Do you know what was the world’s first national park? The answer is Yellowstone National Park in the US. It took a photographer, a painter and a geological survey team to explore the region and convince the US Congress to withdraw this region from public auction. In 1872, Yellowstone was declared as—“a public park…for the … Read more
[stag_dropcap font_size=”50px” style=”normal”]I[/stag_dropcap]t was 4:00 am. The Milky Way made a gigantic arch over the Mesa Arch in the Canyonlands National Park in Utah. I had come here two hours before the sunrise. I cycled in the dark while looking at the crescent moon above the horizon and smiling at it. When I arrived at the … Read more
Clementine is walking the 800-mile long Arizona Trail while recounting what happened last year during these dates. She is going down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon where her sister Megan once rafted in the Colorado River. This is the place Megan loved the most, and this is where Clementine is going to scatter … Read more
In the Monument Valley, a group of sandstone buttes and mesas tower above the Colorado Plateau. A long road stretches out into the distance like a straight line on the sandpaper. This was the road where Forrest Gump decided to stop after running for three years, two months, 14 days and 16 hours. He quit … Read more
At Horseshoe Bend, the Colorado River bends around the sandstone for almost 360-degrees, very much like my thoughts twisting around my head. I sit at the edge of the cliff and have an unobstructed view of Horseshoe Bend shimmering gold in the morning light. My feelings start to flutter around inside the cage of my … Read more
Today, some 2 million Native Americans inhabit the United States, making less than 1% of the country’s population. There are 567 federally recognised Indian tribes, each with its own history and culture. Another 150 tribes are currently petitioning for federal recognition. Since the arrival of Spaniards, about 200 tribes have gone extinct. Today, the tribes … Read more
After entering the US, I took two months off the bicycle, which is the longest break I have taken on this tour. I had my bicycle completely overhauled and my camera equipment upgraded. Meanwhile, I went to San Francisco Bay Area and spent a few days there where I would meet new people every day. … Read more
On a crisp Saturday morning, the sky was painted in pure blue—not even a sign of a cloud across the sky. The wind was as gentle as the smile on her face. People were out on the streets in sleeveless shirts. My legs pedalled like a machine but the odometer ticked ever so slow—the main … Read more
Inside Ali Baba restaurant in San Diego, forks clink against the plates and middle eastern music plays in the background. I sit around a long table surrounded by a number of people. “What has been your favourite country on this trip so far?” someone asks me. As I think my eyes become smaller and focus … Read more
When I embarked on this journey more than two years ago, I had no idea that if you have been to Iran after the year 2011 you are not eligible for the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States and need to apply for a visitor visa in your country of residence which in … Read more
It is my last day in Mexico. I spend another day along the Mexico-US border wall in Tijuana and cycle west to the coast. My journey takes me to the beach where the border fence meets the Pacific ocean. There, a historical monument marks the initial point of the boundary between the United States and … Read more
After cycling for 4500 km in Mexico over the past five months, I hit a massive wall in Tijuana which brings a halt to my journey to the north. I walk and cycle for hours along the wall, and at one location, stop to take a peek over the rusted panels. The colour of the … Read more
Standing at the edge of a road in the Southern highlands of Ecuador today, a sweeping valley was in front of me. The view was so big that my eyes couldn’t contain it, similar to holding a bowl under a large waterfall. The bottom of the valley was covered with thick clouds. It appeared like … Read more
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