This year, I went back to many places I enjoyed the most throughout my travels in the last years. I met many friends along the way since I was able to return to those places. As always packed with many travel photography highlighting my experiences.
January
Koh Lanta, Thailand
After the New Year, I stayed some more weeks on one of my favourite islands. I was hanging out with friends from the co-working and my Airbnb host, which were great companies. The Thai food is just excellent, and I always enjoy it. Koh Lanta also has amazing beaches and, therefore, great beach bars from which to get juice and chill.
Later, I went back to Phuket to grab my flight. I booked just one night next to the airport bus terminal so I could drop out and get on the bus in the morning. Since I know some people in Phuket, I wanted to grab a nice dinner beforehand. My friend was up for it, and we went for a fancy dinner near Phuket town. Talked a lot and enjoyed ourselves.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Next off, Vietnam. I barely made it. For Vietnam, I had to apply for my first visa ever. Can you believe it? Country number 42 and the first visa. Only an e-visa, but still. I messed up. I applied a month before and got the approved visa 4 days later. I was prepared, but at the airport, they rechecked the information and saw that the passport’s expiration date wasn’t correct. I must have mixed up a number while filling it in. This meant, visa invalid, not possible to board. I was shocked, but couldn’t just cancel everything, this would be very expensive. I normally book things non refundable (flights and accommodation). So I was texting my Airbnb host to tell him the situation that I probably won’t arrive today. He responded so fast to my surprise and told me he has contacts to do a emergency visa. Within 10 minutes he managed to do so and I had a formal letter to show at the check-in, which was valid and they let me progress. Even the guy at the counter was impressed. Finally, I was able to make it to Ho Chi Minh City on the day as initially planned, thanks to my Airbnb host.
In Saigon, the old name of the city, I met an expat from the Philippines who showed me some nice areas in town. We for sure also went for some Pho, their most famous dish besides spring rolls. Overall HCMC is a very chaotic city. That’s also why overall I didn’t like the city too much, althought, in the Eastern part where a lot of expats life, it’s quite modern and more quite. But I stayed right in the center which was crazy. My apartment was very nice thought, quite high up and a great sunset view always.
Chinese New Year was happening by the end of January, and it is the big holiday for Vietnamese people. So many shops and co-workings closed and also a big firework in the city, which I couldn’t miss.
February
Hanoi, Vietnam
I was looking forward to arriving in Hanoi. I have a Vietnamese friend who lives in the city and did an exchange year in Germany while I was travelling there. So we managed to meet, and she wanted to show me around. I always love that—the local vibes. The day after my arrival, she came with her electric scooter and picked me up to go around a bit.
The days were quite cold and rainy mostly. So it was good that I always bring a proper jacket with me. I needed it and wasn’t expecting it. In the South, the weather was tropical. Up here, it was wintertime. I learned something new. Also, the houses are not isolated, so it’s even colder inside if it’s cold outside. I just had a small electrical heater, not much. My Airbnb was super local residential. Really integrated. A typical Hanoi house in the old town. I had a balcony with many flowers and a swing which I modified to be a stand up desk to work from.
I only spent 10 days in Hanoi and had a week of holidays afterwards. Despite the cold, I enjoyed my time in the capital. My friend is an excellent tour guide and went around a lot. I could work very productively during the day and in the evening going out to explore or for food.
Sapa, Vietnam
Next to a very touristy location. Sapa, a town up in the mountains. I was on holiday for a week and a friend from Indonesia wanted to visit it. I had no idea about that town and just agreed to join. On a Friday evening we boarded a sleeper bus. They even have proper double beds in the bus, I never saw that before. After endless hours we arrived in Sapa very early in the morning. Luckily we managed to go to the hotel at this time and do the check-in (I already booked the night before just so we can stay inside and nap). We treated ourself and got a fancy chalet. Sadly also up in Sapa the weather wasn’t the best and it was quite cold. Sapa is also famous to have a lot of fog, and it was exactly like that, almost no surprise for us but still sad.
After we rested and rented a scooter, we hoped for a better day. Down in the valley, it looked better, but when watching up to the hills, there was still a lot of clouds. we wanted to go up to the highest mountain in Vietnam (Fansipan), at 3100m above sea level. To go up there, you can take a cable car. For sure, Asians don’t walk.
As we entered the cable car and slowly started to climb, the clouds came closer and closer until we were right inside the clouds. We could see maybe 5-10 meters. That continued on our short walk to the summit and the temple. It’s so sad if you know what the view could be (based on pictures) and what we saw.
We didn’t spend much time up there since it was pointless (and also cold). The temperature dropped to 3°. When we came down into the sunshine, we decided to drive around with the motorbike and went to a coffee with a viewpoint. At least there we could enjoy some lovely scenery.
Hà Giang Loop, Vietnam
After 2 nights in Sapa, we continued to the trip’s highlight. A German friend told me to do the Ha Giang Loop by motorbike and even connected me with a tour guide. Since we were fancy, we booked a premium tour with a personal motorbike driver, the so-called “easy rider”. The motorbike I got was pretty fancy, and that was my seat for the next 3 days. To accomplish the loop there are different lengths and durations. We took a 3 days trip. Each day includes driving between 5-8 hours. There are many stops on the way to visit. It was impressive and very special. I ever did a motorbike tour. The landscape is stunning and since I don’t had to drive, I could enjoy the scenery completely.
It was exhausting but beautiful. It’s a trip I could recommend to everyone. Since it was a loop, we returned to the same place again where we could leave our big luggage. We only took the most necessary items for 3 days/2 nights.
From Hà Giang, we had another sleeper bus back into the capital. It took us around 8 hours, and I was sick from taking sleeper buses. Yes, you can sleep, but it’s still quite uncomfortable. The sleep quality isn’t good. It’s the same as taking flights.
In Hanoi, my best friend from Germany joined. I already made many trips with her in the last year. This trip was a spontaneous one again and just fitted perfectly. She booked a connecting flight via Hanoi to Bali, and I joined her in Hanoi. But first off, we had two full days in Hanoi. Since it was her first time, I was the tourist guide this time and showed her my favourites.
Bali, Indonesia
We both were looking forward to Indonesian food. I like it a lot, and my friend likes it even more since she’s originally from Indonesia and misses it. So, the first thing we did after arriving and checking into our bungalow in Bali was to search for a nice restaurant to get some local dishes. Satay was my choice.
The next day, we went out exploring. Our accommodation was in Uluwatu, in the South of the island. It’s less crowded there and still has excellent facilities. Also, there are lovely beaches and temples same as everywhere in Bali. It was just a short stay since our goal was to reach Labuan Bajo. But our stay in Bali got extended involuntarily. The airline didn’t notify us about a earlier scheduled departure time and we missed our flight. Luckily they could rebook us just for the next flight a day later. So we stayed one more night in Bali, at the Hilton hotel just next to the airport.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
We arrived in Labuan Bajo and wanted some days of rest. So we booked a lovely cottage up the mountain with a beautiful view. The Indonesian people are so friendly, I’m always really impressed. The resort staff welcomed us with a welcome drink, and everything was smooth for the next few days.
Our mission was also to book a trip to the famous Komodo island with these huge lizards. Our trip was so spontaneous that we only booked the flight, and luckily, I already had 2 weeks of vacation planned ahead so I was able to join my friend on this journey.
On our mission to book a trip, we wanted to go to the tourist information in the centre of the town. Since we couldn’t book a taxi from our place, we got two separate scooter and told the driver to go to the tourist office. Both agreed and each driver drove us to their shop of preference (with a cut on bookings probably). We both arrived in different tour guide stores and they’re trying to sell us their trips. Since we’re both experienced travellers we both took this opportunity to our advantage and gather as much information and especially the prices. Then we left to meet for lunch. During lunch we could compare the offers we gathered in piece and negotiate with the shop owners. In the end we made a very good deal. Especially when we asked other people about what they paid, we paid half of them. In the end everyone gets the same service on the boat.
