July 29th, 2024 Delphi and Athens, Greece

4:45AM I woke up and started driving toward Delphi.

8:30AM I arrived at Delphi and began my tour, starting with the Tholos of Athena Pronaia. The Temple of Apollo was impressive, and I took some aerial videos before leaving for Athens around 1:00 PM. On the way, I picked up a couple of hitchhikers who offered 10 EUR, which I used for gas. Since I was tired, I let one of them take over the driving.

Delphi

Delphi Musuem

3PM The temperature outside was at least 38 degrees Celsius, according to the car's display. I visited the Parthenon and the Acropolis, finishing around 5PM. The tour took much longer than expected, so I had to skip the museum. I managed to capture some aerial videos of the Acropolis before leaving at 6:15 PM.

7:15PM I added gas twice during the drive. Despite using the toll road, I was still 45 minutes late to my next destination, only to find the gates closed. I ordered an Uber, but just as I did, the call went through, and the staff informed me that the driver would arrive in 10 minutes. He reached me around 7:35 PM.

7:45PM We arrived at the airport, and I rushed to security with only 3% battery left on my phone. Unfortunately, the boarding pass didn’t work, so I ran to a check-in kiosk, but it didn’t work either. I realized I had mistakenly gone to Hall A instead of Hall B. I cut through the line to screen my luggage and reached gate B7 just in time—they hadn’t begun boarding yet. The staff assured me it was safe to visit the Goldair Handling Lounge for 15 minutes before boarding. The flight was disappointing; although I thought I had booked a business class ticket, it turned out to be just an economy seat with an empty middle seat, offering limited legroom.

11PM I arrived at Charles de Gaulle, only to find that the customer service office was closed. A staff member informed me that all the lounges were also closed, and I wouldn’t be getting a complimentary hotel stay. Stranded at Terminal 2G, I attempted to reach Yotel, but I couldn’t access Terminal 2E. Even after exiting, I was unable to get to 2E until 5AM. Eventually, I made it to the K gates, but Yotel was located in the L section and turned out to be just a lobby with single rooms priced at nearly 300 EUR per night. After clearing security again to return to the K gates, I waited in the lounge until 9AM. Thankfully, the flight back to SFO in business class was pleasant.

July 28th, 2024 Meteora, Greece

1AM I arrived in Cairo and spent an hour at the Alhein Lounge before boarding my flight to Athens.

6:05AM I landed in Athens and waited until 7AM for the shuttle, which picked me up after I called them.

8AM I began my drive toward Meteora. Unfortunately, I had to stop twice to charge my phone since the car's USB port was barely charging it, if at all.

2PM I arrived at Meteora and began exploring. I drove past St. Nicholas Monastery, the first on the left side of the road, as I wanted to prioritize other sites. Each monastery required a short hike. I visited Roussanou Monastery first, followed by Varlaam Monastery. The ticketing lady at Roussanou advised me to head to Varlaam first since it closes at 3:00 PM. Afterward, I explored the Great Meteora Monastery at 3:30 PM, then visited the Holy Trinity Monastery just before 4:00 PM, staying until 4:30 PM. I reached St. Stephen's Monastery at 4:45 PM and finished my visit by 5:05 PM. Unfortunately, when I arrived at St. Nicholas Monastery around 5:30 PM, its doors were already closed.

Meteora

6PM I headed down to charge my drone and phone, enjoying a cappuccino freddo while I waited. I returned at 7:30 PM to take some aerial shots of the Great Meteora Monastery and the Holy Trinity Monastery, though I missed the best part of the sunset.

9:30PM I went down to the town center and had lamb and wine at Restaurant Meteora Gkertsou Family. Despite the lamb being slow-cooked, I wasn’t particularly impressed. I went to sleep at 11:45 PM.

July 27th, 2024 Seychelles to Addis Ababa

12PM I woke up and flew the drone near the airport before returning to the pool. Afterward, I squeezed in a quick workout at the gym before checking out at 2:20 PM. Meanwhile, Shebani had a chicken burger for lunch.

