Author: rhysfunk

Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state. As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest. Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books. Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.

Friendship

Making friends has always been something that has come fairly natural to me. I'm easygoing, flexible, and nearly always in a good mood. I interest myself in the passions of others and have often found that just simply listening is often key to maintaining relationships. I am usually the peacemaker and, even if I feel … Continue reading Friendship →

Yesterday

I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Oxford, England. There are five other people besides myself in this small second-floor café. Most are students, one might be a professor. Radiohead is playing from the ceiling, which is also plastered with old movie posters. The walls are pink and black. A couple of girls are complaining … Continue reading Yesterday →

Studying Oxford

We arrived in Oxford via train yesterday a bit before 2:00 PM. It was one of those infamous ‘partly sunny’ British days where one minute it’s sunny out and the next it’s spitting bits of snow. I used to think the weather in Oklahoma was unpredictable and changing rapidly; while still true, England’s weather pendulum … Continue reading Studying Oxford →

Small Town in a Big City

Cardiff is an amazing place. It’s the capital of Wales, yet only about 325,000 people live here. They have the Millennium Stadium, which holds 75k sports fans and has hosted some of the biggest sporting events and concerts in the area. They have a superbly developed waterfront district and some really major work has gone … Continue reading Small Town in a Big City →

Chroesawa at Caerdydd

Yes, that in indeed what I meant to type. It’s Welsh for ‘Welcome to Cardiff’ which is where I am currently sitting and writing this entry. Most official signs (stations, roads, directions) are dual language in Wales. Can’t say that I understand it, but, it does make my name feel right at home. We got … Continue reading Chroesawa at Caerdydd →

Tubin’ Around London

After a long night of playing Civilization IV on the PC with Matthew (help us, we’re addicted!) we awoke “refreshed” (read: at noon) and set out for our second major foray into ye olde London Town. We had an aggressive itinerary, and although we didn’t hit everything we wanted to, that’s okay…because we get some … Continue reading Tubin’ Around London →

Slow Days in London

It’s been a few days since our last update. We haven’t forgotten about you all, honest! We are in money saving mode for a few reasons and are trying to stay around the local area here (Uxbridge, suburb of London) as much as possible. And that equates eating in and playing games with Matthew most … Continue reading Slow Days in London →

Wotcha, dearie!

Touching down at Heathrow was an instant change in atmosphere; whether it was just a perception change on MY part or an actual difference is unknown. It was refreshing to understand all of the aircraft announcements and read all the signs as we entered the airport. Once our bags were collected, we met up with … Continue reading Wotcha, dearie! →

Second to Last Flight

I’m sitting in a less-than-comfortable seat at the Dublin Airport as I write this (but no wi-fi here, so it’ll be posted a bit later), reflecting on the dusk of our journey. Our flight from Dublin to London today will be our last one before flying back to the United States. As far as airports … Continue reading Second to Last Flight →

Killilagh Church and the Atlantic Ocean

After our long day walking to the cliffs, we thought it would be a good idea to stay close to our hostel and give our aches a rest. Though we have been traveling for awhile now, we are a bit out of practice on long walks over hilly terrain. Richard’s Letter strikes again. At … Continue reading Killilagh Church and the Atlantic Ocean →