A few months ago, I responded to an open call for a travel writing and mixed- media mentorship organised by my regional library. It has since concluded and I still feel a tinge of sadness that all good things have to come to an end. Never in my wildest imagination that travel writing is considered a genre or that there are classic essays by travel writers. There is a wide disparity between real travel and tourism.
Under the tutelage of writer Dr Boey Kim Cheng and illustrator Ms Neo Anngee whom we met on alternate weeks, I have unlearnt a lot of acquired knowledge and had a fun time interacting with other participants/ writers. We read and discussed numerous examples of travel writing and their stories are still etched in my mind. Some of my favourites are, Paul Theroux's Ghost Train to Eastern Star, Eric Hansen's A Stranger in the Forest, Annie Dillard's Teaching a Stone to Talk, Bruce Chatwin's The Songlines and William Dalrymple's City of Djinns.
There were also invited guest artists and travel writers such as Pixin, Jackie and Samantha who shared about themselves and their work. I'm looking forward to read the selected essays in an anthology next year!
Under the tutelage of writer Dr Boey Kim Cheng and illustrator Ms Neo Anngee whom we met on alternate weeks, I have unlearnt a lot of acquired knowledge and had a fun time interacting with other participants/ writers. We read and discussed numerous examples of travel writing and their stories are still etched in my mind. Some of my favourites are, Paul Theroux's Ghost Train to Eastern Star, Eric Hansen's A Stranger in the Forest, Annie Dillard's Teaching a Stone to Talk, Bruce Chatwin's The Songlines and William Dalrymple's City of Djinns.
There were also invited guest artists and travel writers such as Pixin, Jackie and Samantha who shared about themselves and their work. I'm looking forward to read the selected essays in an anthology next year!
