Why I Deserve To Win The Viventura/Marketing Globetrotters Trip To Peru and Chile With Mike King and Yngrid Arnold

That is the $64 million dollar question. Why on earth should this little old man “Deserve to Win” this leg of the Marketing Globetrotters trips to South America? First of all it is the only leg I can actually take, as I have a prior obligation with a trip to Japan beginning November 28, 2014 to see my oldest son. Why should a travel and food blogger who basically been at it for around 18 months deserve this trip before what I am guessing will be tons of experienced bloggers, who have been doing this for many years longer than me? The good news is I have made “The Shortlist” and will hopefully continue to make the various cuts in the next two weeks. The decision for the November 3, 2014 through November 16, 2014 leg will be decided on October 25, 2014. #Video is coming!!!

 

 

Ladies Looking at Goods at The New Cathedral

Ladies Looking at Goods at The New Cathedral

 

 

Well for 1) I actually started writing at the age of eight, when I helped my father, Carter Hinshaw put out a weekly small town newspaper in Texas and ran a Linotype for him. I edited and proofread columns and was allowed to write a few stories. We usually worked all night long and I would always fall asleep in class the next day. The school finally called and told my Mother, Juanda Hinshaw that I should either get a little sleep or stay home from now on. Obviously I started going to bed at midnight from then on and our paper was distributed a little later the next day, but it was tremendous experience. So in effect, I have been writing for 56 years! And I actually have met and talked with Walter Cronkite, who was a true authentic journalist with the highest integrity! #Video is coming!!!

 

Indigenous Man

Indigenous Man

 

2) One of the qualifications has to do with Marketing and for many years in my former life as a retail executive in convenience stores, I oversaw and directed the entire processes associated with the department. This included contact negotiations with all vendors and suppliers, sales by SKU reviews, annual marketing plans broken down by category, with projected GP%’s, GP$’s and share of overall sales. Not to mention attaining total budgeted sales year after year which at the end, ran into over a billion dollars worth . #Video is coming!!!

 

Bicycle Mode of Transporation

Bicycle Mode of Transportation

 

3) I was identified byHolidaze in the first ever, “The Best New Travel Blogs You Haven’t Heard of Yet” awards, one of eight blogs awarded this award in the first ever nominations. I was literally dumbfounded that after only about nine months I was identified as a blogger on the rise and to watch. This was done on January 31, 2014. #Video is coming!!!

 

Don Colon and the Nomadic Texan

Don Colon and the Nomadic Texan

 

This was the verbiage written on my behalf: “Mike Hinshaw is one of the most kindhearted travel bloggers I’ve ever met in the course of my travels and it shows in his writing – although if you do something stupid then he’ll be the first one to let you know ;) Whether inspiring others to visit Texas (we’re both from Austin) or sharing the excitement from his most recent trek through southeast Asia, Mike’s posts are always a joy to read. This guy has more energy and life inside of him than other travelers half his age!” #Video is coming!!!

 

Perfect Pitch from the Harp

Perfect Pitch from the Harp

 

 

Additionally Bully Travel named me as their first ever Travel Blogger of the week. I was blown away again and this happened right at a year of actual blogging, on April 14, 2014.

 

 

Finally in August 16, 2014 I was identified as #76 on the list of Top Travel Tweeters of 2014, as identified by TrueNomads Here was the tweet that caught me again completely off guard “Top 90 Travel Tweeters of 2014: Wanderlust in 140 Characters or Less via . I was very honored and have significantly grown my followers on Twitter since this award and am nearing that magic 10,000 number. Fairly decent, given I have only been doing this for around 18 months and have never “Bought” any followers. I detest this avenue of growing your numbers. #Video is coming!!!

 

Nomadic Texan Grinding the Beans

Nomadic Texan Grinding the Cacao Beans

 

4) I have good numbers on other social media platforms and am amazed at how quickly some of these numbers have climbed and the fact that a few are responsible for additional followers and helping grow my audience. As an example I just looked at my Pinterest platform recently and found that I have 2,464 followers and represents about 1.5% of my referrals. On Google+ I have 3,141 followers and it accounts for 8% of my referrals. On Linkedin I have 6,146 followers and it represents about 2% of my referrals. I think we sometimes concentrate strictly on Twitter and Facebook and do not comprehend the value the additional social media platforms. These three additional platforms represent approximately 11.5 % of my referrals for my blog! Please feel free to connect on any platforms identified! Thanks. #Video is coming!!!

