Never would have I imagined Pakistan to be the way it was! I had pictured something similar to India and Bangladesh. But it is far from it! It has its very own flavor and culture, its people are particularly friendly and its landscape is breath-taking! Kind of a mix between Iran, Afghanistan and India and Nepal at the same time. What I hadn’t imagined is how big of a role the mountains take place in their country. It is very much their pride and each holiday local tourism rush to the north to enjoy their Kashmir region. I have seen the Himalayas from different angles before in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, but the mountains in Pakistan are in my opinion the most stunning! If Pakistan could take a breath with all the hate and bad news it endures around the world, it could rival with countries like Switzerland, Argentina or even Canada in terms of Adventure mountain destinations. Pasu near Hunza Valley I had the opportunity […]
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The Digitalglobetrotter Makes the News in Pakistan
I had an Interesting interview while I was in Peshawar, the city in northwestern Pakistan on the border of Afghanistan. I had the chance to do a road trip for a day and for the occasion, synchronized with Ali Sheikh, editor for The Frontier Post, a local newspaper in English to talk about my adventures around the world as a digital nomad, as well as my opinion on my trip in Pakistan so far. This region was previously known in the news as it was a gateway for the Americans during their invasion of Afghanistan. It has kept a different identity than the rest of the country as it is the capital of the Pashtun People. I even had the pleasure to try local food in a Peshawar Restaurant (second picture). Very interesting article in general. Pakistan is an amazing country and I was happy to be able to give my thoughts about it, especially about the friendliness and hospitability of its people. After the […]
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Visiting Pakistan: My Country #176/195
I arrived safely in Lahore in Pakistan’s Punjab province, after a transit in Dubai and Karachi. Immediately after exiting the airport terminal and roaming in my taxi it’s congested streets towards the center, I smell of deja-vu hit me with my previous adventures in India, Bangladesh, and Sri-Lanka. And with a reason. They used to be part the same British colonial Empire prior to the Indian Independence Act in 1947. Similar yet very different as the main religion here is Islam, which means dressing code is very different, food is much more reliant on meat and Islamic customs must be followed even though it doesn’t seem too conservative at first sight. Lahore was the perfect city to arrive! Eith 10 million inhabitants, it’s second to Karachi in size but much more livable and modern than its southern sister. The first thing that got me was the warm welcome of its citizens, being extremely helpful and kind to me. Lahore Fort Special thanks to Ahmad which […]
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Travel Guide to IRAQ: Visiting a Country During War Times
“Where are you going next” I was asked many times while traveling in Turkey. “I’m going to Iraq”… And quickly the blank look in their eyes would follow with the same interrogation! “But Why?” would usually follow? Why I came here is pretty simple. I had the same philosophy for the last 10 years. I go everywhere, and only once I am there I discover what there is to see, and usually, I am blown away that these things are not more “popular”… Most people dream to go to the same places… New York, Paris, Venice, London… While I do agree these places are nice, I believe most people have just been brainwashed to believe these are the nicest places to see and do not push further to seek what other destinations can give them. I am a professional marketer, I know how these things work. It’s not their fault, they hear about New York, Paris, and London in Music, Movies, TV, Magazines, Publicity, Social […]
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Visiting Iraq: My 175th Country Visited
Two years ago I was celebrating my 150th country visited in Iceland. That’s only 25 new ones in 2 years, as reaching new countries at this stage is getting increasingly difficult. Now I finally reached my next milestones: Iraq. So I arrived in Erbil, in the Kurdistan région of northern Iraq 2 days ago in one of the worst times of the year to visit, in mid-August. This means 45 degrees temperatures in the shade… But it I’ve seen this before and since it’s dry heat, it doesn’t seem that bad. I am sitting in its incredible 7000 years old citadel as I am writing this. It feels incredible to be here, as of all the countries I’ve visited, this is most probably the oldest historical site I have seen! Just 2 weeks ago I was stunned by the beauty of the ancient Romain city of Timgad in Algeria, which is about 1700 years old… And this place is more than 4 times older! It’s […]
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3 Best Argentina Itineraries You Must Do On Your Next Trip
