2024—following the sun

January

Klosters, Switzerland

I’m not a winter person, but I sometimes return to Switzerland during the cold season. This time, I came for several reasons: first, to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with family, and second, to work as a cameraman since December and January are peak seasons. Those two things are good to combine.

Wintertime in Switzerland usually brings quite a bit of snow. An old traditional event I usually attend to record is a pig race in the mountain town of Klosters—the so-called “Hotschrace.” The event includes a race to bet on the winning pig and has live music and food. Overall, it was quite a fun event. It’s usually pretty cold. I’m always on site very early to prepare everything for the recording on the big screen so that everyone can see what’s happening.

For that event, my friend from Germany also came with my parents to visit the spectacle. The next day, we drove up in another direction into the mountains, where we walked around a lake and built some small snow castles—a winter wonderland and a lot of fun.

Ski Weltcup Adelboden, Switzerland

Shortly after New Year, the famous ski race in Adelboden takes place. It’s an event over multiple days with different skiing disciplines. I’m often there to record the event. Every year is pretty similar, so I know what has to be done and we optimize year after year. The weather is always challenging since it’s far in a valley up the mountain. Also this year, there was quite a lot of snowfall, which makes our work not the easiest since we have to protect our technics very well and cover the camera pretty well, making it difficult to access while recording. But after years, we’re used to that situations.

Ahangama, Sri Lanka

After the ski race, the biggest events were done. I had a busy December with many events and shootings. With the end of the peak season as a cameraman, my usual lifestyle kicks in again. This means I’m heading to the airport in search of a warmer and sunny place. This time, I entered Qatar Airways where I left for Colombo, Sri Lanka via Qatar. I love flying with this airline. The service is great and the food amazing. The best meals I had in the air was with Qatar Airways. After a full day of travelling, I arrive late in the evening in the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo. I had booked a cheap hotel near the airport to rest before heading South the day after.

The South is an upcoming area for digital nomads. Some co-workings were popping up and, with their tropical beach vibes, a great destination. I stayed in an accommodation with a co-working attached run by a German woman near Ahangama. I liked it there, but not much was going on, which I was fine with. I was able to work focused. But many people tried to compare digital nomad hotspots like Bali with Southern Sri Lanka. It can’t compete at all from my point of view. Sri Lanka has a very basic infrastructure and the comfort as I’m used from other destinations isn’t the same. I enjoyed my week in the South, meeting some other nomads and had a great time nervertheless.

The real reason why I was in Sri Lanka was a very unique one. I was about to have a week of holidays and board a friend’s sailing boat, which was circle navigating the world. He has already come a long way around the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean. I’ll stay 2 weeks on his boat with a group of 5 more people. We’re crossing over to the Maldives with the wind and the current. An approximately 4-5 day sail and then sailing down the atolls until reaching the capital of the Maldives, Male. And an absolute once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this with a sailing boat.

Sailing in the Maldives

The crew met in Galle, at the southwest tip of Sri Lanka. We organized ourselves with everything necessary for a two-week sailing trip—food, drinks, and fruits. But before we left, we decided to postpone for one day. There was better wind coming up and since most people just arrived in Sri Lanka the day before, we went for a day trip around the closeby areas to explore. It was nice to get to know the crew better off ship before being on a small space for 2 weeks. After that day and a big meal at a local Sri Lankan restaurant, we headed West, following the compass.

Our crew was overall quite experienced. For no one it was the first time on a sailing boat. Also me, it was already the 3th time sailing on 3 different oceans by now. After that trip I’ll have around 1000 nautical miles on sea on a sailing boat. Our crew was completely German speaking. Moritz, the captain and boat owner, left for his adventure around the world a year ago. I was on this boat just at the beginning of his adventure for a week to help him with maintenance. Now a year later it was nice to be back and see the improvements he did along the way. His trip is very social. People can join for parts and sail with him. He’s posting quite actively on his Instagram and has his website describing the routes and upcoming trips (https://magicaloceansailing.com/).

My holidays were starting. It’s time to slow down. As we left the coast, the mobile data and the sight of the coast were gone. Once in a while, we crossed some container ships until we also rarely crossed such ships anymore. We were in the middle of the Indian Ocean. For 24 hours, we didn’t see anything other than the endless ocean, no boat, nothing. We could sail with the wind and the current was also in our favor, so we were progressing pretty decent for a sailing boat. After 3 days, we had a guest on our boat, a bird who took a rest. This was a sign we’re getting closer to land. But it was still multiple hours away.

On day 4, we reached land just before it got dark. An agent from the Northern Maldives came with the police onto our boat to do the formalities. They also brought ice cream, which we enjoyed. We were delighted to have made it.

My favourite part of the trip was upcoming. We went island hopping towards the South, crossing many untouched and uninhabited islands. Our captain researched a lot and tried to find the most unique spots where we could anchor by boat and enjoy swimming or exploring. It wasn’t easy sometimes since the water is very shallow. Our boat needs some depth and we needed to find proper underground to throw the anchor to lock him in place and not make us shift during the night. Also, the maps were not accurate, so planning wasn’t simple. Sometimes, to drive into a bay one of us had to jump into the water and dive in front of the boat to check the depth of the water and lookout for corals. Another guy was sitting high on the mast to have a overview of the path ahead while they informed our captain where’s the best way to go. He was completely dependent on the communication with our “scouters”. He only had the instruments which sometimes showed 20cm depth left below our boat. Getting stuck would be fatal out in the nowhere and would also damage the boat a lot. Sometimes it was close, but we managed and found some great spots to spend the nights or just stop for a swim.

One evening, we had a sunset bonfire on an empty island. It was so quiet and nice. We brought drinks and snacks from the boat and arrived with the dinghy at the beach. After some chillout, we returned in the dark to our boat to rest.

I only had one week of holiday, when we were sailing a lot and on rough sea. I get seasick easily, so being on the laptop wouldn’t help. But now, between the islands, I was able to work. We also had Starlink on board, which I could use to connect to the internet and work as regular. Just on a boat in the middle of the Maldives. That’s probably the most absurd thing I did as a digital nomad. The life everyone expects who’s not familiar with the topic.

The Maldives is really how it looks in the advertisements, but only if you can go far out. As a regular tourist on a normal budget, you wouldn’t we able to reach those empty places. As we arrived more and more South, many fancy resorts were popping up. They own the full island and they’re private, even the water around is private. We once tried to anchor in front of a resort and within minutes a jet ski was next to our boat telling us we can’t stay here.

Sometimes we crossed some local island with a couple of thousand people. We loved to dock there, go for a walk, and check out a restaurant since we always had to cook our own things in the basic kitchen on the boat. While some people from our boat loved cooking and doing amazing things, trying the local kitchen on land was also nice. Also since those islands were not touristy, we were something special for the locals and they served us well.

The last stop was at a famous hotel complex on an island called Crossroads. There, we could dock very cheaply (the price of a hostel stay) and use the luxurious facilities of the Hilton Hotel. So, we could try the beach pool lifestyle with a floating beanbag and a cocktail.

Before we headed to the capital of the Maldives, we stopped at a very touristy “Shark Point.” We saw many sharks but left a little later because it got too crowded for us. Close by was also a nice sandbank, which we reached by swimming or I with the SUP.

When we arrived at the port of Male, we anchored between many diving boats, and it was time to leave the ship. We exchanged with a new crew. Only one guy stayed on the boat heading to Socotra and Dschibuti, two very special places. I stayed in the capital for another week to work. There wasn’t much to do other than going out for food and or walks. Male is quite an ugly city with many concrete houses. Most of the people in the Maledives life on this small island. It’s the heard for supply to the private resorts and the entry/exit points of all the tourists.

February/March

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

After the Maldives, I was searching for a cheap flight out. Kuala Lumpur was such an option. I also intended to continue to Japan later, so KL was a great stopover. I’ve been to Malaysia before, but only for 2 weeks. This time, I booked a place for a month. I arrived just on the evening of Chinese New Year, and many things were happening in the city centre. A local friend showed me around that weekend and we got to know the local traditions in a Chinese temple with the dragon and their dances. Quite interesting.

I liked Kuala Lumpur a lot. People were friendly; the city has great infrastructure, safe, and different neighbourhoods with many kinds of food. Also the city is very cheap for a such central and advanced city. I felt great. My wework office was within walking distance of my apartment, the mall, the twin towers, many restaurants. So life in Kuala Lumpur was very effortless, which I greatly enjoyed. I got into a great work/life schedule and was very productive and happy.

I intended to spend a month in the city, but my travel plans changed significantly because I fell sick for over a week, was in really bad condition, and had to look for a medical clinic to do a checkup. I also had to cancel my Japan trip. I wasn’t looking forward to travelling ill and staying in a tiny Japanese capsule hostel in that condition, so I decided to rent another month and stay in Kuala Lumpur.

