What It’s REALLY Like To Vacation For Work

“You have a dream job.”

I’ve heard it so many times before. Because I write about travel, people think I vacation for a living and that when I’m not traveling, I’m likely booking my next ticket to Mozambique/Tahiti/Paris on someone else’s dime. Sadly, not so. (However, if you do find such a career, please send me the information on how to apply.)

The reality is far less glamorous. I’ve been penning travel pieces for magazines for the better part of a decade now. I’ve co-authored more than a dozen guidebooks. I’ve visited upward of 100 countries (some paid for by an employer, but more often than not, I foot the bill). And, I love what I do. But, it’s hardly the “dream” everyone thinks it is (really, what job is?). Ahead, the behind-the-scenes details of my job — the good, the bad, and the honest.