The Unfair Traveller - Symptoms and Treatment - Travel Etiquette

Travelling is what I love to do, in recent months alone I visited seven different countries, and you can well imagine that I spend a lot of time in, on and around public transport, like train stations, bus stops, airports, planes, boats and trains. I always expect the very worst things that can happen to me on my travels. I’m fully aware that I’m at risk of experiencing profoundly disturbing or utterly bothersome things, as soon as I leave my home. I love that with my expectation comes a feeling of being prepared (up to a certain extent).

The Unfair Traveller - Symptoms

Looking at the state of things when travelling I have serious doubts that we will ever achieve world peace.

Top questions to find out whether sustainable travel is still en vogue

There are endless moments when I realize that it isn’t easy to do everything right for everybody. On a sunny morning, I was at a delicious café, meeting a friend for breakfast. After a few moments three grown-ups, dressed a bit earthy, as in Birkenstock and slightly wrinkled shirts came along and sat down at the table closest to ours. It seemed as if they were on a visit to Berlin, probably staying at one of the nearby hotels. They were the sort of people searching for breakfast at a place where all the locals hang out. Soon the waiter served the group three coffees and three croissants. They looked at it

Is travelling all about the food?

If you ask me which country in the world has got the best food I would say Cambodia. The food I had there was simple, lots of vegetables and rice and all these exciting flavours. But again, how can I pick just one country? 

What about those perfectly cooked Paccheri Pasta in cream of Provolone del Monaco cheese garnished with black truffle slivers I ate in Italy? Once I tried Avocado Toast in Australia I was lost forever, it is now a breakfast staple of mine. My olive addiction started in Spain ... And then there are Koeksisters in South Africa, grilled vegetables, halloumi cheese and balsamic glaze in Athens, Greece, homemade bread in Botswana … and the list goes on. 

In Australia, breakfast is only complete with Avocado toast

Foodie moments enhance the experience of travelling

All these foodie moments surely enhance the experience of travelling, since most dishes were created over a period of time, most often centuries, and are deeply rooted in each countries culture. 

If you travel you often find food you have never seen before. That is what happened when I went to Cambodia, where I saw they sold fried Tarantulas at the roadside and on markets. A Cambodian lady at a market in Phnom Penh told me the country’s population started eating spiders during the Khmer Rouge regime when food was scarce to most people. Whenever I tell this, people get all disgusted and say they would never eat things like that. I always answer, don’t be a hypocrite, it is just the same as eating a cow, a rabbit or a pig. To me, there is no difference at all. It is funny how people’s perception of things gets blurred easily out of, let’s call it, ignorance.

Visit local food markets

When you visit local food markets you can be sure to learn most about the country you visit. This is where people do their grocery shopping, no matter their income or their age or gender. You will surely meet a wide variety or to be more precise representative sample of the local population. Some of my favourite markets are the Farmers Market in San Francisco, USA, the Mercate del Rialto in Venice, Italy, the Churchill Island Farmers’ Market in Victoria, Australia, the Toul Tom Poung (Russian Market) in Cambodia, the Neighbourgoods Market in Cape Town, Torvehallerne in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the ever so popular Viktualienmarkt in Munich, Germany.

Recently I travelled to Positano in Italy for no other reason than to visit restaurants, and I had the best foodie time ever. Now I know where to eat in one of Italy's prettiest villages. It takes a lot of effort, true, to visit a place for its food alone, but try it, there is nothing to lose.

Where is your favourite foodie place? 

From Berlin with love

10 of the most vibrant food markets in the world

Farmers' and also food markets are places where traders are passionate about their wares. I try to explain this with a mushroom. These markets are places where someone not only sells you any mushroom but the mushroom that person truly believes is the best mushroom out there. Farmers know the story behind the mushroom, they might even remember the day they started mixing the right ingredients for the compost before they put them in their dark rooms. Or they can recall the very day they went out to gather mushrooms in the forest. They know how much effort it takes to get the perfect product, they respect their food naturally. It is so very lovely to see this pure affection for a product. My secret tip for a great experience at farmers markets is, to start chatting to the farmers. You will most certainly hear the most amazing stories about the food. A visit at a market is about connecting growers and consumers. Do you get that at your local supermarket?

These markets are places where locals and visitors have been buying their wares for decades if not centuries (at least that is the case in some parts of the world). If you are on vacation and visit a market you will be part of that community, if only for a short time. You sure will be able to try food staples you can only get at this particular place, and you will most certainly be longing for these things forever. It is almost as if you tasted the place, literally. A market tells you a lot about a town, you will find out about the relation people have with their food. Why do people eat? What do they want to express? Do they want to express anything at all?

How to best describe food markets? Take passionate farmers and regional food and scatter them around a beautiful landmark. Add the excitement and hunger of locals and visitors, and finish off with the scent of herbs, spices, bbqs and freshly brewed coffee. If that isn’t a recipe for a feast, I don’t know what is.

Come with me on a tour around the world, and see the most vibrant food markets ...

It is best not to give to street children

"Just tell me a country, any country, it can be anywhere in the world." I get a broad smile with this question. "Maybe you want to buy a book from me? It has many pictures and you may have it for only 10 dollars. Look. Come on, please name a country. You know, I know the capitals of every country in the world."

"Really, that is true my brother knows them all, no joke. Come on, name a country and he tells you the capital," the sister gives me an even wider smile. "Please, come on, give my brother a country and if he gives you the right capital, you will have to buy the book." Despite that the two are pretty dirty and barefoot they seem to be in the very best mood. I get lots of laughter from the boy with radiant big brown eyes and a cheeky smile.

Travel etiquette. When did you last steal a clothes hanger from your hotel room?

Again: anti-theft hangers

I know, I know, I know it is likely that you never ever did steal a hanger from a hotel room. But most of the times I am about to put my clothes into the wardrobe of a hotel room I have to fight with these silly hangers.

If none of us would never even plan to steal a hanger why do we have to deal with the theft proved ones? Would the world not be a better place if none of us would have to struggle with these hangers anymore? One step at a time, right? Next time you are about to take a souvenir hanger from a room, think of your fellow travellers first. And maybe, hotels will soon start to use normal hangers. Never stop dreaming ...

Where do you draw the line, have you ever stolen from a hotel room? Looking forward to hear from you.

From Berlin with love

Travel Cambodia – Ever met a kid with an axe?

What would you do if you would meet a child with an axe, let's say at your kids kindergarten or primary school? Have you ever been to Cambodia?

From Berlin with love