​Coming from South America, I knew this trip was going to be different. South America consists of 12 countries, give-or-take, and it took me just under 2 years. Asia is over 30 countries! In fact. my first challenge was determining what actually constitutes as “Asia”! South America was so easy to define as a continent. There are clear borders there. However, after much research and reading through pages and pages of debates online, I determined there was no single correct answer. Is Turkey part of Asia? How Georgia? Azerbaijan? The Middle East? Russia? Politically Russia seems more European. When I think of Europe, many visions are painted in my mind. Moscow, Saint Petersburg, these are major European cities in my mind. In fact, population-wise, they say over 75% of Russians live in European Russia. That being said, 75% of Russia’s land is geographically in Asia. So where to draw the line for Asia? Politically? Well, politics often change with time. Geographically? A well established geographic border for Asia is the Ural mountain range. However, this mountain range also divides several countries in two (as well as not being so clear to see on the map). After much debate, and thought, I decided to simply to create my own definition. I decided to save the Middle East for a separate journey, and focus on everything East of the Caspian Sea. One, because it is a clear landmark (or seamark) that can be found easily on a map, and two, because it sounds so cool! Everything East of the Caspian Sea! The only caveat that this definition would entail is doing Russia twice: Western Russia for Europe, and Siberia for Asia. I found a great place in Siberia that I really wanted to visit, so my itinerary was set! 

When I hear the word “Asia”, I feel...at home. I have loved Asia since before I can remember! The grandeur of the Himalayas! The Mysterious valleys of Bhutan. Indian Yoga, Shaolin Kungfu, Muay Thai Kickboxing. The vast landscapes of the Mongolian plateau! Oh, and Japan! My heart and soul!! I have loved Japan longer than anything else in my life. This was my vision of Asia. 

How little I truly knew….My heart is still in Japan, and will be forever, but there is so much more to Asia than I grew up knowing! The crystal clear waters of the Timor Sea. The renowned kindness of the Tajik people. The tea covered hills of Sri Lanka, and the breath-taking views in Indonesia. The struggles of the Uyghur people, North Korean control, and the stateless families in Brunei. The wealth and opportunity we ALL have compared to some of the children I met in the Philippines, India, and Afghanistan. There is both amazing and devastating in Asia, and it was important for me to see as much as possible. 

I still consider several Asian countries to be my favorites in the whole world! I love this place, and will always call it home!

I filmed some blogs along the way, but the final video can be found here:

These are my adventures in Asia!

Afghanistan 
This country has been at war for 40 years. Visions of desert, rock, soldiers, and terrorists filled my mind whilst dreaming of what Afghanistan would be like. Upon further research, I found the country to be just as beautiful as most others I have been. From the Canyons in the Band-e-Amir National Park, to the historic city of Herat and the stunning mosque of Maxar-e-Sharif, this place looked like a treasure trove of rarely sought indulgences. Any adventurer’s dream. Of course, the matter of safety was always in the back of my mind. Particularly given the sensitive political situation during the time of my visit. In fact, the day I landed, an explosion and gun fight occurred in the city center of Kabul. I could see the smoke rising from the city as my plane landed. 

This was not the side of Afghanistan I wanted to promote. There is desert in Afghanistan. There are many rocks, soldiers on every corner, and even terrorists in the streets of the capitol. However, there are also the most hospitable locals, helpful security officers, snow-capped mountains, and gardens as lush as any I’ve seen. A lot of what I have seen in the mass media does not depict the entire story of Afghanistan. 

It may be true that it is a dangerous place to visit now, but I truly believe that if peace ever comes to Afghanistan, the world will be surprised by its beauty. 

Bhutan 
There have been 2 or 3 places in my life that I have dreamed of going for forever. Most people who know me, know that Japan is one of them, but few knew that Bhutan has always been in my top 3. This place has held a sort of mysterious draw for me since the beginning. Something about it has always attracted me. Maybe it is because television was only allowed in the country in 1999, or perhaps it is because the internet was only brought to the mainstream around 2004. Maybe it is because to this day, there is not a single traffic light in the country. Something has always felt more...authentic about this place. Even tourism is pretty limited due to, one, the remoteness of this landlocked country, and two, the hefty visa fee placed of visitors to Bhutan.

None-the-less, I have always wanted to visit, and I finally had my chance! Flying into Paro, the landscape looked like everything I ever dreamed of! Mountains and valleys full of beautiful trees! The air tasted sweet as I got off the plane! After a month in Bangladesh’s chaos, I was soooooooo ready for Bhutan. I relished every moment I was there, and I am adding it to the very short list of places I would like to go back!

