Getting Paid to Talk to Bourdain

I don’t consider myself a foodie, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the question Tony Bourdain posed to his fellow food-lovers.

What does it mean to cook well?

Coming from a sustenance culinary tradition, I’m not used to always eating the most delectable dish or denying something less than favorable. Frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t shot my taste buds yet. I find this topic intriguing, and if you do too, you could very well win $10,000 just for documenting that opinion.

Not only do you get a big ol’ pay day but a spot in the paperback edition of Medium Raw. To be published and rolling in the dough…what a surreal concept. Go for it!

And speaking of Tony, his post this week on the death of his good friend Michael Batterberry and his big break in writing is insightful and compelling.

Snap Your Shutter for Bhutan

This opportunity rolled around last year and got me salivating. A trip to Antarctica sounded fantastic, but the application seemed simplistic and, therefore, intimidating. Tell a story with 5 or less photographs…STRONG photographs. Should have gone for it; it’s a trip to the last continent, by golly!

And now it’s 2010, and a new travel scholarship from National Geographic and World Nomads has rolled into town. Tell a story with 5 or less photographs, and you could travel to Bhutan for a week alongside a NatGeo photographer, a truly once-in-a-lifetime learning experience for a budding shutter-snapper.

This year, the photographer is Jason Edwards, and he’s got some words of advice for hopeful applicants:

The application deadline is October 17th (in Australia), so you’ve got some time to think about this opportunity and let your photographic story inspiration come to you.

Burma in Photos

Brave New Traveler sported a great photo essay on religious life in Burma. It’s worth a look-see.

A Word from my Favorite Book

Rolf Potts quoted my favorite book this week at Vagablogging, and I believe the whole world would be enriched by a simple glance:

If our lives are dominated by a search for happiness, then perhaps few activities reveal as much about the dynamics of this quest — in all its ardor and paradoxes — than our travels. They express, however inarticulately, an understanding of what life might be about, outside of the constraints of work and of the struggle for survival. Yet rarely are they considered to present philosophical problems — that is, issues requiring thought beyond the practical. We are inundated with advice on where to travel to, but we hear little of why and how we should go, even though the art of travel seems naturally to sustain a number of questions neither so simple nor so trivial, and whose study might in modest ways contribute to an understanding of what the Greek philosophers beautifully termed eudaimonia, or ‘human flourishing’. –Alain de Botton, The Art of Travel

Other Discoveries

Problogger has some great words of wisdom this week: Build your Blogs Voice, Monetization Ideas for the Little Guy, and the Content Producer’s Copyright Checklist.

Join this discussion on Vagablogging: What pulls you back to the road?

Update on Nomadderwhere

I took a week off from Consume & Update due to a lack of compelling material on the net. It was weird. Normally there’s always something worth sharing with others, but last week…dang, slim pickins. These weekly postings are for sharing good work, complimenting content producers, and contributing to the internet travel community. If you ever desire to be featured in these Sunday posts, feel free to contact me, so last week’s debacle never happens again!

Anywho, guess who’s back from the small town! I’m plunging head first into ProjectExplorer.org work and Nomadderwhere redesigning and content creating. I slapped May with a slew of work and left June starving. I need to get back to a regular schedule of good stuff. Your input is always encouraged.

And the future? Alexis Reller, my potluck roommate from Semester at Sea, is visiting next week, and I’m going to show her a gay ol’ time in Indianapolis. We just may boast all of our fun times online!

And here’s the work of the last two weeks:

• As You Like (To See) It, A Traveler’s Melancholy: Learning from Bill Shakespeare on the correlation between travel and happiness
• The Art of Reinvention, Anonymity, and Self-Discovery in Travel: I certainly did some deep thinking while living out my Summer Seclusion Project
• Journeys of a Lifetime in August: Offering you your monthly dose of travel inspiration, courtesy of National Geographic Traveler
• Reviewing Dean Cycon’s Javatrekker: Reflecting on a great compilation of travel stories from the coffee lands

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The Four Burners and Success

Balance your life...or else

Who really has a balanced life? I’d like to think that overall the way I conduct myself on a year-long basis levels out between travel and home, physicality and leisure, hermitville and social junction. As I’ve stated before, the concept of “live every day like it’s your last” is, in my opinion, a bunch of hullabaloo. How are we supposed to make today a most brilliant day while also strive for completeness in all aspects of our life? That’s a whole lotta pressure for one day. I’d have to spend all day today planning for an amazing tomorrow, which would defeat the point, right?

