Journal — Impressions, snapshots and drawings from random travels
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Berlin, Germany
29 Sept 2010
Ready for my first sabbatical
I'm about to embark on a long trip to Asia without a return ticket to Berlin.
Kathmandu, Nepal
6 Oct 2010
Swayambhunath's monkeys
Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple, towers above Kathmandu with breathtaking views and centuries of Buddhist history.
Kathmandu, Nepal
7 Oct 2010
Kathmandu from above
From a rooftop at Durbar Square, Kathmandu buzzes with color, sound, and life.
Baktapur, Nepal
8 Oct 2010
World heritage Baktapur
Three wild days in Kathmandu, cycling through chaos, before a 21-day trek to Annapurna.
Jomsom, Nepal
20 Oct 2010
Annapurna circuit: Kali Gandaki Valley
I’ve finally had a chance to let you know that I’m safe and sound.
Pokhara, Nepal
27 Oct 2010
The Annapurna Circuit is over
I just finished the Annapurna Circuit, and the 16 days in the Himalayas with Carsten were absolutely unforgettable.
Manang, Nepal
28 Oct 2010
Annapurna Circuit – Manang
I took a break from the trek in Manang to soak in the Buddhist culture
Thorung La Pass, Nepal
1 Nov 2010
Annapurna Circuit – Thorung La Passage
By far the hardest day of the Annapurna Circuit. Pushing through to 5,416 meters.
Varanasi, India
3 Nov 2010
The craziest place on earth?
I've arrived Varanasi two days before the start of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. I had no idea what was in store for me.
Agra, India
7 Nov 2010
Hungry for Agra
A fellow travel I've met in Nepal suggested Agra as a stop over en route to Delhi. Visiting the former Indian capital, its fort and well-known palace? I couldn't say no.
New Delhi, India
8 Nov 2010
New Delhi from the hotel balcony
While everyone in Delhi is probably out enjoying Diwali, I’m trapped inside, counting the minutes between bathroom runs.
Bangkok, Thailand
13 Nov 2010
Hello Bangkok, goodbye Bangkok
From above, people resemble ants – moving constantly in perfect synchronization with traffic lights and traffic jams.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
18 Nov 2010
Northern Thailand
A long bus ride, a charming guesthouse, and endless food – Chiang Mai is slowly making us feel at home.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
3 Dec 2010
Tens days of silence and pain
I have been quiet ove the last 10 days due a meditation retreat.
Chiang Rai, Thailand
4 Dec 2010
Internal dialogues in Vipassana
No talking, no books, no phones. White clothes only. Wake-up at 4:00 a.m.
Luang Namtha, Laos
7 Dec 2010
Houayxai to Luang Namtha
Sitting in the longboat, getting our asses wet, we braced for eight hours of deafening engine noise, damp clothes, and freezing rapids under a sudden, dense fog.
Nam Ha NPA, Laos
16 Dec 2010
Where the wild things are
Wandering through the jungle and a sleepover at Nam Ha National Park.
Luang Prabang, Laos
17 Dec 2010
Luang Prabang je t'aime
Narrows alleys with colonial French architecture and lush green vegetation. Bienvenue à Luang Prabang.
Kratie, Cambodia
4 Jan 2011
Blue in Green
A week after parting ways with Anne, I wandered through Cambodia, rediscovering wonder in the Mekong, barefoot kids’ football, and a riverside café as the sun set.
Kep, Cambodia
7 Jan 2011
A Room with a view
From this view out my window, I’ve watched the passage of time in Kep.
Kep, Cambodia
7 Jan 2011
Sweet Communist, Seaweed Water
With my first breath, the smell of moisture and fish penetrates my nostrils, giving me a strong kick.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
18 Jan 2011
There is a light that never goes out
Riding through Angkor’s temples, I float in a neverland of devotion, mysticism, and overwhelming beauty.”
Kampong Luong, Cambodia
21 Jan 2011
The meaning of life
A short trip to a floating village alongside curious Mr. Teh
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
28 Jan 2011
Goodbye Kampuchea good morning Vietnam
My last morning in Phnom Penh unfolds in heat, chaos, and quiet goodbyes as I drift toward the Vietnamese border by boat.
Cang Hòn Chông, Vietnam
3 Feb 2011
One Zuhause in Hon Chong
I found a homestay in a remote fishing village: an unfinished brick house run by a single mother of three, with a room just meters from being swept away by the sea.