Cambodia 
What I love most about Cambodia is the sense of adventure you get when you arrive. Cambodia filled my head with dreams of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider when I was younger. I loved the idea of trekking through the jungle to come across ancient hidden civilizations not seen for thousands of years. That is the feeling you get when visiting Angkor Wat. The place is massive, and you could literally spend days upon days exploring the temples and jungles around Siem Reap. I was there for three weeks this trip, and still feel like I could have done more. ​

East Timor 
Timor-Leste was a much needed destination for me! So refreshing! On this journey, I had just visited Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Whilst they are fun and interesting places, I had already been several times before. I was ready to experience something completely new again. Timor-Leste was perfect to quench that thirst. What a great experience! East Timor is the newest country in Asia, and the perfect place for another adventure! The first thing I noticed about East Timor was the people (of course). 

At first glance, they seem hard and cold. They rarely smiled at me on the street. However, as soon as I showed even the slightest of smiles or some small sign of kindness, they opened up completely with the biggest smiles I’ve ever seen. I think that many people still have their guards up from being at war before. Understandably so. I think some people may be afraid to visit Timor-Leste at first, but please let me assure you: People in East Timor are unbelievably kind, compassionate, and caring individuals. Most of them will help you without a second’s hesitation. 

I loved my time here. I’d like to live here for a little while to gain an even better understanding with this place. I know that I could make some incredible friends here. 

Indonesia 
What a blessing it was to return to Indonesia! Both Malaysia and Singapore were a little tough for me. I had visited both of them many times before, I had been to the sites I wanted to film already….There was just no adventure in it. Indonesia was different. Whilst I had been to Jakarta and Bali before, It was my first time to Jogjakarata, and I was going to see the infamous: Borobudor! The largest Buddhist temple complex in the world. The whole area in fact was filled with grand history and incredible architecture. The entire time I was there I kept questioning why this place was as over-crowded as say, Angkor Wat in Cambodia. In fact, one of the ancient sites of this area looked a lot like Angkor Wat! That will be a mystery for me! 

The culmination of this trip to Indonesia was meeting the amazing people I met whilst there. I loved the friends I made in Jogja. I went hiking on a mountain in the south with a few new friends, and it was the best experience I had on a hike (and I do a lot of hikes!). They were kind, caring, and compassionate. I will always consider the people I met in Indonesia my friends. I loved my time in this country, and I am 100% sure, I will be back!

Kazakhstan 
I have a confession….I have not done a great job traveling through Central Asia. There is something different about me here. In North America and South America, I did so well! I went to every single place I could in each country I visited. Of course there were places I didn’t visit, but I did my best. I did a lot of research before visiting each country, and spent a great deal of time in each place I visited. I cannot say I put the same effort into Central Asia. I am sorry for that. 

In the beginning it was due to the struggle in getting wifi in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. I had no reliable way to research the places and people I heard about everyday. It is not an excuse. I should have done better. I remember feeling this way slightly during my last few weeks in Brazil; but it lasted much longer this time. 

Perhaps it was because Kazakhstan was my last country in Central Asia; Maybe it was because of the people I met in Almaty when I was there, or maybe it was just something inside of me that was different. I did not explore Kazakhstan the way I should have….

That being said, what I was able to see was splendid. Almaty, the city, is far more modern than any other place I visited in Central Asia. The mountains in the background of the city look like a painting to be admired year round, and the streets are cleaner and more organized than the past few months have been for me. 

I did a few of the touristy things: Big Almaty Lake, Kok-tobe, Medeo….A highlight was walking down the street and seeing the biggest squirrel statue I’ve ever come across. These things were fun for me. I did a bad job filming in Kazakhstan. Normally when I decide on where to film, I prepare for it in every way possible. I check the weather so I know what time the sky will be most blue (11am - 1pm for Almaty City), I think about the direction and ferocity of the wind (in terms of safety doing tricks and, more importantly, making sure my camera tripod doesn’t fall over), I think about the direction the sun will be facing in order to get the ideal shot, and how to time shots where there are no people. I wake up before the sun rises to catch the first bus, hike the 6 km up hill in the snow (no joke), and spend the next 4 to 5 hours taking hundreds of pictures, trying to get that 1 picture that ends up in my “portfolio”. This is what I do in every country I visit. 

In Kazakhstan, I gave up. I stopped caring so much, and my pictures are a reflection of my lack of effort. I wish they were better, I wish I knew what was wrong with me, and I wish could have represented Kazakhstan better. 

It is a beautiful country, with proud, kind, unique people. My experience in Kazakhstan was nothing like I expected. 

Laos 
Laos has been a big surprise for me on this trip. I had never been to Laos before, so I was excited for the experience! The most surprising thing for me in regards to Laos, was how tourist-friendly it was. I expected Laos to be one of the least visited countries in Asia, but compared to Brunei or East Timor, this place was like New York City! Even Mongolia was less touristy than Laos. Albeit, when I first saw  the stunning waterfalls of Luang Prabang, I began to understand why people enjoyed coming here. They are beautiful! 

Traveling to Laos taught me not to have expectations of places. It was really nothing like I imagined. I had fun in Laos. I recommend renting a motorcycle, and just cruising through the mountain passes and finding some hidden waterfalls. 

Maldives 
At first, I thought the Maldives were going to be challenging due to the cost of the trip. In fact, it was challenging for other reasons. I don’t like to talk about money very much. I try not to think about it at all, but the Maldives is known for being quite an expensive place to visit. Often people go for honeymoons or anniversaries when they can splurge. In fact, some of the first hotels I looked at were around 2,500 usd per night. That does not include food, travel expenses to the islands, day excursions, and fun…

However, after a bit (a lot) of research, I figured out how to do the Maldives on a budget. I flew from Kochi, India for less than 100 usd, and I was lucky enough to meet a very good (albeit, new) friend in Male’. He was a Martial Arts instructor for a local school in the Maldives. He graciously opened his home for me to stay, and showed me how the locals enjoy their beautiful country. He taught me where to eat like locals and how to get between the islands like locals. I ended up spending 60 usd in the Maldives before flying to Sri Lanka. 60 usd.

Now, as I mentioned, I do not like talking about money very much…but…for the sake of those not going to the Maldives based on financial concerns, I would say: you can do it! It is possible. Even though I made a good friend when I arrived, I found there were quite affordable hotels throughout the islands I visited. Guesthouses are slowly being created as well. I think the future looks bright for travelers in the Maldives. 

Myanmar 
I was not expecting Myanmar. It is certainly different than all the other countries I have visited before in this area. I guess I expected it to be similar to Thailand, Cambodia, or Laos. While those three countries are surely different, there is some small similarities to them. Myanmar is in a different league. The people here are unbelievably kind. 

A few examples: 

I rented a motorbike to explore the temples of Bagan. They asked me to be back by 9pm. I showed up at 8:45pm to return the bike. They asked me if I had gotten dinner. My initial thought was that they were going to take me to some shady restaurant where they would make a commission, or in someway benefit themselves. I was wrong. They were just asking if I needed the bike a little longer to get something to eat in town! 

One more example was when I came back after another day trekking through the mud in the countryside. My shoes were stacked with thick layers of sludgy muck. I asked the hotel staff if there was any water outside I could use so that I didn’t get the hotel room dirty. The hotel guy took me around the side of the hotel and showed me where a bucket of water was that I could use (nice). He then went and got a scrubbing tool that made my life much easier (nicer). Finally, he gave me some soap to make my shoes extra clean (SUPER nice)….wait…that’s not it…He then sat down, took one of my dirty, mud-slushed shoes, and started cleaning it far more thoroughly than I ever would have (Beyond the word “nice”). I tried to stop him, but he insisted. So we sat together each cleaning one of my shoes. 

These are just a few examples of things that happened to me in Myanmar. The people are the nicest I have met in SouthEast Asia. There is something different about them. They really impressed me. 

The temples in Bagan easily rival that of Angkor Wat or Borobudor. They are world class.

North Korea 
Living most of my life in countries that are pretty anti-North Korean policy, I often heard negative things about the country. I wanted to visit and see for myself what kind of place this was...I really wanted it to be nice, friendly, and peaceful: the opposite of what I had always heard. I had hoped that it was all just propaganda with underlying issues and ulterior motives. I needed to see for myself what North Korea was like...at least, as much as I could.

Philippines 
Back to the Philippines! I’ve been a few times before, but on this trip I decided to go to Palawan! If you close your eyes and dream up an island paradise, you are most likely thinking of something that looks pretty similar to Palawan. I spent the majority of my time in the small city of El Nido. A few boat tours, hanging out with the locals, and enjoying each day to the max was all it took to make leaving tough. Island life is good. Filipinos are chill people, and I would gladly go back. 

Minnesota 
Singapore is OK-LAH~ haha

This place is fun. Fun for those with a lot of money and a sense of adventure! From the night zoo to the island entertainment paradise of Sentosa, Singapore has a lot to offer in terms of fun. It’s diverse here. China town right next to Little india, tall skyscrapers next to lush open grass fields. Trees and concrete. Everything a little chaotic, yet everything having a sense of purpose and plan. 

There is so much to do here. I could easily spend months here exploring all the fun things to do! But you definitely need to bring extra money and extra sun-screen. Be back soon Singapore : ) 

South Korea 
South Korea is always tough for me. Whenever I go to South Korea, it is from Japan. There is no country in world to me like Japan, so I always feel a little sad to leave. That being said, I tried my very best to make the most out of my South Korean experience. I wanted to get out of Seoul to film. I had the idea to film the same action in both North and South Korea. I knew that North Korea was going to be tough to film, and most likely, I would be staying in the major cities there. Therefore, I wanted to film in a more natural environment for in South Korea to provide contrast in the final video. 

