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.

15. Experiencing The Algerian Hospitality And Mountains

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

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!

The World’s Most Empty Country! – YouTube Video – Gus1thego

13. Attending An Indian Wedding In London, England

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.

12. Surfing In El Salvador And Costa Rica

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

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!

The 7 New Wonders Of The World

10. Visiting The Taj Mahal

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.”

The 7 New Wonders Of The World

9. Holding A Travel Speech In Iraq

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

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 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!

7 Reasons Why I Love Indonesia (Pro Traveler-Tips!)

6. Feeding Wild Hyenas With My Mouth In Ethiopia

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!

Feeding Wild Hyenas With My Mouth In Ethiopia

5. Visiting Saudi Arabia

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.

Is Saudi Arabia Safe? – Gus1thego

4. On The Inside of North Korea

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.

On The Inside Of North Korea – My Daily Life Here – Gus1thego

3. Traveling Syria for 1 Week

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.

Is SYRIA Safe? (Denmark Guy) – Gus1thego

2. Experiencing Pakistan

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!

Is Pakistan Safe? (Denmark Guy)

Is Everything Really FREE in Pakistan?

1. Traveling West Africa Solo With No Car (And 0 Flights)

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 Is It Really Like To Travel West Africa Solo With No Car (0 Flights)

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: gus1thego or follow me on Facebook: Gustav Rosted.

Feel free to share the article and safe travels everyone!

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post My Top 15 BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCES – 2019 appeared first on gus1thego.

These are 7 countries that I find really underrated, and you might consider to visit these in the near future!

7. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a very underrated place with a lot of misconceptions. While some may hate it because of its relatively strict rules, there’s a lot of good in it too. These are 20 Things I Like About Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has some unique landscape you won’t see anywhere else. But is it safe to go to Saudi Arabia?

Check my YT-Video here about the safety in the country: Is Saudi Arabia Safe?

6. Bulgaria

A lot of people from my country goes to Sunny Beach or Golden Sands in Bulgaria to get super drunk and party, with some of the cheapest alcohol in Europe. But Bulgaria actually has a lot more to offer. The capital Sofia and the two very beautiful cities Plovdiv and Varna are cool places to visit + the fascinating mountains which exists in Bulgaria and the fact that Bulgaria is a diamond in the spa crown of Europe changed my mind about this country. Yes, you can have a great party in Bulgaria, but Bulgaria is so much else. Bulgaria is rich with natural resources – mineral water, healing springs, pure air (at most places). The mountains and the plains offer different opportunities for rest, relax and heal yourself.

I can recommend to visit the spa Sapareva Banya. Not many towns can say they have their own geyser. Sapareva Banya welcomes its guests by its steaming geyser in the center of the city. The town attracts us with its closeness to Sofia, its friendly locals and its huge amount of pools and thermal delights for resting and getting prettier. It should be named SPApareva Banya. Consider exploring Bulgaria properly!

5. Tajikistan

Tajikstan is very underrated. Its array of cultures, languages, valleys and mountains makes it interesting. The Pamir mountain range, aka the “Roof of the World”, located west, is Tajikistan’s main attraction, with its beautiful mountainous landscape and magnificent trails. Some really nice mountains in general and you have to make time for scenic stops and spontaneous detours by striking moonscapes, glistening lakes, wandering yaks, and the imposingly large, snow-capped Hindu Kush mountains. Tajikistan was a big surprise!

4. Belarus

Belarus is one of those destinations that has most people scratching their heads and reaching for Google maps. But it won’t be long before travellers from around the globe figure out that it’s one of Eastern Europe’s unsung heroes. I traveled around Belarus in 2017, and to be fair it’s maybe the cheapest country in Europe alongside Ukraine. You get a lot of value for your money here and there’s quiet a lot to see.

My only problem here was the language barrier, when I left the capital Minsk and explored the country. If you don’t speak Belarusian or Russian it’s a little hard to communicate, especially with the older generation. Anyway, I found Belarus, the sights and the prices very underrated! Cheapest in Europe!

