#97 - Trying selling travel stories to news editors

Or why foreign news can be a better fit than the travel section.

Which section for the story?
I've always worked on a general theory that a reliable sign of a good travel story is that it will easily slot into another section of a newspaper. For example, one that has a musical angle could be equally valid in the music section; a story about a painter could just as easily be filed under 'arts'.

Cracking the Daily Telegraph
I'm quite a happy bunny today, as I've had my first story printed in The Daily Telegraph. I've pitched plenty of ideas there before, but come up against a brick wall. Along with The Sunday Times, it's probably the most prestigious place I've ever been published. But my story wasn't in the travel section.

Travel story, news angle
I can't think why I didn't think of this before, but I decided to pitch the story to the Telegraph's World News editor. It was a story I'd come across on my travels and it was arguably a travel story with a news angle, but I decided to write it as a news story.

Published quickly
The approach worked - the editor liked the idea, bought the story and it was published within three days of my initial approach. Oh if only all travel pieces went that smoothly...

Out of the way places
It did get me thinking about how many other travel stories I could have taken this approach with. It's particularly useful in out of the way places. In my example, news from Samoa doesn't tend to travel very far. The fact that the country is switching to driving on the left from driving on the right makes for a great story, but because hardly anyone pays attention to what's going on there, it's a story that has barely been written about. OK, it's had a tiny bit of coverage in Australia and New Zealand - but not the rest of the world.

Read the papers, listen to the locals
The experience confirms my beliefs that, for the travel writer, it's worth reading local newspapers, listening to local radio stations and talking to local people about what the current big issues are. There's always almost a story to be uncovered - and one that can possibly be sold to a news section.

PS - Yes, I know Samoa isn't an island; it's a collection of them. That's the joy of sub-editors for you.

PPS - If you want more of my nonsense, you can find me at GrumpyTraveller.com and on Twitter.

#95 – Listen to the local radio

Or getting a sense of the people.

Local radio stations
In a similar vein to Tip #94 (Pick up local newspapers), listening to local radio stations whilst abroad can give an excellent insight into a destination. Many of the reasons are similar – you get to find out about news angles and get a sense of attitudes and priorities.

Sense of the people
But radio is even better for getting a sense of the people – you can gauge what sort of music gets played (ie. Is it reggae, calypso or generic 80s dirge?). You can also get a sense of what sort of people are allowed on the radio – ie. Personality DJs or formal, starched collar, Government-approved announcers?

Phone-in programmes
And sometimes you can strike absolute gold by stumbling across a phone-in programme, where members of the public call in to rant and rave about the issues of the day. They may not be coherent, and they may be speaking utter nonsense, but there are few better ways of getting a sense of local character and opinion. Especially when the DJ starts arguing...

#94 – Pick up local newspapers

Or looking at things from a local perspective.

Global view
As a travel writer, you tend to develop a global view of things. International news becomes important to you, and you tend to like knowing what is happening worldwide.

Switching perspective
Nothing wrong with this, but sometimes it can be useful to switch perspective. Getting a view of the world from the place you’re visiting’s angle can give a really useful insight into that destination.

Snapshot
That’s why I like picking up a local newspaper while I’m away. There are few better things for giving a snapshot of what a place is like. First of all, there will be stories in there that simply aren’t covered by the global media, such as controversies over tourism developments, national financial problems and disease outbreaks amongst local wildlife.
These often make a good angle for a travel story – you’re essentially covering a news story that hasn’t really broken outside the country you’re in and explaining it to the rest of the world.

Attitudes and priorities
But picking up the newspaper is also good for getting a sense of that country’s attitudes and priorities. How many pages in are the big international stories? Do all the stories start with “a government spokesman has announced”? How professional or amateurish does the paper look? These are all excellent little clues about the destination.

#93 – Stay at hotels with free WiFi

Or getting more work done for no extra cost.

Meals for one?
When a travel writer is on the road, the evening can often be the most depressing time. It’s when you have to resort to meals for one, and sitting in a bar trying to strike up conversation with someone.
This is somewhat soul-destroying and – depending on how many drinks you have – can be rather costly.

Writing in the evenings
In recent times, I’ve gone for a change of tack. In destinations where I know I’m not really going to be writing about the nightlife and bars, I’ve taken to using that evening dead space for writing things up.

