Soles of a Nomad

Laguna Parón is one of the most stunning alpine lakes in Peru—and also the easiest to reach on a short hike. Here’s how our trip went sideways before it even started, and why it still turned into one of the best days we had in the Andes.

Delta lost our luggage on the way to Lima, Peru. What followed involved freezing mist, four airport trips, a pile of broken promises, and the slow unraveling of our faith in airlines—and humanity. A ridiculous and totally true travel disaster story.

We were in Istanbul for a family vacation, enjoying lamb dinners and lively streets—until our phones lit up with news of a military coup. This is the story of how we experienced the 2016 Istanbul coup attempt firsthand.

Looking for the most beautiful village in the Himalayas? Turtuk, India is a remote, green oasis in the Karakoram Mountains—equal parts paradise and mystery. Read about our unforgettable journey to one of the last open villages near the India–Pakistan border.

When we traveled to Kashmir, tensions were high and headlines were grim. What we found was kindness, beauty, and a deeper understanding of what “safe” really means.

The Buddha was born in Lumbini. I was reborn there too—around 3 a.m., soaked in sweat, dreaming of electricity. Let’s talk about rolling blackouts.

Sri Lanka promised curry breakfasts, blue whales, and gentle adventures. Instead, we found tuk tuk shakedowns, a resurrected jewel scam, and a train ride so crowded I balanced on one foot like a flamingo. Because travel.

We left Mae La Oop thinking the journey to Mae Chaem would be simple. Instead, it involved standing on a truck bumper, climbing onto the roof, and riding through a mountain storm.

In a Karen village in northern Thailand, I learned how to shower using a pink bucket of cold river water—and how not to inhale it up my nose. Another lesson in barely managed chaos. Because travel.

One shirt. Two armpits. Zero hot water. This is backpacker laundry done the hard way — with soap, sweat, and shivering.

Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur greeted us with noise, confusion, and a sandal full of something best forgotten. It only got weirder from there.

We came for the famous cendol and assam laksa at Jonker 88 in Melaka. Instead, two of our kids nearly passed out — and we learned not to underestimate Southeast Asia’s heat.

Surviving the humidity of the Borneo jungle wasn’t about strength — it was about surrendering to the sweat and embracing the discomfort. Because travel.

A night walk on the Kinabatangan River revealed an unforgettable sight: hundreds of spiders staring back at us from the jungle floor. Welcome to Borneo.

A boyhood dream of tracking tigers leads instead to a nighttime rhino charge — and a chaotic run for survival in Nepal's Chitwan National Park.

A surprising mosquito encounter and a ferry delay in Tonga taught me more about patience and acceptance than any self-help book ever could.

Landing in Moscow was just the beginning. From surviving a wild taxi ride to accidentally finding my hotel in the freezing dark, my Moscow travel adventure taught me that sometimes chaos leads to the best stories.

Traveling through China meant breakdowns, sweat-drenched buses, and one very angry duck. Sometimes, you don't cry because you're sad—you cry because travel.