Photos from Qatar.

Travelling is one of the most exciting and enriching experiences that we can have. It is a chance to explore new cultures, meet new people, and learn about the world around us. While it can be easy to get caught up in our daily routines and responsibilities, it's important to remember the benefits that travelling can bring.

Travelling is an opportunity to learn about different cultures. Travellers experience new ways of living, new traditions, and new languages. This can help them develop a broader perspective on the world and a deeper appreciation for diversity.

Travelling can also be a great way to challenge ourselves and step out of our comfort zones. Whether it's trying new foods, navigating unfamiliar streets, or communicating in a different language, travelling forces us to adapt to new situations and develop our problem-solving skills. This can be especially beneficial for young people who are still figuring out who they are and what they want to do with their lives.

Another benefit of travelling is the opportunity to make new friends and connect. Travellers meet people from all over the world, and these connections can lead to new opportunities and experiences in the future. Whether it's through hostels, language exchanges, or cultural events, travelling can be a great way to expand our social networks and build lasting relationships.

Travelling can also be a chance to break free from our digital prisons and connect with the world around us. It's easy to get caught up in the constant stimulation of social media, but travelling can provide a welcome break from screen time. Instead, we could focus on the beauty of the nature, our animal friends, the excitement of new experiences, and the joys of human connection.

Travelling can be an incredible experience. If you wish to broaden your horizons and explore the world around you, travelling can be one of the most rewarding experiences of life for you. Don't wait until retirement to pursue your dreams — seize the day and travel while you're still young!

It's official: April Fools' Day has become a year-round event just like True Friends day. Let’s use this day to cherish all the old lame pranks before our world and lives turned into a hysterically funny April Fools' prank.

We're living in a world of jokes that are impossible to beat:

• Advocating peace in Ukraine triggers aggressions
• The world is made greener by filling it with cars
• Smartphones are turning people into zombies
• People believe in science as if it were a religion
• The whole planet is decorated with face masks
• We have created an everlasting legacy for the humankind out of sheer plastic trash.

Four years ago, nobody would have believed any of that, but now they are here to amuse us every single day of the year. Welcome to the new nutty normal and ridiculous reality. We do not need anymore April Fool's jokes as we have a happy April Fools' life!!

We left Finland to travel the world with the goal of seeing countries and immersing ourselves in their cultures. This changed three months ago in Panama City and there is no going back. We regret to inform you that we are no longer boldly going where no man has gone before.

What happened in Panama City?

We had a few days' stopover in Panama City on our way from Guatemala to Paraguay. We stayed in a hotel in the city centre and went for a walk to Albright Mall at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon. On our way, we were pushed into an alley by eight young gentlemen who made us sit on the ground and took our belongings. Santeri helped them get everything they needed while Päivi instinctively fought back and held on to her purse. Our slight new acquaintances were probably afraid that we would resist so they resorted to violence. As they say, the best defense is a good offense. The beating was quite a shock for Päivi who had not experienced brute force before.

The upside was that our luggage became significantly lighter. This was perhaps the only way to get rid of some of our precious possessions as we find it difficult to discard anything that still works. We were relieved of a heavy gaming laptop, an old small laptop, a phone, bags including Savotta and two pairs of eyeglasses among other things. Unfortunately for our new Panamanian friends, we had not taken the laptops' power supplies with us so the equipment was somewhat useless. For us, replacing the laptops was not such a big deal but finding new eyeglasses was a tedious task. We finally managed to do it in South-East Asia where we decided to rest after our exciting experience.

Restoring secure state of mind

Why SEA? Most of the area is Islamic and Buddhist making it more peaceful than Catholic and Spanish-speaking Central and South America. Religion and language has naturally nothing to do with peacefulness, but we chose to believe so. We ditched our previously purchased flight tickets to Paraguay and bought new ones to Kuala Lumpur with multiple stopovers: Panama City, Panama – Toronto, Canada– Frankfurt, Germany – Qatar– Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On the way to and in Malaysia we restocked necessities and electronics, returned backups, and met old friends. Then our journey continued through Thailand towards Laos which we had visited twelve years ago in 2011. A lot had changed but not exactly in the way we had hoped for. More of this later.

