Every season of Harald Baldr ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Harald Baldr!

The hardest thing about visiting Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, is to see how so many locals struggle. They work harder and longer hours than any people I’ve come across anywhere in the world but have very little to show for it. A full time job can pay as little as $200 monthly! Luckily as a foreigner who can earn a lot more than that where I to go back to work, I’m in a position to make someone’s day from time to time.

Piotr's House Ukraine

The Republic of Pridnestrovie or Transnistra, as it's known in English, is an unrecognized country straddling the Dniester river sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine. The country declared independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. However Moldova did not take kindly to this and a war ensue. I visited this capital with the communist hammer and sickle in its national flag as it's one of a handful of post-Soviet unresolved land disputes. The country was much less corrupt than I expected and I really enjoyed swimming in the Dniester river, visiting the 14th century fort in Bender, meeting the locals and the general Soviet aura that looms large over the place. See that and more in the film.

The Country That Doesn't Exist

Day 2 of my month long tour of Thailand by motorbike. I set out from Nakhon Sawan, drive through Kamphaeng Phet and see some amazing old Buddha ruins before heading for Sukothai. After several pitstops at PTT gas-stations (they're #1), a couple of dead python snakes and a few wrong turns which sent me through Ramkhanheng national park I arrive at Thailand's ancient capital Sukothai. I find a hotel, eat my favorite Thai dish, grab some supplies at 7/11 before I head for the amazing ruins of the old city (or Muang gao as the city is called in Thai). Renting a bicycle is the best way to cover the most amount of ground in the shortest amount for time here. One bicycle costs 30 baht for the whole day! Entrance to the main site with the highest number of ruins cost 100 baht. There's also a second site i highly recommend visiting about 1km from the old city. There entrance also cost 100 baht. I chose to stay at a hotel next to the ruins in Sukothai's old town.

Thailand's Ancient Capital

Day 3 of my month long tour of Thailand by motorbike. I head West from Sukothai towards Mae Sot on the Burmese border. From there i head North along the border and encounter a camp with refugees from Myanmar on the road to Mae Sariang. After surviving the ride up and down the mountain in a heavy thunderstorm I go hunting for a gas station. Turns out there are none and I head in to a Thai village to hunt for gasoline. What I find is the coolest gas station ever!

THAILAND THUNDERSTORM RIDE

Day 5 of my month long tour of Thailand by motorbike. I head out from Mae Hong Son on the hunt for a hidden village of long neck hilltribe people on the Burmese border. The long neck people are refugees who fled Myanmar in 1992. They're not allowed to work legally in Thailand but survive selling their handicrafts in their own village market. This I had to see. Se what the long neck women are like and the amazing nature that surrounds their village in the mountains of Northern Thailand. Driving through the Thai jungle past picturesque ricefields on a motorbike crossing rivers was an event in and of itself.

THAILAND HILLTRIBE CUTIE

Day 6 of my month long tour of Thailand by motorbike. I drive on top of one of Thailand's highest mountains on the outskirt of Pai. As I get caught in the rain once again coming down from the mountain I find a hotel in Pai city. I change my clothes and drive through some amazing Thai villages and rice fields to a waterfall where I 'fall' in love with more than just the river.

Thailand's Green Paradise

Day 7 of my month long tour of Thailand by motorbike. I leave Pai for the outskirts of Chiang Mai where I encounter some very nice ladies selling chicken. They watch my motorbike and I go exploring the Chiang Mai jungle. Chiang Mai's greatest secret is not within the city itself but outside. Find out more in this weeks' episode.

Thailand's Secret Waterfall

Day 8 of my tour of Thailand by motorbike. I drive over the most amazing mountains I've ever crossed between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The fog is thick, it's freezing cold, I'm wet as hell from being once again assaulted by Thailand's torrential rain. But I'm loving it. I find a village on top of the highest mountain peak and investigate. I then soldier on down the other side towards Chiang Rai. In Chiang Rai I visit the city's number one tourist attraction; the classic White Temple and talk to some local Thais around town. This former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna is a relatively small city but proved rather lively 7 days a week.

Thailand's North

Ukrainian Winter -20 °C

Day 10 of my tour of Thailand by motorbike. I leave Nan to trail along the border with Laos, over mountains, waterfalls and through pineapple farms to Loei. I take the longest route possible and spend 9 hours driving until it gets pitch black. I don't arrive at the rubber farm before after sunset.

How Do Thai Farmers Live?

STALINGRAD, RUSSIA: The city that changed the course of European as well as world history is today known as Volgograd. The Germans had over a Million men here at the peak of the conflict in late 1942. The Soviets poured in considerably more. The dream of a German empire died here at the banks of the Volga river. The same banks instead gave birth to the dream of a Soviet empire. This is where it all turned around for the Soviet Union. The victory here propelled the Red Army forward to re-conquer the territories lost in the the 1941-42 season and eventually all the way to Berlin. The historical significance of Stalingrad was palpable as I touched down at the airport. The rest is not history as they say but in the film above.

STALINGRAD 2017

FRANCE, PYRENEES: Château de Peyrepertuse

MUMBAI, INDIA: Dharavi, India's biggest slum, isn't exactly known for being a place where you can mingle with the locals over a couple of cold ones. But I'm not one to shy away from a challenge. I therefore took it upon myself to find a watering hole in Mumbai's roughest neighborhood so I could meet some local residents and hear their stories. Did I succeed or was this one Indian adventure even beyond the scope of this intrepid Northman? Find out in this episode where I go exploring and meeting the people of Dharavi.

