When I was in my twenties, my first really big media break came when I was invited to New York City to be on Arthur Frommer’s cable TV show. I remember Arthur putting his arm around my shoulder, looking into the camera, and — as if introducing me to the world —declaring, “Ladies and gentlemen, Rick Steves, the new Steve Birnbaum, Eugene Fodor, Temple Fielding of the travel guide industry.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I was just a scruffy kid who loved to travel and share my experiences. I was scrappy for publicity, and here Arthur was using his show to boost me. (By the way, those names — Frommer, Birnbaum, Fodor, Fielding — are from a bygone age when publishers were more willing to promote individual authors rather than brands.)
Today, a generation later, I find myself getting great joy from sharing my audience with other travelers who are, perhaps, the new Frommers, Birnbaums, Fodors, and Fieldings themselves.
Stay tuned for our new Travelers’ Café: a collection of blogs and travel journals designed to share the voices of people I consider inspirational travelers…people who may well travel with a gutsier spirit of adventure than I would these days, and who have a super-experiential approach to travel that’s well worth sharing. (And, OK, and some of them will be relatives whose trips I am personally thrilled with.)
Here’s an example: My niece has an uncle who loves her passion for inspiring children in the developing world to open up their hearts as they embrace life. She’s just flown to India to kick off an amazing project called “Hearts of the World,” which will result in a gallery show in New York City (where she works as an artist). She just landed in India and shared this quick note after half a day on the ground there:
Hey Rick!
Wow! We arrived in Delhi at 5:30 this morn… and already have had the craziest time, with so many hilarious scammers and nonsense and roundabouts. We’ve met a Sunny, a Chopra, an Ali, and a Rocky… We’ve learned how to say thank you, sorry, and crazy in Hindi, have been offered and drank three masala teas, and have found that in our hotel, nothing works. We are having such a great day! I feel so so alive and present. Based on this one morning alone it is clear that the blog is going to be immensely rich with content. Even the smallest task here is often a ridiculous and winding journey. This is my first chance at internet since we left NY and right now I am setting up the first blog and will email you and the crew when it is posted. :)
I already have soooooo much material and it’s only 1pm. Thanks for your support. I’m excited to make this project amazing.
More soon!!
xoxo Nic
You can follow Nicolina’s upcoming adventures at nicolinaart.tumblr.com.