How did our experience change us?

Panama City prompted us to re-evaluate our priorities and goals. Before the mugging, we had visited 123 countries, not really paying attention to their reputation. When selecting our future destinations, however, places with rampant crime are not on top of our list; our peace of mind is more important. Furthermore, we are not keen on visiting countries such as Bhutan, North Korea, and Jordan that require visitors to purchase tours and pay exorbitant visa fees. It is corruption and as such, criminal as well. What is left? We will see as Päivi's thirst for travel has still not been quenched. Meanwhile we are grateful for the valuable experience that made us reconsider both our mindset and our way of travel.

We found ourselves back in Southeast Asia (SEA) seeking refuge from the evils of the world after mugging in Panama City. The borders had just re-opened and we started from Malaysia where many things had changed since our previous visits in 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2017.

Some of the things we used to enjoy in Malaysia as well as in the whole of Southeast Asia were affordable travel and accommodation costs and great food. The prices are still low despite growing inflation and there is plenty of tasty spicy food available. However, this time we noticed that we have become sensitive to monosodium glutamate (MSG) or Ajinomoto as locals call it. The first few weeks went fine. We enjoyed several Indian restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and our favourite vegan buffet in Vientiane, Laos, but gradually we started to feel worse, always after eating, which we gathered was the fault of MSG. Another contributing factor was the ever-increasing air pollution, which has always been Asia's trademark. Now we felt it even more because of forest fires in North Thailand, a burning junk yard in Luang Prabang and much more cars than before. Air pollution reached levels that were twice higher than in Beijing, China.

From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Vientiane, Laos By Train

We travelled through familiar routes. We took a train from Kuala Lumpur to Vientiane and stopped in Penang on the way to see old friends and stomping grounds. Crossing the border to Thailand was smooth as we received preferential treatment as wealthy white tourists. This was quite unusual. Locals and Malays were pushed aside, and our passports were stamped with a 45-day entry permit, no questions asked. Perhaps the pandemic had made Thais to appreciate tourists more than in the past. Long-distance trains were nice as always, and we treated ourselves to second-class sleepers instead of the third-class wooden benches we had used before. After a short stop at the new, empty, and megalomaniac Bangkok railway station of Bang Sue, we arrived at the Laos border to discover that corruption had finally reached the periphery, too.

Twelve years earlier, we walked over the Friendship Bridge to Laos, but this time we were forced to pay bribes in Thailand in the form of a useless bus ride over the bridge. The border guards collected their share of the loot just like at the border between Mongolia and China. On top of the bus fare, a Laotian border guard insisted on having a tip for stamping our passports, which we respectfully refused. Laos was no longer what it used to be. Even street dogs had become less friendly, and there were a lot more tourists than before, much more than in Thailand. A new train line to China might have contributed to that. All in all, Vientiane was no longer the welcoming, chilled, and laid-back city we remembered.

Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand and Langkawi, Malaysia

Thailand had fewer tourists and locals were friendlier than on our previous visits. Our monkey friends, on the other hand, had become as agitated as street dogs in Vientiane. We brought them a treat, but they decided to forcefully take the treasure bag from us before we had a chance to give it to them. After getting scammed by Prachuap Grand Hotel and booking.com, we didn't feel like staying around any longer and headed to Langkawi in Malaysia.

Langkawi is a popular destination because of its tax-free status. In 2018, however, Malaysia ceased to collect GST (value-added tax) and introduced a new tourism tax of 10 RM per night per room. Consequently, tourists no longer pay the GST but a tourist tax. Malaysia used to be an honest country but it is no longer such thanks to the new tax. Hotels across Malaysia scam visitors who have already paid their taxes through booking services to pay the tax again when checking in or out.

