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Wednesday, 28 Feb 07
Living the dream last fall in Termas de Chillan, Chile. Photo by Gabe Rogel
Ultimately I want to be a contributing editor to an adventure magazine that pays me to travel the world and write about my adventures. In the beginning, I have learned it's all about networking and persistence. Sometimes I have to front the costs of a trip assuming I will get the story published down the road. Sometimes plans go awry. It's a risky business, but worth it.
Since I have consciously imagined my life the way I want it and made the necessary contacts, opportunities have started to emerge. This winter I was approached by my friend (and SheJumper) Jessica Baker, owner of Ski Divas, international women's ski camps. She invited me to a 13-day ski-mountaineering adventure in the French Alps. I accepted of course.
My flight was slated to take off from Idaho Falls at 8:10 a.m. a.m. I had a one-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of me, but with the blizzard it could likely be forever. It was 4:30 a.m. So I stepped on it ...
And ended up on a snowbank with two tires spinning in the air. Perfect. After a ticket from the Highway Patrol man for "going to fast" (even if he didn't see the crash or clock my speed), and paying the tow man $125 to pull my car 10 feet off the snowbank, I luckily was able to drive back home. Time to re-book my flight.
I could have given up at this point.
Expedia.com lady: "Well, for a $230 processing fee we can try to credit your ticket to the next flight out of Jackson, but the flights out tomorrow are $3,000."
Me: "So I would be paying about $2,000 on top of my already purchased ticket?"
Expedia.com lady: "Yes."
Me: "Hell no!"
So I tried to deal with the airline directly.
Northwest reservation specialist: "Even though there are two flights going out of Idaho Falls to Geneva tomorrow, we can't credit you. You have to buy a new ticket."
Me: "What? How much are they?"
NRS: "About $3,000."
Me: "Hell no! So how do I get to Europe or at least get my money back?"
NRS: "The only thing we can do is give you a credit for that airfare to use within the year."
Me: "But not tomorrow? It wasn't like I took a sidetrip to knock someone off, I $#&*# ran into a snowbank."
NRS: "No, there's nothing else I can do, sorry."
(Tears, sobbing, cursing ...)
I didn't spend a month trying to plan this trip (get off work, get assignments, etc.) to watch it slip away. I knew there had to be another option. I quickly searched on Orbitz.com and saw airfare out of Salt Lake City (five hours away) for $810. I bought it.
I got to Salt Lake City at 8 p.m., crashed at my friend (and SheJumper) Emilie Lee's house, and I made it in time to catch my flight the next morning at 7:20 a.m. Sure I wrecked my car, bought two tickets for one trip, and slightly went into debt, but opportunities will come from it, I just know it.
I'm now in Chicago. Stay tuned ... next stop Madrid, Spain, then Geneva, and finally La Grave, France.
Risky business to radness
Comment on this Post In the last year I have decided to really make my freelance writing career work. I tried it once before, but I got scared trying to create my own business and income. It seemed easier to go back to a desk job as a reporter. Realizing it wasn't rewarding, I decided to go for it. Freelancing is freedom, learning, and discovery.Living the dream last fall in Termas de Chillan, Chile. Photo by Gabe Rogel
Ultimately I want to be a contributing editor to an adventure magazine that pays me to travel the world and write about my adventures. In the beginning, I have learned it's all about networking and persistence. Sometimes I have to front the costs of a trip assuming I will get the story published down the road. Sometimes plans go awry. It's a risky business, but worth it.
Since I have consciously imagined my life the way I want it and made the necessary contacts, opportunities have started to emerge. This winter I was approached by my friend (and SheJumper) Jessica Baker, owner of Ski Divas, international women's ski camps. She invited me to a 13-day ski-mountaineering adventure in the French Alps. I accepted of course.
My flight was slated to take off from Idaho Falls at 8:10 a.m. a.m. I had a one-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of me, but with the blizzard it could likely be forever. It was 4:30 a.m. So I stepped on it ...
And ended up on a snowbank with two tires spinning in the air. Perfect. After a ticket from the Highway Patrol man for "going to fast" (even if he didn't see the crash or clock my speed), and paying the tow man $125 to pull my car 10 feet off the snowbank, I luckily was able to drive back home. Time to re-book my flight.
I could have given up at this point.
Expedia.com lady: "Well, for a $230 processing fee we can try to credit your ticket to the next flight out of Jackson, but the flights out tomorrow are $3,000."
Me: "So I would be paying about $2,000 on top of my already purchased ticket?"
Expedia.com lady: "Yes."
Me: "Hell no!"
So I tried to deal with the airline directly.
Northwest reservation specialist: "Even though there are two flights going out of Idaho Falls to Geneva tomorrow, we can't credit you. You have to buy a new ticket."
Me: "What? How much are they?"
NRS: "About $3,000."
Me: "Hell no! So how do I get to Europe or at least get my money back?"
NRS: "The only thing we can do is give you a credit for that airfare to use within the year."
Me: "But not tomorrow? It wasn't like I took a sidetrip to knock someone off, I $#&*# ran into a snowbank."
NRS: "No, there's nothing else I can do, sorry."
(Tears, sobbing, cursing ...)
I didn't spend a month trying to plan this trip (get off work, get assignments, etc.) to watch it slip away. I knew there had to be another option. I quickly searched on Orbitz.com and saw airfare out of Salt Lake City (five hours away) for $810. I bought it.
I got to Salt Lake City at 8 p.m., crashed at my friend (and SheJumper) Emilie Lee's house, and I made it in time to catch my flight the next morning at 7:20 a.m. Sure I wrecked my car, bought two tickets for one trip, and slightly went into debt, but opportunities will come from it, I just know it.
I'm now in Chicago. Stay tuned ... next stop Madrid, Spain, then Geneva, and finally La Grave, France.
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