OLIVER JOEST

Tag: storytelling

  • Off to new shores

    Off to new shores

    Weeks have passed since my last post. The DPRK series is not finished by far, there is so much more stuff in the pipeline. But traveling meant good business the last weeks. From Thailand to China, Korea (North and South) over Hawaii to Canada within one month took it’s tribute. The travel was demanding and…

  • DPRK: Why did I go?

    DPRK: Why did I go?

    It was a long-cherished dream to go to the DPRK. Partly out of curiosity for a secluded place, partly out of the wish to educate myself about the reality of life in a separated country. I missed the chance to visit GDR before the collapse of the political system in socialist Germany. And of course…

  • Throwback: Photography trip to DPRK

    Throwback: Photography trip to DPRK

    It has been almost a week since I came back from my trip to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The time has passed and I was in a constant state of confusion and despair. On my hard drive sits an archive of well around 500 images that preserve many of the memories that I’ve…

  • From Ta Van to Bang Ho

    From Ta Van to Bang Ho

    Our route went from Sapa to Ta Van for the first night. From there we continued the route along the mountains to Ban Ho where we’d stay another night. The trek was ambitious without being overwhelming. The daily walking of 6 hours and around 15 Kilometers were a nice contrast to the last weeks in…

  • Rollercoasters

    Rollercoasters

    My last stop in Myanmar surprised me so much. My travel fatigue was blasted away by Yangon in an instant. The city bursts many colonial style buildings and sometimes feels like Budapest or Barcelona when I strolled through the alleys and streets. The rollercoaster ride of my emotions culminated in a 14Km day long stroll…

  • Worshipping Ganesha

    Worshipping Ganesha

    The night I came back from the monasteries I watched the movie “Victor Frankenstein” in a small tea shop across the street of my hotel. When I left, the sound of drums and flutes came to my ear. I walked down the alley only to find me in a procession of Hinduists worshipping a truck loaded…

  • The tributes of Hpa-an

    The tributes of Hpa-an

    We arrived to Hpa-an (thank you Danny for the tip) after visiting the Golden rock further north. The small town is very quiet and the scenery on the shore of the crossing Thanlyin river compensates for the stress of traveling from Nyaungshwe all the way down south. The environment of Hpa-an is defined by huge…