Exploring Vancouver was great. I can totally understand why the city is among the world’s most livable cities. But as usual, I got itchy feet after a a few days and it was time to move. Time to head for adventure, time to head into the wild – time to explore Canada’s rugged and wild West Coast.
It was early in the morning, still pitch black outside and thick flakes of snow were unceasingly hitting the car’s windshield as we waited to board the ferry to Vancouver Island. It was an unpleasing start of our trip and we hoped that once on the island, things would change for the better. Read more
Tofino – Canada’s rugged West Coast
Categories: Canada
Tags: British Columbia, Canada, Pacific, Surfing, Tofino, Travel, Ucluelet, Vancouver Island, West Coast, Wild Pacific Trail
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5 things to do in Vancouver
Earlier this year I have been invited to spend ten days in the beautiful city of Vancouver, Canada. I had just returned from my year long trip across Southeast Asia but since wanderlust had already started tormenting me again, I didn’t hesitate to book a flight and head for yet another adventure. Whereas I have been to Canada before, I have never visited Vancouver, the place which has recently been voted the third most livable city in the world. I heard a lot of good stories about the city – stories about an utterly relaxed lifestyle, mild climate, a beautiful setting by the Pacific and the great outdoors right at its doorsteps. It was time to discover and see for myself. Read more
Categories: Canada, Cuisine
Tags: Canada, Gastown, Granville Island, photography, Stanley Park, Travel, Vancouver
19 Comments
Ditch the excuses and go traveling!
I receive a lot of messages from people who would love to go traveling but who have doubts and fears which keep them from doing so. But in reality most of these doubts are actually excuses in disguise. Some of these might sound familiar to you, “I don’t have the time”, “I don’t have the money” or “I have no one to go with”. While these arguments sound legitimate at first sight, they absolutely should not keep you from doing what you want to do. If you think about it, all of these can be easily overcome if you really want it. Here is how: Read more
Categories: Inspiration, Travel Tips
Tags: Inspiration, Motivation, photography, Travel Tips, Travel. Backpacking, Traveling
27 Comments
More tips to improve your travel photography
A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article on how to improve your travel photography. Tips like becoming familiar with your equipment, getting close instead of excessively using the zoom and a little trick for the street photographers out there. Since it was well received, I decided to add a few more points to this list which will hopefully help to improve your skills and to bring better pictures back home. Read more
Categories: Photography, Travel Tips
Tags: Adventure, Backpacking, photography, Tips, Travel, Travel Photography
10 Comments
7 tips for backpacking Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia has been a dream destination for backpackers for a long time. With its typical route often coined the banana pancake trail, Southeast Asia offers something for every type of traveler and all of that at a relatively low price. This, its easy accessibility paired with the ever luring images of exotic cultures and pristine beaches as well as its long history as a backpacker destination, have made it the starting point for many backpacking careers. Some would even argue that Southeast Asia is the region which by far infected the most people with severe cases of incurable wanderlust. It has been on bucket lists for decades and still keeps becoming more and more popular. But before you start your own journey across this magical region, let me share some insights which might help making your trip even more worthwhile. Read more
Categories: Inspiration, Travel Tips
Tags: Backpacker, Backpacking, photography, SEA, South East Asia, Southeast Asia, Travel, Travel Tips
13 Comments
Tips to improve your travel photography
Do you know that feeling? You come home from a great trip, having had the most amazing experiences, saw breathtaking landscapes and met fascinating people. Still overwhelmed by all of these impressions, you look at the pictures you took and feel somewhat disappointed. Something is missing; the pictures just didn’t turn out the way you wanted but you can’t really tell what it is. I am sure we have all been there and the good news is that we can do something about it.
My recent trip across Southeast Asia not only expanded my own personal horizon but also helped to immensely improve my photography. By lots of trial and error and the help of some amazing photographers I met on the way, I gained some important insights on how to become a better travel photographer. Some of these tips I want to share with you and hopefully help you to bring better pictures back home. Read more
Categories: Photography, Travel Tips
Tags: photography, Southeast Asia, Tips, Travel, Travel Blog, Travel Photography, Traveling, Tutorial
22 Comments
Traveler Portrait: Yen Baet from the Philippines. Award winning travel photographer
The last two traveler portraits have been about travelers from Western countries – Holland and the U.S. And it is true that traveling the world, going abroad and having a what is called nomadic lifestyle is somewhat easier for people from that part of the world. But my next portrait will provide a different perspective and show that is also possible for someone born and raised in Southeast Asia. Yen has not only lived in five different countries and extensively traveled the globeb but is also an award winning photographer with accolades by National Geographic and her pictures having been featured in international publications. I find her story absolutely inspiring and I am really happy to have her on Escapology – Meet Yen Baet from the Philippines. Read more
Categories: Inspiration, Photography, Travel Tips
Tags: Interview, photographer, photography, Travel, Traveler, Traveler Portrait, Yen baet
16 Comments
My top 5 Beaches in Southeast Asia
Tropical beaches – for many travelers the highlight and a must have of a great trip. Especially for travelers from Europe, the US and other countries dominated by distinct seasons and long winters, an exotic beach with powdery sand, clear and warm water, lined by coconut trees is the epitome of a relaxing holiday. For some it is even the sole motivation for traveling to faraway places. During my epic journey across Southeast Asia I was allowed to discover some of the best beaches of the region and some of those I would like to share with you here on ESCapology. Be prepared for some surprises … Read more
Categories: Indonesia, Inspiration, The Philippines, Travel Tips
Tags: Backpacking, Beaches, Best Beaches, Island Hopping, Philippines, photography, Southeast Asia, Top 5, Travel, Travel Blog, Travel Tips, Traveling
85 Comments
Traveler Portrait: Alex from the USA – Balancing a full time job with ‘Wanderlust’
Second Traveler Portrait on ESCapology. Meet Alex from the US
A lot of blogs out there preach how to live a life of travel and make it sound all so easy. The truth is however that the majority of us still work in a regular job with all the constraints and obligations that come with it. This next traveler portrait in the form of a guest post is by my friend Alex, who has found his unique way of maintaining a demanding career while still traveling as much as possible. Very much different from the last traveler portrait but just as inspiring.
Categories: Inspiration, Travel Tips
Tags: full time job, guest post, Inspiration, Interview, Travel, Wanderlust, Weekend Trips
13 Comments
My top 7 Waterfalls in Southeast Asia
During my year-long journey across Southeast Asia, I have discovered some magnificent places and true wonders of nature. Some of those, usually being a true highlight, were waterfalls. Their appearance was as diverse as nature itself. Sometimes mellow, pristine and relaxing, with their clean waters making their way down rock stairs and filling up crystal clear rock pools. Sometimes roaring, loud, gushing, almost brutally filling the air with fine mist and all so powerful. I have been asked if I didn’t get tired of seeing yet another waterfall. But to be honest, discovering a waterfall in all its beauty never lost its magic for me. It will always be a highlight which I will always appreciate, no matter how many I have seen before. Some of those highlights I would like to share with you here at ESCapology. Read more
Categories: Inspiration, Travel Tips
Tags: Asia, Backpacker, Backpacking, Budget, photography, Southeast Asia, Travel, Travel Blog, Waterfalls
40 Comments
About me
Hi, I'm Phil from Germany, a traveler and adventurer suffering from a severe case of wanderlust. With a passion for Asia, I am exploring this beautiful world bit by bit, thoroughly and slowly. I love photo- graphy, surfing, diving and trekking. Come and join me. More here.
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