Shymbulak – Skiing in Kazakhstan The Shymbulak Ski Resort, high above the city of Almaty and tucked deep into the mountains that stretch beyond the Medeo Ice-Skating Rink, is an area seemingly unknown to outsiders but may well be one of the best spots for snow-sports in all of Central Asia.
Exploring the Vienna Woods: Mayerling, Seegrotte, and Heiligenkreuz Abbey The ‘Vienna Woods‘. Rising to the northwest of Vienna atop the very first foothills of the Austrian Alps, the Wienerwald is a beautiful green belt and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve actually within the city limits of Vienna. With over 500 square miles […]
1001 Nights: Istanbul Belly Dancing Dinner Show An Istanbul Belly Dancing Dinner Show, I hear you asking? I was just as surprised as you are. Of all the cities I’ve worked as a photographer on GetYourGuide tour gigs, nowhere do I seem to end up exploring the ‘nightlife’ options […]
Kyrgyzstan Ski Resorts – ZiL Ski Base There are a number of ski bases within just a few hours drive of Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek. For some skiers in Bishkek, ZiL seems to be one of the favorites of local skiers for both the quality of facilities and the number of runs […]
MonkBoughtLunch’s Year in Photos: 2015 The past year in photos: 2015. What a year it was. Funerals on the ghats of Varanasi, a bit of a long chat with the tourist police in Jordan, getting just a touch stranded in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, taking my first helicopter ride over the skyscrapers […]
Jyrgalan Tourism Festival – Community, Culture, and Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan is a small landlocked country in Central Asia. Try again. Manas nomad culture of Kyrgyzstan yurt 天山 vodka. No, not quite. Hiking In Heavenly Mountain, Land Of The Snow Leopards. Lovely, still no. Community. Culture. Collaboration. We’ll start there. A small village, […]
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.