3. Ghana

I traveled around Ghana in early 2019, and while the visa was a pain in the arse to get, it was such a great country on the inside. One of Africa’s most peaceful countries and a lot of cool cities like Tamale, Kumasi and Accra and a beautiful country side and nice beaches. The best thing about Ghana is the people, the music and the vibes, I loved the atmosphere in Ghana and enjoyed the characteristic way Ghanaian people speak English. Here pictured at a street celebration in Accra, and I must say the people in Ghana certainly knows how to throw a party and dance to a Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and Kweli Artur-Ghana-banger.. You name it! Great times in Ghana! Some would maybe think it’s a dangerous African country.. Not at all, one of the most underrated and awesome African countries!

2. Iran

It’s almost a cliché by now, but Iranians are perhaps some of the friendliest people in the world, and just about anyone that has been will testify enthusiastically to this. Furthermore Iran offers varied and dramatic landscapes, with beautiful mountains, forests and deserts and a lot of Natural Wonders.

Political situation is a little complicated in Iran, but let’s not forget this is truly a remarkable country; super friendly people, inimitably rich in history and natural beauty, and home to some of the oldest civilizations on Earth. All those places that you’ve heard about—Persepolis and Shiraz, the mosques of Esfahan, the Silk Road, the desert city of Yazd, the ski slopes of the Alborz and the otherworldiness of Qeshm island—they’re absolutely worth the hype.

1. Pakistan

The Pakistani people are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people I’ve encountered in my travels. For me Pakistan is the most misunderstood and most underrated country in the World. With mighty mountains, lush green plateaus, golden sand deserts, some of the oldest cities in the World and the emerald colored Arabian sea etc. The list go on! I still have the Hunza Valley in the North of Pakistan stuck in my head. BUT IS PAKISTAN SAFE? Check this video I made there: ‘Is Pakistan Safe?’

Furthermore I received so many gifts and free stuff in Pakistan, which lead me to the BIG question in this travel video: ‘Is Everything Really FREE In Pakistan?’

Pakistan is an experience you don’t want to miss out on and is for me the most underrated country!

These were in fact 7 Underrated Countries that just came to my mind.. Can you name any?

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post 7 UNDERRATED COUNTRIES (traveler with +130 countries visited) appeared first on gus1thego.

1. The Friendly Locals

One of the biggest reasons why I love Indonesia is because they have such friendly locals, and I experienced that on all of the islands I visited in Indonesia, even in Bali, where I maybe thought it would be too overcrowded with tourists, so the locals maybe wouldn’t be that nice any longer. In fact, they were very friendly there too! I’ve traveled to over 125 countries, and I’ve only experienced very few countries, as friendly and welcoming as in Indonesia. The locals are genuine without wanting something in return. You feel welcomed wherever you go if you show respect towards the locals.

Even the staff at the border control were chatting with me and smiling. They were extremely helpful and always had a smile on their face, when I was entering Indonesia – something that’s very unusual at border controls.

Indonesia is definitely one of the friendliest and nicest countries I have visited in the world!

2- Nature

The nature in Indonesia is incredible. The views are spectacular and the country is rich in both flora and fauna. Here live many species of animals and plants that are endemic – which is awesome!

Whether you’re looking for hiking among beautiful mountains, an amazing wildlife or just wants to relax on the beautiful, sandy beaches – Indonesia offers everything and much more, it’s so scenic, and one of my favorite places to visit was this picturesque beach in Nusa Penida Island, which was so visually perfect.

You can read My Awesome Way to Find the Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida From Bali Here!

3. Prices Are Cheap

Whether it is buying a $1,5 dragon fruit in a market in Bali, renting a $5 scooter for the whole day in Nusa Penida island or shopping in Jakarta, prices are relatively cheap in Indonesia. Indonesia is a friendly, beautiful and affordable destination with good value for your money. It’s cheap to take a taxi, go on guided tours, eat food, accommodation and much more! Remember to download Grab, which is the perfect transportation app for all over Indonesia. If you compare the standard to other destinations in Asia, you’ll understand what I mean by saying that Indonesia offers good value for the money you pay!

4. Wildlife

The fascinating Komodo dragon, the Sumatran tigers, the Javan rhinoceros, the Borneo elephant, the Sumatran orangutan, the exotic babirusa or the Black Macaques.. The list goes on! The wildlife is on another level in Indonesia. Here sitting with a Komodo dragon, which only can be found on a few Indonesian islands in the World. There are only 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!

