Argentina Independence Day

Dear Argentina! You were my first love on the trip through the Americas, but like any true love, you hurt me so much. Right from the beginning, your fierce Patagonian winds tested my commitment to the long paths. But I know that you wanted to strengthen me. Those roads of ups and downs, those endless … Read more

Summit Night

Finally, it’s time! Yesterday, Sirbaz and Joshi made to Camp IV. Tonight, they will push for the summit. As they inch towards the top, I reflect on my journey to Annapurna. I was minding my own business when one day, I received a message from Saad for a meet up. In our meeting, he spoke … Read more

Successful Annapurna Summit!

1:17 pm / 16 April 2021 / Annapurna Summit 8,091 m A short story of the successful summit of Annapurna! 1st summit push on 13th April didn’t succeed as ropes couldn’t be fixed to the top. 2nd summit push on 14th went unsuccessful because teams ran out of rope. A heli from Kathmandu had to … Read more

The Dad, The Son, And The Stars

Once upon a time, a child from a remote city of Layyah in Pakistan was afraid of the dark. Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to spot a speck of light in the room terrified him. He couldn’t go back to sleep. The darkness choked him. He felt disoriented … Read more

You Are Not Lost In Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest desert on the planet. There are some places in the Atacama where no rainfall has ever been recorded. Nothing can survive there, neither plants nor birds or even insects. It is not a typical desert where it’s just dunes. The Atacama offers much more. Valle de la … Read more

A Night And A Sunrise At Torres

The sun had set behind the mountains, and as the light faded, hordes of tourists started disappearing from the Torres lookout. Our legs ached after a day-long hike on our first day in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. All the campsite we had spotted during the day were all already full. We kept … Read more

Dear Mexico

Dear Mexico, When the immigration officer at the border gave me a six-month entry, I cycled like a mad man screaming with joy. The Mayan pyramids of Yucatan peeped out of forest canopy just to see who had arrived. I can write about your landscape, from rugged mountains to canyons, from lush jungles to deserts, … Read more

Your Biggest Fear?

“What is your biggest fear?” A voice hits my ears as soon as I finish my talk. I scan the room and spot a little girl with glasses holdind a mic. There is pin-drop silence in the room with dozens of eyes staring at me. I look at people’s faces for an answer, but their … 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

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

There is a world…

There is a world out there with pristine mountains, mighty rivers, oceans, never ending roads, and vast deserts waiting for you. Once you go and see them, they will change your heart.

Endless Story—Baja California Star Trails

A cactus tree stands beside my tent like a sentinel. 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 these lights? Is the sun shining on the night ocean or the roof … Read more

Atacama Desert Night

As the half-moon rises above the hills, the Atacama desert glows in the soft moonlight. There is absolute silence. All I can hear is my breath. Thoughts begin to surface! “What brought me to this remote place?” If it is to be alone, then why my mind is occupied by thoughts of friends and family? … Read more