Our visit coincided with Ramadan. The island was eerily quiet which meant that accommodation had excellent value. Hotels offered spacious suites with private balconies on higher floors with beautiful seaviews. They also had gyms and swimming pools available for less than 25 euros per night, including all taxes. Food was scarce and unappetising due to Ramadan and the lack of customers. We mostly ate MSG-free noodles, raw vegetables and fruits in our hotel room.

Are Southeast Asian countries still worth visiting?

The answer is yes and no. We had considered Malaysia for long-stay earlier but the pandemic caused us to reconsider. Malaysia used to be an attractive destination for expats, with a significant community of non-citizens residing in the country using MM2H. The programme provided temporary residency in exchange for payments and a commitment to keep funds in a Malaysian bank account. However, due to the germophobic hysteria, expatriates were effectively deprived of their residential rights. Those who had acquired MM2H residency were not permitted to depart or re-enter Malaysia, and the fees and conditions became overburdening. Our acquaintances had lost confidence in the MM2H programme and were looking for other options.

Personally we will wait for the air pollution to subside before making any travel plans to the area. Moreover, when choosing any new or old destination in the future, we will always check the local air quality prognosis. In areas where MSG is widely used, we will rent apartments with kitchens to avoid excessive chemical intake. Happy travels!

Lake Atitlan in Guatemala is among the most impressive natural sights in the world. It is surrounded by mountains that offer stunning views on the lake. We were privileged to stay there for a month helping our friend Hyung who founded Sansok Ecolodge in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala in the beginning of this year.

Hyung made a drastic life change some years ago. He used to teach in international schools and ended up in Guatemala for a couple of years' stint. After falling in love with the country, he bought a piece of land and started to build ecologically sustainable housing, first for himself only but after a while also for visiting guests. When Hyung opened his ecolodge, we were among the first guests.

Hyung's ecolodge is situated on the mountainside facing the lake. We admired the views for a whole month witnessing also the rapid weather changes that are typical to an area situated at 2150 meters above the sea level. Although some parts of Guatemala are tropical, in Lake Atitlan night temperature can drop to 6-8 degrees Celsius. When the sun rises, temperature rises to 25 degrees Celsius and it's summer again.

Watch all of our 2-minute travel videos

We enjoyed our stay fully and think that Hyung’s place is ideal for those looking for a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. There is space and time to breathe and remind oneself of what is truly important in life – work, money and success or something completely different. If you are pondering such questions and looking for a place and time to do it in a serene environment, have a look at Hyung’s website. We guarantee that it will open up whole new vistas for you!

If you want to admire romantic bridges, go to Paris.

If you want to do window shopping, head to Champs-Elysees and Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.

For panoramic views, take a lift to Eiffel tower.

For the best rated beer, drink at one of Belgium’s monastic breweries.

For buying a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, London is your first choice.

But

If you can’t afford Paris, Belgium or London, go to Prague. As a bonus you will see suicidal Sigmund Freud hanging out.

To understand why Sigmund Freud was suicidal, visit Austria and experience angst.

P.S. if you can’t afford Prague or Austria, go to Tbilisi — unless you are a gay and don’t want to get beaten by ultra orthodox priests or stabbed by homophobic locals for wearing an earring. In that case you should save money to go to Prague instead.

Photos of our 19th wedding anniversary on the road on our never-ending honeymoon trip.

Our travel photo albums.

Photos from Antigua and Barbuda.

Photos from Turks and Caicos Islands.

Photos from the Bahamas.

This cruise guide is crafted for value-conscious travelers seeking affordable ways to explore and visit new countries. It is not intended for those seeking to show off or celebrate anniversaries lavishly on their cruise vacation.

Table of Contents

• Purchasing a Cruise
• Choosing a Cruise and Cabin
• When to Buy a Cruise?
• Gratuities, Tips, Taxes, and the Total Cost
• Compilation of Cruise Lines: Ownership, Price Levels, and Tipping Policies
• Tips & Tricks
• Beyond the Love Boat Illusion
• Reasons for Avoiding Cruises

Purchasing a Cruise

Our top two reasons for cruising are: Firstly, it is an inexpensive way to visit some travel destinations and collect countries. For instance, if you plan to visit small Caribbean or Pacific islands by air, the cost can be as high as US $1000 per island. In contrast, a cruise can reduce the expenses by tenfold. Another compelling scenario is crossing the Atlantic. For the cost of a flight, you can book a two-week cruise that includes entertainment, accommodation, and board.

