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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.
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Let's Be Adventurers
Bucket List: Sleeping Under The Stars In The Sahara Desert
I have this incredible yearning to travel on a silver plane to Morocco back in the 1940s. I want to order a French 75 and say something smooth like Humphrey Bogart and then ride by camel into the Sahara Desert like Lawrence of Arabia.
Bucket List: Actually Stopping By Stonehenge
Ask any English person if they’ve been to Stonehenge and 9 out of 10 times, they’ll tell you that they “driven by it”.
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.
Ride Or Die: 10 Ridiculous Vehicles From Around The World
Me: Hola! How do get you to _______? Local: No problem! Take tricycle going that way, and then get jeepney. No problem!
Bucket List: Hot Air Balloon Over Inle Lake In Myanmar
From my personal journal. “Remember this moment, I tell myself. I close my eyes for a few seconds and try to etch the view into my memory.
Bucket List: Getting Lost The Right Way In Fes
The Old Souk is a sprawling maze within the walled Medina of Fes. Remember Aladdin, where he’s running away from those palace guards after stealing an apple.
The World’s Best Luxury Train Trips: Portugal’s The Presidential Train
Like the famous Orient Express, Portugal’s own The Presidential Train is a perennial member on the exclusive list of the world’s most luxurious train trips.
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.
Travel Thoughts & Tips
Why I Love To Travel Alone
I’ll start off by saying that there are two sides to every coin. For all the reasons I love to travel alone, there are just as many reasons why I hate it.
Review: Norse Atlantic Inaugural Flight Non-Stop Los Angeles to Berlin LAX – BER Boeing 787-9
August 18, 2022, I took off on Norse Atlantic Airways‘ inaugural non-stop route from Los Angeles to Berlin. 10.5 hours later, I was picking up my bag and heading to see my sister and nephew –
How To Get Backcountry Backpacking Permits Yellowstone
The first thing you should know about Yellowstone is that the national park sits on a volcanic caldera. Essentially, the whole place is a giant super-volcano and it’s not one of the happy dormant ones.
Is It Safe To Travel Abroad Alone As A Girl From A Guy’s Perspective
You’re hitchhiking and need to get to Tajikistan from somewhere in the middle of Kyrgyzstan. No car has stopped in the last 3 hours.
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.
Top 16 Things To Do In Sayulita
Sayulita is a gem of a town in Mexico known for its surfing, but there’s plenty of other things to do if you are tired of sunbathing and want to burn off some of the calories from all those late night tacos.
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.
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.
My Travel Photography Gear For 2024
At the end of 2020, I’ve made a complete switch to Fuji’s X-System to cut down size and weight on my travels.
Why Quitting My Six Figure Job Was Easier Than Choosing An Ice Cream Flavor
Growing up, my family didn’t have much money, so we never took any holidays. What I knew of places like Paris, Cairo, New York, or Venice, I learned from hopping from one casino to the next whenever we drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Bucket List: Piccola Cir Via Ferrata In The Dolomites
If there’s one thing you must do in the Dolomites, it’s a via ferrata climb on of the mountains. And while there are so many options, it’s hard to beat a summit of Piccola Cir which takes you on a spiraling upward route around the peak that feels like you’re going vertical the entire time and yet is doable for most people with the right guiding.
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.
Things To Do In Puerto Vallarta: Making My Own Chocolate at Cacao Magico
Mexico’s one of the places that has been mostly opened during the pandemic and as a result Puerto Vallarta has become a very popular destination –
Hiking Cinque Torri and Via Ferrata To Rifugio Nuvolau
Cinque Torri is a gem of a location in the Dolomites and Cortina’s most famous climbing location. It was also the site one some of the fiercest fighting between the Austrians and Italians during World War I.
New Zealand Bucket List: What I Learned Ice Climbing Fox Glacier
Prior to my arrival into New Zealand from Australia, I knew three things about New Zealand: 1. They have a lot of sheep.
Fuji X-T4 vs Fuji X-T3: Why The Older X-T3 Is Still Relevant In 2022
When Fujifilm announced the Fujifilm X-T4, the little grey cells in my head got together and put together a plan that eventually led to my switch from Sony to Fujifilm –
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.
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.
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.
Ultimate Guide To Sayulita 2024: Mexico’s Hidden Gem Surf Town
Update 2024: Sayulita has seen quite a bit of tourism uptick over the last few years. While the charm is still there, one notable thing I’ve found is that accommodations can be booked up much earlier than I expected in the past.