We were leaving for our 3-day / 2-night boat adventure in the Komodo National Park—a very famous trip with many tour operators. We had a fantastic crew. They cooked very well, and my friend was again in the “food heaven”. We got a beautiful double cabin with A/C.
The boat trip passed different islands, viewpoints, beaches, and snorkel spots and continued to the famous Dragon Island. We enjoyed all the stops and had great discussions with some people on the boat while sailing to the next stops, and since my friend could speak Indonesian, she could also integrate the crew members into our discussions. Their English was very basic. Only the tour guide had a decent level of English. There was also an intern on board. He’s from the main island “Flores”, where Labuan Bajo is located. He has never gone to a beach or swimming. This trip was, for sure, his biggest adventure so far. He also rarely saw tourists despite his studying tourism. Being part of this trip and experiencing everything made him visibly very happy. Sometimes, he needed to help on the boat, but we made sure with his boss he came with us to the beach snorkelling.
Then the big moment came: we arrived at Dragon Island. No one lives permanently on this island. There are some rangers and some restaurants for food during the day, that’s it. People need to be careful about the lizards. They’re very dangerous and can kill people. That’s also why tourists are not allowed to enter the island alone. We split into smaller groups and went into the forest with the rangers. There are multiple routes to go. The chances that we would see the “dragons” were very high, and we saw them very quickly—impressive creatures, like they’re left from the dinosaur age. We asked the rangers many questions and enjoyed the walk in the national park while spotting multiple “Komodos”.
After the famous island, we headed back to the main town. It took us quite a while, and we made multiple snorkel stops on the way again.
When we arrived back in Labuan Bajo, we had an entire evening to enjoy. Since most people from the boat stayed the night in the town, we also met for dinner again and enjoyed the last evening. Next, it was time to say goodbye and board the plane. I flew with my friend to Surabaya, where she’s originally coming from. She left to visit her family, and I moved into my new Airbnb in the city.
Surabaya, Indonesia
I didn’t have much time to rest and find peace. Another friend was already on the way from Jakarta. It’s my 3 time in Indonesia, and I know people everywhere. Tomo, a friend I met in the capital years ago, decided to come for 1.5 weeks to meet me in Surabaya since I told him I wouldn’t make it to the “big capital”.
I booked a bigger apartment for both of us. We had two separate rooms and a big living room with a kitchen and a chill area. It was perfect for him to study and me to work in silence, so everyone had their own space. In addition, the place was also very stylish, and we both felt comfortable.
When Tomo arrived, the rainy season was just about to hit East Java. Our Airbnb was close to a big shopping mall, where we went for movies and food. We also met some local Couchsurfers and walked in the city when it stopped raining. There’s a submarine museum in the centre, where we could look inside an old one.
Malang, Indonesia
We planned a weekend trip to Malang, a town a bit South surrounded by mountains. It’s possible to reach the city by train from Malang, and since I love to travel by train, we did that. It was an approximately 2-hour journey. When we arrived there, we checked into the hostel and went for some food. Going around with a halfway local is always great. We found a food court where they had very cheap and local meals. The “one dollar meal”, as I call it. 25’000 Rupiah for food and juice. That’s approx. 1.5 USD. It’s just unbelievable to me. And in addition, it was very delicious.
Malang is famous for its waterfalls and is a starting point for trips to the nearby vulcanos (Mount Ijen or Mount Bromo). Upon arriving, we had no exact plans. We just wanted to rent a motorbike and see where it led us. Sadly, the weather wasn’t nice, so we decided not to go up to a mountain because we wouldn’t see anything because of the low-hanging clouds.
On the second day, the weather didn’t look too bad. So we left a bit further away to the Tumpak Sewu Waterfall. I had no expectations but was impressed by its size. After having a look from the top, we decided to climb down into the valley. There were way fewer people. I prefer less touristy places, and I also know why. The path is quite steep, and you must walk through small streams. I had proper shoes, while most locals just walked with flip-flops.
After our climb, clouds covered Mount Bromo, so we could barely see it. The mountains’ form looks like a volcano from a movie, with a steam cloud hovering above. We decided to drive around the countryside a bit and got lost. We ended up in a small village with quite bad internet coverage. Also, the satellite pictures from Google Maps didn’t help us to figure out which turn to take. Good again, I had a local with me. We had to ask some locals for help.
On the way home, it got dark and started to rain. When it began to rain heavily, we decided to take a break for dinner. Sadly, the rain didn’t chill down while eating, and we had a pretty cold ride back home. Luckily, we bought raincoats before, so we stayed as dry as possible. In the end, it was a fun day with many experiences.
The following day, the weather seemed the same—friendly and sunny in the morning. So we headed off to a touristy spot within the town. The “Tridi Village” has many colourful houses with a river in the middle and a bridge above it. It’s absolutely “Instagrammable.” We had breakfast there and a walk afterwards.
After the village, we rode our motorbike up the mountains to see a waterfall. On the way up there, it suddenly started to rain. We were prepared and jumped into our full bodysuit – it looked very sexy. In those clothes, we stayed for the entire day since it kept pouring.
We didn’t let the weather make our mood bad. After looking at the waterfall, we went for a walk and into a small attraction park to play games. We went to play “bow and arrow” and paint guns. After that, they had a maze with a tower next to it. One person could watch the other getting lost in the maze. It’s fun for the one in the tower since they see where a dead end is. Tomo, my friend, enjoyed it very much. We looked like prisoners who were trying to escape with these orange overalls.
After the game session, we were hungry and searched for a local restaurant in the fields. We found one with a great view and enjoyed excellent Indonesian food while drying up and charging our devices.
Then, it was already time to head back into the hostel, grab our bags, return the scooter, and go to the minivan terminal to book a ride back to Surabaya. Sadly, they were full, and we had to wait a couple of hours. We went to a bar/restaurant with artistic interiors to kill time until the bus departed.
March
Lombok, Indonesia
Sembalun + Tiu Kelep Waterfall
Next, I’m off to my favourite island in the world, Lombok. It’s my second time there, and I was looking very much forward to visiting again and exploring more. I will stay for a month and explore every part of the island.
The first week, I stayed in the central city, Mataram. Most people live there, but it’s not very touristy. A friend of mine took me on a day trip to the island’s Northern part on the weekend. We did a lot of driving in just one day. It’s very far. But it was worth it. We could see so many beautiful things. First, we drove to the East and saw the highest mountain, “Mount Rinjani,” peaking out of the clouds to our left. Then it started to go up the hill. We drove into the forest and saw many monkeys on the way. Arriving at the highest point, we had a beautiful view down into the valley and the village of Sembalun. It’s the starting point of most tracks up the volcano—a tropical mountain village for climbers and hikers.
Down in the village, we stopped at a shop owned by a friend of my friend. He’s selling climbing gear, and we had some small talk and snacks there. It was fun. Then, we headed to another viewpoint (Bukit Selong) within the village to see the green fields from above. Next to the viewpoint, there’s a museum village with old-style clay houses. Some local kids played a simple game with sticks and stones in the garden. I never saw this. So my friend asked them if we could try to do that too. We tried our best but failed to the amusement of the kids.
After that, we had another long drive ahead of us. We had to drive to the Northern tip of the island and down to the ocean again. After following the coast for a bit, we turned left up the mountain again to arrive at a village with two beautiful waterfalls, to which we hiked for around 30 minutes. No one was at the last one. It’s a hidden spot as of then. On the way to the waterfall there’s a waterslide. Some locals were sliding down and having fun. It looks sketchy but very sharable. I started to see it on Instagram quite a bit since I passed that spot.
After we visited the waterfalls and got some food, it had already gotten dark. We still had to finish our loop and drive around three more hours to reach the big city again. So we had to do this by night. At some point, we stopped at the side of the street at a fruit market, and for the first time in my life, I tried durian. It is a fruit famous for its awful smell, but it’s not too bad when eating. I couldn’t eat it daily, but it was surprisingly good.
