In my past ten monthly update posts, I have covered a variety of things – things I have done a lot of, my favorite photos, a state of this blog and, most recently, my best memories. Now that I have reached 11 months on the road – a point I never originally intended to reach […]
11 Months on the Road and 2 Big Announcements Read More »
While hiking the ten kilometers from the village of Padrud to Lake Hazorchama (the Seventh of the Seven Lakes), we encountered only one other person – this man ahead of us walking along the road that leads around Marguzor Lake (the Sixth Lake).
Saturday Scenes: Seven Lakes, Tajikistan Read More »
Growing up in middle class America, I take a lot of things for granted. I freak out if a thunderstorm knocks out power for even a few hours and heaven forbid I lose my internet connection at home. I have never known life without indoor plumbing and driving on dirt roads has never been part
Village Life in Tajikistan Read More »
I am way over budget and I’m okay with that. My budget for 10 months of travel was only $18,000. I just surpassed $20,000 and I have about two months to go. But with a nice tax refund, some additional income sources and partnerships with companies like Hostelworld.com to secure complimentary accommodations, I
Stretching My Travel Budget: Making the Most of $20K Read More »
The first thing I noticed as I waited in the departure lounge in Istanbul to board my flight to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, was the fact that I was surrounded by people speaking English. Americans, British, Swiss – you name it, everywhere I turned were government and nonprofit workers headed to Tajikistan. Aside from
My First 16 Hours in Tajikistan Read More »
After spending the day picnicking at nearby Marmashen Monastery, I wound up a Sunday in Gyumri by joining a group of volunteers on a small hill on the edge of town to watch the sun set. Sitting in a circle with Armenian music playing from someone’s phone, we ate, drank, talked and laughed – and
Saturday Scenes: Gyumri, Armenia Read More »
My first impression of travel in the Caucasus region was a good one, arriving in sunny Batumi, Georgia to a warm welcome from the immigration officers. One night later, I was on an overnight train, sharing a couple of bottles of cognac with three new Georgian friends. It was just a taste of what was
Travel in the Caucasus: Comparing Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan Read More »
Ah, Armenia. So many ups. So many downs. So many great memories and a few bittersweet ones as well. I have said before that my time in Armenia wasn’t so much about the country itself as it was about the people I met and the lessons I learned. Nonetheless, certain things definitely stand out to
Five Favorite Things in Armenia Read More »
No service. No signal. I stared at these words in the middle of my laptop screen in despair, hoping they were just temporary. But no, they stayed on the screen, a glaring indication that I no longer had any internet access. When I arranged to spend a month teaching English in the Zerafshan Valley in
My Unexpected Internet Hiatus (or, How I Spent 12 Days Totally Offline) Read More »
Olkhon Island is the largest island in Lake Baikal – the deepest lake in the world. When I visited in November as part of my Trans-Siberian journey, I enjoyed sunny skies and mild temperatures on the southern part of the island, but by the time I got to the northernmost point, I found myself in
Saturday Scenes: Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal Read More »
