This is not The View walk off

So you think watching Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg walking off the set of The View because Bill O'Reilly is a dork is entertainment?

Ha!

In the real world, a neighbour's chicken breached our compound. And the hilarity ensued.



Just another day in Mexico.

from the "a place called Chiapas" dept.

San Cristobal's main cathedral

After a delay of about a year, I'm now back where I should be: The tropics. But in a new place: San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.

And damn, it feels good.

Wednesday was one long day. It started at 3:30am in Cochrane, Alberta. After driving to Calgary's airport, then flying to Houston, then flying to Tuxtla Gutierrez, then driving to San Cristobal, I arrived at my new home.

As it was dark, I didn't see much. Dennis and Kelly were waiting for me and we celebrated new beginnings with two bottles of cheap (but tasty) wine. I went to bed at 2am - almost 22.5 hours after the day began.

This morning I woke up to the sounds of roosters and church bells. Tired, I hung out at the house for a while. Then Dennis, Kelly, Lucy the Dog and I went for a stroll around town. We stopped for lemonade and watched the world go by.

Home Sweet Home

The weather is nice: cool and humid. And the vibe in town is very positive. I think I'm going to enjoy it here.

I'll take some pictures over the coming days. But for now, I'm just adjusting to a new life in a new country and an elevation of 7000 feet.

And away we go!

from the "hold your horses" dept.

Promises, promises.

I'm not in Mexico. Yet.

Long story short: I was unable to fly out of Calgary yesterday due to mechanical problems with the aircraft. This resulted in me missing my connection - the twice a week flight from Houston to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico. The next opportunity is Wednesday, Sept. 29.

So I'm back in Cochrane for 4 more days.

A longer story to come.

Cheers!

from the "where's waldo" dept.

Whew!

I never thought I'd say it but: I am tired of driving. As part of my Western Canada Goodbye Tour, I've put more than 7000km on my rental car (we like unlimited kms). I've been hither and yon, getting my life in order and visiting friends. It's been nice.

But I'm done. I don't think I can do another 10 hour/1000km drive for at least a year. Hell, last week I did something like 4000km. My arse hurts.

Now that I'm back in Cochrane, Alberta and there are less than 48 hours until my departure for Mexico, I have to attack my "to do" list with increased vigor. Not that there's much left to do. Mostly deciding what not to take and organizing the stuff staying in Dave's basement (thanks, Dave!).

There was snow earlier this week, and as I write this the air temperature is a frosty -2c. Time to join the rest of the ducks (patos) and head south for the winter. Although, that said, the skies are clear and the forecast high is a balmy 16c. Perhaps a quick trip to Banff?

In my head I have a plan for the coming months. But a lot of it depends on how things go. Interesting times, indeed.

Best get packing.

Cheers!

from the "vangroovy" dept

Home Sweet Home (one of 'em)

I should write a love song about being torn between two coasts. Left and right. East and west. Atlantic and Pacific.

How is it that I came to be so attracted to two cities so far from each other? Halifax and Vancouver. Talk about an expensive long distance relationship.

The songwriting is for another day. Today I'll focus on my current visit to the left coast. I've been here in Vancouver for a week now and I've been having a blast: Enjoying a social life, getting out and doing stuff, visiting old haunts.

Hanging with former VTV/CTV colleagues at the Irish Heather.

I've written before about my rekindled love affair with this city, and that hasn't changed. In fact, my love has grown -- especially as I now have something to compare it to (10 months in Edmonton). Talk about night and day.

It's far from perfect, but it's a damn nice place to hang out in. And maybe move back to, one day. Or, in the evil plan in my head: Live in the tropics from November to May. Live in Vancouver from June through August. And then Halifax for September and October. Wouldn't that be grand? Better put that on the white board.

I've still got a few places left to see and a few people left to visit. And then it's back to the Prairies. Getting stuff sorted in Calgary. Visiting Southwestern Saskatchewan for another photo safari. And even more, before heading down south on Sept 25.

It seems like there's lots of time between now and then. But the window is closing. And I better get my arse in gear...

Cheers!

from the "time machine" dept.

A book of dreams? Of history? Or just junk?

Despite my constant wanderings, I still keep a large storage unit just outside of Vancouver. It's big -- 7'x9'x7' -- and it's packed with the remainders (and reminders) of my material life.

