My writing career began in high school. To prepare myself, I posed for a photo in my room, holding a fake Stratocaster, pointing at the camera with shades on. I got out a piece of paper and a Sharpie and drew the profile … Read on
Last year I flew to Athens for three days to do the keynote speech at TBEX 2014. I had a busy busy year, but I made time for it because there are a few things I wanted to say — about how “travel … Read on
Sometimes being a travel writer is exactly what it’s cracked up to be. Like the time I was on the Rick Steves radio show, talking about Oklahoma, where I grew up, and got to tell Rick to “be sure to try the testicles.” … Read on
National Geographic Traveler asked me to speak at the White House Travel Blogger Summit on December 9. It was surreal, thrilling, steeped in titles and policies, and… yeah, pretty surreal. As a travel experience, it sort of ranks with my first uncertain steps … Read on
I grew up flipping through Oklahoma Today magazine, so am “chuffed” (as British Oklahomans put it) to be featured in a Q&A for their new travel issue. It begins: “Travel’s not a contest,” says Robert Reid, It it was, he’d be up for … Read on
Ian Frazier calls Russia both “great and horrible,” yet submits to an all-consuming “Russia-love.” It’s a bug I know well. To continue my flurry of Russia posts, here’s the link to a 52-minute discussion on the Russian Far East — the wild east, … Read on