I Went Drinking in Mumbai's Worst Slum

INDIA, NEW DELHI: First night out in India and already fell for a scam. Karl Rock never warned me about this one! Is he colluding with these Indian scammers? ???? If any of you do watch Karl Rock's scam videos make sure to inquire as to why he doesn't cover this most sinister of all beer crimes. After failing to find a street stall to drink at we enlisted a rickshaw driver to take us to one. He dropped us off in a surreal area where we spotted a street stall with goats tethered to a railing. The owner waved us in and his customers encouraged us to join them. Awesome we thought and sat down. After a minute however we quickly realized that all wasn’t as it seemed. . . We’d been scammed by the Indian merchant. But how?

India Beer Scam: Kingfeemer

INDIA, NEW DELHI: I had mixed feelings about leaving Delhi and heading towards Rajasthan. I was truly excited to discover and explore a new state full of new colors and exotic foods but I wasn’t looking forward to the bus ride there. Indian buses are horrible I’ve been lead to believe and I honestly thought the journey was going to be a true nightmare. Oh boy how wrong I was. What ensued was one of the most entertaining yet comfortable bus journeys I’ve ever been on. So would you dare ride on this Indian bus? And what would you've done with the cookie? Let me hear it in the comment section. Also major props to the nice gentleman who was responsible for bringing the cookies. What a generous man. Since this video was taped I've had many bus journeys throughout India and they haven't all been as fun and comfortable as this one. Still, for anyone considering traveling from one Indian city to another, using the sleeper bus are generally a quite comfortable undertaking.

Would you dare ride on this Indian bus?

INDIA, NEW DELHI: I arrived in India with a fairly open mind, hell bent on creating the most entertaining videos YouTube has ever seen from the country. In that process I naturally had to put myself in a lot of uncomfortable situations. The video you're about to see which was shot at a New Delhi festival near the Red Fort was such a situation, In fact it was such a mistake, such a horrible experience that I felt like the Grim Reaper was upon me. So what went down and how did I get into this incredibly uncomfortable situation?

My Biggest Mistake in India

UDAIPUR, INDIA: Traveling in India had been a a pleasure up until this stage. Despite friends who've previously been to the country and you guys in the YouTube comment sections begging us to not travel on private sleep er buses we'd never been on a bad one. Leaving Udaipur for Ahmedabad though that was all about to change....

Avoid this bus in India

INDIA, RAJASTHAN: After finding a Royal Enfield to rent for a few days we set out from Udaipur in the direction of Kumbhalgarh fort. The journey began at 5:00 AM in pitch black darkness and in freezing temperatures. We were ill prepared. As the hours went on though it was clear that this was about to become one of the greatest days not only of my India adventure, but in my whole world travel career.

India's Best State

INDIA, UDAIPUR: Not all hotel hunts end well. Case in point, this one. After wandering the streets of Udaipur looking for a hotel that wasn't fully booked we found ourselves down by the lake where one of India's most famous 5 star hotels is located. The Taj Lake Palace of Udaipur is famous as it was featured in the James Bond movie Octopussy. Thinking we could do with a night of reveling in luxury after all the traveling, we decided to break our budget and spend the night at this epic looking island hotel. But the hotel itself had other plans....

I was kicked from India's most famous hotel

INDIA, JAIPUR: This was a journey that kept giving. Scams, liquor store pit-stops, failed approaches and action from start to finish. All I can say is that traveling in India is something else and downtown Jaipur is no exception to this rule.

India Bus Chaos Jaipur

INDIA, JAIPUR: The bus journey through Hindustan continues. After leaving Jaipur in the direction of Jodhpur I decided to stick my head outside the bus window. There I saw a familiar character. Enjoying the fresh breeze in my long luscious locks I decided to continue hanging out the window and it was then that I noticed to my shock and horror...... the baddest biggest thug in all of Hindustan.

Thugs of Hindustan

INDIA, JAIPUR: Having ridden motorbikes extensively throughout Asia and Europe I was mighty excited about my first journey in India. But first we had to find one to rent. Then we had to find out where to go. Luckily in Rajasthan there's an epic adventure lurking behind every corner and we didn't have to drive very far before we encountered some things you will never see anywhere else but in India.

Hindustan Road Romance

INDIA, NEW DELHI: Finding a place to drink can be hard in New Delhi. It's even harder to find a place to do so in the streets of India's capital. So what to do? Find the nearest supermarket, make your own little watering hole and strike up some conversations with the locals.

Drinking like Indians in Delhi

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: You have to try Gujarati food people have been tellin me ever since I touched down in Ahmedabad. So I thought I would do just that by going to the famous Manekchok Streetfood market which opens at night. What I wasn't anticipating though was that my first dish there would be Punjabi. After a little trouble ordering due to my non-existant Hindi language skills I finally was served a delicious Veg Manchurian.

Foreigners NOT Welcome: Indian Street Food Ahmedabad

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: After finishing only half of my Veg Manchurian which turned out to be just a simple rice dish I still had lots of space left to try the Indian street pizza stall right next to it. So how do they make pizza in India without a pizza oven? Human ingenuity always finds a way....

