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I spent two weeks in Barskoon with a Habitat for Humanity team, and not only did I leave thinking I’d come to the most fascinating and wonderful part of the world, but that I’d come in the most fascinating and wonderful way. Coming to a country like Kyrgyzstan that so few people have heard of, much less been to, would have been intimidating, but Habitat took care of all the arrangements, leaving us nothing to do but focus on the work we were doing (completing a clay house for a local family) and immersing ourselves in the local culture and environment (both of which were beautiful and very memorable). The best part of traveling in this way was that we were introduced to and got to know so many Kyrgyz people so well. And they were a fun bunch.

Given that we were coming to help impoverished families, I expected to see a lot of poverty in the village, but was amazed to see no one begging, no one homeless, no one wearing rags, no one living in slums. Many of the villagers had very little money (their income was mostly from selling the apricots they grew behind their houses), but I didn’t recognize it as poverty, because poverty is something I’ve always associated with despair, and despair is something that I did not see any of in Kyrgyzstan. On the contrary, I saw hope everywhere I looked. This realization that having almost no money does not necessarily mean someone is poor- this is what stays with me most in the weeks and months after I’ve returned.

I spent two weeks in rural Kyrgyzstan with a team from Habitat for Humanity, and it was, without exageration, the most amazing two weeks of my life. I highly recommend going to the villages. I was in Barskoon on the south side of Issyk Kul. Bishkek is an interesting city, but extremely influenced by both Western and Soviet forces; the villages on the other hand are very traditional. The Kyrgyz are very proud of their culture and heritage and strive to keep it alive, which is wonderful to see.

Don’t leave Kyrgyzstan without trying some Kumis (fermented mare’s milk) from a road-side yurt. I thought it was revolting, but it was quite an experience.

I passed through Death Valley a few years ago with my family, and it was one of the most surreal and memorable experiences of my life. Things to do in Death Valley: you’ve got to see Dante’s View (a mointain from which you can see all of Death Valley laid out beneath you) see the picture attached. But what made this trip so exciting was where we spent the night:

We stayed at a hostel in the nearby village of Tecopa, which if anyone can find it, I earnestly recommend. (Our first attempt at getting to this place, we followed a road that existed on the map, but in the middle of the desert, after we had driven for probably 30 miles, it suddenly stopped. The locals we found at salloon there, which looked like it was right out of an old western movie set, told us that the road didn’t exist, and that they might remember how to get to Tecopa but couldnt be sure. “I just went there last week, but I don’t remember how I got there,” said the bartender. We turned around, went back to the highway and tried a more major road, and when we arrived in Tecopa, we realized why it had been so hard to find. It’s just a few hundred (maybe not even that many) mobile homes in the middle of the desert. I guess it’s too hot to build any real houses here.

Tecopa is built around a hot springs, which seems peculiar at first: why would anybody want to go to a hot anything in the middle of the desert? But we went in the evening and it was actually quite enjoyable.

I loved the weather (late June) if you have a lot of water with you, the heat is pleasant, because it’s so dry, and the nights, when the air cools down, are probably my favorite time of day anywhere. We spent our night there sitting on the roof of our hostel (a mobile home) watching the sun set on the horizon, in the cool evening air, with bats flitting around us.

I’ll never forget this place.

I thought camping was boring and a waste of energy until I came here with my family in 2003. I’m from the East and I fell in love with the West so thoroughly that I felt terribly claustrophobic when I got home. I love being able to see more than a few feet in front of you; I love being able to see the ground under my feet.

Anyway, the campground was nice, but what really made the place special was the little park viewpoint at the top of the mesa. You can see miles of canyons in every direction; It’s the most spectaculr view I have ever seen- no contest. If you’re there try to wake up at dawn and watch the sunrise over the canyons. I did and the photo I’m uploading is one that I snapped that morning.

Dead Horse Point is just a short drive from Moab, where you’ll have to go to buy ANYTHING, but it is absolutely worth it; in fact its better for the fact that it’s not right in civilization. You feel like you’re in the wilderness, although there is a town a short drive away. This was by far my favorrite place in Utah, in fact, probably my favorite place in the entire West US.

I spent a week here after a week in Moscow, and it was so much more relaxed and enjoyable than the capital city. Moscow can be a bit crazy at times; St. P is sophisticated, a little bit more low key, but still with lots of history and things to do. Absolutely, make the day trip to see the summer palace in Pushkin, and wander around the book and cd stores.

A word of caution: One of our party got pickpocketed in the entrance to Kazan Cathedral. But crime is not a problem if you keep your wallet safe.

The most important thing to do while in Russia is to visit every single church and cathedral you can enter. I’m not religious at all, but these places are spectacular. It really feels amazing to be standing in one of these spaces. Cathedral of the Spilled Blook is much more impressive in person than in the pictures.

I have family here so I stop by a lot. I enjoy all the time I spend here, so I would say it’s worth visiting. However, people I know who live there might not agree- it might feel a bit isolated and boring for long stretches (i.e. your whole life). But it’s a great base camp for the mountains an hour to the west, and downtown is interesting without being overwhelming.

I wouldn’t recommend that anyone go out of their way to see Poughkeepsie, but if you’re here anyway, there are a few good things to do and places to be:

Best restaurant in Po-town: Zorona Cafe on Raymond Avenue. Just north of Vassar campus. Also check out Babycakes (a great salad, wraps, and pastry shop) on College Avenue, also right next to the college.

I go to school in Poughkeepsie, so I see too much of it for my taste, but there are a few really nice places around, including Vassar, nice restaurants on Raymond Ave, a little bit north in Hyde Park are some great old mansions: the Vanderbilts’ and FDR’s home; the Bardavon is a fantastic theater and music hall.

Go across the river to New Paltz for a hipper town with more to do outdoors; the Shawangunks are not to be missed.

If you’re passing through New Paltz, or are anywhere in the general vacinity, be sure to visit the Mohonk Preserve for fantastic hiking and beautiful scenery. In winter, cross-country skiing there is great, but the summer is fantastic as well. Going through New Paltz without seeing the mountains up close should be a crime.

There’s a fantastic Korean restaurant in the middle of town. I found it by chance a few years ago, and when I was in Banff again I asked everyone where it was and finally found it. It was worth it, definitely. So to save other people the trouble here’s the address:

Main level, Sundance Mall, 215 Banff Ave Banff AB

Definitely check this place out. Banff is beautiful by the way.