Quixoticguide
Hi, I’m Maarten Van Den Driessche, a curious human, aviation enthusiast, vexillophile, world traveler, and food lover with over 14,000 days of life experience.
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Syria: a short history in ten scenes
Syria’s story is a palimpsest—new hands writing over old ones, never fully erasing what came before. Walk any old street and you’re tracing trade routes, empires, and faiths layered so densely that time feels near-vertical. Here’s a compact, readable sweep you can drop straight into a blog post—built to pair with photos from Damascus, Aleppo,…
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How to Ride the World’s Shortest Flight (Westray–Papa Westray, Orkney)
Editor’s note — 21 Aug 2025: Marc Santens is flying this route shortly and will update this guide with fresh timings, photos, and a cockpit‑view clip. A detailed trip report will be added below once back on the ground. Fast facts What the flight is like Think bus‑with‑wings: single pilot, tiny cabin, and big windows…
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Think Different, Travel Better: A Field Guide to Usefully Original Trips
Travel doesn’t have to be louder or farther to be better. It has to be more intentional. “Think different” in travel means designing trips that are usefully original—memorable for their purpose, not just their polish. Why “different” matters (and when it doesn’t) People don’t remember kilometers; they remember moments. The goal isn’t to chase novelty…
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Schengen, Luxembourg: a tiny village that changed how we travel
Tucked into the Moselle valley where Luxembourg meets France and Germany, Schengen is a sleepy wine village with outsized history—the spot where Europe signed away internal border checks and birthed the Schengen Area. Start at the freshly redesigned European Museum (Schengen Museum) to trace that story, then step outside to the riverside monuments and flag-dotted…
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Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ): Angola’s new gateway
Luanda has a brand-new front door. About 40 km southeast of the city center in Bom Jesus, Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (IATA: NBJ, ICAO: FNBJ) is the long-planned replacement for Quatro de Fevereiro—built to turn Angola’s capital into a true regional hub. Officially inaugurated in November 2023, it began with cargo operations and…
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Bujumbura Travel Guide (Burundi)
Why go: Lake Tanganyika sunsets, palm-fringed city beaches, and hippo-spotting just outside town at Rusizi National Park. Bujumbura is Burundi’s laid-back waterside hub (and former political capital). Bonus: it’s a Brussels Airlines destination from Brussels. Quick facts Plan your trip Flights: Brussels Airlines operates Brussels → Bujumbura (BJM); frequency varies by season—check current schedules. Stays:…
Dream destinations
Finding the perfect travel destination involves considering a variety of factors to ensure the trip meets your expectations and desires. My destinations
Research Destinations
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My Travel guides
- Travel guides are invaluable resources for planning and making the most of your trips.
- They provide detailed information on destinations, attractions, accommodation, dining, and local culture.
- Providing practical tips and itineraries with a focus on cultural experiences.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” –
Ibn Battuta
Maghrebi traveller