OBX, North Carolina – I am currently on assignment in the Outer Banks and the North Carolina coast. It’s not the most exotic destination I have ever written about, but it is a meaningful one.
The last time I visited North Carolina was in 1999. Daddio and I had fled Russia after an international incident. (Someday I will write a book about that.) We were staying with relatives in Washington DC, trying to figure out what to do next. I was intrigued by travel writing, and had gotten somebody’s attention at Lonely Planet. They asked for a sample guidebook chapter – about a destination of my choice – to assess my research and writing skills. So Daddio and I planned a spontaneous weekend away in Durham, North Carolina – my very first research trip as a would-be travel writer. One thing led to another, and here I am, still at it a quarter of a century later.
I never expected that I would do this job for 25 years. It is not easy and it’s definitely not lucrative. But somehow, I have not been able to stop. And really, how lucky am I that somebody pays me to travel this amazing planet, sample its diverse cultures and natural wonders, and – best of all – share those experiences with others. How lucky am I.