The day I arrived in Taipei and stepped on Taiwans soil the first time, my friends and travel mates from an earlier journey, Lucy and Alex, picked me up and showed me around Shilin night market. A very friendly gesture and interesting evening to get introduced in some of Taiwanese culture and daily life. And got to taste some of Taiwanese favorite drinks: Bubble Tea!
My friend Lucy posted some footage of this evening on her YouTube-Channel 🙈https://www.youtube.com/@MamaLucy
There was one more chance to meet my friends in Taiwan. Despite the rain we decided to go for a walk in the historical area of Tamsui.
Among other historical buildings there was the massive Hobe Fort, Fort Santo Domingo and the former British Consulate Residency. And of course there was time for a coffee and having lunch together. Always a good time to chat and learn more about the life in Taiwan.
If anyone wants to know more about living in Taiwan should follow my friend Lucy’s YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MamaLucy. and/or Instagram: instagram.com/mama.lucy1215
Many years back i met a beautiful couple on travel. Somehow we stayed in touch, but i postponed my trip to Taiwan year for year. Meanwhile they got two wonderful kids. After my first days in Taiwan and the great experience of the Lantern Festival in Shifen, my friends invited me for dinner in a ‚hot pot‘-restaurant in Taoyuan. The food was delivered to the table by a robotic trolley and was really delicious. But there was more entertainment by a ‚changing mask‘- dancer, which was great amusement (but not only) for the kids. I’m so thankful for my friends, who gave me this great evening, i would rarely experienced on my own.
The next evening i was just strolling around my neighborhood in Taipei. Surprised of the lively street around it. The famous tower building Taipei 101 was mostly in clouds. That’s why i postponed the viewpoint up there. Just having a walk on the streets was amazingly interesting already.
Turkey in winter impressions #4: I spent New Years Eve in Antalya and surroundings, where i found a super nice family renting me out a room in their airBnB. Beside that i met again a travel mate from an earlier trip in Africa and made more friends.
I took some time to visit dear friends on my way back. One of them invited me to a pretty special place to camp on a private, very idyllic pond, where we had a barbeque and nice chat.
Every journey comes to an end, but the good memories stays.
Another long drive trough beautiful landscape of northern Norway. Even the sun comes out for awhile, just when i was on a hike at Silfar Canyon. Another traveler approached me for a chat. So we went together along the the canyon, shared travel stories and enjoyed the nature around.
Due maintenance the North Cape Tunnel was closed for a couple hours. This roughly 6.9 kilometer long tunnel dives 212 meter underneath the sea and connect the mainland with the island Mageroya.
Just to make it clear: The North Cape is not the most northern spot, neither from mainland Europe (what is at Sletness Fyr), nor from Europe as in general (what is on Svalbard ). It’s simply the most northern point one can reach on road from mainland Europe. When i arrived there unfortunately strong winds brought dense fog too. With that the midnight sun was hidden behind clouds. Just for a minute there was some sun rays pushing through the thick mist, slittering over the surface of the Barents Sea and reached the foot of the cliffs.
A nice surprise to meet my old traveler friend Paolo, who i met before in Africa. He’s traveling for years around the world with his motorcycle. There’s a lot to catch up, and so we spent hours in the cold to share stories.
Talking about beaches i’d rather prefer a lonely spot under a palm tree, where i could read and enjoy a sea breeze.
The city beaches of Tel Aviv are certainly different. That means not less interesting. In the opposite, it’s not even mainly a beach to sunbathe and for swimming. The latter is officially forbidden on many stretches anyway. But it’s the place to meet people, going for a run or any other sporty activity, including playing ball sports with friends.
On a Shabbat, the Judaism day of rest, commonly known as Saturday, the public transport aren’t working and most shops, bars and restaurants are closed as well. The beaches, on the other hand, are always open. So they become the meeting points. People come with friends or family to picnic, roam in the park, listen to street musician or gathering for whatever their interest is.
