The timeless bazaar of Isfahan, Iran

Whenever Iran again becomes a good and safe place both to live and to visit, I encourage you to head straight there. There are so many magical experiences to be had, like navigating the busy bazaar of Isfahan late in the evening.

The scenic coast of Helgeland

The area on the coast between Brønnøysund in the south and Bodø in the north has tens of thousands of small and large islands, of which many can be visited via ferries and bridges. If you have the time, exploring this part of Norway by bike is highly rewarding.

The Overland Track is a great long-distance trail from the north to the south of Tasmania.

I took this photo from Barn Bluff, looking over at Cradle Mountain, which is the starting point for this hike of 4-5 days. Christmas is a great time to do it, as you have to book ahead for the trail, and the locals tend to stay at home and celebrate Christmas instead of being out

That time I booked the cheapest hotel I could find in Hong Kong, and it came with a most pleasing view

This city is a concrete jungle, but getting up from the ground a bit makes it easier to take in. This is in Causeway Bay, which may seem like a bit too far away from the highlights, but it's really not. Easy to get to on the funny old tram as well.

Bergen from above

If you're a fan of SimCity, you'll love the familiar view you will get from up on Fløyen mountain in Bergen. There's a funicular you can take up the steep hill, or you can zig-zag your way up via various streets. Worth the sweat and/or money whatever you choose.

Hiking the Lycian Way in Turkey

If you're up for a challenge, this many hundreds of kilometers of long-distance trail in coastal Turkey should be considered. For extra points, do it during summer, when it's really hot. It looks like a walk by the sea, but much of the time you'll be high up on a cliff, sweating

That time I went on a roadless road trip through the Uyuni Desert.

This is a place where mountains as well as lakes come in the entirely wrong colors. I loved it. A good place to start this trip is San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, from where you can usually find guided tours taking you across to Bolivia on multi-day trips any time. Or you can

Warm neighborhood in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

The Caribbean is such a mix of wildly different islands. This one in particular is French, and every bit as full of charm as Paris herself.

An 800 years old nice pile of highly inflammable wood.

Heddal stave church is an easy day trip out of Oslo, just a couple of hours of driving straight west. The museum next door, dedicated to other traditional buildings, is also neat.

Red midnight sun mountains in Lofoten, Norway

If you're a photographer visiting Northern Norway during summer, just forget about sleeping. The nights are full of the best light imaginable. If you must sleep, do it during the middle of the day, when the world looks more normal.

Camping at Reinebringen in Lofoten, Norway

This place used to be more quiet before "sherpa stairs", a relatively easy trail built by Nepalese experts, was built up the steep mountain Reinebringen, above the town of Reine in western Lofoten. It's still a good place for a relatively short summer night hike. You can also pas

North Cape at midnight in July

The northernmost point in Europe that you can drive right up to, Nordkapp, is sometimes a good place for observing the midnight sun. It's just the same sun as the midday sun, staying up late. There's no guarantee you'll see it, though. There's plenty of clouds and fog coming thro

That time I went to the only Russian town in Norway.

For historical reasons, there's a Russian town in the Svalbard archipelago; Barentsburg. This is its best possible look, semi-hidden under fresh snow.

That time I went to have a cup of tea straight from the source.

The Cameron Highlands in northern mainland Malaysia has the prettiest tea plantations. And strawberries, too. Fairly easy to get to if and when you get tired of beach life in southern Thailand!

The monochrome world from a snowmobile

This photo is not in black and white, but it might as well have been. When you explore the Arctic in late winter on a gray day, there simply are no colors around. Still beautiful, though.

Historic road Vindhellavegen

This road was constructed in 1843, and once upon a time it was part of the main road between Oslo and Bergen. While it's a beauty to look at, it was too steep for horses to navigate with any meaningful load, so it's been out of use for a long time. It's still there, though, ready

Long-distance hike out of Oslo, Norway

Many visitors to Norway arrive in Oslo and may be pleased with the city, but disappointed by the lack of amazing scenery. To see anything spectacular, you have to drive for at least 4-5 hours. OR you can walk for at least a week. There are two long-distance trails starting right

That time in Exmouth, Western Australia, when an emu was clearly fascinated by how effortlessly a human can move around.

I really recommend Western Australia above any other part of Australia if you want to see the version of Australia that may fit your stereotypical outback idea best. Most of it is wilderness, and even when you go into the towns you'll see all kinds of lovely creatures. Not all of

Morning on Camino de Santiago

The pilgrimage walk from nearly anywhere in Europe to Santiago de Compostela in Spain is open also for non-religious hikers. I recommend it if you like a mix of nature and culture, and if you're Christian as well that certainly adds another dimension. Early morning starts are

Pyongyang symmetry

North Korean city planners have really had some impact on this place, making for many interesting angles to photograph the city from.

Christmas Eve at noon in Brønnøysund, just below the Arctic Circle

The short days of December may mean that it's not the best time to visit to get as much as possible out of visiting Norway. On the other hand, you still get views like this one.

Flashback to that time I went to see Erg Chebbi in Morocco and soon after this photo killed my camera in a sand storm.

Morocco has a reputation for being somewhat hard to backpack, because there are so many scams and intense sellers of all kinds of things and services. Just leave the tourist cities behind and seek the smaller places, and you'll be just fine. It's very budget-friendly, does not re

If I was an antelope, I would not last an hour.

It's easy to get really excited when you're carrying a camera while on a safari game drive, but this is why you always stay in your car. This predator lives in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Don't be shy, you can ask anything you want about Norway.

Here's a pretty place in Lomsdal-Visten National Park. It's one of the largest practically untouched wilderness areas in mainland Norway. Not as easy to get to as the more famous spots, but every bit as beautiful, and worth the effort.

I rented a car in South Africa and drove around. These are some of the things I safely saw from the driver's seat.

Doing a self-drive safari is probably easier and less expensive than you think.Actually, the more time you spend in for example Kruger National Park, the better your deal will be. Buy an annual national park pass ("The Wild Card") instead of paying per day makes the average price

Here’s a taste of what it’s all about.

A few selected spots in Norway.

The pink sunsets of the high Arctic.

Gotta love Svalbard

A few glimpses from my favorite getaway place, Longyearbyen in the high north of Norway. Incredible landscapes, easily accessible with daily flights from Oslo, and the feeling of not being quite on top of the food chain any more. :) Ask me anything about this place!