Travel Channel viewers are likely to have heard the name of Don Wildman because he has several ongoing projects on the cable channel, including Off Limits, Mysteries at the Museum, Monumental Mysteries, and Weird Travels, the latter having ended some time ago. Those who have followed him have noticed a shift in theme from the exploration of mysteries to a more paranormal perspective. Things change, but there are also things that are cemented in history. With this in mind, read on to discover 10 things you didn’t know about Don Wildman that he has publicly revealed.
1. He has regrets about not becoming a schoolteacher.
There is a family connection to this regret, as his father was both a teacher and principal in the local high school. Add to this the fact that of his 4 sisters, 3 have committed themselves to the teaching profession. But he does take some solace that his Travel Channel programming does have a large teaching component to it, sans any tests.
2. He excelled at waiting on tables.
Whatever you think of him as a television program host or explorer, he has plenty of confidence when it comes to his former job of being a waiter. It wasn’t as if he worked at Burger King or Taco Bell. According to Wildman, he worked at virtually every type of restaurant you can think of. His Travel Channel narrations have a sizable chunk of real world perspective gained from his many years of working in the food service industry.
3. Because he knows how to deliver great customer service he hates the other kind.
Part of this is connected to his world travels. He relates the story of how he was once in Japan (famous for their hospitality) and asked the manager of the McDonald’s he stopped into for her business card. In Japan, a business card is a much more personal thing than in America. Wildman was so impressed with the service he received he wanted a memento of the experience. She gave him the card accompanied by a slight bow. Contrasting this experience to America where people are more likely to think they are doing you the favor as they are overworked and underpaid, it doesn’t take much to see why Wildman hates poor customer service anywhere he goes.
4. His preferred brand of sunglasses is Persel.
This may not seem like a big deal, but Wildman says one of his biggest personal flaws is he spends too much money on sunglasses. It wouldn’t be such a problem if his preferences weren’t so expensive.
5. He has developed a neurosis about packing.
For someone who travels all the time you would expect them to have made the adjustment by now and just deal with it. Wildman says he travels about once every 10 days, so that means packing (and unpacking) is just as natural as getting on board an airplane. Actually, no. He wonders how much of his total life is spent on this necessary function of being on the Travel Channel.
6. Traveling is a romantic adventure.
He uses the word “silly” in describing his love of travel, and sees it as a means to self-discovery. This appears to be truer when he travels to more the unhospitable areas of the world where there are always challenges to overcome. The hills and mountains he climbs are both physical and personal.
7. Cats > dogs in Wildman’s World.
We all have our preferences, and it’s good to know he is upfront about them. He personally owned two cats which he claims were the greatest ever born. The edge goes to cats because he says that they are more subtle creatures and unless you reflect that subtlety through facial expressions cats will think you are boring. This is his personal theory so it may be worthwhile to follow up on it elsewhere.
8. He hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
That place, the suburbs in South Jersey, is where his personality and life begins and ends. He appreciates the adventures, cultures, and various people he meets during his travels but you won’t get him saying any of those adventures will change him from the kid who grew up in Jersey.
9. Sleeping on the ground is moving down fast on the list of things he likes to do.
As a traveler and explorer, Wildman has spent a fair amount of time putting up the tent and rolling out the sleeping bag. His fondness for the process continues to fade, and he says he is looking for a vintage popup camp trailer so he can travel and camp while sleeping in comfort.
10. At those social fetes he prefers to engage the wait staff.
This is not the result of a social snob attitude but of recognizing that many, if not most, people there are trying to impress someone or everyone. The wait staff have nothing to prove, making them more affable, more interesting, and just more down to earth than the vast majority of attendees.
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