I’m glad I took my time in Yogyakarta, to have a full experience of the area’s sights and culture. Still, I was ready to keep moving, if only to try once again to escape the smoggy skies in search of somewhere more breathable. It was time to continue east, on a quest to experience some … More East Java, Indonesia
The culture shock hit me hard in Yogyakarta. Everything felt different and just a little bit off: the food, the streets, the language, the air, and so many other nuances. It took me some time to even vaguely adjust. Still, I managed to do some cool things and experience some unique and impressive culture: I … More Yogyakarta, Indonesia: The Cultural Heart of Java
It’s not very often a city makes me think “Wow, what a dump.” Not only did Jakarta fail to surpass my low expectations during my short stay, it left me spiraling into despair and anger about the state of our planet and our very ability to sustain life in the years to come. I was … More Jakarta, Indonesia
I really liked Singapore, but Singapore did not like me back. Smoky air led to some medical problems that stunted my time there. Still, I left with a good feeling about the small city-country and enjoyed everything I was able to explore. With an 11 hour direct flight from Turkey, Singapore seemed like a great … More Singapore
I did SO MUCH in Turkey! Beyond Istanbul and Cappadocia, there were so many stops and surprises, and so much deep history to explore. Here is the map of our 15-day tour: And here are some of the highlights: Atatürk Mausoleum Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the founder of modern Turkey, which began in 1923, after … More Turkey: The Other Stuff
High on my list for travel to Turkey was the region of Cappadocia, located in the center of the country and known for its unique geological landscape; the entire region classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. Our tour stopped there for 3 nights, staying in the central town of Göreme. We arrived just as … More Cappadocia, Turkey
As I reflect on my two and a half weeks in Turkey, I’m almost overwhelmed by all the surprises and wonderful experiences I had. It was fast paced, marked by an amazing tour group of new friends and travel soulmates. There was history, learning, curiosity, art, culture, nature, relaxing, bonding, goofing around, and so much … More Turkey: Istanbul and Traveling by Tour
August 26-28, Rethymno Hostel and Heraklion Airport My time in Greece is very soon coming to a close. I’ve been thinking about how at this point of a long trip, I’d be starting to think about going home and back to work. I’d feel some dread or perhaps a sense of nostalgia. It’s a little … More Crete Part 3: Rethymno and Reflections on Greece
It was difficult to research transit around Crete, but once I got the hang of it everything flowed smoothly. I decided to spend a few days in the very small southern coastal village of Agia Roumeli. This entailed taking a bus an hour and a half from Chania in the north to Sfakia in the … More Crete Part 2: The Tiny Village of Agia Roumeli
I really liked Crete when I visited in 2022, though it was only for a few days and entailed express tourism to see as much as I could. This time, I arranged for two weeks on the large and rugged island, which is the southern-most Greek island and is as close to Africa as to … More Crete Part 1: Chania
