It’s that time of the year when everyone, including me,
seems constantly on the move. Friday saw me tottering around in wedges at a
Summer Party. Saturday brought a Travel Writing Workshop (TWW) in London and
Sunday a flat tyre, which then meant I had to run between my parents’ houses.
Or sprint, as I was slightly late. Yesterday, I could be found in Bournemouth
testing out new Salomon ski gear and tomorrow I will be racing across the city
to two different meetings in quick succession. Finally, on Saturday I am off to
Devon to chase the waves, inevitably missing most of them. The words hectic and
exciting come to mind.
Having never been to a TWW I had no idea what to expect when
I entered the small room in the Indian YMCA near Warren Street station at 10am
on the weekend. Greeted by course leader Peter Carty, a very experienced travel
writer, we (a small group of 10) switched on our brains and settled down. Aside
from giving us excellent tips on how to write travel features, he also showed us
how to go about getting them published. Wanting to give us the best possible
Travel Writing Workout, lunchtime saw us disperse into cafes, museums and bars
to compose an article in triple-quick time. Never have I had to eat with one
hand, write with the other and talk between mouthfuls to anyone that would
listen.
Food is no longer simple either. My stomach is now only
being fed Gluten and meat-free products after complaining. A lot. And although
I am missing pasta, nuts seem to be doing a superb job. And I can always rely
on those trusty beans.