Adam Groffman is a super fun travel writer and photographer, who keeps us updated on the coolest things to do and see around the world. We knew he’d have an interesting Happier Place; his answer still surprised us…
After growing up in Texas, Adam Groffman put in a few years in Boston as a graphic designer before heading on a trip around the world. It became a life-changing experience that led him to living in Berlin and a new career in travel writing and digital marketing. He is best known as the man behind Travels of Adam, a lifestyle blog for men and other stylish travelers. He also masters a lot of other tasks: from social media to PR, writing to advertising, photography to design.
General Happier Place category?
The desert! I’ve been to a handful of deserts over the past decade and each one has left a lasting impression on me. There’s something about that stillness and the stark colors which make them so unforgettable. I love the quiet and the solitude that deserts often represent, and I just find them to be so magical. I used to have the same feelings for beaches – to sit still on a quiet beach, watching the sunset, but I think deserts are my newest happy place. They just feel so foreign and strange, like an alien landscape but here on earth.
A specific Happier Place?
I did a sunrise hike up Mount Sinai in Egypt back in 2010 – it was one of the most memorable places I’ve been and I still remember the rush of being there for that moment.
What do you always bring out into nature with you?
A travel journal and a pen. I think I’ve always been a writer deep down inside and while I put a lot of my writing up online (whether on my blog or through my social media), but still it’s what I write in my private notebooks which always stand out.
Do you have any Happier Place tips?
I think it’s important to escape, to solo travel, to get out there on your own with just your thoughts and own private conversations. Doing so helps to bring a sense of clarity to life.
A dream destination (in space or time)?
Tough question! I guess if I could travel anywhere, it’d likely be some point in time in Ancient Rome.
Inspirational quote?
I could put one of those Jack Kerouac quotes…
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars…”
Maybe it’s a cliché, but being a queer writer, I just feel he’s onto something here – it’s our differences that make the world so special…
Where you can find Adam Groffman online:
TravelsOfAdam.com – Adam on Twitter – Adam on Instagram
He has very interesting concepts of his Happy Place. And a fantastic artist. I like his shirt, “it’s not about you look, but how you see”. Great interview.
Thank you, Ellie! I was pleasantly surprised when Adam described his general Happy Place to be the desert. Not just because I didn’t expect it from him – but also because through our bit of research it seems that pretty much everybody thinks of their Happy Place to be by the water, maybe with some mountains thrown in.
xx Luci
Enjoyed reading this. A great writer.
Thank you so much for your comment, Carolyn. I’m glad you think so, too. He does write wonderful, entertaining, personal and inspiring travel articles. That’s why I was so excited that he would do this interview for us.
xx Luci