Since I was a student, I have been trying to figure out how I can continue to travel while simultaneously making a living. This is still the case even after 8 years of working in the real world. However, lately my concept of "travel" has somewhat shifted over the years.

Rather than the act of moving from one place to another, I think that the joys of traveling lie in the moments of random encounters with people, and the act of nurturing that relationship in the limited time you have together. Of course, visiting new places and seeing different landscapes is exciting, yet a part of me cannot fully enjoy a trip unless I interact with somebody new. These encounters bring a sense of transience and wistfulness to the journey. Maybe this notion of evanescence defines my idea of "travel".

In this light, the various interactions I have with people through my work in television can be seen as an amalgamation of small "journeys". Needless to say, I have harbored many things, memories and experiences from these journeys (or encounters with people) that could not be shown in the limited medium of public broadcasting. This video is a collection of such bits and bobs that have been left behind.

AAL is another such journey for me, but this time I am accompanied by a group of likeminded people. As a special project, I crossed the Eurasian continent for a week on the Trans-Siberian Express last summer as part of my filmed report on ARS Electronica. The video shown here is from that journey.

"Vladivostok" in Russian means "Conquer the East" - a somewhat ominous name for a town. Incidentally, it is also the closest European town to Japan. Let's see what this town has to offer.

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They began building the Trans-Siberian railway as early as 1891. After more than 10 years of toil, the railway finally opened in 1904. I'm astounded by the notion that people attempted to bridge Asia and Europe with merely 2 rails of steel. From Vladivostok, we head to Moscow.

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Moscow is far more expensive than Tokyo. Indeed, so expensive that I seriously wonder how the Russians survive. I have always wanted to visit this one place in Russia: Kizhi Island, a small island on Lake Onega which lies north-west of Moscow, close to the Arctic Circle. There stands the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, a magical wooden church that floats on the lake. Also, don't forget to ride the subway in Russia. It's quite an experience.

Next is a feature on art in Prague, accompanied by a Czech artist whom I met during my time at ARS Electronica.

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