February 1, 2017

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Three Days in Phnom Penh


Much like Cambodia in general, Phnom Penh has a bad reputation with some travelers. I've personally heard the word hate thrown at this city more than any other I've been to. However, much like Cambodia, the nation's capital is buzzing with beautiful chaos, delightfully sarcastic and regularly smiling locals, and some well used remnants from French colonialism. Even with a continued revitalization in the city, the fact remains that Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (Killing Fields) are two of the main reasons people make their way to Phnom Penh. And with good reason. While there's plenty to look over at each memorial, these are more locations that need to be felt and experienced. I've scarcely been more affected by a place than Choeung Ek and often had to take time to collect myself before moving along with the audio tour. Especially as an American who was previously unaware of the extent of my nation's involvement in creating and later supporting the Khmer Rouge, these monuments were a vital step towards a better understanding of history, the atrocities humanity is capable of, and the Cambodian people.

But these two places do not a city make. It seems to me an inability to separate the raw emotions evoked in these two locations from the current incarnation of Phnom Penh is why so many travelers have an aversion to the city. For some, when thinking of Phnom Penh they only call up the distressing memories of visiting the Killing Fields or Tuol Sleng. But rest assured, there is an abundance of light to mix in with the darkness and it's more than possible to have a great time in Phnom Penh while learning of its troubling past. If nothing else, it's a city that will never leave you hungry with cheap eats galore and some of the most affordable fine dining in Asia. There's also a myriad of street art to take in, live music, and theater to show how alive this city of over two million truly is.

(header photo by Mallory Dowd)
By: Ryan Walters - February 01, 2017

January 27, 2017

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48 Hours in Bangkok





With a population over 8 million and spanning 1,500 square kilometers, decidedly covering Bangkok could take weeks. My wife and I had 48 hours. So we decided to focus on two things Thailand does as well or better than any other country in the world: architecture and food.
(photo by Mallory Dowd)
By: Ryan Walters - January 27, 2017

September 3, 2016

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Tips on Hiking Mount Fuji


One of the quintessential images of Japan, Fuji is a mountain and hike well worth the acclaim bestowed upon it. Standing tall at 3,776 meters, this active volcano offers views unlike any other in Japan and a hike that's challenging enough to push your limits, but not so difficult as to keep away amateur hikers. Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, Fuji is considered one of the three Holy Mountains of Japan, and should be treated accordingly. This hike isn't too difficult, but damn well deserves respect and is underestimated at the hiker's peril.
By: Ryan Walters - September 03, 2016

August 31, 2016

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I Failed Miserably and It's Fantastic: A 32 Before 32 Update

 "I don't want to hurry it. That itself is a poisonous twentieth-century attitude. When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it and want to get on to other things. I just want to get at it slowly, but carefully and thoroughly..." ― Robert M. Pirsig


By: Ryan Walters - August 31, 2016

September 4, 2015

32 Before 32

I’m a list maker. If I go to the store with five things in mind without a physical list there’s zero guarantee I’m coming back with three of the five. If I’m packing for a trip, I’ll not only write everything down on a list, I’ll spread it all out on the bed and check it off said list before even attempting to pack a bag. I’ve had lists to remember my lists and digital sticky notes that take up far too much of my desktop space. With this penchant for rows and columns it’s a little disappointing that I didn’t have a bucket list until three years ago.
By: Ryan Walters - September 04, 2015

April 22, 2015

This Is Real Life

When I say “real life,” what comes to mind? Please, for the love of everything you hold dear don’t let it be the wretched 90s show that destroyed not only MTV as we knew it, but also television as a whole. Please don’t let that enter your mind. It should be a simple question: what constitutes “real” life?
(photo by Mallory Dowd)
By: Ryan Walters - April 22, 2015

February 9, 2015

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Why I Have To Leave

"I remember the moment I first realized I've been living my whole life in black and white. It was like discovering a color I never knew existed before. A whole new crayon box full of colors. That was it for me. From then on, there was no putting the pieces back together. No going home. Things were different now. Asia had ruined me for my old life.”
- Anthony Bourdain
(photo by Mallory Dowd)
By: Ryan Walters - February 09, 2015