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Martin HammerschmidtMartin Hammerschmidt
SatellitRedigera färdväg
Explorer and traveller at heart with 50+ countries visited so far. About to embark on the biggest adventure of my lifetime to see the world and ‘live a little’ 😉 Läs mer London, United Kingdom
  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 156–159

    Hello Philippines - Not A Great Start

    17 mars, Filippinerna ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    After an amazing end to my Thailand chapter, I hopped on a flight to the Philippines. After a short stopover in Manila I was supposed to arrive in Puerto Princesa in Palawan and start my Philippines adventure there.

    However, upon leaving the aircraft in Manila, a sharp pain in my back suddenly brought me to the ground in the transit area. I couldn't move my body without experiencing extremely intense pain. As a result, I was taken in the airport's medical facility where they kept me for a bit before transferring me with an ambulance and sirens to the St Luke's Hospital in Manila.

    The idea of spending my time in the Philippines in a hospital in Manila was definitely not appealing, but I had no choice as I couldn't properly move without pain and I had no idea what the issue was. Luckily, the hospital is said to be the 'best' in the Philippines and the room and support was indeed phenomenal.

    Anyway, after a few tests the doctors were certain that I suffered from a painful version of muscle spasm (in German: 'Muskelkrampf') that required rest and would resolve itself.

    And that's what happened. After 2.5 days in the hospital, I was cleared to be fit enough to continue my travels. So I left the hospital, went to the airport to retrieve my checked luggage and the following night took a flight to Palawan to properly start my adventures in the Philippines. And my first stop would bring me to Paradise.

    Of course I was gutted to have missed a few days in Puerto Princesa, but at the same time, travel has taught me that things at some point can go wrong. If that happens, you can either give up and fall into despair or you accept how things are, adjust your plans and focus on getting fit as quickly as possible. After all, the highs of traveling wouldn't be as high if there were no lows. Things go wrong - accept it, deal with it and then move forward.

    Plus, my travel insurance ended up paying for everything (c£800), which I was v grateful for.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    1
    Dag 152–156

    Ao Nang/BKK - Boats & Beaches

    13 mars, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    From the busy Koh Phi Phi, I took a ferry to another busy beachside town, Ao Nang. It is my last stop in Thailand's south before I head to Bangkok for a few more days to meet up with Vanna, a friend from Cambodia (market, rooftop, nightlife, and, again, boat trip) - see last three pics.

    Anyway, with only 1 full day in Ao Nang, I was told I had to see the Hong Islands. So, after a bit of chaotic planning, I organised a private boat with 9 fellow travelers and set sail (well, longtail boat). This time, we had 4x stops around the Hong Islands, three of them were beaches and one was a lagoon.

    The first beach was small, a bit tucked away and nice, but got crowded quite quickly, unfortunately.

    The lagoon, however, was magical. Since we had a private boat, we could take a different route and avoid the crowds in some places. The colour of the water was beautiful. Swimming was a bit tricky due to the presence of nasty jelly fish, so we opted to do a little photo session instead.

    The third island was mainly a sandbank, but with some big rocks in the water that provided a gorgeous backdrop.

    The last stop, Hong Island, was the highlight. The white sand, clear water, the view from the beach.. it was a perfect setting. We also climbed up a few hundred steps to the top of the island that gave us amazing views over the nearby bay and the beach itself.

    By the end of the boat trip, 9x strangers become a funny and social group. So we went out for some dinner at the local night market together and then went to one last party in Thailand's south to just dance the night away.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 149–152

    Koh Phi Phi - Simply Stunning

    10 mars, Thailand ⋅ 🌩️ 31 °C

    After Railay Beach, I took a ferry to the (in)famous Phi Phi Islands. The main island has a reputation for being a party island and very touristy and upon leaving the ferry, it became blatantly obvious why. All major fast food chains were immediately visible and the town was buzzing with tourists.

    Anyway, on the first day, Yolanda, Naz (both whom I met in Railay) and I decided to take a hike to watch the sunset. While the view was nice, the sunset was unfortunately rather average, due to the presence of fog. But ah well, cannot have everything.