I decided on visiting Nami Island. It’s a small island about 60 km from Seoul. It was really nice in the early morning. Very few people. But at around 8am, it started to get pretty touristy. I like nature. Tourists are harder for me...haha

Taiwan 
Taiwan was easy to find a place to film! Nothing is more iconic or famous than Taipei 101!! Although, it’s really tough to film tall buildings~ I had to go pretty far away to fit the whole thing in frame. I found a path online called the Elephant Mountain trail, which offered great views of the cityscape. My next challenge was waiting for a day with no rain. This time of year they were few and far between. However, I did catch one nice day. 

Taiwan is unique. People speak Chinese here, but it has a quite different feel in comparison to mainland China. I guess similar to the cultural differences between Hawaii and the continental USA. There is a great level of respect in Taiwan. Most of the time people are polite, kind, and courteous. I met really nice people on this particular trip. Although, I have been to Taiwan before several times, so this was a more in and out mission! I’ll be back Taiwan!! 

Tajikistan 
Tajikistan was a breath of fresh air! I felt much more free and able to travel normally here in comparison to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Out of all the central Asian countries, I knew the least about Tajikistan. It may seem unimportant due to its size and location in central asia, however, this little country is full of history, culture, and spunk! 

One of the biggest impressions Tajikistan left me with was their national hero. Whilst many countries idolize their war heroes like Amir Timor in Uzbekistan, or Genghis Khan in Mongolia, Tajikistan loves to promote a man named Rudaki. He didn’t capture vast lands for the country, or rule a great number of people. On the contrary; He was a poet! I really admire the Tajik people for placing him in such a lofty position in their hearts. 

Speaking of the Tajik people...They are also quite different than their neighbours in Uzbekistan. Manny Uzbek people look very East Asian to me. Tajik people look more middle eastern. The Tajik people were incredibly polite! I took the bus every day I was in Tajikistan, and 100% of the time, a boy would give up his seat for a mother or an older gentleman. 100% of the time. They even offered their seat to me quite often. The idea of hospitality is very strong in the Tajik mind. I respect that a lot. 

There is a lot to do in Tajikistan too! Khujand on the legendary silk road, Panjakent (home to Rudaki), Dushanbe is a fashionable city with many beautiful parks, and the Pamir mountain range, which is often considered a highlight throughout all of Central Asia. Tajikistan has a lot to offer travelers, and is pretty tourist free at the moment. Better to check it out now before the masses discover this hidden gem!

Tibet 
I have dreamed of going to Tibet for most of my life. From reading of TinTin’s grand adventures to watching the epic Seven Years in Tibet, this place has been in my mind and heart for a long time. Visiting did not disappoint. Although, it was quite different than I imagined. 

The best part of Tibet are the unapologetically friendly people. Locals are super interested in visitors, and the majority are not shy to let us know. Tibet was the first place on my journey across Asia that I felt that I needed more time. 

Uzbekistan 
At some point during my journey through Uzbekistan, I found out that it is mandatory for foreigners to register within three days of entering the country. One must also register every 3 days that they are in Uzbekistan, or face a 2,000 usd fine and deportation. I didn't know this until it was too late. I'd like to blame Turkmenistan for this. Normally I spend a significant amount of time researching a country before visiting, however, before I arrived in Uzbekistan, I was in Turkmenistan with no wifi. Needless to say, I did not register. I spent the entire in Uzbekistan with the idea that I may be deported in the back of my head….haha

All that being said, Uzbekistan was wonderful. After spending so much time in Turkmenistan, it was nice to see people smile and want to communicate with me. I loved the people I met here. Nukus and the Aral sea were a highlight, and Samarkand must be in the top 20 most beautiful cities in the world, no? It was fun, but I would have liked to stay longer and not worry about registering myself with the local government. That's ridiculous. 

Vietnam 
From the moment I first visited Vietnam, I knew that it would become one of my favorite countries ever. There is something about this place that I really love. It’s just as beautiful as Thailand, has awesome temples like Myanmar and Cambodia, and is less traveled to than many other countries in the area. I like Vietnamese people. They are so carefree, happy, and smiling. They are not aggressive and seem like they want to avoid fighting at all costs. I respect this a lot. 

There is a vast difference between the North and the South of Vietnam. The South is more modern, feels smaller and much more international. The North has more culture! More personality. Everywhere you go in Vietnam, people are warm, kind, and welcoming. And the food is lovely. My suggestion: Skip the touristy beaches of Phuket, the hoards of travelers in Angkor Wat, and the vast mini-buses and bustling people in the  rice fields of Ubud. Instead, go to Sapa in Vietnam. Visit Halong Bay and check out Ninh Binh. You won’t be disappointed. 

