Thinking about traveling in Grozny, May 28, 2026 Grozny, Chechen Republic
Thinking about traveling in Grozny During the first week in the North Caucasus region of Russia, I was traveling more slowly and cautiously than usual – I could not really get used to driving with confusing GPS signals (my location was flying around every second), and having to pay only in cash added some logistical challenges, especially when booking online. But people do adapt to new situations, and as I was getting used to the new routines, I could allow the usual traveler’s energy to...
Sketches of Kazbegi, 20 May 2026, Kazbegi, Georgia
Sketches of Kazbegi Kazbegi is a region in Northeastern Georgia. The main town is surrounded by the towering Mount Kazbek, rising to over 5,000 meters, and it is a popular destination for scenic hiking and mountaineering. I had already visited this place twice, some seven years ago, with the same car, though it had a different license plate back then. Yet, it still felt refreshingly breathtaking to be in that valley again, surrounded by very steep mountains. Within a day, however, I realized that the scenery...
Sketches of Urfa, April 12, 2026, Sanliurfa, Turkiye
Sketches of Urfa Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa, is a major city in Southeastern Turkiye. It is widely known as a cultural melting pot where Turkish, Kurdish, and Arabic traditions and cuisines have blended over centuries into a unique regional identity. For visitors, it is also known as the base for visiting Göbekli Tepe, the oldest known temple site in human history. Besides the usual list of “things to do” in Urfa, which already seemed impressive, I began noticing something in the earlier part of the day...
With Salim @ Hammamet, Tunisia, December 30, 2022
With Salim Despite being a dozen years younger than myself, I connected with him like a friend of my age. His thoughtfulness, maturity and inquisitiveness kept me in a comfortable and fun environment all the while we were exploring the Southern part of the country, and the experience will be remembered for a long time with warm feelings. Feeling a lot like seeing myself in my 20s, I occasionally had to hold the urge to give him “unrequested” tips and advice of life – I hope...
with Danilo and Nevena @ Belgrade, Serbia, September 19, 2021
with Danilo and Nevena It was already a coincidence when we crossed paths in Plovdiv, Bulgaria two years ago. And what are the odds that I was sighted on the street in their home country? This has to be called pure luck! Meeting people again is a special experience for me, and it is even more so if it is where they grew up. Thanks to some knowledge I’ve already gained about the country, I am happy that I could understand them better, and it’s also...
with Sibel and Ozlem @ Istanbul, Turkey, February 8th, 2020
with Sibel and Ozlem Last time it was summer and they were travelers, and now it is winter and they are locals. By coincidence, we reunited on a very cold day in Istanbul, and for some time we had to cover our faces as we walked because pieces of snow were getting into our eyes. Although I was a bit unwell that day, I was excited that it felt like a late Christmas for me, with friendly company and snowy streets. Especially when walking across busy...
with Özgür and friends @ Çıtır Balık, Antalya, Turkey, January 26, 2020
Some Turkish friends strongly recommended a fish sandwich place in town. I was happy to learn that the place was only two minutes from where I stay, but from the outside, the popularity seemed overwhelming – the queue for placing orders was long, and there was another queue for the people who wanted to get seated. Trying to figure out how a new place works can be stressful, especially as an illiterate foreigner, but I didn’t hesitate much, anticipating the new experience. By pointing at a...
Bike riders @ Hopa and Trabzon, Turkey, January 14 and 15, 2020
Bike riders On the first two days in Turkey, I met bike travelers each day. Some of it must have been by coincidence and other could have been due to my desperate energy to meet other people, after a long break in Georgia. The two groups of riders had things in common. They both started in Switzerland, have ridden mostly along the same routes, and they are going eastwards – one group to China, the other to Singapore. They haven’t met each other in person, but...
This website chronicles Leebong’s journey around the world for 2+ years, for the time being. To find out more, see The Travel & The Why.
To catch me, see Itinerary.
Impressions Series
