So yes, I have decided to go back to Afghanistan under different circumstances now and honestly I can’t wait for this adventure of a lifetime.. Will it be a challenging trip? Yes, it will be. Do I want complainers to join? No, I don’t. Do I want YES-people to come? Absolutely! Anyway..  I visited 9 provinces in 2019, but I still want to see so much more in this fascinating country. I will bring 7 people with me (not more, not less..) I don’t care about making money on this trip, this is just what I think is the perfect group size for a trip like this. Are you excited for more info? You should be.. This is the programme..

Included: – All accommodations – Transportations and Domestic flights in Afghanistan – Guiding and Permits – Taxes

Not included: Travel Insurance – VISA FEE – Flights in an out of Afghanistan – Entrance tickets to sites – Meals and drinks – Tips – Any extra payment.

Write e-mail to gus1thego@outlook.com to explain shortly about yourself and why you would be a great fit for our group, if you’re interested. If you get approved for the trip, you’ll get more info. TOUR INFO BELOW!

We are going to get our visas in Dubai (unless you know and want to do it somewhere else,) but the plan is to arrive in Dubai on Monday (have a few days to get our visas – I will provide the LOI) and then we go to Kabul on a Thursday.

TOUR PROGRAMME AFGHANISTAN

GUS1THEGO – EXPEDITION

Start & end Point: Kabul
Number of People 7 + Gus

Date: 9th – 18th May 2024

Day 1 – Kabul
Thursday 9th / May / 2024

Arrival in Kabul. You will be transferred from the airport to our accommodation
where we will discuss the trip.

Day 2 – Kabul:
Friday 10th / May / 2024

We will head out and explore Kabul and visit places such as Babur garden – the last
resting place of the first Mughal emperor, Sakhi Shrine historical and stunning shrine
locally believed as bypass of Ali the cousin of prophet Mohammad, the sobering
OMER landmine in Afghanistan and the famous bird market where you will see a
maze small alleyways with locals which haggling over everyday product you
imagine. Including the famous Afghan singing birds. Overnight in Kabul

Day3 Kabul – Bamyan:
Saturday 11th / May / 2024

Today we will drive from Kabul to Bamyan and it will be around 4 hours driving from
Kabul to Bamyan, the capital of Hazarajat – home of Hazaras and one of the most
interesting places with very stunning nature in Afghanistan. When we arrive in
Bamyan we will have time to look at the hillsides containing many caves in which
monasteries and Buddhist carving once situated and visit Buddha niches of
Bamyan, Shar-e-Gholghulah (City of Screams). overnight in Bamyan

Day 4 Bamyan – Band e Amir:
Sunday 12th / May / 2024

Today we will visit places we missed the day before such as dragon valley and the
re city (Shar-e-Zuhak) and then head to the national park of Afghanistan the lapis
lazuli blue water of Band-e-Amir are often the highlight of any trip to Afghanistan.
Legend has it that the dams that separate 5 lakes were made by Ali, the prophet
Mohammad’s cousin and son in law. However, the geologists insist they are natural
dams made from mineral deposits. The lakes contrast to the stark landscape
surrounding them only adds to the beauty of this area. Overnight in Bamyan

Day 5 Bamyan – Kabul:
Monday 13th /May / 2024

Today we head the road back to Kabul and then exploring more of Kabul, and now
that you have got a feel for this chaotic city well do a bit more walking and well
mingle with locals. We take a walk around the city see the daily life of people.
We will also try and visit the famous bookseller of Kabul made famous from 2002
book by Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstat. In the afternoon we head to visit British
cemetery and hills of Bibi Mahroo and overnight in Kabul.

Day 6 Kabul – Kandahar:
Tuesday 14th/ May/2024

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan so we will be spending one night
and one day here to soak in the atmosphere. We take a flight from Kabul to
Kandahar and then we will check out a few of the local sites, including the Kandahar
Museum containing rarely seen pieces of art and the Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani,
the founder of modern Afghanistan. We will visit Sarphosa (Porch) Bazar. We will
also visit one of the most famous sites in Afghanistan, the mosque of the cloak of
the Prophet Mohammad. One of the holiest sites in Afghanistan during his famous
night journey. The cloak is locked away inside and has not been taken out since
1996. Overnight in Kandahar

Day 7 Kandahar – Kabul:
Wednesday 15th /May /2024

Today we fly from Kandahar to Kabul and head out of the airport for lunch in Kabul
and then visit Timor Lang tomb, hills of Bibi Mahroo and Shah-e-Do Sham Shira
mosque means the king of the two swords. Overnight in Kabul

Day8 Kabul – Mazar e Sharif:
Thursday 16th / May / 2024

Today we take an early morning flight from Kabul to Mazar-e-Sharif and then we
have time to visit the majestic blue tiled tomb of Hazrat Ali, Afghanistan most
important religious city of Balk, called Bactria to the Greeks. Bactria was the
birthplace of Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism as well as Rumi the
Legendary Persian poet. Legacy entrance to the town, at the blue tiled shrine of
khoja Parsa and at the oldest mosque in Afghanistan, the 9th century No Gombad
mosque. Overnight in Mazar

Day 9 Mazar e Sharif – Kabul:
Friday 17th / May / 2024

A day trip to Kabul. En route you will also be able to visit Tajqurghan and the old
king’s hunting lodge. the Buddhist monastery remains at Samangan, two hours’
drive south of Mazar e Sharif. The 1500-year-old complex contains a huge stupa
carved out of the bedrock as well as a number of caves used as places of worship or
Tahmeena’s Bazar and head to Kabul but before we will have lunch at Du Shakh.
Overnight in Kabul.

Day 10 – End of trip:
Saturday 18th / May / 2024

Exploring more Kabul, and now that have got a feel for this chaotic country we will
do a bit more walking and will mingle with locals. We will take a walk down chicken
street. Once the famous epicenter of the counter-culture and free of love movement
on the opium trail in the 60s chicken street is now famous for its antique and carpet
shops. We will also try to visit the famous bookseller of Kabul made famous from the
2002 book by Norwegian journalist Asne Seierstat and we drop to the airport to
catch your flight and goodbye!

So yes, a legendary and challenging Afghanistan trip coming up. This will be crazy and epic as always with the gus1thego expeditions!

Gustav

The post AFGHANISTAN GROUP TRIP – 9th – 18th May 2024 appeared first on gus1thego.

Men Türkmenistany gowy görýärin we ýakyn wagtda bu ajaýyp ýurda baryp görmek isleýärin.

1:  ASHGABAT

The capital of Turkmenistan of Ashgabat is the first thing to see. The city is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the whitest city on the planet. 543 buildings are built in the same style-they are lined with white marble. Absolutely beautiful architecture and extremely clean.

2. The ancient city of Nisa

If you drive 18 kilometers west of Ashgabat, you can meet the remains of the ancient city of Nisa. The monuments are protected and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The exhibits found during the excavations are kept in the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan.

3. The Ruins Of Merv

In the south-eastern part of Turkmenistan, there is another UNESCO World Heritage Site, older than Nisa. These are the ruins of the ancient city of Merv. Its top is still decorated with a brick dome. The items found during the excavations are kept in the United Museum of History. I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!

4. Fiery Gas Crater of Karakum Desert

The place of the Fiert Gas Crater of Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan is remembered for a lifetime. Darvaza means “gate” in the national language. The gas crater 90 km from the village of Yerbent is very unique. Anyone who comes here at night becomes an eyewitness to an incredible sight: in the middle of the sands, in pitch darkness, an orange fiery light breaks out from under the ground.

5. Traditional cuisine

People travel to Turkmenistan to eat delicious meat and fish. Most of all, the locals love chicken and lamb. The restaurants serve game, goat and camel meat. Milk is drunk by camel and sheep. The serving plate in Turkmenistan is prepared at every step. Lamb meat is finely chopped, fried in lard and canned.

I love Turkmenistan and I hope to visit this beautiful country soon.  Bu ýurt haýran galdyryjy we ýakyn wagtda görmek isleýärin.

Gustav Rosted Soerensen

The post 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Turkmenistan – Gustav Rosted Soerensen appeared first on gus1thego.

The prices to fly in and out from Istanbul in Turkey are quite good and easy and that is what we are going to do!

