An ill-fated sojourn through Tijuana, Mexico, on the way to New York City results in a sharp turn towards Asia and a rollercoaster journey through the world of photojournalism. Nicky Almasy recounts his fascinating story, including a decade in China documenting Shanghai’s jazz scene, exploring the malaria-stricken hinterlands of Cambodia and accompanying renowned Hungarian musician Both Miklos on his travels through Asia. Recycling Reality explores the pleasures and the pitfalls of frenetically trying to capture the world through a camera lens, and the debilitating effect of travelling 150,000 km annually, while telling a myrad stories of culture, art and heritage across East Asia. The book also examines whether travel is the ultimate escape or an invitation to burn-out, and whether it is possible to detach ourselves from our own past.