Tag: Backpacking

Where to Travel in Iran – our two week itinerary

The moment we entered Iran, we immediately knew: two weeks is way too little time to visit this vast, fascinating country! Unfortunately we can’t always take month-long vacations, so we figured: two weeks is better than nothing! Although it meant we’d have to make some tough decisions regarding the places we’d visit. Considering we were traveling in autumn, the southern loop seemed like the obvious choice. It also happens to be where the country’s highlights are situated.

This is where we spent our 2 weeks in Persia…

TEHRAN – 1 Day

The first thing we did the morning we landed in Teheran was to book a domestic flight South. We aimed to get out of the capital as soon as possible. Now I’m not saying there is nothing interesting to see or do in Tehran but we figured there’d be more intriguing places to visit. Besides, we arrived during Ashura, Iran’s most important religious holiday which meant that the entire city was practically deserted. We managed to reserve seats on a flight that evening, leaving us with a full day to fill in Tehran. Since everything was closed, we spent the day drinking tea and mindlessly strolling down the quiet empty streets of an otherwise buzzing city.

prayers during Ashura

SHIRAZ – 2 Days

Just a short flight later, we arrived in Shiraz also known as the heart of Persian culture. “Shiraz”, that name… I imagined refined art, sophisticated poetry, elegant gardens, nightingales, romance and red wine. And that’s exactly what it was, well except for the wine since alcohol is illegal in Iran nowadays. Once again, due to the festivities of Ashura, we were limited in options of things to do. We mostly wandered around town, visited some iconic mosques, browsed the colourful bazar and shared some incredible meals with newfound local friends. We may have missed some of the city’s highlights but we experienced and learned about the fascinating religious holiday of Ashura, which I won’t go into further detail right now. It would need so much explaining it would have to be a post on its own.

ornate mosques in abundance

with surprising interior design

discovering the sweet stuff in the bazar

almost ripe oranges in the mosque’s court garden

the leaning tower of Shiraz

at one of our many tea breaks

PERSEPOLIS – NAQSH E ROSTAM & NAQSH E RAJAB – 1 Day

As a day trip from Shiraz, we chartered a taxi to another “mystical sounding” spot: Persepolis. I regret thinking we’d learn all there is to know about Persepolis from our guidebook and stories online. Reading about the ancient site is a good start but having a live guide enthusiastically telling stories, pointing out important details and explaining the symbolism on site, would have added value… Nonetheless, guide or no, walking amongst the ruins will spark your imagination.

the entrance of Persepolis

ruins that help you imagine what once was a grand majestic city.

After visiting Persepolis, we drove to Naqsh-e-Rostam & Naqsh-e-Rajab for a quick view of the majestic rock tombs. Impressive! Most taxi drivers or tours will advise you to add “Pasargadae” to your day trip. However, we skipped it and I must say, looking at fellow travellers’ pictures, we made the right decision. Though I’ve only heard good reviews from visitors of Pasargadae, whether you should go or not really depends on your interests and on how many ruins you can handle in one day.

rock tombs Naqsh e Rajab

YAZD – 2 Days

From Shiraz we took a nightbus to Yazd, an enchanting mud-brick desert city. My favourite city in Iran- I think. What made me love Yazd so much was the fact that it is so astonishingly different from any other city I had ever seen. Serene, quiet and entirely made of mud buldings… Come on! According to UNESCO, Yazd’s old town is the oldest city on earth. Can you imagine that?! Standing on the city’s rooftops, you get fairytale-like views over the brown city. Getting lost in Yazd felt truly magical.

exploring the streets of Yazd

sunset view from one of the many rooftops

tea time accompanied by Yazd’s signature sweets

KHARANAQ- MEYBOD – CHAK CHAK – 1 Day

In Yazd we met a driver with whom we arranged a day trip to the surrounding sites. Out of the three stops, despite the beautiful surroundings, we found the pilgrimage site of Chak Chak to be the least interesting to us visitors.

Chak Chak, Zoroastrian pilgrimage site

The 1800-year-old mud castle of Meybod (Narin Castle) was much more to our liking. I’m still puzzled about how a mud castle can be in such good shape after almost 2000 years of existence, surviving invasions, wars, modern changes… WOW!

Following a tasty lunch in a historic caravanserai -where strangely enough we were the only people- we headed to the mud-brick village of Kharanaq. This was by far the highlight of our day. Though I’m sure it’s not for everyone, we just loved “Indiana Jones-ing” in the crumbling, virtually deserted village.

lunch in a caravanserai

Karanaq

rooftops that made us feel like we had landed on another planet

pomegranates surrounding Kharanaq

GARMEH – 2 Days

Getting from Yazd to Garmeh was somewhat challenging but we made it! I’ve already raved about our stay in the desert oasis of Garmeh, it’s still easily one of my best travel experiences so far!

palm trees in the desert

Garmeh, desert oasis of my dreams

MESR – 2 Days

Because Garmeh was such a big hit, we extended our stay in the desert and headed to another, even more remote desert settlement: Mesr. We drove out with the new friends we’d made in Garmeh and had another remarkable stay in the desert! This time around there was dune bashing at sunset, stargazing, chasing renegade camels and desert sand hikes. Iv’e said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the desert!

sand dunes as far as the eye can see

our guesthouse in the middle of nowhere

ESFAHAN – 2 Days

The grandeur of Esfahan left us standing in awe. This is where you’ll find Iran’s most impressive, majestic architecture. You’ll be surrounded by sharply dressed youths having a good time out, families spending time together in parks and lovers dating somewhat publicly… Esfahan is a modern and vibrant city standing in strong contrast with more conservative places like Yazd.

