Ethiopia: Of feasts & famines

Where in the world is Kim, I hear you ask? Yes, sadly my blog has been dormant for the last couple of months. The main reason being that I have been very busy travelling around Ethiopia updating the Bradt Travel Guide to the country. While I do plan to make some big changes with this site for the coming year, in the meantime if you want to catch-up with my Ethiopian explorations you can view more of my photographs from my trip on my Wild Writing fanpage. The above s a picture of the Blue Nile Falls.

PCFCT Guest Speaker Announcement

I'm happy to announce the first guest speaker for the upcoming Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat - James Bainbridge. Since his first Lonely Planet gig in 2005 - updating the Togo & Benin chapters of West Africa – James has contributed to 20-plus guidebooks and coffee table books ranging from India to Ireland. He's the senior author of LP's guides to South Africa, Turkey and Morocco. James has also written for a range of publications, including Time Out South Africa and Mango's inflight magazine, and last year presented the TV series Lonely Planet's Best in China. Originally from the UK, he's been based in Cape Town for a year. James is aptly leading our session on 'Seeking Eden on a Lonely Planet: The ins and outs of guidebook authoring'. You can find out more about him here.

Byron Bay Writers Festival

It's that time of year again when Australia's writing community converges on Byron Bay for the annual Byron Bay Writers Festival. There are only three sleeps left until it kicks off this Friday, 5 August. This year I'm thrilled to say I am making the transition from festival goer to festival panellist. I'll be offering my insights on the topic 'Why travel broadens the mind – and creativity' along with Adrienne Ferreira & Julietta Jameson, author of Me, Myself & Lord Byron. Our panel - chaired by Michael Pelusey- is on Friday, 5 August from 4pm-5pm in the Red Tent. Hope to see you all there!

New Travel Writing Workshop

You asked for it. You've got it. Following the 2011 Byron Bay Writers Festival - where I'll be a guest speaker on a panel on 'Why travel broadens the mind & creativity' - and before I take off for Ethiopia, I will be running a new one-off, one-day Travel Writing Workshop.

Date: Tuesday, 9 August
Time: 10am-4pm
Location: A&I Hall Bangalow
Cost: $65/$55 Concession
Bookings: 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au.

Feedback from my previous workshops include:

"Kim has a lovely presence & communicates exceptionally well - I like the ways she structured the workshop to lead us step by step through the process from thinking about the idea to how to get it published, as well as challenging us to actually write during the workshop. Her feedback on our efforts was very generous, positive and helpful." Virginia Clarke, Byron Bay

"Kim, I would recommend your workshops to any aspiring writers. Your experience and the friendly atmosphere made the weekend a very engaging learning experience." Sue Evans, Northern Rivers

"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

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

"Inspirational and dynamic presenter. Engaging real life experiences of her travels and success in travel writing."

"A shame the workshop is over – onto the hard work now!"

STOP PRESS: Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat now more affordable than ever!

Due to overwhelming demand, the Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat is now being offered as a non-residential retreat. This means participants can stay anywhere in the city, bringing down the price down to a very affordable $600 (R4,500) per person. Participants will of course have to provide their own transport to/from Dunkley House, where we'll meet for workshops, and local restaurants.

Held from 5-9 September the retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds and scents of Cape Town. During the day we'll explore some of the city's most famous sights practising writing and researching skills learnt in workshops. Come the evenings, we’ll enjoy the tastes and flavours of the city’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. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published! See the attached brochures for more details.

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

If you need any more information I can be contacted on kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au or you can visit my website.

The anticipation of travel revisited

Today I woke up and realised that in exactly eight weeks I'll be taking off on my next big trip for work to South Africa and Ethiopia. So I thought it was the perfect time to revisit a post I wrote in 2008 about the anticipation of travel and update it taking into account my new trip.

Alain de Botton might argue otherwise, but I really believe that half the fun of travel is the anticipation. Here’s how I’m try to savour the excitement in the build up to a big trip.

Buy a calendar
The first thing to do is to get a calendar and circle your departure date. I’m not advocating that you start wishing your life away in a great countdown to take-off, but it is fun to day dream and of course very useful to be aware of how many days or weeks you have until you leave – especially if you are like me and have a million projects you need to finish before you leave!

