Mind of a Hitchhiker is the travelblog of Iris, a hitchhiker and paddler.
8 August 2026 It hurts. But I m doing my own thing without constant discussion and criticism. There are a lot of things I ve learned since the 6th of September 2015. One of them is that finding a good partner who treats you well doesn t mean a thing. They can absolutely turn around and actively decide to become a piece of shit. Someone who abandons all their principles and goes from being your…
e In June/July 2026, I spent one week solo traveling in Palau. Palau is my first Micronesian and Pacific Island. Here s what I ve been up to in my first days in Koror, tips on getting a Palauan SIM card, and what Koror was like. Here s day one. Palau Preparation In the week leading up to my trip to Palau, I had to run some errands to make this trip go smoothly. While in Hsinchu in Taiwan, this is…
I visited Houtong Cat Village 猴硐貓村 with my situationship Jonas on the 18th of May, 2026. We departed by train from Taipei and continued on by train to Xinchen Taroko near the Taroko Gorge. This is part of our trip around Taiwan Planning our First Train Route in Taiwan I knew the minute I d read about Houtong Cat Village that I wanted to visit. Jonas was also down, before our relationshit hit the…
All Cats Are Beautiful. That s why I not only take care of cats while their owners are away, but I also occasionally volunteer at cat shelters, do trap-neuter-return (TNR), and show street cats much love. Still, cat cafés are also a nice way to hang out with cats without taking on a burden of responsibility. During another long stay in Malaysia, I visited Penang cat cafés (😻) and cafés that…
We reserved our return flight between Taitung (TTT) and Lanyu/Orchid Island (KYD) on the 19th and 20th of April, 2026. This wasn t a straightforward process, so here s how you can get a reservation as well Ferry or Plane to Lanyu/Orchid Island? While planning our trip to Taiwan, we hit a snag; Jonas didn t want to take the three-hour ferry ride from Fugang Harbor near Taitung to Lanyu, aka Orchid…
We arrived in Bahrain from Kuwait on the 7th of January, 2026 and stayed for 11 days. We chose to opt for a Bahraini visa on arrival (VOA) instead of an eVisa. Here s what the process is like, what documents you need to bring, and whether you should choose an eVisa or the VOA. In early 2026, the tourist visa costs between 5 BHD and 25 BHD, depending on your length of stay Bahrain Visa Online…
Congratulations! You are in the minority of travelers considering a visit to Bahrain for more than a day trip. Here s where we stayed for 10 nights in the capital city Manama, alternative hotels under €100 per night, and what to expect of accommodation in Bahrain as a digital nomad Al Fateh: Airbnb Close to Food Truck Heaven Duration: 11 nights (12 paid) at about €60 per night Our final choice was…
We traveled to Bahrain for about 10 days in January 2026. To stay online as a tourist, Jonas used his Global eSIM and I bought a physical SIM card in Bahrain at the airport. Here s what your options are, starting with the cheapest First Choice: Global eSIM or Bahraini eSIM Just like in nearby Kuwait and the UAE, getting a physical SIM card in Bahrain is on the expensive side. Luckily, eSIM…
We entered Kuwait a couple of days before New Year s 2025–2026. On December 22nd 2025, the government of Kuwait increased its visa fees from 3 KWD to 10 KWD. This applies to both visa on arrival (VOA) and the Kuwaiti eVisa. Here s our experience getting the visa on arrival in Kuwait Late 2025 Visa Costs Increase in Kuwait When Jonas and I reunited in the Netherlands after Christmas on the 26th of…