5. Relaxed Muslim Country

Islam is the most adhered to religion in Indonesia, with 87.2% of Indonesian population identifying themselves as Muslim. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the World, with approximately 225 million Muslims all over the country. In fact, Indonesia is a very relaxed Muslim country and as long as you don’t do totally stupid stuff, it’s a very open-minded place to be, where you can still drink alcohol and have a bit of fun if you feel in a party-mode. Indonesia is relaxed, not super strict and I kind of like that!

6. Thousands Of Islands

Padar Island, Indonesia

Bali, Komodo, and Gili islands are some of the most famous ones, but the fact is that Indonesia is almost entirely made up of islands in various sizes. Each island has its own charm and their own experiences to offer. There are total number of 17,508 islands of which about 6000 are inhabited in Indonesia, so there are plenty of adventures to take. Padar island was memorable to me for the incredible sights!

7. Everyone Is Family

No matter who you are and where you’ve been, you’ll find yourself a new family in Indonesia. Whether it’s friendly neighbors, hospitable coworkers or happy kids, everyone belongs to a community that takes care of each other. Sure, the archipelago has countless attractions to entice tourists, but it’s the warmth and sense of belonging that invites people to stay.

Thank you for this time Indonesia and I’m already excited to come again back here soon.

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post 7 Reasons Why I Love Indonesia (Pro Traveler-Tips!) appeared first on gus1thego.

How To Visit Nusa Penida From Bali

You’ll have two really good options. Head to Sanur Beach in DENPASAR first of all!

You can see that boats usually start early and finish early. Do not expect night boats.

TIMETABLE

Two Best Options To Reach Nusa Penida

1. The ultra-budget option or the 2. cheap timesaver option will make you go from A to B properly, and I chose the 2. option, because it wasn’t more than $10 difference in total. I was in a bit of a rush and I didn’t want to miss the incredible opportunity to go to Nusa Penida and explore the island, but at the same time I didn’t want to get wet in a speed boat, so I chose to go with Gogun Express from Sanur Beach in Denpasar. Super comfortable seats and the other providers all charged the double!

Perfect Travel Tip For Booking Your Ticket

With Gogun Express you can go for around to 150.000-200.000 Indonesian Rupiah ($10-15) with return ticket and it’s a fast boat. Secure your cheap ticket by getting a local person to book your ticket, because the ticket sellers usually put the price HIGHER for a tourist, so I just asked a random guy if he could book my ticket and he helped me without any problems. Most Indonesians are very friendly!

I used that trick a lot too when traveling in Africa: Read: How To Avoid Travel Scams In Africa here!

The option I took will take you 45 min to reach Nusa Penida with Gogun Express, or you can go ultra-budget with the public boat called ‘Jukung’. Jukung will cost you around IDR. 50.000 one-way and will take around 90 minutes. I wanted to maximize my day on the island, so I went with the fast option.

Keep In Mind’s

Jukung (Public) Boats: The ultra cheap tickets can be sold out if you’re not there early or are unlucky.

Fast Boat: Fast boat tickets to Nusa Penida sell out fast too. It’s very unlikely that you’ll find a ticket if you just show up 10 minutes before the morning boat.

Speed Boat: If you go with this super fast option, you can avoid being splashed on by sitting at the back.

Safety: If the weather is bad, don’t take the boat. The ocean can get vicious, and sunken fast boats aren’t unheard of.

With good weather, just go to Sanur Beach and get moving!

Arriving in Nusa Penida – What To Do?

You can choose to go on a expensive tour with a Tour Company in a car, but the roads are narrow and bad for cars, so it’s not really enjoyable. My local friend in Denpasar told me it was some of the worst road he’d seen in Indonesia, so he wouldn’t recommend renting a scooter, but I don’t agree with him on this. He hasn’t traveled so much neither, haha.. You should definitely choose the cheaper, more adventurous, more fun, more free way to explore Nusa Penida – rent a scooter for a full day! Yes, the roads are not the best, but there’s not a lot of traffic, so if you have a little bit of experience on a scooter it won’t be a big problem, though the last part to the Kelingking Beach is a little challenging. You can do it though!

You can rent a scooter for a full day in Nusa Penida for IDR. 70.000 ($5) with fuel. Absolute bargain!

Car With A Driver

In Bali cars are too valuable to trust the tourists with so they will usually come with a driver. They are the slower and costlier way to travel in Nusa Penida but also safer. It costs around 500,000 IDR per day. You can ask your accommodation to fix you one or you will find drivers looking for costumers at the ports.

