Travel Writing discussion

Hi - My travel reading started during a holiday in Corfu about forty years ago when I discovered My Family and Other Animals I went on to read all Durell's other books and many by other travel writers. By that time I was travelling extensively myself working in Africa, the Middle East and the Far East. More recently I've written a couple of travel books myself, also a work of historical fiction. Ironical really when you consider that there were two subjects I detested at school: geography and history.

Hello, after teaching and living overseas in six countries I decided to write my first travel memoir about my family's first 10 years living in four different countries. I am now living and working in my 7th country (Honduras). I enjoy writing about my experiences of working in international and American schools abroad, living in different cultures, and learning and traveling throughout the countries.

Welcome to the group, Jill. The expat experience of a country is altogether different from the traveller or holiday-maker one. Which countries have you lived in?

Hi Hilda, I have lived and worked in Ghana, Guam, Singapore, Mexico, Egypt, India, and now, Honduras. You are right, the expat experience is much different from that of a traveler. I have experienced both while also visiting more countries than I can name here. Living as an expat in other countries is a chance to learn so much more about the people, culture, and way of life in that particular country and I so appreciate being able to do that as an overseas educator.

Hello,
I believe the more you put into life the more you get out of it. For me, travel has been a canvas to throw yourself into life and realise that ordinary people can and do achieve extraordinary things. Travel writing can therefore champion people's stories who are actually living as opposed to simply existing which is what I fear many of us do. I love books which give permission for the reader to relate to the writer and be encouraged that they should follow there dream and go out and have an adventure.

Hi,
I grew up reading travel books and loving them vicariously. I still do. But now I also read them as motivation and inspiration to get out there and travel for myself.

Hi Hilda, my travel writing began in the 1990's when I spent 12 months in the UK and Europe. They were often short, humorous pieces written for Australian newspapers. Somehow they became longer, and history based, and my latest book certainly reflects this. I also love writing about my literary pilgrimages, which have taken me all over the UK, and the US.

Welcome to Dan, Alastair and Pauline, and thank you all for responding to my invitation. Look forward to reading more of your thoughts about travel books.

Hi there! I have been working as an overland tour leader/ driver on six continents over the last ten years. I have recently finished two books about my experiences in order to help other people who wish to venture on a six month tour crossing Asia/ South America/ Africa.

Just swinging by to say hi and to see what other travel people are up to and what they are writing about and reading...:)

Oh that's interesting Andy. Wow, bet you have had some experiences! Are your books published yet?

Err - one or two Pauline:)! The first one is coming out in May, the second and third later this summer. There are some extracts up on my blog if you are interested in something a little different?!

www.blackfrogpublishing.com

Will check it out Andy. Good luck, I've found that the hard work starts once a book is released! Lots of fun though. Well except public speaking!
My website is at
www.paulineconolly.com

Thanks - yes, it appears the hard work is hard. Exciting but time consuming. Don't mind the public speaking to be honest :) Will have a look at your site!

Andy N wrote: "Hi there! I have been working as an overland tour leader/ driver on six continents over the last ten years. I have recently finished two books about my experiences in order to help other people who..."

Hi Andy, and welcome. I've just visited your website and love your blog. Your writing style really bowls along with verve and vigour - ideally suited to your subject matter, in fact. Don't forget you can start a topic/thread (I'm still not sure of the difference between the two terms!) for each of your books in the Author Area.

Good morning from Southern California, where I am a cookbook author and travel writer specializing in my native Morocco. My tenth book, a memoir with recipes for which I am author/publisher, is titled Mint Tea and Minarets: a banquet of Moroccan memories. It came out in December 2012.
www.mintteaandminarets.com.

I am not quite sure if this is the Author Area, so please forgive me if this is the wrong venue. Such fun to have found you!

Hi Hilda - thank you for your kind words! Am glad you enjoyed the blog. Am new here so still bumbling around trying to work out what I'm doing...:) Will check out the Author Area and see what I can do.

Hello fellow travel lovers, so great to find this group on Goodreads. I love reading travel narratives, and after some wonderful trips to Costa Rica decided that I would write about my own travel experiences. I co-authored a travelogue in my time off from my day job and loved it. I'm actually moving to Costa Rica in a couple of months and will be transitioning to writing full-time.

Looking forward to seeing what others are reading/writing and hearing about other travel adventures. Cheers!

Wow, what a brave and exciting decision you have made Jennifer. My husband and I gave up our full-time jobs in Australia in our mid-forties (quite a long time ago!) to travel and write, mostly in the UK and France...a little less exotic than Costa Rica!! We have never regretted our decision for a moment. Good luck,will check out your website.

Welcome, Jennifer and lots of good wishes for your new life. Look forward to hearing all about it.

Thanks, it really is going to be quite an adventure, exciting and scary at the same time. It’s very reassuring, Pauline, that you and your husband also left your traditional jobs to travel and write- always nice to hear that others have taken a similar (some would say crazy) path and don’t have any regrets. Definitely check out our blog if you want to follow along. We’re moving in July and I’m sure it won’t be long until we have some stories to tell. I will try not to clog this forum…unless of course I run into issues writing the book about our great adventure!

