Chris was born in England and grew up in the United States. He has been based in Kyoto, Japan, since 1992. Chris has written Lonely Planet guides to Japan, Tokyo, Kyoto, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Victoria (Australia). He got his start as a writer for the Japan Times, an English-language newspaper published in Tokyo. In addition to writing and photography, Chris is a published cartoonist whose work has appeared in King Features Syndicate?s New Breed series in papers across the United States. Chris speaks and reads Japanese fluently, and can muster enough Thai, French and Tagalog to ask questions but not understand the answers. Chris is an inveterate traveler and he has traveled widely in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. While Kyoto is his home, in the past he has lived in New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Melbourne, and Tokyo. He has also spent long periods of time in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Paris. Outdoor sports are his passion, in particular hiking and climbing, and he has climbed in the Rockies, the Alps, the Japan Alps, the Himalayas and the Patagonian Andes. He is also a keen diver and snorkeller, and he has dived or snorkelled in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and even the North Atlantic. Chris?s two favourite countries in the world are Nepal, for its wonderful mountains, and Thailand, for its fun people and lovely islands. He?s also crazy about Australia and New Zealand. Chris can pack for a three-month trip in 15 minutes and has just one tip for those planning a long trip: the less you bring, the better your trip will be ? pack light!!!! When he?s not writing or travelling, Chris spends his time ambling around Kyoto, soaking in the tubs at the local sento (public bath) and seeking out great Japanese restaurants and shops. These days, Chris runs tours of Kyoto and the rest of Japan via his website at www.chrisrowthorn.com