Ein Geier entdeckt die Welt

Discover the World

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Salzburg...end of my first world trip....as I already said, my sister and her boyfriend picked me up in Munich and brought me so many great things, I missed throughout the whole year (food!) and my mother cooked for us “Kasnocken” the next day and it was just great. I supported my sister at the women’s run in Salzburg, tested my new umbrella in the rain (yeah, we have beautiful weather in summer in Salzburg) and my cousin Sebastian and his wife Sabrina and their daughter Melina from Germany were visiting us and we did a nice day trip to the beautiful Bluntautal, and so on.... A perfect start for being back home!

Conclusion: 

I really don’t know what to say or how to put in words, what I experienced the last year! I’m so grateful, that I was able to do all of this and for all my (new and old) friends and my family who supported me through all this time and without whom I would not have been able to do this trip. A big thank you to all of you!!!!

I visited so many great places, experienced loads of amazing adventures, met a bunch of awesome people, listened to various fascinating stories, saw countless incredible things and enjoyed every second of my trip!

I was (and am) the happiest person because of everything I experienced and I know, that this is definitely not the end! There are still so many great places, where I wanna go and so many things I wanna see and do! 

Never stop travelling, it’s the best thing, you can do!

Thank you!!!

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Ayutthaya...I did a day trip to Ayutthaya, an ancient ciry close to Bangkok. We visited many pagodas, temples and statues, like Wat Phu Khao Thong, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Viharn Phra Mongkol Bopit and so on. At one famous spot called Wat Mahathat we were able to see the Buddha head in the tree, which was really interesting and also very beautiful. I met Amina and Jolien from Belgium at this trip and we walked most of the time together through all those areas! It was good fun. After our delicious lunch we walked around another huge area with many ruins and next to it was a new temple for the actual king with a huge golden Buddha statue inside. Then we drove with the bus to the summer palace - the royal palace at Bang Pa In - from the king. We didn’t have enough time to see everything but we walked around a lot and visited many buildings and we also had to cover our shoulders the whole time. Then our trip was over and we drove back to Bangkok, where we said good-bye. This was my last destination for this “world trip” and the year of traveling was already over. My last flight was going to Munich, where my sister and her boyfriend picked me up at the airport. 

Ayutthaya, Thailand

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Bangkok...I met Nico from China at the hostel in Bangkok and so we spent the days together. We went to the Chatuchak market, a huge market in Bangkok, which takes place only at the weekend. We weren’t able to see everything, cause it’s just too big! The next day we walked around a little bit and went to get a foot massage! It was great! One day, we took a boat trip on the river, which is really cheap, cause we wanted to see something. We got soaking wet cause another boat driver was going fast and very close to our boat so we got wet all over...not very funny, cause the water is very dirty!We got off somewhere close to a temple and walked round there a little bit. Then we took a tuk tuk to the famous Khaosan Road. I really didn’t like it and don’t know, why everyone wants to go there! Then it started to rain again heavily (monsoon time) and we had to take a taxi back to the hostel. I had a really great time with Nico in Bangkok, but I’m not a big fan of this city...maybe because I was tired and kind of ready to go home...I don’t know.

Bangkok, Thailand

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Hanoi...Hanoi was my last stop in Vietnam. I met Heike and Uli from Germany in my dorm room and so we spent the day together and walked to the literature temple and then back to the french quarter and to the beautiful lake, where everything is happening. We stopped at some Cafes and had a great view at the traffic from a rooftop cafe! It’s just insane, but it works. We ended the day with a nice dinner and some beer in a small “pub”. It was a great last day in Vietnam and I was really happy to meet them! The next day I had a flight to my last destination during this”world trip” before I went home: Bangkok!

Hanoi, Vietnam

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Ha Long Bay...the trip to Ha Long was a disaster! I booked a sleeper bus to Ha Long and when I stepped inside, I was quite happy with the bus. But then they kicked me out in Hanoi at 6 am and told me, the bus to Ha Long will come at 7.30...well, the “bus” arrived at 9 am and I wasn’t able to do anything cause there was nothing there. I met Steven and Thibaut, two crazy people from France, at this bus stop, who were also waiting for the bus to Ha Long. Without them, I think my trip to Ha Long would have been a total disaster! The bus to Ha Long was actually a van, which was already full of people, so we had to squeeze in there and the bus ride took 4 hours - without air condition!! Then they dropped us off in the middle of nowhere, 20 km away from Ha Long! They said, we can take a taxi (overpriced) to our hostel or we also can book a tour through Ha Long right now (very overpriced as well) and after that, they would bring us to our hostel “for free”. We were all so mad and so tired as well...luckily, a german guy, who was also vietnamese, was able to discuss that with a person there and so a bus brought us to our hotel...but we had to pay them as well. The next day, we walked around in Ha Long and booked a tour through Ha Long Bay for the next day, which takes around 6 hours. We had to get up really early and they brought us to the port, then to the boat and then to a very crowded cave, to a small area, where we could go kayaking, then we had dinner on the boat and after that we had half an hour at the beach. I’m not sure, if it was good for the price or not, but the boat ride through Ha Long Bay is really beautiful. At night Steven, Thibaut and I went out and had some drinks, and so we decided to take it easy the next day and spent the afternoon at the beach! (The water is really dirty!). After that we went for dinner and played pool and dart. The next day I had to say good-bye, cause I was leaving for Hanoi. (another terrible and not very well organized bus trip!!)

