Author: Travel Cake

Road tripping Oman

The best or perhaps the only way of exploring Oman properly is by car/motorcycle. Whether you’re driving a rental, hiring a car with driver, or hitching a ride from friends/strangers doesn’t matter, as long you have some kind of motorised vehicle at your disposal.

Sure, it’s not the cheapest way, but if you choose taking public transport, you’ll miss out on all the natural beauty Oman has to offer. The few available busses will only take you from town A to town B, which means you’ll have to skip all the beautiful wadi’s hidden in between.

The only big cost will be the actual renting fee. Gas in Oman is literally cheaper than water. At the time of writing, the gas prices were at €0.23 per litre and that’s not a typo.

I was lucky enough to meet Zeina, a magnificent Omani lady who had a car called Boxy and was up for a trip with me. Before I knew it, we we’re cruising on the Omani highway on a road trip from Muscat, the capital, to the coastal town of Sur.

Strangely enough, it started raining cats and dogs as soon as we set off. Seriously?! Rain in the deserts of Oman?! The average rainfall is 10cm per year… I assume it all came pouring down that specific day…Our car Boxy, wasn’t even equipped for such a rare event! Zeina, told me she had never used her windshield wipers before. Which explained the state they were in: practically non-existant. We laughed hysterically and waited on the side of the road until the rain showers eased away.

desert rain

As soon as the visibility improved we continued our journey and made our first stop. The sinkhole. Although it didn’t look all that attractive in the rain, I jumped in and took a dip anyway. “Ain’t gonna let a bit a rain scare me off”. It turned out to be a great decision as we had the whole place to ourselves and eventually, as always, there was sunshine after the rain.

swimming in in the rain

sunshine after the rain

After a long swim, we resumed our journey to Sur, where we spent the afternoon strolling the corniche.

kids at play

lost in translation

men hanging out on the corniche

traditional dhow

Once the sun had set, we tried to find the campsite we had heard about. Quite the challenge, considering the road signs were either missing or not lit. According to local villagers who kindly tried to explain where the campsite was, our poor Boxy wasn’t powerful enough too handle the off road terrain on the way there. The villagers guided us to a ‘better’ camping spot. We lit a fire using the washed up logs and chunks of wood. Suddenly, a fisherman in a pick-up truck popped up and drove us to a specific part of the beach to show us something “special”…

turtles nesting on the beach

up close and personal with the sea turtles

The rest of our night on the beach was not uneventful, but that’s a tale I won’t be writing about today. It’s one of those stories that are better told in person, not in writing. The following morning, we kicked off our day in the neighbouring village with a delicious breakfast offered to us by the fisherman. After that, there was a lot of driving, laughing, eating… Your typical road trip scenario with stops in places like these…

ghost towns

Sur

hot pink pick-up truck

city by the sea

trying to figure out the mystery of the dead desert cows

wadi

wadi perfect for a dip

Oman is now one of my favourite destinations. I love the spirit of the people, the laid back atmosphere, the emerald waters, the hospitality and generosity, the dramatic landscapes, the culture- some parts of which are strongly linked with the Swahili culture of Zanzibar…

Shokran jazeelan, Oman and Zeina for an unforgettable trip!

Would you consider vacationing in Oman?

The post “Road tripping Oman” first appeared on Travel Cake.

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August 6, 2013
Stone Town Street Scenes

It’s been two years since I was in Africa and I miss it. The warm atmosphere, the infectious laughter on the streets, kids singing and dancing all throughout the day, the sweet taste of exotic fruits, the sun that gives you that healthy glow… I even miss the pungent smell of sweaty African armpits -or maybe not so much. It’s a place I call home in some respects, it’s a place that makes me feel good and that lifts my spirits despite all the problems the continent is facing. Since I was feeling so nostalgic, I decided to share some photo’s of one of my favourite cities/town in Africa: Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Let’s take a stroll through the winding streets of the old town

typical street

You could consider the town to be a maze of houses, boutiques, dive centers, mosques, restaurants, bazars… The streets are narrow and the architecture is a unique blend of African, Arab, Persian, Indian and European elements that come together in a remarkable, almost mystical way. I must add that most of the buildings are almost in ruins on the outside. I chose to consider it part of the charm.

