‘Russia’ Category
Running a Winter Marathon… In Siberia. On Ice.
…why? I try to seek out new and unique experiences when I travel, so I was very intrigued when I found out about the Baikal Ice Marathon a year and a half ago. I was returning from my first trip on the Trans Siberian Railway at the time, and I figured it’d be totally unrealistic [...]
Just How Cold is Siberia in Winter?
I just finished my second trip on the Trans Siberian Railway, an epic journey that took me from Tallinn, Estonia to Vladivostok, Russia by land. I went in late fall the first time across, and although it snowed in every Russian city I visited I was left wondering just how cold it gets in the [...]
Embracing the Challenges of Traveling Abroad
Regardless of where you are in the world, traveling challenges in unexpected ways. It’s how we deal with those challenges that make the difference between a successful or unsuccessful trip. Let me tell you a story… I’m in Tyumen, Russia, halfway around the world and twelve time zones away from my home in Chicago. Two months [...]
A Winter’s Month in Unedited Black and White Photographs
I haven’t traveled at all since I went to Iceland in September and as fellow addicts can understand, staying put is about the worst thing a travel junkie like me can do. For one, I start to suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms that make me genuinely un-fun to be around, not to mention how unsurprisingly difficult [...]
Don’t Miss these Overlooked and Underrated Destinations
The Westfjords of Iceland The Westfjords are difficult to get to. The roads are windy, mountainous, often unpaved, and they seem to go on forever. As a result many travelers skip the area entirely. But if you enjoy stunning vistas, jaw dropping fjords, and getting off the beaten path, the extra time is well worth [...]
What it’s Like to Travel on the Trans Siberian Railroad in Pictures
I’ve traveled a lot since my first big international trip got me hooked 6 years ago. Of all my travels I can confidently say that the most epic among them has been the Trans Siberian Railroad. When I got back from the trip I wasn’t sure if I’d ever top the intense, month long travel buzz I experienced when [...]
Why Would You Want to Travel HERE?
Welcome… to Siberia It’s rare that the mere name of a place evokes the sort of visceral feelings that “Siberia” is likely to conjur. For me it’s a wide ranging mix of sentiments: amazement, wonderment, fascination, a little bit of fear, and a lot of respect. Far from anywhere and sparsely populated, Siberia is the [...]
Running Across Lake Baikal
Running… on a lake? By volume, it’s the largest freshwater lake in the world. It’s also the world’s oldest and deepest lake, and it holds some of the clearest and cleanest water on earth. And it’s cold. The lake freezes over every year thanks to Siberia’s brutal winters, and every March a marathon is run [...]
Capture the Colour: Colors of the Trans Siberian Railway
Capture the Colour: Colors of the Trans Siberian Railway I found this “Capture the Colour” contest on Adventurous Kate’s blog (who I’ve been following for a while, and am continually inspired by!) As soon as I read about it I thought, “I HAVE to do this.” Here’s the deal: you dig through your travel photos in [...]