Secondly, cruising is a safe and easy way to travel. On a cruise, you can leave your valuables onboard in a safe while exploring onshore. In the event of any trouble, the only loss would be your replaceable cabin key. Many small island states can be fully explored in a single day, making extended stays in such places both costly and boring.

Choosing a Cruise and Cabin

Buying a cruise is not a simple task. Cruise lines are doing their best to make comparing prices difficult using pricing packages, gratuities, and taxes to obfuscate the total cost.

There are three types of cruises to choose from: short, repositioning, and long cruises. Short cruises that last from a few days to a few weeks are the most common. They depart and return to the same port and on the way make stops called port calls. Port calls typically last from a few hours to a few days. They are your chance to leave the boat to explore the surroundings.

Repositioning cruises are one-way itineraries. They are offered when cruise seasons change, and cruise ships are repositioned to new locations. For example, cruise ships tour Alaska and the Caribbean during the winter season in the Northern hemisphere and move to the Mediterranean and South America for the summer season. Such cruises attract pensioners and are usually not overcrowded.

Long cruises take more than two weeks and can explore various areas, or even circumnavigate the world. They are significantly more expensive than other cruises, and ships are usually smaller and older. We have not tried such cruises yet, but if we ever do so, we promise to document and share our experiences in a future blog post.

The next step involves selecting the most suitable fare type. "Cruise only" and "non-refundable" fares represent the most economical choices. The "Cruise only" option encompasses only the basic fare without any additional inclusions, while "non-refundable" implies that you cannot obtain a refund for your purchase. Refunds, in general, can be intricate, incurring costs that hinge on when you decide to modify or cancel your cruise.

On the other hand, the "All-inclusive" fare, despite its name, doesn't truly cover everything. It includes a limited array of alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, special coffees, and a slow internet connection. If you require a faster internet connection, be prepared to pay a substantial extra fee, possibly exceeding the total price of your cruise. Anticipate encountering a lagging and unreliable connection that may not be consistently operational. The same holds true for alcoholic beverages. Opting for a drink package or frequenting bars may lead to spending more than your usual budget for drinks, as you may find yourself consuming more to maximize the value of your purchase.

Cabin types include inner cabins, sea view cabins, balconies and suites. Inner cabins have no windows and they are typically located on lower decks. Sea view cabins have a window, but the view is not always unobstructed and windowses may be dirty. Sometimes more expensive cabins have higher gratuities. We prefer to sleep well and therefore choose the cheapest inner cabins. Without a window, the cabin is dark. Furthermore, inner cabins tend to be a bit less noisy excluding the engine hum.

When to Buy a Cruise?

After experiencing several overbooked Royal Caribbean cruises, we decided to shift our approach and began opting for last-minute cruise bookings. Our dissatisfaction with the lengthy search for a free table at their buffet restaurant, combined with the underwhelming quality of the "Global & Delicious Food", led us to explore alternative options.

Cruise lines typically reduce their prices as the cruise date approaches to fill up remaining spots on the ships. Depending on the cruise line, the optimal time to purchase a cruise may be 1-2 weeks before the departure date. Monitoring price changes provides insights into the best booking window. Booking earlier often results in higher costs and an increased risk of joining a fully booked cruise, where passengers queue and fight for resources.

However, there are downsides to booking last minute, particularly in terms of higher flight prices. Cruise ships accommodate thousands of passengers, filling up flights quickly. It's essential to leave a safety margin for unforeseen flight delays or cancellations. We encountered a fellow passenger on a repositioning cruise who waited for his delayed parents to join. Despite booking a new flight to the first port of call, Azores, they missed the ship's departure due to a pilot strike. Unfortunately, the ship couldn't make a port call in Azores, forcing the parents to return to the US empty-handed.