Fresh in the mind
Inevitably, I’ll be able to write stories up twice as quickly during these evenings as I normally would at home. This is often because the story is fresh in the mind.

In-room internet access
But in doing this, I’ll usually need in-room internet access, just for checking the odd detail. And thus I always try and stay somewhere that provides this.

Looking up maps
It is also useful for planning purposes – with in-room net access, you can check out little details, look up places you’re wanting to get to on Google Maps etc.

Free WiFi
The price of the in-room internet access counts too. Some hotels charge outrageously for this, and it can often make financial sense to pay a couple of dollars/ pounds/ euro/ groats more for a place that offers free WiFi. The cost of the internet otherwise can put 10 - 20% extra on the bill. Besides, offering free WiFi should be encouraged, and I like to give my custom to places that do this.

#85 – Observe your fellow travellers, not just the scenery

Or why people watching can create new angles.

Involving people
Most of the best travel articles have some sort of character in them. They involve people as well as the destination. And often the people to include are the ones that are sharing the experience with you.

Observe the people with you
A lot can be added to an article by observing the people with you. What they say, their behaviours, reactions and expressions can add invaluable colour to a story. It gives a real sense of place, and takes the reader to the scene.

A new angle on a much-covered attraction
This is particularly the case at attractions that have been covered hundreds of times before. A story about going on a tour of Westminster Abbey, for example, is probably not going to sell. A story about a tour of Westminster Abbey where tourists are behaving badly has a bit more to it.

Take note
So when taking notes, take note of what people say and do as well as what you’re supposed to be enjoying. It could pay off in the long run.

#84 – Invest in appropriate clothing

Or why you’re more productive when you’re comfortable.

Worst trip
One of the worst trips I ever did was when I went to Bratislava, Vienna and Brno in early January. The temperature was hovering around the minus six degrees Celsius mark, and I was really not prepared for it.
I had a coat, but was lacking gloves and a hat. I only had thin socks as well.

Wrong mindset
Needless to say, I was freezing. And I didn’t do nearly as much as I hoped to do, purely because I was freezing and couldn’t wait to get inside to the relative warm. And what’s worse, when I was in that relative warm, I was so happy to be warm that I wasn’t in the mindset to take notes on bars, restaurants or hotels.

Lesson learned
I didn’t sell many articles on the back of that trip (if I recall it was just one, plus a couple of snippets here and there in round-up articles). That’s not to say I won’t sell any more at some point down the line, but I did learn my lesson.

Suitable clothing for various conditions
I have since invested in suitable clothing for various conditions. I have an enormous coat, a hooded fleece jacket, hats, gloves and comically big socks for cold conditions. I also have zip-off trousers and light cotton clothing for warm conditions, including a lightweight, mosquito-proofed, long-sleeved shirt for jungle terrain.

Comfortable with surroundings
It sounds silly, but it really does help. If you’re feeling comfortable with your surroundings, you are likely to do far more and be in the right mindset for gathering stories.

January 2009
All I need to do is compare and contrast this year’s early January trip. I spent four nights in Munich and Salzburg, and got plenty done during the day even though it got down to minus 14. So far it’s six stories sold, and I think there will be more to come. This can’t all be put down to a scarf, hat and gloves, but there’s certainly something in it.

#80 – Read the press kit

Or take something in before it goes in the bin.

Half a rainforest
I often say that I hate press kits. This isn’t quite true – what I hate is the amount of them that I am given and expected to carry around with me. On some trips, it will feel like every place I visit is intent on giving me half a rainforest (plus cap, pen, T-shirt and DVD) to fit in my already burgeoning bag.

What is a press kit?
For the uninitiated, an explanation is perhaps in order. A press kit is material given to a journalist by a tourist board/ attraction/ hotel. It is supposedly filled with lots of useful information about said destination/ attraction/ hotel, but they vary dramatically in quality.

Good press kits
The most useful ones are tailored to journalists and cover new angles, openings, potential storylines and lists of interesting information. They’ll also have a map. Some editing will have gone on, and it will be merely a reasonably large pile of paper.

Bad press kits
The least useful ones pack in every glossy brochure that has ever been printed about the destination – all clearly aimed at the tourist rather than the journalist. They feature lots of nice pictures and next to no useful information. Oh, and they also come with gifts such as items of clothing you’ll never wear, bulky local delicacies that will never be allowed through customs and something ridiculously inappropriate like a paperweight.

