Khojand Tajikistan: A Lazy Visitor’s Guide Contrary to what everyone I know in America seems to think, long-term independent travel is not just some big happy vacation. Crossing from Uzbekistan to Tajikistan was one of the most-hassle filled two days of my life, and by the time I got to […]
Tajikistan
Istravshan Tajikistan: A Small Town with Big History
Istravshan Tajikistan: A Small Town with Big History There are times that, honestly, I can’t really explain why. A place just grabs me, without much of a clear reason way. Istravshan was, I think, one of those. Though of some prominence in Tajikistan’s history, today Istravshan is just a small-town […]
UNESCO site at Sarazm
Central Asia is old. Old like “cradle of civilizations” old. Of all the old, though, the proto-urban site of Sarazm is perhaps the first of them all. Estimates suggest that Sarazm was settled over six THOUSAND years ago. You know what North America looked like then? A big forest. Sarazm […]
Wakhan Yamchun Fortress: A Silk Road Legacy
The Wakhan Cooridor, whichever side of the border you happen to be on, is all sorts of beautiful. It should be no surprise, of course, that there’s also a crazy long history to human habitation in the area. The Yamchun Fortress was built in the early 3rd Century B.C., almost […]
Iskender Kul Tajikistan
Alexander the Great and I? We have pretty similar taste in vacation retreats. Now, I’m not even gonna attempt to take credit. Obviously, through sheer luck of birth, he found Iskander-Kol first. I will say, though, that I think I did it in a little more luxury. Did Mr. The […]
Ratm Fortress in the Tajik Wakhan
Like so many places in the world, much of the joy of the Tajik Wakhan is from the great people I met along the way. At the Ratm Fortress, just beyond the farthest one can go on public transport, I met this awesome family. I think I started interacting with […]
Hey there! I'm Stephen, this is my travel blog, and that's me in the poofy hat.
I'm a photographer / writer traveling since 2008, and I've been doing my best to visit amazing places.
My current focus is Central Asia, because for a hiking and camping enthusiast it's as good as it gets.