Best of 2013

March 29, 2013

Neuschwanstein Castle can be seen from nearby Marienbrucke Bridge in Bavaria, Germany.

The road to the loneliest castle

Exploring medieval towns and lavish castles on Germany’s Romantic Road.

Best of 2012

November 29, 2012

A Russian man paints the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin on the Nerl River near Vladimir, Russia.

Becoming Russian

Eating shashlik and being boiled alive in a bathhouse at a Russian dacha.

September 10, 2012

A Russian woman sells hats and shoes on a Moscow sidewalk.

A mysterious Russian soul

An anthropology student shows me the best animated film of all time — and a glimpse into the Russian mind.

April 1, 2012

People swim at Ein Bokek’s public beach on the Dead Sea in the West Bank near Jerusalem, Israel.

Ditch the guide

Why you should fire your tour guide and lead yourself through Israel and the West Bank.

February 17, 2012

Canals run down the streets of Lìjiāng, China.

Drunken horses

A romantic comedy in Lìjiāng and Dàlǐ, China.

Best of 2011

December 13, 2011

Chinese tour groups hike up stairs on China’s Huangshan (Yellow Mountain).

Dining with strangers

How I left my virtue at Huangshan, China’s Yellow Mountain.

December 6, 2011

Actors perform during a Beijing opera at the Yifu Theatre in Shanghai, China.

Shanghaied

Sucked into an elaborate tea ceremony con in Shanghai, China.

September 25, 2011

Manga characters overlook a busy street in Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan.

How I became a Japanese teen heartthrob

Examining Japan’s obsession with cuteness.

July 26, 2011

The sun rises behind Angkor Wat early in the morning in Angkor, Cambodia.

The lost magic of an ancient empire

Cycling through Cambodia’s Angkor, the world’s biggest religious complex.

May 10, 2011

A bicycle sits on the edge of the road in Da Lat, Vietnam.

Cycling through Golden Turtle God country

Encountering magical turtles and afterlife-destined motorcycles on a bicycle trip in Vietnam and Cambodia.

March 17, 2011

Demonstrators sell “The Day We Changed” T-shirts while protesters gather in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Welcome to the New Egypt!

Backpacking through a revolution in the Land of the Pharaohs.

March 5, 2011

Hank looks out at the Himalayan Mountains next to a stupa near Namche Bazaar, Nepal.

Mission Everest: A Tale of Two Brothers

Two brothers tackle the trek to Nepal’s Everest Base Camp and film the entire adventure.

January 8, 2011

A man performs a morning puja ceremony at the Amritapuri ashram in Kerala, India.

The guru of hugs

Seeking a life-changing hug and the secret to life from India’s most famous female spiritual leader.

Best of 2010

December 17, 2010

An Indian couple is entranced by the view of the Taj Mahal at sunset from Mehtab Bagh Park in Agra, India.

Entranced by the world’s most beautiful symbol of eternal love

Sunrise and sunset at the Taj Mahal.

August 4, 2010

An RV passes a bicycle sitting on the Seward Highway near Alaska’s Cook Inlet and Kenai Mountains.

Cycling the Arm

Bicycling Anchorage’s Coastal Trail, Lost Lake, and the Turnagain Arm.

March 24, 2010

A view of Half Dome in the Yosemite Valley, seen from Glacier Point

Living Yosemite

After climbing Half Dome, I can’t bear to leave Yosemite.

February 17, 2010

The Sinagua built Montezuma Castle, one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America.

The Indian Unit, revisited

Trying to one-up my middle school teachers by taking an Indian ruins road trip through America’s Southwest.

January 28, 2010

Twilight fans stand in front of the Forks Chamber of Commerce and a replica of Bella’s 1953 Chevy pickup truck.

Twilight, ironically

Exploring Forks, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula, the setting of a teen vampire novel.

January 12, 2010

Santa Claus (a.k.a. Brian) dons a Santa suit on the Grand Canyon’s South Kaibab Trail.

Santa Claus snowshoes the Grand Canyon, rim to rim to rim

Brothers tackle a classic trek with magical, holiday cheer.

Best of 2009

December 15, 2009

“Dahmernatrix” hits the track during the LA Derby Dolls 2009 championship game between The Swarm and The Tough Cookies. (photo by Marc Campos)

Skating by

Understanding the post-feminist ethos of roller derby.

October 1, 2009

A hiker gazes at the canyon walls of Buckskin Gulch.

Flat Stanley escapes a flash flood in Buckskin Gulch

Hiking the world’s longest slot canyon with a boy made of paper.

April 16, 2009

A sign warns trespassers at the boundary of Area 51 as security officers in a truck keep watch from a ridge.

Searching for UFOs near Area 51

A travel guide to America’s most mysterious military base.

January 15, 2009

Mountains shrouded in fog behind Refugio Lago Paine in Chilean Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park.

Adopted by Kiwis in Chilean Patagonia

Hiking the Torres del Paine Circuit on another family’s vacation.

Best of 2008

September 22, 2008

The ruins in Copn, Honduras include a Mesoamerican ballgame court.

How to win your ex-girlfriend back (in Honduras)

A Central American love story.

July 9, 2008

A cable car hangs overhead as a hiker adjusts his tent (photo by Brian Leukart)

Trekking the Graveyard of the Pacific

Brothers tackle dangerous surge channels on the West Coast Trail.

May 16, 2008

Bicycles sit waiting for a class (courtesy of Josh Hikes)

Bicycling to nowhere

The peculiarity of studio cycling and Los Angeles gym culture.

March 21, 2008

Disneyland at night as seen from behind the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse near Main Street

No, seriously, there’s something magical about Disneyland

Disneyland is more romantic than you think.

January 29, 2008

A zebra and her newborn baby stand together in the Linyanti Wildlife Reserve.

Goodman, my good man! What is that zebra doing?

Witnessing a zebra birth in Botswana, Africa.

Best of 2007

August 28, 2007

The McKinley River with tens of braids in the distance

Accepting wet feet

A harrowing attempt at crossing the McKinley River in Denali National Park, Alaska.