What do we want with this site?

To share information on and photos of some of the places we have been to, for others to gain an idea of how it is – or was, some places are off-limits nowadays, or have changed beyond recognition. If you haven’t done so yet we hope to help you overcome thresholds and stimulate you to discover the world, enjoy what we have enjoyed so much (most of the time).

Our stories can be about cities, or specific buildings, or ruins, but also about events. They may be mainstream, our take on things you find in the travel sections of every newspaper, or they can be special, an obscure festival, a small village or an unknown treasure nobody ever heard of, but that we happen to have come across. Most of this will not be up-to-date, of course: they represent our experiences at the time, and things may well have changed.

Sometimes we have written more than just short sketches. There are articles about some of the places we have been to, and there are several travelogue-type blogs of entire trips we made, all liberally illustrated with photos. Sometimes, we have included photo series, where travels have been long ago, and travel notes lacking – many of those photos are scanned slides, and occasionally this is visible, in somewhat faded colours.

Occasionally, I have added an opinion, not necessarily about a travel location, but more often about what I experienced in the countries I lived or traveled in. These are entirely my own views, not meant to offend anybody, not meant to invoke a reaction, just a piece of text that I found worthwhile posting on the site. Some are mildly critical, some attempt to be funny, some are by now totally irrelevant, and all are to be taken with a pinch of salt.

 

What do you do with all this?

That’s entirely up to you. The sketches are short, you’ll read them quickly and they will give you an impression of what to expect. You’ll need a little more time to digest the articles and the travelogues, but you can also chose and pick the sections you are most interested in. And you can always come back another time. Hopefully the writings or photos or paintings of various locations and countries may inspire you, or they may give you an idea. You may want to go yourself, one day, or you may want to use the information in a story or an article. If you do, we would appreciate acknowledgement. Perhaps you want to tell others about our site.

Or you may not be interested at all, and quickly surf to somewhere else. No offense taken.

If you are stimulated by our sketches or pictures, and decide to go and see for yourself, do realize that circumstances may have changed. It may be a lot more difficult to get to the Hunza Valley in Pakistan now then it was in 1999. Many of the unique features of Papuan culture in the 1980s may have eroded in the face of globalization. Improved infrastructure may have removed much of the discomfort traveling in Haiti, but may have equally removed some of the charm.

 

And who are we again?

Bruno is Dutch. He is a geologist by training, and has worked some 15 years for Shell in Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, the UK, Turkey, Albania and China. He then changed career, and spent another 10 years working as a manager in humanitarian aid and development cooperation, in Haiti, India, Indonesia and again in the UK.

Sofia is Argentinean and has a Marketing and PR degree as well as a Spanish language teaching degree. She also picked up an arts diploma on the way, and has been painting since the beginning of this century, mostly watercolours, but also oils and acrylics. She finds inspiration from her travels and from her immediate surroundings.

6 Responses to About Us

  1. Martin Jagger says:

    30 years ago this week….would be good to catch up and damage some brain cells

    Beste

    Martin

  2. Paul Moris says:

    Hallo lieve mensen … Tijdens onze siesta lees ik met heel veel interesse jullie reisverhalen! Blij dat ik jullie ontmoette in jullie hotel in Yazd: wat een enthousiaste mensen. Nieuwsgierig wat jullie nog allemaal gaan meemaken.
    Wij zijn dat Belgische koppel … Wij hadden gehoopt om jullie terug te zien op de bus naar Kerman …
    Nog veel reisplezier en schrijfplezier toegewenst! Wij blijven fan!

  3. oudmayer says:

    Ha Paul, we hebben een bus eerder genomen, denkende dat we jullie toch wel tegen zouden komen in Kerman. Wat dus uiteindelijk niet gebeurd is, heel jammer, ik had graag nog verdere ervaringen uitgewisseld. Laat een email adres achter, dan houden we contact, en wellicht kunnen we elkaar eens opzoeken, als we allemaal weer terug zijn. Zo ver is dat allemaal natuurlijk niet, en wij komen best wel eens in Belgie, of door Belgie.
    Groet,
    Bruno

  4. Dear Bruno & Sofia,
    Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to create such an in depth travel blog. The amount of information you provide is astounding. I am traveling to Indonesia this year, and came across your website whilst looking for information about Sumba. I just spent an entire evening reading your entries on Sumba, as well as Yogyakarta and Sulawesi. You’ve inspired me so much, thank you!
    All the best to you both!

    • oudmayer says:

      Hi Bill,
      Look, this is the type of comments we love! Thank you for your kind compliments, this is what we are doing it for. Enjoy your trip to Indonesia, especially Sumba, and come back to the site anytime, for further inspiration. Regards, Bruno

  5. Rachel Taylor says:

    Hi Bruno & Sofia,

    I love the website and have been lost in reading Bruno’s detailed travel notes, looking at the amazing photos and enjoying Sofia’s watercolours.

    Bruno, I met you during the boat ride in Luderitz many years ago and you visited my family in Lesotho. Later I lived in Kenya for several years and travelled more extensively around East Africa, Yemen and Iran. Your passion for rock paintings sparked an interest in me and I include them in my teaching in Toronto where I teach art and history of art now.

    Wishing you all the best,
    Rachel

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