There is some stuff in it that needs to go, like old furniture. There's some stuff that I want to keep, like travel souvenirs and books. And there's some stuff I have to keep, like 7 years of tax paperwork.

As much as I'd like to do away with it all, I can't. Due to the amount of stuff I have squirreled away and the logistics of paring it all down, the path of least resistance is to just keep it in storage for 100 bucks a month. For now, anyway.

Sadly, I totally fall into the storage company's business plan. Sucka!

Last weekend I went to visit my stuff at its home in a big warehouse in Delta, BC. I opened up my storage container and was nearly crushed by a cascade of cardboard boxes overflowing with reminders of my previous adventures, of which there have been a few. Paintings from Ghana. Sand from Malta. Beer cans from Portugal.

I wasn't visiting my stuff to risk life and limb or to take a stroll down a junky memory lane. No, I was looking for some specific stuff to take with me to Mexico at the end of the month: hiking shoes, rain gear and other assorted bits and pieces that I want to have down south.

In one big Rubbermaid tub, I spotted a thick black book. A Daytimer. The faux leather was cracked and pieces of paper stuck out from between its pages. Feeling like Indiana Jones, I blew off a layer of non-existent dust and threw it open.

Inside was a treasure trove of a past life. Specifically from the years 1996 and 1997, when, at a tender young age, I:

- Quit my job at CKY TV, Winnipeg
- Decided to travel to Bosnia to produce a documentary
- Went freelance and turned down an investment opportunity with Frantic Films (d'oh!)
- Moved to Vancouver to start a new television station (now CTV BC)

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Anyway... Inside the front cover, a clear pocket held a mix of memories. Vancouver Television business cards, notes from girlfriends (!) past, and a label from a long ago enjoyed Moosehead beer. But this was just the beginning. There were more old business cards, a yellowed Far Side cartoon and lists of phone numbers of current and not so current friends.

My favourite Far Side panel

Pages and pages of people, places and long forgotten important reminders including hockey games, Spanish lessons and fancy dinners in L.A.

Hangin' with Wolfie, no doubt.

I'd intended to toss the whole collection into the trash. But in my ongoing struggle to banish stuff my life, I find I win some battles and lose others. This one may be lost.

Can I really toss out a phone list from 1992? A stamp from the United Nations post office in New York? My Halifax and Dartmouth library cards?

Flotsam and Jetsam

A pragmatist would say yes. But I think I'll say no. Not because these bits and pieces in and of themselves mean much. But because taken together, they mark a major transition in my life when I quit a full-time job and travelled to distant lands before starting a fresh, new chapter.

Sort of like today.

from the "getting down to business" dept.

Today marks the beginning of my second week of not having to go into the office. And, somewhat oddly, it is also Labour Day.

Since arriving in Vancouver Friday, I have been poking away at things. Getting my papers in order for the upcoming tax season (talk about getting an early start!), sorting through the detritus of my life that resides in a distant storage unit, and buying small things to make living abroad easier (velcro!).

This week will see the white-boarding of the next year. Formulating a game plan, if you will. Crossing out distractions and focusing on a single goal: Income. It's going to be a bumpy ride, but thankfully, a slow one.

In just under 3 weeks, I'll head south to San Cristobal, Mexico, armed with firm goals and a financial buffer. Then the hard work begins.

As I prepare to return to the coffeelands, I am glued to the computer, following the tragic news coming out of Guatemala. Rain, landslides, death. It's not pretty and there seems to be no end in sight.

My friends who live around Lake Atitlan have an additional worry: The lake is rising. Fast. Businesses along the shore are threatened and there is little they can do to hold back the water. If the rains don't let up soon, the towns and villages that ring the lake could be in serious trouble.

While it is wet in San Cristobal and Chiapas state, they don't seem to be suffering the same problems as Guatemala. This is likely due to better infrastructure.

The landslides in Guatemala mean that travelling on almost any highway is now very dangerous. The earth is saturated and very unstable. The latest death toll is estimated at 50. Not good.

This also means that visiting San Pedro likely won't happen for a while. If whole hillsides keep collapsing on the main roads, there will be no way to drive down. And there is no direct air service other than a circuitous route involving long bus rides and flights through neighbouring counties.

So in the interim, I have toes and fingers crossed for the people of Guatemala. And I continue ticking off items on my "to do" list.

And so it goes...

from the "day 4" dept.

Go West...

So far, the first week of the latest chapter has been going well.