I chew on this thought today because Chris Guilleabeau brought up an interesting idea mused by David Sedaris:

One burner represents your family, one is your friends, the third is your health, and the fourth is your work. -David Sedaris

The gist is that in order to be successful you have to cut off one of your burners. And in order to be really successful you have to cut off two.

Especially in a country where we like to think we can “have it all” and also one where we define success as an outward appearance of money, power, and respect, this idea seems to be true for most Americans; not sure about the rest of the world, but I assume the same goes for most of them as well. We don’t want to read this quote and consider its validity, because that means accepting imbalance and relative failure at one facet of our lives, of which we’d normally be prideful.

What do you think about this concept? Do you think the idea of the four burners is irrelevant or spot on? What’s your stance on the balance of focus and pride in your life? Do you think one or two must slip to achieve some level of success? And what is success in your terms? I’d love to hear your feedback, so please comment below!

Other Discoveries

Problogger sets us straight on some typical blogger grammatical mistakes. Hate to lose my hold on proper English!

What do you think is necessary in redesigning your lifestyle to incorporate your passions and happiness? Did this guy get it right?

Do you think your travel experiences have had a direct impact on your political affiliations or sidings?

Update from Nomadderwhere

Delicious culinary concoctions, kooky Midwestern weather, biking through town and heat advisories, cinematic adventures and writing deep thoughts; this was my week. In some minute ways, the world seemed to stand on its head for me this week. I watched one Shakespearean themed movie…and finally understood them. My cat, whom is far from a lap pet, sought comfort in my bosom during an overhead thunderstorm. Wow, that was all that really stood on its head. My life this month isn’t all that exciting! I guess that’s what happens when you dumb your life down to a few elements and hope they function at their peak: cooking, writing, and summoning creative energy.

This week, I upped my game and pumped out a slew of content. Applaud me, why don’tcha?

• Video of the Week: The Challenge Edition (Webcam): A webcam special asking you for your ideas on personal challenges and pursuing your passions while not traveling the world
• Jobs for World Travelers: A Life at Sea: Presenting options to those who love to travel and need to work – life on a cruise ship
• Q&A: Easing Parental Worries about Travel: Answering a question I get far too often, and addressing a topic I have to deal with on a constant basis

I only have one more week of exploring the town of 11,000 of my upbringing, and I plan on soaking up the solitude with every molecule of my being. I visit daily locations I haven’t experienced since my middle school days and am beginning to wonder if my quarter-life crisis is approaching early with an emphasis on the past rather than a fear for my future. Eh, I know I’m going to be alright. But am I the same person I was when I was four? These are the thoughts of this pickled mind…

And in case you like helping me out: I’m doing a little research on South Korea and Taiwan this week and would love some expert help on where to go and what to see, along with important facets of both cultures and histories!

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$10,000 to be a Museum Live-in

Live in the Museum of Science and Industry for one month, learn something, write about it, and receive $10,000 for your efforts. This is not a shabby gig.

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has launched a competition for tech-savvy, learn-happy extroverts that seems like the perfect position for a world traveler. We’re interested in the world around us, in need of money, and often well-versed in online media and marketing (a.k.a the travel blogging type).

This seems to be yet another marketing campaign that doubles as a fantastic pooling of like-minded, lifelong learners. To live in the museum of science and have your mind revolve around discovery for four whole weeks would be a treat for anyone curious about their surroundings on this planet. Of course, the lucky individual isn’t allowed to work elsewhere during that time period, nor are they given total freedom to their normal social lives, but this is an experiment in itself, an opportunity to be one with the universe and grow an ever deeper appreciation for how all things work.

There are a lot of wanderlusters out there looking for ways to do what they love and still sustain themselves. Not every opportunity out there is a “Best Job in the World” or a “World Traveler Internship,” but there are plenty of other ways to learn about the world and craft your voice of expression, this definitely being one of them. Therefore, I’m here to pass this great opportunity along to you, the Pavlovian salivators to all things exploration.

Make a video application (and you know how to do that), write a lil’ essay, complete an application form, throw on a photo, sign a waiver, bing, bang, boom, you’re in the running. Let me know if you go for this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSFLTPzq3nI

Other Discoveries

Chris’ Guide to Travel Hacking

Take the Seven Link Challenge: I know I will soon!

Bourdain is awarding an unpublished writer $10,000 and a spot in his newest book’s paperback edition.

This Brave New Traveler piece touches on a topic I’ve been thinking about these past few weeks: home mind and travel mind.

