Robin Esrock (born 1974, Johannesburg, South Africa) is an adventure travel writer and international television personality. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Esrock has written articles for major international publications, including the Chicago Tribune,[1] Gulf News Dubai,[2] South China Morning Post, Cape Town Argus,[3] Sydney Morning Herald,[4] Vancouver Sun,[5] Dallas Morning News, and Toronto Star.[6] In addition, Esrock is a regular columnist for the Globe & Mail, Sympatico, and Outpost Magazine.
Esrock is co-host of the 40-part TV series, Word Travels. Filmed in 36 countries, Word Travels follows the lives of two working travel writers.[7] Word Travels is broadcast on Travel Channel International, National Geographic Adventure in Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Europe, and on OLN and CityTV in Canada . Word Travels was filmed between 2007 and 2009. Esrock met his co-host and fellow travel writer Julia Dimon while backpacking in Koycegiz Turkey.[8] Esrock is also the co-creator, co-developer, associate producer and co-writer of Word Travels.
Prior to his career as a travel writer, Esrock worked in the music industry for SL Feldman & Associates.[9] His career shift was the result of a bike accident that left him with a broken kneecap and a $20,000 insurance settlement. Using this money, he backpacked around the world, writing a column for The Vancouver Sun and maintaining his website, moderngonzo.com.
Esrock has reportedly travelled to over 100 countries. [10] He is also a public speaker,[11] has hosted various online magazine shows[12] and appears as a regular travel expert on Vancouver's Breakfast Television. Esrock has also been featured as a travel expert in Forbes Travel,[13] Travel + Leisure,[14] and interviewed in several Canadian and Australian media outlets.[15] Esrock has cited Hunter S Thompson and Gonzo journalism as major influences in his writing,[16] and sports the Gonzo fist tattoo on left leg.