Gratuities, Tips, Taxes, and the Total Cost

When searching and comparing cruises, it's essential to consider all factors contributing to the total cost, which represents the price you will ultimately pay for the cruise. Gratuities, also known as tips, vary among cruise lines – some do not charge them at all, some offer adjustable gratuities, and others have mandatory gratuities. The mandatory ones essentially conceal a portion of the cruise price as the tip. For example, cruise lines Costa, Norwegian, and MSC require obligatory gratuities, making you pay 30-70% more than the apparent cruise price without taxes. This bait-and-switch pricing scheme renders them more expensive than those offering adjustable gratuities.

In addition to the cruise price and gratuities, there may be port charges and government taxes and fees. When comparing prices, always inquire about the total cost to ensure comparability and avoid unpleasant surprises later on. Below is a list of cruise lines, their owners, price levels, and tipping policies as of December 2023.

Tips & Tricks

• ALCOHOL: One of the primary revenue sources for cruise lines is alcohol. In addition to the cost of expensive drinks, you'll pay a 20% service charge. Cruise lines also confiscate any alcohol you attempt to bring onboard from port calls. Some allow you to bring a bottle or two of wine initially but charge a corkage fee (around US $20-25). Cruising without alcohol can be both the cheapest and most enjoyable option.
• COVID: The hysteria revealed the true nature of cruise lines. During the plandemic, cruise lines invaded customer privacy and changed requirements arbitrarily. Be cautious about future hoaxes, don't rely on cruise lines to keep promises, and be prepared to lose money on a cruise. Booking closer to departure reduces the risk.
• GRATUITIES/TIPS: Avoid supporting pricing scams by boycotting cruise lines with mandatory gratuities. Opt for cruises with no or adjustable gratuities, and visit Guest Services upon arrival to remove automatic gratuities. This way you control whom to tip, and it's more likely your money goes directly to the person you want to reward.
• FEATHERS: If you're allergic to feathers, check your cabin for feather pillows and blankets before use, as some cruise lines use them without checking for allergies.
• LIST PRICES: Ignore list prices as they are typically marketing tactics, and nobody pays them.
• MSG, SALT and SUGAR: Some cruise lines use MSG, salt, and sugar abundantly. If you have developed MSG intolerance or prefer a low-sodium or sugar-free diet, be careful. Inquiring about specific ingredients is futile. Staff lack detailed information and tell you what they think you want to hear. The same foods are available across all restaurants, as they are centrally prepared, rendering promised exceptions improbable. Even foods labeled as "no added sugar" do contain sugar. To minimize exposure, consider bringing, for example, your own sugar-free cocoa powder and MSG-free chili sauce, as we do.
• ONBOARD CREDITS: While often included as a special offer, it's better to find a cheaper cruise without onboard credits. Onboard credits are a ship-only currency usually in US dollars, and they are lost if they are not spent.
• ONBOARD SERVICES AND PRODUCTS: Onboard offering come with exorbitant prices and feel like scams. Cruise lines are peddling acupuncture, spa treatments, fine art auctions, casino experiences, cooking classes, wine tasting, and other costly activities. Would you willingly spend $90 on a haircut, $100 on makeup, or $300 on a massage onshore? Or purchase sketches from unknown artists for hundreds or thousands of dollars? Or purchase magical pills that claim to cure everything for $300? Approach all services, "free" trials and products onboard with a critical eye.
• WIFI: Onboard WiFi is expensive, unreliable, and slow. Even with a higher-priced package, improvements are marginal. Enjoy the luxury of being disconnected during the cruise.

Beyond the Love Boat Illusion

The allure of the 70s TV series "Love Boat" still echoes in the marketing strategies of cruise lines, with Princess Cruises, the original Love Boat cruise line, even playing the iconic theme song through its fog horn upon departure from ports of call. If you find yourself on the top deck at that moment, you won't miss it, though it might take a while before your hearing fully recovers.