2:50PM We arrived at the airport and returned the rental car. After checking in, we relaxed at the Sallon Vallee de Mai Lounge until 4:45 PM.

9PM We landed in Addis Ababa. I attempted to change my flight, which had a stopover in Cairo, to go directly to Athens. However, since my Cairo to Athens leg was with Aegean Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines couldn’t make the change. Unfortunately, Shebani couldn’t get me into the Sheba Gold Lounge as we were on different outgoing flights, so we opted for the Plaza Premium Lounge instead. We stayed there for about an hour and a half before I boarded my flight to Egypt.

July 26th, 2024 Victoria, Seychelles

 7AM I woke up early to hit the gym, then spent some time capturing a few shots around the hotel.

10:30AM We had breakfast together.

3PM We checked out and headed to Petite Anse. It was a 20-minute walk to the beach, but we hadn’t made a reservation the day before, which was required. She didn’t want to stay since the lobby was far from the beach, and there was no seating available for guests outside of the hotel. So, we walked back.

5PM We checked into the Laila Hotel.

8PM We ate at Kafe Kreole. I had a sleeper lobster which has a flat head.

12PM I went to bed.

July 25th, 2024 Victoria, Seychelles

8AM Shebani woke me up, calling from the transfer desk at Addis Ababa. I tried to assist her by coordinating a three-way call with United and the Ethiopian Airlines check-in agent. Unfortunately, the situation quickly became tense. The Ethiopian agent couldn’t process the upgrade on her account, despite the upgrade already being on hold. When the two agents started speaking over each other, I had to raise my voice to get them to communicate one at a time. This caused Shebani to become upset with me. The agent, using my raised voice as an excuse, refused to continue the conversation. Shebani, who dislikes confrontations, was distressed and gave me a very short window to resolve the issue. Despite the frustration, I eventually managed to get another United agent on the line. This agent instructed the gate supervisor to uncheck her and complete the upgrade to Business class. Thankfully, this final effort was successful. Shebani often delegates these mundane tasks to me, likely feeling that I should handle them since I didn’t book her hotel reservations. However, she seldom expresses any gratitude.

10:10AM I left for Eden Island, which turned out to be just a small mall. I ordered a Sailor coffee but found it too strong, so they added more milk. After spending only 15 minutes there, I headed to Venn's ruins. The trip took another 45 minutes, but the site was unimpressive and cost 100 SCR. The view was mostly obstructed by fog.

1PM I arrived at Mango House.

Mango House

2:10PM I left to pick up Shebani. I found her at the entrance at 2:50PM. I wanted to tell her that the ETA didn't even require reservations.

4PM We returned to Mango House and relaxed by the pool until Shebani went for a massage at 5:30 PM. The massage lasted an hour and cost 2140 SCR, around 150 USD.

8PM We had dinner at Maria's Rock Cafeteria, where we enjoyed a mixed platter of shrimp, fish, beef, and chicken that we cooked ourselves. The meal cost 730.25 SCR.

9PM We returned to Mango House. I worked on my blog before heading into some meetings.

July 24th, 2024 Victoria, Seychelles

7AM I arrived in Seychelles without any issues. The ETA requirement was straightforward; it only took about five minutes to fill out and was instantly verified. However, when Shebani submitted her ETA, it was missing some dates, which likely triggered the system to flag her for additional documentation. After handling that, I walked around the airport area and found a few apartments nearby for around 80 EUR. I picked up my rental car and paid an extra 300 SCR to extend the rental by six hours on my last day. I then started a scenic drive, looping around the south of the island.

1PM II arrived in Victoria, a small town bustling with people and limited parking. I visited the Arulmigu Navasakti Vinayagar Temple and the Chinese Cultural Center. The center had some art displays on the right side of the building and takeout food options on the left. I met a woman and her partner, and we chatted about their life here. They recommended Beau Vallon for affordable accommodations..