$3 Seven Cheese Pizza India

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: After the Veg Manchurian and a couple of slices of pizza it was time to go all out. This next street food stall was my last stop (or so I had planned). I chose a busy looking one and got down to business. I have no idea what the two dishes I ordered were or what they contained. All I knew was that they intrigued me and I wanted to try both. But the show didn't end there. Walking home I ran into an old favorite of mine....

Would You Dare Eat this $0.10 Potato in India?

INDIA, GUJARAT: There are some meals money can't buy and is only available to a select audience. to qualify you must be an Indian primary school student. Luckily, it just so happens to be that I am one! I therefore sat down with the awesome students at Manej Primary school for an epic meal time. So how big were the portions and what was the food like?

India FREE Government School Meal

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: How cheap can Indian street food get? So low that it's almost free. At least that's what this Gujarati Thali I discovered on the streets of Ahmedabad felt like. But at this cost how large are the portions? How edible and tasty is the food?

$0.50 Indian Street Food: Gujarati Thali Ahmedabad

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: India's state of Gujarat is often referred to as a 'dry state'. Why? Because people there aren't allowed to drink. Not that that was going to stop me. But before I attempted to go about procuring some magic potion through unofficial channels, I figured it's worth a shot to try.

How to drink in India's dry State

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: In this new series called Harald Spreads the Wealth or Harald Shares the Rupee (jury still out on the title) I take one month's money donated by my Patreons and give to a deserving self-employed individual or entrepreneur. This month the lucky recipient was a hard working Indian street barber / hairdresser. As I walked by his shop he had a big smile on his face and welcomed me to sit down. So what's his story and the nature of is one man business? What hairstyle did I go for? And was he better than the Delhi hairdresser? Watch me get a hair-cut in the streets of India for the answer :-)

$400 Indian Street Haircut in Ahmedabad

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: After my street hair-cut I need a street beard trim if not outright clean shave. Luckily in India's 5th biggest city by population street barbers are everywhere. And best of all, they seem to charge a uniform 20 rupees for a shave. So once again I sat down on the streets of Ahmedabad not really knowing what to expect. . . .

$0.30 Razor Shave - Indian Street Barber Ahmedabad

$1000 surprise for Indian teacher

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: Ever since I started sampling the Gujarati street food around Ahmedabad people have been telling me their favorite is actually Punjabi dishes. I've therefore long since wanted to put this to the test, but how? I don't know what Punjabi street food even looks like! Luckily today I ran into a stall selling a Punjabi potato dish by pure accident. So was it really better than the Gujarati dishes I've had?

$0.80 Punjabi Indian Street Food

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: In the middle of India's 6th largest city lies a magical city within a city. It's often referred to as the local slum or joked about as the Hollywood Colony. Where or how it got the name no one has been able to tell me. But this is hands down the wildest happiest most lively place I've ever encountered on my India travels. Every time I've driven by, there's been some festival or wedding party going on. The people are dressed in colorful Rajasthani fashion and nearly everyone says hello to me as I pass by. Knowing though that the interweb is full of useless videos of people doing walk through in exotic areas I thought I'd do one better. Why not show people what the inside of this place looks like and how these people live? Thus was born Harald Invades....

I invaded an Indian slum

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: After breaching the Hollywood Colony's defenses using a policy or relentless attrition, it was time to bond with the locals. And what better way to bond than over dinner? Indian food as I've relayed in countless videos is damn tasty but also much more hygienic than its reputation. When this Indian family offered me to eat with them I was therefore overjoyed at the chance of partaking in this experience. So what dish did they cook? And what does an Indian family dinner even look like?

India Slum Dinner

$600 surprise for Indian family

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: Artisan restaurant's Executive Chef Awanish Goswami's takes us into the heart of his Indian restaurant to reveal how to make a most sublime butter chicken, India's by far greatest and tastiest dish. So what's in a butter chicken? And how is it prepared? Awanish reveals all in today's episode. If you wish to dine and try the epic Indian food at 'Artisan' go to Regenta Central Antarim Boutique Hotel in Ahmedabad, India.

Secrets of Butter Chicken - Indian Master Chef

INDIA, AHMEDABAD: Most people likely don't dream of moving to an Indian slum but let's say for some reason you do. What does a house there cost? How big is the average home and what does a modest Indian house even look like?

What does a house in an Indian slum cost?

SAIGON, VIETNAM: After driving around in Saigon's sweltering heat heat for 2 hours my patience was wearing thin. I'd been looking for a street barber so I could get shave but without success. The time was ripe for compromise. I thus opted for an open air barber in the poverty stricken district 6. The shave went as expected but as I was leaving I realized that this was a family run business and that the barber was living on premises with his whole family. This I had to investigate....

$1 Shave Vietnam

SAIGON, VIETNAM: Not having seen a capsule hotel since my first trip to Japan in 2001, I became pretty excited when I learnt that Saigon actually has one. Although pricier than your average budget hotel room in this mega city, Sunland capsule hotel offers something the others don't and hence charge accordingly. A unique experience you'll never forget. I therefore had no choice but to book in to my very own private capsule for a once in a lifetime experience.

$25 Vietnam Capsule Hotel

SAIGON, VIETNAM: The variety of food on offer in the bustling streets of Saigon, Vietnam's biggest city, is second to none. Everything is on offer in all price ranges. Still one of the last things I expected to encounter on my Saigon street food hunt was an American making Mexican food in Vietnam! THIS I had to try.... so how was the tacos and what did they cost? And do people in the streets of Saigon recognize me? This and more in today's episode.

