December 2014

#28 – Uyghur Livestock Market, Xinjiang, CHINA

December 31, 2014

Ranking at #28 is the Uyghur Livestock Market, in CHINA's most western province of Xinjiang. This very authentic market is a short drive outside the city of Kashgar. The market is held on Sundays and starts from early morning to late afternoon. Lots of sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, and cows on sale. Many food stands offer freshly cooked meat - Uyghur style! [MORE...]

TRAVELLERS: Christian Wulle and Yvonne Hafner, Zurich, Switzerland

December 30, 2014

[Editor’s note]: I first met Christian and Yvonne at the Pamir Lodge, in the small Tajik town of Khorog. They were both exhausted after a long bicycle ride from Dushanbe, some 520 km to the northwest. I got dizzy when they told me they were cycling from Switzerland and were going to New Zealand (cycling by land where available!). My first thought was that these people are totally crazy - and I still think so. Cycling through Central Asia and China is not child's play! However, I take my hat off for them for what they have achieved! Wow, these travellers are totally incredibly amazing. After Khorog I bumped into them in the eastern Tajik town of Murghab. A few months later we met up in Bangkok where we enjoyed sumptuous Thai food while sharing our travel stories. Such an incredible couple! [MORE...]

#29 – Cartagena de Indias, COLOMBIA

December 28, 2014

Cartagena de Indias in northern Colombia is a beautiful old colonial town with colourful buildings and horse carts, and surprisingly not many foreign tourists. It ranks #29 on the Globerovers Magazine list of destinations to visit. [MORE...]

Afghanistan – turning back the clock 100 years!

December 27, 2014

Shughnan is a village and a district in Badakhshan Province in the mountainous northeast of Afghanistan and also a district in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan. The administrative centre of the Shighnan District of Afghanistan is called Qaleh Barpanjeh (قلعه برپنجه). The administrative centre of the Shughnon District of Tajikistan is called Khorogh. In ancient times the area was known for its ruby mines, which are mentioned in the writings of Marco Polo In modern times Shughnan and its vassal Roshan were states whose native rulers, the mirs of Shighnan, claimed [MORE...]

#30 – Hokkaido Birdlife, JAPAN

December 22, 2014

Japan's most northern (large) island, Hokkaido, its known for its unspoilt nature. The lakes, rivers, mountains, wildlife, and the small villages and farming communities are tranquil and seem so pure and natural. In winter, the area is transformed into a wonderland of snow, frozen lakes, and natural hot-springs flowing through frozen valleys. Winter is also an ideal time to spot the revered Tancho cranes doing their love-dances on the snow. The majestic Wooper swans from Siberia paddle gracefully around the hot-spring inlets of the frozen lakes. Welcome to Hokkaido! [MORE...]

Tajikistan – rugged mountains and more

December 13, 2014

Capital City, Dushanbe Getting to Dushanbe is still one the challenges in this part of the world. Few airlines, even from neighbouring countries, fly into the capital of Tajikistan. An interesting entry by land is from Samarkand in Uzbekistan. A long 10.5-hour train ride goes through mostly desert landscapes and some mountainous regions and also stops at a few small villages. When the train eventually comes to a standstill in the small Uzbek town of Denau, to the southwest of the Tajik capital, take a 30-minute taxi ride to the Uzbek / Tajik border. This is another border crossing in [MORE...]

#31 – Bulunkul Village, TAJIKISTAN

December 12, 2014

Bulunkul, Tajikistan is a very remote village located at the Bulunkul freshwater lake in the upper Gunt Valley of Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains. Located not too far from the lonely Pamir Highway, the village consists of just a few basic homes, including a few yurts. Winters are long and bitterly cold at which time some Russian vodka comes in quite handy. Have a nice meal with the locals and find about life in this part of the world. [MORE...]

#32 – Glaciers & Icebergs, ALASKA, USA

December 5, 2014

Alaska offers some of the most incredible natural beauty to be found on our planet! Come along as we explore the many glaciers and abundant wildlife south of Anchorage along the Kenai Fjords National Park. Alaska has some of the most crystal clear blue-shaded glaciers in the world. Along the way watch out for the American bald eagle, moose, deer and other wildlife! [MORE...]