McCarthy, Kennicott, Wrangell St Elias, Root Glacier, Alaska

Salaam Aleykum From Kyrgyzstan!

If you’re reading this I just arrived in Bishkek, and it just so happens to be Kyrgyz Independence Day! So I’m out celebrating in Bishkek with my neighbor Jolie (who joined me on this jaunt in Central Asia), my Kyrgyz friends, and expat friends that call this oddly shaped country home (the Fergana Valley literally looks like Stalin gave the Tajik, Uzbek and Kyrgyz triborder a purple-nurple).

And if you’re wondering, I pre-wrote this post a few days ahead of time, because I don’t waste my energy typing up this shit when I’m out doing field research (exploring).

Tomorrow Jolie and I will depart to Cholpon Ata for a couple of days to attend World Nomad Games since I narrowly missed the last one in 2016. After that, we’re headed off elsewhere, but I’ll tell you about that next month.

What goes on at World Nomad Games?

Eagle hunting Kyrgyzstan, Eagle hunting, Issykul, golden eagle, Kyrgyz eagle hunter

All the brutal nomad sports that go down in Central Asia. It’s like an epic Olympics that doesn’t make me want to put my own neck in a guillotine if I have to see yet another figure skating event (really NBC, WTF? You guys do know there are other sporting events you can air in prime time that ARE NOT FIGURE SKATING. The 2018 Winter Olympics were an ass-blasting of triple-sow-cows).

Sorry I flew off the handle. But really, NBC don’t ever cram that much figure skating down our throats ever again. PS: don’t replace it with curling either because what in the ever-loving fuck are they doing anyway? The Olympics are my only time I really watch sports because I CAN’T STAND AMERICAN FOOTBALL. H A T E  I T. I don’t care if you love it and watch it, it doesn’t bother me if you do. I just personally would rather take a barbecue fork to the forehead than watch a game #notfuckingsorry

So What Happened In August?

The first half of the month I just worked and worked some more*, and then I wrote a fuckton of content for this blog that will release over the next couple of months while I’m gone including posts from Xinjiang, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Chile, and Pakistan (is that a diverse list, or what?).

*Yes I still work as a dental hygienist at home because it turns out that sponsored press trips suck a barrel of dicks and I’d rather use my own money to travel and gather information you read here. #notasuccessfultravelblogger, but hey I’m honest at least ??‍

Owl, Eagle River, Alaska, Alaska owl, owl Alaska
This is Owlbert, he comes to visit me sometimes when I’m working on the computer

The third week of August my best friend Tay came to visit so we packed up and went to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.

Did you know it’s the biggest National Park in the USA? Well, it is.

I’ve been there before I just never have gotten to spend much time there. This time we explored McCarthy and Kennicott Mine, hiked way out on Root Glacier, and took a flightseeing trip. One day I’ll write a post about the Wrangells and McCarthy and some handy information on how you can visit too (probably over this winter sometime).

McCarthy, Kennicott, Wrangell St Elias, Root Glacier, Alaska
Out on Root Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Otherwise, the last piece of the month was spent finalizing posts that I talked about earlier, packing shit I’ll need the next couple of months, making sure my documents are in line for applying to be an Italian citizen, and waiting for my passport to come back with a visa in it (seriously consulates stress me the fuck out since I have to mail my passport out to usually DC or California for visas since I live in bumfuck Alaska and a round trip ticket to a consulate is usually more expensive than the trip itself overseas).

McCarthy, Kennicott, Wrangell St Elias, Root Glacier, Alaska, how much does it cost to travel in Alaska
Flightseeing around McCarthy & Kennicott

What I Wrote In August

Kinmen, Kinmen Island, Jinmen, Jinmen Island, Taiwan, China, Kinmen Island Travel, Kinmen Travel, Kinmen Temple

What’s Coming September?

You can expect posts from Xinjiang, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Armenia, Chile, and Pakistan. I should also have some exciting announcements coming up about a couple more trips I’ll be co-leading next year.

See you next month!

-Nicole

Need Travel Insurance?

Start shopping plans over at battleface, my go-to travel insurance choice, or over at World Nomads.

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