by Matthew Allison | Sep 7, 2010 | Asia
Turkmenistan: A Journey into One of the World’s Most Isolated Countries In September 2010, I set out to visit one of the most unusual and secretive nations on Earth—Turkmenistan. Often called the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan remains politically and...
by Matthew Allison | Jun 11, 2010 | South America & Antarctica
June 2010: Visiting indigenous cultures has always been one of my top travel goals, and there is no better country in South America for this than Bolivia. Approximately 70 percent of Bolivia’s population is indigenous, primarily descendants of the Inca...
by Matthew Allison | May 17, 2010 | Africa
Chasing Lemurs and Vanishing Forests May 2010 | Madagascar: A Dream Finally Realized For years, Madagascar sat high on my travel bucket list—an island of bizarre creatures, surreal landscapes, and hauntingly beautiful forests. As someone whose travel decisions are...
by Matthew Allison | Mar 27, 2010 | Default
March 2010: Costa Rica was a country I put off visiting for a long time. Why? Because it’s the most touristy country in Central America, with a large number of American expats who, in some ways, have altered its identity. I preferred destinations lacking tourist...
by Matthew Allison | Jan 12, 2010 | North America, Default
Arizona – Heart of the Wild West Ghost Towns, Borderlands, and Timeless Desert Beauty Arizona embodies the spirit of the American Wild West—a land of ghost towns, long, lonely stretches of borderland, and some of the most dramatic desert landscapes on Earth. From the...
by Matthew Allison | Dec 7, 2009 | Europe
December 2009: At some point in life, I believe it’s important to learn about your ancestors and discover your roots. By doing so, you gain a deeper understanding of the places and lives of those who shaped you—both genetically and culturally. Preserving this...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 28, 2009 | Asia
November 2009: I visited the Philippines as part of a larger 3-week trip across Southeast Asia. The Philippines is one of my most meaningful trips because it is where my wife was born and although she didn’t go with me on this trip, I did stay with some of her...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 27, 2009 | Asia
November 2009: I decided to return to Nepal for a week to visit Chitwan National Park and try finding a wild tiger and rhino after my failed attempt during my first visit to Western Nepal’s Bardia National Park in 1997. Chitwan was a back-up plan to visiting the...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 21, 2009 | Asia
November 2009: After years of attempting to organize a trip into the Hukawng Valley, the world’s largest tiger reserve in northern Myanmar, I was finally granted permission. A local fixer informed me that the Myanmar military government had approved my permit to...
by Matthew Allison | Nov 12, 2009 | Asia
Sri Lanka Wildlife Adventure November 2009 During a three-week adventure across Southeast Asia, I spent four memorable days exploring Sri Lanka, primarily to see Asian elephants in their natural habitat. Sri Lanka is world-famous for its national parks and dedicated...
