1000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz
Do you have a travel bucket list? You know, that list of places that you want to visit before you die. I do. At least, I thought I did. Then I read 1000 Places to See Before You Die and realized that my list was not nearly long enough.
1000 Places to See Before You Die author Patricia Schultz took some time to talk to Travel Smart Blog about this book that is inspiring travelers all over the world.
TSB: What was your inspiration for writing 1,000 Places to See Before You Die?
PS: A lifetime of traveling and 25 years of professional writing travel guides put me in a position where I felt like I had the knowledge and know-how to attempt a book of this nature. I craved a book of this nature myself and innocently believed the rest of the world did as well!
TSB: How many of these places have you checked off the list?
PS: I’ve never done an official count, but saying I’ve been to approximately 80% of these places feels about right to me.
TSB: What do you enjoy most about traveling?
PS: I love waking up in a foreign city and feeling like anything can happen. And I love being able to leave all the obligations, stress, problems, and distractions back home – despite the fact that my Blackberry comes along with me.
TSB: What do you enjoy least about traveling?
PS: I hate early morning flights that get me out of bed at 4am after 2 or 3 hours of sleep. After that, everything else during the trip is a cakewalk. I’m pretty relaxed about things.
TSB: What’s the one thing you always take with you when you travel?
PS: I am the queen of zip-loc bags – I use them in every size and bring lots of extras. Scarves take up no room and are great accessories to dress up any outfit. And I bring a ridiculous number of magazines for the plane – the movies they offer on board are unwatchable.
Patricia Schultz, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die. (Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Revere)
TSB: Do you have a favorite hotel or place that you have stayed along the way?
PS: I have discovered many remarkable hotels along the way. A recent favorite where I overnighted last week is found in the holy city of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain: the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos or Parador de Santiago. Dating back to the 15th century, it is said to be the world’s oldest hotel. It is one of 80+ historical buildings (think old monasteries and convents) reincarnated as inns as part of the governments “parador” system.
TSB: What has surprised you most since writing this book?
PS: That – after all of these years since being released in 2003 – it continues to be so enthusiastically embraced by travelers young and old, rookies and veterans, in the US and around the world. I would have been elated with 2 or 3 translations: we have 23 of them!
Thank you Patricia! Everybody, don’t forget to download the 1000 Places To See Before You Die App to help you navigate as you set your course for adventure!
Leave us a comment telling us the number one place you want to visit before you die and you could win one of three copies of Patricia’s book. Good luck!
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
If you have questions or comments for the author of the Travel Smart Blog, Nicole Hockin, please email: 
The Sphinx and pyramids of Egypt.
London england
Ms. Schulz is so fortunate to have been able to go to about 80% of the places listed in the book. The one place I absolutely MUST go to before I die is to Egypt to see the Pyramids. It has always been a dream of mine.
Con Dao Islands Viet Nam
The #1 place I want to see is Egypt. I’ve always wanted to go there ever since I was a little girl.
[...] don’t think that it would take reading the book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, to understand why a visit to Paris, France should be on everyone’s bucket [...]
I really want to buy this book! A really good interview by the way, great questions, with great answers to boot! I love that she’s been able to travel her entire life, it must have been an amazing journey. The only place I have on my bucket list is Kilimanjaro. After seeing some of the photographs from my uncles kilimanjaro trip, I’ve been infatuated!
Also, early morning flights, I think everyone must have that in common as a hate, it’s horrible.
Kilimanjaro would be amazing to visit. Thanks for sharing, Emma!