Silk Roads & Mountain Peaks
Overcast sky and soft clouds symbolize calm, resilience, and connection across Asia
Editorโs note: This post will continue to evolve as I do.
Welcome back, travelers, and to those just joining, Iโm glad youโre here. The Around the World series is an intentional journey through every country. A quick overview of roughly six at a time, to help familiarize ourselves with the world we share and the stories that shape it.
With Africa now behind us, we move east, where sacred mountains meet ancient trade routes, and history still whispers through valley and passes. This new chapter, โSilk Road & Mountain Peaks,โ takes us into the heart of Asia through Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Each nation holds a different rhythm. Threads of trade, tradition, and transformation, yet together, they weave one continuous story: the human pull toward connection, even across the highest peaks.
So, lace up your boots and steady your compass. Weโre tracing old paths and new perspectives across these six nations that rise between silk roads and mountain peaks. If you need to check the flight list before we go, click here.
My hand-drawn flag of Afghanistan
AFGHANISTAN
Official name: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Pronunciation: af-ga-nuh-stan
Capital: Kabul
Official language: Pashto and Persian
Location: Central Asia in Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan
Most known for: Itโs stunning landscapes
Fun fact: Home to the worldโs oldest oil paintings, found in the caves of Bamiyan. For more information, check out Streamline Inside Art page โThe Oldest Oil Painting in the Worldโ
Recent news article: A Layered Analysis of the 2025 Afghanistan-Pakistan Crisis (Prof. Ecaterina MAศOI, 2025)
My knowledge: I am a little familiar
My hand-drawn flag of Armenia
ARMENIA
Official name: Republic of Armenia
Pronunciation: aar-mee-nee-uh
Capital: Yerevan
Official language: Armenian
Location: Western Asia in Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran
Most known for: First Nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion
Fun fact: Oldest winery in the world was discovered in Armenia. Itโs over 6,000 years old. Itโs called the Areni-1 Cave. I did the virtual tour which is available until December 2025. Click here to also do through the Tapestry website.
Recent news article: Armenia to reach record education funding in 2025, minister says (Armenpress, 2025)
My knowledge: Iโm unfamiliar with Armenia
My hand-drawn flag of Azerbaijan
AZERBAIJAN
Official name: Republic of Azerbaijan
Pronunciation: trk-meh-nuh-staan
Capital: Ashgabat
Official language: Azerbaijani
Location: In Western Asia in the Northern Hemisphere. But it is also a transcontinental country of both Asia and Europe.
Surrounding countries: Iran, Armenia, Georgia, and Russia
Most known for: Itโs rich history, such as its connection to fire worship, natural resources, and oil reserves with the nickname โLand of Fireโ
Fun fact: Has more than the worldโs half of mud volcanoes aka โthe mud volcano capital of the world.โ From Guided Azerbaijan, here is a brief overview of โThe Mud Volcano Capital of the World-Azerbaijanโ
Recent news article: How Azerbaijan is becoming the beating heart of Caucasus tourism (Polya Pencheva, 2025)
My knowledge: Other than being familiar with being one of the many countries ending in -istan/-ijan, Iโm not all that familiar
My hand-drawn flag of Bahrain
BAHRAIN
Official name: Kingdom of Bahrain
Pronunciation: baa-rayn
Capital: Manama
Official language: Arabic
Location: Island country in West Africa, also called the Middle East (part of MENA) in the Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: Near Qatar and Saudi Arabia
Most known for: Was once the leading producer of the worldโs finest pearls
Fun fact: Home to โTree of Life,โ a mysterious mesquite tree that has survived for centuries in the desert without any known water source. For more information, here is a blog post from Man vs. Clock: Putting A Time Limit on Fear โThe Tree of Life: Bahrainโs Greatest 400-year-old Mysteryโ
Recent news article: Bahrainโs First Solar Power Plant: 150MW Tender To Power 6,300 Homes & Slash 100,000 CO2 (Mateusz Kaczmarek, 2025)
My knowledge: Other than being familiar with the country name/spelling and location, I am unfamiliar with much more
My hand-drawn flag of Bangladesh
BANGLADESH
Official name: The Peopleโs Republic of Bangladesh
Pronunciation: bang-gluh-desh
Capital: Dhaka
Official language: Bengali
Location: In South Asia in the Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: India and Myanmar
Most known for: Ready-made garment industry as they are the second largest exporter
Fun fact: Known as โLand of Riversโ with over 700 rivers that flow through it
Recent news article: Community Volunteers Working to Safeguard Bangladeshโs Last Wild Elephants (Rafiqul Islam, 2025)
My knowledge: I am not very familiar with Bangladesh
My hand-drawn flag of Bhutan
BHUTAN
Official name: Kingdom of Bhutan
Pronunciation: boo-taan
Capital: Thimphu
Official language: Dzongkha
Location: In South Asia in the Northern Hemisphere
Surrounding countries: India and China
Most known for: Gross National Happiness philosophy (GNH). To read more about it, here is the GNH Centre Bhutan webpage, click here.
Fun fact: The worldโs only carbon negative country. In other words, the country absorbs more CO2 than it produces and thus, removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it adds
Recent news article: Chhukha Tshechu Festival to Honor Guru Rinpoche and Celebrate Bhutanโs Culture From October 29 to 31, 2025 (Travel and Tour World, 2025)
My knowledge: I am not too familiar with Bhutan
From Bhutanโs quiet monasteries to Afghanistanโs rugged trails, this chapter reminded me that the worldโs most powerful connections arenโt built overnight. Theyโre formed through patience, openness, and the courage to keep showing up where understanding feels hardest.
As Around the World journey continues, I hope โSilk Roads & Mountain Peaksโ encourages you to explore beyond what feels familiar. To find meaning not just in where you go, but in what you notice along the way.
Iโd love to hear from you, if youโre from, have lived in, or traveled through any of these countries, share your experiences below.
As a signature of my blog, Iโd like to end this post with a suggestion to โPass on kindness.โ Thereโs no time like the present to Inspire Those Who Inspire You. Acts of kindness, no matter how big or small, can have a direct, positive impact on someone else. Go out there today and change someoneโs life for the better!
***These are my personal opinions and may not be those of my employer.***
