Driving through the Surreal Volcanic Arctic Wilderness of Iceland Trying to Avoid the Crowds, Iceland

by Matthew Allison | Sep 3, 2012 | Europe

2012/2018: I visited iceland on two separate occasions for a total of 4 days. The first trip in 2012 was via an adventure boat from greenland. Iceland was my disembarking point and I took advantage of this to hire a car with a few friends from the boat and explore...

Being Brought Back to Life by a Family of Nomads in a Yurt After a Terrible Bout of Food Sickness and Exploring Abandoned Silk Road Caravanserais, Kyrgyzstan

by Matthew Allison | May 20, 2012 | Asia

Into the Mountains of Kyrgyzstan May 2012: As part of a 12-day journey through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, I traveled to Kyrgyzstan with one goal in mind—to venture into its rugged mountainous interior and meet the semi-nomadic Kyrgyz people. I wanted to experience...

I’ll Never Forget Waking Up Early and Walking Among the Ancient Silk Road Buildings of Bukhara and Samarkand during Sunrise, Uzbekistan

by Matthew Allison | May 3, 2012 | Asia

Uzbekistan: A Silk Road Dream Realized May 2012: Uzbekistan—an oil-rich desert nation—is a land of ancient trade routes, weathered caravanserais abandoned in the sands, and Silk Road-era cities adorned with some of the most awe-inspiring architecture in the world. For...

My Uncle’s Return to His Beloved Okinawa After 50 years and Our Self Driving Trip Around the Island

by Matthew Allison | Mar 25, 2012 | Asia

March 2012: I’ll be honest, I first learned about Okinawa from watching the movie Karate Kid II. The romantic scenery, ancient honor code system, enchanting flute music and powerful Karate scenes left me filled with wonder about Okinawa. There is also World War...

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...