Mataram
After exploring on the weekend, the work week started again, and I booked a pretty fancy hotel in the city centre of Mataram. Sadly, no co-working space was around, so I had to work from my room or the hotel lobby. One day, my friend invited me to come to her office to work for a day, which I did to be able to leave my hotel room for a bit. A typical week as a digital nomad. Different work environments every couple of hours. It’s not the most ergonomic, actually. That’s why I prefer to stay in co-working spaces, but sometimes it’s impossible.
In the evening, I met some new friends in Mataram and went for food in different restaurants. There are a couple of options around since it’s a city with half a million inhabitants. Also, in the North, there’s a touristic village called Sengiggi, which has some fabulous restaurants, like a very nice Italian place (Pasta Pojok). I couldn’t believe that there’s such a good Italian kitchen in Lombok, and it is. Also, a couple of very good pizza places are around the island.
Tete Batu
The following weekend, I made another trip to the island’s centre. I booked a hostel for just one night and met another backpacker friend from Germany to explore the area called Tete Batu. Up there, there is a lovely place with hostel vibes but private bungalows. In the evening, they have live music and a small restaurant with nice food. I was craving Gado Gado and had a fantastic one. Overall, there are very good vibes at this place.
Close by are some natural swimming pools and waterfalls, which we visited during the day. It’s a quiet and nice getaway in the rice fields. The full area isn’t that touristy; there are just a handful of backpackers like me and many locals. It feels so real. To reach the waterfall (Air Terjun Sarang Walet), we had to follow a path and later walk up the stream. At the end, there was the waterfall in a canyon. It was quite special and beautiful.
Selong Belanak
Before it got dark, I had to put the big backpack on the motorbike and drive all the way to the South. It took me around 3 hours to reach in the dark. I continued my habit of booking an entire week and moving/exploring on the weekend. Since I had a motorbike, I was very flexible, and driving for long with my luggage wasn’t an issue. He was heavy but fit perfectly on the back. I was wearing it as usual and all the weight was placed on the backseat of the motorbike. So it felt like having a passenger on the bike. I was able to drive for hours with that setup without issues.
My new accommodation was a stylish bungalow on the hill with a great view. The interior was very minimalistic, with a balcony and a big bathroom. As part of the small resort with a couple of bungalows, there’s a restaurant. They have very good dishes, nicely picked and executed. So I ate almost every day there. I had a great and regular food schedule since it was so easy to eat there while working.
Along the southern coast, there are a couple of big construction projects in the making. I was interested in checking them out, and I had some connections who gave me a tour to explore some of those big upcoming resorts and visit finished or villas in construction.
Gili Kedis, Gili Nanggu & Gili Sudak
The following weekend was already coming again. Time passes so fast when things are good. This time, I wanted to go a bit North again to a few small islands. The route from my current accommodation went through untouched areas, and I wasn’t sure how good the road would be. To my surprise, it was just bad at the beginning, and I ended up driving on many very new concrete roads. I booked two nights at a hotel right at the beach. It was pretty empty. This area is even less touristy than the place on the weekend before. Close by, there are some tiny islands which I wanted to check out. But first, I arrived, rested a bit and went for a ride more to the East.
The next day, the so-called Gili islands were on the list. A friend from Mataram joined me for that. So we got a boat and did the three-island trip. The islands have beautiful, untouched beaches, and they are tiny. Some have just a restaurant/cafe on them, surrounded by white sandy beaches.
Kuta
After a sunny and peaceful weekend at the beach, I returned South. This time, I went to the central tourist spot, Kuta. There are many options for accommodation, fantastic international food, and a nice little co-working space where I stayed for 2 weeks. I worked focused and went around to some nearby viewpoints with local friends in the evening. Overall, it was a great time. I like the area so much. There’s a race track to the East of Kuta—the Moto GP Grand Prix of Indonesia. A couple of weeks before, it was just taking place. The race track has a beautiful view and is located just next to the beach. It’s possible to see down to the track from a viewpoint next to it.
One day, I remember very well. It was a bit of a cloudy day. My friend who came on holiday to Lombok left back to Surabaya. We wanted some nice food and looked for a pleasant restaurant in the island’s centre. When we headed there, it started to rain like crazy. It often happens that there’s a lot of rain around the airport, which is very local. So we arrived totally wet at the restaurant to figure out it wasn’t open. In March, there’s Ramadan, so a lot of local places are closed during the day. So was this. We were aware of the fact but completely forgot since Kuta is very touristy and works a bit differently in that sense. We tried to find an alternative close by but couldn’t find anything. The only option was the airport. There, we saw KFC, which was open. It was not really what we had in mind before, but we were so hungry by now and wet that we just wanted food and to stay inside. Covered behind curtains, we had our chicken nuggets. It felt so illigal.
Gerupuk
I wanted some peaceful days out of the busy centre of Kuta while still being able to go to the co-working place in Kuta during the day. Gerupuk, a surfer village a 15min motorbike ride away, was the perfect location for that. I found a bamboo villa on Airbnb at the mountain top with a nice view to the bay and a private swimming pool. The road to that place was a bit of a challenge, especially because it had just rained the night before. The road was slippery because it wasn’t made of concrete and also steep. After I made it up, the owner, a Swedish surfer, was waiting for me. I felt at home at the place right away and continued with some work. The internet was very fast to my surprise. I asked the owner how this happened, and he said they had done direct fiber access a couple of years ago. He also wants fast internet since he lives next to my Airbnb in another bamboo house. The architecture was really nice of those cottages/villas. They’re build in old fashion, but pretty new with a big private garden.
I stayed in the villa for a couple of days and worked there more than expected from there. I rarely returned to Kuta since I enjoyed it so much up at the bamboo villa, and the infrastructure was excellent. For food, I sometimes went down to the village or cooked something for myself. When I needed to refresh my mind I went for a walk in the hills next to the my place, which has amazing views or went for a swim in the pool with a nice view as well. So that was complete happy life for me. Productive and in a nice surrounding.
On my last day, a friend from Singapore joined me. It was her first time in Lombok, and she booked a private car to go around the island. In the meantime, I was focused on work. Later in the evening she arrived and we went for some local food, she was really craving it since she’s from Indonesia originally and in love with the food.
The next day, it was time to say goodbye to this beautiful spot, and we crossed the island to visit the other main touristy place, the Gili Islands. 3 small islands just in front of the coast of Lombok. Part of Lombok as well, but it is very easily reachable from Bali and filled with tourists from there. I drove with my scooter into the city of Mataram to return it after a month of great service, while my friend took a taxi and picked me up there. Then we continued the journey to the islands.
Gili Trawangan
After we arrived in Gili T, we checked into a lovely resort with a private pool. There are three different islands; each one is unique on its own. Gili T is famous for parties, Gili Meno for couples and honeymoons, and Gili Air is a bit more peaceful than Gili T, with some expats living there. An interesting fact about those islands is that there are no cars or motorbike. Only electric bikes, bicycles or horses are allowed. So it gives a very different feel to the island.
For me, it was the weekend, meaning no work for 3 days. It was part of leaving Lombok and moving to Bali. The island is perfectly placed in between for a stop, where you can relax at the beach and enjoy great food. On the first evening, we bought some dishes at a local food market. The next day, we went snorkelling at Turtle Point. The water was very clear and blue, and seeing turtles is almost a given. We didn’t find any until we were almost about to leave. Luckily, one appeared in our area. They’re very chill and don’t care about humans. They just do their business on the base of the sea.
Ubud, Indonesia
Next, we took a speed boat to Bali. Two hours later, and two more hours by bus, we arrived in Ubud, a city a bit North of the crowded area of Bali. My friend had an early morning flight from Bali. So, when we arrived in Ubud, we went for food and wandered around for the last evening.
I stayed in Ubud for a bit in a co-working/co-living. Ubud is probably the birthplace of this movement. The first proper place for co-living counts back to this location. Bali is famous for its digital nomads and many co-living places all over the island.
