Cuba is not the easiest country to understand. Not because it’s complicated—but because it doesn’t behave the way you expect. I started in the west. Green landscapes, quiet places, and a pace that felt...
I know many countries have competition between the capital and the second city. That is very much the case in Spain as well. We have the same in Norway between Oslo and Bergen, and...
Towards the end of a journey through an unfamiliar country, you inevitably start reflecting a little. The trip had begun abruptly in Ashgabat—a surreal city of white marble, empty streets, and police officers standing...
Today’s final destination was the Darvaza Gas Crater. But as usual in Turkmenistan, the road there turned out to be just as interesting as the destination itself. Our first stop was one of the...
Part of: Turkmenistan – Where Crazy Is Normal You can’t visit Awaza. Not because it’s far away. Not because it’s difficult to reach.But because you’re simply not allowed. So instead of marble resorts and...
Part of: Turkmenistan – Where Crazy Is Normal When a dictator wants to impress the world, there are many options. One of them is to build an entire capital city in white marble—and make...
I haven’t been to North Korea, so I can’t compare. But from what I’ve read, Turkmenistan is often mentioned as a strong contender for second place in controlling information—and, to some extent, its own...
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...
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, 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...
