Thanks for sharing this, your enthusiasm bubbles through the pages (well, screen)! It's nice to hear from someone who has clearly thought about what travel offers them. So many people simply go places because everyone else is.
My professional life has so far been entirely in travel media, but as a writer before I was a traveller, my enthusiasm for both prongs of that fork has changed over that time. Covid was the catalyst, as it was for so many. It forced me to see things differently. It was beginning to feel like the writing element of travel writing was being ignored in an obsession for clicks, and people who liked going abroad thought they could make a bit of easy money from writing bland articles. And that few people had the curiosity or patience for the good, quality travel writing. I'm planning a post on this slow and sad realisation of mine but it's taking a while. As I say... it's complicated! Either way, thanks for reminding me of the good that travel can bring :)
Thank you for this comment, I really appreciate it. It sounds like our views on travel writing tally neatly and I'm very much looking forward to the post you mentioned.
It is indeed complicated, but I am actually hopeful that, as the internet slowly (very slooooowly) moves away from adverts and clicks and time spent on pages towards something different, something more gentle and thoughtful (subscription models such as Substack arguably being one example), then more of the good, quality travel writing will rise to the surface. I think it is still out there, but it is drowned out by the clamour of 'read me!' and 'click here'. Either that, or it is published in places which are not as easy to access or, sometimes, even find.
I think a lot of it also has to do with editors and, especially, commissioning editors, who have the unenviable task of sifting through pitches and ideas to balance that need for clicks with a need and desire for quality.
I've recently begun to pitch travel stories again, after a long break, but so far to little joy. I'll keep chipping away, though, revising and repitching, but as the state of play for writers at the moment is in flux, it can be a little demoralising at times. Still, as I'm fond of saying, active hope that things will change for the better is the way! In this case, I'm sharing pieces here (pieces which I think are important and interesting), as well as listening to what others want to read, and where they might read them. Crucially, I also absolutely love it when people such as yourself leave excellent comments, each is a vindication of sorts, a cheer that I am on the right track, if perhaps still someway from the finish line, whatever that might mean!
I enjoyed this immensely Alex, i can see the work you put into this and so much of what you say resonates loudly!
Home is a word with a feeling … I have found many too, in diverse places, not limited to that where I was born and raised. In fact that place feels less like home than any other now. It is a place I lived and loved, but the reasons for those feelings are long gone. Not that I don’t love still where I came from, of course, I still have friends there but places change when daily ties are severed and one’s feelings of love and attachment with it.
I was recently speaking to my son about travelling and was horrified to hear he doesn’t have the same desire that coursed through my entire adolescence to visit this wild and beautiful world. He has no desire for experience outside of his circle at all… I hope only that this attitude will change but of course, though he is like me in so many ways, we are not one.
Oh, I love this, Susie, and it doesn't surprise me that it resonates with you! I think, for me, I still have those homes in my past, where I lived at different times, but in the past they stay. I believe that, to move away from somewhere, or even to consider doing so, makes us look at those memories and places with a different gaze, which is something I address in another post in this micro-season.
It can be really difficult, when we know how empowering and important a thing can be (travel), and then we see those we know would really appreciate and learn from it staying put. Of course, there's still time for him to change his mind! And his circle might not stay the same as they grow, I guess. With my own family and friends, I've learnt it is best to be gentle in sharing travel tales, to try not to be a travel bore, but still demonstrate the importance of such an activity. (Pretty sure I mentioned somewhere about a friend I had at work once, who literally counted down the weeks and days to their 2 week summer holiday, all year long. That taught me a lot!)
What is interesting is that, even though I had the same feeling as you, to see more of this wild and beautiful world, I barely travelled outwith the UK until I left on the eve of my 40th. I could blame all manner of external factors, but ultimately, realistically, only myself.
Time will tell indeed! And thank you for this, I'm very grateful you are here!
I hope for Seth’s sake you are right, ultimately of course though, and this is perhaps what we as lovers of this world in it’s entirety, possibly forget, we are each one of us very different. I still have the travel bug, there are many places left on this wonderful planet I’ve yet to see… and I’m still hopeful despite having a husband who grumbles about driving one kilometre to eat a meal with friends!