Bangladesh
I was initially welcomed to Bangladesh by the worst immigration process I have ever gone through. The airport immigration staff were beyond unprofessional; They were rude, unorganized, and hard to speak with….There were very few visitors coming to Dhaka on my flight, but all of us were in the same area with the same look on our faces. Simple things like asking for the address of the hotel someone was staying at was done rudely. One man, confused about where to pay the visa fee, was literally yelled at by the immigration officials. They (the immigration staff) asked the same questions everyone else in the world does, but the Bangladeshi staff did so rudely.

I was disappointed.

A few of my friends I met along the way warned me about Bangladesh. To be fair, people warn me about places all the time, but Bangladesh seemed to be getting an overwhelmingly negative reputation within my small circle of acquaintances. I never listen to other’s opinions about countries though. I went with an open mind, but within the first 10 minutes of landing, I could see why people might have this impression.

Worst immigration I’ve been to award goes to: Bangladesh. (easily)

Slightly underwhelmed, I left the airport.

The rest of my trip was fantastic. Albeit short. My experience at immigration was not friendly. Enough to leave anyone with a bad taste in their mouth. However, Bangladesh quickly rectified itself in my mind with a significantly better taste: MANGO. Banana is cheap in Japan. Apples in Hong Kong. Watermelon in China. But I love nothing more than a good mango. And Bangladesh has them. CHEAP. I got 4 mangos a day for about 0.60 cents. Oh, I loved my mangos in Bangladesh. Now, whenever I think of Bangladesh, my mouth waters thinking of those sweet treats!

Haha...but that is not all that is good in Bangladesh. The people reminded me a lot of the people from East Timor. They appear hard and cold and never smile….Unless you smile first. If I smiled, and was open, they were the most open people. It was such a pleasure to meet and stay with several Bangladeshi families. They are so open to sharing and caring, it was beautiful.

Brunei 
One of the highlights of my trip across asia. Brunei was exciting for me. I always prefer going to places that are harder to find on a map. Brunei is a small, but wealthy country on the island of Borneo. Borneo is such a cool place. Great wildlife, HUGE flowers, and unique people.

My experience in Brunei was spent mostly in Bandar Seri Begawan, and I think that is was quite unique. Every traveler I met there did the same thing: Water village, Mosques, Palace. This is what Brunei is famous for. The water village is pretty much exactly as you might expect a water village to be like. The mosque is indeed pretty, and the palace is the largest of its kind….but that’s it. People stay here for 3 days, then they go. Move on. Check it off the list.

I was lucky enough to stay for a bit longer. I got to experience what life is like with locals. The experience of being a stateless “citizen”, driving around with nowhere to go, I even got a library card...haha

And yes, I think I must hold some sort of record for foreigner who visited the mosque more than any other traveler….haha….Every day for over a month I went to that mosque in town!

Brunei was a blessing for me. I loved my time there. I loved the people I met, and the friends I made. I will never forget this small beautiful country.

China 
I have loved Chinese history and culture since before I can remember. Watching Jackie Chan films and old Chinese cinema changed my life. In every country I go, I hear people complain about Chinese people. However, I cannot clarify enough how much I love China. On this trip, I visited several places. 

For China, it is easy to know where I must film. Nothing compares to the Great Wall of China. It is not only famous in China, it is one of the most iconic places in the entire world. I felt a lot of pressure to make this shot good. My biggest challenge filming was of course how to manage the immense amount of people that visit the Wall. I did more research on the great wall then most places I visit. It’s very long, so there are many options in terms of locations on the wall to visit. I finally found a section of the wall under repair (So it was closed off to tourists). That was an experience of a lifetime. 

I also got to visit giant pandas in Sichuan prefecture on my way to Tibet. Sichuan is a very cool place. I spent time with some old uni friends, so it felt different than the majority of my travels. It was good to be with people again.  

India 
India is big. So much to do, and so much to see. It is hard to even get started on this giant country. There are many parts of India I feel I still need to visit before I say anything about the country. I enjoy the food a lot. That’s for sure! 

Regarding Indian people...They are truly special. They are so smart! So Intelligent! They have a warmness and friendliness to them that few cultures share. They are so open. Immediately welcoming of new friends. A smile and twinkle in their eyes that says "come talk to me! I want to learn about you, and I want to share with you my life experiences"…

I think in many cultures, you get ONE chance to do things the right way. but I feel like Indians believe that we are on Earth to make mistakes. That we learn best from our mistakes, and they are a part of our life cycles. It feels like they look at mistakes as almost a blessing. Not to make the mistake, but to learn from the mistake. 

Maybe it stems from the idea of reincarnation. Since we will be reincarnated, we have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes in this lifetime. I don't know, but I like it. Coming from a culture that is all about doing things absolutely flawlessly, I can find solace and comfort in Indian Culture.

