While in Seattle for a tech interview, I decided to extend my stay and explore the city. Amidst its renowned cheesecake, coffee, and cherry blossoms, I unexpectedly encountered a cockroach that “cut my life into pieces”.
A Little Island Called Zanzibar
After my Christmas stay in Kenya, I journeyed to the island of Zanzibar. Many people mistakenly believe it’s a separate country, but it’s actually part of Tanzania. A short 40-minute flight from Mombasa brought me to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar.
Racism mars daily life despite appealing beaches
I recently spent time in warm East Africa, visiting a friend and exploring Kenya, primarily Mombasa. I walked on beautiful beaches, I saw an amazing historical city, but I also experienced racism I thought I would never experience.
Goin’ top down in that old Mercedes?
My most favourite song of 2024 includes the lines
“Goin’ top down in that old Mercedes
Music loud, go ahead and hate me
Spare the nickel, I’ll just keep the dime”
My road trip wasn’t in a fancy convertible Mercedes, and the weather wasn’t ideal for one anyway. I had to spare the nickel and the dime, but nevertheless I still enjoyed the journey with Mark Ambor music playing loudly 🙂
From Elephant to Leopard
As promised, let’s have a deeper dive into the animals of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is known for its leopard population, which was a major factor in my decision to visit. The country has numerous national parks for wildlife viewing, but you can also encounter animals outside of these protected areas. Wilpattu National Park Wilpattu …
A little gem in the Indian Ocean
So, after wrapping up the Asian leg of my big adventure, I couldn’t wait to come back to Asia to check out Sri Lanka in mid-August. I mean, the place has always fascinated me, not just because of the delicious food and stunning scenery but mainly because of the wildlife. I was especially excited about the chance to spot leopards in their natural habitat.
Mallorca: Where Germans Go to Pretend They’re Not in Germany
After a whirlwind world tour, the daily grind called reminding me that apparently, money doesn’t grow on palm trees. So, I opted for a “relaxing” week in Mallorca, fondly dubbed Germany’s 17th state. And boy, did it live up to its name – Aldi, German radio, schnitzel galore… If you squint, you might mistake it for Bavaria.
My home and my castle
It is almost four weeks since I landed back in Frankfurt, sucked into real life again. And it was weird! I started working back in my old job immediately the day after arriving; I stood up as always around 6 am, made a coffee, and at the latest at 7 am, I was sitting at my desk working on the mails I got… It felt like I was never away…
Last Stop Singapore
My last stop before flying finally home was Singapur. And if you come to Singapur, everything is different. It’s expensive, but also very advanced… For example, some shops or restaurants do not even accept cash anymore. And the city is immaculate; spitting out chewing gum will lead to a 500-dollar fine… but on the other hand, the city feels like a bike amusement park. Everything has a fee; I didn’t see anything authentic that was “real Singaporean.”
Pink Beaches and Dragons
If you plan to see the famous Komodo dragon, you have to be prepared for it to take a while to get there. First, you have to fly to Labuan Bajo, which is only possible from some airports in Indonesia. It’s a relatively small airport in the middle of nowhere. Labuan Bajo is a fishing town located at the western end of the large island of Flores, which is the entrance point to the Komodo National Park