Tieske's Adventures

Smog,  lots of smiles and  organized chaos; some first impressions of Thailand’s capital. It is dirty, yet clean. So many people are running in different directions, but everything seems to work out just fine. Lars, Wim and I are spending eighteen days in Thailand, starting with a few days in Bangkok. Our hotel is located on Silom street and has a nice rooftop pool where we recover from a nineteen hour trip (from door to door).  There is plenty of food throughout the whole city of Bangkok and you simply cannot go wrong with the tiny restaurants or food stands: it is all delicious and dirt cheap. For about €5 you can get a complete meal including drinks. If you are on a budget you can also simply opt for a Pad Thai for €1.25.  We decide to take a boat taxi over the Chao Phraya river. For €0.30 you can stay on the boat as long as you want. You just have to accept that you are treated like cattle, so one can ensure the boarding process is c...

This is the last leg on a two-week trip through Norway. During the next few days I’m staying in Sandness, a town fifteen minutes south of Stavanger. The reason I picked this area is twofold: there are supposed be great fjords to visit and it reduces my drive back to the Netherlands  by six hours,  coming Saturday.  In the last six weeks, I’ve been living in remote areas, in relatively old houses. As I get closer to the AirBnB I notice that I’m in the middle of a residential area. Annemai, my host, opens the door and shows me around, while she apologises for an impeccable kitchen. The house is delightful: the colours are light and bright; everything is extremely clean and new; it feels calm and serene.  This is great! It’s quite a contrast compared to the last weeks. I guess sometimes you just have to deprive yourself from something, to appreciate it again.  My only complaint is the way my host has the toilet paper oriented. I don't mind helpin...

My journey continues to the west coast of Norway. To Tofterøy to be more specific, a little village on an island forty kilometers south of Bergen. The drive is breathtaking. I catch myself numerous times shouting “ Wow! ”, when the landscape changes completely after turning a corner. My phone conversations with friends are interrupted many times, because I cannot resist the urge to stop, get out, and snap a picture. “ Wait! Hold on! …. OK, I’m back, what were we talking about? ” The E134 takes me through fog coated mountains with hairpin bends, I pass calm lakes and ride next to white water rivers, filled with huge rocks. I drive through small villages where sheep seem surprised to spot a passenger. There are literally hundreds of waterfalls along this drive. Small ones next to the road, big ones coming down from the mountains. Blue skies and sunshine alternate with cloudy skies and rain. I spot snowed mountain tops, multiple rainbows and the autumn colours complete a delightful ...