the road to budapest.

1. Germany
2. Poland
3. Czech Republic
4. Slovakia
5. Hungary
6. Austria





Day 1
Germany + Poland + Czech Republic
Total Distance: 544km (338 miles)

- No advertising signs along the highways in Germany.
- There are advertising signs along the highways in Czech Republic.
- The cities on the border of Germany and Poland made me feel like I walked into a snow globe.
- Driving through those same cities made me want to play Ghost Recon.
- The Courtyard Marriott at the Prague airport is by far the best Courtyard Marriott ever.
- They don't accept Euros in most stores in Czech Republic. And if they do, they need a calculator. But they do accept Visa.





Day 2

Slovakia + Hungary
Total Distance: 529 km (328 miles)

This trip has definitely mixed emotions. It started out a little confusing and then it ended totally and completely confusing. Work was a drama when I left and by the time I got to Prague, it exploded into a full blown soap opera. But let's not get into that right now. What I'm worried about at this exact moment is that my 3 year old Powerbook won't boot up at all. I was ready to download my photos from the first day and the machine just wouldn't boot up. I'd say it's the blue screen of death, but it just keeps going round and round and round. I've never seen it before. I couldn't sleep that night and I felt so depressed. With everything that's going on with work and personal life, I couldn't believe that my Mac just could not get started. I eventually fell asleep and actually had a dream about buying a condo in Seattle. Weird.

So today, I'm still worried about my Mac. I think the last time I backed it up was in January so the photos I would lose would be my last roadtrip, which would totally break my heart if I can't get those pictures back. I'm hoping that the "Deutschland Superstars" at Apple will be able to get it going again. As this was happening, I thought about canceling the rest of my trip and take my machine and get it repaired. I thought about it for a few minutes after I woke up this morning, but then I decided that I should go. I still had my camera and my work laptop and this might be my last opportunity in taking a trip like this again.



So I went. And I'm so glad I did. Even though the drive from Prague to Budapest was fairly uneventful, I was able to clear my thoughts and find some sort of peace, even for just a few kilometers. The trip was short so I actually got to Budapest around 1pm. And when I saw Budapest for the first time, I was totally blown away. The Marriott Hotel was right along the Duna River and the bridge across the Duna was spectacular. I asked the front desk where I should go to take pictures and she handed me a map and said, "The Castle District".

I walked around for a few hours taking as many pictures as I could. The only problem was that the temperature was below freezing and I got cold quick! Fortunately, there were lots of cafes around so that helped a bit. Again, I probably could have picked a better time to visit these countries, but sometimes opportunity comes but once in your lifetime so you have to take it when it's there. As a friend once said, "You have the world at your fingertips. Take more roadtrips. Eat more Twix". So I did.

In the end, I had dinner at a small restaurant along the way back to my hotel. The funniest part was that a song played that sounded familiar, except it was in Hungarian. I wasn't sure so I asked the waiter. The song was Frank Sinatra's "My Way".


Day 3

Austria + Germany
Total Distance: 746 km (463 miles)

The day started out with the navi being unable to get me out of Budapest. It kept leading me into directions like a bridge that's only used for TRAINS and or a broken road that led me straight to the river. I kept going around and around and tried to get it to choose a different route, but I couldn't. It kept leading me into the same position. Finally, I drove as far as I could and I ended up in this pretty cool neighborhood. I found this church below actually and so I had to stop and take its picture. I am very impressed with Budapest and it seems like it has a lot to offer. Between the historical architecture and the plethora of stores and cafes, it felt like it fits just about every kind of personality. Eventually, the navigation system got me out of Budapest.