But first, what always happens to me when arriving in Bali – „Bali belly“. I got sick and was knocked out for 2 days. I don’t know why I have always had these problems in Bali, and I couldn’t identify the cause other than fried food. People told me it could be oil. In the last few days, I have been to proper touristy restaurants, but there is no guarantee that I will not get sick of food. It’s famous in Bali and always frustrating, especially since it’s so touristy. You could think the problem is solved. Sadly, it isn’t, and many friends I know have the same experience. It was even more surprising for me because I already stayed a couple of months in South East Asia, and my stomach was used to it.
The last weekend in Ubud, I planned a big road trip with a school friend from Switzerland, who was travelling around South East Asia. We rented a scooter and explored the Northern part of Bali. The distance is quite far. The more North you go, the less touristy it gets. We both enjoyed that a lot. First, we got a recommendation from a local friend to visit a beach in the North East. It was an excellent recommendation. It’s a quiet beach with some restaurants on it. Sandy beaches with shallow water. It was just amazing to float in there. My friend and I talked for around an hour, chilling in the water and just relaxing.
Afterwards, we continued to a famous temple. Many people take pictures there with a reflection. It’s a bit hilarious, and we had great fun while watching the tourists queuing for hours to make their fake pictures. In reality, the temple looks quite dull, and they use a mirror to make it look like water with a reflection. Don’t believe what you see on social media.
Then, we had a big stretch by bike in front of us. We wanted to arrive in Lovina for the night, so we continued driving for a couple of hours. Somewhere on the road, we found a nice pizza place with a stone oven, where we stopped for a cozy dinner. I was pretty fascinated how we found this place in the middle of nowhere without many tourists. The food was great, and we enjoyed it a lot. With a full belly, we continued to drive in the dark.
Lovina is famous for the dolphin watching. Early in the morning, there are a couple of boats leaving trying to spot dolphins. We joined this tour and drove out with many fishing boats along the coast. For me personally, there were too many boats and I wasn’t surprised that we couldn’t see anything. But our guide was a good one. Suddenly he left the group of boats full speed for a couple of kilometers and slowed down the boat. To our surprise a couple of minutes later we saw dolphins very close to our boat. We started following them quietly. Later the other boats saw it as well and came close to us. Then it got packed again and funny enough many more dolphins started to appear. People jumped into the water and the boats started following them. The dolphins seem to not care about the crazy traffic above them. The ocean is big and if they want piece, they could just leave. They’re way faster then the those local boats we were on.
After our early morning excursion on the sea, we jumped on our motorbikes and continued South over a mountain, through local villages and small roads. That is precisely what we liked. At some point, we crossed some lakes up the hill, where we stopped to grab lunch. Afterwards, we continued to visit a temple by another lake. To finish our second road trip, we visited some rice fields. We arrived at the Jatiluwih rice terraces later in the afternoon. It was very quiet, so we walked through them. We enjoyed it so much. I didn’t expect it to be like that. They were indeed huge, and everywhere you could see, there were just rice fields. No annoying locals trying to sell you something. The last time I was at rice fields in Bali, I was very disappointed. They were way too touristy. Good luck, not these once.
Our accommodation for the night was in the middle of rice fields. It’s not too far from our last stop. It was a small resort, and houses were rebuilt in the traditional Bali style in the middle of nature. After dawn, you could hear the frogs in the paddy fields—an insider tip I’ve marked to go another time or recommend to my friends and family. They have a small restaurant for guests there with traditional dishes. We ordered and enjoyed the food. Super friendly staff as well. The next morning we rested long and got up to grab breakfast in the resort as well. It’s just too beautiful to go somewhere else. Also there’s not much more around there. Really hidden in the nowhere.
Afterwards, we headed back to Ubud again. It was a 1.5-hour motorbike trip. I arrived in the city, had to return my motorbike and leave back South to be ready for my upcoming work week. A successful weekend road trip with a school friend I haven’t seen for so long. This made the full trip even more remarkable. He had a great backpacker spirit and was very easy going and spontaneous. Exactly my vibe.
Canggu, Indonesia
This was my last week in Indonesia. I went South to the hipp and crowded area of Bali. There are great coffee places to work from that are very nomad-friendly. It is good to work and have great food for a bit. But staying in Canggu for too long would be too much for me. Not my vibe. Although I was able to meet some friends and therefore enjoyed my stay. The time went by fast. I didn’t go to a co-working space because it seemed very full, and for some, reservations were even required weeks in advance. I didn’t do that, so I decided to work from coffee shops, which is also a completely good way to work for a couple of days.
The last evening was a surprise. A friend I met in Lombok a couple of weeks ago, who is originally from Bali, was back at her home for a couple of days, and we met again. We went for food and a drink in the party street a bit South in Kuta. It was on the way to the airport anyways for which she was driving me with her vintage car. It was a Suzuki Jimny, not sure if it already counts as an oldtimer. I was surprised she had such a car. Everyone watched us while we drove to the airport. We had a lot of fun on the way. What a delivery at the airport in this car late at night. Little stories like that will stay in my mind forever.
April
Koh Phangan, Thailand
From Bali, I flew via Bangkok to Koh Samui in Thailand. The airport in Koh Samui is one of the cutest I’ve ever seen. It looks more like a resort than an actual airport. The buses driving you to the airport look like the cars at an amusement park. The gates are just rounded wooden buildings in a local style, and the food places are outside in the gras next to the runway. Equipped with swings and folding chairs to chill.
I spent three nights in Koh Samui working and waiting for a Swiss friend. After she arrived, we headed over to Koh Phangan, where we got a bungalow up in hill. It was a breathtaking view from there, but it was always an exhausting walk until we reached our accommodation. Daily workout routine.
Since my friend was on holiday, but I was not, we took advantage of the evenings and weekends to explore the island. We went to nice beaches, fire shows, lovely restaurants and bars near the beach. During the week, I worked from the apartment or a co-working space, and she went for yoga courses or parties.
When my friend’s holiday was over and had to leave the island, I stayed longer but changed places multiple times. First, I stayed in the South, close to a co-working space I discovered. There, I met some other nomads with whom I was exploring the following weekend. We, for example, went on a day trip to hike up to a viewpoint at a rock. From there, we had a spectacular view down to the beach and coast. Then, we walked through the jungle to the village by the beach. Quite slippery and sketchy sometimes, but we had great talks and in the end made it down. We got some food in the restaurant at the beach, where we also went for a dip in the sea.
After a week in the South, I moved up to the North. It’s a more hippy, quieter, and more beautiful area. I greatly enjoyed it there and extended my stay for a couple of weeks. I met some more digital nomads and also locals. Overall, I had a great work/life balance and was very satisfied. I love Thai food, so I was happy and always filled with great food.
Koh Phangan is famous for being a party island, which is 200% true. The most famous but probably the worst party on the island is the “Fullmoon Party.” It occurs every month during the full moon—what a surprise. Since it’s so famous, I had to go and make my own opinion. I’m not a party person, but I wanted to try it. The party area is at the beach. Many tents sell alcohol and different music from all angles. Obviously, there are fire shows and other activities to do. Many people also do paintings on the skin, which reflects the lights and gives everything an interesting vibe. Overall, I wasn’t too excited about it. I left the party area after maybe 2 hours. The entrance fee to the party was 5$. So it’s worth what you pay for it, but I would never make the way to Koh Phangan just for the party.
May
Koh Tao, Thailand
Koh Tao is not far from this island. It is famous for its diving. Many people go there to learn how to dive. It a good place to learn, especially cheap. My friends from Israel went there to do the courses. I also went over one weekend and explored the island a bit. It’s the smallest of the three islands. We went hiking and snorkelling and went for sunset drinks in the evening.
The island is beautiful, and we also had fantastic weather. I preferred to work from Koh Phangan because there’s better infrastructure and more food options, but Koh Tao was excellent for a weekend getaway.
Bangkok, Thailand
I spent an entire month in Koh Phangan, and it was time to move. Since the closest airport is in Koh Samui, I took the ferry to the next island to take a flight to Bangkok. I stayed in Bangkok for three weeks. I have to say I enjoyed my time there a lot. Bangkok is chaotic but modern at the same time. It has something I like.
The apartment I stayed in had a great facility. Serviced apartments with swimming pools and gyms are very common in Bangkok; mine even had a Japanese Onsen.
I was also fortunate to meet a local with whom I spend much time after work or on the weekend the next few weeks. We explored many night markets, bars and restaurants together. Bangkok is famous for rooftop bars, and the city has some great ones. I had a good routine. Going to a co-working every day and later out for food. Bangkok also has a big variety of international food. Cheap and tasty. One evening, I went to Chinatown with friends to wonder around and get dumplings.
Singapore
I often return to Singapore to catch an international flight. Their airport is strategically located in Asia and is a centre for many flights to Europe or Australia. Instead of changing aeroplanes directly, I prefer spending time in the city, especially since I know some people there. The friend who visited me in Indonesia just a month ago lives and works in Singapore. It was so great to meet her again. She showed me the city, and we went to Universal Studios together.
Universals Studio is located on one of the islands in front of the coast. It’s called Sentosa Island, which is connected by road or metro to the mainland. The amusement park has many attractions. Rollercoasters for young and old, playgrounds, movies, and more. It was fun overall, and we spent the whole day going around. As with many attraction parks, there are different areas with different themes. Since Universal Studio owns it, they are themed by their movie characters. The technology they used in the park was a bit disappointing. The 4D cinema, for example, was probably top-notch when they built it 15 years ago, but every proper cinema facility somewhere in the world has a better 4D experience nowadays. That was a bit sad to see since it should have been Universal’s playground to test out new technology or at least showcase their newest achievements.
The next day, we went exploring downtown Singapore. There’s a lot to see. Like Merlion, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands or the Cloud Forest. We checked them all out. Cloud Forest is a botanical garden and was themed with Avatar at the time. Quite interesting and surreal, like in another world. I loved it. We also went through shopping malls and found a nice spot to see the sunset.
June
Athens, Greece
My time in Asia was over, and I had booked a direct flight with Scoot Air to the capital of Greece. The largest European WordPress conference took part there, and I was about to meet my digital nomad friend, Piotrek, again. We shared an Airbnb while attending the conference together. But before the conference started, we worked a few days from the Airbnb and explored the city in the evening, and since we’re foodies, we had to try many of the local dishes. I like Greek food a lot. Souvlaki, Giros or Moussaka, to name a few.
The WordCamp Europe 2023 in Athens was held for 2 days + one day contributor day, summing it up with a big after-party. Everything was well organised and hosted in a huge conference centre with an impressive main stage. More than 3000 people from many different countries participated. Seeing many familiar faces attending the biggest WordPress conference in Europe every year is always nice. The host city changes every year and local communities are applying to bring the biggest conference of the year into their country. This time it was Athens and I was very happy for that since I love the city. It’s already my 3rd time here and it’s a great opportunity to stay some more days or weeks. June was also a perfect time since it’s not too hot yet.
After the conference, I moved to a new Airbnb. I found a tiny rooftop apartment, and I fell in love directly. The indoor space was very little. Just a bed, a small bathroom and a kitchen—everything I needed for life. The outdoor space was huge. I had a 360° view of the city. A terrace spanning around my tiny apartment at the top. There were many possibilities to sit and work with a sunshade. My daily routine was straightforward. Eat and work mainly. Very focused. I was able to finish a lot of tasks I wasn’t able to finish during my busy travels at the beginning of the year. I found a nice coffee place just a few streets away from my place and always went there for lunch to get a sandwich. The owner was very friendly, and what makes me very comfortable going around Athens is that everyone speaks a decent amount of English and is super friendly and helpful. Great vibes always when I’m there. Athens counts as one of my favourite cities in Europe.
One weekend, a Peruvian friend doing an au pair in Austria visited me, so we explored the city a bit. The last week, I didn’t explore much since I was very focused at work. But now it was time to go around a bit. Athens obviously has a lot of history and historic places to visit. We visited the Acropolis, Theater des Dionysos, Olympieion, Syntagma, the Panathenaic Stadium, and the Agora. There are many more things to see.
Bern, Switzerland
After I left my home country for 10 months, it was time to return. The first stop was in my office in the capital. Meeting my co-workers again is always great. I’m rarely in the office. Usually, only a couple of days per year.
My company is renting a whole building in the old town. The top floor is unused and also very outdated and needs renovation. However, there are rooms where I usually install an inflatable bed for a couple of nights, so there is no need to book an expensive hotel for me. When I’m back in Bern, I’m usually very busy working and meeting friends. So this is a great option, and I’m happy I can use the space and have my things prepared there when I’m back.
By the end of the month, we had a company retreat near Bern. I made sure to be back in the office precisely to see most co-workers since many are working hybrid and are not always in the office. My lifestyle involves a lot of early planning and shifting things around to make it work best. The retreat was very fun. We tried out a new local sport and had a barbecue afterwards with many great discussions.
July
Igis, Switzerland
After visiting the office, I returned to my hometown to see my family. I like visiting my grandmother and getting my favourite food. I missed it. I still have many things to do at my parent’s place, my official address. I store mainly clothes and tech stuff there. Every time I return, I have to back up my pictures and videos, which are always quite a lot of data. I had 660 GB of data to copy to my RAID hard disks this time.
Back home, I also met some friends from my previous work or a guy I met in Morocco the year before, who is almost my neighbour. We went by bike to the next bigger city to get an ice cream and talked.
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
Refugee centre
Every year, I have to serve for the country for a month. It’s mandatory for every man in Switzerland. I used to go to a farmer, but I thought this year I do something else. The so-called civil service gives flexibility in choosing the time and place to work. It also allows me to get an insight into something I would never be able to see else. This year, I managed to get a position at a refugee centre at the border with Germany. I only hear something from the newspaper, but now I’ll have a deep insight into how things are in reality and the issues. That insight is very interesting, and, I was looking forward to it.
At the centre, the situation was quite relaxed at the time. There were only 35 refugees, but the centre could fit 150-200. The main task was to provide them with food and support them in different ways with officials, insurance, doctors, etc. They come from various areas around the world, such as Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Ukraine, and Somalia. So speaking German is difficult for them. They go to school to learn. Some know some basics, others can’t be on their own. Even English is sometimes not given. So communication is an issue. The refugees are in the centre as long as the manager decides they’re ready to live independently, and then they get moved into apartments without that much supervision. That’s also part of our job to help them move.
The tricky part for the residents of the refugee centre is that they’re not allowed to work. They’re only allowed to help maintain and clean the centre itself. For example, they can voluntarily come and do basic household every day. They’re also allowed to help in the kitchen. Those hours get accounted to them, and they get some money for it, which they can spend freely. Overall, life isn’t great. They have the basics and get treated well, but most struggle with psychological issues since they’re coming from war zones. It’s not easy. Some people overcame this and are trying to integrate and get the chance for a better life. We, for example, had people from Africa who joined the local football club and went there twice a week for training. This way, they integrated culturally and language-wise. But those things are all optional. Refugees can use the opportunities and, step by step, move into Swiss society, while others will stay in the centre, and at some point, it has to be decided how things will continue with them.
Rhine Falls & Stein am Rhein
I had a regular schedule. Sometimes evening, sometimes morning shift. After the morning shift, I was able to check out some nearby towns. For example, “Stein am Rhein” is a historic town by the river. The centre has many old buildings and paintings, which make it quite enjoyable to walk through and visit. Another famous site not far away is the “Rhine Falls” (Rheinfall in German), the most powerful waterfall in Europe. The water of the river Rhine falls down a height of 23 meters. It’s impressive to see it. With boats, it’s possible to drive closer to the waterfall and feel the forces.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France
One weekend, I grabbed my parents’ camper van and drove through Switzerland to visit a friend from Colombia who was working in the French Alps in Chamonix, next to Mont Blanc. It’s a touristy mountain town I’ve never visited, and since I’m finally back in Switzerland, it’s time to explore it a bit more. The route into the French Alps was a 6-hour car drive over 400km, which led me over multiple mountain passes into the valley of Valais. A famous photo spot is the Belvedere Hotel at the Furka mountain pass, a building in the middle of a 180-degree turn. It looks interesting. And to the other side, there’s a beautiful view down the valley.
