Philippines

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Philippines

A country where you can see wildlife, swimming with whalesharks, see thousands of posters voting for the new president, relatively poor but extremely friendly people and more then 7000 islands with white sand beaches and a clear blue sea. Philippines is a brilliant destination for tourists who love adventure and relaxing at the beach at the same time.

 

We started at Manilla where we rented a scooter and soon we realised it was a good choice since the traffic is a challenge. Manilla is not my favourite city. Since the last official counting in 2010 Manilla has a population 1,7 million. Manila is regarded as one of the most densely populated cities in the world with 42,857 people per square kilometer
It is extremely crowded and some buildings could definatly use a makeover. It is a true miracle that some buildings are still standing straight. When you experience the crowded streets it is a pleasant thought that you can drive away whenever you want. Driving with a scooter out of town to see some nice botanic gardens and the skyline of Manilla is a plus. Despite the old buildigs there is also lots of astonishing architecture to see.

Philippines puerto princessa

After Manilla we took a flight to our next stop: Palawan. The flight was on schedule, the plane was ready for take off but the schedule was not correctly planned. Or like the stewardess told us:” There are to many planes for the amount off free lanes, so it is more logical to wait” sounds logical ;). Three hours later we arrived at Puerto Princessa. At the airport a rental scooter was waiting for us and happy as we were, we immediatly started to explore the city Puerto Princessa were we saw the vibrant streets with buzzing markets and good food. After dinner we a went to a pub to see a band called ”the aftershock”, an amazing night followed by a Philipine travestite with an extreme good sense of humor.
The next day we decided to drive around the island with our rental scooter which was a good choice.

Port Barton Filipijnen

Our first stop was Port Barton, a small village with a small harbour. A good vibe, good food, a beer and our relaxing mode was ON. Laying in a hammock seeing the sunset is something which never gets boring. After Port barton our Scooter was waiting for us to drive through Roxas and straight to a small city called TayTay. The roads in palawan are considered as perfect for a scooter. Some holes in the roads wont slow you down. TayTay is worth the stop with a nice bay and many small houses on the shore and a mysterious Ruïn what once was a church. After TayTay our rental scooter took us to El Nido.. I am not sure how should describe El Nido. A guy told me El Nido is worth the pizza and the beer. After that you should leave. I am not sure if hes right. Sure it is touristic because all the tours Palawan has to offer is starting from EL Nido. The tours are Tour A, B and C. If you have the time my advice is to do them all. It will not desappoint you since the wildlife on the water is still something you will not see often. Whales, Sharks, Whalesharks(?!), dolphins, turtles(!) Philippines has it all. The tour takes you to several lagoons, islands and beaches while yousit back and enjoy life.

In El Nido you can find a pizza in every bar or restaurant. and after you had pizza you can go to a bar for some live music (Reggae or a pop band).

Once you are in El Nido please do yourself a favour and go to Duli Beach. A beautiful bay and quiet place for snorkling, relaxing, reading your book and enjoy the pure life The Philippines has to offer. After Duli beach we went to see some other villages which are one by one worth the visit. At the moment we drove back to Puerto princessa we had a flat tire. One minute later a truck stopped with a guy asked us what is the problem. We didnt had to use our hands to explain what was wrong or he already started to lift our scooter up to bring us to puerto princessa. It really represents who the Philippine people are. Helpful, friendly and always find a solution to every problem they are facing. No complaining but to smile is their answer.

Philippines riverWe took a flight to Cebu. Cebu is a vibrant city where beautiful Mariott hotels are standing between small villages called ”shopping malls”. This place is crowded and not the first city on the list of cities to visit. On a economical point of view it is the right place to find a job or trade with local people. Every shopping mall has a bunch of American restaurants where you can have dinner for $10 p.p. Once out of the city the coast is astonishing. Cebu Island itself is long and narrow, stretching 196 kilometres from north to south and 32 kilometres (20 mi) across at its widest point. It has narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus and coastal plains. It also has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Stop at the harbour to find a boat to Bohol where you can swim with whalesharks. Whalesharks are fed daily by local people in small fishermans boats. Some say it is unnatural to feed them and let them swim between litteraly hundreds of people screaming and touching the whaleshark. Some say it is better then a zoo where they live in a small bassin. Anyhow it is magical to swim with such huge creatures.