carvings on the doors

Zanzibari door

I must have taken over a hundred photo’s of doors. The detailing is just awe-inspiring. Should I ever design a house, I would have the door imported from Zanzibar. And no, not just because that sounds cool!

beautiful mulata

cheeky kid

Another wonderful sight in Stone Town- and in the rest of the island- is the people. Kids are running around the streets, playing, laughing, batting their long lush eyelashes at you…

As for the adults, they are taking their time, doing their thing, living the island life… “Endesha Pole Pole”, swahili for ‘go slowly’.

locals taking their time

peek-a-boo

A walk through town is never complete without a visit to the market. It’s my favorite place at any destination to roam about.

market scene

rice- take your pick

sun dried octopuses

fresh marlin

There are a couple of classic tourist attractions to visit i.e historical building and monuments, but it all felt a bit forced for me to visit. I did have a quick look at some of them, but I soon realised that I’m just not that kind of tourist/traveler. There was one monument however, that really spoke to me. The ‘slavery memorial’ is situated in the old slave market. Stone Town was THE place to be for spice and slave trade back in the days. The memorial not only reminds us of these practices but also shows us how the slaves were sold; standing in a ditch, connected with heavy chains. It’s hard to believe this was reality.

former slave market

Back to getting lost in the narrow streets… Stone Town is relatively small which means that it never takes to long to find your way if you get tired of “being lost”. When the latter occurs, either turn to a local and ask for directions, you’re never more than 15minutes walk away from where you want to be. OR, an even better idea, take a coffee break. Production and consumption of coffee is an ancient Zanzibari tradition. Try a cup of ‘Liberica’, a rich and spicy blend found only on this island. I must say, this was one of the best cups of coffee I’ve ever had! Not to be missed!

walking the streets

coffee break

If you’re ever in Zanzibar and want to try the Liberica, this is a lovely place where you can have a few sips.

When the sun starts to set in Stone Town, it’s not time to go home yet. Sit on the beach for sunset, then keep walking until you reach the ‘ Forodhani Gardens’, a lively food market/ open air restaurant that starts after sunset. All sorts of skewered treats from the sea are presented to you and grilled on demand. Finnish off with a glass of freshly made sugarcane juice with a squeeze of lemon. Pure bliss!

dhows at sunset

fresh sugar cane juice

night market

I spent four days is Stone Town, which is more than the average visitor, but I never got bored. I took things easy, walked a lot, ate and drank like Swahili queen. The whole island has made it to my ‘return-list’.

Have you ever been to Zanzibar? Did you like Stone Town?

sisters

July 16, 2013
East Timor: not for rookies

When I told my friends I was traveling to East Timor, most of them had no idea where it was. Some had never even heard of this country. Understandably, since it has only been an independent country for 11 years. Find out more about it here. The country is located in Southeast Asia, but most SEA travellers skip this destination. Of course, that meant I had to go check it out. There was very little travel information to be found online, so I arrived there with little expectations.

I quickly discovered that East Timor is not a travel destination for everyone. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy Southeast Asia experience, this country is absolutely not for you. Or at least, not yet.

Timor-Leste

East Timor is expensive for a traveler.

At least if you compare to its neighbouring countries. The room rates start at $25 for a very basic, dilapidated double room. There is one backpackers place in the capital Dili, where you’ll pay 12$ for a dorm bed. Again, I’m not talking about fancy dorms…

For food in Dili, you can eat at ‘local canteen style eateries‘ and pay 2-3$ for a full plate of meat/fish, rice and vegetables. Expect 4-5$ at a cheap Indian joint. Go to a basic western looking restaurant and your prices will range from 5$ for a sandwich to 12$ for a fish dish. That’s more than double what you’d pay in Indonesia!

5$ chicken avocado sandwich

canteen style eatery

4$ vegetarian curry

Conclusion: you can economise on food if you want, especially once out of Dili where western restaurants become scarce. However, accommodation will take a big bite out of your budget unless you stay put in Dili. Which brings me to my next point…

It’s hard to get around the country.

