Hello. Last year and 2009 has been crazy busy. In 2008, I took on five Lonely Planet projects back-to-back: Burma, New York City, the Russian Far East for the Trans-Siberian Railway guide, Bulgaria for Eastern Europe and finally Colombia. I returned to New York with just enough time to settle in to welcome my first kid, a daughter Ruby born on January 20, 2009.
Feel free to hit ‘Contact’ on the thumb tabs above to say ‘hello.’ I’ll be checking email fairly regularly.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting WHAT A GREAT YEAR 2009 IS FOR TRAVEL. Everyone’s talking about the fall of the tourism industry — and true enough, it’s down (the Wall Street Journal reported a 22% drop in 2008) — but it’s a great year for the traveler. Particularly the American traveler. The US dollar is up 50% on the British pound from a year ago, and 20% on the Euro — meaning one can visit those places for more time for the same money. Meanwhile, airfare deals online are dropping, Hawaii trips are 30% less, and flights to Asia and Australia are falling under the $1000 mark.
IF I COULD GO ANYWHERE IN 2009? I’d take a motorcycle trip around the Vietnam north, go to Nicaragua or canoeing in moose country at Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.
