specific plan in mind. I wanted to do this trip, like I used to, without a plan, and just go with the flow. Boy, was it the right choice! Ever since COVID, travel has felt off for me, but this trip completely changed that and revitalized my love for travel! I first went to Lake Toba and spent the first four days riding a scooter around and relaxing by the lake. It was a much-needed vacation for me, as I had been working on my blog non-stop since my last big trip to Saudi Arabia in March. Lake Toba is amazing. It felt like I was at Lake Como in Italy again with its pristine water begging me to swim. There are also many things you can do there, from visiting the Batak Heritage Village and museum to getting to know more about the indigenous people. After getting acquainted with Sumatra and its dynamic landscape, I continued my journey to Berastagi, home to many active volcanoes in Sumatra. I woke up at 4 AM and hiked Sibayak Volcano, one of the most accessible volcanoes in the country, for the sunrise and it was breathtaking. You can see just how geologically active the area is from up there. Definitely a must-do while in Sumatra. Then we went deep into the jungle of Bukit Lawang to find orangutans. A couple of travelers and I joined up in a tour group and we went jungle trekking for 3 days in the jungle and it was incredible! We saw 2 groups of semi-wild orangutans, one very wild one, a few gibbons, some Thomas Leaf Monkeys, and many macaques, all in on our first day! On the second day, we saw another, but we pretty much spent this day trekking in the jungle most of the time as we had quite a distance to cover. Our second night's camp was incredible though with its massive river, where we could swim in. On our third day, we had time to relax and enjoy a little bit of waterfall, and a much-needed refreshing shower 😂, and then we rafted our way back to Bukit Lawang, which was exhilarating. It was an awesome way to end the already incredible trip to see the Orangutan. This is another must-do in Sumatra. Next up, I flew into Padang and started my West Sumatra journey in Bukittinggi, the old capital of the Minangkabau people located in the highlands of West Sumatra. Here, I went around the countryside and visited some of the most well-preserved Rumah Gadang (Minangkabau traditional houses) with its iconic boat-shaped roof. It was a great way to introduce me to the Minangkabau culture and its people. From there, I went back to Padang and took a ferry across the ocean to the Mentawai Islands where I spent the first few days at the beach, relaxing. The Mentawai islands are blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches and crystal-clear water in Indonesia. It is also one of the best places to go surfing with its big and consistent waves. Although the beach was nice, my main goal in the Mentawai is to visit the Mentawai tribe and live with them for 5 days. I was joined by Ugne, a lovely fellow solo traveler from Lithuania 🇱🇹, and we spent the next 5 days in the Mentawai tribe, sleeping in their communal home called Uma, and observing how they live. The Mentawai people have been the indigenous inhabitants of the Mentawai Islands long before the islands became a part of Indonesia. What's unique about them is their way of life, which emphasizes a cooperative lifestyle deeply connected to their natural surroundings. Their spiritual beliefs are deeply rooted in animism and shamanism, where they believe that all natural objects have spirits. In 5 days, we went fishing, made loincloths, and poisonous arrows, and set up animal traps with the shamans. We also dug a tree for some coconut worms and cooked them for lunch. It was surprisingly good with its juicy insect-textured taste. Despite its sketchy look, it is a great source of protein for the people living here! After the visit, I concluded my trip and flew back home from Padang. Staying with the tribe was definitely one of the most memorable experiences I ever had. There is something about being off the grid for 5 days with no access to modern amenities that really changes you. I highly recommend you do it if you are in Sumatra and don't mind roughing it out. If you are interested in following my journey or reading more about Sumatra, I have just dropped all the travel guides for Sumatra on BucketListly Blog, so be sure to check it out: See Sumatra Guides

BucketListly

US · May 13, 2024 1:48pm

🇸🇦 NEW Saudi Arabia Video just dropped!

Happy Monday, —! Just a quick heads up! My NEW Saudi Arabia travel video just dropped on YouTube! An epic 3-minute video of my road trip across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We drove almost 3000 km across the Arabian Desert, passing through some of the most incredible sights the country has to offer. There has never been a better time to visit Saudi Arabia than now as the country opens up more and more. I hope this video will change the perception of the country and inspire you to visit Saudi Arabia one day and see for yourself! Enjoy! Watch Video P.S. For my full itinerary, you can check out: 2-weeks in Saudi Arabia or better, download our travel guide offline from our NEW PDF shop!

BucketListly

US · March 27, 2024 2:43pm

🇸🇦 I drove 3,000 km across Saudi Arabia!

Hey, —! I have finally fulfilled my long-time dream of embarking on an epic road trip around Saudi Arabia! We covered almost 3,000 km across the country, witnessing some of the most breathtaking sites I have ever seen! My journey began in Riyadh, and while renting a car is the best way to explore Saudi Arabia, nothing could prepare me for how chaotic it actually is, especially in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's roads are among the most dangerous, with people tailgating and rarely using turn signals. After I got used to the rules of the road, or lack thereof, I visited the old city center of Diriyah, learned about the history of Saudi Arabia at the National Park, and ventured into the desert to watch the sunset at the Edge of the World. The Edge of the World was definitely the highlight of my trip here. The canyons are breathtaking, and the sunset there, in the middle of nowhere, was indescribable. After Riyadh, we drove up to Hail, stopping to visit all the heritage sites along the way as we broke down the 7-hour-long drive. We arrived late at night in Hail and continued our journey west the next day. The next three days after Hail, we spent several nights in the desert, exploring all the cool attractions in Al Ula, home to Hegra. Al Ula is by far the most beautiful and tourist-friendly spot in all of Saudi Arabia. If you don't have a lot of time, I highly recommend making Al Ula a priority. After visiting Al Ula, we decided to visit Medina, the second most sacred city in Islam, which used to prohibit non-Muslims from visiting. It was only in 2021 that the city opened its doors to the world, and you can now witness its incredible Grand Mosque. From Medina, we drove to Jeddah and spent a few days relaxing by the coast of the Red Sea, enjoying the relaxed vibe of the city and its incredible Old Town. Jeddah is often referred to as the Dubai of Saudi Arabia! After a few days in Jeddah, we embarked on our final journey along the Asir Mountains, ascending its mountain ridge to over 2400 meters above sea level and visiting the town of Abha. With its cool breeze, it definitely didn't feel like we were still in Saudi Arabia, making it a great place to conclude our road trip before heading home! It was such an incredible trip, and despite the many opportunities for things to go wrong, everything always turned out for the best. This journey definitely ranks among the best road trips I've ever taken. If you want to follow in my footsteps, all my Saudi Arabia travel guides are now up on the BucketListly Blog. Be sure to click the link below and check them out! Saudi Arabia Itinerary Also, we have recently launched a new travel shop selling the PDF version of our itineraries and travel guides, which you can take with you anywhere you go. The guides are the same as what you will find on our blog, but completely ad-free, and work offline, so you can access them even without an internet connection. It will definitely come in handy when you are on the go, so be sure to check the shop out! View Travel Shop

BucketListly

US · February 22, 2024 1:36pm

How is BucketListly Blog Doing?

Hey, —! Can you believe that we are almost two months into 2024? Why does it feel like we were just celebrating the New Year yesterday? Time flies, and as I am about to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey across the land of the Arabian Nights, I'd love to hear about how we are doing in 2024 as a travel blog. The last time I sent out one of these surveys was in 2021, and I believe it's time for another feedback round. I'd love to hear from you! What do you like or dislike about BucketListly? What type of content would you like to see more of? Click the link below, complete the survey, and let your feedback be heard. I'll take your feedback to heart and use it to improve the blog's content going forward. Complete the Survey Note About AI: With all the buzz about AI and the flood of AI content on the internet in the past year, I can reassure you that all the travel guides on BucketListly Blog are written by me, with 2-3 articles contributed by our travel blogger friends. 99% of the places I've written about have been personally visited by me. In only a few cases did I rely on locals' or experts' suggestions, mainly due to unforseen circumstances like a place being renovated, etc. 99% of the photos you see on the blog were also taken by me. In a few instances, I had to resort to stock photos, either because I didn't have suitable images or simply forgot to capture them, but that's very rare. Everything you see on the blogs, whether it's a destination guide or a review of photography gear, has been paid for with my own money. I have never accepted any press trip in my life, and I don't think I ever will. So, rest assured, BucketListly Blog's content will continue to stay true to its authenticity and budget-friendly roots. I hope you have an adventurous year ahead, and thank you for sticking around! Wish me luck on my 10-day road trip across Saudi Arabia, and stay tuned for a complete travel guide on BucketListly Blog!

