I had 11 awesome days traveling around Zimbabwe, and now I want to share with you the 5 most hilarious things I did during my time in this landlocked country in southern Africa, which is officially named the Republic of Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia.
Lovely people in Zimbabwe
1. Celebrating Christmas in Zimbabwe
Celebrating Christmas in Harare, Zimbabwe
There is something special about a hot Christmas (especially when you’re from a cold country like Denmark,) and celebrating Christmas in t-shirt and shorts in the heat is just what you need. I love escaping the cold winter from home! To celebrate Christmas in Zimbabwe with two of my good Danish friends was a great experience, and after some delicious African food for dinner, we went straight to the dessert, which was of course some super spicy Carolina Reaper chili’s, which is the strongest chili in the World, (because it wasn’t hot enough already?!) My friend Emil went puking om the grass afterwards and then jumped in the pool to try to save his life! It’s amazing how fast you can empty 2 liter of milk after such a little spicy fellah!
Amazing Christmas in Zimbabwe!
2. Helicopter Tour Over Victoria Falls
Magical view of Victoria Falls
It was quiet pricey, but he needed to do it. Helicopter trip over Victoria Falls. 3 big Danish guys and a pilot in the smallest helicopter over the huge waterfalls. We were all looking nervous at each other when the helicopter made strange noises, but at the same time we were amazed to soar over the iconic Victoria Falls— one of the seven wonders of the natural world— on this helicopter flight. An aerial view is definitely the only way to take in the vast scope of the waterfall. Plus, the flight enables you to see both the Zimbabwe and Zambian side of the falls without the hassle of the border crossing. Pretty awesome!
3. Bungee Jumping in Victoria Falls
Bungee Jumping Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was epic
First we wanted to see how high we could go over the Victoria Falls, and after how low we could get. Bungee Jumping in Victoria Falls was a MUST-DO! It’s a 111m (364ft) drop falling almost into the Zambezi River, jumping off the historical Victoria Falls Bridge with extremely scenic views and crocodiles below. I remember the day before the jump we watched some horrible fails from this place, where an Australian woman went straight into the water. It didn’t make any of us more nervous at all! It was a great experience though!
4. Speed Boat Tour Chasing Hippos
Speed boat tour chasing hippos
Though they look pretty slow, clumsy and friendly, we all know hippos aren’t necessarily any of these things — they can run very fast, and are Africa’s most dangerous animal to get close to. Hippos kill more humans each year than great white sharks and lions combined! These guys are lethal. So why not take a speed boat through a very narrow lake full of hippos in Zimbabwe? That’s what me and my friends did on the border to Botswana! We were all so scared when our speed boat driver gave it full speed towards an enormous hippo in our super small, cr*ppy speed boat, but what we didn’t know was when an object moves towards a hippo with full speed in a narrow place like this, it apparently makes the hippo scared, so instead of a brutal collision, we saw the hippo turn in the other direction torpedo through the water away from us. That what an absolutely wild experience and I’m so glad it turned around and ran away!
5.Walking Around Wild Rhinos
Another one of the DON’T DO’S. Went walking around with wild rhinos in Zimbabwe
Is is stupid? Yes. Would I do it again? No. Matter of fact we went walking around wild rhinos by ourselves in Zimbabwe and it was nerve-wrecking as few other things! If these guys decide to attack you, you probably won’t stand a chance. White rhinos can weigh over 3500 kg (7700 lb.) Stupid, stupid, stupid! Will never do it again! I promise!
That’s It And What A Crazy Trip in Zimbabwe!
I forgot to tell you we also ate some delicious crocodile meat, ate mopane worms which were alive (the worst thing I’ve ever tasted – you could feel them moving around in your throat,) drove past Robert Mugabe’s house (it was that time where the military would shoot at your car if you stopped in front of it,) and did some epic road trips. We should have had a diploma for this trip, but at least we had a diploma for eating these terrible mopane worms. They were so bad – But Zimbabwe wasn’t, it was a really great country!
Riga is such a pretty city. From the impressive art nouveau architecture – one of the finest collections in Europe, the winding and to the medieval lanes of the UNESCO listed Riga Old Town. A city that is loaded with history and is picture-postcard pretty wherever you look; there is plenty to see in Riga.
These are the 3 BEST things about Riga!
1. Explore Riga Old Town
House of the Black Heads, Riga, Old Town
The heart of Riga, the UNESCO listed Old Town is undeniably picturesque. Narrow cobblestone streets wind their way past restaurants, museums, galleries and medieval churches, unexpectedly opening up onto squares bustling with street cafes and markets. House of the Black heads building above is my favorite!
