Here you will find inspiring journals that I write during my travels. In fact, during my travels I just take down notes and when I return home to Romania, I edit and publish the notes – with information and personal photos. The articles published on this page will be in English, but you can find some of them written in Romanian at LiterNet Magazine. Wherever you read them, I hope they will inspire you to travel in an authentic way and at your own pace. Because I strongly believe that each of us has its own, unique way of traveling. Here, in these inspiring travel journals, I share my experiences of travelling.
Inspiring Journeys
Tunisia Travel Planning
Tunisia Travel Planning is the summary of my one-month trip through Tunisia during the autumn of 2022 (September). The pace of traveling was slow and flexible. I could go and stay wherever I wanted with a rented car.
Tunisia Travel Planning – General Planning
The travel planning for Tunisia started two months before the trip. I used only the Lonely Planet Guide and ignored any other articles about Tunisia from the internet. I considered that the guide book offered me enough, well-synthesized information to plan the trip. I could choose the places in the guide book where I wanted to go for one month Read More...
Serbia Travel Planning
Serbia Travel Planning 2022 is the summary of my one-month road trip throughout Serbia during the spring of 2022 (April). The pace of traveling was slow, in accordance with the flexibility I had to go and stay wherever I wanted with my car. Here you can find my other Balkans Trip – the Balkan Countries Planning from 2017 – Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo, Balkan Countries Travel Planning 2018: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bulgaria Travel Planning 2021.
Serbia Travel Planning 2022 – General Planning:
Travel Planning for the road trip through Serbia was very random and almost not-existent. I hadn’t seen Serbia Read More...
Bedouin Camp - Dakhla Oasis, New Valley, Egypt
Bedouin Camp - Dakhla Oasis
Egypt has been the story of the fertile 5% territories alongside the Nile for much of its history. For the rest of the 95% of the country, the Egyptian Sahara is the most varied desert on the planet. It features sand sheets, rocky canyons, rock art paintings, rich oases, and century-old traditions. Due to its farthest location, few people venture into this part of the country. Still, the ones who do that are rewarded with the richness and hospitality of the Desert Oases.
The New Valley cuts through the Western Desert, Egypt's largest and most sparsely Read More...
Shamofs Art Camp, Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Shamofs Art Camp - Siwa Oasis
In the middle of the Sahara Desert (only 50 kilometers from the Libyan border), Siwa Oasis is a dreamy destination far from any other place your mind could think of. The oasis is surrounded by large palm groves, no less than 250 thermal springs (very good for the skin), and salt lakes with crystal-clear water and an incredible white salt floor. The settlement itself features mud-brick traditional architecture, ancient ruins linked to Alexander the Great as well as rock-cut tombs with colorful paintings. Siwa is the place where you can still find century-long customs like Read More...
Egypt Travel Planning - Sights and Routes
Egypt Travel Planning is the summary of the two-month trip through Egypt during the autumn of 2021 (October, November, and a bit of December). The pace of traveling was slow and flexible. I could go and stay wherever I wanted with a rented car (I rented the car only for one month) or with a bus (the first month I traveled only by bus).
Egypt Travel Planning – General Planning
The travel planning for Egypt started two months before the trip. I used only the Lonely Planet Guide and ignored any other articles about Egypt from the internet. I considered that the Read More...
Bulgaria Travel Planning
Bulgaria Travel Planning 2021 is the summary of my one-month road trip throughout Bulgaria during the summer of 2021 (June). The pace of traveling was slow, in accordance with the flexibility I had to go and stay wherever I wanted with my car. Here you can find my last Balkans Trip – the Balkan Countries Planning from 2017 – Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo and Balkan Countries Travel Planning 2018: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia.
Bulgaria Travel Planning 2021 – General Planning:
Travel Planning for the road trip through Bulgaria was very random and almost not-existent. Because Bulgaria borders with Romania, it was the Read More...