I think I've given more money to Austria than any other country aside from the US. First time was last weekend when I had to pay 120 EUR for them to help me get my car out of the mud. Then today, I got pulled over for "speeding" which was really crazy because I was going 160 km/h which is nothing compared to how I've been driving. The thing is that they saw me have Germany plates and that's what attracted them to me. He even admitted it. The ticket cost me 35 EUR. After 45 minutes of driving, I got pulled over again! And this time, it wasn't for speeding. It was because I had Germany plates and they just wanted to check me out. I think it's because I'm Asian =) but anyway, they pulled me over and asked me for my rental car papers and passport. Then they handed me a 120 EUR bill because you need a sticker to drive in Austria. I should have known this but I completely forgot about it. You're supposed to pick it up on the border. The funny thing is that this is probably my 5th time driving through Austria and never once did I pick one up. If it's so mandatory, they should just stop people at the border to check and have them pull over and buy one. That's what the Swiss do. So if you weren't counting, that's 275 EUR or almost $400 in "donations" to Austria.

Other than that, the drive back to Nuremberg was good. It was a bit slower than normal because of this thick fog and I don't know what kind of water is in Hungary, but for some reason I had to pee every 45 minutes or so. I think I peed more from Budapest to Nuremberg than in my whole trip. And that's all I have to say about that.

Again, I am grateful for this opportunity and for making it back safely. There is definitely no price for safety. And another story to tell.


More pictures available here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=215648&id=653050323&l=43c5c

let me take you on a trip.

this route below is about 9000 miles, but i think if you optimized it, you can lower it a few thousand less. these guys from minnesota did it for 7000 miles so it's very possible. and if you drive 700 miles per day, that'd take you 12 to 15 days depending on the route itself.

start in seattle, get back in seattle. a few things to consider though would be the car, places to stay, and the exact destinations. and it would be cool to go green on this trip for sure too, a hybrid or even that chevy volt thing. although the comfort level would be somewhat better if it was a bigger car.

music wouldn't be a problem of course and you don't need a passport. and everyone speaks english. almost everyone. another thing to possibly consider would be the "reason". but do you really need a reason? what if the reason is that "you can". if you can do it, then why not do it? if you had the opportunity, then shouldn't you go for it? you know?

and sometimes it feels good to run. just to run. but in this case, it's to drive. it's kinda like the poor man's forrest gump. or maybe it's the lazy man's forrest gump.

Some links:
www.startribune.com/local/18685309.html
www.43things.com/entries/view/142468
www.roadtripusa.com/

what i've learned living in germany

1. petrol nowadays average about 1.50 euros per liter. and as you may already know, 1 gallon equals 3.8 liters, which basically means that in germany, you are paying close to 6 euros per gallon. furthermore, if you take the current dollar/euro conversion rate of 1 euro to 1.5 dollars, germans are paying about $9 per gallon.

2. when getting an apartment in germany, you need lots of cash:

- 2 months rent goes to the "agent", which is basically someone who opens the door for you, even though it was YOU who found the apartment online. this is called "provision". and this money you will never get back.
- 2 months rent goes to your deposit, or in deutsch, is called "kaution". this you get back if the apartment is in good condition when you leave.
- 1 month rent goes to your first month.
- about $4k goes to buying a kitchen (i.e. there are no counters, closets, sink, dishwasher, oven, stove, nothing). all you have are walls. literally. nor is there even a light socket to put the lightbulb in. when you add it all up, you need at least 5000 euros ($7500) when you get an apartment. not a condo or a house. an apartment.

3. most germans pay with cash. or an EC card, which is basically cash in the form of a debit card. credit cards are not accepted, even at stores like a sears, best buy, nordstroms, or ikea.

4. there are no checking accounts. most of your bills are paid either through online banking or is automatically deducted from your account. even your apartment rent is automatic.

5. maybe this is already common sense, but most dryers in europe are "condenser dryers." basically, there is no hose to the outside, so the moisture is actually collected through a pan. and this pan you have to manually empty out after each dryer session, just like when you remove the lint from that container. i actually had to google this one because our new dryer wasn't drying after the third time.

6. when coming from the US, you can get a german driver's license pretty easily unless you are from a state like TX. basically, germany recognizes that some US states have "similar" or "comparable" driving regulations. so if you have a driver's license from washington state, then you just need to fill out some forms. but if your license is from texas, then you have to take written and driving tests. good luck with that one. probably better to get a license from a different US state before moving to germany.

7. when there is a soccer event, you definitely know about it. almost every car has a germany flag attached from its window. people love soccer.

