Tom Miller: From Underground Journalist to Bestselling Travel Writer
06/08/22 • 63 min
Travel Writer Tom Miller (photo by Jay Rochlin).
In this episode of the Journeys With WorldRider Podcast, Allan Karl WorldRider interviews Tom Miller, the legendary, best-selling travel writer and author of “The Panama Hat Trail,” which National Geographic calls “among the best travel books ever written.” Enjoy this casual conversation where we discuss his latest book, a memoir titled “Where Am I?” where he reflects on a life of travel and writing. In addition, we talk about his bout with Parkinson’s disease, his travels, spies, borders, gun-toting priests, and so much more.
Tom Miller started his writing and journalist career from the “underground” in the late 1960’s writing for the anti-war press. Eventually, he moved above ground, writing for sea-level publications such as Smithsonian, Rolling Stone, Esquire, The Chicago Quarterly Review, The New Yorker, LIFE, and many others.
His books include “The Panama Hat Trail,” about South America; “On the Border,” an account of his travels along the U.S.-Mexico frontier; “Revenge of the Saguaro,” about the American Southwest; and about Cuba, “Trading with the Enemy.”
Tom has been a member of the Thornton Wilder Society and the Cervantes Society of America and served as a Fellow of the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History.
The Ecuadorian capital City of Quito designated Miller “Un Huésped Illustre,” and he was honored by the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y Artesanía in Spain. In 2017 he was honored with a Festschrift. Since 1990 he has served as an Adjunct Research Associate of the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona.
Mentioned In The Podcast
- Tom Miller's Website: www.tommillerbooks.com
- "Where Was I? A Travel Writer's Memoir" on Amazon https://amzn.to/3xuQETY
- The Panama Hat Trail on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MAqSSH
Travel Writer Tom Miller (photo by Jay Rochlin).
In this episode of the Journeys With WorldRider Podcast, Allan Karl WorldRider interviews Tom Miller, the legendary, best-selling travel writer and author of “The Panama Hat Trail,” which National Geographic calls “among the best travel books ever written.” Enjoy this casual conversation where we discuss his latest book, a memoir titled “Where Am I?” where he reflects on a life of travel and writing. In addition, we talk about his bout with Parkinson’s disease, his travels, spies, borders, gun-toting priests, and so much more.
Tom Miller started his writing and journalist career from the “underground” in the late 1960’s writing for the anti-war press. Eventually, he moved above ground, writing for sea-level publications such as Smithsonian, Rolling Stone, Esquire, The Chicago Quarterly Review, The New Yorker, LIFE, and many others.
His books include “The Panama Hat Trail,” about South America; “On the Border,” an account of his travels along the U.S.-Mexico frontier; “Revenge of the Saguaro,” about the American Southwest; and about Cuba, “Trading with the Enemy.”
Tom has been a member of the Thornton Wilder Society and the Cervantes Society of America and served as a Fellow of the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History.
The Ecuadorian capital City of Quito designated Miller “Un Huésped Illustre,” and he was honored by the Castilla-La Mancha Regional Consejería de Cultura, Turismo y Artesanía in Spain. In 2017 he was honored with a Festschrift. Since 1990 he has served as an Adjunct Research Associate of the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona.
Mentioned In The Podcast
- Tom Miller's Website: www.tommillerbooks.com
- "Where Was I? A Travel Writer's Memoir" on Amazon https://amzn.to/3xuQETY
- The Panama Hat Trail on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MAqSSH
Previous Episode
Stuck In Croatia With Loads of Wine | Exotic Wine Travel—Matthew & Charine
This is the audio-only podcast edition of the eighteenth episode of the JOURNEYS Webcast—Adventure & Discovery In The Time of Corona where Allan Karl and Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan chatted from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia to San Diego when this show was initially Livestreamed on August 24, 2020.
The Journey of Matthew Horkey and Charine TanMeet Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan of Exotic Wine Travel— In 2015 they decided to take a short sabbatical from their lucrative careers in Singapore. Four years later, they’re still on the road. This is their journey and story on the Journeys Podcast hosted by Allan Karl WorldRider.
FOLLOW & CONNECT WITH EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL Links Mentioned In The Webcast:
- Website: www.exoticwinetravel.com
- Book: Uncorking The Caucasus: https://amzn.to/3l5Jyx3
- Book: Cracking Croatian Wine: https://amzn.to/3aQETKw
- Exotic Wine Travel On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/exoticwinetravel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/exowinetravel/
This ongoing journey has turned into a location-independent lifestyle where they explore the world through wine. They write books, produce videos, and other content about the world of wine. To date, they’ve visited more than 100 wine regions in Armenia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the USA.
The couple makes their living on the road and shares their travel experiences and the excellent wines from exotic wine regions around the world through their YouTube channel, articles, books, and social media posts.
Our Conversation Will Touched On Some of These Topics & More:
From A Sabbatical To Digital Wine Nomads? | We explore the decision and the challenges of living and making a living on the road.
They Make Wine There? | The diverse and cosmopolitan world of wine and the places you never knew made great wine.
The State of Coronavirus & COVID In Croatia | Where will they go next and when will they feel comfortable traveling again.
