I Think I Wanna Marry You

It was morning, and the studio was empty, except for Khushnud and I. “Where is everyone?” I asked. “Eating plov,” Khushnud replied casually, as if that explained everything. It did not. After a bit more prodding, I learned that every traditional Uzbek wedding begins with plov, a traditional rice and meat […]

Margilan Day Trip: Silk, Worms, and Dresses

Khushnud and I were chatting at the pottery wheel, as always.  For two people from different cultures, different generations, different religions, and opposite sexes, we found no shortage of things to talk about. At first, all we shared was a common language, Russian, and a love of pottery. Within a […]

The Student Becomes the Teacher

But by the third day, I had settled into the rhythm of life in the studio. We ate breakfast of bread, cheese, and tea and then Khushnud and I spent the morning at the pottery wheels, throwing new pieces, decorating, and trimming whatever had dried enough to handle. Before long, it […]

Detained at the Uzbek-Kyrgyz Border

While Julia was busy taking pottery classes, I got my ass in trouble. Funny story. When we arrived in Rishton, it was already dark outside, and we barely saw the surroundings.  But as we settled for the night at the pottery studio, I looked at Google Maps on my phone […]

Pottery for Pets

I woke up the next morning with my heart fluttering. It was the first day of my pottery retreat. I threw on older clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty with clay and hurried outside. I hadn’t really seen the courtyard the night before. We arrived after dark, when little was […]

Adjust your Altitude – Breathless in Peru

By Victor / August 14, 2019

I love planning trips.  Everything needs to be accounted for – which destinations to visit and for how long; the logistics of getting from one place to another; how long the days are according to sunrise and sunset and how much sightseeing can be stuffed into each day; how holidays […]

Jamaica Off The Beaten Track – Kingston

By Victor / June 19, 2019

The following is not a coherent story about a funny situation or a thought-provoking episode. It’s a mish-mash of experiences during the second day of our random and strange stumble through this city. We learned something new about Jamaica’s music and history, we got close and personal with the locals, we were startled by an unsafe situation, we were laughed at by a taxi driver and a cop within one hour. In the end, it was quite a lot of fun.

The Holy River of Ganges – Food Poisoning, Death, and Scams

By Victor / June 12, 2019

Varanasi remains to this day one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Grief and poverty, hope of reincarnation and casual indifference to burning human corpses, all blended within a rigid structure of strict funeral customs makes for a stunning picture to an unindoctrinated Westerner. It is a city unlike any I have ever been to – a place where both live and dead are looking for their next reincarnation.
It is not a place I am likely to forget.

India – Lost Passport and Opium on Christmas Eve

By Julia / May 22, 2019

Heading to India both Victor and I were completely paranoid about getting food poisoning which could ruin our entire vacation.  We inspected every plate, fork, and spoon and cleaned it with napkins.  We ate only cooked vegetables, didn’t order any drinks with ice, drank only bottled water, and were very careful not to ingest anything that wasn’t fresh or freshly cooked.  We carried on like this for four full days.   And it was this unparalleled state of paranoia and obsession with cleanliness that made the events of the fifth day so damn funny.

Iceland – Travel Notes

By Victor / May 16, 2019

Iceland’s enigmatic landscapes and Viking history attract millions of visitors every year. The country is conveniently located in close proximity to the U.S (only a 5-hour flight from Boston) and continental Europe, drawing most of the visitors from these places.

India – Taking It Easy During a Hard Trip

By Julia / May 6, 2019

For every one of 16 days, India tested our resolve to travel and rewarded us for not giving up. We went from tasting the most delicious food to food poisoning. We saw the most extreme poverty and the most stunning architecture in one day.

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