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...

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...

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...