Last Days in Bulgaria

Nearly three weeks into the New Year and finally a new blog post. I apologize for slacking on this, as we have been focusing on a few other projects in the mean time:

• Over the holidays, we drove all around Bulgaria and Romania with our friend Beth, who flew from Texas to travel with us. I'll post a recap of our adventures so keeping checking our blog. 
• We have updated our travel itinerary. The short of it is that we are flying to Frankfurt on January 22 and will be in Germany for 3 weeks. Then we'll spend 2 months backcountry skiing in the Swiss, Italian and French Alps. We hope to fly to Norway by late April and ski for a month there. Thanks again to Jeff, Sebastian, Chris, Vanessa and Simone for helping us get our skis to Germany!
• We have landed a few writing deals with Backpacking Light Magazine. Highlights include: a summary of travels in Latin America and in Russia, eight photo essays, and six reports from ISPO (the international outdoor gear convention in Munich in early February)
• Additionally, we'll start working as gear testers for Backpacking Light. We will be specializing in light and ultralight gear from European brands like Aclima, Vango, Klattermussen, C.A.M.P., Laufbursche, and Berghaus.
• I got a haircut. This might not seem like big news, but it is only my third haircut of this trip. And if you've been reading Kristin's blog, you've seen pictures of my most recent hair style. 
• Kristin has continued to work wonders in our "kitchen," creating fantastic vegetarian and vegan meals and desserts within the limits of a fridge, microwave, and food processor. She has plenty of downtime between programming for her scientific research and waiting for the testing to finish running. 
• Finally, Kristin and I have just thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. It is just the two of us - all day, every day - and we love it. I don't know if we'll ever get a chance to spend this much uninterrupted time together. Being with her is the best part of this journey. 

Sunrise over the Carpathian Mountains in Romania. December 2010.

New Publication in Backpacking Light Magazine

News of the Day:

Kristin and I are very excited to announce our second publication in Backpacking Light Magazine. It is such an honor for us. The article, Valley Hopping in the Cordillera Huayhuash, details an arduous seven-day high-altitude trek in Northern Peru that we accomplished in May 2010. We have several articles in the pipeline to be published by Backpacking Light Magazine this year. If you want to read our articles, you will save money with the year subscription, over the pay-per-article basis.

On other news, I'll continue publishing the Year In Review Daily Photo, as well as back-blogging from our last adventures in Russia (Siberian Cities, Altai Mountains, Moscow), Istanbul, and about our current break in Bulgaria. 

Lastly, it is snowing today and it feels like Christmas!! Next Monday, we are renting a car for 2-3 weeks to drive around Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. Our friend Beth, from the States, is joining us for this road trip. 

We're still hanging out in the empty, remote village of Kosharitsa in Bulgaria. We are 7km from the Black Sea, and near the UNESCO World Heritage City of Nesebar. Keep checking back with me for more stories and photos of our three months in Bulgaria. 

Running to the Sun

Still catching my breath from this run.

Kosharitsa, Bulgaria. November 2010

I will publish a new photo every day for the month of December, to celebrate this year of traveling around the world.

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6 Months Ago: 6093 meter summit of Mt. Chachani, Peru 

1 Year Ago: Fitz Roy, Los Glaciares, Argentina

Where Were We . . .

One year ago, Kristin and I were in Los Glaciares National Park. The park is world renown for the impending spires of Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

We camped in the park for nine glorious days. We resupplied our food and fuel in the town of El Chalten, only an hour's hike from our basecamp.

I distinctly remember hiking out on Thanksgiving Day last year so that we could email our family. We played Rummikub while warming up inside a friendly restaurant. Kristin and I shared a large pizza and a glass of Malbec. The weather during the prior week had been sunny but extremely windy and cold. We were very grateful for the cozy respite.

I'm thankful for our current comfortable and warm living situation in Bulgaria. (Thanks Mark and Marie for making this possible!)

However, it's not as scenic here as where we were last year. So I've included a few photos from Los Glaciares. These were taken just prior to when we hiked back to town for Thanksgiving.

I do look back at the photos with awe. I can't believe we were there!

Wishing I could fly.

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6 Months Ago: Cusco, Peru

1 Year Ago: Fitz Roy, Argentina

Thanksgiving Again

As Kristin and I enjoy our Thanksgiving together in Bulgaria, we are thinking of you - our friends and family throughout the world.

If there is one thing I am most thankful for, it is all that I have learned from Kristin this year. An important lesson she taught me was that all relationships take time and energy, regardless of how strong the bond. Relationships don't maintain themselves.

So, tonight I will raise my wine glass to my wonderful wife and to my renewed relationship with an old best friend.

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6 Months Ago: Cusco, Peru

1 Year Ago: Fitz Roy, Argentina

Thank You Mr. Stallone

Kristin and I are located in an empty resort complex 1.4km beyond the nearest village, where the public bus makes it's last stop. That village is 7km from the nearest town, which is another 35km from the nearest city.

Besides the empty road that leads from the village to our place, there is a dirt road that continues past us. It turns to dirt and mud as it winds slightly down hill. The road goes through fields, fallow for the winter. There is a second road that goes up the hill behind us. It is nicely paved and zig zags at least 20 times before it flattens out for a bit. Then it climbs up further to a smattering of few house. I've only run up to that first flat spot, admiring the nearly three hundred and sixty degree view.

Do you remember Rocky IV, when he was training to fight against the Soviet champion (Dolph Lundgren)? Rocky moved to Siberia and trained for months in the brutal weather, using very simple exercises to get back in shape - chopping wood, running in the snow, pull-ups, and so on. This was the Rocky that went back to his roots, in a way, like Johnny Cash and American IV: Man Comes Around. 

Well today, while running by myself down the dirt "road," I felt a little bit like Rocky. The wind was at my back, the hill was in my favor, but I knew that both of those would be against me on the way back. A mob of cows was being herded uphill, dogs yapping away. The clouds hung low in the valley and the mist was palpable. I chose my steps carefully, avoided the mud pits and cow pies, and fell a smooth (but tough) breathing rhythm.

In no way is our life like Rocky's but I still felt the same solitude, in a good way. We are in the middle of nowhere and there is nobody with whom we can talk. We have only the same rudimentary exercises to keep fit and healthy. We are forging a simple lifestyle in a relentlessly changing world. We are living deliberately.

Everybody finds their own inspiration. It on this day that I am glad to have watched at least one cheesy, shamelessly American-centric flick from the eighties. Rocky - thank you. 

Massive Shopping Spree

There are two small shops in our village, where we buy our fruits, veggies, and yogurt. However, we spent the better part of last Monday traveling to the big city of  Burgas to stock up on hard-to-find goods, cleaning supplies, treats and a few kitchen items.

Check-out at the Burgas Carrefour, where we spent $220. The cashier laughed as she handed us our receipt. It is now hanging above our kitchen table as our sole wall decoration.


To get back home, we had to take three buses and walk 1.4 km. My backpack weighed more than 25 kg (60 lbs).


The weather was overcast all day, every day and it rains often. However, that also means there are no mosquitoes and it is never too hot to run. Oh, and that giant squash that Kristin is carrying? It cost us $1.50 and will be used in at least 10 meals.

What I Did Today

Despite being in a foreign country and living in a very isolated location, Kristin made today a very special day for me. Yes, it's my birthday and I am turning 30. Starting a new decade does not seem scary or too significant. Everyday is what is important, and everyday I hope to live like it is a special day. With Kristin, that is all too easy.

So what did we do today? Well, I woke to a giant Russian birthday card that Kristin had been hiding away for the last two months. We stretched, went for a run, and returned to cook our usual super-healthy breakfast (whole grain hot cereal, fruits, nuts, yogurt). We did laundry, by hand in a bucket. Hopefully our clothes will dry by tomorrow!During the day we communicated with various friends and family members via Skype, gmail chat, emails, and Facebook.
For lunch, Kristin prepared a delicious and healthy macaroni and cheese (inspired by, but nothing like, my grandmother Patsy used to make). And to top it all of, she created a raw vegan german chocolate cake. It was absolutely amazing!

Now we are winding down, finishing up a few errands, before we watch The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. I remember watching this film shortly after my parents divorced. It was my eighth birthday and my dad took me and two of my brothers to an actual movie theater (maybe the first time I went to a theater).  We got banana splits at the ice cream shop and then watched this movie. I  never watched the movie again, but I always thought it was good. Terry Gilliam directed it and he is one of my favorite directors. He directed Brazil, Time Bandits, Fear and Loathing, Twelve Monkeys, and was an original member of Monty Python. He was born in Minneapolis, so maybe that's why Kristin has agreed to watch his film tonight.
Anyhow, thanks for all the emails, chats, comments, posts, VOiPs, ecards and more! Where would we be without the internet?

Our apartment is on the ground floor unfortunately, but we have floor to ceiling windows and the complex is empty!

The fantastic cake, Russian birthday card, and custom-made silver crown. I am living like a king!

Blogging from Bulgaria

Hi All! Kristin and I have just arrived in Bulgaria, only two weeks after leaving the Mongolian border but is now half a world away. We spent 4-5 days on buses and trains to get from the Altai Mountains to Moscow. After five days in Moscow, we flew to Istanbul and spent another five days there.

After a few bus rides and one border crossing, we safely arrived at our new "home" in Kosharitsa, Bulgaria. My friend has generously lent us his vacation flat near the coast of the Black Sea. The resort complex is virtually empty, as are all the nearby cities.

We are going to stay here for a few months and work on our computers. Kristin is working on a scientific publication. I am busy with a few projects. The main goal is to develop an Android/iPhone app (with coding help from Kristin).

So far we have really enjoyed our stay here. We go running everyday on the empty road behind our flat, winding up a forested hill. The weather is rather drab, but it's bearable. We each have a "desk" with our laptops (thanks Janie!) and notes and papers littered about.

In my non-working time, I will continue to blog and catch up on the last two months of travel through Russia and Turkey. So stay tuned for more!

This was our first dinner in our new home. Apple, carrots, two types of cheese, whole wheat bread and hummus. No cooking required! We were so tired and starving when we finally arrived - this meal was perfect.