The hotel bin
At least 90% of these kits, both the good and bad ones, will end up in a hotel bin. Sorry chaps, but there’s no way I’m lugging that lot around with me. If I really want it, I shall ask you to e-mail the document over when I get back home. This isn’t to say I don’t read what’s in them, however.

A job for the evening
I always try and make a point of looking through the press kit, usually in the evening before dinner or when I get back in at night. This is partly because I’m a bit weird and find it quite relaxing, and partly it’s because it’s worth it. There are almost always two or three good story angles to be found within them.

Applied skim-reading
I won’t read through every word – it’s very much an exercise in applied skim-reading – but I’ll usually manage to glean enough inspiration for things to go and check out the next day. It’s time well spent – just ditch the t-shirts and paperweights.

#74 – Notebooks vs recorders

Or making record time...

Recording devices
One of this blog’s regular readers, Ms Lucy, makes an interesting point:

“Just wondering, do you ever use a recording device, besides the notepad? Someone suggested this to me recently, and I'm not sure whether I'd feel self-conscious using this...Then again, so many people walk around talking to themselves on their 'blue Tooth'...”

Conducting interviews
My answer is that I do own a recording device, but I rarely use it. When I do, it’s for conducting interviews – it means I’ve got an accurate record of what has been said, and it allows me to listen properly to the interviewee without having to concentrate on scribbling everything they say down.

Listening to recordings
Even then, I’ll rarely listen to the recording afterwards. I’ll generally only require one or two quotes, and I generally recognise what these will be at the time and write them down.

Braying into a mobile phone
But for other circumstances, I think it’s best to just stick to the notepad. Firstly there’s the self-consciousness aspect. Secondly, I’d put someone walking around a museum talking into a Dictaphone in the same category as those arseholes that bray constantly into their mobile phone throughout a train journey.

The process of writing notes
I also find that the process of writing the notes is important. For some reason, writing something down makes it sink into the memory. In a way, I’m writing notes so that I don’t have to read them.

No fast forwards and pauses
Most importantly, using a notepad instead of an electronic recording device can make for massive time savings when it comes to writing the piece up. Why? When it’s recorded, you’re constantly having to fast forward, rewind and pause because we talk faster than we write. You also have to listen through to get all the information and check that it’s the bit you want.

Quicker with the notepad
Compare that to a notepad: it’s all there in front of you, you can flick to the bit you want without having to skip around to guess the right time and everything is spelt out. Do you really want to have to spell foreign word while you’re talking into your mechanical aid? It’s far quicker with the notepad, and far more functional.

73 – Read the rest of the guidebook

Or angles from elsewhere.

The bits we read
Most of us will only use the part of a guidebook that covers the place we’re going to. OK, we might read the front section about the history and culture as well, but we’ll generally not bother looking at the areas we’re not going to.

Cover to cover?
Guidebooks are not designed to be read from cover to cover, but for the travel journalist it pays to read the sections that aren’t immediately relevant to you. This for a few reasons:

Comparison point
Firstly, it gives a more rounded view of the country as a whole, perhaps offering a comparison point to the place you are going to. Secondly, you’ll probably find a place that you may wish to go to in future (and could maybe fit into the planned trip).

Round-up stories
Thirdly, and most importantly, you may discover some good angles that can be used for round-up stories down the line. Even better, they may spark ideas for those stories.

Do it in down time
I’m not going to pretend that this is an exciting task, and this is why I do it when I have nothing else to do – sat on a train, waiting for a meal to arrive when I’ve got the traditional table for one, on the plane...

Brilliant story angles
I’ve done a bit of all three today, and have been idly flicking through the Germany Lonely Planet. Amongst the brilliant story angles I’ve uncovered are a theme park at an old nuclear power station, the world’s oldest youth hostel and the German Occupational Health and Safety Museum. There’s a good story each one, and I may try and work them into a trip for another time.

#69 – Write down all of your story ideas

Or how not to forget flashes of inspiration.

Great ideas are money
The title of this entry may seem ridiculously patronising, but it’s a point worth emphasising. Many great ideas are lost because they’re not written down. And losing great ideas means losing money.

Flash of inspiration
It’s easy enough to do. A flash of inspiration occurs when you’re least expecting it – it’s a brilliant plan, but by the time you’ve got back home, you’ve completely forgotten about it. Sometimes it comes back, sometimes it doesn’t.

Use a notepad to write down brainwaves
When I’m on the road, I always make sure that I reserve a few pages at the back of every notepad for writing down any potential story ideas that may come to me. Some of these will be linked to what I’m supposed to be doing and the sites I’m specifically going to see. Others may be silly little things that I see which spark an idea for a round-up article or opinion piece.

Noting down ideas in a file
Then when I get back to my computer, I make sure I note all of these ideas down in a file. Most of them will come to nothing, but enough do come to fruition to make it worth it. It also means that I have a big database of potential stories to look through if my creative juices aren’t exactly flowing one day.

Small notepad in pocket
I also keep a small notepad in my pocket at all times for this purpose. I might be out for a walk, visiting family or going to the shops, but if something comes to me I can make sure it’s not lost by writing it down. It may seem ridiculous, but it’s so easy to forget that brainwave when you’re distracted by something else

#66 – The alternative to group press trips

Or going solo with tourist board support.

Unsatisfactory compromise
As I have said previously, I don’t tend to go on many group press trips. I find that these trips try too hard to keep everyone happy, and thus end up with a compromise that satisfies nobody. My preference is to go for individual trips, supported by the tourist board or hotel.

Not advertised
So what do I mean by this? Well, these trips are not ones that you’ll see advertised on bulletin boards or travel writer forums. Essentially, they are a case of deciding where you want to go, teeing up a commission or two and then contacting the tourist board.

Contact the tourist board first
Or, if you know the destination would ordinarily be out of your price range, contacting the tourist board first to see if they would be amenable to hosting you while there. If the tourist board indicates that they would be happy to assist with accommodation, guided tours etc, then you can start pitching potential ideas to editors.

Support and commissions
It’s rare that a tourist board will spend money hosting a journalist without a commission, but most will be prepared to offer support to a journalist that will definitely be getting an article about the destination published.

Personalised itineraries
The advantage of doing it this way is that the itineraries will usually be drawn up with only you in mind. They will not be catering to the needs of six other writers and every signed-up member of the local tourism body. You want to research glass-blowing and the micro-brewing scene? Then your trip will be tailored around these aspects, rather than having them inadequately shoe-horned in for a flying visit.

Level of support
The level of support will differ from destination to destination. Some tourist boards will put you up in lavish accommodation, give you public transport cards, a guide, a driver and free entry to anywhere you care to visit. Others will be a lot more stingy. It’s very rare that they will cover flights, however – bear this in mind.

Organisation and pro-activity
This method does take a bit more organisation and pro-activity on the writer’s part, but the pay-off is worth it. There are fewer of the inconveniences and problems associated with group press trips, and the individual experience usually makes for a more genuine article. There’s very little authenticity about being herded round in a bus with a group of other travel writers, after all.

#64 – Complete round-up articles before you leave

Or why essay-style pieces are easier to write on the road.

Internet access needed
I inevitably find that I need internet access to do a round up article properly. These pieces usually involve more online research than a straight essay-style piece centred on one destination. This is partly because there are more contact details to put in, and partly because you need to find out information on more subjects.

No notebooks?
In fact, to do one of these pieces without internet access can be nigh-on impossible. To do it without internet and access to your collection of notebooks and guidebooks is even worse.

Essay-style pieces on the road
And this is why, given the choice, if I have to write articles while I am on the road, I will always choose do to the essay-style pieces whilst travelling. They’re easier to do without internet access – which can often be limited while travelling – and any missing details can be filled in later with much more ease.

Finish round-up pieces before you go
Thus, if I’m about to go away, I’ll concentrate on completing any round-up articles that I am due to complete. They may have a deadline that’s further away than one of the essay-style pieces, but I know which one will be a bigger pain in the backside to complete whilst away.

#54 – Finding free wireless internet in airports

Or sneakily hunting for unsecured networks.

Attitudes to internet access
Airports all over the world have remarkably different attitudes towards internet access. Some are great, and provide free wireless access for all. At the other end of the scale, there are Scrooge-like luddites with a couple of violently expensive computer terminals that have to be operated by coin and are disgracefully slow.
Let’s put it this way, if your only option is to pour money into a box operated by Spectrum Interactive, don’t bother.

