A 23-Year-Old’s Journey to Afghanistan Shortly Before the Taliban Takeover Our plane slowly descended its way into a valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains. “This can’t be real, this can’t be real.” I kept repeating the words over and over in my head. It was finally happening. I was landing in Kabul, Afghanistan. Growing up in …
Ask GoMad Nomad: Solo Travel on the Silk Road? This month’s Ask GoMad Nomad column comes from longtime reader Heidi, whose question concerns a region near and dear to several of the writers behind GoMad Nomad: Central Asia and the Silk Road. I recently decided that I want to travel the Silk Road from China …
Central Asia Visas: A Beginner’s Guide Your bags are packed, your flights are booked, and you’ve been chugging vodka and horse milk for weeks to prepare. (Though, please, not both at the same time.) You’re all set for Central Asia! But, are you sure? Rules are much more complicated in this region than the visas for …
Editor’s note: Both the US and British governments both warn against any travel to Afghanistan. Although, our Central Asia-based writer, Stephen Lioy, visited recently and lived to tell his story, does not mean it’s safe for foreign travelers. Though once a common stop on the Hippie Trail, Afghanistan is no longer a common destination on …
Ramadan is entering its final week and the holy day of Eid is beginning. The people here in Kandahar are much more observant of the traditions of Islam than anywhere else I’ve been. The fast is a true one, no drinking of water, eating of food, or smoking is allowed during the daylight hours. People go to work, but every thing tends to trickle off into just a drizzle of activity by late afternoon. However, like any generalization the individual experience is much more different.
