You know one of the things I really love about Central Asia? The tradition of hospitality. I was just walking down the street in Istaravshan having a wander at the end of a transit day, and asked these dudes whether the left turn or right turn down their street lead […]
Central Asia
Lost in the Desert (R)
On the drive from Ashgabat to the Darvaza Gas Crater and onwards to Konye-Urgench and the border with Uzbekistan, we stopped at a little village in the desert just off the main highway. I think it was called Yerbent, but even that I’m not entirely sure of. It seemed like […]
Road Trip: Tajikistan and the Tunnel of Death (R)
I’ve been on any number of dodgy jeep/van/bus rides in my life, but nowhere in the world have these trips made me fear for my life twice in as many weeks. Tajikistan, then, deserves some sort of medal for the accomplishment. The mountain road from Istaravshan to Penjikent starts out […]
Travel Budget: Uzbekistan (R)
Oh, Uzbekistan, you really are one of my favorites. Cheap hotels and food, reasonable transport, and amazing cities that makes me want to linger. If you could just get that visa hassle fixed, you’d be rich on the coffers of stunned travelers from around the world. The only thing here […]
Kulikalon Camping (R)
You know that feeling when sometimes you just need to get away? Leave cities and civilizations behind and jsut get out into nature? I was having one of those days about a week into Tajikistan. So I stayed here, for three nights. Climbing unfortunately snowy mountain passes during the day […]
A Cult of Personality (R)
Part of what makes Turkmenistan feel like such a strange place is that Turkmenbashi is EVERYWHERE. Born Saparmurat Niyazov and orphaned as a young boy by an earthquake that leveled much of Ashgabat, when he took power as leader of Turkmenistan he styled himself Turkmenbashi (“Leader of all Turkmen”) and […]
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.