There’s something about traveling that unlocks the brain. It gets you out of your routine, it shows you a different way of life, the jet lag puts you in a creative fog.
Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
St. Augustine sad, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
I’m traveling now, so posts will be a bit more sporadic than usual, and perhaps arriving at odd hours. But I want to hear what travel means to you – do you like to travel? Are all writers wanderers by nature?
And where is your favorite place?
Mira says
Oh, and, it's abit embarrassing to admit, but I LOVE Las Vegas.
Disneyland for grown-ups.
ScottB says
The hilarious thing about the Twain quote is that in his celebrated travelogue "Roughing It", he spends a whole chapter lampooning the sacred texts of the people he was staying with and exaggerating their flaws in his clever way. Try that in a Muslim nation, Mr. Twain.
I realized that other day that I haven't ever really "traveled" just to travel, there has always a business purpose. I've gotta try that some day.
Mira says
Oh. And I LOVE Disneyland.
I also love the Harry Potter Amusement park although I've never been there.
Okay, enough from me. 🙂
Travis Erwin says
I do love to travel but near running water, especially a mountain stream is where I feel that utopia is a real possibility.
Ken Hoss says
Being ex Army and Navy, I traveled a lot. Between the two I got to see both Europe and Asia. My favorite place though would have to be Berchtesgaden, in Barvaria. Clean fresh mountain air, peaceful, and the people were so warm and friendly. I would love to go back again someday.
Roxanne Skelly says
Hard question as I'm a serious traveler. I've a goal of traveling to every James Bond location, including space (skipping Uganda, North Korea and a few others for now).
Right now, I'm thinking Egypt. I went there for two weeks with 25 other bellydancers. Needless to say, we got special treatment 🙂
Second would be sailing in Thailand.
Anna says
Love to travel. My two favorite places are Paris and Vancouver. I'm going to Seattle for the first time in January. I love take-offs and landings—it's odd, I know.
Shaunna says
Firenze. I don't know why we call it Florence when its real name is so much more beautiful, but it was absolutely amazing — and completely unexpected, too.
Charlotte Sannazzaro says
Italy – so many diverse landscapes and cities in one country, with amazing cuisine and fantastic people. I didn't want to leave. After ten years, I'm going back in February… can't wait! 🙂
Marilyn Peake says
I absolutely love to travel, for many of the reasons you mentioned. Where are you now? I haven't traveled to a lot of places, but am hoping to travel much more in the upcoming years. I absolutely loved visiting Hawaii and taking a cruise to Alaska.
Kate says
Sydney, Australia.
Best three weeks ever.
Helen J Beal says
Mongolia. AMAZING.
Natalie says
Yes, travel juices the writing soul.
Went to Ireland in 2010 – best trip ever. The beautiful countryside and people.
My favorite city though is Vancouver and I love Canadiens!
Anonymous says
The quote from Twain only works with tourists who spend such a short time they only see the surface of places/people they visit.
"Familiarity breeds contempt." — St. Augustine.
Margaret Reyes Dempsey says
I love traveling to places that are not so touristy, where I can immerse myself in the rhythm of the local people. One such trip was to Gaeta, Italy, a gorgeous fishing town with mountains on one side and the sea on the other. It was once a renowned tourist resort to the wealthy, ancient Romans.
https://margaretreyesdempsey.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/travel-gaeta-italy-in-october/
tanyagrove says
Okay, a few people already mentioned Venice, but it truly is the most magical place on Earth. What I noticed when I was there was that everyone–not just the tourists, but everyone–seemed so happy. People sang, whistled, hummed, and smiled while out and about doing their daily routine.
And I am intrigued by Ms. Blase's comment about Tulsa, OK. I'm from Oklahoma City, and I've been to Tulsa a few times. I'm betting that she must have friends and/or family there if that's her favorite destination because Tulsa is nice, but I wouldn't go there if I didn't have to.
tanyagrove says
Okay, a few people already mentioned Venice, but it truly is the most magical place on Earth. What I noticed when I was there was that everyone–not just the tourists, but everyone–seemed so happy. People sang, whistled, hummed, and smiled while out and about doing their daily routine.
