Is it possible to describe 18 months of life in a few words? I don’t know, I don’t think so. Perhaps only colours, shapes, emotions and vague memories remain. I went through all Asian latitudes, and from Vladivostok I traveled back to Italy only using land means of transport. In […]
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Italy: “Borghi” of Beautiful Apulia
Apulia is the Italian territory giving shape to the famous heel of the boot, a realm of hundreds of picturesque towns (borghi) scattered around a beautiful olive trees populated countryside and fantastic coastline with turquoise, crystal-clear waters. I have chosen Puglia (Apulia in English), the tip of the boot’s heel, […]
Read moreSon-Kul’s Remedy to Travellers Apathy
The nomadic life experience and jaw-dropping beauty of the 3,000 m. high plateau in Kyrgyzstan, at lake Son-Kul, is the perfect cure to boost travellers wanderlust. When you travel for a long time, it might happen that everything starts to feel kind of already seen: just another church, just another […]
Read more… And Then You Get Invited in a Yurt for Dinner
Sometimes you end up in adventures that put your firm plans for the future, and life convictions to the test… and you lose 🙂 I arrived in Almaty after a bus odyssey of 24 straight hours through the burning Kazakh steppes without air conditioning nor sleeping seats. I finally got […]
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 moreThe Quiet Side of Tokyo
There’s a mad Tokyo yes, but there’s also a quiet one far from the masses of tourists, made of narrow streets, bars where locals go for a drink, night walks and runs, and sometimes a traditional happening to celebrate a special event. Mad Tokyo Mad Tokyo everyone says and indeed […]
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 moreLiving and Volunteering on the Kinabatangan River
In this post there’s an account of my volunteering experience in Sabah, Borneo, with the reforestation program managed by KOPEL, by far the best I had in one year of travels. One month on the Kinabatangan River, surrounded by magnificent people, inspired some deeper reflections about the connection I feel […]
Read moreCambodia: Paradise on a Highway to Hell
Uncontrolled over-development, plastic pollution, strong corruption, and a nonconstructive, sometimes violent attitude towards foreigners, makes Cambodia one of the worse places I have visited, despite the potential to be a real paradise. Here is my experience, and the reasons behind this assessment. When you travel long-term and you visit many […]
Read moreBanlung and the Virachey National Park Jungle Experience
The Ratanakiri province, with the incredible wildlife of Virachey National Park, the waterfalls and lakes of Banlung, and its remoteness, is possibly the best place I have visited in Cambodia. Here’s all you need to know about it. The Ratanakiri province in North-East Cambodia is the second place I have […]
Read moreLiving and Working Off the Grid on a Tibetan Plateau
A cosy travellers’ hideout at 3900 m above sea level, in the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of western Sichuan, China, which works completely off the grid with clean energies? Yes, it’s possible, and it’s providing an example to follow to the locals. I have visited it and had the chance […]
Read moreRelax and Culture at Lijiang’s Old Town
UNESCO heritage site, the Old Town of Lijiang is the perfect place to take a relaxing walk, shop for souvenirs, and taste great food. But also to learn about the town cultural heritage and its ethnic group, the Naxi people. The city, located in the North-West Yunnan, is really not […]
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