Amar K. Singh

Amar is a Chicago-based designer / amarksingh.com

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Hooker Valley Track Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park South Island, New Zealand

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Hooker Valley Track Aoraki / Mt Cook National Park South Island, New Zealand

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Lyon Rock Piha Beach North Island, New Zealand

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Lyon Rock Piha Beach North Island, New Zealand

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Blue Pools, Haast Pass South Island, New Zealand

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Lake Wainamu North Island, New Zealand

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Lake Wainamu North Island, New Zealand

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I’m not sure what is more genuinely delightful than pulling over the car to hang out with a bunch of llamas (or is the white one an alpaca? I’ll never know). I mean, look at their faces!

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Larin found this gem of an Airbnb while searching for places to stay around Auckland, New Zealand. Knowing my penchant for raw wood, orange, and whimsy, she sent it my way and I fell in love; we had to stay there. 

The space was unique and gorgeous, a multi-level treehouse full of light and nestled in the forest. It was designed by a NZ architect, Kerry Avery, for his own family in the 1970s. Our host and current house owner Josie allowed us to stay for just one night while driving through the area, and she was incredibly sweet, even taking us on a nearby hike through the Waitakere Ranges the next morning.

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Key Summit Fjordland National Park South Island, New Zealand

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Key Summit Fjordland National Park South Island, New Zealand

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Key Summit Fjordland National Park South Island, New Zealand

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Key Summit Fjordland National Park South Island, New Zealand

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The Routeburn Walk is a multi-day hike on the South Island of New Zealand in the Fjordland National Park, and we ascended a specific half-day trail called the Key Summit.

It was the most enchanting trail imaginable, walking over waterfalls and through lush mossy rainforest, and I had little idea of what was waiting for us at the top. But when I got there, it was overwhelmingly sensory overload, and photos don’t even do it justice – perfectly still pools of water, all of the flora and fauna, and golden hour light on an amazingly clear day made it absolutely stunning, all while overlooking a mountainous landscape sculpted by glaciers. I wish I could live up there.

The hike was doable in a few hours, and the path was that perfect mix of just clear enough while still feeling natural and rocky. If you are to do one hike in New Zealand, make this one it.

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In the past I've often done nothing with my travel documentation, so I plan to be better about sharing it this time around – even if just for my own memories.

The past three weeks have been a whirlwind, exploring some of the North and South Islands of New Zealand, and two cities in Australia – Melbourne and Hobart – all with my friend Larin.

Finally with some downtime and reliable WiFi, I'm getting around to editing and posting, starting off with some of my favorite moments of the trip...

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In the remote village Mawlynnong, a matrilineal society inspired a photographer to make portraits of self-assured young women.

In honor of International Women’s day, here’s a throwback to a memorable photojournalism piece documenting women of the Khasi culture in India – one of the world’s rare matrilineal societies (though not to be confused with matriarchal).

“In the Khasi culture,” Ms. Klüppel said in an email interview, “women and girls have a special standing in the society and, of course, this exceptional role ‘produces’ a great self-confidence... I decided to make a portrait series of the girls because I was so impressed by their self-assured appearance and thought this must be how matriliny becomes visible.”

In Khasi culture, the youngest girl in a family inherits its wealth and property, and children take their mother’s surname... Khasi women marry whom they want — no arranged marriages there — and divorce or chose to remain single with no stigma.

This little snapshot of this society got me thinking, and then digging into an anthropological study about competitiveness and other strong traits typically associated with men. It explored questions such as “Do women make less money and occupy fewer management positions than their male counterparts because they are innately less competitive?”

Using the Khasi culture and others as testing grounds, the study found that the average woman will actually compete more than the average man if the right cultural incentives are in place. In other words, the influences of a patriarchal society on women are enormous, and these traits have little to do with biological differences.

I wonder how the world would look if all women were raised to be so empowered.

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I just revived this blog from the depths of my past life so I can start sharing thoughts on the internet again. In two weeks, I depart for a backpacking trip—the kind of travel I’ve only fantasized about for years. I’ll be gone ~3 months, with friends joining me along the way. Destinations include New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and I’ll have a camera in hand to document it all.

Above is a memory from my Iceland trip in 2013; I’m so excited to start my travels road tripping New Zealand’s North Island with my friend Larin!