Hi, I’m Gene Volkov. I’ve Been Almost Everywhere.
I don’t just travel to check places off a list. I go to live them. Over the past 12 years, I’ve found myself in more than 70 countries. From the cold stretches of Iceland to the buzzing streets of Bangkok, I’ve tried to absorb every place I visit with wide eyes and open ears. I’ve hiked volcanoes in Guatemala, taken long, clunky trains across Eastern Europe, and eaten things I probably shouldn’t have from street stalls in cities I couldn’t pronounce at the time.
This blog isn’t a bunch of polished top 10s or perfect itineraries. It’s a record of the real stuff. The quiet surprises, the wrong turns, the uncomfortable beds, the conversations I never forgot. I don’t write like a guidebook. I write like someone who got lost, figured it out, and wants to help you do the same—maybe with fewer mosquito bites.
I’ve slept in capsule hotels in Tokyo, desert tents in Jordan, and stayed with Georgian grandmothers who fed me like I was their long-lost son. I’m not chasing luxury. I’m chasing connection. The small things. Like a sunrise in Cappadocia or talking to strangers in a smoky bar in Belgrade. That’s where the magic happens.
Before all this, I worked in photography and digital media, which still shapes how I tell stories. Every photo I post is there for a reason. Every article I write is meant to help you feel the place, not just plan the trip. I want you to imagine the noise, the smell, the awkwardness, the wonder.
I don’t pretend to know everything. I’m figuring it out as I go, just like everyone else. That honesty has built a community of readers who keep coming back, not because I have all the answers, but because I try to tell the truth. Even when it’s messy. Especially when it’s messy.
If you’re looking for genuine stories, grounded advice, and the kind of travel blog that feels more like a conversation than a checklist, welcome. You’re in the right place.
I’ll be out there, wherever the next road leads. Camera in hand. Eyes wide open.