2PM I continued driving around the northern part of the island and reached Beau Vallon. I checked out a few hotels. Peponi Self Catering Apartments quoted 925 SCR (about 60 USD) plus a 25 SCR environmental tax. Villa Des Roses Apartments offered 850 SCR, but I hesitated when I learned their internet was unreliable. While searching for Beau Vallon Villa Apartments, I encountered a couple of guys working outside who showed me another hotel called Alpha. They initially quoted 760 SCR plus the 25 SCR tax, but I managed to negotiate it down to 750 SCR.

5PM After a nap, Shebani called to inform me that her bag might be lost in Zurich. This seemed unlikely, and we later confirmed that the Ethiopian Airlines agent had been mistaken. I then spent two hours on the phone with United, discussing options for upgrading her flight. She was determined to fly business class and paid 500 EUR for the upgrade with her credit card. Afterward, I worked on the United Health partnership proposal with Julia for an hour before heading to bed. I called United again, and this time, a supervisor was able to upgrade the last leg of her flight to business class, which surprisingly couldn’t be done the previous day. He mentioned leaving notes for further review.

July 23rd, 2024 San Francisco to Dubai, to Seychelles

7PM I arrived in Dubai and headed straight to the Marhaba Lounge. During the flight, I received a text from Shebani, but unfortunately, I was asleep at the time. She missed her flight because the check-in agent mistakenly insisted that the ETA needed to be completed before departure, even though it’s only required upon arrival. Frustrated and irritable, she found it difficult to reason with the agent. Eventually, she returned home around 2:00 AM and was rebooked on the next available flight. Instead of her original itinerary of SFO-ORD-ADD-SEZ, she was rerouted to SFO-ZRH with a stop in Milan, where she didn’t have to deplane, followed by ADD-SEZ.

11PM I spent three hours with three different agents attempting to upgrade her to business class. Eventually, I moved to the Ahlan Lounge at C13 for a shower. Multiple United supervisors informed me it was impossible to upgrade her because she had already checked in, and the only way would be to uncheck in with Ethiopian Airlines, but even then, there were no award upgrade availabilities. I advised her to inquire about an upgrade at the transfer desks in Zurich and Addis Ababa. During our conversation, it became clear that she could have likely made her original flight if she had been more assertive at SFO and moved to the front of the line. However, she mentioned that such actions aren’t in her character.

August 22nd, 2024 Iran and Bhutan

Isfahan was my favorite city on the trip. Most of the sites I visited were truly worth seeing, especially if you're fascinated by culture and history. Even though I had food poisoning there, the experience was still remarkable. However, the exorbitant costs are a significant deterrent, making it unlikely that I'll visit again soon unless the visa and cost situation changes

Bhutan was fine, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. It met my expectations, but not more.

August 22nd, 2024 Financials

 

The daily expenditure during this trip was significant due to upfront payments. In Iran, I spent a total of $3,370.90, averaging $306.45 per day. For the remainder of the trip to Bhutan, the expenditure was $1,289.47, with a daily average of $322.37. Overall, this trip was quite costly, totaling $4,660.37.

April 25th, 2024 Paro, Bhutan to Hong Kong, China

8AM The front desk called to ask about checkout. I had woken up every hour due to diarrhea.

9AM I took a final stroll around Paro before checking out and grabbed a taxi for the 137 BTN I had..

12:30AM The flight was not only delayed at first but also required refueling due to weight and balance issues.

1PM We landed in Guwahati, India, for refueling. We departed after half an hour.

5:35PM I arrived at the destination. It took 30 minutes to reach the information desk, but no one was at the transfer desk. It was closed for check-in. I bought a new ticket with Hong Kong Airlines, which was itself delayed by an hour.

10:45PM Our plane finally departed. I arrived at Hong Kong after 2AM. I arrived around 3:45AM. The taxi took only 35 minutes to get to Helen’s apartment.

April 24th, 2024 Paro, Bhutan

7:45AM I woke up to severe diarrhea. By 9AM, it had calmed enough to leave the hotel. I took a taxi to the base of Taktsang for 350 BTN.

