Just after starting work in Germany, I had the chance to escape to Egypt for a week. It was my one and only "resort holiday", borne out of the necessity of a last-minute booking summer peak and the simple desire to go somewhere warmer than what the Germans were calling summer. As far as resort …
passport pirouette
Passport pirouette: Tunisian bureaucracy
I went to Tunisia a little by chance. Suddenly realising that our Bratislavan jobs would give us a two-week (unpaid but compulsory) vacation over Christmas, I ran to the travel agent to book a flight to somewhere warmer. Most places were sold out but a friendly guy told me a flight to Tunis was the …
Passport pirouette: Trip of a lifetime on the Trans-Siberian
I don't remember when I first heard that it was possible to ride a train right the way across Russia, but for many, many years I dreamt of riding the Trans-Siberian. Paul Theroux certainly inspired me with his mentions of the train in his great book The Great Railway Bazaar and I'd long had a …