Exploring Buzludzha, a Ruined Communist Era Building Resembling a Spaceship during a Snowstorm and Being Invited Into a Gypsy Ghetto before having to Escape a Gang of Glue Sniffing Kids

by Matthew Allison | Jan 7, 2015 | Europe

Exploring Bulgaria’s Surreal Side A Winter Road Trip to the Buzludzha Monument and Beyond January 2015 — As part of a larger Eastern Europe trip, my friend Frank and I spent four days exploring Bulgaria. I planned the visit with help from my Bulgarian friend in San...

Visiting a Soviet Ghost Town Created by the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

by Matthew Allison | Jan 5, 2015 | Europe

First Impressions of Ukraine: From Transdniestria to Odessa 2008: I first set foot in Ukraine in November 2008, traveling with my friend Dan to the historic Black Sea port city of Odessa. We arrived via public transportation from Transdniestria, crossing from one...

Kayaking and Hiking In Greenland’s Unknown Fjords and Mountains in the World’s Largest National Park-Northeast Greenland National Park

by Matthew Allison | Sep 22, 2012 | Europe, North America

September 2012: As part of a three-week journey, I embarked from Svalbard, traveling along the northeastern coast of Greenland before finishing in Iceland. The adventure was aboard an impressive icebreaker operated by G-Adventures, with a Norwegian crew. Alongside...

Exploring the High Arctic and Abandoned Soviet Era Mining Towns-Svalbard Arctic Islands

by Matthew Allison | Sep 13, 2012 | Europe

September 2012: As part of a nearly three-week icebreaker adventure through northeastern Greenland-Kayaking and Hiking In Greenland’s Unknown Fjords and Mountains in the World’s Largest National Park-Northeast Greenland National Park | Venture The Planet and...

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...

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...