I’m not exactly sure why I chose to go to Palestine. Maybe it was because of the Palestinians I’ve met in the last few years. Or because of the rich history and heavy religious heritage. Maybe I just wanted to try Palestinian food. Or maybe I’m drawn to places that are on the troubled end […]
Category: Destinations
Palestine, a crossroad of religions
The Holy Land, Palestine is the place where the three Abrahamic religions were born, diverged, and then intersected again throughout history. My trip there did not have a religious focus, but even so, I was impressed by the density of the religious landmarks and the devotion of the believers. Some of them – Palestinian residents […]
The Mt. Hagen Show in pictures*
An outer-worldly experience There’s little I can say about the Mt. Hagen Show in the highlands of Papua New Guinea that would get remotely close to depicting the experience of being there. In a nutshell, I was in the middle of what felt like an old National Geographic documentary. Thousands of miles away from what […]
The heaven of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
Adjusting to Papua New Guinea The sun has already set and it must be a bit after 7pm. I wouldn’t know for sure cause I stopped checking the time since I arrived in New Ireland, my first destination in Papua New Guinea. In Planet Earth time, this is my 3rd day here, but time flows on […]
Planning for Antarctica (or how to make the most of your trip)
I am deeply and hopelessly in love with The White Continent. But I’m perfectly aware that planning for Antarctica played a big part in the success of the trip. This is far from the typical backpacker trip: travel to the continent is a considerable expense for the average traveler. But with the right preparation, the […]
Antarctica, beyond penguins and icebergs
Seen from the outside, I was carrying a heavy bag across the wharf, to board a big blue ship on a gloomy afternoon in the port of Ushuaia, Argentina. On the inside, I was riding a unicorn that was flying me along rainbows to the destination I’ve been dreaming about for the last three years: […]
Life in a monastic school in Myanmar
The introductions “Hello! How are you?” It was the voice of a novice monk with a shy smile and warm eyes. The Mandalay Hill is a popular place among tourists for watching the sunset, and among monks for meeting tourists. I was the tourist of choice for Sai and his friend. We covered the basics […]
Destinations to move to the top of the bucket list
Our experiences traveling are obviously shaped by the destinations we choose, the people we meet and our own outlook on the world. But each place that we get to experience was changed by the visitors before us, as communities adapt to accommodate tourism. This is not necessarily bad and most times it makes travel easier […]
5 reasons to go to Norway in winter
Yes, I know it’s cold. But I also know there is no such thing as bad weather, there is only unsuitable clothing. Here are five reasons to pack your long johns and head to Norway.
Safari in Uganda? Yes, please!
The car was speeding on a twisting road that cuts through the green of the hills around Lake Bunyonyi. On the side of the road, some baboons were chilling and the driver stopped so I could get a closer look. This wouldn’t have happened if I were traveling by bus, but happily, there were no […]