Esfahan

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Isfahan

family day on the river banks

ABYANEH – 1 Day

Since we couldn’t find public transportation to the ancient village of Abyaneh, we hitchhiked there. Catching a ride was quite easy. Most people seem to visit Abyaneh as a day trip from Kashan but we figured we might as well spend the night. Apparently we were the only ones with that idea. Though this village is definitely not a “must-see”, we were thrilled to get a glimpse of a different Iran.

Irregular bus service to Abyaneh

streets of Abyaneh

All the locals we encountered in Abyaneh were elderly people dressed in a particular style. They looked very different from the people we had seen throughout the rest of the country.

KASHAN – 2 Days

Kashan, another place I was enamoured with. Whether it was due to the -once again- exceptional rooftops, our charming guesthouse, the abundant rose water, the “secret” gardens, the grand traditional houses or the lively bazars, I don’t know. Kashan really got under my skin.

just can’t get enough of these rooftops!

farmland hidden inside an old fortress in Kashan

traditional house

From Kashan it was a short ride to the end point of our trip: the international airport of Tehran. As you can see, we spent about two days in each destination. Because many of the attractions were closed due to the festivities of Ashura, this was just enough time not to feel rushed. We could have easily spent more time in each of the spots mentioned above and would have loved to visit other parts of the country. That’s why we promised ourselves there would be a next time! But in the end, the beauty of Iran lies, more than its sights or scenery, in its people. So any amount of time spent in the country is enough to at least get a taste of the Persian hospitality.

Have you been to Iran? Would you consider going?

The post “Where to travel in Iran- our two week itinerary” first appeared on Travel Cake.

February 1, 2016
2015 Travel Summary

Here we are again, at the beginning of a new year, wondering where time went. Looking back at the past twelve months, thinking how we could have done things better, what is still missing in our lives and wondering where the next 52 weeks will take us. For me, the past year was one full of challenges, enormous changes and tremendous mental growth.

Though 2015 wasn’t as much of a travel whirlwind as 2013 or 2014, it was an intense travel year to say the least. I moved to Latin America, making it the 5th continent I’ve lived in. I finally revisited the USA and Colombia. Then I moved again, this time back to Ghent, my favourite city on earth. I did it all while growing a tiny human. Kind of absurd, now that I think of it.

This was travel in 2015, the year of big changes…

ECUADOR

Quito

I started the year in Quito with the mission to check out whether or not Ecuador was the country where we’d settle in next. Though Quito lacks impressive tourist attractions, I grew very fond of it. I’m not really sure why, but living in Quito turned out to be quite enjoyable.

photo shoot in the historic centre of Quito

one of the most impressive architectures of Quito: la catherdral.

Baños

The capital of adventure sports in Ecuador. Charming in a touristy way… I wasn’t able to partake in any of the adventure sports due to the pregnancy so I experienced the town differently than I normally would. I’d ask myself: “would the average 75-year-old engage in this activity?” If the answer was positive, that meant a “GO” for me. Good thing that -in my mind- the average 75-year-old would have no problem mountain biking down a narrow wining road alongside massive speeding trucks… *ahum*

Devil’s cauldron reached by mountain bike in Baños

approved activity

Cuenca

If it wasn’t for a small incident that changed our entire professional plans, I would probably be writing this post from our house in Cuenca. We found the city to be very pleasant and full of business potential. I was willing to oversee the ever fluctuating weather and settle down in the cobble stone city. But as I said, some issues came up which helped us realise Cuenca was not the place for us to live in. At least not in that moment in time.

colonial architecture in Cuenca

every weekend in Ecuador, there seems to be a parade of some sort…

Vilcabamba

Apparently many people live to be 100 years and longer in this small town nestled in what is nicknamed “the valley of longevity”… There seems to be something about the source water and the fresh air that contributes to a long and healthy life. Now this was a gorgeous piece of paradise! Rolling hills, flowers, fruits, birds and butterflies in abundance. A handful of Westerners have set up shop in this town and opened a few yoga and meditation centres, juice bars and organic restaurants. It’s also the place to be for ayahuasca cleansing ceremonies. We were keen to settle down in Vilcabamba but unfortunately the remoteness of the town also meant the internet wasn’t as reliable as it should be for digital nomads. So we were left with no other choice than to leave the little paradise.

our guesthouse in the valley of longevity

Montañita

Or ‘party central’. Cheap cocktails, good surf, tasty street food, loud pounding beats and killer sunsets. I could imagine myself twisting my hair into dreadlocks in front of a reggae shack, ambling barefooted through the sandy streets and partying till sunrise… 10 years ago! That would have pretty much summed up my dream life. Today, I actually had to retain myself not to complain about the loud (party) noise just outside my window at night! Yikes, it’s official, I’m no longer in my 20’s… Montañita helped me realise just how much I’ve grown/changed. And though I did enjoy some elements of it, places like Montañita are just not my scene anymore.

street breakfast

the way a surf beach town should be; quirky and colourful

sunset in Montañita

Puerto Cayo

A tiny dot on the map. We spent most of our time in Ecuador living and working in this sleepy fishing village. When I say sleepy, I mean really sleepy. An interesting experience, one I would never have guessed I’d be living. If you’ve missed it, read about our life in Puerto Cayo.

sleepy Puerto Cayo

Mindo

My favourite spot in Ecuador. We spent most of our time there eating delicious food, admiring colourful hummingbirds, enjoying the lush greenery and gorgeous waterfalls. Catch up on our time in Mindo lindo.