    The next moming, we woke up early, met at the pier and quickly stepped on a boat to explore the surroundings, with the most famous stop being Maya Bay - the island/beach from the movie 'The Beach' starring Leo DiCaprio. We were the second to fourth people on the beach, which was amazing, as the crowds started to become larger behind us.

    Maya Bay is indeed beautiful with its white sand and clear water. Parts of the beach are not visible from the ocean, as it is 'hidden' by huge limestones, which adds to its allure. I can now see why it is such a popular spot.

    Next, we stopped to go snorkeling and I saw two small, but harmless, sharks in the water.
    Afterwards, we drove to the Pileh Lagoon - and, oh my, was that water blue. Just wow, incredible! Pictures don't do it justice. Even took a little dive and swam in it.

    The following stop was at Monkey Bay, where we had the opportunity to feed and see some
    'wild' monkeys. I stayed away from that - don't want to catch rabies - and instead swam in another spot where the water was incredibly blue.

    The last noteworthy stop of the day was at Bamboo Island. We had a quick lunch and then explored the island. And, once again, we discovered amazing clear and blue waters. We couldn't help but take a million photos, so beautiful it was. I could have stayed here for hours on end and just looked at the water.

    Once back on the main island, we were all quite exhausted. We grabbed some dinner and then watched one of the famous fire shows - they are worth the hype! Last but not least, I met up with another traveler and we went to the Raggae Bar, which has a boxing ring in the middle for brave (or drunk) tourists to fight each other (mostly Brits). It's a brilliant idea and fun to watch, even if the quality of boxing is horrendous!

    On the last full day, we all took it easy. We went to a nearby hotel that has an infinity pool and pretty much stayed there the whole day to soak up the sun, do a little photoshoot and then watch the sunset once more.

    So, what to make of Koh Phi Phi? I actually enjoyed my time there, despite its 'mass tourism'. The island itself is nothing to write home about, but the surroundings are so stunning that I find it difficult for anyone not to be amazed by its beauty.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    1
    Dag 146–149

    Railay Beach - Rockclimbing and Beaches

    7 mars, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    It was finally time to head to Thailand's famous beaches. My first stop was the cute little town of Railay Beach. Surrounded by huge limestone rocks, it is only accessible by boat, which adds to its charm.

    I arrived in the evening, and immediately booked a half-day tour to go rock climbing for the next day. Railay Beach is known for rock climbing and since I have never done it before, I thought what better place to do it - you literally go rock climbing on a beach. How cool is that?

    Anyway, before heading off to climb, I woke up early to catch the sunrise at one of Railay's two main beaches and enjoyed the tranquility, peace and early morning atmosphere. Since Railay is a very popular spot for day trips and gets very crowded during the day, the early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to enjoy the place.

    Anyway, shortly after, I got my climbing gear, listened to the instructions and did a little warm up. Then it was time and I have to say, it is not as easy as some people make it look, as I needed to get comfortable to step on tiny rocks for balance or grab them with my fingers to then push myself up with my legs. Once I got comfortable with it, I relatively quickly climbed up and finished the first two climbs without major difficulties (some help from the instructor on where to step helped massively of course).

    One climb was particularly tricky, though, as I had to climb over a little ledge - I didn't manage it in the first few tries, but then ultimately made it.

    After a few more climbs, I was exhausted and my forearms were burning. I didn't realise that rock climbing truly can be a proper workout. It was a lot of fun, though, and something that I definitely wanna do again.

    The rest of my two days on Railay beach I spent watching the sunsets with a few new people I met, going out and enjoy the relaxed nightlife, exploring the little town and yeah, catching another sunrise on the other beach. All in all, I had a really great time here and enjoyed the town and its beaches. It’s a place I would want to come back to.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 144–146

    Khao Sok - Manmade Beauty

    5 mars, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    My next stop in Thailand brought me to the Khao Sok National Park. It is a huge area and the key feature there is its massive lake, which is manmade and a direct result of a dam that was built a few decades ago. I opted to join an overnight tour because it allowed me to sleep in an overwater bungalow on the lake.

