Farsighted Fly Girl

With TBEX Dublin coming up soon, I've been ruminating on my experience at TBEX Toronto . A lot of bloggers have asked me about whether it's a worthwhile conference and how such a big and buzzy event can be helpful for independent-minded bloggers. In my opinion, it all depends on who you are and where you are in your travel blogging journey. I was a speaker at the very first TBEX , when it was just a gathering of  travel bloggers and writers meeting up in Chicago. Maybe there were a 100 people at that meeting in the Chicago Cultural Center but it seemed more intimate. That was four years ago. TBEX Toronto attracted 1200 attendees. It didn't seem intimate, it didn't seem like just a gathering. It was a BIG EVENT.  There were pre-tours and post tours and parties and speed dating and lots of drama. If you are an introvert and don't deal well with crowds, you probably wouldn't find TBEX that enjoyable. If you don't like the idea of corporate sponsorship or a

I know this totally looks like an arranged scene but I was lucky to grab this classic shot of a paleta  vendor relaxing in the Puerto Vallarta sun. The vivid colors of the hammock and dress, accented by the perfect, sun-blocking tilt of his hat makes this one of my favorite travel images this year. I think it showcases the appeal of Mexican culture, from the traditional textiles and importance of entrepreneurs, to the natural tropical beauty, all in one snap.

Besides maple syrup,moose are probably the most common symbol of Canada's expansive natural beauty. I've tasted lots of maple syrup but I've never seen a moose up close so I was excited to hike through the Gaspe Peninsula's Chic Choc Mountain s and track moose.  Chic Choc ( pronounced shick-shock) means impenetrable in the First nation Mic-Mac language and the mountains did indeed present an endless maze of jaw-dropping vistas that I certainly wouldn't have navigated without our sure-footed guide, Jean Pierre. We spotted a female moose (no antlers) early in our trek and I couldn't believe our luck. I was close enough to watch her delicately select leaves to munch but she didn't seem to be fazed by the presence of five gawking humans. Staring directly at us, she calmly marched away, convinced that there was nothing we could do to all 600 pounds of her. She personified the phrase, "large and in charge." The moose was huge but we

The stench arrives before you even spot them. Sailing to Bonaventure Island, absorbing the stunning scenery, you realize that you're near the world's second largest Northern Gannet breeding colony when the noxious aroma of pounds of bird poop accosts your nose. But the wonder of the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of birds quickly helps you forget that. Gazing at them from a distance, they don't even look like birds but blankets of white, covering slabs of rock. Even if I didn't know that these were birds I soon received sticky proof in the form of bird poop dropped on my shoulders from the 250 foot nesting cliffs. I was glad to arrive on the island and wander the pretty trails lined with lush greenery. We hiked through the cleared trails that lead to the birds. We hiked up hills. And down hills. And through forests. And we hiked some more. Finally, there were the birds. Flapping, squawking, flying, everywhere. Everywhere you tu