I've sorted through my stuff, tagging items as "to be sold", "to be junked" and "to be taken to Vancouver". I've also made Cochrane my official address and alerted anyone who cares.

I continue to pitch a writing project centred on the Celtic Colours music festival this October in Cape Breton. No bites yet. It seems a long shot.

In the meantime, I'm preparing to depart for Vancouver tomorrow (Friday 9/2). I'm going to drive there, leaving first thing in the morning to hopefully avoid crazy long weekend traffic -- especially between Hope and Vancouver. I hit that the last time I drove out and it was BRUTAL.

I'll stay in Vancouver for a week or so, sorting through my storage unit in an attempt to reduce the amount of flotsam and jetsam that I have. Spending $100/month to store what is essentially crap makes no sense. I want to whittle it down to just photos/papers/negatives/travel trinkets -- and find a smaller, cheaper storage solution.

Four days into this new life I feel pretty confident. I've been poking away at formulating a plan for Mexico (I head there 9/25). And everything seems to be going smoothly. And it's funny: The last 10 months have seemingly disappeared from my memory. Weird.

And so it goes...

from the "day 1" dept.

So, the first Monday sans gig. How did it go? GREAT!

I got up early. Drank a pot of coffee. Fiddled with computer stuff. Changed my eyeglass order. Caught up on some email. Talked to the HR department.

And then I drove to Banff and Lake Louise for lunch. Just because. I guess I'll be thankful for that!

More to come...

Cheers!

from the "turn that frown upside down" dept.

I'm not quite sure when the latest chapter of my life actually begins. For some reason I think it should be Monday. But in reality, the page was turned when I left Edmonton on the bus yesterday.

Rather than look back and complain about the last 10 months -- it was my choosing AND there were many benefits -- I'll look forward and try to be thankful for things. With that in mind (and just a wee bit of looking back):

Friday August 27, 2010 - I'm thankful for the nice send off at work -- and those who attended post-work drinks.

Saturday August 28, 2010 - I'm thankful for Trisha and Ella for getting me to the bus. And Dave for picking me up in Calgary and driving me to the airport to get my rental (surprise!). Also Dave and Karen for a great dinner, party and introduction to several new people.

Sunday August 29, 2010 - I'm thankful for Karen giving me aspirin this morning. Trisha & Graeme for the lobster they brought back from Nova Scotia (which I just ate) -- and also for a roof over my head for the past two weeks. And to Dave, yet again, for providing another roof. And storage.

And so it goes... (with a lot of help from my friends)

from the "life reset" dept.

"Which way to San Cristobal?"

And so, it begins.

This morning finds me in a completely different situation than yesterday. My gig is over. I'm about to leave Edmonton. And the sky is still firmly fixed above.

I'm reminded of a quote by the Grinch, when he awakens Christmas morning to find that Christmas had arrived despite his best efforts:

It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags!

And sure enough, despite taking a giant leap of faith, a bright new day arrived. I'm healthy, have money in the bank and a new direction in life.

So far so good.

Today will see me leaving Edmonton. I have a one-way bus ticket for Calgary. My ol' pal Dave (from the Halifax chapter of my life) will pick me up and I'll hang at his place in Cochrane for a few days. Then I pick up my rental car for some Prairie and West Coast exploring.

A return to Southwestern Saskatchewan is high on the list, as is a stroll on Chesterman Beach outside Tofino.

Mexico isn't far off. September 25. But with the upcoming buffer, I'll be relaxed and ready to hit the ground running -- or a similar cliche.

I had a nice send off at the office on Friday. A long-term staffer (Ivor the amazing IT guru) was also leaving. Thankfully he took most of the spotlight. Sometimes I like being the centre of attention. Sometimes not. It worked out well.

After finishing the workday I headed to a local watering hole for drinks with my (now former) boss Jessica, the newest member of communications Sarah, and a team of reporters (Min, Faiz & Charles). Plus Dan, the lucky winner of my job.

It was a nice way to end the week and the experience. I also received a nice card from the folks in the newsroom.

At the end of the day, most of the frustration I felt was not about work, but about place. If this gig had been in Vancouver, Halifax or even Calgary, I'd be on board for another year. But Doug and Edmonton are like oil and water. I didn't expect that.

Time to pack and get on that bus... Southern Alberta awaits...

Cheers!

from the "a (small) change in plans" dept.

