It’s no secret that my heart is linked — inextricably — to the mountains, that something in them draws my soul like a moth to a flame. They’re magnetic, potent, and irresistible to me — intoxicating and terrifying in the same moment. For this reason, Patagonia has long been a dream of mine to visit, …
Continents
My Walk Out of the Woods
It’s been almost 3 months since I posted original content on here, making it my longest break from blogging since I started The Open Road Before Me in 2011. There was good reason for that. April and May could best be described as a gauntlet, during which I decided to break my contract at Shane …
Ten Awesome Things to Do in Guanacaste
In the northwest corner of Costa Rica, tucked just under the southern border of Nicaragua, is the province of Guanacaste — a place of volcanoes and rainforests, rivers and beaches, classic colonial architecture and extreme water sports. Covering almost 4,000 square miles, the province has much to offer visitors; here’s a guide of ten awesome …
Reasons to Visit Georgia in 2019
The country of Georgia has been making waves in the travel industry lately, ever since its inclusion on the Lonely Planet ‘Best Places to Travel‘ list for 2018. A small nation nestled between Russia and Iran to the north and south, and the Black and Caspian seas to the east and west, it is a …
Climbing Acatenango and Fuego Volcanoes
Mountains are the sirens of geologic formations — luring in adventurers and enthusiasts with a rugged beauty that draws a veil over the hazards they contain. Soaring altitudes, inclement weather, and unstable terrain… these things and more have wrought tragedy upon countless back-country explorers drawn inexorably towards the mountains. But there is one breed of …
Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua
It’s hard to fully explain how much I love food. An ex-girlfriend of mine had some idea when she accused me (I kid you not) of loving food more than her. Needless to say, she wasn’t too happy when I made no effort to deny the accusation, and we broke up a short time later. …
REVIEW of Acacia Africa: Desert and Delta Express Tour
Last month, I got to fulfill a childhood dream and travel to southern Africa. My sister Alisha and friend Sejeong went with me, and after a great deal of research on Alisha’s part, we decided to make this journey with Acacia Africa. There were several reasons for choosing them. They have a reputation for sustainable, …
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The Great Pacific Northwest Road Trip
I love a good road trip. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of setting off to some distant place, knowing it will take you days to reach it, not knowing what adventures await you along the way. There are many reasons I enjoy living outside of the US, but few places can rival my homeland’s …
Etosha National Park with Acacia Africa
My interest in Namibia began with nature documentaries. For some reason, deserts fascinated me — I think it was the utter foreignness of it. I’d never seen a place that was seemingly so barren, so devoid of life. But I quickly learned that these dry places that seem so desolate on the surface can be …
Under the Stars in Spitzkoppe
You would’ve loved this place, brother. It was wild, raw, elemental. The type of place that makes you realize how you fit into the universe and be thankful for your capacity to experience just a fraction of what it has to offer. You would’ve loved the rocks, red with iron and worn down by millennia …