Though I normally spring for hard sleeper beds when I have a choice, occasionally train travel in China is so popular that by the time I get to the ticket window to buy a departure a day or two away, I end up with a “hard seat” ticket. For relatively […]
East Asia
Around Dunhuang
While Dunhuang is surrounded by beautiful natural and historical sights, many of them are quite far away from anything that I’d be comfortable calling a town or, at times, a road. So, I let myself be talked into taking a minivan tour to most of these sights on the second […]
Langmusi
Much like Jiuzhaigou, the draw to Langmusi was a combination of Tibetan culture and natural beauty. Two large Tibetan temples sit above the town, and beyond both lie opportunities for hiking through distinctly different environments. Just past the Sichuan monastery lies Namo Gorge, a valley enclosed by rocks and a […]
Zoige
Intending to leave Jiuzhaigou for Songpan, my bus broke down about an hour into the ride. A Korean girl, Israeli girl, and I decided to catch a ride with a passing car rather than waiting a few hours for the next bus. After stringing together several different rides, I decided […]
Jiuzhaigou: Tibetan Villages
One that important to realize about Tibet is the distinction between cultural and political Tibet. Politically, “Tibet” is the Tibetan Autonomous Region including Lhasa, Everest, a bunch of other cities, and China’s border with Nepal. Culturally, however, Tibet is much bigger. Tibet once controlled much of Western China, and still […]
Notes from a Bus to Jiuzhaigou
7:55am Enter bus. There are no more window seats. This 12 hour ride will not involve sleep. Already wishing I’d at least considered a plane. 8:43am 1st movie started. There is a construction worker with a bullied but ambitious son. The father dies in an accident at work, and the […]
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.