Travels

Since 1990 I have travelled at least once a year to countries beyond Europe and from 1992 I have done these trips with my wife Dorthe. Our favorite destinations are without a doubt southeast Asia and Indonesia. My long-term goal is to establish an archaeological project in this area, preferably on one of the islands in Indonesia. We prefer to travel off the beaten track and tries to avoid the tourist traps as much as possible, although this is getting harder every year. In the future I will post something from each trip. Note that trips to Latin America excludes my field work in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Argentina.

Asia

  • China and Nepal (1995) – Nepal (Kathmandu, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur), China (Lhasa, Drepung monastery, Tsedang, Yumbu Lakang, Valley of the kings, Lhamo Latso, Lake Yamdrok, Gyantse, Shigatse, Shegar, Rongbuk Gompa, Mt. Everest, Nyalam, Milarepa’s cave, Gates of hell)
  • China (2008/2009) – Beijing, the Great Wall, Chongqing and Ciqikou 
  • China (2015) – Hainan (Sanya, Yalong Bay, Baoting, Shenzhou)
  • China (2017) – Chongqing, Wulong karst, Dazu rock carvings, Chengdu, Emeishan, Leshan, Beijing, the Great Wall (Mutianyu).
  • India (1991/1992) – Delhi, Rajasthan (Shekawati district, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Arawalli mountains, Udaipur, Mount Abu, Rhantambore National Park, Jaipur), Fatepur Sikri, Baratpur, Agra (Taj Mahal
  • India (1999/2000) – Chennai, Kanchipuram, Bangalore, Nandi Hills, Mysore, Nagarhole National Park, Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid, Andaman Islands (Port Blair, Havelock Island, Neil Island), Mahabalipuram
  • India (2016) – Goa (Agonda, Palolem, Panaji, Old Goa), Mumbai
  • India (2018/2019) – Kerala (Fort Kochi, Cherai, Mararikkulam, Alappuzha, Backwaters, Munnar), Bengaluru
  • Indonesia (1993) – Java (Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Gunung Merapi, Borobudur, Prambanan, Beluran National Park), Bali, Kalimantan Selatan (Banjarmasin, Trekking)
  • Indonesia (2002) – Sumba (Waingapu, Waikabubak), Flores (Bajawa, Kelimutu, Labuan bajo, Kanawa), Komodo, Rinca, Lombok (Mataram, Tetebatu), Gili Air and Bali
  • Indonesia (2005) – Bali (wedding)
  • Indonesia (2008) – Sulawesi (Makassar, Tanah Toraja, Tentena, Togean Islands, Manado, SawanganTangkoko) and Bali
  • Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (2011) – Bali (Ubud, Pemuteran, Yeh Sanih, Candidasa, Padangbai, Kuta), Melaka, Tioman, Sibu, Singapore
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2013) – Java (Surakarta, Candi Sukuh, Jakarta, Anyer, Cianjur, Gunung Padang, Bandung, Tangkuban Perahu), Kuala Lumpur, Cherating, Kuala Terengganu, Merang, Lang Tengah, Redang, Gemia, Kapas)
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2014) – Bali (Tanjung Benoa, Kuta), Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan, Jakarta, Sumatra (Bukit Lawang, Brastagi, Lake Toba, Medan), Ipoh, Pangkor, Cameron Highlands, Perhentian Besar, Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Ketam, Kuala Lumpur.
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2015) – Bali (Sanur, Amed, Kuta), Java (Malang), Kalimantan Timur (Balikpapan, Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki), Johor Bahru, Besar, Port Dickson, Kuala Lumpur.
  • Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia (2016) – Bali (Bingin, Kuta), Lombok (Gili Layar, Gili Asahan), Sulawesi (Manado, Bunaken, Tomohon), Kalimantan Tengah (Pangkalan Bun, Tanjung Puting), Bangkok, Koh Samet, Kuala Lumpur.
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2017) – Bali (Pemuteran, Kuta), West Timor (Kupang, Soe, None, Boti, Kolbano, Oetune), Rote (Nemberala, Bo’a, Hakara, Oeseli), Kalimantan Timur (Samboja lestari, Derawan, Talisayan, Manimbora, Labuan Cermin, Maratua, Kakaban, Sangalaki), Sulawesi (Makassar, Bantimurung, Leang-Leang, Rammang-Rammang), Kuala Lumpur (Subang Jaya).
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2018) – Bali (Lovina, Kuta), Flores (Labuan Bajo, Komodo, Rinca, Ruteng), Sulawesi (Makassar), Wakatobi (Wangiwangi, Tomia), Kuala Lumpur (Petaling Jaya).
  • Indonesia and Malaysia (2019) – Bali (Sanur, Kuta), Nusa Penida, Java (Bandung, Kawah Putih), Kalimantan Timur (Berau, Maratua), Belitung, Kuala Lumpur (Petaling Jaya)
  • Malaysia (1996) – Sabah (Kota Kinabalu, Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, Rafflesia National Park, Sandakan, Sepilok Orangutan rehabilitation centre, Turtle Islands National Park, Kinabalu National Park, Poring hot springs), Terengganu (Kuala Terengganu, Marang, Perhentian Kecil, Kota Bharu), Kuala Lumpur
  • Sri Lanka (2004) – Galle, Mirissa, Tangalla, Yala National Park, Ella, Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Nilaveli, Trincomalee, Negombo
  • Thailand (2003) – Krabi, Koh Jam, Phuket and Khao Lak area
  • Thailand (2004) – Ayutthaya, Koh Samet and Bangkok
  • Thailand (2006) – Bangkok, Kanchanaburi (River Kwai), Sukothai, Si Satchanalai, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Hua Hin.
  • Thailand and Malaysia (2010) – Bangkok, Koh Chang, Koh Mak, Koh Wai, Koh Muk, Koh Lipe, Koh Bulone, Koh Adang, Langkawi, Penang, Georgetown, Khao Lak, and Hat Karon
  • Thailand (2014) – Si Kao, Pak Meng and Koh Kradan
  • Turkey (1999) – Alanya, Pamukkale, Efesus, Selcuk, Kas, Kemer
  • United Arab Emirates (2013) – Ras al-Khaimah, Dubai
  • Vietnam and Cambodia (2007) – Saigon, Mekong delta, Phu Quoc, Hue, Hoi An, My Son, Danang, Hanoi, Halong bay, Phnom Penh, Angkor
  • Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia (2012) – Saigon, Nha Trang, Whale Island, Phan Rang, Mui Ne, Kuala Lumpur, Semarang, Jepara, Bandengan, Karimunjawa, Wonosobo, Dieng Plateau, Bromo, Surabaya, Bali.

