Citytrip, Crossing Asia, Culture & heritage, Germany, Overland travel, Poland, Russia (Europe), Ukraine

How my journey ended

The funny thing about being back in Moscow six months after I got there the first time, is that it seemed so much closer to home this time around. It looked more familiar and less exotic than when I had been travelling outbound. It was soothing, because it meant that the difficult journey back was… Continue reading How my journey ended

China, Citytrip, Crossing Asia, Culture & heritage, Food & traditions, Kazakhstan, Overland travel, Russia (Europe), Travel planning

How my overland travel mission almost ended in Kazakhstan

When I had planned out the bigger outlines of my itinerary to Southeast Asia and back, I decided I would not come back exactly via the same route as on the outward journey. One reason was that I didn’t feel like doing the Transsiberian twice on the same trip; the other was the idea of… Continue reading How my overland travel mission almost ended in Kazakhstan

China, Citytrip, Crossing Asia, Culture & heritage, Food & traditions, Nature & adventure, Overland travel

How I travelled through alienating places in western China

I had given myself 11 days to make my way from Kunming in the south to the border with Kazakhstan in the northwest. Everything was planned out, as I had to in order to obtain the visa. My first stop in Yuanyang was already a bit off the beaten track as far as tourism in… Continue reading How I travelled through alienating places in western China

China, Crossing Asia, Culture & heritage, Food & traditions, Laos, Overland travel, Southeast Asia, Thailand

From Thailand to China: the unlikely overland route through Laos

On December 5, 2017, the time had come for me to start the journey back to Belgium. Departing from northern Thailand, my mission was to arrive back in Antwerp before New Year’s Eve. The easy part: from Thailand to Laos It was with teary eyes and a very heavy heart that I stepped into the… Continue reading From Thailand to China: the unlikely overland route through Laos

Cambodia, Culture & heritage, Food & traditions, Nature & adventure, Southeast Asia, Sustainable travel

From ecotourism to social restaurants: sustainable tourism in Cambodia

Having travelled exclusively overland all the way from Belgium for ecological reasons, I was naturally also trying to be more aware of touristic initiatives with a positive impact on the local environment and society. In and around Siem Reap I especially found the area in and around Siem Reap to be a haven of sustainable… Continue reading From ecotourism to social restaurants: sustainable tourism in Cambodia

China, Citytrip, East Asia, Food & traditions, Overland travel, Southeast Asia, Vietnam

A tough path to Hanoi, my home away from home

Going by train from Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam) didn't exactly make for the smoothest border crossing of the trip. But once I had arrived, I could proudly say that after taking 19 different trains and a bus, I had made it all the way to Southeast Asia, without taking one single airplane! And after… Continue reading A tough path to Hanoi, my home away from home

China, Citytrip, East Asia, Food & traditions, Transsiberian

Beijing: my reset week

I didn't enjoy the 27-hour train ride from Ulan Bator to Beijing. I was upset that I had lost my glasses, and started reflecting on 5 weeks of travel in a melancholic way. Travel blues? Little did I know Beijing was going to completely turn that feeling around. Not in the first hour upon arriving,… Continue reading Beijing: my reset week

China, East Asia, Food & traditions, Leaving Europe, Mongolia, Overland travel, Russia (Asia), Russia (Europe), Transsiberian

From Moscow to Beijing: life on the Transsiberian train

Almost 127 hours, that's how much time I spent on trains travelling from Moscow to Beijing. But what does life on the Transsiberian train consist of? Let me break down an average journey for you. The ticket Everything starts with the ticket! I pre-booked all of mine with RealRussia and printed them out before leaving.… Continue reading From Moscow to Beijing: life on the Transsiberian train

Citytrip, Culture & heritage, Nature & adventure, Russia (Asia), Transsiberian

​The Transsiberian: crossing Siberia

Before planning this journey, I hardly knew anything about the region of Siberia, except for the fact that the winters there get extremely cold. My memories after spending ten days of exploring this part of Russia, shaped a very new and surprising image of Siberia. Let me count down the four highlights of my personal… Continue reading ​The Transsiberian: crossing Siberia