This webpage is a testament to my love of — primarily international — traveling. While I have put some of the more artistic shots in the Photography section of my Graphic Art page, this page may eventually house more of the generalized travel photos as proof of my well-rounded upbringing. When seeking locations to visit I am usually motivated by two factors.

One, where can I see evidence of ancient cultures, and two, where can I see remarkably rich ecosystems. For these reasons I often find myself visiting the tropics of Central America, for this area is rich in both ancient Mayan culture, and not one, but two of the my most favorite kinds of ecosystems on the planet, rainforests and coral reefs. Both evoke almost spiritual feelings for me, whatever the hell "spiritual" means.

North America

Canada

I have traveled into the eastern part of Canada in at least two places. My parents would go to a little island in the Bay of Fundi to do research and my sister and I went along for three summers I think. I have also been to Toronto a couple of times. Very nice city. On the west coast, I have visited Vancouver and the Whistler area some, both summer and winter. Lovely drive, nice rock-climbing.

Continental United States

The continental U.S. is a tricky one. Some locations feel like places I've visited, others feel like places I've lived, and yet others feel like places I've breezed through but have not really visited in any sense of the word. While most of the "travel" stuff included here is from the south-west, don't be confused about my origins. I'm an easterner, but I didn't do a lot of "site-seeing" on the east coast. I saw plenty of stuff there too, but I don't have too many groovy pictures of that half of the country. While living in the south-west I took numerous road trips around New Mexico and one such trip around Arizona, which I believe classifies them as true "travel", sorta kinda...I have also done some basic camping and back-packing since moving to Seattle, namely around the Olympic rainforest and Mt. Rainier.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

El Morro National Monument, New Mexico

El Mal Pais National Monument, New Mexico

Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Aztec Ruins National Park New Mexico

Valley of Fires, New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Arches National Park, Utah

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Olympic National Park, Washington

Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington

Key Largo, Key West, Florida

Pacific

I'm not sure how to geographically group Hawaii. Have you ever seen it on a map? Talk about remote!

Hawaii

Kauai

I went to Kauai the first week of 2010. Sketchy weather ruined virtually all diving prospects, although I admit that on the single brief dive I did, I got my closest look at a Green Sea Turtle yet. I could have reached out and touched him. Had one good day of snorkeling. Did some hiking on the north side and drove up Waimea Canyon on the west side, but again, weather was nonideal. Heavy cloud-cover obscured the most promising views. We'll just have to go back!

Maui

I went to Maui Thanksgiving 2012. Good diving in the famous Molokini Crater (a blown out and mostly submerged volcanic crater). Explored lava tube caves, drove over miles of rugged lava flats (similar to those in New Mexico), drove the road to Hana (and the other road back from Hana, both the northern and southern routes are cinematic and worth the time). We also went to a luau, yay! Desperate to go back at the first opportunity.

Big Island

I went to the Big Island the week spanning New Year's 2018-2019. I spent a few days on the east side, exploring volcanos and sea turtle-populated tide pools (and the astronomy center). Then I spent the second half of the trip on the west side exploring warm-watered, big-waved beaches. I also went to a cheesy luau. I didn't get any snorkeling in though. The water on the east side was too cold (and probably didn't have much to see anyway), and the beaches on the west side didn't seem to offer much in the way of shore-accessible snorkelable reef either. Maybe I just didn't know where to look.

Central America

Belize

I went to Belize to do some worrld-class snorkeling in May, 2003. We spent about five days on Caye Caulker which is a beautiful little island. It is the downscale, affordable place to stay and is a deeply relaxing place to spend a week. We went snorkeling at all the hot spots including Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye. At the end of the same trip we caught a bus to Tikal in Guatemala for a day or two. It was a really fantastic trip. We returned to Caye Caulker in January, 2004, on a group trip with a few friends and my sister. By then, I was a scuba-diver. Traveling with a group of friends was fun. I hope to do it again in the future. Belize holds a special place for me. It is one of the most serene places I have ever been. I need to explore the Southern and Western regions at some point though.

Costa Rica

As part of a foreign exchange in my high school, I, along with about ten other students, went to Costa Rica for several weeks in the summer of 1992. Costa Rica is an incredible country. I am somewhat dismayed that it has virtually nothing in the way of MesoAmerican ancient culture: no ruins and no present-day indigenous population. However it has some beautiful cloudforest and you can see seaturtles laying eggs on the beach at night.

Guatemala

I have been to Gautemala on two seperate occasions. The first was with my family in December of 1987 when we spent a few weeks traveling around the whole country, including, of course Tikal. Then later, with a much deeper sense of recollection, I hit Tikal for a day or two in May of 2003. Tikal is one of the most magical place I have ever been in my life.

Honduras

Honduras was on my hit list for a long time but the airfares were always wretched. I finally decided after years of resistance to just ignore the airfares and go already. The trip consisted of two distinct components: scuba diving off Utila (which turned out to be a smoke-infested noisy party island where we didn't have much fun, the diving also stemmed by inclement weather, although I loved night-diving for the first time) and visiting the ruins at Copan (which were fabulous including the modern town of Copan Ruinas which is beautiful and tons of fun). We wanted to get to Quiriguá but were unable to do so. We'll have to go back! Lots to do at Copan a second time around anyway.

