First of all I really like both England and Scotland, and I mostly see a lot of similarities between them, but having traveled a lot in both of them I couldn’t help but to write down 7 differences I’ve noticed.
1. The Accent
English accent
The London accent is a bit posh, but don’t get me wrong, I’ve realized England as a country has a ton of different accents like the Scouse accent, the Geordie accent and the Yorkshire accent etc! The list goes on..
This is what texting in England could probably look like!
Scottish accent
The Scottish accent is more harsh and is an accent you probably won’t find any other places in the World than Scotland or from Scottish people living abroad!
My friend said: “I can’t understand much Scottish, but it sounds great.” Keep in mind that in Scotland there are the Lowlands accents (Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Dundee) and the Highlands (Aberdeen, Inverness,) all very different from each other!
I really enjoy the ‘O’-sound in Scottish, which is pronounced like ‘Or’. Goat becomes gort, know becomes knor and so becomes sor. An example:
Too good! This is what texting could be like in Scotland..
Pretty filthy, but you get what I mean!
2. The Flags
English flag
The English flag is a white field with a centred red cross
Scottish flag
The Scottish flag is a white X-shaped cross, which represents the cross of the patron saint of Scotland, Saint Andrew on a blue sky.
3. The Landscapes
The landscapes are quite different from each other. Most of England is flat or low-lying especially in southern England and Scotland is in general more mountanious and more dark green.
English landscapes
The land of turquoise waters, Cornwall, England
Scottish landscapes
The Quiraing, Scotland
Both countries have beautiful landscapes with great scenery. Scotland is landscape-wise a bit more impressive for me than England is – although Cornwall, Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes are nice enough. Still, nothing compares to the Highlands and the Isles. Scenery is won by Scotland – hands down!
4. The Weather
In general, both regions have warm summers, mild winters and lots of clouds. The fact that the west of the UK is so close to the Atlantic Ocean means that it has milder winters. Because of the huge mass of water that holds heat better than land and therefore ‘heats’ Wales and Western England during the winter.
But be prepared for clouds, clouds and a short glimpse of the sun, before clouds again..
English Weather
Tower Bridge, London. Weather is usually cloudy in England.. But never really cold
July is the hottest month in London with an average temperature of 19°C (66 °F.)
Coldest month is January at around 5°C (41°F.)
Scottish Weather
Surprise! Cloudy view in Edingburgh over Hibernian FC’s Football Stadium
July is the warmest month in Scotland, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 15°C (59°F) to 17°C (63 °F.) Coldest month is January at 3°C (37°F)
England feels more mild and warmer in my opinion.
Both countries can have beautiful sunny days too! You just have to wait long enough for them..
5. The Football
English football
The English Premier League (EPL) is often said to be the best football league in the world competition wise and also the most followed!
Scottish Football
Teams in The Scottish Premier League (SPL) can’t compete financially with the English teams. Focus on Rugby instead?
The Premier League in England is a lot better than the Scottish League. More money, more followers, more attention and much more entertaining football!
English football in general is miles ahead of Scotland, whether the Scottish lads agree to it or not! In Scotland you’ll indeed find passionate fans, but in England you’ll find a lot of football fans, who live for their local team. Furthermore Celtic basically win the League every year in Scotland and is the only team who would stand a chance in the Premier League in England.
Getting a one-man tour at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Celtic has won the Scottish Premiership the last 7 years in a row!
6. Prices
English property
Rent in England (London especially) is super expensive
If you check out cities on the Cost of Living Index from the UK, London is the most expensive with a price index of 225 and the Top 10 most expensive cities are all English.
Scottish property
Property in Scotland is in general slightly cheaper.. Funny!
Edinburgh has 155 and Glasgow 148 on the Cost of Living Index, which is a lot cheaper than London.
Maybe it’s better to buy a castle or some land in Scotland, and become a Lord, than renting a 1 bedroom flat in London? I still like London though!
7. Similarities
“English and Scots are the same people, with different accents. Why pretend otherwise? Why are unionists so scared to talk about what unites us?” – Chris Deerin
For me it’s been really hard to point out differences, but these I’ve listed above are what I could think of! And they weren’t even that different at all, right?!
The stereotypes are all too often that Scottish people are more pro-EU, pro-welfare and left-wing than the English, but you’ll find these types in England too and the statistics show they’re pretty much the same.
Others would say the English people in general are a more competitive folk, more self-centered. At the end of the day, buy either a pint, and you’ll be alright in both countries!
But still, the whisky selection tends to be better north of the English border naturally 🏴
The National Dress of Scotland is impressive. Should I buy me a kilt? Edinburgh, Scotland
Any differences or similarities between England and Scotland? Feel free to join in!
These are only my thoughts.. But if you’re from England or Scotland and you hate your neighbor country, remember you remind a lot more of them than what you think.
When my parents got married 8 people attended.. When I attended an Indian wedding in London last weekend +400 people did. Huge difference! Here’s what an Indian Wedding is like!