Vietnam Street Food: $1 Mexican Tacos

SAIGON, VIETNAM: Vietnam's economy is booming with small scale manufacturers popping up everywhere. Jeans, shoes, t-shirts and everything between heaven and earth are made in workshops where workers are laboring away at an impressive 17 hours a day. So what does it look like inside one of these operations? And how are the good produced? As Vietnam is quite far behind the West in terms of economic development and only begun the process of industrialization a few decades ago, it should come as no surprise that manufacturing here is a highly labor intensive endeavor. So join me as I take a closer look at Vietnam's economy by touring a shoe manufacturing business that has been in the hands of the same family for 30 years.

How YOUR Shoes are Made in Vietnam

SAIGON, VIETNAM: I flew to Vietnam with nothing more than the clothes I was wearing and a change of t-shirt and underwear. Top of my agenda was thus to scour through Saigon's famous 'fake' clothes market (Ben Thanh) for a 2nd, 3rd and 4th outfit. From Nike shoes, Tommy Hilfiger t-shirts and Calvin Klein underwear this market has it all. So what do the products cost? What is the starting price? And what can for example a t-shirt be haggled down to? This and much more in episode one of my mega Vietnam fake market hunt.

English

$2 Calvin Klein: Fake Market Vietnam

VIETNAM, SAIGON: The market shopping spree continues. After having been royally fleeced in the first episode I continue to get flagged down by greedy vendors eager for a mega payday. Seeing as I quite enjoy seeing how life and work at this market perpetuates itself I solider on. Besides, can one really ever own enough socks and t-shirts? And is overpaying when you know you are really a scam? The answer is no and no ;-)

Scammed in Fake Market Vietnam

VIETNAM, SAIGON: I'd bought nearly everything I needed in this market apart from one thing. A new pair of shoes. Not that I needed a pair but I was curious to see how much a fake pair of Adidas shoes cost i Vietnam plus it was rather fun to bargain with the funny sales women. So I decided to go on one last market hunt just for fun. So how much does a fake pair of Adidas shoes cost in Vietnam? What are the cheapest shoes? And what is the price for Converse shoes?

$17 Converse Shoes Vietnam Fake Market

THAILAND, BANGKOK: In the middle of Bangkok there's an area or mall called Korea town. I've wanted to try the Korean BBQ there for over a decade now but was too afraid to venture into a Korean restaurant alone. But today was the day when I decided to put a stop to this. I needed to fid a local ally so I could try out Bangkok's finest Korean BBQ and suffer no more. How did I do it? What was the Korean food like? And is Korean food better than Thai food?

Bangkok Korea Town: $90 Pork BBQ

THAILAND, BANGKOK: The best beef steak I've ever had was in Landmark hotel's Rib Room Steakhouse. A decade ago I went there for a Kobe beef I have not been able to get out of my mid. So with Mr. Noodles in town, it was the perfect occasion for a second visit to Landmark hotel. Upon entering the restaurant however I quickly realized that the Kobe beef was no longer on the menu. Though they had substituted it with something even better and far pricier. What was it? And what did this ridiculously expensive dinner cost in the end?

$200 Bangkok Steak: Matsusaka Beef

VIETNAM, SAIGON: Most of the food I try in Asia, especially the street food, is excellent. But there's always the exception. This day in Vietnam was a horrible food day. After not having had a single bite of anything for 36 hours I decided to sit down at a street restaurant to eat a whole chicken. I was mighty hungry and looking forward to devouring it like no chicken I've ever dug into in my lifetime. So what was wrong with the food and why was it so bad?

Vietnam's Worst Chicken: Street Food Gone Wrong!

LAS VEGAS, USA: You've most likely seen me do a street shave in countries like India and Vietnam. Often Americans comment under said videos asking if I could make a similar one at an American barber shop. So how does an American $50 shave compare to a $0.20 street shave in Asia? Well, you be the judge. I enjoyed them both. If you find yourself in Las Vegas and in need of either a Haircut or a shave, you can find 'The Barber Shop: Cuts & Cocktails' on the famous Las Vegas strip on the ground floor of the Cosmopolitan Luxury Hotel. The service was excellent and the people working there were really fun.

$50 Shave Las Vegas Barber

I was attacked by Coppercab!

VIETNAM, HANOI: I've tried some strange meals in my time touring the globe but never have I had one that was slain, drained and chopped up right in front of me. But you know what they say, there's a first time for everything. Hanoi is actually quite famous for its snake restaurants where people come not only from abroad but also from across the country to try this specialty dish. So how is the meal prepared? What was the heart like? And what does this tasty meal cost? I was able to find the restaurant in Google Maps. It's called Nhà Hàng Trọng Khách.

I had Cobra for dinner

VIETNAM, HANOI: Second part of my visit to Hanoi's Cobra village where they specialize in various snake dishes. After choosing the Cobra and watching them prepare it in episode 1, it was time to taste the fruits of their labor. They turned one Cobra into 6 different dishes all unique in both looks and taste. What I was eating and how I was supposed to eat it I had no idea. Luckily other patrons of the same restaurant came over to my table and were more than eager to explain each dish.

