Hiking the Yellow Trail in Ilulissat, Greenland Under the Midnight Sun

I have never, ever felt such eager anticipation and jubilation as I did that night, sitting on a rock overlooking the Ilulissat Icefjord. I had never dreamed that coming to Greenland would provide experiences like this. That I would be so, so happy to be in such a cold place, that I would love the icebergs so much, or that I would get to see multiple whales swimming together next to those icebergs. That the sky would be so incredible, the warm pink and orange reflecting off the sea dotted with icebergs.

Details

Riding a Motorbike Through Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

My heart pounds and I shiver despite the trickles of sweat running down my back. I am hyper-alert, terrified, every sense operating on high. My ears are tuned for elephants or buffalo crashing through the bush, my eyes focusing through the swirling dust for a lion or leopard that is going to jump out of the tall grass and eat me. Not that hearing the animals in advance is going to help. By then it will be too late.

Details

A Trek to Song-Kol Lake in Kyrgyzstan: Yurts, Mountains, and Wildflowers

One last bit of adrenaline kicked in and propelled me to the stunning view at the top of the pass. Laid out before me was a vast grassland, a shallow valley slowly descending to silvery blue Song-Kol lake in the distance, reflecting the snowy mountains that shimmered in the bright sunlight. Behind me, I could see where we’d come from, the yurt camp that was just above ours now just a tiny white speck far, far below. This four day trek to Song-Kol lake was spectacular.

Details

Experiencing Ramadan in Oman

Ramadan is the Islamic holy month, and fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. This means that from the pre-dawn prayer (Fajr) to the sunset one (Maghrib) Muslims may not eat, drink, smoke, or have sex. If you’ve ever wondered what Ramadan is all about, how it works, what happens, and what it’s like to be in a predominantly Muslim country as a non-Muslim during Ramadan, read this!

Details