The city has many high buildings. The famous Petronas Twin Towers (450 meters) were the world’s tallest buildings until 2004 and remain the tallest twin skyscrapers to date. By now, they’re not even the highest building within the city, which is pretty crazy and shows the technology and crazy skyline Kuala Lumpur has. The Merdeka Tower (680 meters) is the world’s second highest building, just behind the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

I continued to enjoy my stay in the city. I found a couple of local friends who spontaneously came out to hang out after work; a long-term digital nomad friend stayed in Kuala Lumpur as well, and I attended a language exchange group where we once continued to go out and ended up in some nice bars. Great company always.

Langkawi, Malaysia

After almost two months in the capital of Malaysia I wanted to continue to Thailand. On the way there I thought I’d stop in Langkawi, a Malaysian island just next to the Thai border. So I looked for a quite Airbnb somewhere on the island and found a tiny house a bit out of the busy areas of the island. It was cheap and simple, but exactly what I needed after a long time in a busy city. My host was a local couple, very sweet and helpful. The internet was very good, so I stayed all day in the cottage. Worked, cooked and just enjoyed.

During my time there it was Ramadan, so not eating for locals. I halfway also did that. A bit a later breakfast and then no dinner before it got dark. One evening I was invited by a local to join her group of friends to break the fasting on the town’s main square. It was a very special moment. First we went to the street food market and bought dinner, then went to the square at the sea were we started eating after seeing the sunset. A lot of people did the same on this big square. I like to be with locals and do what locals do.

April

Koh Lipe, Thailand

From Langkawi, I could reach Thailand by ferry within 1.5 hours. So I did that and ended up on another island called Koh Lipe. It’s very touristy. There, I spent a long weekend. I spent some time at the beach, went for food (I missed Thai food), and saw a fire show at the beach. It was wonderful and relaxed.

Koh Lanta, Thailand

After that quick stopover, I boarded another speedboat to Koh Lanta. My favourite island in Thailand. I’ve already been there before. The ride there from Koh Lipe, I would suggest to anyone. I also had to learn it and would never do it again. Taking small speed boats in Thailand is just dangerous. Sadly from Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta there’s no other connections. They’re driving like crazy and most probably drugged. On the 3 hours ride our engine was overheating around 10x until we run out of gasoline in front of the coast of our destination. Another boat had to deliver us gasoline so we could continue the journey. I think I was never happier to be on land again. As a side note, all the operators for this line had at least a boat sinking in the last couple of years. No wonder to me why.

I’m already familiar with the island, and when I arrived, it gave me a certain feeling of familiarity, like home. It’s strange. This time, I found a very nice accommodation up the hill overlooking the island. There’s a small resort run by a Swedish family. The buildings are built very well for Thai standards, and the interior style is very on point. Their facilities, especially the infinite swimming, are amazing. Sitting in the water to watch the sunset is perfect and relaxing.

I arrived, checked in, and went out directly to meet with Piotrek, my nomad friend, whom I had already met in Kuala Lumpur. We planned to stay on the island for a month and visit the famous co-working space there. We try to meet once a year somewhere on the planet, do some co-working and talk together.

Piotrek is a very experienced digital nomad like me. We have crossed paths in many different countries so far. He’s doing a podcast and writing and posting a lot of content about digital nomads. He asked me if I would record a podcast episode with him. I was up for this new experience since I’ve never been a podcast guest. It went very well and we had nice discussions.

Sometimes, the world is small. I have a Swiss friend who sometimes takes time off work and travels. She told me she’d be somewhere South of Bangkok around April to volunteer at a dog shelter. After asking for more details, we concluded that her workplace will be just a few hundred meters from my Airbnb, and our stay will overlap for around 2 weeks. How incredible. So, on her arrival, I had to show her around for a little while, and we went up to my favourite sunset view restaurant, which a Swiss guy owned. Two Swiss people are reuniting in Thailand. I love such coincidences, especially with like-minded travellers with whom great discussions are granted.

One weekend, there was this famous water festival in Thailand. It’s called Songkran and is beloved by locals, tourists, and especially kids (or all the adults who will become kids for that weekend). The celebration is for the Thai New Year and involves water battles on the street. Sounds funny, right? People stand with water guns by the street, and everyone who crosses by car or motorbike is a target. Nobody will stay dry. We had to attend this for sure with a group from the co-working. Piotrek bought a big water gun, so he was prepared for the fun on the street.

My favourite co-working space in the world is in Koh Lanta. It’s run by a British guy with his Thai girlfriend. They do an amazing job by setting the base for a great community and providing all the infrastructure needed to work productively. Multiple events occur in and outside the co-working during the week. The co-working space is only open during the high season, because the island gets very empty in the low season. We stayed until the season closed, and as a last dinner, we went out to a fancy resort to enjoy the previous night out with the friends from the co-working. We could also watch a beautiful sunset. A great end of this month in Koh Lanta.

May

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket, with an international airport, is just a 2-hour boat ride away. But before hopping on a flight, I’ll stay for a few more days in Phuket since I also know some people there and like the vibes there.

One weekend, a friend from Bangkok came to Phuket to visit me. We explored the island for a bit. We went hiking, visited Big Buda, went to an adventurous park, and had a nice meal. We did a hiking trail along the coast to a sunset spot, which isn’t reachable by bike. This means it’s less crowded compared to other very overcrowded places, which are easily accessible. I like places with fewer people, so I went there one evening and enjoyed it a lot.

I worked during the week and tried to leave sometimes in the evening with my scooter to visit some nearby places. Things are easily reachable in Phuket, especially with a scooter. I went to sunset spots or went out to work in a coffee shop with a nice view. Sometimes in the evening, I met locals to play pool, something almost everybody plays at bars.

Phuket was the last stop of my 4.5-month Asia adventure, skipping Europe’s grey and cold weather. From Phuket, I have a direct flight back home to Zurich operated by Edelweiss Air, Switzerland’s holiday airline. I took this change to reduce travel time and fly straight back to my home country without a stopover. The flight was very smooth and we got a lot of food on the way. It felt like we were eating almost the whole flight.

Bern, Switzerland

I was gone from the office for a long time. I started working at my current company in the summer of 2018 and began to travel immediately. First, I took shorter trips, then went overseas more and more. After 6 years of travelling, things are not that special anymore. I’m less excited about things, and I lose motivation. It’s up and down, and also reflects in work. So, for June, I decided to get an apartment in Switzerland and go to the office frequently to see my co-workers more and be a bit more of a part of the company than always being a satellite orbiting around the world.

I felt productive and had so much time just after arriving and checking into the apartment. Travelling is great, but it also uses much energy and time that could be used elsewhere. I felt that right away. I knew everything at my workplace and had to worry about nothing. That was the clear realisation. Switzerland is famous for being expensive, especially when you have to use hotels or Airbnb, like I always do. But I was lucky to find a payable apartment in Bern for a month. So I lived not too far from the office and went back and forth by bus. Like usual people do. I was back on a regular work schedule, commuting to work with workmates. For a month, that was my life during the work week.

Lausanne, Switzerland

A friend from Peru came to Switzerland to visit. I was still based in Bern and only had the weekend to explore, but that worked well. On the arrival weekend, we went to the Western part of Switzerland to Geneva and Lausanne. An area I like a lot is the lake and its scenery. We walked by the lake in Geneva and Lausanne. Since the Olympic committee has its headquarters in Lausanne, there’s also a museum there. We went there for a visit, and since the Olympics in Paris are coming up that year, it was fascinating. I’ve never been to it, so it’s also something new. I’ve been to many places within my home country, but there’s always more to explore. It’s great to show friends around my home country. We had to try a famous Swiss dish, Fondue, to end the weekend. It isn’t easy to find that dish on a restaurant’s menu since Swiss people normally do it at home with family and friends. But there was a special cheese restaurant in Bern, where we could taste a good and original one.

June

Igis, Switzerland

We visited my mountain hometown on the last weekend of my Peruvian friends’ visit. I also wanted to show her that part, and I had a dentist’s appointment since I’m finally in my home area. So we picked the new Electric car of my father and went for a drive into the mountains. My dentist is located in a small village up the mountain, the most unusual and beautiful place for a dental practice you can think of. After that, we continued to run the longest toboggan in Switzerland. On 3 kilometres, it’s possible to enjoy the ride down. First, it’s fun, and second, the view is amazing. You cross cows enjoy their green grass, so Swiss I recognised.

After that fun, we continued our loop by car and visited more places like Flims or the regional capital called Chur. To my surprise, there was just a street art festival going on. We stopped for food and then headed into the historical centre, packed with people. It didn’t take long until I spotted a couple of my friends on the road. They were surprised to see me since I’m always somewhere in the world, but never home. Sad actually for that part. They’re very up-to-date with my travels via social media. We watched some shows together until we headed with more friends we met on the way to a bar. There it was, like in the old days, much fun talking. We had to switch languages so my Peruvian friend could follow the conversation this time. It was so much fun. Also, some of my friends could speak Spanish, making everything smoother.

Before my friend had to return home, we went to the biggest city in Switzerland for the last evening. There again went for some Swiss dishes—this time for Cordon Bleu and Älplermagronen. Dishes I hadn’t had for a long time, and I was craving them. Then we continued to two bars since my friend likes to try different places. Early the next morning, we had to get up early to get to the airport, and this sums up 10 days for my Peruvian friend in Switzerland.

I returned to Bern from Zurich, where I continued working in the office. I met more friends after work and did the usual things as a normal guy working at a software studio in Switzerland.

On other weekends, I mostly travel back to my home region to spend time with my family. We visited some places and grabbed food together—quality family time. My grandmother usually joins as well.

Martingy, Switzerland

After staying in the office for a month, the yearly WordPress conference took place, which I usually attend. This time, it wasn’t far from Switzerland, but right on the southern border with Italy, in Turin. I said I’d never take a flight to this conference again, but since it was easily reachable by car, I did that. A friend of mine was training for a bike race in the French Alps and rented a small wooden cottage in the vineyards of Martingy. This was perfect, which I could combine with the conference. So I went there a couple of days earlier with my laptop and worked and enjoyed the company of my friend and also the unique place.

Turin, Italy (WordCamp Europe)

By the end of the week, we put everything in the car and drove over the mountain pass to Italy. After a 2.5-hour drive, we reached Turin, the conference location, where we booked a nice Airbnb close to the venue. From there, my friend continued to do training sessions on the bike while I attended the conference. It was a lot of fun, with many familiar faces, especially Swiss people who came because of the nearby location. As always, there was a big afterparty, which was also fun. I was hanging outside with some WordPress core developers from around the world and had some interesting insights.

Chur, Switzerland

I returned to my hometown again, as a village festival was taking place, which occurs approximately every five years. The last time I couldn’t attend, then it was postponed due to COVID. However, this time I was able to attend and saw some friends from school whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Next, I also went back to my freelance cameraman work. I love that I can combine this, and that my usual contractor is so flexible that I can tell them when I’m around, and they hire me. I love the work very much, and this is probably the most significant part I miss when I’m not home—this and family/friends. I drove by car into the capital where the final of the European Cup in American Football was happening. The local team is one of the best in Europe, and few people in the area know it. So they don’t even have a proper stadium and only a few hundred spectators. But we were able to record and livestream it for others at home.

The weather that day was great while we were preparing all the gear for the game, but later in the afternoon, the wind picked up, and a thunderstorm was happening. For us cameramen on the top of a high podium, it wasn’t really nice; it was very cold and shaky. But we did our best and kept smiling, although we were wet until our underwear and hence very cold.

Zurich, Switzerland

The following week, a WordPress meetup took place in Zurich. I applied for a talk, and they were happy to have me. I’m not used to giving presentations, and it was something I never really liked, but it’s about a topic I’m very comfortable with, and I know people can learn from it. It was exactly like that. People were very interested, many questions came up at the end, and I had some nice discussions after the talk as well.

To arrive in Switzerland, I took my parents’ camper van since I was about to start a bigger trip into the North. Outside the centre of Zurich, I could park the camper at the parking lot of one of my mother’s friends. She lived at Lake Zurich in a beautiful house with much space. In Switzerland, sleeping in the car on public grounds isn’t allowed, so I parked on private property and spent the night in the car. The next morning, my mother’s friend invited me over for breakfast on the balcony with a great view over the lake and interesting talks.

I saw many friends during my month in Switzerland, but I haven’t been able to meet my closest friend from my time in higher education yet. He lives in Zurich, and I texted him since I planned to come to the meetup. During the workweek, he came up with the idea to get me access to his office. We can do some co-working and enjoy the lunch break and time after work together. I liked the idea, so we were working from the Microsoft office in Zurich, had a nice pizza and afterwards met some more friends on a small hill with some nerd talks. Great times.

Munich, Germany

Very motivated, I started driving towards Munich the next day. It was a spontaneous decision since I slightly diverted my original plans. So I texted my friend living there if she had time to hang out spontaneously. She did. And so we enjoyed a sunny summer weekend in Munich with some Indonesian friends. We went to the river, the famous park in the centre, played tennis, and had nice food. A usual weekend when I visit my friend in Munich. Always relaxed, but active at the same time.

I planned to stay only for a night, but this turned into three. So much I enjoyed it. My goal is to reach Finland by camper. It’s a long way up. I took a week off for the upcoming week since I knew it would take a while to arrive, and I’m also not used to driving for long. So step by step. But it took me way longer than expected. I was calculating with 3 days, but it will take the full week. But that’s fine, “The journey is the reward”, as we say in German.

I was able to leave Munich in the early afternoon. I continued to drive in the direction of Poland. A couple of kilometres before Dresden, I stopped to rest for the night. The next morning, I had an appointment with a friend for breakfast, with whom I was working on a project. We had only collaborated online and never met in person, but we finally made it to meet in person.

July

Warsaw, Poland

Next off was Warsaw on my camper trip towards Finland. I wanted to arrive in the city before it got dark to look around while it was still bright. I arrived at dawn. The good part was that I could search for a spot to park in the centre while it wasn’t pitch black. Finding places in a safe and good location isn’t always easy, but in Warsaw, I was lucky.

My years of travelling and making friendships all over the world paid off on that trip. Everywhere I go, I know people. So it was in the capital of Poland as well. Years ago, I stayed a week there and met a Couchsurfer with whom I went out for a drink by the river. There was also the UEFA Euro 2024 going on, meaning live viewing everywhere. Portugal was playing, so we sat down at a bar and watched the end of the game.

Riga, Latvia

One quiet night in Warsaw and off early the next morning to arrive in the next capital by the evening. I also underestimated the distance, but it’s not close again. It is almost 700 kilometres from Warsaw to Riga, which means it takes around 7.5 hours to drive. I usually need a break after 3-4 hours of driving. Good that I have my bed with me, and I can leave the road and nap. The road in Poland was very decent, just after crossing the border to Lithuania, the highway stopped, and I had to continue on normal one-lane roads. This means I usually had to follow some trucks with a maximum speed of 90 km/h. After driving on German highways without a speed limit and averaging 160 km/h, it felt especially slow now.

Finally, I arrived in Riga at around 8 p.m. It’s good that the sun isn’t setting very early as I went further north, so I was still there before sunset. Another friend was waiting for me on the city’s outskirts, prepared with a picnic for dinner. We went sunset watching at a hilltop. It was very relaxed, a nice talk, and perfect to calm down from my long ride.

The next day, I wanted to take it easier. I calculated a break in Riga to go around. I decided to drive to a nearby beach for a walk and enjoy nature. There was a lovely forest before ending up at the beach. It’s not a beach to go sunbathing. We’re in the North, and the water is cold, and the weather is windy, as well as during summertime. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the walk and the piece. Then, I headed to a spot by a lake to fly my drone and take some nice aerial photographs. Later, I met a new friend from Couchsurfing for a drink and some interesting conversation. He could even speak German and was a doctor. Always nice to meet new and interesting locals.

Tallinn, Estland

My drive continued in the morning on still bad roads. The road network isn’t really expanded in Latvia, but it’s getting better, as I figured out in the discussion the evening before. Today’s destination is Tallinn, 300km North of a four-hour drive. That’s doable, and I’ll arrive in time to explore the city. People recommended the historical centre of the capital of Estonia. I walked there and had food—a cute and modern city centre. Estonia is famous for being very digital, and the government is pushing that forward.

The next morning, my ferry to Helsinki was leaving. Estonia is at the end. To the right, there’s Russia, and the only way to stay within the European Union was via ferry, which I took. Before departure, I went to buy some beers for friends in Finland and filled my car with gasoline. Things are about to get more expensive.

Helsinki, Finland

When I arrived in Helsinki, there was no time to waste. I headed directly to the place of my co-worker’s brother. I headed to Finland because my co-worker, who was generally in Colombia, spent a month in Helsinki visiting his brother. He’s also doing remote work like me, so it’d be fun to come up there and spend some time together.

Since I arrived on Saturday morning, we have planned a weekend camping trip. Finland has a beautiful landscape with many lakes. My co-worker, his brother, and another Italian friend living in Helsinki joined us, so we were a group of four. The “locals” knew some good spots and got us some tents for the night. The trip was amazing. We headed out in the middle of nowhere. First, we went to a parking spot by car, then an hour’s walk until we arrived at a lake with an island. On the island, there was a fireplace prepared. In Finland, many prepared picnic sites with a fireplace and wood are already there for the public to use. So we had barbecue and enjoyed the sunset. We also walked around for a bit, explored some nearby lakes, and found a rock with a nice view.

