Eric says:

I made my first independent trip, solo from Canada to Europe and Morocco, in 1973-74. Next was a solo trip to Thailand, India and Nepal in 1978-79. Since then, I’ve traveled, lived and worked abroad for almost 40 years. Most of that was as an expat doing international development work in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, South Africa, Malawi, the Philippines (again), Tanzania and Mozambique. Corz, a banker when I met her, joined me in Tanzania, Mozambique and the Philippines, where we’re now based.

We’ve shared many trips along the way and travel whenever we can. I call Corz “Girl Scout,” because she’s so patient and inventive searching for accommodation. I do the transportation. We both do activities. But the unexpected lurks at every new destination, so we still screw up with maddening frequency. It’s all part of the adventure!

Fortunately, bloggers, vloggers and podcasters exist to help us out. We continue to learn from anyone with travel smarts… from old road warriors to impressively wise young travelers whose parents weren’t even born when I started traveling back in the 70s.

Corz and I are also thankful for the gifts of local people who blog, vlog and podcast. They share the treasures of their home places and offer insider opinions you will never find in a guide book or commercial travel media.

We can all travel better thanks to bloggers, vloggers and podcasters sharing their experiences and advice. Discover them here on Bloggerstan!

(Photo: sun-drenched and wind-blown at the Hundred Islands National Park, Pangasinan, Philippines.)