BucketListly

US · January 17, 2024 2:13pm

My Plans for 2024

Happy New Year, —! 2023 has finally come to an end, which means it's time to reevaluate what we did last year and begin planning exciting new adventures for 2024. First, let's take a look at what I did during New Year's. Despite stating that Japan would be my last trip of 2023, I got itchy feet as Christmas approached and decided to embark on an impromptu trip around Eastern Thailand, a region I had never visited before. I began my trip in Pattaya, one of the most touristy cities in Thailand, and one that I had always tried to avoid. Yet, I was curious as the government had been attempting to transform the so-called 'Sin City' into a more family-friendly destination. I'm happy to report that Pattaya is no longer as bad as it used to be. Sure, there are still tons of tourists, but at least the place offers more activities now beyond the Red Light District. I visited the Sanctuary of Truth, one of the most impressive temples in the country with its colossal wooden structure covered in wood carvings made with incredible craftsmanship from top to bottom. In my opinion, this temple/museum alone makes Pattaya worth visiting. Places like Nong Nooch Botanical Garden, Phra Tamnak Mountain Viewpoint, and Art In Paradise Museum are also great places to visit. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Pattaya, and I didn't even venture into the Red Light District once. If you are looking for a beach vacation spot that is an hour away from Thailand, Pattaya is not a bad place to visit. Beyond Pattaya, you will find Rayong, another alternative beach destination in Thailand that has beautiful beaches like Mae Ram Phueng Beach and Laem Mae Phim which are way prettier and quieter than the ones in Pattaya. Rayong also has the incredible Khao Laem Ya-Ko Samed National Park, home to some of the prettiest coastal areas in Eastern Thailand. You can walk along the coast on its elevated pathway or hop over to Koh Samed and explore its pristine beaches. As I traveled east to Chanthaburi, I was now entering the off-the-beaten-path territory of Eastern Thailand, with fewer and fewer tourists venturing this far east. Chanthaburi is where I celebrated my New Year. I spent the first few days exploring Chanthaburi's historical old town and stayed overnight in a heritage inn right by the river. Each day, I would walk around the river, capture the beautiful old structures around the neighborhood, and just relax by the river with a cup of coffee and a book. It was much needed for me. As I entered 2024, I hopped on a ferry and began exploring some of the beautiful islands in Thailand located in Trat province, right by the border between Thailand and Cambodia. I started the year by spending 3 days in Koh Chang, which is a great island to visit for those looking for an affordable island that is not as touristy as places like Phuket or Koh Samui. It offers a variety of accommodation options at varying prices, is easily accessible from the mainland, and has a ton of activities to keep you occupied for days. I have also discovered the most beautiful island in Thailand in Trat! After Koh Chang, I went further south and visited Koh Kood, which is like the Maldives of Thailand with its incredible white sand beaches and crystal clear water. I have visited many beaches and islands in Thailand, and nothing comes close to the ones on Koh Kood Island. I rented a moped and drove around the island for 3 days, and all the beaches I visited were absolutely breathtaking. I can easily see myself spending days here, doing nothing but going for walks and swimming in the pristine ocean. If you don't mind spending a bit more for the best beach experience you can have in Thailand, Koh Kood is the best place to be. I then spent a few more days on the Trat's mainland before concluding my Eastern Thailand trip. It was an impromptu journey that turned out to be more than I expected and really helped reinvigorate my passion for exploration as I entered 2024. So, what's next for me in 2024? Well, I have a little Middle East trip planned for early March, covering places like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain. I might even drop by Iraq if it is safe and my visa goes through. That should occupy my first half of the year. I have yet to plan the rest of 2024. Maybe it's time for me to finally visit the US? Central America. Who knows? No matter how my plans turn out, I am ready to take you all with me and continue to show you the world straight from the field. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for following me throughout the years and I hope you will have another incredible and adventurous year in 2024! Safe travel! P.S. All travel guides of Eastern Thailand are now up on my blog, so be sure to check them out: Eastern Thailand Travel Guides

BucketListly

US · December 13, 2023 2:31pm

The Holidays are Around the Corner

Hey, —! 2023 is about to come to an end, which means that the holidays are just around the corner! With all the holiday sales going on, it might be a great time for you to check out some of our gift guides. Maybe you have not gotten anything for your loved ones yet, or you haven't bought yourself a gift in a while. Either way, I have a few travel-related recommendations you might like. Here are a few gift guides and ideas for you: • 16 Best Gifts To Buy For Travelers/Backpackers • 12 Cool Gifts To Buy For Travel Photographers • 10 Best Travel Cameras To Buy • 8 Best Drones For Travel To Buy If you are a photographer or enjoy photography as a hobby and plan to upgrade your gear for 2024, here are some ideas for you: • 9 Best Sony Cameras For Travel To Buy • 12 Best Sony Camera Accessories You Should Buy • 10 Best Camera Bags For Hiking, Backpacking, And Travel • 11 Best Camera Sling/Shoulder Bags For Travel For more, check out our Resources page: More Resources I hope you have something awesome planned for the holidays. As for me, I might take a little trip somewhere new in my home country, Thailand. Anyway, let's look forward to the bright new year and see what it has to offer together! Happy holidays and safe travels!

BucketListly

US · December 5, 2023 2:21pm

My Last Trip of 2023 🇯🇵

Hey, —! One of my last trips of 2023, Japan, is finally a wrap! It had been almost a decade since I last visited Japan. For this trip, I spent a little over two weeks, exploring both familiar and new places. The journey took me to Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima. Each day was completely jam-packed with activities, from celebrating Halloween in Shinjuku to strolling around Miyajima Island in Hiroshima, so much so that I decided to compile a video of my journey through Japan. Allow me to introduce you to Japan: Day & Night - A Cinematic Travel Video, a 5-minute action-packed video. I hope it captures the beautiful contrast of Japan between day and night, old and new, light and dark, spanning the full spectrum of experiences from serene zen gardens and temples to vibrant neon lights and festivals. I had an incredible time in Japan, even more so than my last visit, and I hope this video was able to capture the tremendous energy I felt while traveling in Japan, even if it's just a glimpse of it. The video is now online and you can watch it on Youtube in all its 4K glory, so be sure to check that out: Watch the Video For those seeking more details, I have also written a comprehensive 2-week Japan itinerary that you can easily follow, along with other travel guides to help you plan your epic trip to Japan. Check them out below: • 14 Best Things to do in Tokyo • 3 Days Tokyo Itinerary • 16 Best Things to Do in Kyoto • 3 Days Kyoto-Osaka Itinerary • 13 Best Things to Do in Hiroshima • For more, check out: All Japan Travel Guides Are you ready for your trip to Japan in 2024? If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an email or message me as well as follow my journey on Instagram. Now, let's get planning!

BucketListly

US · October 10, 2023 2:45pm

Bhutan: The Land of Myth and Magic

Hey, —! So I've finally completed my 7-day excursion in Bhutan, one of the most mystical and hard-to-travel countries in the world. It has always been a dream of mine to visit Bhutan and witness its incredible culture and traditions ever since I started this little journey of mine as a traveler, and now that I have the means to do it, I decided to go all in and visited the land of happiness during one of its most exciting times, during the Thimphu and Gangtey Tshechu festival in late September There are colors, there are dances, there are performers, dressed in full traditional attire, dancing their hearts out while being surrounded by the beautiful rolling mountains of the Himalayas. Experiences like this are hard to describe in words, so I am going to convey it through a video! Allow me to introduce Bhutan: the Land of Myth and Magic, a 4-minute video I've put together that will hopefully inspire you to visit the last Himalayan kingdom in the world. The video is now online and you can watch it on Youtube in all its 4K glory, so be sure to check that out: Watch the Video For those seeking more details, here's how my experience unfolded. We arrived in Bhutan in late September, just a day before the final day of the Thimphu Festival. On our first day, we explored tourist attractions in Thimphu, such as the sacred Big Buddha Statue, which is the largest of its kind, the National Memorial Chhorten, and the sacred Changangkha Lhakhang. During our second day, we immersed ourselves in the full spectacle of Bhutan's famous festival at Thimphu Dzong (fortress). The vibrancy of the crowds, adorned in traditional attire displaying a full spectrum of colors, the thrilling performances, and the backdrop of the majestic mountains, honestly made it feel like I was stepping into another world. On the third day, we had the opportunity to explore the countryside starting in Punakha, the old capital city. We visited Punakha Dzong, which is considered to be the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan, visited the Temple of Fertility, and spent the night in an eco-lodge perched on the mountainside, offering breathtaking views of Wangdue Dzong. On the fourth day, we drove to Phobjikha Valley and had the serendipitous opportunity to attend another festival that happened to coincide with my trip. This was the Gangtey Festival, which, though smaller in scale, felt much more personal as I could get quite close to the performances. The masked dances were just as spectacular, if not more so, than those at the Thimphu Festival. After the festival, we went on a brief hike around the valley, following a 1.5-hour beautiful nature trail that led to a one hell of a rewarding view at the end. It was a great way to stretch our legs before embarking on a 5-hour drive back to Paro the next day. The fifth day is pretty much all driving and with a few visits around the tourist attractions of Paro like the National Museum, Paro's city center, etc. We retreated pretty early to get ourselves ready for the epic hike the next day. We save the best for last with a hike to the Tiger's Nest, one of the most famous landmarks in the country. This monastery is an incredible feat in itself, as it perches dramatically on the side of a steep cliff in the Paro Valley at an altitude of approximately 3,120 meters (10,240 feet) above sea level. The hike lasted for approximately 5 hours in total, and I couldn't have wished for a better way to conclude this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Every aspect of the Tiger's Nest was truly epic, including the journey itself, despite its challenges. The view at the end is unquestionably one of the best you will see on this trip! And that wraps up my Bhutan adventure. If you're planning to visit Bhutan in the near future, don't forget to take a look at my guide, 11 Important Things to Know About Visiting Bhutan as well as check out my complete Bhutan Itinerary with the link below: Check Out My Itinerary

BucketListly

US · September 4, 2023 12:39pm

So... what have I been up to lately?