Greener than green in Mindo

Otavalo and surrounding villages

What I like most about Ecuador is its authenticity, especially in the smaller towns and villages. The people, the culture, the widely worn traditional dress; all incredibly different from what I know. The scenery throughout the country is simply stunning and so exceptionally diverse. Otavalo features one of Ecuador’s largest indigenous markets and since it was our last stop before heading home, I did some serious “no restraints”-shopping.

the colours in Ecuador are most vibrant

crater lakes in abundance

getting some local grub in Otavalo

COLOMBIA

Bogotá

A Drupal conference in Colombia lured us into the country. I had been to the Colombian capital before and just like the first time, I wasn’t crazy about Bogotá. La Candelaria, the old part of town, definitely has some charm but the rest of the city is not my cup of tea. To me the best part of being in Bogotá was the reunion with my local friends after 10 years apart. I also loved discovering some of Bogota’s quirks.

in the old centre

admiring the works one of my favourite artists, Botero

Medellín and surroundings

Such a cool and vibrant city! It’s hard to believe what a hot mess it was just 25 years ago. Medellín has really cleaned up well, turning the worst parts of the city into the best! The fantastic free walking tour by “Real City Tours” helped us understand the city and its history. We spent a few weeks in Medellín working, living and discovering the different neighbourhoods. After a hard week at work, we’d visit some of the surrounding villages and attractions.

Botero sculpture in front of the ‘Uribe palace of culture’ in downtown Medellin, the latter designed by a Flemish architect

in Guatape, daytrip from Medellin

Salento

A travel dream came true the moment we boarded the bus to Salento. The town itself was quaint but it was the Cocora valley that had been peaking on my travel wish list for a while. The hike was everything I expected it to be and more. I had accidentally left my camera’s charger in Ecuador so I could only take a few pictures. Though I was bummed, this major screw up allowed me to really be in the now and take it all in.

hiking in the marvellous Cocora valley

couldn’t get enough of these views

USA

Atlanta

Though this was just a short jaunt on the way to our next destination, I was delighted to be back in the States after 11 years! I hit up some of my favourite American stores, drank sweet tea and had some doughnuts and fried chicken. I know this sounds incredibly cliché -and it is- but it’s what I was craving every time I thought of the USA. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to dig deeper and discover the ins and outs of Atlanta. Maybe next time?

BELGIUM

Ghent

We came back to Belgium to be close to family and friends when the baby would make her appearance. I was waggling to my not so exciting desk job every day and getting ready for her arrival every spare minute I had. So nothing exotic here. Yet I was psyched to be living in Ghent again. I had a blast spending time with said family and friends as well as reconnecting with the city. As I’ve mentioned before in my “announcement post” I’ve often found myself comparing the journey to and through parenthood to a crazy travel adventure. That’s definitely what it has felt like… The craziest adventure so far.

Ghent by night

reunited with friends. Picture by Sofie Luyten

NETHERLANDS

Friesland

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be going to Friesland at least once every year, I would have never believed it. But that’s exactly what has happened over the past two years and will most likely continue to do so in the future. This visit however, wasn’t so much of a touristy one. We drove all the way to northern Holland to witness the wedding of our great Frisian friends. A long drive worth taking!

cosy winter wedding in the Frisian countryside. Congrats to our dear friends!

So you see, 2015 wasn’t the year of endless destinations but it was full of movement!

So what’s in store for 2016? Well, that’s the favourite part of my life: I don’t know yet! Things will inevitably be different now that there is a kid in the picture but pretty much everything still seems possible. I may not know exactly what 2016 will bring but I can already tell you this much;

There is another big move coming up!

When and where? Find out soon through Travel Cake’s Facebook Page or Instagram!

How was your travel year? Happy about the places you visited?

The post “2015 Travel Summary” first appeared on Travel Cake.

January 11, 2016
100 Essential Travel Experiences, Part V

As a tribute to carefree traveling, I’m listing my most memorable travel experiences so far. You can read part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4 in the previous posts.

Without further ado, here are the next 15 travel experiences in no particular order:

30. Bicycling on Nicaragua’s Isla de Ometeppe

The Nicaraguan island of Ometepe boasts two volcanic peaks rising from the lake, surrounded by lush greenery. Riding a bicycle crossed the island was simply exhilarating; smelling the colourful tropical flowers, riding through fields of butterflies and ending with a cooling dip in a natural pool.

29. Taking natural mud baths

I’m always up for a “natural mud bath”! It seems to be a reoccurring theme recently. I’ve lathered myself with mud in Turkey, Israel and Colombia so far. Where will my next natural mud bath be?

28. Whisky tasting in Scotland

After having discovered the delicate taste of fine whisky a few years ago, Scotland jumped to the top of my travel wish list. I made it my mission to learn about the different types of Whisky and to sample as many as I possibly could without getting wasted.