9:30AM I began the climb to Taktsang. I was told by guides that horses could take people halfway point for 800 to 1,000 BTN, but I walked. It was tough. I took many small breaks. I also took a break at the cafe midway and eventually reached the monastery at 11:30 AM. A monk took my bag outside. The police asked me to delete photos on my phone and camera. I visited the cave meditation area and then headed back down.

Taktsang

12:30PM I started my way down and reached the cafe at 1:30PM. I stopped at the cafe for further diarrhea. I paid a steep price for a small Fanta at 90 BTN. The horse prices seemed inconsistent, with some now asking for 1,500 to 2,500 BTN to just go down the rest of the way for half of the entire distance.

3PM I reached the base and hitched a ride with an Asian American family from New York.

4:10PM I missed the National Museum's closing time, so I opted for momos at Momo Corner. They were too salty. However, the Hotel Jigmeling staff said that is the way it's supposed to be.

6PM I exchanged 1500 BTN for 18 USD, which was basically exact. I had a shower at 6:30PM and went to sleep.

April 23rd, 2024 Thimphu, Bhutan

1:30AM We landed in Delhi.

2AM I was delayed until the gate was ready, then further delayed by the transfer desk staff, who took half an hour to get my boarding pass.

3AM I finally got my boarding pass and reached the lounge, but there was a fee for showers, and I didn't have time. I grabbed a drink and some snacks, then walked to gate 4A. The flight departed just after 4AM.

6:30AM We arrived at Paro. My card got stuck in the ATM, but I managed to retrieve it. I got a ride from someone called to fix the ATM, who paid for the taxi back to Paro.

8AM Nirvana Inn was 2,500 BTH while Hotel Jigmeling was 1,500 BHN per night. I got it down to 2,800 BTH for 2 nights. I showered and napped for 2 hours before heading to Thimphu.

11:15AM I took a taxi and stopped at a bridge and for a panoramic view of Thimphu.

Thimphu

12:50PM I arrived in Thimphu. I ook photos and visited landmarks, including the unimpressive Buddha and archery yard, which as impressive at 145 meters long as I used to train on 8 meters. I had Ema Datshi, Jasha Maru and Lassi at Zombala 2 Restaurant.

3PM I visited Tashichho Dzong, the Imperial Working Compound, but entry was allowed only after 5PM and required a guide. I took some photos outside.

Tashichho Dzong

4PM I took a taxi to Semtokha Dzong. The taxi driver acted suspiciously, later escalating his fare demand. He wanted 1200 BHN! This dropped to 900, then 450, then eventually 370. He even gave the money back to me that I left in his car. We ended up at a police station, and the officer mediated a 300 BTH fare.

 Semtokha Dzong

6PM I left for Paro. The taxi driver stopped midway so we can give his cycling friend a lift.

8PM: I arrived in Paro and had a meeting with Mary Vater for FDA minutes. Then I tried the Baa Thup at the Mountain Cafe, which wasn't that good, followed by a Pepsi before heading back to the hotel.

April 22nd, 2024 Tehran, Iran to Kuwait City, Kuwait

8:30AM I had breakfast consisting of cantaloupe melon, watermelon, and orange juice. I was feeling more nauseated than usual.

9:15AM Erfan and I left for the airport. After checking in, I found there was no lounge due to sanctions, so I slept on the chairs until boarding.

12:30PM I boarded the flight to Kuwait. Departure was delayed, but I finally left at 12:55 PM.

2PM I landed in Terminal 4, the newer terminal. I got a free visa-on-arrival (VOA) within 40 minutes. An Asian girl kindly gave me 1 Kuwaiti dinar as I hadn't exchanged currency yet.

3PM I waited for the X3 bus for 20 minutes, but it didn't show. I asked another bus driver for advice, and he suggested I take his bus, bus 13 and switch at a stop in the city.