Exploring Old Town Riga is an excellent way to spend a day in Riga, and the best way is to lose yourself, wandering the streets and ancient alleyways.
2. Visit Armoury Bar
Armoury Bar, Riga, Latvia
Many people (especially guys) have a fascination with firearms and given the numerous displays of authentic pistols, machine guns, semi-automatic weapons and even grenades at this fun bar, it has all of that to fulfill a funny childhood fascination! A cozy and awesome bar!
3. Visit Europe’s Largest Market – The Riga Central Market
Europe Largest Market, Riga Central Market
Riga Central Market is Europe’s largest market and bazaar in Riga, Latvia. It is one of the most notable structures from 20th century in Latvia and has been included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list together with Old Riga in 1998. Oh man, Riga has so much to offer, these were only 3 quickies. Try out the nightlife too, super cheap!
Riga Is A Criminally Underrated City – So Go And Visit!
Riga, what a fun city!
Whenever a “Western” friend visits Latvia, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the words “oh my gosh this is so cheap” escape their mouths at some point.Food, hotel and transportation is very affordable, and since Riga is fairly small, it’s a really cool city to visit for a few days and walk around and enjoy. Maybe have a pint at night, who knows!
See You In Riga, Latvia!
Riga!
I really like this young-feeling city with a wealth of culture to explore. Okay, guys, I’ll see you in Riga, Latvia next time!
I’ve been to Morocco 2 times before and these are 30 Interesting Morocco Facts. How well do you know Morocco? And how many of these 30 Morocco Facts did you know before reading this article?
1. Morocco is located in the northwestern corner of Africa.
2. The Kingdom of Morocco is the official name of Morocco.
3. There are approximately 36 million people living in Morocco.
Zagora Desert, Morocco
4. The capital city of Morocco is Rabat.
5. The largest city in Morraco is Casablanca.
6. The official currency of Morocco is the Dirham.
7. The people of this area are called Berbers or Amazigh.
8. Moroccans speak a dialect of Arabic known as Darija.
9. Toubkal is the tallest mountain of Morocco and the highest peak in North Africa.
10. The official languages of Morocco are Berber and Arabic.
11. The most well-known Moroccan food is couscous, a dish typically eaten on the Islamic holy day.
12. The most popular sport in Morocco is Football.
Marrakesh, Morocco
13. Marrakech is a popular tourist attraction in Morroco.
14. Agadir is one of the major urban centers of Morocco and is located on the Atlantic Ocean.
15. Agadir was mostly destroyed by an earthquake in 1960.
16. The national animal of Morocco are Barbary Lions.
17. Morocco exports more than 90,000 tons of dates each year all around the World.
18. Morocco is one of the world’s largest producers of illicit hashish.
At The Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou, Morocco
19. A Moroccan widow wears white for 40 days after her husband’s death to show she is in mourning.
20. Morocco shares its border with Algeria and Western Sahara.
21. Morocco is the largest producer and exporter of sardines in the world.
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, 2017, Morocco
22. The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the world’s seventh largest mosque.
23. The Moroccan national costume is called Djellaba.
24. Tangier is the oldest city in Morocco.
Marrakesh Market, Morocco
25. Morocco is the only African country that is not a member of the African Union.
26. Morocco’s highest point is Jebel Toubkal at 13,665 feet.
27. The lowest point of Morocco is Sebkha Tah.
Camping in Merzouga Desert, Morocco
28. Tourism is one of the country’s most important economic industries.
29. Morocco was the first nation to sign a treaty with the United States in 1786.
30. Morocco is second to Egypt in the Arab world for encouraging friendly relations with Israel.
Morocco, what a fascinating country
Hope you enjoyed these 30 Morocco Facts. How many did you know of them? Please comment below!
I visited one of Europe’s smallest countries back in 2017 on a 2 days trip, and I don’t think I’m ever going back, because I covered pretty much all of the country in 3 hours. These are however 7 weird facts about Andorra.
Arrived in Andorra La Vella, Andorra
1. The country of Andorra can fit into the City of London more than 3 times!
London is way bigger than Andorra!
The whole country of Andorra is only 467.6 kilometres squared (46,760 hectares). In comparison, just the city of London is 1,572 kilometres squared (157,200 hectares), meaning that the whole of Andorra could fit inside the city of London just over three times. Andorra is in fact the 17th-smallest country in the world.
