Traveling with the Stars: Mark Steines
— -- Mark Steines kicks off his 15th season with Entertainment Tonight next month. The co-anchor of the syndicated entertainment news magazine show and photography buff has traveled to South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. His photography book, See the Light: A Passage to Sierra Leone, comes out later this year and all proceeds go to Lighthouse Medical Missions. He shares his travel highlights and tips with Kelly Carter for USA TODAY.
Q: Where have you been recently that you liked or were surprised by?
A: In April I went on a 10-day trip to Sierra Leone with Bob Hamilton, a pediatrician in Santa Monica, and Lighthouse Medical Missions. It surprised me in many ways — the fact of just how brutal life is for those people. At times I felt like I was on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean because of how rough it is. I was surprised to see the spirit of the people. Their lows are so low, which only makes their highs even more joyous than ours because they really know how difficult life can be. So when something does come along, even when it's a piece of candy, they get so much joy and satisfaction and happiness from that. You're like, 'Wow, it's just a piece of candy.' One piece of candy causes a massive stampede. I took a bunch with me to give out. It centers you and brings you back to remind you what's really important.
Q: What's the best place you've ever visited?
A: Going inside the Great Pyramid and standing inside both the King's and Queen's chambers. I never in a million years thought I'd be standing (there), let alone at the base, escorted inside by Zahi Hawass, who is a well-known historian of Egyptian history and artifacts. That and exhuming the mummies while we were there. We were behind the scenes for a special on exhuming mummies. Hugh Downs was the host of the show. We walked across the desert and you'd see a femur bone or skull. They had just unearthed a family crypt. They took all of the artifacts there, marked everything and stored them so they wouldn't get robbed.
