2 weeks in Turkey / December 22, 2020 by Yobel Muchang

15 days | Aug 2019 | Aerial view of Cappadocia, Turkey from a hot air balloon.

Quick Thoughts

The first time I visited Turkey it was focused solely on Istanbul. This time I had the opportunity to explore the country and seaside terrains with two close friends in tow. The trip began on my own in Cappadocia with the obligatory hot air balloon experience, followed by a roadtrip with friends along the southwestern coast of Turkey, and ended with a solo venture into the town of Van to - no joke - hang out with their epic cats. The perfect ingredients to create a memorable trip.

Key Highlights

Link to my collection of Instagram Stories from the trip!
Hot air balloons over Cappadocia - As mentioned it’s basically obligatory, but trust me the views are worth it.
Rooftops of Cappadocia - Just as obligatory is to catch sunrise/sunset or hot air balloon views from the countless rooftops.
Seaside town of Kas - Amazing resort-style place to relax and enjoy the stunning coastal views.
Thermal pools in Pamukkale - I’m a sucker for surrealism, and seeing this thermal snowy-white landscape did it for me.
Van Cats - I love photographing animal eyes, so when I discovered a town known for cats with heterochromia, I booked the flight immediately.
Akdamar Island - I enjoyed spending a day exploring this island on Van Lake. Most surprising thing was the number of strangers who asked for selfies with me. I don’t think many Asians visit Van.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Things to Know

I purchased my travel visa through www.ivisa.com.
Book your hot air balloon ride in advance. I don’t think it matters which agency you use, but just make sure to book the earliest morning batch of flights so you don’t miss the sunrise.
Places I stayed: Azure Cave Suites, Kookaburra Pension, Villa Hotel Tamara, Pamukkale Ninova Thermal Spa & Hotel, Mavi Panorama.

My Gear

My Prints

Bird’s Eye View

Aug 1, 2019 - Aug 15, 2019

Trip by the Photos

Roadtrip in Portugal / September 2, 2020 by Yobel Muchang

7 days | Jun 2019 | Drone shot of Sanctuary of Christ the King overlooking Lisbon, Portugal.

Quick Thoughts

2020 sucks.

Sorry had to get that off my chest..

Portugal though?? Amazing to say the least. I spent seven days with a close friend roadtripping across the country, constantly in a state of amazement at the surrounding wonders. We started in Lisbon, drove inland to the Serra da Estrela mountains, stopped in the vibrant city of Porto, then pivoted south along the coastline to the magical town of Sintra before capping it off back in Lisbon. Each destination has its own color and vibes which deserves undivided attention to fully appreciate it.

Best way to sum it up? If roadtripping through Portugal turned out to be the cure to a global pandemic, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Key Highlights

Link to my collection of Instagram Stories from the trip!
Porto - My biggest regret was only having a day to spend here. I’d love to spend an endless period of time exploring this city.
A child’s bliss - Being reminded that children have an amazing superpower: the ability to enjoy the little things in life, like chasing after bubbles without a care in the world.
Sintra & Azenhas do Mar - Sintra is this magical town built on an absurdly steep mountainside along the coastline. I still have residual nightmares of driving up the impossibly narrow mountain roads without smashing into everything. Yet here I am, wishing I could live there, the views are that stunning.
Lisbon’s colorful architecture.
Praça do Comércio - I enjoy taking long exposure shots, standing patiently in one place allowing time to smooth away the chaos, leaving behind motionless serenity. Trying to apply this perspective to 2020..
Sunrise shot @ Vasco da Gama Bridge - Funny enough, I was upset with myself because I forgot my main camera gear for this shoot. But it led to a much-needed revelation. I’d become overly consumed with taking the “perfect shot” that I almost forgot to enjoy the moment as it passed me by. Definitely something I’ll take to heart going forward on my future travel endeavors.
LxFactory - My favorite place to explore in Lisbon was this hipster art district.
Pastéis de Belém - The OG of egg custard cakes. Go here. Just do it.

Things to Know

Spend more time in Porto!
In Lisbon, try out the Lime scooters to get around. Cheap and quite the thrill.
Places I stayed: Porto Spot Hostel, Nice Way Sintra Palace, Lisbon Marriott Hotel, Sant Jordi Hostels Lisbon.

My Gear

Bird’s Eye View

7 days summer roadtrip through Portugal.

Trip by the Photos

Weekend in Istanbul / April 6, 2020 by Yobel Muchang

2 days | Feb 2019 | Closeup of Hagia Sophia Museum as seen through a glass of Turkish tea.

Quick Thoughts

Istanbul is one of the rare cities that checks all the boxes. It’s a sprawling transcontinental metropolis that’s withstood the test of time & humanity, which as a tourist means endless explorations of both the ancient & the modern.

This “City on the Seven Hills” also boasts one of the most impressive skylines which can be enjoyed from countless rooftop bars, cafes, & restaurants. Speaking of which, the food may very well be the highlight for most travelers it’s that amazing.