I still have this specific Indian wedding on my mind…
The address of the venue was Hilton Hotel, London Bankside, which is right in the center of London.
Hilton Hotel, Bankside, Central London
Should I go or not?
I talked to the groom Hemal, whom I traveled a lot of Brazil with, about coming to his wedding last year, but I wasn’t sure if I was able to go, because of my tight travel schedule in order to visit a lot of new countries in 2019. Hemal told me several times: “It’s an experience you won’t die without.” He got me right there, as extraordinary experiences are what I live for, so that was enough said!
Cheap Ryanair flight tickets to London booked immediately after our conversation. Off to London!
The Wedding Day Was Now
5 months later and the Wedding Day was finally here.
I didn’t get much sleep the night before, because I literally had the highest level of excitement: I was about to attend an Indian Wedding, which I heard so much crazy stuff about.
I brought a big Danish gift with necklaces and bracelets for the bride, some Danish specialities and an old travel memory to Hemal from when we travel around Brazil together! I thought it was a great gift, but it showed up ALL other guests brought letters and paper gifts to the wedding (the invitation saying ‘kindly no boxed gifts’), made me look a bit stupid.
Why do I never read the small print? Anyway….
7 Days Wedding
The Indian Wedding had been going on for 6 days and I came on the last day where the official ceremony was for family and friends. Time for the official marriage, before husband and wife were off for honeymoon together as Mr. and Mrs. Pandya!
In the early morning we started getting in our traditional Indian outfits and then waited for the groom to show up. I met a lot of Hemal’s brothers and close family and they were all extremely welcoming and happy for me to join the wedding.
Waiting for the groom, Hilton Hotel, London
The Schedule
The schedule for the Indian Wedding:
Groom’s arrival 9:00 am
Breakfast 9.30 am
Wedding Ceremony 10.00 am
Drinks and reception 5.30 pm
Indian dinner 6.45 pm
Carry on and celebrate until midnight
It looked as a pretty normal wedding for a westener like me at first sight, but I quickly realized this was far from normal.
The groom Hemal bossin’ the streets of London
The groom arrived in a Bentley, standing out of the car rooftop, in the streets of London, with all of the guests following the car in traditional clothing, dancing and clapping along the way, and with one Indian guy playing the drum, the beat of a dhol, which is an Indian drum. I’m not sure what the Londoners were thinking, but it was a lot of fun!
Blocking the streets of Central London, because why not?!
After playing around in the streets for 30 minutes, we came in and had a delicious breakfast and I got to talk a bit with Hemal who told his friends: “Last time I saw this guy was on Copacabana Beach!” Hilarious!
The Ceremony
400 guests were ready for the huge ceremony. Now it was the time..
The priest did the introduction and then Hemal came in with his most important family members after him and went up to the stage. After a while we saw the bride for the first time and she came in with a huge amount of jewelry on and in a beautiful dress. Scenes taking out of a banger Bollywood Movie!
The bride and her family greeted the groom, and the couple then exchanged floral garlands to wear around their necks to symbolize their acceptance of each other.
For the ceremony, the priest, groom, bride and bride’s parents were sitting beneath a mandap, which is a temple porch. The ceremony started off with the kanya daan, in which the bride’s parents give her away. Then the couple joined hands and circles around a small, enclosed fire (the agni) in a ritual called the mangal phera.
At last the couple took the saptapadi, or seven steps, as they vow to support each other and live happily together. Finally, Hemal (the groom) applied a red powder to the center of the bride’s forehead and tied a black beaded necklace around her neck, symbolizing she’s now a married woman. Beautiful!
In The Evening
After a little mid-day break, people came to the reception in the evening and had some drinks and Indian snacks. I had to be extra careful with the snacks, some of them were veeery spicy indeed.
Everyone was a bit more British dressed in the evening
We then went into a new stunning hall and had dinner. Family members gave speeches for the groom and the bride. Hemal held an amazing speech and even gave me a shoutout saying: “We have people flying in from all over the World today and my friend Gus is here, who I last saw in Copacabana Beach.. He just flew in from Iraq!” followed by applause.. Just a very small thing in a truly touching speech!
Hemal about to give the speech of his life
The End Of An Amazing Day
At last we went to the dance floor until midnight with a hired DJ setting fire to the dancefloor with mostly Indian bangers. Out of a sudden Hemal was DJ’ing and took the mic and said: “I f*cking love my wife,” and the dancefloor went absolutely nuts.
I’m so happy I took the decision to attend a proper Indian wedding! I will always remember the memories we created together in Brazil, now it’s a new chapter for you and time to create some beautiful memories with your wife.
And to all of you who’re still reading along, if you have the chance to go to an Indian wedding, don’t think twice. Just go 😉
Some people say London is an overpriced city. Others say people in London are very rude. I’ve now been to London several times and Here are 7 Reasons Why I Love London!
