It’s a question I get often, “What’s a typical day like for you as a travel writer?”
And it’s a question that really doesn’t have an answer. While most jobs have a routine, travel writing doesn’t. Sure there are days when I’m not traveling when I’ll spend hours at my computer writing about my latest adventures or pitching new story ideas to editors.
But there are other days like today when I’m writing this as I’m sailing the Mediterranean Sea aboard the world’s largest tall ship between ports in Italy. There’s nothing typical about that! Since I can’t give just one answer, I’ll share several days in my life as a travel writer.
On a recent trip to Trondheim, Norway, my day included climbing to the top of the majestic Nidaros Cathedral—the northernmost gothic cathedral in the world. Afterwards, I boarded a restored Viking boat for a cruise along the Nidelva River that runs through the city. In the evening, the doorman at the luxurious Britannia Hotel drove me to dinner in a Rolls Royce taxi. And when it was finally time for bed, I snuggled into a custom-made Hästens bed for a peaceful night’s sleep.
While road tripping through Germany on the famed fairytale route, my days were spent searching for castles and exploring the enchanted forests that served as inspiration for the writings of the Brothers Grimm. Other days were spent learning the art of traditional glass-blowing in the Black Forest, driving through tidy villages, and speeding down the autobahn.
Exploring the Peruvian Amazon provided some of my most interesting days as I traveled by boat through the murky waters of the Madre de Dios deep into the jungle. An astonishing array of wildlife unfolded. Rare white caimans soaked up the sun’s warmth on the banks. Butterflies and parrots of every imaginable color flocked to the river’s edge to lick the clay that works as a natural digestive aid. And it was in this strange and beautiful part of the world that I fished for piranha and ate them for lunch.
While my life is anything but routine, it hasn’t always been this way. I spent more years than I care to think about working in a windowless office preparing tax returns. Every day was the same until I decided to follow my dream.
Coming from an accounting background, I had no formal journalism training or writing experience. What I had was a love of travel, curiosity about new destinations and cultures, and the desire to live life on my own terms. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now.
If you love to travel and want to incorporate more of it into your life, travel writing is an excellent way to make that happen. Anyone can do it as long as you have a desire to see the world and share stories of your adventures.