Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
4 Non Blondes vocalist Linda Perry said she is a light packer: “I can leave with only a toothbrush. I am a light packer. I don’t like to bring a lot and I feel (like) if I need something, I can just buy it. That’s what you end up doing anyways when you go somewhere — we consume.”
“I first traveled (to Japan) as a kid with my father, who was a flight captain for a big German airline,” said “Devils” star Pia Mechler. “I was lucky to have seen many exotic destinations already at a young age, but Japan took my breath away. It’s a culture clash between the hyper-modern and the extremely traditional. I have loved it ever since and I cannot wait to travel there again.”
“I remember taking the train from Boston to Miami to visit my grandparents when I was four,” said “Rockabye Baby” co-founder Lisa Roth. “We stayed in a hotel with a huge pool, which was all very exciting. I clearly remember climbing out of the pool with a tummy ache, climbing into my mother’s arms and throwing up into the front pocket of her polka dot, terry cloth coverup. It was a perfect aim and a great trip.”
Photographer Bob Gruen says photographing John Lennon and Yoko Ono in New York City was easy, because even though people recognized them, the famous couple was left alone.
“Eat where the locals eat and do what the locals do,” said singer-songwriter Bonnie Whitmore. “That’s the only way to have an authentic experience.”
“My experience in Ghana was like nothing else,” says “Why Didn’t We Riot?: A Black Man in Trumpland” author Issac J. Bailey. “Even amid some devastating pockets of destitution, the smiles and greetings residents there had for visitors like me made it feel as though I had returned to Myrtle Beach.”
Former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung tackles the world of K-pop in her Young Adult novel, “Shine.” “I took a lot of inspiration from what it was like for me,” says Jung. “I wanted it to be entertaining and authentic at the same time, so there’s a balance of real details and escapist fictional elements.”
Musician Cheryl B. Engelhardt said working on “Luminary” in Greece was an experience she will always cherish.
“K-Pop Confidential” author Stephan Lee said his numerous trips to South Korea helped him when it came time to set the tone for his young adult novel.
“I love camping,” says “The Vanishing” actress Lily Anne Harrison. “I’m from Oregon, so I love anything that takes me outside. I grew up appreciating the outdoors. Also, I just love the adventure of an RV trip.”