Posts tagged travel
West Coast Climbing Roadtrip
 

For the past five months, Tony and I have been living out of a Nissan Pathfinder. We traveled down the West Coast from Canada to Mexico passing through Squamish, Smithrock, Lover's Leap, Bishop, Red Rocks, Sedona, and El Potrero Chico. It took getting used to fitting my life into a car but it felt great to only have the essentials. We even picked up a pup in Los Angeles whom has many fans at the crags.

All photos of me by Tony Archie Kim

Squamish sunset in September

Phantasmagoria at Smithrock, OR

Heavenly Path in Bishop, CA

Super easy but beautiful climb!

November 1st, we went the to the West Valley Animal Shelter in LA and found Hippo the vicious killing machine

Trying the moves on the Iron Man Traverse

The Pit Campground, Bishop

Sunset at Alabama Hills

Sedona morning

 
photo, USA, Canada, travelYezi Xueroadtrip, vanlife, climbing, travel, west coast, camping, travel US, travel Canada, Squamish, Smithrock, Lover's Leap, Bishop, Redrocks, Sedona, El Potrero Chico, El SaltoComment
New Zealand
 

Me and my little 1995 Honda Odyssey went around the South Island for a month and a half. We saw glaciers, fjords, blue penguins, baby seals, lots of sheep, and fat cats.  I haven't traveled solo for sometime before New Zealand, so living out of the van by myself brought a real sense of freedom. It was a nice feeling to be able to go anywhere anytime and have everything you needed with you at all times.

The valley walk at Franz Joseph Glacier

The overcast day made the colors pop out so much more.

My car at camp before heading to Milford Sound

Wye Creek on the way to climbing with some friends I met at Thakhek, Laos

Farewell Point with my friend Alan on our rest day from climbing at Takaka

View from the Hooker Valley Hike at Mt. Cook

Bonfire and drinks with other campers at Purakaunui Bay

Driving on the leftside and eating leftovers.

 
travel, New ZealandYezi XueNew Zealand, Vanlife, roadtrip, solo trip, travelComment
Namphapayai, Thailand
 

Nam Pha Pa Yai is such a gem of a climbing camp! It is just north of Bangkok and is accessible by car or train. Being so close to the city, it is surprisingly quiet and intimate. There is no wifi and very little cell reception. The rock is solid and the routes are long and varied. With home cooked dinners and less than 10 people a night, it is a beautiful place to lay low and just climb.  Did I mention you zipline to the wall? Also that you can stay in a tree house if you book early enough?  I loved it and would love to return when the weather is cooler.

 

On the train ride from Bangkok to  Kaeng Khoi

Beautiful Thai countryside 

The climbing at Nam Pha was amazing! It is like a mini-Green Climbers Home and you have the wall almost all to yourself

Ernst zipping over to the Main Wall

Tents on stilts were spacious and clean

My little bluey had a bath on rest day. The weather was so dry that it dried in an hour or so!

 
Thailand, photo, travel, NamphapayaiYezi Xuetravel, thailand, Namphapayai, rock climbing, climbing camps, limestone, hidden gem, bangkok crags, crags Comment
Bhutan
 

Post Nepal, I met my college friend Lindy in Bhutan for a week.  After a month of high elevation tea houses and hostels, it was a nice change of pace to have a driver, guide, and three-star hotels.  In Bhutan, the men are handsome and the women are beautiful; the air is clear, the temples are mysterious, and the holy water strong.

Tiger's Nest, the most auspicious temple in Bhutan, is perched on a cliff 900 meters off the ground. 

First day around Thimphu, the bridge to Chari Monastery

Tashi our knowledgeable guide who is also an amazing dancer!

Dzongs are former fortresses that serve as religious and administrative centers.

They are architectural masterpieces covered with intricate design details.

View of Punakha

Clusters of white prayer flags commemorates the dead, outside the Temple of the Divine Madman

Stream in Thimphu

 
travel, photo, BhutanYezi Xuetravel, bhutan, mountains, tiger's next, Dzong, Paro Dzong Comment
Herro!
 

Birthday doughnut in Puerto Montt, Chile

Hey, hello! This is me, Yezi, having a birthday doughnut on my 30th birthday.  This photo was taken after sailing on the Navimag Ferry through the uninhabited Patagonian fjords. I always loved traveling and dreamed of taking a long term trip for six months to a year.  In late 2016, I left my job in animation and went to Asia.  This blog documents my travels and my doodles along the way.

 
photo, travelYezi Xuehello world, me, travel, doughnutComment