Make a list
I love lists. There is nothing more self-satisfying than crossing something off a “to do” list. At the moment I’m working with one long running list (though for every item I cross off, I seem to be adding another two or three “to dos”!). A more practical solution might be to have several lists – the all important “must do” list (organise passport, visas, tickets), a “things to buy” list (new camera, backpack), a “packing” list (T-shirts, underwear), a “things to organise at home before you leave” list (redirect mail, cancel subscriptions) … Just think; I could make a list of “to do” lists!

Buy a guidebook
OK, so the guidebook author is suggesting that you buy a guidebook! Now I’d never recommend that you consider your guidebook 'the Bible', but they do offer heaps of good practical information such as when to go and how to get around which helps make travelling easy as well as providing you with a handy and easily digestible snapshot of the country’s culture, history and politics. I’ve started with the Bradt guide I am updating and plan to buy others from competing guidebook companies (it always pays to know what the opposition is up to!). And for something completely different, I’ve also order the Royal Geographic Society’s updated 1889 guide Handy Hints to Lady Travellersby Lillias Campbell Davidson which I thought might provide me with some insights (and entertainment) on how my Victorian counterparts travelled around Africa.

Learn the lingo
If you are travelling to a country where you don’t know the language, it always pays to know some basic greetings before you arrive. You never know, you might even be able to put a smile on the face of a surly immigration official with a simple “hello” greeting in the local language. Although there are some 70 ethnic languages spoken in Ethiopia, fortunately for me English is the most widely spoken European language. That said, I am still trying to wrap my tongue around Amharigna (also written as Amarigna), which is the official language of Ethiopia.

Get cultural
A great way to absorb yourself in the culture of the country you are about to visit is to rent a video about your destination or read a book set where you are visiting. Not only will you get a better feel for the country, but if you try to locate and visit the places mentioned in the book or movie once you’ve arrived also makes for a more unusual and unique way to experience the country. I’ve ordered Beneath the Lion’s Gaze a novel by Ethiopian born-New York-based writer Maaza Mengiste. A friend also just droped off a copy of The Mountains of Rasselas: An Ethiopian Adventure by Thomas Pakenham.

Read the local papers
The best way to get acquainted with local politics and events is to start reading the local newspaper. Fortunately, with the rise of the Internet this is very easy to. A quick look on line and you’ll discover that almost every newspaper around the world has their own website – even those in Ethiopia such as Ethiopian News and the Ethiopia Daily.

Do you agree that half the fun of travel is the anticipation of travel? If so, how do you savour the excitement in the lead up to an overseas trip or holiday?

Five great reasons not to miss the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience

There are only a couple of places left for the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience. Held over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June in the beautiful village of Bangalow, this unique writing event will awaken your creativity and indulge your senses.

If haven't already gotten your ticket to winter's hottest event, here are five great reasons why you won’t want to miss out:

1. You'll discover a true hinterland haven
Hidden in the lush, green hills of the Northern Rivers, Bangalow is a writer’s and foodie's delight. Just minutes from Byron Bay, this inviting hinterland village is where rural wholesomeness meets big city sophistication with CWA stalls and old-fashioned hardware and bric-a-brac stores rubbing shoulders with chic boutiques, cool cafes and gorgeous galleries.

2. You'll receive expert advice
Hosted by Bangalow-based writer Kim Wildman, this three-day retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of Bangalow. A seasoned travel writer with more than 15 guidebooks and 200 feature articles to her credit, Kim has spent the last 10 years continent hopping for the likes of Lonely Planet and Bradt Travel Guides and was recently voted one of Tripbase’s 100 Favourite Travel Writers in the World.

3. You'll sample delicious local produce
With food as well as writing a main focus of the weekend, tastebuds will be tantalised with many of the region's best restaurants and producers highlighted on the menu for the event. Participants will enjoy gourmet meals at three atmospheric local restaurants including Bangalow Dining Rooms, Fishheads @ Bangalow and the Harvest Cafe and will meet local producers on a half-day Foodscape hinterland tour and a guided visit of the Bangalow Farmers' Market.

4. You'll mix with the region's best writers, authors and providores
The program features a prominent line-up of local writers, authors, foodies, providores and identities including co-owner of Foodscape Tours, Karen Hirst, author of Boys' Home to Broadway, Kevin Palmer, publisher of Sample magazine, Remy Tancred, and TV presenter and author, Scott McGregor, who'll help me unearth the best of the region through a series of workshops, dinners and tours.

5. You might even get published
If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample magazine - the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers - has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published.

All participants too will go into the draw for a three-day pass to the Bangalow Music Festival. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a fun weekend of good writing, good food and good company.

The three day event costs $450 per person and includes the three restaurant meals, tours and workshops. Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village. Places are strictly limited. Contact me on 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking. For more information visit Kim's website.

Ten ways to stay safe in a big city

Travelling to a big city can be exciting. They're large, chaotic, and always buzzing. Yet it can also be quite daunting, as big cities are often a hives for would-be thieves and robbers. But simply by taking a few precautions you can make your trip easier. In a recent article for MSN NZ's Travel Bite I shared my 10 top tips for how to travel safely in a big city. Here's what I recommended:

Look the part
No matter whether you're travelling to a big city or a small country town, the number-one rule of travel is: don't dress like a tourist. Wearing shorts, carrying a backpack and slinging a camera around your neck will quickly mark you as a tourist and make you more vulnerable to petty thieves and con-artists. Blend in. Dress like a local and don't wear expensive jewellery.

Lose the valuables
The second golden rule of travel is: don't carry anything you can't bear to lose. Leave your valuables locked up safely in your hotel room and only carry as much money as you need for the day. If you have to take a camera, don't carry it around in a professional looking camera bag. And whatever you do, don't pull out your mobile phone or any other fancy gadgetry in plain view on the street. Slip into a quiet doorway, shop or cafe.

Be alert
One of the great joys of travel is thrill of discovering new and amazing sites and places. But no matter how awestruck you are by your discoveries, you need to stay tuned in to what's going on around you. Be on the lookout for pickpockets in crowded public places such as squares, markets and parks and watch your valuables when travelling on trains, buses and subways.

Stay on track
When walking around a strange new city, stick to the main trafficked streets and routes. Avoid taking shortcuts through deserted parks and vacant lots or down unlit passages. At night, don't even think of walking home, no matter how close you are to your accommodation. Take a taxi; it's a safer bet.

Money matters
Only use ATMs during bank hours and use one inside a bank or in a shopping centre rather than on the street. Also, when carrying money on your person, make sure you split it up. Keep some of it in your socks or shoes, some in a wallet or purse and some in a money belt under your clothing with some smaller notes in your outer pockets ready as "mug money" to hand over to thieves. That way, if anything does happen, you'll at least have enough money to get back to the hotel.

Hold on
Whether you are sitting at a street side cafe, at a bus stop, on a park bench or even inside a restaurant, never leave your handbag next to you, on a chair back or on the table. Always keep your bag on your lap or on the ground with a strap wrapped around your leg. In taxis, the best place to keep your valuables is on the floor between your legs.

Exude confidence
When travelling alone (or even with a group) act confident and adopt a no-nonsense attitude. Always look like you know where you're going — even if you don't! Try to avoid looking at maps while you're in the street. Study your route beforehand, or find one of those wallet-sized maps that you can discreetly refer to if necessary.

Watch your back
If you are being followed duck into a nearby shop and wait until the person has passed. If the person continues to linger around outside, don't be afraid to ask the storekeeper for help.

Stranger danger
No matter where you are staying, always lock the door to your room, even when you are in it. And never open your door to anyone you're not expecting and don't know. Use the peephole and call reception if you're in doubt.

Carry a personal safety device
Consider carrying a personal safety device or other noisemaker, and sound it loudly if you are accosted or feel threatened. Even a simple whistle may cause just enough of a distraction to give you a chance to escape an unpleasant situation.

What tips do you have for travelling safely in big cities?

Postcards from Cape Town Travel Writing Retreat

Learn the art of travel writing in the world's No.1 travel destination.