It is a beautiful thing to watch someone learn from their mistakes. I love India. I love Indian people. I want to learn more about this beautiful country.

Japan 
There is never enough I can say about this country. I am going to leave it simple as this: I love this place. With all my heart.

Kyrgyzstan 
Known as the Switzerland of Central Asia, I was a bit excited to be visiting Kyrgyzstan. That being said, I was also sad to leave Tajikistan. Arriving in Bishkek was an immediate shift to winter. My first night was -15. It was cold. Snow on the ground, ice in my hair. It wasn’t actually THAT cold, but it certainly was a big drop from Dushanbe. 

The capitol itself was similar to Dushanbe in Tajikistan. The Marshrutkas were even more packed, and the people were slightly less friendly than what I was use to in Tajikistan, but I was excited to explore the nature surrounding this small central asian country. My first stop was Ala Archa National Park. 

Although it was beautiful, it was hard to compare to my recent trip to the Himalayas in Nepal. It was beautiful, but I didn’t want to film in a location second best to Nepal. I wanted to find something really nice in Kyrgyzstan. I struggled a lot in Ala Archa actually. Whilst hiking, I slipped on the ice and banged up my leg and arm pretty bad. Later that day, my tripod broke (again) and I also re-broke my camera. Interestingly enough, in Vietnam I broken the viewfinder in my sony a6500. It hasn’t worked since then. In Kyrgyzstan, I dropped my camera again, and now the viewfinder works every once in a while...haha...but the body is pretty bruised up. Both mine and my camera. 

I ended up not SUPER thrilled about the footage I got. I was trying too hard. Later during my trip, I went out one morning just to take a stroll in the park and take photos for fun. I went back to my roots. Not trying to get the perfect shot, but just having fun. I enjoyed filming that day so much more, and will probably use that footage instead of the Ala Archa shots. 

Moral of the story: I think it is important to do things for the right reasons. Sometimes I get so obsessed with getting the perfect location and shot, that I miss out on true beauty. I got lucky in Kyrgyzstan, but it is a lesson I will take with me for the rest of this journey. 

Malaysia 
Truly the heart of Asia. Malaysia is a melting pot of diversity. People from all over the world can be found on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. It is in this diversity that Malaysia has truly come to flourish. Every time I go to Malaysia, I visit the Batu Caves. I don’t know why. They are not particularly large. Nor are they super spiritual. However, there is something about them that I like. I think it is because they are open and free feeling. Like a public park. I like this vibe. 

It was in Malaysia that my heart began to change towards this Chris Across the World project. I grew a little closer to the edge of wanting to do something different. I decided that Chris Across Asia would be my last video in this style. I want to do something different for my next video. Something better! Malaysia made me think a lot. 

Mongolia 
Mongolia is unlike any place I have visited before. It was a treasure. In more ways than one. The single most important topic I need to discuss here: The food. Mongolia has a bad reputation for food. Every tour book I read said there was nothing special about the food. They couldn’t have been more wrong in my opinion. It was so good for me! I loved every dish I had in Mongolia. Simply fantastic! 

Next, the sky. Mongolia’s Sky seems bigger than other places I’ve been. Every sunrise, Every sunset I saw was awe-inspiring. Every colour you could possibly imagine can be found in the Mongolian sky at some point during the day. From dawn to dusk, the sky is a superstar in Mongolia. 

Lastly, the people. Specifically, their care for wildlife and nature. It is not something they glorify or worship, but something they hold deep respect for. Some countries I’ve been to treat animals like gods. Mongolians treat animals like humans. Like neighbors, brothers, sisters, cousins. I greatly appreciate the amount of respect I saw the Mongolian people give animals here. Very cool~

Nepal 
At one point in my life, Nepal was in my top 3 favorite countries. I liked the spiritual foundation of the place. There seemed to be a general desire to improve as human beings amongst the communities I stayed with here. I loved that. And it left a deep impact on me. 

This was my 3rd or 4th time in Nepal, and the trip went a bit differently. The mission of this trip was Everest, and Mt. Everest has become a business. It was a little challenging for me to accept that. 

The journey itself to Everest base camp could not have gone more perfectly. I went September 7th, 2018. Generally considered the rainy season for that area of Nepal. I went during this time to avoid the crowds I was warned about. For the first 10 days of the trek, it rained, which sounds terrible, but was, in fact, a blessing. There were no flights into Lukla, which meant I basically had the entire park to myself. The day I arrived to Everest base camp, the clouds parted, and the skies were crystal clear. 

I was lucky. I can’t imagine Everest with the crowds. The biggest challenge for me was not being able to climb to the summit once at base camp! I really wanted to….but always good to leave a reason to come back! I’ll be back Nepal : )

Pakistan 
Simply getting to Pakistan was a challenge in and of itself. Of all the countries I have visited, obtaining a visa to Pakistan has been the most difficult. Although, I hesitate to say it was ‘annoying’ or ‘irritating’ to go through the process. After visiting the country and listening to many of the local people’s difficulty in obtain visas to almost any other country in the world, I have no right to complain. 

