KMacias

After driving straight through the North Mexican desert, Mexico City and into the Yucatan Peninsula with three boys in an SUV, smelling foul and a bit delirious, we came across the most amazing thing ever: a giant Mayan Temple.

After a week of tough driving, it was completely unexpected, unplanned, and the first time we actually stopped to enjoy the trip. It re-awoke our passion for travel.

We spent half the day walking up to the top, looking out over the centuries-old Mayan empire. It was our empire. We were kings of this world.

A day later we were on the island of Isla Mujeres outside of Cancun, taking a much needed break from the road. We stayed there a week to relax on the small, peaceful white sandy beach, and then we hit the road again with all of Central America ahead of us.

After walking across the border from Vietnam to China, we were stuck in a small bus stop. Some strange guy in a military uniform called us into his office. My brother, Juls and I went in, not sure what we were in the middle of. He demanded we pay him $100, which we definitely did not have on us. He said it was a "traveler's tax". We had never heard of it, but as the only non-Asians in the bus-stop, he demanded we pay.

He must have thought we were easy targets for extortion. We stood our ground and refused to pay.
After an hour of worry, sweat, and endless arguments, we loaded the bus. My brother was the last to enter. As he stepped on, the guy came and grabbed him off and threw him to the ground. I had to get off to fight this man in a military uniform... and we'd only been in China for an hour or so.

Luckily, the bus driver got off, helped me get my brother free and made sure we all got on the bus safely. Later, we found out that this guy does this to most Western tourists who happen to come to this bus stop. He is not in fact in the military, but just has the uniform to scare us. It worked!

In the end, we were all safe, and none the poorer for it. Nonetheless, the start of our adventure in China was scary, to say the least.

My camera. Pictures are memories, but more importantly, when you have a camera in your hand, it forces you to stop, and not only see the beauty, but to take it in, analyze it, and learn something from it. With a camera in my hand, I see things much deeper, and with a whole new perspective. But, you know, the pictures are nice too.

Citizen Kane - I am a huge film buff, and No movie has ever been better than this classic.
Midnight in Paris - a dream movie for the dreamer (and traveler) in all of us.
Easy Rider - one of the first 'mainstream' independent movies, and a great road trip flick.
Lost in Translation - I love Tokyo. This was shot and produced while I was living there.
Sunset Boulevard - A perfect Hollywood movie.
Dazed and Confused - Austin, Richard Linklater, yes please and thank you.
Quiet American - Graham Greene would be proud of this adaptation.
City of Ghosts - Phnom Penh is the central character, and the American expats are spot-on.
I like too many movies, I guess.

Travels with Charley, On the Road, The Stranger, The Fountainhead, Quiet American, Kokoro,

I like good music!