Ken Budd Writes National Geographic Piece, “When Travel Goes Wrong”

A new National Geographic piece by Ken Budd explores why our most challenging travel experiences can also be the most gratifying. Titled “When Travel Goes Wrong,” the piece went live on March 3 on Nat Geo’s “Intelligent Travel” site. It shares the dual challenges faced by Ken on a recent trip to Barcelona, where he struggled with intense neck pain and learned about the unexpected death of his mother.

“For a year, I’d fantasized about this trip,” writes Ken. “Now I was trading tapas for pain meds and emailing funeral plans to friends.” Ken uses science, stories from friends, and personal insights to show why trips like these can be moving and memorable.

Ken is the host of a new web series on travel and giving back, 650,000 Hours, that will debut in 2016.