From Idaho to China, 2009 was a fun year for traveling and writing

How can a year in which you got an action figure of yourself be anything but great?

Recently the Internet has featured an abundance of laments about the disappointment that was 2009. I disagree; 2009, you were a good one.

From Kamiah, Idaho (population 1,160) to Guangzhou, China (population 10,045,800), I experienced and wrote about some amazing places this year–and had a blast doing it.

Some highlights:

• In January I drove from my new home in Louisville to Las Vegas with my brother and then flew to Washington, DC for Barack Obama’s inauguration.
• For Valentine’s Day, I reviewed 10 engaging spots to pop the question for Budget Travel.
• Traveling to celebrate my grandmother’s 90th birthday with her, I drove through Idaho, one of the most beautiful areas in the United States.
• I discovered one of my new favorite American cities–Nashville, which I visited twice.
• I covered the running–and parties–of Kentucky Derby 135 (and got this hilarious voice message from a Paris Hilton flack in the process).
• I experienced my first music festival–Bonnaroo.
• Trips to Boston; Morgantown, WV; Charlotte, NC; and Washington, DC allowed me to spend time with family and friends, as well as do some exploring.
• My more than 100 articles for Louisville.com provided me with ample opportunities to investigate my new hometown.
• While in New York to officiate a friend’s wedding (yes, you read that right), I finally met in person many travel writers and editors whom I’d known only virtually before.
• I consumed delicious tacos, lattes, and cocktails in Austin, TX.
• I reviewed concerts by two of my favorite performers–Bruce Springsteen and Roger Daltrey.
• After a fantastic trip to Guangzhou and Shenzhen, China, sponsored by the Ritz-Carlton, Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air, I wrote about the ethics of press trips for BlackBook.
• And I began contributing to Air Canada’s in-flight magazine, enRoute, and blogging about lodging for UpTake.

On a personal note, I’ll be closing out 2009 or beginning 2010 with a new daughter–my wife and I are expecting our first child any day now. Look for articles in early 2010 about traveling with an infant: we’ve already made plans to bring her to Milwaukee, Chicago, and San Diego.

Best wishes for a great 2010!

Budget Travel’s 10 engaging spots for popping the question (according to me anyway)

As part of its Valentine’s Day coverage, Budget Travel hired me to write an article on romantic places to propose marriage for its website:

10 engaging spots for popping the question

Currently it’s the lead article on the website:

And while the site where I proposed to my now wife—in the light rain by the gate to Edinburgh Castle after the clock struck midnight on New Year’s 2007 and fireworks exploded (oh yeah, I’m good)—didn’t make the list, I can only assume it’s because the editors felt it set the bar too high.

The article was enjoyable to write (and hopefully you’ll find it a fun read too). It was great mentally revisiting places where I’ve been (Sacré-Coeur, Central Park, Piazzale Michelangelo, Grand Canyon National Park, Siasconset, and the Kentucky Derby) and researching sites I am eager to visit for the first time (the Author’s Lounge, Wailua Falls, Burning Man, and Macworld).

And, strangely as I’m not much of a hippie, after spending a lot of time reading about Burning Man, I really want to go there.

Update Feb. 10, 2009: The article also appeared on MSNBC.com and MSN.com.

My budget travel articles from Examiner.com for the week ending January 17, 2009

Here are my budget travel articles for Examiner.com from last week:

• Travelzoo finds a great deal on an all-inclusive vacation to Mexico from Cincinnati
• Get paid $100,000 for spending six months on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
• Four budget travel tips from days 1 and 2 of my almost-cross-country trip

(Unfortunately my assignment covering local cultural attractions and restaurants for Louisville.com is on a, hopefully temporary, hiatus.)

Examiner.com publishes my first post as the Louisville Budget Travel Examiner

I just started a gig as the Louisville Budget Travel Examiner for Examiner.com. My first article was posted yesterday:

A budget survival guide to Washington, DC, for Barack Obama’s inauguration

It was a fun piece to write, and I enjoy the flexibility I have in writing about budget travel—I can pretty much write about any location I want.

And my upcoming trip, driving from Louisville to Las Vegas and then flying to DC for the inauguration, should provide ample fodder for this new job.

I’m starting a few other writing gigs in the upcoming weeks too, but I’ll post more about them once I have something published.