Janet Fullwood

Janet Fullwood didn't see the ocean until she was 10 or a mountain until she was 15, except in the pages of National Geographic. But she traveled every year with her family to visit relative in the Midwest - and to her, the sights and smells on her cousins' farm were every bit as exotic as Tibet.

A trip to Mexico at age 20 opened her eyes to the world. Ever since, travel has been her passion. A degree in journalism led her to a string of small-town newspaper jobs - all of which she quit to go traveling until her meager funds ran out. After spending most of a year in Central America, she moved to Hawaii, got a part-time job with an airline and used it to explore the islands' camping and backpacking opportunities. A series of articles on how to pack for an undertake an overseas camping trip launched her travel writing career.

Janet served as travel editor of the Dallas Times Herald for six years before following her heart out West to California and a job as travel editor for the Sacramento Bee. For the next 21 years she traveled widely around the world, reporting on and photographing destinations from Antarctica to Yap while at the same time keeping current on trends and issues affecting fellow travelers. In all, her career has taken her to 80 countries and counting.

In 2008, responding to economic pressures, the newspaper folded its travel section and Janet moved on to pursue other opportunities. Look for her Web site and other online ventures to appear soon. Meanwhile, take advantage of the expertise shared through her articles.

Janet is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the North American Snowsports Journalists Association and the Outdoor Writers Association of California. Her work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers and Web sites throughout the country, as well as in several books and magazines. She is the recipient of numerous awards for writing, editing and photography bestowed by SATW and the Lowell Thomas Foundation.