A two-year solo trip across all 7 continents
- 1guy
- 2years
- 3oceans
- 7continents
- 60countries
- 200interviews
- 985postcards
- > 2,000videos
- > 40,000photos
- > 200,000km
- > 3.2 millionGPS way points
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Popular travel stories
All 75 travel stories
Ordered along the route, chronological within each chapter. The latest posts are in the sidebar.
Before the trip & departure 2010 · 5 posts
- Dear... …family, friends, relatives, acquaintances, clients, colleagues, contacts and everyone who’s interested! Welcome to my travel blog. Since this is a …
Germany, Overath –> Cologne –> Berlin
Better short than nothing at all: here’s my first sign of life, covering the last few days.
Germany, Berlin –> Russia, Moscow
The train to Moscow was supposed to leave at 4:23 a.m. When it finally turned up shortly after 5, I moved into my cozy little 3-person compartment, …
Looking back: One last summer academy with the Studienstiftung
The Mount Everest experience reminded me of climbing the Zugspitze about two months before I set off on the big trip. But to put this “Zugspitze” …
Flashback: Germany's highest mountain (Climbing the Zugspitze)
Before we could set off, I first had to upgrade my non-existent gear. I got a backpack from my dorm mate Alex. It was too small for me and technically …
Russia & the Trans-Siberian 09–10/2010 · 7 posts
Russia, Moscow
Having arrived in Moscow on the morning of September 20, 2010, I muddled my way through the metro system (being able to read Cyrillic really pays off …
Russia, Moscow 2
Luckily I can post an update before Beijing after all - straight from paradise (more on that later). But first a bit more about my stay in Moscow. …
Russia, Moscow –> Irkutsk (Trans-Siberian)
The Trans-Siberian left on September 21, 2010 at 9:25 p.m. I shared a four-berth compartment with three Russians who spoke neither German nor English. …
Russia, Irkutsk
September 25, 2010, 6:16 a.m.: From Irkutsk railway station I headed to my host family, where, after a loooong-awaited shower, I first took a two-hour …
Russia (Lake Baikal)
September 26, 2010: When I got to Irkutsk bus station in the morning, the first thing I did was marvel at the bus that was going to take us to Olkhon …
Russia, Irkutsk 2
September 30, 2010: I arrived in Irkutsk in the afternoon and now had to get from the bus station to the Polytechnic University somehow. That’s where …
Russia –> Mongolia
October 2, 2010: After an insanely fast ride to the station (red lights, oncoming lanes and curbs don’t matter at night, and seat belts are overrated …
Mongolia 10/2010 · 5 posts
Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
October 3, 2010: When I arrived in Ulaanbaatar, my guide met me (yes, here I actually treated myself to that luxury) and drove me to a nearby hotel …
Mongolia (Terelj National Park)
October 3, 2010: On the way to Terelj National Park, the birthplace of Genghis Khan, I got to have my picture taken with an eagle on my arm. A truly …
Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 2
October 6, 2010: From a truly dreamlike landscape it was back to the smog-choked monster that is Ulaanbaatar. Here I was picked up by my next …
Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 3
October 8, 2010: Last night was quite exciting. Unfortunately my plan to grab a taxi back didn’t work out. Even though it was already late in the …
Mongolia -> China
October 10, 2010: After a short night I got up at 5:30 a.m., packed up the last of my stuff and said goodbye to Cathy. It took a while, but even at …
China: Beijing & Xi'an 10/2010–01/2011 · 17 posts
China, Beijing 1
October 11, 2010: My CS host guided me through Beijing’s metro system to the small apartment, which has a much nicer view than the one in Ulaanbaatar. …
China, Beijing 2 (Olympic Park)
October 13, 2010: That evening we visited what I think is one of the most beautiful places in Beijing: the Olympic Park. Here’s the so-called Bird’s …
China, Beijing 3 (Great Wall)
October 15, 2010: The Great Wall of China is probably one of the most famous structures ever built. Ever since David Copperfield magically walked …
China, Beijing 2.5 (lecture, pub crawl)
October 14, 2010: Oops, I completely forgot to tell you about the day before the Great Wall of China. That day, too, was all about cultural education. …
China, Beijing 4 (shopping, hairdresser)
October 16, 2010: Since prices here are unbeatably low, I’ve eaten on the street or in restaurants every day so far. Partly to pick up a few bits and …
China, Beijing 5 (pub, lounge)
