Searching for positive developments in Sunni Iraq, ten years after the invasion by the terrorist group ISIS, photographer Eddy van Wessel and I unexpectedly encountered the concept of dark tourism.

Chiang Mai is a relaxed city in the north of Thailand with lots of trees and nature, beautiful temples and relaxded, friendly people. An ideal place to work digitally as a freelancer. And so I packed my laptop and travelled east.

After much consideration, I’m taking the plunge. Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine, in September I’m ending my journey that started in 2013 along the EU member states. Bratislava is the final stop. The brief adventure begins on Sunday, September 10th.

Shankar’s cozy Mother Ocean Surf School is located on a quiet stretch of coast in South Indian Tamil Nadu. “Surfing is the most beautiful thing in my life, I have enormous respect for the ocean: I owe everything to her.”