Banff and Jasper National Parks, Canada

Little did I know, when I left Calgary two weeks ago, that summer was over in Alberta. Two days later, I found myself cycling in the rain and cold wind in Banff National Park. On the fourth day, I was stuck in Mosquito Creek for two days because of the heavy snow. Later, the weather … Read more

Yellowstone National Park

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

On Home!

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

On Being Quiet!

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

Welcome to the US!

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

Mexico US Border in Tijuana

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

Layyah Signpost in Mexico

If you draw a horizontal line on the world map at the 30.963280° latitude, somewhere this line is going to cross Layyah city in Pakistan. About 9 km south of San Felipe in Baja California, I push my bicycle through the desert. After half an hour of walking in the soft sand, I take a … Read more

Starry Sky in Baja California

It is another night in Baja California and the desert is my home. A cactus tree stands beside my tent like a guard. I sit on a rock looking at the stars wondering who has set the wheel of the sky in motion? Is the universe dancing in unison with a whirling dervish? What are … Read more

20,000 km

Exactly two years ago, I started pedalling from the southernmost city in the world, and today, just a few km before Loreto in Baja California Sur, I reached the 20,000 km mark on my journey through the Americas. On this special occasion, nature treated me with a serene view of the coastline of Gulf of … Read more

A Starry Night in Baja

As darkness fell upon the Baja California desert in Mexico, cacti silhouettes appeared like giant hands of a skeleton rising out of the sand. I set up my tent near a cactus and sat in the door. The sky was full of stars. It reminisced me of my childhood when I used to count stars … Read more

Dear Santa

Dear Santa, I wrote you a message before Christmas. It was the first time ever I asked you for something, but all I received on this Christmas was one new like on my page. Maybe, the new page like came from you, but that is gone too. What can I say on this except that … Read more

Volcano of Fire

Three tall volcanoes overlook the former capital of Guatemala, Antigua like giant sentinels. The 3763-m Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) is one of them. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. To see the volcano from up close, I hiked to a nearby Acatenango Volcano with a group of tourists. … Read more

Cycling South America

In January 2016, I came to Ushuaia, Argentina with nothing but a wild dream to travel 26,000 km from Ushuaia to Alaska on a bicycle—a journey which spans the entire length of South and North America. Within months, I was out of money, and my journey had come to a dead halt. I somehow managed … Read more

Animals Are My Family

Today while cycling uphill in the Central Highlands of Ecuador, I saw a woman working alone with the hay near a 3300-m pass. Nearby, some cows were grazing. “How is life in this village?” I asked her. “Only a few people live here. The weather is cold. There is no other work except agriculture and … Read more