Hey, —! It's been a while since I last sent out a newsletter! Ever since I completed my 6-month Europe trip last year, I have been spending much of my time, writing travel guides, and itineraries for the first half of the year. Now, that I have written over 90 articles for the trip, I just want to give you a little update on what I've been up to, where I am going next, and new travel guides to help you plan even more trips! If you have been following me on Instagram, you probably know that I have been to Kazakhstan and Laos so far this year. Kazakhstan was the only Central Asian country I didn't get to visit back in 2016 due to visa requirements and now that they have lifted it, I took the opportunity to return to one of my favorite regions and spent 2 weeks exploring Kazakhstan all the stunning cities, nature spots, and culture. I've also made a travel video of my trip over on Youtube so be sure to check that out. Kazakhstan is awesome and if you are looking to start your exploration of these once prosperous Silk Road countries, the city of Almaty is a great place to start. After Kazakhstan, I came back to Thailand for a brief moment, hopped on another flight to Udon Thani, a province in Northeastern Thailand, took a bus to Nong Khai, and crossed the Friendship Bridge into Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Laos is another country that I have already been to. My last trip here was in 2015, a very long time ago, and things have changed so much there that I needed to visit it again to update my Laos travel guides>. For one, Laos finally has a high-speed train, thanks to the collaboration between China and Laos so gone are the days when you have to sit on a 12-hour bus ride to get from Vientiane to Luang Prabang. Now, it only takes 2 hours and the country is as beautiful as ever with the tourism industry and nature recovering rapidly from, like the rest of us, 2 years under lockdown. Honestly, there is no better time to visit this laid-back country than now. If you are interested in visiting these countries, I have written many travel guides to help you make it happen so be sure to check them out: • Kazakhstan Travel Guides. • Laos Travel Guides. Now, let's talk about the future! What is my plan for the rest of the year? Well, I have a trip to Bhutan this late September booked which I am very excited about. It will be during a big city-wide festival so hopefully, I'll be bringing you all some colorful photos from the trip. Next up, I plan to revisit Japan in October just before the new JR Pass price hike kicks in. The price hike is planned for October but you can buy the JR Pass before and use it within 3 months of purchase. The price is planned to hike up by more than 65% (200 USD -> 342 USD fir 7-day pass) which is substantial so if you have nothing planned yet for the rest of this year, visiting Japan and buying the JR Pass before the price hike is a great idea. Other than that, I have nothing concrete planned for the end of the year. Maybe, I might spend some time exploring the Gulf countries in the Middle East like Qatar, Bahrain, etc. And that is it for this little update. If you are planning to visit Laos or Kazakhstan and you have questions, do not hesitate to ask me here! I'll be happy to help you make your trip happen. If you want to follow my journey, be sure to follow me on Instagram to get live updates on where I am and enjoy photos from my journey around the world. Safe travel! Follow My Journey

BucketListly

US · May 14, 2023 3:36pm

Trip Report: The Balkans Part 2

Hey, —! And we are back with another round of my Europe trip report! This is going to be my last entry to the trip report as we are about to reach my final destination, Romania. From Austria to Italy to Iceland to the Balkans, we've been through a hell of a journey! To make this last entry even more special, I am here to report that I have completed all the Europe travel guides from this trip. Yes, all the 100+ articles, are now available on my blog for you to check out. May it be, Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Italy, Malta, Greece, Iceland, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, or Romania, I have them all covered! Or if you want my complete 2-month Balkans itinerary, I have also written them all here as well! Now, you are ready to plan your next trip to Europe! Now, let's take a look at where my last month in Europe took me, starting with North Macedonia, home to Lake Ohrid, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Balkans as well as Skopje, the city of statues! I spent around 4 days at Lake Ohrid, mostly resting with a day or 2 of exploration. If done right, Lake Ohrid can really be a digital nomad heaven. It is extremely affordable, the foods are great, a slew of things to do, and you are surrounded by beautiful views, what more can you ask for? Skopje, on the other hand, is a little different. The city is referred to as 'the city of statues' because, for some reason, the government thought that if they erect enough statues around the city, the tourists will flock to Skopje. It is definitely unique, but there is more to this city than that, like the beautiful contrast between the Brutalist buildings and the Ottoman-era bazaar. Skopje is interesting in its own way without the statues, in my opinion. After a week in North Macedonia, I continue my journey to Bulgaria and spend another 5 days traveling around the country visiting the beautiful city of Sofia and checking out its iconic churches. I also spent some time in Plovdiv, the second largest city in the country and one that I like the most with its creative scene, all the historical sights, and awesome things to do there, that can occupy you for days. Last but not least, I visited Rila Monastery, one of the most impressive monasteries I've seen in the Balkans. This place is pretty not because of its mountainous surroundings but also all the colorful frescoes and the ambiance of the temple. It is quite a sight to behold! From Bulgaria, I headed over to Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, and get a taste of the renowned nightlife of the city, thanks to my friends Deric and Emina who showed me around the awesome nightlife spots that I would never have been able to find myself. I also spend a day visiting the beautiful city of Novi Sad which feels more like you are in Western Europe than in Eastern Europe thanks to its connection with the Austro-Hungary Empire back in the day. Novi Sad is definitely a must-visit city in Serbia. From Serbia, I crossed the border to Romania and spend a few nights in Timisoara, a beautiful city of flowers and the western gateway to the mythical region of Transylvania. The architecture here is so different from all the Brutalist buildings I saw in the rest of the Balkans, it was a breath of fresh air to be in Romania. I then continue my journey to Sibiu, one of the most beautiful medieval cities in Transylvania with its incredible churches, town squares, and the famous Christmas Market. I also get to spend a day visiting the surrounding area like Alba Iulia and Corvin Castle, the largest, most well-preserved medieval castles in Romania. The castle is just incredible! I also get to visit the second largest city in Romania, Cluj Napoca, and check out some of its incredible tourist attractions like Unirii Square and the hidden gem of Romania, Turda Salt Mine, a massive salt mine with a history that dates back to more than 2000+ years. From Cluj, I went to Sighisoara which has one of my favorite medieval old towns with its crisscrossing streets, colorful houses, stunning churches, and the wonderful medieval clock tower that you can climb for an incredible view over the city. And I finally arrive at the other gateway to Transylvania, on the other end of the region in Brasov, home to a beautiful town square and a great place to explore the most famous attractions in the country, Peles Castle and Bran or Dracula Castle. Peles Castle is just crazy beautiful. From its snowy mountainous surroundings to all of its wood carvings and decor inside the castle, it is definitely the most beautiful castle I've seen here. And my journey ended in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, home to the gigantic Palace of Parliament that is so heavy, it is sinking to the ground every few millimeters per year. I spent a good amount of time exploring all the beautiful sights here as well as reflect on all the places I saw in the last 6 months. It was such an incredible trip and also quite taxing so I'm happy to end my journey here as I fly home and spent the next 3 months, resting, writing travel guides, and dreaming of more trips to come. And that is it for my last entry to this Europe Trip Report! It's been a great journey and I hope you will get inspired by it and go on and explore a less-trodden region like the Balkans. If you want to follow my journey, be sure to check out my 2-month backpacking itinerary for the Balkans with the link below. Safe travel! Check Out My Itinerary

