A moment ago an elegant Japanese lady and her daughter stopped by the Honolulu zoo aviary and seated themselves on a wooden fence railing. They paused there, enjoying the diversity of bird life. Speaking to each other in rather hushed voices so as not to disturb the inhabitants or the serenity of the environment, they … Continued
Thank you to everyone for your interest in our Travel Writing Contests! We have published all of the Gratitude Contest entries and will be announcing the winners at the end of this month. The Inspiration Travel Writing Contest is open and has a $1,000usd first prize! Enter by February 14, 2014 at midnight PST. We are … Continued
Richard Bang is the judge for our Inspiration Travel Writing Contest! We hope his story inspires you to share yours! It all began, for me, at a meeting of the Canoe Cruisers Association, the Washington, D.C. chapter. In the midst of the button-down capital there is an underground of cutoffs and t-shirts that each weekend … Continued
Anticipation built with each step. The straps that were once a constant reminder of the weight of my pack, could no longer be felt. Perspiration penetrated my skin. My feet wore the wounds of the 9 mile treacherous incline of the Muliwai trail, but my heart begged me to continue forward. My senses told me … Continued
A particularly fat marmot has been following me for a while now, peeking over and disappearing behind the granite boulders along the trail. He can smell my M&Ms, I just know it, and thinking about them makes my mouth water. Marmot scampers twenty feet in front of me and perches on top of a rock, … Continued
My special place by the sea I began pacing around the apartment, searching the archives of my mind for a memory that fit just right. I wanted to write about a place that gave me equal feelings of gratitude and awe. I had been to many places both near and far – shouldn’t this be … Continued
Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth there were great sand dunes in what is now know as Nevada. Eons marked by wind, water and shifting red sands created the Valley of Fire. Weird and wonderful rocks and fissures mark the landscape today. Striations in sandstone and limestone carved by natural elements stand out in stark … Continued
Below sea level: A whole new world St. Thomas is truly beautiful. The island is home to luscious green mountaintops, amazing sandy beaches and the clearest blue water that I had ever seen. The morning we arrived in Charlotte Amalie via cruise ship was jaw dropping. I had never seen such a gorgeous landscape. The … Continued
Richard Bangs is a judge in our We Said Go Travel Writing contest which opens TODAY! We hope you will participate and share your story! Write your favorite spot for 2014 in the comments below! So, once again we combed the planet, turned over the stones, took the pulses, danced the boards, and basked in the wonders. Over … Continued
On Easter Sunday, 2013, my husband and I began our 110ish-mile trek from Cleveland, Ohio, south to New Philadelphia on the old Ohio-Erie Canal towpath trail. I was writing a book about an 1840’s mule driver, and wanted to replicate his journey. Somewhat. I’m fifty years old. I hadn’t backpacked for twenty-five years. And I was … Continued