The 2024 World Tour – Upping the Ante in Japan and Australia
This journey was a road trip explosion. The deserts of Morocco, the coasts and rocky landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey. The impossibly long coast to coast across Australia from Perth to Sydney living in a campervan. The mesmerizing sceneries of the South Island of New Zealand. The tranquil and elegant beauty of nature in Hokkaido in Northen Japan and Shiretoko National Park. And a short but beautiful week in Andalusia in Spain.
6 months. A journey eastward towards Japan with a (small – only 3 months) detour in Oceania. 13 countries visited, Over 54,000 kms flown, and a whopping 15,000 kms driven in 5 different countries during 4 massive and epic road trips.
City escapes for long weekends in cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Auckland, Seoul, Istanbul, Casablanca, and of course the “tokyo-ing” Tokyo, and others.
Incredible experiences such as witnessing a quiet sunrise peeking over the rocky tufas in Cappadocia in Turkey, with the iconic hot air balloons dotting the morning sky like stars at night, or visiting Milford Sound in New Zealand on an incredibly rare clear sky day.
As mentioned in the previous travelogue of the 2023 world tour, I NEEDED to return Japan. The country had pierced through my heart and left a void emptiness that could only be filled by more Japan. The previous year I had visited the major destinations during sakura season. This time, still during spring, I would start south from Fukuoka on island of Kyushu and follow north as the cherry blossoms bloomed across the country. A journey northward over the span of almost 2 months which led me to the northern tip of Hokkaido.
New Zealand was no pushover though and the remote island is natures private sandbox playground, where every few kilometers I had to stop driving my campervan to take in the beauty. Be it the sight of Aoraki, a still reflecting lake, an impossibly green pasture with sheep, or a rugged coastline beaten by the waves. Also, it might be the most breathtaking country to explore on four wheels, as even the roads are sightseeing attractions.
Nowhere is more rugged and extreme though than Australia, and the 7000km campervan drive from Perth to Sydney was a tour de force to say the least. The vast empty landscapes of South Australia, with their perfectly straight roads that pierce into the horizon, are both fascinating, and slightly insanity-inducing. Maybe not the most spectacular road trip, but certainly the most humbling and transformative.
And what a beach escape in the Cook Islands! 3000 kilometers off the coast of New Zealand, across the international date line, and in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, this little sliver of paradise takes the concept of slow living to a whole new level. The exact opposite of the week spent in Ibiza with it’s vibrant summer vibes. Of course, like always, I had to spend a battery recharge week in Southern Thailand to take in the turquoise waters, this time in the large island of Ko Lanta.
Trip overview
- Best sunrise and dawn: Raratonga, Cook Islands.
- Best sunset and dusk: Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey. Nullarbor Plain, South Australia.
- Peak experience moment: Goryōkaku, Hakodate, Japan. Okunoin cemetery, Koya-san, Japan.
Worst moments
- The 2-day drive through the Nullarbor plain in South Australia.
- Parakeets screeching every single morning in Australia. Unbearable roosters in Aiutaki and Raratonga.
- A week-long illness in Turkey.
- Breathing difficulties from pollution in the Marrakesh Medina.
Best moments
- Freedom camping in Australia and New Zealand.
- Relaxing for a week in the Cook Islands (apart from the *#% roosters)
- Visiting Mammoth cave in Western Australia completely alone.
- Seeing Milford Sound in New Zealand on a rare clear-sky day.
- Getting to top sakura viewing spots at the perfect time during Japan’s cherry blossoms season.
The journey
You can find the precise, step by step journey here at polarsteps
Chiang Mai, Thailand
City escape
coming soon
Ko Lanta, Thailand
Battery Recharge
What is clear now, after 3 years of long-duration traveling, is that a stop on an island in the Andaman Sea is basically compulsory and inevitable. I picked up a car in Krabi, took a ferry and drove to the large island of Ko Lanta. While not as paradisiac as other nearby places I have visited such as Phi Phi or Railay, Ko Lanta maintains that unique charm and beauty, perhaps even more, as it is an island where people don’t exclusively live off tourism. I said this multiple times, but it doesn’t get any better than an island in Thailand.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
City escape
Once again in KL, this time in a great (and definitely too big Airbnb) in Brickfields, aka Little India neighbourhood. I visited some of the famous attractions that I missed last time such as the Batu Caves and Thean Hou Temple.
Read More
Perth, Australia
City escape
Perth is the most remote large city on Earth. I had visited it 20 years earlier but did not notice back then how large and immersed in nature it was. I took a day cruise to Rottnest Island, where the unspoilt nature reigns supreme. It is also one of the only two places where kwokkas thrive due to lack of natural predators. These friendly marsupials are curious and not afraid of humans and love to approach them (although a less cute way to see them is giant Australian rats).