BucketListly

US · March 26, 2023 5:38pm

Trip Report: The Balkans Part 1

Hey, —! And we are back with another round of my Europe trip report! It's been a while since I've written one of these reports but I guarantee you, I was up to something awesome during the newsletter hiatus! For the past 3 months after I completed my trip to Europe proper, I've been working day and night, writing travel guides for all the places I visited in Europe last year and I can finally say, I have completed the travel guides for every single places I visited from all my previous Europe Trip Report. Yes, I have completed over 40 travel guides on my blog including Austria, Slovenia, Slovakia, Italy, Greece, Malta, and Iceland! You can now follow in my footsteps and travel to all the places I visited with the information I provided in my travel guides. Wondering where to go in Italy? You can check out my itinerary. Want to drive around Iceland yourself? I've got your back! I hope you will find this travel guides useful in the upcoming summer period! Now, let's get back to business! After spending 3 months in Europe, we have finally arrived in Croatia, my second Balkan country (the first country was Albania back in 2019). I spent a few days in Zagreb, resting after a 10 days road trip around Iceland and although it was a nice place to relax in, I didn't find Zagreb to be particularly impressive. There are quite a few things you can do here but if you do not have the time as I did, I can recommend you skip it and spend your time along the many wonderful coastal cities in Croatia. In Zagreb, I went and visit Plitvice lakes national park which is one of the prettiest national parks in the country, home to a number of stunning waterfalls, and a ton of hiking opportunities. If you are visiting Croatia, make sure you get to Plitvice, which can easily be done as a day trip either from Zagreb or Zadar. Next up, we visit Pula and Rovinj, the old Venetian cities along the Dalmatian coast which were beautiful and had way fewer tourists than all the other popular coastal cities in Croatia like Dubrovnik and Split. If you are looking for a quieter place along the beautiful coastline of Croatia, I highly recommend you spend a night in Rovinj. For the next week, I spent the rest of my time visiting the usual tourist route going from Zadar to Split, and to Dubrovnik (through Bosnia) and visited Krka National Park along the way, which is another national park you should visit in Croatia. The places I visited along the coastline, got progressively prettier as I travel south. It also gets way more crowded as I reached Dubrovnik, one of the most popular places to visit in Croatia, thanks to the HBO series, Game of Thrones. Zadar and Split were a little less crowded although there are fewer things to do there than in Dubrovnik. For me, Dubrovnik was totally worth all the hype. The city is impressively photogenic. Walking along the ancient walls and seeing Dubrovnik's old town from above was the highlight for me although, I am not gonna lie, the crazy high price tag was a little turn-off at first. After Croatia, we finally made it to Bosnia Herzegovina, one of the countries I have always wanted to visit for as long as I could remember. The country's conflicts were all over the news during the dissolution of Yugoslavia when I was young and to think that I can finally visit this country now was mind-boggling. Mostar was incredible. The old town, the stone bridge, the history, this city had gone through many so much and yet we can still appreciate its beauty today. It was definitely the highlight of my trip to the Balkans. Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia was also incredible. There is no better place to witness the perfect mix between Ottoman and western influences than in Sarajevo. I enjoyed the city so much, I ended up on TV on Hayat local channel 😂😂😂! Bosnia and Herzegovina is definitely in a league of its own! One of the friendliest countries I've been to! After Bosnia, I visited Montenegro and spent the next week exploring the wonderful mountainous interior of this country. I have heard so many great things about the mountains in Montenegro and they definitely did not disappoint! Kotor was amazing. The hike to the castle with an incredible view over Kotor Bay was the highlight for me. We pass through the Great Serpentine Road that was featured in one of the episodes of Top Gun and explored Lovcen National Park and its peaks, Cetinje, the old capital city of the country, Tara Canyon, the deepest canyon in Europe, all the way to Durmitor National Park and its Black Lake. I also met some really cool people and we spent an evening, enjoying a nice little home-cooked dinner, family-style, which is something I have not experienced since I started my Europe trip in July 2022. It was definitely a welcomed change of pace. After a week in Montenegro, I was now entering the real off-the-beaten path territory as I finally made it to Kosovo, a partially recognized state that was at war with its neighbor, Serbia as recently as in 1998! The fact that I was able to visit this country, walked its streets, and explored the beautiful country independently goes to show the resilience of the Kosovans and their incredible eagerness for freedom. I visited Peja, a hiker's haven located by the accursed mountain range that I hiked way back in 2019, on the Albanian side, Prizren, another beautiful old city with an old castle ruin located photogenically atop a hill overlooking the entire city, and Pristina, home to amazing Brutalist architectures, a statue of Bill Clinton (yup!), and a cafe culture like no other. It was such an awesome country to visit and one that I really hope people get to visit when they are in the Balkans. And we are going to leave the rest of the Balkans for the next newsletter as I take you to North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Romania so if you want to see what it is like to travel in these countries, stay tuned and watch out for my next Europe trip report. I hope you have a great week and safe travel! Of course, if you want to know where I am, be sure to follow me on Instagram with the link below: Follow My Journey

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US · January 17, 2023 10:49am

Trip Report: Iceland

Happy Tuesday, —! And we are back with another Europe Trip Report! This time, we are going to travel around Iceland for 10 days along the famous ring road, but first, here's a little update on my overall trip. I have finally completed my 5 months Europe trip starting way back in July 2022 in Austria and finishing in December 2022, in Romania. It was an incredibly rewarding trip with so many great memories. It is also extremely tiring and as I am getting older every year, it's hard to know how long I'll be able to be on the road for so long. That is why I have been a little slow in updating all of you on my progress. I've been spending most of my time resting and relaxing in Dubai, celebrating the New Year holidays here (again), and start writing travel guides for the places I visited on this trip. I've completely finished all my travel guides of Northern Italy so be sure to check it out. Plenty more to come soon so stay tuned. Now, let's continue our journey through Europe with a little break from exploring European cities, and let's head over to Iceland! Our journey began in Reykjavik. As expected, the weather was rather rainy but the colorful houses and streets of the capital city of Iceland really spice things up a little. I flew to Iceland through Rome via Wizz Air, which is probably the cheapest way to get to Iceland from Europe. If you are planning to visit Iceland, be sure to check out Wizz Air. After we arrive, we got our rental car from the airport via Lotus Car Rental which was surprisingly smooth. It was around 900 something EUR for 10 days with the GOLD insurance which should cover all the gravel, sand, and ash scratches that will likely occur traveling in Iceland. Be sure to get the gravel insured if you are planning to rent a car in Iceland, otherwise, you might be charged ridiculous fees for the scratches. After spending a day in Reykjavik, we first visited the Golden Circle, stopping by several beautiful waterfalls along the way. Some of our favorite spots are Geysir, Gullfoss Falls, and Hrunalaug Hot Spring. The first night, we were sleeping in a guesthouse on a farm located far away from towns which was the perfect condition for spotting the auroras which were starting to ramp up during our visit in late September. That night, lo and behold, the sky cleared up all of a sudden and we saw the beautiful northern light with our eyes, dancing across the sky. I had pretty low expectations of seeing it here as it was still quite early in the season but my god was it incredible. On our second day, we continue our journey across the Ring Road and visit some of the most beautiful spots along the southern coast of Iceland like Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, and Solheimasandur Plane Wreck which were awesome. My favorite place out of all is Gljufrabui, a hidden waterfall located not too far from Seljalandsfoss. To get to this spot, you have to jump between rocks through a stream before you arrive right under the waterfall. It was exciting and fun although we were all completely soaked after the visit. It was worth it though. Again, on our second night, we slept on a farm away from city lights and were able to witness the Northern Lights, this time even more prominent than before. It was completely visible to the naked eye, it was so mesmerizing! We were pretty lucky to see it twice in 2 days! On our third day, we continue our journey across the southern coast and visit the Black Sand Beach of Vik, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, the incredible Jökulsárlón glacier, and the Diamond Beach before we resided in Hofn for the night. Our fourth day was the day when everything went wrong as we experienced the notorious unpredictable weather of Iceland firsthand with hurricane-speed winds that engulfed the entire southern coast. All the roads were closed for 3 days straight and we were stuck in Hofn the entire time, waiting for the road to be opened, and finding accommodation each night. We ended up sleeping in a car as we thought the road was about to be opened but it did not until the next morning so we decided to drive to a campsite and slept there. Despite all the terrible luck we had, at least we got to see the northern light again for the third time, straight from the camping site. With limited days now that we lost 3 full days, we had to decide whether to go back the same way we came and finish the trip early or push it through and traverse the entire ring road as planned but combine 2 days' worth of activity into one. As you guessed, we decided to power through it and we traverse the eastern part of the island, all the way to the north in one day which was extremely taxing for me. Despite that, we still managed to stop in some incredible places like Seydisfjordur, Stuðlagil Canyon, Dettifoss, Myvatn Geothermal Area, and Goðafoss before we spend the night in Akureyri. On our fifth day, we continue on to the western side of Iceland visiting Hvítserkur and Kolugljúfur along the way before we arrive in the Snæfellsnes peninsula where we spend the night. The drive was long and quite tiring but at least, we made it through most of the Ring Road. On our last day in Iceland, we visit Kirkjufell in the morning and make our way back to Reykjavik, visit the Blue Lagoon, return our cars, and hop on the plane back to Rome in the evening that same day. It was an incredible trip and although due to unforeseen circumstances, we ended up skipping a few places, we definitely have plans to be back in Iceland and explore more of this beautiful country. Travel guides for Iceland are coming soon so stay tuned! That is it for this brief travel update, next up we will finally be exploring the Balkans! Stay tuned for more! Follow My Journey

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US · January 1, 2023 1:46pm

Happy New Year 2023!