Scooter With A Driver

If you want a scooter’s affordability and practicality but you don’t trust your driving skills, you can ask the owner to drive you around. Prices are usually around 120,000-160,000 IDR per day, but you can’t be sure to find a driver always.

Best Things To Do In Nusa Penida

I drove around a lot of the island, and got lost several times, just finding myself ending up in cool places. I really enjoy driving out in the wild once in a while, without Google Maps set on a specific location, just see what happens, and Nusa Penida has so many hidden treasures. The best places to go in the island on the west are however Broken Beach, Angel’s Billabong (only 50 meter walk from Broken Beach) and the spectacular Kelingking Beach. If you have time take the stairs down and check out the beach from below.

The Road To The Famous Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, Indonesia

You’ll have to drive for around 50 minutes on your scooter on the West Coast of Nusa Penida to reach this fairy tale alike beach. There will be a few signs on the way, but not many and you can easily get confused on the way. If you have an Indonesian SimCard, I recommend using Google Maps and use your Airpods while driving for the perfect guidance to reach the destination.

The locals were also very friendly and helped me reach some other stunning places on the island, though it can get quite remote at certain places with few people. You can always ask them too!

Enjoy Your Trip To Nusa Penida

Landscapes are really cool and changes all the time in Nusa Penida. A lovely and adventurous place to drive a scooter and it’s honestly just a lot of fun exploring the beauty of the island on a scooter, because you can hit all the interesting corners and small villages. I was back 4.30 pm and had a power nap on the beach, before my comfy boat with Gogun Express went back to Bali. What a nice day.. Get ready for adventure!

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” There are experiences that open up not just your heart but also your mind, and traveling to Nusa Penida does that. So many amazing views, so get ready for adventure!

Guys, definitely do Nusa Penida when doing Indonesia. Stunning sights here, honestly couldn’t imagine a better start for my country number 125. I bet you’ll love it too, if you didn’t go already of course.. It’s slowly getting more popular, so JUST GO!

Have you been to Indonesia?

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post The Perfect Way From Bali To Nusa Penida (Best And Cheapest) appeared first on gus1thego.

Heard Different Opinions About Brunei

I heard a few different opinions about Brunei, before it was finally my own time to visit this tiny nation and have a look at the country with my own eyes. One of my travel friends told me it was his least favorite country and a country he had some really bad experiences in. He told me he didn’t want to revisit the place at all! I still came here with an open mind as always and wanted to make my own impression.

The Sultan Of Brunei Isn’t The Most Popular Guy On Earth

Yes, we can’t neglect talking about this guy when talking about Brunei, because he is the most influential man by far in the country. The Sultan of Brunei who wants gay people stoned to death and who lives a lavish lifestyle with £19k haircuts, it’s even rumored he once paid Michael Jackson £13m to sing for his birthday. With a personal wealth of £15billion, the Sultan of Brunei is the second wealthiest monarch in the World, behind the King of Thailand, and he has been on the throne since 1967 and ruled the country.

Recently the global community has boycotted staying in some of the Sultan’s Hotels around the World, because the Sultan of Brunei wants gay people stoned to death. He has actually brought in a law to punish gay sex with death by stoning.. But like with any other country with bad leadership, I think it’s unfair to say a whole population and country is a sh*t place, because of one ‘Man in Power,’ who makes some super retarded laws and comments. There’s a big difference between the leaders of a country and the people who live there, and I think it’s an important distinction to make, yet I still obviously thought a bit about these stupid things the Sultan has done before visiting the place. Hard not to, right?!

What Is Brunei Like To Visit?

1. The Mosques

Brunei’s mosques are well-known for their beauty and elegance, and after 124 countries I can assure you of the fact that Brunei has some of the World’s most picture-perfect mosques. Traditional and futuristic elements are perfectly blended in the architecture of these mosques. For example, the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, which uses a mixture of Mughal and Malay elements in its design. It has carpets from Saudi Arabia and chandeliers from Britain. The Ash-Shaliheen Mosque in Brunei looks like a mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco, and the Jame Asr Hassanil Mosque looks like something taken out of a Hollywood-movie. The country also has mosques that stand on stilts on a river!