Australia Coast to Coast, Perth to Sydney
Road Trip
After the East Coast Australian road trip from Sydney to Cairns in 2022, I upped the ante, and kind of overdid it, with a massive, 1.5 months, coast-to-coast journey in a campervan from Perth to Sydney. Driving for over a week straight, on a perfectly straight road, is an experience to say the least. Some might say insanity-inducing. But the rewards from freedom camping in the Nullarbor Plain, with only low bushes on one side and the Great Australian Bight on the other are one of a kind. It hardly gets more remote than this.
It wasn’t only trucker driving in the vast emptiness of the Land Down Under though. Witnessing the Penguin Parade on Philip Island. Exploring alone the giant Mammoth Cave in Western Australia. Admiring (but not swimming) in the many many wonderful beaches. Seeing The Gap XXX. The Great Ocean Road coasting South East Australia, with rock formations beaten by the relentless sea such as London Bridge, and the iconic Twelve Apostles.
A wonderful experience. Only downside is that like my previous road trip, it hardened my hatred for noisy birds, to the point I can almost say I have been traumatized by these relentless screeching dinosaurs with wings.
Sydney, Australia
City escape
At the end of my long journey I stopped in Sydney, but unfortunately only for a few days. As in 2022 I had a pretty busy movement schedule, if I wanted to reach Japan in time for sakura. The few days in Sydney were nonetheless beautiful. As soon as I arriveed I rushed to the Opera House to have a drink and take in the white sails its the harbour. Just like that, all the fatigue of the long road trip was washed away and I was regenerated with happy memories.
Read More
Cook Islands, Raratonga and Aitutaki
Battery Recharge
After a month long driving and sleeping in the car, it was time for a “battery recharge”. I took the plane over the international date line. “As per tradition” and like when I visited Hawai’i, my internal clock and circadian rhythm was completely destroyed by the transition, to the point I didn’t know what my name was anymore.
I spent 2 weeks on the islands of Raratonga and Aitutaki. The sheer beauty is hard to describe, and the laid-back atmosphere and lack of high-end tourism make it even more special.
The island though is completely overrun by chicken, which ignited my recently-acquired hatred for birds. Hens are lovely with their little chicks frantically following their mom (and it always seems there is one who gets lost), but having dozens of roosters crowing all day is almost mind-breaking.
New Zealand Road Trip, North to South
Road Trip
From Raratonga, I flew to New Zealand, and embarked on yet another 1-month campervan road trip, starting from Auckland. I skipped much of the North Island and concentrated on looping all around the magnificent South Island.
New Zealand lends itself perfectly to be explored on wheels, and all the roads are magnificent. From the most popular scenic roads like the road from Queenstown to Glenorchy, or the road around lake Hawea, or the Queen Charlottes road. All dotted by green pastures, or towering mountains with glaciers and tranquil lakes. It truly feels like being in the Lord of the Rings.
The island is Nature’s private playground and it is no wonder that both locals and visitors are immediately struck by a strong respect towards the Mother land. I too felt the calling of Aotearoa.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Visit
Milford Sound is the mandatory visit of any trip to the South Island of New Zealand. I spent an entire day driving from Te Anau and in Fiordland National looking for the perfect camping spot. The following morning I was extremely lucky to visit with a clear blue sky day, a rare event, which made the cruise less iconic I guess, but certainly more enjoyable and beautiful.
Read More
Seoul, South Korea
City escape
After months spent in New Zealand and Australia, and so much immersion in British influences, it was time to move to Asia, specifically to the economic and cultural powerhouse of South Korea.
The first impression of Seoul was that it is freezing (and I came from a land of glaciers and mountains). After the initial shock, I was met with the additional shock of returning to an Asian megacity, after the recent small towns and rural destinations.
Read More
Busan, South Korea
City escape
I took the train to Busan where I would take the ferry to Japan. Busan surprised me in it’s beauty which was unexpected. With a coastline that offers breathtaking views, great extensive beaches such as Gangwalli and Haeundae, world-famous fish markets, and modern promenades, the city exudes beauty and that vibrant atmosphere typical of a port city.
Read More
2 months in Japan. Kyushu, Honshu, and Hokkaido
Visit
From Busan I took the ferry to Fukuoka in the southern Kyushu island of Japan, to start my hunt for cherry blossoms. For a month and half I traversed the country moving north following spring as it traverses the island, leading me all the way north in Hokkaido to Shiretoko, by mid May.
Kumamoto, Kitakyushu, Iwakuni, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Koyasan, Mount Yoshino, Nagoya, Tokyo, Hirosaki, Aomori, Hakodate, Sapporo, and the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Japan is simply something else. Absurd, often alienating, fascinating beyond reason, it oozes character like no other country I have ever visited.