WE ARE GOING TO TURKMENISTAN – GUS1THEGO EXPEDITION – 26TH OF JUNE – 30TH OF JUNE 2023

WHY VISIT TURKMENISTAN?

I mean, why not? One of the most unique and isolated countries you can explore on the planet. Enjoying a somewhat unique reputation as, not only the least explored country along the old Silk Road, but also probably the most eccentric of the Central Asian republics, modern Turkmenistan is very much the product of its ex president, Saparmurat Niyazov, otherwise known as Turkmenbashi. Spotting a gold statue of its former ruler on practically every corner, the country is awash with towns and portraits dedicated to one of the world’s most flamboyant and repressive dictators. Turkmenistan has a lot to offer!

Much of the country is covered by the large, empty and very hot Kara Kum or Black Sands Desert, which for centuries was Turkmenistan’s best defence against a long list of outsiders, adventurers and encroaching armies.

A visit to Turkmenistan holds the promise of a journey into a rich and colourful land still totally untouched by tourism, where strangers are merely friends that haven’t been introduced yet. Can’t wait to check out this special country with you!

TOUR PROGRAMME – TURKMENISTAN GUS1THEGO GROUP TRIP – SUMMER 2023 – 26TH OF JUNE – 30TH OF JUNE

Day 1: Arrive in Ashgabat

We will do sightseeing in Ashgabat, visiting the main monuments and sites including the Arch of Neutrality, Independence Monument, Wheel of Enlightenment, Earthquake Memorial. The capital Ashgabat is all over the Record Book of Guinness. It has The World’s Largest Indoor Ferris Wheel, The Largest Architectural Star, Largest Building in the Shape of a Horse, Highest Density of White Marble-Clad Buildings and The Tallest Unsupported Flagpole. Just to name a few of them!

Does it sound interesting to visit a place with that many Guiness World Records?! Well, then you should maybe consider joining my group trip to Turkmenistan! We have limited spots, so be fast as they will be taken quick.

Day 2: Ashgabat – Darvaza

In the morning visit Nissa and the Turkmenbashy Mausoleum and Mosque. Return to Ashgabat for Lunch. In the afternoon drive roughly 4 hours to the Gates of Hell, camping overnight.

Day 3: Darvaza – Ashgabat

In the morning we’ll visit the other two craters at Darvaza, then continue on to Ashgabat. We’ll be taken to the Russian bazaar to explore and have lunch. Free time in the afternoon. We’ll be able to explore sights you might have missed on the first day or just explore this extraordinary city taking in life.

Day 4: Depart Ashgabat

Day 4 we are going to say goodbye and fly out of Ashgabat after an once in a lifetime travel experience in Turkmenistan! Are you excited? I really am! Hope to see you with a new GUS1THEGO EXPEDITION IN TURKMENISTAN. Be aware that the trip might sell out fast and we have limited spots, so sign up as fast as you can.

INCLUDED

Those prices are all based on twin share. It will include tents, transportation, sleeping bags and equipment for camping. Breakfast. The hotel is Ak Altyn 4Star (used to be the Sheraton before the government took over.)

EXCLUDED

PCR-tests (if needed – not as it is right now)
Flights in an out of Turkmenistan.
Lunch and dinner.

Guys, it’s now or never! We don’t know what will happen with Turkmenistan. Will it remain open, will it close again? Come with me now and let’s visit Turkmenistan now while we can! Are you ready to join us 26TH OF JUNE – 30TH OF JUNE? Send an e-mail NOW to gus1thego@outlook.com explaining a little about yourself and why you should join our EPIC EXPEDITION!

Best regards

Gustav Rosted
gus1thego

The post TURKMENISTAN GROUP TRIP 26TH OF JUNE – 30TH OF JUNE 2023 appeared first on gus1thego.

Socotra Expedition (gus1thego)

Monday the 4th of October 10 am > Abu Dhabi – Socotra and back

After spelunking we will return to Arher – the afternoon is yours to relax in the surrounding serenity or join another hiking to the top of the plateau. The hike to the mountain ridge offers a bird’s-eye-view of both sides of the northern and southern shorelines. A highlight of the trip unique to our tour. Afterward we will dine and camp once again at the stunning Arher beach.

After filling our cameras with as many pictures of the Dragon’s Blood Trees as we can, we will continue by road towards Derhur Canyon. After Dixam Plateau, the road plunges 400 m (1312 ft) into a profound chasm slicing through the granite, giving a completely different atmosphere from the airy heights of the plateau. The lush canyon floor has been planted with palm trees, in the shade of which lay Bruce’s Green Pigeons and Laughing Doves. We can refresh ourselves by swimming in the wadi’s deep pool, escaping the midday heat.

Day 6: Qalansyia/ Detwah Lagoon/ The Golden Beach of Shuab

How does it feel to wake up on such a remote and idyllic beach?

In the morning, we will continue to neighboring Detwah Lagoon, which is a marine protected area renowned for its magic landscape. You will be charmed by a white sandy tongue surrounded by turquoise waters of the bay. This surely is one of the best views on the island. You can jump in the shallow sea there and enjoy the paradise. Only be careful with sting rays that can be seen in the lagoon. There is also an array of sea birds to be seen in the lagoon. 
We can take a boat to Shuaab area to see the dolphins playing and swim in near a very pure and clean long sandy beach, once arrive Shuaab area we can have a look on the mangrove area. Be sure to look out for Spinner Dolphins along the way. Cormorants also frequent the area. Once at Shu’ab we will have lunch and the afternoon is free to swim and enjoy this pristine beach setting, complete with mangroves. In late afternoon we take the boat ride back to Qalansyia. Line fishing may also be possible from the boat, if you want fish for dinner of course.
Dinner and overnight in Detwah campsite.

Day 7: Delisha Beach

In the afternoon, we will visit Hadibo city and Delisha beach with pristine white sands full of crabs. You will relax while swimming both in the sea and in a freshwater lagoon. If you are full of energy you can climb a huge sand dune overseeing the beach. There is also a possibility of watching a fabulous sunset from Delisha.
Dinner and Overnight Delisha or Adeeb camp.

IMPORTANT! If you want to be one of the fortunate travelers selected for the Socotra Expedition be sure to:

• Understand the destination and the risks involved.
• Make sure the dates work for you! You need 100% assurance that you can take off on those dates.
• Send us your travel resume and your background (nationality of your passport, city you are based in, age, previous travel experience, usual travel style…) on the contact email as we’ll carry out a selection process.
• A negative COVID test will be required for everyone’s safety prior to visiting.
• This is a one time opportunity, but make sure you’re responsible enough to understand what it entails. If you have any doubts, just email us on the contact below.

The post GUS1THEGO – GROUP TRIP – SOCOTRA, YEMEN appeared first on gus1thego.

My Realizations From Traveling

I’ve made some realizations during my last 7 years of traveling, living a lot of the time out of a backpack, which I’m really grateful for I’ve experienced! When going back to Denmark, I sometimes had a place to stay and sometimes not, having to move all of my things from one place to a storage room or crash friends or even my parents place. It’s difficult to move around all the time with too much material stuff you have to carry with you. For me too much stuff doesn’t really match with my travels around the World.

I know if I want to travel, I have to drag my stuff along or make sure it’s in a safe place before I can leave. It’s annoying, especially if you have a lot of things! I’ve seen the material possessions I have decrease more over the years. When I was younger it was mostly about impressing friends with expensive things, but now I mostly don’t care about material stuff, except clothing to some extent, and even if I see a nice car, I think of expenses, rather than how awesome it looks! Working more hours to afford it = Less travel.

No way!

I still have some things I’m not willing to let go off (Airpods, Sony A6000 Camera, Osprey Fairpoint 40 L Backpack, etc.. Basically these 20 things in this link, but I’ve become more of a minimalist nonetheless by traveling the World over the years. I now have more stories to tell and less stuff to show.

Your Choices?

Ask yourself: Did I really buy this Mercedes car or that Rolex watch, because I genuinely love it so much? Am I so truly passionate about this thing and is it TOTALLY for me, not for others? Or did I actually buy it to fill out an emotional gap I have, or maybe to impress a person I don’t even like? Why did I spent money I don’t have, now having to work extra hours, having less hours to do what I really love? Everybody is probably guilty on buying something to impress others, to boost their ego for a short period, for the sake of getting compliments and mostly fake recognition from their friends. Maybe it’s time to change.