8. bottles are preferred over cans. you will not find many cans, if any at all. this includes beers and sodas. so if you want to stock up on drinks, you will basically carry cases of bottles of coca cola, fanta, and apfelschorle. apfelschorle is apple juice mixed with carbonated mineral water and is easily one of the most popular drinks in germany.

9. before 2006, the use of germany colors were very limited. you would be hard pressed to find anyone wearing a shirt that had the germany colors or see the flag in people's houses or cars. this of course was because of what happened during the nazi era. but in the 2006 world cup, which was held in germany, this totally changed. people started to show their colors.

10. when you watch movies in a cinema, the drinks are served in a glass. and you can bring this inside the theater.

11. it's cold in germany.

12. they do have speed limits.

13. when you first meet someone, you should call them by their last name. it is considered rude to call them by their first name unless they tell you it's ok. and even after you've known them for a while, they still need to give you that permission to call them by their first name.

14. when meeting a man and a woman together, and you're a man, you should always greet the woman first. even if the other man is your best friend or your brother, you should always greet the woman first.

15. it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

9 countries, 3 days

Day 1

Germany + Denmark

Total Distance: 933 km (579 miles)

When I started thinking about this, I actually wanted 10 countries. Unfortunately, I couldn't take my rental car in some countries so the best I could do was 9. I probably could have picked a better weekend in terms of the weather because I've driven through some snow and some rain. Fortunately, the road has been clear and I haven't had any problems. And I must admit that driving on the autobahn in Germany is pretty damn awesome. I mean, I am averaging 125 mph and the car's not even sweating. And the funny thing is that there are more people even driving faster than me! Another thing I realized is that you have to pay 50 cents to use the toilet at a petrol station in Germany. They have turnstiles and you drop your money in so you can go inside. Like an amusement park. =) Also, the petrol stations in the autobahn are NEAR the highway - literally. It's like you're pulling into the side of the road. There's an "exit" but it's not like in the US. It's almost like a NASCAR pitstop as to how close it is on the highway.

The best part about this trip is that I get to try out my spankin new Nikon D700 with some tasty new lenses to boot: Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 and a 50mm f/1.8. Yummy. I've only been shooting with a D50 so jumping to a D700 was like going from a Fiat to a Porsche. I am still learning to drive but so far I'm definitely enjoying it.

Day 2

Netherlands + Belgium + Luxembourg + France

Total Distance: 1144 km (710 miles)

The second day was pretty much a blur. I knew how many countries I was going to hit today, but when I actually did it, I didn't even realize it. There was one point when I went into the petrol station and asked which country I'm in. The clerk looked at me funny and then answered, "Belgium".

The funny thing is that there are no major signs. Sometimes you get a little blue sign with the euro stars around the name of the country. And that's it! No welcome band or flags flying around. If the US was in Europe, you would KNOW where you were. The highway would be painted red, white, and blue.

Anyway, I definitely hit the meat of my roadtrip. There comes a point after you travel for so long that your mind starts to wander. And then you forget exactly where you are literally and where you're going. For me, there is nothing more therapeutic than a roadtrip. It doesn't matter where you're going or what you're going to do, being on the road is like leaving your story behind. At the same time, it's also painting your future story and enjoying your present. The best part about this trip is that I hit a different country every 2 or 3 hours. And believe me, it starts to get to you. The signs are different. The words are different. The cars are different. You are immersed in a different world and yet everything around you is the same. Your car, your music, your clothes. It's like going into some sort of time machine. It's surreal.

As for the countries, the best part so far has been France. The trees lined up next to the highway is amazing and you definitely feel that you're in a different place. The Netherlands and Belgium reminded me of the east coast in the US. It's a little historic, there are some trees, and the width of the road feels like you're on an interstate. There's also a speed limit so that definitely reminds you of the US. In Belgium, there were no speed limit in some areas and I took full advantage of it. The roads were open and there was hardly anyone around. Luxembourg, the country, is barely bigger than the city of Seattle and I almost forgot to buy a Twix because I didn't realize how small the country was. I actually had to turn around to make sure I got a Twix. Luxembourg was nice though. There was a long stretch where I drove next to Christmas trees.