1: The World Is Here
London is one of the most diverse cities on the planet. More than 35% of the population are born outside the UK and over 300 different languages are spoken.
Attending an Indian Wedding in London. See me?
London has people from around the globe drawn to the city. The diversity has seen London become a place of endless possibilities. See a film at a French cinema? No problem. Brunch at a Nordic bakery? Sure. Grabbing an Indian Lunch? Ok! Dinner at an authentic Mongolian restaurant? Take your pick.
Traditional Fish and Chips has decreased in popularity in London, because of new great options!
It’s not just food where London has benefited from diversity – over the years diversity has helped to drive creativity, making the capital an international leader in a variety of fields.
And for me having traveled to +105 countries I see small parts of so many countries combined in one city, which is really cool to see!
Neal’s Yard, Covent Garden, London
2: Music Is All Around You
London is a city of creativity and London moves to its own, distinct soundtrack. Music is all around you. Ed Sheeran, Adele, Rolling Stones, countless of cool underground rappers and many more!
London has produced artists who have shaped the international music scene for years. The Beatles wrote ‘Yesterday’ in an apartment in the capital and David Bowie was born at Stansfield Road Brixton in London.
Countless musicians are connected to London
You can see an artist every night of the week, whatever preference in music you have! Furthermore the city boasts a number of summer music festivals with the British Summer Time festival at Hyde Park and Wireless at Finsbury Park being two of the biggest..
3: The City Of Mystery
London has been a magnet for creative spirits for centuries. From William Shakespeare to Jimi Hendrix and J.K. Rowling – the great and the good of art have been inspired by London. Endless works of fiction have been set in the streets of London with the likes of Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, and Mary Poppins all calling the city home.
Wall picture at Tower Hamlets, Stepney, London
4: Sports
I love football and the passion the Brits have for football is wild. Everyone has a favourite team they support!
A visit to West Ham’s Stadium, 2010. In total I’ve watched 3 football matches in London, all with great atmosphere!
London is home to some of the biggest clubs in the world and Wembley Stadium hosts national football matches as well as NFL games that sell out the 90,000 seater stadium. BRITS ARE TOTALLY SPORTS MAD!
It’s not just football London excels at.. English events like spending a day watching tennis at Wimbledon or trying to understand the rules of cricket at Lord’s are also possible with big crowds.
5: There is Abundant Public Transport
London is a huge city, but the public transport is on point. The trains and busses work perfectly fine. I can hop on a tube and scuttle around the underground, and the bus stops with easy to read timetables in English and with apps that tell you when the bus will arrive, almost to the second. This is such a luxury!
London Underground. Just get an Oyster Card and you’re ready to go!
6: London Has Everything to Do
London has a million museums (lots of them are free), attractions, parks and historical sites.
To be honest you can’t fail to be excited by London’s amazing attractions. See London from above on the London Eye or go to beautiful parks, like Hyde Park and Richmond Park to chill out! And one thing I LIKE is that you don’t need to travel far to find green space in London, which is missing in many other big cities.
Making London Eye to a spinning wheel, 2019, London
Some of my personal favourite tourist places to visit are Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Eye and Tower of London, but you’ll have plenty of options. London has pretty much everything to do!
7: London Is Very Safe
London is now an incredibly safe city, ranking 20th in the world of The Economist’s 2017 Safe Cities Index.
London has the 2. largest Surveillance Camera Network in the World, right after Beijing. The estimation of surveilliance cameras are around 420,000 in the city of London, so nearly every place has a surveillance camera watching over you, which is both scary but also give a feeling of safety and security.
Ok, London is not Tokyo (where you can leave your iPhone on the bar, go to a toilet visit and still find it laying there when you get back.) Remember London is a huge international metropolis and as such, not crime free, but for its size, the levels of street crime are very low and it’s a safe and great place to visit and enjoy – and with some friendly police officers to boot!
8: Unfriendly people? Really!?
“Londoners, stop being so rude and unfriendly.”
I’ve only had friendly encounters with people in London. I’m constantly amazed by how friendly people are here. Whether I have asked someone for directions or talked to staff in local shops, bars or restaurants, as well as outside or in central London, whoever. People are usually very polite!
Maybe it’s just me? Or do you also come across friendly, helpful, nice people in London?
That’s all from me. Have fun in this great, yet expensive city!
I just came back from Iraqi Kurdistan, staying most of my time in Erbil, a city very close to Mosul, which was Isis Headquarter until few years ago…
On top of Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan at the Citadel
Is it safe to travel to Iraq?
This is the $1,000,000 question that any adventurous traveler wonders at least once in his or her’s life. The answer is: ”it depends”.
For a long time Iraq has had an negative reputation in the media and around the World for its safety issues.
Thethread of ISIS
Starting with the Iraq-Iran war in 1980, to the Saddam Hussein Gulf conflict (where Saddam Hussein gassed 5,000 Kurds in Halabja etc.) and then the current civil war now after the USA invasion, where the bloodthirsty Islamic State appeared in the country..