The 2010 State of the Travel Blogosphere

Update on Nomadderwhere

This week has revolved around deep thoughts, cinematographic research, trying to NOT cut my fingers off with freshly sharpened knives, and, of course, work for ProjectExplorer.org. Here’s what I’ve created in the last two weeks (since the last Consume & Update).

• Video of the Week: Summer Seclusion Project: Taking off to my hometown for a month of nothing but work, cooking good food, and thinking about the art of travel
• Journeys of a Lifetime in July: The on-going series that gives you inspiration for 365 days from now, thanks to National Geographic Traveler.
• A Not-So-Good Ambassador: ProjectExplorer.org’s encounter with a not-so-nice celebrity chef in Merida, Mexico.
• Video of the Week: Seclusion Musings: Bringing up deep thoughts on travel that I’d love your feedback on!
• Disgraceful Tourism: Letting you know that sex tourism is more widespread and active than you think. Be a responsible traveler and be informed.

Stunning news from the world of Nomadderwhere: I’m going full steam ahead on my redesign for Nomadderwhere, to be scheduled for September 23, 2010. I would love to hear your feedback in any way, shape, or form. Video feedback is always best, but you can also contact me with a simple message or leave a comment below!

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Go, China, Go, China, Go!

Don’t speak. Don’t think. Don’t even type. Direct your attention below.

Go Tourism, Go Tourism!

Brilliant!

Go, Remote Locations…and Disclaimers!

This article on the most extreme and isolated places to live in the world is mildly interesting, but what I found most humorous was the ending disclaimer. Gotta keep it PC!

Disclaimer: As a brand, Tripbase are accepting of all global cultures. This article is written from a Western perspective and is meant for humorous purposes only. No offense is intended.

Said about The Pitcairn Islands:

Notable also for the sexual assault trial of 2004, in which 7 men living on the island went on trial. With all but one of the defendants being found guilty of some charges, this incident had the unfortunate side effect of pretty much tying up most of the area’s workforce (which consists of roughly 15 people in total). Seriously, sexual assault on an island that small? Not to mention the fact that most of them will be related…

Said about Tristan da Cunha:

Another interesting fact is that in the entire community there are only 8 surnames and 80 families, most likely leading to a horrific dating scene.

Said about Oymyakon, Siberia:

Other interesting facts include that it’s so cold, that some birds can freeze solid mid-flight, plummeting to the ground like a rock. Spit will also freeze solid before it hits the ground at -50°C and a glass of water thrown into the air will freeze before it hits the ground.

Alright Undercover Reporting in North Korea! Go! Go! Go!

Even though this article was written in August of 2009, I still find it interesting. I’m enchanted by mysteries.

It took them two hours to inspect our luggage when the group entered the country and four hours to go through every picture on our cameras—and to delete the ones they deemed improper—when we left. They apparently didn’t know that it is easy to switch out memory cards.

…On one occasion, I drew a banana on a piece of paper and showed it to a waitress; she had never seen one. She knew about apples, but she had never eaten one. I brought 150 Kit-Kat bars into the country, and I always took several out of my bag when I was alone with a North Korean. They would hesitate for a few seconds, look around to make sure that no one else was watching, and then stuff the Kit-Kats into their pockets.

Other Discoveries

Someone recently asked me if I saw Kevorkian’s side, based on my newly appointed personal stance on pain and life. Interesting…

Can’t post a Consume & Update without tips from Problogger: The Secret to Long-Term Blogging Success and Creating Facebook Landing Pages

Update on Nomadderwhere

Happy Independence Day, ‘Mericans! I’m back to mental stability and a regular routine! Yesterday, I moved from my parent’s home in Indianapolis to my hometown of Wabash. I’ll be in a home sans TV, constant internet, and…well, furniture. It’ll be Hermit-ville. It’ll be lovely. Tomorrow’s Video of the Week will fill in the blanks.

This week’s thin herd of postings:

• Reviewing David Lida’s First Stop in the New World: Comparing David’s perceptions of Mexico City with my own

Things will be changing soon. The content tsunami cometh…

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Hello, I would love to chat with you about my own plans since you are basically doing what I want to do.

I am leaving my job and selling my house in the spring, to travel the world and maybe never come back. I have so many questions though.

I figure I can get by on 10-15k a year on the road, but the question is: how do I go about making that? I have set up a travel blog and would love for that to generate some cash. I’m also a writer, and have published a photography/poetry book. I love writing and would like to do that for a living, while traveling the world. I’m also a pretty decent photographer.

