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….

Leave Your Itinerary with someone back home. Whether you’re single or have a million relatives, leave your travel itinerary with a colleague, friend or loved one. Carry extra copies with you in case you lose it. It’s also a good idea to carry photocopies of your passport, photo I.D. and emergency contacts.

Protect Yourself
I never travel without a simple rubber door-stop. It can stop intruders in their tracks. It’s inexpensive, light to pack, and gives you the peace of mind to sleep well. The main door to your room usually has a pretty good lock and peephole and sometimes a bar chain. But if there is an adjoining room, that door usually has a fairly flimsy lock. The doorstop is especially useful in those situations.

Quick Fix
Another item I never leave home without is a foot-long piece of duct tape, which I wrap around a pencil. It fixes so many things. If a strap on a sandal snaps, a purse handle breaks, it’s duct tape to the rescue.

Beat Blisters
Foot problems are a painful part of the frequent-flyer lifestyle. Long hours of walking in airports, through convention halls or on uneven surfaces like cobblestone streets can lead to blisters. Band-aids often slip off toes and heels, so I pack thin moleskin instead. Buy the soft self-adhesive sheets at a grocery or drugstore, cut them into small squares and keep them in your purse or briefcase. If my shoe starts to rub, I can cover the area right away before it turns into a nasty blister.

Tag It
Make sure you have a secure I.D. tag on all your luggage and carry-ons, including your laptop. Tape your business card to the bottom, with your cell phone number, in case you leave it at security, they can call you at the airport. Also, brightly colored tags or a colorful strap will make your black bag stand out from all the others. It’s a good idea to put your contact information INSIDE your bags, in case your tag goes missing or gets ripped off.

Wake Up Calls
Carry your own alarm clock or a sports watch with an alarm. Even five star hotels screw up on wake up calls.

, ,

Marybeth Bond