    The day started with a c. 1h bus ride from my accommodation to the lake's boat pier. From there we hopped on the boat and drove through the national park. I have to say, its massive limestones, the colour of the water and the tranquility of this place was much more than I imagined. It is a beautiful piece of nature - even if it is manmade.

    Once we arrived at our overwater bungalows, we quickly changed into our swimwear and jumped into the lake. Park regulations demand that we always wear a life jacket, but luckily they did not define 'wear' - so most of the group that I joined threw the life jacket into the water and then swam in its very close proximity.

    Anyway, after a couple of hours of swimming, lounging and exploring the bungalows, we hopped back on the boat for a short ride in order to see a small cave. To get there, we took a little 30 minute stroll and a bamboo raft. The cave was nice with its animal-looking stones, but not comparable to others I have already seen on this trip.

    Once out of the cave, we hopped back on the boat for a little night safari, but did not really see anything apart from a little eagle.
    In the evening, we had dinner at our bungalows, looked at the stars (no light pollution) and chatted about travel, life and many other things.

    The next morning, it was an early start at 6.30am for a morning boat safari. A couple of us woke up a bit earlier than that and went straight for a dip in the lake, before the safari. During the safari, we hoped to spot wild elephants, but were unlucky and 'only' managed to see monkeys playing up high in a tree.

    Then it was already time to say goodbye to the bungalows and we were heading back onshore. It was a very lovely two days in the park that I can only recommend.

    For me, it was now finally time to go to Thailand's famous islands in the south.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 142–144

    Chiang Mai - A Short Stopover

    3 mars, Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 36 °C

    After driving back the infamous road with its 762 curves from Pai to Chiang Mai, I had 1.5 days to explore Chiang Mai, Thailand's 2nd biggest city.

    Once I arrived in 36 degrees heat, I met up with Yasmin who I met in Pai to explore a beautiful temple and the vibrant, but very busy, night market. Later, Isiah joined and we picked a nearby rooftop bar for some drinks, as I would part ways with the two the following day.

    The next day I signed up for a day trip to the 'sticky waterfalls'. The sticky waterfalls are essentially just normal waterfalls, but you can walk up the waterfall on 'sticky' stones, i.e. they are not slippery from all the water running down. It was quite a surreal experience and I never really trusted the 'stickiness' of the stones, but it actually worked very well.

    In the evening, I found a couple of fellow travelers that joined me to watch an official Muay Thai fight (or eight fights to be precise). Sitting ringside, we were offered the best seats for the spectacle. From a total of eight fights, six of them were decided by a knockout - it was a great evening!

    There is loads more to explore in Chiang Mai, but most of the activities were not appealing to me enough to stay longer (i.e. visiting an Elephant Sanctuary - seen them in Africa, a cooking class -> rather expensive and I prefer to actually eat, beautiful cafes -> went to one in Chiang Rai, but the ones here look amazing to be fair, trekking -> did it in Chiang Rai plus it was 36 degrees).

    So after only a short period in Chiang Mai, it was time to head south. First Stop: Khao Sok National Park.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 133–142

    Pai - A Cute Little Town

    23 februari, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After Chiang Rai, I headed to Pai - a little town tucked away in the north of Thailand. The drive with the minivan from Chiang Mai to Pai was dreadful, as the driver thought he was a Formula 1 driver and the 3h drive had a whopping 762 curves. Def got car sick.

    Anyway, once I made it up there, I took it slow for a couple of days. The place I stayed at wasn't really my vibe, so I checked out after 2 nights and headed to Ban Jabo.

    Ban Jabo town is basically a collection of small houses 1.5h north of Pai all lined up on a single street, but with bungalows that offer absolutely incredible sunrise views. You cannot book anything online, so I just showed up and was quickly offered a bungalow. After a short stroll through town (there really is not much to see apart from village life), I called it a night. The next morning I woke up to an amazing sunrise on my own balcony. It truly felt like a little adventure away from the more touristy Pai. On my way back to Pai, I stopped by an interesting cave through which I took a bamboo raft.

    The next day, I went Jungle Tubing in Pai, which is genuinely the most touristy thing anyone can do - it was the second time I was doing it after having done it in Vang Vieng already. You float along the river on a tube with a drink in hand and stop on riverbars to get more drinks. It was good fun, but with >300 people doing it, it was definitely one of those things that attracts the rowdy crowd.

