smiling. I have written about travel to non-English
speaking countries and communication on many
occasions.
My second Eureka moment came when I was
stuck in traffic on Highway 401. We were in a
construction area and it was unbelievably noisy
and then drivers started to honk the car horns and
it became really annoying. But through all this,
Likewise, when we arrived in Douz, Tunisia, we
were not aware that the annual International
Sahara Festival was opening on the same day.
Groups from all across northern Africa were
present for the camel races and the cultural
competitions with costumes, singing, dancing,
music and food. I was in seventh heaven—and I
wrote about it!
Getting caught up in the music at the International Sahara Festival in Douz, Tunisia
with my ipod set to randomly shuffle songs, came
the mesmerizing tune “Sounds of Silence” by
Simon and Garfunkle. It was like a breathe of
fresh air and, after a bit of research, I wrote an
article on “Silence’ as a niche market that many
travellers want, appreciate and in some cases,
yearn while they are stuck on a crowded beach on
a package tour during the holidays.
And other forms of inspiration may include the
‘serendipitous” (something that occurs by
happenstance and is rewarding, or fortuitous).
When our group arrived in the town of Pisac in
Peru, the festival of the Virgin of Carmen was
taking place. We had no knowledge of this until
we arrived and found the town in a festive mood
with costumes, masks, decorations and dancing.
What an opportunity for writing and photographs!
When our friend Epictetus wrote that “If you want
to be a writer, write”, he was speaking a truism
that some may say is not necessarily profound,
but when you think about it, it makes perfect
sense and is in itself, inspirational. Write, re-write,
show your friends what you have written and have
them provide suggestions. Proof-read your writing
and then post it on your blog or add it to a site
such as www.brouwaha.com, or send it as an
addendum or comment to a newsletter article or
as the article itself.
Travel writing breathes fire into your experiences
and allows readers to share in the spirit of your
adventures. It’s an extremely satisfying activity to
pursue.
If you want to be a travel writer…
start write now!