Travel Times Two

Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times in the USA. Airports are swelled to capacity numbers today through Sunday, and I have to admit I'm grateful not to be among those waiting in the long, and now even longer, security lines.

The above brings to mind travel articles. Armchair travelers and those planning trips are people who read them. Only a few who travel actually write about it. I usually write something for our family and friends when we return from an overseas trip, and I've written several travel pieces which have been published.

There are two kinds of travel articles, so if you're inclined to try writing for this category, decide which type you will write.

First, there is the basic information travel piece which tells everything you need to know when planning a trip. Included here might be cost, hotel and restaurant information, attractions for adults, kids or family, climate, and historical significance. Pictures that entice readers to visit might be included with the article.

The second kind is the personal essay travel article. This one allows the reader to see a city or country through the eyes of a traveler who uses emotion and personal thoughts throughout. It might read more like a story than a factual article.

One of the writers in my wac critique group is working on a travel piece of the personal kind. She and her husband flew from the northwest part of the USA to Ghana in Africa to visit a son who is in the Peace Corps. Through her eyes, we are given a view of the country and its people. We are also treated to seeing a mother reuniting with a son she hasn't seen in many months. We learn about the son's job in the Peace Corps, how he interacts with the people of Ghana. It's a travel essay and it's a mother's story.

Of the two types of travel articles, I much prefer the personal type such as my friend has written. I would rather read this kind and also write one this way. How about you?