Please give me any advice on how to make this happen. I’m a nice guy with nothing tying me down, and months away from dropping everything and seeing the world. -Sean R.

Hey Sean, I hope I can be of some assistance. Thanks for writing!

It’s important to know travelers who move, think, and operate the same way you do, because getting advice from just anyone that moves could misdirect your preferred path. With that said, I know how to redirect your questions to other travelers who already do exactly what you want to do, because I can’t quite relate to your travel dreams.

1. I don’t have anything to leave behind.
2. I don’t make money directly from my blog, writing, or photography.

Have you heard of Gary Arndt at Everything-Everywhere.com? He did what you are about to do (sold his house and traveled), and I’m sure you could learn quite a bit from his path. He’s been on the road for over three years and has a huge following; however, I’m not positive whether he makes money from his blog.

Monetizing Your Blog

In order to make money from a travel blog, one has to look at their blog like a business and think:

To what end? What do I want to get out of my blog, and what valuable resource do I see it being or offering to readers?

Find your niche, and your niche market will follow, willing to pay for what you do. That’s the long-term scenario. Keep in mind, however, that you don’t have to have one absolutely specific focus. Your unique interests combined make for great content. And an additional note: don’t claim a niche or expertise in one thing when you know you’re not a real expert. The internet world doesn’t need any more of those.

Get started by looking at Nomadic Matt’s Secrets to Successful World Travel* ebook, as well as his Monetize Your Travel Blog ebook that has apparently been a big help for many people. I’m not so much interested in advertising as I am sponsorship and using my site as my resume and a resource for like-minded wanderlusters. I hope that gives you a better idea of what you want out of your travels and your blog.

Leaving It All Behind

AlmostFearless.com is yet another long-term traveler that started blogging after leaving her home and taking up a moving existence. I think her ebook entitled 30 Ways in 30 Days to Redesign your Life and Travel could help you out big time.

And a little hint: Subscribing to these bloggers RSS feeds and e-mails could score you these resources for free.

Getting Paid to Write and Photograph

What I’ve been doing is a little bit different.

I am not a long-term self-sustained traveler like those dudes and dudette – and presumably what you want to become. For leisure, I take shorter trips (though still around 1 to 7 months) and have very little money to my name (because I’ve spent it all on travel).

I’m a producer for a non-profit that makes virtual field trips for kids, but it’s like business travel/film production. I don’t get paid specifically for written pieces, though I’d love to and always keep my eye out for good opportunities.

Look into the Matador Network, because they pay $25 for articles.

My big thing isn’t so much traveling but the expression of travel through multi-media, which could be what you’re into as well. And it seems you’re much more artistically minded than commercial – same as me, which means you probably like to work for your own agenda. That could either mean less marketability or more chance of you making a very distinct personal brand.

The Bottom Line

My advice is to check out the above links and see if any of those guys give you some inspiration toward your right path. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to make out a little goal sheet or business plan that allows you to see where your blog could go in the future to make you some money. However, really make sure you stick to your trip’s purpose, because the last thing you want is to be a slave to some commercial travel blog of yours that takes away from your time loving the city of Bogota or keeps you from lounging on the beach in Madagascar.

A last note, if you’re serious about blogging and want some instant help with making it big time, check out Problogger and his 31 Days to Building a Better Blog.

Was this Question and Answer post helpful to you? Would you like me to expand on any points above? And if you’re savvy to this topic, leave your own feedback and advice! Any other questions about anything? Comment below or contact me! And if you’d like to ask a question to be featured in this series, think about asking the question in a video and sending that URL to me!

*Note: There are affiliate links in this post. I’ve supplied the links to these resources not because I want your money shamelessly but because I know they’ve been valuable to many a diverse traveler. Though only some have been helpful to me, and contrary to what Whitney says, I’m not every woman, nor every traveler.

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Why The Low Points Matter

Once again, great work, Chris, in addressing an idea regarding a “perfect” trip with the necessary and realistic angle. He noted that no one really has (nor should have?) a perfect trip without low points. Meticulous planning sounds exhausting and semi-fruitless, not to mention detrimental to an aspect of travel that arguably many travelers find as the point to it all.

Image by MAMJODH

I’m reminded of the Hindi om/aum and the interpretation I often associate with its multi-purpose, ambiguous meaning. When you’re high, know one day you will be low again. And when things are low, have hope that tomorrow you’ll be back on top. I envision a undulating sine curve that reflects the state of all things, the stock market among others. Though this is somewhat of a hippie-esque ideology, I do think I believe everything balances out in the end – the great moments in life and the low points, the good and the bad. The same goes for your travels.