Expensive wi-fi connection
The mildly unhappy medium at most airports seems to be a couple of paid-for terminals, plus an expensive wi-fi connection that anyone can access, providing that they’re prepared to dig out their credit card. Prices vary wildly, but sometimes this can be outrageously costly.

Security settings
When this is the case, it’s sometimes an idea to get a bit sneaky. Many shops, bars and restaurants within the airport have their own wireless networks. And sometimes they’re stupid enough to not put any security settings on them.
It’s always worth having a look at the list of available networks and checking out if any are unsecured. If one is, trying clicking on it – you may well get free wireless access.

Greetings from Panama
This post, by the way, was written and uploaded courtesy of the lovely chaps at the Lacoste shop in Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport. Very good of them to leave their private network unsecured.

#51 – Finding plug sockets in airports

Or the joy of vending machines.

Working on the flight
In Tip 48, I suggested using the time we all spend waiting around in airports to do some writing. Naturally, this sort of waiting around doing nothing time also applies to planes. During the flight – especially a long one – can be a good time to get some work done.

Limited battery power
The only problem with this, of course, is that even the best laptop computers have a limited battery life. And quite frankly, no-one wants to be carrying a laptop AND a spare battery in the their hand luggage.

Airport terminal plug sockets
So how best to preserve the battery life? Well, it’s possible to adjust the settings of your computer so that they’re as low performance as they can go. But it’s far better to find a plug socket in the airport terminal.

The golden seat
A lot of the time, you’re simply not going to find one. But sometimes there is a golden seat near a plug socket. If you think about it, the airport’s cleaners need somewhere to plug in their giant cleaning machines and vacuum cleaners. As long as that socket isn’t hidden away somewhere private, you can utilise it as well.

Look behind vending machines
And the best place to look for that socket is behind vending machines. They have to be plugged in somewhere too, and often sockets come in pairs. If there’s only one vending machine, then chances are that there’s a free socket near or behind it. So why not use it to plug in your computer, and reserve the battery power for the plane journey?

#48 – Make the most of airport down time

Or getting productive when there’s nothing else to do.

Procrastination
When I’m at home, I’m a terrible procrastinator. I’ll often take all day to write a 1,000 word article, interspersed with reading every newspaper website under the sun, doing the shopping, playing online Scrabble, looking up potential flights, messing around on Facebook... You get the picture.

How long does it take to write a 1,000 word article?
This, of course, is hardly the most productive use of time. Especially given that I know I can usually write that 1,000 word article in about an hour-and-a-half if I really want to.

Sitting around in airports
How do I know this? Because I frequently manage to do it whilst sitting around in airports waiting for a flight. In fact, I’d go as far as saying I’m at my most productive when trapped in an airport. This is probably because I’ve got nothing better to do – I see no point in airport shopping, and I’ve learned to appreciate that drinking before a flight isn’t a great plan.

Take the laptop
When there’s nothing to aid procrastination, it’s remarkably easy to get productive. And this is why I almost always take my laptop with me when I go away. I might not get it out all trip while I’m on the road, but I’ll usually manage to complete (or almost complete) two articles whilst waiting around for flights at either end.
That saves me two days’ worth of writing at normal, distraction-filled pace when I get back home.

Fresh memories
Aside from there being nothing better to do, there’s another reason to make airport waiting time into work time. Usually, if you’re sat in the airport, the memories from the trip are fresh. That’s often the best time to write – when something is still vivid in the memory and you’re actively thinking about it.

Little observations
The little observations and details can dull with time, and even if you’ve diligently written them all down in a notepad, the right words and phrasing to describe them can often elude when you return to them at a later date.

#45 – Invest in a small, lightweight laptop

Or getting the elephant off your shoulders.

Computer needs
For the needs of a travel writer, a computer doesn’t have to be all that special. It needs to be able to connect to the internet, and you’ll need a word processing program for accounts purposes. And maybe, at a push, some photo manipulation software.

Any old computer?
For much of this, any old computer will do the job. But I’d advise spending a bit more than you’d perhaps deem necessary in order to get a small, lightweight laptop.

Writing whilst on the road
It’s perfectly possible to function adequately with a big clunky beast of a desktop, but if you’re wanting to write whilst on the road, there are two options: Get a laptop or continuously throw money away in internet cafes inhabited by spotty teenage boys playing war games.

