Jeremy Jones is a blogger with over 10 years of experience in travel writing, photography, marketing, and SEO. He started his first site, Living the Dream, in 2008 to chronicle a long-term trip he was going to take in 2010-2011. Jeremy took a second long-term trip with my wife Angie in 2013-2014 and have been to over 70 countries on five continents in total.
In 2015 they made a permanent home base in Pittsburgh and started a local blog for the city, Discover the Burgh, that has quickly become one of the most read blogs in the city and features things to do in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Jeremy is currently a full-time blogger and splits his time exploring the city and traveling nationally/internationally for their two blogs
1. What got you into travel writing?
I started Living the Dream in 2008 to chronicle a long term trip I was going to take from 2010-2011. That trip came and went, and the more I saw the more I wanted to see and share- so it kept growing and growing.
2. What’s the most challenging part of being a travel journalist for you?
Time. Even with traveling 100 days on the road balancing my global and local travel blogs is a constant reminder there are not enough hours in the day to do it all. But I’m getting better at realizing there is always time tomorrow.
3. What is one thing [equipment or personal item] you can’t go without on the road?
I’m almost always carrying my Sony a6000 with me anywhere I go.
4. What’s your most unusual and/or memorable travel experience?
A recent one was when we went trekking in Uganda to see mountain gorillas. A few friends joined us and we made the trek into Bwindi to find our family. Shortly after locating them, a young gorilla came out and slapped one friend on the stomach and ran off while being scolded both by a ranger and a large male. Let’s just say, you don’t want to get on that one’s bad side.
5. How did you learn about NATJA, and why did you join?
I can’t quite remember when I first learned about NATJA, but it was likely when friends won an award several years ago. I joined last year to attend the conference in Syracuse, and will also be attending the Puerto Rico conference this year!
6. What is the best piece of advice you could give to a rookie travel journalist?
It took me 10 years to make a viable career out of this, so practice makes perfect. Thankfully, practice in this field is the best part.