October 18, 2010: In the evening we went to a Couchsurfing meetup in a trendy bar. Lots of non-Chinese, nice people to meet and live music. I asked …
China, Beijing 6 (culture and grub)
October 20, 2010: After the late-night adventures of the past few days, I was in the mood for some classic culture again. For today I had booked a …
China, Beijing 7 (working from home, haggling)
October 21, 2010: After all the excitement I needed a little time out. Besides, it was about time I started sorting out the rest of my trip: train …
China, Beijing 8 (Peking duck)
October 22, 2010: Thrilled with my bargain at the Silk Market, I wanted to treat myself this evening to my second Beijing Peking duck at the best …
China, Beijing 9 (evenings)
October 23, 2010: My departure is slowly getting closer. During my time in Beijing I met lots of really nice and incredibly interesting people, so my …
China, Beijing 10 (departure)
October 26, 2010: My last day in what is probably one of the most magnificent cities around. Originally I’d planned to stay in Beijing for 3 days – it …
China, Beijing -> Xi'an
October 26–27, 2010: Shortly before 10 pm the train finally got moving. To be honest, I’d expected worse from Chinese trains. The corridors were …
China, Xi'an (arrival, Terracotta Army)
October 27, 2010: When I got to the hostel, it turned out that the shuttle service had actually been there to pick me up. Maybe next time I should …
- A Quick Note -
Hi everyone, and thanks so much for all the messages by e-mail, on Facebook and here! :) Just so you all know: I’m doing fine - or rather: …- - Sign of Life, Anticipation/Sneak Preview - Hi everyone! It’s been a long time, but here’s a sign of life from me again. :) What’s happened since Xi’an? LOTS!!! My pace of travel still hasn’t …
China, Xi'an (haggling, city tour)
After months of radio silence, there’s finally some news about my trip again. :)
China, Xi'an -> Lhasa (by train to Tibet)
I got up early in the morning to pack my things and finally found out more about the stranger. Following the same routine as yesterday, he hopped out …
Tibet & Mount Everest 02–03/2011 · 8 posts
China, Tibet (Lhasa, first impressions)
Checked in at my assigned hotel right in the middle of Lhasa, I started by sizing up my new digs.- - Blog Features: New Pages (Thanks, FAQ) - There are now two new pages in the navigation bar above:
China, Tibet (Lhasa, second impressions)
Last night was restless too, but already much better than my first night in Lhasa. So my body was slowly adjusting to the new environment.
China, Tibet (police, yak, glacier and monasteries)
Enough acclimatizing. Today we left Lhasa and set off for higher things - towards the highest mountain in the world. But only a few kilometers down …
China, Tibet (An eventful day on the way to Mt. Everest)
Awake early in the morning, before sunrise, I watched the impressive spectacle of the crescent moon giving way to the sun.
China, Tibet (So close to the clouds: Mt. Everest Base Camp)
Shortly after seven, Michael woke me up – sunrise was on its way. My pulse was still just as high as before, but I felt fantastic! Today we’re heading …
China, Tibet (Farewell to the plateau, Nepal is calling)
After all the mountains of the past few days, it’s now time to say goodbye. Mount Everest Base Camp was definitely, and quite literally, a high point. …
China, Tibet -> Nepal, Kathmandu (The end of peace and quiet)
After a fairly short night, we were greeted by the usual glorious weather. A quick drive to the Chinese-Nepalese border, the “Friendship Bridge”, and …
Nepal 03–08/2011 · 13 posts
Nepal, Kathmandu 1 (Celebrating Festivals)
As I lay there resting, it suddenly struck me that Kathmandu wasn’t new to me at all. The city first entered my head about 20 years ago – thanks to …
Nepal, Kathmandu 2 (Garbage, Monkey Temple, Guru)
Early in the morning we fortified ourselves at a “German Bakery”. The roof offered a “great” view of the shopping street.
Nepal, Kathmandu 3 (Welcome and Unwelcome Surprises)
Last night Michael recommended the place he was staying at. According to him, it had nice staff, a friendly atmosphere and, the deciding factor for …
Nepal, Kathmandu 4 (Rascals, Sex and Sightseeing)
Having recovered from yesterday’s shock, I got to see a sad side of Kathmandu from the hotel roof over breakfast:- - My birthday today + invitation - A quick interim message, for a special occasion: today, April 19, I’m celebrating my birthday far away from my beloved home, in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Nepal, Kathmandu 5 (Death, Cannabis and Culture)
Carnival back home – sadly, there was no sign of it here.
