When I realised that Saturday’s session was to be on travel writing, I have to confess that I wasn’t overly excited. I didn’t envisage the stimulating couple of hours that lay before us. After a short explanation from Keith about the Bilston Wall that has been introduced for us to share more of our writing, the session began. Ably led by Keith, we buckled our seatbelts and set off on the journey…
First we were introduced to the idea of the Travel Guide - a book of information about a place designed for the use of visitors or tourists. Keith asked us to think of a place that we had visited, and then list ten facts about that place. Breaking into pairs, we each shared our facts with our partners, sparking lots of lively discussion in the room. Our time up to the break was spent using our facts in a writing exercise, turning them into a short piece of travel guide writing.
After a break at the Service Station for the obligatory comfort breaks and hot beverages, we were on our way again. Keith now talked to us about the Travelogue - a book or illustrated lecture about the places visited by or experiences of a traveller. Keith filled us in a little more about this type of writing, and invited us to write down ten impressions of the place we had visited. With time hastening on, a small shortcut was taken, as we omitted sharing these with our partners as before, and then we were given the opportunity to put our impressions down as a short piece of travelogue writing.
The end of the session saw us sharing our work; a whistle-stop tour of the world that took in Sri Lanka, New York, Majorca and the island of Ned, as well as more exotic locations like the Wyrley and Essington canal. A thoroughly enjoyable time that definitely enthused more than one of us about the prospect of turning our holidays and days away into an opportunity for some travel writing.