Travel Writing Contest: What Is Your Worst Travel Fear?

by Willy Volk on

If you’re sick of reading travel stories that detail where to camp in luxury or get a cheap massage in Bali, maybe it’s time to put fingers to keyboard and show the world how travel writing should be done.

Road Junky is sponsoring a travel writing contest, and they “want to hear about travel stories where you were confronted with your worst fears and how you dealt with them – maybe you were almost killed in a bus accident in India, maybe you were attacked by bandits on the Kenyan border or maybe you just came home to find a credit card bill in 5 figures. It’s up to you.” Off the top of my head, a few other story ideas could be:

  • That time the power went out in the capital and the hotel guests all started speaking in tongues.
  • That time you were kayaking and a hippo appeared about 50 feet from you — right between you and shore.
  • That time you flipped in the crocodile-infested waters of the Class V rapids and you lost the raft.

Oh, wait. Those things all happened to me. Maybe I need to get writing. The deadline is June 31, 2007.

Whogoslavia Means Traveling with Kids

by Grant Martin on

How many folks have heard, “Travel now before you have kids?” When I didn’t have kids and I was traveling it was, “It is good you’re traveling now before you have kids” as if once I had kids, I’d park myself in a chair somewhere to do what, I don’t know. I always figured as soon as a kid is born one should hit the road to get him or her used to hitting the road. When we adopted our daughter from Vietnam when she was 3 1/2 years old we were living in Singapore. Two weeks later we moved back to the U.S. and a two-month-long journey that brought us from Hawaii to Ohio through California, New Mexico and New York, some of which was done in a U-Haul.

Writer Ayun Halliday has really hit the road with her husband and kids. They’re on a journey this month to various spots in the Balkans and she’s chronicling the trip on one of her websites, Whogoslavia. Halliday is one of those writers’ writers who discover a never-ending source of fodder in daily life because she gets out there and lives. For those of you who’ve thought about setting up your own travel website, hers is a clever example. For those of you who fancy traveling with kids, this might entice you to jump on in. I know it makes me think that we need to cash in our frequent flier miles soon and go somewhere further than where our car can take us.

[from ParentDish.com]

Gadling Podcast: David Farley

by Erik Olsen on

A while back, travel writer David Farley decided to undertake a rather odd quest: he left the cozy comfort of his New York City apartment and set out to find, or at least to learn what happened to, one of the most sacred, um, and shriveled, relics in all of Christendom.

I am talking about Jesus’ foreskin. Farley moved to the Italian village of Calcata and spent months exploring nooks and books to find out the answer. The online magazine Slate even gave him some digital ink to tell his story…or at least where the story lies so far.

In this all-new gadling podcast, I talk with David not only about this glorious quest, but also about the life of a travel writer and how he manages to make a living in one of the most competitive and challenging of professions. You can check out some of Dave’s other work at his website here.

So take a moment, put this on your ipod, and enjoy.

Rolf Potts + Travel Writing Classes + St. Petersburg, Russia = Fabulous June

by Willy Volk on

In addition to teaching creative nonfiction (a.k.a. travel writing) classes at the Paris American Academy this July, Rolf Potts will also be teaching a two-week course in travel writing at the Summer Literary Seminar in St. Petersburg, Russia. Russia?! Isn’t that, like, far? Well, yes…but the idea is that by visiting a totally foreign culture, a writer will experience a jolt of creative energy that will energize their writing and inspire greatness.

If you want to experience a jolt, maybe you should sign up for the course, which runs June 17-30. In it, participants take part in daily writing and literature-ish activities, like “Literary Walks” in St. Petersburg, introductory Russian language courses, and more. The 2-week course runs $1850 plus room and board, so it isn’t cheap. However, this is a great opportunity to get away, experience a foreign culture in a very visceral way, and write about it.

Who knows? If you get inspired, you might get published, and the trip would pay for itself.

[Photo: vetkaa]

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of September 17

by Adrienne Wilson on

Hear ye, Hear ye it is time again for another weekly glance at some spectacular plugs you may have missed. Just make sure you don’t miss them this time. Or else!

5. Cool Subways:
Long ago I mentioned the cool underground transportation scene seen in Tehran, Iran, but in this piece Erik points us to some so-called “Cool” subways in destinations like Moscow, Munich and Stockholm. If you’re not in rush to get to your final stop; check them out. That goes for the real thing and his blurb here on the web.

4. Puerto Rico Island Hopping:
Ah, Puerto Rico! With a light hurricane season and considering hurricane season is almost officially out of here who wouldn’t want to go island hopping in Puerto Rico? Thanks to Iva we’re one step closer in making the dream come alive or deciding which method or hopper plane works best for you.

3. Red Corner: The Horrors of Flying in Russia:
I’ve never been to Russia or flown on one its friendly planes, but I’m hearing more and more stories like the one Neil points us to in this scary piece. If you’re making St. Petersburg or Moscow a must-see destination sometime soon check this article out to shake yourself up a little.

2. Medieval Trials in Modern Day India:
Culture pieces are my favorite and this one is pretty interesting. Learn how to find a thief in India by reading this hot topic. After knowing how trials in modern day India work you’d think no one would steal, but it sadly looks as if that’s not the case.

1. Gadling Podcast: Joshua Berman:
Podcast time and with this one Erik delves into the world of guidebook writing with Joshua Berman who writes for Moon Guides, but recently published Living Abroad in Nicaragua released by Avalon Publishing. If you’re curious to know what it takes or Joshua’s take on the world of mattress flipping, sniffing and reporting (a.k.a. travel writing), tune in, plug in, and give it a listen.