Thursday, August 26, eh? Crazy.

One day of work left. Two sleeps in Edmonton left. Crazy.

It's been a busy week: Getting stuff ready, looking after a house, garden, two cats and a dog, plus training my replacement.

Now that I've cycled up the big hill, it's time to coast down the other side. Work should be easy on Friday with cleaning out my stuff and submitting forms. I believe all my work related communication tools will expire at 5. Whatever.

Because it's rainy season in Southern Mexico, I've decided to delay my departure from Canada by nearly four weeks. No sense rushing down there for the cold and wet when the best time of year (fall) is almost upon our great Dominion.

I'm still beating a hasty retreat from Edmonton on Saturday. I'll hang in Calgary/Cochrane for a few days. And then I'll rent a (cheap) car and drive to Vancouver for a bit of work, a bit of play and a whole lot of organizing. If the planets align, I hope to spend a night or two in the Tofino area getting spiritual and eating my face off at Sobo (you had me at deep fried polenta).

I wish I could fit in some Galiano time, but my cottage of choice is booked solid. Boo.

No matter. A bit of transition is in order and I'll be heading south on Sept 25. A little poorer, but a lot more relaxed and ready to work for me and my future.

I can't wait!

from the "four to go" dept.

It was a weird day.

Work was OK, if a little slow. It got better at the end of the day.

No, it wasn't work that made it a weird day. It was me: Thinking.

About what, you may wonder?

Edmonton, I guess. Even though I leave here with few good memories (which is not to say I leave with bad ones -- just no memories, really), I wonder if I didn't give the city a chance. Did I judge it too harshly and too early? Did I set up a self-fulfilling prophecy?

That's what I was thinking about.

And, to answer my own question: I think I did give it a shot. I went to a few events, I tried to have fun. But it's hard to make your own fun. I'm not one for doing absolutely everything on my own. Companionship is nice.

It bothered me hearing about work parties after the fact. It bothered me that my cellphone never rang. It bothered me that the only times I did anything was with people I already knew.

Can you tell I'm not much of a civic booster? Can you tell that I just want to let it all out? It's coming.

Meanwhile: The future. I'm thinking I might delay my departure to Mexico by a week or two. It would give me some time to enjoy Canadian fall and spend a bit more time down in Calgary. There's no rush, really. The only rush was getting out of my rented home.

Time for a glass of wine, methinks. And more pondering.

And so it goes.

from the "inching forward" dept.

Today is Sunday, Aug. 22nd. Generally, it's an unremarkable day -- cool, gray, fall is definitely in the air. But there is one remarkable thing about today. It is the last Sunday I will spend in Edmonton.

In less than a week I will have relocated to Cochrane, Alberta. What little stuff I have is now there, the last of it hauled down yesterday.

Between here and there lie 6 days in Edmonton and 5 days of work. But it's no holiday I'm about to embark on. It's a big test -- a challenge to see if I can walk the walk and make a living from my creativity, business skills and the internet.

Can I? I hope so.

But, worst case scenario, I'll return to Canada. Not Edmonton. I won't make that mistake again. But somewhere like Toronto where freelance jobs are as plentiful as dandilions in a prairie meadow. Or, at least that's what I like to believe.

It feels good to be winding things down. I'm free of my apartment. I'm free of my stuff. And soon, I'll be free of what has been a most challenging and unexpected year in Edmonton. It's too bad that the last 10 months weren't spent in Vancouver or Calgary or Winnipeg or Halifax. I would be leaving with a heavier heart. But I am overjoyed to be leaving Edmonton. And I won't be looking back.

It's too bad, because, by and large, I had a good job in a good environment. But Edmonton and I didn't click. And that is the primary reason for my departure at his point.

Like I keep saying: I'll write more on my relationship with Edmonton once I'm out of town. But I'm bursting at the seams to let it all out. And, boy, will it feel good.

And so it goes...

Cheers!

How To Be A Travel Writer

How To Be A Travel Writer:

There are lots of books, e-books, courses and seminars that claim to tell you how to be a travel writer. Some are good. Some are a waste of money. But, for absolutely no cost, I'll tell you the secrets you need to know so that you too can make money while traveling.

I won't go into a long-winded story about my past. But I will tell you this: I get paid for my words and images and so can you. You want proof? Here's a sample of my work: online, in print, photos, and more.

So let's get started!