Dead evenings
Not all travel writers write whilst on the road – some just note down everything relevant and write up when they get back. Personally, I find that on a dead evening where I’ve got nothing else to do apart from drink, then I may as well start work on a story or two.

Smaller laptop for sale
For about a year, I was lugging around a fairly hefty laptop. It took up a lot of space in my bag and felt like an elephant was sitting on my shoulders when I had to carry it around. Eventually, I snapped. I saw a much smaller laptop on sale for a good price and bought it.

Extra bag space
I can’t stress enough what an improvement this has been. It’s far easier to carry around, and frees up that little bit extra bag space. On two occasions in the last few months, it has made the difference between having to check luggage in and going carry-on only.

Tax deductable
I could have probably stuck with my original computer, or bought another bigger one for less, but I’m glad I didn’t. And I’d advise anyone in the same situation to do the same. Keep an eye on sales, then jump when a small one (mine has a 12.1 inch screen) goes up for a suitable price. And remember – it’s tax deductable.

#41 – Pack two changes of clothing in your hand luggage

Or damage limitation for when airlines bungle.

Flight from Guatemala City to Panama City
This entry comes to you straight from the glamorous locale of Guatemala City Airport, where I am waiting around for my flight to Panama on an airline I’d never previously heard of.
If ever there was a prime candidate for losing luggage, this is it.

Lost luggage
Fortunately, I have never endured an airline losing my luggage. That I haven’t is something of a miracle given the amount of flying I end up doing, but – touch wood – my lucky streak will continue.
Other people I know have not been so fortunate. They have had a hellish time trying to get their bags back, and enduring a holiday with no fresh clothes.

Change of clothes
One of those people once said something I’ll never forget - “I just wish I’d got a change of clothes in my hand luggage.” He’d packed everything, and was left with what he was standing in when the plane arrived and his bag didn’t.

Extra drying time
My advice would be to go slightly further than that, and pack two changes of clothing. That way a bit of extra drying time comes in if the worst comes to the worst and you’ve only got your hand luggage for the rest of the trip.

Buying a new wardrobe
As a travel writer, you shouldn’t have too much free time in which you can stroll around the shops buying a whole new wardrobe – you’ll probably be chasing down story angles as soon as you land. If you don’t have the clothes in your hand luggage, it’s not only costing you to replace them, but costing valuable time.

Wash in hotel room sinks
But if you’ve two pairs of underwear, a couple of shirts and a spare pair of trousers in your bag, things aren’t so dire. OK, so it’s not going to be a comfortable trip, but you can wash in hotel room sinks as you go along, and probably get away with it.

#38 – Stay at a hotel that is a story in itself

Or sorting the genuinely unique from the PR flannel.

Unique hotels
Just about every hotel in the world likes to think of itself as unique and worthy of coverage. Very few of them are, beyond a little factbox mention at the bottom of the article.
It never ceases to amaze me, however, that the PR people from hotels seem to think that the stories I write will largely be about the hotel. I’ve seen some instances (with other writers) where this is the case, and usually they are downright tedious to read.

Somewhere to stay
For most of us, a hotel is somewhere to stay whilst visiting a city or area. It may be really nice, but essentially it’s a place to rest the head for the night. For the travel writer, in particular, the emphasis should be firmly on exploring the area and chasing down story angles.

A story in itself
But one good way to get more stories (and thus more money) from a trip is to stay somewhere that genuinely is a story in itself.
Be warned. These places are very rare, but the PR people will desperately try and convince you that their place is truly unique with some blather about a new environmental initiative or mild refurbishment.
90% of the time, this is clutching at straws and trying desperately to get unwarranted publicity, but just occasionally they have a point.

Hotel examples
There are a few examples that I can think of. Altamer in Anguilla is one – mainly because of the celebrities that have stayed there in the past and the jaw-dropping prices. Another is the Sandy Lane Hotel in Barbados – again, largely because of its reputation for celebrity guests.

Sydney Hotel stories
I can think of two in Sydney, Australia – the Russell because it’s supposedly haunted, and the Stamford Plaza because that’s where INXS frontman Michael Hutchence died after his sexual experimentation went horribly wrong.

