Friday, January 10, 2014

About Me

My name is Tom.

I'm a 32-year-old English journalist, writer and photographer. I worked for the Associated Press in London and Brussels, and before that the Press Association.

Me in Itchimbia, Quito
Here I am looking happy and staring into the middle-distance
I'm always on the lookout for new stories and fresh adventures.

In my short time in Ecuador I've already danced as a devil in Pillaro, discovered an illegal trago distillery in the jungle, leapt burning effigies of Barney the Dinosaur, and twerked at a beach festival in front of thousands.

My passions are food, drink and fiestas - preferably all three at the same time. Luckily Ecuador is the unofficial world capital of fiestas so I'm going to be writing a lot about these wild parties.

Walking through Quito

South America has a rich and mysterious history but without a written language much of this history has to be retold by archaeologists from clues found in pottery and burial chambers. I will be travelling Peru and Ecuador and writing about these pre-Colombian sites.

I love photography and video - shooting with a Canon 5D and using 70-200mm f2.8 IS; 24-105mm f4 IS, and 50mm 1.4. You can see my photos here. I will also discuss the pros-and-cons of photography in the middle of the world.

When I'm not blogging I'm editing my first novel - the story of a journalist sent to Cornwall to investigate mysterious dolphin beachings along the coast. The London hack finds himself in a strange and hostile fishing village surrounded by furtive locals. Only the help of an alcoholic Icelandic fisherman and the magnetic Colonel Mortain will help him land front page news. But will the scoop cost him his life? There's something dark beneath the waters.

Of course, South America can be a daunting place with its idiosyncrasies, especially when you're still learning the language. At every step I am guided by Quito's own Lucy Rojas, an anthropologist and lover of ancient, dusty things buried under the soil. In my blog when things get too confusing (and they often do) I call on Lucy for a local interpretation.
Lucy in Kuelap
Lovely local lass Lucy

1 comment:

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    Hello! My name is Joe Pinzone and I work on a very popular international travel series that documents adventurous individuals’, couples’ and families’ experiences as they make the decision to move abroad. This series is a great opportunity to tell your story and share more about what you like/dislike about your new home. If you think that you or someone you know could be a fit for the show, or if you’d like to get more information, please contact me at JoePinzone@LeopardUSA.com. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete