My Mind Words Paper:
travel writing

We just got back from yet another trip to the border town of Macará. It was the final leg of our year-long journey to obtain my resident visa. I have written a little about this process in previous posts, including the one about our trip to Quito last July and another about our trip to Peru last January. Well, last month, the migration office in Quito finally stamped my passport and I am now a permanent, legal resident of Ecuador. But, since I had originally entered the country as a tourist, I was now required to leave and re-enter again so that they could register me as a resident in the computer system (apparently that can only be done at the border, not in Quito). And, I was told, if I waited until after my old tourist visa expired (April 11) I would end up having to pay another $200 fine the next time I tried to leave the country. So we decided that a quick trip to Macará wouldn't be a bad idea (good thing it is only a 4 hour drive away).

I was a little worried about taking the trip because we are in the middle of the rainy season and landslides are quite common. A bad one can block the roads for several days. Luckily, the day we chose to drive down it did not rain and all the landslides from the previous weeks rain had been cleared. It was the first time that I had been in that area during the rainy season and the change was amazing. All the trees had green leaves and there were flowers and new plant growth everywhere. The hills, which I'm used to seeing as dry and brown, were green and exuberant. It looked a lot more like the tropical rainforest than the bosque seco (dry forest).

On the way down to Macará, discussed how to handle the border crossing. I needed to get a stamp from both the Ecuadorian side as well as the Peruvian side. We had heard that officially I was supposed to spend at least 24 hours outside of the country, but neither of us wanted to do that again. Everyone had given us advice on what to do; we should drive to the nearest city in Peru and eat lunch and then go back; we should cross the border and then walk back to Macará, spend the night in a hotel, and then walk back over the border the next day and act like we were coming from Peru; we should bribe the guards; etc. We couldn't decide what was best, so we decided to just go to the border and see what happened. We had brought some money with us to bribe the border guards if necessary, even though Lucho admited that he was not very good at doing that kind of stuff.

The first official we spoke to, on the Ecuadorian side, was typically unfriendly and unhelpful, but after Lucho asked if his boss was in town he seemed to lighten up a little (probably wondering if we knew him or not) and told us that he could help us so long as we were able to get the stamp from the Peruvian side. So we crossed the international bridge over the Macará river (which was brown and swollen due to the rains - I held on to Christina's hand very tightly) and made our way to the Peruvian border office. Lucho did all the talking while Christina and I watched the angry river below. Lucho asked the guard if he would stamp my passport with an entrance and exit at the same time. Then he pulled out a $10 Peruvian sole note (worth about $3) and told the guy that he was welcome to keep it for his trouble. The guy looked at it and asked, "Don't you have one of those, but in dollars?" Luckily, we did. So he gave us the needed stamps, and we headed over to the Ecuadorian side. The official there stamped my passport and we gave him $5 for his trouble (we were going to give him the $10 bill, but we had already given it to the Peruvian guy so he was out of luck on that one). Success!!!

We ended up buying a 100 pound bag of rice from them for $30. The rice from Macará is very good and now we have enough to supply us, and the rest of Lucho's family, for several months.
It felt great to get all that paperwork out of the way. But when I looked at my U.S. Passport the next day I realized that it expires this August (I had forgotten all about it while I was working on my Ecuadorian paperwork). So now we're planning a trip to visit the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil. I guess it will never end...

GreatGuide has developed a range of innovative AUDIO tourist related products and is now expanding internationally.

The company requires a content writer to who is able to turn the facts into passionate stories that intrigue the ear, and leave the listener with a warm glowing feeling.

You must be able to

1) Write for the spoken word.
2) Research relevant content that tourist are looking for that region - content should be varied and include historical, informative, hip and cool as well as trendy stuff to do.
3) Ability to travel internationally.

Tasks include

• Research and write sound bites for an audio tour guide system.
• Write monthly newsletter
• Update the content on website, using SEO keywords where necessary
• Manage Facebook and Twitter accounts
• Write any promotional/marketing material necessary

Requirements

• A keen interest in web and social media best practices.
Great writer, able to write conversational (spoken) copy with relevant researched details.
• Quick learner, able to work to deadlines alone and with a team.
• Diligent researcher
• Flexible hours - some travel to Joburg and abroad will be required, other months will be strictly office-based.
• Thorough knowledge of all basic computer programmes.