Siquijor cliff In Bohol you can drive with your rental scooter to the chocolate mountains which are amazing to see and jumping of a cliff (scary but fun!) after the dive you can eat a whole chicken at the local roaster. I would recommend Mindanao, but the safety cannot be guarenteed so please follow the advice of the local people and don’t go there untill authorities tell you otherwise.

 

Allez les Bleus (France)

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France

the host of the European championships 2016, the victim of many terroristic attacks, the country of beautiful landscapes, the Eiffeltower, Filmfestival Cannes and ofcourse the great wines. France has a lot to offer and every city has its own historic buildings, highlights and great food. We started with renting a scooter in paris. The scooter rental company gave us what he called ” un scooter rapide”  a fast scooter :). I just love that language. Everything what they just sounds interesting. Once we drove away we immediatly felt free and headed to see the Arc de Triomph, Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau, the astonishing Grand palais and headed north on the Avenue du Maréchal Gallieni to see the Le Palais de L’Élysée. What a names and what an experience. We had lunch in a small bistrot and a glass of red wine which i cant stop drinking since the first day i arrived in France. In the next days we drove around Paris to see all its hidden secrets, small streets and lovely boutiques where i spend half my salary on what the french called Haute couture.

Later that week we arrived in Nantes. Its  remarkable to see that the city still has  british influences and is nowadays a vibrant student city and a cultural hub. Again we rented a scooter to explore the city highlights: The castel Château des ducs de Bretagne, Île de Feydeau, and Parc de Procé. Its a city we definately go back to.

After Nantes we went to  Montpellier, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille and Nice.

Scooter italy

Milan (Italy)

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Italy

The country has 20 regions and all of them are 20 independent states, each with its own traditions, architecture, dialects, and wonderful food.

When i think of Italy i immediately start to think about delicious pizza’s, fresh made spaghetti’s and oven baked lasagna’s. And its true, these dishes are only the italians who can really make them as no other.
But beside the Italian Cuisin, Italy has so much more to offer. From exploring souk-like market streets in Sicily to eating a knödel in an Alto Adige chalet, the choice is diverse. Then there are the country’s artistic treasures, where the best of the world cant compare to the treasures they have collected in the ancient museums. Italy is also the perfect place for renting a scooter. or not just a scooter ofcourse,  but for renting the traditional vespa for exploring the city and cruise around to the famous markets and work on your bargain skills. It is so hilarious to bargain with an Italian, they can be so heatrical that you almost feel guilty when trying to lower the price. The whole body is cooperating together to confuse you and you start to wonder if the guy is saying such nice things in Italian, or is he scolding me. Maybe i never know. 🙂

Italy ís the inventor of the third generation  scooter with the brand Vespa. It is still an amazing experience to drive around on an old Vespa scooter to make your holiday complete. You should put on the funny little helmet. It looks cool, and funny, but most of all cool.

Milan, the fashion capital of the world and capital of the region Lombardy and is a city with strengths in the design, commerce, entertainment, arts, fashion, media, tourism.
The city is well known for many international fairs and events including Milan Fashion Week and the Milan Furniture Fair.
Renting a scooter is the ideal way to explore Milan fast and safe, you don’t have to wait in the traffic, you can still cover a lot of miles and you can park much easier then with a car. Most of the times scooter parking is even free. And we like free, don’t we?

And dont forget the Italian Music, the many Operas, Vivaldi, laura Pausini and Eros Ramazotti. Visit a musical, or buy a ticket for the theater. Can’t wait to visit Milan again.

If you have enough time you can do some cityhopping from Milan to Parma, Modena, Bologna,Florence, Terni and Rome. In every city we can deliver the rental scooter in front of your accomodation. Leave your bags there and explore the city!

 

scooter mexico

Viva la Mexico

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Viva la Mexico!

Our first visit in Mexico was one month of backpacking from the crowded Mexico city to the remote and paradisely Punta Allen.

We have wandered over most parts of Mexico with a rented scooter or car and came to love its coasts, jungles, volcanoes and cities – and its tasty food, spectacular ancient civilizations with people still wearing traditional clothes, art and handicrafts and, its warm hospitable people who would help you if they can.

Rent a scooter in Mexico city and go see the parcs, visit the markets go to the zoo and drive around to experience the city that never sleeps.

