Travel Writing

I read a short piece on travel writing this morning and was pleased that what was said for travel writing for today’s market is what I did in my book “Too Cold for Alligators.” Reading this made me feel that I am, at least, on the right track.

 

The main point that stood out was the importance of connecting to the readers which is something I always strive to do. My goal in writing the book was to bring the reader on the journey with me, and from the feedback received, I accomplished that. It’s not just about describing places visited, but telling stories about the journey.

 

Rereading “Too Cold for Alligators” in preparing for the next journey and book, there are areas to improve. The decision was already made to add more of other people’s stories in the new book and this morning’s piece was reinforcement to do just that.

 

One of the hardest goals will be to use less I, me, and my which will be a challenge in traveling alone. There are ways around it. Oh, not all the time, because it is a personal journey, too, but there’s always room for improvement.

 

“Too Cold for Alligators” is a good book, but the next one will be better!

A Side Trip

Today I am studying maps. Yes, I know, I say I make spontaneous trips and yet, I will peruse the atlas for hours to check routes. I just don’t make definite decisions in the planning. 

Today, I found the Great Dismal Swamp brochure from the information picked up on the 2013 trip. It looks intriguing, so I looked up websites and maps. Oh, this is a place I want to visit! There are many trails, boardwalks, and canals. A birders paradise, too! It’s on the borders of Virginia and North Carolina and further east than I traveled on the previous trip. Yet it’s off Rte. 17, north of where I picked up that highway before. I could take Interstate 64 off of I-295 in Richmond and taking this route would bring me by Williamsburg. Williamsburg is a place I’ve always wanted to visit, too. 

Coming out to the Atlantic Ocean will put me near Chincoteague Island; a place that intrigued me ever since reading “Misty of Chincoteague” as a child. However, I’m not sure that’s an area to visit in the winter. Turning south, the way will take me through Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake where I will pick up Route 17S. Rte. 17 follows one of the Dismal Swamp ditches. According to the reading, the Great Dismal Swamp will be at least a two-day visit. Hmm, do I want to spend two days? But, the history and the wildlife and the trails… can I resist? 

Everything will, of course, depend on the weather. I won’t know until I get there.

More Serious Planning

The planning continues. Ideas run rampant jumping from one to the next. The excitement builds. 

There’s a part of me that’s hesitant about writing another book so soon, but I have to follow this passion. And although it’s been in the back of my mind to talk with more people, today it’s a slap aside the head. Make people more of a focus! After all, the trip isn’t just about me and what I see. It’s also about the people I meet along the way and the stories they tell. 

The last trip wasn’t so much about people as it was about my great adventure. I’ve done that, I’ve broken the ice. Now, there’s a bit of regret that I did not paying more attention to others. Yes, I did get permission to mention some of them in my book, but I never took people pictures. I never really wrote their story. Oh, I wish I could meet them again. 

This next book will definitely add another segment. There will still be my personal traveling tales, the photographs, and bits of history of the places visited. However, this time I will purposely seek out others to add a people section to the journey. My goal is to include at least one other person in my daily chapters.

One aspect of including more people in this book is to pay homage to the men and women in the hospitality service. Their jobs are to make customers more comfortable and give them a memorable experience. From tour guides to information personnel in the visitor centers to wait staff in restaurants and those in the hotels, how often do they do they get in the spotlight? Maybe they’d get a kick out of a customer paying attention to them! 

Of course, I’ll have to be careful. I never want to take someone away from doing their job. I often go out of my way to not be in the way or a nuisance. The last thing I’d want to do is get someone in trouble with their bosses. However, this may be a feather in the caps of whatever business or visitors’ site I write about. 

Another reason to do this will be to help me with my shyness around others. It will also help me be a better reporter/interviewer.

Planning a Trip

I said I’d go at the end of January, but I was not really sure if I would actually do it. It hit me this morning that the departure time is only a month away. Yikes! Am I going to do this? I am involved in a lot at the moment, but I definitely need a vacation. Yes, I will still work while on the road, but getting out of the house and away from the home area will do my mental wellbeing good. My thoughts settled into planning mode as I did the morning journaling.  

What is different from this trip than the one in 2013? The main point is that I have a better idea of the highways. Last time I was totally clueless as to what the driving would be like and how far south I would need to be to find warm weather (a lot farther south than I’d thought). I know more about the kinds of hotels in which I want to stay.  

The beginning of the trip will be following the same route as before. And of course, being winter, everything depends on the weather. I am looking forward to driving Rte. 9 across Vermont. I saw places where I wanted to take pictures, but didn’t stop. This time I want to stop. I won’t be quite as nervous driving through New York and I’ll know what to expect on the New York Thruway and on I-84W.  

I don’t know if I’ll do the Sky Line Drive in Virginia again. I may do it, depending on the weather, just because of that scary road coming down into Sperryville along Rte. 211. Sperryville was another area that I wanted to stop for photos and didn’t. 