After that weekend trip, I got a hotel room for a few nights in Helsinki. I’ve been on the road for 1.5 weeks now, and I needed a hot shower and some comfort. There was still football going on, and Switzerland was performing very well. So we went to a public viewing to watch the game. But before, we had a delicious dinner at a traditional Finnish restaurant.

After my few nights in the hotel had ended, I left the city and moved a bit more to the East, toward Russia. It’s still on the South Coast of Finland. While driving on the highway, a sign suddenly appeared: “250km to St. Petersburg”. I was shocked at how close it already is and thought about going closer to the border. After some research, I saw it was closed because of the war and the issues between the European Union and Russia. I found another hidden place at a fisherman’s port to park my camper and work peacefully. Another day, I went to a proper campsite to do my laundry.

For the weekend, I returned to the city for another trip with the “boys” in nature. This time, we went hiking by the coast. We also barbecued and finished all the sausages and beers from last week.

I continued spending time with my coworker a bit longer before I moved further west to reach Sweden again. I had a 4.5-hour drive up North to Vaasa, where another ferry to Umeå was leaving. On the ferry, they streamed the football final, which was amazing and a swift trip for that reason.

Åre, Sweden

When I arrived in Sweden, I had little time to explore. I’ve been to Umeå before during the winter. My holiday ended when I came to Finland a week ago, so I had to work again. But I also needed to get to Oslo in time because a friend of mine was arriving there by plane. My only place I wanted to visit on my trip to Oslo was Åre. It’s a Swedish skiing resort I heard a lot about, but never managed to go because it’s quite remote. But now with the camper, I can reach it. The way there was beautiful. So I kept moving step by step. I drive for a couple of hours in the morning, find a nice spot to work, and have another driving session in the evening. That schedule isn’t sustainable for sure if I were to work like that always, because it’s very exhausting. But for a couple of days, it’s doable.

I saw many beautiful places on the way. The area outside of the cities in Sweden is very rural and untouched. Not many people live out there. So it was perfect to be in the camper van. I always had a place to sleep, a kitchen, a fridge, running water, and electricity—everything I needed. So, despite the distance I had to drive, I was still relaxed, very with myself, and focused. To Åre it was 500km and 6 hours driving. I found some very nice lakes and countryside houses, those are just the dream. So untouched and very modern. One evening, I parked next to one of such houses on a lake. There was a bench for me to work and a decent internet connection. That was perfect. It was my workplace for almost a full day.

I arrived in Åre in the evening. It was a rainy, grey, and cold day, so I got another hotel room for a night to warm up and shower. Sometimes, you need those recharging points. As comfortable as I feel in the camper, certain standards are not met. For example, I can’t really shower, the toilets are an issue, and the laundry has to be done at some point. Power isn’t an issue since I’m driving quite a bit. My battery always gets charged while driving, and from that, I can power my laptop and the phone, which provides me with mobile data.

Trondheim, Norway

In Åre, I decided not to drive South in Sweden until Oslo but instead to go to Norway directly and visit Trondheim. It was just a little more than a 2-hour drive through the mountains and beautiful landscape again. In Trondheim, I parked my camper and headed into the city centre, where I met a Portuguese guy I know from Couchsurfing. There, we grabbed a pizza and had fascinating talks. Afterwards, we had a walk around the seaside and the centre. I liked Trondheim a lot. It was very unexpected, and I was happy to have diverted again from my original route.

The next day was a sunny weekend—perfect for the beach. What a scene on such days. There are some artificial sand beaches, and Nordic people go there on such days to swim and tan. The water is so cold, but they’re different kinds of humans—I’m the opposite. The water has to be 28° at least. So I also took a rest day in Trondheim and explored a bit more of the city in the afternoon after the beach.

Oslo, Norway

The next day, I headed South to Oslo, two days before picking up my friend at the airport. So I made it in time. A Bulgarian friend I talked to for quite a while texted me a few days ago that he’s in Oslo working at a farmer’s and that I should come there. I was initially sceptical since I didn’t know the details. He said it’s not an issue; there’s enough space for my camper to park, and good internet, and the owner agreed that I could come. It was great. He was working on a big farm with much space so that I would park the camper somewhere, plug it into power, and have good WiFi coverage from the guest house, where I could do laundry and shower. We even had a kitchen where my friend was cooking food for me. I felt a little spoiled. It was so unexpected and great. On my arrival, there was already a nice barbecue waiting in the big garden of the farm. What a welcome, and I’m happy to see my Bulgarian travel friend.

I worked for two days from the farm and lived in an extraordinary place with extraordinary people at the “Harry Potter Farm”, as we call it jokingly. Then my friend arrived by plane from Spain. I went to the airport to welcome her to Norway, and another holiday started for me. A week-long road trip through Norway—that sounds exciting. We did not have many plans; we just had a fixed plan to be back home in Switzerland.

Norway Roadtrip

We made our way North quickly towards the coast. We passed some smaller and bigger waterfalls, one of which was Pollfoss. After that, we stopped at a small lake called Djupvatnet in the mountains with a very nice view. We spend the night there before driving to a very famous tourist spot. We made sure to be close by and leave early to get around the tourists, and the plan worked. We reached the fjord of Geiranger before 10 am. There were already some people there, but it wasn’t crazy crowded.

After that, we drove through the mountains. We took everything very relaxed and arrived at a campsite next to the Jostedalsbreen National Park. Our goal was to hike up the one glacier tongue called “Briksdalsbreen,” part of the biggest glacier on Europe’s mainland. We hiked up for around an hour to reach the lake in front of the glacier. The view was very nice. I took out my drone and took some shots.

We spent a night at the campsite and continued our drive South to Bergen, a city on the coast. There, we had another rest day in a hotel. Bergen is surrounded by mountains and the sea. There’s one peak called “Stoltzekleiven”, which locals love to climb as a workout. There are almost 1000 steps to the top, but you will be rewarded with a nice view over the bay. My friend was struggling and wanted to quit a couple of times. Nice, she pushed and made it to the top to receive the reward.

Next, we continued South, using a couple of ferries. Norway is tricky to navigate, especially close to the coast, because of its sea tongues, called Fjords, which sometimes reach deep inside the country. For that reason, Norway had to build big bridges or tunnels. In places where such crazy constructions do not exist, ferries are very well integrated into the road network. They run regularly and it’s very easy to get on them. We searched for a nice place next to a fjord to spend the night and have a nice view in the morning. First, we planned to hike up to Preikestolen, but when we figured out how far it was to walk and how busy it was, we decided to skip it and pass by the road below it.

After Bergen, we started to increase our daily driving. It was already the 28th of July, and we had to reach Switzerland by the 1st of August. So, we made sure to get to the South of Norway by the next day. From there, we took the big ferry over to Hirtshals, Denmark. On the West coast of Denmark and Germany, the Wadden Sea is a nature reserve with a big tidal range. This means that the sea level at low tide differs greatly from that at high tide. For example, an island in Denmark called Mandø can be reached by car during certain times of the day, but the road disappears into the water during other times. We went exactly there and crossed over to the island for a quick visit to the windmill and said hi to a cute sheep.

Hamburg, Germany

Next, we stopped in Hamburg, the famous port city in the North of Germany. A good friend from Colombia lives there with her boyfriend. We were lucky she had no work that day and was free to meet. So she could tour us around. It was also nice for my friend to meet another Spanish-speaking girl. The weather was very nice, so we made the most of it. I walked around the city, went to the park, tried local food (currywurst), and had bubble tea.

The last night in the camper was coming up. After a non-alcoholic drink at the famous Reeperbahn, the party district of Hamburg, we slept in a large parking lot used by many motorhomes, located right by the big river, making it very central. The next day, we left early to drive all the way through Germany. We had to reach my hometown by evening to arrive before August 1st. We had 900 km (9 hours of driving) ahead of us. We made it and arrived at my parents’ home in the late evening.

August

Igis, Switzerland

The 1st of August is the National Day of Switzerland. We usually go to a farmer’s for brunch, and that’s what my mother planned for us. That was the fixed deadline we had to be back for. It was worth it. The brunch was very delicious, deep inside a valley, where my official hometown on paper is. Very few people live there, and it remains a very traditional area. We had a tour in one of the old houses and were explained what kind of handicrafts/activities people did back in the day.

After the brunch, we continued to explore a bit. There was much to see. We walked to the Swiss Grand Canyon, a viewpoint accessible on foot from the renowned ski village of Flims. A platform offers an even more stunning view at the canyon’s edge.

In the evening, we had a barbecue at home and watched some fireworks, especially the so-called “high fires” up the mountains, a tradition in Switzerland on the 1st of August. People bring wood to the top of mountains and start a fire when it darkens. Seeing all the light at different peaks from down the valley is interesting.

We did two more things before bringing my friend to the Zurich airport. First, we went over the nearby tiny country called “Liechtenstein”. My friend wanted to be in two countries simultaneously by sitting on the border marker. So we did that. There’s no border control or anything, just a marker on the floor that indicates the change of countries. Next, we were invited by my friend’s aunt for dinner. They lived close to the airport, so we could combine that perfectly. We had nice talks and a nice dinner. They also showed us the area a little. Then it was time to say goodbye to my friend and deliver her to the airport in Zurich.

Brigels, Switzerland

Almost every year, I stay for a month in the mountain village called Brigels to do my duty as part of the Swiss Army. This year will be my last time, and I only have to serve my remaining days, which are only 2 weeks. After coming to the farm to work for many years, it was sad to go there for the last time. The work is always hard, but fulfilling, and the family is very friendly. So I enjoyed it. On the other hand, I was also happy to be done with it and have no more duties.

I attended motorbike driving lessons during the weekends—four hours in the morning on three Saturdays. I had to do this to get the official driving licence for smaller motorbikes (A1). No more police asking me for money when they check tourists in Thailand or Indonesia. It wasn’t very pleasant, and I finally wanted to have it officially done on paper, also for the insurance in case something happens, it’s a must. So I’m happy I could squeeze in those courses while I was back in Switzerland. The course was very interesting, I learned many new things and could practice certain scenarios. Also, a good part is that the road traffic office is speedy and delivered me the updated and international driving licence within three working days. Because 5 days after my last driving course, I was already heading off to Indonesia.

September

Lombok, Indonesia

It’s been exactly 10 years since our last complete family holiday. During Christmas, I proposed to redo it again and go together to Indonesia since it’s my all-time favourite and I can guide them. Everyone was excited about that idea, so I started planning a great family holiday this year. If I can do something after 6 years of travelling, it’s booking things and planning trips. I arranged an itinerary and hotel/apartment bookings for the full family and prepared everything. It was a mix of relaxed and adventurous holidays—the type of holiday I like, and also my parents. My brother is more relaxed, but after he found excitement in surfing during his last holiday, he was also happy to be able to do that.

We flew via Singapore to Lombok, Indonesia. When we arrived, my father hadn’t received his luggage. It was already a great start, but there was nothing that couldn’t be solved (he got everything three days later).

I have already spent over a month in Lombok and feel very comfortable with the island. My brother and I went from the airport to the main city to rent two scooters. We needed those to be able to explore during the day easily. I was also interested in my brother’s reaction to Indonesian traffic. To my surprise, he was pretty cool with that and had no fear of driving the bike. He’s a better motorbike driver than I am. After renting the bikes we went South to the touristy hotspot called Kuta, where our parents were already waiting with a welcome drink in front of our accommodation. We had a nap since we had a night flight behind us, which is normally not that restful and also a 6-hour time difference.

Then, before sunset, we headed to a nearby viewpoint on the coast. Our scooters were perfect for reaching those locations. Two people on each motorbike, and off we go. A local friend from Lombok also joined us for sunset and dinner afterwards. I love Indonesian food, so we wanted something local, which we did. To my brother’s surprise, it was very cheap after we got the bill – welcome to Asia. We spend around 30$ for a dinner of 5 people in a touristy area.

The day after, we headed to a more luxurious resort with a beautiful beach. There, we spent a couple of nights resting and enjoying the peace. We spent our time at the beach, by the pool, and enjoying great local food. That’s how holidays should look, at least for the relaxing part.

Gili Islands, Indonesia

After exploring the Southern part of Lombok with its beautiful beaches, we went northwest to the famous Gili Islands, where we spent another two nights. Once more, we chilled and snorkelled with turtles. The islands are car/motorbike-free, so the vibe is very different. Everyone goes by horse taxi, on foot or by bicycle. This gives the island a very relaxing and calm atmosphere. I got a bit sick and was happy to have a few relaxed days in the resort. We got two nice bungalows with a private pool to enjoy.

Sembalun, Indonesia

Now, the adventure part of our holiday is coming. After some restful days by the beach, we head into the mountains. Our guide picked us up at the port. Then we drove up to the mountain village called Sembalun, which is around 1000 meters above sea level. We then went to see a viewpoint, conducted a quick health check, and checked into our accommodation.

The next day, we began hiking Mount Rinjani, the second-highest volcano in Indonesia, at 3’726 meters above sea level. It isn’t an easy hike, but it is stunning. The day’s goal was to reach the base camp, where we had tents. We walked for around 7 hours to get it, and I felt unwell. I still have not fully recovered after my sick days. The others were also quite tired and happy for a rest on the campsite. The weather wasn’t good at first, the clouds covered the view, but just before sunset, the clouds went away and we had a beautiful view over the crater. Our guides prepared dinner for us, and we could enjoy it with that amazing view.

We went to bed quickly since we had to get up very early the next morning to reach the summit for sunrise. I wasn’t sure if I could go because of my well-being, but I set the alarm anyway. In the morning, I felt better and tried. The path was difficult. No fixed surfaces, mostly a lot of shingle, which means two steps up and 1 step back down. Psychologically, it’s not really supportive, and it takes endless effort. We walked for around 3 hours like that. A cold wind and in the dark above 3000 meters. At some point, I had to stop. I didn’t feel good or focused, so it got dangerous. I stayed just below the last steep increase before the summit. My brother and father continued for one more hour until they reached the peak. My mother stayed back at the base camp.

Luckily, the view was nice everywhere. The higher, the better for sure, but the morning atmosphere was nice everywhere. After some resting, warming up and enjoying the view, I returned slowly to the base camp. I enjoyed the walk downhill, making many stops to enjoy the view and taking pictures. The path down felt like walking on clouds with these stones, very soft and sometimes sliding down for fun. Compared to walking up, going down was fun and fast. Just before I reached the first tent of the base camp, my brother and father had already approached me from behind. They were exhausted and happy to rest at the base camp and get breakfast.

From the base camp down to the village, we were way faster. We did it in around 3 hours, but walked pretty fast. Up in 7 hours, down in 3. The full hike takes approximately 10 hours up and 5 hours down. Quite some time walking for all of us. No wonder we were exhausted. Even our guide was pretty quiet on the way down.

Bali, Indonesia

After the exhausting hike up to Rinjani, we needed some rest again. I booked one night at a nice resort with great food options before we boarded the speedboat to Bali. In Bali, we went right into the busy area called Canggu. There, I found a big villa on two floors with a private pool, which we enjoyed, especially the bed. Instead of going out to a bar, we brought beer to the accommodation, and everybody went to bed at 8 or 9 p.m.

The following day, we got a card delivered to our place. We’re going on a road trip to Bali’s northern and less crowded parts. I knew about some hidden gems I wanted to introduce to my family. But before we left, we went to one of those famous breakfast places around Canggu and enjoyed a healthy breakfast. Then we drove North and visited a temple and a waterfall.

In the evening, I booked a cottage in a place I stayed before on a motorbike road trip with my Swiss friend. When we stayed there last time, I noted that place to recommend to my parents if they’re ever in Bali, and here we are now—back with the full family. It’s a small resort with a local-style cottage in the middle of some rice fields. It’s a very nice style and so much in nature. In the evening and morning, you hear the frogs quack.

Next, we visited my favourite rice field in Bali: the Jatiluwih rice field. They’re big and less overcrowded than the Tegalalang rice fields, which I don’t like. After walking around some paths in the fields, we continued in our car to Ubud. There we again had a huge villa. The good part is that if you travel with a couple of people, you can get way bigger places for a very reasonable price per person. I was very unfamiliar with this since I usually travel alone or at most with one other person. Now we could opt for the private villa almost always, which was even cheaper than getting 2-3 single rooms. The villa again had a private pool, which we used quite often. It was next to the rice fields in the Northern Ubud. But also very close to the main road. So we went for a nice dinner place for the evening and continued to a bar afterwards.

It was already my father’s last day, since he had to leave earlier. My brother and mother could have 3 weeks of holiday instead of just 2. So we had to send my father back alone. The next day, we headed back South to Sanur. There we had a hotel for one night. After checking in, we walked by the beach and headed to the airport. We also returned the car to the airport and headed for a fancy dinner in Sanur. This time, just the three of us. My mother, brother and I who continued another week in Indonesia.

Lombok, Indonesia

For the last week in Indonesia, we had a chill schedule again. Luckily, I had to be back at work as my father, but I could work remotely. My brother and mother could still enjoy and relax. We rented an apartment in Kuta, Lombok, so we returned from Bali to Lombok again for a week. I went to a co-working during the day, my brother surfing, and my mother reading a book at the beach. Sometimes I came over to the beach restaurant for lunch break and joined them for food or had a coconut. Good times in paradise. So happy I can work remotely.

Singapore

The family vacation came to an end. The return flight from Lombok was via Singapore. Until there, I followed my mother and brother. They continued to Zurich (Switzerland), and I stayed a few days in Singapore to work. They had a 9-hour layover. That’s enough to have a walk around downtown and explore a bit. It was already my 3rd time in the city, so I was the personal tourist guide once more. But before we started the trip into the city, we had a look at the gigantic waterfall at the Changi Airport in Singapore.