We are really all very different indeed. I was lucky, in that I saw how certain friends who had been travelling would come back with all manner of tales, telling others how they must do likewise, only for those other friends' eyes to glaze over. I also saw one or two people get very defensive and angry about the fact they didn't want to travel, which made me very wary when sharing my own stories. In some ways, however, it didn't matter too much, as I spent several years hermitted away in the north of Scotland, before I left to travel. I've not really seen a lot of my friends in a long time now!
There really are many places I still want to see, too, and hopefully I still have plenty of time to see them. It is really wonderful, how Aurélie also loves to travel, makes things a lot easier!
I really hope you get to those places Alex… I know that glazed eye look too, I also have friends who have no interest in seeing the world, other then their two weeks lying on a crowded beach of course… I can’t actually think of anything worse!
It took me a long, long time to find the interest in such an endeavour: lying on a crowded beach. Or lying on a beach, full stop, to be honest!! Now, however, if we go to Gruissan, for example, and I'm forced to go to the big, non-sauvage beach, I use that time to people watch, make notes, create characters, and generally beachcomb through the lives of others! But I'd much rather be exploring rockpools.
Very much enjoyed this! I am looking forward to the next installments. I too had a blog for a few years that never earned me any money. But I got practice writing for public consumption and fine-tuned my subject matter, so as you say, nothing is ever wasted. Glad you are re-sharing these.
Thank you so much Rebecca, it means a lot that you enjoyed this. When I think back to how many words I shared on the internet over the years, even if the vast, vast majority brought in no money, each one also contributed to developing my voice, honing my craft, etcetera, so, as you say, nothing is ever wasted. This is certainly one of the points I wanted to share, as I see a number of people on Notes who are sad, or complain, when their work isn't read as they wish. I suppose we've been led to believe in the myth of the overnight success, or get-rich-quick schemes that, to do things the old fashioned, slow way, can feel strange to many. I'm very happy I have the opportunity and increased readership here to share these posts again.
“I have many homes, and travel constantly provides me with more.”
I didn’t feel “home” at home for most of my life. Growing up in the suburban US, I recognize a lot of the homegrown “microcosm mentality” that Matthew describes. Immersion within different places and world cultures brings surprising new pieces of “home” to the surface.
Thanks! I often wonder how many people feel an urge to escape that microcosm mentality, yet don't know what the urge is? I think what you say about immersion in different places and cultures is spot on too, each makes us really question what the word 'home' means to us, personally. And the results can sometimes be rather surprising! Many thanks for this!
Alexander, I loved this article. I grew up in a small rural town in Missouri. Many of my friends and family never left our small town. They considered a vacation to go to a baseball game in St. Louis once a year (about an hour drive). While I love where I come from, I also wanted to see the world and experience more than my rural, farming town. In high school I went on trips to the Philippines and Peru. After joining the Navy I visited the Seychelles, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Spain, Italy, Thailand, South Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, and many more countries. In every place I tried the local food and drink. I stayed away from the tourist destinations and went where locals hung out. I wanted to expand my mind and experience different things. All of it was a learning experience. After I leave the Navy my wife and I plan to keep traveling, going new places, learning new languages, eating new food, and experiencing new ways of life. Thanks for sharing your experience. It brought back a lot of great memories.
Thank you so much for this comment, I think you make some excellent points, especially about it all being a learning process, that is just so true. And learning isn't always easy, either, it requires effort (to find those non-tourist places, for example). One thing it took me some time to realise is that we're all so very different, those friends who have stayed in one place all their life are still living lives which are rewarding to them, even if that idea makes me feel stressed! New-to-me things is what it is all about, personal discovery, pushing my boundaries (which can be hard at times, being a natural introvert!).
Thanks again, I hope you'll also like the next couple of posts in this micro-season.
Great post, Alexander, and so much of it resonated. I've often asked myself why I like to travel and I think it comes down to observation and interaction (general curiosity); and I enjoy the process of travel as well as the destination. The greater worldview that is gained from travel. I find some people (trying not to generalise here) who don't or haven't travelled to be very parochial in their outlook. I, like you, like to ask questions - I've had quizzical looks from local guides when I've asked such things as how many people are usually in graves. Or you receive an enlightening observation on your own life - a chap in Gambia told me he felt sorry for English people (read western) as we are lonely because we all live on our own or in a small family unit. Whereas in The Gambia, households consisted of large extended families so he knew that, if anything ever happened to him, X would step in to look after his family.
