About Traveling Dutchie

Hey! My name is Menno and I was born and raised in The Netherlands – hence the name of this website: Traveling Dutchie. Never having left my home country as a kid, I have been traveling the world my whole adult life. I live to travel and I feel very fortunate and thankful that I have been able to visit many incredibly beautiful places around the world.

So far I have visited more than sixty countries on all continents except Antarctica. Some of them I have visited more than once and there’s a lot more I hope to visit in the future. If I haven’t been there, it’s on my list! Most times I either have just returned from a trip or are planning the next. Not traveling is just not an option for me. You only live once – or as some people say: you only die once but you live every day.

Never stop exploring

The travel virus is the most exciting and inspiring virus one can catch. Traveling gives you a sense of freedom that not many other things do. It makes you feel alive. There are so many incredibly beautiful places to visit, experience and enjoy. And there’s so much you learn by traveling the world. Histories you don’t know yet, cultures you’re not familiar with.

I believe that part of the experience is to learn a bit more about the places you visit. To know what you are actually looking at, about its history before you – twenty-first century traveler – entered the room. It makes the places you visit more interesting and gives your experience more depth. Traveling broadens your scope and alters your perspective on the world. Every trip is a learning experience.

Start your journey at Traveling Dutchie

If you ask me, nothing beats making your own travel plans, figuring out where to go and when, how to get there, what to see and do. Scary? No, exciting! Making travel plans is part of the fun! Therefore Traveling Dutchie provides you with practical tips you can use to create your own custom-made do-it-yourself trips.

At Traveling Dutchie I share my personal experience and give you honest advice about which beautiful, interesting, breathtaking places are worthwhile visiting – and which are not. My recommendations are just that; it’s up to you to decide if you want to go and see for yourself – or not. But I do hope my stories will get you excited to start venturing out on your own.

Travelogues

When I’m on the road I keep a journal which turns into a travelogue after I return. I write about what I did and where I went, about the places I visited, what I liked (and what not). At Traveling Dutchie I share my impressions and stories with you. Reading them hopefully you will find some inspiration for your own next trip.

(Note: Reading older travelogues, you’ll notice that they are shorter and less informative. This reflects how I have changed. Over the years my interests have shifted and my style of writing has changed, and so have my travelogues.)

Real photos

I love photography and I take a lot of photos during my travels. Trying to capture what I see. My camera is my best travel companion and always at hand when I am on the road. Whoever joins me on a trip has to bear with me every now and then, if I want to photograph something from different angles or when I’m waiting until all people have left the frame…

So with my travelogues I also share pictures from my trips with you. All photos you see on this website are made by Traveling Dutchie. No stock photos, no Instagram filters, no pictures photoshopped to perfection – what you see is what I saw.

Road trips and city trips

People are different and there are different kinds of travelers. In the end, traveling is a highly personal experience. Different people have different interests. What is interesting to me, may not be interesting to you. And that’s okay. But one little advice I’d like to give to the aspiring traveler: Be open, be curious!

So what kind of traveler is Traveling Dutchie? Well, this website might as well been called Traveling Solo, because most times that’s what I do. In the past I have also traveled with a partner (but that position is vacant 😉) and a couple of times I have joined organized tours. But if you ask me, nothing beats making your own plans.

Most of my journeys are either road trips or city trips. I almost never stay in one place, instead I travel about to see as much as I can of the varied cities, landscapes, people and nature. I prefer to have my own wheels, but depending on the destination I also travel by air, train, bus, bike, taxi, boat, rickshaw, you name it.

You will not find me in all-inclusive resorts, nor beach bumbing during the day and partying at night – if that’s your thing, Traveling Dutchie is not for you. I like to venture out and explore. I’m not into adventure sports, however, my trips are always quite active – it’s called traveling, not vacationing, for a reason! I sometimes joke that when I come home after a journey, I need a vacation. 🙂

Do you have a question? Or a comment? Or do you just want to say ‘hi’? Please feel free to contact me.