I admit it, it doesn’t sound as the best travel destination! But the reality is different.
I stayed most of my time in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan. Erbil is the most modern place in the region, guarded by the legendary Peshmerga. Therefore from a safety point of view, the entire region can be classified as relatively safe.
If you take a look at the maps below, you will see the evolution of the ISIS territory.
As you can see, from 2014 to 2017, ISIS was, basically, bordering Iraqi Kurdistan.
In July 2017, the Iraqi forces took Mosul back, so the region got safer than ever.
Isis Map period 2014-2017Isis Map 2018 – Is Erbil Safe?
Loads of checkpoints
There are loads of checkpoints across all cities and roads, where they will ask for your passport and, occasionally, they will even check the car.
As a Western foreigner, I didn’t have any troubles, but once I was traveling by taxi with an Arab man, and the Peshmergas (Kurdish soldiers) took my driver out for 10 minutes at least. They found him suspicious in their eyes. They basically question everything here, which is a good thing to prevent terrorist attacks.
Doing a travel speech in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq
Is Kurdistan safe? What is it like to travel there?
When I went walking to Erbil’s citadel, I couldn’t believe what my eyes saw: Kids playing football in the streets, nice cafés and terraces and everybody seemed to have a happy, normal life.
Didn’t see any tourists though on my 10 km solo walk around the city, but I was quite shocked when I saw a local Kurdish guy with a beer in his hand. I would personally never drink in the streets in a muslim country, as I respect the country’s rules as a guest, but this little episode showed me that Kurdistan is one of the most liberal and open-minded parts of the Middle East, that follows a similar lifestyle to Lebanon.
The mountains here reminded me a bit of my second home, The Faroe Islands. Stunning nature!
The airport security is extreme
I had never before seen such a degree of airport security. Only Israel comes close!
From the moment I left the city until the moment I boarded the plane, I passed through over 10 different checkpoints. I had to get out at three checkpoints and they checked everything inside the car with police dogs and with all the guys armed.
Cars and buses couldn’t go to the departure or arrival terminal, so I had to walk the last part myself.
With a Kurdish man who fought ISIS close to Mosul two years ago
Should you visit Iraqi Kurdistan?
Even if you go with a friend or you go solo like me, you should! Yes, there’s a risk involved when you’re going to a country like Iraq, but there’s a risk anywhere in the World! And the risk here in Kurdistan is very low.
With a huge touristic potential, impressive landscapes, a deep history, and some of the most hospitable people you’ll ever find, Kurdistan is a must-visit destination. Just go!
Here are some random pictures from all over the world. One from each country/territory. I will add more here and there from new travels and adventures, so check back every now and then. Enjoy!
Albania
Tirana Square, Tirana, Albania 2016
Algeria
Salaam alaikum! A gift from my Algerian host, Algiers, Algeria. 2018
Andorra
In the tiny capital Andorra La Vella, Andorra 2016
Argentina
With Argentinian legend Diego Maradona in Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina 2015
Armenia
In front of the big blue kiwi in Yerevan, Armenia. 2017
Australia
Inside “The G” or Melbourne Cricket Ground Stadium, which hosts +100,000 people, Melbourne, Australia. 2015
Austria
Schönbrunn Castle, Vienna, Austria 2017
Azerbaidjan
Hand gestures in “the architectural love child of Paris and Dubai city,” Baku, Azerbaidjan. 2017
Bahrain
The Tea Club with family of the Bahrainian King, Manama, Bahrain. 2017
Belarus
At the Brest Hero Fortress, a WWII memorial, in the south of Belarus. 2017
Belgium
The beautiful La Grand Place City Square in Brussels, Belgium, 2017
Belize
Denmark heavily represented in Caye Caulker island, Belize. 2019
Brazil
Sitting at the world-famous steps ‘Selaron Steps’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 2016
Bulgaria
Climbing ‘The 7 Rila Lakes’ in the Rila Mountains, Bulgaria. 2018
Burkina Faso
In a village where people and crocodiles have lived together for 300 years in Burkina Faso. Surreal! 2019
Burma / Myanmar
Chilling with the buddies in Yangon, Burma. 2018
China
Beautiful sunny day at the Mutianyu section, Great Wall of China, Beijing, China 2019
Croatia
INSTA-SHOT 😝 Much fun walking the walls in Dubrovnik, Croatia. 2017
Cyprus
Week in Cyprus and here in party area Ayia Napa. 2016
Czech Republic
Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic. 2018
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Hiking around small mountain villages on the border of Congo/Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC.) 2014
Egypt
Visiting the Giza Piramids, Egypt. 2013
Eswatini
Ezulwini Valley, in the northwest of the former Swaziland, Eswatini. 2018
In the country I went to 13 times, and also where my roots are from, the Faroe Islands. Visiting the island where my grandfather was born, Sandoy, Faroe Islands. 2015
Finland
Uspenski Cathedral on a cold Winter day in Helsinki, Finland. 2016
Gambia
In Bijiro Nationalpark, The Gambia
Georgia
With a police officer at a street event in Tbilisi, Georgia. 2017
Ghana
In the streets of Accra, Ghana. 2019
Gibraltar
Two homies flexing on the way to the top of Rock of Gibraltar, Gibraltar. 2018
Greece
Nothing beats a greek street, Naxos, Greece. 2018
Guernsey
Hitchhiking my way around the small island and British Crown Dependency, Guernsey. 2019
Just came back from an amazing trip to Nepal, and these are the 3 Ultimate Must-Do’s for the dusty, yet charming capital, Kathmandu.