27. Bribing my way crossed an African border

I’d like to go back to that country one day, so maybe I should stay vague on this one… Why is it part of my top travel experiences? Because it’s a reminder of how your sense of morality is tied to your culture and situation. As much as corruption pisses me off and as much as I would plead for it to disappear from this world, I gave in that time in Africa as it seemed as though I had no other realistic options. This is one of the many ways travel broadens your world views and makes you reconsider your truths.

26. Being invited to and attending a funeral in Sulawesi

“Good morning m’am, would you like to go to a funeral?” was the unusual way I was greeted in Sulawesi, Indonesia. “Sure”, I replied. Click on the title to read about death rituals and funerals in Tana Toraja.

25. Hawker stall madness in Singapore

What I remember most about Singapore is how much and how well I ate! I spent hours in hawker stalls ordering a plethora of dishes from different vendors, comparing the same dish by different cooks and trying foods that looked unfamiliar. Blue rice, jiggly soup, floating fish heads… My love for Southeast Asian street food was born.

24. “Port Tasting”- road trip in the Douro Valley

Armed with an old-school road map and a box of Portuguese tarts we tackled the wining roads of the Douro Valley in search of the perfect Port wine. Click on the title to read about our short getaway in Portugal.

23. Partying on Tel Aviv’s rooftops

I probably shouldn’t generalise but what the heck; Israelis know how to party! I found that out in Tel Aviv, where we were invited to one party after the other, each time in cool locations like a hidden beach shack, a secret basement, the desert or a boat at sea. My favourites where the rooftop parties.

22. Staying in a luxury lodge in Africa

One of the tips I give people travelling in African countries for more than three weeks, is to splurge at least once on their stay in a luxury lodge. Our top notch lodge in Uganda had an infinity pool with views on the national park. While sipping from our cool beers on our deck, we could spot troops of elephants traversing the plains. WOW!

21. Haggling in markets all over the world

If you ask me, markets are the beating heart of every country and the best school to learn the art of haggling. Going to the local market is what I look forward to most prior a trip.

20. Crossing Zanzibar by motorcycle

With our rented motorcycle we slowly cruised the spice island, stopping in small villages and empty white sand beaches. Pictured here is the fish market in Stone Town. Click on the title to read more about Stone Town.

19. Receiving blessings from holy men/women

No matter the religion or philosophy, I never refuse a blessing. I feel as though the many blessings I’ve received from ‘holy men and women’ throughout the years, have really had their effect.

18. Cooling down in an Iranian desert oasis

Staying in an Iranian desert oasis is exactly as exotic and enchanting as you would imagine. Click on the title to read about my stay in Garmeh, the desert oasis of my dreams.

17. Spending lazy days in love on a South Indian beach

Or any beach for that matter…

16. Taking overnight trains in Zimbabwe

My friend and I were just 18-19 years old and the only tourists on the rusty Zimbabwean trains to Bulawayo and Victoria falls. Two nocturnal journeys talking to local youths, binging on snacks, laughing and doing everything in our power not to go to the extremely unhygienic toilets. Photo by Daryle Dickens

Next, the last 15 items on the list! Curious about Part 1, Part 2 , Part 3 or Part 4 of this list? This series will be continued every other Thursday!

The post “100 Essential Travel Experiences, part IV” first appeared on Travel Cake.

November 19, 2015
100 Essential Travel Experiences, Part IV

As a tribute to carefree traveling, I’m listing my most memorable travel experiences so far. You can read part 1, part 2 and part 3 in the previous posts.

Without further ado, here are the next 15 travel experiences in no particular order:

45. Wild camping in Liechtenstein’s Alps

Unlike in most European countries, wild camping is legal in Lichtenstein. You can walk into the Alps and pitch your tent wherever you want to, away from campsites. Perfect for experiencing the whole “man vs nature” thing…

44. Visiting the cotton castle in Pamukale, Turkey

The cotton castle is just stunning at dawn. Besides, getting there before the crowds is key to this experience! Note that swimming in the main pools is no longer permitted.

You can see why this rock formation is nicknamed cotton castle. In Pamukkale, Turkey.

43. Celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh

New Year’s Eve in Edinburgh is a basically a crazy street party with concerts, fireworks, dj’s and dancing in the centre of the city. A fun and casual way to celebrate the new year. Click on the title to read about celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

42. Climbing an active volcano with streaming lava

The sole’s of my shoes melted off as I carefully stepped on the barely solid lava rocks. I could see and hear the boiling lava streaming right under my feet. I can’t say I felt comfortable on volcano Pacaya in Guatemala.

41. Floating on the Mekong and sipping on white coffee in Vietnam

40. Being spiritually overwhelmed in Jerusalem

Religious or not, witnessing thousands of pilgrims and locals alike sing hand in hand, burst into tears and pray rigorously at the religious sites of Jerusalem, is touching on a deep spiritual level. I too ended up saying a prayer for peace by the Wailing Wall.

39. Bathing in the natural hot springs and waterfalls of Dominica

The tiny island of Dominica has so many exciting nooks with waterfalls, hot springs and swimming holes. Nature on this Caribbean island is so lush and untamed, you feel like a pathfinder. WOW!

I went in for a dip every occasion I got!