2: World’s Biggest ‘Water Village’

Kampong Ayer, in Brunei’s capital, is the world’s largest settlement on stilts. Kampong Ayer literally translates to “Water Village” in Malay, and it’s quiet easy to visit the village.. Plus you can do it cheaply! You can just go to the Habour Front and negotiate a cheap price with some of the many locals, who are boating around most of the day in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. Kampong Ayer is called ‘Venice of the East,’ but forget all about paying 100 euros for a boat ride here, unless you want to of course. You can go for less than $10 usually, it depends on the person in the boat, but a must-visit place surely!

It’s really cool to walk around the water village and see the way the locals live here, you’ll actually find around 3% of the country’s population on these stilts. Fascinating!

The Population

Other travelers told me people were rude in Brunei, and I was actually attempted scammed on a long boat ride through the mangrove in Brunei, so I had to jump off the boat in the middle of the jungle and make my way out, more about that story later, but one bad experience obviously won’t make it or break it for me.

The feeling in Brunei was different than I expected. I was picturing a country with people who weren’t especially welcoming to outsiders, a country with extremely strict rules, etc. I guess I was expecting Brunei to be as sterile and “orderly” as Singapore, while also somehow feeling like a major Gulf city.

What I found was the opposite. The people were very warm and welcoming. Everyone was informal. I didn’t feel like I was in a police state, the capital and the country side felt very Southeast Asian. There was a lot of natural beauty and no other tourists.

Can You Travel To Brunei In Good Conscience?

I don’t like “supporting” countries with ridiculous laws like earlier stated. At the same time, I think there’s so much to learn from visiting a place you have a negative impression of, and finding out that it’s nothing like what you were expecting.

That’s not to discount some of the horrible laws in place, but rather to say that it’s worth separating out the laws created by a non-democratically elected Leader from the people who make up the country.

In terms of the destination as such, Brunei is a pretty country, yet it’s not the most exciting place on Earth, but I had a great time here. I did all of TripAdvisor’s Top 5 in Brunei, and I’m sure you can find better Top 5’s elsewhere in other places, but there still was something charming about this tiny country!

It was an interesting experience. Goodbye Brunei, my country 124.

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post What Is It Like Visiting Brunei? 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.

1: It’s Year 107, Not 2019

The year isn’t 2019. The North Korean or Juche calendar was adopted in 1997 and begins with the year of Kim Il-sung’s date of birth (1912 – or Juche I to North Koreans.)

2: The Country Holds “Elections” Every 5 Years

Always with a lot of excitement, North Korea hands out ballots with only one option on them, so votes swing, you guessed it, 100% for the Leader.

3: There Are Few Working Traffic Lights

There are not many traffic lights in North Korea and they have been working off and on for at least seven years. The traffic girls are occasionally sidelined when the traffic lights are working.

4: No North Korea Stamp In Foreign Passports

In North Korea you don’t get a stamp in your passport and it actually makes it a lot easier in any Airport immigration afterwards! You get a separate visa that you have to deliver back when you exit the country.

5: North Korea’s Has The Only One-Star Airline In The World

North Korea has ‘The World’s Only One-Star Airline’, Air Koryo, run by the North Korean Government. See for yourself what it’s like to fly on Air Koryo — the worst airline in the world.

6: World’s Largest Stadium

The Rungnado May Day stadium in North Korea has more than 150,000 seats. To comparison Barcelona’s Camp Nou has a seating capacity of 99,354 and is the largest football stadium in Europe. Wow, just wow!

7: Kim Il-Sung is seen as the ‘Eternal Leader’

Kim Il-Sung will always be considered North Korea’s Eternal Leader, even though Kim Jong-Un is the Supreme Leader of North Korea now. Kim Il-Sung’s statue is raising the hand in the sky to the left.

8: Pyongyang Is Only For The Elite

The capital Pyongyang, one of North Korea’s only big cities, is home to around three million people, but only the elite.  Only trustworthy, healthy, and loyal citizens can live there.

9: Kim Il-Sung Scammed Sweden For 1000 Cars

Kim Il-Sung scammed Sweden out of 1,000 Volvo 144 sedans in 1974, and to this date North Korea has never made the payment. Now I understand why he had this million dollar smile!

10: One Of The Largest Armies in the World

North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world. It is estimated by the U.S. State Department that they have an active-duty military force of up to 1.2 million personnel.

11: ‘Three Generations of Punishment Policy’

There is a ‘three generations of punishment policy’ in North Korea. The offender, along with his next two generations, has to bear the consequences of the offense.

12: North Korea has no taxes.

