Very nice news… I’m heading to Kazakhstan in August to speak at TBEX Asia 2026 conference! Honored to be invited to speak at the world’s leading conference for travel influencers / creators, industry experts, and influencers.

My TBEX Asia speaker’s announcement is now up on their site. “La Carmina will discuss how travel creators can leverage their platforms to write for legacy publications.”

Speaker Announcement: La Carmina. TBEX Asia 2026 | August 20–23 | Almaty, Kazakhstan

“From Digital to Traditional: Turning Your Travel Platform into Published Journalism”

You don’t need to start from scratch to write for major publications. You’re probably closer than you think. La Carmina shares how travel creators can translate their existing content, audience, and expertise into freelance writing opportunities with outlets like The New York Times, National Geographic, BBC, and Travel + Leisure (see journalism portfolio.)

This session breaks down how to move from digital platforms into paid editorial work, without losing your voice or starting over.

In La Carmina’s TBEX Asia presentation, you’ll learn how to:
* Turn your existing blog and social content into a credible writing portfolio
* Position yourself as an expert that editors actually want to commission
* Find and respond to “call for pitches” opportunities
* Write pitches that get opened, read, and accepted
* Build relationships with editors, PR teams, and publications
* Negotiate rates, contracts, and repeat assignments
* Use legacy media to expand your income, network, and credibility
You’ll also get a candid look at why creators often have an edge in today’s media landscape, and how that advantage can lead to bigger partnerships, stronger positioning, and more diverse revenue streams.

Learn from La Carmina and other speakers in Almaty, Aug 20-23, at TBEX Asia – find out more info about the travel conference and register for the event here.

And that’s not the only place in my flight plans… I meant it when I said I was going to more offbeat places this year, in the spirit of my blue-haired days!

Between May and September, I’ll be in many new countries. First stop, Uganda: Honoured to be a guest of Uganda Tourism Board to discover their under the radar attractions (including safari & gorilla trekking!)  and participate in POATE Pearl of Africa travel expo.

Then, a return to Egypt for the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum (how can I not see it!), plus the Pyramids and Sphinx again.

Finally, a Balkans boogaloo through Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dubrovnik Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania. Excited to explore many new countries and some returning favorites (such as the land of the Sphinx). If you have tips for any of these destinations, I’m all ears.

Last time, I was on a group trip with Yukiro that went to many Egyptian locations. This time, I’m excited to simply chill for a few days by the Pyramids, return to the Giza plateau, and spend all day in the GEM Grand Egyptian Museum. (See our 2019 Egypt posts here.)

With The Collapse accellerating, it’s getting increasingly difficult to travel internationally for reasons I’m sure I don’t need to list (the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are among them).

Fingers crossed that all goes well and we can bring back the bright, adventurous spirit of my blue-haired era! I want to focus more on far-flung, non-touristy places, and make memories with friends worldwide… despite the ever-increasing limits on what anyone can do in this irreversible omnicrisis.

Sharing some old pics (Rainbow Village in Taichung, Taiwan) from the before-times. Collapse is collapsing fast, so let’s “Yoko Ono Yolo” when we can — are you with me?

Follow along these upcoming travels around Africa, Europe and Central Asia on @LaCarmina IG. I’ll continue to share Japan travel stories there as well, such as these images by Joey Wong from Katsuo-ji Daruma Temple outside Osaka (see all the pics of these roly-poly lucky dolls.)

More travel articles about Japan coming out soon too, on Thrilist Travel and other publications. You can see my travel and food journalism portfolio here.

And I hope you can join me in Almaty, Aug 20-23, for TBEX Asia (Travel Bloggers Exchange conference!) Find out more info on their site about the world’s largest gathering of travel content creators, bloggers, and industry professionals like destination marketing organizations.

This will be my first time ever in Central Asia — can’t wait to explore Kazakhstan and more, and share the journey with you. Comment if you have Kazakh travel tips, or if I’ll see you there!