About

Who am I?

I’m Chris, a Producer for the National Geographic Channel by day and a freelance travel blogger by night.

I blog, live tweet and instagram my adventures, and while I love to travel far (I’ve backpacked solo around New Zealand and have traversed to the bottom of the world in Patagonia), in recent years I’ve focused heavily on local travel. In 2012 I founded the #TravelLocal movement, and most weekends I can be found traveling up and down the Mid-Atlantic region in search of hidden gems to share with readers on Packed Suitcase and other websites.

I have a thirst for adventure, a love of solo travel and a bucket list full of places that I will visit… one day.

 

 

Where you can find more of my writings:

HuffingtonPost.com
TravelChannel.com
Gadling
Examiner.com
GoGirlGuides.com 

 

My travel timeline:

  • 1981     Born
  • 1981 – 1983     Requisite childhood trips to MD Beaches
  • 1984     Parents buy motor-home. This year we drive it all the way down to Florida, stopping along the way at the World’s Fair in New Orleans. This trip also marks my world-shattering first visit to Disney World.
  • 1985 – 1990     Rinse, Repeat. More fun trips to the beach and more via the motor home
  • 1991     First international trip to meet our family in Italy and Greece.
    • True story! Towards the end of the trip, we were staying in my family’s obscure Greek village called Kaloxulos. It was like stepping back in time; the villagers there milked goats to make their own cheese and it was so anciently designed that cars couldn’t even fit on the narrow cobblestone streets. But lo and behold! My family and I were awakened one evening to a gaggle of teenage girls in the nearby village square, singing along enthusiastically to “Step by Step” by New Kids on the Block on their neon pink boomboxes. They may not have had cars, but they had NKOTB.
  • 1992 – 1999     We spend 2 weeks every summer visiting the National Parks out on the West Coast, Canada and Hawaii
  • 1994    Parents buy timeshare in Cancun. This year marks the first of many years where we spend Thanksgiving in Mexico
  • 2001     Study abroad in Florence, Italy
  • 2003     Start my career in television!
  • 2006     First solo trip. London!
  • 2008     Packed Suitcase launches this year.
  • 2010     I lose my job and head to Australia and New Zealand to backpack for a month. I come back, find a new job, and all is well!
  • 2011     PackedSuitcase.com (the real deal!) is unveiled

 

Fun Facts:

My cat’s name is Maddie, and my parents kindly watch her whenever I travel.

I’ve perfected the art of the self-photo (but am still working on the self-video… see any of my YouTube videos where I film myself talking as proof of that!)

I’ve hiked some of the world’s best hikes: The Grand Canyon, Milford Track, Tongariro Crossing… and counting!

My travel bucket list has 55 places on it. So far, I’ve crossed off 8 of them. Still have a ways to go…

Favorite Country:  Italy

Favorite solo travel destination:  London

Windiest City: Puerto Arenas, Chile.

Favorite food: It changes all the time. Currently it’s Momofuku’s Pork Buns. mmm… nom nom nom…