Chris Christensen was one of the very first travel podcasters and remains at the top of his craft. I was fortunate enough to meet him in person at TBEX this summer, and was so impressed that one of my suggestions for TBEX 2012 was “let Chris MC everything.”
He’s a gifted public speaker, an experienced world traveler, excellent father and husband, mover and shaker in the travel world, and perhaps most importantly in my mind, he possesses a truly wicked sense of humor. That being “wicked” in the sense of excellent and not in the sense of evil, just to be clear.
His website, Amateur Traveller, is most well known for its almost-300 podcasts on locations around the world, but it also has some excellent photography and even some old-school, actual words-on-screen, posts. All of it is excellent and you should go and check it out, follow him on Twitter, and enjoy his witty answers to the Lucky 13:
1 – As of me writing this, you have 290 episodes up of the Amateur Traveler. I’d never be so lame as to ask your favorite, but I don’t want to call anyone out by asking your worst episode…. so how about answering: of those 290 locations, which one would be last on your list of places you’d want to visit?
Siberia, or at least Siberia with the travel guides mentioned in Travel to Siberia, Russia – (Mis)Adventure Travel – Episode 149 that were looking their customers on a trek in the mountains in that area.
2 – What is your favorite fruit?
The tomato… when served as salsa.
3 – How long have you had your beard and how much money would you accept to shave it off?
now I want someone to pay Chris to shave his beard AND see him dress up as Linus
I have never had my beard for more than and inch or two. I grew my beard when I went to college (Carter was president) and have shaved it off completely only twice since then, once to see how my face looked and once for region theatre to play Linus in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown in community theatre. So I have been known to shave it simply for good reviews. All reasonable offers would be considered.
4 – Most embarrassing group or musician in your music collection?
I tend to listen to more podcasts than music, but will admit I still have a fondness for the early works of Avril Lavine.
5 – Most famous person you have met.
I have met Bill Gates while I worked for my first startup company. We made pen based computers and coincidently he also bought our very first machine.
6 – What is your nickname (or one of them) and how do you get it?
Chris2x or Chris “two times” is my nickname, one of my websites and even the license on my car. When I went to get an account on AOL in 1992 (before they got big), I could not get any reasonable form of my name as Chris Christensens are a dime a dozen. I thought of the nickname my father had for me as a child which was Chris “two times”… although he said it in Danish.
7 – Give us a really good, embarrassing pet peeve of yours.
I hate people who have pet peeves.
I can only assume this is one of those movies...
8 — Worst actor or actress alive and ruining our movie experiences today?
There are many bad actors so I save my ire for wonderful actors like Robin Williams wasting their talent in terrible roles as he has done for the last decade.
9 – Best single dish of food you can remember.
If you asked the best meal, my mouth still waters over a dinner at Bistro Casanova on Maui I had on a press trip last year. But if we limit that to a single dish I recall fondly a delectable stew I had at a small restaurant a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower.
11 – If you could be transported to one day/place in time, what would it be and why?
If I get to come back, I would say when they announce next week’s winning lottery numbers. If I don’t, even though I am a huge history buff I am also a huge technology buff so I can’t imagine wanting to live in the past over the present or the future. If I had to pick a place other than here, I am a huge europhile and would go back to Italy in a heartbeat.
12 – Whose brain would you like to swap yours with for a month?
We are talking about my best feature, it is tough to think of swapping so it would have to be someone way smarter like Nicoli Tessla.
13 – if you could ask one person, alive or dead, one question that they would have to answer truthfully, give us the who and what.
Fermat of “Fermat’s Last Theorem”, when he wrote he had a proof that was too large to fit in the margin, was he really just trying to screw with generations of mathematicians.
and here it is - Fermat's Last Theorem - so simple looking
This post brought to you on behalf of those looking for Key West condo rentals in that great location, only 90 miles from soon-to-be opened (we hope) Cuba.
Hrm. He’s willing to shave the beard for a good reason. Ultimate Train Challenge is raising money for a good cause. Synergy?
You’re right, he does have a wicked sense of humour… Avril Lavine! Quality. I hope he kept a straight face when he said that.
Seriously though that was a fun interview and has compelled me to go and listen to some more of his podcasts as its been a while – just got out the habit as you do.
Cheers
Josh
I definitely see the Linus doppleganger!
Does anybody have a recording of that community theater play? I would love to see Chris’ performance as Linus! As always, great interview all around.
Chris’ show maybe the AMATEUR Traveler, but he is the consummate professional. He shouldn’t just MC TBEX’12, he should MC all travel related things.
Randy, no known copies of my playing Linus (or at least not admitted to) as that would break the copyright of the play. Not my best role in community theatre which was probably playing Father in Children of Eden.