If socialising is on your agenda, consider trying the complimentary sauna on your ship. Before committing to a cruise, ensure that the ship offers a complimentary sauna, as the paid saunas are often peculiar hybrids of steam baths and saunas, with benches too warm to sit on and temperatures too low to enjoy. While complimentary saunas might not be very warm, at least they won't burn your backside or deplete your wallet.

Genuine friendships or romantic connections are incredibly rare, with most interactions being superficial and short-lived. People may form fleeting connections during the cruise, but these are often limited to those flaunting their drink packages and expensive cabins. The majority stick to their internet packages to get the most value for their money. Manage your expectations, and you'll be fine.

Essentially, cruise ships aren't love boats unless you adore parting with your money. As a flourishing industry, they prioritise profit. Before setting sail, reflect on the following reasons why some people choose not to cruise and assess whether you're comfortable with the downsides.

Reasons for Avoiding Cruises

The top three reasons for avoiding cruises are pollution, inequality, and slavery.

Primarily, cruise ships contribute significantly to pollution. A single cruise ship can emit pollutants equivalent to millions of cars, despite only accommodating 1500-7000 passengers. We all know that cars pollute, too, far more than walking or using public transport. If you're conscious of minimising your environmental impact, opting for alternative modes of travel is more eco-friendly. Cruise ship pollution surpasses that of air travel, such as a transatlantic repositioning cruise emitting twice as much pollution as a transatlantic flight. Green claims by cruise lines are mere greenwashing.

During a cruise, you can reduce your environmental impact and incorporate essential exercise by opting for stairs instead of elevators. To maximise physical activity, consider booking the most affordable inner cabins on the lower decks. The buffet, gym, and swimming pools, typically located on the top decks, provide ample opportunities for climbing stairs. Additionally, during port calls, consider taking walks instead of purchasing tours, renting cars, or hiring taxis.

Global cruise operations fall short of delivering the economic benefits to local and national economies as often claimed. Cruise lines actively market their own tours and products onboard, cautioning against local vendors. They aggressively promote their onshore shops, enticing customers with onboard credits. When affluent cruisers visit impoverished destinations during port calls, they exacerbate inequality escalating local prices and crime rates, further complicating the lives of residents. The only assured outcome of a cruise ship's port call is pollution. If you aim to support local and national economies, consider alternative travel methods and avoid cruise ships, which are the modern-day pirates of the Caribbean.

The cruise industry employs over a million workers, predominantly from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, and other economically disadvantaged nations. For example, a typical contract for a cleaner entails 11 hours of daily work, seven days a week, spanning 8-10 months, with monthly compensation ranging from $400 to $700 ($1.62 - $2.27 / hour). Crew members may occasionally visit ports during port calls. They do that to access the internet briefly as their free onboard internet usage is often restricted to one hour per week. Doesn't this sound like modern-day slavery? If you find it troubling, consider something else. Tipping is not a solution, as cruise lines collect gratuities to bolster their profits rather than compensate their workers.

Ask yourself, are you willing to overlook pollution, piracy, and modern-day slavery?

Feel free to share your thoughts on our views. If you have additional insights, please share them with us in the comments below.

Food is often really mild and tasteless when eating out in vegan restaurants. There is a misconception that vegan food should not contain anything tasty, especially any strong spices. The issue becomes intolerable in all-inclusive resorts and cruises when you have to eat the same food every day for weeks.

The easiest fix is to have your own kitchen which feels like sheer luxury on the road. You can spice up your meals according to your taste, for example with garlic or toum, a raw garlic paste à la Libanaise. Another great addition is chili, the stronger the better. You can make chili oil by soaking chili peppers or chili powder in oil for a few weeks and use it for cooking, or add to a ready meal.

Important vegan protein sources like tofu and soy chunks are tasteless, but when you spice them or cook in coconut milk, add some tahini or a few spoonfuls of whiskey, cognac or brandy, that will make wonders. In general, Indian spices without MSG are great. Just remember to heat them up in oil to open up the flavours before using them.

Bon Appétit!

