Mt. Everest, Nepal

I made my final destination as epic as I could, and what's more epic than climbing Mount Everest? I spent a few days in Kathmandu with my guides in preparation for the climb. On the day we were to begin I was so excited I could hardly think straight. We departed at dawn and, about ten days later, we reached the peak. I was on top of the world and it felt amazing. When I got back down I ate my fill on rice, dumplings, soup, and other traditional foods from Nepal. It was a great way to cap off my journey, climbing to the top of the world.

Mumbai, India

Mumbai, India was a unique place for many reasons, one being the fact it is so densely populated. Whenever I went out, the streets were crowded with not only cars, but people, carts, and shops as well. The city was so packed together I could hardly believe my eyes. Most parts of the city were drowned in the sound of constant car horns. I thought everyone in India was an aggressive driver, but it turns out they actually use the series' of honks to communicate with other drivers. I quickly caught on to some of the patterns and what they mean. I guess Americans could take a page from India and use their horns for communication rather than anger.

Beijing, China

Beijing, China was the next destination on my tour of the world. I saw some of the most iconic sights the city had to offer. I went to the Forbidden City, which houses the palace used by the emperors of China from 1420 to 1912. It was a feat of human ingenuity and architecture. In fact, most of the city's architecture amazed me. The China Central Television Headquarters even seemed to defy gravity, looming over the streets. The traditional Chinese food was to die for. I had my fair share of suckling pig, Peking duck, and moo shu pork while staying in Beijing. Finally, I visited the Great Wall of China. It was humbling to see it stretch out as far as the eye could see. The only bad part of Beijing was the copious amount of smog in the air. In all, I enjoyed Beijing.

Hong Kong

East Asia was probably the region I was most excited to visit. I wanted to visit every city, but I only had time enough for two. I decided to travel to Hong Kong, one of the largest cities in East Asia. Not only was it large, but it was extravagant! Every corner I turned I saw lights and street vendors.  The tall trucks seemed to just barely fit underneath the signs hanging over the street. I went to "The Peak" my first morning. The view of the skyline from above the city made the entire trip worth it. I also went full tourist when I visited Hong Kong's Disneyland and Ocean Park. The rides were amazing and the sights were breathtaking. I also ate at some of Hong Kong's finest restaurants. I enjoyed the local seafood, like baked crab and drunken shrimp. I also went to the Cityplaza shopping center to truly experience Hong Kong. I had fun on their indoor ice rink with my new skates I had just bought. Hong Kong was like nothing I had ever experienced before.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

On my way through central Asia, I decided to take in the sights of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. At first glace, the city doesn't look like much, but do some exploring and you'll find some diamonds in the rough. Aside from being the largest city in Tajikistan, Dushanbe is also a sister city of Boulder, Colorado. I stopped by the Dushanbe Zoo and relaxed for a while. I also saw the second tallest free standing flagpole in the world, it was pretty neat. The Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments was also a very cool spot for a music nerd like me. I finished my visit to Tajikistan with a hike through the mountains on the outskirts of the city, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Dushanbe.

Astana, Kazakhstan

As I made my way through central Asia, I made a quick stop in Astana, Kazakhstan. It was a beautiful city, and was also hailed as one of the weirdest capital cities by CNN. Astana's modern design was a stark contrast to the steppes surrounding it, in fact, there are very few people for hundreds of miles.

The first place I visited in Astana was the Khan Shatyr shopping mall which doubles as the world's largest tent. I also visited the Central Concert Hall, which looked a lot like the White House, to take in some of the culture Astana had to offer. Finally, I visited Astana Arena to watch an Astana FC soccer match. I was Impressed by how Modernized Astana was and hope to return to this beautiful city one day.

St. Petersburg, Russia

My second destination in Russia was St. Petersburg. Through the years, St. Petersburg has gone by many names like Leningrad and Petrograd. There were some amazing sights to see in the city. First, I went to the winter palace, where Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks led their October Revolution. In fact, the city was home to three notorious revolutions, The February, October, and the Revolution of 1905. The winter palace was beautiful, it reminded me of the palace of Versailles. The summer palace was also a work of art. Just when I thought the buildings couldn't get any better, I visited St. Isaac's Cathedral. The architecture's beauty on the outside was only rivaled by the immaculate paintings on the inner walls. St. Petersburg has beauty around nearly every corner, it was a truly remarkable city.