Matt Morgante
Nusa Lembongan

Even the trip to Nusa Lembongan was a scene of astounding tropical beauty. Turquoise waters shimmered in the morning light and the sun lit up forested hillsides with bright shades of green. Wide, shallow bays ended in a number of sandy coves, proving that we had arrived in another relaxing tropical destination.

Nusa Lembongan
Matt Morgante
Nusa Penida

A small island off the Southwest tip of Bali that is home to rugged coastlines, jaw-dropping scenery, and mesmerizing beaches, Nusa Penida is quickly surging as a popular destination for adventurous travelers. It was soon clear why: we had found a largely undiscovered slice of paradise.

Nusa Penida
Matt Morgante
Canggu

I returned to Bali 3 years after my original trip there. Stefje and I spent 5 weeks in Canggu, an exploding village on the island of Bali. Life in Canggu is the easiest it has ever been.

Canggu
Matt Morgante
Singapore

At the nearby Boat Quay neighborhood, we found a relaxed bar with an outdoor pool table and posted up with PBR’s, happy to watch the endless parade of pedestrians come strolling by. While locals and western expats brushed shoulders in the bar, it became apparent that Singapore is a true melting pot of cultures. Reflecting on the day, Stefje and I noticed that we had see books written in Mandarin, Muslim women shopping for produce in headscarves, Indian construction workers, and massive Christian churches in just a small slice of the city.

Singapore
Matt Morgante
Beijing

We stared in awe at the long, snaking wall, which expanded far further in the distance than our eyes could see. Our minds were boggled to learn that we were exposed to less than 1% of the entire structure, which was used to repel Mongol invaders and was built, enhanced, and refurbished throughout the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Beijing

Northern Chile & Argentina

Blown Away by Buenos Aires

Blown Away by Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is a city of constant motion. It’s a meeting point where Argentinians young and old come to live, study, work, and (most importantly) play. It’s the destination where millions of eager tourists each year begin and end journeys through South America. It’s unequivocally the most important city in Argentina, the heartbeat of the country. Unlike the United States, where different cities dominate their respective portions of the economic and social lexicon, Buenos Aires is the hub of everything. This is a city that’s alive: it has a feeling of serendipity, wonder, and awe.

Sun, Salt, and Sand

Sun, Salt, and Sand

From our overcrowded campsite it was just 15 minutes until the Atlantic Ocean began unfolding before our eyes. A 60km long sandy beachfront lay just beyond the center of town, the view blighted by high rise apartment buildings yet the ocean omnipresent. The beachfront atmosphere has turned the crowd into a curious collection of long-term residents and vacationing families. Having arrived during a holiday weekend smack dab in the middle of summer, the town’s population ballooned from 8,000 to over 80,000.

Chilean City Life

Chilean City Life

On the way back towards the port we passed through some of Valparaiso’s many hills, which were awarded UNESCO world heritage status because every time you turn a corner, it’s time to take the camera out for another shot. Without a doubt, Valpo is South America’s premier street art city. Every staircase, wall, and door in the city center is home to another piece of art, the majority of which are downright stunning in their complexity, vivid colors, and attention to detail. 

Mendoza, Maipu, & Malbec

Mendoza, Maipu, & Malbec

The first stop of the day was at La Añorada, a picturesque winery on the outskirts of town. Our affable tour guide was named German, and he fired off joke after joke while getting us acquainted with the winery’s production cycle. One of the coolest parts of the tour was how German led us through the various stages of making Malbec, the blend which Maipu is most famous for. He poured us tasting from monstrous twenty foot high vats at two different points in the fermentation process, then led us down into the cellar and siphoned a more mature oak blend straight out of the barrel before finally pouring a version of the finished product from the bottle. 

Cordoba & Cumbrecita

Cordoba & Cumbrecita

Maybe we’ve just been extremely lucky so far, but hitchhiking in Argentina has been infinitely more rewarding than riding expensive tourist busses. Each driver has been more than willing to share his hospitality, stories, and knowledge of the country while meanwhile being equally eager to learn about us. In short, they want to ensure that our experience traveling across Argentina is one to remember. So far, they've certainly succeeded. 

Road Trip!

Road Trip!

Just a few kilometers into the journey we came upon the Quebrada de Las Conchas, a valley world-renowned for its spectacular views. Over eons and eons, a gushing monstrosity of a river and this area’s forceful wind have eroded a wide canyon and carved away at its sandstone rock. What remains is a weird and wondrous landscape of magical rocky landscape. For the next two hours I stared slack-jawed at the glory of some of mother nature’s greatest artwork, muttering “wow” under my breath every time we rounded another corner.

Amazing Atacama

Amazing Atacama

Seeing as it was only 10AM I should have been surprised my friends were ready to start drinking, but then I noticed they were still wearing the same clothes from yesterday and clearly hadn’t been home. I happily forked over the pesos (less than 25 cents), which kicked off an authentic example of Chilean hospitality. For the next six hours we walked around almost every street the tiny pueblo has to offer, as I was treated to the cheapest and most insightful local walking tour San Pedro has to offer. They showed me where to buy the cheapest food, the most delicious empanadas, and some of their favorite spots to just hang out and take in astounding views of the ring of Volcanoes around the desert.