Personal Skills/Attributes

• Great work ethic
• Ability to work in a team and alone - turn a brief into audio sound bites.
• Good time management and the ability to work to deadlines
• Calm under pressure
• Passionate about Travel
• Initiative to produce original work

Contact Information:

For inquiries: brian@greatguide.co.za

For submissions: brian@greatguide.co.za

Website: http://www.greatguidemagic.com/

Young dynamic company based in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town seeks a part time writer/blogger with a keen passion for traveling and meeting people, We are looking for a person who has knowledge about cruise ships, super yachts, boats and tourism to interact to write a monthly article about whats going on.

Feel free to contact us via gumtree for further information.

Location: Southern Suburbs

Contact Information:

For submissions: apply here

Deadline: 10 August 2011

To celebrate Addo Elephant National Park’s 80th birthday, we want to hear about your most favourite, your best, your most poignant or your most awe-inspiring memory of the Park over the last 80 years.

You will have a chance until Wednesday, 10th August to post your memories here!

Prize

You stand in line to win a fantastic accommodation getaway @ Gorah Elephant Camp concession lodge (a SANParks Partner) up to the value of R11 500 per night! :dance:

Some basic rules:

- Your entry/entries must be original (based on a real-life experience), in English, unpublished and not accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission.
- You may submit a maximum of 3 images if applicable to your entry.
- Entries must be posted by 12 noon 10 August 2011.
- Judges decision is final and the winner will be selected by the Regional Manager, Lucius Moolman, and Park Manager, Norman Johnson.
- Prizes: Please note that this getaway is for 2 people (guests at this lodge may not be under the age of 8 years old).

Contact Information:

For inquiries: melanie.govindasamy@sanparks.org

For submissions: submit here

Website: http://www.sanparks.org

Date: 5 - 9 September 2011

Love travel? Love writing? Love Cape Town? Then don’t miss the Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat. Held from 5-9 September this unique retreat will take you on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds and scents of this sensational city.

Accompanied by veteran guidebook author and travel writer, Kim Wildman, you’ll learn the art of writing and selling travel stories while uncovering the heart and soul of Cape Town. During the day you’ll explore some of the city’s most famous sights practising writing and researching skills learnt in workshops. Come the evenings, you’ll enjoy the tastes and flavours of the Cape Town’s best restaurants along with the company and conversation of leading travel writers, photographers, authors and editors.

If that's not enough, MSN NZ, the international media portal for the MSN Network in New Zealand, has offered to publish the best travel articles written during the course of the week on their popular Travel Bite website (http://travel.msn.co.nz). So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published! See the attached brochure for more details.

Included in the retreat: two restaurant dinners, a guided city centre walking tour, cable ride to Table Mountain (weather permitting), tour of Robben Island, day trip to Cape Point taking in the beautiful seaside villages of Simon’s Town, St James and Kalk Bay, wine tasting at Groot Constantia and a hamper lunch (inclusive of entry fees to Boulders Beach and Cape Point) as well as fun and informative writing workshops and one-on-one time with Kim.

Not included in the retreat: accommodation, transport to/from B&B and restaurants, airport transfers, additional meals, alcohol and drinks, laundry, telephone, personal expenses, spending money, tips for guides, airfares, visas and travel insurance.

Participants can stay anywhere in the city, though will, of course, have to provide their own transport to/from Dunkley House, where we'll meet for workshops, and local restaurants.

Any participants who choose to stay at Dunkley House, where workshops will be held, will be offered a 10% discount on accommodation.

This retreat is suitable for beginning writers upwards. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now. For more information visit: http://www.wildwriting.com.au/retreats/cape-town.

