Writing — Travel & Photography
Globetrotters Boosted and Most Read Stories from May and June
Plus, a few gems you may have missed

Dear Globetrotters,
I do hope everyone is having a beautiful and blessed day!
As I write this, it’s raining here in Trinidad and Tobago. The sound is soothing and the way the air heats up and then cools as soon as it rains is rather intoxicating. Never thought I would love the rain so much and I really don’t mind the extremely long rainy season here in the tropics other than the mosquitos get pretty pesky sometimes. During the dry season, I actually kinda miss it — the rain, not the mosquitos!
Onto the topic at hand, several of our writers had stories that did particularly well the last couple of months. Congrats to them. It’s always fascinating to see which topics and stories garnered so much attention!
First though, I do want to highlight three awesome stories that really should have gotten more views.
“In Japan, locals are often the most gracious, jolly, and welcoming — just don’t take anything personally and open yourself up to a little adventure.”
✈️ Vincent Van Patten made me feel as though I were right there with him on his adventures through Shinchi Chinatown, with a little help from Anthony Bourdain.
This story is also a great, great (can I say great one more time!) example of providing travel tips through personal experience and perspective, rather than writing some snooze-fest listicle!
💤🥱 No, thank you!
“The young owner was the only staff. He alone prepared the broth, did the dishes, and served the guests. He moved with ease behind the counter, and the seats were always full.”
✈️ Elin Johansson did a great job at describing a ramen shop in Seoul and its rather fascinating owner. Makes me want to be there right now.
“Death. Terrible for business. Good for book sales.”
✈️ Don’t read this story by Greyson Ferguson if you have a fear of heights. But do read if you appreciate a great story and a roundabout tip about downright refusing to join a certain macabre statistic.
Check out these stories and let me know what you think.
Most Read Stories from May and June ✈️🚢
The following stories all garnered quite a bit of attention. Some were boosted and some weren’t. I’ve marked the ones that were. A huge congrats to these viral writers!
1. ✈️ My First Time in Nashville and Here’s What Shocked Me
Nashville is a city that continues to fascinate us all. Writer Sarina Chiu shares her candid account of visiting the music city, which may not have sat well with some commentors. But, she shared her honest opinion and that’s what counts.
This story has 12.1k views and counting.
“Nashville is a beautiful city with vibrant colours, captivating murals, and music everywhere. The atmosphere is lively and happy — it’s hard not to feel the positive vibes.
2. ✈️ Our Hatred of Tourists and “Fetishization of Locals” Smacks of Xenophobia and Nationalism and I’m Not Here for It
Charlie Brown poses an interesting discussion of the various nuances of being a culturally sensitive tourist, which struck a particular chord with us readers. This story has 11.4k views and counting.
“Pitting tourists against locals creates an atmosphere of “us vs. them” which does no one any good… We need to turn locals vs. tourists into… Humans.”
3. ✈️ I Can’t Live in an American City Again
Shawn Forno provided a valid reason for preferring to live in a European city over an American one. This story currently has 7.4k views and counting and was boosted by Medium.
“Because it turns out that living within a 15-minute walk from everything you could possibly want or need is the secret to a more sustainable, affordable, healthier, happier, and stress-free life.”
4. ✈️ The More I Travel the More I Realize That “Freedom Through Travel” Is a Complete Illusion
The second story from travel writer Charlie Brown to appear on this list on the downsides of travel. Oh yes, it is getting more and more expensive all the time. We’re all feeling it. 🥺
“Most of my friends and family assume the hardest part of my full-time-traveling life is choosing which beach I’m going to next.”
5. ✈️ Echoes of Eternity: The Living Caves of Cantabria, Spain
This story by Ryan Frawley was wonderfully written with awesome descriptions of his experience visiting caves in Spain. He also does a great job at mixing personal experience with a bit of sound research. It can be done. This story was understandably boosted by Medium staff.
“In the geological scale, we are just a blip, barely even arrived, ignorant babies in the kingdom of other mammals, let alone reptiles, insects, fish, and fungi.”
6. ✈️ Where Cascading Waterfalls are Shooting out of the Forest
Who doesn’t love a good Anne Bonfert travel story? This story containing beautiful photos and majestic descriptions of waterfalls she’s visited got a nice boost from Medium.
“The water was shining in the brightest turquoise blue, I couldn’t believe it was real. Cascading waterfalls were running down the rocks, shooting out of the forest from all around us.”
