Daulat Amin — First Teacher From Shimshal

“My name is Daulat Amin. Perhaps God wanted me to become the guardian (Amin) of a treasure (Daulat) and what bigger treasure than the knowledge (Ilm)?” Born in 1945, Daulat Amin was the first matriculate teacher from Shimshal. When Daulat was young, his family suffered an economic shock after their 300 goats and sheep, and … Read more

Happy Independence Day, Uzbekistan!

When the western world was going through the Dark Ages, Islamic civilization was at its brightest. There was one particular place in Central Asia which became the world’s leading centre of science, medicine, and philosophy during that period. Today this place is called Uzbekistan. Ushering in the Golden Age of Islam, its cities Bukhara and … Read more

A Short Story of 33,100 kilometers

A year ago on this date, I finished my 33,100 km Argentina to Alaska bicycle trip that took me three years and nine months, almost 10% of my life. Unlike my first tour from Germany to Pakistan that took 13 years from inception to realization, this one was a rather an impulsive decision. From the … Read more

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Today is the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples! When the European colonizers arrived in the Americas, the indigenous population was diminished by 80–90% within the first few centuries mainly due to epidemic diseases the new settlers had brought with them. The colonizers destroyed indigenous empires and butchered natives to capture gold and land. … Read more

Part 3—Peru Independence

My cycling itinerary in Peru followed Peru’s great divide that is the part of the Continental Divide of South America. The Andes are the world’s longest continental mountain range (about 7000 km long) and have the world’s highest peaks outside of Asia. The Cordillera Blanca is part of the Cordillera of the Andes. It is … Read more

Part 2 of Peru Independence Day

Part 2 of Peru Independence Day July 28. Women of Peru, I saw them in many roles. Roaming the streets and mountains of Cusco with alpacas and baby sheep for some photo money. Pacing along with guide horses at 5000m altitudes, carrying babies wrapped in the shawls on their backs, wearing sandals made from recycled … Read more

Never Too Lost

Six years ago, if somebody told me I would be travelling by bicycle for several years, I wouldn’t have believed them. Oscar Wilde said, “if you want to be a grocer, or a general, or a politician, or a judge, you will invariably become it; that is your punishment.” Once I too considered my career … Read more

Colombia Independence Day

Dear Colombia, When I took my first pedal in Ushuaia, Argentina, all I was thinking about was you!For the 18 months in South America, amongst all fears, uncertainty, and aloneness, every breath I took and every pedal I pushed, I dreamed of you! You were my last country in South America, and for that, I … Read more

Are We Alone?

The Atacama Desert glows in the moonlight, and I look at the twinkling stars in great amazement. It is hard to believe that we all are made of stardust. Long before we were born as humans, we existed as lifeless matter at the heart of a star. How long did it take for the stardust … Read more

Machu Picchu

The world is full of natural wonders but if there is truly a place on earth which belongs to heaven, then Machu Picchu in Peru should be the one! It has the most majestic setting which one can imagine for a city–set on top of a mountain with sheer vertical cliff drops, Huayna Picchu (translated … Read more

Death Road Bolivia

Was this the best ride of my entire Argentina to Alaska trip? “El Camino de la Muerte” or “The Death Road” in Bolivia is dubbed as one of the world’s most dangerous road. It runs between La Paz and Coroico. A 2006 study estimated that 200-300 people were killed on this road every year. About … Read more

Film: Cycling the Dempster Highway in Canada

In June 2019, I cycled the Dempster Highway as a part of my bicycle trip from Ushuaia, Argentina to Alaska. It is the only road in Canada that takes you past the Arctic Circle. It is a 900 km unpaved road in Yukon and Northwest Territories crossing the tree line on to tundra and ending … Read more

Blackfeet People

The Blackfeet American Indians, or Siksikaitsitapi people, have lived in the Glacier National Park for thousands of years—since the time when the continental ice sheets melted from the region. They were the strongest and one of the fiercest tribes on the northwestern plains.     They Blackfeet people believe that the Sun which they call … Read more

A Journey of Laawaris

(اُردو میں پڑھنے کیلئے نیچے سکرول کریں) There was a time when a tyre puncture was 5 Rupees and air refill used to cost 1 Rupee. I was in school. During the school holidays, dad used to bring me to our shop “Quetta Tyres” where I would work together with other employees—washing old tyres in … Read more