I’m Kristin Luna, professional travel writer by most days, celebrity journalist by others, though I tend to spend far too much time blogging (and likewise, reading blogs) when I should be working. On the side, I work as a Bay Area correspondent for a gossip rag you all know and love and write the odd women’s magazine piece here and there. Just keeping it real, yo (and trying to pay the bills in an increasingly small media market at that). Thus, the content on this site isn’t strictly travel-related. I mean, I know you all like to hear the fluffy stuff, too, like how I interviewed Ben Affleck and left thinking he was a terrorist, or that time Russell Brand offered to take me behind the curtain and shag me rotten (his words, not mine). I’ve interviewed thousands of celebrities, literally—from funny guys Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Hugh Jackman, Jason Segel, Ben Stiller, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart to jerks like Ed Norton (sorry, girls), Chris Noth and Richard Gere to glamour gals like Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna and Julia Roberts—but if you ask me on the spot who my favorites are, I clam up and can’t think of a one.
I live in San Francisco with my fiance, SVV, who makes frequent appearances on this blog (in both a visual and guest writer sense). Those are his initials and the way he is still entered in my phone. He’s pretty swell. He does things for me like cook and clean and sew curtains and bedskirts (and he’s even straight, too!). We met in Utrecht, Netherlands on Sept. 2, 2005, then lived together (in sin) in Aarhus, Denmark, before parting a year later and returning to our respective corners of the United States. In the end, I moved all the way from the East Coast for him. I’d say he’s worth it. We’re gettin’ hitched on May 22, 2010. (He also lived in Sicily for three years while in the U.S. Navy; I also lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, for a stint, which will forever remain my favorite international city.)
Speaking of which…I spent a couple years living in Manhattan, in a shoebox of an apartment, with roommates. While there, I worked for several of the major publishing houses, including Newsweek, Conde Nast, Time Inc., Bauer and Wenner Media, by day, and on the red carpet circuit by night. I learned crucial elements key to my survival, like that Richard Gere is the scum of the earth (true story) and restaurants dedicated solely to one food—macaroni, PBJ, grilled cheese, you name it—do exist. The only thing I really miss about having an office job in New York is the daily offering of Crumbs cupcakes. (My waistline is much trimmer as a result of my departure.) I now work from my comfortable blue IKEA chaise in my cozy home. You couldn’t get me back in a cube if you tried—or waved two dozen Oreo Crème cupcakes in front of my schnozz. More info about my professional life can be found here.
I’m on the road as much as seven months out of the year. It’s exhausting, but I enjoy it for the time being. Scotland was my first love, after I spent a semester there during undergrad. It’s still one of my favorite places on the planet, and I’d move back there in a heartbeat if, you know, the sun ever actually came out to say hi. I’ll try to share as much travel insight as I’ve garnered, so long as you try not to take me as pretentious as a result. Deal?
I fall hard and often. That’s not a metaphor for anything: I really am that big of a klutz. SVV always says it’s a wonder I still have all 10 toes in tact.
I have visited more than 70 countries for my job, as well as my endless need to see every corner of the world; however, I feel like such a failure every time I get an e-mail asking me where to go in Laos or where to get the best bang for your buck in Koh Samui (I plead the fifth to both of the aforementioned questions, seeing as I’ve been neither). Cut me some slack if you will; I’m still young and have nearly two-thirds of the world left to cover!
I played tennis in college and have readopted my fitness fanaticism. In August 2008, I ran my first marathon, here in San Francisco. It was Hell. I plan to do more in the future—maybe Portland or Maui in the fall of 2010 if my travel schedule allows—but in the meantime, try to compete in halves as frequently as possible. When not running, I’m in my Bikram yoga class, the kind where the room is kept at sauna level, around 105 degrees, and reeks like moldy socks.
My family lives 2,387 miles away in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where I grew up. I miss them terribly. Luckily, my job allows for flexibility, and I’m able to go home in two-week chunks here and there.
I also take quite a few pictures, thanks to my mother’s influence—she documented every day of my life, in stills AND video—so expect photo-heavy blog content. SVV, a true artist, is a much better photographer, so if it’s something avant garde, chances are he took it (though I usually give him credit where credit’s due).
I have a tendency to embellish a bit—though you knew that, otherwise you probably wouldn’t keep coming back!
I really do like camels. And chocolate. A lot. Enough even to have a website named after them both. There’s more meaning to the name than that, but I won’t go there here and now. I would post that famous picture of me atop a dromedary that made it’s way all over the Southeast and beyond, but I was a) a bit chunkier then, b) not wearing any makeup, and c) hadn’t showered in days as I was camping in the Sahara at the time, so I’ll save you the horror. Instead, you’re graced with cheesy, makeup-less photos like this, which, well, probably aren’t much better come to think of it.
If there’s something else you want to know, just ask. My life is an open book. I mean, I wouldn’t have this blog otherwise, now would I?
![[del.icio.us]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[kirtsy]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/kirtsy.png)
![[LinkedIn]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/linkedin.png)
![[MySpace]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Newsvine]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/newsvine.png)
![[Reddit]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Email]](http://camelsandchocolate.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
Kristen, Please make your blog an rss feed, its so hard for me to read at work
love your adventures
Jack
Kirsten, as a travel writer, we’re curious what you think of our site. NileGuide (www.nileguide.com) is a San Francisco-based startup with a mission to be a one-stop-shop for custom trip planning. We combine personalized travel recommendations with seamlessly integrated planning and booking tools. Plus, we offer a free downloadable customized guidebook to take with you on your trip. Next time you’re on the road (or just looking for a restaurant, hike, or bar in San Francisco), check us out.
Hello Kirsten, Andy Graham of HoboTraveler.com here in Pucallpa, Peru. I am working on a project this year to find the best Travel Blogs of 2009. I was happy to find this about page, it is amazing how few travelers give even a clue to what the are doing, the Peace Corps are the best, all the others assume we have ready everything thing they have ever written.
60 Countries a lot, good luck in your endeavors and enjoy life, it is interesting to see all the pictures of you. Thanks from Andy of HoboTraveler.com Travel Blog
How is it possible that not one, but TWO people in a ROW have spelled your name wrong?? Attention to DETAIL people. You’ll look like an idiot otherwise.
hahaha – & they call themselves writers.
Great read. Now I know a little about you, Kristin! (I pay attention to detail!)
I love traveling and living vicariously through travel blogs. Yours is fast becoming my favorite.
I just discovered your website and I think you are a hilarious. I have my own travel blog, but I think mine pales compared to yours! I will be dropping by often to read your posts and drool over your lovely photos!
[...] out to Kristin over at Camels & Chocolate, who’s also a big fan! You should get yourself acquainted with [...]
Congratulations on winning Best Travel Blog at the Bloggies today. You rock!
Hi Kristin! I was just wondering where the picture of you in the boat was taken.
[...] Best Travel Weblog: Camels & Chocolate [...]
[...] out to Kristin over at Camels & Chocolate, who’s also a big fan! You should get yourself acquainted with [...]
[...] of you may remember me as Kristin Luna, historian for the Tullahoma High School class of 2001. Apparently, that little title bestows upon [...]
Wow! You have like my dream job!!!! A – interviewing celebrities / entertainment journalist and B – traveling and blogging about your experiences! That’s so great. I’m glad I stumbled upon this blog :] Will be back to read about your experiences for sure.
Linda
hi kristin,
I never visited your weblog before, but i seems to be a great one! I was reading you met your friend in The Netherlands, that’s where I’m from! If you have any advises on my weblog i would appreciate them. Thanks!!!
arjen
Hi kristin,
im from singapore and am a travel writer myself (: but im doing it part-time while I was studying in the university. It was one of the best experiences and Im sure you can testify to that ! WHat camera do you use for your pictures? They’re pretty good quality…
Hey there,
Great site! Would you mind if we linked to you?
We have just launched a new hostel review site (http:/www.Review-Hostel.com), and think your site would be of interest to our visitors. We’ll put you under ‘Our Friends’ section if that’s ok with you.
Lets us know what you think, and also being a fellow travel site owner we’d love your feedback on our new site!
Cheers,
Review-Hostel.com
HI!! I just came across you on Tumblr, followed the link and WALA!! Here I am. Most of you “email me here” links require the use of Outlook…or something. mine is broken. I would like to inquire about advertising. Can you email me?
