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The Open Road Before Me

Giving in to wanderlust

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  • Africa
    • Botswana
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    • Central Asia
      • Kyrgyzstan
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You are here: Home / Archives for roadtrip

roadtrip

Pancake Rocks

The Pancake Rocks of Punakaiki

I woke to the sound of surf, and stretched cat-like in my double bed — enjoying the snap, crackle, pop of my spine as my vertebrae realigned themselves.  One week of sleeping in my car had taken its toll, and I was enjoying the comfort of my room at the Punakaiki Beach Hostel.  The previous day …

The Pancake Rocks of PunakaikiRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: great view, hike, national park, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip, sea, sunset

Driving the West Coast Highway

The morning was cold, and I crawled out of my cocoon in the backseat of Te Namu to the sound of distant surf and the blasted buzzing of an infernal sandfly.  I killed it before I dressed, and immediately felt positive about the day ahead.  I would be driving the West Coast Highway to a place …

Driving the West Coast HighwayRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: epic, great view, hike, lake, national park, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip, sea, sunset

The Land of the Rohirrim

The Land of the Rohirrim

I remember when I first read Lord of the Rings.  I was in 7th grade, and even though I’d heard about the books before then, for some reason I didn’t get to Middle Earth until I was in Middle School.  Dry prose and dense narrative did nothing to dissuade me — within pages I was …

The Land of the RohirrimRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: epic, fortress, great view, hike, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip

Sights on the South Island

The Backroads of Canterbury

It felt like it had been an age.  Melissa and I had been in Samoa only 15 days, but the separation I felt from New Zealand seemed like it stemmed from an absence of months.  Perhaps the displacement was because we were in Christchurch, a far cry from the rural pace of Te Anau.  Whatever the cause, once we’d …

The Backroads of CanterburyRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: epic, great view, hike, lake, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip, sunset

Highlights of the Catlins

Morning walks are one of those things: I like to take them, but I won’t get up for one.  The good thing about sleeping in the trunk of a car is that sleeping in isn’t a luxurious prospect, it’s a chore.  So it was that at the crack of dawn I found myself out of bed and …

Highlights of the CatlinsRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: epic, great view, hike, national park, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip, sea, sunset

Waves off Porpoise Bay

Driving the Southern Scenic Route

I woke to the car shaking from the wind, to the clatter of rain on the roof.  It had been a blustery night, parked by the seashore at Moray Terrace, but I’d caught a few hours of sleep and had made the snug confines of Te Namu as comfortable as possible.  The day would start …

Driving the Southern Scenic RouteRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: epic, favorite, food porn, great view, hike, history, national park, New Zealand, road trip, roadtrip, sea, sunset

He’s Got a Dead Cat…

I see it just before it charges, a gaunt, grey beast crouching by the roadside with ears pressed back and shoulders hunched in anticipation. I swerve to the far side of the lane and accelerate, snarling at the dog as it leaps to give chase. Melissa tenses on the seat behind me as we pass …

He’s Got a Dead Cat…Read More

Category: SamoaTag: great view, motorcycle ride, road trip, roadtrip, sam, samoa, sea, travel tales

Savai’i Road Trip

I open the throttle and the engine roars — all 110cc of it. Melissa and I perch on the seat of the little Suzuki scooter — bags strapped to our backs and chests, respectively — as it works its way up to cruising speed. The sky is a flawless blue overhead, and brilliantly hued plants …

Savai’i Road TripRead More

Category: SamoaTag: great view, motorcycle ride, river, road trip, roadtrip, samoa, sea, sunset, travel tales

Driving to the Catlins

Driving to the Catlins

Driving past the holiday park leaves me feeling fuzzy — numbed to my actions and what they symbolize. I’m driving to the Catlins and leaving Te Anau. My home for the past 4.5 months, Te Anau is a tiny, buzzing little place popular simply because it’s the closest town to the iconic Milford Sound. Jobs are plentiful …

Driving to the CatlinsRead More

Category: New ZealandTag: architecture, epic, great view, history, lake, New Zealand, river, road trip, roadtrip, sea, sunset

Hitching through Turkey

Living on the Edge

This year, I’m going to be featuring some guest writers on my blog, other travel writers whose work has inspired me. Each person will be writing a post about the following question: What’s an experience you’ve had on the road which has changed your life?” The goal is to gather some intriguing tales involving the …

Living on the EdgeRead More

Category: Guest Posts, Italy, Thailand, Turkey, Utah, WritingTag: guest posts, Italy, national park, road trip, roadtrip, thailand, The World, travel tales, Turkey, USA, writing

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Spring in Mongolia
Hello, my name's Nathan. I've been living a life on the road since October 2011, and have no plans of slowing down. Come along for the ride!

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