If you are travelling south, one of our favourite places is Puerto Escondido. The city is a magnet for surfers with high waves and beautiful beaches, a perfect place for swimming, looking for turtles, dolphins and whales, or even sportfishing.

The center of the town rises above the small Bahía Principal.
Across the hill, the Carretera Costera highway 200 runs above the bay. This road is dividing the lower, more touristic part – and the upper town – where buses arrive, and where most of the local people live and work –.

This city can be explored by a rental scooter for driving around the city and visiting the small town of El Malacuno near the river.

San Cristobal de las casas is a typical ancient colonial city surrounded by pine forest with old yellow buildings and rustique cafes. It is a place for the zapatista rebels and organizations working with indigenous people.
A vespa 50cc is ideal for this occasion. drive slowly to see the cities highlights and wander through the ancient streets to enjoy the atmosphere San Cristobal de las casa has to offer.

Countries highlights: Palenque, the copper canyon/Ferrocarril Chihuahua Pacífico (where you find the world’s most incredible rail journeys, it is northern Mexico’s biggest single attraction), Volcán Paricutín, Gran plaza, San Cristobal de la casa, Calakmul and many many more.

 

Scooter greece

Kos (Greece)

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Kos

Kos is the ultimate place for renting a scooter and giving you the feeling that you are on holiday for sure.

Once you have visited Kos you will immediately feel the pleasant vibe Kos has to offer. It’s not for nothing that Kos is called the bicycle island with its good roads, relatively safe traffic and many roads who are connected to show you the island.
Kos has great beaches, beautiful bays and tasty food and the climate is very comfortable for driving around in the morning and explore the island. Lay on the beach in the afternoon and drink a beer at the sunset.

This island has a lot to offer, especially when you rent a scooter or a quad to drive ”off track” in the mountains, to see the sheeps on the fields, a small roma camp, the hills and the diversity of beautiful trees. It is also a place for culture with ancient Greek ruins, churches where they are displaying proud relics of its storied past.

My favourite place is to drive to the natural spa for a swim and relax in the hot thermal water and see the old spooky building on the hill with a great view on the beach. Put your relaxing modus on and go to Kos!

Tel Aviv (Israël)

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Israel

Nowhere in the world there is similar place like Israel. A country of extremes where people are proud.

It takes some days to see all the breathtaking beauty Israel has to offer like: the green hills and the valleys of the Israel National Trail, the Dead Sea, and the multicoloured canyon of Makhtesh Ramon.
The Religious devotion in the people who come to visit the Holy Land’s sacred sites. When you take a look on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount you’ll see that it is among the most revered in the world. And of course the neverending debates with people about the palestines.

And yes there are many places to relax, not least the cafes, bars and beaches of cosmopolitan Tel Aviv or the wineries of the Galilee region. If you plan a travel while you know Israel is a country that can’t be planned, you are on the right spot!

Costa Rica (off road trips)

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Costa Rica

There is no trail that doesn’t lead to a waterfall, mysterious crater lakes or deserted beaches.
Discover Costa rica by renting a scooter, ride a horse, a jeep,  or even a kayak. This is not an ordinary country, it is a ”choose your own adventure” country with lots to do.

Pura Vida as it is their motto of life. Once visited Costa Rica you will understand why it is that the ”Ticos” talk about living the pure Life.The nature and its wildlife is something the ticos are proud of. And after visiting Costa Rica i surely understand why and it is that they called pure life. Once we rented a scooter in San José we travelled around in the city. San José itself is not a spectacular city but once you give the city a chance to suprise you,  you won’t get disapointed. Take your time to see the neighbourhood of Barrio Amón with many art galleries and boutique hotels, cosy restaurants and lovely bars. Try farmers market on saturday to explore the best food Costa Rica has to offer or drive with your rental scooter to visit the  Parque La Sabana on sunday and be surprised how beautifull the ”lungs” of San José can be.
Really everything is possible in this country which has beaches, tropical rainforests, off the beaten tracks and many adventures in a jiffy. Renting a scooter or a quad in this country is not only safe but also very convenient for travelling.
Go See the unique animals as the Toucan, blue morpho butterflies, flit amid orchid-festooned trees, while a rainbow of coloured tropical fish swim by, sharks, rays, dolphins and whales thrive offshore – in this pristine paradise.

And when its rainseason, it can rain the whole day without stopping for one minute. And yes we experienced it :).