The Pilot Who Explores
There are places that defy easy storytelling. Syria is one of them. A country rich with history, one where in the midst of so much destruction, people still open their doors and share tea with strangers. I spent seven days exploring Syria, from Damascus to Homs, Hama, Idlib, Aleppo, Palmyra, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor. What […]
I didn’t know exactly what I was chasing when I set out from Abidjan with a backpack, a loosely penciled route, and a healthy dose of curiosity. The plan—if you could call it that—was to make my way overland from Côte d’Ivoire across Liberia, and eventually to Sierra Leone. I had already previously traveled overland […]
If the first words you read about Haiti are “do not travel… due to kidnapping, crime… including robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom” (state.gov), I understand why you wouldn’t want to travel there. And if you heard about the April kidnapping of Youtuber ‘Arab’, or the shooting of multiple aircraft at PAP airport, it doesn’t […]
South Sudan has been in the news often the last decade, and for good reason. Between a civil war, genocide, and mass corruption, there’s been a lot of bad stuff to talk about. If you’re thinking about traveling to South Sudan, you may be wondering if it’s safe – or even possible. Last year, a […]
When I first embarked on a trip to Ethiopia, I didn’t know what to expect. I was enthralled by the idea of visiting this historic and fascinating corner of the world, but concerned with how little I knew and how difficult it is to find information about Ethiopia. Is Ethiopia safe to visit? Where should […]
Corrupt and complicated, complex and challenging, West Africa is often discarded as an unworthy travel destination. But in reality, it’s one of the world’s last true hidden gems and a treasure for those willing to give it a chance. From the epic baobab-laden, culturally rich, “land of Teranga” (Senegal) down to the islands of the […]
When I embarked on a journey to the small, remote Cape (Cabo) Verde islands in the middle of the Atlantic, I did not know what to expect. Would the islands, because of their deep importance with the Atlantic slave trade routes, remind me of my travels across Senegal? Or instead, would they remind me of […]
Ah, Central America, an incredibly rich part of the world. With some of the highest density of volcanos on the planet, delectable cuisine across the board, fascinating culture and mind-blowing ruins, there are endless reasons to devote some time exploring this part of the earth. This begs the question: just how do I see it […]
From the outside, many people discard El Salvador due to its now expired reputation of street violence, MS-13, drugs, and crime. But the country has made strides, and it’s now one of the safest in Central America. Our experience in El Salvador was that it’s a welcoming, warm country with tons of incredible sites to […]