Times: 4pm Monday, 5 September to 12pm Friday, 9 September
$AUD 600 (R4,500) excluding accommodation **

Bold, brash and beautiful, Cape Town is one city that doesn't disappoint. From the cloud-blanketed top of Table Mountain and the craggy peaks of the 12 Apostles to the sun-soaked, sandy beaches of Camp's Bay and the rolling vineyards of Constantia to its vibrant mix of cultures and buzzing nightlife, South Africa's 'Mother City' is an electric, cosmopolitan city that has it all. Little wonder it was recently voted the No.1 Travel Destination in the World by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards

Join veteran guidebook author, travel writer and some-time Capetonian Kim Wildman on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds and scents of this sensational city. Based at the beautiful Dunkley House in the city's historic old quarter, you’ll spend five days learning 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 Cape Town's best restaurants along with the company and conversation of leading travel writers, photographers, authors and editors.

If a week of writing, reflecting and enjoying the sights and sounds of Cape Town isn't enticement enough, MSN NZ, the international media portal for the MSN Network in New Zealand, has offered to publish the three best travel articles written during the course of the week on their popular Travel Bite website. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published!

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

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

This fun and informative retreat is suitable for beginning writers upwards. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking now.

**Prices subject to currency fluctuations

Postcards from Bangalow: The countdown is on

It's now just over a month until the first-ever Postcards from Bangalow Writing and Gourmet Experience kicks off. Tickets for this unique writing event to be held in the beautiful hinterland village of Bangalow on the Far North Coast of New South Wales from 10-13 June are selling fast. Don't miss out - the clock is ticking!

The three day writing retreat will take participants on a travel writing journey through the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of Bangalow. Joining me for the journey are a prominent line-up of local writers, authors, foodies and identities including co-owner of Foodscape Tours, Karen Hirst, author of Boys' Home to Broadway, Kevin Palmer, publisher of Sample magazine, Remy Tancred, and TV presenter and author, Scott McGregor, who'll help me unearth the best of the region through a series of workshops, dinners and tours.

With food as well as writing a main focus of the weekend, tastebuds will be tantalised with many of the region's best restaurants and producers highlighted on the menu for the event. Participants will enjoy gourmet meals at three atmospheric local restaurants including Bangalow Dining Rooms, Fishheads @ Bangalow and the Harvest Cafe and will meet local producers on a half-day Foodscape hinterland tour and a guided visit of the Bangalow Farmers' Market.

If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample magazine - the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers - has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. All participants too will go into the draw for a three-day pass to the Bangalow Music Festival. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a fun weekend of good writing, good food and good company.

The three day event costs $450 per person and includes the three restaurant meals, tours and workshops. Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village. Places are strictly limited. Contact me on 0400 887 991 or kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au to make a booking.

Top 10 Things to See & Do in Cape Town

News just in: My all time favourite travel destination – Cape Town, South Africa, of course – was just voted the No.1 Travel Destination in the World by TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards. To help celebrate, I thought I'd share an article I wrote on the Top 10 Things to See & Do in Cape Town for MSN NZ’s Travel Bite website:

Bold, brash and beautiful, Cape Town is one city that doesn't disappoint. With so many wonderful things to see and do, it's difficult to choose a top 10. But for first time visitors to South Africa's 'Mother City', here's what I'd suggest.

Table Mountain
Sometimes it's possible to sum up an entire city with a single attraction. In Cape Town, it's Table Mountain. Rising 3,562 ft/1,086m above sea level and dwarfing even the city's tallest skyscrapers, the imposing flat-topped stone behemoth is impossible to miss. For the best view, you can hike to the top or catch your breath in the vertiginous, rotating cable car as it whisks you up to the summit. Once there, you'll be rewarded with exquisite wrap-around panoramas – provided the peak isn’t shrouded in clouds, of course.

Robben Island
Few places are more evocative of South Africa's apartheid past than the once notorious prison on Robben Island. It is here where former president Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 long years along other prominent ANC members including current president Jacob Zuma. Now a world heritage site, a tour of the island is a must for anyone visiting Cape Town – you can peer into Mandela's old prison cell and hear firsthand accounts from former prisoners who now serve as guides.

V&A Waterfront
Set against the spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront is touted as South Africa's most visited attraction. For serious shoppers the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre beckons with more than 400 retail outlets as well as some 70 restaurants, pubs and coffee shops to explore. While the adjoining Red Shed Craft Workshop is filled with an eclectic mix of handmade merchandise and art, and the Waterfront Craft Market offers a range of traditional handicrafts along with holistic lifestyle accessories.

