Category: Other Travel

The Secret To Kyrgyz Taxi Fares

Published on by Mark Jahnke

I’ve talked way too much on this blog about how much I prefer taking marshrutkas and buses to riding in taxis.  But, sometimes, you can’t get away from the fact that taxis are the only way that you’re going to get from point A to point B.  Confounding all of this is the fact that just about every city in the former USSR has a different approach to taxis.  Here’s a rough guide on navigating the major taxi systems of Kyrgyzstan (plus Almaty and Dushanbe). Continue reading “The Secret To Kyrgyz Taxi Fares” →

8 Hours In Istanbul: A Destination and Layover Guide

Published on by Mark Jahnke

Istanbul is my absolute favorite city in the world.  Fortunately for me and other people traveling to Central Asia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and many lesser-visited countries in Africa, a long layover in Istanbul is a common occurrence.  Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport isn’t very big, isn’t all that comfortable, and for sure is not cheap in the slightest.  Luckily, though, if your layover is at least 6 hours, it’s very easy to take public transportation into the city centre to see some of the most spectacular sights in the world.

Continue reading “8 Hours In Istanbul: A Destination and Layover Guide” →

My Favorite Photos Of 2015

Published on by Mark Jahnke

This year, some website somewhere decided to spy on us all to check and see which of our photos were our most liked on Instagram this past year.  But, since the number of likes doesn’t always correlate to the best photos, I’ve decided to curate a list of what I think were by best shots that went up on my Instagram this year. Continue reading “My Favorite Photos Of 2015” →

72 Hours In Macedonia

Published on by Mark Jahnke

Macedonia is not someplace I anticipated visiting until a dear friend of mine, Gwen, became a Peace Corps Volunteer there.  She sent me pictures and told me stories, and after looking up some potential plane tickets, stumbled upon a ticket that allowed me to add 4 days in Macedonia onto my strange open-jaw from Kyrgyzstan to Germany and back for – get this – only 20 Euros.

Now, we’re going to ignore the fact that Turkish Airlines cancelled my flight twice and then left me marooned overnight without food or shelter in Munich on New Year’s Eve, and cut straight to Skopje. Continue reading “72 Hours In Macedonia” →

Winter Trip Part 3: Christmas in Kitzbühel

Published on by Mark Jahnke

This post is Part 3 of my series about my 2015-6 winter trip.  Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

14 years ago, while I was living in Europe, my parents and I took what I think we all agree was one of the best family vacations we’d ever taken.  We took the slow train from Geneva to Vienna, traversing the Austrian Alps in late December at sunset.  A year ago, when we began planning this trip, I suggested that we do the same.  And this is how I came to be in in Kitzbühel.

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Kitzbühel is a famous ski town in Tyrol, about halfway between Innsbruck and Salzburg.  Its famous Hahnenkahmm downhill run is one of the most celebrated and challenging races in skiing.  Its snow, most years, is some of the best in the world.  This time, I learned that its artificial snow is also some of the greatest.

My first stop, though, wasn’t the ski hill.  It was the ice rink. Continue reading “Winter Trip Part 3: Christmas in Kitzbühel” →

Winter Trip Part 2: Prague and Munich

Published on by Mark Jahnke

This is a continuation of my series about my Christmas vacation.  You can read Part 1 here and Part 3 here.

Waking up in Prague after 8 months uninterrupted in Kyrgyzstan was a bit surreal.  Although I was able to joke that problems with the shower head meant that I was living a cushier life in Kyrgyzstan than in my AirBNB in Prague, so many little things kept appearing, reminding me that I was back on a continent that I used to call home.

Our day, as it usually does when I’m with my dad, started at Starbucks. Continue reading “Winter Trip Part 2: Prague and Munich” →