Travel Channel

It’s been a long time, I know-and that means I have a wealth of news to tell you about. As you may have read Passport is moving to primetime! Actually, it will still have a daytime slot as well which is a good “two birds with one stone” kind of thing.
What may be bad news for some is the fact that Passport to Europe is now officially over, now of course you will be able to see the episodes for like, the next twenty years but we left Copenhagen, Denmark at the end of June knowing that we as a crew will not be returning to one incredible part of the world. Our last trip was to shoot the episodes of Helsinki, Stockholm, as much of Iceland as we could and Copenhagen. The four countries, four languages, four currencies and three time zones left us all pretty exhausted and with little energy to reflect on our incredible experience shooting this series. I suppose if they are like me it really hasn’t hit the Passport crew that we won’t be returning to Europe (as a team anyway, I still have Euros, Kronor and pounds to spend.) At the end of two years we have traveled to 17 countries and featured around 70 destinations from big capital cities to mountain top villages. My own personal experiences have been so overwhelming its hard to reminisce without getting choked up and I imagine it will take many months-maybe years before I truly understand how these past few years has changed me as a person. And may I also add as it has been one of the top questions to me as of late that in all that time and travel never once did we experience anything but kindness and hospitality to we Americans.

Now Europe may be a finished chapter for us but that doesn’t mean that the Passport series is over. In September we start shooting ...drumroll please…Passport to Latin America! The plans are still in the works as I write this but I’m already brushing up on my high school Spanish and physically getting ready to make a pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

That also doesn’t mean I have the summer off. The first week of August I will be boarding the largest ship in the world, Freedom of the Seas to shoot another Cruise show. And the last two weeks of August I will be traveling to Costa Rica, Mexico and Montana to shoot a one hour special on Eco Resorts. So year eight of having the best job in the world is off to an amazing start.

Oh yes and then there’s that wedding I have to attend in October….

So what’s up with you guys?

Hey Sam!!!!

It is Jeff. I met you at the Ritz-Carlton Naples during spring break of 2006. Here is what I wrote in my blog entry.....

Over spring break, I met Sam and saw her fiance too! It was at the Ritz-Carlton Naples. When we first got there, my Mom, Dad, and I were talking to a guest about Sam and she informed us that Sam was staying on the same floor as us. The next morning we saw her at breakfastI had just said we couldn't go back to the room and watch Great Hotels or Passport to Europe because the hotel didn't have the Travel Chanel and Sam looked over and said "I think we both ought to check out of this hotel." We then talked for a while and I told her how much I loved her shows. We also saw her at breakfast the next morning and she said hi to us, but we didn't want to disturb her because she was typing.
She was so suprised that a 15-year old boy knew so much about "Passport to Europe." We talked for about a half an hour until we left. Later I saw Sam and her fiance by the pool. She was busily typing on her laptop (Probaly typing her script for a Passport to Europe episode) and then she was wearing the same bikini that she wore in the Great Hotels episode of Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.


A few days later, she checked out of the hotel.

Samantha! We met when you were shooting in Arizona for a few days. Anyways, there's a photo that I've been wanting to e-mail to you? My e-mail is worldtravelgirl00@hotmail.com if you can shoot a quick e-mail so I can send it to you? Your shows are the best!! Welcome home for awhile and good luck with the wedding!

Dear Samanta,

Woo Hoo! Welcome home! A well-deserved, albeit short, break for you and your crew, right? I've never met you, but I have been enjoying your shows for a while. Partly thanks to you, I've been bitten by the travel bug! While my travels have been limited mostly to domestic destinations, Europe is up there on my list - hopefully soon! But, in the meantime, I'll be doing the totally tourist-y thing and spend Thanksgiving in Plymouth, perhaps Christmas/New Year's in New York. I just got back from Vegas, baby - the Wynn is a great place to stay, by the way! Life is too short to NOT experience the world when the opportunities present themselves...
Thanks for your reports on "Great Hotels" - I use that as a main reference and have had the pleasure of experiencing the wonderful ambience and service that those places are known for. I can't wait to see the rest of your "Passport" shows and be an armchair traveler.
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Sincerely,

Joy "It's-not-just-a-name-but-an-attitude!" Hayashida

Welcome back. it's good to hear that Passport to... lives on. I look forward to that and the rest of your upcoming projects. and how cool is it that you can buy episodes of Passport to Europe on itunes? I don't have a video ipod, but yay for those who do. have you ever thought about doing audio podcasts from wherever in the world you happen to be in?