Nepal, Chitwan 1 (elephant football and enthusiastic kids)
Indian bureaucracy is surely among the most inefficient and arbitrary in the world – I can already feel that very clearly here. Kathmandu is quite …
Nepal, Chitwan 2 (jungle safaris and rhinos)
Through the jungle on elephants and by jeep – today was all about the (photo) safari.
Nepal, Chitwan 3 (elephants, crocodiles and Chinese cuisine)
Freshly fortified, we visited the nearby elephant breeding station in the morning…
Nepal, Kathmandu 6 (back to the chaos, wedding, hospitality)
After yesterday’s lovely “dance evening” and a sociable game, Chinese-style, today it was time to say goodbye…
Nepal, Kathmandu -> Bhutan (To the kingdom with the happiness factor)
Since I’ve seen almost everything in Kathmandu by now and Indian bureaucracy was still keeping me from moving on, I made a snap decision to explore a …
Nepal, Kathmandu 7 (Embassy, Club Night, Rickshaw Battle)
Back in “beloved” Kathmandu-Thamel… …and back to my “favourite pastime”: battling bureaucracy, in this case the Indian Embassy. I spent this day, too, …
Nepal, Kathmandu -> Pokhara (A bit quieter...)
It was time to say goodbye to Kathmandu – after a rather longer stay than planned, thanks to India’s less-than-stellar efficiency at issuing visas. I …
Bhutan 06–07/2011 · 5 posts
Bhutan (superb food, luxurious accommodation)
Once out of the airport, I waited for my guide – and waited – and waited… After almost a quarter of an hour, a different guide came over and asked …
Bhutan (Tiger's Nest, Seat of Government, a Capital Without Traffic Lights)
My first morning in Bhutan, and today there’s a lot to explore.
Bhutan (Traditions, Monastery Fortresses and a Look Behind the Scenes)
After a nice breakfast and a short drive to our destination, the Bhutan discovery tour continued. As a biologist with a keen interest, I’ve come …
Bhutan (tour, friendliness, karaoke alert)
At breakfast the next morning the hotel staff were grinning from ear to ear and treated me even more royally than usual – what a night. Sure, I got …
Bhutan -> Nepal, Kathmandu (flight along the Himalayas)
After a few truly impressive days, it was time to say goodbye to Bhutan, with its remarkable scenery, its joyful culture and its warm, unspoiled …
On the road in Asia & 2011 summary 09–12/2011 · 4 posts
- - Quick Update: GPS Receiver, a Really Handy Helper - Once again my trip has reached an intensity I never imagined. I’m happy if I get more than five hours of sleep – I catch up on the rest on buses and …
- - Ping from the equator - More than 1,300 new emails in my inbox (not counting spam), over a hundred new Facebook messages, unanswered comments on my blog, no updates… The …
- - Last ping from Asia - After just over 14 months crisscrossing Asia, it’s time to explore a new continent. Tomorrow (November 26, 2011) I’m heading by sea from …
2011: Summary + Outlook
We write the Christmas season 2011, the year draws to a close - what a year! It’s time for a little summary, including an outlook for 2012, some …
Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific 12/2011–02/2012 · 2 posts
South America, Antarctica & Central America 02–05/2012 · 3 posts
- [GPS] Across South America to the Antarctica After I arrived in Panama, it took me day more to arrive by ship in Colombia to start my almost four-week-hardcore-trip across South America to …
South America, Antarctica, Central America
Hard to believe but true: Time doesn’t stop – now I turned 30. Although I couldn’t celebrate together with you, I’ve thought of you! :) A brief …
After Latin America and before North America
What a trip in the last few months. Exhausted but not tired and after several hours more, I managed the tangled-bureaucracies to finally set foot on …
North America: the road trip 06–08/2012 · 3 posts
North America Road Trip #A
By car through the U.S. from sunny California, through the various national parks in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, back to California, through Oregon and …- North America Road Trip #B - end In more than 10,000 miles across North America or in other words: Over 16,000 km by car + nearly 2,000 km by public transport through 27 states of the …
USA and Canada - The Road Trip!