38. Connecting with kids in Africa

Kids in Africa LOVE to see visitors passing through their village. Their curiosity leads them to surround you, laugh, sing, dance and call you names (mostly the local slang for ‘white person’ even if, like me, you’re not really white). Connecting with these kids is something you should experience for yourself to know how heartwarming it can be. Picture taken in Rwanda.

37. Learning to cook (and eat) traditional Greek food from a local

When I was in Athens I learned to cook some Greek comfort food. A new world opened up! Click on the title to read about my cooking class in Athens.

36. Standing face to face with wild Orangutans in Sabah

Ok, I cheated a bit; there was a viewing platform… But that doesn’t take away from the wonder of seeing our wild “cousins” swinging from branch to branch. I’m not a particularly big fan of animals yet I stared at the baby orangutans in the rehabilitation centre for at least an hour. Click on the title to read about my visit to Sabah.

35. Shamelessly doing every tourist cliché in Paris

I’ve been to Paris several times and the French culture is quite close to mine (Belgian) but I just had to do it once: act like a cliché tourist in Paris! Barret, Eiffel tower, baguette, cheese, wine, macaroons and a long stroll along the Seine. Cliché or not, I loved it!

34. Swimming in Oman’s sinkhole and climbing around its wadi’s

There are so many reasons to love Oman but what I enjoyed most were the natural pools and wadi’s. I felt so small climbing over rocks and wading in the desert valley pools. Click on the title to read about my road trip through Oman.

33. Visiting the golden temples in Myanmar

When I think of Myanmar, I think of gold. Not even in Dubai or Saudi Arabia did I see as much gold as I did in Myanmar. The Shwedagon Pagoda, pictured here, took the cake. Click on the title to read about the other thing there is in abundance in Myanmar: Buddha depictions.

32. Roadtripping throuh South Morocco

South Morocco is another fantastic place to take a road trip. Fields of roses, ancient towns, traditional villages, interesting desert landscapes and warm welcoming inhabitants, are just a few things you find on the way.

31. Eating strange foods along the way

Little shacks like this, don’t scare me. In my experience, they often serve something interesting to taste. Besides, when hunger strikes…

I love trying all kinds of local foods. The weird and the ugly included. Usually, that translates into unusual meats. So far I’ve tried rat, dog, turtle, camel, grasshoppers, duck embryo, crocodile, toad, hippopotamus, smoked monkey, guinea pig… I think this subject may need a post of its own.

Continue reading part 5 and part 6! Curious about Part 1, Part 2 or Part 3 of this list?

The post “100 Essential Travel Experiences, part IV” first appeared on Travel Cake.

November 6, 2015
100 Essential Travel Experiences, Part III

As a tribute to carefree traveling, I’m listing my most memorable travel experiences so far. You can read the first 20 items and the next 20 in the previous posts.

Without further ado, here are the next 15 travel experiences in no particular order:

60. Bicycling amongst the ancient temples of Bagan (Myanmar)

We rented some bicycles to explore the temples and pagodas of Bagan in Myanmar. To get the best light and avoid the crowds we left just after dawn and got a taste of what finding these masterpieces must have been like for western explorers back in the days.

59. Wandering and climbing around Petra

Instead of sticking to Petra’s main tourist route to see its remains, we drifted off and climbed ourselves to the “outskirts” of the Pink City. With no other visitors in sight for miles, we experienced ultimate freedom (to goof off).

Of course we also visited the famous sites, like “The Treasury”.

58. Learning to drink vodka in Poland

Our Polish friend intrduced us to the fine art of vodka drinking. It’s not as straight forward as you would think! Click on the title to read about the rules of drinking vodka.

57. Camping in the African Savannah

After the safari, we pitched a tent in the savannah. Though it was an official campsite, we were still in the middle of the bush. Some hungry hippos came by at night and the hyena’s were laughing behind our tents.

56. Having a naked hamam experience somewhere in Turkey

Umm, I don’t have a picture of this… But unless you’re a bit of a prude, I do recommend going to a hammam in Turkey! Yes, you’re expected to be naked…

55. Tasting local rum mixes on the beaches of Guadeloupe

Not only does Guadeloupe produce some fine rum, they also have tasty homemade infusions like this one: lemon, honey and cinnamon rum. Can you imagine spending the day on a caribbean beach sipping on this?! Paradise!

54. Finding inner peace in Bali

I wasn’t consciously looking for it but living in Bali for a year helped me find a certain peace of mind. There is something in the air on that island.

53. Having traditional Shabbat dinner in Jerusalem

We were surprised by an Orthodox Jewish man blowing a horn on Friday afternoon in a market in Jerusalem. Shabbat was starting; according to this man’s faith, everyone needed to drop everything and close their shops immediately. He was yelling at the non-Orthodox shopkeepers, blowing the horn in their faces. It was quite an absurd sight to us, which we discussed in detail during the Shabbat dinner we were invited to.

52. Swimming with wild dolphins in Zanzibar

We spotted some dolphins near the wooden fishing boat we were sailing on. I tried to capture them on photo but it was so much more fun to jump in and swim along with them. I had no idea dolphins were so big, bigger than me it seemed!

51. Backpacking through Central America

From Guatemala to Panama with a backpack and a small budget. Honduras and Nicaragua were my favourite countries of the region.

50. Intermingling with the madness of Thaipusam in Malaysia

Looking back, I can’t believe I made my way through this crowd without fainting.