If we only had high points, what kind of characters would we be? Would we be as adaptable, as prepared for the world and appreciative of the good times? And though the catalyst for this “perfect trip” idea was in no way indicating a trip without flaws, it makes me think no one should leave their home expecting all to go as planned or with their own convenience in mind. We must flex with the sine curve of life and our own movement, appreciating both to strike a balance that makes us who we are.

Thanks, Chris, you got me thinking. And isn’t that what good writing, and “perfect traveling,” is about? You tell me.

Name This Vista

What are we looking at here? Any ideas? Leave a comment!

Why, If You Write, You Need a Blog

This one is for the hopeful travel bloggers out there, the ones keen on crafting word symphonies with the hope of creating a path toward their passions. And not just travel bloggers, hopeful broadcast journalists, photographers, poets, and other expressionists have been contacting me about what to do with their skills as the means to a preferred end. Though I’m not a broadcast journalist nor a novelist by trade, I at least know it’s essential to adapt to the new trend of self-marketing and projection of your assets in the form of a blog.

Darren at Problogger is usually someone I refer these people to, because he writes pieces just like this: Why Professional Writers Need a Blog. Or Not. Here are some great excerpts from his recent piece.

We can boil it down to this: if you’re looking to get hired for a project, which implies you offer some vertical expertise in addition to your abundant writing gifts, then you should consider writing a blog. And you should let the reader know who you are. Because you need to show the world you know more than they do about whatever it is you do. You need to demonstrate it. Both elements drive toward your credibility, which his essential.

A blog is about your niche, your field of expertise, your message. Your blog is, in essence, a gift to your readers. In effect, your blog is where you give away what you know. It’s your chance to demonstrate and validate your claim to authority and expertise. Your blog is, in every essence and facet of the word, content.

World’s Touristy Map

It’s kinda nice I’m from an unspotted area. My goodness, Europe, quit being so appealing to the world.

Other Discoveries

I’m getting pumped for Tuesday and my first real adventure in Mexico – let’s face it, the others have been burps in my timeline. Check out some amazing photos to get pumped along with me.

Talk about the art of travel! Great moleskin journal watercolors from Notes From The Road.

Problogger’s here to tell you How to Convert Blog Readers to Paying Customers

Update on Nomadderwhere

Here’s the skinny on my current situation.

Nakavika Project/Fiji Stories: I’ve been frantically pushing out stories from Fiji this month and have finally completed the storyline. Yay, me! Soon, I’ll publish a walk-through of the entire narrative in case you missed the overall flow of things.

The New Travels: The onslaught of Fiji content was in reaction to my upcoming trip and new job with ProjectExplorer, which has begun already with a short trip to NYC, followed by a flight Tuesday morning to Mexico City! Last night, I dined at Anthony Bourdain’s restaurant with Jenny and Matt, a PE board member, and today I start my training for Mexico!

Reunited Collaborators: Great news, as well…I get to see Garrett Russell this weekend, for the first time since we parted ways in Suva. Garrett recently got his Peace Corps assignment and is preparing for Malawi come July 1st. I’m so excited for him, and I look forward to publishing some of his work on the experience on Nomadderwhere. We’ve also decided on how to proceed with The Nakavika Project, which you can check out now.

This week on Nomadderwhere:

• Video of the Week: The World Traveler Intern-view: A video webcam interview with the new STA World Traveler Interns, which shows their striking, coincidental similarities.
• Interview Two Travelers: The 2010 World Traveling Interns: The written portion of my two-part interview with the STA Interns, asking questions about their self-propelled tour of Europe and more.
• Instant Withdrawal From the Kids: The story of sadness on the day we left the village, reminiscing about the kids and youth members we considered our dear friends.
• Standing on Shipwrecks and Watching Another: The story of my final week at a homestay, which involved exorcisms, fishing off styrofoam doors, my first fresh mussel, shipwrecks, and a dramatic parting from all things Nakavika.
• Back to Being Just a Tourist: The story of my final week in Fiji, when I visited the Yasawa islands and tried to reclaim my love of the South Pacific.
• Six Months Later: The Status of the Nakavika Project: An update to the development, reaction, and future of The Nakavika Project.

1 Minute or Less Moments: This week on my Nomadderwhere Facebook Fan Page will be the last for publishing raw video clips from our Fiji footage. Check out the final installment, which shows some lovely moments in the Yasawa islands before I flew back to America.