Itinerary 1: Buenos Aires and Surroundings This is what most people will do, having only a week or less of vacation. Buenos Aires by itself is a great city to spend a holiday and provides a great base to explore the surrounding attractions! After Spending a few days in Buenos Aires, it is worth spending a day or two in Mar del Plata, considered the best beach in Argentina. It’s pretty cold to be a holiday beach (sea lions love the area for its cold waters), so best months to visit are December and January. Outside these months the beach is pretty empty, but being a city of over a million people, it will always offer the usual city life. Uruguay offers the best beach options south of Brazil, and Argentians know this. No wonder you will see them all invading their northern neighbor in the Summer! So including a side trip to Punta del Este in Uruguay in January is a must, with a […]
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World Map of The Most Historically Rich Destinations, Through The Eyes of a Man Who Visited Them All
This is part of my series about maps of the world where I compare each country I have visited in different categories. The point of this analysis is that after having visited almost all the countries (173/196) I believe I have finally acquired the experience and the credibility to be able to put them side by side and give an honest comparison. Of course, many of them are personal views following my personal tastes and is only a generalization. But since I get so many questions all the time about “what are my favorite country, for this, for that, for everything… “ I decided to represent my results graphically for people to get a better understanding of my opinion. When I was told at age 13 years/old that I had to do something in life that I truly loved, the subject that most resonated in my mind was “History”. That was my real passion! But I couldn’t imagine myself being a simple history teacher in […]
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Visiting Algeria – My Country #174/195
Just arrived in my 174th country worldwide, and 35th in Africa. I’ve waited a long time to come to this country because of the love I have for Morroco, which I expected many similarities. Expectations were met at arrival, but still many differences are obvious. It is definitely not as opened as Morocco and tourism seem reserved for Algerian expats. That said, it seems very welcoming thought! The city of Oran so far is really well developed, having a nice French Riviera style boardwalk, as well as a very modern tramway. My plan was to arrive in Oran, in the West of the country, considered the most lively city in North Africa, and to fly out from Constantine, in the other extremity on the East side of Algeria. This way I will cross the country, staying around the Mediterranean Coast and focus on the most populated areas. I would have loved to go down in the desert which is praised as one of the most […]
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What to do when you Airplane gets Diverted by an Agressive Guy! Unexpected Visit to Bermuda…
So I was on my way back to Europe and when boarding my plane, this little French guy was sitting in my seat… I kindly tell him that he must be in the wrong seat and he aggressively answers that he switched with another woman and decided to sit in another one… Seeing his aggressiveness, my nice tone switched to a more decisive one, that he should go to his seat or the lady’s seat he agreed to change with and to let me sit in mine designated one. Grumpy he goes. Until then, everything was doing fine, until we are in the middle of the Atlantic and we start hearing Mr. French screaming at the crew. Apparently from what we understood, Mr. French wanted some more booze and they refused to serve him because he was getting a little drunk. Mr. French didn’t like that and with his previously seen aggressiveness, started getting in a physical interaction with them. They quickly fight back […]
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Why Argentina Tops My List as One of the Best Country for Digital Nomads
Argentina always ranks amongst the best Countries in most of my Countries World Maps Comparisons, and for a reason! It is a wonderful country both in terms of beauty and culture which distinguishes itself from other American countries by providing unique assets. Its culture is definitely a highlight. Argentina’s European feel makes it one of the most European city in the Americas, feeling more like walking in an Italian city than anything else. Its traditions also shine in its music, Milongas, and Tangos being the most obvious. One of my favorite past time when I go to Buenos Aires to find some local restaurant which showcases a tango show. Not the touristy ones, but the more local ones which are only musical, where you will get 2 to 3 musicians playing whatever song may be requested by the crowd. A great way to enjoy a good Argentinian meal with wine! I have lived in Buenos Aires for 4 months in 2016 and since then, I […]
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