Markus Baker

Markus Baker

Traveller

Catching the travel bug in my early twenties, it wasn’t until my late thirties that I committed to the lifestyle by quitting my job and selling everything I owned, including my house, to travel the World.

Below is the chronology of some of my travels.

Traveller

June 1998 - Philippines, Asia

My best friend at school who was born in the Philippines invited me to visit his family and travel home country for 6 weeks. With the permission to take extended leave from my job as a Nursery Nurse and a month after my 21st birthday, I began a journey that would unlock my travelling habit, which led me to return to the country various times over the next couple of years.

Manila 1998

Manila

Roxas City 1998

Roxas City

Iloilo City 1998

Iloilo City

Boracay 1998

Boracay

September 2014 - Vietnam, Asia

Between 1998 and 2014, I went on various package holidays but realised they were not for me. A year before this trip, I chose to commit myself to a simpler life that involved travelling and had an initial plan to travel for an extended time in 2015.

Hanoi 2014

Hanoi

Ha Long Bay 2014

Ha Long Bay

Hue 2014

Hue

Hoi An 2014

Hoi An

DaNang 2014

DaNang

Ho Chi Minh 2014

Ho Chi Minh

July – Dec 2015 – Travelling the World

Circumnavigating the Globe

I had been frustrated with my lifestyle for some time, my girlfriend wanted to become an MP, and have a larger house with more items, whilst I didn’t like owning a house and working 9-5. I wanted less so I could live a freer life to explore the world.

My relationship ended, I sold my house and almost everything I owned, and then quit my job to travel the world and work as a freelance graphic designer.

So in my 39th year on earth. I decided to explore parts of the planet I have always found the most appealing.

To overcome my fear of travelling to places with a different alphabet, I ensured the first countries I visited would have just that.

By starting this journey in Russia, Mongolia and China, in April 2015 I sorted out my visas.

In July, full of emotions that are equal measures excitement and trepidation, I leave Britain to begin my travels.

July 2015 – Russia

St Petersburg 2015

Saint Petersburg

Moscow 2015

Moscow

Trans-Mongolian 2015

Trans-Mongolian Railway

July 2015 – Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar 2015

Ulaanbaatar

Terelj National Park 2015

Terelj National Park

August 2015 – China

Beijing 2015

Beijing

GuiLin 2015

GuiLin

YangShou 2015

YangShou

Shanghai 2015

Shanghai

September 2015 – South Korea

Busan 2015

Busan

JeJu 2015

JeJu

Seoul 2015

Seoul

Lotus Temple 2015

Lotus Buddhist Temple

SeoSan 2015

Seosan – Stay with Taoist Master Kim

October 2015 – Japan

Tokyo 2015

Tokyo

Osaka 2015

Osaka

Kyoto 2015

Kyoto

Hiroshima 2015

Hiroshima

Miyajima 2015

Miyajima

November 2015 – The Philippines

Manila 2015

Manila

Boracay 2015

Boracay

December 2015 – Canada

Vancouver 2015

Vancouver

Jasper 2015

Jasper

Toronto 2015

Toronto

Hamilton 2015

Hamilton

Niagra Falls 2015

Niagra Falls

Ottawa 2015

Ottawa

Montreal 2015

Montreal

Quebec 2015

Quebec

September 2016 - India/Dubai

My best friend, Ben and I wanted to travel to a place that would blow our minds.
On our way back we visited Dubai the whole trip was such an experience and full of culture clashes.
Delhi 2016

Delhi

Pushkar 2016

Pushkar

Jaipur 2016

Jaipur

Agra 2016

Agra

Varanassi 2016

Varanasi

Dubai 2016

Dubai

December 2017 - USA

After initially planning a week away to the USA to introduce a friend of a friend to the basics of travelling we visited New York, Philly and DC. Instead of returning to the UK with her, I chose to stay for a further 5 weeks to circumnavigate this truly astounding and beautiful country.

New York 2017

New York

Philly 2017

Philadelphia

Washington DC 2017

Washington DC

Boston 2017

Boston

Chicago 2017

Chicago

Chicago 2017

Denver

Reno 2017

Reno

San Fran 2017

San Francisco

Santa Barbara 2017

Santa Barbara

Los Angeles
Muscle Beach on the Monkey Rings

Dallas 2017

Dallas

New Orleans 2017

New Orleans

May 2018 - Thailand

Following my travel blog in 2015, a friend from Yoga went on her own travelling adventure. Before she left I said if she wanted someone to travel with at any time, let me know. One Monday in May, I received a text saying “Bangkok?”. I booked a flight and arrived shortly after.

Bangkok
Monitor Lizards

Chiang Rai 2018

Chiang Rai

Chiang Mai 2018

Chiang Mai

August 2018 - Canada

A friend attending a conference in Vancouver didn’t want to travel there alone, so he offered me a free flight. As a committed traveller, I was not going to turn down such a kind offer.

Vancouver 2018

Vancouver

Victoria 2018

Victoria

Whistler 2018

Whistler

May 2019 - Israel/Palestine

It is one of the most intriguing places with its beaches, culture, history, heat and many military personnel carrying rifles, even on the buses. 

Tel-Aviv 2019

Tel Aviv

Jerusalem 2019

Jerusalem

Bethlehem 2019

The West Bank

Masada 2019

Masada

Ein Bokek 2019

Ein Bokek (Dead Sea)

Eilat 2019

Eilat

Nazareth 2019

Nazareth

Sea Of Galilee 2019

Sea of Galilee

Haifa 2019

Haifa

June 2019 - Jordan

Walking across the border from Eilat in Israel, Jordan was an amazing experience that has left me wanting to explore more of the middle east.

Wadi Rum 2019

Wadi Rum

Amman 2019

Amman

Petra 2019

Petra

November 2022 - Canada

Following the death of my dad in early 2021, I wanted to give my mum a purpose and something to look forward to. So we arranged a trip.

Vancouver 2022

Vancouver

Whale Watching Richmond 2022

Richmond

VIA Train 2022

VIA Train

Jasper 2022

Jasper

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