There are several towns that have semi-good connections by public transport. There are some ferries and busses/trucks. If you want to get anywhere beyond these places you either need a car (which can be difficult to drive since the roads are in such bad condition) or you need a suitcase full of money. Let me give you an example. Four of us were traveling to a town called “Maubisse”. It took us over 4 hours to drive 70 km. Once there two of the travellers decided to go to the next village so they could climb Mt. Ramelau, the country’s highest peak. This village was located 20km away. The journey took them almost three hours and cost 50$ each, traveling on the back of local motorbikes which broke down every half hour.

Timor-Leste is a small country but you need a lot of time and patience to get around it.

>3 HOUR FERRY TO ATAURO ISLAND (10$ RETURN)

not so comfy ride to Maubisse

There’s quasi no tourist infrastructure.

Sure, there are a few dive centres in Dili, some restaurants offering good food, bars with live music during the weekends, a couple of club and a few emerging tour companies, but once you leave the capital, you’re pretty much on your own.

Particularly for a woman traveling solo, it definitely felt that way. Even as an experienced traveler, if I may call myself that, who has been in war zones and post-conflict areas several times, I was set on not traveling around the country all by myself as it felt quite uncomfortable. Therefore I traveled with at least one companion and encountered no problem whatsoever.

There is a huge language barrier.

Although English is one of the official languages, most people don’t speak it nor do they understand it. Same goes with Portuguese. In fact, the locals are quite annoyed saying: “we don’t understand why Portuguese tourists come here and speak to us in Portuguese expecting us to understand what they’re saying. They think we still know their language but the colonial days are long gone…”

If you know some Bahasa Indonesian, you won’t have a problem communicating, as it is the language Timorese are taught in school. Tetum and other indigenous languages are widely spoken, but I assume those are probably not in your language repertoire.

trying to arrange transport without words

That being said,

I LOVED EAST TIMOR

And I loved travelling there. It’s a beautiful destination. Very real, very rough.

Just like the other travellers you’ll meet in your backpackers hostel. You don’t hear the classic “I’m taking x months off to do a RTW/SEA trip” or “I’m on a two week holiday”. Here you meet travellers doing internships for NGO’s, people doing freelance work translating for Chinese business men, people hitchhiking through the Middle East, Africa and Asia for an indefinite amount of time, people with an impressive list of ‘off the beaten track’ destinations like Socotra (Yemen), Albania and Pakistan.

The country and its inhabitants keep on surprising you; the religion, the culture, the people, the landscape… I’ll be posting an entry on that soon.

I’ve made it a point to return to East Timor and use the knowledge I have acquired to discover the country in a more thorough manner AND scuba dive. Can’t wait to watch one of thee amazing sunsets again!

the sun sets over Dili

Had you ever heard of East Timor? Do you like traveling to “difficult” places?

The post “East Timor: not for rookies” first appeared on Travel Cake.

July 13, 2013
How to spend a €50 weekend in Copenhagen

I had been dreaming of going to Copehagen for such a long time, it was almost becoming an obsession. However, as we all know, Scandinavia can get quite pricey for us, outsiders. I had some time to spare but no cash to spend. Yet it had become an urge I just couldn’t resist any longer. So I talked to one of my most adventurous and spontaneous friends, K. We put our creative minds together and came up with an idea: Let’s have a fab long weekend in Copenhagen spending only €50.

Challenge accepted!

We managed to do a 4 day getaway from Belgium to Denmark spending no more than €50 each, all costs included. The good time was an added bonus. Here’s our methode…

How to spend a fabulous weekend in Copenhagen armed with only €50 and a smile

# 1 Hitchhike

Neither of us had done it before so we were a little nervous at first. Would we manage to get rides? – I mean after all, we are two little brown girls… What if a creepy looking person stops to pick you up… How do you refuse the ride? “sorry, you look like a rapist, I respectfully refuse your help”… Luckily, we’ve never had to deal with either situation and we quickly realised that when two girls hitchhike, they always catch a ride. The waiting time was so ridiculously short with an average wait of 1-3 minutes!