The city is still recovering from the devastating effects of 2015 earthquake, but even so, there are endless side streets and medieval relics to explore. I spend my days here wandering through the ancient city and usually settled in with a (large) plate of momos and an Everest Beer in the evening. These are the 3 things you shouldn’t miss in Kathmandu, Nepal!
1: Visit Swayambhunath Monkey Temple
Thought to be spiritual creatures in Nepal, prepare to encounter more monkeys in one space than you’ll see in your whole lifetime! Perched atop glistening, golden stupas and ornate architecture, mothers and babies cling to one another as they jump from temple to temple. Said to be over 2,000 years old, Swayambhunath is the oldest stupa of its kind in Nepal and offers awesome, panoramic views of Kathmandu Valley (every influencers dream 😝)
Monkey Temple Swayambhunath in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hate the word ‘influencer’ btw!
For a small entrance fee of NPR 200 (approx $2,) you can visit this place cheaply, unless you choose to toss a coin and make a wish in the fountain, it will be a bit more of course. Climb the stairs (try to resist the gorgeous, cheap and colourful jewelry on the way up) and have your cameras ready… although, of course, don’t get too close and respect the animals, not all monkeys are ready for a sneaky closeup! The way up is a bit long, considering waking up super early with no breakfast, (hey, I like to be first man!), but it’s maybe a good idea to get some breakfast and buy some water before doing the hike!
2: Walk Through Bhaktapur, Durbar Square & Patton Durbar Square
A bit more pricey, but well worth it..
Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal
Sadly, many of the thousands-of-year-old structures were destroyed in the earthquake, with others uninhabitable and to be torn down, but these ancient cities remain charming and are an absolute must-see. Navigate your way through medieval squares and winding streets where locals weave cloth and throw pottery (you can even ask to have a go for a small fee!) and socialise in the communal courtyards. For Bhaktapur Durbar Square there is an entry fee of NPR 1,500 (approx $15), which goes towards maintaining the surrounding temples. Look for restaurants with rooftops for incredible panoramic views and enjoy traditional, Nepalese dumplings (momos) as you enjoy the traditional scenery.
3: Enjoy the Boudhanath Stupa and the beautiful sorroundings
Boudhanath Stupa (or Bodnath Stupa) is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet
The Boudhanath Stupa is standing as a giant mandala of peace and beauty and also with giant eyes. This is one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world, and was built some time around the 14th century. The huge meditative monument is said to have been created just after the passing of the Buddha. The stupa tower is decorated with pairs of eyes on each of the cardinal directions representing the all-knowing nature of the Buddha. A really cool place with nice café’s and restaurants all the way around it. Know before you go: The entrance is just basically a gate in a wall.
Enjoyed a $1 ice tea drink at a random rooftop café at Boudhanath Stupa. Nepal is among the cheapest countries!
And don’t forget…..
Pashuupatinath
Pashupatinath Temple is located on both banks of Bagmati River on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu
‘One of the four most important religious sites in Asia for devotees to Shiva.’ Lots of holy men at the Pashupatinath Temple and here you’re able to watch daily rituals carried out. This sacred site is also where last rites are read and daily cremations are held across the river, which truth be told, can be a sobering experience to witness.
Last but not least….
Go for a Night out in Thamel
Thamel is the centre of the tourist industry in Kathmandu, Nepal
The backpacker area where you can buy all the fake trekking gear in the world in the day time is a good place for a cozy night out. The famous streets of Thamel come alive on Friday nights, everyone is ready to celebrate the weekend and bars and restaurants are bustling! Don’t miss that experience.. Really cool atmosphere and thoroughly recommended!
Goodbye Nepal..
– Gustav
gus1thego.com
Btw: The entrance fees for different heritage of Kathmandu Valley are here below. NPR 100 is rougly $1.
Welcome to Honduras! Welcome to San Pedro Sula! The Unwelcome Crown as the World′s Most Murderous City.
WARNING: If you’re not into tough reading, you shouldn’t read this post!
After some really chilled days in Copan, Honduras, I made the decision to face one of my worst fears and visit one of the most dangerous cities on Earth, San Pedro Sula, to see what it was really like! Looking at the street signs on the way, slowly getting closer to the city, watching the kilometers counting down and feeling my heart beating faster. Now it was the time. Why did I feel so scared of this city?