Will Material Stuff Make You Happy?

Most people have this false belief that the more they own, the happier they’ll be. Material stuff will NEVER make you happy! Imagine having the mansion, The TVs.. But having no real friends or family? How would your life be? So many people are slaves to their stuff. But the truth is the more you have, the more you’ll have to manage and worry about. It complicates life.

Have Some Memories

When you go on a vacation, you’ll remember it for years. Those unique experiences become the story you’ll tell forever and a big part of you and I can assure you that nobody will remember your expensive, yet uncomfortable designer couch or $10.000 flat-screen you just bought in 8 years from now. It’ll be garbage!

On the other hand you’ll always have the memories to look back on from traveling.

Shoes And Bed Are Kind Of Important

All being said: Choose your shoes and bed wisely. That’s were you spent most of your life and I really love my travel shoes, most of all the Nike Air Max 97 (on the pic) or the Nike Airmax 270. Both perfect travel shoes for men! Just thoughts from me on a Friday evening, preparing myself slowly in Sweden to go back for a new ride in Africa. Starting with going back to Ethiopia and then I’ll see where the roads will take me..

Do you agree with some of these thoughts? Guilty, not guilty?

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post The EXACT Reason Why You Should Travel MORE! (With Solution!) appeared first on gus1thego.

Is Liberia Dangerous?

Before you read this article and get scared of Liberia, I need to say I enjoyed Liberia mostly. A beautiful country, even though I was there in heavy rain season with up to 16 hours of rain some of my days. I had to be smart with my time in Liberia and took full advantage of the sunny hours, as well as with the rainy ones.

There are some sketchy areas in the capital Monrovia, especially at night, but I felt comfortable most places in Liberia during day and night. So it is a safe country, but there’s one specific time, where it’s NOT!

My Observations In Liberia

The Language

I love the way Liberian speak English, the way they shorten all of the words and mix it with their own local language, makes it so hard to understand, but enjoyable to listen to. Sometimes I had to listen to sentences 3-4 times, in order to fully understand what was being said. So yes, Liberia is a English-speaking country, but not the English you know.

The Food

The food in Liberia is extremely spicy and it’s no matter what you eat. The Liberian people find the food to be completely normal, but in all of the other +115 countries I’ve been to, I only remember a few countries where ALL the food was this spicy. Most of the time I had tears in my eyes when eating in Liberia.

Public Transport Discussion

I took a lot of public transport in Liberia and in all of the cars, mini busses, busses there were discussions.

Usually the one who shouts the loudest wins the argument and when you think people are about to fight, they say “my man, listen,” and the “my man” takes of a lot of the pressure. I’ve seen it so many times here.

Civil Wars

The First Liberian Civil War was an internal conflict in Liberia from 1989 until 1997. The conflict killed about 250,000 people. The Second Liberian Civil War was from 1999 – 2003. After nearly 14 years of Civil War the country is finally safe now, but when the situation get overheated, people can go back in war mode.

Caught In Shootings And Explosions In Liberia

I was caught in shooting and explosions in Liberia. The day before I went on a crazy hunt to find wild, abandoned chimpanzees on an isolated Liberian island, dubbed as ‘The Planet of the Apes.’ Read: The Hunt On Wild Chimpanzees In Liberia,’ but now it was time to go from Liberia to Ivory Coast!

Here’s what happened exactly: I went up 5 am in the morning to find a car from Monrovia to Ivory Coast, because you usually have to wake up early when moving around West Africa to get a car. The car was first full at 9 am though, so it was a long waiting time, but we were now finally ready to go. I was in a Jeep with 7 other African people and off we went!

I sat next to a guy from Ghana, who spoke a good English I could understand easily. There was also a Liberian guy, who was extremely friendly, but I was happy that the man from Ghana was there to translate what he said, because he spoke extremely fast and the Liberian way. Fast talking combined with the Liberian way of speaking English is not the best combination, at least not for me.

The Road Was Blocked. How Come?!

We had been on the road for only 1,5 hour and now the road was blocked. We talked a bit to some of the other passengers in the cars waiting in line, and from what I could understand from the conversations there had been an incident and two kids had died.

