Portrait of Afghanistan

- from Augustin Pictures, “Afghanistan – touch down in flight”

I can’t describe how much I want to see Afghanistan for myself. Something about the land and its people and its turbulent, shaken history connects me to it, makes me long for the dark, snowcapped mountains and the vast plains. Perhaps it is the fact that it remains so misunderstood, that it is still a mysterious, distant land. It’s not begging to be discovered, just experienced and understood.

A Kerouac-ian Ramble Begins.

Fittingly, my first real day on the road going somewhere I’ve never been, is the 57th anniversary of the original publishing of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. While my original copy of On the Road has been lost to the unknown universe through several moves around the country (and world), so my early birthday present to myself is a new copy transcribed from the original scroll. Here’s to hoping the Road is spontaneous, unexpected, and “wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better.”

Let the Americana Adventurama begin.