Jan 4th, 2013 at 1:00PM:
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike." John F. Kennedy
Bikes have long been a simple mode of transportation, getting us from point A to point B. But riding a bike doesn't just get you somewhere; the process is fun. There is joy in riding a bicycle.
When I travel I am always on the lookout for bikes and what the local bike culture is. In my hometown of Portland, ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
mountain2mountain posts
Biking In Afghanistan: The Power Of Two Wheels To Change Perspective
Jan 4th, 2013 at 1:00PM:
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike." John F. Kennedy
Bikes have long been a simple mode of transportation, getting us from point A to point B. But riding a bike doesn't just get you somewhere; the process is fun. There is joy in riding a bicycle.
When I travel I am always on the lookout for bikes and what the local bike culture is. In my hometown of Portland, ...Faces Of Afghanistan: Why A Personal Connection Is The Most Important Part Of Travel
Dec 13th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
"The people are sweet, the country's a mess."
I had asked an NGO worker with a teaching and military background about his perspective of Afghanistan.
It's always hard to sum up a place in a sentence, be it Australia or Afghanistan, but this one kind of said it all, in a particularly heartbreaking way.
Read a newspaper article and you get to know a place. Have an exchange with an ...What Does Kabul Really Look Like? Exploring The Streets Of Afghanistan's Capital
Dec 10th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
The first time I sat in a car in Kabul I was tense. This was the place of car bombs and terrorists after all, wasn't it? My eyes darted back and forth between the driver, the road and all that was taking place around me. It was sensory overload.
The security situation is ever present in Kabul, there's no denying that something could happen at any point in time. Then again, the same thing ...For The Intrepid Traveler: The Top 5 Destinations In Kabul
Dec 8th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Kabul might not be the world's number one tourist destination, but there's plenty to see in and around the busy capital that boasts 5 million residents. Hire a driver and check out some of the city's top destinations. ...More Cow's Head: Eating Local In Afghanistan
Dec 7th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
"Chaay?" Tea?
"Balay lotfaan." Yes, please.
Yet another glass of tea was being served. Tea is the social lubricant of Afghanistan, the thing that brings people together, fuels meetings and provides for an afternoon excuse for a break.
There are no pints of beer or glasses of wine or whiskey gingers, but in a dry country, there's always tea. That's the thing about food and drink, we can ...Moments Of Serendipity: Daily Life In Afghanistan
Dec 6th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Good travel pushes you to let go of control, and Afghanistan is certainly one of those places. Here, daily life is dictated by security decisions, which roads are safe to travel on and which ones are not, and if you are trying to stick to a concrete plan, something will surely get in the way. Afghanistan is the place for serendipity, a place that when you come to understand that you have ...Mountain2Mountain: Advocating For Voice And Women's Empowerment In Afghanistan
Dec 5th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Three years ago I was in Telluride, Colorado attending Mountainfilm festival. I was particularly blown away by a series of huge photographs that depicted life in Afghanistan. I remember being particularly moved by one of a beggar woman in a burqa, sitting in the middle of a dusty street with a boy sitting in her lap. I had read, and even written about the Streets of Afghanistan photo exhibit, in ...To Afghanistan And Back: The Process Of Getting A Visa
Dec 3rd, 2012 at 11:00AM:
"I need to include a prepaid, self-addressed Priority envelope to get my passport sent back," I said to the young man at the mail counter.
"Oh, are you sending this to the passport processing center?" he asked looking up from his computer.
"Um, no ... the Embassy of Afghanistan."
His response to my answer was silence, but I could see the wheels turning in his head, wondering why in ...Why Would Anyone Ever Go To Afghanistan?
Nov 30th, 2012 at 9:00AM:
"I got asked to go to Afghanistan."
The parents obviously weren't excited with that statement and what ensued was a "we support you but this is going to be difficult for us" conversation. When you pitch your parents on traveling to a conflict zone, this conversation is inevitable.
I would have that same conversation with lots of people in the weeks before taking off to a country that ...Traveling Photo Exhibit Shows A Different Side Of Afghanistan
Aug 28th, 2012 at 12:00PM: Beauty often isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Afghanistan. However, a new traveling photo exhibit from non-profit organization Mountain2Mountain aims to change that.
"Streets of Afghanistan" features life-size images from both Afghan and Western photographers that challenge the perceptions most people hold about this complex country. The intention is not only to ...