I had Cobra for dinner 2

VIETNAM, HANOI: After downing the beating snake heart raw, I felt like a new man. That called for a change in appearance. But to what? As I walked into the reception of my hotel it suddenly hit me: Go Gwyneth! (you'll see why in the vid) So off I went to the nearest hair dresser for a total hair makeover. So what color did I go for? And how much did it cost? And how good are the hairdressers in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital?

I got a $20 makeover in Hanoi

VIETNAM, HANOI: Driving home from the snake village I came across and awesome area along the highway full of barbers. But one in particular caught my eye. He had a chair set up in the middle of the road next to a tree. Although I didn't need a hair-cut nor wanted a shave I realized I had to check this place out. It's not like any of that has stopped me before right? So the next morning it was off to find this novelty of a street barber. But where was he? I had forgotten the location. After driving around for an hour I finally figured it out.

$2 Street Barber Hanoi

BA VI, VIETNAM: In the 19th century Vietnam became a part of France's colonial empire. This legacy can be seen in the architecture in a number of French quarters across Vietnam's major cities. That this legacy extended to more remote forests and mountains though was news to me. I was therefore mighty excited when I found out about an abandoned church in a forest a couple of hours drive from Vietnam's capital Hanoi. This being the monsoon season hough my journey there was not as easy as I had hoped.

Dangerous Jungle Hike Vietnam

BA VI, VIETNAM: After trekking up the mountain through the thick monsoon fog and investigating some secret colonial ruins, I was aching for a swim. But where was the waterfall? I drove around for an hour and all I found was an angry forest patrol who fined me $3 for trespassing around a lake. As I drove away in disgust I saw a fairground ride in what appeared to be someone's backyard! A theme park on private property? I couldn't believe my eye! I was in Vietnam's jungle after all. As I drove around the property however it turned out it to be huge! This was a legitimate theme park built around a waterfall. But there was a catch....

Alone in Vietnam Jungle Theme Park

HANOI, VIETNAM: There are luxury hotels and then there are budget hotels. In Asia however there's yet another type of accommodation for those on a tight budget: capsule hotels. Invented in Japan, this hotel type is now spreading across Asia to satisfy the insatiable thirst for budget accommodation amongst European and Asian travelers alike. This particular hotel I stayed at is located in Vietnam's capital Hanoi and has only been open for a week. Naturally it was in immaculate condition. But what was it actually like to reside in one of these capsules? And when normal hotel rooms in Hanoi are so cheap, can one justify to stay in a capsule when savings are in the single digits? This and more as I tour Vietnam's newest capsule hotel.

$14 Vietnam Capsule Hotel

PHILIPPINES, MANILLA: Whilst doing some shopping in Manilla's biggest market, Divisoria, I stumbled into a guy who had made his own motorbike from a boat engine. This I had to film! As I started to roll tape my market excursion quickly turned into an interesting little culinary experience. A woman selling some kind of meatballs caught my attention and I decided to try her food. Struggling with food poisoning I'd caught at a roof top restaurant the night before, I was feeling mighty under the weather and this chicken would power me up! There was only one problem. I didn't understand her very well and when I tried to severely overpay using a 500 not (as it was all I had) the meal nearly fell through.... Luckily the mic on my camera works far better than my ear under such chaotic and extremely noisy circumstances and caught the whole train-wreck of a conversation on tape for you guys to hear. Enjoy ;-)

$0.07 Meatballs - Philippines Street Food

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: The easiest way to maneuver your way around the Philippines from one island to the next is by plane. But who wants easy when on an adventure holiday? By far the coolest, albeit time consuming method to island hope around this nation of 6000 islands, is by boat. This being my first time truly touring around in this country I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I boarded the ferry in Cebu destined for one of the country's most underdeveloped island Leyte.

Philippines Island Hunt

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: After meeting Christen’s incredible family and seeing how they are able to get by and make things work with so little I knew this was the best candidates for a donation video since the family in Ahmedabad. The only problem was that there was no functional ATMs in Burgos. Me and Tim thus hopped on a bus to the next town. An hour later in unbearable heat we arrived only to find yet another cash machine that did not take MasterCard. 5 machines and one actual bank branch visit later and still no luck. Diner’s Club or Visa were the only options. After searching through the whole city we finally found the one machine that accepts MasterCard and the cash was secured. The next evening we ventured over to the village only to find the house empty. A lengthy wait ensued were we encountered some awesome villagers and hit a fantastic insight into life in this scenic little Filipino beachfront town.

$800 surprise for Filipino father

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: As we arrived in Leyte and had a 4 hour drive ahead of us, it was about time we got a meal inside our bellies. Luckily on our first San Mig pit stop, we came across an epic pork lechon dealer. This was my first real run in with a proper Philippino street food kitchen. But did it disappoint?

$2 Pork Lechon - Philippines Street Food

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: Fresh coconut juice is one of the most delicious beverages in the world. Little did I know however the amount of labor that goes into harvesting these delicious fruits. In the Philippines I was lucky enough to be invited to see this process with my own eyes.

Life as a Filipino coconut harvester

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: What is life like in a Filipino village? What do people’s houses look like? And how many people live in one house? This and many more questions are answered in today’s episode which takes you inside on a grand tour of a Filipino family’s home in a picturesque amazing little beach front village on the island of Leyte.