My husband finds travelling extremely stressful and we now agree to play to our wishes. He is happy for me to go off and visit the places I do, and I'm happy to accompany him to Achiltibuie (a place he has a strong emotional attachment to) once a year for his annual break from the farm. Happily (in my opinion) our boys take after me. Son #2 is currently globally feral (what a great phrase) in his quest to put off being an adult as long as possible, lol
'Home' is an interesting concept. I moved around a bit until age 9, and then, once I'd left school, my parents moved a couple of times so I have no emotional attachment to any place other than my present home, and even then, if I had to move, it wouldn't be a huge wrench - it is just bricks and mortar after all. I think a sense of place, belonging and people are more important than a physical structure.
I love this comment, thank you! (Funerary practices in different places is a topic I will never cease to be interested in too!) Everyone is so very different, as you say, not just around the world, but also within one small locale or, indeed, family!
I'm glad you like the phrase globally feral, I really am on a mission to spread that far and wide, especially instead of digital nomad, which irritates me!
Home is one of those things I've got thousands of words drafted about, about what it means personally, but also what it means to others. The idea is a fascinating one. What I am currently trying to unpack is how at the moment I don't seem to want to leave the house as much as I should. I suspect that will change soon (especially since I am actively working at it), but it worries me sometimes! That said, I don't think that's especially connected to my current home, as much as simply staying indoors more than I should. Weird! (I know I touched on this when I talked about the forthcoming AWE season, and I think I'll talk more about it again soon. Often, these things can be brushed under the proverbial rug, which doesn't really help anyone!)
Thanks again for such an insightful and interesting comment!
I don’t think you should beat yourself up about not leaving the house. We all travel our own internal, as well as external, paths, and they constantly twist and turn. It’s probably what you need right now and will flip on its head when you need to be outside to be creatively fuelled.
Thank you Lynn, I think this is wise and also very much what I need to hear right now. I suppose we all have seasons of our own, where needs and wants change. Still, I am very much looking forward to having a desire to leave my computer desk again soon!! Thanks again. :)
Thanks for sharing this, your enthusiasm bubbles through the pages (well, screen)! It's nice to hear from someone who has clearly thought about what travel offers them. So many people simply go places because everyone else is.
My professional life has so far been entirely in travel media, but as a writer before I was a traveller, my enthusiasm for both prongs of that fork has changed over that time. Covid was the catalyst, as it was for so many. It forced me to see things differently. It was beginning to feel like the writing element of travel writing was being ignored in an obsession for clicks, and people who liked going abroad thought they could make a bit of easy money from writing bland articles. And that few people had the curiosity or patience for the good, quality travel writing. I'm planning a post on this slow and sad realisation of mine but it's taking a while. As I say... it's complicated! Either way, thanks for reminding me of the good that travel can bring :)
Thank you for this comment, I really appreciate it. It sounds like our views on travel writing tally neatly and I'm very much looking forward to the post you mentioned.
It is indeed complicated, but I am actually hopeful that, as the internet slowly (very slooooowly) moves away from adverts and clicks and time spent on pages towards something different, something more gentle and thoughtful (subscription models such as Substack arguably being one example), then more of the good, quality travel writing will rise to the surface. I think it is still out there, but it is drowned out by the clamour of 'read me!' and 'click here'. Either that, or it is published in places which are not as easy to access or, sometimes, even find.
I think a lot of it also has to do with editors and, especially, commissioning editors, who have the unenviable task of sifting through pitches and ideas to balance that need for clicks with a need and desire for quality.
I've recently begun to pitch travel stories again, after a long break, but so far to little joy. I'll keep chipping away, though, revising and repitching, but as the state of play for writers at the moment is in flux, it can be a little demoralising at times. Still, as I'm fond of saying, active hope that things will change for the better is the way! In this case, I'm sharing pieces here (pieces which I think are important and interesting), as well as listening to what others want to read, and where they might read them. Crucially, I also absolutely love it when people such as yourself leave excellent comments, each is a vindication of sorts, a cheer that I am on the right track, if perhaps still someway from the finish line, whatever that might mean!
Thanks again, your comment made my morning!
I enjoyed this immensely Alex, i can see the work you put into this and so much of what you say resonates loudly!
