John R. Wall, Great Wall of China Badaling
(photo Credit JRWall)

"Mrs. G", a drama teacher in high school, started me thinking about the arts. I was walking through the hallway at my large Ohio high school between classes one day when she stopped to "tell me" that she'd see me at tryouts that night.  I didn't even know what i was trying out for but was too intimidated not to show up.

That run in, and subsequent role in a stage version of "On Golden Pond", started my interest in creative pursuits. And soon started me putting pen to paper.

As a writer, my career has taken me around the world. From lush countryside in central China to the most remote places of the United States, I’ve been lucky enough to experience some amazing travel destinations.

The place I felt furthest from home is still one of my favorites. I was writing for a wildlife television show and became one of the first journalists to write for a feature on eco-tourism on Midway Island in the middle of the Pacific. You may be familiar with the great “Battle of Midway” during World War II. During the mid 1990’s, the island - an atoll actually, transitioned from a military base to a wildlife conservation refuge. During that trip I went scuba diving with sea turtles and giant manta rays, swam with dolphins and observed Hawaiian monk seals lounging in the sun.

Another of my favorite destinations was Chaohu, China. That is the place where my wife and I first met our daughter Chao Lei at an orphanage in 2005. Even with a passport full of stamps, there is no place more special for me.

I hope you enjoy your visit to FreshTravels.com. It’s a place to share your experiences and learn about great destinations. On the site I work to make your travels and travel preparations easier. If you’ve got anything to share or if I can answer any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me an email.

Travel safely, and enjoy the trip.

John

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