Born To Be Wild—Maria Garus

Somewhere in the wilderness of Baja California in Mexico, the road stretches forever through infinite desert plains. My map indicates a blue lake to the right side of the road, but in reality, a vast dry basin lies naked behind layers of scrubs. I stand beside an isolated restaurant staring upon trees, planted in front … Read more

A Taste Of Afghan Hospitality in LA

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

A Story Without A Listener Is A Lost Treasure!

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

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

Goodbye Mexico!

My time in Mexico is over, but the journey continues. Over the past five months and a distance of some 4500 km from the south-east to the northwest of the country, I received a lot of help from the locals. Countless people invited me into their homes and opened their hearts to me. On the … Read more

Last Day in Mexico

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

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

An Incomplete Story of Aunt Gul

To read in Urdu, scroll down. (اُردو میں پڑھنے کیلئیے نیچے سکرول کریں) Last night, I was about to sleep when I received a call from home with a tragic news that aunt Gul had died. She had fever and flu for the past few days, but her condition wasn’t so bad. When she last … 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