Introducing WildJunket: On travel, magazines, and childhood dreams.

When I was about 12 or 13, in addition to maintaining an oh-so-rigorous schedule of school, dance, YMCA basketball, and piano lessons, I was very much committed to a second career:

I was a magazine editor.

First there was The Original, then The Chronicles of Rose (duration: two issues), and finally The Cedar Creek Chronicle, named after our street (duration: one issue…ouch).

So maybe none of my titles were wildly successful, but something about the process on a greater level fascinated me: coming up with the theme, brainstorming column names, and then piecing together articles into a cohesive whole (and yes, I do mean that literally…initial issues were hand-written and photocopied before being distributed).

I loved it so much, in fact, that on my “100 Things to Do Before I Die” list is #17: Start my own magazine. Obviously, life hasn’t quite led me in that direction, but while I was traveling through India last fall, well-known travel writer and blogger Nellie Huang announced she was starting her own bi-monthly, digital travel magazine.

At the time, I was staying in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, and for some reason it occurred to me to ask Nellie if she needed any help with editing. A few emails later, I was on board.

Introducing WildJunket magazine

Three months after that stay in the Hotel Dolphin Villa, I’m thrilled to announce that not only has the first issue of WildJunket officially launched today, but that yours truly is contributing editor. Nothing like a childhood dream come true, ay?

Nellie and her husband Alberto have built off the huge success of WildJunket’s travel blog to start this magazine and, just like the blog itself, it will cover “offbeat destinations, outdoorsy activities, unusual corners of the world, special interest journeys and deep cultural experiences.”

In addition to feature articles, there are lots of cool sections, from “Feast,” which explores culinary adventures, to “Under the Radar,” which highlights a country worth visiting that hasn’t been exposed to mass tourism yet.

Here’s an idea of the features:

• ARCTIC: Icebergs, glaciers and polar bears
• NAMIBIA: Secrets of the world’s oldest desert
• OMAN: Dhofar’s frankincense trail
• LAPLAND: Sámi traditions in Sweden
• CHINA: 10-page guide to the Middle Kingdom

And here’s a sneak peak at what I’ve contributed to the first issue: a dispatch from Chitwan, Nepal (hint: there are elephants involved!), a piece for “Feast” about the explosive spices of Hyderabad, India, and a column for “Travel Thoughts,” about the ethics of adaptation while traveling.

Hope you enjoy them…and the rest of the magazine!

How to subscribe:

Read more about the current issue on WildJunket, where there are links to buy the magazine. You can also buy a single issue of the magazine for $2.95 here, or you can subscribe for a year (6 issues) for $14.95 here.

Good luck, Nellie! Here’s to a great start for WildJunket.