And I am intrigued by Ms. Blase's comment about Tulsa, OK. I'm from Oklahoma City, and I've been to Tulsa a few times. I'm betting that she must have friends and/or family there if that's her favorite destination because Tulsa is nice, but I wouldn't go there if I didn't have to.
Kate Higgins says
Paris at night…
lynnfc says
Italy…Italy….Italy…and more Italy…Florence, Roma, Cinque Terra, Sienna, San Gimignano, Pisa, Naples, Sicily, Pompeii, Venice…its the art, the people, the food, the wine, the raw emotion and the countryside. It's modern design contrasted with the Renaissance. Can't get enough…
the PolitiCrush says
Singapore! Fascinating and beautiful.
the PolitiCrush says
Oh, also Budapest, Hungary. The most beautiful place in the world in the winter.
Margie says
I'm going with Iceland. I lived in Keflavik on and off-base when I was a kid. It was truly a magical existence.
Amanda P. says
Toss up between Prague, Czech Republic and Berlin, Germany.
We lived in Germany for a while when my husband was playing pro basketball there and we got to see so many amazing things! I can't wait to go back when our son is older and can actually appreciate it!
Mary says
Travel, just like any new book, is an adventure. I have a hard time sitting around on vacation – must explore. Do I think travel goes hand in hand with being a successful author? Uh, no.
Favorite places so far : St. Martin (French Side), Netherland Antilles and Sedona, AZ.
Dawn Simon says
New York!
Suzanne Grenager says
The Indian Himalaya, mother of all mountain ranges, Queen of the world, and home to sages and saints. I beat the Beatles there more than 40 years ago and was back again recently,feeling every bit as tingly and alive up there where the air is rare as I did as a kid.
Kristin Laughtin says
I really would like to travel more! Life and finances have prevented me from going to too many of the places I want (Sweden, Ireland, England, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa…), but I did go to Australia a long time ago. IT WAS MAGICAL. Sorry, Augustine. I need to read more pages.
Have a fun and safe trip and feel free to share any pictures and the like when you get back!
veela-valoom says
Switzerland – where I spent 3 months. Sometimes I think it takes awhile to truly know a place. I feel like I really got to know Switzerland, particularly the town where I live, and loved everything about it except the prices.
OR
Venice where I spent 2 days (unless you count the whole days spent on train to get there and back) because its just as lovely as you expect, especially if you go in October when it's not peak season.
Kimmy says
I love everywhere I've been but I must say I am most partial to Big Island, Hawaii. The volcano is truly an experience you can't find anywhere else. Travel to me is an escape from everything – just like reading a good book!
Cathi Stoler says
Love, love, love to travel. So far, Barcelona is my favorite place. But haven't been to Asia or S. America yet, so that may change.
I use places I've traveled in my novels. Ilove Italy, as well and a lot of the action in TELLING LIES takes place in Florence.
babette says
I've been to all 50 of the United States, five provinces of Canada, Northern Mexico, Eastern Australia and the north island of New Zealand. This year I'm going to Belize, Honduras and Cozumel.
I can't say what's my favorite because there is something special about every place. I love meeting people and learning their cultures. It's amazing how people can be so different, yet at the core so very much the same.
jan says
Zambia, Africa. I'll take a one way ticket, thank you very much. The 35 hour journey afforded lots of time to read. The people were awesome. There are no words to describe Victoria Falls. I'm homesick for it!
CG Blake says
London, Hong Kong and Kyoto–breathtaking all.
Maegan Langer says
Scotland, Brazil, South Africa, and most of all, Wales. I think I've left a little piece of myself in each of these places. Headed to New Zealand for the first time next week. Wanderlust may not be essential to a writer's life, but it certainly doesn't hurt 🙂
D. Michael Olive says
Holland. I love Amsterdam, Leiden, and Groningen. Beautiful country, great people.
rebeccam says
Croatia — Dubrovnik, Zadar, the island of Hvar…
Jean Marie Johnson says
The mountains of North Carolina. At night in the dark, I wonder who lives where those little dots of light emit on the mountains so far away from everyone else.
irishoma says
Greece. Sailing Greek Islands.
Richard Gibson says
Many places for many reasons. I'll go with Moscow, summer 1992, a year after the fall of the Soviet Union, more or less.
For scenery and such, anywhere in New Zealand, 1981.
For personal solace, Sailor Lake, Tobacco Root Mountains, Montana.
Gael McCarte says
An enchanted island where the houses have names not numbers, where bread is flown in each morning from France (now that IS French Bread), where your family and the person standing next to you is your first priority. Mr Chevalier will sell you vegetables from his own rich soil. You can go to France for lunch and Spain for dinner. The Island of Jersey, C.I.
Matt Larkin says
India. Very amazing place.
TL Conway says
Ireland. Again and again, Ireland. But if I wanted sun and beaches, I'd say Greece.
All the Scotland votes here make me think I should head there next!
Terin Tashi Miller says
Ayayayayay. That's a bit of a tough one, Nathan.
I like to live places far more than visit them.
I have lived a lot of places, and enjoyed living there–through all four seasons–throughout my life.
I'm a bit of a gypsy that way, I guess. There are places I consider home essentially the moment I arrive, and places that never really are home no matter how many years I've lived there.
How does one pick between, say, Gangtok, Sikkim when it was a kingdom, or Kabul or Bahmian, when Afghanistan was a kingdom, for that matter, and India when it was an optimistic and fledgling secular democracy, or Kathmandu, Nepal; and Madrid, or Pamplona, or San Sebastian, or Bilbao, or Grenada or Sevilla or a small little village like Ronda, or Paris or Venezia or even Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin or Austin, Texas?
It's like Ernest Hemingway said in the introduction to "The First 49" collection of his short stories: Paris is always good, as are Varanasi in India, and Bangalore, in the cool months or Sikkim or Darjeeling in the summer; Madrid is always a good place to write, especially in the Spring and Fall; other places are not so good, "or perhaps we were not so good when we were in them."
I currently live in a suburb in New Jersey. It's very much like the one I grew up in, when I wasn't traveling.
Another quote: "In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, you dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it dull, and bent, and have to take a grindstone to it than have it all smooth and shiny but unused and in a closet."
Now, it is time to get back to the grindstone again…
But thanks for the quick trip down memory lane.
Anonymous says
Definitely a "wanderer by nature."
Come to think of it, calling out "ROADTRIP!" could be a good way to find fellow writers (many of whom would sacrifice a small appendage rather than admit to writing fiction.)
Can't play favorites, but one that's high on my list is Dead Horse Point S.P. in Utah.
I'm thinking of going to Dominica on a research mission…I refuse to write about Antarctica…Has anyone out there been to the island of Dominica?
Catherine Stine says
Beijing, Southern India, Moscow. Amazing places, all!
Sara says
Love to travel…so many amazing places to see.
Greece: love the ocean, the people, the culture, and the food.
Italy: same.
India: Because it is unlike anything I have ever experienced before and surely that is a good thing.
Australia: the people, their love of life. Hiking through the red center is something I will never forget and standing next to the most enormous tree I've ever seen in the rainforest…wow.
In the US, I love the energy of NYC and the beaches of MA.
L.Shanna: Phuket is on my top 5 list!! It looks ridiculous!
George Fripley says
Of all the places I've been, I loved Bhutan – went twice and spent 24 days on the Snowman Trek last time. Absolutely majestic and peaceful.
George
Sierra Godfrey says
Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh…it always comes back to that "Athens of the North" for me. But I take a circuitous route there. I go by Santorini, Greece, first, where I spent 3 years as a kid scampering among the olive trees.
Just Another Day in Paradise says
Love to travel. We generally move someplace for a few years. Economically it's more feasible and you really get a feel for the place. Are you kidding me?
Currently in the Caribbean. What an adventure.
Favorite place. The mystical magical Rocky Mountains. Husband and I were ski bums in a few past decades. Moved around in the High Country.
What a Long Strange Trip it's been.
Antaracomms says
India, crazy, chaotic and alive.