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OTHER DESTINATIONS
As I decribed in my first post about St Petersburg, I'm leaving the city after six days wanting to see more of this fascinating country. I realise how little I know about Russian history except for the major events and the people who played a role in it. But visiting...
After the first couple of days in Tokyo, we continue our trip through Japan in Kyoto. By now the worst of that terrible jet-lag (that never seems to end) is behind us. And we're getting better at finding our way in this country that feels so structured and organised,...
How excited do you get when you think about your luggage? Admit it, probably not very much. I don’t know anyone who enjoys the process of packing, choosing what to bring, trying to fit it all in a suitcase... But, that being said, a good suitcase can make a big...
After six days in St Petersburg, I’ve only scratched the surface of what Russia is like. I am under no illusion that you can get to know a country this big and diverse by visiting just one city. But it is a great introduction to Russia and I leave hungry for more. Not...
The woman behind the counter looks confused when I apologetically respond to her question in English. It's not the first time this happens. Not that the people in Gothenburg don't speak English, which they do perfectly, but with the way I look they often think I'm a...
It's interesting how most people automatically assume I live in Amsterdam when I tell them I'm from the Netherlands. I don't mind, there's nothing wrong with Amsterdam, but it's as if the Netherlands is Amsterdam. Which is why I was so excited when Visit Brabant...
I leave Melbourne thinking 'We should try this again'. It isn't love at first sight like I experienced in Sydney. And with all the high expectations I had of this city, I'm feeling a bit disappointed. But the truth is, I was tired. After traveling non-stop for 6...
Driving through New Zealand is without a doubt one of the travel highlights of last year. Partly because I managed to drive on the other side of the road for three weeks without hitting anything or anyone. But mostly because it's one of the most beautiful, impressive...
This is a story about how my family and I visited Ghent in Belgium and couldn't get ourselves to leave the hotel. If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that 1) I have a thing for beautiful boutique hotels and 2) I usually have a long list of all the...
Trying to kill some time on my flight from New Zealand to Malaysia, I start thinking about how I want to spend the coming days. And I realise how little I know about this country, and Kuala Lumpur - my first destination - in particular. I’ve seen pictures of those...
Before we dive into this Bali travel guide I have to warn you. If you're looking for a super active, packed low-budget itinerary, this is not the post for you. There was just one goal I had in mind when I was planning my trip to Bali and that was to enjoy every second...
It's my first time visiting Lisbon. You'd think that based on my previous post that eating my way around Lisbon was all I did (who could resist a fresh, warm pastel de nata?). But this city has more to offer than food. In this post I share how you can get the most out...
Just because the place looks like paradise, doesn't mean the weather will always play along. After Sydney and Melbourne I am looking forward to a few days of doing nothing. That is, doing nothing as in walking barefoot on white sand beaches and taking naps under a...
I'm spending the last three days of my three month trip in Singapore. Three days and three nights before I'm flying back to Amsterdam. It's a strange thought that once I leave Singapore, I'll have to start thinking about everyday life things again. Work, cleaning my...
My taxi driver is singing softly while we're trying to beat the Marrakech evening rush hour traffic. As we're passing the different city walls into the Medina (old city), the city is getting more lively. I hear the call to prayer in the distance, but it can't compete...
I’ve seen a lot of hotel rooms this year. When you travel non-stop for three months, the question ‘where will I sleep tonight’ is pretty much top of mind all the time. Smart, budget-savvy people who travel long-term would probably choose to stay at hostels to save...
My three weeks in New Zealand are one of the highlights of this year. Which is why it's strange that I still haven't shared anything here on the blog. At the same time: where to begin? But now that I'm writing this back home, while the snow outside is preventing me to...
The timing is perfect. While everybody around me is turning up the heating in their house, storing their summer clothes to replace them with warm, comfy winter clothes, I am getting reading for a bit of extra sunshine. As much as I like autumn, when you're being...
One of my main challenges for this Lisbon city trip is to not come home completely exhausted. I always want to do too much when I visit a city for the first time. So how do you make sure you're taking enough breaks from all the sightseeing? You eat. And drink coffee....
As you may remember from one adventurous trip into the English countryside, I'm not a big fan of driving on the left side of the road. And yet somehow, during my three months on the road I managed to only visit left-driving countries. Including Australia. Whenever I...
The Warehouse Hotel in Singapore may look brand new, but there's a lot of history here. Yes, the hotel opened its doors earlier this year, but the heritage building - built in 1895 - has had several other purposes before it was turned into the modern design hotel it...
For those of you who wondered if I'm still here... I am. Only 'here' is no longer London. I moved back to the Netherlands. As an expat you're used to getting questions like 'When are you coming back?' or 'Do you think you'll ever come back?'. You get them a lot...
Visiting Penang in Malaysia wasn't really planned. At least not when I started my three-month trip. I knew I would end my journey in Singapore, but when that moment came closer and closer I still didn't know where I would be the week before. The original plan - as I...
I'm seeing snow on the side of the road. And I'm cold. So incredibly cold. We just arrived in Koyasan (Mount Koya) after a long journey from Osaka to stay at a Buddhist temple. It took a metro, three trains, one steep cable car and a bus to get here and to...
The Great Ocean Road is one of those so-called must-do’s when you visit the East Coast of Australia. And if there is one piece of advice I heard and saw over and over again, it's DON’T do the Great Ocean Road in one day. Rent a car and take at least three days. So of...
Sydney or Melbourne? Every time I meet people in Australia it's one of the first questions they ask. Which city do you prefer? There's clearly a friendly competition going on here. Before this trip I thought the answer would be Melbourne. For...
There are normally three reasons why I would like and recommend a hotel. One, the interior design looks modern and beautiful. Two, the hotel is super luxurious and has thought of the little details to make my stay very comfortable. Or three, the staff is so nice and...
I knew it was going to happen. After all it's one of the reasons why people come here. It is one of the reasons I'm here! Drawn by those images in travel magazines and on Instagram. Ignoring the little (but loud) voice in my head, reminding me that I'm afraid of...
"And this is Charlie Chaplin and his wife, having a tea ceremony with my aunt in this room." I'm looking at the black & white picture and love that even though she has probably showed this to many of her guests over the years, you can tell that she also...
I think it’s safe to say that about 99% of what I know about Australian food (or maybe even Australia in general) comes from watching MasterChef Australia religiously for several years. You’d almost forget that those chefs you see on television are also cooking...