Greenmarket Square
Over the years this cobble-stoned square in the centre of town has served as a slave market, vegetable market and even a parking. Today, Greenmarket Square is the city's most popular flea market with artisans from across the African continent converge to hawk everything from replica radios expertly constructed from wire to hand-painted fabrics and magnificent wood carvings.

District Six Museum
The humble District Six Museum commemorates one of the most startling apartheid-era events in Cape Town – the 1966 bulldozing and forced removal of residents from this once vibrant, multi-ethnic community after it was declared a "whites-only" area. Exhibits are mostly photographs and artefacts donated by former residents.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Located on the eastern side of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch is renowned for the beauty and diversity of its indigenous flora. The former estate of Cecil Rhodes, it includes a restaurant, gift shop, bookshop and garden centre. Sunset concerts are held on the lawn of the gardens every Sunday in December-March, and there's a craft market on the last Sunday of the month September-May.

Chapman's Peak Drive
Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the world's most awe-inspiring coastal drives. The 9km route with its 114 curves hugs the near-vertical face of its namesake peak as it skirts its way around the rocky Atlantic coastline from Hout Bay to Noordhoek. You can drive it either direction, but the reverse route from Noordhoek to Hout Bay is better with the best views afforded from the left side of the road.

Cape Point
It's a common misconception that Cape Point, a.k.a. the Cape of Good Hope, is the southernmost tip of Africa. That distinction belongs to Cape Agulhas, 150km southeast of Cape Town. Nevertheless, Cape Point, a narrow stretch of land 45 minutes south of town, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans collide, is spectacular. To get to the top, you hike 15 minutes uphill or take the five-minute ride on the funicular.

Boulders Beach
Just around the corner from the seaside village of Simons Town, Boulders offers the unforgettable experience of swimming with endangered penguins. The sheltered beach dotted with giant granite boulders, from which it takes its name, and its infamous colony of African Penguins is very popular, so be sure to get there early.

Two Oceans Aquarium
Africa's largest aquarium, Two Oceans is home to ragged-tooth sharks, large rays, turtles and about 300 species of fish. There’s a variety of exceptional exhibits including submarine kelp forests similar to those along South Africa's west coast, intertidal zones, and wave pools with native plants and bird life. Sharks inhabit the Predator Tank, and eels and other unusual creatures can be viewed in the Fangs display.

A win well deserved. Congratulations Cape Town!

Postcards from Bangalow Guest Speakers

The program for the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience, to be held in the beautiful hinterland village of Bangalow on the Far North Coast of New South Wales on the weekend of 10-13 June, is coming together nicely. A line-up of prominent local writers, editors, authors, foodies, providores and identities will participate in tours and special dinners throughout the weekend. So grab your pen and paper, bring your appetite and get ready for a weekend of fun, food and writing!

Places are strictly limited so be sure to book early. A discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now.

Guest speakers for the three restaurant meals include:

Scott McGregor, TV Presenter & Author
Scott has worked in the media for 30 years and is a well-known face from his work as an actor, presenter, writer and producer. He has appeared in numerous stage, film and TV roles and presented such programs as Room For Improvement, Better Homes and Gardens, and Australian Icon Towns. Recent projects include two books for Allen & Unwin, Fix-It and Big Boys Toys, and a new TV series on the history of the Post Office, Stamp of Australia, for the History Channel. Scott also hosts overseas railway tours for the Powerhouse Museum and Renaissance tours. Discussions: TBA

Kevin Palmer, Author & Theatrical
Kevin Palmer's autobiography Boys' Home to Broadway celebrates how Kevin rose - through a combination of talent, destiny and chutzpah - to forge an international theatrical career. At the Royal Shakespeare Company he worked with Dame Judi Dench, Dame Diana Rigg, and elsewhere with Joan Littlewood, Sir Ian McKellen, Judy Cornwell, Sir Nigel Hawthorne and Derek Fowlds. His career took him to many off-beat destinations such as Reykjavik, Iceland and Sweden, before finally returning to home Australia. Kevin has made a significant contribution to the evolution of theatre in Australia. Discussion: Tasty Tales from a Travelling Theatrical

