extensively around Vietnam by herself, exploring places few tourists would dare to venture. Samantha has been involved with the updating and research for Rough Guides Vietnam and two Rough Guides South-east Asia Vietnam sections.
In addition, the Vietnamese Government tourism department, (the VNAT), recruited her to set-up and launch a new monthly tourism/ex-pat magazine-the first and only foreigner in this department.
Samantha has also written entirely the first edition of Insight Pocket City Guidebook to Hanoi and Northern Vietnam and she has updated and edited the fourth edition Luxe Guide Hanoi. Her articles have appeared in National Geographic Traveler and The Australian newspaper.Good day Samantha and thank you for agreeing to participate in our interview. Samantha: My pleasure!
Norm:
Samantha, when did your passion for writing begin? What keeps you going and what does travel mean to you?
Samantha:
My passion for writing is inextricably intertwined with my passion for travel – that’s how it all came about. Writing and my travels are my two huge passions in life, my raison d’etre, but the writing came later. I have traveled the world for years, experiencing some very exciting trips, such as cruising on a Felucca boat for three days along the Egyptian Nile River, trekking the Nepalese Himalayas, climbing Mount Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo, white water rafting in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe and sailing round the Whitsunday Islands, Australia.
It did help that I was in the UK travel industry for 14 years, which funded my constant quest to seek new cultures, countries and experiences. During my twenties, I was a holiday guide for UK tour companies based in European summer resorts –