Happy New Year, —! I hope that this year brings you health, happiness, and success in all your endeavors. Thank you for your continued support and for following my journey last year. I am excited to share that I have finally completed the six-month backpacking trip through Europe, visiting more than 15 countries and you bet, I have a ton of travel content, guides, and videos in the pipeline to share with you. In fact, I have already finished writing guides for Slovenia, Austria, and the Dolomites. I have listed all the completed travel guides below so be sure to check them out. If you are planning a trip to these countries in the coming year, be sure to check out my guides and stay tuned for more as I continue to add content from all the amazing places I visited last year (including Italy, Malta, Greece, Iceland, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Romania) on my blog. I am excited to see what the new year brings and I look forward to continuing to provide valuable travel content to you. Best wishes for a wonderful year ahead and keep an eye out for my next Europe Trip Report! Happy holidays! 🇸🇰 Slovakia Travel Guides: - 15 Best Things To Do In Bratislava In 2023 🇸🇮 Slovenia Travel Guides: - 7 Days Backpacking Slovenia Itinerary - 16 Best Things To Do In Ljubljana In 2023 - 10 Best Things To Do In Lake Bled In 2023 🇦🇹 Austria Travel Guides: - 2 Weeks Backpacking Austria - 13 Best Things To Do In Innsbruck In 2023 - 15 Best Things To Do In Salzburg In 2023 - 10 Best Things To Do In Hallstatt In 2023 - 16 Best Things To Do In Vienna In 2023 🇮🇹 Dolomites Travel Guides: - 7 Days Dolomites Itinerary Without a Car - Tre Cime - The Best Hike to Do in the Dolomites - 10 Best Places to Visit in the Dolomites - Adolf Munkel Weg Hiking Guide

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US · November 21, 2022 4:35pm

Trip Report Break: Black Friday Deals & Gift Guides

Hey, —! I'm taking a little break on the ongoing Europe trip report this week as I am currently rushing myself around Romania so that I can see everything I wanted to see before my Schengen visa expires in a few weeks, but don't worry, I will continue to report next week with Iceland coming up, that's going to be a big one. The holiday season is just around the corner (one month until Christmas!) and with Black Friday 2022 approaching this weekend, I just want to do a quick roundup of all the sales that are happening right now so you don't miss out on opportunities to acquire some new travel gear you've been eyeing all for. These are all the products and companies I have personally used and I can vouch for their unmatched qualities. Without further ado, here are all the Black Friday Sales you might like: Travel Deals Booking.com - Save 30% or more with hotel stays anytime before December 31, 2023. TourRadar Deals - Up to 60% off on tours. Klook Black Friday - Get 10% off with BFCM2022 code and more. Airalo Esims - Get 15% - 20% discounts by using BF20 code for new users or BF15 for existing users. Hostelworld - Up to 50% discount on the world's best hostels. Travel & Photography Deals Hydro Flask Black Friday Sales - Enjoy up to 50% off on all insulated water bottles and more. Peak Design Gear - 15% off on all tripod products and more. Herschel Supply Backpacks - 30% off on all backpacks sitewide. Moments Store - Up to 50% off on travel and photography gear. Langly Backpacks - Up to 50% off on photography backpacks and more. Insta360 Cameras - Save up to 85 EUR on camera purchases. DJI Drones - Enjoy up to 30% on DJI Drones. Adobe Products - Save up to 71% on Adobe Creative Clouds products. Not sure what to get for your loved ones during this holiday season? Check out our gift guides for some cool ideas: - 12 Cool Gifts To Buy For Travel Photographers. - 15 Best Gifts For Travelers And Backpackers. If you want to buy something for yourself this year, you are going to love these: - 8 Best Sony Cameras For Travel To Buy In 2022. - The Best Travel Lenses For Sony Full-Frame Cameras. My Worldwide Preset Collection is also 60% off for a limited time only at 15 USD. Grab it while you can! And that is all for this week's newsletter. Hope you found these deals useful. Most of the sales go from now until next week so happy shopping! Disclosure: Some of the links here may be affiliate links.

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US · November 18, 2022 9:40am

Trip Report: Malta & Greece

Greetings from Belgrade, —! I have finally made it more than halfway through my Balkan itinerary! It's amazing that 4 months in I still have the energy to continue on haha. Right now, I am in Belgrade and will be spending a few days here before moving on to Romania. What makes this month special, as some of you may know, is that November is my birthday month. In fact, as I am writing this newsletter, 11.11 is my birthday and I'll be celebrating it here in Belgrade! Nothing fancy like last year, but special nonetheless as Belgrade is one of the best nightlife cities in Europe so it's gonna be fun! Anyhow, let's get back on topic and join me as I explore the beautiful fortress island of Malta as well as Greece from north to south, from the mountains to the sea, here are my experiences traveling in Malta and Greece: After a month in Italy, it is time to move on to our next country, Malta. Initially, I was not planning to visit Malta on this trip but after arriving in Catania, and looking for a flight out somewhere cheap, Malta came up top and I can not just pass up that opportunity. Malta is a unique country in Europe. For one, they drive on the left which took me some time to get used to (although not much as in Thailand, people also drive on the left). Secondly, their rich history dated all the way back to 800 BC when the Phoenicians colonized the island and then the Romans came, followed by the Byzantines, the Arabs, and the Normans, much like its neighbors, Sicily. What makes Malta so different is when Napoleon took over the island in the 18th Century and with the aid of the British, the Maltese were able to drive out the French in just 2 years. After that, Malta would become a colony of the British Empire until 1964 when it became independent and joined the Eurozone in 2008. Due to its strategic location, as proven when the whole Christian world defended the island from the Ottoman invasion and succeeded quite spectacularly, Malta had been able to reek the benefit of the Renaissance period in Europe and you will find many stunning fortresses like Fort St Elmo as well as beautiful cathedrals like St. John's Cathedral, and more. I spent 2 days exploring Valletta, the capital city of Malta, as well as spending another day going out of the city and visiting the Blue Grotto and Mdina, the old capital city of Malta. I would have liked to travel further to Gozo and other parts of the island but unfortunately, my time in the Schengen zone ticking and I still have quite a few countries to visit so on the fifth day I decided to fly out to Greece which is one of the highly anticipated countries on this trip for me. I started my journey in Thessaloniki which I thoroughly enjoy. The fact that it is much cheaper than anywhere else in Greece made it one of my favorite cities in the country. I got a Greek Gyro for 1.5 EUR! 1.5! That is almost as cheap as street food in Thailand. I spent a few days in Thessaloniki, exploring all the beautiful attractions there from the White Tower and Rotunda to the beautiful hillside neighborhood of Ano Poli and its formidable fortress at the top overlooking the city. I then went on a day trip to Mt Olympus, explored the Greek ruins of Dion, and continue my journey to Kalabaka where Meteora is located. Out of all the places in Greece I visited, Meteora is probably my favorite. The beautiful limestone peaks, all the monasteries located on top of these peaks, and the incredible sunset you can see from up there, is just incredible. I rented an e-bike and drove up to the top and watch as the sun dipped behind the mountains, shining its last light of the day onto these beautiful Orthodox monasteries, casting their shadows over the rocky landscape, it is one of the most memorable moments of my trip here. If you have a chance to explore Greece mainland, do not miss Meteora! After Meteora, I took a ferry across the Aegean Sea and visit the islands of the Cyclades. I decided to base myself out of Naxos as I explore all the other islands like Santorini, Delos, and Mykonos from there. I knew going in that the Greek islands can be extremely crowded and overpriced and so by staying in Naxos, which is a lovely town with great crowds, a lovely vibe, and not too crowded, I was able to visit Santorini and Mykonos without having to pay for the outrageously expensive accommodation. I spend the first day going on day trips, visiting the famous tourist hotspot, Oia as well as visiting the capital of Santorini, Fira which I definitely prefer over the unbearably crowded streets of Oia. After a day in Santorini, I spent the next day exploring the Greek ruins of Delos, admiring the beauty of the terrace of the lions, hiking up to the highest point of the island, and enjoying a quiet moment of peace up there for a few hours before we continued to Mykonos which is another touristy hotspot. After the crowded Santorini, I found Mykonos to be a little better with wider streets that can accommodate more people, beautiful old churches, and traditional windmills. It was a nice excursion and I enjoyed my time in the Cyclades despite the crowds, but it's time to hit the capital of Greece and visit Athens. Athens was pretty incredible. Many people don't like the city with some saying it's ugly or dirty but for me, looking behind the curtain as a visitor, I see a well-lived city, full of creative cultures, charming vibes, and rich in history, that I can see myself living in. The food was excellent, tasty, and affordable. The attractions are plenty and the people are really friendly, what more can you ask for, right? Last but not least, after spending a few days in Athens, I decided to finish my trip in Greece by going on a day trip to Delphi, learning the history of the sacred precinct, home to the great oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. It was a great day trip out of the city to see the surrounding areas and if you have a day to spare in Greece, be sure to go on one of the many organized tours to Delphi. And that is it for Malta and Greece. I hope you enjoy this trip report and if you want to follow my journey live, be sure to hit the link below and follow me on Instagram. I regularly post my stories there. Next up, we are going to change it up a little and explore... ICELAND! Follow My Journey

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US · October 25, 2022 12:49pm

Trip Report: Sicily, Italy Part 3/3

Greetings from Kosovo, —! We are back again with another Europe trip report and the final entry of my journey in Italy. This time, we are going to explore the wonderful region of Sicily, one of the most engaging and culturally rich places in the country. It has always been a dream of mine to visit Sicily, especially after reading the fantastic book by Violet Moller called The Map of Knowledge, an epic journey retracing classical ideas and knowledge like the Element, Method of Medicine, and Almagest by Euclid, Galen, and Ptolemy respectively, how they were lost and found throughout the ancient world. This book really inspired me to visit Italy and if you are looking for something to read that will ignite your wanderlust, I highly recommend you check out The Map of Knowledge. Now, let's see what Sicily looks like in real life! Without further ado, here's my experience in Sicily, Italy: After spending a few days in Bari, I continued my journey down south and flew into Palermo, one of the most important cities in the ancient world, known for its rich culture, architecture, and gastronomy. Seriously, there is no better place to start your journey in Sicily than in Palermo. For much of its existence, more than 2700 years, Palermo has played an important part in shaping the history of the ancient world. Due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, the city has switched hands multiple times, from the Greeks, the Romans, and the Byzantines, to the Arabs, the Normans, the French, the Spanish, and then the Italians. And because of that, Sicily is filled with some really beautiful and unique pieces of architecture you won't find anywhere else. Only in Sicily where you will find a Catholic church with ornaments and decors similar to those you see in Islamic mosques and Eastern Orthodox churches. Some of the most important sights in Palermo like the Palermo Palace, Palermo Cathedral, and more utilize all the best parts of the Arab, the Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and other architectural styles, and create a unique creation only possible here. They are so different from all the other places I visited in Italy, it was a breath of fresh air. After spending several days in Palermo, strolling around several flea markets (which reminded me so much of my home country, Thailand), and eating all the delicious and affordable street foods, it's time for me to get out of the city and explore the surrounding areas. I went on a day trip to Cefalu, a cute little coastal town where one can relax by the beach or go on a hike up to the fortress above the hill for an incredible view over Sicily's northern coastline. Cefalu is a great place for a day trip from Palermo so be sure not to miss it. After Cefalu, I continued on my journey in Sicily and took a bus down to Agrigento to visit another important tourist attraction in the region, a place you will surely regret if you didn't get to see it while you are here. The Valley of the Temples is an ancient Greek city, home to some of the best preserved Hellenistic structures out there and the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture in general. The Temple of Concordia, the Temple of Heracles, and the Temple of Olympian Zeus are some of the most stunning structures you will see in Italy and it is a place you should not miss if you are in Sicily. After Agrigento, I took a bus to Syracuse, spend a day exploring the beautiful old town of Ortigia, strolling along its fortified coastline, enjoying the street performances, all the while devouring all the delicious seafood I could find. It was a great place to relax and an awesome way to end my trip to Italy. I also spent a day exploring Noto, another beautiful old city in Sicily full of baroque-style architecture that will turn heads at every corner. The city also holds an annual flower festival every year so if you wanna see some really magical sights here, be sure to align your visit during that period. After Syracuse, I went straight to Catania, spend the last day relaxing in the city, reminiscing all the beautiful memories I made in this country, and took a flight out to Malta. I spent a little over 30 days in Italy alone, and my god was it quite a journey! From the Dolomites all the way to Sicily, I have finally accomplished what I had set out to do prior to the trip, to travel the length of the country. Despite spending over 30 days in Italy, there are still so many places I have yet to see which goes to show just how diverse Italy really is. Italy is definitely not a place you can visit once and call it a day and I'll be sure to come back to explore this country again soon. And that is it for Italy. That was quite an epic journey, wasn't it? There is no way I would be able to fit all these places in one newsletter email so thank you for following the journey! Next up, we will head across the Mediterranean Sea and visit the fortified island of Malta and continue our journey to Greece so stay tuned! Follow My Journey

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US · October 5, 2022 6:50pm

Trip Report: Central Italy Part 2/3

Hello, —! And we are back for the second part of my Italy trip report! After spending about 2 weeks in Northern Italy, it is time move continue our journey down toward my goal of reaching Sicily. For this trip update, we are going to explore Central Italy and all the wonderful historical cities and coastlines, as well as get off the beaten path a little. Without further ado, here's my experience in Central Italy: And now, we have arrived in Rome, a city that doesn't need an introduction from me. Rome is one of the most popular cities to visit in the entire world and with that comes the extreme tourist crowds as I have never seen before! First up, I spent the entire first day exploring Vatican City, an independent city-state and enclave located inside Italy. I went as early as 7 AM to get inside the Vatican Basilica, the largest church in the world, went up to the top of the dome, and admire the view of Rome from above. I then spend the rest of the day exploring the city-state, ending my day at the Vatican Museum which is a must-visit even though you have to book the time slot to enter in advance. The amount of wealth the Vatican collected throughout its existence is on display here and you can't miss that! My favorite sections in the museum are the Gallery of Maps and the Sistine Chapel. The museum is pretty huge and you can expect to spend at least 3 hours here. If you have limited time, be sure to visit the Gallery of Maps and the Sistine Chapel. Trust me, you are going to love it. On my second and third day in Rome, I visited the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Piazza Venezia as well as explored the crisscrossing streets of Rome, passing by the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and all the beautiful tourist attractions in the city. Everything is easily reachable on foot and I must have walked at least 10,000 steps each day I was here. After Rome, I took a train southward and visit Salerno, a big coastal city near Naples, and spent the first day exploring the beautiful Amalfi Coast by bus from Amalfi to Positano to Sorrento. The whole area is straight out of a fairy tale, although quite similar to Cinque Terre but a bit larger and has more things to do. On the second day, I took a train to explore Pompeii, a harrowing and surreal experience, being able to walk around one of the most well-preserved ancient Greek cities out there. It was like walking back in time, seeing all these plastered bodies of people's last dying moments. It was quite a surreal experience. After Salerno, I continued my journey southward and arrive in Bari where I use the city as a base to explore the rest of Puglia. The day I arrived, I hit the ground running and went around Bari's Old Town, strolling the cobblestone streets, and indulging myself in all kinds of delicious and cheap street food here. Foods here are so cheap and delicious! On my first day in Puglia, I took a bus out in the morning and visit Matera, a city on a rocky outcrop known for its complex of cave dwellings carved into the mountainside. This is the place where they shot many scenes in the last James Bond movie and I just had to see it with my own eyes. It was as incredible as expected and surprisingly not as crowded as I thought it would be. After Matera, I went on another day trip and visit Alberobello, a town known for its trulli, whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs. Now, this place is more crowded than Matera and it is quite popular among social media influencers so you will find many extremely well-dressed people out and about. The place is definitely unique and unlike any other places, I've seen in Italy which is why I think it is still worth a visit. Just make sure you are aware of the tourist crowds here. And that is it for Central Italy. Next up, we will explore Sicily and all its beautiful coastal towns and historical cities together so stay tuned! Again, you can always watch where I am traveling at the moment in real-time on Instagram Stories so be sure to check that out too! Follow My Journey

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US · September 19, 2022 7:20pm