Inside Filipino village home

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: Nothing has caused me a bigger headache in the Philippines thus far than SIM cards. Move from one island to the next and your old SIM card stops working. So just buy a new one you say? Well it's not that easy...

Philippines Sim cards are a joke!

PHILIPPINES, LEYTE: Given that the Philippines consists of 7641 islands there are naturally going to be tons of epic beaches in this tropical nation. So which is my favorite thus far? The secret beach of Leyte which only Tim The Great knows how to find.

Secret Beach of Leyte Philippines

PHILIPPINES, MINDANAO: Whilst moving from one Filipino island to the next is always an incredibly arduous endeavor, it is also wildly entertaining. Case in point, the boat from Leyte to Mindanao. From crazy diver hunting for coins on the ocean floor to the karaoke at the back of the boat. There was never a dull moment. Then we hit Mindanao and things got even more interesting....

'Hi Baby!' - Mindanao Philippines Roadtrip

PHILIPPINES, MINDANAO: After a long hard day of traveling it was time for an epic pork chop hunt. This being the Philippines though, I didn’t have to hunt for long. In fact I just crossed the toad and I was in lechon heaven!!! But which stall to choose? There were so many...

$3 Pork Party Mindanao - Philippines Street Food

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: The coolest island in the Philippines right now, or so I've been told, is Siargao. A true surfer's paradise it's also got a lot to offer for pork chop hunters and connoisseurs of exotic swimming locations like c'est moi. Therefore I set out at 6AM with Progressive Shannon to tour the whole island in a single day by motorbike to find the best secluded beaches Sairgao has to offer. First stop, Magpupungko beach, famous for its rock pools...

Philippines Beach Hunt: Siargao Rock Pools

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: After riding for a good 6 hours we were running critically low on fuel. Seeing as we had not yet eaten breakfast either energy was running low. In other words it was already waaaay past pork o'clock! This being the Philippines though a luscious juicy looking pork meal is never too hard to locate.....

Filipina Kitchen Invasion

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: Nothing beats seeing how people live. NOTHING! Whilst touring Vietnam I often rode past little communities of houses standing on stilts out in rivers and swamps. I just never got around to visiting one. When I was touring Siargao, an island in the Philippines with Tim Shannon, I once again rode past such a community. Sadly we were on a deserted beach hunt and Shannon had already ridden way ahead. This wasn't the day for a 'Harald Invades'. I thus made a mental note of where these houses were and decided to try and backtrack here another day. The next day I set out in the blazing sun to once again find this incredible looking swamp that for some reason people have decided to turn into a home. After an hour of being roasted in the scorching heat i found it. I parked my bike and started to roll tape. This is what ensued.....

You Won't Believe How They Live

PHILIPPINES, DAKU ISLAND: After an incredibly disappointing island hopping tour we came to what was our final destination: Daku Island. Luckily this fantastic little gem of a beach made up for the lame experience we had at the other two. The claim to fame of this little beach seemed to be the seafood. There were 3-4 little straw huts with 5-6 chefs working frying up your food of choice inside on a wood fired grill. There were pork chops. There were blue marlin. There were squids. And the was beef! Having never eaten squid before I opted for the unknown. But how is squid even prepared? And how do you eat it? The learning curve was steep.....

$3 Squid BBQ - Philippines Beach Food

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: Finding a reasonable apartment or hotel room to rent can be a difficult task when traveling to the Philippines. There's one exception. At the high end price range you seem to pay slightly less than you would in other Asian holiday destinations. At the budget level or mid-range however prices in the Philippines can be outrageous. Case in point this tiny little studio I rented fro $50 per day (!) on Siargao island.

$50 Apartment Philippines (extreme rip-off)

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: Of all the food I thought I'd find in the Philippines, waffles with banana and Nutella was about the last thing I'd ever expected. But as I've said in countless videos on this country... in the Philippines expect the unexpected. After the Nutella Waffle I embarked on a walk back to my hotel. On the way there I ran into some interesting people and and witnessed the amazing beauty that is Siargao island once the sun has fully come up.

$4 Nutella Banana Waffles Philippines

PHILIPPINES, SIARGAO: A lot of the scenes I film don't make it into my videos. Here are some of the scenes that didn't make the cut from my recent Philippines adventure.

Deleted Scenes: Philippines

SRI LANKA, COLOMBO: Despite traveling my whole adult life I've never stayed in a five star hotel. I thus decided to treat myself before I go touring in the remote areas of Sri Lanka to some five star luxury in the capital city of Colombo. As far as online reviews are to believed, there's no hotel in Colombo better than the Movenpick Resort. So join me as I tour the buffet, the King suite and rooftop swimming pool.

$200 Luxury Hotel Sri Lanka - Mövenpick Colombo

SRI LANKA, COLOMBO: The cheapest market I've ever been to was the old bazaar in New Delhi. And in all honesty I never thought I'd find a market anywhere in the world with lower prices. That was until I discovered Pettah market in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. So what do you think about the prices? Is Indian markets pricier or cheaper than those in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka Market Spree: Cheaper than India?

SRI LANKA, COLOMBO: "Be careful he is a bad man", they kept repeating as I wandered around a vegetable market on the outskirts of Colombo. Then 'the accused' told me that the people who told me to avoid him were bad themselves. Who was I to believe? Intent on not making a hasty decision I decided to wait it out and see as this was a unique market experience unlike no other.

Avoid this man in Sri Lanka!

