Thinking about traveling in Grozny, May 28, 2026 Grozny, Chechen Republic
Thinking about traveling in Grozny During the first week in the North Caucasus region of Russia, I was traveling more slowly and cautiously than usual – I could not really get used to driving with confusing GPS signals (my location was flying around every second), and having to pay only in cash added some logistical challenges, especially when booking online. But people do adapt to new situations, and as I was getting used to the new routines, I could allow the usual traveler’s energy to...
Sketches of Kazbegi, 20 May 2026, Kazbegi, Georgia
Sketches of Kazbegi Kazbegi is a region in Northeastern Georgia. The main town is surrounded by the towering Mount Kazbek, rising to over 5,000 meters, and it is a popular destination for scenic hiking and mountaineering. I had already visited this place twice, some seven years ago, with the same car, though it had a different license plate back then. Yet, it still felt refreshingly breathtaking to be in that valley again, surrounded by very steep mountains. Within a day, however, I realized that the scenery...
Detours @ Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, October 29, 2019
Detours After over one month of living like a Muscovite, I hit the road again to the south. In Moscow, I had focused on some of the longer-term projects while moving around predominantly with Moscow Metro. From now on, I’ll be constantly driving each day as I explore the Caucasus region, probably until I finish visiting Armenia by the end of November. Russia is very big. And sometimes there is no ‘next big city’ during the next five hours of driving, which is the amount...
Listening to myself through Ekaterina – some questions about my travels, Moscow, Russia, October 2019
It was my pleasure to meet my friend, Ekaterina, again in her home country, Russia. Just like the last time I met her in Mexico years ago, she’s still a curious and energetic person. I appreciate that I got to listen to myself and see how I’ve changed after two years, if any, about some topics concerning traveling. I’m also grateful to have learned about my friend more through her questions and comments. Things she asked about: 1.How do you support yourself financially? 2.How do you...
A map of feelings @ The State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, September 28, 2019
A map of feelings St. Petersburg is often called the ‘cultural’ capital of Russia. The nickname was originally given by Boris Yeltsin, and some Russian people I met found the idea puzzling or controversial. In any case, I know that the world-famous Hermitage Museum is on the ‘must-visit’ list for tourists visiting the city. But during my 3-week-long stay there, I ended up not visiting the museum, and I still don’t regret it too much. During the past two years, I’ve visited 55 countries and many more...
A brief time travel and the start of the final chapter
A brief time travel and the start of the final chapter On September 5th, I took a flight from Moscow to Korea to visit family. It turned out that the day was my 2nd travel anniversary, which was a pure coincidence. I had thought about taking the time at the airport to record how I feel about having spent two years traveling. But as is often the case, at the end I was only grateful to have made it to the gate only 20 minutes before...
with Artyom @ Bratislavskaya, Moscow, Russia, September 5, 2019
In general, I try to keep distance from using the word ‘hospitable’ when describing people of a country or a region. It’s not because hospitality is an undesirable value by any means. I just feel that accepting to use the word encourages me to subconsciously believe that I am in the position to evaluate different cultures or even compare them, based on my perspectives. Allowing myself to reinforce my previous world view is far from the purpose of journey. But during the three days of stay...
Lesson on a sad day @ Pulkovo Aiport, St. Petersburg, Russia, August 12, 2019
Lesson on a sad day Sometimes people ask if or when I get lonely on the road. Since I have been traveling for almost two years, it seems to be fair curiosity. But when I think about it, I realize that it hardly happens. Yes, there were demanding situations where things could have been solved more easily if I had had company. And yes, there were special experiences which I wished I could have shared in real-time with someone who understood me on a deep level....
This website chronicles Leebong’s journey around the world for 2+ years, for the time being. To find out more, see The Travel & The Why.
To catch me, see Itinerary.
Impressions Series