North Korea is one of the few countries in the world whose residents don’t pay any taxes. Taxation was abolished in 1974 as part of the “old world.” Only organizations and individuals who are making money outside the country are not released from it. However, everything might change soon: it is rumored that the government is planning to reintroduce income tax in the near future.

13: Kim Jong-un Is Unique

In North Korea, it’s officially forbidden to give children the name borne by their Leader. If a child had been named like this before his accession, the parents must urgently change the name!

14: They Have Their Own ‘Intranet’

North Korea has their own intranet – “Kwangmyong.” It opened in 2000 and includes a browser, email, news and search capabilities. No open internet as it exists in other parts of the world.

15: North Koreans Are Convinced Korea Is One Country

If you take a political map of the world made in any other country, you’ll see both North and South Korea on it. However, North Koreans are certain that there is only one Korea: any school map shows a united country with the capital of Pyongyang.

16: They Only Have Three TV Channels

There are only 3 TV Channels in North Korea. Which leaves me wondering how many families might be in prison for illegally watching soap operas from South Korea..

17: North Korea Has Death Penalty

Death given are sentenced for distributing pornography, watching movies not approved by the governments and possessing Bibles.

North Korea one of the last six countries to still perform public executions after  Saudi Arabia, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and Yemen.

18: Bill Gates Net Worth Is Three Times Larger Than NK

Bill Gates’ net worth is more than three times larger than North Korea’s annual GDP, as of 2017.

19: Almost Impossible To Walk Freely In North Korea

You need a guide to walk around North Korea as a tourist. I was extremely lucky to go during a special time, so I could walk around freely on several occasions. Watch this video on how it was possible for me.

20: Tourism Is A Very Small Part Of The Country’s Economy

Tourism is a very small part of the country’s economy. Due to government restrictions, only around 5,000 Western travelers per year make the trip. To compare London attracted 20.42 million international visitors in 2018. Big difference? Indeed so!

Goodbye North Korea and feel free to check out ‘The 8 Things You Should NEVER Do In North Korea.’

Enjoying the infamous, stone cold Koryo Burger and goodbye to NK. Actually thought the burger was worse!

Take care everybody!

The post 20 Interesting Facts About North Korea (Insanely Weird!) appeared first on gus1thego.

After visiting 120 countries my travel style has become a lot more simple.. At first I thought expensive things were really cool. Gold watches, Rolex, expensive jeans, expensive clothing, shirts, t-shirts, sneakers. It was all a fascination! It all had to look and be expensive! I played at lot of semi-professional football from 16-19 and the environment I want in was all about which belongings you had and material stuff.

Started Traveling

When I started to travel more my mind started to change slowly. I realized that spending too much money on clothing, meant less money for travel and experiences. Because I had more and more beautiful eye-opening travel experiences, I wanted more of that and therefore I cut down on the expensive clothing.

I took a big world travel for 6 months and it was here I realized that expensive clothing, watches and jewelry only put you in a lot more danger when you’re traveling the world.

 Luxury Watches Are Not For Traveling

I started to let my hair grow long and wear pretty simple travel clothing and it actually felt really good to change my focus a bit away from this luxury lifestyle. To not have to worry about spilling Ketchup on your expensiveshirt or getting attacked and having your watch stolen. Luxury watches are simply just not for traveling. If you only travel to places like Saint Tropez to drink Crystal champagne for a few weeks or Formentara in Ibiza, you can surely flex with your Rolex, no problem at all mate, but try to go through Africa or South America with a Rolex and see what happens.

When I went to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, I saw a guy getting his Rolex watch stolen, I saw an old man getting jumped by 5 criminals who snatched off his gold chain right in front of my eyes and I heard gun shots in the street next to me, so I had to run away all I could. That made me realize: Wearing too expensive clothing when traveling is maybe NOT a good idea.

My 3 Favourite Travel Watches

Having had more than +40 watches, this is the list of my 3 favorite travel watches.

1. Michael Kors MK8400 – Jetmaster

This Michael Kors brings back amazing memories for me. Can’t count how much mud, rain, dust and all it has been through, but this watch is strong like few. Simple watch that doesn’t attract too much unnecessary attention in Africa, and still looks super awesome. I’m considering buying one again actually! I even scuba dived with it in Maldives, because it’s 10 ATM Water Resistant. It can go down to 100 meters.

