Nick Samuels
Traveler, Unknown
Nick can be best described as a modern nomad. After finishing school where he was studying chemistry, he was inspired by the passing of a very good friend to appreciate every moment and travel. His photos are a visual diary of his voyage as he hitchhikes and hops freight trains throughout the continental US, from LA and Austin, to New Orleans and Providence, and many more major cities in between. Most recently in Spain, Nick plans to travel through the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe, and continue to ride his bike and hop more trains to and throughout Russia.
Can you list all the cities you've been so far?
In the last year I have been to Salt Lake City, Seattle, Portland, the Bay, LA, Phoenix, Tucson, Austin, New Orleans, Atlanta, Philly, NYC, Providence, Boston, Oslo, Malaga, Valencia, and Madrid.
What was the vibe you got from each city?
Every one is so different. New Orleans is total chaos, with an amazing and unique culture. Valencia is laid back–no one cares what you do.
What other cities to you plan to go to?
Next Barcelona, then France, Italy, then Greece
What were you studying in school?
Chemistry
What made you want to hop trains?
Merle Haggard and Woody Guthrie
What will you do when you take a break from traveling? (If you even want to take break lol)
Focus on photography and writing
Your idea of happiness?
I am happiest when my home is everywhere
Your idea of misery?
Being stuck anywhere.
If not yourself, who would you be?
No one.
Your heroes?
Nosferatu
What is your present state of mind?
I am excited because, at the moment, I am planning a trip to ride my bike across Europe and then hop freight trains from the western to eastern side of Russia. Afterwards I will continue to ride trains through Southern and South Eastern Asia.
Bedside table books?
"100 Years of Solitude", Steppenwolf, and anything by Edward Abby
What do you do if you can’t sleep at night?
I sleep through the day as often as I sleep at night.
Do you collect?
Memories
Tea or coffee?
Coffee
Right or left handed?
Right
What is the best dish you can cook?
Blackberry Pie or Biscuits and Gravy
What is your middle name?
S.
What do you do in your free time?
Lately–since I finished school and quit my job–all my time has been free. I spend every moment doing exactly what I want to be doing.
What inspires you?
The memory of my good friend Nick "Smoky" Barclay. Because of his friendship, and his premature death, I try to appreciate every moment–the good ones as well as the hard ones.
What do you do for money?
At the moment, nothing.
What do you do for pleasure?
Paint, read, write, and play chess.
What is the strangest thing you believed as a child?
When I was two my granddad told me that raisins were dead flies with their wings plucked off. I believed it until I was a teenager.
A color?
Black and red.
A city?
New Orleans
What are your plans for this weekend?
Hitchhike to New York from Philadelphia to meet up with old friends and make new ones.
A song?
Hombre Religioso
