Niger 🇳🇪

busy city, temples, arid life, street markets, monuments, heat

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life February 2024 Being intrigued by Africa since my first trip as young teenager with my mother in the 1970es, not everything left great memories from the trips during the last decade, private as well as professional ones. Especially West Africa did not live up to the expectations, […]

Bhutan 🇧🇹

Buddhism, Nature, Monasteries, tranquil, Archery

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life November 2023 This country has been on my bucket list literally for decades, and yet it ended up one of my last on the UN 193 list.But let’s give it away right now. This one raises to my Top 10 countries list. So where do I begin. […]

Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬

Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan, Mountain Lakes, Yurts, Alpine Regions, Monuments, Animals, Horses

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Kyrgyzstan facts This relatively small country has been under influence from its neighbours since centuries, via culture and power. The Russians in the past while under the USSR, culturally from Mongolian tribes and recently by China. The countryside is quite different from its Western Stans […]

Tajikistan 🇹🇯

Central Asia, Tajikistan, Mountain Lakes, Monuments,

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Tajikistan facts Squeezed in between by mountains and neighbours, Tajikistan is probably the Central Asian country which has more development ahead of itself than any other. The territory is divided by huge mountain ranges which make up for more than 80%. One can find huge […]

Uzbekistan 🇺🇿

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Khiva, , Bukhara, Samarkand, Silk Road, Medressas, Fortresses, Monuments, Silk & Spices Festival

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Uzbekistan facts Apart from huge Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan is by far the biggest , most populated and divers Stan. Reaching from the (mostly disappeared) Aral Lake, the Karakum Desert down to the Afghani border and all the way East to the Fergana Valley, more than 35 […]

Turkmenistan 🇹🇲

Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Ivory Buildings, Illuminated City, Monuments

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 2023 Turkmenistan facts Just to get to this country requires some staying power. While it was never easy to visit before covid, it was then 3 years completely closed and under lock down, and even now requires an invitation letter and a hefty price for a […]

Antarctica 🇦🇶 & South Georgia 🇬🇧

South Georgia, Expedition, Wildlife, Ice, Wales, Penguins, Cruise, Waling Station

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life February 2005 and 2011 Trip to the South End A trip to this large continent is like no other. It takes time, patience and unfortunately not insignificant money to get there. But it’t worth while. Getting to Antarctica is through the tip of South America, which is […]

El Salvador 🇸🇻

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 22th, 2023 At home I got a few astonishing looks when letting people know that I am going to visit El Salvador. I really enjoyed it’s neighbor Nicaragua not too long ago and I really liked it. So I was not surprised and my hope was […]

Cabo Verde 🇨🇻

Cabo Verde - Sal - Expedition by private plane - Transamerica 2022

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life March 6th, 2022 Even though it has only been a mere 5 months since we came back from the Caribbean and Central America last October during our transamerica2021 expedition it feels good to be on tour again. For me however it is different this time. I will […]

San Diego 🇺🇸

San Diego - La Jolla - Del Mar - Encinitas - Coronado Island - Julien - Borrego Springs - Anza Borrego Desert

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 21th, 2022 Like in another post one could say why San Diego again! Well there is never enough SD for me. It’s my second home since having lived there in the 90ies and gone back more or less every year. It was the first time after […]

Nicaragua 🇳🇮

Transamerica 2021 | Granada | Nicaragua | Masaya Volcano | Central America

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 11  October 12, 2021 Peninsula Papagayo – Granada, Nicaragua – Peninsula Papagayo Flight distance: 0 nmHours in the air: 0.00 👉 Side trip by car Nicaragua – volcanos and colonial history After it was clear that Venezuela became a no-go we obviously got some […]

Panama City, Panama 🇵🇦

Transamerica 2021 | Panama City | Panama | Central America | Panama Canal

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 10  October 8, 2021 Oranjestad, Aruba – Panama City, Panama Flight distance: 621 nm Hours in the air: 1:48 Panama – the country with so many faces We are leaving the islands of the Caribbean for now, heading to Central America. Approach to Panama City […]

Oranjestad, Aruba 🇦🇼🇳🇱

Transamerica 2021 | Oranjestad | Aruba | Dutch Caribbean island

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transamerica 2021 STOP 9  October 7, 2021 Willemstad, Curacao – Oranjestad, Aruba Flight distance: 65 nmHours in the air: 0:30 Oranjestad, Aruba – the federated cultures of The Netherlands, the USA and the Caribbean Handling leaving Curacao was a dream again and happened to be topped off […]

Provence 🇫🇷

Road Trip trough wine country and lavender fields with a Lexus SC430 Convertible

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 20, 2021 The Provence has been on my travel list for many years but in pre-corona times was on the lower end as more exotic destinations lured. This year it was an easy choice as besides the landscape and lifestyle together with those famous lavender fields […]

Libya 🇱🇾

Female Arabic Art Painter

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life June 20, 2021 Not the most obvious destination, yet with lot’s of positive surprises. Just getting there and into the country was a challenge by its own. Official tourism is still not happening so we had to rely on help from a tour operator with experience for […]

Egypt 🇪🇬

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life January 7th, 2021 The joy was immense to finish a tough travel year with a jewel. A ‘Jewel of the Nile’ one could say. Luxor And it turned out to be one. Starting with staying at the fabulous Winter Palace (an iconic building from the Belle-Epoque Era) […]

New Caledonia 🇳🇨

Transpacific 2016, Nouméa, New Caledonia, Photo by Alficionado

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transpacific 2016 STOP 5 June 12, 2016 Flight distance: 611 nmHours in the air: 1.50 It was only a short hop over to New Caledonia, so we arrived around lunch time. Everything here looks just like in Southern France, a bit touristy but well organized which is […]

Vanuata 🇻🇺

Transpacific 2016, Port Vila, Vanuatu, Photo by Alficionado

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transpacific 2016 STOP 4 June 10, 2016 Flight distance: 1352 nmHours in the air: 3.30 Good timing was with us when we left for the short “ride” over to Vanuatu. This subtropical island has a different groove with an interesting mixture of French/English culture and language. A […]

Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬

Transpacific 2016, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Photo by Alficionado

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transpacific 2016 STOP 3 June 8, 2016 Flight distance: 3009 nmHours in the air: 7.05 Another early rise since we had a long flying day ahead of us in order to reach Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Irvan (who had been sent from Jakarta to […]

Solomon Islands 🇸🇧

Transpacific 2016, Honiara, Solomon Islands, Photo by Alficionado

Alficionado ♡ treasuring the good sides of life Transpacific 2016 STOP 2 June 8, 2016 Flight distance: 1445 nmHours in the air: 4.05 Handling for the first time was painful at Port Moresby which just complemented to our overall impression but we were airborne just about 15 minutes later than scheduled. We are still mostly […]