In case you’re curious
Sep 18, 2007 Writing
I know I was curious about press trips before I took one (I’ve only taken two) and I’m no expert but I can tell you how these two press trips worked in case you’re curious, too.
For one, journalists usually can only get press trips if they have a record of placing articles or if they have an assignment. Some press trips are scheduled and journalists are invited whether they have stories or not the same way a writer might get a written press release. An actual travel writer could point you in the direction of getting on those lists but I do know some folks subscribe to notices like MediaKitty.com. Then they get information about available press trips and if they’re qualified, they can try to go on them or else they can go to their editor and say they’d like to be sent there.
Now a lot of press trips are comped (when everything is free) but a lot aren’t — it depends. For travel reviews it’s not really kosher to get a free trip because you’re getting special treatment and you can’t really give an accurate review when you’re first in line and everyone’s on their best behavior. But other travel stories (like this one) it’s kosher because my assignment was to get to know the places so I can give some basic info. Like, for example, if a particular attraction was safe for a toddler or was better geared to a teen. You can get some of that info by calling up the people or reading their web site but a lot of the details are easier to get in person.
For this assignment I had a list of places to go with instructions to write on several but not necessarily all but I did end up seeing all but (I think) one. This is a testimony to the hard work of the visitor’s bureau rep who tried very hard to give all their many attractions equal time. (She was so great — thank you notes will be going out as I write the assignment because everyone was wonderful.)
On this press trip most of it was comped. We paid for some meals and our travel costs but the admission prices, a couple of lunches and hotels were paid for by either the PR/marketing people in charge of the attraction or by the visitor’s bureaus in the areas we were seeing. Now that sounds like a lot of fun (and it was) but it’s definitely work. Noah would start whining about the hectic scheduling and we’d have to remind him that this was how we were earning the vacation.
Our itinerary was insane. (Even the people we met for the tours commented on this!) so, for example, on Friday (our first day) we drove into town and to our first attraction at 11am, got a tour; our second attraction at noon, got a tour; met the visitor’s bureau representative for lunch; got another tour at another attraction at 2:30pm; another one at 3:15pm; a massive tour at a resort at 4:30pm (happily the kids and Brett were off the hook and played in the water park during this part) then dinner on our own; then at 7:30pm another tour and finally to our hotel (and a quick introduction to its amenities by 8:30pm only because we cut the last tour short. Then we started the next day with a boat ride at 9am.
I had planned on leaving the kids at some of the stops on the way to hang out while I hit attractions but it didn’t work out that way since we were so on the move, which means that they had to sit through a lot of lectures. Noah’s at the right age so he mostly enjoyed it (he was only dragging towards the end) but Madison, of course, had a rough time. I think it’s pretty unusual to bring your whole dang family on a press trip but the editor said it was ok and the people who helped pull it together said it was fine, too. I was very grateful for the patience of the guides and also for Brett’s willingness to silently remove Madison when appropriate.
In any case, we were at the mercy of the scheduling because some of the people had opened up their shops and things just for us and we didn’t want to keep them waiting. It was definitely interesting and I certainly got all the info I need (and more — I want to think about some other ways to pitch some of it) and as hard as the scheduling is I loved getting the inside scoop about things. But I wouldn’t want to be a travel writer as a career even without kids. As much fun as the occasional press trip might be, I think I’m just too introverted to do it on a regular basis. But I loved having this opportunity. There’s a whole lot of Ohio I didn’t know anything about.
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Tags: introvert, introverted, Madison, Noah
My favorite comment on Textured
Sep 18, 2007 Blogging
It’s from Brenna and she made me feel like I did some good work so I just wanted to give a shout out to her here to thank her. Now run on over and read about her travels!
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We are even more tireder than before
Sep 17, 2007 The Story of My Life
We’re home and Noah is again crying from exhaustion. Madison is splashing in the bathtub. I’m sitting on the bathroom floor catching up on email.
We visited and/or toured twenty-plus attractions in four days. We caved, we climbed, we rode golf carts, we visited water parks, we rode roller coasters, we toured historic sites, we visited museums, we boated, we enjoyed local eateries, we watched glass blowers and so on and so on. We went to our first attractions by 9am every morning and got to our next hotel by 8pm that night. Everyone we met was nice, everyone was interesting and every stop was fun but we are hammered. And we have Real Life tomorrow including preschool for Madison and meetings for me.
Noah’s favorite parts: Cedar Point, the Kalahari and a walking tour of Oberlin.
Madison’s favorite part (baby book entry) deserves a word-by-word record of our conversation:
Me: What was your favorite part of our vacation?
Madison: The cabinets.
Me: What? (I’m thinking she means “caverns” or something. After all, she was mixing up the Marblehead Lighthouse with the Ghostly Manor all weekend.)
Madison: The CABinets!
Me: What are cabinets?
Madison: They’re brown! We put things in them! [She's sipping her drink and rolling her eyes at me at the same time.]
Me: What cabinets are you talking about?
Madison: The ones with the LIGHT!
And then I realized she means the wooden cabinets surrounding one of the beds at the Oberlin Inn with the dimmer switch that we let her control while we got ready for bed. Yes, that was her highlight.
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We are so-o-o-o-o-o tired
Sep 15, 2007 The Story of My Life
It’s been non-stop running, sightseeing and touring. Highlights so far:
–The terrific young tour guide at the Thomas Edison museum;
–The curator of the maritime museum who’s not really into boating;
–Our fabulous planner at the visitor’s bureau;
–The funny, smart guide who took us around Kelley’s Island;
–The virtual roller coaster (Noah and I took a pass on the haunted house — we don’t go for that stuff);
–The ridiculous luxury room we’re staying in as I type! (Noah, upon entering, “Mommy, I love you for having your job!” He’s now at the game room after hanging in the indoor waterpark. Madison is sleeping. Brett is supervising game room activities. Our guide here gave us a big huge bag of tokens so I’m sure they’ll be there ’til it closes at midnight.)
–The many, many beautiful restored and not-yet-restored homes we’ve seen on the trip;
–Making a wrong turn and getting to follow Amish kids on their way to school ’til we found our way again;
–Seeing Noah hanging upside down on a ferris wheel that spins all the way around REALLY FAST;
–Hearing Madison squeal with joy on the Scrambler.
There’s more I’m sure but I can’t think of them. (Pictures will be forthcoming eventually.)
I’ve discovered that a ride thrill rated 3 (like the Scrambler) is about as much as I care to handle. Fortunately Brett is willing to go on corkscrew roller coasters but he did say no to this. Watching that thing take-off is absolutely bizarre; it seems like it’s doing something physically impossible because it pulls back the tiniest bit and then it takes off almost too fast too comprehend. It scared me just to watch it. Seriously. Cold fear. Noah said he wanted to go on it but I think it was bravado ‘cuz he knew we’d shudder and clutch him tighter just to hear it.
Well the boys are back and Noah’s crying with exhaustion and we have more to come so off to bed go we!
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My zoo friends will appreciate this
Sep 13, 2007 Parenting
I was telling them about Madison’s sunshine-y take on the world, inherited from Jessica and this is a prime example. Today Daddy dropped Madison off at preschool for the first time (the last two times it’s been me) and she cried and cried and cried. And Brett finally tore himself away and he came home and cried. But then the teachers say that Madison stood up from Miss Lisa’s lap and sat herself at the table to play.
“I’ve decided to be happy now,” she said, still sniffling.
Our trip starts tomorrow. Not sure how much updating I’ll get to do on the road. Now I have to go pack.