2. It’s the only country in the world that has Catalan as its only official language
Catalan is also an official language in Catalonia, but Andorra is the only place in the world where it is the only official language of the whole country. Most people speak French and Spanish as well as Catalan, though.
3. 9% of Andorra has UNESCO World Heritage status
The mountains of Andorra Pixabay
Andorra’s largest natural park, the Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, and takes up 9% of the country. It is made up of glaciers, wooded valleys, wide green pastures and rocky mountains. To be fair that might be a good reason to go back to Andorra!
4. Andorra de la Vella Is The Highest Capital in Europe
A bit high up in Andorra La Vella
The capital of Andorra is Andorra de la Vella, which is the highest capital city in Europe at around 1,023 metres (3,356 feet) above sea level.
5. Andorra Has No Airport
No airport in the country Andorra
Andorra is one of the few countries in the world with no airport. It can be reached only by land, via France or Spain. Two of the main international airports nearby are Toulouse in France and Barcelona in Spain.
6. People of Andorra Have One of The World’s Highest Life Expectancies
The people of Andorra live to a very old age. For males the life expectancy is around 80, while for females it is around 84.
7. Only 1/3 of People That Live in Andorra are Andorran
Not many locals in Andorra
Two-thirds of the population of Andorra do not actually have Andorran nationality; most are Spanish, French or Portuguese. One of the largest groups is the Spanish, who make up around 43% of the population.
Goodbye Andorra!
That was it for now Andorra. Will maybe see you again, but I’m not totally sure. A small, but pretty nice country whatsoever!
Wales is a stunning country I enjoyed traveling around back in 2017. A country within the UK, in the southwest Great Britain known for its rugged coastline, mountainous national parks, distinctive Welsh language and Celtic culture. Cardiff is the capital and in the northwest you’ll find Snowdonia National Park, which has lakes, glacial land forms, hiking trails and a railway up to the peak of Snowdon.
Hiking around Snowdonia in Wales is magical
Stunning Sights in Wales
The enchanting Portmeirion village on the coast of North Wales
The whole coastline of Wales is beautiful, and Wales has some awesome beaches, but as my Welsh friend told me, “it’s a shame we can only use them 2-3 times a year.” Water temperature is indeed freezing! My favorite places in Wales were however Snowdonia, Portmeirion Village and last but not least the longest place name in Europe!
Longest Place Name In Europe?! Some Would Say The World
Chilling at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales
Also known as Llanfair PG or Llanfairpwll, This is Europe’s longest place name with many believing it holds the world title.
Llanfair PG is Welsh for “Saint Mary’s Church in a hollow of white hazel near the swirling whirlpool of the church of Saint Tysilio with a red cave”. Now you know that!
For anyone thinking about trying to pronounce this, Blackadder put it best “You need half a pint of phlegm in your throat just to pronounce the place names.” Welsh is a mysterious language!
The name was by the way used as a password for Dildano’s headquarters in the 1960’s cult film ‘Barbarella’.
Last but not least, I will admit it. This place name really looks like a cat just walked all over my computer.
See you in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!
I have traveled a lot over 7 years and visited 130 countries in that period of time, but in all fairness 2019 has been my most amazing travel year when it comes to unique travel experiences! This is my TOP 15!
15. Experiencing The Algerian Hospitality And Mountains
Breathing in the fresh Algerian mountain air at Bordj Zemoura, Algeria
Go to Morocco and you’ll meet a lot of tourists, go to Algeria and you’ll hardly meet any. I didn’t meet 1 tourist on my trip through Algeria, and to be fair the visa was one of the hardest I’ve ever tried to get. It was impossible for me to go on a tourist visa, so I had to go on a business visa. Thanks to my friend Djaber and my own creative skills we made it possible, and Algerians (the Amazigh people) has a sharing mentality and hospitality I’ve rarely seen anywhere else in the World. I was completely blown away by Algeria, the people, the mountains and the beauty. This is one of my favorite countries in Africa.
14. Driving All Around Namibia For 2 Weeks
Roadtrip all around Namibia
Coming to Namibia with no plans, splashing out $500 on a rental car last minute, because it was IMPOSSIBLE to get around without a car in Namibia, forgetting my International Driver License which is necessary to have to rent a car, (thinking f*ck,) meeting two Namibian strangers by incident last minute, and David didn’t really have any plans for the next long time, so I asked if he wanted to join my trip for free. He did and so did Susan! Strangers who became friends and joined me on this EPIC trip around Namibia. You can watch the video from our crazy ride around Namibia below!
