French Polynesia · 5 stories
Tales, tips, and reflections from the road
King penguins, hitchhiking through Tierra del Fuego, Laguna Esmeralda, a restaurant called "Je Suis Raclette", and the bittersweet feeling of flying home from the end of the world.
Booking chaos, 4:30AM starts, snowfields on the John Garner pass, and the breathtaking Grey Glacier — an honest account of one of the world's most hyped treks.
Caleta Tortel, the Venice of South America, local craft beer, and an honest review of the most overpriced ferry in Patagonia.
Ten days of gravel roads, unexpected friendships, and marble caves along Patagonia's legendary highway — with the rain rarely letting up.
Renting a motorbike from the inventive Chilewheels Adventure, camping by lighthouses and forests, a winery lunch at Bandido Neira near Concepción, and riding through Chile's stunning landscapes — until the rain won.
A scooter in Mendoza's vineyards, stumbling upon a French couple who rebuilt a bodega from scratch, a 5-course wine lunch in Uco Valley, and a white-knuckle minibus ride back through the Andes — Argentina delivered.
Croissants in the Atacama desert, a disappointing star tour, then renting bikes to explore Valle de la Luna — until we ran out of water on the wrong side of the mountain and had to hitchhike back.
Three days crossing Bolivia's legendary salt flats in a 4x4 — from the trains graveyard to blood-red Laguna Colorada, surreal Dali Valley, and the freezing geysers at 4am — ending with a funny border crossing into Chile.
A 23-hour bus ride to the jungle, 3 days in the Bolivian pampas, crocodile eyes glowing in the dark, Augustina fishing 4 piranhas, and a jaguar we just missed — the Amazônia was absolutely worth it.
From the chaotic minibuses of La Paz to camping on Isla del Sol with an unforgettable sunrise — Bolivia's high-altitude capital and the world's highest navigable lake did not disappoint.
Bolivia's charming white city delivered a festival week, the world's largest dinosaur footprint wall, a chocolate shop we visited every single day, and a hostel cat who adopted us completely.
Our first days in South America — the warm welcome of Bolivia's largest city, a 700$ jaguar tour we skipped, and a park where the jungle meets the desert just 17km from the city center.
A brief but intense stopover in Istanbul — the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, and a sore ankle — before flying on to Bolivia.
Six presidents, 70+ nations, eagle hunting, Kok Boru (horse polo with a goat carcass), and a spectacular opening ceremony — we got lucky enough to witness the World Nomad Games in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan.
After the Pamir and Alay, we badly needed rest — then motivated ourselves for one beautiful alpine lake in western Kyrgyzstan. Getting there was easy; getting back was a two-hour ordeal on the roadside.
A 5-day trek through Kyrgyzstan's Alay Mountains — three mountain passes, two storms, a jeep that needed river water to cool down, and fried bread baked by a Kyrgyz family in their yurt.
Eight days on one of the world's highest roads — a clapped-out Pajero, two burst tires, the Afghan border at arm's length, Bactrian camels at 4800m, and a tent under a sky full of stars.
A multi-day trek through Tajikistan's stunning Fann Mountains — turquoise lakes, a 4100m snow-covered pass, some very unhelpful Belgians, and wild horses running free on the valley floor.
One day in Iran's holy city of Mashhad — the colossal Imam Reza shrine, an unexpected film crew, the wrong national flag at a restaurant, and the world's most hospitable country saying goodbye.
A midnight arrival in Galikesh, a cow waiting for the bus, and a newly-married couple who drove us to one of Iran's most remote and fascinating sites — the hilltop cemetery of Khaled Nabi.
Almost didn't go. So glad we did. Four hitchhikes — including a garbage truck — breathtaking mountain valley views, a drone flying over ancient fortresses, and the most generous strangers you'll ever meet in Iran.
Iran's crowded, dusty capital wasn't our favorite — but an amazing CouchSurfing host, the opulent Golestan Palace, and the elevated Darband neighborhood (Tehran's answer to Montmartre) made it worthwhile.
The magnificent Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a palace chess match with a kind old man, the breathtaking Mosque Shah, walking a dry riverbed to see the Khaju Bridge — and making crêpes for our hosts on the last night.
The underground city of Nooshabad, a red village carved from stone, hundreds of camels in the Maranjab Desert, sand dunes glowing at golden hour — two intense days around Kashan that felt like a dream.