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

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Phong Nha part 2...after a delicious lunch, the group split up and Libby, Heitha and me went to the Phong Nha cave. We had an amazing boat ride along the river and into the cave which was so amazing! After the boat ride, u jump off in the cave and walk a little bit in the cave and out of the cave back to the boat. While the boat was bringing us back to the village, we enjoyed some coconut, to which Libby invited us. Later on we met again at a restaurant to have some dinner together. Heitha also brought Chip, an adventurous guy from America. It was really a nice evening and just a great day! The next day Heitha and I hired a motorbike and drove to the Oxalis Adventure Cafe, where we enjoyed some good vietnamese coffee with a great view at the river and we also spotted some water buffaloes enjoying themselves ion the little island. Phong Nha is just a must do, when u are in Vietnam, and there is so much more to do and to see, just incredible!

Phong Nha, Vietnam

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Phong Nha...I also stopped for a couple of days at the Phong Nha National park, which is really beautiful! I booked a day tour to the 8 Lady Cave, Paradise Cave and Phong Nha cave, which is quite expensive, but totally worth it! First we drove to the 8 Lady cave, where u have to cover yourself and where u can visit a temple, cause some men died in there, cause they got trapped, a long time ago. After that we drove to the Paradise cave, where we had to walk quite a bit up and in the cave again down the mountain. It’s just beautiful in there and u can walk a long way into the cave. On the trip I met Libby and Heitha, which joined me later for the Phong Nha cave. 

 Phong Nha, Vietnam

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Hue...When I was in Hue, it was just incredibly hot...41 degrees! So it was quite hard for me, to walk everywhere and see everything! I was only there for one day and I visited the Thien Mu Pagoda and the Imperial Citadel. Especially the second one is really huge. So much to see, so take ur time! But it’s totally worth it. U can either book a tour or go there by motorbike, what I did. Hue is a nice city and u can also find loads of good food there! But u don’t need to spend a long time there, cause if u want, u could see everything in one day (also the tombs, which I missed). And if u are in Vietnam, try the coffee! It’s strong and really good!

Hue, Vietnam

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Hoi An part 2...Hoi An at night is just soooo beautiful! They light up all the lanterns and if u walk along the river u can buy some and place them into the river. As I walked along, I also saw some people doing wedding pictures, which was really amazing. It looked just perfect. I was really happy, that I was able to see Hoi An by night. If u ever happen to be in Vietnam, go to Hoi An, stay there for couple of days and also walk along the river at night! Just breathtaking!

Hoi An, Vietnam

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Hoi An....it was quite adventurous to get to Hoi An. I took a flight to Da Nang and booked a shuttle to my hotel which should pick me up at the airport. But unfortunately no one was there. I walked around and asked people for about an hour, if they know anything, but no one could help me. Finally I found a guy, who said, he is picking up two ladies and is bringing them to Hoi An. So I waited and when the women arrived, I asked them, if it’s possible to join them. They were really friendly and we had a good talk on our way to Hoi An. Trish and Coleen are from New Zealand and Australia and I was really happy that they helped me! When we arrived at the hotel, they got off and the driver signaled me to wait in the van. He drove to a parking lot (it was already dark), cleaned the van and then he said I should come out of the van and pointed to a motorbike. So I had to climb with all my luggage on his motorbike and he brought me in the rain to my hotel! I was just so thankful and gave him a big tip! The next day I walked around the old town of Hoi An, it’s just beautiful. I visited the Museum of Folk Culture, some old houses, the Japanese Covered Bridge, the market, an Assembly hall and also found a good Taylor who made me two nice dresses at the same day!I just loved it.

Hoi An, Vietnam

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Mekong Delta part 2....On the next day, we had to get up really early, got some delicious breakfast and took a boat to the floating market, where they sell their products on boats in the river. After that we visited the “fruit garden”, crossed a small river over the “Monkey Bridge”, tried rice whiskey from an old guy who had a pig farm, relaxed a bit at the hats in a fruit garden, where we met a cock with huge legs, visited a rice noodle/paper fabric, had lunch in the city and took the bus back to Ho Chi Minh. At the evening I had a nice dinner with Emily and Tom and some beer at a bar close to my hotel. It was really a nice trip and totally worth it!

