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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.
The Quintessential Malaysian Motorbike
Throughout Malaysia, motorbike traffic is everywhere. Although it's not quite as heavy as it was in Indonesia, the bikes here are in generally better condition. One thing I've noticed is that nearly HALF of all motorbikes I see are the same model. The Boon Siew/Honda EX5 Dream This particular bike has a basket in front, … Continue reading The Quintessential Malaysian Motorbike
Pulau Penang and Georgetown
After relaxing for a day in beautiful air conditioning, we made it safely from the clutches of Jerantut and the East Coast of Malaysia and took the daunting all-day bus ride to the northwest corner of the country and Pulau (island) Penang and the largest city on it, Georgetown. At the end of our bus … Continue reading Pulau Penang and Georgetown
Taman Negara – Day 2
Taman Negara, widely touted as the world's oldest primary rainforest ("Yes! It's even older than the Amazon!" read the brochures), is nonetheless a beautiful destination to explore. Though not independently confirmed as the "oldest," much to the chagrin of local tourist companies, it is dated at approximately 130 million years old, and has the added … Continue reading Taman Negara – Day 2
From (R) to (D). What Happened?
I was born and raised in Oklahoma, one of the most conservative of the United States. My parents are Republican, as is just about everyone else. Growing up, I was raised to believe in the basic Republican tenets:1) Fiscal Conservative2) Smaller Government3) Strict Constitutional Interpretation4) Environmental AwarenessRonald Reagan was the Prez during my early youth, … Continue reading From (R) to (D). What Happened?
Taman Negara – Part I
When we last left our intrepid heroes, we were heading from the not-too-impressive town of Kuantan to one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It was awesome! We bussed from Kuantan to the small town of Jerantut. Being a popular jumping-off point for one of the highlights of Malaysia's tourist industry, we booked ahead … Continue reading Taman Negara – Part I
My Friend, Ali
Our first night in Melaka, some weeks ago, I met a young man named Ali. We played a few games of pool at our mutual hostel and during said games (where I lost horribly, I might add) we had a conversation that spawned a friendship. Ali is from Iran. He's in his early twenties and … Continue reading My Friend, Ali
Casio: In Mourning
I've worn a Casio watch for the majority of the time since my father got one for me back in middle school. I wrote about the death of that watch (after a decade of faithful service) on Livejournal: Casio NL-11 1993 - 2006 My Casio was a good, nay, a great watch. It stuck with … Continue reading Casio: In Mourning
New Foods List – July
7/2: Nasi Campur - Rice with odds 'n ends. Bits of various unidentified meats. Surprisingly tasty and mega cheap. 7/4: Mie Ayam, Deep Fried Banana Fritters - Mie Ayam is a chicken noodle meal, and it was super good. Well seasoned and, yes, it had veggies in it. This particular one also had a meatball … Continue reading New Foods List – July
Kuantan? More like BORE-ntuan!
Not really. However, there isn't a whole host of things to do here. Our bus took about three hours from Mersing, and most of that was highway driving. I did notice for the first time, however, that there is undeveloped space here. This did not appear in Indonesia. Every available square inch of land I … Continue reading Kuantan? More like BORE-ntuan!
Rhys' Pieces 