 

Interior Cacao Beans with Fruit

Interior Cacao Beans with Fruit

 

5) Despite my best efforts to read and make sense of things like this https://victoriousseo.com/blog/referring-domains/ post on the Victorious blog, I have absolutely no knowledge of SEO and how to use it to my advantage. I really could use a couple of weeks with Mike King and maybe even some one on one time to really get my numbers growing! How much more fortunate could a blogger get? #Video is coming!!!

 

A Meal Made for an Incan King, Cuy! With Chef Patricio from Restaurante Corvel in Paute Ecuador

A Meal Made for an Incan King, Cuy! With Chef Patricio from Restaurante Corvel, in Paute Ecuador

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike King is a Digital Marketing genius and a very good rapper!

Yngrid Arnold is the CMO of Viventura of Berlin and co-founder of Trip.me

Photo of The Day #37

Colon Campos at Work

Colon Campos at Work, Engaging Customers

 

I have traveled extensively around the world and had the pleasure of meeting many interesting individuals. I met Colon Campos recently when I ate at his restaurant, the Don Colon  in Cuenca Ecuador. I even wrote a blog describing one of my experiences, entitled Don Colon Rules. Today I received a thank you and an email urging me to come back and he then advertised my post on his restaurant blog. I was blown away.

 

Most restaurants acknowledge they like your posts, but rarely does one go out of their way to this extent. This gentle man understands that service is key to success in any business and he is genuine about your relationship. He really does want to engage with you and learn your story. If you find yourself in Cuenca Ecuador, at the Parque Calderon or the New Cathedral, you are across the street from his restaurant.

 

Stop in say hi and tell him the Nomadic Texan sent you. He will talk with you and then serve you an excellent meal, at a very economic price. Well worth the $4.00. Colon I can’t wait to get back and stop in and surprise you! You are a friend for life! Saludos mi amigo!

Photo of The Day #26

Perfect Pitch from the Harp

Perfect Pitch from the Harp

 

 

As I strolled along the market place, on the side of the New Cathedral I was enthralled by a beautiful melody coming from a booth down the way. It was very sweet and melodic. As I drew nearer I saw that it was a harp.

 

 

This gentleman sets up all over Cuenca and plays for donations only. He is always immaculately dressed and plays with passion and experience, never missing a note! Catch him if you can!

Photo of The Day #16

Saturday Markets Were a Challenge With All the Rain

Saturday Markets Were a Challenge With All the Rain

 

 

One can casually stroll about Cuenca and discover a shopper’s paradise a block away from the New Cathedral. The Market is located in front of the San Francisco inclosed markets and you will find very economical deals. In addition you can barter the price and you learn after a awhile that the original price is a “Gringo” price and is only paid by the naive tourists. There are tons of examples of weaving and clothing products and more than likely you can find a shirt, a blouse, a bag, a shawl or a scarf that you really like.

 

 

The only issue I find is that larger individuals cannot locate an appropriate fitting sample. If you are 6’4″ or so, you will not be able to locate a shirt that fits you. The sizes are all established based on the traditional sizes of the Ecuadorian population. It is a blast though walking and looking at the wares and seeing how good of a negotiator you are. Buenos Suelte!

Photo of The Day #11

Parque Calderon Near the New Cathedral in Cuenca

Parque Calderon Near the New Cathedral in Cuenca

 

I love the old part of Cuenca. It has been around for hundreds of years and the Parque Calderon pictured above is at the center of this section of town. It is bordered on one side by the New Cathedral and on the other by the Old Cathedral built in 1557.

 

Both are tremendous works of art and have various artifacts from the history of Cuenca. In addition, several restaurants and ice cream shops are on the other sides. It is a landmark one does not want to miss. This photo was taken directly after a heavy rainstorm and the clouds were still hanging above the New Cathedral at the rear of the photo.

 

 

Photo of the Day #2

The New Cathedral in Cuenca

The New Cathedral in Cuenca

The first time I visited Cuenca, I wondered off from the Casa Ordonez  boutique hotel I was staying at, to the center of old town called Parque Calderon. I noticed on one side of the park there was an elaborate cathedral and had to investigate it. This is the photo of the altar from the rear of the cathedral and shows the marble columns, floor and the gold in the altar. It was a dramatic picture in my mind and the church took many decades to construct and complete. I loved it and was felt an overwhelming peace standing in the church.

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Amateur Traveler Episode 471 - Travel to Austin, Texas