Where in the World Are You, Elizabeth Fraser?

By Elizabeth Fraser on October 29, 2009 8:51 PM | Permalink | 0 Comments

The subject of our latest interview with a Travel Channel staff member out in the world: Elizabeth Fraser. She just sent in this post:

Where in the world are you?

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Where in the World Are You, JP Abello?

By JP Abello on October 16, 2009 3:11 PM | Permalink | 1 Comment

The subject of our first interview with a Travel Channel staff member out in the world: JP Abello. He recently sent in this post:

Where in the world are you?

Continue Reading Where in the World Are You, JP Abello? .

Chau Hoang: How I Got the Travel Bug

By Chau Hoang on September 30, 2009 10:14 AM | Permalink | 3 Comments

I think this blog post could be more aptly titled "My Family is Awesome," because they are the reason I have the travel bug. My parents came from half a world away in Vietnam to meet each other and start a family in Washington, D.C., and they've passed it on to my siblings and me. I was born with it.

From the time I was old enough to talk and walk, my mom made sure I knew that the world was a much bigger place than my safe bubble of Bethesda. And that there was so much to see, hear and smell. There was no food too exotic and no such thing as a picky eater. If she gave me eel to eat, I ate it. Fifty-eight years into it, she still needs to see what the rest of the world holds.

My dad was -- and still is -- documenting every moment of every trip. While my siblings and I moaned in embarrassment every time my dad posed us for a picture, I am forever grateful. The latest technology has allowed me to look back through my life and re-live it through pictures and video. And if you know me, you know a camera is never far from my side.

My brothers and sisters are my partners in crime. We have circled the globe together. If they have the vacation time, any city, state, or country I throw out there, they're in. We have spent 12-hour plane rides together, five-hour ferry rides, and countless car trips. And we haven't killed each other yet.

Chau Hoang is part of the well-oiled machine that is production management at Travel Channel.

On Which Beach Would You Most Like to be Stranded, Katelyn Balach?

By Katelyn Balach on September 14, 2009 4:33 AM | Permalink | 2 Comments

Summer beach season is over here in the U.S. But what if it didn't have to be? What if you could be stranded on a beach somewhere in the world and have an endless summer? What beach would you pick? We asked members of the Travel Channel staff to share their beach and what they'd bring to their sandy slice of heaven.

On which beach would you most like to be stranded?

I would love to be stranded on West Bay Beach in Roatan, Honduras.

Why that beach?

It's perfect: quiet, hot from the sun, warm water, and there's a beach bar close by.

What's the perfect soundtrack for your beach?

Island jams, for sure -- reggaeton, dance hall, and reggae. The combination of smooth beats and fast tracks is an ideal soundtrack for the day.

What's the perfect drink for your beach?

Two words: Panty Ripper. This cool, tropical drink made from pineapple juice and coconut rum is just right for a day at the beach! On a side note, I have a hidden talent involving my drink…

What three other things would you bring with you?

I would definitely take dive gear, my best friend, and a camera to document the day. Roatan has amazing and exotic creatures looming under the surface of the water just waiting for me to discover. I would also want some company, so one of my best friends would be a key ingredient to a day at the beach. Lastly, I don't go anywhere without my camera. West Bay Beach is breathtaking and I would need to snap away.

Katelyn Balach is Publicity Assistant for Travel Channel.

On Which Beach Would You Most Like to be Stranded, JP Abello?

By JP Abello on September 9, 2009 8:39 AM | Permalink | 2 Comments

Summer beach season is over here in the U.S. But what if it didn't have to be? What if you could be stranded on a beach somewhere in the world and have an endless summer? What beach would you pick? We asked members of the Travel Channel staff to share their beach and what they'd bring to their sandy slice of heaven.

On which beach would you most like to be stranded?

Strand me away on Praia da Mareta in Sagres, Portugal! 

Most tourists stay in nearby Lagos. Unfortunately, its popularity can also make Lagos seem like Spring Break Daytona Beach -- college co-eds with their beer bong tables included -- even during the pre-high season month of May, which was when I visited.

Luckily, Sagres is only a 30-minute bus ride from Lagos, and Praia da Mareta is a quick walk from the center of town. Thus, the place is perfect for a daytrip. Or, for the purpose of this blog, a doomed "three hour tour."

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