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

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Mekong Delta...I decided to do a 2 days trip with a homestay for one night at the Mekong Delta. On the first day we drove by bus and boat to the 4 islands, where I met Ashley, Kylie and Charlie from America, they were so much fun, and also Emily and Tom from England and a nice couple from Canada and one from India. We drove along the river with an old boat, it was beautiful! On Dragon Island we got some honey tea at a bee farm and where able to listen to some local music. Then we had lunch at Turtle Island. After that we had another boat ride to Coconut Island, where we visited a coconut candy “factory”, met a nice snake called Lilly and went back to the bus, which brought us to the Vinhg Tran Pagoda (with huge statues) and then to our homestay. It was really nice there. We prepared our own spring rolls and had a great dinner. After that a girl showed us some magic tricks and we played some drinking games with rice wine.

Mekong Delta, Vietnam

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Ho Chi Minh/Saigon...the first thing I can say about it: It’s fucking hot in Vietnam in June!!! Non-stop sweating! On my second day, I did a trip through the city. I visited the War Remnants Museum, which is really interesting and also very very sad, the Independence Palace, a huge market, a chinese temple, China town, where I tried Weasel coffee, a handicraft factory, and at the end the Post Office, which is known for it’s architecture and the Notre Dame Cathedral, where it started to rain heavily. On the other days I just walked around a lot and tried some delicious vietnamese food like Pho (noodle soup) or vietnamese pancakes (which are savory)...so good!

Ho Chi Minh/Saigon, Vietnam

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Oslob...the next day, Uli and I made our way to Oslob. We took a ferry to Santander and then a tricycle to Oslob, where we met Hailey. We bought the tickets and had to wait more than two hours cause there were so many people. First they told us, we can’t do it (after 1.5 hours of waiting) but then they where able to get some boats and we could finally go and see some whale sharks. While we were snorkeling in the ocean, they came really really close. It was amazing. What an experience. Unfortunately they are feeding them...which is not really good, so I’m not sure, if u should actually support that. After that, we took a bus and a ferry back to Dumaguete and had a great afternoon with delicious coffee and a nice dinner. The next day we took a bus back to Cebu, which was kind of hard, cause u can’t buy any tickets in advance. When the bus arrives, u just have to be quick to get a seat on it! Not very easy! But we made it and had a long ride back to Cebu, where we stayed one more night. The next day, we drove together to the airport and said good-bye, cause I flew to Manila for one night, where I experienced another funny moment, and then to my next destination: Vietnam!

Oslob, Philippines

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Apo Island....our first trip was to Apo Island. We had to get up at 5 am and walk to Harold’s, where the bus to the boat picked us up and we got our gears for snorkeling! The boat took us to 3 different spots and the water was just so clear. The reef is beautiful and u can see so many different kinds of sea life! Just amazing!! While we were snorkeling, we even saw some sea turtles and were able to swim next to them...within a reasonable distance of course. Unfortunately none of us had a waterproof camera, so we couldn’t take any pictures. But every time I close my eyes, I can still see them. They are so majestic! We even got lunch and some snacks at the boat and paid only 1000 pesos for the whole trip! We came back at around 4 pm, went for a shower and met some people from the boat again to have some pizza! Just another great day!

Apo Island, Philippines

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Dumaguete...I arrived with the ferry in Dumaguete and took a tricycle to the hostel. Close to it was the Siliman University, so I walked around this area a lot, which was really nice. After a while, I met Uli again, whom I met at the hostel in Manila before. We stayed at the same dorm and did some great trips together! First we explored Dumaguete a little more, but u only need one afternoon for that. We walked to the ocean boulevard, the Belfry and the cathedral. At the evening we met Moran at the hostel and we took a walk together to the organic market, where we bought some stuff, so Moran could cook something from her country called Shashuka (from Israel), which was really delicious. But the real adventures took place the next days...

Dumaguete, Philippines

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Siquijor...I took a private boat, which we hired at the beach in Panglao (it took actually quite a while to find one) together with Andrea, whom I met at Panglao as well, to Siquijor Island, which is about 2 hours away. During the boat trip - a kid was our captain - I saw some flying fishes, which was incredible! Wonderful to watch! They dropped us off in the water in front of the island and we had to walk a bit through the water to get to the island. There were many beautiful sea stars in the water! Luckily my resort was very close to this place, so I was able to walk there. Andrea had to take a motorbike to get to his place. I really enjoyed the stay, cause it was just what I needed at the moment...quiet and not many people. I walked a little along the beach, read a lot and enjoyed the beautiful sunsets. One day i wanted to hire a motorbike and do a trip around the island, but there were heavy thunderstorms so I just took a tricycle to Larena and Siquijor to get the ferry ticket and some money! A beautiful place, if u need some rest!

Siquijor, Philippines