Travel is a privilege and it’s one I’ve been fortunate enough to claim as a large part of my job for the past nearly 16 years. It would be an understatement to say I possess what many people would describe as a dream job. Each month, as I write and edit for each issue, the content not only inspires me, but it can also take me back to some of my fondest memories. And I think the same can be said for the travel journalists we work with regularly and who also share the unique privilege of traveling for work and sharing their experiences with the world.

For those craving more of those stories beyond these pages, one of our long-time writers, Mark Chesnut, delivers just that with his recent Prepare for Departure: Notes on a Single Mother, a Misfit Son, Inevitable Mortality and the Enduring Allure of Frequent Flyer Miles. Chesnut couples memoir with humor and a travel perspective. From exploring complex issues like growing up gay to digging into the roots of wanderlust, he also details how to become a travel writer and follow your dreams — wherever they make take you around the globe. Published by Vine Leaves Press, find the book on Amazon. Chesnut examines destinations that played a role in his life. We all have those special places, like where we grew up (Doylestown, Pennsylvania, for me), where we went to college (in my case, Syracuse, New York), the first place we visited in Europe (London, United Kingdom), and on and on. This very issue contains some more special places to me, like Singapore (page 58), where I was determined to try durian, included as one of the wildest foods in the world (page 44); and Jerusalem’s Western Wall (page 76), where I, like Rina Nehdar and millions of others before and after us, left our intentions. I would love to hear from you about some of your special destinations around the world. Share with me by emailing kim@globaltravelerusa.com.

This issue also holds some exciting announcements! We present to you our eighth The Trazees on page 40; these awards are voted by the readers of our sister brand, trazeetravel.com. We also introduce our first-ever Industry Leader Awards on page 36. Learn more about some truly inspiring travel industry executives. Where else do we jet around the world in this issue? Join us as we head to Zürich, Denver, Malmö, Austin, Cape Town, New Delhi, Puglia, Coastal Canada and Iceland. Set sail with us next month with the return of our Cruising Issue!