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Author: Renata Green
The world is my oyster: I'm Renata, founder and editor of this travel blog.
bye:myself - no, that's not a typo, it's referring to me saying bye to my comfort zone and heading for new shores solo.
Having been a solo traveller, flashpacker, and poverty jet setter for ages made me an avid and savvy planner and organizer of worldwide travel. Since I've been an author and journalist practically all my life, I love to put my travel experience into writing to encourage, inspire, and assist you.
Looking forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!
Guide to Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia’s northernmost island and actually geographically closer to its neighbor Thailand. Hence, it’s the same turquoise waters, white sands, swaying palms, and enchanting long tail boats as in Krabi and on the Andaman islands.
Lots of space for anyone on Pulau Langkawi.
But there are so much fewer tourists that you can actually enjoy it.
While the most popular islands like the Perhentians or Tioman are on the otherwise very conservative and religious east coast, Pangkor is in the west, three hours from Kuala Lumpur, and even less from Ipoh.
Secluded Coral Beach.
So hop on the ferry in Lumut and half an hour later, you’ll find yourself in a tropical paradise.
Pulau Perhentian – where a tropical paradise awaits divers and snorkelers alike with islands in two sizes.
My corner of the Perhentian Islands.
Perhentian in Malay means stopping point. It is pronounced perhentee-yan and refers to the once thinly populated islands having been a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia.
In Malaysia, it is very easy and comfortable to travel between touristy hot spots such as the Cameron Highlands or the Taman Negara. There are shuttles and connections, in short people practically carry you from place to place.
Sultan Ahmad Shah State Mosque, the state mosque of Pahang.
It’s getting far more complicated and time-consuming as soon as you leave these beaten paths. It’s not impossible, nevertheless, it takes some detours and a little more time.
This is a guide to the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia’s Fruit Bowl, that should be on every visitor’s itinerary. This mountainous part of Malaysia is famous for tea farms, vegetable fields, and flower nurseries – and the fabulous Rafflesia Arnoldii.
A visit to the beautiful tea plantations is not to be missed when visiting the cool highlands.
While we poor Europeans are travelling to Asia seeking the tropical sun, the Colonialists – no matter from which motherland – were desperately looking for cooler places in higher regions. Here, they were building settlements and mansions to take a break from….being wealthy and having servants.
Borkum – all the way in the West of East Frisia – is the last stop of my tour of German islands. I’ve taken you with me from the former easternmost isle in the Baltic across the North Sea to the Dutch border. Here we’ll spend a couple of carefree summer days on the unique island of Borkum.
Doesn’t this beach with colorful chairs and cabanas just look like the perfect summer destination?!
The island of Borkum is one of the seven East Frisian Islands off the coast of Eastern Friesland. It is not only the largest, but also the westernmost one. Therefore, it’s geographically actually closer to the Netherlands than to the German mainland.
The island is located between the Westerems Strait and the Osterems Strait, respectively between the North Sea and the Wadden Sea to the south. This grants some distinctive and fascinating features.
Ljubljana mon amour: In fact, already the city’s name sounds like a tender song and derives from the word ljubljena which translates to beloved. Various charming bridges are crossing the picturesque river Ljubljanica. With an amazing number of captivating buildings from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Art Deco, onion-domed churches, and an imposing fortress high above the city, Ljubljana absolutely lives up to her lovely name. And since Ljubljana is small but definitely mighty, you can explore the city’s most iconic spots and landmarks easily in just two days.
Like in every decent fairy tale, you have to make it past the dragon to get to the beautiful princess. Ljubljana is no exception.
Although the city is no secret anymore and can actually get quite busy in the high season, Ljubljana has kept its sleeping beauty charm and is a sparkling gem.
A trip to the island of Heligoland is always a good idea. On just one square kilometer, it unites soft sand dunes and rough cliffs. It adds tax-free shopping to natural wonders like frolicking seals and jumping guillemots.
Gray Seal on the island of Helgoland in Germany
Heligoland is a tiny archipelago that long ago used to be Danish and British. But, actually, it is as German as can be since the poet Von Fallersleben wrote the National Anthem during his stay on the island in 1841.
However, visiting Heligoland today, either on a day trip or for a longer stay, it is almost impossible to imagine that at the end of WWII, Germany’s supposedly only deepsea island was completely bombed out. For then long years, it was even uninhabitable.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, today, Heligoland is one of Germany’s most popular island when it comes to a couple of relaxing days in a secluded spot.
After another stopover in Milan on the occasion of my trip to Venice where I visited this year’s Biennale, I’m now ready to share an itinerary for a short 24-hour stay in Italy’s Northern capital of funds’n’fashion.
Here you can kill two birds with one stone – which is actually quite a disturbing idiom: Best view at the Duomo, Milan’s cathedral, from one of the city’s nicest museums.
As always, when putting together these itineraries, I had in mind a stopover between flights or a quick break on a road trip down south. If you can stay longer and experience more of Milan, check out my recent post Best Things to Do on a Long Weekend in Milan for inspiration and information.
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