The most affordable route back to Barcelona was via Singapore, a long 14-hour haul. Since Phuket is close, I decided to fly out early and spend a full day exploring Singapore before my midnight connection. Singapore is incredible. It reminded…
On December 26th, I flew from Jaipur to Phuket (via Kuala Lumpur). At the airport, I reunited with my good friend Ilya, who hosted me for the next three weeks. It felt like coming full circle: I started this trip…
I’ve been to chaotic cities before, like Beijing or Bangkok, but nothing compares to what I experienced in India. I flew from South Africa to New Delhi (via Abu Dhabi). From the airport, I took an impressive express train to…
A 10-hour flight took me from São Paulo to Johannesburg, one of the rare direct links between South America and Africa. I stayed at a beautiful hostel in Maboneng, a vibrant neighborhood packed with bars. The staff were incredibly friendly…
On the morning of December 9th, I flew two hours from Buenos Aires to Iguazú. This city sits near the triple border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, and is the gateway to one of the most incredible sights on Earth:…
I landed in Buenos Aires on November 1st, taking a quick flight from Mendoza. November is my favourite time to visit home: it’s spring (perfect weather), flights are affordable, and everyone is in the mood to reconnect before the year…
Back during the Argentinian crisis in 2001, I turned a space in my home into a repair shop for TVs and monitors (I had acquired about 10 of them from a friend’s company). After getting my electronics degree in 2002,…
A quick 3-hour flight took me from Lima to Santiago, Chile, a country I had never visited before. I spent three days at a hostel in the city center, bonding with the staff over Copa Libertadores matches. Santiago feels quiet…
Direct flights from Guayaquil to Lima were expensive, and the direct bus takes a grueling 28 hours. I opted for a hybrid hack: a 5-hour bus to Tumbes (the first city across the Peruvian border) followed by a cheap domestic…
I arrived in Guayaquil on the night of October 8th. It felt amazing to finally be back in a Spanish-speaking country after so long. My friends JC and Bernardo picked me up with a cold six-pack of beer, the perfect…
On October 1st, I hopped on an AirAsia flight to Honolulu. It was hands down the cheapest long-haul ticket I’ve ever booked: 100 euros for an 8-hour flight! The endless Monday in Hawaii: Flying from Japan to Hawaii is literally…
When I toured Japan last year, I felt an instant connection to Osaka, it felt like a place where I could actually live. I promised myself (and my friends there) that I would return. Keeping that promise, I decided to…
Kyoto and Kanazawa are unique because they were largely spared from WWII bombings, becoming havens for people escaping Tokyo. Today, they preserve some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes and traditional architecture, making them essential stops on my trip. I…
I arrived in Tokyo on the night of September 6th, flying S7 Airlines from Irkutsk. The first challenge in Tokyo is the incredibly complicated railway system. Fares aren’t fixed; you pay based on distance and the specific train line. Pro…
Irkutsk is a fascinating destination. Not only does its airport (located just a 15-minute taxi ride from downtown) offer the cheapest gateways to Asia, but it holds a special place in my heart because of the friends I made there…
With one spare week left before my final concert in Russia, I wasn’t sure where to go. Then, a friend in Moscow told me stories about Olkhon Island, located right in the middle of Lake Baikal, and I was hooked….
The train ride to Omsk wasn’t too crowded, allowing me to sleep for about half of the 13-hour journey. When I arrived, Irina and Alina (the vocalist and guitarist of the “Enamorados” tango group) were there to welcome me. I…
Last year, during a Tangel Trio performance in Omsk, we received a wonderful surprise. A local Tango dancing academy attended our concert and actually danced to many of the songs we played. Out of our 40-concert tour, this only happened…
Tango in the Urals Almost a week ago, on August 10th, I hopped on a cheap 2-hour flight from Moscow, happily skipping the alternative: a 37-hour train ride. My friend Lilia picked me up at the airport and hosted me…
About Andrey Kolyasnikov & Fantango Back in July, while I was busy preparing for PetroJazz, I received an unexpected message from a musician named Andrey Kolyasnikov. He suggested a collaboration with his orchestra, “Fantango.” Andrey’s credentials are impressive. He is…
Hectic Moscow. Its huge distances, endless metro rides, and massive avenues (which are tough to walk due to construction or just poor urban design) coexist with incredible buildings, theaters, restaurants, and everything else a massive capital city offers. My friends…
It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m settling in for the 9-hour train ride from St. Petersburg to Moscow. It is the perfect time to reflect on my stay in what is probably one of the most beautiful cities I have ever…
The highlight of my time in Saint Petersburg was the chance to play at the city’s prestigious international jazz festival. I landed late at night and didn’t reach my hostel until 5 AM on Wednesday the 25th. I stayed at…
The accidental album “Piano Tango” is a project that came to life without a plan. Three weeks ago, I was on holiday in Madrid when I got a call: there was an opening slot for a solo pianist at the…
Packing Smarter: How I Downsized for the Long Haul One of the best parts about starting a long trip just six months after finishing the last one is the chance to learn from your mistakes. This time, I’m making smarter…