I guess this is the part where I tell you that I quit my job horrifying desk job to travel the world, right? Can't do that. Instead I performed a 200 IQ level move and started working in the travel industry. This allows me to work and play whilst circumnavigating the globe.

I have travelled extensively - 60+ countries on different continents, 200+ cities (lost count) - and consider myself a world citizen at heart. The authorities refuse to recognise this officially ("you can't have 193 passports", they write in every letter) so I make do with being a visitor. I've also lived in Hungary, Belgium, France, Thailand, Spain, and Poland.

Down the years, I've worked in different sectors: journalism, NGOs, for a big shot IT corporation from the Fortune 100 list. But my greatest passion has always been to travel, and everything that encapsulates. Mainly people, places, cultures, and swan towels. If I enter a hotel room and my towels aren't a flock of swans, then that's an automatic 1 star rating. 

The Alternative Travel Guide is my way of expressing my passion for travel, and sharing everything I discover after leaving the airport. With this blog, I want to help you travel more, further, better, deeper. I'll be sharing with you my most interesting experiences, and providing all the spiciest tips on imbibing culture, getting off the beaten track, finding meaning and happiness through travel, and doing it all without being a disrespectful a**hole (I believe the formal term is: "socially responsible travel").

To me travel is critical for growth, and I think everyone ought to experience it. To be truly happy, we need to leave our comfort zone, and explore the nooks and crannies of this planet.

My slightly wild (and unexamined) opinion is that travel should be posthumously stuffed into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, somewhere in the middle. He wouldn't mind.

So you're aware - though I speak English (one of 5 languages, no less), it's not my native language. Therefore I write in Globish, and am liable to make the odd gaffe here and there. You have permission to find that extremely charming, with no further judgements. 

I want to share with you all my experiences and knowledge on the most unique and unusual places on earth. It's my hope that I can inspire you to travel meaningfully, try new things, and go beyond being a stereotypical tourist.

I write about:

Alternative ways of traveling.

Volunteering abroad.

Sharing economy and collaborative consumption. Digital nomadism.

Teaching languages abroad.

Transformational travel.

Eco-tourism, responsible & green travel.

Slow traveling.

Travel trends.

And everything in between. 

"Different" urban attractions beyond the tourist brochure in cool cities around the world. 

Reviews of concept and unusual unique hotels, hostels, Airbnb rentals, and as well as alternative home stay and co-living programs. Forget about generic chain hotels that all look the same - let me show you the truly unique places. 

Eateries and drinking holes with an idea and a story. 

Less crowded, less known, authentic tours and activities in travel destinations that will immerse you into a new culture, help you to meet and connect with local people, and even to learn a new skill. 

Discovering concept, designer and vintage stores. Supporting local creators. Finding gems at flea markets. Buying souvenirs or gifts for your family and friends that are authentic and unique. 

Exploring and writing about street art, independent art galleries, cultural events, and local festivals.

I also visit museums, but I'm not interested in writing about the more popular stuff. Think less British museum and the Louvre, more upside-down wooden cat museum. That doesn't exist (at least, I'm not aware of one), but you get the idea. 

In popular tourist cities, I look for lower key attractions, and I also go to less popular cities and countries (perhaps, for now) that are worth visiting. Won't you come and explore the less travelled with me? 

If you're looking for a mainstream travel guide, then unfortunately you're in the wrong place. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. The Alternative Travel Guide is for those seeking the quirky, the less advertised, the weird, the wonderful, and I guess you could say uh...the alternative! 

Sound interesting? Then follow along! The blog is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. One day a year it morphs into a dog grooming site. Don't ask. The rest of the time, though? It's non-stop travel! Woof.

The countries that amazed me and blown my mind are Myanmar and Iceland. They are truly unlike any other country. In Iceland, it's a nature that I have not seen anywhere else. And in Myanmar, I was impressed by its people and their culture untouched by globalization. 

My favorite countries where I return again and again and where I plan to live for some time are Spain, southern France, and Thailand.

Yes, I occasionally accept travel-related guest posts! 

If you are interested in publishing a guest post on The Alternative Travel Guide, you should submit original content written by you and not published anywhere else. 

You can write about your last trip, moving to a new country, alternative travel, volunteer experience, eco-travel, unusual places and unique off the beaten path attractions, SLOW-style travel, digital nomadism, retreats, transformational travel. 

Here is the list of all topics and a mini-guide on publishing a guest post. 

Please contact me and tell me what you want to write about, and I will get in touch with you.