Andorra was the last country in Europe for us to visit. The only way to get there is either through Spain or France. A 3-4-hour bus trip on a serpentine road was not tempting, nor travelling in Spain. We did it through Toulouse, France using Andbus. Now we can proudly say that we have been in all European countries and it took less than 20 years on the road!

Tiny tax free, ski and spa enclave

Andorra is much like San Marino, Monaco, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. There is plenty of nature, clean air and less people than in the rest of Europe. The capital city, Andorra La Vella, is like a giant airport with duty free shops selling cigarettes, alcohol, and cosmetics. The prices are more affordable than what we have seen anywhere else.

Besides shopping, people travel to Andorra for spas, downhill skiing and hiking. We went there to mail some postcards and escape the scorching heat of Cyprus. The experience was unique thanks to the Spanish service culture, second only to the former Soviet Union, and the tourist tax scam.

Tourist accommodation tax in Andorra

When you book an accommodation in Andorra, you are expected to pay a city tax (or tourist tax or accommodation tax) on top of the price. Normally in Europe businesses have to tell the final price instead of hiding taxes, tips and other fees like in the US to scam consumers.

We booked one spa hotel directly and they did a good job informing us about the total price. However, the places we took from booking services were the opposite. When booking, we were told that the price includes taxes and fees, but hotels charged us taxes when we checked out. It’s only a few euros which makes it even more stupid. Is it really worth the extra work of collecting the money and making visitors feel cheated?

If you want to pay the extra room tax in Andorra and book a room with breakfast, take veggies and other sugar-free things with you as breakfasts are catered for sugar junkies, and bread and croissant lovers.

We did a tour around the Stans that are currently open to Europeans without annoying visas. All the countries were a mix of Turkish Ottoman and old Soviet Union culture and language, and of course the Islamic religion.

Our travel route

Our entry point was Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. People were delighted to see us and the tourist police wanted to take a groupie with us. Guess there are not too many tourists there to irritate locals.

Kazakhstan, the country of Borat, was quite different. We were mistaken for Russians, although we don’t speak the language, and were shouted at the streets when walking by. We liked the metro in Almaty as well as having a chance to talk with Russians who had recently moved into Kazakhstan. Russia has been losing a lot of professional work force because of the war while the EU countries, on the other hand, tax their citizens heavily to fuel the conflict.

Our luxurious train ride from Almaty to Tashkent, Uzbekistan in a private cabin was peaceful except for the annoying passport checks. Several people came too many times to ask us to show our passports while we tried to sleep. We also missed samovars for hot water from the old Russian link Trans Siberian trains

Uzbekistan was exotic for an old Soviet Union state. It was supposed to be most touristy, but it was actually very quiet. We saw some Chinese, Russians and Westerners. Service culture was not Soviet style, hotels were affordable and nice with good breakfasts and spa services.

Each country has their own currency, but the US dollar is the best option to take with. Euro is not trusted nor wanted because the European economy is not well. As the local currencies are exotic, paying with a card may be expensive due to extra costs and poor exchange rates.

Our mission, to send some postcards from each country, was successful and we had a great time.

From Samarkand to Panjakent, Tajikistan by a shared taxi

While in Samarkand, we hoped to get a shared taxi, Damas, to the border and then another taxi from the border to Panjakent bazaar in Tajikistan. The damas taxis were departing from Kaftarkhona bus station. The going rate should have been 0,50$/person per ride, a total of 4$ for 2 persons for a return trip.

When we arrived in the bus station, we were approached by taxis drives yelling, pushing and pulling us. Prices varied from US 25$ to 4$ per leg, 4-50 times more than the normal rate.

Paying too much was not an issue, but the risk of being left somewhere in the middle of the way and blackmailed for more money, or being robbed like in Spain or mugged like in Panama. If the first ride was like this, the rest might have been way worse and we would have been in the middle of nowhere. We decided to skip Tajikistan and forget the country.

Photos of our 20th wedding anniversary in Nicosia, Cyprus, on our never-ending honeymoon trip.

Our travel photo albums.

Photos from Sardinia, Madeira and Tenerife.