Earth Odyssey Expedition

Update from Finland & Thoughts of Stage Two

Benji — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:12:26 +0000

Greetings from Finland! I have lots to blog, about 8,000 km worth, and it’s going to take some time to catch up. I promise I’ll get the job done but it’s like homework I’m too lazy to do, and since there’s no way to cheat it and I can’t take time out, for now I’ll [...]

Soviet Apartment from the Outside

Benji — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 06:46:18 +0000

The soviet apartment in Vologda. It’s fascinating, for me at least, just walking around the cities and seeing all the little details of life in these old apartments.

Mongolia Part 1: The Gobi Desert to Ulaanbaatar

Benji — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:02:22 +0000

I was up before sunrise. The dawn pink illuminating the vast desert vista, revealed the first challenge of the Gobi; navigating the haphazard maze of vehicle tracks. There was nothing out there but horses and camels.

Bicycle Stockholm

Benji — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 15:09:11 +0000

Stockholm is the first city I’ve been to for a while where people actually ride bikes, so I was out bike spotting hoping to find some interesting machines—mmmm… The green Kona was the best I could find. I guess bike theft is a problem. There were, of course, Swedish bikes on the streets. Keep an [...]

Mongolia to Russia Update

Benji — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:57:39 +0000

Greetings from Stockholm, Sweden. Regrettably, seasons have passed since my last blog and the early snows of the impending northern winter began to dust the woodlands of central Russia weeks ago. Admittedly, I’m a pretty lazy writer but this prolonged writing hiatus hasn’t been due to idleness. Well, not entirely. Since departing China in July, I’ve cycled [...]

China Second Round

Benji — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 07:12:56 +0000

The Russian gateway was barely more than a patch of rough, mismatching buildings set in a barren valley. It’s presence marked by twirling clouds of gravel dust kicked up by each transferring vehicle. My feeble attempt to sneak through the gates was abruptly halted by an austere guard. ‘Bus!’ He demanded, pointing back the way I came [...]

Russian Far East Final Chapter

Benji — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 11:45:01 +0000

Tasseled, crimson cloth draped around the windows and Buddhist insignia dangled across the windshield. It seemed oddly placed in a Russian vehicle but it gave some character to the most uninspiring of all forms of transport. I hate buses! I thought, watching from the front seat as the driver veered off course, while texting on [...]

Greetings from China

Benji — Sat, 26 May 2012 03:51:32 +0000

Greetings from China! Finally I find a WiFi connection that works and I’m able to access my website but, as expected, all western s.media platforms are XXXXX, so won’t be able to post video for a while. I made it into China without hassel and cycling west through Inner Mongolia (autonomous region of northern China). [...]

Predators, Problems and Perception

Benji — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:10:49 +0000

A few years in Japan will turn any man soft. Life was too good. I knew the transition from comfort back to the nomadic experience was going to be tough but I’m not the kind of person who tiptoes into cold water. I needed a challenge that would allow me to take the plunge back [...]

Bound for Mainland Russia

Benji — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:59:52 +0000

About a third of the way up Sakhalin island the coastal road veers inland. Traffic reduces to the occasional Japanese 4×4 burning passed or Lada Nivas struggling almost as much as me on the bumpy road, though more regularly I’m disturbed by the thunderous, clanking steel racket of dumpsters and transporters hauling machinery and parts [...]