Thaipusam is an intense pilgrimage in Malaysia which involves hooks, chains, lemons and milk to name a few. Read all about the madness of Thaipusam by clicking on the title.

49. Sleeping under the Saharan star spangled sky

I rode a camel to an isolated spot in the Tunisian Sahara where our group camped and danced around a bonfire to the beat of the djembe. Though we had pitched some Bedouin tents, most of us fell a sleep in open air while gazing at the the countless stars.

48. Quite literally rolling in foreign money

OK, this one may need some explaining… I’ve often traveled to countries with strongly devaluated currency. In these cases, I’ve had to lug around lots of cash just to buy a a simple loaf of bread. Quite a hassle, for sure but on the other hand, it has allowed me to live out a childhood dream: rolling around in money like they do in the cartoons! *hello DuckTales* Cheers to living your childhood dreams!

47. Cheering around a “midget-boxing arena” in Manila

Another absurd and oh-so memorable night… Midget boxing in the red light district of Manila. Click on the title to read more about the quirky things we did in Manila.

46. Jetting off to Italy for a few days with the sole purpose of tasting every possible regional specialty

The food in Bologna is incredible; simple, fresh and local. A real foodie paradise! Click on the title to read about my foodie weekend in Bologna, Eataly!

Fresh Italian produce

Continue reading Part 4 , Part 5 and Part 6! Missed Part 1 and Part 2?

Are any of these items on your bucket list?

The post “100 Essential Travel Experiences, part III” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 22, 2015
100 Essential Travel Experiences, Part II

As a tribute to carefree traveling, I’m listing my most memorable travel experiences so far. You can read the first 20 items in the previous post.

Without further ado, here are the next 20 travel experiences in no particular order:

80. Bathing in Budapest’s public baths in the snow

There is something incredibly ‘exotic’ to bathing in the outdoors with outside temperatures of -3°C . Add a stunning architectural backdrop and a blanket of snow and the picture is complete! At Széchenyi Thermal Baths

79. Indulging in a dim sum fest in Hong Kong

We tracked down the restaurants serving Michelin starred dim sum. “If I don’t like those, I can officially say I don’t like dim sum.” As it turns out, I do like dim sum! Click on title to read about surprising Hong Kong.

78. Floating in the dead sea in Israel

It’s a strange feeling to be almost completely weightless. Unlike anything else!

77. Relaxing with a thousand little birds around Lake Bunyonyi

Swimming, eating, relaxing with cool beers, waking up to the chirp of little birds… That’s what our time in Bunyonyi was all about. Click on the title to read more about Lake Bunyonyi.

76. Crashing a grand Indian engagement party

The night I arrived in Delhi, my host took me to a party. Once there I realised it was a huge engagement party with incredible food, an open bar and blasting Bollywood music. Though totally underdressed and tired from my flight, I was warmly welcomed by my new friends.

75. Pick-nicking in the Summer Palace in St-Petersburg

As it was my travel mate’s birthday, we took the opportunity to indulge in a blini and caviar pick-nick with the Summer Palace as a backdrop. I don’t even like caviar but it seemed like the most appropriate thing to eat.

74. Spending 24 hours in Qatar with people I had never met before

A midnight drive around, shisha in the souq, Lebanese brunch and shopping in a recreation of Venice… Thanks to local expats who took me under their wings for 24 hours, I really enjoyed the city of Doha in Qatar.

73. Discovering the bizarre ghost towns of Western Sahara

Western Sahara is a peculiar country. The town seems deserted and overrun by desert sand, yet there is a certain mystique in the air… Notice this woman shovelling sand from her front door. The Saharan winds bring the dunes right into people’s homes…

72. Hummingbirds, waterfalls and chocolate in Magical Mindo

The hummingbirds of Mindo touched my soul and brought back some inner peace . Click on the title to read more about magical Mindo.

71. Road tripping the Irish countryside

I was stunned by the natural beauty of the Irish country side. Stopping for a pint of Guiness and a minced meat pie in a local pub made the experience all the more memorable. A road trip not to be missed!

70. Drinking Margaritas on white sand beaches in the Philippines

My most “beach-perfect” destination so far, has to be Palawan. Click on the title to see more pictures of Palawan.

69. Hitch hiking to Copenhagen

The rain doesn’t take hitchhikers into account… We hitched rides from Belgium to Denmark through The Netherlands and Germany. Even though we had it relatively easy being two women asking for a ride, hitch hiking turned out to be hard work! The exciting and fun kind of hard work. Click on the title to read about doing Copenhagen on the cheap.

68. Getting pampered with fantastic massages in Southeast Asia

Incredible how a luxury service in the West can be such an ordinary one in the East. Long live affordable massages and the soothing tea’s that follow!

67. Finding evidence of the slave trade in Ghana

Behind the walls of this fort, lie the dungeons where Ghanian men and women were held captive to be sold as slaves and shipped off in those parts of the world. You can actually still smell the human distress in the dungeons. very confronting…

66. Meeting the Garifuna tribe in Honduras

The Garifuna are descendants of the West African people living on the Central American Caribbean coast. They speak their own language and live in communities which reminded me very much of the African villages. Even their food and music have obvious African influences. It felt a little like home after having spent some time in Latin America.

65. Hiking to the top of Mt. Sinai to see the sunrise

The hike started in the middle of the night, following a trail of candle holding pilgrims. Once at the top we had just enough time to catch our breaths before the first rays of light made their appearance. Being surrounded by pilgrims singing, praying, crying and admiring the sun, it was almost a religious experience.

