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In a country the size of Massachusetts, tourists can scuba dive, tag crocodiles on an eco-tour, go cavbe-tubing, hike in the rain-forest, birdwatch, and much more.
Read Karen Berger's Blog
Karen Berger is a writer specializing in travel, the outdoors, and music. She is the author of 13 books, including Backpacking and Hiking: An Eyewitness Companion (DK, 2005), which has been published in American and European editions in 12 languages. She is currently working on her 14th book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Teaching Music on Your Own (which will be published by Alpha Penguin in spring, 2010).
In the outdoors realm, Karen is known as an international expert on hiking, backpacking, and adventure travel. She has earned her reputation with footsteps -- literally millions of them -- having completed the so-called "Triple Crown" (thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail) and having trekked more than 17,000 miles on 6 continents.
That makes 34,000,000 steps. Give or take.
(Did you know that the word mile derives from the Latin for 1,000? A mile is the distance covered by a marching Roman Army in 1,000 double steps -- left and right.)
As a contributing editor for Backpacker, the hiking expert for GORP.com, a parks and outdoor activities expert for Away.com, the "Outdoor Smarts" columnist for Scouting, and a book author, Karen has written about world-wide travels, developed a comprehensive on-line resource about hiking skills, and answered hundreds of reader questions.
Her travel stories have appeared in Backpacker, Islands, Robb Report, Family Circle, National Geographic Traveler, Westways, Texas Journeys, Forbestraveler.com, the New York Times, New England Travel and Life, Weight Watchers, Child, AMC Outdoors, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, Virtuoso's Travel+Life, France Guide, Scouting, Out Here, GORP.com, Away.com, Epic.com, TravelClassics.com, USAToday.com, MSNBC.com, Weather.com, and other major Internet and print markets..
Karen has served as a technical adviser to PBS's Trailside television show and to Grollier's Encyclopedia, has been interviewed on a variety of local television news programs, has spoken on radio programs including nationally syndicated shows for NPR , Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, and Outside magazine, and has appeared on instructional videos and a podcast on long-distance hiking. Her outdoor slide shows have fascinated and inspired audiences at venues including Mensa meetings, local schools, environmental and hiking groups, high-country alpine huts, and the Smithsonian.
In addition to hiking, she has had worldwide experience scuba diving, horsebackriding, kayaking, climbing, and skiing. An advanced diver, she is the author of Trailside's Scuba Diving (W.W. Norton) , an instructional book used to train new scuba divers.
Karen's many interests -- music, history, environmental issues, cuisine, arts, language, and culture -- inform her writing. She also writes general interest travel articles, ranging from learning Swahili in Zanzibar to reviewing French hotels to swimming with sharks to visiting iconic music cities.
All of the articles Karen is posting at Suite101 are based on her first hand travel and outdoors experiences. She has visited every destination she writes about and personally tested all the gear she evaluates.
Karen also writes about music and music education for Suite101. When not gallivanting around the world, Karen is a musician and music teacher who studied classical piano at Northwestern University, and jazz in New York. She runs a home teaching studio, gigs, records, writes about music, and has a collection of international instruments, most of which she can't play. In addition to the upcoming Complete Idiot's Guide to Teaching Muisc on Your Own. (Alpha Penguin, 2010) , she is the author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Piano Chords (Alpha/Penguin, 2007), and has just signed a contract to write her 15th book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Piano Exercises..
She blogs about how artists can survive and thrive in the creative economy at www.CreateWorkLive.com.