In two months, zigzagging through the U.S. and Canada to see the main highlights – is possible. Challenging, demanding, exhausting but at the same …
Europe, Africa & back home 09–11/2012 · 3 posts
Europe, Africa and ...back home! :)
By container ship from Canada across the Atlantic Ocean, a brief exploration of the Iberian Peninsula, to North Africa and across the Sahara to the …
6 weeks after
We write the sidereal time „6 weeks later“ – which means something like „6 weeks after return“. Outside it’s cold, gray, rainy, simply uncomfortable. …
Summary
From an unplanned trip to the East it ended up as a two-year solo trip around the world across all 7 continents. On this blog I kept you up to date …
About this blog
From an unplanned trip to the East it ended up as a two-year solo trip around the world across all 7 continents. I’ll process the tens of thousands of photos, videos, diary entries, etc. over the next few years. Interested? Just send me a mail to e-mail address (JavaScript required) and I’ll put you in the mailing list.
Last but most important
At least once a day: Smile and be happy! :)
12 comments
From the time of the trip (2010–2017). New comments are not possible.
- nadine
hi! was ist denn mit dem blog passiert? sieht ganz anders aus :( hoffe dir gehts gut! lueben gruß
- Mathias Author
Habe die Blog-Struktur aufgrund besserer Ladezeiten abgeändert. Du findest jetzt hier auf der Startseite alle Artikel aufgelistet (Artikelübersicht) - mit dem neusten immer ganz oben. Bitte gib mir Bescheid, falls es Missverständnisse oder andere Vorschläge gibt - freue mich über jedes Feedback. :)
- john
dear mathies hope you are fine and happy.
am waiting for your picture about your tour in bangladesh and hope you dont forget your friend john 20 year old boy who used to live in bangladsh.waiting for your quick response
john
son of nasir naeem - Bao
I am waiting to see our stories!!!
- Brigitte und Achim
Hallo Mathias,
wir haben Deine Karte aus Laos gestern 30.09. erhalten und uns sehr darüber
gefreut. Wir wünschen Dir weiterhin viel Glück und Spaß auf deiner Reise.
Komme gesund zurück.
Viele Grüße Brigitte und Achim - stefan
Lieber Matthias,
seid gefühlten Ewigkeiten ein kleines Zeichen von uns. Haben in Dresden gerade viele Dias unserer Reise aus Indien gezeigt. Dabei waren auch die Andamanen und die gute Zeit mit Dir. Allein die Schifffahrt von Chennai nach Port Blair. New Year im Pool auf Deck :-)
Hoffen Du bist noch gut unterwegs.....! Wir sind es auf jeden Fall auch. Haben uns ein besonderes Mitbringsel von Long Island/Andaman mitgebracht und erwarten in den kommenden Tagen die Geburt unserer Tochter ;-) sie hat Dich also quasi schon kennengelernt.
In dem Sinne : "Everything is possible my friend"Freuen uns auf ein Wieder-sehen mit Dir ! Gute Reise und Schutz für Deinen Weg.
Lieben Gruß aus Dresden.
Stefan und Anett- Mathias Author
Wow, Stefan und Anett,
das ist mit Abstand eine der schönsten Nachrichten und hat mir ein breites Grinsen ins Gesicht gezaubert!!!
Ich freue mich wirklich sehr und werde Euch per E-Mail ausführlicher antworten. :)
"Everything is possible" - dem kann ich nur schmunzelnd zustimmen. ;)
Alles Gute!!!!
- Angelika Bayer u. Frau Flucke
Hallo Mathias.
Hier ist Frau Flucke möchte mich für Deine Karte bedanken.Meine Freude darüber
war groß.Bin zur Zeit in Heiligenstadt. Ich wünsch Dir noch viel Erfolg bei dieser schönen Reise,
und komme gesund zurück.
Viele Grüße Frau Flucke u.Angelika - eusuf ali
Hey........
This is Eusuf from Srimangal of Bangladesh.I hope you are enjoy your traveling everywhere in the world.I saw your nice photo which you visited in south Asia.I liked these photo.Thanks for shearing your travel experience.Take care and keep in touch.
Hope all is well in Germany.
Wish you good luck.
Eusuf Ali - Renate
gibt es wieder mal neue Reiseberichte? :-)