Ashgabat, a white utopia, or just a nightmare?
When a dictator wants to impress the world, what should he do? Why not build a white marble city, and paint all cars white? That is basically what happened when Saparmyrat Atajevitsj Nyýazow took...
Author: Tom
Turkmenistan, where crazy is the normal
I have not been to North Korea, so I cannot compare, but I have read that Turkmenistan is a good candidate to be number two. It is like a cult in which their honourable...
Transnistria, nostalgia is the norm in this shadow country.
Transnistria, or Pridnestrovie, as they like to call it, does not really exist, and they are longing for the USSR. It is a breakaway, self-declared state internationally recognised as part of Moldova. It is...
Moldova, the ultimate hitchhiker’s paradise.
As in so many ex-Soviet states, marshrutkas (small minibuses) are widely used in Moldova. But hitchhiking is also an excellent alternative. The marshrutkas are not the most comfortable; there is little legroom, and they...
Chișinău, a capital wanting to join the “good company”
Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, is said to be the poorest capital in Europe. It may not be the most beautiful, but it has charm and warmth. Seen from a Norwegian viewpoint, wanting to...
Liechtenstein small in size, great for outdoor activities.
If you want to see a small country thoroughly, why not set aside a few days to explore it on foot? I set off six days. When I looked up my Lonely Planet book,...
Flores is maybe best known for the Komodo National park.
The Indonesian island that the Portuguese gave the name Flores is probably best known for the Komodo dragon. The indigenous Indonesians call the island Nusa Nipa, meaning “Dragon island”. The Komodo National Park is...
Seminyak and Nusa Penida with plenty of luxury spas and hotels
Seminyak is closely connected to Denpasar, Bali’s capital, and Nusa Penida, an easily accessible island just outside. On the map, it is not easy to see where Denpasar ends and Seminyak starts, but as...
Ubud, has more monkeys than expected in a tourist hub.
Ubud was once an important source of medicinal herbs and plants. Today, it is filled with tourists and monkeys. When I started planning my trip to Bali, Ubud wasn’t at the top of my...
Ijen is the perfect follow up after Mt. Bromo
If you have seen the sunrise at Mt. Bromo, the sunset at Ijen Crater is a perfect place to explore more of Java’s volcanoes. I booked a trip to Mt. Bromo and Ijen, covering...
