Author - Bill Wiatrak

“The Story of Kwanzaa Baba”

I’m very excited about the publication of our new book “The Story of Kwanzaa Baba“. It’s a cooperation between myself and Lymell Carter Jr. and the first story to introduce some interesting original characters, recount an adventure originating in Africa and add some mythology to the Kwanzaa holiday. Kwanzaa is a 7 day African-American holiday...

Visiting The “Other” Mexico

Mexico has been one of our best friends during the pandemic. While practically every other country in the world has shut Americanos out of their borders, Mexico has welcomed gringos with open arms. They’ve spearheaded responsible tourism as well. Every plane, bus, hotel or store has a temperature checker, masks are required in public places, there are...

How “Not” to Visit Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon was on my bucket list for years and for some reason I just could never seem to get there. However, the craziness of 2020 was the perfect time to get away from the US and find some wide open COVID-free spaces in Mexico. My research didn’t turn up much information about traveling there without booking an expensive tour, so I just drove my car from...

Favorite Travel Apps and Websites

Travel has changed in the last decade as guidebooks and maps have disappeared and apps have proliferated. Apps can help you to book hotels, find the best places to visit, share your trip with others, and broadcast your adventures to the world. Besides a passport (on international trips), your phone is the single most important item you need to bring on your trip...

In the Hall of the Tiger King

It all started with a last minute party invitation. My friend Deb was hosting a Tiger King themed get-together for her birthday party. The reality show was at the height of its popularity and party goers were asked to dress like a character from the show. Hmmmm…..what to wear? Years of being a performer has filled my closet with animal print shirts and jackets...

Glamping in Florida

You’ve probably heard that 2020 is the year of the “road trip”. With social distancing rules and countless businesses closed,vacationing has become seemingly impossible.Travel has certainly become more difficult and there’s certainly less choices, but as we figure out how to live in the new reality, alternative travel is starting to boom. I...

How to Travel The USA With No Money.

When the Covid-19 lock-down started, I realized I was in trouble. Both my jobs, travel writer and entertainer, suddenly tanked. No one wants to read articles about places they can’t go and every event my company had booked from Easter through the summer started canceling like toppling dominoes. I had trips scheduled to Quebec, India, Burning Man, and Italy that...

Famous Graves I’ve Visited

Cemetery tourism is actually a “thing” and if you’ve never searched a graveyard for a famous headstone, you’ve been missing out. It’s a little history mixed with a scavenger hunt with some mystery and horror thrown in for good luck. This post is a work in progress, but will contain pictures of some of my more famous finds with locations...