by Matthew Allison | Nov 9, 2013 | Africa
November 2013: An Unplanned Country Dakar Nights and West African Characters The day began like any other in Dakar—recovering from a night out that involved beach bars and conversations with an intriguing new American acquaintance. He was one of those characters you...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 7, 2013 | Middle East
Road Tripping Across Oman: A Gulf Adventure In November 2013, as part of a two-week trip through Djibouti, Somaliland, and Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression, I made a stop in Dubai to visit my friend Evan, who was living there at the time. From there, we drove his car...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 5, 2013 | Middle East
Exploring Kuwait: A Gulf War Memory and a Unique Stopover November 2013: Kuwait wasn’t originally at the top of my Middle Eastern travel list, but when planning a long 20-something-day journey through the Middle East and West Africa, I saw an opportunity. The main...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 4, 2013 | Africa
November 2013: Sierra Leone A Journey Shaped by History, War, and Wildlife A Nation Founded on Freedom Sierra Leone shares a striking historical parallel with neighboring Liberia. Both countries were established as destinations for the resettlement of freed African...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 4, 2013 | Africa
Liberia: Surf, Civil War Shadows, and America’s Only Colony in Africa November 2013 Journey As part of a 20-day trip across Asia and Africa that included Kuwait, the UAE, Socotra (Yemen), Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, I carved out three days in Liberia. My goals...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 2, 2013 | Middle East
Return to Yemen: My Obsession with Socotra The Missed Opportunity (2007) In 2007, I made my first journey to Yemen—but for some strange reason, I didn’t go to Socotra Island. At the time, it just didn’t call to me the way it later would. It wasn’t until around 2010...
by Matthew Allison | Sep 12, 2013 | South America & Antarctica
Chile is one of my favorite countries in South America, largely because of its extreme diversity in landscapes. From the towering Andes Mountains to the windswept plains of Patagonia, the lush temperate forests of the southern fjords, and the driest desert on...
by Matthew Allison | Aug 17, 2013 | Australia & Pacific
August 2013: Ever since childhood, I have dreamed of visiting Easter Island—known locally as Rapa Nui—a mystical destination shrouded in mystery. Featured in countless documentaries about enigmatic places, Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated islands on Earth. Yet,...
by Matthew Allison | May 30, 2013 | Australia & Pacific
May 2013: Into the Northern Territory Outback A Crocodile Dundee Dream I had long dreamed of visiting the Northern Territory outback of Australia—the rugged landscape that inspired Crocodile Dundee. Even though I lived in Australia for a few months when I was 20, I...
by Matthew Allison | May 29, 2013 | Asia
May 2013: As part of a two-week trip that included Bali, Komodo Island-Hiring a Skiff to See the Giant Dragons of Komodo Island and Walking Through a Snake Cave in Waist High Bat Excrement in Search of Reticulated Pythons | Venture The Planet, and the Northern...
