Next on the Bucket List: Oktoberfest in Munich

I was chatting with my cousin, who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, and telling her all about our 36-hour trip to Munich just to attend the opening of Oktoberfest. “Have you ever been?” I asked her. “Oh no!” she exclaimed. “We are not big drinkers at all!” “Neither are we!” I […]

People Live Here. Nuratau Mountains.

We were outside the Jizzakh train station, patiently waiting on our Yandex Go taxi driver, when another taxi pulled up.  The driver, a tall lean man in his early seventies, leaned out the window, “Where are you heading?” We explained that we were waiting for another taxi and he nodded, […]

Full Bloom in Namangan

A Tajik woman in a colorful dress was elbowing and pushing me away.  I was too close, and she demanded space. She was also bothered by my camera, hissing at me that it kept poking her in the back.  But what could I do? We were in the crowd, and […]

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 […]

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.

El Chorrillo or How I Walked Through a War Zone

By Victor / April 10, 2019

When I travel the world, I always try to catch a soccer game-whether it’s kids playing on the streets of Buenos Aires, a high school game in Iceland, joining in on a game on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or attending a professional match in the best-known stadiums in […]

Fumbling Around The World FAQ

By Julia / April 2, 2019

We are often asked the same questions by different people any time we mention an upcoming trip.  Usually, it goes something like this: Q:  Oh, wow!  That country! Do you have relatives or friends there? A:  Nope. Q:  Do you speak the local language? A:  No, not at all.  Not unless it’s English, Russian, or slowly spoken Spanish. Q: Why […]

The Happiest Pizza on Earth

By Julia / March 14, 2019

We were in Kampot, walking around the main touristy street, when I noticed a strange abundance of Italian restaurants, to be more precise – pizza restaurants.  All the menus displayed pizza and pasta and a few other Italian/Western dishes, alongside traditional Khmer cuisine.  Every restaurant had the word “Pizza” in […]

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