The crowd goes mental as the last ethereal sounds of the Drones choir track die down, whilst twelve large balls of light slowly descend from their hiding place just under the roof, towards the stage in the centre of the arena. This series of Muse concerts is not called the Drones Tour for nothing. At the sound of the first chord from Matt Bellamy’s guitar, the entire venue is literally trembling with the earth-shaking energy from the crowd on the floor.
Sonic Highways
Anyone who knows me, knows I love music. At home, I often listen to music whilst I am working. During a road trip, my favourite music keeps the long days in the car interesting. The best way to enjoy your favourite music however, is attending a concert. In last year’s rant about writer’s block, I hinted at incredible concerts I had attended, but until now, I did not realise that I had not actually published that story yet. Better late than never?
Travel memories: Israel
Whenever someone asks me what the most memorable part of my trip to Israel was, I feel like I ought to tell them it was Jerusalem. Most people who have visited the Holy Land seem to agree on this point. Looking back at my trip now, almost five years later, as the details of the memories start to fade, I cannot help but think the city is somewhat overrated. The part of my week-long stay in Israel that stuck with me the most, consists of the days spent in the north of the country, after leaving the capital.
Solo European city break: Prague
Two and a half years ago, I travelled to the city of Prague for a short city break. Unlike on previous trips, I had not planned ahead much further than booking flights and a hotel. I wanted to make the rest up as I went along. In a way, despite the shortness of it, this trip shaped the traveller in me. It made me realise that my possibilities in solo travel go far beyond road trips in my own car. This trip made me see the traveller I want to be in the future. This planet is a big place, and I yearn to discover as much of it as I possibly can.
The Belgian coast
After my unfortunate trip to Wallonia this summer, one would expect me to be hesitant about returning to Belgium in the near future. Yet when my grandmother expressed an interest in visiting the North Sea coast for our short holiday in November, I found myself agreeing immediately. After comparing some hotels and cities, my eye fell on a seaside hotel in Blankenberge.
Morocco: 1001 nights in just one week
Not all my holidays consist of taking my car and my tent on a road trip. In a country like Morocco, I would not have felt comfortable to drive around on my own, especially not in the chaotic cities. Despite that, I did not want to spend an entire week in one place. When I decided to travel to the country of couscous and tagines in 2012, I booked a week-long guided tour of Morocco’s famous imperial cities.
The end of an era
A feeling of melancholy washes over me as I drive through the city. Even though I am taking the exact same route through Rotterdam that I have been taking for years, today is different from the countless other times I drove here.
Butterflies & Hurricanes
My first music festival experience was much like a rollercoaster ride. It certainly had its ups-and-downs, but it turned out to be an absolute blast. The months leading up to the event were absolute chaos, due to the fact that I was busy writing my bachelor thesis. The festival itself however, was the best graduation party one could ever hope for.
Travel journal: The 15th August Festivities (or: why I wish I had not gone to Liège)
It is usually a great idea to go on a trip without doing a lot of research beforehand. It is a great way to discover new places and it provides even a simple day trip with a hint of adventure. Sadly though, this philosophy tends to backfire once in a while. Let me tell you about my recent adventure in the Belgian city of Liège.
European road trips
Forget long flights, exotic destinations, expensive restaurants and luxurious hotels. My favourite kind of holiday is the good old road trip. If you are planning a European road trip, these tips will help you to make the most of it.