It was supposed to be Samoa. But I ended up instead in Tonga. The thought of seeing whales up close was all that my mind could focus on and get excited about after leaving behind places, people and experiences that almost brought me to tears. And Tonga would surprise me with a few emotional moments, …
Imagine roaming around our blue dot, in particular around some of its remote parts, and not having one flight cancelled over the last six months that you've been travelling for. Wouldn't that be great? Or rather not exciting enough? My good friend Murphy decided that it would be the latter for me. After several postponements …
Remote and poor - two words that came to my mind when first picturing Kiribati. It would take only a couple of days and trips to the outer islands to replace these two words by remote, unspoiled and beautifully simple. Despite a first impression of a country where time seemed to have stopped, of an …
Continue reading Kiribati – where the waters might take over
Once upon a time there was a tiny island nation in the Pacific, renowned for its quality phosphate. It was Nauru, one of the richest countries in the world. Today, Nauru still tops the ranks and keeps its fame, not for its phosphate and long gone richness, but for reasons that you might not expect: …
Continue reading Nauru – tales from a forgotten Pacific island
A certain anxiety and a deep sigh for leaving what became my home for almost two weeks settled in the night before my flight to Honiara, the Solomon Islands' reputed capital. Anxiety at knowing that the Solomons are relatively still off the beaten track (which also instilled some excitement) and at hearing stories about safety …
Continue reading Solomon Islands – where the path leads to uncharted territories
Vanu-what? Where on earth is this? It would probably not surprise you if you were asked the same question...or maybe you're not sure about it yourself?! I have to admit that until a few years ago, I had no idea about where exactly in the Pacific this island country is located (I did know however …
It was in 2013 when I first thought of going to Fiji. It was however not until 6 years later that I actually set foot on the Fijian islands, the so often claimed bits of paradise. So how did it all start? Throwback to 2013: A 4 months break between employment contracts was the perfect …
Expect the unexpected - this is what I promised myself before leaving the Philippines. It was almost as if I knew what a wonderful experience Taiwan would have in stock for me. If there's one place that competes with Taiwan in people's unbelievable friendliness, it is Uzbekistan. But Taiwan has its particular charm…and people here …
Everyone that I met who's been to the Philippines told me without hesitation that one month is way too short to visit this beautiful place - one month because this is how long you're allowed to stay as a European (of course, you could always extend your visa but I have to admit that I …
Continue reading Philippines – the never ending island hoping?
A mountain to climb, rainforests to trek, rivers to cruise, wildlife to spot and islands to explore, dive or snorkel around…ah, and a bit of sunburn. After all, what experience would that be without a “well-deserved” sunburn to proudly talk about?! Despite its “not safe to travel” reputation a few years ago (for those that …
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