Jamaica

Although I have officially been to Jamaica, and not for just a pass through, I was too young to have any specific memories of the place.

Mexico

Mexico really needs to be broken up into sections. I have been to so many different parts of Mexico on so many different trips, it feels more like describing my travels around the states. To list quickly, I have been to Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Uxmal, Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Cozumel, Labnah, and many other places, some on more than one occasion. I have also snorkeled and scuba-dived at Cozumel, which was the site of my first scuba vacation. It did not disappoint, I'll say that much.

South America

Ecuador

I have been to Ecuador a few times. In particular, I went to Yassuni in the middle of the Rainforest, where I painted some pictures that can been seen in the Graphic Arts section.

Peru

I was quite young when we went to Peru and I have no recollection, but one of my earliest memories comes from Peru. I remember getting sand in my eyes during some sort of picnic. My parents confirm that this did in fact happen.

Venezuela

I was quite young when we went to Venezuela, on multiple occasions I believe. I have a few distinct memories of Venezuela. We had a cool bright yellow jeep for driving all around the ranch where we were staying. I also specifically remember falling off the back of a mule. That was a very long fall at my age. Additionally, I remember that when my parents gallumphed off into the bush to do their daily biology research they would leave me in the care of a woman or girl who I recall would stuff me full of chocolate for most of the day. I like to attribute my life-long love of chocolate to this historical period.

Europe

I have been to Europe on three separate trips, one in kindergarten, one in the eighth grade, and just after college (with my girlfriend at the time) in which I only visited Greece and then headed to Egypt. In the two earlier cases my family lived in England for several months and followed with several weeks of traveling around the rest of northern Europe.

Belgium

We weren't in Belgium very long, but I remember getting a waffle on the street like you buy hot dogs in the states. It was a damn good waffle as I recollect.

Denmark

Presumably just hit this one briefly driving up to Norway, no specific memories.

England

I lived here for several months on two separate occasions. The first time leaves me with few memories, but the second time I was older and I have many memories of that trip. We were living in Cambridge which is a really beautiful city. It's one of those "stone" cities that Ivy League universities in the states attempt to replicate, but it's authentic. Also, Stonehenge rocks. Ha ha! In addition, I traveled around south-eastern England again in 2010.

France

Been there, done that, no really strong memories.

Germany

Passed through Germany twice. Once in a car, probably didn't even stop. Then again on a long plane layover, which afforded me time to spend a few hours seeing downtown Hamburg.

Greece

In 1998, I took a two week trip to Greece and Egypt. The first part consisted of a week traveling around Peloponnese and southern Greece visiting sites such as Athens, Olympia, Delphi, Epidaurus, Mycenae, and the gorgeous island of Hydra. Greece is quite simply one of the most serene places I have ever visited, and it is very very green. The people are also extremely friendly.

Iceland

On the first trip to Europe we went to Iceland for a while. I have very few distinct memories but I remember it was cool. There was some volcano full of bubbling sulfer which my mom lost a shoe in. I returned to Iceland the last week of 2017, the highlight of which was seeing the northern lights for the first time in my life. It was a spectacular experience. The numerous waterfalls, Glacier Lake, Diamond Beach, and various geologic thermal features were also remarkable of course.

Italy

Rome, which I remember, and apparantly the Vatican, which I don't. I remember thinking that the ancient Mall next to the Colisseum was at least as neat as the Colisseum itself. I also remember the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I was one of the last people to ascend it before it closed for several years of renevation.

Netherlands

No specific memories. Ah me.

Norway

Swung up to Norway on the second trip to meet a friend I had made when he visited the states and came to my junior high school for a while.

Scotland

Scotland has got some really really cool castles.

Spain

Madrid, Toledo, Segovia, Barcelona, and Avila.

Sweden

Camped here overnight driving through to Norway. That's it.

Wales

Didn't spend any great length off time here I don't think.

Northern-Africa

I have only been to Egypt, and not even up the Nile, so I really haven't "done the African thing" yet. Would like to, but there are many other places I want to go as well.

Egypt

As part of the Greece trip mentioned above, I spent several days in Egypt split between two primary locations: Giza, right next to Cairo, where of course I saw the great pyramids and the Sphynx and the incredible Egyptian Museum, and Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sanai Peninsula of the Red Sea, where I had the good fortune to do some of the most incredible snorkeling I have ever experienced.

My Hit List

The following is a list of places I haven't been to yet but where I intend to go before the tourism business destroys them once and for all:

• Machu Picchu, Peru. The most important Inca ruin ever discovered.
• Nazca, Peru. Cool ancient stuff.
• Rainforest canopy walkways, Ecuador or Costa Rica. There are cable-bridges strung up in the forest canopy.
• Bolivia. No ruins, but a large present day indigenous population.
• The Galapagos. My personal pilgrimage, ala Darwin.
• Wales. Famous for its castles, not sure I soaked it up fully as a kid.
• Luxor, Egypt. Too dangerous when I went last time. Doesn't feel complete without it.
• Turkey. Just seems like a historically incredible place.
• Petra, Jordan. What can I say? Indiana Jones made it cool.
• The Maldives, off the coast of south-western India. World class diving, assuming I get there before it goes Atlantis due to global warming.
• The Great Barrier Reef. Need I say more?
• Thailand. Not sure why, just always wanted to go there.