Though it was more work to get my visa to Pakistan, I knew throughout the process that eventually, I would get it. That is more than many Pakistani citizens can say. Though, we all believe the future looks good for Pakistan! And hopefully everyone will be able to to get in and out of this beautiful country more easily. 

I did not spend as much time as I should have here. I started in Islamabad, stayed in Rawalpindi, and explored Lahore for a few days. This trip was not so much about seeing the sites of Pakistan, so much as it was about visiting old uni friends. They were unbelievably welcoming and showed me the true spirit of Pakistani hospitality. 

I was surprised by how green Islamabad was, the locals level of English, and the development of some of the roads and facilities in the places I visited. I think that the true gems of Pakistan can be found outside of the major cities. I would really love to return one day and explore the wild north. From what I have heard, it looks stunning! 

Russia 
Dear Russia, why are you still cold in May? Thank goodness I decided to keep my hoodie with me throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan! I went from a blistering 36 degrees in Kabul, to a chill -1 in Irkutsk. It was a bit of a change…haha….Arriving in Russia was like a breath of fresh air. After my time in Afghanistan, I was in much need of a space where I was not worried about explosions and gunfire. It is an interesting feeling always being prepared for war. Thinking about all the possible exits in every building I enter, trying to keep a low-profile, watching every wandering eye pass over me trying to feel any ounce of hostility. Sleeping with everything packed and ready to go. Sleeping as lightly as possible. It is hard to explain, but all of that was put to rest when I landed in Russia. Which is funny as historically, the relations have not been great between Russian and the western world and Japan. 

Alas, it was good to be there. And there was no better place to feel relief than at the incredible Lake Baikal. 

Baikal was, by far, the nicest Lake I have been to in Russia. Perhaps, one of the nicest in the whole world. I landed in Irkutsk after two short flights, and two long layovers. From the airport, I got a mini-bus to the bus station, and caught another bus to the island of Olkhon. 

I decided to film there for Chris Across the World. In terms of Russia, I think that Saint Basil’s Cathedral is the uncontested national symbol of the country. However, when I think of Russia, I typically think of it as a European nation. On the contrary, geographically speaking, the majority of the country is found in Asia. So, I decided to film Russia twice. Once for the Asian video I make, and once for my Europe version. 

For the Asian side of Russia, I choose to film in Lake Baikal, as it is home to the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. Since it is so big, it was tough to initially choose where in Lake Baikal to film. After much research, I found a place I fell in love with: Olkhon Island, and specifically, Shamanka Rock. A very holy place in Siberia. Some list it in the top 10 holiest places in Asia. Which is saying a lot given the spirituality of Asia in general. 

The brilliance of the sun rises were only surpassed by the rainbow of colors found in the sunsets. In fact, my favorite part of the day was when everyone in the house I was staying would jump up and run outside to just sit and watch the glory of the sun setting behind the mountains and the reflection of the colors on the ice of Baikal. 

Russia is massive, and needs far more time than I could give her this go around. I will be back. 

A final note: In my mind, I had built up an imagine of the Russia people before I had arrive. Like stone. No sense of humor. Hard. The cold outside only surpassed by the cold chill of their hearts. Boris and Natalia. The bad guys. My experience there taught me that this could not be further from the truth. I stayed with 4 Russians on top of a small hill in Olkhon. They never stopped smiling, laughing, and enjoying life. They gave more than they ever expected, and treated me as warmly as I have ever been treated. 

Russians are kind, giving, compassionate, fun, adventurous, beautiful, crazy, and open. I can’t wait to return. 

Mississippi 
I was both surprised and intrigued by the diversity found in Sri Lanka. Not only in the landscapes, although, these surprised me as well, but in the people, and how different they were from other nations around the island. 

Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is truly something beautiful. Let’s start with the diversity in Landscapes. Colombo itself left an initial impact that resounded throughout my journey. From that point on, my expectations were no more. I imagined Sri Lanka to be a little India; Far less advanced, and potentially a more local feel…Quite the contrary is true. Compared to Delhi, Colombo is years ahead. Now, these are all simply initial feelings of what I saw when I was there, but for me, Colombo was a much more well-played out, advanced city. This is no way to judge the advancement of a city, but for example, Colombo not only has a McDonalds, but they also have a Taco Bell. I have not seen a Taco Bell since I was in the United States. Furthermore, the McDonalds was not a normal McDonalds. It was clean, air-conditioned, and had those giant touch-pad screens to allow guests to order and pay by themselves…The street is Colombo are well laid out, I never saw too much traffic. I cannot say the same for India. 