More hotels – from Liverpool to Los Angeles
The Hollywood Roosevelt in Los Angeles hosted the first Oscars ceremony, the Hard Day’s Night in Liverpool, England has a Beatles theme, and the Hotel Fox in Copenhagen has a series of mad rooms all designed by individual artists.

Genuinely unique gimmicks
All of these make for a good story on their own, and there are others around the world with celebrity links, or genuinely unique gimmicks and themes. They may cost more to stay in than a bog standard hotel, but that couple of nights can be recouped with an article sale or two.

Commission in advance
Even better, if you can get a commission to write about it in advance, the PR people may arrange for a complimentary stay.

#35 – Keep your receipts

Or paper means prizes.

What is tax deductable?
I am not even going to begin to start explaining what is tax deductable and what isn’t. I’m no expert on tax, and the only advice I’m prepared to give on that score is to get an accountant in (see Tip 33).
But I do know that it’s worth holding on to as many receipts as humanly possible.

Tax office audit
First of all, without these receipts, you have no evidence that you have spent the money for work purposes. If the tax office chooses to audit you, you are in big trouble if you don’t have anything to show for the items you’ve claimed as tax deductable.

Costs for freelance travel writers
If you’re travelling a lot, writing a lot and working as a full time freelance travel writer, you will inevitable rack up a lot of costs. And many of these will be tax deductable. Some – such as airfares – obviously are when they’re work related, but there are potentially many other things too.

Keep the receipts
I’m not going to give dodgy advice as to what they are (to be honest, I’ve no real idea when meals, drinks etc count and when they don’t). But I do know that if you keep the receipts and log them, an accountant can tell you which are valid and which are wishful thinking. From experience, you’ll find that a surprising amount are valid, and you can cut your tax bill by a substantial amount.

No receipt = no valid tax deduction
But without the receipts, none of the items that are potentially tax deductable are valid. So, even if it seems a bit silly asking for one after every little transaction, it will be worth it in the long run.

#25 – Information in ex-pat bars

Or getting the inside track in an Irish pub.

Something missing in Kiev
Recently, I was in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. I heartily recommend it by the way – it’s a gorgeous city. I was doing a few pieces for various outlets, but by the end of my third day there, I had a nagging doubt that something was missing.

Feel for the city
In essence, although I’d seen a lot of the city and thoroughly enjoyed it, I hadn’t really got a feel for it. Usually I’m pretty good at this; getting a snapshot impression, spotting a few quirks and getting a general gist for the overall atmosphere. But it wasn’t happening with Kiev, and I knew that this would show through in the articles.
The only solution, therefore, was to go to the pub.

Not speaking the language
This isn’t as crazy as it sounds. Part of my problem was that I don’t speak or understand any Ukrainian. It wasn’t as if I could break into conversation with a shopkeeper or a waiter. The same applies for if I went to a local bar.
I could sit, watch and soak up – something that’s usually a great source of material – but I wasn’t going to quite get it.

Ex-pat bars
This is where ex-pat bars and pubs come in. There are some in every major city – the places where the foreigners that have ended up living in the city go for a few drinks. More often than not, they are the Irish pubs.
This sort of pub isn’t exactly my first choice to drink in – I much prefer to find a real local joint that has the character of the city/ country it’s in rather than one that’s been imported – but it is often ideal if you’re after the lowdown.

Listening in
I plucked one out of my guide book, sat myself down with a beer, ordered some food, then kept my ear open for conversation in a language I recognised. As luck would have it, I ended up on a table next to two Englishmen and their Ukrainian work colleague who was fluent in English.
I surreptitiously listen in on them, moaning about the odd aspect of Kiev life, and then when I got the opportunity, I barged in.
“Hi, I couldn’t help noticing...”

Pub crawl
Within a few minutes, I was sat around the table, discussing endemic local corruption, infrastructure problems, relations with Russia, the antagonism of locals towards sex tourists and those coming purely to get an attractive East European wife.
It was fascinating. I got an idea about underlying tensions, work ethics, cultural differences and odd habits.
And, just before we embarked on a pub crawl (“come on, we’ll show you the best places to hang out”), they gave me a run-down of the best places to eat and see.

Sense of place
It was brilliant; the sort of information you can never get from a tourist board or PR person. And it’s not the first time that this has happened. Admittedly I struck gold this time, but on other occasions just listening in has been enough to give me a better sense of place. It won’t always work, but it’s often a good trick for getting that little bit extra.