SRI LANKA, COLOMBO: After only 3 hours in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo I stumbled across the country's signature dish; Kottu. Whilst in the process of devouring said dish I also ran into a long term viewer of this channel named Jeremy. As with pretty much everyone I run into wherever I travel, he knows a lot more about food than I ever will. So when Jeremy suggested we do tour of a famous beach front street food area in Colombo I grabbed my camera and hailed the nearest Rickshaw.

Sri Lanka Street Food Night Rally

SRI LANKA, COLOMBO: My 2nd day in Colombo I ran into a great Tuk-Tuk driver who upon driving me around for a few said he'd be happy to show me his family and home. This was an opportunity I could not miss. His house turned out to be about two hours drive outside of Colombo though. To make the time go faster he suggested I try some local Sri Lankan lemon rum.....

How I Became Sri Lanka's Greatest Rickshaw Driver

SRI LANKA, NEGOMBO: After a grueling two and a half hour Tuk-Tuk ride we finally arrived at my driver's village home. Before we even entered the house it was quite adamant that this house has huge potential but was still under construction. He still has loans on both the property and the Rickshaw so it is a tedious work on progress. He saves up money, invests then takes time off to build. Once the money runs out he repeats. So what did the house look like as of right now and how long has it been under construction? And how many people are already living here plus how many will move in in the future?

Inside Sri Lankan Village Home

SRI LANKA, NEGOMBO: The sun was about to set and it was looking bleak for my visit to the beach during daylight hours. So Sri Lanka's 2nd greatest rickshaw driver made an executive decision and drove by his daughter's house in a village near Negombo for a surprise visit. The stage was now set for another unique look into the life of a Sri Lankan family. This second house though was somewhat dimly lit but at least I got a feel for what it was like to live there. It looked like a very tight nit community and a happy place to live. After a visit to Negombo beach where it seemed the whole city had decided to go for an evening swim we drove back to Colombo. I was dead tired and couldn't wait to get back to the hotel. Then it dawned on me that all I had done was be a passenger whereas Aurun had been driving all day and still had another 2 hours ahead of him before he'd be back to his house. What a work ethic! This deserved a reward....

$600 Surprise for Rickshaw Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, KANDY: After a 4 hour Uber ride I check-in to a budget hotel in Kandy. A city in the mountains of central Sri Lanka. But first I had to find the place which was easier said than done. Luckily Sri Lankans speak English very well and I ran into some people on the way who were more than happy to help me out.

$42 Hotel Kandy Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, KANDY: Whenever I'm in a new city I like to check out the local markets to see what goods are for sale and how much they cost. I generally don't care much for the price (whether I overpay or not) on these occasions as I'm happy to help out the local vendors who toil there day in and day out. But even I have my limits. After buying some socks at a pretty decent price at at the first market stall I entered I decided to go on a little shopping spree. It was then that I ran into the biggest con artist I've ever meet in any market worldwide!

Sri Lanka's Worst Market Scammer

SRI LANKA, KANDY: After procuring a motorbike I decided to search for a local gym to do some progressive reps. Whilst on my way to one on the outskirts fo Kandy I saw a neon sign blinking which read NOODLES! So after U-turn I sat down for a highly entertaining bowl of Sri Lankan noodles.

$0.80 Sri Lankan Noodles Kandy

SRI LANKA, KANDY: As I drove away from Kandy my motorbike kept breaking down. Not in the mood to be stranded on some rural road in the middle of the jungles of central Sri Lanka I searched for hotels using Google Maps. Turns out just a short one hour drive North of my position there was a hotel with a 9.7 star rating on Booking.com. This I had never seen before! I've also never seen anything in this price range either away from both a beach and a major city. After 2 minutes of going back and forth with myself curiosity got the better of me and I made an executive call. I booked the $250 room at the Sri Lankan resort in the middle of the jungle. Now all I had to do was find it before the bike broke down yet again....

$250 Jungle Luxury Resort Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, KANDY: My whole life I've always hated hotel breakfasts with a passion! Yes, PASSION! Dry crispy flavorless white bread with a bunch of cereals and toppings no man would ever choose were he staring into his own fridge. On top of that they end ridiculously early (so that most people won't be able to make it to this 'free' meal'. So why even bother? Well, seeing as this was the priciest hotel I've ever stayed at, I was kind of obligated to at least see what this Sri Lankan jungle hotel breakfast looked like.. .

$250 Luxury Hotel's Breakfast - Sri Lankan Jungle

SRI LANKA, KANDY: After a brief drive to the nearest town called Ukuwala, I asked around for the nearest store selling entertaining beverages. My plan was to simply film a minute or two of interacting with the shop owners before driving back to my hotel. That was until I ran into Sri Lanka's fine white wine man!

The Wine Man of Ukuwala

SRI LANKA, MATALE: On my way from Matalel to Dambulla I suddenly spotted a woman selling fresh king coconuts, avocados and others delicacies on the side of the road. I’m always intrigued by little one man operations such as this so decided to go for a little investigation. Turns out this little store was not just a business though but someone’s home.....

$100 Avocados Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, UDAWELA: Sri Lankan roads are not for the faint hearted. Neither is the process through which Sri Lankan villagers clear their lands of unwanted vegetation. Combine the two and you have a situation that resembles Dante’s Inferno within minutes! So how do the villagers control such situations and is there any help at hand?