    The following few days, I met Yasmin and Isiah and we explored Pai's surroundings together. That is when I started to really like Pai. We hired some scooters and drove to a viewpoint, had an archery and babygun shooting competition in a Chinese village, went to see the bamboo bridge where Isiah took some amazing shots and enjoyed our evenings together - at the night market, a bar, and a small festival. I also did a sneaky sunrise photoshoot in the Pai Canyon - normally a very popular and crowded sunset spot, I had the whole Canyon entirely to myself during a beautiful sunrise.

    The best moment I had in Pai, however, was sitting with the Yasmine and Isiah and three other people we met along the way and watching the sunset together. Picture this: Live music playing in the background, beer in hand, sitting on makeshift benches, laughing about silly stories and sharing travel experiences all while watching the sun set in a golden light behind some hills in the distance. It was truly wholesome and a perfect end to my time in Pai.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 129–132

    Chiang Rai - Temples & Bamboo Cooking

    19 februari, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    I am back in Thailand. After a brief stint in Bangkok in mid-November, it was time to finally explore the country and its culture/food properly.

    The first stop on my Thailand adventure was Chiang Rai, which is renowned for its white and blue temple.

    So on the first day, a few fellow travelers and I got up early and headed to the famous White Temple. And I can confirm, it is very very white. In pictures it might look like photoshop, but the whiteness of the temple is real. It is decorated with little shiny ornaments that give the temple a sparkling look. A really impressive sight - unfortunately there is not really a meaningful history, as it was only built in 1997. Anyway, it was still a spectacular sight to see!

    Afterwards, we headed to an unreal cafe - LaLitta. It is any Instagrammer's dream. It has its own waterfall, its own little flower spots, a mystical forest and colourful plants as stairs. While it looks over the top, it is quite fun and stunning to walk through it - also helped by the fact that you can walk in the shade, which is nice when it’s 37 degrees outside.

    On the second day, I opted to go for a jungle trek, which turned out to be really cool. Especially our guide was fantastic, telling us about the history of his tribe, how - as a son of refugees - he only got a citizenship with 20 years, etc. The highlight, however, was cooking with bamboo - and with that I mean stuffing bamboo trees/sticks with chicken, rice, even an omelet, etc. and then putting them against the fire to cook. Never seen anything like this before. The food was really good and there was plenty!

    In the evening of both those days, we went to the night market to try some local dishes - night markets would become a recurring theme for me in the coming days/weeks.

    On my last day in Chiang Rai, I met up with Marco, who I met in the hostel and we went to the Blue Temple. While the complex is much smaller than the White Temple, I actually preferred it. Not just because it was a little bit less busy, but maybe also because blue is my favorite colour. We did a little photo shooting session there, before we headed back to the hostel and it was time for me to catch a bus to the cute northern town of Pai.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    2
    Dag 126–129

    Sleeping In World’s Highest Treehouse

    16 februari, Laos ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    My last stop in Laos brought me to Huay Xay, right at the Thai border (my next destination).

    To get there from Luang Prabang, I took a slow boat, which involved cruising down the Mekong River for 9-10h for two days each. It was a great opportunity to take in the scenery, catch up on some reading, listen to podcasts and simply contemplate the travel life.

    The following day after, it was time for some action. 2.5 weeks ago I booked the Gibbon Experience, which includes two days of ziplining through the jungle, but most importantly, SLEEPING IN THE WORLD'S HIGHEST TREEHOUSE at 38m-45m above ground.

    At the start of the first day, we hiked up for an hour until we reached the first proper zipline that was 300m+ long. Zipping over the canopy brought back memories of Costa Rica, where did it the very first time. It was less adrenaline, but just good and clean fun with nice views.

    The first day included a total of 11 ziplines (1 was for training). On some ziplines, I managed to get 100% across, on others I head to pull myself for a few meters towards the end ( Ilooked a bit like a monkey while doing so).

