Welcome to Whiskey Tango Globetrot. And to that initial blog post that seems to always get buried and that nobody reads but grandma. But wait! Before you go, I’ve lured many of you here with promises of travel giveaways. In which case if that’s the reason you’re here, then you can scroll to the bottom with the 4-1-1 on those giveaways (and they are SUCH good giveaways) while I give that talk that’s comparable to a course syllabus, but way more fun, with stories of booze, Michael Jordan, and globetrotting around the world. In 1983, in a little North Carolina town…. Okay, so let’s not go that far back, but rather skip ahead a few years.

My love for imbibing, traveling the world, and documenting it goes back far beyond the age of Instagram and even Myspace (oh yes, I went there). One of my fondest memories as a kid was entering an essay contest for a chance to win a year’s supply of Coca-Cola. My essay was about a (fictional) game of H-O-R-S-E between Michael Jordan and me. And while I dramatically won that game of H-O-R-S-E, I lost the essay contest. However, I didn’t let that keep me from often asking my mom to frequently pour what leftover sodas we had from Sunday lunch into Dixie paper cups so I could blindly taste them and guess which they were. That was the imbibing.

Now to my history of travel, which wasn’t as easy to come by growing up in rural North Carolina. Our family wasn’t well-to-do by any means, but I was fortunate enough to travel frequently as a kid since one of my sisters was a flight attendant (I was referred to as the “special surprise,” hence the reason my sisters were in the real world while I was a kid). Naturally, my travels involved a notebook in one hand and a disposable camera in the other.

Fast-forward a couple decades to a few years ago, when I’m sitting on a Costa Rica beach, drinking a bottle of rum and having one of the happiest and proudest moments of my life. Just months prior I was facing an impending divorce—which had come shortly after losing my father, grandmother, and dream job—all to work as a clerk in a video store. That night on the beach, I made a conscious decision that I was going to live my life with passion and purpose.

And the nearly four years since then has seen me do just that. It’s taken me around the world, living all up and down the West Coast, and reaching professional and personal goals that I never imagined reaching in that amount of time, documenting it on Twitter and my travel blog of four years, The Traveling Philosopher. And now Whiskey Tango Globetrot is the by-product of all of that. Whiskey Tango Globetrot is where all of my interests and expertise in food, drink, and travel has converged.

So why the name Whiskey Tango Globetrot? Well why not? Isn’t it fun to say? In part, it’s a play off the military phrase, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Yes, as in WTF. Generally speaking, however, what you’ll find throughout WTG really captures the essence of everything that I am. It draws on all my passions, interests, and expertise, which I in turn want to share with others.

I’m of the belief that food, drink, and travel are among the greatest gifts that the world has given us. They are the means to which we can both further connect with ourselves and the world around us, and as such, is meant to be shared. So in those WTF moments of your day-to-day life, I hope you’ll be able to squeeze out some WTG moments from these pages that both inform and inspire. And if nothing else, then may you eat, drink, travel, and live well. We only get one shot at this life, so we might as well make it count, because if we do, then once is enough.

You can read a little bit more about my story on the WTG about page.

Giveaways (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

But without any further ado, let's get onto those giveaways. For the launch of Whiskey Tango Globetrot I've partnered with a number of different brands that I've previously worked with in one way or the other. That began at the official Whiskey Tango Globetrot launch party last week at the Blind Barber (see photos from the event below). And it now continues with several fantastic giveaways. Consider it Christmas in February. Or for the romantic among you, an early Valentine's Day gift.

You'll see several giveaways below. Entering is easy. As in, I don't make you jump through any hoops or do any other stupid human tricks. All you have to do is submit your name and email address once in the widget below and that'll enter you into each of the four giveaways. You only have to enter once (you don't need to come back daily to enter). However, for additional entries, you can also do any or all of the following (Follow the prompts below on the Rafflecopter widget to enter):

• Follow me on Twitter.
• Tweet about the giveaway.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Subscribe to one of my newsletters.

On the Rafflecopter widget you'll see the full terms and conditions. In short, the giveaway runs through Thursday, February 19th and is open to legal residents of the U.S.A. who are at least 21 years old. Winners will be selected randomly and contacted by email before Sunday, February 22nd. They'll  have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Expedia. Expedia is giving away a $1,000 travel voucher that can either be used for a hotel or hotel + flight package. That could pay for a vacation to Maui, Mexico, the Caribbean and everywhere in between. The voucher is good for a year from issue.

Travaasa Experiential Resort. Travaasa is giving away two nights that can be used at one of their experiential resorts, one of which is on the island of Maui, in Hana, and the other in Austin, Texas. This is where you go to unplug, especially if you like adventure and don't want to just lounge around on the beach all day. Read about my experience at the Hana property and see photos from both properties in this post. The voucher is good for a year from issue and is subject to availability and blackout dates.

Palace Resorts. Palace Resorts is giving away a four-night stay that can be used at any one of 7 of their resorts (Le Blanc Spa Resort excluded) spread throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. If you do want to lounge around the beach and pool all day, then Palace Resorts is it. You can read about my stay at their Cancun resort, Moon Palace, and see photos from it and several of their other properties in this post. The voucher is good for a year from issue and is subject to availability and blackout dates.

Sky Combat Ace. Sky Combat Ace, located in Las Vegas, is giving away one of their thrill ride experiences, the Afterburner, which puts you in the passenger seat of an aerobatic plane. Yes, aerobatic as in loops, rolls, cuban 8's, and hammerheads like you see in airshows. Read about my experience actually flying one of their planes and see photos in this post. The voucher is good for six months from issue and is subject to availability.