North and South America

  • Argentina, Chile and Brazil (1998) – Buenos Aires, Tucuman, Calchaqui valley (Colalao, El Pichao, Cafayate), Salta, Patagonia (Puerto Madryn, Trelew, Rawson, Peninsula Valdes, Rio Gallegos, El Calafate, Perito Moreno, Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, Villarica, Temuco), Santiago, Mendoza, and Iguazu falls.
  • Belize and Guatemala (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001) (trips during field work: Piedras Negras, Yaxchilan (Mx), St. Herman’s cave, Aktun Nakbe, Barton Creek, Caracol)
  • Ecuador (1992) – Quito, Otavalo, Amazon, Baños, Rio Bamba, Incapirca, Atacames
  • Guatemala and Honduras (2000)  – Chichicastenango, Antigua, Utatlan, Livingstone, Quirigua, Copan, Roatan, Utila, Gracias
  • Mexico, Belize and Guatemala (1997) – Merida, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Coba, Tulum, Bacalar, Caye Caulker, Lamanai, San Ignacio, Tikal
  • Mexico (2001) – Valladolid, Ek Balam, Campeche, Villa Hermosa, Palenque, Tonina, Oaxaca, Monte Alban, Mitla, Oaxaca coast, Puebla, Cholula, Mexico City, Teotihuacan
  • Mexico (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010) (trips during field work: Progreso, Rio Lagartos, Dzibilchaltun, Ake, Izamal, Puuc area, Edzna, Isla Holbox)
  • USA (2011) – Sacramento

Africa

  • Egypt (1990) – Cairo, Gizeh, Sakkara, Memphis, Abydos, Denderah, Luxor, Assuan, Abu Simbel
  • Egypt (2012) – Sharm el Sheik (in Sinai, which is located in Asia)
  • Madagascar (1994) – Antananarivo, Fort Dauphin, Tulear, Fianarantsoa, Isalo, Antsirabe, Ranomafana, Nosy Komba, Nosy Be
  • Tunisia (2005) – Tunis, Carthage, El Jem, Sousse

