A wise travel writer once said, “Some of the best days haven’t happened yet.”
It’s true: A great part of my life, since becoming a travel writer, is that I always have something to look forward to.
My before and after—from recruiter to getting paid to write about golf in some the most interesting destinations in the world—is something I’m so grateful for.
My January to September travel calendar showed stops in the Bahamas, Los Cabos, California’s wine country, the golf Mecca of Scottsdale, historic Colonial Williamsburg, and Hawaii’s smallest inhabited island. When I reflect on the highlights for my travel writing trips, there are some incredible memories…
Amazing places
If I were to close my eyes and visualize one of the most beautiful places in the world, the white-sand beaches of Eleuthera in the Bahamas would rank near the top.
The Caribbean Sea surrounding this island features a distinct turquoise color that is a year-round postcard waiting to happen. Just look how happy I was to be there:
Eleuthera is the sixteenth Caribbean island that I’ve had the pleasure to write about. So many islands, so little time…
Amazing people
I’ve encountered some amazing people on my trips.
As dawn broke over the Pacific Ocean, I became mesmerized by the daily ritual of a Los Cabos sand artist. As I sipped coffee and ate fresh fruit on the deck, Joventino created a giant sun on the resort’s perfectly manicured beach.
The next day he wrote a special sand message for a dad who was missing his daughters back home.
Amazing honors
Before our first tee in Colonial Williamsburg, a fife and drum team marched up a pathway leading to the first tee box. As the music halted, a trio of 1700s-era soldiers fired musket blasts into the clear Virginia sky. Once the echo of the rifle sounds drifted, I became one the first to play golf on the newly redesigned course.
Looking forward
Next month finds me writing about Lanai—Hawaii’s smallest inhabited island. Not only will my wife and I stay at a 5-star hotel that hosted Bill Gates’ nuptials, I’ll be golfing in a style that is pure Hawaiian. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course I’m covering features lithium-powered carts that resemble motorized surfboards.
As I look forward to the days and months ahead, I reflect on the words that our best days are yet to come.
If that’s the case, this travel writer can’t wait to experience a pineapple-rich island where I can hang ten while playing 18.