Dalat, Vietnam
7 Feb 2011
Where is Wally or the spellbound curiosity
I couldn’t walk three steps in Đà Lạt without being pulled into a family picnic for a quick photo shoot and a shot of rice whiskey.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
20 Feb 2011
Death, magic and farewells
My last few days in Vietnam
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
25 Feb 2011
The Cameron Highlands
Green hills and never-ending tea plantations – bliss in the Malaysian Highlands
Malacca, Malaysia
7 Mar 2011
Perkampungan Portugis
While looking for Portuguese heritage in the streets of Mallaca, I come across some hard truths.
Singapore, Singapore
11 Mar 2011
Back to the future
From a $22 bed in Little India to the blinding lights of Orchard Road, Singapore felt like a sudden leap into the future after months of 'Banana Pancake' traveling.
Fremantle, Australia
19 Mar 2011
No fucking clue... moving east?
For the first time in my life, I feel completely displaced. Australia is too familiar, too Western – and after months in Asia, I find myself lost, lonely, and longing to go back.
Albany, Australia
20 Mar 2011
On the road
After arriving in Australia from South East Asia, I found myself in Fremantle – bored, depressed and wondering what would be my next move. Days passed, unchanged. Until I met a bunch of young French backpackers going south...
Kalgoorlie, Australia
1 Apr 2011
Skinny love and motion blur
Dawn breaks cold over the van. Roger sleeps; I stare at the white ceiling, unsure what day it is. I crawl to the front seat and blast The Strokes – Is this it? Roger curses in German. We laugh. Later, the red road unravels before us, Bon Iver on the speakers, the world a blur of dust and blue. Two strangers, singing into the endless morning.
Adelaide, Australia
4 Apr 2011
Silent instants
Crossing 2155 km of flat, tree-less desert across Australia, aboard the Indian Pacific train.
Melbourne, Australia
11 Apr 2011
Your head will collapse, but there's nothing in it
My first night out in six months: new clothes, a free gig, and a long walk home in squeaking shoes.
Sydney, Australia
13 Apr 2011
The Great Ocean Road
Melbourne to Sydney. A few snapshots from a cheap relocation car and a long, open road.
Geelong, Australia
29 Apr 2011
Reminiscences
A chance meeting in Cambodia led me to Geelong, where a station announcement calling for “Ricardo Santos from South America” ended with me being picked up by Claire’s mother – a surprise I won’t forget.
Ubud, Indonesia
11 May 2011
Eat. Sleep. Read.
Ubud is yoga and Reiki, narrow streets and polite harassment, rice fields and temples. After weeks of moving, I’ve settled into doing almost nothing – sleeping, eating, wandering at dusk, and letting boredom quietly prepare me for the return.
Denpasar, Indonesia
17 May 2011
Southeast Asia sketchbook
A collection of random sketches from my first sabbatical.
Bangkok, Thailand
22 May 2011
What a wonderful world
Six hours before flying back to Berlin, I find myself in a hot Bangkok hotel room, caught between a nightmare of missed gates and the reality of a journey's end. Eight months of traveling has taught me one thing: the world is overwhelmingly kind, and most people are ready to give rather than take.
Tokyo, Japan
28 Apr 2012
Japan sketchbook
A collection of random sketches from 4 weeks traveling around Japan.
Tokyo, Japan
29 Apr 2012
Japan Snapshots
A visual collection of random snapshots captured while wandering across Japan.
Berlin, Germany
22 Feb 2013
All ready for South America
Two years after my first sabbatical, I’m back on the road. With no return ticket, a copy of Galeano, and a new set of watercolors, I’m heading to South America. First stop: Colombia.
Bogotá, Colombia
26 Feb 2013
Arriving in the fridge
From the chilly Andes to the eerie silence of La Candelaria: arriving in a Bogotá paralyzed by the fever of El Clásico.
Bogota, Colombia
28 Feb 2013
People watching at Plaza Bolivar
A collection of snapshots taken at the Plaza Bolívar upon my arrival in Colombia.
Bogotá, Colombia
2 Mar 2013
Bogotá impressions
Street art, calorie bombs, and social protests: a flâneur’s farewell to Bogotá before heading north to Villa de Leyva.
Villa de Leyva, Colombia
3 Mar 2013
From Bogotá to Villa de Leyva
The panoramic views of the green Andean peaks were suddenly interrupted by military checkpoints. Soldiers stood in the shadows with their guns.
Barichara, Colombia
5 Mar 2013
El Camino Real de los Guanes
If I am to be kidnapped by the FARC or paramilitaries, this is the place. Yet, the scenery does not disappoint as you descend into the spectacular canyon of the Suárez River.
Santa Marta, Colombia
8 Mar 2013
Santa Marta, Bolivar and cavities
After wandering the historic streets of Santa Marta under extreme heat and with a raging toothache, I find a cool breeze on the Caribbean coast.
Palomino, Colombia
10 Mar 2013
A deserted paradise
After wandering the historic streets of Santa Marta under extreme heat and with a raging toothache, I find a cool breeze on the Caribbean coast.
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
18 Mar 2013
Cartagena de Indias
A collection of snapshots taken while wandering throughout the streets of Cartagena.
Medellín, Colombia
22 Mar 2013
The quest for Palinuro
Lost in the labyrinth of Medellín I found refuge in Palinuro – a tiny, second-hand bookshop filled with beautiful books.
San Cipriano, Colombia
12 Apr 2013
Afro-colombian culture of the Pacific
A small peek into Pacific Afro-Colombian culture on top of train wagons ridden by motorbikes.
Ipiales, Colombia
15 Apr 2013
The South American Rivendell
Perched spectacularly over a canyon, the holy site of Las Lajas is my final stop before crossing into Ecuador.
Él Angel, Ecuador
17 Apr 2013
Frailejones and Polylepis
Surrounded by volcanic vistas and thousand-year-old trees in the El Ángel reserve, my time in the Ecuadorian paramo stands as one of the most breathtaking landscapes I’ve ever seen.
Baños, Ecuador
2 May 2013
Tungurahua
Surrounded by active volcanoes and waterfalls, Baños is a tourist hub where a 6-hour mountain trek ends perfectly in soothing thermal baths.
Chachapoyas, Peru
11 May 2013
Road Trip to Heaven
Packed like sardines on an unpaved cliffside road, our 12-hour Peruvian colectivo trip featured Bible verses, near-crashes, and stunning views.
Aguas Calientes, Peru
21 May 2013
Train to Machu Picchu
Trains have always held a magical place in my imagination. The Peru Rail ride to Aguas Calientes was no exception...
Machu Picchu, Peru
25 May 2013
The Lost City of the Incas
A 4:30 a.m. jungle trek and 3000 daily tourists couldn't ruin it: Machu Picchu is worth every grueling, sweaty step.
Madre de Dios, Peru
3 Jun 2013
Madre de Dios & The Lake Sandoval
After months in South America, only now I've had the chance of visiting a tiny pocket of it.
Lago Titicaca, Bolivia
3 Jun 2013
Lake Titicaca & the Uros
Floating on Lake Titicaca, the Uros people built artificial reed island homes centuries ago to escape rival tribes.
Uyuni, Bolivia
9 Jun 2013
Wonders & Disappointments
Driving across Bolivia’s frozen Altiplano through sub-zero nights, rudimentary hostels, and surreal salt flats.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
29 Jun 2013
Chilling in Buenos Aires
Finally in Buenos Aires after a long 22-hour bus ride from Patagonia.
Yazd, Iran
12 Mar 2014
Wandering Through Urban Millennia
An example of resilience, Yazd has survived over 3000 years in one of the harshest, driest environments on Earth.
Alamut Valley, Iran
16 Mar 2014
Magic and Wonder on the Alamut Valley
A visit to the 11th century fortress of Hasan-e Sabbah.
Bandar-e Anzali, Iran
22 Mar 2014
A new year, a new life
Walking along the Caspian Sea, a father recounts his son's 1979 escape from Iran. A journey through forged passports, luck, and eventual freedom.
Aras Valley, Iran
26 Mar 2014
Babak Castle
A steep climb to an ancient castle perched high above the clouds. Worth every step for these views.
Tabriz, Iran
27 Mar 2014
A charming man
I left my hotel in Tabriz with a plan. Five minutes later I was in a stranger’s taxi, door still open, leg dragging on the road.
Aras Valley, Iran
20 Apr 2014
Thirty days across Iran
I hope you can get a glimpse of Iran's fantastic historical heritage and wonderful landscapes (the photos might just not do these justice).
New York, USA
21 Sept 2019
New York snapshots
A collection of random snapshots taken between 2017 and 2019.