Europe (outside Scandinavia)

  • Belgium (2013) – Brussels
  • Croatia (2007) – Zagreb, Zadar, Plitvice
  • Cyprus (1996) – Hala Sultan Tekke, etc.
  • Czech Republic (2004) – Prague
  • Estonia and Latvia (1995) – Tallinn, Riga
  • France (2004) – Lyon
  • Germany (2004) – Bonn
  • Germany (2013) – Munich
  • Great Britain (1987, 1995, 2002, 2014) – London
  • Great Britain (2014) – Manchester
  • Greece (1998) – Athens, Agistri, Mycenae, Chorint
  • Greece (2009) – Parga, Paxos
  • Greece (2009) – Thassos, Alikri, Limenas
  • Hungary (2007) – Budapest
  • Italy (1995) – Rome
  • Montenegro (2008) – Budva, Kotor, Ulcinj, Tara valley
  • Portugal (2003) – Azores
  • Russia (1991) – Sankt Petersburg
  • Spain (2018) – Tenerife
  • Spain (2019) – Gran Canaria

Responses

  1. YOU AND YOUR WIFE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET TO GO TO ALL THESE PLACES. MANY OF US DO NOT EVEN HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DEPLOMA BUT THAT DOES NOT KEEP US FROM ENJOYING ARCHAEOLOGY EVEN IF WE HAVE TO ADMIRE THIS WORK FROM AFAR THRU WEB SIGHTS OR BOOKS.

  2. I began to travel before I began my university studies. Nowadays the trips are less adventerous than 15-20 years ago. The fieldseasons tend to be the most adventerous events nowadays.

  3. Bloody impressive Johan! I can’t figure out how to constrain my (Latvian) government to pay for my dream trips:-)
    Best regards!

  4. I have not done my dream trip yet since I have not figured out what it would be. The moon maybe.

    • The Moon! lol My dream is Mars

  5. …pictures say more than words…i totally agree with you…..compliments for your blog! Ciao Marco

  6. Thanks.

  7. The true Mayans were extinct long before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.
    What we have today is remnants of the Mayan way of life of which the most important to understanding them is their literature – Peter Canby in his 1994 book Heart of of the Sky similarly writes something similar.

    Therefore it would be very important to consider that no amount of archaeological research alone will organize Mayan culture in a way that can be understood from a non-Mayan audiences’ perspective.

  8. Just the fact that you believe that the “true Mayans” went extinct before the Spanish conquest suggests to me that you need to read up on archaeology, epigraphy, iconography, ethnohistory, ethnology, linguistics, etc.

  9. Enjoyed the blog post!

  10. How can you afford such extensive travels? Does an archaeologist has such a high salary?

    • A typical Swedish question… Most of the trips were done when I was a student and did not work as an archaeologist but I had a well paid summer job at my old job at Sandvik Steel in Sandviken.

      I primarily travel on a low budget in fairly inexpensive countries (backpacker, cheap hotels, buses, etc). I have few other interests back home which mean that I do not spend a whole lot of money on other stuff (I do not care about ipods, iphones, TV, sports, concerts, etc.). I have no interest in buying fancy clothes. Most importantly, I have never owned a car in my life (but I do have a driving license). Basically, I probably live a different life than you.

  11. atta boy!

  12. Hi Dr Normark.
    You traveled to many archaeological sites around the World, and i wonder if
    you visited the very ancient Russian dolmens?
    There are thousands of them north of the Black Sea.
    The farmers there used a lot of stones from them for constructions.
    But after Vladimir Megre wrote about them in his books; The Ringing Cedars Of Russia. and why they were build, people have respect for the dolmens, and they have tours and spiritual pilgrimages.to these ancient sites.
    The Russian girls go all naked on these pilgrimages.
    Just by reading the Ringing Cedars Of Russia books. is very beneficial.
    There are very few ringing cedars in a thousand years, and I think there maybe some also in Sweden, but nobody found them as yet?

    • No, I have never been there. I prefer the tropics.


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