1. Talent - You need to be able to write well. Period. This is something you can't fake. And if you don't have a good handle on the English (or any) language, you will not be successful. If you want to improve, I suggest taking a creative writing course and reading Strunk & White's The Elements of Style: 50th Anniversary Edition. That book is your bible. Read it. Know it. Live it.

2. Read - Read travel writing online, in newspapers, and travel literature. Get a library card and read everything you can. What do you like? What moves you? Emulate that.

3. Style - You need to have a style. Whether it's nuts-and-bolts or flowery prose. Hone your style. Become the king of your style. And you can have more than one!

4. Practice - Just write. Write about your town. Someone you know. Get a feel for color and structure. Does it makes sense? Do you like it? Let others read what you've written. Do they like it? Why? Do they hate it? Why? But don't be too critical! You're likely your own worst enemy when it comes to reviewing your material. I never read anything after it's been published. Why? Because I always feel I could have made it better. And once it's out there -- it's out there! Let it go!

5. Travel - You don't have to go far, but you have to go. And then witness things. Make notes. I use a pad and a portable audio recorder. Be meticulous. Take pictures. These can add extra dollars to potential sales if the quality is good enough. A small digital camera helps with note taking too: Photograph signs, names, menus. You'll thank me later!

6. Write - Luckily for you, almost anything can be a story. I've written about Chernobyl and Karaoke in Belize. But do you could write about a local museum or event.

7. Markets - Ah, selling! This is the tough part. These days it's getting harder to find buyers. But they do exist and you can make a living as a writer -- but it takes work. A lot of work. You have to think about your writing as a business. Target your piece to the relevant publisher. Don't send a story on golfing to a surfing magazine. To find markets you can buy the latest 2010 Writer's Market Deluxe (Writer's Market Online) or create your own list. That's what I did.

I spent several weeks combing through the internet in search of every English language newspaper in the world -- and for the email address of their travel/feature editors. Once I had that, I was able to send out query letters with machine-like precision. My goal isn't to sell the list, but since it took so much time (and really, our time is all we have to sell -- whether we're writers, engineers or nuclear physicists) to create, that I think it's only fair to be compensated. This is a business, remember! If you're interested, just drop me a note.

If you know another language, why not pitch publications in that language as well. And, don't forget that if you know people who speak different languages, you can hire them to help you translate your story. The more markets, the more money.

8. Sell-Sell-Sell - If you're just starting out, I've got some bad news. You'll likely have to write on spec(ulation). What does this mean? You work (write) and then pitch your completed story in the hopes that someone will buy it. Eventually you'll get to the point where your portfolio speaks for itself and you can just pitch ideas to editors. Writing on spec isn't necessarily a bad thing. It'll help you practice your craft and hone your skills. I know that Wanderism.com is always looking for travel pieces. They don't pay (yet), but they do give you a venue for your work. Email Wanderism.

Sometimes you'll be offered a low price. That may be disheartening, but it doesn't have to be. If you sell the rights to your piece for one-time only and to a restricted geographical area -- you can sell the same stories multiple times. My Chernobyl story? I made $3000 by selling it several times. My mantra is simple: Do something once, sell it many times.

9. Tools - I almost need a page dedicated to good travel writer kit. If you're on the road, keep it basic. I recommend: A notebook. A good pen. A digital voice recorder. A good, compact, tough point and shoot camera. A laptop (I prefer Macs on the road). And, because you can't write all the time, a Kindle!

That's it! And you can likely leave the laptop at home.

10. Benefits - Being a travel writer sounds like a lot of hard work. It is. Period. And you likely will never become rich doing it. But there are loads of benefits:

- Free Travel: Once you're established, you can often join junkets provided by airlines, resorts, hotels. The catch is that you have to write about your experiences on the junket. Are you selling your soul? Not if you're honest!

- More Free Stuff: Armed with your business card and portfolio, the words "Do you host travel writers?" can open many doors -- especially hotels -- for free! Don't make promises you can't keep. Do tell them you're researching. You'd be surprised by how friendly the tourism industry is to writers these days.

- Fame, Fortune and Romance: Heck, you're a travel writer! Enjoy it!

Best of luck with your endeavors... keep me posted on your progress!

Hot and Fresh Wanderism

When travelling in West Africa, I noticed a peculiar thing – Western tourists snubbed me.

The whole story is on Wanderism.com -- Click HERE.