First of all I have a very dear friend from Honduras, who had her two brothers brutally killed in the streets in San Pedro Sula. Just randomly. No mercy. Simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time! And then of course because of the 18th Street Gang.
The 18th Street Gang, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
The 18th Street Gang is famous for setting up a checkpoint, and every entering driver is asked: Where are you from? Where are you going? Anyone with wrong answers gets shot on the spot. One thing I heard from multiple sources – was about gangsters playing soccer with the decapitated head of someone they had executed. Absolutely terrifying!
I’ve been to San Salvador in El Salvador, Johannesbourg in South Africa and some Brazilian cities with lots of violent crime. I had a little bit of experience in places like this, so I took the chance and went, eventhough I know a bit of experience isn’t enough in these places.. Anything can happen!
Walking around San Pedro Sula wasn’t really enjoyable for me, I quickly found out. I felt like I couldn’t really trust no one in the city (sadly), and I was constantly aware of potential danger on my 10 km solo walk around the city. Sure there were good people and some pretty areas, some spots were actually very silent and nice, but also lots of sketchy places too, where I wouldn’t want to walk alone in the dark!
With my private driver at night in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Real champ!
One thing I’ve learned from traveling in South America/Latin America is that you’re constantly being watched from everywhere at any time, if you’re a foreigner or you are wearing valuable items, even if you don’t think you are, so I had my phone in the pocket mostly and left my sunglasses, wallet etc at my place!
Having seen people getting mugged in the streets of Buenos Aires and in Rio de Janeiro, and even been attempted getting mugged myself at Copacabana Beach, I felt like it was needed to take all the possible safety precautions I could. The difference in San Pedro Sula compared to the other cities is that mugging people often isn’t enough here.. They will prefer to go all the way and kill you!
At the Palacio Municipal Square in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
So what did I like about San Pedro Sula?
I liked the San Pedro Sula Cathedral, The Palacio Municipal and of course the Gualimito Market, which is probably the best place to visit in the city. A colorful market with cigars, handcrafted Honduran blankets and lots of cool stuff. Decent prices too! Downtown San Pedro Sula was fairly compact and seemed pretty easy going during the day at most places. For night I went to a nice little local disco, but for safety reasons, be sure to take a taxi when traveling even just a few blocks after dark. And the food.. Oh, the food!
Delicious ‘Chilaquiles’ in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. I forever love Latin American food!
My Stay In San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Overall I had a OK stay in what was the “murder capital of the world,” until Caracas, Venezuela surpassed its homicide rate recently, but would I recommend anyone to go to San Pedro Sula?
Hmmmmm. No.
The city has some beautiful sides and the violent crime and murders are slowly decreasing, but in the end it’s a really dangerous place. It’s your own choice if you’re willing to run the risk to go to San Pedro Sula, and I know my Honduran friend’s ultimately biggest wish is to have her brothers back. Would I go to San Pedro Sula again? Probably not in the near future! But Honduras, 100% yes!
This is a question I get asked quite a lot, and I wanted to share my answer with you guys here..
I have tried a few VPN’s, some good and some bad, but for me the best on the market is the ExpressVPN.
When traveling around Malawi and having your Facebook account blocked, because of your location, or having no access to Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Snapchat and many others work related apps in Iran or China, it’s super important for me to have a good and reliable VPN that sets me up quickly in a new location, so I can be online whereever I am. And do whatever I want to do.
My personal opinion is to use the ExpressVPN, and I can only recommend for you to try the free trial version first for one week and see how it works. You can get it by clicking here!
If you’re happy with the ExpressVPN, you can just thank me later.
4: I can name every country in the world from looking at an empty map, and I know almost every capital/country flag
5: I climbed Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro by the age of 22. (Wanna join my trip this year?)
6: I’m an introvert
7: I like solo traveling and some of my best adventures have been from doing that
8: I’ve been to every single country in Europe (Most of them +2 times)
9: I have a Type A personality
10: I check football news daily
11: I have an explorer mindset and want to see, try and understand as much as possible
12: I’m a minimalist
13: I’ve taken more than 400 flights
14: I have perfume, grass and dust allergy and often have irritated eyes
15: I debuted in the 2nd best Danish football league when I just turned 17
16: I’ve worn different bracelets on my right wrist for 10 years straight with no days off
17: I write with my left hand and throw with my right hand
18: I have a 4 year bachelor-degree as a Sport and English Teacher from the University College Capital, Copenhagen, Denmark
19: I love freedom and I think the things you own end up owning you
20: I’ve done entrepreneurship for 4 years now (as a publisher, e-commerce, investment, social media marketing) and now travel blogging!
