: About Me

A nomad at heart, James W. Coates has been combining his passion for music, writing and traveling ever since his father packed the family into a green station wagon and embarked on a 21-day Canadian adventure from St. John's to Victoria, the AM radio playing the entire time.

During his teen years James played piano and guitar, sang in choirs and solo but during adolescence, learned he played the radio the best and dismissed his aspiration to be Top of the Pops.

James soon teamed up with a DJ friend who spun at local clubs and supplied music for weekend sets. An avid seeker of new music, he devoured everything he could get at the local record store.

Fresh out of high school, his itchy feet brought him to a small village in Togo, Africa where he set up camp for several months before returning to the comforts of his native Canada.

After he completed a Bachelor of Arts at Laval University in Quebec City, he set out to explore more of the world. With adventures in North America under his belt, he again strapped on his walkman and returned to Africa, this time a small city in Benin.

His varied writing and teaching career has brought him from Europe to Vietnam and many places he had never heard of before setting up home.

Along the way he discovered exciting new music from different parts of the globe. Combining his love of music and writing, James got his first print assignment to cover the Summer Music Festival in Quebec City where he cut his teeth interviewing acts as diverse as Newfoundland's Great Big Sea and New York's Antibalas.

James holds a degree from the London School of Journalism and has published articles in newspapers and magazines around the world including The Vietnam News, The Quebec Chronicle Telegram, Nomadik, Boots-n-All and Destination Guides by Zonder. He has also worked in the news rooms of CBC Radio in Canada and the Department of Public Information at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. He currently resides in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

As Feature Writer for the Dance / Techno Music section of Suite 101, James is proud to share his love for the genre with other dance music fans. Like his nomadic lifestyle, James also publishes articles on other genres of music, travel and a variety of other subjects sprinkled around Suite 101.

As long as there's a country to explore, a pen to capture the spirit of the place, and a few good tunes playing on his headphones, James will keep moving and writing.

My passion is ...

Writing

I know too much about ...

Music charts

My childhood ambition ...

I really wanted to be a policeman

My favorite memory ...

too many to choose from

Why I write ...

I write because I have to. There are so many stories I need to tell.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

I'm reading Less than Zero, watching Lost and listening to electronica

My first job ...

Babysitter

Travel > Rental Cars & Driving Ideas for road trips on a budget

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Budget guide to road trips Cheap ideas & tips for vacations and adventures in your car or RV Rising gas prices needn't deter budget travelers from heading out on the highway.Nothing beats the freedom of loading up the car and adding extra miles between you and home. With a little planning, a good road trip opens your eyes not your wallet. The massive highway system criss-crossing North America leads to endless adventures, scenic drives and maybe some chaos. Though this mesh of roads and destinations seems daunting, to enjoy a good road trip, throw out the plan and head out with nothing...

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