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My name is Kien and I’m an international photographer and filmmaker. Over the last 10 years, I’ve traveled to 70+ countries to find the most wonderful things to check off my bucket list. I hope to share that experience and what I’ve learned to help you do the same.
Guides
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Let's Be Adventurers
The Floating Islands Of Puno: “Don’t All Islands Float?”
My bus from Copacabana to Cusco stopped in Puno for a few hours giving me a chance to check out its famous “floating islands”
Bucket List: The Art Of Floating In Jordan’s Dead Sea
This one has always fascinated me. The Dead Sea is so salty that nothing can survive in it. It’s attracted visitors for thousands of years dating back to Herod The Great’s time.
Road To The Death Race: 12 Hour Hurricane Heat
This is part I in a multi-part series about my journey to the 2015 Peak Races Summer Death Race, an extreme multi-day endurance event that’s designed to push racers beyond their limits and break all but the strongest.
Happy Centennial: My Favorite NPS Memories
Today marks the 100th birthday of the National Park Services. And damnit, I am especially proud to be an American today.
Bucket List: Yankee Doodle Canyoning In Zion
1. Brick It: verb \ ‘brik it \ : To “Brick it” is to “sh*t a brick”, where one is scared to the point that one not only loses control of their bowels, they lose control epically, resulting in something akin to a brick being dispelled and left behind.
Editor’s Pick: 5 Slot Canyons To Explore Around Zion In 2024
Slot canyons are fun to play around in, unless you’re that guy from 127 hours. While visiting Zion National Park, my friend Alex and I went on a canyoning adventure through a slot canyon (just outside the park) and wanted more.
Bucket List: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Flight Over Montserrat
Once upon a time, I was asked by a client if I could fly to Barcelona to shoot a short film.
That Time I Fell Down A Mountain And Krazy Glued My Head
Adventure Survival Tip #5: Carry Krazy Glue. Once upon a time, I glissaded down the side of a snowy mountain, lost control, slipped, tried to self-arrest for the first time without any prior practice, split my head open with my ice ax, self-arrested properly the second time around, and preventing myself from serious harm or death.
Travel Thoughts & Tips
LOCAL TRIBE DE MEXICO: Reviewing Sayulita’s Newest Boutique Hotel
For my 3 month stay in Sayulita, I rented an apartment right in the heart of the town next to Yolanda’s chicken.
Bucket List: Shooting An AK-47 Kalashnikov in Bratislava
The last time I came to Bratislava, I tied up my hair in a top knot and painted my face to look like a kabuki samurai.
Ultimate Guide BEFORE Hiking The Annapurna Circuit Trek 2024
If you’re in Nepal, you’re most likely here to do some trekking and there’s no trek more grand than the Annapurna Circuit that takes you up 5416m (17769 ft) and across 220 km (~137 mi) of mountains and villages in a circuit that begins in Besisahar and ends in Pokhara.
Couchsurfing Horror Stories And 7 Tips To Avoid Them
This is not a click-bait article. I have plenty of reasons why you SHOULD couchsurf, but these are my legitimate thoughts and some reasons why you SHOULDN’T couchsurf.
How Far In Advance Should You Book Your Flight?
I’ve been asked many times if I should book my flight far in advance. My rule of thumb is this: book as soon as you are sure about your travel dates.
10 Day Annapurna Circuit Trek Itinerary
If you are planning a trip to do the Annapurna Circuit, check out my full companion guide for Annapurna Circuit trek, with information on costs, applying for all the right permits, whether you need a guide, as well as all the teahouses on the trail.
I Did It…I Went On The Sound Of Music Tour In Salzburg
10 years ago on my first visit to Salzburg, I saw a lot of advertisements for something called the Original Sound of Music Tour.
Switzerland Bucket List: Hiking Seealpsee And Ascher Restaurant In Wasserauen
A couple of months ago, I snuck away to the town of St. Gallen in Switzerland to do some editing. Despite the Swiss Alps just a short train ride away, I managed to stick to my plan to sit still to edit.
The Best Place To Eat Tafelspitz In Vienna
High on my list of things to do whenever I’m in major European cities is to find the best national dishes to eat.
The Only 3 Real Ways To Find Cheap Flights
There are so many articles on ways to find cheap flights that it is a task in itself to sort through and figure out what works and what’s just written as filler so they can add another 3, 5 or 38 ways onto a list.
A Virgin Guide To Surviving Your First Burning Man 2024 Edition
It’s been exactly a decade since my first trip to Black Rock City and I’m pretty sure that I’m no longer carrying any playa dust on my body.
How To Take Better Travel Photos: People and Portraits
This is the second in my series of write-ups on “How To Take Better Travel Photos”. In this series, I’ll explain my philosophy and etiquette for how to take better shots of people you encounter on your travels, whether they are locals in their natural environment or just interesting looking people.
33 Things To Pack For Iceland In The Winter 2022
Iceland, in all its isolation, has been one of the countries that has fared pretty well with the pandemic. For those who are looking for a winter adventure in 2022, Iceland should be high on your list.
Is It Worth It To Ride A Gondola In Venice?
One of the questions I get a lot is whether some activities are worth the cost. Case in the point is whether it’s worth visiting the Blue Lagoon thermal pools in Iceland for $90.
How To Actually Travel Well for $50 A Day
There are plenty of guides out there that teaches you how to travel on the cheap. You’ve seen it. Travel for under $50 a day.
How To Get To Lago di Sorapis In The Dolomites
If you’re looking for a very manageable sunrise hike, without the crowds, while staying in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Lago di Sorapis is an exceptional choice.
What To Do When You’ve Been Robbed While Traveling
Any seasoned traveler will eventually run into some sort of problem. When you have all your possessions in a suitcase or a backpack, getting robbed abroad while traveling can be devastating.
Why I Hate To Travel Alone
I know it’s a strong statement, but before you make that face, know that this is a companion piece to my other post:
10 Things I Always Pack For Every Trip
With more than half of my year spent traveling and away from Los Angeles, I’ve learned to live with less. In fact, it’s always a shock when I come home and find that I own things I’ve completely forgot about and don’t need on a day to day basis.
A Visit To The Old Tsukiji Fish Market Before It Closed
The story below was from my visit to the tuna auction before it closed in 2018. The restaurants and stalls around that’s part of the outer Tsukiji fish markets are still open and while it’s a bit touristy, it’s still an experience not to be missed.