Trip Report: Northern Italy Part 1/3

Hello, —! Greetings from Italy! It has always been a dream of mine to visit Italy and properly explore all the amazing locations and diverse regions of this wonderful country and even though it is impossible to see them all in one go, I wanted to go above and beyond with Italy and dedicated an entire month for it. It was one of the best decisions I made on this trip! Due to the amount of time I spent in Italy, I will divide this trip report into 3 parts, starting from Nothern Italy (this one), to Central Italy, and to Southern Italy so be sure to stay tuned in the upcoming weeks! Without further ado, here's my experience in Northern Italy: Starting from the north, I took a bus from Innsbruck across the famous Brenner Pass along the engineering marvel that is the international highway connecting Austria and Italy. What a way to start my epic journey in Italy! I spent about 6 days exploring the Dolomites, hitting all the highlights like Secada, Pragser Wildsee, Alpe di Siusi, Tre Cime, and more, and my god, this place is a paradise, especially if you like hiking as much as I do. The Dolomites really do live up to the hype and if you are looking for a unique place to explore in Italy, you won't be disappointed by the Dolomites. After an action-packed week in the Dolomites, I took a train down to Milan and spent a few days indulging myself in the sheer beauty and creativity the city has to offer. I was also able to book a time slot to see the famous Last Supper painting which was pretty surreal. I had to do it almost a week prior and so if you want to see the Last Supper, be sure to book your time slot way in advance. From Milan, I went up again but this time, I headed north to Lake Como and spend a few days exploring the cute little lakeside towns of Bellagio, Menaggio, Varenna, and more. Nothing prepared me for the crowdedness of Lake Como. It was beautiful but only in the early mornings and late evenings when the day tripper crowds have already left. During the day, it was so crowded everywhere, it is a bit hard to enjoy the scenery and so if you want to make the best out of your time at Lake Como, be sure to spend at least 3 nights in one of the smaller towns along the shores of Lake Como. From Lake Como, I came back to Milan and make a few day trips to visit Bergamo as well as spent a few nights in Bologna and went over to Venice for a day. Bergamo and Bologna were pretty awesome and even though there were tourists there, it was nothing like the crowds I had to wade through in Venice. Venice is beautiful, don't get me wrong, but my god, it is one of the most crowded places I have ever been to and that includes places like India and Pakistan. This city of the Renaissance is so crowded it is really hard to enjoy the sights without being stuck in foot traffic along the narrow canal walking paths. If you are planning to visit Venice, do it, but make sure you manage your expectation! Now we are entering the region known for its delicious food, golden hills, and beautiful sunset that is Tuscany and there is no better place to start my journey here than in Florence. Florence is a city filled with beautiful pieces of architecture from the famous Florence Duomo that dominated the city's sky to the museums holding some of the finest artwork the world has ever seen. Visiting the Academia Galleria to see the famous masterpiece of the Renaissance sculpture of David by Michelangelo with your own eyes is a must as well as admiring the beauty of the Uffizi Museum and all the incredible artworks it contains. To visit these places, you will have to book your time slot in advance as well so be sure to plan ahead before visiting Florence. From Florence, I was able to make a few day trips and visit places like Siena and Pisa and I quite enjoy my time in Siena but for Pisa, it was the same as Venice with a similar amount of tourists, all trying to take the same forced perspective photos with the leaning tower, but there are fewer things to do in Pisa than in Venice. Again, you have to see Pisa for yourself but don't expect it to be as great as Florence or Milan. Last but not least, from Florence, I took a train towards the western coast of Northern Italy and explored the beautiful Cinque Terre. As with many places in Italy, Cinque Terre is not one place you can explore but a collection of coastal towns, all connected and easily reachable by trains, which makes for a great area to explore while in Northern Italy. I spent an entire day visiting all the colorful cliffside towns of Cinque Terre like Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, and more all the while spending most of my evenings relaxing in Moneglia. I think choosing to stay in Moneglia was probably one of the best decisions I ever made on this trip as the town is located a little further away from the rest of the touristy Cinque Terre towns and I got easy access to a sandy strip of beach that is rarely ever crowded. It was awesome and if you value your solitude, I highly recommend you base yourself outside of places like Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, and Monterosso. And that is it for a rough trip report of my journey across Northern Italy. There is so much to cover in Italy as we continue our journey down south towards Lazio and Campania where we will visit the great city of Rome as well as the beautiful coast of Amalfi and more so be sure to stay tuned! Again, you can always watch where I am traveling at the moment in real-time on Instagram Stories so be sure to check that out too! Follow My Journey

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US · August 22, 2022 8:29am

Report: A Month in Europe

Hey, —! It's been a while since I last sent out a newsletter as I was about to embark on a 6 months journey of a lifetime and now that a month has passed, let me take you on a brief journey of where I went in Europe in last month. I first spent arrived in Vienna and hopped on a bus straight to Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. I like the terrible portrayal of the city in some Hollywood movies, Bratislava is quite a charming little city with a beautiful fortress atop a hill overlooking the city, awesome churches, and a much less hectic vibe than other cities in Europe. After spending 2 nights in Bratislava, I continued my journey to Slovenia and arrived in the beautiful city of Ljubljiana. This city is almost the opposite of Bratislava with a much livelier vibe, yet still maintains its medieval charm around its beautiful old town. One of the main reasons why I wanted to visit Slovenia on this trip is to see Lake Bled with my own eyes and I did exactly that after Ljubljiana. Lake Bled really blew my socks off with its beautiful castle on top of a cliff, the pristine blue lake, and all the hiking trails one can hike to for an incredible view over the place. I also visited Lake Bohinj briefly which is another place you shouldn't miss in Slovenia. After Slovenia, I went back to Vienna, Austria, and spent 5 days visiting all the beautiful attractions like the iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral, Prater Park, Kunsthistorisches Museum, and all its palaces there as well as reuniting with some old friends. From Vienna, I continued on to Salzburg and lived out my fantasy of being in the real-life movie set of the famous classic movie, "The Sound of Music" at Werfen, visited the beautiful lakeside town of Hallstatt, explored the oldest mine in the world, and stroll around the beautiful Salzburg old town and all its mountains. After getting a glimpse of the Austrian Alps in Salzburg, I went straight to the heart of it all and visited Innsbruck, going up to some of the prettiest viewpoints in the country, hiking to Olpererhütte in Schlegeis Stausee, and enjoying the natural wonders of Austria in all its glory. It was a hell of a month in Europe, being able to visit 3 countries while getting to explore some of the most beautiful regions in the world. There is no better way to start a long 6 months backpacking trip than that! If you think that was epic, wait until you read my next month's newsletter as I will be dedicating an entire month to exploring Italy from north to south, from the Dolomites to Sicily so be sure to stay tuned! Again, you can always watch where I am traveling at the moment in real-time on Instagram Stories so be sure to check that out too! Follow My Journey

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US · July 18, 2022 8:09pm

I will be spending 6 Months in Europe!

Hey, —! Yup, you heard that right. I am about the embark on a journey of a lifetime again! I've spent 3 months backpacking Europe before, twice in fact in 2015 and 2018, but I have yet to spend longer than that. Well, this time, I am going to go all the way and explore most of Southern Europe as well as the Balkans from July to the beginning of next year starting in Austria, traveling through Slovenia, Italy, Greece, and hopefully through the Balkans all the way from Montenegro to Croatia and everything in between. If you have been traveling in Europe before, the Schengen tourist visa usually only allows one to spend 90 days within a 180 days duration, which is why I was unable to spend longer than 3 months but this time, by visiting the Balkans, I will be able to extend my stay there to over 90 days and I can split the 180 days between the 2 areas making it possible to do 6 months in Europe. It is not easy, mind you. Being on the road for 6 months straight is not as fun as it sounds but it is something I always wanted to do and if not now then when, am I right? So here we go. My 3rd European journey has finally commenced. If you want to follow my travel in real-time, be sure to follow me on Instagram and watch my daily stories! I'll try to keep all of you posted from there and will occasionally share something fun on here as well. Hit the link below to follow my Instagram: Follow My Journey

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US · May 2, 2022 2:00pm

This Is The Most Colorful Country in Europe

Hey, —! I may have found one of the most colorful countries in Europe! No matter in which direction I look, Poland always blew me away with its colorful architecture and vibrant culture. When I decided to set off on my 3-month long trip to Eastern Europe in January 2018, people asked me why? "It's winter there, you can't do anything with that kinda weather!". I mean, they were right! I was when the "beast from the east", the freezing wind from Siberia, hit Europe hard and the temperature went down to -16℃. It was freezing, but they were also wrong. There were plenty of things to do in winter Poland as you will see in this video. I based myself out of Krakow for 3 months and for 3 full weeks, I went around the country and explore all the nooks and crannies this country has to offer. My journey took me all over from Warsaw to Torun to Gdansk, Malbork, Poznan, Wroclaw, Zakopane and eventually back to Krakow. I was able to see Poland from both sides of the coin, during the deep winter months, and during spring which was a welcomed change. For this video, I decided to start with gripping imagery of my trip to Auschwitz concentration camp to highlight the tragic past of Poland and as the video progresses, the pace picks up and shows just how far Poland has come since then. Poland is such a colorful country, both metaphorically and physically and I hope I was able to capture that in this travel video. I hope you enjoy the video and let me know what you think about this one! Watch The Video Articles About Poland

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US · April 25, 2022 1:42pm

A Journey Through Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia

Hey, —! Have you ever visited the Baltic countries that are Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia? I hope not, because I have a new video to share with you! I have always been attracted to the Baltic countries as a travel destination. When it comes to people talking about traveling in Europe, the Baltic countries don't get as much attention as say, France or Germany, and that is the exact reason why I decided to visit the area in 2018. From its fairy-tale-like forests to medieval castles, to all its charming cities, the Baltic Countries gave me the opportunity to experience the forgotten part of Europe, a part that had been through so much, being lodged in between great powers, subjugated and fought for their independence, and yet they were able to preserve so much of their identities. Let me introduce to you "The Baltic Way", a combination of great adventures, stunning sceneries, and a fun upbeat sound, combined into a travel video that I hope will inspire you to visit the Baltic countries someday. Hit the link below to watch the video. Enjoy: Watch The Video Articles About the Baltic

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US · April 18, 2022 1:58pm

A Country Made For Adventure

Hey, —! I've been traveling the world for almost 10 years now, visiting around 70 countries during that period and one country that stuck out to me the most is Ecuador. To be honest, I didn't think much of Ecuador when I first arrived in Quito, the capital city, as part of my long 6 months backpacking trip in South America. My initial plan was to spend 2 weeks in the country and move on to Peru, but one thing led to another, I met some people in Mindo, went to the Amazon with them, spent a week cruising around the Galapagos, swung off a cliff in Banos, and it all snowballed from there. I ended up spending more than a month in Ecuador and I've gotta say, I have probably seen more wildlife in Ecuador alone than in my entire life combined. From anacondas in the Amazon to the Blue-footed boobies (a marine bird, in case you are wondering 😅 ) to all the bird species in the cloud forest of Mindo, Ecuador turned out to be one of the best countries I visited in South America. To commemorate that, I have decided to release a travel video featuring some of the most adventurous moments I had in Ecuador. Let me introduce to you, "Crossing Ecuador", a 3 minutes travel video that will take you to some of the most remote places in the world and hopefully show you why Ecuador should be on everyone's bucket list. Hit the link below and watch the video on Youtube. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do making them! Watch The Video Articles About Ecuador

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US · April 11, 2022 2:51pm

WTF Koea!?