We headed by metro into Chinatown, where I quickly checked into my accommodation and left my luggage. From there, we strolled to the Bay through the Raffles area with all the skyscrapers. Arriving at the sea, we visited the famous Merlion (lion monument) and had a drink by the waterfront. Afterwards, we walked around the Bay and ate dinner at the Marina Bay Sands Shopping Mall. I got the craziest milkshake I’ve ever ordered. That would have been enough for dinner already, but another dish was waiting. After some nice food, we wandered around the mall for a bit. Got lost in the Apple shop and waited until it got dark. Just in front of the mall, a water and light show is happening after dawn, which we watched. It’s impressive. The second nicest water show after Dubai I’ve seen so far. Next and last stop before my family returned to the airport again was the Gardens by the Bay (flower construct) from below the famous hotel that looks like a ship.

My family left for the airport to catch the flight back to Switzerland, and I went to my hotel to do some work. The next day I went into the wework co-working. Having a familiar workspace in almost every bigger city I go to is amazing. I can tap my card against the gate, and it opens. I have a worldwide membership at wework and can drop into every space they operate. In Singapore, they operate approximately 10 different spaces, all in the financial centre next to the bay. I’ve been to some space there before, but I wanted to check out one with the best view over the bay, and yes, it was. Direct view down to the bay and opposite the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which is approximately the same height on floor 28 where the wework cafeteria was located. So I had a productive day with that view from there.

I stayed and worked in Singapore for a couple of days. I have a couple of friends living in Singapore, and I met them for dinner in the evening. It’s always great to meet travel friends and chat after such a long time. One Malaysian/Chinese friend showed me a temple while we explored a new area for me. There was Chinese New Year, and especially Chinatown had many decorations and lights.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The next weekend, it was travel time for me again. Singapore is too expensive to stay in for longer than a few days. So I hopped onto a bus and drove to Kuala Lumpur, a 6-hour-long ride. After crossing the border to Malaysia, I fell asleep and had a pretty deep nap, and I woke up when the bus had already entered Kuala Lumpur. This ride was the smoothest long-haul bus ride in my travel history. The seats were very comfortable and wide. I booked an executive class bus, because they were pretty cheap anyway.

After I spent 2.5 months at the beginning of the year in Kuala Lumpur, I’m back. I like the city and feel very comfortable. I booked an apartment for a month in the same building where I stayed last time. The facility was great, the distance to the co-working was perfect, and restaurants and coffee shops were plenty around. So I got into productive work mode directly. Everything was familiar. Work, accommodation, the surroundings and even some friends living there full or part-time. My digital nomad friend, Piotrek, whom I stayed with in Thailand, chose Kuala Lumpur as his base for a while now and was still sticking around. So I was happy to hang out with him again and do some fun stuff like going to the escape room and failing to escape in time.

Since Kuala Lumpur is an essential hub in Southeast Asia, and Air Asia has its official hub, flights to and from Kuala Lumpur are cheap and frequent. Therefore, some of my Indonesian friends visited for a couple of days. I’m always happy to host people and explore with them, even if it’s not my home city. The street food market Jalan Alor is always on the list, or one of the rooftop bars. Kuala Lumpur has a crazy skyline with many tall buildings. The KLCC area, with the Petronas Twin Tower in it, was the highest building in the world for a long time and is not even the highest building in Kuala Lumpur anymore. Apartments in the centre reach up to the 60th floor.

October

Malakka, Malaysia

One good friend from Indonesia, travelling around neighbouring countries, also crossed to Malaysia. We met in Malakka for a weekend trip to explore. The name is familiar to the Strait of Malacca, a critical route for worldwide trade by sea. The city has a lot of history and lies in the South of Malaysia, between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Just after I arrived by bus, an Uber picked me up and dropped me off at the centre. The driver was super friendly and also a tourist guide. So, since we had some time to talk while stuck in traffic, he explained many things about the city, which is one of the most interesting Uber rides so far. I also love that almost everyone in Malaysia speaks English, especially in the cities. This makes travelling so much more effortless.

When I arrived at the mall in Malakka, I met up with my friend from Indonesia. Together, we headed to our accommodation. We found a lovely apartment with a private jacuzzi and an impressive city view. Perfect for a weekend trip to discover and enjoy. Sadly, the weather wasn’t really with us, and it was overall pretty rainy. Nevertheless, we packed our rain jackets and umbrellas and went exploring the next day. We walked through the old town, watched old buildings and fortresses built by the Portuguese, walked along the river, and got coffee/Thai tea. In the afternoon, the weather improved, and we could walk without getting wet. For the sunset, we went to the “floating mosque,” a mosque built on pillars in the ocean. It was quite an interesting view.

Da Nang, Vietnam

My upcoming trip was to Vietnam. It’s my second time there. Last time, I failed to apply for my online VISA properly, so I was cautious this time not to put in any wrong data. As I figured out, their interface is just complete crap and led to my 200$ mistake last time. This brings me to the topic that it’s horrible to see how many official websites are just built with bad practices and are completely inaccessible. I visited the South and North during my last visit to Vietnam, but had to skip the centre because I didn’t have enough time. On this trip, I just wanted to explore the centre.

When I arrived at the Da Nang airport, I checked into a hotel with a very nice rooftop. Vietnam is ridiculously cheap, and this after coming from Kuala Lumpur, which is already quite affordable. After I got the most basic thing to navigate and get around, a local SIM card for mobile data, I had some food and rested. The next day was time to explore.

There are a couple of things to do in and around Da Nang. The city is just on the coast, so there’s quite a long beach for people who like chilling at the beach. There are also a couple of temples. One I was interested in visiting is located at the “Marble Mountains”. It’s quite touristy. Lazy tourists can go up the mountain in an elevator. I always use this opportunity as a workout to climb the stairs, and plenty are up there. On the side of the hill without the elevator, it’s way quieter and there are some hidden caves. Quite a workout to some, but worth it for the view. There are also a couple of temples inside caves. One cave has a hole at the top, and the sun is shining inside, projecting a mark of the hole on the ground. The sun rays are evident in this dark environment. Pretty nice and impressive to see actually.

Another day, an even more famous location was on the list. Ba Na Hills is most famous for its bridge, which is carried by a hand. You’ve probably seen it somewhere on social media. But the full area was impressive. Multiple small cable cars go up the hill. There’s a huge theme park with attractions, playgrounds, restaurants, and hotels. It’s huge, and the famous bridge is just a small part. Each section replicates a certain country, while most of it is France. It looks like a huge film set, but with real buildings. Churches, castles, city buildings, everything. It even looks better (more maintained) than real France. Now it’s also completely clear why Asians dream of France. I preferred walking through the “Fake Paris” on Ba Na Hills to real Paris. A perfect trip and exceeded my expectations. The scale, money and details of this crazy project blew my mind.

Hoi An, Vietnam

The extended weekend ended, and so did the time to explore Da Nang. I rented a motorbike in the city and headed South to Hoi An with all my luggage. The town is another very touristy place with a unique old town.

In Hoi An, there’s a very famous Co-Working Space. I decided to settle there for a month and work from there. As usual, great people and a fantastic community are always present at such top co-working spaces. Numerous activities took place, but there was also plenty of time for focused work. It’s a perfect mix.

I got a lovely room with a view of the rice fields. The place was conveniently located near the co-working space, and the host was very supportive and friendly. The full family was living there, and they had two extra rooms with a bathroom for guests. In the morning, I could order breakfast in the shared kitchen, and sometimes the little daughter came out to talk to me about her Pokémon collection or whatever she had just learned at school. Her English was surprisingly good, although both parents were Vietnamese.

Before I arrived in Vietnam, I hadn’t checked the type of season, and I figured out pretty fast that the rainy season was going on. Luckily, this usually doesn’t mean all-day rain. But this time, it was more than what I’m used to, although still manageable. The raincoat was a fixed accessory on the motorbike. Some morning, the entrance where my motorbike was parked was completely flooded with maybe 10cm of water. Then, I took a quick scooter ride to the co-working area, where I spent the full day. For lunch, they had a kitchen where we got served “family lunch”. I love this, since I don’t have to worry about where to eat or order anything from outside. I can show up in the community area at 1 pm, get my food and talk to the other members – pretty easy and convenient.

Sometimes in the evening, we went out to grab dinner in the old town, a 10-minute drive from the co-working space. The location was perfect. Out in the green, just next to the rice fields in the peace, the city has a very nice vibe, coffee, and restaurants and is very easily reachable. Also in the town, there’s a Pickleball court, where we sometimes rent a court or two to play. It got very popular, and our group grew and grew. A great time to do some activities since I prefer team sports, rather than going to a gym alone.

During my stay, I met two friends from my previous travels. Via their Instagram stories, I realised they were travelling in Vietnam and passing by Hoi An. We had to meet, talk, and grab some food/drinks together. Those situations are always amazing when meeting friends in a different country randomly or with the help of social media.

