Getting Paid To Travel and Other Great Jobs in the World

I’ve always thought that being a food critic would be a great job to have – to be paid to go to various restaurants, eat there and then hold forth about the taste, quality, presentation and décor. A job as a successful travel blogger – where one basically gets to travel for a living also sounds wonderful to me. Obviously these jobs aren't as simple and wonderful as in my mind’s imaginings, but there are a lot of great-sounding jobs out there, such as:

Travel documentarian

This is my dream job – the sort late Anthony Boudain had. He got to travel around the world, eat the most exotic of foods (sometimes too exotic it has to be said), meet fascinating people… and was paid very well for it. I am aware that one has to be a celebrity before one gets such a job. Considering that Bourdain committed suicide I'm also aware that a great job doesn’t promise a happy or fulfilled life. However, travel documentarian is still my ideal job.

Food stylist

It sounds simple – make food look good – but it isn't. There are skills required: the right lighting, leaving some things undercooked, glazing other things, the right amount of food ‘makeup’. To make a living as a food stylist, one needs training, knowledge about food and a generally great aesthetic sense.

Video game player

Not my ideal job, but I can think of a lot of people who would give anything for a job like this. These guys make more money than Olympic athletes. However, this job requires one to be really good at gaming – not just best-in-circle good, but I-can-take-on-anyone-in-the-world good.  

Water slide tester

Yes, there is such a job – but if one cannot swim, has a fear of heights or enclosed spaces or is generally not too brave (like me), this job is not ideal. Oh, and these guys also get to test whether the slide is safe enough for use – a job rapidly losing its appeal I have to say.

Private island caretaker

I would imagine that there aren't too many private islands that need caretaking but apparently this is a job description. Really rich people have islands lying around that need to be taken care of. It also pays really well. I would imagine that this would be a great job for someone who enjoys nature – complete solitude and being cut-off from most of the world. I wonder if they have internet, though.

Disneyland character

Those people who go around dressed up as Mickey Mouse, Goofy etc. – obviously there is someone in there. Fun job and not at all arduous I would imagine. But how hot would it be in that suit? Also is it possible to clean the suit after someone else has been inside – and sweated – in it?

Ice cream taster

I think this would also be a dream job of mine. Apparently there are two main requirements: a deep and abiding love for ice cream and a degree in food science. I'm already halfway there! But since it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

Professional Netflix watcher

Obviously it isn't just Netflix we speak of, but all content and broadcasting services. There have to be people who sift through movies, series, shows, documentaries – to watch, rate, categorise all that content. What about boring or bad content – well they have to watch it all, I suppose. I'm beginning to think that all these ‘best jobs in the world’ aren't all they're cracked up to be. There always seems to be a catch. 

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