Remy Tancred, Editor, Sample Magazine
Remy has worked in media for 15 years on well-known national and international magazines and newspapers. Since 2007 she has published her own monthly magazine The Lennox Wave in her hometown of Lennox Head. Remy recently launched Sample, a seasonal magazine showcasing the incredible range of food and produce that abounds in Northern NSW. As editor of the magazine, Remy's focus is on exploring the increasing emphasis on health and environment; in what we eat, how we grow it and how we sustain production. Remy is also the author of Ate Phat Ducks. Discussion: What an Editor Wants, What an Editor Needs

Postcards from Bangalow special offers

Great news: Local businesses in Bangalow and the surrounding areas are getting behind the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience and showing their support by offering participants special deals on accommodation and transport. See below for details:

The wonderful staff at Bangalow Limousines, the premier business class transport service across the Byron Bay and Ballina Shires, are offering participants a 10% discount on airport transfers to/from the Gold Coast, Ballina and Lismore airports. So you can sit back and relax in luxurious comfort while you are chauffeured in style to your accommodation in Bangalow.

Participants staying at SummerHills Retreat will receive a 10% discount on accommodation. Located just minutes from Bangalow and cocooned in the lush Byron Bay hinterland, this private sanctuary offers accommodation in luxury cabins and spa villas. Each suite has great views, air-con, spa bath, kitchenette, bathrobes and gas BBQ.

Meanwhile, The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa has offered participants a special rate of $300.00 per night for two adults in their superior one-bedroom suites (standard rate $345.00). Located in close proximity to the resort's central area, these luxurious suites are ideal for those who wish to take advantage of the resort's many facilities including the pool, sauna, restaurant and the luxurious Spa and Wellness Centre.

For more information about the Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience click here.

An early bird discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now.

Postcards from Bangalow Writing & Gourmet Experience

Learn writing skills while eating well and enjoying new companions.

If you love writing, travelling and food, then you won't want to miss the Postcards from Bangalow Writing and Gourmet Experience. Held over the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June, this unique writing event will awaken your creativity and indulge your senses.

Hidden in the hills some 10 minutes drive from Byron Bay, Bangalow is a travel writer's and foodie's delight. Join seasoned travel writer Kim Wildman and learn what it takes to be a travel writer, while experiencing the smells, tastes, sounds and characters of this unique community.

Included in the weekend: three gourmet meals in atmospheric local restaurants, a half day Foodscape hinterland tour taking in three of the region's best producers and a guided historical walking tour of Bangalow as well as fun writing workshops and plenty of free time to allow your creative juices to flow. Each of the three included restaurant meals will be attended by a local writer, editor or identity who'll lead themed discussions on topics from how to capture the essence of a destination to how to pitch an article to an editor with questions and answers, readings and more.

If a weekend of writing, reflecting and enjoying the tastes and flavours of Bangalow isn't enticement enough, Sample Magazine, the epicurean bible of the Northern Rivers, has offered to publish the best travel article written over the weekend in the travel section of the spring edition of the magazine. So not only will you experience what it takes to be a travel writer, you might even get published!

This fun and informative weekend experience is suitable for beginning writers upwards with an interest in travel writing, food and good company.

Accommodation can be arranged in a variety of local venues in and around the village.

An early bird discount of 5% is available for bookings made by 30 April, 2011. Places are strictly limited, so contact Kim Wildman on 0400 887 991 or kim@wildwriting.com.au to make a booking now!

Date: 10-13 June
Times: 4pm Friday to 12pm Monday
Cost: $450 per person

Facilitator: Kim Wildman is a published travel writer and guidebook author with more than 10 years experience freelancing for a variety of media outlets around the world. She has authored more than 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet and Bradt travel guides, and written scores of travel features for the likes of The Melbourne Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Travel Africa, Voyageur and Ninemsn. When she's not continent-hopping, Kim runs travel writing workshops and mentors writers from her base in Bangalow. Recently voted one of Tripbase's 100 Favourite Travel Writers in the world, she also presents guest lectures on travel writing at universities and schools and speaks about her passion for the written road at international literary festivals and travel fairs. See her website for more details: 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

Picture: Bangalow's main street, Copyright Michael King-Prime

Wild Writing is now on Facebook

Sometimes I impress myself with how much I've been able to achieve through social media and the internet without anyone giving me lessons - I've opened personal Twitter and Facebook accounts, been blogging on this site for a number of years and even managed to update and refresh my new look Wild Writing & Photography website without any instruction (hash tags and HTML coding can be very confusing for us Gen-Xers). Other times, like now, I wonder why it has taken me so long to create something as simple as a Facebook Fan Page. In any case, whether you are a fan of Wild About Travel+Writing or not, you can now follow my wild wanderings on my Wild Writing & Photography Facebook Fan Page.... Now I just need to figure out how to connect my tweets with my fan page....

