One of the nights I spent in Lahic, the family who owned the guesthouse Jason and I were staying at had their cousins in from out of town to celebrate… Something. After a long hard day of hiking in Lahic, they were kind enough to invite Jason and I to […]
Travel Words
Ruins of Konye-Urgench
En route from Ashgabat and the Darvaza Gas Crater to the Uzbek border and Khiva is one of Central Asia’s saddest historical sites and most poignant memories: the ruins of Konye-Urgench. With the dubious honor of being one of the bloodiest massacres in human history, Genghis Khan’s destruction of Konye-Urgench […]
Sultanahmet
Istanbul: Sultanahmet Sultanahmet is the tourist heart of Istanbul, home to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and Basilica Cistern and more hotels and guesthouses than I care to remember. For good reason, too. The whole neighborhood is resplendent with beautiful old architecture and street food and Istanbul highlights, and […]
Portraits of Afghanistan
Much more than landscapes or bazaars or food, Afghanistan was about the people we met along the way. People who generally expressed a genuine interest in us, were very willing to engage, and just seemed so… normal I guess? So, here, I want you to meet some of them. These […]
The Spicy side of Istanbul
Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar If you ever find yourself with the immediate need to buy a restaurant kitchen’s worth of spices, Istanbul is one of the highest recommendations I can give. If you just need to indulge your inner child with sweets galore and whole mountains of Turkish Delight, even […]
Modern Marble Ashgabat
Modern shiny new Ashgabat doesn’t play around. Remember that moment in Sim City 2000 when everything was in perfect order, just before the option to build Arcologies opened up? Well, I never got there because I always used the Urban Renewal Kit to cheat my way to megalopolis. Still, though, […]
Hey there! I'm Stephen, this is my travel blog, and that's me in the poofy hat.
I'm a photographer / writer traveling since 2008, and I've been doing my best to visit amazing places.
My current focus is Central Asia, because for a hiking and camping enthusiast it's as good as it gets.