I continued through the long valley. It was very dry then, with forest fires in one area. I could see some helicopters going up and down to control the flames. Good look, things got under control, and luckily, no people were harmed. The last piece of the trip was up another mountain pass, the 4th of the day, over the border to France. Just before sunset, I arrived in the town of Chamonix to visit my friend. Then, I drove to a parking spot by the forest to sleep. The following day, I was up not too late, so I went into a coffee shop and drove back to Switzerland. For sure, I didn’t go back the same way. This time, I passed by the lake of Geneva and took the highway towards Bern. They quickly passed by the office to replace my bed sheets and cushions.
From Bern, I continued into the canton of Aarau to visit a friend living there. We grabbed a Döner box and walked into a nearby park beside the river. We enjoyed the food there and had some good talks. Since I’m not often back in Switzerland, I rarely meet my friends from my youth (school and work). When I’m back, I try to meet as many people as possible and enjoy quality time with them. That day was one of those cases.
Davos, Switzerland
I used to work a lot as a cameraman while living in Switzerland a couple of years back. While it’s still my passion, I can’t do both works. I’m in the lucky position to let the company I work for know when I’m back, and they can hire me on a daily basis for specific events. I love that, and it’s work I’m enjoying a lot. This time, there was an event called “Davos X-Trails”, a marathon race in the mountains close to my hometown. I drove directly with the camper van and stayed for a night in a hotel. We had to get up in time to set up our infrastructure the following day. We needed to broadcast the race on the stadium’s big wall and stream it online.
August
Swiss National Day
The 1st of August is the National Day of Switzerland. Usually, we go to a farmer to get brunch, and there are fireworks. This time, we did exactly that. My best friend from Germany came for a couple of days to visit. On the morning of the National Day, we drove up into the mountains to a farmer, where we enjoyed a lovely brunch with many local products—cheese, bread, yoghurt, fruits and more. I like the tradition of having brunch at a farm; we do it almost yearly. Usually, I’m around Switzerland during this time since it’s warm and sunny—the temperature I like.
In the evening, we drove to an airfield where they organized an airshow with a, and at the end, they also had a model aeroplane. Huge once they had. It was fascinating, and at the end, they also had an aerobatic flight show of a real glider. After dinner there, it started to get dark, and a big fireworks display was scheduled as soon as it was pitch black. The show was really nice and very long. We all enjoyed it a lot.
My friend and I got invited to my grandmother’s place for lunch. One of my favourite dish “Krautkrapfen”. My friend wanted to try the real grandmother’s original. Before leaving, we went down into the garden to pick up some fresh salad, which I brought to my mother. In the garden, my grandmother was also taking care of a rose my friend had once brought. So, she was curious to see how the plant was growing. Afterwards, we took a quick hike up in a nearby mountain village. We had a peaceful walk and got rewarded with a nice view down into the valley where I grew up.
The next day, my friend returned to Munich, Germany. I also had new plans to go to another country and needed to go to the airport in the centre of Switzerland. My friend wanted to buy some things in Zurich, so we both drove into the biggest city in Switzerland to shop and get food together. Afterwards, she left for Munich and me to the airport, where I flew to Barcelona.
Barcelona, Spain
I could take over the room of a friend of mine in Barcelona for the entire month of August. I’m trying to transition into a slower travel style by having a base for at least a month somewhere, so this opportunity was perfect. A friend I met initially in Morocco last year was out of the city for a month because the heat is quite crazy sometimes during this month. It was hot indeed, but I’m used to it and prefer it to being too cold.
It wasn’t my first time in Barcelona—no, it was my third or fourth time. So, I already knew a couple of people I had met this month, for example, a friend from Tunisia or another friend from Slovenia. Barcelona is international, and that’s what I like about the city.
Barcelona has vintage-style e-scooter rentals via the app. I love driving around with them, so I rarely use the metro. Especially in the warm summer months, this is perfect. I left my apartment almost daily to go to an office space called wework. I got a monthly membership there and could go to all of the spaces they have in the city, which are a couple. I mainly went to work in a district called “Poblenou” in the east of the city. I loved returning to a daily routine in a city I’ve enjoyed since day one. During the week, I focused on work and, on the weekend, exploring with friends. That was the plan for the entire month.
On the first weekend, some events were happening in the city. A friend of mine and her brother joined me in visiting. It was the same as I saw around a year ago in Tarragona. They also had it in Barcelona or later in another nearby town: human towers and parades.
The next day, my friend and I left the city and drove a bit north to a student city called Girona. There we discovered the old city centre and went for food. A day later, another friend joined us by car to see a bit of the countryside, and we went for some small hikes into a green vulcano crater (Volcànica de la Garrotxa) close to the town of Olot.
Another weekend, I went to a beach town called Sitges with my friend. It’s famous for its white sandy beaches. Many people from Barcelona go there for the weekend to enjoy the sun and relax outside the city. We went there early in the morning to avoid the big crowds. We arrived there, went for breakfast and started exploring a bit. Afterwards, we went to the beach to relax a bit. Since we arrived early, we also returned not too late to get into the full trains with all the others. My friend lives in Reus, approximately an hour South of Barcelona. I also went there for the night to explore another new city.
One weekend, I took the train from Barcelona and drove towards “Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat”. My Catalan friend and her brother waited for me there. We got into the cable car and got up to Montserrat Abbey—a mountain sanctuary with a great view. There, we could walk to a viewpoint and visit the church. After our mountain workout, we went down the valley again and ate at a local restaurant my friend recommended. I definitely had to try some local dishes.
Igualada, Spain
The next stop was a Catalan city an hour North of Barcelona, reachable by train. The friend I spent the last couple of weekends exploring lives there. They had an upcoming traditional festival that lasts at least one week, so she invited me to come over and join her and her friends. I love such special occasions to see new places and to do so with local friends. The city isn’t very touristy, so I was able to experience the real traditions.
My friend lives right in the centre of the city with her brother (both joined me in Montserrat the week before) in a newly renovated house. It was a perfect location to see the festival—everything was walkable and quick at home. I arrived just at the beginning of the first attractions on Friday evening after finishing my work in Barcelona. On the first weekend, there was a march at night, and we passed by our house in the city. That was quite fun, right in the middle of the attention.
They had many interesting events during the day on the weekend or in the evening during the week. For example, they did a race with a watermelon, meaning they had to run a particular trail carrying a watermelon. Young and old took part in this traditional race. Another attraction was going through a parkour with water and hey.
On another day, they had parades with giant mascots (El Gigantes) on the street. They usually walked from square to square and danced on those. They also stopped at old or essential buildings within the city. There were other groups which performed different dances on the street. Some of my friend’s close friends were in those groups, and we made sure to watch them. It was a lot of fun, especially when you know some people. So everywhere we went on the streets, we knew people. My friend was a great guide and told me about the history and traditions. She also introduced me to all her friends, so I was part of them. I felt very comfortable, and it was a lot of fun.
And since I’m in a Catalan place, they do human towers, as the name says. A vast tower made up of humans of different ages and sizes. Spectacular and dangerous as well.
During the week, they had some more events planned. Every evening, another group organized food and the show at a square. One evening, there was also a group of my friends in charge. Since she introduced me to everyone, I was part of the group as well. So they gave me an organizer shirt, and here I was, the guy who couldn’t speak the local language, helping. It meant a lot of preparation for this one evening. During the day, preparation for the food was done, and in the afternoon, we went to the venue (square) to prepare the desks and chairs. It was great, and I loved helping as part of them. The evening show was also fun, but since everything was in Catalan, I couldn’t follow the topics. I thought I’d go home earlier, but the people were so friendly and welcoming. Trying to speak in English with me, I stayed pretty long.
Front Conference Zurich, Switzerland
After a month in and around Barcelona, I returned to Switzerland. The biggest airport is in Zurich, so I mostly depart and arrive there. I managed to get the key to my friend’s apartment before I left for Barcelona, and since he’s not around and I’m staying in Zurich for a conference, I could use his apartment. I felt like a local living in Zurich when I arrived. It was so smooth having a place in the city centre.
The next day, I attended a conference for web developers—FrontConf Zurich. It was my second time there, and I knew quite a few people from my professional environment in Switzerland. It’s the biggest conference in that industry and well known. There are also a lot of very high-end speakers with engaging content. So, I was looking forward to attending and getting inspired/updated those two days.
Speakers like Vitaly Friedman (Smashing Magazine), Nico Martin, Andy Budd, Chris Coyier (CSS-Tricks), Rachel Andrew (CSS Working Group), and many more attended the conference. It’s always packed with well-known speakers and high-class talks.
Igis, Switzerland
After the conference weekend, I returned to my hometown, where a town market was going on. I was resetting my laptop and polishing things for another big journey ahead of me. I also for sure met some friends and organized a local hangout at a Meetup group I’m co-organizing once in a while when I’m around. This time, we did an after-work beer hangout with some local web developers and could gather around eight people. It was fun and engaging as well.
September
Lima, Peru
Next up is South America. Lima (Peru), to be exact. It was my second time there, and I wanted to spend more time exploring and meeting friends. My flight was via Madrid and then directly to Lima. It was smooth, although I don’t like long flights at all. I arrived early in the morning and didn’t experience any jetlag, to my surprise. A local friend came to the airport spontaneously and picked me up. That was a surprise and a great start to the new country.
In Lima, I felt comfortable very quickly and went into a very regular schedule: work, meet, sleep, repeat. Since I knew many people in Lima from my last visit, it was nice to have people to hang out with. I’m generally used to being alone often and don’t have a steady base of friends since I’m always moving. My friends in Lima were happy that I was back and flexible enough to meet after work.
I stayed central in Lima, in a safe area called San Isidro. From there, I could reach two different wework co-workings within walking distance. Also, two friends of mine stayed pretty close to my apartment. That made it very convenient to meet spontaneously. One of my friends had a dog with whom I sometimes walked in the nearby park.
To my surprise, there was also a friend in the city I hadn’t expected. A friend I know from the WordPress conferences and a mutual friend saw on my Instagram story that I’m around and texted me. His wife is Peruvian, so they stayed for a month in Lima. We had to meet up since catching up in Lima was a surprise. We usually only meet at the more prominent WordPress conferences. In Lima, we met once for food in the evening and another time for a tour of the old town of Lima. The wife’s brother did a tour for us, like a real tourist guide. He explained a lot of fascinating facts to us and showed us around. We had to try some food and went to an old and luxurious hotel, one of the best Pisco sours places in the area. We ended the day walking at the park with a water and laser show.
October
Cusco, Peru
After a couple of weeks in Lima, having a regular schedule, and not doing much exploring overall, it was time to leave for another city. I took a flight and flew into the mountains—Cusco on 3399 m.a.s.l, famous for one of the seven world wonders, Machu Picchu. I booked an Airbnb close to the old centre of Cusco with a friend from Lima. We both stayed there to work and explore on the weekends. That worked well, and I enjoyed it a lot. Just next to the apartment, there was a small market where we could quickly hop over to grab food and be back to productive work. In the evenings we usually went out for proper food. Sadly, just on arrival, I got sick; I think it was because of the altitude. You can really feel it. Coming from Lima on sea level up to over 3000 meters. Just walking up the stairs is exhausting, and the body needs to adjust to that.
Around Cusco, there’s so much to see. The Incas were active and constructed crazy things thousands of years ago. I ended up not going to Machu Picchu after all since tickets were limited, and I didn’t book in advance. Moreover, it’s super touristy, and I’m not into that. Instead, I explored other places that were sometimes more difficult to reach, and I got lost when I tried to reach them like locals do. I missed my stop to hop off the local bus and ended up somewhere in the mountains without a mobile data connection. That was an experience. By the time I managed to get back to the valley, it had already gotten dark, and I had to return to Cusco.
My friend and I had a vacation the last week we stayed in Cusco, so we could explore even more. Vacation also meant moving out of a proper apartment and into backpack-style hostels, which gives me the feeling of vacation. It was a different environment, different standards, something else than usual.
During that week-long vacation, we visited some Inca sightseeing close to the city. We never booked a tourist tour and always went by ourselves the local way. We went to a beautiful valley called Urubamba. On the way there, we passed a big construction site for the upcoming international airport in Cusco. The current airport is small and hard to approach. I think it was one of the craziest landings I’ve ever experienced. The aeroplane has to dive just after a mountain, do a turn, and go straight into landing.
We did Inca sites like Moray, Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Tambomachay or Puka Pukara. There would have been more to see, but we didn’t have enough time. Exploring Cusco for two weeks isn’t an issue; there’s so much to see and many hikes to do.
I ended up doing a single touristy trip, finally. Without a guide, it’s not doable. I booked a day trip to “montaña de siete colores”, the rainbow mountains (Vinicunca). It’s a mountain peak with multiple colours. Other than that, it marks the highest peak I’ve hiked up – 5036 m.a.s.l. While it was possible to drive up by minivan quite far, we had to walk for the last few hundred meters. You could even cheat there and get a quad or a horse. South American people are crazy lazy. I for sure walked, but it was very exhausting. Not because I’m not athletic but because of the height. Even walking slowly, step by step, is so exhausting.
Arequipa, Peru
After exploring Cusco a lot, I also booked another Airbnb in Arequipa to work for 2 weeks. I also heard many good things about Arequipa and wanted to get to know it. People usually fly from Cusco to Arequipa, but it’s below an hour’s flight time, and this goes against my rule – I don’t take aeroplanes if it’s below an hour and doable in another means of transportation. Night buses are operating to Arequipa. They’re standard in Peru, usually have wide seats, and are comfortable. But after sitting for 4-5 hours, even the most comfortable seat isn’t that comfortable anymore. It ends up being uncomfortable, like a long-haul flight. The journey took me 12 hours, and I was pleased when I arrived early in the morning.
During my long bus ride, I tried to reach some local Couchsurfers to show me some places or hang out. I was successful and lucky. A girl who grew up in Arequipa had no plans for the following day and was happy to go around with me and showed me some places like Ruta del Sillar or the Quebrada de Culebrillas. Those things are amazing when locals spontaneously have time and are open to showing their city to strangers. We had a great time exploring and discussing various topics. Later in the evening, we even went with her little sister for dinner, which was fun, too, since we could even speak a bit of English.
I enjoyed Arequipa a lot. It’s way less crowded than other cities in Peru and has a nice vibe. I felt very safe and way less touristy compared to Cusco. The city lies between three different volcanos. The biggest is Misti, which reaches 5822 meters above sea level, while the city is 2335 meters. That’s an impressive difference. The city is also lovely with its old white buildings everywhere made from the local volcanic stones called “Sillar.”
When the weekend was about to end, I moved into my apartment where I’ll work for the next week. It was an apartment in a multistorey house that had just finished construction. Most apartments were still empty or had basic furniture inside. It turned out that I was the only one living in the whole six-floor house. That was weird and a first for me. The following days, I was busy with work. I did home office and left for food or did delivery. I sometimes went out with some more locals in the evening to eat and talk.
I took a “Colca Canyon” tour the weekend between my two work weeks in Arequipa. It’s famous for the hot springs, the deep valley and the condors (birds). Our trip started very early. We had to drive 160km over a mountain pass, the highest point almost 5000 meters with views to different vulcanos of over 6000 masl. After arriving down in the Colca Valley, we grabbed some breakfast; then we continued into an old village and to the valley. The valley is 1200m at its deepest point, which is massive. At the viewpoint, many condors are flying. Those birds are giants, the largest flying land birds, and their wings span 2.7–3.1 metres.
