Anindya Maiti, Ph.D

Exploration / Beyond the familiar

A wider world-view.
One park at a time.

National parks, very long roads, and the small moments in between. I like seeing a place at several scales: the shape of the land, the life it supports, and the human stories layered over it.

Anindya wearing his all-63-national-parks T-shirt above the clouds
All U.S. national parks explored, plus more abroad · 6,000+ parks worldwide still calling.
144 national parks visited
184logged park visits (including revisits)
8countries with park visits

Park journal · October 2020–August 2026

A few seconds out there

Some views need a little motion.

Four moments from the road.

American SamoaGreen cliffs, blue water, and a quiet stretch of coast.
IcelandEverything is lava, some are just old.
Twelve Apostles, AustraliaGolden hour along the coast. A good reason to stop moving for a moment.
Dalton Highway, AlaskaA midnight drive during the summer solstice. The clock and the sky have agreed to disagree.

A few lines on the map

The roads in between.

A few routes from my travels.

My posted trip map through both islands of New Zealand

2025 · New Zealand

5,668 km around the islands.

A loop with plenty of reasons to pull over.

Behind the scenes
My posted Big Lap route around Australia, with the inland detour

2025 · Australia

A little over 15,000 km.

The Big Lap, with a small detour inland.

Behind the scenes
My posted trip map showing the loop through Scandinavia

2025 · Scandinavia

A lap of Scandinavia, before heading back to Australia.

Behind the scenes
My posted 2024 half-lap route map around Australia

2024 · Australia

Half a lap around Australia.

A loop linking Victoria, the Red Centre and the east coast. The rental limited the off-road detours, helping set an idea for the next visit: buy and build an overlanding vehicle.

Behind the scenes
The Cape Spear marker for the most easterly point in Newfoundland

2023 · Across North America

My longest trip to date: 16,500 miles.

Oklahoma → Alaska Panhandle → Newfoundland → Oklahoma. Cape Spear, at North America’s easternmost point, marks one stop along the way.

Behind the scenes
My posted summer 2022 trip map reaching Deadhorse, Alaska

2022 · Alaska

Another trip of more than 10,000 miles.

A summer journey to the end of the Dalton Highway.

Behind the scenes

Flora & fauna

Life along the way.

Plants and animals from the national parks and the stops in between.

Brown bear — Katmai, Alaska

Brown bear

Katmai, Alaska

Lupins — Fiordland National Park · New Zealand

Lupins

Fiordland National Park · New Zealand

Bird on the mirror — Kluane, Yukon

Bird on the mirror

Kluane, Yukon

Ferns and forest — New Zealand

Ferns and forest

New Zealand

Moose — Moose in the snow

Moose

Moose in the snow

Bison — Bison in the snow

Bison

Bison in the snow

Mangroves — Northern Territory · Australia

Mangroves

Northern Territory · Australia

Crocodile — Djukbinj, Australia

Crocodile

Djukbinj, Australia

Bottlebrush flowers — Girringun National Park · Australia

Bottlebrush flowers

Girringun National Park · Australia

Reindeer — Ånderdalen, Norway

Reindeer

Ånderdalen, Norway

Mountain wildflowers — Hallingskarvet National Park · Norway

Mountain wildflowers

Hallingskarvet National Park · Norway

Peacock — Outback Australia · 2025

Peacock

Outback Australia · 2025

Elephant — Khao Yai, Thailand

Elephant

Khao Yai, Thailand

Giant sequoia — Sequoia National Park · California

Giant sequoia

Sequoia National Park · California

Gecko — Khao Yai, Thailand

Gecko

Khao Yai, Thailand

Saguaro — Saguaro National Park · Arizona

Saguaro

Saguaro National Park · Arizona

Black swans — Nelson Lakes, New Zealand

Black swans

Nelson Lakes, New Zealand

Kangaroos — Murramarang, Australia

Kangaroos

Murramarang, Australia

Chukar — Haleakalā, Hawaii

Chukar

Haleakalā, Hawaii

Macaque — Khao Yai, Thailand

Macaque

Khao Yai, Thailand

A pocket-sized expedition

Little companions. Big horizons.

Pokémon have the right idea: head out, get curious, and see what’s around the next bend. These pocket-sized sidekicks travel light, hold a pose, and leave the driving to me.

Bulbasaur figurine at Snæfellsjökull National Park, Iceland
#001 BulbasaurSnæfellsjökull National Park · Iceland
Charmander figurine at Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
#004 CharmanderVatnajökull National Park · Iceland
Squirtle figurine at Þingvellir National Park, Iceland
#007 SquirtleÞingvellir National Park · Iceland
Rattata figurine at White Mountains National Park, Australia
#019 RattataWhite Mountains National Park · Australia
Pikachu figurine at Ånderdalen Nasjonalpark, Norway
#025 PikachuÅnderdalen Nasjonalpark · Norway
Meowth figurine at Arches National Park, United States
#052 MeowthArches National Park · United States
Psyduck figurine at Nelson Lakes National Park, New Zealand
#054 PsyduckNelson Lakes National Park · New Zealand
Growlithe figurine at Parc national de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Canada
#058 GrowlitheParc national de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard · Canada
Ponyta figurine at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand
#077 PonytaAoraki/Mount Cook National Park · New Zealand
Cubone figurine at Abisko National Park, Sweden
#104 CuboneAbisko National Park · Sweden
Mr. Mime figurine at Parc national Kluane, Canada
#122 Mr. MimeParc national Kluane · Canada
Lapras figurine at Parc national de la Pointe-Pelée, Canada
#131 LaprasParc national de la Pointe-Pelée · Canada
Eevee figurine at Glacier Bay National Park, United States
#133 EeveeGlacier Bay National Park · United States
Vaporeon figurine at Death Valley National Park, United States
#134 VaporeonDeath Valley National Park · United States
Jolteon figurine at Parc national Yoho, Canada
#135 JolteonParc national Yoho · Canada
Flareon, Leafeon, Vaporeon, Dragonite, Sylveon, Piplup figurines at White Sands National Park, United States
#136 Flareon & friendsWhite Sands National Park · United States
Dragonite figurine at Petrified Forest National Park, United States
#149 DragonitePetrified Forest National Park · United States
Mewtwo figurine at Parc national Jasper, Canada
#150 MewtwoParc national Jasper · Canada
Umbreon figurine at Yuraygir National Park, Australia
#197 UmbreonYuraygir National Park · Australia
Treecko figurine at Petrified Forest National Park, United States
#252 TreeckoPetrified Forest National Park · United States
Piplup figurine at Beowa National Park, Australia
#393 PiplupBeowa National Park · Australia
Munchlax figurine at Paparoa National Park, New Zealand
#446 MunchlaxPaparoa National Park · New Zealand
Lucario figurine at Canyonlands National Park, United States
#448 LucarioCanyonlands National Park · United States
Leafeon figurine at Saguaro National Park, United States
#470 LeafeonSaguaro National Park · United States
Glaceon figurine at Parc national Kluane, Canada
#471 GlaceonParc national Kluane · Canada
Oshawott figurine at Point Addis Marine National Park, Australia
#501 OshawottPoint Addis Marine National Park · Australia
Sylveon figurine at Joshua Tree National Park, United States
#700 SylveonJoshua Tree National Park · United States
Grookey figurine at Møysalen Nasjonalpark, Norway
#810 GrookeyMøysalen Nasjonalpark · Norway
Scorbunny figurine at Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, Australia
#813 ScorbunnyIkara-Flinders Ranges National Park · Australia
Wooloo figurine at Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, Australia
#831 WoolooTwelve Apostles Marine National Park · Australia
A car beneath the stars in the Australian outback
Outback Australia, after dark · From the road

The care behind the miles

A little care.
A lot more road.

A little preparation leaves room for the unplanned: a tempting detour, an unexpected stop, or a view that deserves another cup of coffee.

I like knowing an old car well enough to take it a very long way, then bring it home with another story. The tinkering is part of the adventure, too.

What keeps the wheels turning

Park photographs

Behind the scenes