13. Attending An Indian Wedding In London, England
Attending an Indian Wedding was magical
When my parents got married 10 people attended, to this magnificent, fairy tale alike Indian wedding +400 attended and it gave me goosebumps being a part of. Furthermore the male spouse, my friend Hemal, whom I traveled Brazil with in 2016 gave me a shout-out in his wedding speech. Incredible day!
You can read all the details about this beautiful Indian wedding below in the link.
I have surfed in a few countries before, but no place like Costa Rica or El Salvador. I like to learn things myself and even though I’m good at most sports, surfing has always been slightly difficult for me! I like to challenge myself (one of the reasons why I love to travel,) and I felt like both El Salvador and Costa Rica was a good chance to take some surf lessons and actually improve my technique a bit. I must say I had an amazing time exploring both countries and I still think back on a few perfect days hitting the waves on some super beautiful beaches there. “If you’re having a bad day, catch a wave.” Surfing is really something I want to do a bit more of and get better at, when I feel like having some more time! Amazing feeling!
11. Visiting The Great Wall Of China
The Great Wall Of China
I have technically visited China 4 times, two times Hong Kong and one time on a 48 hour transit, but this was my first visit to ‘The Great Wall of China’ and walking around here for hours was worth every second!
I went to one of the best preserved parts, called Mutianyu, and it was surprisingly quiet. I couldn’t imagine a better day at the wall with sunshine, a clear sight and almost zero people. One of the greatest sights in the World!
These are my visits to the New 7 Wonders of the World below. There’s only 1 of them I didn’t visit yet, check it out!
I loved it so much that I went to see the sunrise in the morning and then spent all day to see the sunset. The most impressive thing about the Taj is the absolute perfect symmetry that around 20,000 people built in the 17th century. You can notice the perfection and small details, when the sun is low in the sky, and the shadows are perfectly cast on the marble stone. It surely is the one of the most perfect buildings in the World and it deserves its name as the “Monument of Love.”
Iraq became my first place to hold a travel speech. I honestly couldn’t imagine a better destination to do it, breaking all stereotypes! I did it in front of 40 people in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, and Kurdistan completely blew my mind. Iraqi Kurdistan is NOT at all what you think, super friendly people and it felt really safe in this region everywhere I went. Holding a travel speech in Iraq was a perfect experience and the Iraqi people really enjoyed interacting with me, and asked me several questions about my travels. I can’t wait to come back to Kurdistan, and I’m also really excited to travel around mainland Iraq in the close future!
8. Volcano Boarding In Nicaragua
Volcano boarding in Nicaragua with speed up to 80 km/t
When Cerro Negro—Nicaragua’s youngest volcano—last erupted in 1999, boulders tumbled down the western slope, creating a rocky, ascendable path. On the opposite side, the wind deposited dark, smooth ash that is perfect for sliding. In 2004, this unique pairing of terrains sparked an outlandish idea: volcano boarding. This is the only place in the world I’ve heard of where you can sit upright on plywood, feet-first, and coast down a cindery flank of a still-active volcano! This is the only place to do Volcano boarding. Rated #2 on CNN’s “Thrill seekers bucket list” Volcano boarding is a must do before you die! So much fun!
7. Seeing The Komodo Dragons With My Own Eyes
The Komodo Dragons can get up to 4 meter long, the closest we get to dinosaurs nowadays
The wildlife is on another level in Indonesia. Here sitting with a Komodo dragon, which can only be found on a few Indonesian islands in the World. There are only around 5,000 komodo dragons left worldwide. Psychical features of a dinosaur, a deadly lethal venom and they can grow up to nearly 4 meter long with a top speed of 20 km/h. One of the craziest animals I’ve ever been close to!
Feeding Hyenas happens in Harar, the oldest Islamic city in all of Africa. I don’t harbor some kind of death wish, although such a desire might explain why I decided to feed a wild hyena from my mouth, placing my face within easy striking distance of one of the fiercest, most dangerous predators on Earth. With its incredibly powerful jaws, a hyena can even crush and digest elephant bones. Read the full story below!
In 2019, a number of Western travel influencers worked with the Saudi government to market inbound tourism due to the new E-Visa, which has now been introduced in Saudi Arabia. This triggered substantial controversy as the authenticity of their posts was questioned. Just to avoid all confusion: My trip to Saudi Arabia was NOT sponsored. My travel here was with my own funds and no state invitation.