Hi everyone,

My name is Anthony and I'm an Australian author. Books that take place is exotic places have compelled me to visit them. I think there is no better advocate for a country than a good book. My first book Vagabond was a #1 iBook bestseller in Australia, and was inspired by my travels. It was a therapeutic experience for me as I conveyed everything I feel and believe about travel in it.

I'm attracted to any books which in some way incorporate travel. Forever I am searching for new horizons, and when I find a book that can communicate the raw emotion one feels when somewhere new, I connect with it immediately. Unfortunately, there is an inverse relationship between this connection, and my bank balance.

But if we aren't travelling this wonderful Earth, what exactly are we here for? Life is cruelly short, and I don't plan on wasting a second.

Hi Everyone!
What a great group! As an animal lover and conservationist I was immediately drawn in with Hilda's chat of Gerald Durrell. I also love to travel and have two blogs, one about my travels to zoos around the world and the other just about travel. I look forward to meeting everyone!

Welcome to Anthony and Stephanie. It's great to have you in the group. I haven't posted for a while as I've been away from home, exploring the spectacular landscape of Assynt in the north-west of Scotland. Until recently I probably knew my own country less well than any of the other countries I've lived in. I think that's true of a lot of people. We don't have the same urge to explore what's on our doorstep. I'm starting to remedy that.

Thanks Hilda! I holeheartedly agree about knowing out own country less and exploring it more should be closer to the top of our list. But with that said, I always call myself a child of the world/citizen of the world, as Canada is my home so is the world.

Hello everyone, my name is Rob, I'm new to the concept of putting travel experience on paper and it's becoming quite an adventure in itself discovering this genre. I look forward to further exploring our shared interests and immersing myself in your recommendations and stories.

Welcome, Rob. Do you write about travel yourself or do you just enjoy reading travel books?

I've begun to read travel stories lately. I've been told to write down my own experiences, but I find I'm more interested in reading about other people and their experiences and underlying motivations.

Hi, I'm brand new to this group, but here I am!

My name is Jason Smart and I love to travel and then write about the places I've been.

Cheers

Jason

Welcome to the group, Jason. I see from your author profile that you've certainly been around. Please feel free to tell us about your books in the Author section.

Hi All
My name is Graeme and I came to travel/adventure writing following a serious breakdown. Having begun to cycle again after a twenty year break I decided to cycle over 4000 miles around the entire UK coastline unsupported. I wanted to raise awareness and reduce stigma while raising money for charity.
Having written a blog I was encouraged to write my story. I'm currently engaged in writing my third book in the Riding2Recovery series and can't live without it, or cycling :)

Welcome, Graeme. What a great way to deal with your problems. I've read some of your story and also had a look at your website. Well done you!

Thank you Hilda. It was either that or go bonkers :)

So you made the right choice. And writing is always good therapy.

Hi All, I'm Si (Sam's a pen name)I'm reading A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by eric Newby. It's a real life tale of two men who went on an expedition to Afghanistan in the 50s and is terrific. Newby is one of the classic British old school. His preparation for an assault on the Himalayas seemed to be walking up a couple of steepish hills in Wales. And his kit appeared to be a rope, a blanket, and a bit of chocolate... just in case. He's terrific on the people and the place. Not sure I'd want to go to Afghanistan right now but i'd love to visit it when Newby did. Evocative and funny.

Welcome to the group, Si. Yes, as you say, these old travel writers were a doughty lot. I see from your website that you've just released a thriller as an ebook. Best of luck with it.

Hi everyone, I'm a participatory journalist who specializes in travel humor. In short, I go someplace, do something stupid or humiliating (which comes quite easily to me for some reason), and then write about it. I have published in many magazines and newspapers including the lead piece in Not So Funny When It Happened: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure (Travelers Tales, 2000). In 2014 I published a collection of my travel mishaps: How I Killed Off My Ex-Wife and Other Far-Flung Misadventures (Amazon Kindle).

Hello all - especially you, John, who beat me here by 36 minutes! I don't know how long I've been reading travel books, but I do know they are a great way to glimpse the larger world around us and escape for a while when the need arises. In case you're curious, my favorite travel write - hands down - is H.V. Morton.

hello. I'm a writer (lightweight) about life on a Croatian island. Croatia has a rich literature tradition and there are several books that give you an insight into the character and the lives of the people.
I can recommend some if anyone is interested.

Hello All,
blame it on Ted Simon (Jupiter's Travels). I got a motorcycle back at Law School when my folks thought this was the beginning of the end. What actually happened was I discovered motorcycles as a wonderful means of travel on your own terms. Anyway this culminated in me writing about a road trip on Britain's equivalent of Route 66 (we have one!). A juxtaposed journey/history about 2 trips 60 years apart. Photos at:-
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Anyone thinking of a period of travel - try a motorcycle. You won't regret it.
All the best,

Nigel.
(author of Travelling With Mr Turner)

Dear Hilda,
Seems there is life in the world of the travel writer after all.
My first book got to No 5 on amazon Travel writning last month - much to my surprise.
I've learned some things along the way, and if anyone in the group is interested in discussing it.......
I did like your seeking sanctuary book, by the way. I'll put a review on amazon.
Anthony

Thanks, Anthony, and congrats on your success. I see you've written two books about Croatia now. Not a country that features all that much in travel writing so they should be of real interest to anyone thinking of spending time there, or even just wanting to know about the area.