Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Songs for the sick

Frequent readers will know that Western Africa is one of my favorite parts of the world, so my expectations were already high when I secured a lift to Bamako.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Fukushima

Just as sailors abide by the laws of the sea, desert inhabitants live by a code that keeps them safe in this often extreme environment. Lesson number one: Your water is everyone’s water.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Remind me

It’s not New York or Shanghai — it’s Cairo. Here are some tips and tricks for enjoying the cultural life of this great city without getting a headache or hearing loss.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

and then

While I generally try to travel the slow and steady way, sometimes opportunities arise that are too good to miss. When my friend Kahlil invited me to spend a weekend with his family in the Djebel Babor mountains, I had to make it happen.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Bird Poem

Morocco has four historical capitals: Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat. I spent a week in each and emerged with a clear favorite.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

The measure of a man

I woke up to a mysterious text message from my friend Ekrem: “I’ve got a one-of-a-kind job waiting for you in Cappadocia if you can make it here by Monday.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Remember the dead

One of the most valuable things I’ve learned in my travels is that the best food is any destination is never at the fancy hotels. Follow the locals and you’ll eat well (and cheaply).

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Apparently

Does it ever get lonely out on the road? Yes. But if you can learn to embrace loneliness, it can be a great teacher.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

How the weekend began

I’m sitting in Bangkok’s airport, about to board a plane to my wildest destination yet: My sister’s wedding back home in Santa Cruz. What will I find in America after two years of constant travel?

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

You don’t love me

Let’s celebrate April Fools’ Day with a list of every scam I’ve encountered in three weeks in Bangkok, shall we?

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

When I was six

The last six years of travel have been a story of reduction. When I first set out, I was proud of myself for only bringing one backpack full of clever gear. Today, I see the world with only five essential items.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Genesis

The saung is Myanmar’s most iconic musical instrument, a boat-shaped harp that sounds like nothing else.

Read More
Matt Roberts Matt Roberts

Diagnosis

You can’t have a typical relationship while you travel the world, but that doesn’t mean romance is always out of reach.

Read More

I plan my life out a day at a time, so my posting schedule can be erratic.

Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll never miss a post.