A Few Days in One of the World’s Newest Countries, Timorleste

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...

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 

by Matthew Allison | May 7, 2013 | Asia

May 2013: This trip to the Komodo and Flores Islands, East Timor-A Few Days in One of the World’s Newest Countries, Timorleste | Venture The Planet, and Australia’s Northern Territories-The Australian Outback-Exploring Kakadu National Park in the Northern...

Traveling with Reindeer Herders into the Siberian Arctic

by Matthew Allison | Feb 4, 2013 | Asia, Europe

Preserving Vanishing Cultures: A Journey to the Nenets of Siberia February 2013 – One of the greatest motivations behind my travels is the opportunity to visit exotic cultures and indigenous tribes—communities that have managed to preserve their traditions despite the...

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...