Facilitator: Australian-born Kim Wildman has spent the better part of the last ten years criss-crossing the African continent as a travel writer, guidebook author and wannabe National Geographic wildlife photographer. She has authored and updated more than 15 guidebooks including Lonely Planet's South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland and West Africa, Bradt Travel Guide's Tanzania and Ghana, and Random House Struik's Offbeat South Africa. Kim has a Masters Degree in African Studies attained from the University of Cape Town. Recently voted one of Tripbase's 100 Favourite Travel Writers in the world, her feature articles have appeared in Travel Africa, abouTime, Planet Africa, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and Voyageur magazine. Visit her website at: www.wildwriting.com.au

Testimonials from Kim's past travel writing workshops

"Excellent! The course was very useful and exceeded my expectations." Amy Dalguish, Travel Editor, Total Travel

"Kim Wildman lead a clear and inclusive travel writing workshop which not only focused on the skills of writing and storytelling but the business of travel writing and having your work published. A fun and valuable course by an experienced travel writer." Holly Galbraith, Go Future Media

Contact Information:

For inquiries: kim@wildwriting.com.au

Website: http://www.wildwriting.com.au

We're considering expanding our line of short destination titles, each of which include 30 stories. For a description of the kinds of stories we're looking for, see "Type of Story" below. Titles in the works:

* 30 Days in Baja
* 30 Days in the Caribbean
* 30 Days in England
* 30 Days in the Himalayas
* 30 Days in Japan
* 30 Days in New Zealand
* 30 Days in North Africa
* 30 Days in Panama
* 30 Days in Switzerland

Deadline for submission: OPEN

Est. Release Date: TBA

General Submission Guidelines:

Type of Story

StampWe're looking for personal, nonfiction stories and anecdotes-funny, illuminating, adventurous, frightening, or grim. Stories should reflect that unique alchemy that occurs when you enter unfamiliar territory and begin to see the world differently as a result. Stories that have already been published are welcome as long as the author retains the copyright to reprint the material.

Length

Whatever it takes without being self-indulgent-anything from a paragraph to fifteen pages. Shorter stories have a better chance of being accepted.

Biographical Information

Please include a few sentences about yourself, something quirky and fun in addition to the usual list of accomplishments.

Form of Submission

We no longer accept submissions via email or regular mail. All submissions must be made through our submissions intake site: travelerstalesstories.com

Rights

We are interested in non-exclusive rights, in all languages, in print and digital editions, throughout the world. Our use of the material does not restrict the authors' rights to have their stories reprinted elsewhere. For further information on rights, please see our submissions intake site, travelerstalesstories.com

Remuneration

Travelers' Tales offers a $100 honorarium for stories of any length published in print editions of our books. In addition, authors receive a free copy of the book in which their work will appear, and the right to purchase an unlimited number of any Travelers' Tales titles for 50% off the cover price (plus shipping and handling). Other advantages include the opportunity to appear in print with many well-known writers, and the ongoing promotion of your name and work in the literary marketplace, and on our website.

Caveat

In most cases we will do some editing of accepted stories for considerations of style, grammar, or length and may also alter the story title. Due to the large number of submissions received we will only contact you if we decide to include your submission in a Travelers' Tales collection. Sometimes books take as long as a year to be completed following our submissions deadlines. Final decisions are made near the end of the editorial process, and all authors whose stories have been accepted are notified at that time.

Due to the large number of submissions received we will only contact you if we decide to include your submission in a Travelers' Tales collection. Sometimes books take as long as a year to be completed following our submissions deadlines. Final decisions are made near the end of the editorial process, and all authors whose stories have been accepted are notified at that time.

Note: We no longer accept submissions via email or regular mail. All submissions for our anthologies must be made through our submissions intake site: travelerstalesstories.com. All book-length manuscripts must be submitted via our Gateway program..

Contact Information:

For inquiries: submit@travelerstales.com

For submissions: submit here

Website: http://www.travelerstalesstories.com

Deadline: 27 May 2011

Prize Details

Day 1 Johannesburg/ Kruger National Park

Depart the urban wilds of Johannesburg and discover the vast plains of the Kruger National Park where the Big Five roam. The park is home to 150 species of mammals, including cheetahs, lions, zebras and aardvarks. The staggering amount of bird species, plus the wide variety of insects and reptiles make this the ultimate wildlife experience. Jump on board an open safari vehicle to explore the park in search if iconic animals. At night, head out once more for a sunset safari drive and keep eyes peeled for night predators and other nocturnal animals.