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How’s The List Coming?

Do you have a bucket or life list running? Are most of your goals doable, or are they unattainable? Don’t you wish you had that gratifying feeling of accomplishment more often than once a year or so as you near your bucket-kicking age? Allow Jenn to make it easier for you.

101in365 is all about “avoiding mediocrity, one to-do list at a time.” And though I know this contradicts a post I’ve listed below (see Other Discoveries), I love making and completing these mini-goals to reap that sense of accomplishment. Jenn’s been expanding on this web concept for a while now, and has recently pumped it up to admirable heights, offering even more awesome!

What a Maroon–ed Novel…

Speaking of my 101in365 list, one of the goals is to read a classic book this year. And from the way I’m feeling these days, I’m thinking that classic novel will either be the Lord of the Flies or Robinson Crusoe, thanks to this lovely list that reminds me of my time in the South Pacific. Any opinions on a good classic novel to read this year?

Big Tony in Chicago

Sketch by Kevin Wofford

Apparently, Anthony Bourdain spoke in Chicago last week about all topics on which he’s verbose: food, travel, TV, and just about anything that could conjure opinions. Prior to the talk, he spoke to the Chicago Tribune to drumroll his performance. The interview was food-centric and classic Big T, with a couple comments I found amusing:

The big takeaway from the first book [Kitchen Confidential] are the rules, like don’t order seafood on Mondays. Any new rules in the years since?

“Kitchen Confidential” was about a career that took place mostly in the 70′s through 90′s. When I wrote “don’t eat fish on Mondays,” the guy writing it didn’t think anyone outside New York City would even read the book.

Things have changed so much in the industry. The behavior in any good kitchen has changed a lot. Certainly the business still attracts the same kind of personality types, but a lot of the behavior I was talking about — snorting cocaine or having sex on the cutting board — would probably be frowned upon, particularly in open kitchens, which is a relatively new development. There’s so much genuine hope for a real future in kitchens that didn’t exist back in the early part of my career. An Irish pub on Monday, I’m not sure I’d go for a seafood salad. But I wouldn’t have a problem at the sushi bar at Le Bernardin.

What would you do if you were given control of the Food Network? Let’s say profits were no issue, and you had editorial and creative control of the network.

I’d bring back “Molto Mario” right away. I’d have Mario Batali do a standard instructional show that would be the cornerstone. I would make it more chef-centric, of course. I would make sure Sandra Lee was never allowed near any cooking utensil or food item. Immediately. I’d have a long talk with Rachael Ray. I’d say, “Look, Rachael, you’re bigger than food now. You’re in Oprah territory. You don’t have to cook anymore. Move on.”

The Molto Mario comment excited me, as I will actually get to dine in his restaurant in a month! No idea if he will be gracing us with his presence, but since he’s on the creative council for ProjectExplorer, the possibility is out there!

Eyes on Cambodia

Nice snap, Gary.

Speaking of Cambodia, my friend Cathleen is enjoying her last month in Phnom Penh after five months of developing her Fighting For Futures initiatives. It’s truly a place that could suck you in and put you in a trance. Subtly lovely.

Other Discoveries

Some great ideas on how to develop products for your blog without a massive business plan

Also, a little help making your blog more experiential…a favorite buzz word of mine

Oddly enough, this interesting post helped me get this late issue of Consume & Update out today! Kill your To-Do list!

And finally…thank you Amar for giving us 7 Steps toward scoring free travel from your blog

Update on Nomadderwhere

If you’ve made it thus far in this post, you’re a trooper. I have a lot to tell you about my future plans for Nomadderwhere and for myself. I’ll start by reviewing what went out this week:

• This month’s Question and Answer post on grooming for the World Traveler Internship – ways to prepare for next year.
• The big news on my future plans and how I got the new travel gig…through my blog
• A story on SCUBA diving in Fiji over the holidays
• The final Nakavika Project video, which took place on the Yasawa Islands in Fiji
• As always, plenty of daily photographs to satiate your eye candy needs

Prepare for the Onslaught: As you can tell, I’m all over the place with my postings. My schedule is odd, because it’s important to me to publish various forms of content: video, written, photographic, as well as displaying the work of others.

I have roughly one month until I head to Mexico on my new job, and it’s been said to read more current accounts from my travels is more thrilling than the flashbacks (like I’m doing with Fiji at the moment). And though I’ll be incredibly busy in Mexico, I would like to attempt more real-time postings in my favored various media forms.