Hey, —! If there is one word to describe my trip to South Korea, it was pandemonium. Honestly, South Korea was never on my radar as a must-visit country but after spending my time there for 2 weeks, I realize just how completely wrong I was and how stupid of me to form an opinion of a country before really seeing it for myself. Out of all the trips I made in more than 10 years, South Korea remains one of the fondest and most memorable moments of my life. Seoul is one hell of a soulful place, Seoraksan National Park is a hiker's haven, and the Jeju island is a place made for adventurers. I was able to meet some really interesting people there and bonded in a way that I had never bonded before. As a solo traveler, I was surprised to find myself really enjoying traveling with my newfound friends. It was definitely a change I needed after traveling alone for so long. There's so much energy, so much culture and so much untouched nature in South Korea waiting for you to explore and that is why I decided to release a new travel video of my trip to South Korea called WTF Korea. I had many WTF moments during my trip there and I wanted to highlight just how chaotic (in a great way) it was there, Hit the link below and I hope you will enjoy the video as much as I do making them! Watch The Video Articles About Ecuador

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US · April 4, 2022 2:33pm

The best way to meet people while traveling? Go solo!

Hey, —! Meeting new people is one of the greatest joys of travel and there is no better way to do it than to travel solo. That was one of the first things I learned about traveling when I first went off to the world almost 10 years ago. Since then I have met countless people, and connected with some of the best travel people out there, and one of those places where I found people to be some of the kindest people in the world is Germany. Back in 2015, I went backpacking alone around Europe and due to certain unfortunate circumstances (my bag was stolen in Cologne), I ended up spending 5 weeks in Germany before having to go back home and get a new passport. The funny thing is, I started out my journey completely alone, drank alone, explored the beautiful German cities alone, then along the way, I met people, made new friends, rekindled old ones, and by the time I left Germany, I was no longer alone. Thanks to all the friends I met along the way, some travelers some locals, I had the opportunity to visit a ton of places around Germany I would never think of visiting. I spent most of my time with them and got to see firsthand what it is like to live in Germany. As the saying goes, "Happiness is only real when shared". We, humans, are social animals. No matter how independent we are, at the end of the day, we need our friends.. and good friends are everywhere if you know where to find them. Here is a video to commemorate all the connections I made and all the kind and friendly people of Germany. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do making them. Watch The Video Articles About Germany

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US · March 24, 2022 2:46pm

Have You Been to Kenya?

Hey, —! Have you ever been to Kenya before? Being one of the most popular travel destinations in Africa, it was a no-brainer for me to drop by the country while I was traveling around East Africa. I spent almost 2 weeks in Kenya, traveling between some of the most stunning national parks and reserves in the world like Maasai Mara where I finally encounter a leopard up close, one of the most elusive animals out there. We also visit Lake Nakuru where I had my first encounter with both the black and white rhinos up close before my first bike ride in a safari at Hell's Gate National Park. That's a whole lot of firsts in a single country if you asked me! I had a great time there, despite getting robbed in broad daylight by the police 😅. I've been traveling the world for almost 10 years so it's bound to happen at some point! Anyway, I am finally done with my Kenya travel video and I want to share it with you here. I took inspiration from nature documentaries we often see on National Geographic or Discovery Channel and went all-in with showing all the wildlife and animals I encounter throughout my time in Kenya, so enjoy. Kenya is by far one of the most tourist-friendly safari destinations out there with a wide range of things you can do from game drives to biking to hiking. It is also one of the most affordable travel destinations out there and if you are looking for a place to do your first safari, Kenya is the best place to be. Watch The Video I hope you enjoy the video as much as I do and be on the lookout for my next travel video. This time, we are going to travel to Uganda and meet the gorillas! Stay tuned! Recent Posts

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US · March 15, 2022 4:35pm

In Solidarity with Ukraine

Hey, —! I don't usually talk politics but as many of you know, Ukraine, one of my favorite European countries has been invaded by Russia for the past 2 weeks. I have done nothing but follow the news, seeing the unbelievable destruction in real-time that completely shattered me. As some of you may know, in 2019, I had the opportunity to spend a month in Ukraine, visiting many cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv as well as other off the beaten path places like Lutsk and Kamianets-Podilskyi, and I was shattered when I saw what the invasion has done to these places. One of the places I went to is Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, is the Freedom Square, a massive square where the government buildings are located. I spent many hours exploring that area walking through the very street that in 3 years, it would be shelled by the Russian troops as seen above. I met many people along the way when I was in Ukraine. Ukrainian Friends of mine who I hiked Hoverla Mountain (the highest mountain in Ukraine) with me just had a baby a few months ago and to see that they had to flee the city into the mountains with their new family is heartbreaking. Many young people I know there are trying to scramble their ways to safety while the older generations, a mother of a friend I know, who was born, raised, and lived out her entire life in their town decide to stay. I still can not believe that modern cities like Kyiv and Kharkiv, full of people living out their lives, trying to make the best out of what they have are being bombed into destruction... in 2022! Civilians are dying for what? A paranoia of one man in power. I'll leave you with this quote and a few links for you to help with the resistance as well as to keep you informed of the situation on the ground. "Imagine a king who fights his own battles. Wouldn't that be a sight?" - Achilles Ways to Help Ukraine Great Explainer Videos On the Ukraine Invasion • Invasion of Ukraine: VICE News Tonight Full Episode • Volodymyr Zelenskyy, explained in 8 moments • Is Putin Right About Nato's Eastward Expansion? • What Do the Chinese Think of Russia? | Street Interview Here are some of the videos I think are well balanced and really go into detail on the current situation as well as great reports from the ground. One moment in the video, a woman said "The whole big world can not stop one person. Just think about it." and that hit me real hard. I hope these videos will help you be informed about the situation and see the big picture of what the hell is happening to Ukraine. An invasion of a sovereign country is never the answer and I hope this war ends with unity and the least amount of innocent casualties. Say no to war! Nyet Voinye!

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US · January 31, 2022 2:25pm

Why Did I Spend 5 Months in Dubai? Here's Why.

Hey, —! I gotta admit, I never thought much of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates as a travel destination. I was always attracted to places with a rich history and stunning natures rather than cities and extravagance, which Dubai and the UAE are known for. But things do change and when the world was hit with the pandemic, so is my perception of the country. The UAE is one of the few countries that remained open to tourists during COVID and what was even more amazing was the fact that they were organizing the world's expo event, Expo 2020 Dubai, which gave me more than enough of a reason to visit the UAE. One thing led to another and 5 months on and I still have yet to see them all. Despite that, I decided to create this travel video that compiles all the experiences I had in the UAE including visiting the Expo 2020 Dubai, experiencing Dubai during a New Year celebration, and visiting other less-traveled places in the UAE as well like Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Hatta, and Jebel Jais Without further ado, here's a culmination of my favorite experiences in Dubai and other Emirates all compressed into a fun 4 minutes video. Hit the link below to watch it on Youtube! Enjoy! Watch Emirates Video UAE Travel Guides

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US · December 28, 2021 1:13pm

My Holiday Gift To You!

Happy holidays, —! I hope you are having a great holiday! Here's a little gift from me to you. We are running a limited-time offer on our most popular preset collection, the Worldwide Presets that will take your photography game to the next level. It comes with 16 pro-grade Lightroom presets for both desktop and mobile versions of Adobe Lightroom, all at the low price of 15 USD. The offer will end in about a week (at the end of the first week of 2022) so be sure to grab yours before then. Other than that, I wish you a belated Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year! A year full of adventure awaits! Get 50% Off On Presets

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US · December 21, 2021 5:50pm

From Sea To Kilimanjaro, A New Travel Video from Tanzania

Do you want to know what it feels like to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, —? Now you can with my recently uploaded travel video that will take you from the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar all the way to the top of Kilimanjaro while having some incredible wildlife encounters in Serengeti. You can experience it all in 5 minutes! Tanzania is a country that has it all. I spent almost a month traveling from Zanzibar to Serengeti and eventually ending my trip at the top of Kilimanjaro. It was one of the best trips of my life and this travel video is my attempt at capturing just how beautiful Tanzania is and how epic it was to explore it. From tracking down the big five in Serengeti to hiking up to the top of Kilimanjaro in 6 days via Machame Route, I hope you will enjoy this travel video of Tanzania as much as I do making them. Watch Tanzania Video Tanzania Travel Guides