Fancy life as a luxury travel writer? Would you like to be whisked around the world, all expenses paid being wined and dined in some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, resorts and hotels?
For Leah Walker it is a dream come true. The Texan girl gave up her former career as a teacher to become a fulltime travel writer only a few years ago. She now writes articles for prestigious publications such as Bonjour Paris, Luxe Beat Magazine and Forbes Travel Guide to name a few.
Despite the glamour and perks that come with the job (she was heading off the next day to Austria to interview caste members of the Sound of Music in celebration of the movies 50th anniversary) Leah’s job is not easy or her real life as glamorous as her alter ego writer gets to portray.
During our interview she shares the realities of travel writing and what you need to be prepared for if you plan on following in her footsteps.
You can follow Leah more closely via her blog at http://leahtravels.com
What I learned from Leah’s interview:
Travel writing may look glamorous but it’s hard work and means writing on the move. It’s important to realize the difference between the image that is portrayed in articles and the real life of a travel writer, who seldom gets to live at that standard in their home life. That said it offers many opportunities and as Leah says herself – it’s not the worst job she has had! Sometimes the best travel experiences are the unexpected and the free. Leah’s opportunity to stand atop the roofs of Paris was a delightful surprise as well as her special dinner out. Even when shipped around the world to exotic locations and 5 star adventures she always takes time out to get into the street and discover the real world of the places she goes. Travel is still all about people. They are her best memories of many of the places she has been and again emphasizes that you don’t need to be living luxury to be getting the best out of your travel experiences.