25. June 2019 • Katja Laurien
If you don’t intend to walk the Peaks of the Balkans you might wonder where Vusanje is and what you should do there. In fact, it’s a bit of the same story as with the entire country, Montenegro. When I told my friends and family I was going to Montenegro nearly everyone looked at me puzzled, wondering what the heck I was going to do there.
This is more or less the look I get when I tell people I go to Montenegro The same happened when I told the lady working in the hostel in Kotor that I was heading towards Vusanje.
Read more
22. June 2019 • Katja Laurien
While travelling in Montenegro I was told by a local that Kotor is referred to as the Gateway to Montenegro. I didn’t even need an explanation, I immediately saw why people would say this. Kotor is the “jewel” of Montenegro, the one place you have to have seen when visiting the country. For many people, myself included, it’s the reason to visit the country in the first place.
When I first decided to visit Montenegro in 2015 I based my decision on one single picture of the view over the Bay of Kotor.
Read more
3. May 2019 • Katja Laurien
You’ve never heard of Raron? This might be Switzerlands newest place to be! Well… For some maybe. It’s small, it’s beautiful and far away from where all the other tourists are. If you’re looking for the most jaw-dropping views, the highest peaks and the best after-ski bars, don’t waste your time and stop reading. Raron is not yours. But if you’re looking for an authentic and charming Swiss mountain village, Raron is your place to be.
Read more
30. April 2019 • Katja Laurien
Gosh, wouldn’t it be awesome to be the only tourist on earth? Even better: the only person on earth? But only while travelling. Whenever I travel, I just want all the beauty to myself, especially when it comes to nature. For some reason I feel disturbed whenever I have to “share” nature with other people.
Unfortunately, this is pretty impossible. Especially when you’re enjoying nature in the midst of a city.
Read more
18. April 2019 • Katja Laurien
Montreux has been on my bucket list for quite a while now and finally I made my way to this wonderful city. I had high expectations of the city with its amazing view over the lake and surrounding mountains. In order to make sure I could enjoy the city as much as possible, I choose a rather sunny day.
On my way to Montreux I was excited. The sun was shining, the weather was sweet.
Read more
12. January 2019 • Katja Laurien
Switzerland is so small, but so packed with breathtaking nature and beautiful cities. Most people seem to come to Switzerland for Zürich, Luzern, Genève, Zermatt or the Jungfrau Region. These are already a lot of destinations for such a small country. But still there are some hidden gems, such as Ticino. Ticino is an Italian speaking Swiss canton, along the Italian border. The Italian influence gives this Swiss canton a pleasant Mediterranean flavor.
Read more
11. January 2019 • Katja Laurien
The Jungfrau Region is probably Switzerland’s most popular hike and ski region. Therefore, it is kind of difficult to find out where to go, the options seem to be endless. I was fortunate enough to spend seven months in the midst of this breathtaking region, in the charismatic village Grindelwald. In those seven months I intensively explored the region and found out the most beautiful hikes. In this post I made a quick overview of the highlights and popular hikes.
Read more
20. April 2018 • Katja Laurien
My holiday to Colombia was a rather spontaneous decision. Two weeks prior to boarding I had no clue I would end up there! So, what made me decide to visit this country? First of all, Colombia has a huge biodiversity (second biggest to be precise) which greatly appealed to my nature loving heart! Secondly, March is just outside the high season, but not yet in the rainy season. Third, it’s a relatively cheap country.
Read more
14. February 2018 • Katja Laurien
During my stay in Nepal I did not only fulfill one wish (doing my yoga teacher training) I also fulfilled another long held wish: hiking the Annapurna Circuit. I wasn’t sure what to expect as many people say that mass tourism has destroyed its charm. And I do have to admit that the circuit is a lot busier than expected, not only with tourists, but also with locals. There are many villages (which make this circuit so convenient, because there is accommodation all along the trail) and unfortunately also many jeep roads.
Read more
29. October 2017 • Katja Laurien
Macedonia: To go or not to go? Before going I was a bit in doubt. I had already spent a week in Albania and the locals kept asking why I was going to Macedonia if I already had been in Albania. According to them everything was more beautiful on their side. The only thing they admitted to be equally beautiful was lake Ohrid, which they share. Knowing that the ties between Albania and Macedonia are not particularly strong, I supposed their opinion was biased.
Read more