A Few Days in the Ancient Ottoman Era City of Prizren

by Matthew Allison | Apr 26, 2018 | Europe

April 2018: As part of a 10-day trip across Eastern Europe with my friends Jimmie and Frank, we spent two days in Kosovo. Given our limited time, I chose to visit Prizren instead of the capital, Pristina, because it was smaller and featured a well-preserved...

One Day in the Old City of Vienna, Austria

by Matthew Allison | Mar 16, 2018 | Europe

March 2018: As part of a larger one-week Eastern Europe trip, I flew into Vienna on a day long layover with my friend Frank to join another friend Jimmie in Vienna. Together we explored the old city of Vienna, once the capitol of the Austria Hungarian Empire before...

Ghost City of Ani in the Far East of Turkey

by Matthew Allison | Mar 15, 2018 | Asia

Journey to the Ghost City of Ani March 2018: My friends Jimmie, Frank, and I set off on a 12-day journey through Romania, Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Georgia. The primary goal of this leg of the trip was to explore Armenia, but there was one place I couldn’t...

Spending the Night in Dracula’s Castle, Transylvania, Romania

by Matthew Allison | Mar 14, 2018 | Europe

March 2018: Sleeping in Dracula’s Castle A Mission of Superstition, Shadows, and Sheer Stubbornness I returned to Romania with one goal: to spend the night in Dracula’s Castle. Back in 2005, I had missed my chance during my first trip across Transylvania—a journey...

Spending Easter in the World’s First Christian Nation. With It’s Mountains, Rich History, Old Villages and Churches, Friendly People, I Found Armenia to be One of My Favorite Countries in the Caucasus Mountains, Armenia

by Matthew Allison | Mar 13, 2018 | Asia

March 2018: As part of a 10-day trip that also included Romania, Turkey and Nagorno Karabakh, my friends Jimmie and I spent 3 days traveling across Armenia.  I hired an Armenian driver with an old Mercedes Benz to drive us across the country and the driver served...

World’s Least Known Conflict Zone-Venturing In to the Ghost Town and War Zone of Aghdam, Nagorno Karabakh

by Matthew Allison | Mar 13, 2018 | Asia, Europe

Crossing into Nagorno-Karabakh: A Journey into a War-Torn Republic March 2018 – While traveling through Armenia, my friends Jimmie, Frank, and I decided to venture into the disputed and conflict-ridden breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR). At the time, the...

Diving with Great Hammer Head and Bull Sharks in Bimini Island

by Matthew Allison | Feb 4, 2018 | Caribbean

February 2018: Swimming and diving with the ocean’s greatest creatures has been a lifelong passion of mine, and I’ve scoured the world’s waters to encounter humpback whales, sperm whales, whale sharks, great white sharks, manatees, belugas, and more. Among them,...

Weekend Trip to the Narco Controlled Colonial Village of Batopilas at the Bottom of Copper Canyon

by Matthew Allison | Jan 20, 2018 | Mexico

January 2018: In my quest to see as much of my favorite country as possible, I booked a long weekend trip to Copper Canyon, the largest canyon in North America, which is even larger than the Arizona Grand Canyon. Along with my girlfriend and her mom, our plan was to...

Painted Villages and Friendly Crocodiles that Live Side by Side with Villagers in A Country of Kindhearted People Marred by Conflict

by Matthew Allison | Nov 22, 2017 | Africa

Three Days in Burkina Faso: An Underrated Gem of West Africa November 2017: As part of a larger two-week journey through South Sudan, Benin, and Togo, I spent three days in Burkina Faso with my friend Richard. We arranged for a 4WD vehicle with a driver/guide in...

Traveling the Length of Benin Meeting Shamans, Kings, and Voodoo Priests Along the Way

by Matthew Allison | Nov 22, 2017 | Africa

Benin: The Beating Heart of West Africa Voodoo, Royalty, and a Journey from North to South November 2017 — When I think of West Africa, Benin instantly comes to mind. This small, unassuming country is the quintessential embodiment of West Africa—a land where ancient...