But so far, nothing beat France. France is absolutely incredible. I don't know if it was the sunset or if I was tired or if it was just that spectacular. I wish I had more time to check out the countryside of France, but it is simply amazing. Although it cost me about $20 USD to get through the highway in tolls, the drive was certainly worth it. They definitely put that money to good use in lining the highways with so many beautiful trees. God definitely blessed France.

My last destination for today was Colmar, France. A photographer's wife highly recommended I visit Colmar because of its architecture and old city feel. I took that advice and was very impressed. I actually couldn't find my hotel so I decided to walk around the old city. It felt like I walked into a postcard. Again, I wish I had more time, but the reason for this trip was the trip itself and not the destinations. Sometimes, I feel like life is a lot like that.

Day 3

Switzerland + Italy + Austria

Total Distance: 1152 km (714 miles)

The drive from Zurich to Milan was absolutely the BEST driving experience ever. Not only was it scenic, but there was also no speed limit. I couldn't believe my eyes. In fact, I didn't know what to do because I wanted to take some pictures and enjoy the moment, but at the same time, I wanted the driving experience. Fortunately, the drive was long enough that I could enjoy both. But man, what a sweet drive it was. Between the snow capped mountains and the tight roads, it was just like a James Bond film.

The only time I was checked between borders was in Switzerland. There were no problems though except that I had to pay 30 EUR to drive in Switzerland. And there were TONS of tunnels in Switzerland because of the Alps. But once you get closer to the border of Switzerland and Italy, that's when the fun driving begins.

By the time I got to Milan, I was pretty tired. I wanted to actually take some photos in Milan, but I didn't know where to go exactly. Even with the navi, the streets in Milan were totally confusing and messed up. There were lots of "roundabouts" and even though I could see it on the navi's screen and it's screaming "please turn right!!", the streets were so packed with cars that it was hard to get into position. And when you're driving in the city, you might as well forget everything you know about driving. There are NO lanes at all and it's just a bunch of cars jockeying for position. Imagine that cars are people at a day after Thanksgiving sale at Target. I don't know how I got out of there in one piece.

After Milan, I was headed back to Germany with one more stop in Austria. It was totally on the way and at this point, I was counting my blessings that I had no major catastrophe. I realized how out of place I was considering that I'm a US citizen driving a car with German plates and I'm not even in Germany. I was like a foreign foreigner.

My last stop before going back to Germany was Austria and there's a town just on the border of Austria and Switzerland called Feldkirch. Immediately after I crossed the border to Austria, I parked my car on the side of the road to take some last pictures. Unfortunately, my car got stuck in the mud and I couldn't drive away. So I walk a few meters over to the border patrol to see if they could help me and they said they couldn't because my car is in Austria and they are in Switzerland. WTF??? It was funny and scary at the same time because they were all in my business and asking me for my passport and the rental car papers. Luckily, I had both of them, but I kept wondering if they were going to give me even a harder time. And this town is so small, so "Twin Peaks", that I thought for sure I walked into a David Lynch film.

They called the Austrian police and as I'm walking back to my car, I saw a small Volkswagen Golf pull up and THREE police officers walk out of that tiny car. I am telling you, one of them was bigger than the VW Golf. It was so hilarious. Luckily, one of them spoke english very well and eventually, they called a truck to pull me out.

I finally made it back and I still can't believe I did it. 9 countries in 3 days. It felt good to laugh again.

--
More photos available here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=213550&id=653050323&l=6e367

And a photo "flipbook" on YouTube also here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZRLvTZK5KY

sfc 2010

So it's been a while since I've had anything going on with Shoot for Change. One of the last things that happened was a photo exhibit at Space in Dallas, TX (photo above). That was almost one year ago. And in the past year, I didn't have many shootings and no photo exhibits, let alone anything to do with Shoot for Change. A part of that was just being burned out, working in Germany, and other personal reasons. Even though there was an article written in Professional Photographer Magazine that was pretty exciting and even one from a smaller magazine from Seattle, somehow, some way, it all kinda closed in on me and I didn't have the motivation to do anything more.

