Welcome to our new series, “TravMedia's Travel Writer of the Week," where we highlight an active journalist or editor within the TravMedia community. We have so many amazingly talented, successful, and inspirational professionals in our midst — let's meet Barbara Noe Kennedy. Enjoy!

Where are you based?

Arlington, Virginia

What outlets do you write for? Who is your audience? What are your travel specialties?

I write for a variety of publications, including National Geographic, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, and BBC Travel.

I am drawn to stories about art, history, culture, food, and drink, but in the end, it's all about the storytelling. I enjoy putting on my reporter's hat and chatting with people about their fascinating places lives and stories—the way people open up is always a heart-warming gift. I love to immerse myself in stories that deep-dive into a culture or tell the fuller story of a place by sharing lesser-heard voices. I'm not always successful, but that's where I think travel writing can play a truly important role, by adding to the conversation.

Are you in-house or freelance (or both)?

Freelance.

What are your professional pet peeves?

This is not cutting-edge news to travel writers, but I've come to accept that we are some of the most poorly paid workers out there, although if I dwell on it too much, I get mad. For that reason (well, out of necessity too) I'm a firm believer in having many different buckets. I love travel writing, but I also edit books and other publications, write my own books, and teach a variety of classes.

In your past professional life you were …

I started out after college working at The Asia Foundation in San Francisco, hoping to save the world. Although the foundation does amazing work, I basically pushed paper from one side of the desk to the other, so after two years I left. I moved to Bangkok, where one of my contacts had offered me a research job at Chulalongkorn University. When that job fell through for some mysterious reason I still don't understand, I told myself I could return to the U.S. immediately or try to find something else. Remember, this was long before the days of the Internet, so travel blogging and social media weren't an option.

Instead, I saw an ad in the newspaper (yes, this was a very long time ago!) for a writer at the Bangkok Post, who wrote articles about tin smelting and horse racing and books (under my Thai name, Darunee Meeboon, “young woman with lots of merits”), got some clips over the course of a year, and worked up enough confidence to apply to journalism school back in the U.S. That led to an internship at National Geographic Traveler, which eventually turned into a full-time staff position.

After working my way up to senior editor at NatGeo, I left after 23 years in 2015 to try my luck at freelancing—and haven't looked back.  

Where would you like to return to?

Southwest Germany, to investigate my roots.

What's on your bucket list?

Turkey, Bhutan, and more of Africa. My husband and I volunteer at an orphanage in Zambia, and we return at least once a year (outside of Covid). We've had a chance to experience some of the more remote, untouristed areas of the country, but this under-the-radar destination has so much amazing wildlife and beautiful landscapes that I would love to explore as well. We're hoping we can take some of the kids on some of our explorations—none of whom, unbelievably, have ever seen an elephant or giraffe. I'm also curious about other African countries—we've spent some time in South Africa, where my grandfather lived out his later years; but so much more beckons, including Namibia, Botswana, Madagascar, Ethiopia, etc. etc. etc.

Where do you travel for fun?

France, where I have dear friends (who make me practice my French since they don't speak English!). I also enjoy returning to my native California to visit family, run mountain trails, and eat some of the world's best seafood. I would say Zambia, too, since being with the kids is so life-giving, but the hours-upon-hours of travel to Zambezi, the remote village we visit, is very tough, with pot-holed roads, non-air-conditioned buses that constantly break down, and no nearby airports—so I'm not sure I'd say that part is very fun!

Your funniest (or most harrowing) travel story is …

Taking the Trans-Mongolian Express during Soviet Union days and one day, in Siberia, we had to leap aboard the moving train as it nearly left the station without us. My friend and I ended up in the mail car and couldn't get back to our own car until the next stop, so the mailmen treated us to a friendly meal of beef and potatoes—the nicest guys who knew some English. The train had stopped earlier that morning for hours for some unknown reason. Well, it turns out the train had hit a cow, and that was our lunch …

What advice would you give your younger professional self?

Remember my passions and talents. While NatGeo was my dream job, I reached a point at which I was moving away from writing and editing (my talents) toward managing (not my talent). Yes, the staff job was more “security,” but I'm so much happier now, doing what I'm good at.

How best should people contact you?

My website is www.barbaranoekennedy.com and my email is at https://travmedia.com/Client/MyProfile/280554. Thanks!