Home is a word with a feeling … I have found many too, in diverse places, not limited to that where I was born and raised. In fact that place feels less like home than any other now. It is a place I lived and loved, but the reasons for those feelings are long gone. Not that I don’t love still where I came from, of course, I still have friends there but places change when daily ties are severed and one’s feelings of love and attachment with it.
I was recently speaking to my son about travelling and was horrified to hear he doesn’t have the same desire that coursed through my entire adolescence to visit this wild and beautiful world. He has no desire for experience outside of his circle at all… I hope only that this attitude will change but of course, though he is like me in so many ways, we are not one.
Time will tell…
Oh, I love this, Susie, and it doesn't surprise me that it resonates with you! I think, for me, I still have those homes in my past, where I lived at different times, but in the past they stay. I believe that, to move away from somewhere, or even to consider doing so, makes us look at those memories and places with a different gaze, which is something I address in another post in this micro-season.
It can be really difficult, when we know how empowering and important a thing can be (travel), and then we see those we know would really appreciate and learn from it staying put. Of course, there's still time for him to change his mind! And his circle might not stay the same as they grow, I guess. With my own family and friends, I've learnt it is best to be gentle in sharing travel tales, to try not to be a travel bore, but still demonstrate the importance of such an activity. (Pretty sure I mentioned somewhere about a friend I had at work once, who literally counted down the weeks and days to their 2 week summer holiday, all year long. That taught me a lot!)
What is interesting is that, even though I had the same feeling as you, to see more of this wild and beautiful world, I barely travelled outwith the UK until I left on the eve of my 40th. I could blame all manner of external factors, but ultimately, realistically, only myself.
Time will tell indeed! And thank you for this, I'm very grateful you are here!
I am always delighted to be here Alex!
I hope for Seth’s sake you are right, ultimately of course though, and this is perhaps what we as lovers of this world in it’s entirety, possibly forget, we are each one of us very different. I still have the travel bug, there are many places left on this wonderful planet I’ve yet to see… and I’m still hopeful despite having a husband who grumbles about driving one kilometre to eat a meal with friends!
We are really all very different indeed. I was lucky, in that I saw how certain friends who had been travelling would come back with all manner of tales, telling others how they must do likewise, only for those other friends' eyes to glaze over. I also saw one or two people get very defensive and angry about the fact they didn't want to travel, which made me very wary when sharing my own stories. In some ways, however, it didn't matter too much, as I spent several years hermitted away in the north of Scotland, before I left to travel. I've not really seen a lot of my friends in a long time now!
There really are many places I still want to see, too, and hopefully I still have plenty of time to see them. It is really wonderful, how Aurélie also loves to travel, makes things a lot easier!
I really hope you get to those places Alex… I know that glazed eye look too, I also have friends who have no interest in seeing the world, other then their two weeks lying on a crowded beach of course… I can’t actually think of anything worse!
It took me a long, long time to find the interest in such an endeavour: lying on a crowded beach. Or lying on a beach, full stop, to be honest!! Now, however, if we go to Gruissan, for example, and I'm forced to go to the big, non-sauvage beach, I use that time to people watch, make notes, create characters, and generally beachcomb through the lives of others! But I'd much rather be exploring rockpools.
Very much enjoyed this! I am looking forward to the next installments. I too had a blog for a few years that never earned me any money. But I got practice writing for public consumption and fine-tuned my subject matter, so as you say, nothing is ever wasted. Glad you are re-sharing these.
Thank you so much Rebecca, it means a lot that you enjoyed this. When I think back to how many words I shared on the internet over the years, even if the vast, vast majority brought in no money, each one also contributed to developing my voice, honing my craft, etcetera, so, as you say, nothing is ever wasted. This is certainly one of the points I wanted to share, as I see a number of people on Notes who are sad, or complain, when their work isn't read as they wish. I suppose we've been led to believe in the myth of the overnight success, or get-rich-quick schemes that, to do things the old fashioned, slow way, can feel strange to many. I'm very happy I have the opportunity and increased readership here to share these posts again.
“I have many homes, and travel constantly provides me with more.”
I didn’t feel “home” at home for most of my life. Growing up in the suburban US, I recognize a lot of the homegrown “microcosm mentality” that Matthew describes. Immersion within different places and world cultures brings surprising new pieces of “home” to the surface.
Loved your post - thanks Alexander!