Dangerous Forest Fire Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, UDAWELA: One of the greatest things about road trips in Asia are the ubiquitous stalls along the highways selling everything from pork chops to umbrellas. After driving through the fire you saw in the last episode I was mighty thirsty for some refreshments. Enter random fresh water lake with sandy beach and woman selling fresh orange juice. This juice however, although fresh, did come with a twist.....

English

$0.30 Fresh Roadside Juice Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, ELLA: Sri Lanka is a land of opportunities. Yet, despite actually doing my utmost to meet local entrepreneurs and established business owners I found it incredibly difficult do just that. But whilst on a long drive though the mountains and tea plantations of Ella I finally stumbled upon one by pure accident. What he told me was a mighty impressive story of how he'd taken the leap to open his own little tea shop at the age of 26. Is this man Sri Lanka's next Ceylon tea millionaire? This called for a full-scale Harald investigates!

I had a $1000 Cup of Tea

SRI LANKA, ELLA: As much as enjoy touring a country by motorbike it does come with one major downside. You only meet people for a few minutes every time you stop for food or petrol and then you're on your way. You really do miss out on a more wholesome experience. For that there's nothing better than traveling by train. Preferably in third class. People there are always in a an exalted mood and eager to socialize. I don't know if it's the sound of the railway joints colliding with the steel wheels or the fact that people all know we're gonna be stuck together in this confined space for hours ahead. So that was my plan for the day. Park the bike at my hotel and travel by train, on what has been deemed the best railway journey in the world, starting in Ella. But that was just the beginning...

Sri Lanka's Famous Ella Train

SRI LANKA, HAPUTALE: After unsuccessfully trying to find something that looked edible and unlikely to make for a troublesome return bus journey to Ella, I opted for the safety of a Snickers and Mars bar. With my newfound sugar high it was time to check out the local Haputale market. Perched high on a cliff side adjacent to the train station, this market offers stunningly high views and correspondingly low prices. A rare combination. So just how cheap is this market and what do they sell here? Why is the Yes Man of Haputale following me? And did I manage to escape the Yes Man of Sri Lanka in the end?

This man won't leave you alone!

SRI LANKA, BANDARAWELA: After the rock bottom prices at the Haputale market shopping spree I knew it was impossible to find cheaper goods in the city of Bandarawela. But after the street barber rejected me for a shave I had some time to spare before my bus back to Ella. So I decided to go for yet another mega bargain hunt trip at the largest market in this part of Sri Lanka: Bandarawela Market. As usual I met quite a few characters. None as wild as the now legendary 'Yes Man of Haputale', but one did come close: The Bandarawela Market Playah, who proudly (and unapologetically) was parading around with what others described as: NOT his wife!

Sri Lanka's Bargain Market of Bandarawela

SRI LANKA, YALA NATIONAL PARK: In Sri Lanka there are five star hotels and then there is the Wild Coast Tented Lodge. An ultra luxurious all inclusive resort located inside the boundaries of Yala's National Park. This one of a kind hotel is unrivaled, not only in terms of scenic beauty but in price. At $900 a night, your hotel room is actually not even a room but a tent. Given this price and Sri Lanka's current tourism 'situation', you may be thinking they're struggling to rent these rooms out. You'd be very wrong. I had to wait two days before I was able to get a room here. But was it a wait worthwhile? Is it worth the money? And what does this ultra luxury hotel room look like? Join me on a luxury version of Harald Investigates as I tour my hotel room, check out all its features in great detail and live through my first ever all inclusive resort experience.

$900 Ultra Luxury Tent Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA, YALA NATIONAL PARK: As the sun set on Sri Lanka’s ultra luxury resort in Yala’s national park my day was by no means over. Determined to make the utmost of this incredibly expensive stay I ventured out to my private swimming pool with the flashlight and sat there in silence searching for wildlife. Lucky for men it turns out that the hotel’s staff and the rangers were far more adept at that than me. The next day I go for my second ever five star hotel dining experience before embarking on an elephant safari.

$900 Luxury Tent: Snake Hunting

SRI LANKA, SIGIRIYA: After locating the entrance and bypassing the Japanese tour group I was ready for a brief climb to see the famous 1600 year of frescos and scale the summit of the Sigiriya rock. Initially I thought it would be a brisk 10 ascent. I was wrong....

Climbing Sri Lanka's Sigiriya Castle Ruins

ITALY, VENICE: Sometimes it’s ok to splurge. Or at at least that’s what I told myself before I rented a Venetian Palazzo on Airbnb for myself and 8 friends whilst in Italy for the weekend. Given the outrageously expensive price tag it should come as no surprise that it was also incredibly spacious and lavishly furnished. So just how luxurious was this fabulous one of a kind Italian apartment?

I Rented a Historic Palazzo in Venice Italy

ITALY, FLORENCE: Florence is famous for her beef but the Florentines also love a good pork chop. So do I! So come along as I wander the streets of Tuscany's capital in search of Italy's finest pork sandwich.

Italy Street Food: Florence Pork

You guys have requested a Q&A video for years. So I finally caved. If there are any questions you'd want me to answer in future Q&A's please let me hear it in the comment section.

Money & Travel: Your Questions Answered

Northman with a penchant for history, politics and travel. I seek to spread individual freedom worldwide.

The Best Seasons of Harald Baldr

The Best Seasons of Harald Baldr

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