Therefore, I’ll soon be amping up my written postings from The Nakavika Project, telling the elaborate tales more frequently in the week in order to fit it all in before the bulk of Mexico. I’ll also be covering what I’m up to in present day while still offering timeless advice and perspectives on all things travel. The videos will become more current, expansive, and interactive.

This is going to be one ca-razy month!

1 Minute or Less Moments: This week on my Nomadderwhere Facebook Fan Page, I’ve published raw video clips of Garrett and I enjoying the Coral Coast on New Year’s Eve.

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Advice for Going Somewhere Different

As I continue to plow through my memories from Fiji and recount the tales, I always loop back to the idea of: How could we have better prepared ourselves for this very different culture? …especially when we didn’t know it was going to be so different? I was surprised this week to check out my YouTube subscriptions and see this video post from Tony Bourdain himself, answering the question: What advice would you give for people going to a very different culture?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ3L3FdRAeo

Good advice, and I think I’d like to add to his answer:

1. Read a travel narrative or cultural feature from someone who spent a good amount of time there.

2. Prepare yourself mentally to the concept of partially surrendering your idea of right and wrong. Most cultures, even seemingly like-minded ones, do things very differently.

Is Air Travel Really Travel?

I personally find flying to be an interesting aspect of a trip, a thoroughly disorienting one that has a culture of its own, but I am certainly prone to admiring surface travel and movement while firmly on Earth. World Hum recently interviewed Seth Stevenson about his recent book covering a RTW trip he just completed via surface travel. The following is Seth’s explanation of why he thinks air travel isn’t really travel:

Flying is like teleporting between two points. The flight itself is an empty, meaningless interlude. Once the flight is over, you never think or speak of it again—unless it’s to complain about the turbulence or the shrieking child sitting behind you. By contrast, being on a ship or a train moving between point A and point B is a journey unto itself, full of ground-level scenery, local culture and moments of quiet contemplation. A surface voyage is often memorable, and on occasion transcendent.

Mt. Everest Like Mallory

Still can’t get over my thing for Mt. Everest. Coming out in August, The Wildest Dream sounds like a movie I’d like to see. Good work, National Geographic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpwBQlOSJ3I

Other Discoveries

Join the discussion about Alternative Female Travelers if you feel the women’s travel industry is skewed toward the girly girl, afraid to move past sunset in a foreign place…or comment if you feel it’s right on track.

Great advice for bloggers on staying accessible but finding that balance and scale as well. I love it when people contact me with questions as it fuels my future work and helps me figure out what my readers want to know about!

Update on Nomadderwhere

My April activities are complete! A relaxing weekend in Chicago with friends and family, a much-appreciated and needed weekend away with my childhood friends at the races, and a trip back to the glory days at my alma mater have all set me back on track in America. My life isn’t all about surviving in the tropical bush or answering e-mails.

For those of you who follow me on twitter, you may know my grandmother passed away two weeks ago. I apologize if my quality of work falls a bit in this next month or two, because this is one death that will keep hitting me for a while. Soon to come is a post about her and the side of her I don’t yet know all about: her world traveling side. The research begins this week. She was one cool lady.

Also, next week will bring news of my latest endeavor…my very first paying travel gig! Come back and check out what I’m talking about!

1 Minute or Less Moments: This week on my Nomadderwhere Facebook Fan page I have published three more raw clips from our Fijian adventure. These would include machete spinning, fire swirling, and the Fijian jungle!

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Gastropalooza: Indian Style

An eclectic video on Indian street food that will either make you hungry, want to go to India, have a headache, or think a musical pig is sneaking up on you. Thank you, MatTV.

The Exciting News

I hope you followed the application process like a fox. If you did, you already know the exciting news…

Not only am I pumped for these two lucky individuals, but I’m so thrilled that a fellow Semester at Sea-goer won the honor! And I’m glad that Natalie whipped out the big guns with her dance moves in both videos. This summer will be a treat to watch.

Travel Your Eyes Though Tibet

Some portraits, some editorial, some snapshots of interesting moments in Tibet; this is one interesting photo essay on China’s rooftop from the Matador Network. The portraits are stunning, and I personally find any mountain culture thoroughly interesting.

Naughty Volcano Dirtying the Skies

Did you hear what happened this week with the skies over Europe? This is the culprit.

Other Discoveries

How very, very true: success in blogging is made of little victories.

For those of you in my same boat: 20 Ideal Day or Seasonal Jobs for Travel Writers.

