Many people seem to have the impression that Afghanistan consists of nothing more than sterile deserts. A drive through the Salang Pass will go a long way in dispelling that image. Along the way, the Hindu Kush mountains (through which the Salang Tunnel passes) I was reminded of everything from the Italian Alps to the … Continue reading
It feels a little schizophrenic to travel from a war zone in Afghanistan where there were literally firefights in the street when I was leaving (more on that in future posts) to shopping for expensive clothing and hanging out at an ice bar in Dubai just a few hours later… Fortunately, embracing such ambiguities in … Continue reading
Down this innocuous looking street pictured below, in a quiet industrial area of Peshawar, Pakistan, lies a cutting-edge operation, global in nature and acutely reflective of the latest trends in world politics… This is an operation with far more influence in the world than its relatively small size or remote location would suggest. And an … Continue reading
Balkh is now primarily a mass of ruins, but it was once one of the premier cities of the world. Seriously, look up the history of Balkh if you are not familiar with it. It was an incredible city. You probably won’t need to rush to see Balkh if you wish to see it before … Continue reading
El Pais Grande del Sur Not feeling satiated by our recent visit through Big Sur, Brandon and I headed back for some deeper penetration. This time we had a specific destination in mind -Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Which is not to say that we didn’t find plenty of places to stop on the way … Continue reading
*** Update*** OK – I have been advised that Mushroom Rock (identified as Mushroom Hole in the article below) was actually written up in National Geographic Adventure Magazine. This surprised me greatly and makes my original opening sentence (below) a little less accurate, apparently. I have posted the commentary found in National Geographic Adventure Magazine … Continue reading
During a recent visit to the Willow Glen, a wildlife photographer regaled us with tales of a trip up Highway 70 through the Feather River Canyon and up to Lake Almanor. I was hooked and almost immediately proposed pursuing this lead. Our crew decided to take a break from the remodeling of the Ames estate … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 