Beyond Colombo, the landscapes continued to surprise me. Anuradhapurna was dry and hot, not receiving rain in over 2 months; while Kandy, just over a hundred kilometers away, was pouring rain and chilly in the evenings. From the rocky mountains in Sigiriya to the lush green tea-leaf hills of Ella, this place was beautiful. Stunning beaches with great waves along every cost, Sri Lanka is truly a pearl floating in the water. 

Diverse landscapes were not the only surprising thing about Sri Lanka for me.The people were very different than the Indian, Bangladeshi, or Maldivian people I met in the last few months. I’m not sure why I expected them to be similar, but they were quite different. I love that they smile at you before you smile at them. They are friendly, helpful, and, in general, caring. I had the privilege to stay with several local families in Sri Lanka, and they all treated me better than I wanted.

I initially thought that 1 month in Sri Lanka would be more than enough time. I was wrong. I could easily have spent another month exploring the northern coast or hiking un-named mountains. Although I cannot say this for every country I have been to, I can in fact imagine coming back to Sri Lanka one day. I would be blessed to have that chance in the future.

Thailand 
I’m going to be a little direct here. My past experiences in Thailand have not been great. I have always considered it to be one of my least favorite countries in Asia. That is a terrible thing to say, but please allow me to explain. 

I had been to Thailand several times in the past. Each time just staying in the major touristy places. On my first trip to Thailand, I stayed in Bangkok around the Red Light district. So everyday I saw these big fat western guys, walking around with Thai bar girls. And I know, I’m sure this happens in every country, but it is so obvious in Thailand. There is actually I think called sex tourism where guys will come just to hook-up with Thai girls….It kinda gave me a bad feeling. 

There was one time when I was walking on the street in BKK and this lady came up to me with her daughter and a bunch of bracelets. She was trying to sell them to me, but I said no thank you. She followed me with her daughter running around us as we went. She kept following me, but I refused to buy the bracelets a few times. I was getting kind of annoyed by her persistence, but I didn’t want to be rude. I said her daughter was really cute trying to change the subject. Her response was kind of horrifying. She asked me how much I wanted for her….There is no way she was a day over 8 years old. I couldn’t say anything. I just kept walking and eventually the lady and her daughter stopped. That moment as stuck with me for a very long time. 

It stuff like this that has made me not really enjoy Thailand. Many of my friends go to Thailand for vacation. They love it, and I think it has a lot to offer to the average weekend tourist, but it’s never really been for me…

That is….until this past trip. On this trip I went to Thailand begrudgingly. I didn’t really want to go, but felt I should. And I am glad that I did. The very first thing I did when I arrived was leave Bangkok. I ended up staying about an hour outside of the city, and it was an exponentially better experience. I stayed with a friend I met in colleges and he showed me a side of Thailand that I never saw before. 

It was the small things that made the biggest difference for me. One of the highlights was going to meet his girlfriend’s family in Ubon Rachitani. She was amazing, and her family was so kind. They showed me a very different side to Thailand, and I began to feel differently about this place. It was such a blessing to get to know the more countryside of Thailand. I think you can never judge a country on it’s largest cities. And I’m sorry I did for so long with Thailand. 

Turkmenistan
There was something familiar about this place, I thought upon landing and spending a few days in Ashgabat. So many large empty buildings, pristine streets, trees planted in the perfect place everywhere I looked. I couldn't place my finger on it at first, but after a few days in Ashgabat, I realized, I had felt this feeling before. Only once. In North Korea. The vibe was exactly the same. Many nice looking things and nobody using them. 

All the buildings are white and gold in Ashgabat. The streets are unbelievably clean, and the architecture is impressive! Even the cars are all white. 

While there is a slight north Korean vibe in Turkmenistan, it is significantly more free. I couldn't leave my hotel room in North Korea without someone coming to cheat on me. In Turkmenistan is was far more open to my exploration. It was fun to roam around the city on my own. 

Darvaza was one of those rare places that live up to the hype. Well, there was not much “hype” to begin with as Turkmenistan is not the most easily accessible country in the world. However, what I had read about this place continued to point towards Darvaza as the star attraction. In my head, it was going to be a whole in the ground with a little fire. On the contrary, the whole was larger than expected and the fire was most definitely ablaze throughout the night. It was fascinating, and I greatly enjoyed my stay. 

South America took me about a year and a half to complete. I spent the past 3 years working on Asia. It was a solid chunk of my life, and wouldn’t have spent it any other way. The people I met. The places I saw. The experiences I had are extremely valuable to me, and I am truly thankful for all the support from both new friends and old along the way. 

One of the best things about traveling so much is I really feel like I could go back and visit anywhere, and I would have friends to meet. That is a blessing beyond value. 

I will always be grateful. 

Thank you Asia ^_^