Also, an interesting fact about this valley is that the most significant river on our planet, the Amazonas, starts from this area. The spring is at 5120 meters. Later, we went down the valley to visit a hot spring, where our group enjoyed sunbathing in the hot water. Travelling with such a tourist group is unique in South America. Usually, there are only Latin tourists, so no one speaks English. The guide only has some mid-level knowledge of English. So going on such a trip typically means being alone for the entire day without much communication unless you’re in luck and another traveller with English knowledge joins the tour as well – which wasn’t true in my case. So, I enjoyed a guided tour alone but with people surrounding me.
November
Medellin, Colombia
I arrived in Colombia after a flight via Lima (Peru). Colombia wasn’t my first time, but Medellin was. Many people have told me that it’s lovely, and there are also a lot of digital nomads there. So, I wanted to check it out, too. I planned my trip a long time ago in such a way that my inbound flight to South America is to Lima, and my return flight to Europe is out of Medellin. Always use direct flights to Madrid since most flights go via Spain. I didn’t book anything in between and wanted to keep it more spontaneous. I prefer to book long-distance flights much in advance and, if possible, with a return flight, which usually makes it much cheaper.
In Medellin, I rented an Airbnb in a touristy area where many Digital Nomads are also staying, El Pobaldo. It’s a very modern and secure area of the city. There are also two wework co-workings not far away. One is within walking distance, and one big building up the hill is reachable in approx 10 minutes by scooter. I felt great in that area; my apartment was lovely and very central, with a nice co-working nearby and many bars/restaurants just around the corner. My daily routine was quite dull, but I liked it. I was very productive and got many things done. I also had holidays but decided not to do much other than go to the office and work on some of my personal projects.
One day, I rested and did a day trip to Guatapé. A touristy place close to Medellin. It was very nice. I booked the trip via Airbnb Experiences, and we had a lovely group of English-speaking people together. Guatapé is a small village near an artificial lake. It looks like a painting but has a not-that-happy history. We went on a boat trip there and crossed many extraordinary properties with amazing views. Many famous people choose to buy their holiday place in this area; one such was no one else than Pablo Escobar, who had a Finca “La Manuela” there. It’s located directly at the lake, and we passed by with the boat.
But the most famous spot of Guatapé is the massive rock (El Peñól de Guatapé), from which you can overview this fantastic landscape. To reach the top of the rock, they build stairs on one side – 708 steps, to be exact. We took it as a challenge and competed for the fastest up there. We were crazy fast up. I made it below 10 minutes but was out of breath at the top. The view was breathtaking, too, with such lovely scenery—green hills with islands and the blue water.
On the weekend, sometimes in the evening, I met some locals. I was lucky to get to know some locals who had time to go around with me and showed me some lovely places in the city. Comuna 13 is an artistic and colourful neighbourhood; Parque Explora, a scientific centre; Parque Arví, a national park, or just hanging out and grabbing food. In Medellin, you can reach nature within just 10- 15 minutes of driving from the city. It’s so green everywhere, and they also develop buildings in that style. I loved that. Since Medellin is built into a valley, cable cars are part of the public transportation system. So when travelling by metro, you can switch and jump into a cable car, which brings you up the hill, which is still a residential area. A friend of mine lived somewhere up the mountain I once visited. We ate local food with the family (sister and mother) and had Arepa. I knew the dish but hadn’t had it for a while.
Another day, I went to the touristy neighbourhood called “Comuna 13.” It’s up the hill and very colourful. A lot of art is visible everywhere, and we wandered through the streets, visiting small exhibitions in old houses. This area has a very special touch, and I enjoyed it in the company of my friends.
One weekend, I went for a short hike with a friend from Couchsurfing. We crossed a small river and followed the stream until we reached a local coffee place with self-made coffee. Colombia is famous for its coffee, so I had to try it even since I’m not a coffee drinker.
December
My time in Colombia ended, and I had to return to Switzerland for freelance work as a cameraman. December is a busy month, and I accepted many jobs. My schedule was tight to arrive back in time. Not much time to recover from jetlag. But what I underestimated was the temperature difference. Coming from 35° warm Medellin (Colombia) to -15° St. Moritz (Switzerland) was hard work for my immune system. A 50° difference in temperature was definitely the craziest thing I experienced so far. So here I was, working in the snow for the Ski World Cup in St. Moritz as a cameraman, within snowfall and cold winds. Despite these constraints, I would love to be back working for TV, a passion I have had since I was a teenager.
Fribourg, Switzerland
After I almost directly landed in Zurich, arrived in my hometown, repacked things for the skiing race, and left for work, I had a day off to enjoy with my mother. We decided to get a day pass train ticket and visit a city in Switzerland called Fribourg—a city I’ve never stopped at. Yes, I can’t just rest and do something; I’m always exploring. But I had to go in this direction anyway because I needed to go to Bern, so we combined everything.
My mother and I arrived in Freiburg and walked around the city. It’s built on multiple levels, and we walked down into the old town, where we crossed a bridge and walked by the river. The water was very high because of the recent snow, and some trees were already underwater. Afterwards, we went for lunch in an Italian restaurant.
Bern, Switzerland
After this visit, I headed to Bern, where my office is. There, we had an Xmas dinner with the team, and I tried to be able to join them. It’s always great to meet with co-workers, primarily since I rarely work in the office. Every year, we go to an excellent restaurant and enjoy the food. Afterwards, we continued to some bars to enjoy and talk.
Zurich, Switzerland (Music concert)
There was a concert in Switzerland’s biggest arena, the Hallenstadion in Zurich. A famous Swiss singer who plays kids’ songs was on an afternoon show. He became especially renowned for Christmas songs, and almost every child in Switzerland knows at least one of his songs. There, we did a live production for the show again.
Bern, Switzerland (TV Production)
Things got busy. I’m hopping from city to city to work at different concerts and shows. It’s a very different life from my usual remote work, and I’m enjoying it a lot. It’s exhausting and very long days. Completely different aspects are important. I’m grateful to be able to work in the area I’m passionate about when I’m back in Switzerland since this is almost impossible to combine with travelling and working remotely.
A famous show called “Das Zelt” was happening in the capital. Our job was to record one particular show by Helga Schneider, a Swiss comedian. We were there with a live production team and five cameras and did the recording, which later got fine-tuned and released on Swiss Television. It was an interesting production, and quite some preparation went into it. We set up our gear and did some testing for the live show with the audience.
Xmas with family
After celebrating Xmas with the company in the form of a dinner, Xmas with the family was approaching on the 24th of December. We usually gather at my parents’ house. Grandmother, cousins, aunts and uncles are coming, and we enjoy a delicious dinner together. It’s one of the few occasions I see my entire family nowadays since I’m rarely in Switzerland. So I enjoyed it a lot.
Davos, Switzerland (Spengler Cup)
Every year again, except for 2020/2021, when it was cancelled because of the pandemic, there’s an ice hockey tournament. But the tournament is back. It’s the time of the year for ice hockey fans. The oldest international tournament in ice hockey is taking place in Davos. Six teams from five different countries are playing for the trophy.
Our production team went to the mountain village to prepare. We needed around a day to set up all the studios, offices, and gear for the event. There’s quite a big team of us in and around the stadium producing content for social media, feeding the big screen live in the stadium, and recording a podcast show with different well-known guests in the field.
After the final tournament on the 31st, which the home team won, it was time to pack our things in record time to return with the family for New Year. We’ve done it many times, so we’re experienced. We always try to be as efficient as possible and even think during setup how to minimize the time later.
My parents invited friends to a traditional Swiss dish at home – fondue. My best friend from Germany also joined. So it was a cosy evening talking and moving into the New Year with a glass of champagne or Rimus (a wine for kids, as I prefer).