Thanks! I often wonder how many people feel an urge to escape that microcosm mentality, yet don't know what the urge is? I think what you say about immersion in different places and cultures is spot on too, each makes us really question what the word 'home' means to us, personally. And the results can sometimes be rather surprising! Many thanks for this!
Alexander, I loved this article. I grew up in a small rural town in Missouri. Many of my friends and family never left our small town. They considered a vacation to go to a baseball game in St. Louis once a year (about an hour drive). While I love where I come from, I also wanted to see the world and experience more than my rural, farming town. In high school I went on trips to the Philippines and Peru. After joining the Navy I visited the Seychelles, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Spain, Italy, Thailand, South Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, and many more countries. In every place I tried the local food and drink. I stayed away from the tourist destinations and went where locals hung out. I wanted to expand my mind and experience different things. All of it was a learning experience. After I leave the Navy my wife and I plan to keep traveling, going new places, learning new languages, eating new food, and experiencing new ways of life. Thanks for sharing your experience. It brought back a lot of great memories.
Thank you so much for this comment, I think you make some excellent points, especially about it all being a learning process, that is just so true. And learning isn't always easy, either, it requires effort (to find those non-tourist places, for example). One thing it took me some time to realise is that we're all so very different, those friends who have stayed in one place all their life are still living lives which are rewarding to them, even if that idea makes me feel stressed! New-to-me things is what it is all about, personal discovery, pushing my boundaries (which can be hard at times, being a natural introvert!).
Thanks again, I hope you'll also like the next couple of posts in this micro-season.
Great post, Alexander, and so much of it resonated. I've often asked myself why I like to travel and I think it comes down to observation and interaction (general curiosity); and I enjoy the process of travel as well as the destination. The greater worldview that is gained from travel. I find some people (trying not to generalise here) who don't or haven't travelled to be very parochial in their outlook. I, like you, like to ask questions - I've had quizzical looks from local guides when I've asked such things as how many people are usually in graves. Or you receive an enlightening observation on your own life - a chap in Gambia told me he felt sorry for English people (read western) as we are lonely because we all live on our own or in a small family unit. Whereas in The Gambia, households consisted of large extended families so he knew that, if anything ever happened to him, X would step in to look after his family.
My husband finds travelling extremely stressful and we now agree to play to our wishes. He is happy for me to go off and visit the places I do, and I'm happy to accompany him to Achiltibuie (a place he has a strong emotional attachment to) once a year for his annual break from the farm. Happily (in my opinion) our boys take after me. Son #2 is currently globally feral (what a great phrase) in his quest to put off being an adult as long as possible, lol
'Home' is an interesting concept. I moved around a bit until age 9, and then, once I'd left school, my parents moved a couple of times so I have no emotional attachment to any place other than my present home, and even then, if I had to move, it wouldn't be a huge wrench - it is just bricks and mortar after all. I think a sense of place, belonging and people are more important than a physical structure.
I love this comment, thank you! (Funerary practices in different places is a topic I will never cease to be interested in too!) Everyone is so very different, as you say, not just around the world, but also within one small locale or, indeed, family!
I'm glad you like the phrase globally feral, I really am on a mission to spread that far and wide, especially instead of digital nomad, which irritates me!
Home is one of those things I've got thousands of words drafted about, about what it means personally, but also what it means to others. The idea is a fascinating one. What I am currently trying to unpack is how at the moment I don't seem to want to leave the house as much as I should. I suspect that will change soon (especially since I am actively working at it), but it worries me sometimes! That said, I don't think that's especially connected to my current home, as much as simply staying indoors more than I should. Weird! (I know I touched on this when I talked about the forthcoming AWE season, and I think I'll talk more about it again soon. Often, these things can be brushed under the proverbial rug, which doesn't really help anyone!)
Thanks again for such an insightful and interesting comment!
I don’t think you should beat yourself up about not leaving the house. We all travel our own internal, as well as external, paths, and they constantly twist and turn. It’s probably what you need right now and will flip on its head when you need to be outside to be creatively fuelled.
Thank you Lynn, I think this is wise and also very much what I need to hear right now. I suppose we all have seasons of our own, where needs and wants change. Still, I am very much looking forward to having a desire to leave my computer desk again soon!! Thanks again. :)
You will ... the wild, or at least the outdoors, will call again .... 😃