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 […]
Recent Posts
Wuyishan River (R)
Lingyin Temple (R)
First Reflections on Turkmenistan (R)
There’s a reason Turkmenistan is sometimes referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia. The tourist rules are super restrictive, there’s a huge cult of personality built up around the former ruler (Turkmenbashi – literally “Leader of all Turkmen”), the state long controlled most media and nearly all of […]
Photo Slideshow: Turkmenistan (R)
Turkmenistan is amazing, and I may never visit again. Its beautiful, and yet very few people visit because of visa policies that are either expensive or asinine (depending on the visa). The people are mostly friendly and helpful and hospitable, but I also had two cops try to shake me […]
Keep It Weird (R)
Austin, Tx certainly feels like an abnormal place. Liberal political views surrounded by a sea of red, for one thing. Thrift Shop hipsters, for another. And, of course, the fact that biking is a huge deal in the city. Austin’s ghost bikes are a reminder, albeit a grim one, […]
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.