There’s a Comfort Inn I stayed in Fredericksburg, Va., on the way down and the way back and I want to stay there again. My sights, though, will be set on Charleston, S.C., as there are places I want to revisit such as Magnolia Gardens, Middleton Place, and I want another carriage tour around the city. 

Heading south from there will have a different destination than before as I’ll be heading for the west coast of Florida. I’m not sure of that route yet. A lot of planning and map looking need to be done.  

 

The Enjoyment of Food

The subject of food comes up often. We are barraged daily from the media, medical profession, and those quick to give advice on healthy eating habits. We are told when to eat, how often we should eat, what we should or shouldn’t eat, and are made to feel guilty for eating those items deemed unhealthy. Foods are broken down into components, chemicals, and structure to help us determine what is safe to eat. Listening to and reading all the hype that is out there nowadays, I can’t help but wonder what the real truth is and what is just hype from corporations pushing their own products, or people putting their beliefs and what works for them onto everyone else. Listening to some of those opinions, it’s a wonder many of us are still alive today… if all of what is said is truth. 

I like food, but I am a fussy eater. I only want to eat food I like. I want to enjoy those foods without feeling guilty. There are certain foods I don’t mind eating all the time, while others I might get a craving for, or some if the mood hits me. I don’t want to listen to someone make comments on my eating habits. I am making my own choices. I listen to my own body when it says, “Don’t eat any more of that for awhile,” or “Let’s have something green and fresh today.”  

AND, for the most part, I am healthy and I am HAPPY! Sure, I may be overweight and my muscles and joints ache (part from the weight and part from age). Maybe I would feel physically better if I ate more healthy foods and exercised more, but I love what I do and I am happy with the person that I am. And if that comes with liking foods that are on the “bad for you” lists, then so be it.  

One of my greatest joys these days is to go out to eat with good friends. It’s wonderful that we can all order what we want without anyone looking down their noses at our menu choices. If we want a “big girl drink” or dessert, that’s OK and doesn’t mean that everyone has to do the extra. Yes, some have to be conscious of eating particular foods, but that doesn’t put pressure on anyone else to have to eat similarly. We make our own choices, enjoy what we order, and have the most wonderful conversations. 

It’s a good life!

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Past and Present

This is the time of year that people pay attention to giving thanks. I give thanks every day, so to have a special day for it is no big deal. What Thanksgiving Day means to me is a great turkey dinner, family, friends, and camaraderie. All of which could be had any time of the year, but because of the “declared holiday,” there’s a specialness added in.  

However, because of circumstances and life choices, the thanksgivings of the past are just memories. Mom and Dad cooking the turkey, Dad making lumpy gravy, and then there were the side dishes. I loved the mashed potatoes and carrots, while Dad and my brother went for the onions and turnips… all you could eat. And that’s the crux… all you could eat. This is one particular day where there was always plenty. 

My mother and I tried to carry the family tradition as long as we could, but times changed and other family members chose to make their own family traditions. In the end, it was just Ma and I, and when she was gone, it was just me, and for the first couple of years, even though I received many invites, I chose to be alone.  

Last year, I took my brother’s offer to go out to Thanksgiving dinner with him, his wife, and Carol’s sister and brother-in-law. I was leery about being the fifth wheel, but they assured me they’d love my company. One big difference here was that we had always had Thanksgiving dinner around noon and they wanted to go in the evening (an added stress for me as I don’t like to drive at night). However, I went and had a really nice time and am going again this year. 

While the camaraderie is good, Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant is not the same as a home cooked meal. Over half of the plate was stuffing (and I don’t particularly care for stuffing) with a couple of thin (any thinner and it would be considered luncheon meat) over the top, a small scoop of mashed potato on the side, another of squash, and a spoonful of cranberry sauce. I guess the customers are supposed to fill up on bread. 

We can’t hold on to the past. It’s important to make new traditions and be open to change. I am looking forward to spending time with Don, Carol, Sue, and Bob. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

 

 

Signing Photographs

I'm always at a loss on how to sign my photographs. Some photographers sign the actual picture while others sign on the mat. There's the fact that by signing the mat, the signature will be lost if the customer re-mats/frames. But how often does a buyer re-mat?

The guy who used to frame my drawings was adamant about NOT signing the mats! However, at a recent show, what caught my attention was that those pictures with the signatures on the mats stood out. The viewer immediately knew who the photographer was and the title of the piece if the photographer chose to put the title. If done tastefully, the signature does not take away from the pictures.

I actually liked how the mat signing looked. 

So, am I going to start signing on the mat? I don't know, maybe. Done in pencil, it could always be erased if the buyer didn't like it. I still have my information on the back. 

And that brings up another issue for the pictures matted, but not framed. I always put contact/photographer info on sticky address labels and attach them to the back along with a little bit about the photo itself. Customers enjoy reading what I write and it’s usually short. The problem comes when the buyer frames the photo. My info is then lost.  

I am considering printing a double set of labels; one to attach and one to put inside the envelope for when the buyer frames the picture. 

There are so many decisions to make!