Camping

Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park

Life on the Road: Wyoming & Yellowstone

From Devils Tower we drove west across much of Wyoming, seeing nothing but fields. Fields, fields, fields, some hay bales, an endless stretch of road, and more fields. What I did not realize was that we were also rising, approaching small mountains on the horizon. It wasn’t until we were up on the mountain’s side that I realized how high we had risen. So high that we could see the line of haze where the atmosphere of the great big sky touched the vast green fields of earth below. This was a god’s point of view, and we could not help but stop for a few moments to take in the view.

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Read more about the article Completing the U.K.’s Three Peaks Challenge
The view from Mount Snowdon

Completing the U.K.’s Three Peaks Challenge

It was mostly on a whim that I decided to climb the three highest peaks in the U.K. while visiting there last summer. Mount Snowdon (3,560 ft.), Scafell Pike (3,209 ft.), and Ben Nevis (4,409 ft.) are scattered throughout Wales, England, and Scotland. Completing the U.K. 3 Peaks Challenge ended up being one of the most incredible travel experiences I’ve had to date. Maybe it’s because I went into it with little to no training and still succeeded (which means you can too), or maybe it’s because I got to feast my eyes upon truly incredible and one of a kind views.

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Thorang-La Pass
Thorang-La Pass, Nepal

Packing List for Trekking in Nepal

Despite the sense of wonder and adventure associated with a trek through the Himalayas, the journey does not have to be as rough as you would think. Surprisingly, trekking in Nepal does not have to involve any camping. Due to the frequency of small villages and "tea houses" along many popular hiking paths, most visitors and trekkers stay the night in small hotels or guest houses which provide a comfortable stay, meals, and even toilets. So, if we're not camping, then what do we need? Some basic outdoor equipment is necessary, as are good shoes and clothing for multiple climates. We're talking about the Himalayas, where high altitudes can mean cold weather and rain (but not always). Food and water are also readily available, but a reusable water bottle and water purifiers can save you some cash along the way, too.

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Read more about the article Our Mongolian Adventure
A typical Mongolian ger

Our Mongolian Adventure

I can't fully explain why we wanted to go to Mongolia. Of all the places in the world, most people would rather visit another country. Many of our family members were amongst those that politely asked why, and our answer was something vague, such as "It just looks interesting." Our trip would take us on a two month journey through China and Mongolia, of which we spent almost three weeks in Mongolia. Most of that time was spent on a 15-day tour of the Mongolian countryside in an old beat-up Russian army van, now re-purposed to carry tourists across the rugged terrain. We would spend most of our journey in this old nearly broken-down van while camping in the countryside, eating very fresh meat, and meeting the locals.

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Read more about the article Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveler

Holiday Gift Guide for the Traveler

You might not see your favorite traveler very often due to the very nature of travel - they are probably out in the world somewhere following their dreams. This holiday season, you can help them stock up on the best travel items they want and need to make the rest of their traveling year as adventurous as possible. We've curated our favorite and most used travel items to help you filter through the best new and consistently awesome travel products on the market. We like to travel, and we do it often, so we think this list is more than just fluff. The items here will keep you safe and comfortable while enjoying the amazing places at the far reaches of the globe.

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Towers in Torres del Paine, Patagonia
The Towers in Torres del Paine, Patagonia

Hiking Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile

Torres del Paine is a national park in Patagonia, Chile. It is known for some of the most spectacular hiking in the world. I met many people as I hiked the park - people doing it on many different budgets. There was Joe from Chicago who camped and lived on porridge for nine days - surely that’s the cheapest it can be done. There were others who stayed at the Refugios with breakfast, dinner and a box lunch included for the trail. In between there was me: I camped, ate one meal at a Refugio, had drinks at the bar during happy hour (when they were half price) and ate a lot of nuts, dried fruit and other easily portable food.

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