Thailand Travel Planning
Thailand Travel Planning is the summary of my two-month trip to Thailand during the winter/ spring of 2019 (mid-February to mid-April). The pace of traveling was medium, meaning:
I had a single-entry tourist visa which allowed me to stay in Thailand for a limited amount of time (60 days)
to get my above-mentioned visa, I had to show a round-trip plane ticket to the Thailand Embassy in Bucharest so it didn't worth to cancel it and to extend my stay in Thailand for one more month (the maximum period a tourist can get a visa in Thailand is 90 days)
I couldn't Read More...
Balkan Countries Travel Planning 2018 - Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Mont...
Balkan Countries Travel Planning 2018 is the summary of my three-month road trip to most of the countries of former Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia during the summer of 2018 (May - August). The pace of traveling was slow, in accordance with the flexibility I had to go and stay wherever I wanted with my car. Here you can find my last Balkans Trip - the Balkan Countries Planning from 2017 - Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo.
Balkan Countries Travel Planning 2018 - General Planning:
Travel Planning for the road trip through the former Yugoslavian countries started a couple of Read More...
The return to Macedonia - Kumanovo, Skopje, and Kratovo
How I decided to go to Kumanovo? On the 2nd of August, I had to be in Macedonia, in the small town of Kratovo. There, I had promised to Stevce Donevski to write an article about his traditional guest house, Etno House Shanceva. I had another week left until then and had to do something during that time. Eventually, I chose to go through the northern part of Macedonia - 3 days at Nate in Kumanovo and 2 days at Robbie in Skopje.
The first day in Kumanovo
Short Description: I crossed the border between Kosovo and Macedonia, then headed to Kumanovo. In Read More...
10 days in Kosovo - the capital of Pristina
The first day in Pristina
Short Description. I left the Rugova Valley, and in the capital of Pristina, I met Julie for lunch. In the evening, I went to Brixhita’s house.
Long Description
As soon as I left the Rugova Valley, I finnaly had internet signal. Thus I found out that in Pristina, I would no longer stay at Leonita’s place, but at Brixhita’s apartment. And for lunch, I would meet Julie from Australia. I had a hard time finding a parking place in the Kosovan capital, but I somehow managed to find a place and meet Julie.
Julie was from Australia, where she Read More...
10 days in Kosovo - Peja and the Rugova Valley
From Prizren to the Rugova Valley, passing Gjakova
Short Description. On my way from Prizren to Peja and the Rugova Valley, I stopped in the small town of Gjakova, then at the Visoki Dečani Monastery, where I had the opportunity to drink juice with NATO soldiers. In the afternoon, I went to Peja, where I strolled the bazaar and the tourist promenade.
Long Description
It was not easy to exit Prizren because the GPS had repeated errors. Eventually, I found the road to Peja - one of the three big cities of Kosovo. In the little town of Gjakova, I completely got Read More...
10 Days in Kosovo - Prizren and around
How I decided to go to Prizren? Actually, I intended to go back to Tirana to check my car in a Dacia service because some red lights blinked on my car’s dashboard. The car’s manual only said „urgently go to a service” - something I had procrastinated to do for the past ten days. As I was leaving Shkodër, Linda (the owner of the Ledgenda Camping) talked with her husband, Franz, and sent me to Service Auto Ellite. At the car service, they scanned my car on a computer and then we took a road test. Eventually, they inflated my tires Read More...
Hiking the Albanian Alps - Valbona Theth, Albania
The first day of the trek Valbona Theth
Short description. I took a local shuttle (furgon) from Shkodër to the onboarding place on the Komani ferryboat. For four hours, we traveled by ferry on the Komani Lake until Fierza. Then, we took a car to Valbona, where we stayed overnight before the Valbona Theth hike.
Long description
At six o’clock in the morning, I was in front of Camping Ledgenda and waited for the shuttle for the Komani Lake Ferryboat. Felix and Christiana, two Germans who were traveling with a campervan around Southeast Europe for six months, came with the same shuttle. I had a big backpack Read More...
From Berat to Shkodër, passing Durrës and Tirana, Albania
The road toward Tirana via Durrës
Short Description. I came back to the Adriatic Sea via Durrës, where I visited the ancient fortifications and the Roman amphitheater, then the insalubrious seafront. In the evening, I arrived at Alaattin's house in Tirana.
