Vienna’s history repeats daily
The center of Vienna houses an old clock. Every day at midday its inhabitants start dancing on a variety of music. I just had to check it out. I feel like a child in anticipation of the Punch and Judy show. But this is the Austrian version. The Anker clock…
Three sisters trapped
I just got back from doing the Six Foot Track, but still had plenty to explore in the Blue Mountains. I walked like a wooden doll, sore from the long walk and it took some time for my muscles to engage. Luckily the three sisters can be seen from a…
Weekly Photo Challenge: Summer Lovin’
Even though I’m in the middle of winter, it’s easy for my mind to wander off and think of summer. The sun high in the sky, the smell of flowers and grass, wearing my favorite dresses and eating ice cream. Last summer I did some amazing things in Australia. I…
If you could switch lives, where would you go?
This is a question I’ve asked myself a few times. Wouldn’t it be great to experience someone else’s life for a while? To get a good idea of how other people do things? To immerse yourself into a culture in a way a normal tourist can’t? In the Netherlands a…
On the edge of secrecy
Woomera is a small place along the long Stuart highway. The area around Woomera, which is about the size of England, is used by the army for testing equipment like weapons and rockets. In the 50s and 60s the area was even used to test atomic bombs. Even in 2000…
Could you be a ski bum too?
You’re looking on the internet for ski work, googling ski school after ski school and reading the gazillion blogs you find about working in the snow. And yet, you’re not sure you’re cut out for this or where to begin. A few years ago I was like this, thinking I…
The land of many heads
Uluru is not the only attraction in Australia’s red center. Close by, and part of the same national park, is Kata Tjuta. Getting up early pays off as you have a beautiful opportunity to watch the sunrise in the desert here. Even though I was staying at a campsite close to…
Practise makes perfect
This photo was taken in Taipei, Taiwan. The students in purple are rehearsing something at the Confucius temple. This religion honours master Confucius. Students have to learn 6 arts; music, archery, calligraphy, computation, chariot riding and rituals. This group was walking in pairs, repeating a sentence I couldn’t understand. The man…
Uluru at sunset
They say Uluru looks different every time you visit it. It’s colors keep changing with the light, from red to purple and back. So before you leave this national park, make sure you’ve seen a sunset or sunrise. On my visit the rock looked bright red, almost orange, during the…
Socially awkward: Russian nights
When in St. Petersburg, do as the Russians do. I was there with a big group of international Erasmus students and we opted for a traditional Russian night in a restaurant. There were exchange students that came from all over Finland and not just the uni where I was staying at…