Next in our series of interviews with taste-makers in the world of travel, we connect with Patricia Schultz, author of the international bestsellers, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die (now with nearly three million copies in print and translated into 25 languages) and 1,000 Places To See in the USA and Canada Before You Die. A veteran travel journalist with 25 years of experience, she has written for Frommer’s, Berlitz and Access travel guides, as well as BusinessWeek, Oprah and Real Simple. She also executive-produced a Travel Channel television show based on her book, 1,000 Places To See Before You Die. Where is your hometown?
Beacon, New York — a small, pretty town of 12,000 or so in the mid-Hudson Valley that is 90 miles north of New York City. I still return regularly.
Where do you live now?
New York City. I love this town! For me to get from Beacon to New York City, I first had to travel the world.
Is there one place in the world you would recommend that people visit?
I think that since travel is so precious — we are all time-poor! — one should follow one’s interests. If you are passionate about nature, then visit the Amazon of Peru, Ecuador or Brazil, or definitely make an African safari happen to any of the east and southern countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa. If art is your thing, all of Italy will keep you enthralled. Food buffs will be in heaven in Thailand, Italy, Morocco, and for the more adventurous, China and Japan. The list goes on!
What was your favorite vacation as a child? Is there anything that truly stands out about it in your memories? Our annual vacations were modest and predictable, a five-hour drive to Atlantic City, New Jersey. I was packed and in the back seat of the family station wagon ready to go a week in advance. It was nothing exotic or grand, but explain that to a six-year-old. I remember that everything was new, novel and exciting — and the beach was open and endless. The boardwalk, with its penny arcades and salt-water taffy stores! I thought I had died and gone to heaven.
Who/what from a different heritage or culture inspires you the most? What about them/it inspires you? Whenever I travel with small groups, I usually gravitate to someone whose spirit and interests are similar to my own. I will always ask them what their favorite trips have been and why. I just met the loveliest, and extremely well-traveled, 70-year-old woman who convinced me I had to see Papua, New Guinea and went on to explain why. One person’s first-hand descriptions far transcend all the guide books and glossy websites out there.
Tell us about your most recent trip.
I recently returned from a six-country expedition throughout southern Africa. I was excited (and not disappointed) about the game-life viewing. It is completely unscripted and unpredictable. You can drive for hours and see nothing or see a remarkable amount in just five minutes. But the beauty of those game drives is also in the anticipation, the early morning light, the sounds of birds and monkeys, the wealth of knowledge the trackers and guides share with you about the area and the behavior of its inhabitants, and ultimately, returning to camp with dinner under the stars. Africa is magical. Everyone should try to make an African safari happen at least once in a lifetime.
Readers: What’s on your list of places to see before you die? Tell us in the comments section below!
This is an ongoing series of interviews with prominent figures in the world of travel, history and culture. Previously featured: Veronica Stoddard from USA Today.
Photo Credit: Diana Allford
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