I was very satisfied with my stay in Saudi Arabia, a country I’ve heard too much bad stuff about before coming here, and my 100% honest Saudi Arabia video went viral with more than 120,000 views. Check it out by clicking the link below.
North Korea was a VERY SPECIAL experience for me! I was extremely lucky to go during May Celebrations, so I was allowed to walk freely on several occasions, and I’m one of few travelers who had several encounters with the North Korean people. A bizarre and surreal country to be on the inside of! You can check my Youtube Video about my visit to North Korea by clicking the link below.
Aleppo, Syria. Traveling all the day from the south to the north of Syria
I traveled Syria when ISIS-Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was still alive, so there were some serious tensions, especially in the north of Syria. The capital Damascus in the south feels even safer than most European capitals. But Syria left a mark on me and is honestly an amazing country! I hope it will soon be completely safe again! You can watch my video about my Syria trip by clicking the link below.
Whenever I talk about Pakistan, I’m close to break down in tears. This country got totally under my skin. AMAZING people, AMAZING hospitality, one of the friendliest countries on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. To all of my Pakistani friends, a big Pakistan Zindabad from your Danish friend 🇵🇰
Check out my 2 videos below about my visit to Pakistan to better understand why I love this country!
1. Traveling West Africa Solo With No Car (And 0 Flights)
Experiences I will never forget in West Africa
Most of the few travelers who went to West Africa, will usually talk a lot of sh*t about the region, because it’s challenging as few others, but it’s a beautiful challenge. If you’re an adventure traveler like me, you’ll love West Africa, the good and the bad days on the road, and it was my most rewarding travel experience traveling from Senegal to Togo over several months solo, just me and my backpack and without taking any flights. I lost 7kg and it was one of my toughest travel ever, but I enjoyed it so much! If you want to read in details about my West Africa trip and how it went, click the link below.
What a travel year! Only person at the Kambadaga Falls in Guinea’s jungle
Now you have some inspiration for your future travels. I’m btw going to the most dangerous country of them all (they say) to celebrate Christmas, I’m not sure any travelers have done that before, so if you want to follow my journey, you can follow me on Instagram: @gustavrosted, Subscribe on Youtube: gus1thegoor follow me on Facebook: Gustav Rosted.
Feel free to share the article and safe travels everyone!
I really don’t like talking about my bad travel experiences, as I always try to focus on the positive sides of traveling and the countries I go to. But sometimes bad stuff happen on the roads, and I also want to be honest about that, so people don’t think it’s all just picture perfect Instagram posts with no suffering.
Gustav in Eritrea
10 Worst Travel Experiences Of 2019
Free motorbike ride in Bamako, Mali
The year of 2019 is coming to an end and I’ve had an incredible travel year, where I’ve visited more than 45 countries, new and old ones.. It sounds pretty much perfect, right? Well, not totally. These are my 10 Worst Travel Experiences of 2019!
10. No Phone For 1 Week In Somalia And Eritrea
Traveling Somalia with no phone.. Not the most easy region without your phone
I had some amazing days in Somaliland, Somalia and out of a sudden my phone goes out (Iphone X), and I can’t open it again. I try everything to recover my phone, but there’s nothing to do. My phone is dead! I’m the type who plans pretty much everything on my phone, so not having it to navigate/plan stuff was incredibly hard for 1 week of travel around Somalia and Eritrea. You can read the full story below by clicking the link.
India was super interesting, but waiting 20 hours in the Airport wasn’t
Because of high tensions between India and Pakistan my flight with Air India (one of the worst airlines from my travel experiences) was delayed. They kept on delaying the flight with 1 hour at a time, so I had to wait in the Airport, because of the insecurity if we were able to go. I ended up waiting for 20 hours, and I just made it last second to some work I had to do in Denmark, because of this crazy delay! Really not nice!
8. Getting Attacked By 2 Gangsters On A Beach Club in Belize
Beautiful Belize, but getting attacked was a crazy and bad experience
I had a really nice time in Belize City and doing islands hopping in Belize, right until I went to a Beach Club in Caye Caulker Islands. Two drunk guys (probably on drugs too) pushed me super in the back randomly when I was standing in the bar, and I turned around and asked “what are you doing?” I asked as politely as I could, but the second after they were straight in my face threatening me, so I took one of the guys and threw him into one part of the club and the other guy into a wall 5 meters away. They pulled up a knife each, but some people and the security came in between and threw them out of the club. They were apparently known for being bandits and making a lot of troubles in the night life. My adrenaline was pumping and at that time, and I wasn’t scared at all in the second! Nothing happened after and I had a good time still in Belize, super beautiful country! I’m really not the aggressive type normally btw 😜
7. Spending 3 Days In San Pedro Sula, Honduras (Most Murderous City in The World)
Honduras has some beautiful sights, but think twice before going to San Pedro Sula. Copan, Honduras
Going to San Pedro Sula is an INTENSE experience. I did 2,5 days there, in what was the World’s most murderous city, until Caracas in Venezuela surpassed it recently! You can read about my time in San Pedro Sula here:
I was detained in Ivory Coast for 5 hours after taking a photo of a flag pole in Ivory Coast that a local Ivorian guy had just taken a photo of seconds before me without any problems. When I took the photo the police yelled “no, no, no!” and took me to the Police Station for 5 hours, where I had to talk to so many different Police Officers.. I threw a water bag in the ground of anger to show them I’m not an easy target to rip off and I’m not soft (that’s how things work in Africa sometimes), and after I slowed down, kept my patience and explained myself well, and therefore I managed to not pay anything. I didn’t do anything wrong and I was really mad about what the police did!
4. Hotel Shaking Because Of 3 Rocket Attacks, Aleppo, Syria
Aleppo, Syria
I had an amazing time traveling around Syria for 1 week, and to be fair the capital Damascus in the south feels even safer than most European capitals. But when you get adventurous (like I usually do,) and travel around a country like Syria, bad things can happen. I haven’t told so many about this, because I want to spread a positive image of Syria and because I had an amazing time in Syria, so I haven’t felt the need to mention it. But since these are my 10 WORST travel experiences, I will do it now. Rocket attacks. 1 of my nights in the north of Syria in Aleppo was intense and I couldn’t fall asleep that night after what happened.
I could literally feel 3 rocket attacks at my hotel, with ISIS less than 20 km west of the city. I went that time ISIS-Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was still alive, so it was an intense time in the north of Syria.
Check out my 100% honest video about Syria and the condition of the country here.
Mud in the face after the MOST SCARY BORDER CROSSING EVER
You can’t believe how crazy this jungle border crossing was. They had closed the original border, so the only way was through the jungle in the night. Read about the story below!
China is the WORST country to lose your passport in
In terms of my most difficult moment of 2019, it was losing my passport in China after coming back from North Korea. I had to stay in China for 1 week extra, and the process of getting an emergency passport was unbelievably hard. My own embassy was unable to help me, and I had to go to 20 different non-English-speaking Police Station, go to the Chinese Embassy and many other Government places in order to get my emergency passport to fly home. This is a process I wouldn’t even wish for my worst enemy, SO DON’T LOSE YOUR PASSPORT IN CHINA AS A DANISH CITIZEN! Or wherever you’re from! I did however try to enjoy my extra week in China as good as I could and got to see some new cool stuff on my 4th visit!
Positive mindset ALWAYS!
1. Caught In Shootings And Explosions In Liberia
Only white man at a road block in Liberia
I’m writing this 6 months after the episode and to be fair I still have the pictures in my head after what happened this specific day in Liberia. The day where some villagers blocked the only International road to Ivory Coast. I remember all the details, and it’s probably a trauma I’ll have for the rest of my life. Running for my life, seeing two people get shot. It’s something you really don’t want to try!
You can read about the story and all the details here:
What a travel year! With A LOT of good memories and a few bad ones. Village in Burkina Faso with wild crocodiles
I’m writing the article from the slums of Luanda in Angola, which is said to be Africa’s new hotspot for kidnappings and I forgot all about mentioning a terrorist attack in Mali on my 2nd day there (140 killed), only 30 minutes away from me. I have 2 countries, which are considered dangerous left of 2019, and I hope to not add any more stories to this list. It was hard to write this article of my worst travel experiences, because I’m a positive guy who loves to travel, and I want to inspire other people to travel more and see the beautiful World of ours. But I also want to show you guys my honest travel experiences, what comes with visiting 130 countries over 7 years of lots of traveling. What comes with being an adventure traveler, and not a tourist who just visits resort or luxury hotels in safe areas, or just sets a foot in a new country and say “hey, I’ve been there now.” That’s really not interesting for me. Traveling to 130 countries on FULL ADVENTURE MODE is not as easy as it might look on Social Media Platforms!
Stay Safe And Travel The World With No Fear
Only guy at the Kambadaga Waterfalls in the middle of Guinea. One of the most difficult waterfalls to get to
I haven’t told you the thousands of amazing memories I had this year in this article, remember that please. Take care everyone and safe travels always! Never let fear decide anything in your life!
I just read that a few travelers who went to Guinea had big problems there, people call it a very dangerous country, especially those who ONLY visited the capital Conakry. Also because of a recent Ebola outbreak.
This post is my input: Is Guinea Dangerous?
The most beautiful Kambadaga Waterfalls in Guinea
What Is Guinea?
On my way to the Kinkon River in Guinea
Guinea is a West African country of 94,926 square miles of land, one of the greenest countries I’ve ever seen. The capital city of Guinea is Conakry and Conakry is also the largest city in Guinea. Guinea has a total population of 10.2 million people and the official language of Guinea is French. Other languages used in Guinea are Fula, Maninka and Susu. Guinea is also called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from Guinea-Bissau, which is right next to Guinea, but is very different, in fact they speak Portuguese in Guinea-Bissau, where they speak French in Guinea. A totally different vibe in the two countries!
Dangers in Guinea?
Renting a motorbike by a local guy in a village in Guinea, driving the dirt roads, exploring some beautiful waterfalls
There was a epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) which affected Guinea in 2014 and 2015 and that’s maybe why I didn’t meet 1 tourist here. People are very scared to go to Guinea!
I’ve been to Guinea 3 times, and I’ve made some interesting observations in the country. The people is overall nice in Guinea, but there are a few things you have to be cautious of. Ebola? Yes, there’s still a small risk of an outbreak again, but Ebola is currently under control in the country. Secondly the police. Some of them, not all, but some of the police officers are definitely devils in uniforms in Guinea and will try to get money of out of you in any way possible. I was stopped many times by police or fake police in Guinea who wanted to inspect me, but I never paid any bribes, because I just took my time. I know how to handle situations like this after more than 1,5 year in Africa in total. Some travelers who are not experienced in Africa will maybe fall for the pressure and pay the money they ask for, but as long as you haven’t done anything wrong you should never pay money or bribe anyone. Keep your cool and patience, have order in all of your documents (very important!) and show them you’re tough and not an easy target.
Passing the police off-road to this place, where you normally have to pay bribes to go as a white person
Maybe I was unlucky, maybe it was coincident, maybe it was because of the terrible roads in the rain season, but I’ve honestly never experienced more people yelling of each other in minibuses than in Guinea, and I took a lot of these small vans/minibuses. I have been all around Guinea by minibus, by jumping on trucks, cars and motor bikes etc., and I witnessed so many aggressive discussions. Funny enough atmosphere was good outside of these minibuses. Maybe it’s because of the bad road conditions that people get frustrated. Read this to learn a bit more about the roads in Guinea
Some of the roads are okay, some are terrible and some are non-existent! It’s the country I’ve been in with some of the words roads ever during rain season, but also one of the most beautiful countrysides I’ve ever seen. The contradiction is real.
Friendly People?
Enjoying some food in Kankan, Guinea with my Guinean friend Mohamed Kaber and his family
There are obviously some dangers in Guinea. Dangerous roads, lot of road incidents, corrupt police, but the people in Guinea is in general very friendly. Sure there are good and bad people in every country, and even though I speak limited French I had a good time with many of the Guineans.
Is Guinea A Dangerous Country?
Jumping on a big truck through Guinea. My Maps.Me said 4 hours, but it took 20 hours because of the terrible roads
I enjoyed eating 6-7 mangoes a day from the trees in this green and lush West African country. I remember all the good things here, the amazing landscapes, the green scenery, the waterfalls, the wild adventures. Guinea is not for the soft traveler, but it’s a country an explorer loves! I honestly wouldn’t say Guinea is a dangerous country, and I take the few bad experiences I had here with me with a smile. It was tough yes, but I’ll remember Guinea for all the good things. This country was probably my wildest, most off-the-beaten-path adventure ever!
Goodbye Guinea! Forget about the capital Conakry, the beauty of Guinea is in the countryside
Hope to come back to Guinea again and I’m excited to see the development in this really interesting country. I will follow the future of Guinea closely!
I went to The Gambia in Spring 2019 and these are 7 Fun Facts about this small, English-speaking and fascinating, West African country. Some of these facts are probably very surprising to most people!
