Tracking Siberian Tigers on Foot in the Russian Far East

by Matthew Allison | Mar 5, 2012 | Asia, Europe

In Search of the Siberian Tiger March 2012 – A Winter Quest in Russia’s Far East Over the years, I’ve developed a deep obsession with seeing wild tigers. While not always the main reason behind my travels, they’ve often climbed dangerously close to the top of my...

Sleeping on the Rim of a Lava Lake at 11,000 ‘ in One of the World’s Most Dangerous National Parks-Virunga and Camping with the Mbuti Pygmy Tribe in the Ituri Forest  

by Matthew Allison | Nov 14, 2011 | Africa

Into the Heart of the Congo – My Journey Through the Ituri Forest and Virunga VolcanoesNovember 2011 My friend Sterling and I spent a week deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), chasing a dream I’d had for as long as I can remember—to explore the vast and...

Witnessing the Great Migration Across the Endless Plains of the Serengeti, Meeting the Maasai Tribe and Camping in a Tent Among Elephants

by Matthew Allison | Nov 8, 2011 | Africa

Witnessing the Great Migration A Budget Safari in Tanzania – November 2011 As part of a larger journey through Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, I spent a week in Tanzania to experience the legendary wildebeest migration across the Serengeti. To keep costs...

Tracking Wild Chimpanzees and Observing the Horrors of the Rwandan Genocide-Rwanda

by Matthew Allison | Oct 11, 2011 | Africa

November 2011: As part of a two-week journey that included Congo and Tanzania, I spent four days in Rwanda traveling with my friend Sterling, along with a car and driver. Our visit had two main objectives: To visit sites where some of the worst atrocities of the 1994...

Staying in Remote Wakhi Villages and Riding a Yak Into the Wild Hindu Kush Mountains Where Snow Leopards Still Prowl-Wakhan Valley, Afghanistan

by Matthew Allison | Sep 10, 2011 | Asia

Journey to Afghanistan’s Wakhan Valley: A Remote Frontier In September 2011, I traveled to Afghanistan for the first time, embarking on a week-long journey to the Wakhan Valley, one of the most remote and isolated places on Earth. This narrow corridor of land, wedged...

Tajikistan-Crossing the Pamir Highway to the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan and Exploring the Emerald Green Lakes of the Fan Mountains

by Matthew Allison | Sep 9, 2011 | Asia

Journey Through Tajikistan: From the Pamirs to the Fan Mountains September 2011: As part of a two-week journey that included Latvia and the Wakhan Valley, I spent nine days exploring Tajikistan, venturing deep into its rugged landscapes and remote highlands. My...

Riga & and Traveling Around the Latvian Countryside by Train-Latvia

by Matthew Allison | Sep 4, 2011 | Europe

September 2011: As part of a longer two-week adventure that includes Afghanistan and Tajikistan, I visited Latvia on 3 days stop over since I was flying to Tajikistan via Riga Air, which disembarks from Riga, the capitol of Latvia. Prior to visiting Latvia, I had...

Vanuatu-Erupting Volcanoes, Running From Lava Bombs And Kastom Villages Where Traditions Are Still Strongly Upheld

by Matthew Allison | May 30, 2011 | Australia & Pacific

Journey to Tanna, Vanuatu: A Real-Life Joe vs. the Volcano A Movie That Inspired My Imagination I often connect my travels to films, and for my trip to Vanuatu, one of my all-time favorites immediately came to mind: Joe vs. the Volcano. In this quirky, fairytale-like...

Being a Cast-Away on the Fijian Island Where Tom Hanks Filmed the Movie Cast-Away

by Matthew Allison | May 12, 2011 | Australia & Pacific

 Monuriki Island in Fiji, The island Where Tom Hanks Filmed Castaway Cast Away in Fiji A Short but Sweet Island Escape This was my second trip to Fiji, and although I only had a few days, I was determined to make the most of it. One adventure I couldn’t pass up was...

Wandering the World War II Battlefields of Guadalcanal Where I Died Playing an American Soldier in the Movie “The Thin Red Line, “Solomon Islands

by Matthew Allison | May 3, 2011 | Australia & Pacific

May 2011: Journey to Guadalcanal From Reel to Real After working as an extra in The Thin Red Line—a film about the World War II battle of Guadalcanal—I knew that someday I had to visit the real island. At just 20 years old, standing in front of the cameras in...