hitch hike

# 2 Bring along leftovers from your pantry

To reduce costs we brought along some leftovers found in our pantries: a pack of waffles, a couple of dried sausages, 1bag of pasta, 1 bottle of wine, 1 can of Frankfurters, 1 bag of soft sandwiches and couple of tea bags. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or snacks.

breakfast of champions

# 3 Get a ride from Suriname students that offers you a free McDonalds lunch

Some of the people that picked us up were so generous. Going out of their way for us, sharing their food, giving us useful things they had lying in their cars like bottles of booze and an umbrella… Others had interesting stories to tell, like the CEO who traveled around the globe and was bored of the classy 5-star hotels or the polish millionaire that had a semi-dodgy car businesses. The 65 year old truck driver who was madly in love with his wife of 40-something years or the three Suriname students who thought we were insane for hitchhiking and ended up buying us a meal at McDonalds. Each and every one of the drivers asked us the same question: “Isn’t this dangerous?” to which we would reply: “that will depend on you…”

people on the way

# 4 Use cardboard from in the trash to make your signs

making signs as we go

# 5 Use your puppy eyes to catch that ride

PLEASE

#6 To avoid rides from scary, dangerous men, always put on your “street face”.

‘SUP…

# 7 Pyjama party at a local friend’s place

Once in Copenhagen we were welcomed into the home of a friend I had met two summers earlier. At that time she spent a week at my place so she was happy to return the favour and let us crash on her floor for a couple of nights. She was so kind to spoil us with a nice dinner when we arrived and a delicious breakfast in the morning. If you don’t have a local friend I suggest looking for a host/friend on Couchsurfing, hospitality club or BeWelcome.

breakfast with Sofie

# 8 Get your hands on a free city bike to cruise around the city

The free city bicycles of Copenhagen are so popular that they are not very easy to find, but if you look carefully enough you’ll be able to pick one up and leave it behind at one of the many bicycle stations around the city. No complicated ‘credit card registration-type’ arrangements here, you just slip a 20Kr coin into the slot and it unlocks your bicycle. Your coin is returned to you as soon as you park your bike in the foreseen slot. EASY!

free bicycle

# 9 explore the city by foot

Walking around town is always free. There are so much interesting architecture around the city that you don’t necessarily need to go inside any museums and palaces to soak in some of the culture and architectural beauty.

around town

# 10 Ignore the morning flea markets

We started browsing saying “we’re not going to buy anything!!”. Guess how that ended… But if you really can’t help yourself… You can really get a good deal at these markets. Bangkok prices! Alternatively do some window shopping.

flea market

# 11 Visit free art expositions

art expo

# 12 Stumble upon a free (coffee) festival

There is so much going on in the city during the summer time, that you are bound to find some kind of (free) gathering. This mini festival had great artists performing and free coffee samples. We spent a couple of hours listening to Danish-Zanzibari hip hop drinking as many caffeine sample shots we could stomach. A perfect afternoon activity if you ask me.

coffee festival

# 13 Have dinner at ‘Morgenstedet’

It’s an amazing vegetarian restaurant in Christiana where you can share the huge portions with your buddy. The food they serve is made from fresh and organically grown vegetables. Check out this half portion…

half burrito

# 14 People watch in Nyhavn

Or anywhere else by the water. Get yourself a bottle of cheap wine from the supermarket and perhaps a bag of mixed nuts. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view and the company.

NYHAVN

chillaxing by the water

And so we concluded our trip with a long hitchhiking day back to Belgium which we managed to do in one day. Although I don’t advise doing this many kilometres at once. It’s extremely exhausting; smiling to catch rides, chatting with the driver during hours, explaining who you are and what your trip is about every time you get in a car…

last leg of the trip in a truck. Yes, that’s a bed.

To remember: getting stuck on the road is part of the trip! Enjoy it!

being stuck and playing around

Have you ever hitchhiked? Would you consider it?

The post “How to spend a €50 weekend in Copenhagen” first appeared on Travel Cake.

July 5, 2013
10 Things I loved about Istanbul

There were more than 10 things I loved about Istanbul, but I’ve made a list of the most obvious and memorable reasons.

