Photo Locations:

1, 3, 8-16, 20: Altai Mountains

4,5,6,7: Near Bulgan, Khovd Province

17-19: Naadaam Festival in Khovd

I recently spent 4 days in Slovenia and it completely exceeded my expectations. I was genuinely sad to leave by the end of it!

The first thing that hit me was walking out of Ljubljana Airport. You step outside and you’re immediately greeted by mountains. At that point I had a feeling I’d picked the right destination.

From what I’ve read, people online seem split on Bled. It’s either seen as an overpriced tourist trap or a must-see. After visiting, I’d say it’s absolutely worth it.

Yes, it’s touristy and gets busy. But every local I spoke to said I’d come at the perfect time. Late June was busy enough to have a great atmosphere without feeling overwhelming, whereas July and August apparently become significantly more crowded.

One of the highlights was hiking to the Ojstrica viewpoint in 33 degree heat. I’m reasonably fit, but as a Scottish guy who melts in anything above 20 degrees, it absolutely humbled me. The view at the top made every sweaty step worthwhile.

Outside of Bled, I visited Ljubljana, Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave and honestly Slovenia feels like it punches way above its weight.

What really stood out was how friendly everyone was. The country somehow manages to combine incredible mountains, lakes and forests with beautiful towns and cities without feeling overrun. Ljubljana quickly became one of my favourite city centres in Europe, and I’d comfortably put its café and bar culture in my top five. Sitting outside with a drink overlooking the river on a warm evening was hard to beat. It also felt surprisingly affordable compared with much of Western Europe, and the fact you can do so many great day trips without spending hours travelling made the whole trip effortless.

Food was another pleasant surprise. One of my favourite lunches was from Dobra Vila, which does fantastic sandwiches and an immaculate risotto at Grajska Plaza in Bled was genuinely one of the best risottos I’ve ever eaten. I’ll be thinking about that meal for a while.

The whole country just felt peaceful. It has a really relaxed atmosphere that’s difficult to describe until you’re there.

Photo locations (in order):

Ojstrica viewpoint overlooking Lake Bled
Bled Castle
Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana
Predjama Castle
Postojna Cave
St. Nicholas’ Cathedral
Ljubljana Old Town
Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
Hydration Break
Harat’s Bar, overlooking the city

5 years ago, I strictly used Airbnb because it felt authentic and cheaper.

Now? Between the $150 "cleaning fee" (where they still ask you to take out the trash), the chore list on the fridge, and the inconsistent quality... I find myself just booking a hotel.

I miss the simplicity of checking in, getting fresh towels, and leaving without having to strip the bed. Is the Airbnb era dying, or am I just getting old and cranky?

The cities of Khiva, Samarkand, and Bukhara are the three primary cities people travel to when visiting Uzbekistan. I didn’t quite know what to expect when traveling here but anybody who is up for an adventure should seriously consider adding this country to their wishlist.

1-4: Khiva. The city has a walled old town area that can be circumnavigated by walking in 10 minutes. Tons of picturesque allyways to explore and the best part, no cars allowed in the old town!

5-10: Samarkand. Not the capital of the country, but long considered to be the historical capital of the Silk Road. The city’s most prominent tourist site is Registan Square, which hosts a nightly light show.

11-13: Bukhara. An old city with equally old tourist sites. The main attraction is the Po-i- Kalyan (town square area) that displays a centuries old tower.

Traveling through this country is convenient due to the frequent trains, including standard passenger trains for shorter journeys, overnight trains with communal bunk bed/private rooms, and the occasional former USSR trains.

1. Geiranger fjord

2. Trondheim

3. Open water just before midnight

4. Fjord and fjell 5-6. Nidaros Cathedral and cemetery around

5. One of the few remaining wooden churches

6. The Atlantic Ocean

7. Heading to Molde

8. Gudbrandsjuvet

9. Cabins in camouflage 12-13. Bryggen i Bergen

10. Gamlehaugen - the residence of the Norwegian Royal Family in Bergen

11. One of the millions of waterfalls - on Geiranger fjord

12. Gamle Stavanger

13. Steinsdalfossen

14. Pit stop after Trollstigen

15. Trollkyrkja - A hike ending with a waterfall in a cave

16. Atlantic Ocean Road / Atlanterhavsveien

TL;DR:

[Spent 3 weeks in Egypt and experienced nonstop scams, fake fees, aggressive staring, double-charging, fake registration payments, drivers tripling prices, restaurants denying reservations, a USD scam at Saqqara. Writing this on my flight OUT. Egypt is a solid never again for me.]

I’ve been in Egypt for 3 long weeks and I’m literally typing this on my flight OUT because I couldn’t wait another second to get away. I don’t know how else to put it but this trip drained my soul like a Dyson vacuum on turbo mode. The chaos started the moment I landed. I paid $15 for “fast immigration,” which apparently translates to stand in the same line as everyone else while random people walk straight through anyway. Then some guy appears out of nowhere demanding another $15 for a “registration fee,” which I’m convinced was created on the spot. Meanwhile, tons of people just walked out without paying anything. The dedication to scamming is honestly Olympic level.

And the staring… holy hell. I’m a guy, I don’t scare easily, but the way people stare here is unbelievable. Men, women, whole families just staring at you nonstop like they’re trying to download your data with their eyes. I have never felt so watched and so disrespected at the same time. Then my Saqqara cab driver, who AGREED to 950 EGP, suddenly decides he deserves 3,000 extra for waiting. My guy, you didn’t wait 3,000 years. Obviously I didn’t pay a cent of that nonsense.

At the Saqqara ticket counter, the guy says 1525 EGP. Cool. I tap my card. My screen flashes 1525 USD. USD. If I wasn’t paying attention, they would’ve robbed me of $1500 with the confidence of someone ordering a latte. I’ve never seen a scam attempt that bold in my life.

One of the restaurants at the Point 90 Mall was just as ridiculous. I had a reservation. Waited an hour. When the time finally came, they straight-up told me, No reservation. Like I hallucinated the whole thing. No apology, nothing. Just shrugged it off like my time was worthless.Traffic? Absolute madness. No rules, no logic, just honking. Endless honking. At this point, I think people here honk for cardio.

After 3 weeks of this circus, the scams, the staring, the fake fees, the rude attitudes, the constant pressure for money? I’m done. Completely cooked. I don’t want to stay another minute. This place made me feel like a walking ATM with legs, and if you don’t hand out cash, suddenly you’re the rude one.If you’re thinking about coming to Egypt, don’t. Just don’t. Unless your hobbies include being hustled, stared at, overcharged, and lied to before breakfast.I’ve traveled a lot. I’ve seen chaotic places. But Egypt? Egypt unlocked a brand new category of never again.

Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED Talk from seat 17A. I’m going home now to recover mentally.