64. Fishing in South India

Though I didn’t work quite as hard as the fisherman, taking part of their daily activity and sharing the (slim) catch was nothing short of enriching.

20 years earlier, I was doing the exact same thing (yes, that little girl in the bathing suit is me)
Photo by A. Van Den Daele

63. Transforming into a Burmese lady in Myanmar

In a beauty parlour of small town in Myanmar, I found out the techniques Burmese ladies and ladyboys use to achieve their beauty ideal. Lightening the skin is just one of them. Here is the Burmese version of me and my talented make-up artist.

62. Snorkelling with manta rays

They’re so much bigger than I could have imagined, I was frightened. These majestic creatures slide under the surface of the ocean, not slightly fearing the clumsy “human fish”. Photo by Shawn Heinrichs

61. Going on spontaneous trips

There’s nothing more exciting than deciding to take a trip on a whim. Decide today, leave tomorrow… That’s how I ended up in Warsaw, Denmark, Paris, Kosovo, Brunei, Amsterdam, Cuba…

Continue reading part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6! If you’ve mist the part 1, catch up here… I’ll be posting the rest of the list every other Thursday!

Are any of these experiences on your “been there done that” list?

The post “100 Essential Experiences, part II” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 8, 2015
Motorcycling India

When I met my husband he charmed me with his vague plan to buy a motorcycle in India with which he’d traverse the country while documenting the journey on film. Ravished as I was, I didn’t really believe he’d pull through. But there I was, ten months later, on a plane to India to join in on the motorcycle adventure. A trip from South to North India on a 1979 Royal Enfield, “Bullet”.

bizarre checkpoint along the way

It would take a short novel to tell you the whole story, so I’ll stick to the most essential parts…

When I arrived in India Douglas and his travel mate had already bought motorcycles, driven through the most insane traffic situations, been severely ill and they’d had a few near death experiences. But worst of all, they’d just been robbed of thousands of dollars worth of filming equipment and the stories they had captured on film. That’s how we got acquainted with India’s police and red tape. I’ve blacked out the details, it really was that horrible.

The silver lining was that robbery happened in Varkala, a popular backpacker beach hangout perched on a steep cliff full of restaurants, bars and shopping stalls. So while we spent days at the police station fighting for paperwork to come through, we’d spend the rest of the time stuffing our faces with banana pancakes, drinking cool beers, joining spontaneous sing-alongs around the campfire and skinny dipping under the full moon with new found Scandinavian friends. You know, the usual backpacker’s stuff.

Varkala beach at sunset

not a bad way to wait for paperwork to come through…

After a week of frustration, we finally got the paperwork out of the way and were ready to leave the tourist Shangri-La to dig into the “real” India.

let’s go!

With our backpacks strapped securely to the back of our motorcycle, we crossed the palm fringed Kerala. We parked “The Bullet” for a few days to spend some time gliding the backwaters on a houseboat.

view from our houseboat

We continued our trip passing through gorgeous landscapes and majestic cities…

Udaipur

…but also rather dull ones.

the hardest stretches were the ones with boring landscapes

We would drive all day, taking lots of breaks…

dancing with some school kids during the pee/stretch break in the middle of nowhere

…and we’d look for a place to stay once the sun started to set. If we were lucky we’d find a quaint little room with a view but more often than not, we’d have to take whatever was available. Thus we got our fair share of bedroom cockroach encounters, rat dropping surprises and malfunctioning fans in temperatures of 40 C° at night. Or even worse: nosy staff showing up unannounced in our room at night under pretext they’d “need something” from inside… WTF?!

cockroach-free room with a view…

The Bullet tagged along with us where ever we went, giving us the freedom to stop anywhere we wanted.

we took The Bullet on a passenger ferry to cross a river. In india everything is possible, all you need to do is ask.

The Bullet got butchered on a a train ride…

Our motorcycle broke down often. We’d have it repaired if we happened to be near a town. If not, we’d fix it ourselves. With tape and rope. Yep, that works sometimes.

in cases of emergency, there is a mechanic in all of us

But usually there were more than enough people spontaneously getting involved, trying everything they could to get The Bullet running.

bystanders always got involved. Whether we’d want it or not.

Traffic in and near cities was absolute madness. You never know what you’ll encounter while driving. Anything goes.

dodging cows became a daily activity

traffic was always interesting

elephants: part of every-day encounters on the road…

We met some interesting characters along the way.

talking to fascinating characters like this made our breaks extra compelling. I was drawn by his fabulous top.

We ate where the locals do.

street food

We tried to understand the essence of India. We were far from the tourist path and as close to life in small town India as possible. Even so, we knew we would never be able to truly make sense of things in this country. We are outsiders to the culture and always will be, no matter how hard we tried. To us, that’s the beauty of traveling in India.

beach in Kerala

My part of the journey ended in Delhi after having crossed the States of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Douglas continued further north through the Himalayas to Manali on his own.

having our own set of wheels allowed us to discover forgotten temples and ruins along the way

As you can imagine, insane things happened on this three month trip but as I mentioned earlier, it would take a novel to tell the full story. I would definitely rank this trip under the category “hardcore travel”.

