Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are names of cities that sound like a legend for their position on the old Silk Road. But does this legendary status live up to its reputation? I was a bit disappointed, while the old forts scattered around the Uzbek desert made me dream. Alright, I’ll […]
Read moreTag: backpacking
From Tajikistan, Through Uzbekistan, To Kazakhstan
Two easy border crossings in about 10 days, crossing the whole Uzbekistan from East to West and reaching the Caspian Sea. I am kind of surprised at the clear cut difference there is between one country and the other in the whole Central Asia. I mean, all of it. The […]
Read moreAlmaty: Central Asia’s Garden of Eden
Welcoming, culturally vibrant, and easy gateway for nature lovers. Almaty is one of those places where you will linger without really knowing why. The legend goes that Almaty is the place were all domestic apples originate, hence the name of the medieval settlement Almatu, which is a derivation of the […]
Read moreFrom Russia to Kazakhstan
A long bus drive, a funny old lady providing food, and my eyes laid upon the immensely distant horizon of the Kazakh steppes: a border crossing and some thoughts. On my way to Rome from Vladivostok via land, I made a decisive move towards the south in Russia, as I […]
Read moreReal Baikaaal!
How you change plans last minute and find yourself on the Great Baikal Trail for three days of wild camping along the shores of Lake Baikal in Siberian Russia. And what an amazing trail it was! Lake Baikal in Siberian Russia is both the bigger and the deeper freshwater lake […]
Read moreThe Contenders: Vladivostok vs Khabarovsk
Both Vladivostok and Khabarovsk claim the title of Eastern capital of Russia, but who actually deserves it? I won’t let the suspense kill you and I’ll get straight to the point: Vladivostok wins. I mean, it’s Vladivostok, the arrival point of the Trans-Siberian Railway, with China, North Korea and the […]
Read moreMad Tokyo Mad Tokyo
There isn’t a good way to describe Tokyo. There’s simply too much to see, to taste and to try. So, my humble advice is to do it all, outstretch the hours minutes and seconds to fit in as much action as you can in one breathless go, just like this: […]
Read moreNozawa Onsen Off Season
Nozawa Onsen is famous for its snow and hot springs, but it can be a delightful and relaxing visit off season as well. So, what is an onsen? Very simply, it is a public bath, normally but not necessarily divided between male and female areas, where people go to, well, […]
Read moreKyoto: More than Just Temples
Hiding away from the Golden Week, I have discovered the real Kyoto far from the touristic scene. I happened to be in Kyoto during the Golden Week, which is a public holiday in Japan. This means that many Japanese are travelling beside the usual tourists, which in turns means everything […]
Read more500 Words!
Change: as of now, I will publish only posts that are no longer than 500 words on this blog, along with some other exciting changes for this journey of mine, the inner one and the one on the road. Here we go again, I plunged into a state of semi-alcoholic […]
Read moreSri Lanka: Escapade at Horton Plains
2485, 2465, 2460
Read moreA Complete Two Weeks Itinerary to Discover Sri Lanka
Long windy beaches, lots of wildlife on land and in the seas, great hiking opportunities, and the best cultural heritage highlights of Sri Lanka all in a two weeks round trip starting from and returning to Colombo. Here are all the sites and many tips along the way. Sri Lanka is […]
Read more