Day 2 Kruger National Park

Depart at first light for an entire day’s game viewing. With luck there will be close encounters with lions, elephants and even a giraffe or two. Settle for the evening in a centrally located campsite and swap tales around the campfire.

Day 3 Greater Kruger National Park

Enjoy another full day of game-viewing in Kruger before travelling to a private reserve in the late afternoon. In the evening, settle into a lodge and enjoy a drink and a tasty traditional dinner.

Day 4 Greater Kruger National Park/ Johannesburg

Complete the safari experience with an early morning nature walk. Explore the wilderness one last time with a field guide and learn how to track wild animals. Sadly, it’s then time to bid the African wilderness farewell. Travel along the Drakensberg Escarpment and see the spectacular Three Rondavels while overlooking the awesome Blyde River Canyon. Continue on to Johannesburg where this short but thrilling adventure ends.

* A two night stay at Outlook Lodge & Safari’s which can be used before or after the safari experience with transportation provided.

Contest Instructions

The best creative virtual eco journal entry will win the prize with public voting. Select any of the safari’s on the ecoAfrica website and create a virtual diary of your eco adventure. Once all entries have been received an internal jury will decide on the top 3 – of the top 3 it will be left to the public to decide who wins the prize.

Prize Eligibility

Only persons who are at least 18 years of age can enter.

About the Company

Your premier one-stop shop for all your travel requirements within South Africa, from leisure to corporates we can assist with your every need.

Terms and Conditions for ecoAfrica Travel

• Booking must occur within period 13/06/2011 – 31/07/2011.
• Travel must occur within period 13/06/2011 – 31/12/2011.
• (trip must completed by 31/12/2011)

1. Entry into this promotion is deemed acceptance of these Conditions of Entry. Entry is via
registration and submission of a creative essay.

2. Entry is free and open to all global residents, except where prohibited by law, aged 18
years or older. Employees and immediate families ecoAfrica Travel and suppliers, providers
and agencies associated with this promotion are ineligible to enter.

3. The competition commences 01 April 2011 and closes 27 May 2011 at 14h30 GMT.

4. To enter the promotion, eligible entrants must write a creative essay on “Your virtual diary eco adventure safari”, based on one of the safaris available on ecoAfrica.com

5. Submitted essays might be used for future marketing (either in extracts or in its entirety).

6. Winners will be informed via email and facebook.

7. Entrants can only enter in their own name. ecoAfrica Travel, Intrepid Travel and Outlook Lodge & Safari’s reserves the right to request proof of residency at the stated address and identification for verification before issuing the prize.

8. Incomplete or incomprehensible entries will be deemed invalid. Entries containing and/or
depicting illegal, sexually explicit or morally offensive content will be ineligible to enter. The
Promoter’s decision to disqualify an entry is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

9. No responsibility will be taken for lost, late or misdirected entries.

10. The winning entry will win an Intrepid Bundu Kruger Express Camping trip – a three night, four day safari experience and a two night stay at Outlook Lodge & Safari’s including breakfast.

11. The trip must be booked with Eco Africa and travel to commence before 31 December 2011. No extension is available.

12. The prize is not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash.

13. The trip is subject to availability and confirmation by Intrepid Bundu and Outlook Lodge & Safari’s. Blackout periods may apply. Prize is not valid during high season, local school holidays or over long weekends and is neither transferable nor negotiable.

14. This prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or special offers.

15. All international airfares, airline taxes, domestic airfares if required, any additional meals,
any extra sightseeing or activities, any additional accommodation, personal spending money,
passports, travel visas required, transport to and from departure point, travel insurance, single
supplement and all other ancillary costs, as well as obtaining any of these, are the
responsibility of the winner and is not included in the prize.

16. In the event of war, terrorism, state of emergency, disaster or any other circumstance
beyond the control of the Promoter, the Promoter reserves the right to either provide an
alternative travel destination to the same value as the original prize or, subject to any
applicable laws or written directions made under applicable legislation, to cancel, terminate,
modify or suspend the promotion.

17. Travel must be arranged by the winner contacting ecoAfrica Travel.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: call +27 (21) 555 4152

For submissions: enter contest here

Website: http://www.ecoafrica.com/