Long Description
I drove from the campground near Berat to the Adriatic Sea, to Durrës. Located on the outskirts of the city, the beach area was bordered by new, modern buildings painted in bright colors, with balconies overlooking the sea and numerous terraces at their ground floor. A line of palm trees flanked the main seafront promenade. Everywhere it was a holiday feel, Read More...
From Vlorë to the Ottoman town of Berat, Albania
From Vlorë to Berat
Short description. I left from Vlore, crossed the town of Fier, and reached the archaeological site of Apollonia. I returned to Fier and chose the best road toward Berat, where I stayed for several days.
Long Description
At the Adriatic Sea, a wild wind blew at Cekodhima Camping, but it was warm and the waves were mild. I slept well the previous night because this time I parked the car under the trees. Thus, I had shade in the morning and it wasn't too hot inside the car. While I was having breakfast, a dog from the campground played with me. Read More...
Dana Tower Hotel, Dana Village, Jordan
Dana Tower Hotel - Dana Reserve and Village
Dana Tower Hotel. Situated on the very edge of the Great Rift Valley, Dana is considered Jordan's largest nature reserve. Dana is on the major migratory routes between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Thus, it is the quintessence of flora and fauna species from all the three major continents. Intricate cliffs and canyons of sand, limestone, and granite strangely cut by the winds create a nearly moonlike landscape. Acacia trees twisted by drought appear among red and black cliffs, and sometimes even pink oleanders in blossom arise in the lower parts of the valleys. Read More...
The Albanian coast Livadhi - Vlorë, passing Dhermi, Albania
The first day going to Dhermi
Short description. I drove down to Jal Beach and took a swim there, then stopped and walked around Vuno village. I walked to Gjipe Beach, and on my way back, I passed Dhermi village. At Palasë Beach, I tried to camp but eventually, I found a campground at Drymades Beach.
Long description
I left Camping Moskato and followed the sinuous road that ran along the Albanian coastline. A different mountain, canyon, perspective showed up at each bend of the road. At a crossroads, I turned left and drove down a serpentine road to Jal Beach. Unfortunately, I stayed Read More...
The Albanian coastline from Ksamil to Livadhi, Albania
Two days spent on the Ksamil Peninsula
The first day in Ksamil
Short description. In the morning, I stayed in the campground and by noon, I went to the Butrint Archaeological Site. In the afternoon, I sunbathed and swam at one of the beaches near the Three Islands of Ksamil.
Long description
Although I still was very sleepy, the tent was too warm to sleep inside at 7.30 in the morning. Linda (the hostess) offered me an ice-coffee, which I enjoyed until noon, in the shade of an umbrella. It was very hot outside but I still went to the Butrint Lake, without Read More...
From the old town of Gjirokastra to the Ksamil Peninsula, Albania
The first day in Gjirokastra
Short Description. In Gjirokastra, I went to the Old Fortress and then wandered through the traditional Dunavat, Manalat, and Cfake neighborhoods. From there, I crossed a valley and came back to the fortress. Then, I walked down to the ring road of the old town through the Old Bazaar. In the afternoon, I headed to the New Bazaar, where I rambled until evening.
Long Description
From the balcony of my room, I had a view of Gjirokastra's old town lying at my feet. In the background, I distinguished the mountains which I had struggled to cross the previous day. Mehdi Read More...
Crossing the mountains from Korce to Gjirokastra, Albania
Korce. In the morning, I left Radozhda Campground (located on the shores of the Ohrid Lake). I put gas and drove to Kjafasan Pass, where the Macedonian – Albanian border lies. While I was staying in line to cross the border, I noticed two other Romanian cars stopped behind mine. Many other cars tried to skip the line and go directly to the counter. When I reached the counter, I spoke with the customs officer only using signs and the body language. Everything I could tell him in Albanian was the name of the town I was heading, "Korce."
As soon Read More...
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