Thanks!!
wow dis is wack
[...] What are you reading? I couldn’t have said it better myself… Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 | Author: Kristy Well, not AND gotten paid for it, like Kristin. [...]
Hi Kristin,
Finally, I have found a blog really worth reading. I giggled at your comment on Edward Norton. I work for the airlines, and recently, he was on my LAX to JFK flight (for the second time). With his holier-than-thou attitude, I would donate the cost of a movie ticket to a good cause before wasting it on seeing him.
Dear blogger,
I contact you because we are both travel bloggers and probably have an overlapping audience. We could share that audience.
Are you interested?
My journey
From October 2009 – October 2010 I will travel around the world and find and support deserving causes (such as orphanages, streetkids projects, refugee camps, ngo’s) by working for them, offering publicity and donating some money. I organize it primarily through couchsurfing and understand Charity Travel as a humanly rewarding way of traveling while helping the needy people on the planet. I hope you like this idea – you are welcome to read more about it on
http://charitytravel.blogspot.com
I hope to globalize humanitarian aid by proving it is perfectly possible to remain independent of large bureaucracies – because the internet allows us to establish the right contacts.
I simply offer you a mutual link to attract attention to both our ventures.
Looking forward to your reply,
kind regards,
Kamiel Verwer
kamielverwer.blogspot.com
Hi,
I came across your blog and would like to have link exchange with you. If you are interested, please add my blog with the following information:
Travel & Living Bliss – Traveling is Shelyn’s lifelong passion. To escape from rat race trap and to travel freely is her inspiration. This blog serves as an initiative to move towards her dreams.
Kindly leave me a message what description of your site that you would like to put in my blogroll.
Thanks.
Shelyn
Very cool to hear Scotland is your first love. Mine too. I can’t get enough of the place – the profusion of whisky distilleries doesn’t hurt either
Just discovered your blog… I’m a writer for the National Geographic Channel (and other companies), thought I’d stop by! Sixty countries… wow, I’m falling behind. Beautiful images, will be back again soon.
http://www.jodikendall.blogspot.com
Broken record: Just discovered your blog.
Love love love it. Meeting your hubby abroad, interviewing celebs and making a living from travel writing? I think you have my dream life.
Hi Kristin,
I was taking a look over your blog and I really enjoyed reading your travel posts! I wanted to let you know about a cool new blog program UpTake is now offering that I would like to talk to you about. So, if you could email me at your earliest convenience, I would love to tell you more about it!
Best,
Brittany
dear Kristen, I love camels and would like to see your photos of them. I am preparing for a show of my paintings. the show will be called Camelot. Happy wedding day to you. Fondly, Ellie from Woodstock,n.y.
i want to see your images of camels if i can. ellie
[...] week, I met the mighty talented Kristin Luna of Camels and Chocolates. She’s a travel writer who has written articles for Frommers, [...]
Hi Kristen! This is kind of random, but I met your future mother in-law at a park in Fair Oaks, CA. I JUST started a blog a couple months ago that is all about meal planning, so your future mother in-law told me about yours! Your blog looks very interesting, and I will definitely keep up on it. I grew up in Germany, and did a lot of traveling myself growing up. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding.
Kristen, we would love to have to take a look at our new travelblogroll. It is a lively, up and coming and growing community of travel writers, some newbies and some seasoned who are networking and learing and sharing with each other. We are at http://www.travelblogroll.com. Your skill and style would be such a great and welcome addition to the group.
A big sorry, Kristin. I actually know how to spell. No excuse.
Kristin!
Love the blog…my niece turned me on to it! Would die to have your job – good for you! God speed out there…..keep on keeping on in the world!!
Excellent blog,loved the biography ,still going through your other posts
Kristin, Love you blog – linked to it from a comment you left on Andi Fisher’s blog; I met her last night at a tea + chocolate pairing at Schoggi. And I love even more that there are juice boxes in your photo with Rihanna – hilarous! Will definitely be consulting your blog as we plan our next big trip!
Kristin, I am so new to the blogging world it’s scary, but I am already absolutely hooked on your blog! I couldn’t be more jealous of all your adventures, so thank you for allowing me to live vicariously since I found you a couple days ago. You rock! Jenni
[...] if you needed another reason to think Kristin (the lovely gal behind Camels & Chocolate) was adorable, she’s now blogged about her trip [...]