I have my passport, press/media pass, laptop...any other documents, etc?What should travel journalists pack for traveling?I'm a travel writer for a group of newspapers in Florida. Whenever I travel I always do my best to keep my mind wide open and try not to let preconceived prejudices or stereotypes color my impressions of the people, cultures and places I visit.
As for practical stuff, I keep my notebook/journal (a real, honest-to-goodness paper one in which I write with a real pen!), extra SD cards for my camera, and a jump drive to periodically download any valuable materials from my laptop (which can get dropped, stolen, left behind, etc, but the jump drive never leaves my person). On my last trip over, my laptop fell out of my backpack in the airport before I even left the U.S. Thank goodness a friend was able to snap my wireless card back into place! But the point is, equipment fails, while ink on paper takes a long, long time to fade.
I also carry my press pass, but many times I don't use it, because as soon as a site operator (hotel or inn keeper, restaurant manager, PR/marketing person, owner, etc.) finds out I'm press, I get fawned all over. While I love the attention, I don't get to experience the place as my readers would as regular members of the public. Unless I'm writing a "behind-the-scenes" story, which I arrange in advance, I try to experience most places as a paying member of the public.
Also, make sure you have a good guidebook about the places you are going. I specialize in Europe and love "Let's Go: Europe," Rick Steves' "Europe Through the Back Door" and the DK "Eyewitness Travel" guides. Do as much homework in advance as you can. Not only will it help you as you write your stories, but it will also help you know when you are being handed piles of B.S. or if pertinent details are being purposely left out of your escorted tour!
Last but not least, don't forget your A/P style guide! Good luck on your first assignment abroad!What should travel journalists pack for traveling?Brian, can you e-mail me? I'd like to get more advice from you on the entire press pass situation! Thanks, My e-mail is jennifer.droese@yahoo.com.
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What should travel journalists pack for traveling?i travel all the time. if you are working while on vaction i would defintally bring my laptop and a camra. Also if you are studding objedts or nature that is not people maby a map and book of nature that lives in the area.
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