But now, I am fully determined and inspired once again to keep SFC going. This year, 2009, SFC will become an official non profit organization. And in the next several months, there are going to be some major developments in taking SFC to the next level. In short, there will be a brand new website with brand new ideas and changes. I am currently in negotiations with a few companies, in particular the ones who actually made the websites that I want. In a short time, SFC will become incorporated, become a non profit organization, and anyone and everyone can start making official donations. I'm thrilled and excited about this possibility. I am glad that it never truly went away and that it was just a break - perhaps a forced break because it allowed me to gain new ideas and insights as well as life experiences that I never would have seen. And I'm even more excited about SFC because it's going to be an open community and everyone will have an opportunity to take a ride in the SFC bandwagon and truly make the vision of "inspiring the world one click at a time" a reality.

SFC 2010. holler.

the beginning

I bought my first camera when I started traveling for work. At first, I was assigned in glamorous locations like Akron, Ohio. There's probably no better place than Akron during the winter time. But then, after a while, I was assigned in places like Calgary (most beautiful place is Lake Louise and Moraine Lake). And that's when I bought my camera. During this time, my friend, Jill wanted me to take her pictures for fun. I had never done any kind of shooting, but I told her I would. So we walked around Queen Anne and Seattle Pike Place Market to do a "photoshoot." Jill is a stylist at Tart Hair Studios in Ballard so she did all the styling. It was funny because I thought it would take an hour or so, but Jill actually brought 3 outfits with her. =) So after that day, I had my first "photoshoot" and in fact one of Jill's photos from that shooting is still my best selling photograph.

After this photoshoot, I was assigned in Stockholm, Sweden. It was my first trip to Europe with my camera and so it was like a candy shop. Walking around Stockholm was an inspiration. I met a few people, including Cynthia, and she was nice enough to take me around town. During one of those nights, we were out at a bar (can't remember) and I happened to have my camera with me. I'm taking pictures of her and her friends and just having a normal good time. Later that night, this girl walks up to me and asked if I was a professional photographer. I told her, "no" but I like taking pictures. She was actually glad that I wasn't this professional photographer so she asked me if I could help her with her portfolio. She's a makeup artist and needs some new photographs. Of course I said yes! I gave her my website, which actually had Jill's pictures, and she was happy about them.

The MUA had some friends to help model her makeup. So we all scheduled a photoshooting at my hotel and as she would do one person's makeup, I would take the model around Stockholm. We shot all day and most of the night and after that night, I posted those photos on my website. People couldn't believe what I was doing. All my friends and family thought I was in Stockholm for work and not shooting "fashion and makeup" with Swedish models. =)

A few nights later, a friend asked if I could take her pictures and for me to name my price. I didn't really know what to think and I was shocked that someone would want me to take her pictures, let alone want to pay me for it. So I did some research online to see what the market rates were (I don't know) and I gave her a price of $300. And she said yes! I thought, wow, really? OK. Later that night, I was browsing through the internet looking at other photos when I ran into this site that was donating money through photographs. This guy, I can't remember his name, was making a photography book and money coming from the book would be donated. I thought, wow, that's awesome. That's a great idea...

So I pondered and pondered and then I thought "why can't I do the same thing?" So I wrote it on a sheet of paper, my motive or my mantra, and in writing that, this sentence was born: "let's shoot for change and inspire the world one click at a time." I googled "shoot for change" and looked it up in the domain registration and there was nothing. I contacted my friend, Marissa, and asked her for legal advice regarding trademark and copyright and she suggested I could trademark it. The "idea" can't be trademarked, but "shoot for change" could certainly be. So I did it.

I posted this idea on Myspace at the time and a few people were skeptical of course. Joby Dorr from Artcore Studios, however, offered some supportive advice and thought it could be done. A few other people thought it was doable as well. On the night of November 16, 2006, Shoot for Change was born.

And since that day, I've been living by this mantra:

Each one of us can make an impact that could change the way people see things. Each one of us carries a possibility to make an indelible impression that can transcend ignorance and apathy. Each one of us carries a possibility to make a difference. And that possibility lives in us every single day.

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