Asia

And the air is thin

And it blows through your skin

And you feel like something

Is about to begin

But you don't know what

And you don't know when

- The Airborne Toxic Event

The region is commonly seen through the lenses of China and India, the two most populous countries in the world. The rapid development of these two nations has placed them in a central position on the world stage and created a wealth of opportunities for an ever expanding middle class. Together, their storied histories comprise millennia of ancient civilizations and vibrant cultures that could not be more different. Even within the borders of each country the vast land areas and varying geography have created distinct regions with unique characteristics that need to be experienced in person in order to be truly understood.

Other regional powers like South Korea and Japan offer more well-developed societies and their respective capitals of Seoul and Tokyo are among the busiest and most cosmopolitan in the world. Singapore as well has transformed into a world class city-state and serves as a regional hub for both transport and business.

Long popular with tourists, the Southeast Asian nations of Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia are lined with picturesque beaches and dotted with ruins of former empires amidst wildlife-filled jungles. Their main cities offer popular nightlife and great food that reflects the native cultures as well as the past influences of the former occupying colonial powers.

To the west, the Silk Road meanders through Central Asia into the Caucasus and Anatolia. The route has served as the link between Asia and Europe for thousands of years and the resulting trade and commerce have led to a rich intermingling of cultures. In the present day, follwoing the disintegration of the Soviet Union these nations have re-established their own distinct identities and are vying for increased roles in today's global economy. Rough around the edges but remote and rewarding, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan truly allow the traveler to get off the beaten path. Similarly, the seldom visited nations of the Caucasus are small but packed with years of history and offer wildly different zones from beaches to mountains to wine regions.

Anatolia and the Middle East were the locations of some of the first major human settlements. To this day there are countless remnants of this storied past with the advantageous desert climate preserving ancient Roman and Greek ruins along with historic ancient cities in Yemen, Jordan, Israel, and Iraq, among others. Recent conflict and political instability in the region have unfortunately made large areas unsafe to visit, however, perhaps in the future this will change.

   

Select a country to view photos and stories from my travels:

 
Armenia

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan

China

China

Georgia

Georgia

India

India

Japan

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

Singapore

Singapore

South Korea

South Korea

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Taiwan

Taiwan

Tajikistan

Tajikistan

Turkey

Turkey

Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan