Hi, I’m Mario and this is my blog.
Individually, new, unique… like all the other 1000 other travel stories, blogs and websites you stumble upon while being about to inform yourself about your next travel destination. Yep, there are many others, but this is mine and I want to share my experience with you .
What does that do for you?
- Entertainment, inspiration, or just information that I would like to share, because I have experienced it myself (both the cool stuff, and the… well… not so great)
- Travel information: Here you can find collected information that can be useful in supporting your plans for your next trip. To make an individual journey is not special and unique, neither impossible. Anyone can just grab his backpack and go out into the world with little prior knowledge.
- Candid recommendations: While traveling, you get in touch with various services. Public transport or car? Bungalow or Hostel? The diving center here? The paragliding providers there? And was the dive site worth seeing at all?
- Information about equipment: Various gadgets, which I repeatedly take with me, or stuff I had once in my backpack, and realized that I do not have to drag it along.
Things you have to expect here:
My thoughts and experiences while traveling: I write from personally made experiences . Some may have been quite cool, some… not that great. Especially the travel diaries are stuffed with incidents which make one think: “Aww, I’ve already had done some traveling – I should have known better.” Everything is kinda rather unfiltered, because I usually summarize everything I experienced very briefly just on the same day. Peculiarities which I noticed are also listed here.
Who am I and why am I doing all this?
For me that has something to do with nostalgia, or the urge to rekindle memories during my roughly 220 working days. I was born in 82 and was early on taken along by my parents when traveling. Somehow it was always a mixture of beach- / tour- / culture- / city trip. This style has been well maintained just as well by me. I’ve got a high affinity to water what I probably have to thank my dad for. He and my uncle went diving quite often when I was a kid (Most of the times in Greece, where my roots are – I’m Greek actually, but was born in Germany). So I got my diving license when I was about 12 years old, and my fascination about this hobby hasn’t stopped since – so you will certainly also read a lot about diving in here .
Unlike many other blog writers I am no digital nomad – sure, travelling the world is an important part of my life, all the anticipation before and postprocessing afterwards included (I want to look back on memories and experiences as an old fart eventually) but I got a plain vanilla job which I enjoy. This also brings along some local ties and the opportunity to be able to hang out with “real” friends regularly… and most importantly, you can establish a long-term relationship. Therefore, this blog is less about saving money, but about experiencing as much as possible to, while relaxing and being able to enjoy the trip.
Seriously: The same service you can get at your travel destination will cost much more in your own more prosperous country. Do you really think that for example saving 1 CUC (1.00 USD) will have a huge impact on your wallet than tipping the Cuban taxi driver (who is actually an academic, but has to work as taxi driver to make ends meet)?
And the statement: “I am a poor backpacker”? Viewed from the perspective of a local who won’t be able to afford a plane ticket to your own country in his lifetime (let alone back) … you really think he will get your concept of “poor”?
You will neither find any tips for saving 20000 IDR (1.39 USD) by having a 30 minute walk to find the cheapest transfer from Ubud to Padangbai, nor any recommendation for some 5 resort. But quite some information that you may have to get up at 4:00 to catch the only continuous bus to your next destination .
Also: I do not travel slowly. Taxis and aircrafts are as well as Tuk-Tuks and Chickenbuses vehicles of my choice. If I want for example to return to Panama City from the most western part of Panama, I will not do some bushopping back again and rather get on a bumpy, but faster flight.
I rate a lot, also in detail, like on TripAdvisor. But I also to put things into perspective. If I’m looking for a low-cost accommodation, I rate it as such and do not expect it to have the same luxury as accommodations for twice the price. Often it is just some helpful hotel employee who makes me decide about giving an extra . Why? Because he will make your stay as awesome and pleasant as possible, even if you are the 30th guy this day who asks the same stupid question.
And yes, of course I prefer the local cuisine, but if I like to have something else, I give in to my craving for some other food (By the way: I ate the best pizza ever in Ubud, Indonesia – sorry Italians! )