This is a replay of the 18th episode of the JOURNEYS Webcast—Adventure & Discovery In The Time of Corona where Allan Karl and Matthew Horkey and Charine Tan chatted from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia to San Diego when this show originally Livestreamed on August 24, 2020.
The Journeys Webcast is a weekly live stream event where travelers, entrepreneurs, vintners, chefs, musicians, authors, speakers, and ordinary people living extraordinary lives come together for an hour of storytelling, inspiration, idea-sharing, and connection.
Watch The Video Replay of the Livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/anic__Jt3Rs
#exoticwinetravel #croatia #croatianwine #balkanwine #motorcycle #worldrider #journeyswebcast
Next Episode
Journalist & Philanthropist Neale Bayly On Land Speed Records, His Journey To War-Torn Ukraine, Writing & Inspiration #75
Neale Bayly on Speed, Writing, Inspiration, & His Journey To War-Torn Ukraine
In this episode of the Journeys With WorldRider Podcast, Allan Karl WorldRider talks with legendary motorcycle journalist, TV host, philanthropist, and photographer Neale Bayly. Enjoy this encore interview with Neale as the two world-traveling motorcyclists dig deep into the vintage motorcycles, land speed records, the creative process, history, and about Neale’s recent journey and humanitarian efforts in the war-torn country of Ukraine.
Mentioned In This Show:
Neale Bayly First WorldRider Podcast Appearance: Bank Robber, 200mph On A Bike & Story Telling: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worldrider-adventure-travel-around-world-on-motorcycle/id126384468?i=1000371740664
Wellspring Outreach: https://www.wellspring-outreach.org
Allan’s New Speaking Website: www.allankarl.com
Allan’s Ukraine Support Video: https://youtu.be/cJlOWSTZzSA
Neale’s Trip To Ukraine: https://www.wellspring-outreach.org/neales-trip-to-ukraine/
Neale On Instagram: www.instagram.com/nealebaylyrides
Neale On YouTube: www.youtube.com/nealebaylyrides
You’ve probably heard of Neale Bayly. Born in England and currently residing in Charlotte, NC, Neale has made a career in motorcycle adventure and journalism that has enabled him to travel to over 80 countries, 50 of them on a motorcycle. Neale was co-host of the popular show Trippin on Two Wheels, and he also produced and hosted his show called “Neale Bayly Rides,” both featured on the now defunct Speed Channel. On Nealy Bayly, Rides turned an unlikely group of riders from off-road novices to full-fledged Adventure riders as they rode to the Hogar Belen orphanage in Peru.
Neale first learned of the orphanage while riding through Peru in 1995, when he met Father Giovanni, its founder; Neale went on to establish Wellspring International Outreach to raise money for the orphanage’s children.
FOLLOW HOST ALLAN KARL WORLDRIDER AROUND THE WORLD
• SUBSCRIBE TO WORLDRIDER.tv http://bit.ly/wrytcs1
• INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/worldrider
• BLOG: http://worldrider.com/blog
• FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/worldrider.pro
• GET MY COFFEE TABLE BOOK: https://amzn.to/2U5bPbd
• GET MY DIGITAL eBOOKS: https://apple.co/3p2tkGq
• WATCH JOURNEYS WEBCAST REPLAYS: http://journeyswebcast.com
• REGISTER FOR NOTIFICATIONS OF UPCOMING JOURNEYS WEBCAST LIVESTREAMS: https://www.worldrider.com/join-the-journeys-webcast-livestream/
• LISTEN TO THE WORLDRIDER PODCAST ON Apple Music: https://apple.co/3umK1Q9
Watch past episodes of the Journeys Webcast.
http://journeyswebcast.com
Highlighted Journeys Webcast Episodes:
- Platinum Recording Star Al Stewart on the Journeys Webcast https://youtu.be/xwpPjx_uPeA
- Legendary session and touring musician Phil Palmer on the Journeys Webcast —https://youtu.be/z_Dm9QCXn10
- Emmy-award-winning hosts Ashley Colburn—https://youtu.be/fLxugCCRH48 and Rudy Maxa—https://youtu.be/fLxugCCRH48 on the Journeys Webcast.
- Please subscribe to the WorldRider YouTube channel. http://bit.ly/wrytcs1
- Watch Allan Karl WorldRider spin out of control on the Epley Omniax Vertigo chair. https://youtu.be/NcNmjPoLY8U
- FORKS Book Updates
- Check out the new digital edition of FORKS. https://apple.co/3p2tkGq%20
- Get Hardcover and softcover editions of FORKS: A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection: https://amzn.to/3cgrsWQ
Allan Karl WorldRider Writings On Medium
Read 13 Rules To Live By From A Life On The Road by Allan Karl on Medium (please give him fifty claps) https://worldrider.medium.com/13-rules-to-live-by-from-a-life-on-the-road-46c4248c7208
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/worldrider-journeys-around-the-world-on-a-motorcycle-116851/tom-miller-from-underground-journalist-to-bestselling-travel-writer-21350835"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to tom miller: from underground journalist to bestselling travel writer on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy