Science has been my life, mix in growing up on Indy movies in upstate NY and I was hooked on what else was out there.  Add the unexpected, such as the 2004 riots in LaPaz, Bolivia, while driving into town, crossing the northern Peru desert border at midnight through dark alleyways when transport was carjacked.  Being detained for 9 days in Burma while joining an impromptu local protest.  I have extensively researched the possible location of Paititi, in Peru, which gold artifacts were taken from Cusco in an attempt to hide them from the conquistadors.  It's not a "city" of course as many expect.  It is I believe simply a burial site of cultural heritage, the Quechua still protect, somewhere, it's there. To me the most important aspect of exploring are the cultures, a perspective of who we are and where we came from.