I am no longer in my twenties and have worked in well-paying jobs for quite a few years. On top of that I spend very little money: I don’t own a car, we don’t play golf, I live in a mid-sized apartment, I hardly ever frequent fancy restaurants, I do not splurge on expensive clothes or jewelry, I don’t gamble, to make it short I save all my money to be able to travel extensively…
Author Archive | Gilles & Heidi
What Is Your Favorite Country / Place?
I dread this question, but I keep getting it, again and again and again…
Machu Picchu, with Wayna Picchu in the background, Cusco, Peru
Countries, cultures, landscapes cannot be simply compared, they are so very different. Was is better gazing down at Machu Picchu, spotting the Big 5 in the Serengeti, marveling at the Iguazu Falls, meeting remote ethnic groups in the Omo Valley in Southern Ethiopia? Continue Reading →
Start Here
TravelAficionados.com –
Travel Experiences of Africa, South America & Asia
Heidi @ L’Espace Guesthouse in Muscat
I have been traveling intensively for over 15 years. These journeys – some short, others longer like a „Trip Around the World” in 2007 and in 2015, took me to more than 40 countries (and counting) on all continents except Antarctica.
I sometimes use roads well traveled to visit world famous sights, but most of the time I try to stay Off The Beaten Track. I have never been a budget backpacker traveling the toughest and cheapest possible way, but I am an experienced rucksack traveler who appreciates a minimum level of comfort. Yes, I am “Flashpacker”…
This blog is about Flashpacking in Africa, South America & Asia. I want it to be helpful for Flashpackers who, like me, feel like Backpackers but are no longer ready for the hardcore type of budget travel. I want my blog to be a source of inspiration to discover the Unknown plus a “Travel Resources Website”, with a focus on organizing & budgeting trips, no matter how short or long, and on optimizing travel photography. You find here:
- Vivid day to day travel experiences in my “Travel Blog”,
- Detailed budget information on each country I visited and tips to reduce travel costs in “Travel Budget”,
- First-hand, structured & detailed travel information in my “Travel Guides”,
- Insights to improve your travel photography and a selections of my best photos & videos in “Travel Photography”
Keep on Traveling, Discovering, Experiencing – Follow Your Dreams!
Tobacco Auction in Lilongwe
Tobacco Auction in Lilongwe
Our true highlight in Lilongwe was a visit to the Tobacco Auction, about 15 kilometers outside of the city center on the road to the airport. No sign points to this place, so we had to ask for directions three times and ended up giving a ride to a street vendor to show us the way. Continue Reading →
Lilongwe – A Capital Spread Out
Street sellers in Lilongwe
Lilongwe is not pedestrian friendly, at least not from a European perspective. Except the very compact center, called Area 1, the city spreads into vastness. In the center, traffic crawls at snail speed, which made us realize how much wealthier people must be in the city. Private cars in rural areas are indeed basically unknown. Residences of the middle class are usually large properties, with a large garden surrounded by walls. Continue Reading →
The Journey To Luwawa Forest Lodge Is The Reward
Luwawa Forest Lodge, on the way from Livingstonia to Lilongwe
The trip to and back from Livingstonia itself was worth the long hours in the car. Heading north from Nkhata Bay we passed the village of Kandewe with its spectacular suspension bridge made of bamboo and reed (two wire ropes were added lately). Climbing across the wobbly bridge with the river well below was quite an experience and we truly enjoyed the small museum dedicated to the local Phuka culture. Continue Reading →
Livingstonia – On Top Of The World
Approaching Livingstonia, the shores of Lake Malawi
Founded by Scottish missionaries in the late 19th century, Livingstonia sits on top of the cliffs of the Rift Valley, dropping dramatically towards Lake Malawi, 900 meters below. Continue Reading →
Nkhata Bay Surf & Turf
Saturday Afternoon (Football) Fever in Nkhata Bay, on the Shore of Lake Malawi
This small town – Nkhata Bay – is heavily advertised as an alternative to busy Cape Maclear, further south on Lake Malawi. Well, we were not in Cape Maclear, but Nkhata Bay was the only place in Malawi where we had troubles finding a place to stay. Continue Reading →
Nkhata Bay – Mzungus’ Ghetto
Nkhata Bay, on the shors of Lake Malawi, one of the “Backpackers ghettos” in Malawi
Nkhata Bay has become the second party location in Malawi. Cape Maclear in the very south of the lake is the most known one. Before the ferry stopped running to the southern part of the lake, these two places could be easily reached just by hopping on the boat. Continue Reading →
Nkhotkota’s Dark History
Remembrances of the Slave Trade that lasted until the XIXth Century in Malawi
This area bore some of the horrendous of African slavery… When in most parts of the world slavery had been abolished, an era of monstrous bloodshed was about to start here around 1860. Continue Reading →