21: I didn’t had any sponsorships for visiting my first 100 countries. All through hard work
22: I’ve spend more than 7 months in total in Tanzania 🐘
23: I prefer tea over coffee
24: I worked my butt off with troubled kids in Denmark in the beginning to afford to travel. 60-80 hours work weeks. (Still take a few shifts when I’m home, because I really enjoy working with kids)
25: I like trying bizarre food
26: I’ve bungee jumped, sky dived and done bridge jumping (26 meters jump in Mostar, Bosnia where you hit the water)
27: I almost never watch TV unless it’s sports
28: I’ve been a Real Madrid fan since 5 years old and try to watch all their matches wherever I am
29: I love music. Afro Pop is my favourite, but I like Hip-Hop, Bongo Flavour, R&B, Pop, Electronic too
30: I’ve slept overnight in 5 airports
31: My favourite animal is a cat
32: I don’t like negative or complaining people
Want to know more about me? Read here. Or contact me!
I believe that everyone should try solo travel at least once. It builds your confidence, shows you what you’re capable of, improves your social skills, gives you time and space to think, and helps you learn more about what you like and need in life.
2. Eat the local food
Food is one of my absolute favorite ways to get to know a place better. I love trying new things, and I’ve found a thousand amazing dishes that I never would have discovered if I’d stick to the normal stuff from the supermarket. Trying new food isn’t scary, and you’ll build your confidence up as you fall in love with more and more things. Try everything, even if you have no idea what it is. I promise you won’t regret it.
Some of the most interesting foods I tried were balut (a developing duck embryo) in the Philippines, living mopane worms in Zimbabwe, snake blood in Vietnam or tuna eyeballs in Japan (that one was a bit creepy!)
3. Plan as little as possible
One of the first lessons I learned on the road was that your plans will nearly always change. I still make the mistake sometimes by booking multiple flight tickets and trying to plan my trip from home, but it’s honestly better to just go with the flow.
Sure, you should have a rough plan for your trip, but don’t book everything in advance or you’ll likely feel too restricted and end up regretting it. Book a one-way ticket and your first few nights of accommodation — you’ll figure the rest out along the way. It’s not as intimidating as it sounds. If you’re in a tourist destination there’ll always be someone who’s willing to take your money by giving you a place to stay.
An improvised day in the surburbs of Djibouti, Djibouti
4. Travel insurance is everything
Seriously. If you do only one thing before you leave, make it getting travel insurance. I’ve heard far too many horror stories of travellers injuring themselves in remote places and ending up in hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. Don’t think that it won’t happen to you, because you know those travellers they thought that, too.
5. Keep everything important in your daypack
I have had lost luggage before and had my big backpack ripped open in Barcelona one time on a bus trip. I’ve also been on dodgy buses in Africa where we’ve arrived at our destination and people have had valuables stolen from their backpack by someone hiding out in the luggage hold while we were transit.
If there’s anything I’d be upset to lose, I keep it in my daypack, which is always by my side on travel days. For me, that’s my passport, laptop, camera, external hard drive, a debit card, and some spare cash. As long as I have all of those, I can survive indefinitely. I use the Anti-Theft Secured Affinity USB Daypack.
The good thing about the Affinity USB Daypack is I can put it inside of my Osprey Fairpoint 40 Liter Backpack, which is the the best travel backpack in the World, according to travelandleisure.com.
In Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe
7. Take more photos of yourself
I talked to one guy in Tbilisi, Georgia 2 years go from Uzbekistan and he told me: “Don’t be so shy. Go and ask for a picture” with some Georgian people in traditional clothing. There have been so many times when I’ve been too shy to ask someone to take my photo in a place and I’ve almost always regretted it. Photos of the beautiful places you visit are great and all, but when you get home, they’re not all that different to the ones everyone else has taken there, too. Photos with you in them are special and they’ll come to mean a lot more. I recommend the Sony A6000 with 24.3 Megapixels. To compare my IPhone X has a 12-megapixel camera. The Sony A6000 is a compact camera and doesn’t take too much space. It takes BANGER photos!
Or maybe I’m just a narcissistic millennial. Who knows?!
8. Learn a few words of the language in every country you visit
You’ll gain more respect from the locals if you can at least say hello, please, sorry, and thank you. It can be a cool ice breaker, which can lead to new adventures. On the note, remember: if you don’t speak the language, it’s your problem, not theirs. And please don’t start speaking louder to make yourself understood. Try miming instead, or using a translation app on your phone. Google Translate is a life saver!
Salaam! Views of the marina in Dubai, Abu Dhabi
9. Bring several debit and credit cards with you
I always bring at least 3. Sometimes your bank will block your card, sometimes your card won’t work in an ATM, and sometimes you could even lose it or have it stolen. Bring at least three debit/credit cards with you that are all linked to different accounts (with money in them!) Keep one in your backpack, one in your daypack, and one on your person. I need to practise this even more myself, because it’s so stupid and risky to keep them all in the same place, especially if you’re traveling in Africa or South America. Don’t do that!