After a while in Hoi An, I got into a good habit. I enjoyed the regularity, the members of the co-working space, and the location. Everything was very easy and reachable in this small community. A weather warning was upcoming. A typhoon is approaching from the Pacific, hitting right at Da Nang a couple of kilometres North. On the street they used those “propaganda speakers” to inform the locals about the situation and that they should make sure nothing can fly away and secure their houses. Also at the co-working they started to cover the graden with big nets and secure the roof. For us it was an interesting feeling. That’s the first being in such an environment. Much rain was falling, and we didn’t know what was coming next.

Just a couple of hours before the storm was about to hit the coast, things were very quite. Not much wind, very few people out, very child vibes. I was with a local friend at the river in a bar to grab a drink. The river had already a very high level because of the rainfall the days before. It was just about to swap over to the street. But the locals are prepared for such situations; even the electricity (power plugs) in places in danger of flooding are installed on a high level, not on the ground. Then I went home to sleep. They said in the morning the storm arrives, flights from the international airport got cancelled a couple of days before for that day, tourists where leaving North or South by train/bus and I was waiting to experience my first typhoon. The wind started to pickup during the night, I slept well and when I got up in the morning the rain was just about to stop. The family I stayed with was cleaning the leaves out in the garden. The storm was already over, it arrived quicker then expected and I missed it while sleeping.

I went out for a scooter ride in the rice fields and the old town. The water level within the rice fields was very high. It was more like a lake by now, but the streets were still able to pass dry. In the city, a couple of trees didn’t make it. The fell, and locals were cleaning the trees and leaves. It looked like another typical day after a storm. The next day, the city looked normal again. The community manager told me that during long periods of rain, locals use small boats instead of motorbikes to go around the streets because they’re so flooded.

During one of my last weekends in Vietnam, I was ready to do something touristy again and went on a bike trip through the countryside with a local friend. We arrived at the “My Son Sanctuary”, a big Hindu temple facility from one thousand years ago. They were built with red stones and were partially destroyed during the war. On the way back we grabbed some local food by the street on small chairs. Vietnames people get a lot of soup with meat inside. I was happy to be with a local and get food exactly as locals do, that’s almost my favourite part of travelling. Follow the local habits and traditions and learn about it.

November

Bangkok, Thailand

After a month in Vietnam, I flew to the North of Thailand. The connection was via Bangkok, the country’s biggest and most important airport. Instead of switching aeroplanes, I went into the city and met a friend. I spent a full weekend in Bangkok before continuing my journey to the North on Sunday.

I went to one of those famous Thai night markets with my friend. It was just next to one of the famous temples in the city (Wat Saket). There are so many, actually. The next day, we headed to a newly opened shopping mall (Bangkok One) to grab food. I was impressed by the size and the leisure areas they added, which had a lot of green space. We kept going around and passed by skyscrapper building with a famous observation deck made with glass. We just watch it from down since it was so touristy and expensive. I’m usually not in the mood for such tourist scams. So we continued to the big river of the city with a nice skyline. There we grabbed dinner and later went to a bar were I met a co-worker from Switzerland which stays a couple of months per year in Thailand. He was just for a couple of days around the capital and I was very happy that our schedule matched so perfectly and we managed to meet for a drink on a rooftop bar by the river.

The next day my friend and me grabbed Sushi in a mall. They had those conveyor belts with dishes in the middle of the restaurat attached to all the tables. So you could just pick a plate and grab it. Some special dishes could be ordered via the tablet and arrive via the belt as well. This concept I’ve never experience so far, althought I’ve seen about it a couple of times online.

After that it was already time to pack my things and head to the airport. I had a evening flight, so I had plenty of time during the day. So I decided to reach the airport the “local way” and grab a public bus. Travelling with my big backpack isn’t always so convenient, but I was up for that experience this time. I found a stop with a direct connection to the airport closeby my accomodation, so this was perfect. I even found the bus stop on the road telling me the correct number of the line. But the scheduled times seem off. Nevertheless I just waited there. Busses were passing and after maybe 20 minutes a bus with my number arrived. I hopped in, paid and was assured it’s going to the right destination. The bus got packed at some point while passing trought the downtown. At the end of my ride, the lady working in the bus notified me to leave here (typical Thai politeness, which I love). So I made it to the airport in time, with the local experience und for basically no money (I think for 1$).

Chiang Mai, Thailand

I arrived in Chiang Mai late in the evening. The airport is very central to the city, so I ordered a Grab, which brought me to my new home for the next 3 weeks. Chiang Mai is one of the digital nomad hotspots in Thailand. It was on my list for a long time, but I never made it because the timing was wrong. Since Chiang Mai lies in a valley they have a so-called “burning season”. That’s when farmers burn their fields and the wind brings the smoke down the valley into the city. Since there’s no rain, it will stay in the air and it’s very unhealthy for people and not a good visibility. That’s when I didn’t want to be in the city, usually at the beginning of the year until the first proper rainfall this situation in present. Since I arrived in November this time, that’s a great time to be in the city.

There was also just a very famous festival for whom many people arrived to see it. It’s called the “Lantern Festival” and people let balloons fly, lighten small wooden ships, and let them float down the river and combine with fireworks. It’s a special moment to be in the city and experience it. I didn’t know about that when I booked and was stranded once again in a new country with some local traditions going on without me even planning it. That happens quite often to me.

Chiang Mai is renowned for its large, golden temples. They’re impressive, indeed. There are just so many that, after seeing a couple of them, they’re no longer that exciting. The density is just insane. I passed by some while walking through the city, and one evening, I went up the hill to visit one with a great view down to the city.

I also met a friend from the Philippines who was backpacking around Europe and then finally headed to Southeast Asia. It was nice to get updated on the travel experience and chat while enjoying some lovely local food. Another day, I met a Swiss friend in the city whom I had served with in the army. We also went out for food and drinks.

During the workweek, I usually head to a co-working space. Since the city is packed with digital nomads, a handful of co-working and co-living spaces exist. Some are impersonal and expensive, so I tried to avoid them. Another new one was recommended to me, and I wanted to check it out. It’s called RealSpace and is run by a very friendly British guy. He just started and was about to build a community of nomads to hangout after work, play games and do activities in the space, while providing a productive place to work during the day. He had very good workspaces, some equipped with VR headsets, which I wanted to try since I never had the opportunity. He mainly used them for gaming sessions in the evening with the community, but I was more interested in using them during work and expanding my screen differently. It was an interesting experience with a still cutting edge technology which I think can have a future, especially for nomads who don’t have a fixed workplace and not space to bring big screen.

Pai, Thailand

A place which keeps popping up when I talk with people about Chiang Mai is Pai. It’s a town in the mountains and should be very nice. I wanted to check it out and did a weekend trip by scooter with a Filipino friend of mine, who’s working in Chiang Mai. It was a spontaneously searching for somebody to join me on the trip. Because memories are always better done when sharing experiences than when doing it alone, this was also true for this trip.

It’s about 4 hours away from Chiang Mai to Pai. So we started in the morning, spent a night in Pai and returned the other day in the evening. But step by step. We got minimal luggage for one night out. We just had a small scooter and didn’t want to pack much. So a small backpack for each person for the necessary things. We drove North, first on the highway until it went into more hilly and curvy roads. We stopped to see the “Mok Fa Waterfall” and had some food there at a local shop. It was good also to rest a bit from driving. Then we continued up the mountain, had some nice views down the valley.

We arrived at the accommodation a little outside Pai quite early, around 3 p.m., so we had some time to rest. The accommodation was really lovely, in the forest with a view. The bungalows were super cute and stylish. Later, we went to a canyon to see the sunset from there. Just at the entrance closeby the road there were many people. Since I don’t like crowded places, we continued to some other locations around the cliffs. The path got quite tricky, even me as a Swiss mountain goat, had some difficulties, so also my friends. But we both managed and left a lot of people behind us. Finally a less crowded place to enjoy the sunset. We enjoyed, but needed to return the tricky part before it got dark.

After the canyon, we headed to town and ate Thai food at a restaurant. Pineapple fried rice, cashew fried rice, and juice—that’s heaven for me. I like Thai food so much. Afterwards, we had some walks around the centre. There are very nice vibes and many restaurants and bars. That evening, a race was also going on, and people were arriving at the finish line.

The next day it was already time to leave. Before we left the village we went up to a viewpoint where we could see over the valley and the fields. Then we went again to the town to grab a juice and cake with a Swiss friend who was also just in Pai for a couple of days. Then we headed off over the mountains and the curvy roads toward Chiang Mai again. I like driving such roads with motorbikes or cars, but you must be very careful in Thailand. So many people are driving above their skills and hence very dangerous. It’s not rare to see accidents; you’re always the weakest as a motorbike.

