Ilya Varlamov

Somalia has the longest coastline in Africa, stretching over 3,000 kilometers. In the early 2000s, local fishermen turned these waters into a multi-million dollar piracy industry, even creating a literal "pirate stock market" for investors. Watch the new video to see what the region looks like today ⬇️

11 hours ago | [YT] | 15

Ilya Varlamov

A wondrous time has come at last,
For wondrous deeds both bold and vast.
Flow, song, in shimmering melody,
Hold fast the bit, ride wild and free.

My dear friends, we’re galloping into a new week! Full speed ahead!
I wish you bold spirit, wild daring, unstoppable optimism, and that reckless joy that needs no reason at all. Keep your soul as wide as the prairie, your faith in yourself unshakable, and your laughter loud at every bore. Stay strong, full of energy and generosity, curious about everything, open to every little thing, and fearless in your boldest ideas. May Friday — no, Wednesday, Wednesday! — bring you good news of victory! And of course, I wish you a cowboy’s appetite for life, for work and for the table, luck that sweeps every obstacle out of the way, ideas in full bloom, and all the love you can get!

Big hugs and kisses to all of you! No sadness, friends, no sadness! Onward only! Everything’s going to be fantastic!

Giddy up!

5 days ago | [YT] | 107

Ilya Varlamov

Qatar spent over $220 billion building the ultimate futuristic utopia, complete with outdoor air conditioning and pneumatic trash tubes. But when I visited the streets of Lusail, there was absolutely nobody there. See what a ghost town of extreme wealth actually looks like on the ground. vrlmv.com/0fs48c

1 week ago | [YT] | 65

Ilya Varlamov

Doha built an entirely new automated metro system and spent $5 billion on a single eco-district to lure foreign investors. Yet, a massive percentage of their new luxury developments remain completely deserted today. Why? Watch the new video ⬇️

1 week ago | [YT] | 20

Ilya Varlamov

I visited Venezuela to see if the country is actually recovering. Watch my full journey here: vrlmv.com/988doq
What do you think is the hardest part about living through hyperinflation?

1 week ago | [YT] | 24

Ilya Varlamov

I met a Venezuelan police officer in Caracas who works a highly demanding job for just $40 a month. Meanwhile, local fishermen are selling fish entrails for $100 a kilo just to survive the intense hyperinflation. Watch the new video ⬇️

1 week ago | [YT] | 27

Ilya Varlamov

Tourists in North Korea are never allowed to leave their hotel without a government-appointed guide. Watch the full documentary here: vrlmv.com/2sbn94 What would be the hardest rule for you to follow?

1 week ago | [YT] | 18

Ilya Varlamov

In North Korea, the year isn't 2026 - it's year 150. And students spend 171 hours a year studying the childhoods of the Kim family. Watch the new video ⬇️

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 16

Ilya Varlamov

Friends! Spring is here! Make way — it’s springtime! Throw your windows open and embrace spring with all your heart! Look at this vibrant, blooming, sunlit miracle out there! I told you — spring would come! Be happy, my friends! May everything come together for you in the most wonderful way, and may life go beyond your wildest dreams this spring! As for me, I’m hopping up on a little stool, ready to read you some poetry!

Springtime, my street is where an elm astonished grows,
Where houses fear a fall, where space is scared and wary,
Where air is blue like bed sheets with the clothes
That a discharging patient gets to carry,

Where nights are empty like the started books
Left by the stars without the final section
Bewildering a thousand noisy looks
That see without expression or reflection.

That’s it! Alright, I’ll leave you alone with spring now so you can think, love, live, and breathe it in with all your heart. And if you head out for a walk, don’t forget your hat. And mind your step… you know what I mean 😉

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 114

Ilya Varlamov

I just explored some of the harshest environments where humans still live and thrive, from Mongolian mines to the sinking islands of Oceania. Check out the journey here: vrlmv.com/bmck9y. What kind of extreme location fascinates you the most?

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 23