1. The Markets and Bazaars

Visiting markets are by default my favorite thing to do while I’m travelling. It’s where you can get a feel of what local life is all about. It’s the place you are most likely to be overwhelmed with curious smells, a mix of colours,foreign sounds, unfamiliar tastes, big smiles, sharp selling techniques… I hardly ever head to the market to shop, but to more to experience a new city. The markets and bazaars in Istanbul were no different. Although I did end up buying some local delights after sampling some tea’s, sweets, honey, cheeses and herbs.

fish market

lamps at the bazar

the Grand Bazar

Spice Bazar

2. The Street food + vendors

The street food I found in Istanbul was nothing I’d never seen before (except the stuffed mussels, yummy!), yet there is something very appealing about getting your food off the streets. It’s always very affordable and the vendors in Istanbul seemed to have a great time selling a show along with their product. Whether it’s your grilled sardine being thrown onto your sandwich bun from 5 meters away, or it’s the sweet nothings the vendor whispers into your ear as you reach for your döner, there is nothing ordinary about ordering a portion of street food in Istanbul. Try getting a “dondurma” (chewy Turkish ice cream), you’ll certainly get a complementary show.

kebab

getting a dondurma

3. The views from and around the Bosporus

The river flowing through the city forms the backdrop for a romantic scene. Lovers, fishermen, kids playing, families on their outing, teenagers killing time… There is life around the Bosporus, that’s certain.

romance

sunset by the river

view from the Bosporus

4. The hip boutiques in Karaköy, Beyoğlu

Even though these shops where not within my budget range, I had such a good time window shopping and browsing the “sales-racks” hoping to find a steal. I often said to myself: “I’ll come back when I have more money!” The best shops, offering unique pieces by young designers, are off the main roads and near the Galata tower. Prices here are similar to those in western Europe.

boutiques

5. Fresh juice any time of the day

Apple, carrot, pomegranate, raisin, orange, lemon, strawberry, melon, pineapple, peach… All the fruity flavours you can imagine, whenever you want, for a very sharp price. Hello vitamins!

fresh juice

6. The old town

You could spend a whole week (or more) discovering this area, in fact, many tourist never make it to the other parts of town. I didn’t visit all the mosques and museums, nor did I walk all over the old town with a tour guide, so I missed out on the thousands of historical tales and explanations on the city. However, I managed to arrive at the sites before all the other tourist did which allowed me to get a real feel of that part of town… There is such serenity and spirituality in the air. At the crack of dawn, that is…

inside the mosque

by the mosque

blue mosque at dawn

7. The street art

comic mural

mural

8. Shops selling the most random things

It makes the city all the more interesting. How often do you see a shop entirely dedicated to growing and selling medicinal leeches? (you place them on your body when you’re ill and they suck out the infested blood…)

BB guns

old personal photos for sale

9. Tea time break

I think I probably had a tea break every hour, two hours max. Just sitting along the road side or a terrace in the shade with a glass of hot tea and a book, watching people get on with their lives. Just wonderful!

tea on a terrace

tea and cigarettes

10. The surprises

I was often surprised in Istanbul. Small surprises and bigger ones. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but these are just some of the unexpected elements . Visit Istanbul to discover which surprises the city has in store for you.

heart warming street performance

movie scene

catholic church in the middle of town

Have you ever been to Istanbul? What was your favourite thing?

The post “10 Things I loved about Istanbul” first appeared on Travel Cake.

July 1, 2013
Eating Penang

As I write this, I’m lying in the sofa, pants half open, thinking maybe I’ve overdone it. I’m on Pulau Penang, a small island off the coast of Malaysia, connected to the mainland by a 13.7km bridge. Charming! Chinese influence meets western colonial style. And of course there is the lush greenery around every corner, breath taking sunsets and knowing that there is a large body of water not too far away, is always a win, if you ask me.

So why am I slouched in the couch feeling like I’m carrying the love child of grease and sugar.

Well, the other thing Penang is famous for is its food. It is said to be one of the top places to experience ‘Pernakan cuisine’.