With that said, the best part for me was *drumroll* chilling with the friendly stray dogs & cats that run the streets of Istanbul. But hey, different priorities 🤷‍♂️🐕🐈

Key Highlights

Link to my collection of Instagram Stories from the trip!
Befriending this street dog with heterochromatic eyes.
You can’t visit Turkey without trying Turkish coffee ☕️
The moment I landed, I went straight from the airport to Ortakoy Mosque and caught this stormy sunrise just in time!
Fish sandwich from the boat restaurant near Galata Bridge (Deniz Yildizi Balikci).
Watching the sunset views of Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia from Seven Hills Hotel rooftop.
Turkish street food is worth trying, especially roasted chestnuts 🌰And of course, try some Turkish ice cream & enjoy the show.

Things to Know

For a free rooftop view of Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia museum, check out Seven Hills Hotel.
There are two major airports, both roughly an hour away from the city so factor that into your itinerary!
Cheers Hostel - I highly recommend this place! Plus the hostel comes with its own dog (:
Get ready to encounter street dogs & cats everywhere! But don’t worry, they are treated well & are quite friendly.
Use Uber.
Watch out for hustlers. I unfortunately had one taxi driver rip me off, and had another interesting incident. In an elaborate scheme, a shoe shiner walked ahead of me and “accidentally” dropped his shoe brush. I picked it up and approached him to return it. He acted surprised and grateful, followed by insisting in giving me a shoe shine. Luckily, my slow brain finally remembered I read about this scheme prior to my trip, so I hurried along my way. Apparently this is a method used to hook you into buying something. I respect the hustle.

My Gear

Bird’s Eye View

Weekend in Istanbul

Trip by the Photos

10 days in Norway / December 13, 2019 by Yobel Muchang

10 days | August 2018 | Pic taken at the top of Dalsnibba with the sunrise coloring up the sky.

Quick Thoughts

10 days, 65+ hours and 1,300 miles driving, plus a bonus pothole knocking out my rental car’s front bumper..thank God for coffee and duct tape! I spent the first half of the trip on my own (starting in Bergen) before picking up a friend in Trondheim. This way I got the best of solo roadtripping, being lost in my own thoughts, while also sharing the road and memories with the best company. Recipe for the perfect trip.

Key Highlights

See my collection of Instagram Stories from the trip!
Camping in Geiranger and exploring the surrounding fjords.
I woke up at 4am to catch the sunrise atop Dalsnibba overlooking Djupvatnet lake. No regrets. But bring a jacket…or two..
Freezing my ass off taking photos along the Atlantic Road.
Everything about the city of Trondheim, especially witnessing the sunset along the harbor.
Something on my checklist was seeing a wild muskox. I got my wish in Dovrefjell–Sunndalsfjella National Park.

Things to Know

Car rental: 4WD isn’t necessary unless you plan to off-road! The roads are quite smooth, even up the mountains.
You’re legally allowed to camp out virtually anywhere. Having said that, there are some rules. Here’s a post I found helpful.
When I visited Norway, sunset time was after 10 PM, so factor that into any itinerary. Perfect for extended road trips!

My Gear

Bird’s Eye View

10 days in Norway

Trip by the Photos

A week in Poland / June 22, 2019 by Yobel Muchang

7 days | July 2018 | Pic of my friend amidst a field in Zakopane, Poland

Quick Thoughts

The focus of this trip was mainly to relax and catch up with a childhood friend, so I de-prioritized photography on this vacation. Having said that, it turns out I couldn’t put the camera down, so my friend got free photoshoot sessions for a week!

Key Highlights

See my collection of Instagram Stories from this trip!
Half-day layover in Kiev, Ukraine
Landscape and scenery of Zakopane (ski town during the winter)
Old Town in Krakow, sunset @ Krakus Mound
Late night wandering through Warsaw

Things to Know

Getting to Krakow - I booked train tickets through PKP Intercity (linked) to head to Krakow from Warsaw
Getting to Zakopane - 2-hour transit through Flixbus (linked), from Krakow to Zakopane

My Gear

Bird’s Eye View

7 days in Poland

Trip by the Photos

Roadtrip in Ireland / June 18, 2019 by Yobel Muchang

8 days | June 2018 | Pic of a red deer foraging in Killarney National Park

Quick Thoughts

8 days, 27+ hours and 1,700+ km driving on the left side of the road. It was a daunting task especially traveling and driving solo..but Audible and Spotify were my best friends on this trip! By the way, Ireland is the definition of rain..LOTS of rain, but I grew to love it.

Key Highlights

See my collection of Instagram Stories from the trip!
The Ring of Kerry, Skellig Ring and Dingle Peninsula drives
Gap of Dunloe - Strickeen Mountain impromptu hike
Red deer sightings (in Killarney National Park), Irish ponies (near Cliffs of Moher) and sheep sightings (everywhere)
Glendalough south of Dublin, the town of Cobh, Cliffs of Moher

Things to Know

Driving is on the left side of the road. Kinda fun actually, once you get past the whole “I may accidentally end up on the wrong side of the road” nerves. Ha. Ha ha..
Bring a raincoat. Assume it will rain non-stop, but don’t let it ruin your trip! The calm after the storms lended itself to some of the most breathtaking views of Ireland.
Facts. There are more sheep than people in Ireland. Okay I don’t know if that’s true, but it sure felt that way.

My Gear

Bird’s Eye View

7 Days in Ireland