I sent you a birthday card back in March as I'm sure several others here did. if you haven't seen it yet, I'm sure you will eventually.

congratulations again on your upcoming wedding and to "year eight of having the best job in the world."

safe and happy travels always,
Ecila

Welcome back Sam! Indeed it has been quite a long time since our last chat. I'm definitely looking forward to the upcoming episodes of PTE and I'm sure all of us are pleased to here that PTE is moving to primetime. Now if only we could get you on DVD.

I've revived my obsession of Great Hotels. This past weak I've been going through my drawer full of unlabeled tapes searching desperately for certain episodes.

Now I imagine you're back home in NYC reading this message in your new apartment (BTW which area?). Hopefully you're settled in by now and have time to just relax before your cruise (!) aboard Freedom of the Seas (details please!)! That excites me a lot though you might want to experiment with other cruise lines in the future. I'm hoping that a whole new show will emerge from this. And I'm sure it has potential given how popular the cruise industry has become over the years.

Well that's it for now. Alrighty, I'll talk to you later!

Hello Samantha,
Nice to know you are back.
Just one request .... when are you coming to Singapore ? I know you'll enjoy your visit here.
Keep well then.
Ta, Cynthia

dear Sam,
I have been watching your shows for a few years now and I like them a lot. I traveled around quite a bit when I was a kid, my dad was in the service, but I haven't traveled so much in recent years.

I have never been to Europe so I like watching your show and seeing the sights and,through you, meeting some of the "locals".

I am sad to hear that there will be no more new passports to Europe episodes but am glad to hear about the passport to Latin America series. I actually lived in Panama for a few years when I was a kid.

I read a novel recently and one of the settings was in bavaria at king Ludwigs castle and because of the episode of your series that you filmed there I was able to have a really good picture of it in my mind.

Keep up the good work Sam and be safe,
Crispin

Welcome home, my fellow intrepid traveler!

Samantha, your career reminds me of a top-40 radio promotion I recall from the early ‘60s: KXOK, where the hits keep on coming!

I imagine we should not be too surprised the curtain fell on PTE, there are a finite number of places of broad interest in Europe, but it is hard to say good bye, isn’t it? Like you, I was always treated so warmly and graciously in Europe and can’t wait to return, even though back home for only a month now. It’s serendipitous you are going to Latin America since, after my research chores are completed in Eastern Europe next winter, my new writing partner tells me he’s secured funds for us to work in South America. So, apparently our paths will come perilously close again, having missed you both in Munich and Glasgow by days. I’ll post you my itinerary when we go so we can wave at each other as we pass in the lobby. OK, make it the bar.

Coming home (actually, staying at my daughter’s presently, near where I used to teach) has been an enlightening experience. A good friend and mentor at my former university used to join me for lunch nearly every Thursday at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant. Last week we returned, briefly renewing our habit, and as I came through the door the owner threw her arms around me and cried. When I explained that (unfortunately) I’d only be here for awhile, she replied that if I came back once, I’d come back again. She was quite confident. I suppose there is a lesson in that for both you and I.

I took the funds I’d been saving for my Harley Road King and spent it all instead on a little red sports car (sorry, Capttuttle). I figure that I’ve earned the privilege now that I have a California drivers license and dropped 40 pounds from my former girth. Who would have figured that after the Carb Diet, Protein Diet, and Scarsdale diet (etc., etc. etc., ad infinitum), that walking more and eating less would do the trick? Does anyone else know this works???

New address (etc.) to follow shortly after 8/1.

Welcome home, dear Sam, and cheers to you on all your new paths!

Intl Doc

Hey there Sam! It's so good to read you again. I'm sad to say that my current job has seriously started cutting into my Samantha Brown time. Needless to say I am thrilled to know you are going primetime! I look forward to seeing you again .

Also, I don't want to be a bother, but I never received a picture from you after your last visit with us here. You emailed me and said it was on it's way but it never arrived. I hope it didn't get lost in the mail or anything. If you have a chance, I'd really enjoy a pic. My email is mr.stoopid@sbcglobal.net. I certainly understand how busy you must be, though.

Congratulations on getting engaged by the way! I just got engaged myslef. Well, it was a little while ago. I'm getting married in September.

Good to hear from you! ~ k

Hey I'm off to New Hampshire to see my Dad, I'll be on later tonight answering posts and hopefully visiting with my on-line friends.

talk to you soon

Hi Samantha. Unfortunately, I don't have much to say, as compared with such posters as Intldoc :S

However, I have had a question since I began watching Passport: in the earliest episodes, and later on for that matter, who decided to which countries you would travel? You? The Travel Channel? Viewers?

Hope the heat we're experiencing in New England right now doesn't get to you, esp. after coming back from Scandinavia!


-Aodhán

P.S. Is this the topic in which we post if we'd like to ask for an autographed picture? If so then...I'd like to ask for one My email address is infernalwinds@yahoo.com Your's is the only autograph I've ever actually wanted, haha.

Thanks

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Hey Sam! It is so nice to read your posts. You sound like you are very happy! I wish you nothing but love and success in all that you do. I try and never miss an episode of Great Hotels and Passport. You are the best host I have ever seen! And a stunningly beautiful woman as well. Thank you so much for bringing so much joy to my life. You are a wonder to behold! I can't wait to see you in Latin America. They will absolutely love you there. And congratulations on your prime time slot! You deserve it! God bless and happy traveling! A Brownhead forever, Tim from Virginia

Hi Sam! i jus wanted 2 say how much iv enjoyed watching passport to europe and some of your past shows like great hotels, and the places you have been to have help me decide where to go to on vacation (im traveling to the ritz carlton amelia island and the casa monica hotel later this month) thank you for all you have done on the travel channel, and it has been a joy watching you go from great hotels to passport to europe. happy traveling! a homeboy from georgia

Miss Samantha Brown...well, HELLO! Congratulations on the conclusion of Passport to Europe. While you sit back and try to recall all of your memories, many of the viewers (like myself) find ourselves living IN the memories -- planning trips to featured destinations or perhaps already packing for one in the upcoming weeks. I dropped my brother off at JFK yesterday to begin his trip with a Student Ambassador: People-to-People program. He arrived in Paris and will spend a week there (including three days with a host family), then he is off to Italy for a week, and then to Greece for another week. My Mom, Dad, and I are all going to fly out to Athens in early August to meet up with him and spend a few days in that city and then head to Rhodes for the remains of the trip. I can't wait! I wonder if you have re-read your journals you provided for us, as I am sure those would trigger many memories and details of your trips. I actually stumbled across a journal I wrote when I went to England & Ireland, and was brought back to every exact moment of my trip.

It seems that you have the next two weeks off before heading away on another voyage, so I hope you enjoy yourself back here at home! Great beach weather and beautiful evenings to walk in the city. But who knows, you may want to sleep for 18 hours a day, now that your back home.

Once again, I hope the wedding planning is going well. October is pretty soon (although, I don't want to rush the summer)! I think I'm going to head out by the pool. I'll write again later this week! Have a great day, Sam!

Ashley

Hi Sam!! Its been awhile since I have been here but me and the beagles have been enjoying Europe every day! Iam Italian, were planning a trip there next year, cant wait! We added another pup to the pack last week, Dukes(12 weeks old,pics below) now saps all of Buddy and Crocketts energy, when there not sleeping (about 16 hours a day:~) By the way they all enjoy your pic everyday. Congrats on the wedding! You dont know how many hearts you have crushed:~) Just kidding, wish you many years of happiness. Were all looking forward to the new projects, hope you have some great time off and a wonderfull honeymoon!
Matt in Fresno.

