That Time I Walked On The Wings Of A Moving Plane
Making that deliberate decision to unbuckle my seatbelt and begin the climb out of the cockpit was by last solid thought I had. Following the signal from Mike, I put my left hand up again and felt the force of the 60 mph+ winds that I would be fighting against. It was time to go and I was on auto-pilot.
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My name is Kien and I’m a photographer and filmmaker. This is my little corner where I keep track of all adventures and experiences and how I make a living out of it. I want you to come along as I figure this thing out, through the ups and downs, and hopefully out the other end.REVIEWS
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Let's Be Adventurers
The Rickshaw Run: 14 Days and 3000 km Across India
I’ve been on some amazing adventures, but this next one might just be the most audacious one yet. How else would you describe a 14-day, 3000 km adventure across India in a 7-horsepower rickshaw?
That Time I Walked On The Wing Of A Moving Plane
From my personal journal. “When I last looked at the altimeter, it was inching slowly above 3000 ft. Very slowly. I estimated that I’d have another 2-3 minutes to go before we hit 4000 ft.
Surviving Bolivia’s “Death Road”: How Fast Can You Not Go?
It’s one of the top things to do when you’re in La Paz, Bolivia and for good reason. If you’re looking for the adrenaline rush that comes with mountain biking down something called the “Death Road”, you won’t be disappointed.
Canyoning Yankee Doodle Canyon: “I think I bricked myself!”
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.
Fox Glacier: Summer Ice Climbing In New Zealand
Prior to my arrival into New Zealand, I knew three things about New Zealand: 1. They have a lot of sheep.
127 Seconds: That Time I Didn’t Get Stuck In A Slot Canyon
Slot canyons are fun to play around in, unless you’re that guy from 127 hours. After Zion Canyon, my friend Alex and I found a small little slot canyon at Lambs Knoll and did a bit of climbing.
Manu: That Time I Fell Into The Amazon River While Peeing
The Amazon rainforest is a beautiful and wild place. It’s also quite big, so while most of it is in Brazil, you can still visit from within Colombia, Equador, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru.
Skydiving: “There Is A Bearded Guy On My Back!”
This is how my first skydive happened. Friend: So the Pho here is actually pretty good. I’ve been craving Vietnamese food lately.
Thoughts & Experiences
Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Ultimate Guide Pt. 2
This is Part II of my Ultimate Guide To Hiking The Annapurna Circuit. Read Part I. Best Time To Hike The Annapurna Circuit A bit of knowledge can go a long way when it comes to choosing the best time to visit Nepal and hiking the Annapurna Circuit.
Ride Or Die: 10 Ridiculous Vehicles From Around The World
Me: Hola! How do get to _______? Local: No problem! Take a tricycle going that way, and then get onto a jeepney and no problem!
A 54-Page Guide To Better Travel Photography
You’ve booked your flight and packed your bags for that big trip. Passport. Check. Travel towel. Check. Camera. Check. That last one is important.
How To Take Better Travel Photos: Exposure
This is the first in my series of write-ups on “How To Take Better Travel Photos”. In this series, I’ll do my best to cut through the bullsh*t and break down the different elements that make up a good photograph.
How To Choose A Good Hostel
The first time I stayed in a hostel, I opened the door to my room to find three beautiful Swedish girls walking around in their underwear.
Roaming Hobbiton And The Shire Movie Set: That Time I Was A Hobbit
“Will you follow me one last time?” If you are a fan of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, I don’t need to convince you to put a visit to the set of Hobbiton at the top of your must-do list when visiting New Zealand’s North Island.
Bagan And The Days That Were Like Two
From my personal journal. “Our days are split in two. We go to sleep twice and we wake up twice. This morning, I’m up about an hour before dawn just as Evie is also waking.
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”
Bear Grylls Survival Challenge Review: That Time Bear Grylls Gave Me A Condom
“Fuck!” Instinctively, I look down at my watch to check for my heart rate. It’s pumping at 164 BPM. This is a bad idea.
Lost Luggage And Spanish Deodorant: A Guide To Staying Calm When You Lose Your Shit
Shit happens. On the road, there’s enough going on that small things going awry can cause more damage than it should.
Indoor Snowboarding: Cause It’s Dubai And You Can
It’s no secret that Dubai is a statement of excess and luxury. It is home to the tallest building in the world and the largest mall in the world.
Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Ultimate Guide Pt. 1
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.
This Is Why You Shouldn’t Couchsurf
No and bait and switch here. I have plenty of reasons why you SHOULD couchsurf, which you can read about (later) at Why You Should Couchsurf At Least Twice, (coming soon) but these are my legitimate thoughts on why you SHOULDN’T couchsurf.
Review: Spa Day At The Tamina Therme Bad Ragaz
For all the crazy races and adventures I take part in, I’m not one to pass up on a good massage or a relaxing day at the spa.
In The Bag: My Must Have Travel Gear
With more than half of my year spent traveling and away from San Francisco, 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.
World Float: We Broke A Guinness World Record
I’ve always wanted to break or set a Guinness World Record ever since I got the 1994 edition as a kid.
Merzouga: Those Giant Sand Dunes in Morocco
I have this incredible yearn to travel on a silver plane to Morocco back in in the 1940s. I want to grab a drink like and say something smooth like Humphrey Bogart and then ride by camel into the Sahara Desert like Lawrence of Arabia.
The Only Real Way To Find Cheap Flights
There are so many articles on ways to find cheap flights that its 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.
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.
Time Is Nothing: Around The World Time Lapse
After 343 days of traveling across 17 countries, I’ve finally compiled all the footage for my little show and tell slideshow.