A group placed a huge tripod on a place, attached ropes and rings on it and started doing acrobatic performances for the spectators.
A bit further i heard drums and followed the beat sound. At least a half dozen men practicing Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian martial art, where the participants rather dance than really fight. It looks spectacular anyway.
More peaceful sounds from a saxophonist, who’s sending the descending sun his last greetings.
It doesn’t mean the day comes to an end quickly now, but while in some places another party starts, i join a group of sunset watchers on a quite corner and look back on another beautiful day in Tel Aviv.
A bright lamp enlightened all the issues of my newly named landrover Tortuga, #tinatortuga. I was standing under the lifted car with a mechanic to check the state of it. There’s an oil leaking and some unsolved problems with the prop shaft, what brought me to this mechanic. The source of leaking was founded quickly, but as I requested we went trough the entire vehicle, more or less.
Beside the leaking from transfer box there’s also leaking from oil filter housing, Even the tank is leaking and had to be repaired as some bushes and hoses has to be fixed and replaced too. Despite there isn’t much electronics in that vehicle it turned out difficult to find the bug which is blowing my indicators and hazard lights continually. In short, quite an overhaul.
I need a stay for the time of repairs. The estimated period of four to five days was doubled, as the costs of repairs was too, due some difficulties, mainly with the transfer box. All bearings of that part must be replaced. I didn’t care so much about the time, since there was heavy rain predicted. All i needed was a quit and dry spot to be.
Luckily I found a beautiful place outside town of Mbombela/Nelspruit. Friendly hosts welcomed me and showed me around the self catering house where I got a nice room with a glass door towards pool side and amazing view to the valley. That’s the place to stay for a few quit days. Reading, writing journal and sorting photos next to the pool. Having a beer or a glass of red wine in the evenings, after cooking myself a tasty meal, and chatting with the owners, while waiting my car got fixed. That’s all part of traveling too and must try to use the time as good as possible.
Just the day before I could pick up ‚Tina Tortuga‘, another Landrover Defender arrived at the Lodge. Same model as mine and even the same color. A couple got off the car and settled in the accommodation. It turned out they are from Brazil and already four years on the road. So there was lots to chat about and share travel stories and experiences. And of course, as a Landy driver there’s also about workshop stories. That lovely couple gave me a lift to the landy-workshop and get a oil/filter change for their ‚Pandora‘ too. Who wants to see more of the journey from Eduardo and Rafaela visit their website: www.pandoraontheroad.com.br
Ten lazy days later I checked out of ‚Highland Creeks‘ and got ‚Tina Tortuga‘ back from the workshop. Since it was late of the day and weather forecast predicted another storm with heavy rain, I decided to stay another night at an apartment on my way out of town. Another jewel in the mountains as I found out. After all, the day ended beautifully with a glass of wine and a bath in a tube with a view.
A nearby forest was a quite and perfect location for a short photo shooting with Marie.
A friend called me, there are need of people joining as statists for filming. There is some money offered, but surely i wanted have a glimpse behind the scene of movie making too. The location was held on Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), an impressive building complex, especially at night. Inside that futuristic looking building is a big conference room, called the Amphitheatre. Rows of empty seats around a red carpeted centre when i get there. Just a few people sitting and standing spread around. No camera or film team in sight. A busy looking lady giving out a form which claims all right on filming on that spot. An amount of money for compensation is promised by that form too. To my surprise i’m told, it’s not a Kenyan production but Hollywood itself shows up, making a science fiction movie. Around 30 people gathered this evening to pretend being members of a parliament or council. Due the delay of the film team, we got coffee and sandwiches first, got fitted in suits and dresses and finally seated in front of the camera, which arrived meanwhile. The next three hours or so, we shifted from row to row, from box to box, from level to level. In the movie, the 30 people of us will appear as around 300 people in the council. Before midnight, the film director was happy with the take. With the welcome cash in my hand and new experience in my head i stepped out in the nightsky.
rene bauer photography 