Sunset at the Monkey Temple on Tihar

Nov. 12, 2018 — Kathmandu, Nepal

“On Tihar, though, everything is alight. Twinkling lights adorn every building. Whole streets flash and blink in synchronized patterns, making pulses of color ripple across the city.” 

 

Abandoning Expectations

Nov. 17, 2018 — Dhulikhel, Nepal

“But if you leave your expectations at the door and allow yourself to be picked up and swept away in the reality of the place — for better or for worse — you’ll come away a different person and with stories worth telling.”

 

 

Indian Wedding

Jan. 24, 2019 — Kathmandu, Nepal

“First came drummers and dancers, then men and women in colorful traditional Indian dress, and finally the groom himself. In his ornate tunic and feathered headdress, I felt like I was watching a king and his entourage come through the door.” 

 

Days 1-5: Arrival in Langtang + The Ascent to Kyanjin Gomba

Apr. 18, 2019 — Langtang Valley, Langtang, Nepal

“They each grabbed slingshots and headlamps, beckoned me to follow, and took off up the mountain. The next several hours consisted of fast climbing, bird calls, stones sent whipping through the leaves by slingshots, and using headlamps to search for forest hens in the cloud-covered forest.” 

 

Sandstorm in Dunhuang

May 29, 2019 — Dunhuang, Gansu, China

“I took my bandana from my bag and tied it around my face as well. Eventually, the train lurched its way into the station and the doors were slid open, immediately filling the end rooms of each cabin with sand.” 

 

Hitchhiking Diaries Pt. 3

June 22, 2019 — Northeastern Kyrgyzstan

“From my place on the cold black sand, I listened to the wind and waves for quite awhile, watching headlights fade in and out of view miles away on the roads across the lake and wondering where they were going. It was one of those rare peaceful moments that to acknowledge it is to end it.” 

 

Crossing the Caspian Sea

Aug. 4, 2019 — Caspian Sea, Eurasia

“For hours and hours, there was nothing. Just the horizon stretching on in every direction. Sometimes, the ghost of a ship’s silhouette would fade into view before fading back into the mist miles away.” 

 

Mountaintop Church in the Greater Caucasus

Sept. 1, 2019 — Kazbegi, Georgia

“To get to this point, I had to pass through the Tien Shan Mountains and Pamir Mountains. I’ve seen more of the world’s mountains than a lot of people get to see, and I was still thrown by the Greater Caucasus.”