What’s Jerry Seinfeld going to joke about now? The Day the Free Meals Died

Update on Nomadderwhere

I can’t believe I went to Chicago last weekend and didn’t meet up with former applicant and current STA World Traveler Intern, Casey Hudetz! If I happen to make it up north again before this summer, I’m certainly going to make that happen.

And where am I this week? Right about now, I should be waking up from a rowdy weekend filled with galloping horses, tweed, and 90 pound men in pretty silks. Yes, I went to Keeneland to witness all the whinnies and snorts with my childhood friends!

1 Minute or Less Moments: This week on my Nomadderwhere Facebook Fan page I have published three more videos, and are they cool or what?

- The Christmas lunch in Nakavika, waiting to be served as we sit segregated in the community hall…boo

- Garrett, Mario and the twins taking a nap on our floor on Christmas day

- The awesome traditional architecture of the Fijian forts in Pacific Harbour

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What All Women Travelers Should Know

I often forget the rare instances when I’m harassed or blatantly violated because I am a woman while traveling, because it’s never the intention of a traveler to fill their minds with the disheartening side of their worldly experiences rather than focus on the amazing. However, when I get frequent e-mails from young women hoping to blaze some trails solo and are worried about being a victim, I really should be recalling these occurrences in order to prepare them for what could happen.

My friend, Amanda, has taken care of this for me, and thankfully so, because she knows quite a bit about the topic. One thing that I really appreciated reading from her piece was that it is ALWAYS culturally acceptable to stand up for yourself if someone violates you as a woman. Bookmark this article and hope you never have to utilize its contents…though sadly you may.

How Female Travelers Can Deal With Sexual Harassment and Assault Overseas

Thai Protestor in Bangkok

Thanks again, Gary, for supplying a great visual of the current situation in Bangkok.

Landing On Your Feet in a New Place

Migration Mark guest posts this week on AlmostFearless.com about how to acclimate yourself quickly to a new place. I see lists like this all the time, but Mark’s appealed to me for the – apologies for this description – “realness” of his tips. Seven in total, Mark’s ideas for getting “in” with the new digs offer great advice, and here are the two I like most:

1. Find and Eat at a Small Local Eatery Frequently (everyday if delicious). This is a simplistic way to instigate an overall winning situation, benefiting you and the servers involved. First, you get to know a local person (or people), who works an average or normal local job. Second, you are purchasing their food and they are exuberantly excited every time you eat, or when you just pass by their storefront/street stall. Third, when you build a lasting relationship with your chef, he/she is bound to start hooking you up with specials, teaching you local terms, and offering advice about non touristy things to do. Lastly, you find yourself happily satisfied while you smile upon indulging in authentic local cuisines.

7. Do Things Others Don’t Take Time to Do. Sit on a spontaneous bench, recline in a grungy market, drink copious amounts of mate in Montevideo at sunset, or be patient waiting hours for your nyama choma (grilled goat) to roast in Nairobi. Get out of the fast lane and maximize your precious time by letting it go and making the best of it.

Other Discoveries

Big Tony explains why last Monday’s episode was about basic techniques of cooking…an hour that did not disappoint.

Zen Habits has some advice on how to make big life decisions amidst the infinite choices of life

Problogger is the guy to help you improve your blog today

Update on Nomadderwhere

My April festivities have begun! Weekends in Chicago, watching horse races like a classy broad, and reliving the glory days are all on my itinerary. And in other good news, I’ve been featured and/or mentioned in a couple travel blogs this week!

MatadorTV: Lindsay Clark is a Travel Video Ninja

IGORoamandreport: Making a Difference…

Spoof or Truth: Stuff of the World

Potential Facelift: I’m in the process of giving my site a facelift, since my tabs above will soon not accommodate the vast array of info to come. I’d love to make this process of reformatting my site a little transparent. By that, I mean I’d like your input. Give me a little help by telling me what you like about this site, why you come back for more, and what I can do better in the future. It takes about 30 seconds…unless you’re an overthinker.

Give Me Your Input

Updated This Week: New this week are more of my static pages that needed a little “zest.” Don’t look just once and forget about them. They’re always changing! Check out the following this week.

Behind it All, Cambodia’s Hope

1 Minute or Less Moments: This week on my Nomadderwhere Facebook Fan page I have published three more videos, and are they cool or what?

- The serving of green kava at a wake in traditional Fiji

- The “finishing” of a chicken during the cyclone

- The frothing, muddy waters after the storm (don’t fall in!)

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