10. And a stash of emergency cash
I carry a spare 300 USD that’s split up in various places in my backpack, daypack, and occasionally, my shoe when there’s a chance I might get robbed. Like when I went walking around to the slums in Cape Town, South Africa myself. It means that in a worst case scenario, I can pay for some food, a dorm bed, and a call to my family to get an emergency wire transfer until I can get back on my feet again. I go with U.S. dollars because it’s the most widely accepted currency around the world and easy to change.
I’m the living proof of that! I expect the worst, but hope for the best. Expecting everything to go perfectly on your trip is only setting yourself up to fail. Nobody goes traveling and comes back without any stories of mishaps! No matter how prepared you are, at some point you’re going to get lost, get scammed, miss your bus, get food poisoning, injure yourself… the list is endless! I was really mad, when a guide stole my Rayban Sunglasses in Zanzibar, Tanzania, because I kind of expected to have the best time there, relaxing on the beach. Expect bad stuff to happen, and don’t beat yourself up when it does. In a month’s time, you’ll find it funny rather than frustrating.
12. And don’t lose your temper when it does
It achieves absolutely nothing and makes you look like an assh*le. I was taught that the hard way, when I got pissed off at the border from Uganda to Rwanda (I was exhausted and treated unfairly – but that’s another story), in fact they rejected me to enter Rwanda and I had to take a horrible bus 15 hours back to Uganda’s capital Kampala to grab another flight back to Tanzania, where I was at that time.
Instead, calm down, put a smile on your face, think of how this will make a great story one day, and rationally figure out an alternative plan. This too shall pass. Caaalm down, Gustav!
Chilling out in Naxos, Greece
13. Visit the touristy stuff in a city
The main tourist attractions are popular for a reason. While getting off the beaten track can be fun, the things you’ll see are rarely as impressive as the popular sights. Don’t be a travel snob — hit up the famous stops as well as the lesser-visited stuff. Going to random places normally just shows you that they aren’t well known for a reason. That being said freestyling is fun, and I enjoy doing that too exploring other cultures, but sometimes there are reasons why tourists haven’t ventured to some tiny village before: Maybe there was nothing to do. I personally wouldn’t go to Paris for the first time without seeing The Eiffel Tower. Maybe that’s just me? I bet not.
Advise from the person who lost a looot of stuff while traveling.
Checking out is when you’re most likely to lose something. CONFIRMED! Whenever I check out of a place, I now check the bathroom, I check under the beds, I check the desks, and then I make sure I have my passport, laptop, camera, money, phone, and external hard drive + Powerbank. (Forgot 5 of these at least!)
My favourite Power bank is by far ‘The Anker PowerCore’ with 20100mAh and I always go with this one. I’ll be fine if I leave anything else behind. Having a routine that you go through every single time will help you keep track of everything. I learned my lesson when I lost my newly (expensive) bought microphone for my IPhone in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore back in 2016, or when I forgot my passport in Surfers Paradise in Australia and some random Australian dude came running with it 5 minutes before I was moving on with the bus, asking “ay mate, is that yours?”. Talk about being lucky!
At that time I had only 1 passport, now I fortunately have 2!
6 years ago in Egypt wearing my fake Real Madrid shirt. (6$ bargain in Sharm el Sheikh!)
15. If you’re not sure if you should bring it, don’t
The lighter your backpack, the better. If in doubt, leave it behind. Trust me, you can buy pretty much anything you could possibly need in most places around the world. You’ll soon learn that all you need when you travel is a change of clothes, some money, and a passport. Everything else is adding to your comfort. Furthermore you’re able to fly very cheap to many destinations with small luggage!
16. Travel in shoulder season to save money and avoid the crowds
Shoulder season is my favourite time to travel. The weather is usually mildest, everything is more affordable than in high season, and there are fewer people visiting, too.
Even in low season in Eastern Asia you will meet plenty other tourists, like here in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
17. Use a VPN
You’ll be connecting to a whole range of unsecured Wi-Fi networks on your trip, so you need to a use a VPN to protect yourself from hackers, malware, and all that good stuff. It’ll also allow you to change your location so you can watch your favourite TV shows online! I use ExpressVPN, which is 99 bucks a year. When my social media platforms literally shut down in Malawi, I realized it was a good idea to set up a VPN.
18. Leaving your comfort zone is the best thing you can do for yourself
I cite leaving my comfort zone as the number one way in which travel has helped me. It was leaving my comfort zone that gave me confidence in my abilities as a traveller. It helped me to overcome anxious situations and it introduced me to new experiences — most of which I unexpectedly loved!
During the World Cup 2018 in Seoul, South Korea. Flag is the opposite way, but whatever! Fun times!
19. Don’t change your currency at the airport
That’s where you’ll get the worst exchange rates.
20. If there’s no internet, embrace it
Play a card game with someone in the hostel common room, read a book, lay on the beach, go for a walk or go swimming, talk to a stranger, think about life. Some of my favourite travel memories are from times when I didn’t have an internet connection to suck me out of the moment.
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