When the mountain road merged into the bigger highway, we stopped at a outstanding cafe location. A real aeroplane converted into a cafe. It was a perfect time to rest for a bit of the long drive. We got our “ticket” (order) and entered the aeroplane to enjoy a bubble tea. The sun was just about to set, and we enjoyed the view and the atmosphere. After a while we continued the last stretch and arrived for dinner time in the city. There my friend and me went into a restaurant by the river and live music. A perfect ending of a great weekend roadtrip.

December

Koh Samui, Thailand

Next up, down South to the islands. I was checking for some good flight connections that are not running via Bangkok, and I could find one going from Chiang Mai straight to Koh Samui. Usually, they’re costly, but mine was comparable to the other flights with a stopover, so I was happy to have a straight flight down to the island. Koh Samui has a tiny and sweet airport. It is very tropical-looking and more like a resort than an airport.

I never really spent time in Koh Samui and never explored the island, but I didn’t feel like staying there for the week to work. So I planned to spend the whole weekend on the island and dedicate it to exploring the island unplanned and backpack style. On arrival, I checked into a hostel to have the holiday vibe. Downstairs they had a small co-working place which I used in the evening to work a little for my personal projects. The next day I went to a rental place to rent a motorbike for a day to be able to independently explore. I circle navigated the island and stopped at different place like a viewpoint, a temple, a rocky beach and ended up at the party area in the North to grab dinner. A successful day where I could explore the island. It’s not huge.

The next day, I could sleep long and grab a nice breakfast at a nearby cafe. Then I returned the scooter and headed to the port. I booked a fast ferry to the next island, Koh Phangan, where I’ll spend the next few weeks.

Koh Phangan, Thailand

It’s my second time in Koh Phangan, and I love the island and its relaxing vibe. The first thing I usually do when arriving at the port, I go to my scooter rental of choice close by and rent one for a couple of weeks. First things first to be flexible to move everywhere. With my backpack, it’s easy to move around. While waiting for the check-in time I went to a coffee to grab something and I already got the message that the Airbnb is ready. So I headed up a bit North to my favourite area where my accommodation will be. A bungalow a bit elevated with a great view. The best part was that my local friend was my neighbor so we could hang out after work and grab dinner. Her friends family place was just below my bungalow and we met there sometimes to hangout with the locals. I like to be part of the local culture like that.

I wanted to focus on work and build a routine in the following weeks. I visited a co-working space, spent time with my friend, enjoyed a nice meal, and took in the beautiful sunsets. Sometimes, I also went to a bar and played pool like the locals do. I love this independent and relaxed lifestyle. It makes me very productive and inspired.

Back in Malaysia, I had some good experience with Lazada, an online shop where I could order different things (like Alibaba or Amazon). I needed some replacement items for my phone, so I ordered them to my place here on the island. I’m always unsure whether the shipment will work, and it did. I received my items a few days later, even at my doorstep. I don’t have much luggage and keep everything to the minimum. I use or wear things (clothes, shoes, etc.) until they’re broken. So in the case of my smartphone cover. The old one was really used, so I replaced it and the old went directly into the rubbish.

One weekend, I planned a fancy getaway up in the North. It’s a quieter area with some luxurious resorts. I booked a private pool villa for a night and enjoyed it fully. I usually prefer to live in an apartment and do things by myself. My apartments are typically upper-class buildings compared to locals’, but not full-service. That’s not my style. So this weekend was different. The view was beautiful and the villa as well. A very typical Thai style into all it’s details. I’ve rarely seen that to this extend. Also the service was spotless in this 5 star resort.

Krabi, Thailand

It was just about to rain hard, and I hopped on the motorbike to rush to the port in the South. There’s a small rain season, and once in a while, a rain shower. But little did I know that the beginning of this morning’s rainfall was about to get stronger. I booked a combined journey by boat and bus to Krabi on the other side of the coastline of Thailand. The boat ride was pretty smooth, rain, but not big waves. While driving in the bus, there was still a lot of rain but it got better on the other side of the coast. But on the island it rained the full day non-stop. The island where flooded and my friend send me a video of the place I normally parked my motorbike. Half a meter deep in the water. The roads was basically a river.

Arrived in the centre of Krabi town, I was meeting a friend I’ve known from my visit to Vietnam. We stayed at the same co-working space there and were about to head to the same co-working space next. She came from cold England and had a fly to Krabi and decided to wait for me some days so we can do the last stretch together. This allowed us to explore around Krabi, a place I’ve never visited before. The weather wasn’t the best, but luckily it wasn’t much rain. Just no sunshine. We walked along the beach a little and followed a trail to another hidden beach inaccessible by road. My friend still had a lot of jetlag, so went to bed very early while I went out for dinner alone and worked.

Koh Lanta, Thailand

Next up is Koh Lanta, my favourite place in Thailand. I have already spent a couple of months on the island, and this trip there was spontaneous. First, I wanted to spend more time in Phuket, but since some of my friends were in Koh Lanta, I decided to stop on the island for more than a week and reduce the time in Phuket. It was totally worth it and I met in addition to some already known friends many more. The community in the co-working and on the island itself is always top notch.

It was Xmas time during my stay on the island. Usually, my company tries to close and focus on family. I typically use up all my leftover vacation days, and since the official holidays this year were very employee-friendly, I had almost two weeks off. So, during my stay in Koh Lanta, I wasn’t working for my employer but trying to get up to date with personal work and projects like this travel review.

Besides that, I visited some beaches—one in the South with French friends from my co-workers and the American friend I stayed with in Krabi. It was a great weekend morning trip. There’s also a paddle court close by to which some co-workers sometimes go to play. It felt like in Vietnam with playing pickleball. A Dutch friend I met in Hoi An was also playing with the group here on the island. In the following days, I had many great talks with people at the co-working space, especially a guy from Moldova with whom I did many things and had in-depth discussions.

Christmas Eve was approaching, and for that evening, the co-working group organized a dinner I surely attended. It’s a moment I usually spend with my family at home in Switzerland, but this time, on the other side of the planet in the tropics. So it was nice to have some people around to talk and have dinner together. Nothing more sad then having food out alone or spending time in the accommodation alone for that evening. Luckily in Koh Lanta always something is going on and I never feel alone. At the same time very productive too. So the best mix.

Phuket, Thailand

After Christmas Eve, I took a ferry to Phuket. I always avoid speedboats because they’re unsafe and uncomfortable. So, I usually get a slower ferry with proper seats, and I can even do some work from there. When I arrived in Phuket, I did the same as I always do. Get a motorbike to go around. I booked two different Airbnb on two different places on the peninsula. I still have days off and I don’t need a proper base to work from. So I can move around freely and just go with the flow. The first accommodation was on the West side, in Patong. An area famous for parties, but also has some nice beaches.

I moved around a lot the next few days and just enjoyed it. My laptop is always in my backpack, so I can work on my own schedule and finish many pending personal things. I felt so motivated and good. On the way, I met many friends who live in different areas of Phuket. It’s always great to meet up with friends from past travels and catch up on their lives. I participated in various activities, went out for food, drinks, or to the beach. One day, I rented a canoe with a friend and we paddled on the ocean for a bit.

Another day, I did a hike with a close friend to my favourite sunset spot in Phuket. It’s reachable in two different ways, and the last time I did it, I did it from the one via the coast. This time we tried another way from the top. The spot is not very crowded because there’s no way to drive there, so you have to walk, and many Asian people don’t like to walk. So that’s great for me. I enjoy such quiet spots.

We started walking for around an hour and got lost somewhere because we decided for a wrong path. At some point the path went narrower and narrower, my friend already hated me, but I wanted to keep going since I saw the path making a turn. I also had no clue and the satellite data of Google Maps weren’t accurate. At some point the “path” we walk in was covered in high grass. But luckily just for a short while and we arrived at a campsite at the edge of a cliff. From there on I know we found back just with a bit of a detour. It was just a couple hundred meters from the campsite until the top part of the viewpoint. There are stairs leading down to where most people rest and watch the sunset. Shortly after we arrived there, clouds started to show up and it started to rain. Luckily not for too long. I was prepared and had rain coat with me as I always do when doing anythings in the tropics. You never know.

The 31st of December was approaching. I needed a haircut, and I knew a very nice place. A converted bus turned into a barber shop. There, I went, got a fresh haircut for the New Year, and met a local friend for a coffee in Phuket town. From there on, we continued to dinner, and a Swiss friend joined us. It was a surprise, and I just figured out a day before that he’s in Phuket at the moment. I met him for the first time in the Sahara desert, then back in my hometown and now in Thailand. Three different continents within three meetups. Amazing. And this time was even more special. It was New Year and the second surprise, it was his birthday, so we had two reasons to celebrate.

First, we went to the centre of the old town and waited for midnight. There, a fireworks display was happening. After that, we went to one of our local friends’ favourite bars and spent a good time there, talking and just enjoying the music and atmosphere. It was a very different and amazing New Year, one I’ll remember.