Boosted Stories from May and June ✈️🚢
Not counting the stories that were already listed above, here are several other boosted stories from the last couple of months that ended up getting hundreds and sometimes thousands of views.
Please note: If you had a story from May/June that got boosted and I missed listing it here please do let me know.
1. ✈️ Would I Be Lonely By Myself in a Foreign Country Where I Knew No-One?
Moving to a whole new country all by yourself? It can be done successfully, but perhaps not with a few bumps in the road. Just ask travel writer Janice Macdonald. I just love her stories!
“It all seems so long ago now, but looking back on that first year in France and the richness of experience that I still enjoy today, I’d honestly say that a few moments of loneliness are a small price to pay.”
2. ✈️ Breaking the Silence at An Ashram
OMG, loved this story by Darren Weir. Such an awesome travel writer and it seems he’s been just about everywhere. Spending time at an Ashram sounds like an amazing experience but there may be downsides for many of us (I think I would go nutty myself). Thanks for the honest and sometimes quite hilarious story.
“I realized I had better zen moments watching the surf roll onto the beach or staring at a sunset or being hypnotized by the flames in a fireplace.”
3. ✈️ The Sunlight Reminds Me Who I Am
Vincent Van Patten wrote this beautiful poem and decided to share it with us here at Globetrotters. It’s lovely to see more travel poetry popping up and it’s awesome that Medium is boosting more poetry these days.
“The sunlight Reminds me who I am. It fills the empty space with The warmth of my past”
4. ✈️Things to Do in Denver When the Band That You Flew There to See, Cancels at the Last Minute
Scott-Ryan Abt writes about what to do with extra time when plans fall through. We’ve all been there, eh?
“It was all lining up perfectly. Smooth as creamed corn. Too good to be true? Maybe. But why shouldn’t it be? My karma is intact and good things happen to good people, as I can be heard to say now and again.”
5. ✈️ Girona: Days of Fleas and Roses
Another awesome story by Ryan Frawley to do well and a bonus funny cat photo that you just HAVE TO check out.
“We should all celebrate with books and roses, any time we choose. But let’s not lose ourselves in any notion as stupid and self-defeating and tawdry as nationalism.”
6. ✈️ Catalonia, Canvas and Cava
This story of visiting Barcelona by Manali Mitra is filled with wonderful vivid imagery. Would love to go now!
“Sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows, painting the stone surfaces with a stunning palette of greens, blues, yellows, and reds, casting ever-shifting patterns and illuming intricate carvings.”
7. ✈️ Alone in the Desert, The Axe Murderer Strikes
Greyson Ferguson relayed this story of feeling a bit creeped out by being alone out in the Nevada desert… after all the stories my grandma used to tell us about this desert area, I really don’t blame anyone for getting spooked.
“For a brief moment, I was a giant of a man, until the sun said no more and my shadow faded to nothing. Life summarized before my eyes. With a final goodbye, the sky went from pink to purple to black. The stars would be coming out soon.”
8. ✈️ How to Travel Full-Time When You Have Crippling Anxiety, Depression, and Travel-Triggered Mental Health Issues
Charlie Brown writes about the important topic of travel and mental health issues. This kind of stuff affects a lot of us, including me.
“I have no safe place. Nowhere to go when things get rough. And they definitely get rough.”
9. ✈️ Sharks, Stinging Things, and Shells Filled with Toxins
Charles Black M.D. shares majestic photos and a few words of caution in this story about visiting the Great Barrier Reef.
“I have dived in the Caribbean on many occasions and in multiple locations. Still, I haven’t seen anything as breathtaking as what we found just off the beach of Fitzroy Island.”
10. ✈️ Echoes of Concrete, Melodies of Green
A beautiful poem by Manali Mitra written for our June Skyscraper challenge about visiting NYC and the second of her stories to appear on this list. You simply must read it.
“In this delicate equipoise of divergent perspectives, Was a poignant juncture of self-revelation.”
What a fantastic list, eh?
What did you think of these stories? Were there others you thought should have done better or could have gotten a boost?
Congrats to the viral writers and many thanks to my fellow editors here at Globetrotters: Anne Bonfert, Adrienne Beaumont, Jillian Amatt and Michele Maize. You guys are simply amazing!
Got a great travel story to share? Read our guidelines and learn how to apply to be a writer here:
If you haven’t done so yet, introduce yourself to everyone by writing your spotlight story. Also, don’t miss our weekly story recaps and our monthly challenges.
Looking forward to reading more awesome stories soon!
