RegionMasovian Voivodeship
A spare evening in Warsaw became an unplanned walk from the Saxon Garden to the Old Town. Dinner brought the surprise: we had unknowingly chosen the same restaurant we visited about ten years earlier.
RegionUtah
Four spare hours after Mount Peale became a fast Arches circuit through 43°C heat, dark storm clouds, Balanced Rock, the Windows and enough roadside geology to justify the detour immediately.
Range Colorado Plateau
A failed Mount Ellen attempt unexpectedly produced Capitol Reef: Waterpocket Fold scenery, roadside Fremont petroglyphs, an OHV detour into badlands and a much better afternoon than the original plan.
Range Greater Yellowstone Rockies
A second Yellowstone circuit traded bison for travertine terraces, smaller geysers and the impossible colours of Grand Prismatic, which easily became my favourite stop before a crowded Old Faithful finale.
Range Greater Yellowstone Rockies
My first Yellowstone day belonged to bison beside steaming ground, Hayden Valley and mudpots, with geothermal basins steadily overwhelming the irritation of a new $100 nonresident surcharge.
Range Midwest-Great Lakes Area
Racine gave a spare half-day a clear direction: Lake Michigan shoreline, a quiet harbour breakwater and Wind Point Lighthouse, where historic foghorns proved more rewarding than a risky scramble over slippery rocks.
RegionŁódź Voivodeship
After a morning on Trójgarb, a routine drive through Poland turned into an unexpectedly good night in Łódź: Poznański’s red-brick factory empire, a mirror-lined courtyard, a silent disco, and Piotrkowska still warming up close to midnight.
Germany
A cheaper journey home from Brazil left me one hour in Nuremberg before sunrise. Rather than wait at the bus station, I walked through the empty old town to St. Lorenz and Nassauer Haus.
Spain
Eight hours between flights in Madrid, about five of them usable: a hot walk from the Plaza de Oriente through old streets, a bear and a strawberry tree, and air-conditioned breaks.
RegionRio de Janeiro
On my final morning in Brazil, a walk through central Rio moved between civic monuments, murals, Lapa, empty office streets and visible homelessness, ending with one last view of Pão de Açúcar across the bay.
RegionUtah
Until today, I’d only seen the vastness of the salt flats on a flat TV screen. This experience had always piqued my curiosity – I yearned to see, feel, and truly understand these unique places. Today, that day finally came. On my way from Flat Top Mountain to North Schell Peak, I stopped at the…
RegionCalifornia
Grabbing a window seat means a chance to observe mountains on the way, and I won this mini-lottery today. It was a bit cloudy and misty over Greenland, and Canada, Montana, and Wyoming were also shrouded in mist. But once we reached Utah, Nevada, and California, I had the chance to glimpse canyons, ridges, and…
RegionMadeira
Madeira surprised me with a storm and a bumpy landing, but it was a truly unforgettable experience. Respect to pilots. Everything else was smooth sailing, like the sensual charm of Portugal itself. Obviously, a few days aren’t enough to explore all the levadas (water channels), villages, restaurants, museums, and hiking trails. I believe it would…
RegionOccitania
Catching an early morning Lufthansa flight from Vilnius to Frankfurt is pretty straightforward. After a brief layover in Frankfurt, I’m on a 4h30 flight with Discover Airlines to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. Lucky to have a window seat, I marveled at the views over the Pyrenees—clear skies and breathtaking scenery. Naturally, I couldn’t help but…
Range Taebaek Sanmae
The journey from Seoul to Jinju aboard the train, cruising at speeds around 290 km per hour but capable of reaching up to 330 km per hour, serves as a prelude to the grandeur awaiting at Jiri-san. This majestic, ultra-prominent peak is the centerpiece of our trip, symbolizing the adventure and exploration that lie at…
RegionTaiwan
First off, Taiwan leaves you with the impression that everything is meticulously organized. The locals are exceptionally friendly; catch them spotting your bewildered gaze amidst trying to decipher some rule, and they’re right there offering help. Nice touch, thanks! Due to this welcoming behavior, many hurdles were swiftly and smoothly overcome. Transportation We decided to…
RegionOvorkhangai
Cruising down the highway towards Ulaanbaatar, a good 450 kilometers to go, a curious sight snagged our attention. A massive square monument peeked at us from the roadside, beckoning for a closer look. We heeded the call, and our curiosity was rewarded. This imposing structure, guarded by a vast 100-meter square compound, wasn’t your average…
RegionGovi-Altai
Altai city, nestled in Mongolia’s western embrace by the majestic Altai mountains, seamlessly blends tradition and progress. This bustling hub thrives on agriculture, animal husbandry, and mining, renowned for its premium cashmere and livestock products. As the heart of the Gobi-Altai Province, it boasts easy access via roads and a local airport. So, Altai city…
RegionUlan Bator
Feast your eyes on the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, towering at 130 feet as the world’s tallest equestrian metal marvel. Perched by the Tuul River, it not only honors the legendary Khan but also commemorates the legendary discovery of a golden whip at this very site. Oriented towards his birthplace, the statue reigns over a…
RegionAd-Dawhah
The flight from Manila to London passes through Doha. The stopover is too short to visit Qatar highpoint, but long enough to explore Doha in the evening. We leave the airport, find the metro, quickly learn how to buy tickets and are soon on a well-conditioned train heading into the city centre. We get off…
RegionBicol Region (V)
Like most countries in Asia, the Philippines is a lively, vibrant, and fascinating place. I won’t attempt to give a comprehensive overview but rather share some photos and memories that I brought back with me. Food lovers would need a considerable amount of time to explore the endless culinary possibilities. Nature lovers could spend a…
RegionMetro Manila
Welcome to the delightful chaos of Manila, where the urban landscape is an exciting tapestry of sights, sounds, and a thousand smells. The shopping malls here are so vast they could probably host their own Olympic Games, complete with different climate zones for each event. Road traffic is like the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti,…
RegionWestern Area
We have plenty of time to explore Freetown before our evening flight home. We visit Leicester Peak and then experience the lively city with its street food, markets, shops and traffic. We then head to a sandy beach to watch the locals catch fish with nets hundreds of metres long. After a quick lunch at…
RegionNorthern Province
From Freetown Airport in Lungi, we drove north-east towards the city of Makeni and then towards the Loma Mountains. The scenery on the roads was very colourful and vibrant; every few metres there was a new story to tell and time flew by. It took us the better part of a day to get to Kabala…