I had ten minutes before my bus would be leaving the terminal in La Paz, Bolivia and I had to pee. My big backpack was perfectly situated with the weight on my rump and the straps pulled tight across my chest. My little backpack was perched like a pregnant belly on my front and my [...]
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“Stress Free Solo Travel”? Yeah, right.
I had ten minutes before my bus would be leaving the terminal in La Paz, Bolivia and I had to pee. My big backpack was ...
Snapshot Sunday! Sunsets over Sand Dunes in Huacachina, Peru
I know, I know — sunsets are too easy. They’re ALWAYS pretty, pretty much. Or so I thought, until I saw the sun sets in Huacachina, Peru — a miniature town surrounded by sand dunes on all sides. The first time I caught one was on our sand boarding expedition (post on that adventure, coming [...]
Mongol Rally Update: Sponsor a Tank and Route Suggestions! We Need YOU!
Not interested in hearing about the upcoming, 10,000 mile drive from London to Mongolia??? That’s really a bummer because THAT’S ALL I CAN TALK ABOUT RIGHT NOW! Anyways, in case you haven’t been keeping tabs, the Mongol Rally is now less than two months away. That means that in LESS THAN SIXTY DAYS, Brent, Hilton [...]
Mongol Rally team Dixie Chickens Piles into School Bus for RTW Trip!
I am officially counting down the days until the starting line of the Mongol Rally. There are so many things that I’m excited about — seeing Europe for the first time, driving the nearly nonexistent roads of Kazakhstan, standing at the edge of the “Gates of Hell” in Turkmenistan, and the list goes on. But [...]
How to Make a Pisco Sour and Get Tipsy at a Tasting
“You can’t get drunk, but you can get TIPSY!” That was our guides answer when I half jokingly asked if our tour of the pisco winery in Huacachina, Peru would be a party. The Huacachina winery is a tiny, family run operation, but considering it sits in a town whose sand dune boundaries can be [...]
Snapshot Saturday! Colca Canyon, Peru
Not sure if you’ve noticed, but guys — I’ve been really friggin’ active lately. Despite a failed attempt to summit Huayna Potosi (I promise, I’ll get to that story after a little more ego-nursing in private) I’ve discovered a serious passion for trekking and climbing. But when I arrived to Arequipa, I was feeling pretty sluggish. [...]
What’s Your Passion? with Miguel the Nomad Barber
When Miguel left school to pursue a career in barbering, he never anticipated an award-wining career and a trip around the world would follow. I recently came across Miguel’s Nomad Barber project through Instagram. The unique pictures of various barber shop settings caught my eye, and I knew he’d be a greatcandidate to bring SOTC’s What’s Your [...]
The Salt Flats of Bolivia — Exploring the Bizarre Beauty of Salar de Uyuni
We had already brainstormed some quirky photo ideas for the bizarre landscape of the salt flats in Bolivia and were ready to rock when we boarded our jeep in Uyuni for the three day tour. Salar de Uyuni was a salt water lake, once upon a time — like, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Then [...]
Snapshot Saturday! Fortune Telling Bird at El Alto’s Sunday Market
A trip to the Sunday Market just outside of La Paz in Bolivia isn’t the most relaxing way to spend a day. You’ll need to catch one of the local buses for a half hour ride into the the neighborhood that climbs the nearby cliffs, looking out over the city. Once you’ve survived the bumpy [...]
So You Want to Try Ayahuasca?
I had never heard of drinking ayahuasca until I traveled to the jungle of Colombia. It was there that I first caught wind of backpackers discussing ceremonies, shamans, visions, and purging. Some wished to try ayahuasca with a curiosity akin to recreational drug sampling. Others seriously pondered the potential for emotional and spiritual growth. I [...]
Salkantay Pass: The Inca Trail Alternative to Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu is the most popular in South America, and I’m sure its for good reason. Unfortunately, for travelers like myself who refuse to book anything more than two days in advance, your chances of getting a spot on one of these treks is pretty slim. They require a booking for [...]
Snapshot Saturday! Train Cemetery in Uyuni, Bolivia
Uyuni is a dusty, little town, hidden in the wild frontier of Bolivia’s Southern expanse. Its deserted streets chill you upon arrival with eerie emptiness and cold winds. The town is used as a jumping point to visit the popular Salt Flats, but its one other attraction (often included at the start of the Salt [...]
Stars on the Ceiling is an outlet for recording a stubborn determination to discover what I want out of life on my own terms. Its also a testament to the often ignored possibilities available to anyone who wants to do the same. Let's explore the world and inspire each other.
