I hit the road again after years. This new lifestyle began weeks ago, but I was waiting for the traveler’s energy to gradually settle in, so that I feel more authentic about what I might want to say.

It is going to be a multi-month overland journey toward somewhere in Central Asia. My friend, who kept me company years ago in the Americas and Caucasus, will do so again— now covered in a new paint. Happy to give an old pal a ride (says the van!).

People often ask the “why” question, so I have become prepared to give some usual answers. As much as any travel draws attention to the “external” destinations, I like that it is deeply about oneself —it is about expanding the world that I can perceive and collecting memories of how I felt in various contexts I would not normally put myself in.

While I’d like to keep the openness, the constant will be my daily gratitude for being active and being curious about the surroundings.

Nijmegen, The Netherlands

March, 2026