Happy travels!

It's a Wild, Wild World

I'm always being asked to supply a photograph of myself for work, especially one taken "on the road" that shows that I am a travel writer. As odd as it may seem, I don't have many pictures of myself. But as a photographer I'm usually behind the lens capturing what it is that I am seeing. On the rare occasions someone has managed to take my picture they're usually not very flattering (though, this probably has more to do with the model than the person taking the picture) or the picture has cropped so close that you can't tell what I am doing let alone where I am. Short of hiring a professional photographer to accompany me on my next work trip, I decided to organise a photo shoot over the weekend. Since the photographs in essence would be "staged", I thought it would be amusing to poke fun at myself and my work. Hence, I decided to dress up as an early twentieth century traveller – complete with modern hiking boots of course!

Northern Rivers Travel Photography Comp

Calling all aspiring photographers: The Northern Rivers Travel Photography Competition is on again!

Following on from the success of last year's first-ever Northern Rivers Travel Photography Competition, I've been asked by the Bangalow Chamber of Commerce to stage the contest again and (fingers crossed) turn it into an annual event. The contest this year will be held as part of the centenary celebrations of the A&I Hall in Bangalow with all money raised will go to local charity: Bangalow Land and River Care; the Bangalow branch of Landcare Australia.

This year's theme is City Sights & Nature's Delights focusing on travels in either urban or natural environments anywhere in the world – even here on the Northern Rivers - and is open to all residents of the Northern Rivers.

Categories: There are three categories: Primary (up to 11 years), Secondary (12-17 years), and Open (18 years and over).

Cost: Individual entries cost $5 for Primary & Secondary & $10 for Open. You may only enter a maximum of two entries, but each entry incurs the fee and must be made separately.

Format: Photographs must be submitted in print form. Each photograph should be mounted on black mount board and must not exceed 30cm x 40cm in size (including mount board).

Prizes up for grabs include $350 worth of cash prizes offered by the Bangalow Chamber of Commerce, Lonely Planet travel guidebooks, and subscriptions to some of Australia's best travel magazines, including Vacations & Travel and Get Lost!. More prizes to be announced.

The closing date for entries is 29 June, 2011. The contest will then culminate in a fundraising exhibition at the A&I Hall in Bangalow on Thursday 30 June where the winners will be announced. With photographers' permission, the winning entries will be featured in the spring edition of Ocean Road Magazine.

Entries clearly marked with your Name, Age, Address and Telephone Number, can be dropped off in person at Barebones Gallery in Bangalow between 10am & 4pm from 15 June – 29 June.

You don't have to be a pro nor do you need to have travelled the world to enter this contest. You just have to have a keen eye and a great travelling spirit. So get snapping!

For more information, you can contact me on 0400 887 991 or send me an emal at: kim[at]wildwriting[dot]com[dot]au.

Introduction to Travel Writing - 2 Day Workshop

It's a New Year and with the New Year comes a new range of workshops and retreats. For my first workshop this year, I'll be running an introductory course in Travel Writing for the Northern Rivers Writers' Centre. So if you've ever dreamed becoming a travel writer this is the year for you.

Introduction to Travel Writing - 2 Day Workshop

Ever dream of being a travel writer, but don't know where to start? Travel writing is more than just keeping a diary of where you went, what you did and who you met. It's about engaging the reader and making the travel experience as real and exciting as possible. It's also about selling your work to publishers. This two-day workshop will introduce participants to the requirements of this style of writing, from choosing destinations, to writing the article, to selling your work. Travel photography will also be discussed. A very practical workshop, participants will have the intervening week to work on exercises set by Kim.

When: 9am-1pm, Saturday 21 and Saturday 28 May
Where: SCU room, Byron Community Centre
Cost: $95 NRWC members, $120 non-members
Suitable for: This workshop is designed for beginning and emerging writers with an interest in travel writing.

To find out more or make a booking, contact the Northern Rivers Writers Centre.