About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

Switzerland

I’ll admit that packing for Europe takes effort to select fashionable and functional clothes that are also comfortable. So my packing list for different countries and activities varies.

If you’re going to Paris, you’ll select stylish clothing in your closet, if you’re going to Switzerland, as I am in a few weeks, you’ll want stylish clothes for sophisticated Zurich and Geneva and functional outdoorsy clothes for the Alps and hiking.

Here’s what I”m packing for the cities:

  • Stylish jeans, which Europeans wear everywhere.
  • I want to blend in, so I’ll select black as my basic color and dress it up with a blazer, a thin sweater, and accessories.
  • To add style but not bulk, I’ll pack numerous scarves, including a camel-colored Pashmina that is warm and goes with everything.
  • Fun costume jewelery. European women wear scarves and jewelery regardless of the season.
  • A pair of  decent- looking walking shoes and a pair of black flats for evening.
  • Dressing in layers is a “must” in Switzerland where the weather can change throughout the day, and evenings can be quite cool. I’ll need a fleece jacket for the mountains and will  take along a nice black jacket or raincoat, and add warmth with a scarf.

Packing for hikes in the Alps:

Camera with extra batteries, water bottle, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, well broken-in hiking boots, extra socks, t-shirt, rain jacket, fleece jacket.  A small first aid kit with New Skin, extra mole skin, and first aid cream.

This summer was wet and cool in the California Sierra,and when I went hiking in the Yosemite area I encountered wet, muddy trails and streams higher than normal.So keeping my feet dry and legs clean was challenging  hiking day after day.

One piece of hiking gear that I used were gaiters. They are  sleeves that slip over your boots and ankles to keep you mud free and dry on the trail.  I’m packing mine for trails and snow fields in the Alps.

Basic city packing list for a short trip

  • One pair of black slacks in addition to the pair you wear.
  • Four blouses, including one silk blouse for evening wear.
  • A light, colorful cardigan sweater .
  • Colorful scarves.
  • One pashmina shawl.
  • Costume jewelry.
  • One jacket (wear on the plane).
  • Dress shoes, one pair of flats.
  • Walking shoes with rubber soles.
  • Socks, underwear.
  • Lots of Zip Lock bags.
  • Tiny umbrella.
  • Eyeshades and ear plugs. Earplugs are a must if you’re not accustomed to sirens.
  • Duct tape and clothespins or big safety pin to close the hotel room curtain.

Bon voyage!

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Marybeth Bond