TBEX Europe in Copenhagen

Me welcoming attendees to TBEX Europe in Copenhagen, Denmark. // photo by Johnny JetI'm just back to the States from Copenhagen, Denmark where we had the first-ever TBEX Europe conference of travel bloggers and writers. Now back at my computer to see what all the tweeting and blogging attendees thought of the meeting, I also found that the cool folks over at Wonderful Copenhagen and Momondo (our presenting sponsors) put together a fun little video overview of what the meeting was like...

Hamlet (Paul Brady), Rosencrantz (Robert Reid) and Ophelia (Kim Mance) dramatize the issues bloggers face when dealing with SEO. // photo by Johnny Jet I'm glad they captured a bit of the atmosphere of the meeting venue, which I fell in love with during an early site visit and realized there was no other place to have TBEX Europe than at the quirky, colorful, and historic Cirkus building. It lent itself to creativity and fun, and even a Shakespearian skit about SEO, written and performed by me, Robert Reid from Lonely Planet (also featured in the video above), and Paul Brady from Condé Nast Traveler magazine.

There are so many other highlights, I won't try and capture them all in one post and place, but I should say that National Geographic's digital nomad Andrew Evans gave a Saturday afternoon talk that was so helpful and inspiring I gave him a hug on stage before moving on with the program. It even sparked many of the attendees that very same night to tell a story, even though the subject was bar hopping. And that makes all the planning and logistics worth it to me.

Happy Effing Halloween (profanity involved)

This is Stephen. He is a person whose legs don't work. But he loves 'Transformers', the colors green and pink, and wants to be a movie director when he grows up. He beat cancer inside his spinal cord (a few times), so he'll probably be a kickass director someday. Or whatever else he chooses to be. Don't treat him sub-human to make yourself feel more comfortable when you see him. Thanks.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT -
For all those who feel a little bit uncomfortable when you see someone in a wheelchair and don't want to stare: Just look at them and do whatever you'd do with someone else whose legs were making them move around. Don't avert your gaze, or be awkward, or try hard. Just treat them like a person. They are a person. Just like you. Nothing prepared them for a wheelchair -- just like nothing has prepared you for a wheelchair if you end up in one at 10 am tomorrow.

Don't be a condescending douchebag.

Bear with me. I'm still a little pissed about our Halloween trick or treating experience. Here's the deal: My kid's legs don't work (see right).

And here's the story, if you're in interested: My kids were having a great time, getting way too much candy, then third-to-last house on the route, the kids all said "trick or treat" (it took me years to get them to all say it when the person opens the door, then said "thank you" and / or "happy halloween" at some point), then my rosy-cheeked nine year-old son Stephen happily followed up with, "Trick or treat!" again -- because she didn't notice him, since he couldn't get to onto her porch because of his wheelchair. (Which, by the way, this is the first year he's had the new motorized one and I couldn't even keep up, such a

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