Welcome to where I chronicle my travels!

I am back home now after recently completing my capstone project for my Master of Arts degree and traveling on Amtrak across the United States.

 

Most Recent Posts

An Entourage Escort Back To The Station!

by Oliver | Nov 20, 2015

My impression of Russians based on my previous visit here was Russians were a cold, reserved people. In Moscow, I do not recall many smiles. The lack of helpful English signage did not give me a warm, welcoming impression. My visa application process was arduous,... read more

Nizhny Novgorod, A Formerly Closed City

by Oliver | Nov 17, 2015

Nizhny Novgorod is among the largest cities in Russia. For many decades it was known as Gorky, for the Russian Writer, Maxim Gorky. The Soviet Union deemed it a “Closed City,” meaning no foreigners were allowed to visit. This was due to military research and... read more

First Leg On Trans-Siberian Railway

by Oliver | Nov 16, 2015

Today, I departed Moscow toward Nizhniy Novgorod on the first leg of my Trans-Siberian Railway trip. Anxiety did not escape me. The Cyrillic alphabet, compounded by my inability to converse in Russian, does not nurture seamless navigation. My biggest fear is missing... read more

I Like To Think It Is Because I Am So Handsome…

by Oliver | Nov 8, 2015

A sleepy Helsinki Sunday morning ushered in the holiday of Father’s Day for Finland and my departure from Nordic Area of Europe. I headed further east by high-speed train into Saint Petersburg, Russia! The High Speed Train Hello Cyrillic Alphabet Russian Immigration... read more

Helsinki Design District

by Oliver | Nov 7, 2015

My impression of what Helsinki was going to be like proved to be wrong. Helsinki was spared much of the destruction World War II had brought the rest of Europe. As a result, I was expecting an older looking city with a winding medieval layout. After a few minutes my... read more