As a matter of fact, as I was doing my research on what to do in Penang, most suggestions I got involved food in one way or another.

So, what else could I do but to go on a street food frenzy?!

The hawker culture is such a big part of the local way of life. The food is cheap, tasty and the portions are just right. So off I went…

10 AM: BREAKFAST- DIM SUM

DIM SUM

This place was not on the plan, but the place where I was supposed to have breakfast was quite far away and I needed food FAST! Good dim sum, although I now realise I’m simply not a big ‘dumpling fan’.

11 AM: POST BREAKFAST SNACK- FRIED OYSTERS

FRIED OYSTERS

Deliciously crunchy. I experienced an entirely new texture and flavour. I must admit, I normally don’t like oysters at all- shame on me- but this dish has no connection to the oyster flavour I am accustomed to.

THE MAKING OF

THE MAKING OF

12.15 PM: LUNCH- EEL FISH BALL KOAY TEOW SOUP

eel fish ball soup

What you get is handmade eel fish balls, handmade pork filet and rice noodles swimming in a light and tasty broth garnished with lettuce and fried garlic. I was reluctant to try this one because I’m not too fond of fishballs (they are more or less in the dim sum family). Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by a new set of flavours.

Pitt Street Homemade Fish Ball Koay Teow Th’ng

183, Carnarvon Street

9am – 4.30pm. Closed on Sun & Mon

1.30 PM: DESERT/REFRESHMENT- AIS TINKAP

AIS TINKAP

At this point of the day, temperatures arose and I needed a serious cooldown. That is exactly what this drink did. It’s a concoction of shaved ice, coconut water, Indian herbs and rose essence. Texture is added with basil seeds and coconut flesh. I enjoyed this sweet Penang classic.

Tamil Street, Penang

12pm to 8pm (Closed on Sundays)

2.30 PM: AFTERNOON SNACK- TROPICAL FRUIT EXTRAVAGANZA

EXOTIC FRUIT

I had planned to go for curry around this time, but the heat was too intense to be eating hot and spicy sauces. I decided to go healthy instead and try some of that alluring exotic fruit that’s omnipresent in the street scene.

I went for the classics: mango, watermelon and pineapple. But I also tried the less familiar ones: starfruit, dragon fruit, guava, water apple and mangosteen.

4.00 PM: EARLY DINNER-CHAR KOAY TEOW

char keow teow

An incredibly rich blend of noodles, fresh veggies, sweet lard, egg, tiny clams and shrimp fried on a strong charcoal flame. As you empty your plate all the flavours really come together, making this dish taste like a greasy touch of heaven. I just HAD TO order seconds!

Located at the end of Siam Road

3pm to 11pm (Closed on Mondays)

The stall is insanely popular, the cook get dozens of orders every hour, yet he prepares every order separately so the dish wouldn’t loose its personal touch. Wonderful! This also means I had to wait 30 minutes (twice) to get my food. Absolutely worth it!

I left the hawker stall at 6.00 PM wondering if I was going to keep eating…

6.30 PM: “CAN’T EAT ANYMORE BUT MUST TRY SOMETHING NEW-BREAK”- NUTMEG JUICE

nutmeg juice

Now that is something new! The sign said it was refreshing and rejuvenating, just what I was looking for. It looks a bit strange and that’s also how it tasted. I’m not sure whether I liked this fresh tangy juice or not. It has such a unique and peculiar taste, it’s just something you must try to understand.

Shall I keep eating?

8 PM: DINNER- FAST SUSHI

sushi with cheese

I was tired and in need of some hardcore aircon, so I cave and exchanged one street food meal for a less greasy dinner. I thought I was going for something more familiar, but as it turns out, this sushi was unique in it’s own way. It had a cheese topping. Cheese. Is this normal??

The sushi wasn’t that great, I quickly regretted not having stuck to the street food plan!

Sushi King

1st Avenue Mall (LG-71, Underground)

I was meant to go for a “post dinner” meal, but I was DONE. No more. I turned around and left the food scene. What a fantastic day!

Have you ever tried an “eating-only” day?

The post “Eating Penang” first appeared on Travel Cake.

June 30, 2013