‘On to Plan C’ is a riveting travelogue that chronicles your unforgettable post-pandemic journey, capturing the essence of exploration, resilience, and beauty. Why was this an important book for you to write?

After having international travel sidelined for two-and-a-half years, it was imperative for me to get back on the road. While my first two books focused on past travels, I wanted this one to center on the current state of travel. Seeing how travel had changed and how it had stayed the same was an interesting draw as well. This is also the first collection to include my photography. I liked the challenge of finding the right photos to enhance the narrative. It meant this book took a little longer to edit, but it was worth the effort.

As you transitioned from one unique location to another, how did you keep your narrative cohesive and maintain the balance between cultural insights and personal experiences? 

While each journey is told in a separate chapter, I was aware that it was all part of a collective. As such, I refer back to prior chapters or experiences now and again and also look ahead at times. I also included the thought process of my travels. I begin in Fiji, for instance, because that was the first trip canceled in 2020 (and I had a flight credit about to expire). I next headed to Europe as two previously planned trips for that summer, sailing up West Africa and a trip to Russia, had both fallen through, leading to the Plan C of the title.

I’ve always tried to balance insights and experiences with my travel writing. I find facts and figures interesting, though I try to avoid going on and on as readers might not find everything as interesting as I do. And, for me, a large part of travel is personal encounters, so including snippets of dialogue and sharing adventures helps flesh out the writing and bring the reader along with me.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

I wanted this book to capture a moment in time. We had all gone through this seemingly endless pandemic together, and I wanted to focus on the return to normalcy. For me, that entails getting back on the road, including long- and short-haul flights, baggage claims, shuttles, taxis, hop-on hop-off busses, trains, and longships. I wanted to show how much of this has returned to normal, though with a few modifications here and there.

What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?

That the world is back open and ready to be explored. It’s still a good idea to do some research to keep up with ever-changing requirements, though most have now all been lifted. If you’re still deciding whether to explore, then I hope my travelogues and photos will provide a vicarious inspiration.

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