Travel Writing Competition 2012 Entries Page4

As I sit in the dark, I watch in awe as seven priests ring bells as they each hold large candle holders containing over 100 lit candles.

I could have planned the trip better, I admit that. Vivian and I were trying to get from Arenal, Costa Rica, to the small beach town of Samara, on the Pacific Coast. I hadn't arranged transportation beforehand...

Getting into Guatemala shouldn't have been that complicated. David and I had taken a bus from San Pedro, Belize, to the border, but we hadn't known about the exit fee. So, there we were, lining up with the rest of the...

Two weeks before my sister’s wedding in Norfolk, England, I was stranded in Kaza, on the edge of the Himalayas in Northern India. This was due to an unexpected snow fall blocking the road to the North...

“Don’t go in.” “Oh my God, this is so gross.” “Oh, Jeez!”

It was one of those times when silence would have been the best policy. Unfortunately, for my sister and me, a few sharp words said aloud had brought about its own kind of justice.

I stood 1 floor down, miles from view. I took another step forward. My lungs crammed tight as they sifted through the zephyr. The cluttered backdrop of traffic roared across the city, blinking lights in my peripheral vision.

I’ve been traveling to “the place I don’t want to be”, Florida, for the past 12 years. My parents and in-laws have condos, which are within ten minutes walking distance from each other.

My decision to spend my dream vacation in the corners of South West China, Yangshuo, felt similar to choosing exotic food on a menu, based solely on the name. I was spinning the wheel, randomly trying to pick...

When finding yourself in a dismal situation, it is easy to imagine that everyone you encounter is revelling in your misfortune. It therefore becomes acceptable to wind up bitter and twisted when considering their intentions...