1. The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa
2. The only country with which The Gambia has a border is Senegal
3. In 1964, the prime minister of The Gambia said that one of the reasons they like to have ‘The’ in their name is to avoid confusion with Zambia
Lovely day at the River Gambia
4. The national football team of The Gambia is nicknamed The Scorpions.
5. People cast their votes in elections in The Gambia by dropping stones in holes.
The Gambia’s flag is red, blue and green with two white lines in between
6.The highest point of the country is Red Rock, at only 53 meters (174 feet) above sea level.
7. The Gambia has 80 kilometers (50 miles) of coastline.
In the Bijiro Forest Park in The Gambia with a lot of wild monkeys
The Gambia is such a green, sunny and beautiful destination in West Africa.. Hope to come back again!
Traveled around Iran for 12 days in 2018 and Iran is NOT what you think it is! Touring through Iran is not like visiting Disneyland, but it’s definitely safer.
Varzaneh Desert, Iran
Crazy Start To My Iran Adventure
Me and Alireza, the guy who helped me out, eating in a 400-year-old renovated bath-house, Jarchi Bashi, Iran
I had $150 on me for my 12-days Iran adventure, and what I didn’t think of what the fact it was impossible to withdraw money from any ATM’s in Iran, because of sanctions from the US. Furthermore you can’t use Whatsapp, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram etc., so it was a really worrying start that I had around $50 on me after my visa was paid for 12 days in Iran. Lucky for me I met a super friendly Iranian guy in the Airplane, who helped me out, and with this guy’s help I ended up having the most awesome time in Iran.
1. The People
With a lovely Iranian family, Isfahan, Iran
It’s important to state for me I came here solo, all costs where covered myself and I have no hidden agendas in visiting. I’m speaking my honest travel experience as always, and the Iranian people are incredible. If you take away anything from this blog post, please let it be that Persians are some of the most hospitable, kind and humble people that I’ve met in all my travels to 129 countries.
I interacted with as many locals as I could, and not once on any occasion was I disrespected or even looked at funny. I even told people that I was from Denmark, and it made them even more interested to get to know me. I was invited (dozens of times) into peoples’ houses for a cup of tea and even offered a bed to sleep in. One time in Isfahan, I walked into a tea shop in the evening and the owner wouldn’t let me leave because he wanted to talk to me all night and he kept feeding me tea! I made many good friends while in Iran, and I can’t wait to go back and visit them all someday soon. Iran is very high on my list of countries I want to return to sooner or later, and a big reason for that is the amazing people in Iran.
2. The Historical Sites
The Historical Sites in Iran will blow your mind! Hope to come back soon
Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Human activity in this country dates back 40,000 years — and evidence of these ancient humans can be found in select places in Iran. My favorite historical site was the Shah Mosque in Isfahan. The ocean of turquoise and blue ceramics, with majestic patterns and architecture in Imam (Shah) Mosque of Isfahan, the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wow!
3. The Society
Talking about future and sustainable tourism in Iran, with one of the most important persons in Iran, Mr. Jebali
Being in Iran is like entering a time warp back to the 1970s or 80s (not that I was alive in those decades, but from what I know, this is how the World looked like). The models of cars on the road today don’t resemble anything modern (except for maybe a few neighborhoods in Tehran), there are NO international brands or chains anywhere to be seen except for Coca-Cola (no McDonald’s, Starbucks, Uber, Marriott, etc), and the wifi speed is very slow. You can’t use Facebook, Whatsapp etc. without a VPN!
But that all being said, it is somewhat of a refresher to be immersed in such a society, which is opposite to most countries that are overrun by tourists (like most of South East Asia). There are no scams in Iran. Life is as real and genuine as it gets.
4. The Food
Persian food is yummy
Ah, last but not least — the food! Who doesn’t travel for food? Iranian cuisine is so delicious, and you’ll most likely be invited for dinner many times. The cuisine is based on a combination of rice, meat, vegetables and nuts. Common herbs include saffron, cinnamon and parsley, and fruits include plum, pomegranate, apricots and raisins. Most of the meat takes form of a ‘kebab’ which is minced beef/lamb/chicken served on a plate alongside fresh vegetables like tomato, cucumber, olives, onion and lettuce.
5. The Love
Getting asked for a lot of photos in Iran
Iran is a country of love, not hate, when we talk about the super friendly population. I’ve been lucky to witness the breathtaking mosques, ancient history and the untouched nature. But it’s by and large the people that leave the most lasting impression. Iranians take you under their wings and their hospitality is the stuff of a legend.
Will never forget you Iran and I hope to revisit soon and travel more around this beautiful country!
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