During an expedition on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is caught in a sandstorm and falls unconscious. When he wakes up from his unconsciousness, he is alone. On the Mars. Without food. Without equipment. And without a crew, because they are already on their way back to Earth. A spectacular fight for survival begins for Mark Watney...
So I ended up in Rayong, a few hours south of Bangkok. I will spend the last few days here in a sophisticated hotel called Kanthary Bay. Let's see if I like Rayong's lazy life. You can twist and turn it however you want, but forcing yourself to remain still is harder than...
Is there such a thing as a universal language that connects us all? One of the most memorable things, but at the same time something that can hardly be recounted, are the conversations with the locals, who rarely speak reasonably good and understandable English. The conversation with the owner of a restaurant in Chiang Khong called Jam (“Jam’s Restaurant”, roughly…
Sometimes - not too often, because life is short - you feel like you have to do something crazy. Something dangerous. Something for old age when all that remains is the past and a few crazy experiences. And sometimes you don't even know beforehand that it could be dangerous. It happens every now and then...
How can you get so much joy from an ancient, broken-down bus? The young girl from South Korea really wants a selfie with the old Swiss man, why is beyond me, we are sitting in the same songthaw (a shared taxi that is common here, consisting of a covered loading bridge and two benches attached lengthwise; you sit together with other passengers to some extent...
When you cross the border into Thailand at Tachileik, you not only reach a new country, but a different level of civilization. Roughly like the crossing from Laos to China last year – here poverty, huts, holes, there ostentatious buildings, wide streets, modern cars. The difference here isn't quite as stark, but still noticeable. So first…
So today we'll see whether the border crossing game will work or whether I'll have to pull Plan B out of the drawer. Burmese Confusions But let's start from the beginning. The taxi. This is once again one of those typical Burmese stories that are so illogical that you can only laugh. …
What makes the Buddha's smile so special? What is its fascination? Is it a misleading Mona Lisa smile? Is it even a smile or an introspective look that sees something we don't know how to judge? It is a mystery, this smile of the Buddha. A Buddha for me alone...
Irritated, annoyed and nostalgic about the changes in the city, I decide to explore the surrounding area by bike, where I'm sure no mass tourists will get lost. On unknown paths I cross the bridge that leads to the outer quarters. Boats sail along the brown-yellow canal. It doesn't take long before the noise and...
The morning starts well, despite the cold and noise at night, we are in a good mood, enjoying breakfast, laughing, chatting. Quite surprisingly, a thin fog hangs in the air early in the morning. The trees in the background disappear into the milky soup. A wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. Also with the cows. Fog The phase of mutual...
“Old Age is not for Sissies.” (Quote Bette Davies * 1908 + 1989 US American actress) I have to agree with her. It's always sobering and a little painful when you're reminded of your age. “You walk? ..Yes. Why? .. You old!!” This morning I am reminded of that once again. The girl at the…
No nostalgia, no transfiguration, more amazement at the fact that after all these years I am back in this wonderful little town in the mountains. I will feel very comfortable here – just like last time. I wonder if Mister Singh, our trekking guide, still lives here and if he has his wonderfully anachronistic...
I'm looking for old Mandalay. The name Mandalay sounds so beautiful, so encompassing everything that represents the idea of the Orient. It melts on the tongue, creates images and ideas in the mind, from wide-brimmed round braided hats to slit-eyed, smiling, eternally mysterious faces. Behind it, sunsets in the loveliest colors, rickshaws, fruits, stalls...
A terribly long way back - with many detours. Bhamo can be reached by all possible means of transport, but one can reasonably meet the needs. Of course you could take the boat again, either all the way to Mandalay or at least to Katha and from there take the train again. Not a good idea. By plane? Flies first...
Bhamo is completely removed from the world. You have to imagine a place that is accessible by land, water and air, but due to its special location represents a small island trapped in the middle of jungle and no man's land. The insurgents' areas of unrest are close, but you don't notice much of it. But just arriving at…
Morning sun, it's still early, a mild breeze blows around your nose. A perfect start to a perfect day. I hope so. Because today we have to drive to Bhamo on the Irrawaddy. The Irrawaddy It could be a sea that lies before me, but it is only a river, mighty, wide, the other bank...
It's past midnight and it's almost quiet. Except for the pithy sound of metal hitting metal. Be it wheels hitting rails, shock absorbers hitting whatever they are hitting, car walls hitting car walls, anything that somehow holds together and seems to be in danger of being torn apart. The Buddhist monk still looks stoically at his...
I always thought that the train ride through the Atacama Desert in Chile was by far the craziest train adventure. But it is not. After all, today is November 13th. A bad omen? There is actually a train from Mandalay north to Myitkyina. It only dawned on me that it would be a highlight of my train journeys...
There are elections in Burma today. The long-awaited elections are a new experience for the Burmese. A long-awaited escape from isolation and poverty. The end of a corrupt regime. But is that true? I have my doubts. But first things first. Stained fingers How do you know a Burmese has voted? Every Burmese in…
The Nicolas Cage movie Ghostrider is a pretty bad movie. At least according to film aficionados. But on the way home from the trek, a few things remind me of that, without Satan, without fire and skeleton. But with numerous anxious moments. But on the wonderful smelling morning just before the trek there are no forebodings. Nothing like that. Today is …
A concert just for me alone. A hidden bird sings in the bushes, another answers, a third joins in the morning concert. The morning shows the face of the town. It is an exceptionally pleasant face. Once again I feel completely at home in a place at first glance. A gentle breeze blows during breakfast...
Last night was pretty bad. Where should I start? With how cold it is in the room? With the dogs? I love them, but that night I could have strangled every single one of them. Why they are holding a rendezvous lasting several hours in front of my room and the aim is apparently to find the loudest screamer, barker and howler...
The journey from Mandalay to Pyin U Lwin by shared taxi, officially estimated at an hour and a half, takes a little longer, more precisely more than twice as long. Drive to Pyin U Lwin There's a reason for that. First: the chauffeur has to collect the remaining passengers from all over the city. Then, when we finally got on the actual route...
From the breakfast table on the top floor of the hotel (the view is more than magnificent), you can clearly see Mandalay Hill, the golden domes of the pagodas, the forested climb with more than a thousand steps. What better thing could you do on a day like this than to ride your bike through the city and then make the sweaty climb...
After just 12 hours of sleep, I am ready to face fate, which means that today I will fearlessly plunge into the heavy traffic of Mandalay on my bike. Because fearlessness is the order of the day. Cycling in Burma is dangerous. Very dangerous. So I rent a women's bike with three gears, which is a blessing. The houseboy...
The city with the most beautiful name? It may no longer be the most beautiful city, but the name, which sounds like the Orient, adventure, spices and gentle people, remains promising. As it turns out, Mandalay has become a hectic metropolis. But we'll see... I'm there, after a good 18 hours from door to...