Many of us itch to write about our travels and know that the folks at home would enjoy an armchair adventure lived vicariously through our writing. The problem is usually how to begin. So grab some notebooks, pens and a camera and let's give travel writing a shot. All packed? Ok, let's go!
Before You Leave
There's a lot to do before the plane lifts off. you know where you're traveling to, do some research on it. Most of us neglect the Pre-trip research on travel planning, General reading about a place's history, culture and sights is just the beginning. Take a map and familiarize yourself with the layout and topography of the places whereyou will visit. Make a short list of most important places or site which you dont want to miss out. Read travel magazines to see that what has recently been written about your destination or watch the news for the latest in politics and economics about your destination. Search the Internet for websites with events calendars for your destination and note down what interests you. Is there a special art exhibition, or some thing happening over your destination place while you willbe on trip? And of course, essential language phrases always help. The more you know about your travel destination, the more enjoyable and productive your trip. Copy or print out pages, or write down in a notebook the key information you may need on your trip
On the Trip: Eyes Wide Open If We are traveling means a bit of discipline, of working when you feel like playing. Your job is to keep your eyes and ears open, to observe the world around you and notice details that the average traveler may forget, or not notice at all. Remember that you're not traveling just for yourself, but for all those people who had to stay home. What would they want to know? Always Try new foods, peek inside stores, park yourself at a sidewalk cafe and watch people. Seek out neighborhoods that are tourist free, where real people live, work and play. Some of the most fascinating travel writing gives a glimpse of daily life in other countries. Time tends to be limited on your travels, so it's important to carve time out to visit the places that interest you most from the list you made before you left home. Along the way, collect everything. Ticket stubs, subway maps, brochures, schedules, advertisements. If you're really organized, stick this stuff in a big envelope and label it to prevent confusion later.
While you're moving around, try to talk to people. Talk with people who live and work in your destination. With hotel clerks, hostel owners, waiters, people in the train compartment with you. Ask questions. At times you'll be lucky enough to get someone enthusiastic about showing you around.
photography: If you're experienced with a manual camera with fancy lenses, then its good. If you have a digital camera then its better. But if you're like me and have a limited budget and dont know much about the photography, Then a quality point-and-shoot camera will work well, especially if you want to sell your travel articles to newspapers or websites,Magazines or to professional photographs.
The Travel Journal
You can't rely on your memory. Probably for our own good, the brain filters out much if not most of the sights and sounds we come across each day. When traveling in a new place, the sensations can be overwhelming. That's why we need a Travel Journal or notebook. At times I take two notebooks: one for practical lists and the other book is the more diary-like journal where you keep your impressions. This can also be done in one book. Traveling is exciting and some times frustrating and tiring and it's easy to do everything but take notes.
There are five senses in every human i.e. taste, smell, touching, seeing and listening. Use them properly while on trip. Almost we overuse the sense of sight during trip because, there's so much to see.
Home Again: Confronting the Blank Page
Even experienced writers sometimes have a hard time getting started. The blank page or computer screen is there, the cursor blinks on a field of white and suddenly, you can't for the life of you think of how to start. So how do you begin the actual article? Now is the time to dig out all of those ticket stubs and brochures we lugged home. Your trip photos may also help get you in the mood to write. And of course, reading through the travel journal you canget on your way.
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