Some people collect stamps. I collect travel bugs. Dengue fever in Honduras. Food poisoning in India. Cellulitis in Indonesia. An intestinal parasite in Colombia. 

To be clear, I did not choose this hobby. It chose me. 

Sure, I could abandon international travel to avoid it. But where’s the adventure in that? I mean, total solar eclipses aren’t going to chase themselves around the planet.

Besides, staying home doesn’t guarantee good health, either. So, I choose to take my chances abroad, and take notes. After all, sometimes a good story is better than a good time.

Travel Bug Collector is where I share those stories. Hopefully someone reading them will learn from my mistakes, and the lessons I learned while making them. 

When I’m not collecting travel bugs abroad, I live and work in San Francisco, doing freelance journalism and strategic communications consulting.