Rafting the Grand Canyon is the first trip into the backcountry I’ve ever taken with an outfitter. Western River Expeditions, the outfitter my trip was booked with, provides a gear list as well as information and suggestions about packing your bag for this trip. They provide tents, cots, sleeping bags, and a variety of other…
Many industries were hit extremely hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants, bars, hotels, and hair salons have been shut down for weeks, relying on donations and government stimulus to stay afloat. As a tour operator, my company is in the hospitality industry and has obviously been hit very hard. However, in this industry in particular,…
It is somewhat common for a hotel to upgrade the host’s room. Hosts are usually assigned to the worst room category because we won’t complain about them, and our room is often complimentary due to the size of the group we’re bringing. But even though they’re booked as the worst of the worst, a lot…
This is a story from my 2013 Egypt trip. It’s one of those incredible experiences that may only happen once in a lifetime, and I love sharing it. Note: I’ve revised an earlier post on a different blog to read a bit better as a stand-alone story rather than one in a series. I have…
Read Customs Paperwork and Be Honest! Many countries will have you fill out paperwork when you enter the country to state that you are not bringing in something that could be a threat to their country. Most of this focuses on environmental factors, but it also usually includes things like explosives and large amounts of…
I know I reference this trip a lot, but it was my first major introduction to international travel, and it was the benchmark for a lot of my experiences since then. I was recently re-reading my blog from that trip, which can be found here (password summit), and found my summary of the trip and…
I’ve had a lot of people ask me recently why my job is necessary. Why can’t people order their own transportation and hotel? Why do I need to fly to Mexico for three days to get a trip started? Why do I need to fly to Jamaica months before a trip just to see how…
New Orleans BBQ Shrimp really isn’t much of a traditional BBQ. It isn’t even cooked on a grill or over coals. This thin, buttery, savory sauce, served with piles of French bread, is something I always look forward to when I travel to NOLA, and for the longest time, it was something I could only…
No matter how much planning I do or how much money I throw at a trip, there are some experiences I could never plan for or ever recreate. This story is one of those. It isn’t really relevant to my job, and I didn’t have much to do with it, but it’s a feel-good story that…
Traveling is rarely perfect. Some trips have more hiccups than others, and even the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Hopefully, if the situation allows, you’re able to work past the bad experience and find enjoyment in the remainder of your trip by letting what could be an incredible vacation become your…