    Then it was time. We saw the house nestled high in the trees. We could only reach it by zipline, which is a nicely added feature. So we secured the harness to the zipline one last time that day and zipped across right into the tree house - such an awesome feeling.

    Once we arrived, we quickly explored its three(!) levels, set up camp for tonight (basically a mattress with a mosquito tent) and sat down with our amazing group for some snacks, chats and gorgeous sunset views. I also took a quick shower with an open view across the forest.

    After a delicious dinner, we played a few games and talked about how great it was to be here and slee right inside the world's highest treehouse.

    On the second day, we woke up early (6.30am) and the very first thing we did, was to strap on our harness and zipline out of the treehouse to visit the local camp where the food, snacks, etc. is prepared. We also played some footvolleyball, which turmed out better than we would’ve thought. Afterwards - and before breakfast - we had another five ziplines to go.

    Once back in the treehouse, we were all hungry and were treated to an amazing breakfast. Shortly after, we packed our bags and headed back towards the final village, but not without doing another seven ziplines to get there. A swim in the river and a quick lunch later, and the Gibbon Experience came to an end.

    While it is not cheap for 2D/1N (€205), it is such a unique and fun experience and definitely worth its money. The sheer fact to zipline above the forest to actually sleep in the world‘s highest treehouse is fantastic. I was also very lucky with the group and one girl, Manon, even recognised me from my Instagram Reels ✌️

    In short, it was a really great way to finish my travels in Laos. Regarding Laos itself, due to my foot injury I could not do a few things that I wanted to and thus it feels a bit like unfinished business. I also did/could not interact with the locals that much, so I am still a bit in the dark about Laotian culture. Long story short, I am not 'done' with Laos yet and need to retum in the near future - after all, it feels like what Thailand was maybe 15 years ago.    Läs mer

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  • ResenärNairo2Rio - Around The World
    Dag 118–126

    Luang Prabang - Happy And Sad

    8 februari, Laos ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    After slowing down and enjoying the stunning scenery around Vang Vieng, it was time to head further north to the town of Nong Khiaw. The plan was to spend roughly a week there, doing a couple of overnight treks and a few hikes.

    Unfortunately, on the first day, first hike and 10 minutes in, I injured my ankle by rolling it when stepping down. While I did make it up to the viewpoint (it was stunning with a sea of clouds underneath), it was probably not the smartest decision. Anyway, I was hoping that my foot would heal quickly, but it was not the case. So, after a few days of not being able to walk properly, with a heavy heart, I decided to leave Nong Khiaw without having done anything I wanted. That was the first time on this trip that my emotions were down - esp after the happy days in Vang Vieng. But, ah well, I guess I gotta come back here next time I come to Laos, as there is still a lot to see in the country.

    As a result of the injury, I went to Luang Prabang - Laos' second biggest city - a few days earlier than I originally intended. The first few days, I pretty much continued to recover, and my foot got a lot better quickly, so I was able to explore the town and surroundings. I went to the hospital, too, to get an X-Ray (nothing broken, luckily) that, incl the doctor's consultation and a bandage cost a grand total of $10.

    Anyway, Luang Prabang is known for its old town (UNESCO Heritage Site), its buzzing night and morning markets and, most importantly, for its vicinity to the amazing Kuang Si Waterfall.

    Once my foot felt a lot better, a few friends I made in the hostel and Brittney, whom I met all the way back in Hoi An, hired a scooter and drove to the waterfall. It lived up to the expectations - with its many many small and big levels and cascades, it was probably one of the most beautiful waterfalls that I have ever seen. We also jumped and swam in a natural pool (the water was freezing cold, though) at the bottom of the falls and did a little photo session. On the way back, we caught a beautiful sunset that has become a theme in Laos for me so far.

    The remaining couple of days, I explored the old town, went with a few fellow travels on a bike ride through local villages, caught a sunrise in town and many sunsets by river. I also visited the UXO museum (i.e. unexploded bombs) to learn about Laos' tragic history and present as it being a victim of a massive bombardment by American Forces during the Vietnam War.

    Then, after having spend a week in Luang Prabang, it was time to get to my last stop in Laos - the absolutely amazing Gibbon Experience in Huay Xay.    Läs mer

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