As I will never create separate posts for all the destinations I visited during this hanami hunting, I link here a post covering the most popular sakura spots, including the widely regarded “best” Mount Yoshino, and the breathtaking Hirosaki, and Hakodate (and of course the heart-stealing Kyoto)
Read More
Miyajima Island
Visit
Just linking this short guide on the popular Miyajima Island, one of the most popular and iconic destinations in the country. What more do I have to say? It’s Japan!
Read More
Taipei, Taiwan
City escape
coming soon
Manila, Philippines
City escape
I had planned five days in Manila, but I somehow had forgotten what South East Asia feels like in May. I was able to explore the city only a few hours a day, while under by the relentless heat. Still, Manila is a “classic” Asian mega city. Chaotic, cramped, full of pollution, where everywere you look there is something fascinating and out of the “ordinary” that catches your attention.
Dubai, U.A.E.
City escape
Dubai is the perfect layover stop when flying between Europe and East Asia, and it was my third time visiting. As such I did not explore much if the city and just enjoyed the opulence of the hotels, the food, and culture of the Emirates.
Read More
Istanbul, Turkey
City escape
From Dubai I flew to Istanbul, visiting it for my second time, after the prior year. Unfortunately also this time
Read More
Turkey Road Trip
Road Trip
As if I was trying to beat some kind of mileage record, I embarked on another road trip, coasting the southern part of the country towards Cappadocia and then looping back towards Istanbul. The journey was around two weeks. Way too short to fully explore this massive and charming country. The southern coast of Turkey is beautiful, clearly very similar to other Meditteranean countries such as Greece and Croatia, both places which I love. Cappadocia was the highlight of the trip and is a destination that mandatorily needs to be on any travelers bucket list. Unfortunately I was sick for a few days so was kind of a zombie, but that didn’t stop me from driving around and admiring the tufas, waking up at dawn to witness the hundreds of silent hot air balloons hovering over the landscape, and make a day trip to the fascinating underground city of Derinkuyu – another bucket list item.
Casablanca, Morocco
City escape
coming soon
Morocco Road Trip
Road Trip
I said to myself: “You know what? Maybe it’s time for another road trip”. I picked up the car in Casablanca and drove south, stopping in the mesmerizing Marrakesh. I then proceeded on some of the most spectacular roads like the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, and Todra Gorge, played Game of Thrones and Gladiator when sleeping in the Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, and got perpetually lost in the medieval Medina of Fes. As I drove north towards Tangier, I stopped in the too-beautiful-to-be-true town of Chefchaouen, where everything in the streets of the Medina is painted blue, from the doors, to the walls, to the roads, giving the iconic kyanos-blue towns of Greece a run for the money. Also it is a haven of cats which makes it all the more charming.
Spain Road Trip, Andalusia
Road Trip
Once I arrived in the international Tangier, I took the ferry to the port of Algeciras in Spain, picked up (yet another) car…yes, perhaps it’s not a funny “addiction” anymore and there could be a problem, and embarked on a quick road trip through Andalusia.
Spain is a top travel destination and it’s charm is always captivating, and Andalusia might be one of its most beautiful regions.
I did Seville, Cordova, Granada, and Malaga. 2 days each. Much too short but beautiful nonetheless with a gradual transition from moorish to European continental influences.
Seville, Spain
City escape
The first stop (with a full day delay due to missed connections, emptied credit card, and other fun stuff), was the enchanting city of Seville. I was in full high season being middle of June and the city was packed with tourists, and scorched by the unforgiving Sun. The beautiful days
Cordoba, Spain
City escape
coming soon
Granada, Spain
City escape
The main target of my visit to Granada was the famous Alcazaba.
Ibiza, Spain
Battery Recharge
To close off the massive trip I met with some friends in Ibiza for some debauchary (for old people, the one that sees you in bed pretty early), in the beautiful tourist, and party-magnet island of Eivissa.
Ibiza is beautiful and the nearby Formentera even more so, and the constant celebration atmosphere cannot not put a smile on your face and enjoy the music, the drinks, and the dancing people, enjoying the days and nights.
Aftermath
As mentioned, this trip was a sort of doubling down on previous trips. I adored Japan the first time, so this time I did it “all”. I remember fondly my Australia East Coast road trip, so I did a somewhat crazy road trip across the entire Australian continent. Hawai’i was beautiful in being this remote paradise in the Pacific. So I did Raratonga and Aitutaki. I just loved my Canada road trip amidst the lakes and forests, so I did Nature’s personal playground that is New Zealand. And of course I had to do a Thai island.
South America, and Africa, I haven’t forgotten you. Don’t go anywhere.
