I never travel without...
A notepad to jot down what people say and what happens, a camera and a tape recorder. I also travel with my iPod and computer now so I've got music with me. If at all possible, I also try to travel with my family - although there have been a few places I wouldn't want them to come, such as Afghanistan.
My top travel tip is...
Keep an open mind. It's easy to get stuck in what you know and like and I think it's important to travel outside your comfort zone. I could never understand people who would come back from a holiday and tell you what McDonald's tastes like in France.
When I'm travelling i always miss...
Safety. While making Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? we went to some particularly dangerous places and you really do just miss being somewhere safe. When not in a war zone I really miss my bed. It's such a comfortable bed and it's broken-in now so it truly is the best bed ever.
My idea of paradise is...
Waking up with my family somewhere exotic. My wife Alex and I got married on Tavarua Island in Fiji and that was paradise. The locals caught fish all day so we just ate fresh food and relaxed. There's something great about being in a place where there's no TV, no internet and no cell phones - all those things you think are important, but aren't. I can just read and spend time with my family.
The best place I've stayed is...
A series of tents in the desert outside Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. People head out into the desert on Thursday nights to sleep in these Bedouin tents. All the guys go motorbiking and dune bashing and then cook lamb and sit around under the stars telling stories around campfires. That was pretty special.
My most treasured souvenir is...
The Eye of Fatima which is supposed to ward off evil spirits and protect my young son. It was given to me by Prince Hussein of Jordan whom I met when I was making the movie. We had dinner and got talking about how my wife was pregnant. He later had it delivered to my hotel as a gift.
My most memorable meal was in...
Japan. While travelling to promote Super Size Me we got up really early and went to Tokyo's fish market. It's a vast place, about the size of seven football pitches and full of hustle and bustle. Dotted throughout are little sushi restaurants and at about 5 or 6am we sat eating the most incredible sushi and sea cucumber and drinking saki and Asahi beer.
My first trip abroad was to...
Europe when I was 17. I'd never had a passport before that. I was at high school and we all went on a big school trip to France, Germany and England. It was one of those great trips that really sparked off a desire to travel. Before that my family had travelled quite widely within the States and I've now visited every state except Maine.
I've always wanted to visit...
Tibet. There's something about it that seems really magical. I'd also love to go to Africa on safari and all those places you remember from when you were a kid that conjure up magical visions in your head such as Kathmandu, Tahiti, Bora Bora and Madagascar.
The weirdest place i've ever been recognised was...
In Saudi Arabia. We were doing some filming on the street and these three kids walked up dressed in a hip-hop style and looking really American. They stopped, looked me up and down and then said: 'Dude, are you that guy from the movie...?' It was funny because they could only have seen Super Size Me on a pirate DVD.
· Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden? is out now. The accompanying book is published by Harvill Secker.