I thought it was a bad road incident, which happens here occasionally, but after 30 min of waiting the Liberian guy and I decided to go and check what the problem. There was a lot of noise up there!

“The President Kills Our Children”

We came up to the chaos and walked a bit around. The police were there, but it seemed pretty quiet after all at first. We saw some people who were furious and my Liberian friend and I went over to them to find out what the problem was. A lady was screaming us in the face: “The President is killing our children.”

The ladies wanted the President to come and talk, and I was hoping he would come, because I’m a football fan. The President of Liberia is the old football legend, George Weah. His abilities on the football pitch seemed to be better than his presidential ones! At least people were MAD about him in this situation.

I honestly didn’t understand the issue really, but the protesters said they would block the road for at least 2-3 days. This was the ONLY International road from Monrovia, Liberia to the border of Ivory Coast.
At this point I thought either they stopped the demonstration or there would be big problems soon. In a country there has been in a war mode not many years ago. A country that’s not afraid to pull the trigger.

At one point it seemed like the President would come to give an excuse to the people, but then the reports from the Government changed. I could see the Ghanaian guy from my car running back towards the car. The Police was still passive at this time, but the alarm bells were ringing now. I had to get back to the car.

Get In The Car! Now!

The Liberian guy ran past me and I turned around and ran also. Our car was only 40 meters away from the protests. When we came to the car we stood outside and talked a bit, and the Liberian guy said there was NO CHANCE we would leave today. Just when he said “no chance,” our driver came running from the opposite site of the demonstration and said the police are sending extra forces: “Get in the car. Now!”

Two of the last guys from our car came running in full sprint to the car and jumped in. Literally 5 seconds after we were all in the car, I looked to the right side and from around 50 meter distance I saw a young man throwing something and I yelled: “Get down!” It was a small home-made bomb. Everybody went down beneath the car seats! We could feel the pressure from the bomb inside the car. The car was shaking and right after I could smell the smoke from a battlefield.

I looked up again and from the other side now three Liberian men threw stones at our car, so we were still hiding under the car seats. The driver screamed: “Open the windows,” because if a stone hits glass, it could leave serious damage on the people inside. We were all with the heads down. The protesters were running away and I made a short video footage, where you can hear the gunshots starting to fire from the police.
The women from the demonstration came running now in full speed with crying kids, absolutely horrible.

The Police Didn’t Want The Protests To Continue – Shoot!

The President had told the police the situation was unacceptable and had told them to act! I saw this woman on the picture above came running past my car window, I looked back and saw a woman was shot in the back head 10 meters away from me. The second after a young man got shot in the back and went straight to the ground. F*CK! I went back under the car seat and heard 5-7 gunshots more and heard a lot of screaming outside. After 1 minute all the people who were protesting and blocking the road were gone.

I saw two people were shot with my own eyes, but I’m not sure how many were shot in total. A lot of gunshots.. Time was standing still.

Time To Get Away From The Gunshots

Now we had to escape. Our driver got up from where he was hiding, starting the engine and drove like he was getting casted for a new ‘Fast & The Furious-Movie.’ He destroyed the rear view mirror on another car, because all people just wanted to get away. We really had to get away in a hurry, and he even went off road, where the car was close to turn around. He honestly drove like Michael Schumacher in his heyday. The situation was hectic and scary, still with a lot of violent, unpredictable police around us.

A Day Not To Remember

What a day to finish off Liberia, my country number 116. A day I wouldn’t even wish my worst enemy to experience. A day right in the middle of shootings and explosions a little outside of Monrovia, Liberia.

Goodbye Liberia

As I said earlier I don’t know much about the conflict, but blocking the only International road to another country on the African continent usually have bloody consequences. It had today. These protesters put themselves, the road users and worst of all small children in extreme danger by doing this. Not smart. Seeing kids crying, running for their life. Not fun at all. I can’t figure out who were right or wrong though.

Honestly happy I have arrived to Ivory Coast alive, my country number 117. Can’t wait to see what this country has to offer and now it’s time to move forward!

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post Caught In Shootings And Explosions In Liberia appeared first on gus1thego.