4:30PM I got on the wrong bus 51, and when I jumped off, the door knocked off the top half of my phone case. I switched to the 21A and walked 20 minutes to the Kuwait Towers. It was just like it was before when I visited years ago. I tried to access the restaurant for a higher view, but they didn't allow cameras even if I were to dine there. I ordered a Careem but it wasn't moving. Careem was charging around 6 KWD. I took a taxi thinking 20 USD was less than 6 KWD. I was wrong and ended up paying more.

Kuwait Towers

5:10PM I returned to Terminal 4, I spent 90 minutes in the lounge before boarding the flight to Delhi.

7:25 PM I departed for DEL.

April 21st, 2024 Tehran, Iran

3:40AM I woke Erfan to send me to the airport. We were early and the plane left around 5:30AM.

7AM I landed in Tehran and took a quick one-hour nap. I attempted to leave, but the guide stopped me, stating that I needed to coordinate with the travel agency. I returned to my room and worked on my blog.

5PM I went out with the guide, who treated me to a Coke. We strolled through a nearby park, and he shared some fried sausage from a fast-food place. I was back in my room by 6:00 PM.

April 20th, 2024 Bam, Iran to Kerman, Iran

8AM After breakfast, we left for the Kalouts at 8:45AM. We arrived a little after 9AM.

Kalouts

9:45AM We headed toward Shahzadeh Mahan Historical Garden, arriving just after 11:26 AM. This garden, built during the Qajar Dynasty, features stunning water channels and landscaping.

Shahzadeh Mahan Historical Garden

11:58PM We left for Bam, a city known for its ancient citadel and historical significance. The drive took almost two hours.

1:50PM We reached the Bam Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its large mud-brick tower citadel. We spent a couple of hours exploring the site and learning about its history before leaving for Kerman.

Bam Citadel

3:55PM We left Bam and reached Kerman by 6:30PM. Initially, we arrived at the wrong hotel, but quickly relocated to the correct one, closer to the airport.

7:00PM We took a taxi to the Keykhosro Complex for dinner. I had a Boz Ghormeh and Bastani Kermani, which is saffron ice cream, but neither lived up to my expectations. The traffic was quite congested on the way there, but the return journey was much quicker.

April 19th, 2024 Yazd, Iran to Shahdah, Iran

6:15AM I woke Erfan up and we set off for Yazd early in the morning, arriving by 9:45AM.

10AM We toured the Dowlat Abad Garden, another Persian Garden with a tall wind catcher.

10:30AM We briefly visited Amir Chaghmagh Square and the Jameh Mosque of Yazd.

Amir Chaghmagh Square

Jameh Mosque of Yazd

11:30AM Our next stop was the Fahadan District, a charming area with mud buildings.

12:15PM We then departed for Shahdad.

5:35PM We reached Shahdad, but our plans to catch the sunset were thwarted. We drove for 20 minutes and realized that we couldn’t have made sunset when we were just 25 kilometers away from the Kalouts. Instead, we decided to leave the site visit for the following morning.

April 18th, 2024 Isfahan, Iran

10:30AM We had a late start and visited the Jameh Mosque in Isfahan, then walked through the Isfahan Grand Bazaar to reach Naqsh-e Johan Square.

Jameh Mosque

11:50AM We reached the Naqsh-e Johan Square. This is the most famous square in Iran. Ali Qapu Palace was closed for some emergency repairs. Imam Mosque was open. All entry fees were waived today as it is World Heritage Day.

Imam Mosque

1:30PM We visited the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque.

Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

Chehel Sotoon Palace

3:30PM We came back to the hotel. I was nauseous from all the greasy food yesterday. I slept for about an hour.

6:30PM Our evening included a taxi ride to the ancient bridge, where we took some photos. I had a Kebab Hosseni for dinner at the famous Shahrzad Restaurant. I also had trouble with the hotel toilet, which required changing rooms. I just asked for the keys for the room closeby. This led to frequent bathroom trips to the room next door during the night at 11:30PM, 12:30AM, 1:30AM, 5AM, keeping me awake until morning and right before we left for Yazd.

Ancient bridge at Isfahan