P.S. My wife and I were married just outside of Yosemite on Oct 7th....Good month for weddings!

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Dear Samantha:

How about a series called, "Where the Rich are Living in America?"

You could take us to the cafes they eat in, the libraries and parks they go to, and show us the hobbies they pursue,with a small segment on where they put their out-of-town guests when the house is full. Lots of locals would love to share their rich lives with you.

Thank you for an excellent show.

Regards,

Joy Schwabach

Hi Sam: Nice to see you back in the states. Pretty routine here so far, except for the flooding scare in late June.

Our highlight for the summer, so far, has been going to Montreal. The drive up through the Adirondack's was superb, very scenic. My wife and I are Kiwanis members for years and finally went to an international convention. We stayed at the Delta Centre Ville. The hotel was lovely and offered a great view of downtown Montreal. Although the language barrier wasn't much of a problem, watching Rambo with French dubbing was quite unique.

Well, off to North Carolina's Outer Banks in September.

Still waiting on your picture but you're one busy person and I can wait longer.

Thanks for everything.
Gene

Hey Sam. It's good to hear from you again. Well the one and only vacation this summer I had was a trip (you guessed it) to Disney World. Yep. I went there with my family for a week. I left June 24 and returned on July 1. We also stayed at the Beach Club which is not what is was two years ago when my family and I went to Disney World in 2004. Anyways I had a great time except for the rain. It almost rained the entire time we were there except on Thursday June 29. That's the day I went to Magic Kingdom. My family and I had a great time at Cinderella's Royal Table. It's the restaurant in Cinderella's Castle. Just out of curiousity which is your favorite Disney Princess? Mine of course is Belle. I love the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast and I love Belle too. One of my favorite moments was when we went to see Beauty and the Beast- Live on Stage at the Disney MGM-Studios.

I also want to tell you as part of my classes for high school (I'm going to be a freshman) is I'm taking a Theatre class. I really want to do Beauty and the Beast as one of our productions this coming school year. Yes Disney does let you do Disney productions for schools, community theatres, etc. For spring break in 2007 the theatre group/ people are going to Bew York City! I hope I can go. If we do Beauty and the Beast as one of our productions I hope I can get the part of Belle. I mean really I know the story of Beauty and the Beast backwards and forwards. It was really nice talking to you.

Love,
Laura

PS: Did you get my letter? It contained a birthday card in there as well as a picture of me (the picture was from my 8th grade school pictures).

Welcome back. It's good to hear that you and the crew enjoyed your time in Europe and will have memories to last a lifetime. Passport to Latin America will be fantastic! You should buy some music CDs in Spanish to help you with accents, pronunciation and just general learning. If you like rock I suggest Robi Draco Rosa, La Ley, and Mana. For pop - Juanes, Thalia, and Chayanne. I can't post without mentioning Ricky Martin's albums "Vuelve, A Medio Vivir, and Almas del Silencio."

What camera do you have? It looked to me like a Canon PowerShot SD300 in one episode. Have fun in New Hampshire.

Hi Sam,

Welcome back! OK, you are obviously a very busy woman - lots of traveling of course and can't forget that wedding! My 12 year old daughter Emily claims to be your biggest fan. She loves your shows so much that she tapes each one while she watches them, then rewinds them and watches them again as soon as each show is over. I think she has aspirations to take over your job some day! I was wondering if and how I could get an autographed photo for her - she would be so surprised and delighted! My email is mickimatt@comcast.net if it's easier for you or your "people" (do you have "people"??) to reply. Thanks, Sam for bringing the exciting world of travel to my family. We truly enjoy your shows and look forward to Passport to Latin America.
Micki

Samantha! I’m very surprised to see you here, taking time out from your busy life to chat with all of us and share your wonderful news. You seem superhuman at times! Such energy! As for me, I just got back from a mother-daughter trip to New Brunswic