Category Archives: colorado

travel blogging heroes & lola’s TBEX stage fright

could this be the international man of mystery?

i’m an extroverted person. i think anyone who’s met me knows this fact with certainty. if you haven’t met me but are a reader of mine, you probably have garnered this about me as well. so why was i chicken to meet the most notorious blogger around at TBEX in Keystone, Colorado? seriously, lola, you can strike up a conversation with anyone! why did i not try to strike one up with this guy? he IS just a mortal, a mere man.

victims of an extrovert!

yes, he’s a model held up on a pedestal to emulate in the travel blogging community. people really idolize him! in fact, some have even referred to him as the king who has the torch to try and catch. how do i ever think i’m going to be queen of the travel blogosphere if i don’t have his favor? i mean, it was a little mission of mine to win him over with my lola charm. what happened?

behold! who is this travel blogging deity?

i wasn’t afraid to chat it up with the BIG keynote speakers. i had nice conversations with both C.C. Chapman & Christopher Baker. what was it that kept me from just going up and saying hello?! maybe it’s because it’s better for me to just have an image of what he’s like rather than to really know. perhaps i’d be disappointed in the acquaintance after all. or maybe i just like the ‘mystique’ of him.

the wonderful! the powerful! keynote speaker, C.C. Chapman

i came so close several times too. i was in the same room. i was standing back to back with him. he seems approachable enough. granted, he did seem to stick with those whom he already knew. not really branch out away from his inner circle. i guess who can blame him – i kinda did the same thing. and, anyway, why would he need to reach out to others when people flock to him? why would he need to seek out meeting anyone new or possibly up and coming? what would it really get him anyhow?

who oh who is it that makes this shape?

did i miss my chance? probably not. i’m sure there will be other conferences in the future where we’ll both be in attendance. maybe next time i’ll have more guts to speak to this travel blogging icon. or maybe next time he’ll be seeking me out. until then, i guess i’ll just have to continue to watch and read him from afar. that, and try to earn the queen title on my own.

who do you think this travel blogging demigod is?

*HINT* let’s not forget that the infamous Will Peach would rather be doing loads of other things than be at TBEX so keep on guessing!

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travel blogging goodness: TBEX 2012 Keystone, Colorado

great expectations

leah + raul + lola = true friends

i’m heading to TBEX in Keystone, Colorado this weekend. Travel Blogging Exchange for those who don’t know what TBEX means. it’s the biggest travel blogging conference in North America and i have been thinking about it for a year now. i’ve been working hard to get my name out in the travel writing space – using my writing and social media. TBEX will be an opportunity for me to measure how i’ve been doing. it will also be a chance to learn a lot about strategies pertaining to what i’m building. best of all, it will be fun to meet & network with other travelers and writers AND see dear friends!

my hopes and expectations:

  1. i hope to discover people do “get” what lola’s all about
  2. i expect to learn A LOT and apply that to my blog
  3. i hope to make some great professional connections that will lead to paid work
  4. i expect to make a few new friends and this alone will make TBEX worthwhile

i can’t wait to answer these four points plus add any others that i wasn’t expecting.

post expectations

what an event! even though there’s always room for improvement, i thought the conference was really well done. i was impressed with the line-up of speakers and the parties were outstanding.  here’s the shake-down of my four points.

totally #lolafied

  • i think those who knew me from the various social networks DO “get” what lola’s all about. i need to continue to grow my audience so more will be in-the-lola-know!

ya know when ya know!

  • i did learn a few new tricks that i need to apply to my blog & writing as well as the importance of a media kit.

great meeting the wonderful C.C. Chapman

  • i did make some great professional connections that i think will lead to paid work and even more importantly, how to continue to make more of these contacts.

the lovely Kirsten Alana – i just can’t get enough

  • i DEFINITELY made some new friends this past weekend. (my favorite souvenir!) it will be fantastic to continue to connect with these people and i look forward to more opportunities to meet my fellow travel writing pals down the road!

group LOVE pic!

what was unexpected?

Keystone is a lovely summer destination! BAD BAD traffic in & out of Denver AND a cluster F*#@ at the Denver airport. who would have thunk? certainly not me!!

here’s to TBEX in Costa Brava!!

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Filed under colorado, travel