Here are a few tips if you want to motorcycle through India:

1. Don’t. It’s dangerous. But if you really really must…

2. Travel in India without a motorcycle first. That way you’ll get to know the Indian way before taking on the responsibility of having to drive, deal with mechanics and cultural differnces, finding your way in sprawling cities… Only when you find that you can handle the Indian chaos, should you start to consider driving the motorcycle.

3. Upgrade your motorcycle’s horn. Make sure it’s loud enough to overpower the other horns. On Indian roads, it’s survival of the loudest.

4. Pack light, very light. It’s so much easier and more comfortable to drive with a light backseat. You may have noticed I’m wearing the same outfits in almost all of the pictures in this post. Do bring along some tape and rope, they always comes in handy!

5. Avoid cities and crowds. They’re complete mayhem.

6. If you are pressed with time, chose North India as your destination. The mountainous area north of New Delhi is far more laid back to drive through.

6. Finally and most importantly: Go with the flow. You can’t control most of what happens on the road. The sooner you accept that reality and let go, the sooner you’ll start enjoying the experience.

Motorcycling through India was not a relaxing trip. It was challenging, dangerous and frustrating. At the same time it was unlike anything else and incredibly rewarding. An epic journey for ever in our memories.

dirty, smelly and tired but 100% satisfied

Have you traveled by motorcycle? Where? Would you motorcycle India?

The post “Motorcycling India” first appeared on Travel Cake.

October 4, 2015
Mindo for the broke, Ecuador

Tucked away in the cloud forest, on the slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes lies the sleepy town of Mindo: the perfect spot for a range of adrenaline sports. Whether it’s tubing, canyoning, mountain biking, canopy flying or hiking, you can do it all in Mindo.

Because I was physically unable to partake in any of these activities, I had a far more mellow “Mindo experience” than most visitors. And yet, Mindo was my favourite place in Ecuador. There is something magical in the air in Mindo.

our cabin in the cloud forest

Since adventure sports were not an option for me, I created what I would call a “Mindo for the broke”-itinerary. Though we weren’t actually broke, I figured this is exactly how I would spend my time if I had run out of money: skipping all the pricier adrenaline activities. Despite that they’re relatively cheap in Ecuador, they’ll still eat away at your budget.

My pseudo ‘Mindo for the broke’ itinerary mainly consisted of…

Eating.

Broke or not, a woman’s got to eat, right?!

The restaurants in Mindo serve excellent food! I had a meal in almost every restaurant and café in town -not very hard considering the small size of Mindo. Every single dish I tried blew my socks off. Admittedly, that might have something to do with the fact that we arrived in Mindo after having lived almost two months in a small isolated beach town with limited food options.

Some of the most impressive dishes were the steak in coffee sauce in El Quetzal, and the Mindo burger slathered in chocolate barbecue sauce in Inti Killa. Incredible!

German inspired plate of finger food in ‘the beehive’

delicious veggie burger. Not the best looking plate of food we’ve had but we attacked the best dishes with such haste, it was impossible to photograph them before eating.

Coffee and cakes.

This is where you can see this is a pseudo budget itinerary. Because let’s face it, coffee and sweets breaks aren’t really a necessity in life… (or are they?)

But I figured, if I can’t have the adrenaline rush, why not indulge in a sugar and caffeine rush?! As it rains quite often in the cloud forest, what better way to wait for the rain to blow away with a warm drink and some carbs? El Quetzal served the best brownie I’ve ever eaten. EVER! I would go back to Mindo just for that brownie!

on a quest to find Mindo’s best brownie. This wasn’t it. But that view though…

carrot cake and a latte while we wait for the rain to stop

Joining a chocolate tour.

From bean to chocolate bar to best brownie ever. After having eaten that amazing brownie, I noticed El Quetzal also offers 6$ chocolate tours. It sounds like a cheesy touristy thing to do -and in a way it was- but I was curious to find out all about the chocolate making process. So I caved and joined an elderly group of tourists on the tour.

raw, fermented cacao beans

Hiking to the waterfalls.

Just outside of town, there’s a series of alluring waterfalls surrounded by lush forest foliage. The hike was mild enough that we were able to really take in the crisp mountain air, chase butterflies and splash our faces with cool spring water. To get to the waterfall trails, we took a ride in a cable car soaring high above the canopy, side by side with the wild toucans. The ride could be considered an adrenaline inducing activity by an acrophobe but to everyone else, it can only be described as a pleasant and stunning short jaunt. The hike is free, the cable car ride costs just a few bucks.

the cable car to get to the waterfalls

an easy trail to follow

dense cloud forest

chasing waterfalls in Mindo

Hummingbird gazing.

My favourite activity in Mindo was relaxing in the hummingbird garden. We paid a dollar or so to enter the garden and had a drink surrounded by hundreds of hungry hummingbirds. I can’t say I’ve ever experienced anything quite like this before. The buzzing sound of their wings flapping at incredible speed, left me tantalised. I could have easily sat there all day just marvelling at nature…

To find the hummingbird garden, walk into any tourist office in town and tell them you want to see the birds. They’ll point you in the right direction.

hungry hummingbirds

And thus ended our 4 relaxing days in Mindo lindo. Full stomachs, no adrenaline, lungs filled with fresh air and a warm and fuzzy feeling when thinking about Magical Mindo.

Are you into adventure sports?

The post “Mindo for the broke ” first appeared on Travel Cake.

September 10, 2015