2. Daniel Wellington

This Daniel Wellington Watch has been an essential part of many of my travels. Simple and stylish! You can buy it cheaply through Amazon with quick delivery. Classic watch!

3. The Apple Watch

This Apple Watch Series 4 has GPS, heart sensor and when I play football I can answer calls on the Apple Watch, so I don’t need to carry my IPhone in my pocket. So many cool new features. I think it’s really nice to connect to your IPhone, just like your Airpods, GoPro HERO 7 Black, MacBook etc., it just works together very well. I just had the Apple Watch, so I can’t say too much yet, but because it’s not too bling bling, it will be great to travel with in most places. Thieves go for more expensive and flashy watches!

Might try some new watches soon, but these 3 are highly recommend!

Have you changed your travel style? What’s your favorite travel watch?

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post My 3 Favorite Travel Watches appeared first on gus1thego.

1: Don’t call the country North Korea

Referring to the nation as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Korea or DPRK, will help to keep you out of trouble, while you’re on the inside of the country.

2: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

Don’t speak negatively about the country, its people, or its leaders. This is an major offence and has landed tourists in hot water, such as being sentenced to hard labor.

Don’t zoom in on pictures of ex-leaders or Kim Jong Un. He is the Supreme Leader and is literally like a God in North Korea. You have to respect him at all times, so absolutely no memes or jokes about him.

Even if you’re throwing a newspaper in the trash bin with him on the front page, it can be seen as a big offence! Forget all about folding a newspaper in two with Kim Jong Un getting folded.. In that case you have to fold it in 3, so that the Leader isn’t folded! I’m not joking, this is actually very useful knowledge.

You could get in big trouble by not doing this.

3: Prohibited items

The following items are prohibited in North Korea:

– Religious material
– Pornographic material
– Political material
– Travel guides

You can bring in your laptop, tablet, camera and cell phone. Even though telecommunications are tightly controlled in North Korea and internet is close to non-existing!

Don’t pack a lot of stuff for your trip, because all electronics – not to mention your browsing history – may be inspected by customs officials. A good advice is to play with open cards and take out all electronics from your bag before the screening, it shows the military you have nothing to hide!

4: Photography

North Korean government authorities may view taking unauthorized pictures as espionage, and could confiscate cameras, film and/or detain the photographer. This includes photographs of airports, government buildings, construction sites, military infrastructure, transport hubs or anything which isn’t considered a tourism location.

I took a lot of pictures/video clips, but respected the above mentioned rules, so didn’t have any problems.
Make sure you’re not filming scenes of poverty or other situations that may cause a negative impression of the DPRK. To be fair you won’t see a lot of extreme poverty in DPRK, because they have no taxes and free housing.

Judge the situation before taking photographs in the DPRK, including of officials, soldiers or other people.

Drones are definitely a no-go. You won’t be allowed to bring a drone on the inside.

5: LGBTQ

While same sex relationships aren’t illegal in North Korea, authorities generally don’t accept them. It’s important for LGBTQ travelers to remain discreet at all times.

6: Don’t discuss or practice your religious beliefs.

North Korea is an atheist state that restricts public religion. Participating in unsanctioned religious activities such as publicly praying or toting around a Bible is a sure-fire way to get arrested, detained, or expelled from the state.

7: Don’t break the rules.

Breaking a rule of the tour will not only put your life in danger, but will also put your guide at risk. He or she will face imprisonment and even torture for assisting your attempts at alleged espionage. Follow my 7 rules and do not take the rules lightly. If you want to break the rules, North Korea is probably not the right travel destination for you.

8: Vacations abroad

North Koreans are not allowed to go for vacations abroad. This is a violation of human rights, but the people of North Korea are probably unaware of this fact. So know this before you’re trying to get your North Korean citizenship!

If you happen to be in North Korea during a national day or festival event like me, locals tend to be more at ease. Like in any culture, celebration, good food and beverages always help break the ice.

I was super lucky attending the May Day celebrations, where I could walk totally freely around myself, get in contact with many locals through sports and even joined a local picnic with karaoke out in the woods!

Absolutely special, but extremely rare you’ll have time on your own in North Korea!

Please remember to follow these rules, this is not just any country.. But it surely is a special one.

See you next time, North Korea

Gustav

gus1thego.com

The post 8 Things You Should NEVER Do In North Korea appeared first on gus1thego.